Chapter 5: A Bold, Daring Move  

During the latter half of Sumatra Chronicles, once Resha is cured of his disease and becomes strong, he hunts for Mud Vipers to collect their toxins in order to refine an elixir. When he experiments on their bodies, he discovered a weak spot on their back that was akin to a human's lower jaw.

When impacted, the Mud Viper loses control over all motor functions for a couple of minutes. At that time, when their forelimbs are cranked up by a third party, they would instinctively shoot mud balls until they're drained of all Prana.

It was hard to make note of this weak spot through the novel's description alone, which was why Inala observed Resha's actions. Resha's bone sphere accurately slammed the spot, knocking the Mud Vipers out of commission before he targeted their insides to refine their toxin into a tonic.

After seeing it a few times, Inala was able to confirm the location and hence took action. With a weak body whose brittle bones would break at the slightest exertion, this was his only way to fight.

"Urgh!" He grunted in pain that made him wish he could curl up in a corner and give up on everything. All he did was lift the upper body of the Mud Viper. It felt like nails were hammered into his body as a couple of locations on his arms fractured from the exertion.

'Endure! Endure! Endure!' Inala hypnotised himself with the bright cultivation future that awaited him to endure the pain and press forward. He pointed the mouth towards the shelter's entrance and shot a mud ball.

The aim was off a little as it flew through the open entrance and slammed into the face of a Mud Viper. He wasn't targeting the Mud Vipers, but the wall, intending to close the entrance.

After a few failed shots, he began to stack up the mud balls around the corner of the entrance, beginning to gradually close them. But of course, one Mud Viper wasn't enough, especially since the Mud Vipers began to break apart the hardened walls to widen the gap once again. Some Mud Vipers had noticed his actions and crawled towards him. He hurriedly dropped the Prana-less Mud Viper, inhaled a deep breath, and shouted, "Grehha! Come help me!"

"What the? Why me?" Grehha was surprised. Out of everyone, Inala called him. He had just worked together with Virala to kill a Mud Viper and protect Ruvva. His contribution to the kill paled in response to Virala.

Upon seeing how most of Ruvva's gratitude went towards Virala, he was feeling frustrated as is. But hearing Inala's shout, he observed the situation and understood the latter's plan, grinning, "He's forging a new path, huh?"

"Count me in." Grehha rushed towards Inala and clapped his hands aloud, garnering the attention of the three Mud Vipers targeting the latter.

"Come get me." He flinched in pain, for that loud clap seemed to have cracked his palm. He almost lost his breath when he was forced to roll on the ground and evade a couple of mud balls.

Thankfully, while he distracted them, Inala dropped the bone spheres on the three Mud Vipers one after another.

"Shoot!" Inala propped up a Mud Viper as his eyes were bloodshot from the fracturing pain his body experienced. He aimed at the entrance and blasted off a volley of mud balls.

Grehha gasped for air and panted as he lifted his Mud Viper and did the same. His vision spun; he couldn't feel his arms. Rolling on the ground was too much for his bones to handle.

"Ugh!" Inala grunted when a mud ball slammed into his left foot, rooting him to the spot. He didn't have enough physical strength to break free. His only option was to seal the hole.

Working together with Grehha, they shot mud balls in quick succession, covering up the entrance. The hardened mud wall wasn't tough enough. As long as the Mud Vipers ram into it enough times, they would break the walls.

Moreover, they also secreted a toxin that could loosen up the hardened mud wall. It was their ability, after all. Inala dropped the emptied Mud Viper and lifted the third one, using it to target the Mud Vipers approaching him. By now, a few mud balls had landed on him. His legs, torso, and left arm had been turned into a sculpture.

But the hardening of his left arm meant it could bear part of the Mud Viper's weight that he was holding, which allowed him to aim better. His free right hand was enough.

Inala and Grehha were nervous, for the Mud Vipers continued to slither towards them. Those constricted by a mud wall took a minute to free themselves before joining the pursuit.

All the students were fighting against the Mud Vipers. And even though the entrance had been sealed, plenty had barged into the shelter already.

Soon, Inala was overwhelmed.

"Shit!" He flinched in fright when a Mud Viper leaped at him. Thankfully, he aimed his rugged bone sphere on time into its mouth, choking it. His eyes darted to the Mud Viper in his hand, 'It can shoot a few more mud balls.'

There were too many Mud Vipers left. With him constricted to the spot, it was only a matter of time before he would die. His heart thumped as his eyes fell on the enclosed entrance. After a moment of hesitation, he boldly aimed the Mud Viper at his legs and shot mud balls in a flurry.

'Death is everywhere in Sumatra. If I leave things to chance, only death awaits me.' Thinking as such, Inala shot the remaining mud balls on his head, saving the last for his right hand.

Once he shot the last one, he dropped the Mud Viper, barely repositioned his arm through the mud, and felt it harden completely. With that, he had become a sculpture. Positioned before his nose was his rugged bone sphere, also covered by mud.

He angled it a centimetre away from his nose. Thereby when it was covered by the mud, there was a narrow passage open below, enough for him to breathe. But it was hidden enough that none would notice the gap until they were to look from close up.

Since he had affixed himself to the floor with many layers of mud balls, it would take the Mud Vipers at least ten minutes to break it free before they could transport him away.

Why would they waste that much time on him when plenty of easy prey were nearby?

As a wise man once said, 'When a bear chases you, pray not to be the fastest but faster than your running friend.'

That way, once the bear catches the slower friend, it would stop to eat him, giving him more than enough time to run to safety. This was precisely what Inala had done here.