Day 64

By this point most of the other mages had run, the few stragglers quickly being taken care of by Oldren. I propped myself up on a nearby wall while Lily fussed over me, putting clothes she got from Oldren over my Injuries.

Man, I had no clue I was this wounded. I was so focused on the whole 'missing stomach' thing I didn't even realize I was covered in my own blood.. It's freaky.

"Hey Oldren.. Cough, you wouldn't happen to have anything to take the edge off, would you?"

Bang!

Oldren stowed his rifle by shifting his arm back into a regular appendage. His target, a once fleeing mage, slumped to the ground.

"Like what? Alcohol? Shits expensive here." He noted distractedly as he flicked through his inventory.

"Lily, can you bring me some of that mage Oldren just killed before it goopifys? Thanks."

Oldren brightened suddenly. "Oh! But I do have these!" A blue vortex opened up over his hand as Lily rushed off to Oldrens latest victim. Out of the vortex fell four vials, half of them filled with a crimson red liquid, and the other with royal purple.

"Are those..?"

"Potions? Yep! A fantasy staple." He tossed me a red one. I uncapped the cork with mild difficulty and sniffed the concoction tentatively.

"You know, I've always wondered what potions would be like. I have to say, fruit juice was not on my bingo card." Indeed, it smelled exactly like fruit punch. I tasted it lightly, and the flavors exploded in my mouth. It was sweet, a bit tangy, yet had an undercurrent of power to it, like static electricity. Or pop rocks.

< +25 HP >

Hp- 5525/7850 (+1750) | St- 621/14000 (+5000) | Condition- Curse of Soul Fray | Internal Bleeding (Petite) | Compromised Structural Integrity (Lesser) | Complete Stomach Destruction | Cauterized | Shell Shock | Narcolepsy (Greater) | Sedation Decompensation | Overgeneration

It's weird, my hp is actually relatively high, but I still feel and look like shit. I suppose that's just part of the disconnect between reality and the system. No matter what, reality can't become a game, because some things are just impossible.

In a game, you can just keep swinging at an enemy until it dies. You can't cripple an enemy by taking out its limbs, you can't make it bleed by aiming for its arteries. On the other side, you could just keep hitting its toes and eventually it'll keel over. There's always going to be some disconnect between my stats, and me.

I think it might be Overgeneration that's disconnecting my health from my hp. Even though its description doesn't say that, I don't see any other options.

Noticing the effect of such a small sip, I rush to drink the whole thing before I remember something. I put the opened vial in my right hand and bit down on my left hand's flagina. Hard. so hard, in fact, that I drew blood, Erin style.

I sucked out the blood as if it were a snake bite, and then spit it into the vial. Oldren watched with disgusted fascination as I swirled the vial, until it became tinted with silver. No clue where it came from, my blood is still red after… oh shit.

I glance at my actively bleeding hand, seconds before a wave of healing washes over it. It's very subtle, but there is a slight silver glimmer in my blood. I tend to forget about the cosmetic changes from adaptations, since most of it is inside of my body.

Speaking of modifications…. No, I'm not going to do any right now. I have no clue what would happen if my body went through something like that in its current state. It'd probably be fine, but better safe than sorry.

However, I will be using the knowledge I gleaned from the system when my authority was heightened. It gave me a lot of knowledge, specifically about itself and the world at large. Namely, how best to manipulate it.

I fully intend to completely revamp my Sub-System, as of right now the way it is configured is… How do I put this nicely? Completely retarded. Perfect. But seriously, it's like whoever made it just looked up 'Human organs' and then copy and pasted the first answers. Safe to say, the way it's presented is terrible, and leaves a lot of gaps.

But that's a job for a sleepless night. For now, I down the enhanced potion and marvel at the effect it has on my body. Only once I drink it do I remember my lack of stomach, though luckily it didn't seem to matter. The potion seemed to diffuse as soon as it entered my esophagus.

I do the same to the stamina potion, which I need the most, and down it immediately. I spit blood into the other vials but close them, in preparation for the coming battle. I chew down bits of the mage Lily brought me, netting me a solid bit of intellect and wisdom. Unfortunately, no skill.

I glance at the trail of destruction left by whatever Oldren and Lily shot at Cinder. As great as it would be if that were the end, though anticlimactic, judging by the seek I put on Cinder, that bastard is still alive. Most definitely injured, I don't even need context clues to tell me that much.

I glance at Oldren. He has two more vials in his hand, and he keeps pointing them out to me. He points at my saved vials, then points at me, then points at his vials, and then points to himself and then to me. All while making an extremely punchable face.

Understanding his meaning, I drink the rest of my stamina potion and store the health potion. He looks exasperated at the action, so I go verbal. "I honestly don't need the health potions that much. The stamina pots are where it's at."

"I still have one more of each."

"Well, still, drinking another one would be a waste. I can heal naturally on the way."

Oldren looks at me. "'On the way'? What do you mean? What way."

I stand. Lily stands with me, content with being my crutch, uncaring of my rapidly healing constitution. "You know that mage in the dark clothes who was rushing at me?"

