Can a Frankenstein's monster be an adventurer?

Chapter 26 Lightning Whirlwind Slash

With the buff of [Rage lv.1], the bone spike generation speed of [Bone Spur Burst lv.2] is even faster.

Pale, inverted cone-shaped bone spurs spun and took shape one after another in his palm, raining down on the thunderous crocodile below.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!!!"

The sharp, piercing sound of the air being cut together formed a dense, impenetrable rain of spikes, as the bone spikes pounded against the giant crocodile's thick, spiky scales.

Although the crocodile's carapace is hard, most of the bone spurs explode into clumps of white bone powder when they hit the thick dorsal spines, leaving only dense white spots on the carapace.

However, the parts of this giant beast other than its back were not so hard. Several of the bone spikes that rained down pierced through the gaps between its hard scales, leaving shallow but not deep bloody holes.

"roar--!"

The Thunder Crocodile, writhing in pain, let out a terrifying roar, its body twisting wildly, its rage overpowering its agony.

"Sizzle sizzle..."

The row of backward-growing thorns on its back, starting from its tail, lit up one by one with a dazzling crimson light. The crimson light climbed up the thorns, and the red light became brighter and brighter. With each section that lit up, you could hear the crackling sound of static electricity breaking through the air.

The two beastly pupils in the giant crocodile's eye sockets blazed with violent lightning, and its upper and lower jaws suddenly opened to their limit. Deep within its massive maw, scalding crimson lightning gathered wildly in the depths of its throat.

Once the charge was complete, a thick beam of crimson lightning shot out directly from the giant crocodile's mouth.

"boom!"

The beam of light swept across the black pool, tearing through the damp air of the cave. Wherever it passed, the moisture instantly evaporated into a white mist, making the entire underground river appear reddish, and then it shot straight toward Luo Lan on the rock wall.

Although Luo Lan had temporarily secured a high vantage point atop the rock face, he kept a close eye on the beast's movements. When the thorns on the crocodile's back began to glow one by one, he immediately sensed something was amiss.

Just one second before the crimson lightning beam erupted.

Relying on the mobility of the [External Eight Spider Spears], Luo Lan moved quickly laterally across the slippery rock surface. The spear tip pierced up a piece of rock fragments, and he slid sideways from his original position, leaving a trail of afterimages. He completed a momentary lateral movement on the almost vertical rock wall.

The crimson lightning beam grazed the right side of Luo Lan's body and slammed into the rock wall behind him.

"Bang!!"

A deafening roar of shattering rocks erupted to the side. Luo Lan glanced back at the spot where she had just been standing.

The lightning bolt blasted a charred hole several meters deep into the hard rock wall. Carbonized rock fragments rolled down the hole.

The power of the lightning strike left Luo Lan feeling a chill.

Originally, relying on his ability to hang on the wall like a spider while the crocodile could only watch helplessly below, Luo Lan planned to maintain a safe distance, slowly wear down the behemoth with his bone spikes, and then deliver the final blow with his Eight Spider Spears.

However, if the opponent also possesses powerful ranged attack capabilities, the situation will be entirely different.

【Bone Spur Burst Lv.2】Although it can cause damage, the blood flowing from those small blood holes is not fatal to a six- or seven-meter-long behemoth.

[Rage Lv.1] will probably only last for less than ten minutes. Once the skill effect ends, Luo Lan will immediately enter a period of weakness and exhaustion. At that time, it will be very difficult to avoid the subsequent Crimson Lightning Breath.

[If we can't take this guy down within the duration of his berserk state, we'll have to run.]

The next few minutes will determine the outcome of the battle. If he cannot take down the giant crocodile in one go, Luo Lan plans to reserve the last few minutes of its rampage and escape through the sewers first.

[Are there any more powerful attack methods?]

While Luo Lan moved along the rock wall like a gecko, dodging the crimson lightning beams that came one after another from below, he calmly assessed the means of attack he had left.

The [External Eight Spider Lances], which have been enhanced several times, are undoubtedly the most terrifying weapon in Luo Lan's possession. However, no matter how sharp these eight spider lances are, they can only be used in close combat.

Facing a colossal creature radiating crimson lightning that could turn a person to ashes with a single breath, close combat would be extremely risky.

Even if Luo Lan manages to seize an opening and temporarily control the opponent with [Terror Lv.3], if the Eight Spider Lances fail to kill in one strike, and the giant crocodile recovers from its stunned state due to pain and bites back, escaping unscathed at such close range would be a pipe dream.

[We must find a way to break this deadlock.]

