One down... Two more to go.
The remaining two Winged Jellies let out a unified, ear-splitting screech. Their translucent forms were quivering with fury. The air thrummed with their rage.
That was [Sonic Scream!]. Again. Nightclown felt his vision blur slightly. He shook his head. Clearing it quickly.
But, with a sickening squelch, the two monsters began to expand. Their iridescent bodies swelled like overinflated balloons. Their plasma wings were beating faster. Pushing them outwards.
[Toon Swell!] was activated.
They ballooned into monstrous, gargantuan versions of their former selves. Their gelatinous forms were now dominating the cavern. Casting long, distorted shadows.
Nightclown watched the transformation with a grimace. His [Lightning Spear] was gone. An inert shaft of metal now lying somewhere amongst the evaporating goo. He couldn't afford to admire the spectacle. He needed his weapon.
"Alright, Cammy. Keep rolling!" He muttered in a raspy whisper.
The airborne camera, Cammy, adjusted its position. Its lens was still trained on the unfolding chaos.
With a surge of adrenaline, Nightclown activated his abilities. [Sprint!]. His legs blurred beneath him. Propelling him across the cavern floor at impossible speeds. He weaved through the remains left by the fallen jelly.
As he came close to the spot where his spear had landed, he activated his other skill. [Stretch!].
His arm elongated. Stretching like a rubber band. Reaching for the fallen weapon. It accurately grabbed the spear's shaft. Pulling it towards him instantly.
He looked up.
The enlarged Winged Jellies were now more like amorphous blobs of jelly. Their wings were hidden behind the swelling bodies. They began to descend. Their massive forms moved with clumsy, yet surprising speed.
From their swollen bodies translucent tentacles began to lash out. Thick ones. They dripped with a sticky, viscous fluid.
Their [Gelatinous Grapple!] was activated.
The tentacles snaked towards Nightclown. Some were aimed directly at him. Others were trying to block his escape route.
Nightclown had yanked his arms back to their normal length. But, even with the [Lightning Spear] firmly in his grasp, he didn't dare block the tentacles. He quickly made an evasive maneuver.
He twisted his body. Performing an impossible mid-air pirouette. One that would have made any Earthly gymnast weep.
The tentacles swept past him. Some narrowly missed him. Others brushed against his clothes. Leaving behind a faint, sticky residue.
He dodged and weaved. His actions were a blur of calculated evasion and pure instinct. The enlarged jellies, despite their size, were slow to react to his agile movements.
He saw an opening and seized it. He drew back his [Lightning Spear] and threw it like a javelin.
The spear shot forward again. A shimmering metallic arc against the cavern's dim light. This time, however, luck wasn't entirely on his side.
The spear struck one of the gargantuan Winged Jellies squarely in its swollen body. It pierced the gelatinous mass. But, his aim was not accurate this time. Instead of hitting the core, it lodged itself deep. Slightly to the side.
The jelly creature let out a pained gurgle. Its form was rippling. But the damage was superficial. The gelatinous body began to ooze and reform around the spear. The wound, if it could be called that, closed almost instantly.
The creature, though momentarily stunned, was already recovering. With the spear stuck in his body.
Nightclown cursed under his breath. He needed to retrieve it.
He immediately activated [Shrink!]. His body, already small compared to the now-giant enemies, compressed further. Becoming even more diminutive. This made him a faster and harder to hit target.
The remaining two monstrous jellies got even more enraged. They focused their attacks on his new, smaller form. More tentacles erupted. A barrage of sticky appendages aimed at crushing him.
Nightclown continued his acrobatic dance. The sticky goo splattered around him as he evaded the tentacles.
He used his skills in rapid succession. Activating [Sprint!], he bolted forward. Dodging a particularly thick tentacle.
[Stretch!] was next. His arms snapped out like a pouncing snake. Grabbing the shaft of his spear. He yanked it with all his might.
The jelly body resisted. It clung to the spear like a tenacious blob of chewing gum. Nightclown grunted. Pulling harder.
With a sickening SCHLURP! sound, the spear finally broke free. He managed to pull it out. Exactly as the tentacles of the gargantuan jellies were about to touch him.
He made a frantic escape. Backward roll. Followed by long jump sideways. The tentacles hit the ground. Just where he was a fraction of second ago.
He repeated the maneuver. Throw. Dodge. Stretch. Pull. This time, he was not as lucky. It took him four more attempts. Four agonizing cycles of throwing the spear, using his agility to evade the monstrous attacks, stretching his arms to retrieve it, and then yanking it free.
In the fifth attempt, the weapon finally flew true. This time, the spear hit its mark. The pulsating, iridescent core of the creature.
A blinding flash of blue light filled the cavern. A deafening scream, far worse than the first, echoed through the dungeon. The jelly body convulsed violently. And then it dissolved into a shimmering rain. With a final, explosive burst of goo.
Only one Winged Jelly remained now. And it looked even more furious than ever. It pulsed even more violently. Its gelatinous body swelled to an even more obscene size.
It roared. [Sonic Scream!]. A sound that was more vibration than noise. Shaking the very foundations of the cavern.
Nightclown muffled his ear holes with both of his hands immediately. He still got dizzy. But it didn't last for more than a couple of seconds.
The monster's size was truly immense now. A colossal, wobbly mountain of jelly.
