The echo of the energy discharge and the dying vermin's screech seemed to amplify the sudden, furious surge of noise from deeper within the tunnel.
It wasn't just skittering anymore; it was a wave of sound – dozens, perhaps hundreds, of tiny claws scrambling over metal, accompanied by high-pitched, aggressive chittering that grated on Xen's audio receptors. They knew he was here, and they were not happy.
HP: 100/100. EN: 91.0/150. XP: 152/250. Staff Durability 15/15. [Audio Dampener] active.
Standing over the smoking carcass of his first kill provided zero comfort. He was deep in hostile territory, outnumbered, and running on energy reserves that felt woefully inadequate for a sustained fight. Retreat towards the entrance was the only logical option. He needed a chokepoint, and the partially blocked tunnel mouth was the only one he knew.
He risked one more quick scan down the dark passage ahead, hoping to gauge the immediate threat.
[Scan Analysis: Tunnel Section Ahead (Range ~15 Meters)] [Bio-Signatures Detected: Cyber-Vermin (Technovore Class) - Qty: 7+ Moving Rapidly Towards Host Location - Aggressive State Confirmed!] [Hazard Detected: Loose Debris Overhead - Minor Collapse Risk if Disturbed]
Seven plus confirmed closing fast. No time to waste.
Xen began backing away, staff held defensively, its crystal tip pointed towards the darkness. His dampened steps were silent on the grime-coated floor, but the approaching cacophony was impossible to ignore. Red pinpricks of light resolved in the gloom – multiple pairs of glowing eyes reflecting his own low-light optics.
The first wave burst into view, scrambling low and fast over the debris – four vermin, identical to the one he'd just dispatched, their chitinous/metallic bodies surprisingly agile. They fanned out slightly, attempting to flank him even in the narrow pipe.
He couldn't let them surround him. He targeted the centermost one, the one moving fastest. Activate [Jolt]!
CRACKLE!
The blue arc leaped out again, striking the vermin squarely. It convulsed and collapsed.
The remaining three didn't falter. They lunged, sharp claws extended, mandibles clicking. Xen sidestepped the first, his DEX 13 allowing him a quick, short movement against the tunnel wall.
He tried to bring the staff around to intercept the second, but the third was already on him, claws scraping against his leg plating.
He kicked out, dislodging it, and simultaneously jabbed the staff towards the one he'd dodged. Activate [Jolt]!
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Scrap! A painful feedback surge shot up Xen's arm as the staff crystal sputtered erratically, failing to discharge externally. The red [Weapon Malfunction - Jolt Unavailable (5s Cooldown)] icon flashed insistently on his HUD. The targeted vermin, unharmed, scrambled closer.
He reacted instantly, swinging the staff like a desperate club. The plasteel rod connected with the vermin's head with a dull thwack. ([3 Physical Damage]). It staggered back, momentarily stunned.
<[Crude Energon Staff] Durability Decreased: 14/15>
He used the brief respite to continue his retreat, backing further down the tunnel towards the entrance light. More red eyes were visible deeper in the darkness now, more skittering sounds joining the chorus.
The Jolt cooldown cleared just as the stunned vermin recovered and charged again, alongside the one that had hit his leg.
He aimed for the one he'd already hit physically. Activate [Jolt]!
CRACKLE!
It dropped like a stone. (+10 XP Gained!) XP: 172/250. One left from the initial flanking group! It lunged, ignoring its fallen comrades. Xen met the lunge with another Jolt attempt.
Activate [Jolt]!
CRACKLE!
The last of the leading group fell. (+10 XP Gained!) XP: 182/250. But there was no time for relief. Two more vermin shot out from the darkness, moving even faster than the first wave, their chittering reaching a fever pitch.
Xen was close to the entrance now, the loose debris field just behind him. He fired another Jolt at the closest new arrival.
Activate [Jolt]!
CRACKLE!
It tumbled into the debris near the entrance. (+10 XP Gained!) XP: 192/250. But the other one was right on top of him, claws latching onto his arm, mandibles snapping near his shoulder joint.
He tried to bring the staff around while wrestling with the creature, its surprising strength pinning his weapon arm momentarily. More red eyes glowed in the tunnel beyond. This was bad. His Energon was dropping with every Jolt, the staff was unreliable, and they just kept coming. He couldn't win a war of attrition.
Escape. Now.
He put all his strength (STR 5 wasn't much, but leverage helped) into a powerful shove, pushing the attached vermin off balance and into the debris near the entrance. He didn't wait to see if it recovered or use another Jolt.
He spun and scrambled desperately through the unstable entrance blockage, kicking loose rocks and metal shards behind him.
He burst out of the tunnel mouth, tumbling onto the scrap-littered ground outside, the sounds of angry chittering echoing from the darkness he'd just escaped. He scrambled behind the large gear sprocket, staff held defensively, expecting immediate pursuit.
He watched the entrance. Red eyes peered out, mandibles clicked, but after a tense moment, none of the vermin emerged fully into the relatively open area. Perhaps they were reluctant to leave their tunnels, or maybe his electrical attacks had sufficiently deterred them for now.
He leaned heavily against the sprocket, ventilation systems cycling hard. Status check: HP: 95.0/100. EN: 82.5/150 . XP: 192/250. Staff Durability: 14/15.
He'd survived his first real combat, killed four hostile creatures, gained valuable XP, and confirmed his improvised weapon worked (mostly). But he'd also taken damage, burned through significant energy, experienced weapon malfunctions under pressure, and confirmed the tunnels were a dangerous, occupied nest. The coolant trail remained a mystery, now guarded by alerted enemies.
He needed to recover, reassess, and likely find a better weapon or improve his combat skills before attempting that path again.