The faint moonlight cast long shadows across the crumbling ruins of Gamma 7 Scavenge Zone, turning the rusted concrete blocks into silent specters. Lucas, with his heavy salvage bag slung over his shoulder, wove through the alleyways, feeling every subtle vibration in the ground. The Bone-Eater Grub's tremor sense, combined with the Spine-Crawler's agility, allowed him to move almost invisibly through the night. He'd had a fruitful day, and more importantly, he'd survived his encounter with Iron Jaw Jeb. A new, fragile confidence was budding within him.
Lucas decided to take an alternate route back to his shelter, a less-traveled path that was also more inherently dangerous. He ventured deeper into a former industrial district, where dilapidated factories loomed like colossal metal beasts. The smell of oil and rust was stronger here, and the air seemed to thicken with an ominous silence.
Suddenly, Lucas's eyes narrowed. It wasn't a ground vibration, but a tremor in the air, a sense of powerful and extremely dangerous energy. It was unlike any low-tier Abyssal Creature he'd ever encountered. The sensation sent a shiver down his spine.
He pressed himself against a shattered window frame of an old factory, peering out into a wide courtyard. Under the moonlight, a horrifying scene unfolded before his eyes.
A Shadow Stalker – a deadly mid-tier Abyssal Creature – was hunting. It looked like a giant black panther, its entire body covered in sharp bone spikes and its glowing red eyes burning in the darkness. It moved with terrifying silence, blending into the night like a mere shadow. And its prey wasn't Grubs or Crawlers, but a group of other Scavengers, desperately trying to fight back.
They were a group of three, poorly equipped, backed into a corner. Shouts, the clang of metal, and the creature's guttural growls echoed in the air. One Scavenger had already fallen, their body torn apart. The remaining two were putting up a weak resistance. Lucas knew this type of creature. Shadow Stalkers were incredibly fast, masters of stealth, and delivered fatal blows. Even experienced Scavenger groups rarely escaped when encountering them.
Lucas held his breath, about to retreat. He was just a nascent Scavenger, he had no chance against a Shadow Stalker. The familiar dread rose within him, stronger than ever.
But then, a faint blue light flashed from a dark corner.
A figure burst from the rubble, moving with unbelievable speed. It was a young woman, slender but wielding a large sword made of a strange, glowing material – it was a Crystal Blade! And she moved with incredible velocity, leaving almost no trace.
Lucas was stunned. The girl was a Crystal Warrior – one of the rare individuals capable of manipulating Crystals to form weapons and armor. These individuals typically resided within New Harbor Citadel, rarely venturing outside.
She lunged at the Shadow Stalker with reckless courage. Her Crystal Blade sliced through the air, leaving trails of blue light. The Shadow Stalker, which had been dominating the fight, was suddenly forced back. The girl was not only fast but possessed astonishing strength. Each of her strikes carried a burst of crystal energy, making the monster shriek in pain.
Lucas focused all his senses. He wasn't just observing the battle; he was trying to "read" the environment, using what he'd learned from the Bone-Eater Grub and Spine-Crawler. He felt every tremor in the ground as the Shadow Stalker moved, every slight breeze indicating its change in position.
For a moment, the Shadow Stalker vanished into the darkness, disappearing completely. The two remaining Scavengers panicked. Even the girl paused, sword raised, her eyes scanning in every direction.
Lucas, with his newly enhanced senses, suddenly detected a tiny vibration behind the girl, a vibration too subtle for normal senses to pick up. He saw it, not with his eyes, but with an instinctive perception.
"Behind you!" Lucas instinctively yelled, his voice hoarse.
The girl immediately spun around. Just as she did, the Shadow Stalker darted out of the gloom, its sharp claws aimed directly at her neck. But thanks to Lucas's warning, she managed to raise her sword in time to block, a burst of crystal energy erupting, pushing the creature back once more.
The Shadow Stalker let out an angry growl. It glared towards Lucas's hiding spot, its red eyes flashing with hatred. Lucas's unexpected warning had ruined its perfect ambush.
The Crystal Warrior girl also looked towards Lucas, her sharp blue eyes sweeping over him, then shifting back to the monster. She said nothing, but it seemed she had registered his help.
The battle resumed, more fiercely than before. With Lucas's warning, the girl had a slight advantage. But the Shadow Stalker was still a formidable opponent; it tried to encircle her and the two remaining Scavengers.
Lucas knew he couldn't just stand by. He didn't possess the strength of a Crystal Warrior, but he had something else. He closed his eyes, trying to recall the memories of the creatures he'd defeated, especially their speed and sensory abilities. He needed something to distract the Shadow Stalker.
His eyes snapped open. He spotted a pile of jagged metal debris in a corner of the courtyard, near the Shadow Stalker's escape path. A daring idea sparked. He needed to create a diversion.
With enhanced speed, Lucas glided through the rubble, using his tremor sense to avoid making noise. He placed his hand on a large piece of metal, a vibration from other fragments telling him it could produce a loud sound if dislodged correctly.
While the girl kept the Shadow Stalker engaged, Lucas used all his meager strength to push the metal slab.
CRASH!
A deafening clang erupted, much louder than expected, enough to drown out the Shadow Stalker's growl and the clash of the Crystal Blade. The creature immediately flinched, instinctively turning its head towards the sound, if only for a fraction of a second.
That was all the girl needed. With astonishing speed, she darted forward, her Crystal Blade slashing a line across the Shadow Stalker's thinly armored belly – a weak point known only to the most experienced hunters.
The Shadow Stalker let out a final, agonizing shriek, green-black blood gushing out. It tried to thrash, but it was too late. Its massive body slumped to the ground, lifeless.
Silence descended upon the area. The two surviving Scavengers breathed a sigh of relief, collapsing to the ground. The Crystal Warrior girl slowly lowered her sword, her cold blue eyes fixed on Lucas.
Lucas knew he had drawn attention. A Crystal Warrior, a person of special ability, had witnessed his unique skill. This could be an opportunity, or a threat greater than any Abyssal Creature.
The girl walked slowly towards him, her Crystal Blade glowing faintly in her hand. Lucas felt his heart pound in his chest. He had inadvertently revealed his secret to someone far more powerful than himself.
"Who are you?" the girl asked, her voice cold but her eyes filled with scrutiny. "How did you know it would appear there? And how could you move so fast?"
Lucas swallowed hard. His journey had just become infinitely more complicated.