Symbiotic: Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Sara’s Danger Sense thrummed like a war drum in her chest, pulsing louder with every step closer to the magma lake. Her newly Fire energy empowered Sporesight stretched outward to two hundred feet, its edges shimmering against the molten surface. She locked 1,000 microbes into the Sporesight, another 1,000 into her 20 foot Infectious Cloud, leaving 3,500 still free in her network. The numbers ticked in her mind like a ledger. Resources use required versus resources needed to survive. A constant tug of war, and not one that the environment favored her for.

She advanced until her Sporesight brushed the magma’s surface. The spores danced, flickering like fireflies, but they could not pierce the molten veil. It was as if something else controlled the magma, barring her sight, denying her entry.

Her Danger Sense spiked suddenly, a violent Thud that rattled her bones. She ducked and rolled just as the lake erupted. Living magma surged upward, coalescing into a humanoid form of shifting stone and flame. It hovered briefly above the molten surface, its body glowing with volcanic fury.

Sara’s eyes narrowed. She quickly triggered Identify and Mark Target, the System’s response flashing before her even as molten embers rained down around her.

[Volcanic Elemental] Tier 3

Body: (Force 36 | Speed 28)

Mind: (Thought 30 | Knowledge 22)

Soul: (Self 40 | Sum 32)

Abilities:

• Core Surge - channels volcanic energy, boosting all stats temporarily.

• Firestorm - launches molten embers that deal Body and Soul damage.

• Energy Conversion - converts ambient fire energy into healing and Soul empowerment.

Description: A humanoid form of living magma, its body constantly shifting between stone and flame.

EXP: 600

Microbes: 300

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The Elemental’s eye like core flared, and a storm of molten embers cascaded toward her. Sara twisted aside, weaving through the barrage, but several struck home. Pain lanced through her body, the attack gnawing at both her physical defenses and her Soul.

She retaliated instantly, unleashing Infected Cloud Strike. Spores surged forward, latching onto the Elemental’s molten form. The strike hit, the spores bit, but through Mark Target she felt the creature’s response as it drank in the fire energy around it, healing even as her spores tried to drain it. The battle was not one sided; the volcano itself seemed to fight for the Elemental.

Sara gritted her teeth, dodging another wave of embers. Her skin burned from glancing splashes, her Soul strained under the elemental assault. She needed more.

With a sharp gesture, she summoned her Mycorrhizal Platemail, spores weaving into hardened armor across her body. The fungal plates hissed as molten droplets struck, but they held, shielding her from the worst of the firestorm, and already repairing itself of the damage.

She knew melee would be futile unless she could force the Elemental closer. Its control of the battlefield made direct strikes dangerous. So she shifted tactics.

Regretfully sending the Greatworm temporarily back into her Pocket Storage, (It was either that or set it on the ground as she needed both hands free), Sara extended her hand, spores coalescing into shape. Threads of silver and green hardened, forming a bow of living mycelium. She consumed another 500 microbes and invoked Create Masterwork Object, and the Masterwork Mycorrhizal Bow took form, its surface glowing faintly with the energy of her network.

[Item Acquired: Masterwork Mycorrhizal Bow]

Type: Weapon (Bow)

Tier: 2 – Masterwork

Description: A recurved bow grown from hardened mycelium. Its limbs pulse faintly with green silver light, while the spore woven string hums with tension when drawn. Arrows can be conjured from the wielder’s network, each shaft trailing spores that drift faintly in the air. Designed for precision and sustained ranged combat, the bow channels fungal energy into piercing shots and area denial.

Stats:

Force: +15 | Speed: +15

Thought: +8 | Knowledge +8

Self: +8 | Sum: +8

Abilities:

• Spore Tipped Arrow - On hit, spores burrow into the wound, dealing +10% of Sum per second damage over 10 seconds. Can stack up to 10 times on same target.

• Armor Splinter - Arrows ignore 30% of enemy armor. Against crystalline or hardened foes, arrows fracture defenses further.

