Skill Hunter: A LitRPG Adventure, page 22
Not one to waste his chance, Ike charged the downed monster. It rolled to its feet with some effort as he reached it. He cut at its jaw. If I can disable that, it’s out of commission.
His sword struck the toad’s rubbery, oily hide and bounced. He stumbled back as his arms flew over his head. Holy shit! Compared to the underbelly, the back is heavy armor!
The toad turned toward him. It crawled at him with surprising speed and clawed at him with its vicious claws. Ike backstepped, barely dodging the claw, only for a toad to swallow him up from behind. He fell backward into wet, sticky darkness. A strong tongue shoved him deeper.
Not waiting to land in the stomach, Ike shoved his sword through the toad’s throat wherever he could reach. There was no technique or thought in the motion—just panic. He slashed left and right, then grabbed the edges of the wound and dragged himself out. His shoulder hit the ground, and he rolled the rest of the way out, getting his feet on the ground. He shuddered, wiping himself off. Thick, translucent goo sloughed off his skin.
Like the Salamander, but less heat. And more slime.
Even as the toad that had swallowed him died, two more turned toward him. Ike put his disgust to the back of his mind and lifted his sword.
A shadow passed overhead. Ike looked up, craning his neck. Rosamund’s two handmaidens carried her away, soaring into the sky. She sobbed, her rose dress stained with mud and pond water.
He narrowed his eyes. Dropping bait and running away? What kind of piggish teammate is this?
As she passed overhead, their eyes made contact. Rosamund stopped crying and stuck her tongue out at him.
Ike’s eyes widened. It was deliberate? She’s willing to go that far to force me to use the skill she only thinks I stole? What if I hadn’t stolen her skill? I’d be… probably okay, thanks to Silver, but still!
That’s it. After this, I hunt alone. Period. Unless it’s someone like Silver or Cara, who I know I can trust, I’m not partying up with anyone else. Not even if they threaten me with death.
The toads lunged, and he darted to meet them.
Leathery bodies piled up in the mud by the edge of the pond. Blood colored the muddy water. Ike fought on, covered in tiny scratches, sludge, and toad goo. Although Rosamund no longer stood over his shoulder, he resisted the urge to use any of his lightning skills. He didn’t know how far she could see him from or what she used to keep an eye on him. No matter what, he couldn’t afford for her to realize he’d really stolen her skill.
The sun traveled across the sky. At last, the final toad hit the ground. Ike wiped his face and stared out over the mess of warty corpses, exhausted. Toad after toad filled the clearing around the pond, lying slumped all over one another.
He shook his head. “That’s a lotta bodies. Gonna take forever to break down.”
An earth-shattering thump shook the ground beneath Ike’s feet. Trees toppled nearby. Something enormous rumbled toward him.
He spread his stance, staring around him in fear. What the hell did Rosamund’s bait draw?
From out of the trees, a truly giant toad loomed. The underside of its enormous chin blocked out the sky. Its wobbly belly flattened the trees at the edge of the pond. Two enormous claws dug human-sized craters in the wet earth.
Ike looked at the toad, then at the pond behind him. “You can have the bait.”
With an earth-shattering ribbit, the toad locked eyes with Ike. In that moment, Ike became incredibly aware of all the toad blood splattered over his body, his sword, everything. Of the pile of toads he stood atop. Of the blood painting the water red.
He laughed to himself. “You’re not here for the bait, are you?”
Eyes shining with anger, the enormous toad lifted a claw to crush him.
31
GIANT TOAD
Looming large over the forest, so large it blocked out the sun, the enormous toad lifted a claw to crush Ike.
Ike turned and ran. He sprinted toward the lake, away from the toad. The huge claw slammed down. Mud flew up, splattering over the toad corpses. The toad tilted its head down, unblinking mud-colored eyes searching for Ike. With a ribbit, it flew into the air.
Sprinting faster, Ike tore off into the forest, abandoning the pond and the toads alike. The toad landed with an earth-shattering splash. The entire pond surged out from under its body. Dark water blackened the sky, then rained back down. Mud and water splattered all over Ike and the trees.