"The one I shot in the fucking face?" Oldren states dryly. I can only shake my head at his confidence. "He's still alive." Oldrens expression warps into one of shock, before quickly shifting seriously. "So what? Just let him run."

I shake my head slowly. "No. I call him Cinder… I couldn't beat him. He was chasing after me not too long ago. In fact, he's the primary reason I became this injured…" I look at Lily, and stand straight, no longer leaning on her.

"Don't misunderstand, this is no act of heroism. Lily, I want you to know. I don't care about other people. All of them can burn for all I care. However, I do care about you guys, as cringy as it is to say."

"My point is, these mages are a genuine threat and obstacle on our way to get home. And that guy… He's even more dangerous. I want him dead. I don't want him showing up again, even stronger. And admittedly, it's a bit of personal revenge too."

"By killing him, I have a feeling we'll learn a bit more about what these guys actually are. But.. I can't do it by myself. Now, i hate asking for help but-"

"I'll Help. I can't speak for Oldren but.. You don't have to ask. We," She looked at Oldren, who nodded his head in affirmation after a moment. "-Will help out, no matter what."

I smiled, and bowed my head in approval.

"So, what do I need to prepare?" Oldren asked.

"Well, first of all, how much juice do you have left? I assume going all Tony Stark left you pretty drained?"

"Yeah~... I'm out." He scratched his neck, almost embarrassed. "I'll be going into, like, a week long coma after this is over. Any more transformations would extend that time dramatically."

I cast my eyes to the sky as I compile Cinders current behavior. "... He's moving slower then before. Running speed. We can catch up to him if we hurry, so we have a bit of prep time. Oldren, whip up some basic armor for the two of us, and load them with as many fire protection enchants as you can. Lily, you need to brief me on everything you can do right now."

"Ah, and one more thing, Oldren. Make a big shield. You'll be our tank. I'll explain the strategy on the way there."

—

We high tail out of the destroyed city. With Oldren inscribing enchantments on the way, I explain everything I know about Cinder.

"A martial that uses fire huh…" Oldren murmured. "So Lily will be playing support then?"

"Yes." I reply. "But not in the way you think."

Frankly, Lily won't be much help in this fight. She has six spells, three of each element. Two basic, or elementary spells, as she calls them. One that makes sparks, and one that springs water like a faucet.

Water bullet, stun bolt, aqua sphere, thunder strike. My first thought was to have her on interference, like Oldren wanted, but I realize that won't work. Water bullet isn't all that useful, lacking in force, speed, and coverage. Thus the reason she hasn't been using it, except in practice.

Aqua sphere is better, but still not viable. It's an obvious spell, just making a huge sphere of water suspended in the air. While it would probably extinguish Cinder's flames, I have no doubt he could just evaporate it all away with little trouble, that is, if he could be hit at all. Which is the real problem.

Generally, water magic is slow. Makes sense, since the water has weight to it. Honestly, I think water is the worst element, especially since you need a lot of it to be useful. Even considering this, aqua sphere is especially slow. Unless cinder is a masochist, or braindead, the spell won't even get close to him.

Lightning is powerful, but difficult to make. Lily's fighting style is relatively simple. Kite the opponent, douse them with aqua sphere. Now they're slow, and possibly blind. Kite them more as you build the lightning spell, then boom! Dead. Magical constructs generally represent their elements in appearance. Water is very circular, while lightning is just complicated. I thought it would be jagged, but apparently not.

So what will she do? Well, still interference. She will be focusing on hammering him with stun bolts. Supposedly it flies pretty fast and has a good chance to trigger, with the catch being that it only stuns for a second or two.

Lily will support me from behind, while I, the main character, fight him head on. Oldren will be on defense, protecting Lily and making sure Cinder doesn't escape. What I'm hoping for is Cinder to put me in a death grip. One were I have no way to escape, but he's completely focused on me. Oldren will shield bash him, Lily will stun him, and I, if I recover on time, will cut through his head, guillotine style.

"Alright, we're about a hundred feet away. Oldren, are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be. Here's your shit." A blue portal opened in the middle of our triangle formation, dumping a pile of bluish grey plates. As I strapped on the streamlined armor, I squinted at the patterns on them.

Whatever energy is used in enchantments, it's not mana. Looking at them with mundane senses reveals nothing, but mana sense is even less productive, netting me a headache that probably equates to a hangover, though not for long. All that matters is the triangular runes pulsed with a cold light, that powered on as soon as I slipped on the last piece of gear.

The armor was shotty at best, leaving gaps everywhere except for my chest. It was very basic, only covering the bare minimum. "I made some extra stuff too." Oldren asserted. He tossed me two hard leather sheaths with an attached belt, along with two pieces of metal with four holes in them.

"I was working on those as soon as we got split up. I drew up the blueprints once I got my hands on the ferrous." He tossed a plate to Lily, who caught both of her hands. Suddenly, white light flittered through the two thick lines carved into it, and Lily stopped struggling to hold it.

She slipped the comparatively massive shield onto her right arm, and tested it gingerly. "Spartan shield. It has good defence but low durability. Those sheaths are for your swords, watching you tote them around in that thin, shabby belt of yours is making me anxious."

"Ok fuck you. …Are these brass knuckles?

