I had finished crafting Anastasia's Armor, and it was time for my new and improved armor. The one I had crafted before, while good, would pale in comparison to the materials crafted from both the [Divine Leviathan Ant] and the [Myrmidon Cenitaur].
The divinely imbued materials required extra preparation. As I followed along with the whispers from my skills on the preparation. I first took out the pieces that would serve as the chest piece. I mapped out where each of the seven layers of the Chintin would go, and then using my knife I wore down each part to fit perfectly. Then removing each piece, I placed the adhesive onto the base plate and began to stack the next plate on. Until I had prepared the chest piece for the rest in the fire.
Placing the chest piece into the hot coals to shrink. Then I began on the back piece. It was easier to fit each piece and mold as there were fewer details needed for it to operate. I used a set of tongs and took the chest piece out of the fire and into the water finishing that piece.
Placing the back area into the fire, I moved on to the shoulder guards The idea for this armor was that it would be form-fitting and wouldn't obstruct my ability to wear my jacket over it. As I was working I was also using [Divine Imbuement] and [Concept Manipulation] intermittently during the crafting process.
[Concept Manipulation] was like watching strands of yarn stretching into various areas beyond view. I had a vague sense of what plain it was connected to and began swatting the unwanted ones away. Primarily, one that seemed to be chaos and Despots, which was harder to bat away.
Eventually, I took the back piece off the flames and placed it into the water leaving the final stages after I finished the shoulder guards. I had to use the rounded edge of a stone to get the shape right, but as they fell into the flames, they thankfully kept their rounded shape.
I made sure that the tendons and ligaments were ready. As I pulled the shoulder guards out of the flames and into the water I measured the distance required between the front and the back plate to make it fit. Then I began tying the pieces together, back and forth like when you lace up your shoes.
After that, I took the shoulder guards and began to connect them to the completed area. It was simple to finish that part, and for the finishing touches, Anastasia created a silk undercoat to the armor; her silk could act as a super comfortable and strong Kevlar. For my last touch, I activated [Touch-Mark] and [Sanctify Item].
...
[Daemon's Monster Hunter's Armor]
Rank Two Rare Medium Armor
This armor is crafted using both crude and refined techniques. The materials are sourced by two Divine-blessed creatures, a [Divine Leviathan Ant] and a [Myrmidon Cenitaur], one of which was a Rank Two. Both were slain by the Smith of this weapon, a Minor Daemon, and are Blessed and marked by him.
Effects: [Divine Material], [Ant Bane], [Divine Edict: Order], [Embassory of The Depths], and [Monster Hunter's Garb]
-[Divine Material]
This item is made of materials brimming with divine power granting this item the ability to fix itself over time and a greater resistance to mundane weapons and attacks.
-[Ant Bane]
This armor takes less damage from ant-related creatures and Sapients.
-[Divine Edict: Order]
This Item possesses a great connection to the Conceptual Plain of Order. This allows the user to call upon the Divine power dormant in this item to banish chaos once a week.
-[Embassory of The Depths]
This marks the user as a Divine Embassy to the Depths protecting them from most creatures as long as they remain neutral in all conflicts.
-[Monster Hunter's Garb]
Based on the user's belief of what constitutes a 'Monster' they receive a 5% boost to Durability and both curse and Necrotic resistance.
...
[Achievement Earned]
You have crafted an item at a higher rank than your own using materials you procured yourself.
-[Prodigious Craftsman]
Enhances Records dealing with your related [Smith] based class.
...
[Skill Leveled Up]
-[Crude Item Creation] Lvl: 2
You now know how to craft crude weaponry, armor, and tools. You now know how to craft Basic Chintin Armor.
...
The skill level up was definitely appreciated. Looking around, I saw each of the spiders decked out in their new Armor, ready to steamroll the rest of the factions in these caves.
'Alrighty then, who do we want to tackle first?' I asked them Telepathically.
'We should kill the Rats, without the ants keeping them in check, they could run rampant,' one of them said, a respectable level 7.
'Any objection to going Rat hunting?' I asked the group.
'Nope, I just wanna kill, kill, kill!' Anastasia said while prancing, You know what? It is probably for the best that only I can understand her once we are among humans again.
'Okay, let's go guide the way,' I said while putting on my armor, making sure everything fit, before donning the jacket. Anastasia climbed up my leg and nestled herself into her pocket in the jacket.
...
