Crafting Death: A LitRPG Cultivation Series (Towers & Rifts Book 2)

by Nephilim Night

  I did the same and then pulled Melina along with me and distanced us from the group.

  “Any chance you could prepare the usual if there’s any left?”

  “Yeah, we’ll take care of it,” Rita replied weakly. She was distraught over Sandro’s state as well as Melina’s reaction, but it was only to be expected.

  We moved over to the fountain and sat there. I pulled Melina into a hug and kissed her forehead, whispering how everything would be alright, but it wouldn’t be. At least not until I found that bastard.

  “Do you want me to leave you two alone?” Lana asked from our side.

  To my surprise, Melina grabbed her wrist and pulled her to sit beside us. “Please stay. Don’t go.”

  “Alright, no worries,” Lana whispered. “I’m here.” I could see the slight hint of discomfort in her posture, but she remained seated.

  I chuckled inwardly, ecstatic over the way they treated each other. Perhaps it was because we were gone for several days, and perhaps they’d found their place in this strange situation we were thrust into. Whatever the case, I felt more alive than ever despite needing to give her the bad news.

  “Mel, there’s no easy way to say this, so I’ll just tell you, alright?”

  She nodded as her big sad eyes stared at mine. Tears had already formed at the corners of her eyes and were lazily rolling down her cheeks. “Yeah, tell me. What is it?”

  “Anton is still alive.”

  Her mouth opened, but she was unable to speak. And then just like that, she fainted.

  “Fuck,” Lana cursed. “This could have gone better.”

  “And worse as well,” I muttered as I pulled her up in my arms. “Let’s take her with us to the bathhouse. She can sleep on the sofa there.”

  “You want to get cleaned up first?” Lana asked. “I thought you couldn’t wait to eat Rita’s meat.”

  I shrugged. “Yeah, you’re right, but look at me. I’m burned and dirty, and there are three damn holes in my kimono.”

  “I guess,” she whispered. “Alright, I’ll join you for a quick bath if that’s alright? No funny things, just a bath.”

  I nodded. “Yeah, that’s fine. Can you get something to wear while I start the burner?”

  Lana disappeared in the inn as I moved toward the bathhouse, lowered Melina carefully, even pulled a blanket over her bare legs and arms, then ran down to start the fire. By the time Lana was back, the water was already heating up. Damn crystals sure came in handy in everyday situations, making life much easier.

  I cracked three of the rank two crystals and let them drop into the vat tub, then followed them in. Lana was quick to undress and join me. I wasn’t in the mood for fooling around or doing anything beyond getting clean. I was tired and hurt. I was in pain over Melina and letting that bastard escape, but there was time to rectify that problem. I would get him one day soon, that was a promise. Then something dawned on me.

  “Veles?” I said out loud just as Lana leaned her back against me.

  A tiny thunderbolt struck the ground near the right chair, and there she was in all her glory, Veles, our Goddess patron.

  “I usually don’t come running when someone calls, but I can feel the turmoil inside you.”

  “How do I close the other rifts?”

  “Our opponents’?”

  I nodded. “No, wait. I need you to confirm something for me first. Are the two other rifts connected to mine, the ones from Sylmar city?”

  “Hmm, I see now. They can be connected, but it’s a massive gamble, Viktor. It’s not worth it.”

  “What will it cost me?”

  “Nothing if you succeed, but if you fail, your own will be left defenseless.”

  “And what if I go in through their portal? What then?”

  “I… don’t know. The owner can kill you just for being there, just like you can execute anyone in here. I’m even obliged to follow that order using my own power.”

  I nodded, understanding the system slightly better now, but still not fully. “So the other portals go somewhere else?”

  “They do, and I can get the coordinates if you want, but it’s a fool’s errand. Wait until you’re stronger; then we can try to get rid of them.”

  “And you can’t do anything about it?”

  “Do you even need the answer?”

  “Sometimes it’s easier to accept something when you hear it firsthand.”

