WorldCrafter - Building My Underground Kingdom-Chapter 119: Purplish Fish
Ben marked the Mirefruit Cluster in his notes, tagging it with a bright red warning symbol and a new classification: Potential Weapon Material.
If the fruit's acid was potent enough to melt Krell bone—and give him the worst stomachache of his life—it could definitely be refined into something useful. A poison, maybe. Or better yet, a gas.
He made a mental note to try extracting the juice, then running a few tests: exposure to open air, burning it for vapor, maybe even combining it with other poisonous plants they'd found. This time, though, there'd be no eating tests.
He'd just use one of his disposable appendages, collect the data, and lop the limb off once the test was done. Pain-free, mistake-proof. Hopefully.
As for the monster they face. They were many types, but nothing that One or the Krell soldiers couldn't handle.
Still, Ben had noticed something else. All of them were armored. Scales, plates, carapace, even the smaller ones had some form of protection.
'Other than Ravagers and that weird shadow creature,' Ben thought, 'nothing's been a threat so far. But where did that one go…?'
The memory still lingered. Shadow whatever creature that was had vanished without a trace. No scent, no mana trail, no sound. One moment it was there… the next, gone. But what Ben even more curious is the creature seem friendly.
Finished with Elvira's memory extraction, Ben stepped out of the lab and made his way toward One, the faint hum of the RV's systems following him as he walked. He paused by the reinforced window, peering out.
A shimmering light caught his eye. "So this is the lake…" he murmured.
The scouts had found it a few hours ago while pushing ahead. The terrain opened into a basin, and nestled in its center was a large body of liquid glowing faintly purple.
The surface rippled with light, reflecting strange patterns that shifted as he moved.
All around the shoreline, Ben could see creatures he recognized—many of the same beasts they'd encountered during their travels through the biome, now gathered in quiet clusters along the lake's edge like it was some kind of neutral ground.
To the left, a pair of Ironback Crawlers lay half-submerged in the glowing water. Their barbed, obsidian-like shells shimmered faintly under the purple light, making them look almost polished. Normally aggressive, they now sat completely still, their six legs tucked beneath them as if in meditation.
A little further down, a pack of Mossfang Stalkers moved cautiously between thick fungal growths. Their fungal-covered bodies blended with the surrounding vegetation, but Ben could still make out the faint glint of their amber eyes watching the water.
Near the opposite bank, a trio of Skullbeaks were perched atop stone outcroppings, their skeletal heads bowed low. One dipped its bone-tipped beak into the lake, drawing up the glowing liquid like it was sacred nectar. Their usual screeching chatter was gone—replaced by silence.
Closer to the marshy edge, a group of Burrowmaws shifted lazily beneath thick tufts of mushroom grass. Their spiked tails swayed back and forth slowly.
Ben narrowed his eyes at the hulking figure in the distance, the way its glowing gaze pierced through the mist without a sound. It didn't move. Didn't even blink. Just stood there, half-submerged in the lake like a guardian or sentinel waiting for something unseen.
"Stop here," Ben ordered.
One responded immediately, the RV slowing to a halt just meters from the shoreline.
The vehicle settled as Ben stood up and moved to the exit. Elvira didn't follow still busy with her own task.
Outside, The ground beneath his boots was soft, spongy, just like a mud. Fighting here will surely make him hard to move.
All around them, the beasts watched.
The Ironback Crawlers turned their heads slightly, looking at Ben. The Mossfang Stalkers shifted just enough to show their presence but remained hidden behind fungal stalks. The Skullbeaks let out low rattling croaks, but none moved from their perches.
They were wary—but they didn't attack.
As long as Ben didn't get too close, they were content to observe. He gestured for One to stay alert, then stepped toward the water's edge.
The lake shimmered in soft purplish light. It was clear like polished glass.
Ben crouched, reaching out with a gloved hand. He dipped his fingers into the surface. The water was cool and give out refreshing sensation.
Then he saw it.
Just beneath the surface, the cause of this purplish light darting between underwater plant, were fish—but not like any he'd ever seen. Their bodies were long and smooth, like eels, but covered in faintly glowing scales.
Each one let off a soft light, the color of deep amethyst.
Hundreds—no, thousands—of these creatures drifted through the water, illuminating it from within.
Ben leaned closer, mesmerized. "So that's the source…"
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The creatures were peaceful. Tranquil. The center of it all.
But Ben didn't buy it.
The water might be safe to drink. The beasts around the lake might be calm. But nothing in this biome had ever just been peaceful.
Slowly, one of his appendages extended from his back, slithering forward like a eels. As it reached the lake's edge, the tip reshaped itself—morphing into a maw lined with sharp teeth.
"Consume."
The maw struck—snapping shut around one of the glowing fish in a flash.
CHOMP!
The water rippled. A surge of light scattered beneath the surface. But... nothing. No notification. No biomass gained.
Ben blinked. Then he saw it. The fish darted away, slipping through the maw's jaws like smoke. One second it was there, the next it was ten meters away, gliding effortlessly through the water like it hadn't just dodged death.
Ben scowled. "You've got to be kidding me."
Another appendage shot forward, then another. He adjusted the speed, the angle, the timing.
But the result…
Miss… Miss…Miss…
Each time, the fish dodged. Effortlessly. Just a moment before they get eated, their body will dash forward in high speed, weaving between strikes like it knew where he would attack next.
