The crab knows it's in trouble. It's not going to flop over and die though. Not at all. Maybe it even still has hope, if a crab can think in terms like that, to either get away or even make me its next meal instead of some fish.

The way I'm holding back and refraining from an all out attack that might end this little encounter early, might fuel ideas like that. I of course have no intention of becoming crab chow. I just want to draw this out a little in hopes of earning another skill increase or two.

I don't want to hunt the Rock Crabs at this creek to extinction just to level my [Spell Resistance] and whatever other skill I can after all. I can't possible eat all of even just this one crab either and I don't want too much delicious crab meat to go to waste either. Thus I have to make this one fight last. And I might just be enjoying that a little too.

Thus I lunge forward again with another thrust. It's not a serious attack though. I'm a little worried about what this creature's shell can do to the edge of my weapon after all. For that reason I don't even try to actually hit it. I'm just making a showy attempt to appear threatening right now. One that even a creature like a crab can't miss or misinterpret.

This might just count as a feint. And it works too. Well enough in fact to make my [Bluff] skill improve a little. And certainly well enough to prompt the crab to counter with another water projectile.

Once again I don't dodge or block. I just take it straight on again. The notification that promptly follows as the blob of water splashes against my blouse reaffirms that my [Spell Resistance] skill is working as advertised.

[*Ding!* You have been wounded! Health reduced by 1!]

My [Clothes] skill improves a little once more as well, but I barely pay any attention to it as another notification is quick to follow.

[*Ding!* Your skill Spell Resistance has leveled up to level 3!]

This one counts towards the progress of my scoundrel class. If my estimate isn't too far off, my first class is about a third of the way to the next level up too now. That one will still be a while, but I don't mind. Not right now anyway. I'm too excited. I bare my teeth in a vicious grin.

"Is that the best you can do? You are only getting me all wet. Not hot and bothered though, so you have my blessings to keep trying all day long for all I care."

I have no illusions about the effect of my [Spell Resistance]. It's a pretty good skill. Against low level magical attacks like those the crab is firing at me it's surprisingly effective in fact, but against powerful magic like those big explosions of a certain pyromaniac elf wizard I happen to know it probably still wouldn't do me a whole lot of good. Given some time I might get there though.

As the crab retreats a little deeper into the water, submerging itself halfway, I begin to circle it slowly, so it won't get away. This means I have to get my feet wet too in all likelihood. I'm not too thrilled by that prospect and decide to let my opponent know through my next attack. I don't just feint this time either. Instead I go for a precise little cut aiming for one of the joints where a leg meets a body. I need to work on my swordsmanship too anyway, thus I might as well.

[*Ding!* Hit! Rock Crab's Health reduced by 25!]

It's not a critical hit, but that's alright. I'll just wear the crab down bit by bit. I just don't want to hit its thick carapace head on again. I can feel my [Melee Weapons] and [Blades] skills improve a little and I herd it back towards the shore line too, thus I'm already quite satisfied with the results of my attack. It's good enough, really, but then another notification catches me by surprise.

[*Ding!* You have unlocked the Thread the Steel general skill at Level 1!]

I blink in surprise. Is the name of the skill a play on aiming for weak spots in armor and threading a needle? Most curious! The skill counts towards the progress of my masked mediator class this time around, which is nice too.

I'm not entirely certain about the effect of the new skill though. It sounds like a skill that will allow me to bypass armor, but I can't really be sure yet. This of course calls for more experimentation! My grin gets even more feral and not even the next water projectile which hits me like those before can dampen my mood.

[*Ding!* You have been wounded! Health reduced by 0!]

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My [Spell Resistance] doesn't level up again immediately, but it makes some progress anyway. I eye the crab critically. It's a little unsteady on its legs, taking care not to put too much weight on the one I just hit. To be honest, it looks like another good hit might just do it in. I could go for the kill, but I don't do so right away. Instead I go for another feint.

The crab still falls for it, rearing back on it's remaining functional legs to evade a strike that was intended to go wide from the very beginning. Probably because the pain from being hit is still fresh in its mind. It can't counter with its own pincers like this either, which is a good thing as those might actually hurt more than its water based magical attack.

My [Bluff] skill benefits some more from this.

The monstrous crab does launch another water projectile at me, futile as that may be.

[*Ding!* You have been wounded! Health reduced by 0!]

Again my [Clothes] skill improves a little, as I, quite literally, just soak it up. This time around I'm rewarded with another notification too.

