#14: BESIEGED BY THE ELEMENTAL SPIRITS (PART 1)
ALI STUDIED THE AREA around the hole where a level four Mutant Beast was hiding. She rested for a few minutes and ate lunch before continuing. She also asked for medicine from the AI system's inventory to relieve the swelling in her legs and knees due to her non-stop running. Fortunately, it was more effective than an ordinary painkiller, so she only spent a few minutes before she got ready again. She also took out her sniper rifle. The difference between that and the pistol she first used against the mutant wolves, it is said that you can kill a level two to level three mutant beast as long as she hits at least one of its vital points; each bullet is made of a combination of gunpowder and a melted type of energy stone. It's one of the best lethal weapons from the 2nd level of the AI system's items, and as it is explained, with each upgrade she will also get the best weapon that she can use against those stronger than her. If AI can upgrade to 3rd level, using just one item from its inventory is said to be able to kill a level five mutant beast and also destroy an invented machine with just a few shots. And Ali couldn't wait to test its effectiveness.
It was only two in the afternoon and she had been observing her surroundings for over two hours. The difference between the hideout of the level four unknown beast and the mutant fox's den is the existence of underground passages. She wasn't sure what was waiting for her inside if she just entered. According to the topographic map displayed by the AI system, the congested part of her path is only a few meters away, and ten feet below the ground, the lair of that mutant beast can be found there with a very wide space inside. Ali could only imagine how monstrous the mutant beast she would face inside would be. It is said that entering there is much more dangerous because apart from the mutant beast, there are also many different types of insects that can kill a person with just one bite. And why that beast was not affected by the said insects, that was what Ali wasn't sure about. The AI system is unable to describe or explain the entire circumstance, the AI hacked the information about the history of the place and it has always been said that people who go to that part of the mountain have to avoid that area. It is said that many people have died because of these insects. It can only crawl and squirm on the ground and ceilings but cannot fly even though it can jump half a meter. It is said that it will only appear when it smells blood or feels the warm presence of a living human or animal. It can also penetrate any type of skin of humans and animals but not in a particular kind of mutant beasts. So in that case Ali had to triple her wariness. Fortunately, the suit she is wearing is suitable and great, but she can't be sure even with the assurance from AI. Because of what she was wearing, only half of her neck, face, and hands were exposed. She also asked the AI for a facemask and earplugs because according to the information gathered by the AI system, it is not enough to feel it clinging to your skin. Just in case it sticks to her clothes without realizing it, at least the holes in her face are safe. Except for her eyes. And since the AI system has not yet been upgraded to the second level, she has yet to obtain an item that can also help her see in the dark. So in that case she will just use a flashlight or she can again use Snooky's ability to glow in the dark. That's right, that's all she'll use.
Ali waited a few more hours because she was expecting that the fire elemental spirit might also follow. She let Snooky release energy to speed the mutant beast out of its lair, and the approach of the elemental spirit that according to the AI was only a hundred meters away from her location. It is said to be able to quickly sense the location of the wind elemental spirit that it is familiar with once it feels the unique energy that Snooky emits at such a distance.
Ali extended her patience and just waited patiently while crouching down and peering at the location of the hole between the large rocks located at the bottom of a cliff. She became a sniper now and continued to monitor the movement of her surroundings using the telescope of the weapon she was holding.
Until...
Suddenly, the birds hiding in the thicket made a noise and fluttered in the air. It's like there is an impending tremor. Little by little, Ali also felt the movement of the ground she was lying on. She asked the AI where that was coming from…
[The mutant beast has fully awakened, host. It sensed the energy fluctuation from your familiar. It caught its interest and wanted to know where it was coming from. Especially since it's coming from near its den. After a few minutes, you have to stop your familiar from what it is doing. Because the mutant beast you're aiming at may not be the only one that will appear on its own. I also detected some energy fluctuations from the surrounding beasts. The only difference is that they are weaker, but if there are more of them and you combine them, I know you will have a hard time dealing with them, host. Please, be more careful this time...] The AI goes on and adds. Ali thought carefully until she ordered Snooky to stop and return to its small size and stay on her shoulder instead. Because it looks like she doesn't need its service anymore because it's only a matter of time... The earthquakes became stronger, so Ali thought of holding on to a protruding tree root. There she took support just to keep from falling when she tried to sit up. She needs to be alert to possible landslides at any time. Especially in tall trees that also tend to fall. Fortunately, she thought of placing herself on the widest and biggest tree so she could be sure that it would not be damaged by the quake.
“How big was that mutant beast and was it able to shake the earth? Don't tell me, it's a dinosaur or some kind of behemoth. What the h*ll!"
The debris that came from the height of the cliff fell down and in a few moments, the hole that was the only passage to the location of the energy stone that she needed to get was almost covered. Ali's eyes couldn't help but widen. How can she enter it now? And how will that beast come out if it is a gigantic creature? Will that fit in the hole if she is a small creature it still needs to crawl to the limited space below the ground...
[It's coming, host. And the elemental spirits nearby are also about to move in this direction. Be prepared, it'll be a tough battle.]
Ali's mouth dropped completely because of the bad news announced by the AI system. She tightened her grip on the sniper rifle. Her muscles quivered slightly. She was almost weakened by the knowledge that she would encounter more than just one elemental spirit at this time...
"Can I just back out? For f*ck*n' sake! Is there still a possibility that I could survive in these?" She hopelessly uttered.
To be continued. . .
(A/N: as you can see, this is not a revised version and it has no final touch. I will try to polish it to be more detailed and proficient when I can reach 30k word counts, for now, bear with the lame and incomplete updates. Lol. The audience I was expecting and was tryin' to pull to read this piece is young readers who couldn't understand deep English with a smooth-sailing plot twist. I'm not anticipating your appreciation of the way I deliver the plot, besides, I wrote this piece without research or accumulating any info and knowledge from the internet cause I want it to be unique and make my special version. That's all. And thank you for passing by... And oh, sorry for Ali's nasty sass. It's her mannerisms though.)
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