A knee-high wave of water rushed toward him. Muddy water smashed into his legs, carrying him forward a few steps. He stumbled, then jumped, lifting his feet high. Water and brambles grabbed at his ankles.
Ike stared over his shoulder. It’s not following me, right?
The toad looked left and right. It licked its lips, blinking. Lifting its feet, it shuffled to the side and looked around again, searching for Ike. Its neck inflated, and a mighty croak filled the air.
I can’t fight that thing alone. It’s at least as powerful as the Salamander.
When he was far enough away that he was sure the toad wouldn’t pick him out of the forest, Ike slowed to a halt. He turned back. The toad squatted over the pond. Its big horizontal pupils gazed out at the world. Its enormous, dour mouth turned judgmentally down at the corners. It flicked its tongue, licking one of its big brown eyes.
Pink fluttered down beside him. Rosamund landed next to Ike in a flurry of rose petals. Not wanting to acknowledge her, he pretended not to notice, even as rose petals fluttered down in front of his eyes.
“What did you do?” she asked.
What did I do? What did I do? Are you kidding—
Ike took a deep breath. “I took care of the bait someone else dropped. What did you do?”
Rosamund tossed her hair, rolling her eyes at him. “I didn’t summon that monster.”
Ike ignored her. He set off into the woods, circling around toward the toad.
“Wait, you’re going back in there? Why?” Rosamund asked.
He glanced over his shoulder. “I need one of the toad corpses.”
“You’re still trying to hunt the Fulgur-Loup?”
“Unlike some people, I need to make money to survive. What about you, Young Mistress? Why are you still here? I seem to recall you running away, crying like a baby,” Ike asked her, too frustrated to bother holding his tongue anymore.
Rosamund’s face reddened, but she had the good poise to throw her head back rather than snap at him. “I know you stole my skills. There’s no way a commoner like you could accidentally stumble across a Rare skill. You used that skill to cover up the skill you stole. I know it.”
Ha! So she knows about that technique. Well, it makes sense. If you could play with one of those orbs, you’d probably figure it out pretty quick, and a young mistress like her probably has a dozen of those things at home.
Hiding his thoughts, Ike spread his hands innocently. “I don’t know what I can do to convince you, Young Mistress. I merely got fortunate.”
“Hmph. I don’t believe you, and I’m not leaving until I have evidence. It doesn’t matter what kind of filth you drag me through. I’m going to prove you stole my skills, drag you to father, and have him squeeze those skills back out of you.”
“You can do that?” Ike asked out of curiosity. Silver spat out a skill. Can people do it, too?
“To a dead body, yes,” Rosamund said.
Ike pressed his lips together in a thin grin. She wants me dead. She’s just taking a roundabout way to get there. “I hate to ask this, Young Mistress, but why haven’t you cut me down where I stand if you’re that convinced you’re in the right?”
Rosamund harrumphed again. “Father says we shouldn’t kill without evidence. He says it weakens the trust of the people.”
“Your father sounds like a wise man.”
“A criminal would say that,” Rosamund murmured, her eyes slits.
“So would a man unjustly accused,” Ike countered.
Rosamund laughed. “Unjust—”
Ike lifted his hand, cutting her off. “We’re close. Silence.”
To his surprise, Rosamund complied.
Mud painted the lower two feet of the trees and weighed down the undergrowth. Water swirled around their ankles, the pond not yet receded back to its usual bounds. They sloshed closer. Ike glanced over his shoulder. Rosamund isn’t complaining?
Her pink boots were gone, replaced by tall waterproof black leather galoshes. A drop of mud fell on her pink skirt and rolled off, like water off a freshly oiled pan. Behind her, her attendants watched her with expressions of extreme concentration on their faces.
Are they casting skills on her to keep her clothes clean? Upper-city folk really live different lives. Shaking his head, he turned his focus back to the quarry ahead.
Water wasn’t the only thing the gargantuan toad’s leap had thrown. The smaller toads’ corpses littered the edges of the field, blown back to the treeline. Ike had circled around to come up behind the huge toad. Even so, he could still see the very edge of its incredibly wide pupils. We aren’t out of sight. If we go grab a corpse now, it’ll surely see either us or the corpse moving. I need to distract it somehow.