"Ferrous knuckles, actually."

"ErM, aCtsHaLy…" I mocked in a nerd voice, with one finger raised. I set it down and softened my features, letting my face fall back into its blank, neutral state. "Thanks though."

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Here's your bow." He tossed me the bow and quiver, both now reinforced with dense ferrous. The bow was inscribed too.

"Aw, for me? But my birthday's in september."

"M-"

"Alright, time to fight! Oldren, got your shield ready?" I cut Lily off viciously, stomping on her soft voice. And completely by accident.

Oldren showed Lily a piteous smile, before twisting back to me. "Yep." He pulled it out of storage without any fanfare, the massive tower shield visibly a strain on his strength. It was tall but not wide, its top part circular before reaching down in an arching triangle that ended in a blunt tip. Its widest parts were a foot, with its valleys reaching a few inches.

I hopped in place a bit and waggled my arms to set the armor in place. They didn't provide full coverage, so I would have to actually fight with the armor instead of forgetting about it and reaping the benefits.

We rushed off in our by now familiar triangular formation, with me at the front and Oldren and Lily behind me. Oldren practiced moving his shield while Lily built up her supply of elemental mana. I was busy testing out the bow by plucking its string. All of us have high enough physical stats that our balance isn't compromised even when multitasking like this.

We headed towards a large circular area surrounded by dead trees with a cliff not far in front. Once we broke through the tree line, I saw Cinder standing near the ledge, waiting. I guess he knows he can't out run us?

Cinder shifts and begins to turn as I unleash two skills on my primed hexsidian arrow. I didn't have to go through the new process this time, as I had been holding onto the two skills with my will for awhile before this confrontation.

< Skill Combo! [Penetrate] + [Power Boost] = [[Super Pierce]]! >

The red star appears at the tip of my arrow, the two auras mixing together into a unified red. It stretched a foot out from my bow, forming a spear of energy with the aim star suspended and spinning in front of it. As soon as the skill formed I wasted no time and fired at Cinders center of mass.

The will necessary to push the two skills together wasn't used up in the process, but was instead expelled once the combo skill activated. Only a second later I took control of the iridescent lightning again, which I quickly drove into two more skill boxes.

Predictably, Cinder dogged, though not by sheer physical superiority, but by causing an explosion instantly that pushed him to the side. I didn't see any movement of mana, so either he can move mana faster in smaller quantities, or he has some other source of mana he can draw on for emergencies.

I threw my bow to the ground and immediately activated my next skill combo.

< Skill Combo! [Launch] + [Brash Dash] = [[Instant Acceleration]]! >

I stepped on the ground, and instantly sped up over five times. I conjured [Wrecking Smash] and slammed my fist as hard as I could into Cinder's stomach. With the unexpected bonus from [Brash Dash]'s physical force increase, my punch sent him sprawling toward the cliff side, though he managed to narrowly stop himself from going overboard by making five booster flames behind himself.

I smashed my hands together and dispelled [Wrecking Smash]. A moment later a bang rang out as Oldren shot Cinder directly in the face, to the side of his forehead. From my mana sense I could feel both Lily and Cinder winding up spells, though Cinder's was significantly faster and more plentiful.

A halo of eighteen fire arrows appeared behind him and immediately exploded outwards. Cinder himself took the time gathered from the distractions to hop to the ground and create his welding claws.

Another shot rang out and pierced his shoulder. Thanks to Lily's soul detection, smoke screens have no effect with her guiding Oldren. I rushed at Cinder with my blades unsheathed. First, I used them for defense to see how they would hold against his claws.

Not very well, it seems. They don't take any visible damage, but the claws sear through their durability frighteningly quick. I roll to the side to escape the grasp and to plant one of my blades into his shadow. Knowing this move, he vents his flames towards me like a flame thrower, forcing me to back up.

Oldrens enchantments and my own [Heat Resistance] let me get off scot free from the least of the heat, but the blackened earth beneath the flame dissuaded me from any arrogance.

Another shot, and a dodge this time. The place Cinder happened to dodge was coincidentally very advantageous for me, granting access to a small weakness of his. I rip one of my blades through what should be his ribs, his neck protected by his left arm and thus dissuading me from that avenue of attack.

I twist around to throw my other sword, but he's already in the air, creating a huge fireball. I [Launch] backwards to avoid the worst of the flame but still get hit by some of the impact. Jostled but not concussed, I dark souls roll in the opposite direction.

By this time the smoke from the volley of fire arrows had finally cleared, warranting a recast. Lily stopped him from his cast by producing three water bullets and spreading out their trajectories like a shotgun. Cinder didn't dodge, as he didn't have to. But the attack gave me the time to jump into melee again.

This cycles two more times before anything notable happens. With smoke billowing out from ugly sores on the ground, I racked my swords across his mask, breaking it in half. The damage seemed negligible, until his face split apart and massive jaws parted to reveal a sun-touched throat preparing a mighty breath attack.

Sensing extreme danger from the horrifying maw, I signaled for Oldren to ready his shield and run towards him as fast as possible. I ended up having to dive onto my stomach to avoid the incoming sear. Blindingly bright light lanced out of his face, creating tangible force and heat reminiscent of a newborn star. The beam did not look like fire at all, but pure, scorching energy.