  “Then I’ll tell you. No, I can’t. You can go in and hope for the best, but I wouldn’t do that just yet. Have patience, and everything will solve itself.”

  “Just like that damn snake that almost killed us?” Lana hissed.

  “Now, now, calm down, little kitten,” Veles purred. “No need to hiss at me. See, I told you that at that moment there was nothing, but the damn creature crossed through the zones once I was already gone.”

  I put up a hand to stop Lana from saying anything stupid and instead took a different approach. “Can you tell me anything about it?”

  “What? You think I’m an encyclopedia?”

  “No, but if that damn thing can get here, then I want to know what we’re facing.”

  She narrowed her eyes on mine and smirked. “There are hundreds of things that can come in here at will. Many are far, far worse than that snake. It was a damn rank ten, and the worst that can come here is a rank ninety-nine.”

  My blood froze at the mere mention of such a number.

  “Can it destroy the dome?” I asked, trying to remain calm despite my heart racing a thousand miles an hour.

  “No, it can’t as long as you’re in this world and get in there every seven days.”

  “What about their presence? Is there a way to read when they’re around?”

  She shook her head weakly and sighed. “Look, once you’ve defeated a rank ten monster, you’ll get access to a mini-map. On there you can see anything that moves three zones in.”

  “In all directions from where I stand?”

  “Exactly, but there’s no real way to prepare for such things. Your best bet is to hope for ranks seven and eight, maybe keep doing the tyranitaur until all of you are equipped better. Anyway, once you’ve reached rank seven, I’ll come to get the wolf again. He’s regenerating, so he can’t come out now anyway.”

  “Yeah, sure. Thanks,” I replied and let out a deep sigh.

  “You did good, you know? I’m satisfied with how you’re progressing so far. Just don’t get caught outside for too long, either in the wild or in the other world, and you’ll get there. Keep it up.”

  I put up a half-fake and half-earnest smile as I nodded. “Thanks, Veles. I feel better knowing we’re doing decent. All of this—yeah, it’s a bit hard to get used to.”

  Veles flashed us a warm smile and nodded slightly before disappearing. Just then Melina stirred awake and sat upright.

  “Vik?” she whispered weakly. “I want you to hold me.”

  Lana took the hint and got out of the tub. I followed right after and quickly got dressed. Several minutes in, I sat in the dining room with Melina in my lap and snuggled up against me. I held her tight in my arms and whispered whatever I could think of that could make her feel better, but it wouldn’t change that quickly. She had gone through the process of healing, only to hear that it had been for nothing.

  Lana just sat quietly, playing with the hem of her robe and her hair before she took out her zither and started playing music. A sudden cry from outside startled us from the silence.

  “He’s up,” I said, stating the obvious.

  Melina’s face contorted with rage, and she pushed off me, storming out of the inn. I ran after her but didn’t stop her. It was her right to do whatever she wanted, and I’d support it no matter what.

  She stopped in front of Sandro, who squealed like a stuck pig. His eyes went wide when he saw first Melina and then me. I remained silent as he glared daggers. I didn’t gloat, nor was there a need to. We both knew he was going to die that very day.

  She s
at next to him on a felled log and stared hard, thinking and planning. We stayed like that for a long minute, but by then his squealing and cries were starting to bother me. Melina suddenly shot up and kicked him in the side. The halberd dislodged and dropped next to her. She picked it up and stood there again, hovering over his broken body.

  “You fucking scum,” she hissed. “You made me believe he was gone, when you colluded with him all the while!”

  Melina tossed the halberd my way, and I barely caught it. She pulled her fan out next and knelt next to him. The tips of the fan were long and sharp like knives. With what looked like a practiced motion, she sliced through his left arm, cutting to the bone. It was far from heavy enough, at least in its current state, to cut fully through, but that wasn’t what she was going after. She wanted him to suffer.

  “You bitch! I protected you!” he cried, blood and tears puddling beneath him.

  “Mel, do you want me to finish it? There’s no merit in torture.”