He lifted his head carefully, peering across to the opposite side of the toad. In the direction it faced, less mud stained the trees. He took a deep breath.
Ike backed away. He nodded at Rosamund. “Are you ready to cooperate with me?”
She tossed her hair, then nodded.
Not that surprising. Her goal is to make me reveal my stolen skill. The more I do, the more danger I put myself in, the greater the chance I reveal that skill.
That’s fine, though. I can use that.
He gestured her closer. “Here’s what we’re going to do…”
Creeping around in front of the toad, Ike picked every step carefully, mindful of the toad’s gaze. He moved slowly but steadily. One tree to the next, waiting until the toad blinked to jump along. Aside from the bundle under each arm, he carried no more than his sword and his flint. He traveled light in case the toad caught sight of him. Better to live and abandon his gear than die for carrying it.
Peering from behind a tree, he waited. The toad licked its eyes, and he crept toward the next tree.
Snap. A branch cracked under his foot. Ike dove for the next tree and froze. He held his breath, waiting.
Mud slapped as the toad whirled toward the sound. It lowered its head, turning left and right in search of the intruder. Leaning forward, it squelched one step into the mud. Cool air blew from its enormous nostrils.
Ike stood completely still, his back to the tree. I’m not here. Leave me alone.
The toad tilted its head sideways. It leaned closer yet. One flabby, brown hand pressed into the forest just beside Ike. He stared at it from the corner of his eye. One hand gripped his sword.
A squirrel darted the tree Ike stood behind. It caught sight of the enormous toad and froze, flicking its tail in shock.
Croak. The toad blinked and looked away, searching the horizon once again.
Breathing out a sigh of relief, Ike lifted the sticky bundle of pitch and scrap cloth. I’ve come far enough. Better do it now, before the toad loses its patience and flattens the forest. He lifted his flint and steel to the bundle and struck it. One spark, two, and then the bundle came alight. He rolled it through the underbrush. Fire flickered to life in the densely packed dead leaves underfoot, slowly spreading through to the trees.
Ike lit another bundle and rolled it the opposite direction. Drawing back behind the tree, he waited. The giant toads are weak to fire. If they’re weak to fire, they should fear it. Here’s hoping the big toad fears it, too. He peeked out from behind the tree again.
On the other side of the toad, pink flickered in the woods. Rosamund and her handmaidens grabbed two of the toads and dragged them into the forest.
Ike stared. He looked up, but the huge toad continued to stare to the horizon, throat pouch expanding and retracting at an even pace. He looked back to find the three of them still extricating toads from the muddied undergrowth. Huh? You’re supposed to wait until the toad notices the fire! It hasn’t even looked at it yet! What are you guys doing?
One of the toad corpses, bloated from a day in the sun, got caught on a snag in the undergrowth. Rosamund yanked at it. Lifting a leg, she kicked the corpse, hard.
Ike twitched. He reached out instinctively, but it was too late.
Gas whooshed out from the toad’s orifices with a predictable, but very loud, pbbbt. Rosamund jolted. She gave the body a disgusted and alarmed look.
The huge toad whirled. It stared directly at Rosamund and let out a warcry of a croak. Its tongue lashed out at her.
Dropping the toad, Rosamund jumped back. She threw her hands out. The thick undergrowth closed in behind her, blocking the toad’s tongue.
The toad’s tongue crashed right through. It wrapped around Rosamund. Rosamund screamed. She stabbed at the tongue with her dagger. With her other hand, she latched onto the nearest tree.
Her short-haired handmaid screamed and fled, dragging the toad body with her.
The long-haired one’s eyes sharpened. She whipped her paddle out again and smashed it on the toad’s tongue. Despite the seemingly blunt edge of the paddle, it sliced through the edge of the tongue.
The toad shrieked and jerked its tongue back, releasing Rosamund. Rosamund fled, chasing after the other handmaid into the forest.
Oh, what the hell. Taking advantage of the chaos, Ike dashed in through the low flames. Heat smacked at his ankles. His wet, mud-stained pants began to steam.
