The cave entrance was pitch black, like a mouth gaping open to swallow all light and life. A cold draft, carrying the stench of decaying earth and rotting flesh, wafted out from within, sending a shiver down An's spine. The Demonic Energy Crystal in his glass vial vibrated faintly, its dim black light seeming to be drawn towards the deep darkness.
This was the place.
An didn't rush in. He hid behind a large rock several dozen meters from the cave entrance, pulled his hood low, and activated his skill.
[Basic Analysis]
[Target: Contaminated Cave Entrance]
[Analysis: A high concentration of negative, corrosive energy detected. Strong life signatures of contaminated creatures within.]
[Note: Habitat of creatures heavily affected by the contamination. Do not enter alone.]
The System's warning was clear and ominous. Any rational adventurer would turn back, return to the Guild, and report that this quest was beyond the capabilities of a G-rank individual.
But An was not a normal adventurer. He was an analyst, and before him was an unexplored dataset. Curiosity and the thirst for understanding outweighed his fear. Besides, he had no other choice. He was out of money.
He gripped his iron dagger, took a deep breath, and began to move. He didn't go straight for the entrance. Instead, he climbed the rocky hill above, looking for a crack that might offer a view inside. The Guerrilla Tactics skill helped him move lightly and almost silently.
From his high vantage point, the darkness in the cave gradually faded as his eyes adjusted. Inside was a large cavern. The floor was littered with the white bones of various animals. And in the center of the cavern, the source of the contamination revealed itself in all its hideousness.
It was a flower.
A gigantic flower, nearly two meters tall, growing from a pile of black soil. But its petals were not made of plant matter, but of rotting, purplish flesh that still twitched slightly. In the center of the flower, where the pistil should have been, was a jet-black crystal the size of a melon, pulsing slowly like a diseased heart. It continuously emitted wisps of black smoke, the very same negative energy that had contaminated the entire forest.
Around the base of the plant, the ground bubbled like a swamp. Occasionally, a bony arm or a bald head would emerge from the muck. A few zombies that looked exactly like the crazed rabbit An had killed were shambling around the flower, like loyal guards.
An held his breath, feeling a wave of nausea rise. He immediately focused, using all his mental energy and a precious wisp of spiritual power to perform a deep analysis.
[Deep Analysis Complete]
[Creature: Corpse-Flesh Demon Flower (Larval Stage)]
[Level: 8]
[Skills:]
* Corpse Creation: Animates nearby dead bodies, turning them into low-level undead puppets.
* Pestilent Spores: Releases spores that cause sickness and mental confusion.
[Weakness: The Demonic Core at its center. Completely dependent on the negative energy from the core to survive. Cannot move.]
Next, he analyzed one of the shambling zombies.
[Creature: Frenzied Zombie (Rabbit)]
[Level: 2]
[Note: A puppet controlled by the Demon Flower. No will of its own.]
An pulled back from the crack, his heart pounding. The data was clear. A level 8 monster with the ability to create countless level 2 minions. For him, a level 4 adventurer, to charge in would be suicide. His strength was completely insufficient for a direct confrontation.
But then, his eyes fell on the "Weakness" line.
Completely dependent on the negative energy from the core to survive.
He took out the small Demonic Energy Crystal he had obtained from the rabbit. It was a crystallized fragment of energy from that very core. The rabbit had been contaminated, becoming frenzied and stronger, but ultimately died from the very energy that empowered it.
A plan began to form in An's mind. A crazy, dangerous plan, but one that was, in a way, incredibly logical.
He didn't need to defeat the level 8 monster. He just needed to destroy its power source. He couldn't fight it with strength, but perhaps, he could poison it with its own poison.
He looked down at the empty glass vials in his bag, then back towards the cave entrance. A cold, calculating smile formed on his goblin face beneath the hood.
A battle that couldn't be won with power... but could be won with intellect. And that, was his playground.