• Spore Volley - Can project a short‑range volley of spore‑arrows equal to Soul Sum feet, striking multiple enemies.

• Symbiotic Draw - Each successful shot restores 2% of microbes consumed by Spore Tipped Arrow, sustaining the wielder’s network.

Durability: High (self repairing through mycelial weave)

Weight: 23 lbs

Slot: 2 Handed Weapon

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“This ought to help even the odds a bit!”, She snarled as she drew the stringback, spores weaving into an arrow of condensed infection. Her eyes locked on the Elemental, its body rippling with fire and stone.

“Say hello to my little friend!” she whispered, steadying her aim.

The cavern glowed brighter, the magma lake roiling beneath them. The duel had only just begun.

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The cavern roared with fire and fury as Sara and the Volcanic Elemental clashed. Her spores hissed under the constant assault of molten embers, her Mycorrhizal Platemail glowing faintly as it absorbed splash after splash of magma. Each strike threatened to overwhelm her, but Repair Self surged, knitting wounds closed and salving burns as quickly as they opened. She healed the fire damage completely, but the Elemental’s Energy Conversion was slowly being overtaken by the lingering spores that remained with every arrow.

Her Infected Cloud Strike added to the avalanche of agony as it clung to its molten frame, spores burrowing deeper, gnawing at stone and magma alike. At first the damage was manageable, but over time the infection spread like cracks through volcanic glass. The longer the fight dragged on, the more the spores multiplied, tearing the Elemental apart from the inside.

Sara’s mind sharpened under the strain. Her Novice Energy Manipulation Mastery flared, instinct guiding her beyond fire. She strained, pushing her arrows to carry something new. Ice. The conversion came suddenly, a flash of insight crystallizing into power.

*Ding* [New SubSkill Acquired: Ice Energy Conversion]

• Alters controlled external energy to empower with ice energy.

• Costs −1 temporary Thought per use.

Even as Sara mentally celebrated this small victory as she learned to twist the Volcanic Elemental’s domain from strength to weakness, the System provided its next very welcome surprise.

*Ding* [Skill Upgrade: Novice Energy Manipulation Mastery → Energy Manipulation Mastery (Tier 2)]

Condition Met: Three or more Energy Conversion Subskills acquired.

Bonuses Gained:

• Expanded Conversion Capacity: Maintain 2 active Energy Conversions simultaneously.

• Efficiency Boost: Conversion cost duration reduced by 25%.

• Adaptive Resistance: +20% resistance against any energy type currently manipulated.

"Well hello there handsome!", Sara hollered, sensing what a game changer Ice could be in this hellscape of an arena.

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Her next arrow shimmered blue white, spores crystallizing along its shaft. When it struck, the Elemental’s molten skin flash froze, stone beneath the magma shattering outward in jagged shards. The creature roared, its body cracking under the assault, molten fire spilling from fissures in its frame.

As Ice empowered arrow after arrow shattered its body, the Elemental surged forward, its core blazing brighter than before. Core Surge ignited the elemental's every stat, its speed and force magnified as it hurled a storm of molten embers. Sara twisted aside, weaving through the barrage, her armor sizzling under glancing blows. She avoided what she could, and healed what she could not, never slowing her assault.

She pressed harder, channeling Ice Energy Conversion into her Infectious Cloud when the Elemental charged within range. The spores around her shimmered with frost, clinging to the Elemental as it closed for melee. Each strike froze sections of its body, shattering stone beneath the magma, forcing it to slow as supercooled body lost its mobility. The cavern echoed with the sound of cracking stone and hissing steam.

The Elemental faltered, its body fracturing, and began to drag itself back toward the safety of the magma lake. Sara’s eyes narrowed. She would not let it escape.

She pressed forward, loosing arrow after arrow, each one bursting with frost and spores. The creature’s body shattered piece by piece, until finally it collapsed into shards, fragments of stone and magma scattering across the cavern floor.

*DING* [Your party has killed a Volcanic Elemental

600 Experience being divided evenly among your party.

Error: Party size (5501) exceeds limit. Negligible experience gained.

