Hollowfang Broodmother (2)
1197 Words
[SYSTEM WARNING]
Boss Phase Shift Detected
Entity: Hollowfang Broodmother
HP: 10,800 / 12,500
Phase: Frenzy Mutation
(voice-over) The cavern shook as the Broodmother twisted and thrashed its body around violently, her armored segments scraping sparks along the jagged stone walls. Her dozens of green eyes flared, and the ground itself felt like it was vibrating with rage.
[SYSTEM ALERT]
Condition Triggered: Frenzy Mutation
Effects:
- Attack Speed +50%
- Egg Spawn Cooldown Reduced
- Poison Cloud Range Increased
(inner thought) Yeah, no, this is fine. Totally fine. Just a giant centipede with enough poison to melt a city block. We’ll just... what? Politely ask her to stop existing?
Darius (slamming sword and shield together): ‘Stay firm! I’ll tank her.’
(voice-over) He charged forward, shield glowing. But the Broodmother’s tail whipped, sending him flying across the cavern and into a wall. His HP dropped.
SYSTEM: ‘Darius HP: 32% remaining.’
Selene: ‘Hold position! “Arcane Ward”.’
[Skill: Arcane Ward - Shields allies for 200 damage.]
(voice-over) Blue barriers flickered around the party, but Kaien’s glitch aura twisted them. Instead of barriers, everyone got balloons.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: [Birthday Defense]
- Description: Protected allies using party balloons.
- Effect: +3% morale (visual only).
Torren (balloon rubbing against his beard): ‘… I’ll murder him after this.’
(Kaien’s Pov) (inner thought) Why do I feel like my legacy will be children’s parties?
(voice-over) The Broodmother reared back, then slammed her bulk against the wall. Three more egg sacs burst, spilling another wave of pale crawlers onto the cavern floor.
[SYSTEM WARNING]
Egg Spawn Triggered
- Effect: +12 Hollowfang Spawn entering combat.
Torren: (wielding his axe) ‘HAH! More bugs for me axe! “Whirlwind”.’
[SKILL: Whirlwind - Continuous spinning attack hitting multiple targets.]
(voice-over) Torren spun like a dwarf-shaped hurricane, slicing through spawn left and right. One crawler was flung into the ceiling. Another landed on Kaien’s shoulder.
(Kaien’s Pov) GET IT OFF ME! (screaming, flailing)
Torren: ‘Hahah! You deserved it. How does it feel to have a taste of agony?’ (laughs)
(Kaien’s Pov) “Heal”. (casts reflexively)
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Touch of Restoration - Misfire.
New Effect: Involuntary Growth.
Target: Hollowfang Spawn.
Result: Size increased ×5.
(voice-over) The tiny crawler latched on Kaien’s shoulder suddenly ballooned into the size of a horse, landing with a quake.
(inner thought) … Why does this always happen to me? No, really, WHY?
Lyra: (snapping) ‘Kaien, STOP buffing the enemy!’
Selene: ‘We’re being overrun! Darius, get up!’ (shouts)
(voice-over) Darius staggered back to his feet, his sword glowing faintly.
Darius: ‘“Defender’s Rally”.’
[Skill: Defender’s Rally - Boosts party defense and HP recovery for 20 seconds.]
(voice-over) The party steadied. HP bars climbed. Even Kaien’s bugged system reluctantly agreed, before misfiring.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Touch of Restoration (Passive Echo) → Adrenaline Meltdown
- Effect: HP restored.
- Side Effect: Random battle cries triggered every 3 seconds.
Darius (red-faced): ‘FOR THE MOUNTAINS!’ (slashes)
Torren: ‘I HATE SPIDERS!’ (chops)
Lyra: ‘… I didn’t even say that out loud!’ (fires arrows anyway)
(Kaien’s Pov) (inner thought) Okay… this is actually hilarious. I’m keeping this one.
(voice-over) The Broodmother hissed and slammed her body down. The cavern shook. Egg sacs ruptured everywhere, and a rolling wave of poison mist spread across the floor.
[SYSTEM WARNING]
Critical Hazard: Poison Cloud Expanding
Condition: Arena-wide damage over time.
Selene (grits teeth): ‘We can’t out-heal this. Kaien! Do something!’
(Kaien Pov) (inner thought) Right. My time to shine, which probably means explode.
