Emperor of Soul Pets

Chapter 33: Mole-Rat

"Whoa..." Rao Wu marveled at the fifteen soul monsters that simultaneously appeared in the sandy plains. Of the fifteen soul monsters, three resembled giant mole-rats with hefty rock-studded arms that sported nine-inch long nails. Although he hadn't seen them in real life, he recognized them from the encyclopedia. These were Burrow Mole-Rats, named after their ability to swiftly dig through the earth.

Many monsters could 'swim' through the ground, but very few could create lasting tunnels that stayed open long after they passed. A Burrow Mole-Rat's tunnel could even withstand earthquakes to an extent. Humans often used Burrow Mole-Rats when exploring underground artifacts and locations. These unique soul monsters were more trustworthy than the most scientifically advanced machines.

Other monsters included two generic flight-type reconnaissance birds, four tiger-type monsters, and two rhino-type monsters.

Ramy's soul monster was a general-ranked Fiery Scorpion. The five-meters long, red-scaled scorpion was a terrifying sight to behold. Scorpion-types were famed for their mix of strong defense and perilous attacks. Their stingers might not be as powerful as a Steelback Ape's punch, but the resulting poison was far more deadly.

The Fiery Scorpion, in particular, was a breed reared in hot desert regions. Its unique landscape caused it to evolve over the years into a form that was nigh resistant to heat and fire-based attacks. Due to its sheer size and rugged defense, the Fiery Scorpion often adopted the tank role on the frontlines.

Elok's soul monster was also a bird-type, but it was an extremely rare Willow-Light Peacox. The Willow-Light Peacox was a magnificent, graceful bird with beautiful blue feathers and a set of string-like tails that ended in glowing will-o-wisps. This bird, when standing was almost six-feet tall, and with its dazzling color scheme, did not suit the reconnaissance role.

Unfortunately, Rao Wu could not recall the particulars on the Willow-Light Peacox's abilities. Instead, he turned his attention to Akeme's soul monster. Initially, he wondered if the vice-captain chose not to summon a soul monster, but then he saw a small furball on Akeme's shoulder.

Rao Wu was just about to comment on the cute furball when it unfurled to reveal eight multicolored eyes and legs. "Eight Calamities Spider!" Rao Wu shrieked and hurriedly put some distance between himself and that terrible monster.

The Eight Calamities Spider was a fragile soul monster. A five-year-old human child could easily crush it under his foot. However, this same spider was one of the most feared soul monsters in the world because of its extreme poison. Each hair follicle was tipped with enough venom to kill an elephant in seconds. Anything bitten by the Eight Calamities Spider died in less than five seconds. Its venom acted too quickly, destroying the infected's heart before they could get healing.

Rao Wu stared at the creature with fear and amazement in his heart. He wondered how Akeme managed to contract this terrible soul monster.

Rao Wu then looked away from Akeme to Boss Denuchi. His gaze turned complicated as he looked at the Boss' soul monster.

Next to the imposing Boss stood a dog-like soul monster with brown fur and a dirty, lackadaisical demeanor. Rao Wu recognized the warrior-ranked Boneclaw Hyena, but could not understand why Boss Denuchi used this soul monster. Boneclaw Hyenas had one of the strongest jaw bites in their rank but had average speed and defense. Furthermore, they did not possess any ranged attacks.

Boneclaw Heynas were most threatening in packs as they possessed a latent synergic ability that made them stronger the more of their kind were in a radius. Unfortunately, Boss Denuchi only had one, so it did not make sense to have kept using it.

Surprisingly, Akeme chuckled when he saw Rao Wu's confused expression. "You're totally judging the boss' soul monster, aren't you? Don't worry, you'll eventually see why he's Boss, and we're just followers."