'Turn right' she said as I followed her instructions to the Rats part of the cave. Eventually, I saw one, its back was hunched over with bits falling out, and a sick blackish bile was seeping from the pocket marks scattered around its body.
...
[Cave Rat(Infected)] Lvl: 14
...
Raising my hand, I used my [Geomancy], creating a wall of rock on the blind side of the rat. With a flick of the wrist, the wall slammed into the creature slowly crushing it against the wall. It was more brutal than I was hoping for, but ain't no way I'm getting whatever those things have.
I continued onwards, making a point to step around the bile splatter. While we walked, I practiced making a spear point with [Geomancy], hoping to make a less messy way to dispose of the Rats from afar.
We continued to see a few rats with it becoming more and more common as we moved along. I continued to use [Geomancy] to both keep them away and to spear them to death. Eventually, we came across what appeared to be an outpost of Rats.
The Spiders stealthily spread out along the walls and ceiling of the cave. Banging my club against the wall I heard Screeching.
They came piling out of the holes of the cave. As they poured out, I reached out with my mind to the Stalactites, loosening them. They began to fall on the wave of rats, and intermittently, I would raise a wall of earth diverting their flow.
As I created an artificial choke point where the spiders and spears could destroy them, I heard an Awful hiss and a massive seven-foot rat exited one of the caves. Parts of it were actively falling off, and as it began to run, a black bike projectile vomited from its mouth, yuck.
...
[Commander Rat(Plague Bearer)] lvl: 14
...
Yeah, nope, with a flick of the wrist, I activated [Force Field], stopping the creature dead in its tracks, then I summoned three spears of stone, piercing the creature, ending it swiftly.
...
[Bonus Quest]
You have discovered the area of the [Secret Boss], the Rats have breached into an ancient canal system left by the I society, decimated by the plague. Their leader, [The Festering Patriarch], is a Rank Two semi-elemental Plague Spirit. Be careful and survive.
Bonus Objective: Stay Uninfected.
Reward: +25 Achievement Points, and a cure for the infection.
Bonus Objective Reward: +10 Achievement Points and a Title
...
Well, you can bet your lucky stars I'm not about to get infected. As long as I kept my Mana up I could continue to fight from the back line. Anastasia had already told me how they were immune to the Plague.
I continued to weave Mana wrecking destruction upon them as the Spiders continued to obstruct and drag them up to their perches. Due to the Rats being absolutely mad, they really didn't have any advantage but numbers as their levels didn't mean much without strategy.
Eventually, when we finished off the rats, I had to wait behind as the Spiders cleared the tunnels to be sure and to find any loot.
Unfortunately, I hadn't leveled up yet do to the XP debuff of being a Divine being and the legendary monster Hunter XP debuff.
Sighing I waited patiently, moving the blood and viscera of the ants out of the way using [Geomancy] to move the floor around.
'Alright, Boss, they're coming back, and don't worry, they know to clean themselves off before they come here,' Anastasia said within my jacket.
I saw the Spiders exit the cave and use their webbing to pull off the blood and other stuff from off them.
'Hey Anastasia, can you make me a silk mask real quick? I don't know how this spreads,' I said while reaching into my jacket, wherein she pressed a spider silk face covering.
Placing it firmly over my face I walked forward as the Spiders followed me.
As we continued to walk through the caves transformed slowly into cobbled brick, until we entered an area which I guessed was the canals. The water was clearly the source of the infection. It was Briny and still with a sickly Unnatural green color. Moving as far away as possible.
*SPLASH*
Moving to face the sound I raised a barrier of Stone breaking from the brick flooring. Another of the [Plague Bearers] burst from the waterways.
"SKRRRRGGGGG," it screamed, its voice echoing along the length of the Canal. The spiders sprang into action as they held down the giant infected rat. With a wave of my hand, my wall turned into a flying spear impaling the infected.
"Skrrrg?" A sound echoed from further down the chamber.
"SKKKRRRRRGGG!" A voice boomed far but closer than the previous one. I heard the patter of feet and the scratch of claws. Turning around, I saw a massive pile of rats moving our way.
Raising up a [Force Field] along the length of the canal, they slammed against it, straining it for a moment. Taking a breather, I have about 5 Mana left, and that shield should hold for a little bit.
'Can you guys reinforce the shield with your webs and maybe create a dam further up?' I asked them.
They began to around stretching bands of webbing along the length of the tunnel, as I sat down and began to recover my Mana.