  She stopped and pulled her hand back. “You’re right. He’s nowhere close to Anton, so yeah, go ahead. I’m going back in. I don’t want to see him—you know.”

  I nodded and put my arms around her. “I’ll take him outside and do it there. You go back in and help with the food, alright?”

  She nodded and pushed off me, then huddled up next to Lana, who looked taken by surprise. One of the two wanted this to work much more than the other, from what I could see.

  Lana pulled her aside and moved toward the inn as I dragged the squealing Sandro along. I zoned out as we passed through the dome and straight toward the grazlitaurs. I threw him down next to them, but the blood didn’t even bother them in the least. They even went so far as to avoid us.

  “Please,” he finally said, breaking his silence, or rather changing from whimpering to speech. “I helped you meet Melina! And with Kihot! Don’t fucking torture me, and just kill me!”

  “Oh, you’ll die. It’s just a matter of how. I can’t leave your body around, or it will just rot, and your bones will remain here.”

  “Then what? Are you going to bury me?”

  I shrugged. “No, too tiresome. I want to feed you to something.”

  Just then as if on cue, one of the grazlitaurs slipped and fell into the stream. Something snapped out of the water and bit down on the grazlitaur, pulling it underwater. I stared at it in horror, having no idea there was something in there that could eat a damn grazlitaur. Sure, it was no carnivore, but it was formidable nonetheless.

  Bubbles and blood rose to the surface before it was washed away by the current.

  “I guess we’ve just found your resting place, Sandro. Maybe you’ll be a better person in the afterlife and less of an ass in this one.”

  “Wait! Wait, come on, wait! Take my space ring! Take—whatever you want!”

  I looked down at his finger and noticed a sparkly black ring around his index finger. I pulled it off and stashed it in my pocket.

  “Thanks, but let’s be honest, there’s no way for you to survive today. The best I can do is kill you softly so you don’t suffer. Got anything else I can give her? Repent and you get an easy death.”

  He looked away and grimaced. “You’re right, I guess. I was just so torn between reaching for fame… and wanting her to lead a decent life. I guess I failed, didn’t I?”

  I nodded. “You did. So what’s it gonna be?”

  “Nothing. I don’t have anything else. All I got is in that ring. Can you let her have it?”

  I nodded again and pulled my halberd from the pouch, then carried him over to the riverbank. I didn’t know why I just stood there, pitying the man. He was pretty bad, so it didn’t make sense. Still, it felt bad killing an unarmed man.

  I suddenly jerked back as a tendril snaked out and pulled him into the water.

  “Fucking hell!” I cursed as his screams died out when he disappeared beneath the surface.

  The look in his eyes was something I wouldn’t forget; it was full of betrayal and fear. Whatever. He knew it would end like this one day after what he did. At least he went out like half a man.

  Chapter Eighteen

  The stream suddenly exploded, sending water flying in all directions and revealing the monster that lay in wait beneath the surface. A sharklike body and the mouth of a lamprey stared up at me. Both of the tentacles were blown off, and two short stubs thrashed there. I froze as I saw the damage Sandro had caused with… whatever it was.

  I did the only stupid thing I could and charged the monster. It was at least ten feet long and as thick as the thickest tree in this forest, but it had no more shield, and the side was open and exposed.

  I double-jumped and landed on its back, striking the gaping wound once, twice, and pulled back again.

  Damage Notification:

  You have used << BASH >>.

  You have used 60 Enma.

  You have inflicted 2,115 damage to Cortonoth.

  The halberd’s edge dug deep into the flesh, sending chunks of flesh and bone flying in all directions. It tried to dive deeper, but the stream was too shallow, getting so far underwater that only my ankles were covered.

  I pulled the halberd back again and stabbed this time before using my second skill.

  Damage Notification:

  You have used << X-SLASH >>.

  You have used 70 Enma.

  You have inflicted 1,997 damage to Cortonoth.

  You have inflicted Bleed Debuff.