Fifteen seconds passed before the beam stopped. I looked back at cinder to the rest of the mask and hood burning away, leaving his face completely in view. Well, I guess I should say head? Or mouth?

Because that's all it was. Wrinkled, ash grey skin with no eyes, ears or other sensory organs. No hair of any kind, or any defining facial features like cheeks. All that sat was a row of wide, sharp teeth resembling a cave mouth. The teeth protruded from the jaw and stitched together perfectly, like a zipper. Smoke rose from his.. It's, mouth.

" Yknow, I was expecting a handsome man, or like.. A face? But man, you are one ugly motherfu-"

Cinder spread his hands and created another wheel of arrows behind himself that immediately launched and created another smoke screen. I choked on the smog mid word. A spear of danger exploded towards me and clipped my side mid doge, producing an explosion that knocked me on my side.

The cheap armor rattled from the force but held, the runes glowing dimmer and the metal dented. Somehow the arrows had become almost invisible in the noticeably denser smoke. The soot clouded even the ground, casting the area around me in darkness.

However, after a bit of passive work from [Defense Vocation], the density of the smog lost its meaning, and my eyes once again pierced through it.

< Condition Resisted >

I guess it never had the opportunity to work before? Well, no. It definitely did. I'll think about it later. I can see Cinder now, but I think I'll play into this blindness a bit more.

Cinder himself was running through the fog, antagonizing Lily and Oldren while hitting me enough times to keep me distracted. He was using some new spell that was very similar to the fire arrow, except it was longer and almost twice as fast.

I don't think he meant to hit me the first time, as that hit gave away the spell's weakness. Its comparative lack of damage. Noticing my bow on the ground, which had been kicked away from where I had dropped it at some point, I meandered towards it, so as not to draw attention my way from any fast movement.

It didnt matter anyway, since I was getting closer and Cinder wasn't having that. He threw another one of the fire spears at me, which I ducked and rolled under to reach my bow. With an arrow in hand, I shot at Cinder immediately to throw him off.

I grabbed three more arrows, and shot them horizontally in a spread. All of them missed, except for one that pinged into Oldrens well beaten shield. Still unwilling to move, I fired a ghost volley with [Spectral arrow] split into three tiny arrows, which had the equivalent force of a toothpick.

Unable to sense the severity of danger like me, he dodged even further to the right, taking himself away from Lily. We regrouped. I shot another arrow empowered with [Power Boost] at Cinder, and then immediately shot a [[Banshee]] as a follow up.

Unwilling to watch Cinder dodge them both again, I [Launch]ed forward while slinging my bow back over my shoulder. Throwing it on the ground before was a stupid move. I pulled the same combo as before, skipping the dash this time and going all in with [Wrecking Smash].

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My first punch missed, wasting all of my momentum in the process, but I pushed forwards. After only three uneffective hits did Cinder belch another blast of searing flames. I glided behind him and was about to punch him again, before I changed my mind in a split second once I realized where those flames were headed.

Before they could sear Oldren and Lily again, I lept onto his back and swung my legs around his torso, and arms around his neck. I braced my right arm with my left and locked it in place, then pulled upwards with all my might.

He dug his welding claws into my legs, his shoulders preventing any attacks to my vitals. The claws dug straight through my thighs, causing me to scream in rage. The anger propelled me to even greater strength, letting me angle his head almost to the sky.

The width of the flames halved as Cinder's throat began to smoke and turn red. I [Converged] dexterity to strength, which was my go too, and squeezed tighter and tighter. Eventually the flames ceased and clouds of smoke billowed out from his wide stretched maw. He ripped his claws out my leg and started clawing at my arms. The initial gouge was staved off by the armor, which was promptly torn off by a savage swing.

Wanting to avoid my arms getting too damaged, I let go right as he plunged the claws into his neck. The tips seared his flesh, though they only went in by half an inch or so. Distracted by the pain, I rolled off of him and stabbed one of my daggers in his shadow.

The dark bindings flooded him immediately, which he started thrusting against. I could feel the strain on the bindings he was causing even without an appraisal. With him bound, I lifted my remaining sword up and channeled [[Helm Splitter]].

I diverted a solid chunk of my will into the skill, the blade now even bigger, the aura changed from a noxious green to a brilliant emerald, giving off an ethereal light. I plunged the massive cleaver straight through him, or at least I had planned too.

A fire arrow appeared from nowhere and threw me off balance, causing me to miss his head and instead split him in half from his mid shoulder through his left leg, essentially removing his feet. The move drove a huge gash into the ground, and completely banished all the smoke and dust in the mini arena formed by nature.

Liquid erupted from the vicious wounds. Blood not starry like the others, but glowing blue like mana. I could see through the split bone and muscle as well. This guy was different then the others. I already knew that, but I didn't think it would be biological.

I ripped Dusk out of the ground to prevent its durability dropping even more. I was hesitant, but he hadn't displayed any real healing ability so far. Right when I was about to finish the job, Cinder did something unexpected.

He let out a scream. Not a high pitched one, but in that alien, warbling language. The tones changed from raw gibberish to a healthy dose of tv static. I was honestly unnerved. I took a step back.