Noticing the motion, the toad whirled. It let out a growling croak and lowered its body. Its tongue flashed at Ike.
From a sling tied to his back, Ike grabbed the final ball. He swept it through the flames and lobbed it at the incoming tongue.
The toad flinched back, trying to dodge, but it was too late. The ball struck its pink tongue. It snatched its tongue back. Between the sticky ball and the sticky tongue, the little flameball whooshed into its mouth.
The toad’s eyes went wide. It hopped around, screaming in pain.
Ike grabbed the nearest semi-whole corpse and fled through the fire. The toad’s massive rear claws smashed down, tossing flaming underbrush at Ike. The boy hefted the corpse over his head to stave off the flames and ran on, leaving the toad behind. It screamed again, splashing dirt, mud, and flames everywhere in its maddened dance. He kept running and running, taking the corpse with him. A grin crawled over his face.
Success. Success on all fronts! The toad is distracted, I have my hide, and Rosamund is gone, trapped on the wrong side of the toad!
A shadow fell over him. Ike looked up, bracing himself against a toad claw.
Instead, a girl in a dainty pink dress jumped down beside him. “I retrieved the toad,” Rosamund said haughtily, as though he hadn’t just watched her flail from the far side of the pond.
Ike stared after her, then rolled his eyes. He sighed. Couldn’t be free of her that easily.
Oh well. It’s fine. We’ll hunt the Fulgur-Loups; I’ll send her home; and that will be that. Rosamund won’t be able to demand I keep hunting for her. She’ll go back to the upper city disappointed, and we’ll never see one another again.
He took a deep breath and set off again, leaving the enormous toad behind.
32
TO HUNT A WOLF
The toads dangled from a tree, strung up by the back paws. Blood drained out their necks, dripping onto the ground. Ike worked to skin the toad, slicing it open with his razor.
Behind him, Rosamund wrinkled her nose. “Disgusting.”
Ike looked up at her over his shoulder. “You don’t have to watch.”
“It’s good to remind myself of the base duties of the common folk,” Rosamund replied haughtily.
Ike turned back to the toad. When am I going to learn to ignore her?
Moving quickly, he skinned the second toad, then hung both their hides to dry. He tended to his tools while the toads’ blood drained. Rosamund walked away, bored. The sun dipped toward the horizon. Ike set up a fire, then returned to the now-drained toads. He hacked the toads’ back legs off with his sword, then, with long, sturdy sticks he’d set aside, spiked them up against the fire to roast.
“You’re going to eat those?” Rosamund asked, horrified.
Ike ignored her. Leaving the legs to cook, he took the toads’ bodies away one by one and buried them a distance from the camp, so nothing would be attracted to the meat he didn’t eat in the night. Returning, he sat down and crossed his legs, resting by the fire.
Rosamund watched him through the whole process with a kind of disgusted curiosity. When she saw he’d finished, she retreated to her handmaids. Ike peered over his shoulder, curious.
The handmaids rushed to her side. From their infinitely deep hip pouches, they drew out finger sandwiches, tea, fruit juices, and an entire tray of pastries. They spread out a picnic cloth for Rosamund to sit and set up the food around her on gleaming trays.
Rosamund looked down at Ike. Cold laughter echoed from her throat, and the ice in her eyes dared him to ask for some.
Ike turned back to his toad legs, unmoved. Internally, he salivated, but he pushed it down. Doesn’t matter. It’s not for me. I’m not going to give her the satisfaction. He turned the toad legs, roasting them on the other side.
Time passed. Rosamund’s handmaids set up an ornate tent, and she vanished inside it. Ike ate his toad legs, the meat juicy, if a bit gamey, then set up his bedroll. He lay back, staring at the stars.
Tomorrow, I hunt the Fulgur-Loup. One last day, and then I’m free of Rosamund forever.
A stick snapped. Ike sat up sharply, reaching for his sword.
“At ease.”
Ike breathed out, relieved. Glancing up, he nodded. “Didn’t think I’d see you for a while.”
The man sat down beside him. He drew his legs up and crossed his arms over them, resting his head atop them. “The girl is no threat to me. If I hadn’t been trapped by the wall, I would’ve been in no danger.”