  You have inflicted 143 Bleed damage to Cortonoth.

  The halberd moved on its own as the usual red glow appeared along the edge of the blade, just before it connected with the same wound. The blade got stuck as it lodged between two large bones and only started bleeding even worse than it already was. A second jerk cut the wound even wider and unlodged the blade. The monster thrashed its body and threw me off into the water.

  I scrambled to get out. Luckily the tendrils were gone, allowing me precious time to escape. I grabbed for the halberd, barely catching the weapon. The monster slithered back and came at me with its wide maw, but I wedged the halberd in between the teeth, holding it there.

  Damage Notification:

  You have used << FOCUS >>.

  You have used 100 Enma.

  I held on for dear life as it tried to push me into the water and against the riverbank. If it managed to keep me underwater, I’d drown for sure, and they’d never even find me.

  The halberd jerked sideways as << FOCUS >> activated, ripping its mouth wide open. It started thrashing, slamming its body into mine and holding me underwater for several seconds before climbing up the riverbank.

  I pulled myself up after it, gasping for air and not wanting to fight on its terms. It kicked out and almost sent me into the water again, but I caught myself and skidded to a halt before dropping over the edge. I spat the acrid water out and steadied my breathing, all the while keeping eye contact with the monstrosity from hell.

  Monster Scan:

  NAME: Cortonoth

  RANK: 8, Roaming Boss

  HEALTH: 4,000/4,000

  ENMA: 500

  SPEED 1.4

  PHYSICAL ATTACK: 300

  ENMA ATTACK: 400

  DEFENSE: 250

  ENMA SHIELD: 4,982/9,000

  The cortonoth wasn’t much weaker than the tyranitaur, though it was trickier in the fact that it was a water monster, and ordinarily, lightning should work great with it. But Scar was nowhere to be seen. Just like every time I needed him.

  A deafening boom resounded from behind me. I knew by heart that it was Mark and his trusty anti-tank rifle by the streak of flames the bullet left as it traveled. The shield crackled but held, though an orange hue now surrounded the beast. It turned toward the stream again and charged, but I was still in its path.

  “Keep providing support!” I yelled over my shoulder as I double-jumped and landed on its back, slamming my halberd down against the shield. My legs had gone through, and I could feel the sensation of the shield pas
s through me, but the weapon just bounced.

  Damage Notification:

  You have used << BASH >>.

  You have used 60 Enma.

  You have inflicted 1,998 damage to Cortonoth.

  You have inflicted 44% Defense Debuff.

  The beast let out a wet gurgle as the halberd finally passed through the shield, having stripped its defense down to half. A stupid thought crossed my mind that defense might be one of the factors in how shields managed to hold up under blows or crack, depending on the amount of pressure. It was something I’d have to look into.

  Mark came sprinting toward me, holding his lance out as he charged. I slammed the halberd twice more down against the wounded back and drew more blood. For some strange reason, the cortonoth wasn’t defending itself anymore. No, that wasn’t right. It was withering as it stood there, unable to move.

  The lance slammed into its side and went all the way through, the tip barely managing to get out on the other side. A deafening screech escaped its mouth as the monster thrashed and fell to the side, lifting Mark as he held on to the lance, then rolled again and plunged into the water.

  I jumped up high and did a double jump, targeting the creature’s back, and kept hacking at the same spot. The moment it touched the water, the cortonoth stopped withering and its skin returned to normal, but it was already past saving, so all it did was give back the beautiful, smooth surface to the outer skin.

  With a last hack, the monster died and stopped struggling beneath my feet, now floating there on the surface.

  Notification:

  How to kill a Boss? (Level 1)

  Killed 3/5 Boss-rank monsters for Level 2.

  “You gonna help me?” Mark asked as he still hung from the lance.

  “Yeah, sorry.” I laughed as I jumped on the lance and forced the creature to turn in the water. Mark landed on his feet and pulled the lance out, then stashed it away.

  “Shit, that’s one ugly bastard!”