Another beam of crimson lightning swept across, and Luo Lan simultaneously exerted force with all eight of his spider spears, pulling his body to the left. The beam grazed the tips of the spider spears behind him, releasing a pungent, acrid smell of ozone, before crashing into the stalactites on the cave ceiling with a muffled bang.

A violent shockwave spread along the rock layers above the cave. The dome trembled.

"Click."

A massive, upside-down stalactite was snapped at its base by the shock. The cone-shaped boulder, several meters long, trailed debris and dust as it detached from the dome and crashed heavily into the dark pool below, creating huge waves.

Luo Lan's eyes suddenly lit up.

[Stalactite...I've got it!]

A dozen rough, inverted cone-shaped stalactites hang from the top of the cave, each one becoming a ready-made heavy weapon in Luo Lan's eyes.

Using the Eight Spider Lances, Luo Lan's body slid along the rock wall like a ghost, slowly adjusting his position until he was directly above the giant crocodile's massive body.

Pale white bone spurs reappeared in his palm. [Bone Spur Barrage] Another round of attacks was launched, all aimed at the crocodile's vulnerable spots such as the eye sockets and nasal cavity.

Luo Lan's persistent, fly-like harassment completely enraged the already furious crocodile.

In the water below, the thorns on the giant crocodile's back flashed wildly, its eyes blazing with lightning as it stared intently at its target directly above.

The gigantic maw opened wide once more. An even more ferocious beam of crimson lightning shot out.

"boom--"

A beam of crimson lightning shot into the sky; this was the moment Luo Lan had been waiting for.

With a tightening of his back muscles, the eight spider spears suddenly exerted force, allowing him to slide to the side and dodge in time, as the crimson lightning once again grazed past him.

With a deafening crash of breaking rocks, the power of the lightning strike was absorbed entirely by the unstable dome-shaped rock formations.

Several cracks appeared in the cave's dome, and a huge, upside-down stalactite, three or four meters long and with sharp stone edges, detached from the rock strata.

Like an inverted cone-shaped iron nail magnified several times, it plummeted straight down with terrifying gravitational acceleration.

The giant crocodile stared blankly at the sharp boulder falling towards it, instinctively trying to twist and dodge, but its massive six-meter-long body became a burden in its escape.

"Pfft—"

The sharp point of the stalactite pierced the gaps in the broad, thick scales of the crocodile's tail, the immense force driving the spiny skin and tendons through it. Gravel and blood splattered from the puncture site, and the crocodile's tail was pinned firmly to the water's edge, unable to move.

"roar--!!!"

The giant crocodile let out a deafening roar, the furious howl bursting from the depths of its throat, even stirring up ripples on the surface of the black pool.

Most of its body writhed wildly in the blood and mud. But its tail was impaled and nailed shut by the huge stalactite, like an unshakeable anchor. No matter how hard it tried, it couldn't pull its tail out.

This time, the giant crocodile truly went berserk and went on a rampage.

Its crimson eyes were almost bursting out of their sockets, and the thorns on its back shot out lightning at maximum power. Thick, crimson arcs of electricity shot out from the wound where its tail was pinned, spreading in all directions along the wet ground.

The giant mouth churned with high-voltage red lightning that had lost control due to excruciating pain, and the crimson lightning beams continued to pour out recklessly.

Luo Lan hung coldly on the extremely high rock face. This was the moment he was planning his attack.

The crocodile's body was firmly fixed in place, meaning that its extremely threatening short-range burst of speed was completely blocked, and it was also unable to turn around and escape back into the dark pool of unknown depth.

The beast's madness, unleashing its fury and spewing forth thunder without restraint, also meant that its focus was entirely on venting its rage, and it had no awareness whatsoever of defending itself above.

Opportunity is fleeting.

Luo Lan unleashed power from both legs and eight spider spears simultaneously, forcefully stomping against the wall.

Leaping from a height of over twenty meters, using the force of the spider spear and the acceleration of gravity, Luo Lan plunged straight into the giant crocodile's head.

In mid-air, Luo Lan's single, scarlet vertical pupil met and locked onto the giant crocodile's pair of bloodthirsty, crimson beastly eyes.

[Terror Lv.3] Activated!

The lightning that had just gathered in the giant crocodile's mouth suddenly stopped, and its upper and lower jaws remained frozen in place, its mouth wide open.

Amidst the high-speed descending airflow, clinging to the lingering sparks of lightning, eight external spider spears unfurled around Luo Lan, creating a powerful whirlwind as they slashed down.

Lightning whirlwind strike!