[*Ding!* Your skill Spell Resistance has leveled up to level 4!]

It feel really good when this skill levels up. Not only does my scoundrel class progress a little as well, my spirit attribute and as a result my magic power and my mana reserves improve too.

This is awesome! Maybe it's time to stop playing with this poor crab though. I should finish it and get its legs so I can return to my campsite and look into preparing them. All this progress calls for a little celebration after all!

"Well, it has been fun, my tasty little morsel, but all good things must come to an end. I hope you won't hold it against me."

This time I risk a frontal attack which brings me well into range of the pincers should I fail. It's where the creature's mouth and eyes are though, its most obvious weak spots. I can try to aim for gaps in armor another day. For now I want to finish this fight.

My strike is true, severing one of the crab's eye stalks. It's an unpleasant sight, but so are most injuries in mortal combat, to be brutally honest. The notification that is quick to follow leaves no doubt about the effect of my attack.

[*Ding!* Critical Hit! Rock Crab's Health reduced by 50!]

The crab stumbles back a bit, then it sags into the shallow water, dead.

[*Ding!* You have defeated a Rock Crab!]

No doubt about it, the creature is not just faking it. Not as far as I can tell anyway. My rewards are a little more progress for my [Melee Weapons] and [Blades] skills as well as entirely too much crab meat I will not easily get at.

I grimace a little at the latter thought. This was the easy part. Now I have to take the creature apart. First I sheathe my sword though. I attach my buckler to my belt again as well, to have my hands free. Then I grab the crab and drag it out of the water. I already have wet feet, but I really don't want to work while in the water, especially as I'm not sure yet, how long it will take.

Dragging the dead crab out of the water onto the gravel of the creek's bank is indeed a chore as it turns out. This beast is heavy! No way would I be able to carry two of these back to town! A single one will already be tricky enough. It will be a damn chore too. Sylwia offered to introduce me to a cook who can turn one of these into a delicious treat, but right now I'm not sure if it would be worth the hassle. Well, I would need to kill another crab first anyway and if I do I might pick a slightly smaller one.

I stop with a hearty groan as I'm on dry land once more. Then I grab my utility knife. Time to get to work. The slightly unpleasant and potentially messy kind of work.

First I turn the crab around to get at its belly which is not quite as well armored as its back. Even considering that I only want the legs and that I'll detach them at the joint as that book suggests, getting at them is easier like this. It may be easier, but it's still a lot of work. By the time I'm done, I'm sweating. At least my [Foraging] skill improves a little, even if it isn't enough for a full level up. Maybe I should give that skill a little more of a workout later or tomorrow. It certainly won't hurt.

My brows furrow into a frown. I have my crab legs and they have plenty of meat on, or rather in them. Plenty enough for me anyway. But I could try to get at the meat in the crab's torso too, even if that is more tricky. No, in the end I decide against it. I don't have the patience for it and I'd probably only end up making a mess anyway.

I cut some long grass nearby and use it to bundle up my crab legs instead. The rest I leave for the scavengers. There is a big crow, or possibly a raven, I'm not sure, already sitting in a tree across the creek, eyeing me and the crab, while hopping up and down on the branch that is its perch excitedly. I gesture at the crab with its exposed, soft belly, before I turn to leave.

"Go ahead. Don't mind me, I'm good as gone. It's all yours."

Of course the bird doesn't just come over. It's too cautious for that. I have little doubt that it will feast on what I have left though once I'm gone. It probably won't be the only one either. Anyway, I put two conveniently sized, well rounded stones, which hopefully will help with cracking the cooked crab legs, into my pack, grab my bundled up fresh crab legs and leave, heading back to my campsite.

I'm not quite as sneaky as I was on my way here, but I still take care not to make too much sound as I head back. I cut some slightly more than finger thick hazelnut branches along the way, as well as some thinner willow branches. I still have to fashion a makeshift grill of sorts after all. Curiously enough that is enough to earn me another notification.

[*Ding!* Your skill Foraging has leveled up to level 4!]

This one improves my vitality and as a result my defense and health a little too. Even better though, it counts as progress for my masked mediator class, which finally levels up too, as more notifications, accompanied by the clatter of dice reveal.

[*Ding!* Your class Masked Mediator leveled up to level 8!]

[*Clatter!* Your Health increased by 5!]

Nice. Very nice. It really is time for a little celebration. Now if only I had remembered to bring some wine or beer. Oh well, I guess I can't have everything. Roasted crab will have to do.

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