The sound abruptly cut off, and everything was still. I was afraid to take my eyes off of his stilled form, still bleeding profusely from the macabre execution. He was missing at least 50% of his body, probably 60%. I have no clue how he's alive. Could I survive something like this? It sure seems like I can't die. Rather than the fear of death, I'm more afraid of pain at this point.

Suddenly, his neck twitched. The smoke coming from his mouth ceased, and he suddenly flickered. His remaining arm dug into his mantle, reaching into a pocket that I somehow never noticed. He pulled from it a softball sized orb the color of dawn, that was perfectly spherical yet crystalline.

He put it up to his mouth, jaws open.

"BANE." He said in human tongue, before he bit into the orb. It immediately dissolved into strips of light that rushed around his body. They flowed into the center of his form, then created ribbons that seemed to reconstruct his body. A massive shock wave burst out as the light flared over his entire form, so bright even I had to look away, though I had little choice due to the shock wave that was flinging me across the arena.

I slammed into a far away tree. I groaned as I massaged my bruised arms. I was covered in cuts and welts, my flesh peeling off in some places from the heat, most of my body hair was singed, and I could feel my back protest in multiple spots with every movement.

I looked at Cinder, who was now very different. He stood around eight feet tall now. His greaves had transitioned from black, folded metal into white columns that almost looked like marble. His arms were longer, and his hands were made of fire, disconnected from his arms.

His ashy and stretched skin was on full display now. Above the white pillars were comparatively skinny arms, with dark chains constricting around them, constantly shifting and spinning. They glowed, filled with orange cracks spider webbing throughout the links, like lava veins.

Nestled atop his head sat a large helm, made of the same bone white stone with ram horns stretching outwards from each side. Similar armor covered his entire chest and torso, the center cast in darker, basalt colored stone with black crosses x'd throughout. His legs were similar to his arms, though his feet were reinforced with the white stone, and the roiling chains were absent.

Second phase? Or third? I thought to myself nervously. My danger sense was shivering in its timbers. This was an opponent I flat out could not win against. It's never been wrong before, but it's not like I can run with Lily and Oldren here.

Cinder basked in the sun for a single moment before the chains on his upper arms unlatched and drove into the ground. Moments later the entire arena cracked as fissures erupted through the ground. Dozens of chains sprouted like spears from hell. They sought not to pierce, but to shackle.

I immediately triggered [Brash Dash] to avoid the chains. I shoved my dusk together, but had to retreat when more chains sprung up. I kept the blades together for multiple seconds, and when I found an opening, I ripped them apart. To my surprise, the X-scissor it produced was leagues more powerful than all the others I'd made before.

The much faster X-Scissor only managed to clip his hand and shoulder, the latter doing absolutely nothing, while the former sliced off just the tip of his shoulder, dealing no real damage.

The monster looked at me and sneered. It lifted its left hand and launched it at Oldren. Lily jumped away, but oldren was too slow and relied too heavily on the shield to escape. The hand lost its composure as it flew, transforming into a grasping and roiling golden flame.

Lily shot a water bullet at the monster's face, which vaporized a few feet away. The creature sprinted at me, raking the ground where I once was with those golden, scorching claws. So hot were his hands that the ground didn't only steam, but melt.

The flying blanket of flames embraced Oldren and suspended him in the air, cooking him alive. His shield crumpled under the grasp like paper. He screamed in agony, his health quickly dropping to half. He did something, though I couldn't see him now, both from my speed blurring my vision, and having to keep an eye on Cinder.

Whatever he did, the screaming turned into a growl of concentration, his already low stamina taking the blow instead of his health. Lily was making some kind of water construct I had never seen before, her brow furrowed in concentration.

Fighting Cinder was hard. Unbearably so. He lashed out with those claws that were guaranteed to insta kill me. If that was all, maybe I could equate him to the knightmare. But no, He had magic. I was constantly assaulted with barrages of exploding bolts of fire.

His hand transforms into a scorching fire sword, slinging fire blades like a warlock on crack. It transforms into a wild bush of flame that shoots out hundreds of tiny missiles that could track. Because of course they can. Bullets of sweat rained down my body as I dodged blow after blow, my exhausted body slowing from continuous use.

I quickly whipped out one of the potions Oldren gifted me. As soon as the liquid made an appearance, all of the missiles zeroed in and shattered the vial. Shit! I'm getting tired, and I'm running out of ideas. I glanced around wildly as my dodges got more and more narrow, the flames searing my flesh more and more with each movement.

I looked through my status. Multiple skill levels had risen but wouldn't take effect until I was out of combat. Overload still has another charge, but It's name was still grayed out an refused to activate. I still had no hints about Chaos Potential. Resonation was almost as esoteric. I executed Healing Rush in an attempt to regenerate anything at all.

I shut myself off from the outside. [Rumination] closed off everything else, casting the surroundings in blackness. Only Cinder and I remained. I pushed [Spirit Drive] as hard as I could. The spinning wheel was rotating faster than ever, the rotations now felt like they were grinding, as if its axle couldn't handle the speed anymore.

