Lucas wasted no time. He knew time was critical when a Rift Point was opening. The Husk-Brute had fully manifested, its massive body making gruesome scraping sounds as its muscles and bony masses shifted. It began to take heavy steps towards the supply route where the Scavenger group was unknowingly approaching.
Lucas was on one of the old, rusted cranes, dangling amidst the concrete ruins. He could feel its slightest vibrations, every weakness in the metal structure eroded by years. Memories of the Stone Centipedes had given him a deep understanding of material structure and weak points. He looked down at the Husk-Brute, estimating its weight and trajectory. It was massive, powerful, but also slow and somewhat inflexible.
Lucas's plan was to use the environment itself as a weapon. He closed his eyes, recalling the memories of a Night Beetle. Though not combat-related, this memory amplified his ability to observe details in darkness and his sensitivity to air currents. He needed a ranged attack, not of strength, but of collapse.
He opened his eyes, staring at a giant, heavily rusted water pipe dangling precariously over the Husk-Brute. It was held in place by a few old, decaying steel cables. Based on what he'd learned from the Stone Centipedes, Lucas knew that with the right force applied to the right weak point, this pipe would fall.
But how could he reach it undetected?
He began to move along the crane, like a giant spider. He used the speed and agility learned from the Spine-Crawler to maintain balance on the narrow, rusted beams. He felt every gust of wind, every tiny vibration to ensure each step was silent. He glided through the dilapidated metal structures, like a ghost in the night.
The Husk-Brute growled, drawing closer to the road. The Scavenger group below had begun to hear the unusual noises and stopped, looking around nervously. They still hadn't seen the monster. Lucas had to hurry.
He reached his strategic point, a crossbeam located above the pipe. He touched the old steel cable. The memory of the Grub's chitin regeneration, though not directly related, helped him understand material cohesion, how small strands weaken and break. He focused, channeling his energy into his palm. The star-shaped scar glowed faintly green.
Lucas didn't have the strength to cut the cable. But he could do something else. He found a weak joint where the steel strands were worn. He used his dull knife, not to cut, but to pry and wear down that exact spot, creating a fissure. He used his full body weight, hanging from the cable, swaying gently. Every small, calculated movement, based on his tremor sense, was optimized to weaken the cable without breaking it too soon.
At the same time, he continuously "read" the environment. He felt the weight of the pipe, estimating its falling trajectory. He needed it to hit the Husk-Brute, but he couldn't let it collapse too soon.
The Husk-Brute's growl grew louder. It had spotted the Scavenger group. It let out a terrifying roar and began to charge faster towards them, though still slow compared to a Shadow Stalker. The Scavenger group finally saw it. Panicked screams erupted as they scattered.
"No!" Lucas gritted his teeth. "Not yet!"
He pushed with his last ounce of strength, shaking the weak point of the cable once more. The chilling creak of rusted metal echoed.
BOOOOM!
The cable finally snapped. The massive water pipe began its descent.
But it was falling slightly off target. The Husk-Brute, though ponderous, had the primal survival instinct of a colossal predator, allowing it to sense the danger. It began to shift its heavy body slightly.
Lucas had anticipated this. He needed a diversion. He closed his eyes, summoning the memory of a Grunt-Beast—another low-tier monster he had absorbed, known for its piercing growls and ability to attract attention. He couldn't roar like it, but he could mimic the vibrational frequency it produced.
He concentrated energy in his throat, creating a strange, low, vibrating sound, like the choked growl of a severely wounded Grunt-Beast. The sound wasn't loud, but its frequency immediately drew the Husk-Brute's attention. Its instinct, as an apex predator, was drawn to the cry of a weak, injured "prey."
The Husk-Brute paused, its glowing red eyes turning towards Lucas, exposing a part of its flank and shoulder.
CRASH!
The enormous water pipe slammed forcefully onto the Husk-Brute's shoulder and part of its body. Its thick, bony armor shattered, and an agonizing, horrifying roar echoed through the ruins. The colossal monster stumbled, lost its balance, and violently collapsed.
Lucas panted, his hands trembling as he clung to the beam. He had done it. He had defeated a much higher-tier monster with his intellect and a combination of absorbed skills. The Scavenger group below looked back, their eyes wide with shock as they saw the massive creature brought down by something unseen.
He didn't linger to savor the victory. He quickly slid down the crane, disappearing into the familiar shadows. Although the Husk-Brute had fallen, it wasn't completely dead. And more importantly, a Crystal Warrior like Elara might be drawn to such a massive energy disturbance. Lucas didn't want her to see him again.
He glided past the Husk-Brute's corpse, sensing its faint, weak breaths. He didn't have time to absorb its memory now. He needed to get out of here. But he knew that the day he could absorb memories from a powerful monster like a Husk-Brute would come. And when that happened, Lucas would become something even more terrifying than he could imagine.
The journey of The Memory Scavenger was still long, and every step carried new secrets and dangers.