With a crash, Arata suddenly dashed forward with the bug, letting out a screech. The boss crashed into the tower, causing the building to crumble. The ground's losing stability, I got to hold onto the wall, no, do I descend? Will the fall kill me?
Luckily, the building was more durable than Arata thought it would be. While a section of it was destroyed, the bug still wasn't strong enough to destroy the concrete structure. The civilization that built this was pretty good at its job.
Arata quickly tried to look up at the destroyed tower. However, above him was a mass of meat, teeth, and whatever disgusting substance lubricated the boss's mouth. Before it could dash at him to eat, Arata pulled out the spear with the Larvae.
Well, I hope this is enough to scare this thing, conjure some fire, and I need to not miss this time. I really don't think I have enough distance right now, though. Arata waves the impaled creature around to convince the boss to back away.
The actions of Arata didn't come across too well with the creature, as he looked at the bug's trisected face, it was angry, so tears fell from its ugly mug. What Arata had done only spited the bug. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to murder its kid and put it on the end of a stick.
How do I get out of here? It's coming closer… I don't have the gasoline either, I can't generate a big enough fire, I'm going to die here. I just need to try and keep the bug on the stick alive the next round. Imagine that death is painful, it feels like a burning sensation dances across your body… then the next second it all goes cold.
Arata sighs, imagining the sensation as the temperature of the room drops, and Arata's skin turns red. Floating in the air is a spark. That spark becomes a ball, gyrating as it takes in the surrounding heat. This is magic? I cast this spell? Well, at least I have something now, even if a fireball is basic.
The bug looked onwards, showing a new emotion for the first time; it felt fear. The creature knew getting hit by that flaming ball would hurt. As the bug backed away, the small orb floated towards it, and despite the creature's speed, it was petrified.
Holy shit! Can I do that? Haha, Raphael really is a dumbass, unable to see that I am a prodigy of magic. Now just to do that again. Arata suddenly had a small confidence boost. Sure, the creature was much stronger than him, but it would fall all the same if he could just get the perfect hit.
The bug catches flames, beginning to panic on the floor, unluckily for Arata, meant patting out the flames and undoing his magic's work. Wow… my dreams were just stepped on in an instant. I don't know how to do that again either. I'll take the distraction, though.
Arata descended fully down the spiral staircase, now back on solid ground, he for the first time was able to see the creature in full. The face was definitely a human's, but contorted to a point that it was hard to tell by now. The bugs can struggle… It's the same look of panic when he was stuck, slammed into that wall-
Good, looks like the bug isn't getting up immediately, I have enough time.
The legs all crawled, latching onto objects in a strange manner; each leg was uniquely expressive. As the creature put out the flames by rolling, some legs flailed everywhere in pain, others remained stoic, and a few contributed to the body's momentum in recovery.
Arata's eyes then wandered further up the building in whole had 3 floors, and the area the nest was in actually appeared open with long hallways that stretched out in various directions, where the nest served as a choke point that prisoners had to walk by. The prison was designed as a radial, and the bugs had likely taken the center as their home back when prisoners still roamed the prison. It made sense to block the entrance.
Making the situation even more scary to think about was the full body of the boss; it didn't just have one body, but several each like branches latching onto the various edges of the building. Feet locked together to hold itself steady, joined with the adhesive that the bugs produced.
Now I run, let it see me then book it! Arata felt powerless, but only in direct conversation, but wasn't out of options yet. He ran into the narrow hallway he came from, using the corpse of his fallen brethren as bait.
Luckily, the giant bug was emotional enough; the main head, upon recovery, chased Arata into the hallway. Shit! How did I augment myself that one time again? I can't think auuuugh!
Practical application was the hardest part of anything due to the threat of failure, as Arata couldn't help but feel a unique dread. Yet he still made his moves, breathing with new strength coursing through his feet, waiting to just get a little further until finally. The creature came to a sudden stop; it was too big. It started to crush the building behind it. The weight is slowing the bug down just enough to buy time for Arata. The creature screamed, further hurting Arata's ears as its mouth revealed an ugly tongue.
The bug was stuck, making an ugly struggle while locked in place. It was just as Arata planned. This, I can do first try.
Turn around, steady your body, spear up over your shoulder, let the strength in your legs move up your body as you dash! Aim and release, and in that final moment, let out a spark! The javelin flew across the air, and the bug on the end began to swell in size. The javelin skewered the ugly beast's tongue.
Fire spread across the bug's human mouth, dancing further through the wet, warm tunnel. The liquid had a similar smell to gasoline and spread fire about as easily. The big bug began to swell as Arata needed to run.
New speed coursed through his veins yet again, and he dashed into a cell once he got far enough away. The whole building began to shake, and with a loud pop, the flames engulfed the hallway outside. Sonic booms caused ringing in Arata's ears as he felt the heat across his back when he went to duck.
Closing his eyes as everything went dark once again. He thought it was over, yet when he opened his eyes, he didn't see the theater. He survived that encounter. Stepping out into the hallway, broken and battered, floating above him was a cocoon, fleshy tendrils reaching out in all directions over the rubble of what used to be the prison hallways.
That's it… That's what that was!