I searched the skill vault for anything of use.

[Advanced Dismantling]. Show me the way.

The skill told me no. Cinder had no weakness, just like before. But this time, I drove it to new heights. I relinquished levels, and simply poured everything I had into the skill. The skill.. Whispered. It gave me a tentative hint. A feeling, tiny spots across his body.

It didn't tell me what these represented. They certainly were not weak spots. For all I know, they could have made him stronger. What followed was uncertainty from the skill. This wasn't an upgrade from leveling, it was the skills best guess.

I rushed at Cinder, and slashed at one of the points. My hit landed, and something within Cinder shifted. That's all I could say. It certainly wasn't an injury, but it was a change. A chance. I darted all around his body, desperately trying to reach those grey points before I was hit by his frenzied limbs.

I managed to cut a few, but when I planted my feet on the ground again five chains sprouted up from beneath me. I was too slow to escape, the chains winding around my ankles, wrists, and my neck. I was anchored to the ground, in too disadvantaged of a position to leverage myself out of the hellish grasp.

Cinder raised his inflamed right hand, the roiling fire twisting into a massive axe that sparked in the sun. The second he began to execute the strike I dived into [Rumination] and pulled as much of its perception slowing as it could muster. The world slowed, the axe falling much slower but still definite.

Class - Thresher | lv 45/50 | 4307/9000 xp **

Party Composition: Max (Dealer lv5 | -20% Skill cooldowns) | Lily (Leader lv3 | Clarity Buff) | Oldren (Crafter lv2 | 10% Material Efficiency)

Name - Maximilian | Race - Modular Human m

Achievements- The Special | Self indulgent | Sure Kill | I'll be watching you | (+8)

Hp- 4191/9750 (1/2) | St- 1145/14500 | Condition- Curse of Soul Fray | Complete Stomach Destruction | Cauterized (Lesser) | Shell Shock | Narcolepsy (Lesser) | Overgeneration | Marasmus (Lesser) | Bleeding (Minor) | Burned | Scorched (Lesser) | Imperial Exhaustion

Legacy: Sky Wyrm ( Wind | Draconic )

Ability's: Chaos Potential | Overload | Resonation | Mana Sense

SkP- 7 | Stp- 15 | Souls- 292 79 4

Assimilation Bonus: +50 Stm +35 Vit

Stats - (+41 phys)(+8A)

Strength 103

Speed 108 (+5A)

Stamina 145 (+50)

Dexterity 105 (+74)

Intellect 82 (+26)

Insight 18.2

Sense 140.8 (x3.2)(+10)

Vitality 80 (+17.5) (1/2)

Charm 21 {locked}

Overload / Special / Class Skills

Spirit Drive |||| lv1/40 - Death Resistance \ lv7/99 - Corruption Resistance ||| lv2/20 — Desperate endurance || lv4 - Schematica (4/11) || lv5 - High Hound || lv5 - Defense Vocation || lv4 - Imitation || lv2 - Petrify || lv1 — (Sen) Nascent - (Dex) Recreation - (Spd) Hyperspace - (Stm) Last Stand - (str) Concussive Blast

Offense Skills -

Power Boost || lv9/10 - Penetrate || lv5/10 - Wrecking Smash || lv3/10 - Cleave ||| lv3/20 - Sharp Shot ||| lv6/20 - Spectral Arrow ||| lv5/20 - Skirmish ||| lv5/20

Defense Skills -

Health Pulse ||| lv13/20 - Narrow Evasion ||| lv15/20 - Break Fall || lv5/10 - Nocturnal || lv3/10 - Conceal || lv7/10 - Rumination ||| lv5/20 - Nimble Hands ||| lv10/20 - Convergence |||| lv9/40 - Block | lv1/5 Grand Pain Res ||| lv17/20 - Blindness Res | lv6/5 - Greater Force Res || lv8/10 - Paralysis Res | lv4/5 - Greater Cutting Res || lv1/10 - Heat Res | lv5/5 - Sleep Resistance | lv3/5

Mobility skills -

Strafe Lith || lv9/10 - Brash Dash ||| lv17/20 - Launch 11/11 ||| lv 2/20 -

Knowledge Skills -

Complex Crafting ||| lv18/20 - Adv Dismantling ||| lv6/20 - Chisling ||| lv13/20 - Lethal Toxicology ||| lv1/20 - Travel ||| lv20/20 - Bark Runner || lv3/10 - Terrain Memorization || lv7/10 - Knitting || lv3/10 - OLL ||| lv7/20 - Way of the Wind || lv4/10 - Seeking ||| lv8/20 - Take Down | lv4/5 - Vice Grip || lv2/10 -

Magic Skills -

Stone Mind || lv4/10 - Mana Grasp || lv2/10 - Mana Shifting || lv2/10

Stocks - +103 Str | +57 Spd | +19 Stm | +71 Int | +33 Def | +7 Fer | +3 Stl | +20 Wis

Piercing chomp lv1-2 x2 Crushing Bite lv1-3 x13 Ripping Snap lv2-4 x5 Healing Rush x5 Feather Faint lv4 x1 Snipe lv7 x1 Thread Spin lv7-12 x34 Scale shot lv2-9 x28 Six-Fold Smash lv23 x1 Fore-Blade lv19-34 x5 Shadow Sting lv4 x8 Arcanokinesis lv58 x1

< Skill levels will be applied once out of combat. >

I know that. Uhhh. Fuck uhh…. I was seriously panicking, fear laced my mind as I raced around for any way to survive. Consume all defense, upgrade all skills, all stat points to vitality.

