[NR] Ten Icy Or One Big Boy? - Chapter 465 (Patreon)

An arrow streaks across the cavern before bursting into more shards of burning metal than the arrow head could possibly create, peppering the icy tardigroids. As an opening salvo, this does a decent job of distracting the monsters.

Decent enough that Courtney, Jason, and Lily are able to make it halfway across the arena before the tardigroids can respond. Though the three could have gone farther if not for running out of obstacles to hide behind. There just wasn’t anything big enough in a direct line.

Then the world turns white around them as the ten tardigroids are now focused on them. Their ice shards shatter and bounce off the boulder they have taken shelter behind.

Though as another arrow flies over, the sprays of ice diverge at the last second as the tardigroids rear back at the sight. This arrow, however, doesn’t burst apart. Instead, it flies true and strikes one of the monsters to the left. The wound sizzles as an intense heat attacks the icy beast.

From behind their temporary shelter, the rest of the team bursts out and charges. Lily takes the lead with one giant leap that propels her while Energy swirls around her. Though she just misses out on getting the first kill as Rosha’s second arrow manages to reap its target first.

Right behind those two getting kills, Jason slams a flying kick into one of the center monsters. What was already a powerful attack empowered by War Stomp takes on a whole new level of power as he focuses on the conceptual side of things. When using his Stamina, the attack takes on the form of a blooming flower and through this he forces spring to take over from winter and melt the icy beast.

It isn’t heat that burns the beast, but rather the change of seasons forcing the ice to rot. Courtney doesn’t even get a chance to attack before Jason has claimed another life, bouncing off his first target and slamming his other foot into another monster.

Not that Courtney is going to let him get too far ahead. While her attacks are not instantly fatal like Jason’s, she gets a lot more in. Unseen by the tardigroids, she had stealthed around behind them and slashed across the back legs of four of them before being noticed.

Of course, the monsters had more than enough legs to stay on their feet. At least they would have if not rearing back to try and keep an eye on Lily and Jason. So instead they tumbled over, with the last receiving a fatal slash across the neck.

Oh, and taking a tumble got their eyes off of Lily who decided this was a perfect opportunity. A quick hop and a jump soon sees another two of the monsters dead. Though at this point, the ones that remained standing got their act together.

One splashes their ice across the pillar Rosha is behind to try and prevent any further attacks. This might have worked if not for the fact she had repositioned to be closer. The other three standing monsters however don’t try and ice blast into the melee fight. While the cold wouldn’t do much to their fellow icy tardigroids, a good portion of the damage actually comes from the shards being quite sharp.

Instead, the monsters pull out another trick. Their claws seem to extend as ice forms on all six of their feet. If only they had gotten their act together quicker, they might have had a chance to save their fallen friends. Instead, Lily and Courtney finished them.

Then Jason slams into the one still trying for ranged combat, killing it as his bloom clams into the beast’s head.

Rosha, in turn uses the chance to rush into the melee with her weapon taking its bladed stave form. Though she doesn’t get a chance to use it as the others finish the last three before she can even cross the room. Despite the claws looking fierce, the icy tardigroids were definitely more of a hands off caster type.

This was especially true against Lily, who managed to completely avoid even being attacked by simply jumping onto their backs. While they could rear up, the three were too distracted by Jason wrecking them one stomp at a time.

Not that Rosha cared about not getting any more kills in. Rather, her goal was regrouping with the others to be ready for the next wave. Chances of it having any variants was low, but when the dungeon decides to start spicy, you don’t take chances.

So, of course, the next seven waves are boring cannon fodder, despite the number of monsters ballooning to over twenty. Then out of a wall bursts a giant tardigroid.

Jason looks up, “So does there being just one mean this is going to be extra hard?”

Courtney snorts, “I’m sure that’s the theory. They certainly didn’t choose the right sort of variant to use on us, though.”

Jason laughs as the giant monster that is about five times his height charges at them. “I can’t say you’re wrong.”

Then Jason and Lily run at it. Despite the size advantage, the three meet in the center of the room as even charging the big boy doesn’t really have the raw speed. From there, it is a simple matter of dodging a few slow blows as the two climb up onto the back of the beast.

Now, many teams would have a difficult time with a monster like this simply because of how much thicker the skin is and how much more mass it has. In theory, that should be a problem for Jason and Lily as well.

In reality, things don’t work out that way. While the shell is tough, Lily’s Energy charged claws make short work of it and her ability to burrow, even if it is into a monster and not dirt, is amazing. Then there is Jason.

He already has Body Burst, which innately has the effect of penetrating defenses. That isn’t what he uses, though. Instead, Jason takes advantage of War Stomp once again. This time though, he pumps Energy into the attack, firing off the never ending threads. While small, the threads remove the biggest advantage the monster has: ablation. The threads keep digging deeper, replenishing themselves as the giant beast is unable to truly focus its Qi on wiping out the invading Energy.