Hollowfang Broodmother (1)
1286 Words
[SYSTEM WARNING]
Boss Wave Approaching
Entity Detected: Hollowfang Broodmother
SYSTEM: ‘Boss approaching in 10 seconds. Party contribution is required. Rewards will be distributed according to your contribution.’
(voice-over) The cavern trembled. Rocks tumbled from above. Kaien’s HUD timer ticked down like a doomsday clock.
10… 9… 8…
(Kaien’s Pov) (inner) Why is it always spiders, centipedes, or nightmare bugs? Why not a fluffy bunny boss for once?
(voice-over) 3… 2… 1…
[SYSTEM WARNING]
Final Stage: Initiating...
Boss Detected: Hollowfang Broodmother
HP: 12,500
Special Traits: Poison Cloud, Egg Spawn, Frenzy Bite
(voice-over) The cavern stank of rot and acid. Behind the looming centipede’s shadow, dozens of pale, pulsing sacks clung to the walls, twitching with movement inside.
Lyra: ‘Are those eggs? Each of them is about the size of a man’s head.’
[SYSTEM WARNING]
Brood Nest Detected
- Condition: If eggs hatch, Hollowfang Swarm will join the battle. Destroy eggs to reduce spawn rate.
(voice-over) The ground split. From the shadows, a monstrous centipede-like creature dragged itself into the arena. It was easily three times the size of the Elites, armored in black exoskeleton with a dozen glowing green eyes glaring in different directions. Fang-lined jaws snapped like grinding steel. Acid dripped off its fangs. Its long body coiled through the cavern, rattling as it scraped the walls.
(inner thought) Yup. Definitely mommy. And she is mad.
Darius (slamming down his shield): ‘Stay behind me!’ (shouts)
(voice-over) The Broodmother screeched, a shriek that rattled Kaien’s teeth. A cloud of green fog burst from its huge, gaping, fang-filled mouth, rolling over the cavern floor.
SKREEEEEE (sound effect)
[SYSTEM WARNING]
Status Effect: Poison Cloud
- Continuous HP drain. Heal required.
(Kaien’s Pov) (inner thought) Oh wonderful. A fight tailor-made to showcase how useless my class is. Bravo, system.
Darius (raised his shield and charged forward): “Iron Bulwark”.
[SKILL: Iron Bulwark - Incoming damage reduced by 40% for 10 seconds.]
(voice over) Acid splashed, sizzling against the shield but not breaking through. He slammed into the Broodmother, drawing its attention.
Selene: (chants) ‘“Frost-bind”. I will pin it down. We mustn’t let it reach the eggs.’
[SKILL: Frost-bind - Slows enemy movement with chains of ice.]
(voice over) Frost-laced chains wrapped around the creature’s forelegs. The Broodmother slowed, screeching in frustration.
Lyra: ‘“Hawk’s Mark” set - focus fire! Eyes on me, ugly.’ (released volley)
[SKILL: Hawk’s Mark - Increases crit chance against a marked enemy.]
(voice over) Arrows whistled through the mist. One embedded into its eye, another grazed along its exoskeleton.
Torren (muscles bulging): ‘Bring it here! Let me shave those mandibles! “Berserk Rage”.’ (roars)
[SKILL: Berserk Rage - Attack power up, defense down.]
(voice over) He jumped, bringing his weapon down with a Cleave, leaving a shallow cut across the monster’s back.
[SKILL: Cleave - Sweeping attack that hits multiple enemies.]
(Kaien’s Pov) (inner thought) Alright. Time to do my thing. By which I mean: panic, cast the wrong spell, and pray the dungeon has mercy.
(Aiming at Darius with trembling hand) “Heal!”
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Touch of Restoration - Lv.3 cast initiated…
Error Detected: Output Inverted.
New Effect: Steroid Overflow
- Target’s attack speed doubled.
- Side Effect: Target develops an uncontrollable urge to shout motivational speeches.
Darius: (blinks) ‘HOLD THE LINE! PUSH FORWARD! FOR GLORY!’ (yells while swinging his sword twice as fast)
(Kaien’s Pov) (inner thought) Woah! ... Did I just turn him into a motivational gym instructor?
Selene: (glanced over Kaien) ‘Was… was that you?’
(Kaien’s Pov) (shrugs) Yep. I foresaw this. Totally not an accident.
(voice-over) The Broodmother lashed out with her tail, cracking the ground. Kaien jumped back and tripped on his robe.
…ACHOO! (sneeze)
SYSTEM: ‘Bug Bloom - Activated. You have inflicted Glitch Root on Hollowfang Broodmother.’