[Current Experience to next level: 1127.29 of 2000]

Victory. And the sweet sweet feeling of gaining 0.11% Experience! "Le Sigh."

But the magma lake rippled ominously as Sara’s Danger Sense screamed, vibrating like a hammer against her skull. She jumped back from the magma’s edge, spores flaring defensively.

Two more shapes rose from its surface, molten bodies coalescing into humanoid forms. Twin Volcanic Elementals, their cores blazing brighter than the first, emerged with a hiss of steam and fire. The cavern filled with firelight as the new foes advanced, embers raining down in twin storms.

She raised her bow, frost shimmering along the string, and loosed another arrow. The first Elemental’s shards still smoldered at her feet, but now she faced two fresh foes, each empowered by the volcano’s core.

The battle was not over. It had only just begun.

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The cavern erupted in chaos as the two Volcanic Elementals rose from the magma lake, their molten bodies towering, cores blazing like miniature suns. Sara’s Danger Sense pulsed violently, warning her of the overwhelming threat. Yet she stood firm, her spores shimmering in a dual halo. With Fire Energy Conversion shielding her from the searing heat, and Ice Energy Conversion lacing her spore arrows and Infectious Cloud with frost.

The cavern became an elemental warzone. Magma surged and hissed, waves of molten fire splashing against the cavern walls. Sara’s spores answered, spreading frost across the stone, ice crystals forming where arrows landed. The air itself seemed to split in two, walls of suffocating heat and biting cold, as fire and ice wrestled for dominance.

The first Elemental’s wounds grew and, raging, it charged, its body rippling with Core Surge, molten fists hammering forward. Sara loosed an arrow, spores crystallizing into jagged ice. The shot struck true, flash freezing its shoulder, stone cracking beneath the magma even as it’s other molten arm slammed into her side, sending her tucking and rolling to give her Repair Self time to act. The creature roared, shards exploding outward as Sara’s Infectious Cloud wrapped around it, frost spreading like a creeping plague.

The second Elemental unleashed repeated Firestorms, molten embers raining down in a deadly cascade. Sara darted aside, her Fire empowered Sporesight absorbing the worst of the heat thanks to the Energy Manipulation skill upgrade bonus. Embers hissed against her armor, but she healed instantly, Repair Self knitting the damage closed. She retaliated with a Spore Volley of arrows, each one infused with ice, peppering the Elemental until its molten skin fractured.

The cavern floor became a battlefield of extremes. Pools of magma bubbled and surged, while jagged ice spread across the shattered shards of obsidian stone, steam rising in thick clouds where the two forces collided. Every step Sara took left frost in her wake, every strike from the Elementals splashed magma across the cavern.

The first Elemental staggered, its body riddled with cracks. Sara pressed forward, channeling Ice Energy into her Infectious Cloud, spores clinging to its molten frame, freezing it from without and within. The creature convulsed, magma hardening into brittle stone, until finally it collapsed, shattering into shards that clattered across the cavern floor.

The second Elemental roared, diving toward her in desperation, its body blazing brighter than ever as Core Surge burnt it from within. Sara met it head on, loosing arrow after arrow, each one bursting with frost, and dodging as many of its enraged strikes as she could, healing what she couldn't. Her Infested Cloud Strike surged, wrapping it in ice, forcing magma to harden and fracture. The creature stumbled, its core flickering, until Sara’s final shot pierced through, shattering it into fragments.

Silence fell.

The cavern was a battlefield of ruin, magma pools cooling into jagged obsidian, ice crystals glittering across the stone, steam rising in ghostly veils. Sara stood at one edge, bow lowered, spores a shimmering kaleidoscope of green, red and blue faintly around her. The shattered remains of the Elementals lay scattered at her feet, their cores extinguished.

She exhaled, chest heaving as she watched the Magma pool for movement. Fire and ice had wrestled for control and she had emerged victorious. Broiled like a Lobster, but victorious.

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