Chapter 13: Hidden Piece

The echo soon subsided, it felt foreign, sudden, but at the same time nothing that belonged to a goblin or any creature he had knowledge of. With some patience, and a bit of bravery Kael took another breath and steadied himself.

“I should probably see if there is another station up ahead that isn’t as fucked up…” His voice sounded small in the big room, quickly swallowed.

Just as the thought settled in his mind, he heard the noise of screeching goblins. Confirming that the rattle he heard earlier wasn’t a figment of his imagination, but reality that was approaching.

The shrikes came thin and sharp at first, then multiplied, as if more throats joined the note from different angles. Panic settled in his heart, the noise was not that far, especially the accompanying howl following the pained screams of goblins. The hairs on his arms prickled, and his mouth went dry.

Finding nothing and nowhere to hide in but behind a pillar, he placed his back against one of the pillars of the station and hoped that whatever it was that was coming his way would simply ignore him. He drew himself narrow, chest tight, the hammer held close with his wrists tucked, knuckles whitening. The pillar’s chill soaked into his spine. He counted again, not steps this time but breaths, keeping them shallow and even, as if too much air might carry his scent outward.

The thought of running back toward the door crossed his mind, but it was a bit too far, and the noise approached far faster than he could run in the dark, he could only steel himself and hope for the best.

Just then, the sound of scales gnashing against the steel line of the metro and the ground alike echoed. It was a long, grinding whisper that overflowed the space from floor to ceiling. A small piece of broken glass in front of Kael, half-buried in dust, showed him all he needed to know to not even dare and walk out. In the triangle of reflection he saw the world behind him at a slant: motion swallowing motion, shadow devouring shadow.

A creature that could barely fit itself in the pathway of the metro was slithering ahead, black as night in color, and with scales that looked like they could cut through steel itself, on its mouth, a cruel razor shaped assortment of fangs was holding about half a dozen goblins hostage, between life and death. Their bodies dangled like trapped fish, kicking weakly, breath leaving in ragged whistles. The goblins struggled to fight back, some futilely striking at the creature’s fangs with stone weapons that simply shattered, not even causing the least bit of damage in the process. A shard pinged off a rail and spun into the dark. It wasn’t eating them, but was carrying them somewhere. The intent in that was worse than hunger.

[You have Discovered a Hidden Piece]

The Dark Basilisk of Getava

Level: ???

Class: C

Type Hidden Boss

***

Kael’s eyes widened as he realized the gravity of the situation. He knew about hidden pieces, from the other tower, each floor had a few of them if none at all. And the moment one of these are discovered it would literally bring chaos to the floor.

His stomach tightened around the truth; discovery was not a private thing. Many guilds and climbers would either help or compete against each other for the hidden piece. Help and compete meant the same thing here, collisions, bargains at knife tip, bodies left in disputes no one would remember.

And that always results in the death of many climbers. And the worst part, is this hidden piece is the deadliest combination, it’s both a hidden piece, and a hidden boss at the same time. Usually the hidden boss of a floor alone is enough to bring many players to their knees, as it is far stronger than the floor’s boss.

And now that it’s also a hidden piece, this just means that it’ll be even more sought after. He pictured the rush: the sharp-eyed scouts, the banners of guilds snapping in stale wind, though there shouldn’t be any guilds at this floor right now… The glut of messages passing between rivals, and beneath it all the steady count of corpses.

Kael knew well that he had no hope of even scratching this creature’s hide let alone kill it and claim the hidden piece, not with just a hammer that he repaired. He tightened his grip anyway, feeling the grain of the haft dig into his palm like a reminder to be sensible. It wasn’t about giving up on this boss, it was more about surviving and hoping he’d never have to see it again. At least… this unprepared.

He let the thought settle like a stone in a jar; it sounded dull and sure.

He could inform other climbers however on the hidden piece, though he’ll get mostly nothing if they managed to kill it, he can exchange this information for cores. Information regarding hidden pieces, dungeons, and bosses are heavily paid for and handsomely at that.

He could already hear the questions he would be asked, the bargaining tones, the disbelief turning to hunger when he gave a detail only a witness could give. It would not make him rich, but it could buy him steps upward, or worse, could make him victim for those who aren’t willing to pay for profit.

The Dark Basilisk soon disappeared from the area as it continued on its path through the metro line, leaving Kael safe for the moment. The sound of scales receded like a storm traveling on, leaving the air strangely emptied. Kael was about to continue heading away when he stopped. Just knowing the basilisk’s path isn’t enough, the metro could span the entire city, and knowing just one pathway isn’t enough for him to ’earn’ anything from other players or use it as a bargaining chip. The city above existed in mockery here, and the rails cut it like a second skeleton; one route was only a line in a tangle.

He was about to shake away the thought as he believed he’ll only die, but at the same time, if he wanted to have a role in the eventual meeting with other climbers who he can earn cores from, he has to know more about the basilisk than just its general location.

The idea was sand in his mouth, gritty and unpleasant, but it would not dissolve. Cursing under his breath, “I have to see this to the end… fine, Kael, you got this, the tunnel isn’t wide enough for it to turn its head toward you, and it already looks like its busy transporting food…” He swallowed the dryness in his throat. Courage felt suspiciously like stubbornness wearing a mask.

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