< [1st] Tier [Blindness Resistance] Has ranked up into [2nd] tier: [Darkness Resistance]- Increases resistance to mental manipulation and conditions related to light deficiency.>

< [1st] Tier [Heat Resistance] Has ranked up into [2nd] tier: [Baleful Heat Resistance]- Increases resistance to heat and its effects, making it less likely to obtain heat based conditions. The body's natural components become harder to burn, and cauterized wounds are easier to heal through.>

< [3rd] Tier [Travel] Has ranked up into [4th] tier: [Journeyman]- Eliminates the stamina penalty from continuous movement, making stamina drain a flat constant subject to change only when conditions above (Minor) are present. Increases skill efficiency even more, increases the power of movement based skills. Speed will continuously increase (up to 100%, scales with level), as long as movement stays constant. Has a 5% chance (scales with level) to completely nullify a skill's stamina drain.>

I slipped from [Rumination] as the skills set in. Time came back from its crawl, letting me once again watch the axe now coming down directly on my body. "Luckily" he aimed not at my head, but my center of mass.

The axe slammed down with such power I couldn't even describe it. Cracks snaked through the ground as a deep depression formed under me. The axe was blunt, it didn't tear through me, but it crushed everything. The wind was shoved out of me, stopping my scream before my mind could even formulate making one.

I layed on the ground at an angle due to the crater I was now in. I was alive, but afraid to check my injuries. The armor on my back had crumpled, it formed into a depression that was now folded into me, piercing my back and a few unimportant organs.

My fingers twitched as I sat there, afraid to check my status. I knew the only reason I wasn't in agony right now was the last rush of adrenaline through my body. The second I realised how injured I was, it would all come forward.

I bit the bullet. My hp was at 1300. Clearly, the defense had helped. My spine was shattered again though. I spammed my last four charges of healing rush, trying in vain to empower them as they activated. The spirit wheel had ground to a halt, now spinning so slowly I wasn't even sure if it was moving. The rainbow energy that had sparked within its confines had now completely disappeared.

I lifted a shaky arm and sloppily lifted the crumpled metal plate that was once my armor out of my back, a fountain of blood erupting briefly upon its removal. I scrunched my arms and tried to pull myself out of the crater. I managed to drag my chest a few inches, but the second my torso tried to move, I felt a terrifying disconnect. A pop. I was afraid to move.

I knew from the sub-system that the wound was horizontal, though it bore a few inches wide as well. My body was still connected. There's no reason for it to tear off. Logically. But I'm afraid. And then I remember. I look to the side, the movement sending a sharp pain down my entire back. My head flopped to the floor, unmoving. But I saw.

Oldren, crumpled and melting on the floor, scrap metal scattered around him, his health so low I was surprised the system didn't just let him die. Lily was spraying him with a huge jet of water, the beam just barely holding Cinder back, creating waves of boiling steam. But I could see the spool of water mana quickly dwindling.

My life doesn't matter. I realized. I remembered. I don't exist for myself. I exist for everyone else. I smiled. The realization felt liberating as I lifted myself to my knees. My body screeched in refusal. The pain radiated across my entire body, causing tears to form and fall down my face. My body doesn't matter. Death doesn't matter. Pain doesn't matter.

What have I been living for all this time? I stood, my legs buckling, my body forced to hunch over with none of the structural support my spine should be providing. The bottom of the crater was filled with my blood, a spiral of silver glistening within.

My head was broken and confused. My thoughts were jumbled, strange ideas knocking around in my head, whilst I recovered. I knew one thing for sure. I need to take that thing down. With less than a minute of dash left, I leaped at the beast.

I focused. My vision doubled, but I set it all aside. I cast the surroundings in blackness again. I focused more and more on the creature until those tiny, grey points appeared. I rushed at him, and slashed at his calf. Right as Lily's spell ceased. He lashed out, tossing me across the ground again.

A pulse of healing ran across my body, the second of which it stuttered out, the green aura fading into a sickly brown that wilted away.

< Your body has run out of nutrients. Healing is no longer possible. If this state continues, your body will enter {Starvation Mode}, and will begin to eat itself for sustenance. >

I lifted myself from the ditch I was thrust into, my body bloodied and broken. I rushed to Cinder once again. I slashed at his knee, then I hopped and cut across his abdomen. I twirled around his shoulder and cut his tricep, then his wrist. I jumped down to the ground again. I cut his back in three places, then I cut his achilles. I finished with a slash to his left thigh.

He ripped his claws through me. He knocked me down with a swift strike from his left arm's gauntlets. Blood pooled into my eyes as he readied a fiery red blade above his head. Dozens of fire arrows formed in an arc above me.