Nightclown gritted his teeth. A grim determination settled in. It was just bigger. And slower. Its tricks were still the same. He knew the drill.
He dashed in his top speed. Evading the monster's barrage of tentacle attacks. Stretching his arm. Picking his thrown spear...
He repeated the same strategy. Throw. Dodge. Stretch. Pull.
The colossal jelly was slow. Its attacks were wide-reaching but predictable. The toon hare's movements were fluid. Honed by the previous experiences.
He used his small size to his advantage. Darting between the massive tentacles. A speck of grey and blue against a behemoth.
This time, it took him only two attempts to launch his spear. The monstrous jelly, despite its intimidating size, actually had even weaker defense.
The second throw found its mark. And the final Winged Jelly met the same explosive fate as its brethren.
As the last of the iridescent goo evaporated. A small pile of glittering coins and two glowing white cubes materialized on the cavern floor.
[Winged Jellies (x3) defeated!]
[Experience Gained: +600 XP!]
Nightclown, panting heavily, cautiously approached the loot. He picked up the coins. A quick glance at his HUD confirmed the total amount he gained in the encounter... 168 coins. Not bad.
Then, he turned his attention to the glowing cubes. He picked them.
[ITEM ACQUIRED: Jelly Cubes]
[Raw Materials] updated.
He quickly brought up his status panel. Scrolling down to the [Raw Materials] section to examine his new acquisition.
[Raw Material: Jelly Cubes]
[Tier Quality: ✪]
[Characteristic: Potion Ingredients]
[Description: Cubes formed from the solidified essence of Winged Jellies. They contain potent regenerative properties, making them ideal for crafting healing potions and other restorative concoctions.]
A potion ingredient? Not bad.
Nightclown grinned. He had done it. He could deal with the opponents in the third floor. And he still got time for more exploration.
Cammy floated closer. Its recording light was still on. Nightclown knew he would have even more interesting footage to edit.
He continued his exploration. His movements were still cautious. But it was now more confident. The further he went, the more Winged Jellies he encountered.
He fought them the same way. Using his spear-throwing and retrieval tactic. His accuracy improved with each throw. The spear found its marks with increasing precision.
He gained more coins, more [Jelly Cubes] and a level.
However, the constant process of throwing, dodging, stretching, and pulling was becoming tiresome. It was effective. But inefficient.
"This is a hassle." He grumbled to himself. "I'll need to get a proper ranged weapon from Mr. Gorhammer's smithy when I'm out of here."
He visualized a bow, perhaps. Or a crossbow. Or a slingshot. Or, better yet, a gun. Something that wouldn't require him to retrieve it after every shot.
...
Just minutes before his time in Toonworld was set to expire, Nightclown stumbled upon a small, unlocked wooden treasure chest. Tucked away in a shadowy alcove.
His heart skipped a beat. It was not an iron one. Just a normal, unlocked wooden chest. But, treasure chests were always a welcome sight.
He eagerly opened it. Inside, he found... a handful of coins, two more [Recovery Cabbages], and a small, vibrant red berry.
[Recovery Cabbages] were useful for quick healing. But what is the berry?
[ITEM ACQUIRED: Power Berry]
[Temporary Consumables] updated.
A temporary consumable? It was his first item in the category. He quickly checked its description.
[Temporary: Power Berry]
[Tier Quality: ✪]
[Characteristic: Temporary Boost]
[Description: This potent berry pulses with concentrated energy. When consumed, it grants a significant boost to physical strength and constitution. The effects are short-lived (3 minutes). But it can turn the tide of a difficult battle.]
Nice! Nightclown chuckled. He continued to check his status panel...
===[STATUS PANEL]===
[Name: Jester Eventide]
[Soulheart Gear: Toonworld Watch]
[Codename: Nightclown]
[Level: 13]
[Class: Rogue]
[Profession: -]
[Power: ✪]
[Speed: ✪✪✪]
[Vigor: ✪✪]
[Sense: ✪✪]
[Magic: ✪✪]
[Drive: ✪✪]
[Charm: ✪]
[Health: 100%]
[Stamina: 98%]
[Glitch: 62%]
[Personality: Jolly Prankster]
[Personality: Smartass Comedian]
[Passive Traits: Toon Physique; Toon Speed; Otherworld Resonance]
[Active Traits 01: Stretch! Shrink!]
[Active Trait 02: Sprint!]
[Ranged Weapon: -]
[Melee Weapon: Thunder Nunchaku, Lightning Spear]
[Combat Tool: -]
[Utility Tool: Iron Chest Key, Toon Camera Recorder, Hearthstone]
[Costume: Sporty Outfit]
[==Consumables==]
[ o Coins: 3248]
[ o Main EXP: Growth Carrots (x0)]
[ o Permanent: Vigor Eggplant (x0), Drive Tomato (x0)]
[ o Temporary: Power Berry (x1)]
[ o Healing: Recovery Cabbages (x5)]
[ o Raw Material: Ironwood Branches (x0), Stones (x32), Copper Ores (x4), Iron Ores (x5), Silver Ore (x1), Mystic Iron Ores (x10), Mystic Silver Ores (x4), Chomper's Teeth (x34), Weapon Upgrade Token (x0), Lightning Crystal (x0), Jelly Cubes {x8)]
[==Hearthstone==]
[ o Home (Sherra): Jester's Bedroom]
[ o Home (Toonworld): Nighclown's House]