(fumbling through pouch) Error Crystal… don’t fail me now. (mutters)
(voice-over) He clenched the crystal in his hand, causing it to c***k. A glitchy surge tore through his HUD.
[SYSTEM ERROR]
Unstable Item Activated.
Uses left: 1/2
Result: Unknown.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Error Pulse evolved into Error Surge
- New Effect: Damage radius doubled.
- Stability: Critical failure risk (High)
(voice-over) Energy rippled through the cavern. The Broodmother screeched as digital static warped across her hardened shell, distorting her HP bar.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Hollowfang Broodmother HP: 10,800 → ??? → 2,000 → 18,000 → 9,600
Selene: (horrified) ‘What did you DO?!’
(Kaien’s Pov) (grins nervously) … Balanced the difficulty curve?
Lyra: (screaming) ‘YOU BUFFED THE BOSS!’
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: [Dungeon Master’s Worst Nightmare]
- Description: Accidentally balanced the fight in the enemy’s favor.
- Effect: +10 Chaos.
(voice-over) The Broodmother lunged at Darius, fangs snapping down in a blur.
[SYSTEM WARNING]
Incoming Skill: Frenzy Bite.
Darius: (bracing) “Shield Wall”.
[SKILL: Shield Wall - Absorb a fatal hit once.]
(voice-over) The fang-lined jaws slammed shut, sending cracks spider-webbing across his shield but stopping short of skewering him.
Darius (gritting teeth): ‘Kaien! ANYTIME NOW!’ (shouts)
(Kaien’s Pov) (sweating bullets) Right! Healing, yes, that’s my job! “Heal”. (casts)
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Touch of Restoration: Misfire.
New Effect: Aura of Karaoke.
- Target compelled to sing mid-combat.
- Attack speed: +20%.
Darius: (suddenly yelling in perfect opera tone) ‘FOR GLORYYYY! HOLD THE LIIIIIINEEEE!’ [T/N: For Glory! Hold the line!]
Torren: (mid-swing) (blink) ‘Damn. He is good. If we live through this, I’m buyin’ him a pint just to sing again.’
Lyra: (groans) ‘This is a nightmare.’
(voice-over) The Broodmother thrashed, poison dripping, egg sacs bursting. The floor was alive with twitching hatchlings.
Selene (panting, mana flaring): ‘If we don’t end this soon, we’re dead. Everyone, focus!’
Lyra: (pulling an arrow) ‘On your mark.’
Torren: (roaring) ‘Let's get this over with.’
Darius: (still singing opera) ‘STAAND AND FIIIIIIGHT!’ (shouts)
[T/N: Stand and fight!]
(Kaien’s Pov) (inner thought) Okay. Last chance. Don’t mess this up. Don’t sneeze. Don’t misfire. Just… HEAL.
(casts with trembling hands) “Heal MAX”.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Touch of Restoration - Critical Bug Triggered.
New Effect: Catastrophic Reversal.
- All healing converted into unstable energy.
Result: Area of Effect Detonation.
BOOOOOOM! (explosion sound effect)
(voice-over) A wave of white-blue glitchfire erupted from Kaien, blasting across the cavern. Spawn exploded. Egg sacs ignited. The Broodmother let out a glass-shattering screech and twitched as her HP bar kept dropping from 9600 to 5200 and finally landed at 2800.
(Kaien’s Pov) (dazed, covered in ash) … Did I just nuke the boss… by trying to heal?
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: [Doctor Manhattan Complex]
- Description: You attempted to heal… and obliterated everything instead.
- Reward: +1 Reputation as ‘Terrifying Healer’.
(voice-over) The cavern shook violently. The Broodmother squirmed, her remaining HP bar flashing crimson.
SYSTEM: ‘Time is up. Condition fulfillment failed.’
[SYSTEM WARNING]
Hollowfang Broodmother entering the Final Frenzy Phase.
HP: 2,800 / 12,500
Special Trait Unlocked: Egg Sac Cataclysm.
[T/N: “Cataclysm” means a massive, violent, and destructive event that causes great upheaval or devastation.]
(gulp) …Wait. Did those egg sacs just start glowing red?
[SYSTEM WARNING]
Incoming Catastrophic Skill in 30 seconds.
Recommendation: Survive.
(voice-over) The Broodmother screeched, egg sacs trembling like bombs about to burst. The cavern glowed an ominous green.
SKREEEEEE (loud screeching sound)
(inner thought) … Yep. We’re dead.
- Writer