I struggled to get up. Right as Cinder drove the blade through me, i saw Lily stretch one of heh hands. It glitched, like a tv. Black squares shifted around her hands, which she crushed into a fist. Suddenly, all of Cinders magical constructs fizzled out, even his hands reduced to ash and smoke. Those glitch squares that flashed every color of the rainbow appeared at his chest, spreading out like pulse through his entire body.

Cinder screamed in pain, relinquishing his hold on me as he stumbled back. I took the golden opportunity, and began slashing at him again. I followed that triangular pattern, narrowing my focus more and more, until the background ceased to exist. I ceased to exist. Cinder ceased to exist. It was just an outline, and those blurred, sickly grey points.

I became faster. More efficient. Stronger, more dangerous. My cuts became more precise, they cut deeper, further. Bright, lava hot blood rushed from those spots as I sheared deeper and deeper. My focus narrowed to an impossible degree.

More grey spots appeared. I didn't even realize I was using [Cleave] as I adjusted my movements to cater to the new points. I stopped stopping, making the round of cuts seamlessly shift from one round to the next. I went faster and faster. So fast I became a blur to outsiders. So fast I couldn't conform to my outline.

I felt light. Free. liberated.

As if I were touched by the sky.

More points appeared. I shifted my attack. I became faster, stronger. More focused. All to degrees that shouldn't be possible. I felt the status buzzing in the back of my mind. More dots appeared, Cinder became covered in hundreds of them. It made no difference to me.

Light and sound became slow. My world became cutting. No longer was there movement. Not of my legs or my arms. I just had to focus on cutting. Severing. Dismembering.

Suddenly the space vanished. I was in my right mind. I stood a few feet away from Cinder, his body now covered in snaking cracks like cheap pottery. I stood on my toes, and rotated towards him. Something gathered around me, a cloud of colorless energy that suffused every part of my body, even my blades.

I channeled that feeling. That indescribable feeling. I blinked forward, and willingly pushed into that cutting state. That feeling of absolute severance. I cut everything. When I opened my eyes wide once again, I was halfway across the clearing. I twirled around, to see thousands of cuts visibly materialize around Cinder, as his body was swished apart.

< Achievement attained! >

< You have created a new skill >

< Processing… >]

< Identifying Fragments… >

Cleave

Skirmish

Narrow Evasion

Rumination

Convergence

Strafe Lith

Brash Dash

Advanced Dismantling

Journeyman

< Identifying Core Foundation… >

Cleave 13%

Skirmish 14%

Narrow Evasion 9%

Rumination 18%

Convergence 4%

Strafe Lith 7%

Brash Dash 8%

Advanced Dismantling 22%

Journeyman 5%

< Foundation Skill Identified: Advanced Dismantling. >

< Establishing Skill Creator Link… >

< Building skill…

< Designation: Unique Skill Possible. Apply? >

< Achievement attained! >

< Error!!! >

< Tier Limits recognized. Unique skill designation denied. >

< Achievement Revoked. Compensating… >

< +1 SkP >

< [Unnamed] Skill raised to Special designation. >

< Beginning skill evolution… >

< Browsing Surface for skill name… >

< Name Found >

< Evolving Skill: Advanced Dismantling ||| -> Dismembering |||| >

< Skill Level Reset >

I looked in amazement at my status as more and more notifications buzzed and filled out the dialog box. I… I made a skill? You can make skills??? What's this achievement?

<Achievement #13:

< Ausora

< Visualize and manipulate an aspect of your being >

< Upgrades [High Hound] to [Hades Hound] >

<Achievement #14:

< Cheap Skate

< Increase A skill's tier without using a SkP >

< +3 SkP's >

<Achievement #15:

< Aura Master

< Create a Skill >

< System authority increase. >

Oh, I forgot about these other ones. Upgrade to High hound? My second best skill? An increase in system authority????? I was in awe honestly. But the emotions didn't last long, as the last flood of adrenaline faded from my body, the last strands of healing energy left my body and I collapsed to the ground, devoid of energy.

My vision was butchered. Light flared, everything was tripled and quadrupled, light and dark spots alike bled into my eyes. I had finally succumbed to my wounds. I didn't want to go. I still wasn't sure if Oldren was even alive. I could see Lily was right next to him, trying to stuff a potion in his mouth. When she couldn't find a close enough orifice, she just poured it on him, much to my painful amusement.

"Lily!" I called out. She snapped her head up and nodded at me. Once she was done talking to the golden pile of barely recovering sludge she ran over to me.

"Max! A-are you okay?!"

"Not really. I'm gonna pass out soon. Like, multi hour type of pass out. Listen, I hate to put pressure on you-" I stop abruptly, staring into the sky, before I spit up blood in a violent coughing fit. I lay on my side as my eyes turned grey and sightless.

"Tell Oldren to turn into a sled, and put me on it. Grab his guns for defense and get us out of here. The people in the town are unpredictable. I certainly don't want to go there but it's up to you."

I look at her. Or at least, the last place I heard her voice.

"And for heaven's sake, have some food with you when I wake up." My stamina hit zero halfway through that sentence, turning my voice quiet and gravely. I attempt to wait for her confirmation before I pass out, but am unable to resist the call.

My head flops to the hard ground, and I stop moving.

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