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Glitch Root Effect: Target is rooted in place for 5 seconds.
Side Effect: One random item deleted.
SYSTEM: ‘Bread (x1) has been deleted from your inventory.’
(Kaien’s Pov) (inner thought): …Great. Starvation speedrun unlocked.
(voice-over) Torren hacked into the Broodmother’s side. Acid sprayed, sizzling against his armor.
Torren: ‘GAAHH!’ (screams)
Selene: ‘Kaien! Heal him before the poison kills him!’
(Kaien’s Pov) I’m TRYING! “Heal” (casts)
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Touch of Restoration: Misfire.
New Effect: Explosive Detox
- Poison cleansed.
- Minor explosion radius: 2 meters.
BOOM! (sound effect)
(voice-over) Torren staggered, now steaming and poison-free. Although three of Lyra’s arrows got blasted midair.
Torren: (cough) ‘WHAT in the nine mines was that?!’
(Kaien’s Pov) (inner thought): Uh… healing. Duh. What else?
Selene: (casts) “Ice Lance”.
[SKILL: Ice Lance - Piercing single-target attack.]
(voice-over) Her spell shot forward, but Kaien’s aura flickered. The spear of ice turned into popsicles. Three perfectly frozen popsicles.
(Kaien’s Pov)
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: [Summer Festival]
- Description: You’ve accidentally invented frozen snacks during a raid.
- Effect: +5 Cold Resistance.
(inner thought) … I’m going to die surrounded by snack foods, aren’t I?
(voice-over) The Broodmother shrieked, slamming her massive body forward. Egg sacs burst, spilling a dozen crawling Hollowfang Spawn onto the battlefield.
...SKREEE...SKREEE...SKREEE...
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Egg Spawn Triggered!
- Minions Incoming: Hollowfang Spawn ×20
[SYSTEM WARNING]
Boss has entered Egg Spawn Phase.
- Time Limit: Clear minions within 2 minutes or Broodmother enters Frenzy Mode.
Darius: Lyra, keep the spawn down! Torren, with me on the front!’
Lyra: “Twin Shot”. [Skill: Twin Shot - Fires two arrows simultaneously.]
(voice-over) Arrows flew, clipping two spawn cleanly.
Torren: “Cleave”.
(voice-over) He swung wide, chopping through three at once. Kaien flinched as another crawler rushed him (Torren).
(casts) “Heal”.
BOOOM! (sound effect)
(voice-over) The crawler exploded, showering him with bug goo.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Accidental Healing Achieved.
Target’s HP restored: +10.
Target’s sanity: -50.
Torren: ‘STOP HEALIN’ ME, LAD!’
(Kaien’s Pov) (wiping bug goo from his face) … Would you prefer I don’t use heal?
Torren: ‘YES!’
(Kaien’s Pov) (inner thought) Wow. The first healer ever asked to stop healing. I unlocked another achievement, which is ‘Worst Employee of the Month’.
[SYSTEM WARNING]
Incoming Skill: Poison Cloud
Darius: ‘Everyone, get behind me! (slamming his shield into the ground) “Oath of Protection”.’
[Skill: Oath of Protection - Redirect 20% of damage from allies to himself.]
(voice-over) Darius’s body glowed faintly as he redirected damage. The poison mist enveloped them, but he stood tall, coughing, enduring the redirected damage.
Selene: (gritted her teeth, mana flaring) ‘Fine. No more fireworks. Try this - “Arcane Surge: Chain Lightning”.’
[Skill: Arcane Surge - Boost spell damage at the cost of mana drain.]
(voice-over) Kaien’s aura flickered again. The lightning split, bouncing from spawn to spawn, zapping everything, including Torren.
Torren (smoking, hair standing up): ‘KAIEEEEN!’
(Kaien’s Pov)
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: [Accidental Tesla Coil]
- Description: Shocked enemies. And allies. Mostly allies.
- Effect: +2 Party Confusion.
(inner thought) If I survive this dungeon, it will be because everyone else dies first.
(voice-over) The Broodmother’s HP bar ticked down to 10,800. Still enormous. Still furious.
Darius: ‘We hold the line! Focus fire, before she spawns more again!’
(voice-over) Kaien looked down at the Error Crystal (Glitched) glowing faintly in his pouch.
SYSTEM: ‘Warning - Error Crystal interacting with unstable healer class detected. Catastrophic anomaly possible.’
(Kaien’s Pov) … Should I risk it? (mutters)
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
HINT: Using unstable items may trigger unintended results.
(inner thought) Unintended results are literally my brand.
- Writer
