Chapter 310 - Monsturrrr!

"Seriously... I'm scared of plants?..." Afton mutters, not believing the situation at all.

"Increased heart-rate, perspiration, oxygen intake, and adrenaline. Cause: fear. Recommended treatment: therapy, removing source of fear." Nyx states.​​

"No... I was just working out earlier... Shut up." he retorts, dropping the LAER for a moment and retrieving his Anti-Material rifle from his back. He easily kills any visible Spore Plants, but grimaces at his shaking hands afterwards.

Afton ignores it though, deciding that whatever was occurring would stop eventually. If he was scared, killing a bunch of plant creatures would help him through it, right?

He packs up everything and heads towards the fungus infested land, there didn't seem to be any airborne spores, which was a boon. Afton was supposedly immune to them now anyway, so it didn't really matter.

The only way to progress was over the large root snaking over the canyon paths. It's an incredibly unsafe route, but Afton didn't have a choice in the matter. He used the LAER to blow apart some more Spoe Plants that sprung out of the ground, the tri-laser beams easily disintegrating the enemy before they can get off an attack of their own.

Eventually he came up to the top of a plateau that looked over the rest of the canyon. Once he entered the vibrant green clearing, the sound of many creatures exploding from the ground around him could be heard.

Many, many Spore Plants sprouted out of the ground, their venus flytrap-like heads getting ready to spit acid at him. Narrowly avoiding the projectiles, he retreats backwards while firing over his shoulder. Once he'd a good enough distance away, he resumes his previous strategy by sniping at them from a distance.

Once all visible enemies are cleared, he walks back into the clearing and looks around, examining an old ruined fountain in the middle of the area. Inside he finds another [Valence radii-accentuator] being gripped tightly by a skeleton.

Shaking his head, he pries it out of the corpse's hands and attempts to wear it with the one he already possessed... Unfortunately, they seem to repulse each other like magnets. He attempted to force them together, but that only launched it a couple meters, almost causing it to fall into the deep canyon path below.

After making sure this place was clear of enemies, he heads across another root-bridge which dips into the canyon. He kills a few more Spore Plants as he traverses the dark rocky pathway, It's unfortunate Nyx's sensors don't work against the Fungus or the creatures under it... Apparently their composition is so similar to regular plantlife that its impossible to tell them apart.

Eventually, Afton came across some sort of centre point of the fungus infested region. A Building that'd been torn apart by plants and time stood relatively intact above the canyon passage. Afton followed the steps leading to it, but once inside he was greeted by many Spore Plants and... A hulking humanoid tree-thing...

It looked similar to what a Spore Carrier did in Vault 22, except it was much, much larger, and its grey bark-like skin looked heavily reinforced. Afton activated VATS before it could notice him, the Spore Plants already launching acid in his direction would've certainly tipped it off.

It stood 10ft and had long dangerous-looking claws attached to each arm... Not to mention the branch-like tentacles protruding from its back which seemed to move on their own. Afton couldn't see its face as its back was turned to him, but he imagined an equally horrific visage to be present there.

He examines it via his [Living Anatomy], hopefully it would still count enough for him to actually examine it.

[Patient Zero]

Health : 99%

Stamina : --%

DT : 30

Strength : 22

Perception : 4

Endurance : 20

Charisma : 1

Intelligence : 1

Agility : 5

Luck : 1

Ailments :

[Superior Beauveria mordicana] : Fungus that infects its victims via spores and rapidly mutates their body to suit its needs. Reduces Intelligence, Charisma and Luck to 1, reduces Perception by 4 and blinds the afflicted. Grant +15 Strength, Endurance, reduces Agility by 3. Afflicted will seek to produce and spread spores to other organic creatures.

[Anti-Fungel Serum] : Serum created by the Think Tank in an attempt to stop the rapid expansion of the spores. Disables the Fungus's ability to produce spores and assimilate other creatures into it collective.

[Monster] : Immunity to critical attacks. Immunity being crippled. Immunity to poison and disease. Immunity to intimidation and fear affects.

Afton stares blankly at the status and audibly gulps. He was beginning to regret stumbling into this place. Why did he want to come here in the first place? Ah, that's right... Mobius...

Well... No one says that he has to kill this thing, right? He can just activate his Stealthboy and sneak away without fighting that monstrous creature. Yeah, that's exactly what he'd do...

Exiting VATS, he avoids the globules of acid shot at him and pulls out his Stealthboy, immediately slamming his fist onto it to activate it. His form ripples and flickers out of existence, once he was invisible he turns and begins heading for the exit... Only to be stopped by something blocking his path.

Afton's eyes follow the branch-like tentacles which are extended from the back of the monster, fear locking his body in place as it turns and looks directly at him, despite his invisibility.

It had no eyes, just a horrific fang-filled mouth. Its teeth were dirty and yellow, with bits and pieces of flesh and bone still visibly stuck between them. The creature let out a breath that sent chills down Afton's back as its rear-tentacles raise in the air and point in his direction.

Ah... Yeah, how did he forget... Invisibility wouldn't work on blind creatures in the first place... Fuck! He throws himself to the side as tentacles pierce the metal walkway hew as standing on. They wrap around it and grip it tightly before tearing the entire walkway from its placements, lifting it and preparing to drop it on Afton...