Chapter 225: The Little Girl |
[Ability Extractor (3/3)]
[Effect: Extracts a temporary skill from the target, does not occupy a skill slot, disappears after use.]
[Description: "Gimme that!"]
This was an item Guan Shan had obtained from "Drone Bee One," capable of granting a one-time-use skill, similar to the [Neural Magnetic Field] he had received before, but with an even shorter duration.
If Guan Shan was still in the dark, using this would undoubtedly be a gamble, as he wouldn't know all the BOSS's abilities, making it like a lottery draw.
But now, he understood that most of these monsters were likely Espers. Since an Esper typically had only one ability, the process became simpler.
Essentially, using this item would extract the most prominent ability! And at this moment, Guan Shan needed the ability that allowed the BOSS to move freely in water!
In the previous fight, Guan Shan had strength and weapons but couldn't use them effectively because the BOSS was controlling the environment. Facing a monster nine levels higher in its advantageous terrain was a fool's errand! So, he needed to use the [Ability Extractor] to level the playing field!
[You used the Ability Extractor.]
[Waterform]
[Effect: During the skill duration, you can move freely in water and are not affected by negative water environment effects; lasts 180 seconds.]
[Description: Maybe you can dive deep and catch jellyfish with SpongeBob… but make sure to keep track of the time.]
“Who would use this skill to catch jellyfish?! And with only three minutes, how could anyone dive deep enough and still make it back?!”
Guan Shan mentally retorted at the description, but at least he had the skill he needed.
Now, the enemy's advantage was nullified!
Guan Shan exhaled, feeling the time was right, looking at the still water. The BOSS's health bar had been dropping rapidly as if under attack.
The initial 50,000 health had dropped to 30,000. It seemed the BOSS had experienced something while being held…
But Guan Shan had only used the [Mirror Shard] to control the BOSS.
“Wait… is that a shadow?”
Guan Shan squinted, noticing a faint, elongated shadow in the water, its shape unclear in the flowing currents.
He remembered that the [Mirror Shard] had a bonus effect of potentially summoning entities from the mirror…
Who or what might be in the mirror was unknown.
However, Guan Shan had a vague idea. In the apartment scenario, the shadows guiding him to the safe house were two black figures.
One large and one small, likely the mother and daughter who died at Qin Deguang's hands.
If there were any other entities in the [Mirror Shard], it would probably be them.
Guan Shan cautiously approached the sealed water area, waiting for the cooldown to end.
The BOSS's health continued to drop, slowing down around 25,000 as the time arrived.
Boom!
The frozen water surged violently. At that moment, Guan Shan reached out to touch the cold water. He vaguely saw the shadows solidify into two figures.
The larger one was a long-haired female silhouette, holding the smaller shadow's hand. She nodded slightly towards Guan Shan.
Instinctively, Guan Shan nodded back, then activated the [Waterform] skill, his body dissolving into water, merging with the flow.
In the water, Guan Shan found himself no longer restricted, breathing and moving freely.
With the skill's perspective, it felt like entering another dimension. He finally saw the BOSS's true form.
In the water was a creature resembling a fishman.
Not a mermaid, but a fishman.
Its upper half was fish-like, while the lower half was human.
The fish part was shark-like, with a mouth full of sharp teeth, scales raised, and beneath them, yellow pustules and thin black tendrils. Its eyes were vertical pupils like a snake's.
The lower half had two human legs, but instead of feet, there were two fish tails, appearing gnawed on, with exposed fish bones. However, the bones within were human feet! Its structure was similar to the rabbits, as if a person had been forcefully inserted into the fish skin…
Guan Shan began to understand the "zoo" scenario's meaning. There were no real rabbits, elephants, or aquariums—only people!
From a horror game perspective, this uncanny detail was spot-on.
But this was also the reality Guan Shan faced. Beneath these monstrous facades, they were all human…
Perhaps this was the true horror game.
Clearing his mind, Guan Shan charged with the Demon Blade, catching the BOSS off guard, slicing off its arm.
The BOSS only managed to dodge slightly, its face filled with shock, then it roared at Guan Shan—though its expression was unclear.
---
Fang Lu was utterly shocked, almost losing his composure: “Impossible! Impossible!”
The earlier terrifying events hadn't made him lose his composure, but now, he was genuinely breaking down.
“How can this be?! He's using… my ability?!”
Fang Lu felt his understanding shatter: “Isn't he a gravity Esper? No, he has object conjuring, so he must be spatial class, and his physical strength isn't weak. Does he have a copying special-class ability too?!”
Confused, he lost his advantage, retreating under Guan Shan's relentless attacks.
In the final moments, a thought flashed in Fang Lu's mind. These diverse abilities resembled descriptions he had heard before.
Another district's "Free Logistics" manager had recently asked him to deal with a multi-Esper.
That person was a physical and spatial class.
“Wait, is he Guan Shan?!”
Bang!
Fang Lu was thrown out of the water curtain, rolling on the ground, struggling to get up. One question echoed in his mind: Was Guan Shan here to kill him in advance?
---
Guan Shan raised his blade to kill the BOSS, but the ceiling lights flickered.
Then he heard a child's voice.
“Hey? Big brother, what are you doing?”
A little girl in a dress, barefoot, appeared from the corner, curiously looking at him, her bright eyes reflecting Guan Shan's figure.