Melvin needed to act faster than he already did before the salts clung onto his flesh totally dissolved away.
He was only able to achieve this little feat so far due to the general knowledge he had about salt's high salinity against any sticky substance like that of the creature before him.
He had bathed himself in the rock crystalline, knowing that the faster it drew water out of the mucus clinging to his skin, the easier it was to get closer to the creature, and the swifter he would be on his attacks.
Right at the moment, the sea slug was not only struggling against the chain used to bind it against the stone pillar but also striving to survive against the irritation caused to it by the fallen salts that had come off Melvin's body while he ran along it.
Somehow, Melvin could have sworn to be at a very high advantage against the Sea Slug. Its two limbs were gone—one has almost completely regenerated—and it was now having only four wing-like appendages. Hence, coupled with the restrictions of the heavy chains and itching of the salts, the abomination had lost balance.
But Melvin knew better than to ask.
It was in this kind of situation that the monster opponent became fierier and dangerously precise with its attacks.
And for him? His physical condition was nothing to write home about. He is only able to grit his teeth and endure agony, as well as persevere to stabilize his footing.
Melvin let out a low hiss, then crackled at Aftertick to swing its whip diagonally at his side and shot it a glance.
"We will have to become perfect at working together…" he muttered, then looked up at the Sea Slug and locked eyes with its dark openings and added, "…after we are done here."
The creature on its own part never planned to give up. How could it do so when faced with a rodent-sized prey?
It continued to drag its base-like foot forward, trying its very best to position itself in such a way that it could perfectly lash out its wing appendages on its prey to get better results.
Melvin gnashed his bloodied teeth.
For a brief moment, he lowered his face, staring at the marble floor slick with mucus, salt, and blood. Fury grinding into his veins as he tightened his grip on the whip.
"Say your last prayer, bastard!" he murmured. Then, he raised his head and lunged.
But not toward the creature, he ran across the floor.
The creature noticed its prey and lashed out immediately. The first appendage lashed, but Melvin ducked. The second came from the side, and he rolled.
The third tore through the air above him, but he flattened himself against the floor, heart hammering. Without wasting time, he rose to his feet and wanted to continue on his heels.
However, that move turned out to be a mistake on his side. The fourth appendage was coming, and with a speed Melvin couldn't possibly race against.
Eventually, it struck him, and his body flew sideways until he crashed into the very pillar anchoring the chain. He hit the stone and slid down.
The world exploded in white pain as he coughed and vomited a dark, crimson spray across the marble.
The Sea Slug didn't hesitate. It was turning now. Its base rotated, dragging its bulk to face him directly.
Melvin blinked through the blur and almost smiled.
He was lucky not to have connected with the sharp edge of the wing appendage. And he was indeed very lucky because his plan was carried out faster than he could have.
He forced himself upright, ribs screaming in protest as he staggered forward beneath the hanging links of chain, positioning himself directly under the taut iron.
Above him, the chain groaned.
He summoned Aftertick again and swung it overhead, wrapping the whip around the chain. He pulled, rocked, and used the tension to lift himself off the ground.
His body dangled from the iron like a broken marionette.
The abomination continued rotating. The chain tightened further around its helmet head, digging deep into gelatinous flesh. The length between the pillar and the head shortened, pulling its posture off-balance.
Its appendages now struggled to extend properly. Their arcs were awkward, misaligned behind it.
But the creature had another surprise for its rodent-sized prey.
One of its severed limbs has now fully regenerated; hence, it shot forward with inhuman speed.
Melvin's eyes widened.
He released his grip on Aftertick as the whip vanished into nothingness and let himself fall. That was the only move to save himself from the surprise.
The regenerated limb passed through the space he had occupied a heartbeat earlier.
Melvin crashed onto the marble again. His breath left him in a ragged gasp, but he did not stop. Instead, he began to crawl toward the hidden passage.
Behind him, the Sea Slug shrieked in rage and resumed turning, trying to reorient itself.
Melvin dragged his body forward. By now, his salt-caked body had almost melted into the body of a normal human. Still, every movement he made tore open his wounds the more.
Then, he heard a whistle through the air. The stretching limb of the creature slicing through air toward him.
That was not the only sound he heard. There was also a deep, loud creak.
He halted.
Silence followed.
Even the extended limb of the slug halted midair.
However, Melvin didn't waste this little delay. He crawled faster, pushing himself toward the end of the passage.
Why should he waste time on that sound? He knew it too well.
Now kneeling below the cart of salt, he seized its wooden edge with trembling hands and pulled with all his remaining strength.
Salt spilled behind the cart in a trailing line of white crystals.
Behind Melvin, the Sea Slug regained motion.
Its suspended limb shot forward once more, but it never reached him. Instead, a thunderous crash split the hall.
A massive stone boulder, carved to stand perfectly vertical as part of a tall structure, tore free from above.
The earlier clean slice through the pillar by one of the slug's wing appendages.
The tension on the chain caused by Melvin's swing and the impatient attacks of the abomination.
The rotation of the creature acting as a horizontal pulley.
All of it converged, and the stone slab fell directly on the Sea Slug's helmet head.
The impact was devastating. The chained head was driven downward. Its gelatinous mass burst outward under crushing force.
The extended limb spasmed violently before collapsing into lifeless sludge.
While all these happened, Melvin didn't turn around. Even though he knew something had happened behind him, he thought it was best to focus his attention on the cart and continued to pull.
However, before he could reach his desired distance, he heard the sweet, familiar chime of the system ring in his mind.
[You have slain a Mythic Creature: Sea Slug King!]
He stopped.
The cart slipped from his fingers.
Silence consumed the Bastion underground hall.
Slowly, very slowly, Melvin turned.
The massive body of the Sea Slug King lay crushed beneath the fallen stone. No more movement. Not even a twitch.
The sliced part of the stone pillar, on which he chained the mythic creature, had done the final job for him.
With a deep, victorious exhale, Melvin swayed where he stood and crumpled down on the marble floor.
Just then, another chime followed the previous one.
[Congrats! You have received a Soul Signature.]
[You have…]