Chapter 2: A Template Situation?
Leo looked at his best friend, dumbfounded, then burst out into laughter.
"What's up with your clothes? Are you trying to cosplay Prince Charming or something?! Bahahahaha"
Gale looked him dead in the eye and said, "Before laughing at me, maybe you should take a look at yourself? Or perhaps you're trying to cosplay as a Sith Lord?"
Looking down at his clothes, Leo sighed and muttered, "Seriously, what kind of bad taste is this?"
"So? What did your Goddess tell you?"
"Goddess?"
"You know. The girl you were talking to in the weird room?"
"SHE'S A GODDESS?!"
"Seriously? You weren't told anything? What did the two of you even talk about?"
"We didn't? Ehheheh I thought she was kind of pretty, so without thinking, I ended up making out with her? The next thing I knew, I was here."
Gale couldn't help but sigh at his womanizer of a friend. Dropping the corpse of the Snow Boar, he walked towards Leo and punched him in the shoulder.
"To think you actually made out with a girl you didn't even know. I honestly don't know whether I should praise you, or punch you."
"I'll take the former, thanks! Or rather, didn't you already punch me?! So, wait. You're telling me I'm not hallucinating? I was sure it was the hangover."
Gale sighed and brought his friend up to speed...
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"Wow, your Goddess is a real bitch huh."
"Tell me about it. Anyway, confirm your status. We need to come up with a plan of action."
"Status!"
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Name: Leo Bradley Lv: 10
Age : 22
Gender: Male
Strength : 9000
Intelligence: 9000
Dexterity : 9000
Vitality : 9000
Luck ; 9000
Skills:
Goddess Level Appraisal
Umbrakinesis
Dark Boost
Shadow Manipulation
Dark Elemental Mastery
Goddess of Darkness' Blessing
Goddess of Darkness' Protection
Goddess of Darkness' Love
Stealth
Intimidation
Unarmed Combat
Weapon Combat
Death Resistance
Mental Debuff Resistance
Physical Debuff Resistance
Poison Resistance
All Element Resistance
Equipment:
Goddess of Darkness' Handmade Jacket
Goddess of Darkness' Handmade Shirt
Goddess of Darkness' Handmade Pants
Goddess of Darkness' Handmade Gloves
Goddess of Darkness' Handmade Boots
Goddess of Darkness' Engagement Ring
Items:
Goddess of Darkness' Creation Block
Letter from Asha
Gold:
50,000,000
Titles:
Dark Hero
The Man Loved by the Goddess
Goddess of Darkness' Fiancé
Godlike Existence
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Focusing on his stats, Leo heard Asha's voice in his head.
At level 10, a normal person's stats for strength would be around 250.
"Aren't I a cheat character in that case? What is up with these skills?! AND WHO THE FUCK IS THE FIANCÉ OF WHOM?!"
"What's wrong?"
Sighing, Leo showed Gale his status screen.
"HAHAHAHAH SEEMS LIKE YOUR GODDESS IS MORE TROUBLESOME THAN MINE! SERVES YOU RIGHT! AND WAIT. WHY DOES YOUR STATUS SCREEN LOOK SO MUCH MORE ORGANIZED THAN MINE?! AND WHY ARE ALL YOUR STATS 9000?! THAT'S TOO MUCH OF A CHEAT!"
"Well whatever. We should figure out what the skills we have do, then work out a plan from there. Since I'm such a cheat, let's get this done as soon as possible, then return home. The----"
Before Leo could finish, a scream pierced the air of the forest.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhh"
Leo glanced at Gale, and said, "That scream sounded like it came from a beautiful lady. Let's go! It'll be a crime to let a woman suffer so."
"ARE WOMEN ALL YOU THINK ABOUT?"
"No? I think about food, alcohol and sleep too you know. It's just that women, especially the pretty ones, have the highest priority to me."
Saying that, Leo got to his feet and ran towards the direction of the scream. Sighing, Gale followed behind. Although Gale had no reservations about helping someone in need, he was exasperated at his friend's motivation for doing so.
"Seriously..."
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As Leo neared where the scream came from, he confirmed the sight of 8 men surrounding a woman.
Behind the men, lay a carriage toppled on its side, with four armored corpses surrounding it. Sure enough, true to his expectations, the woman being surrounded was a beauty, with shoulder length platinum blonde hair, bright blue eyes that shone like sapphire, and a body that would put most models to shame.
The men were approaching her while snickering.
"Lass, we've got orders not to harm you if possible. So just come with us quietly, and before we hand you over, we'll be sure to make you feel like you're in heaven." The one who seemed like the leader of the men shouted.
Leo looked at him in disgust. He was a burly man with wild hair and a beard that looked like they haven't been washed in years. In his arm, he was carrying a gigantic mace. Dressed in rags and leather, he epitomized the image of a savage.
His subordinates were dressed in roughly the same attire. But rather than maces, they were all wielding rusty short swords. Confirming their positions, Leo was about to jump in when Gale finally caught up.
The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
"What's. The. Plan." Gale asked, panting in between words.
"You stay back. Catch your breath. I'll take this chance to go in and work up a sweat."
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Sophia wanted to cry. She wanted to scream for help, but she knew no one would come. Her guards had all been taken out by the leader of the bandits in the blink of an eye, and while trying to escape, she was surrounded by his subordinates.
She had suggested going through the forest rather than continue on the open highway precisely to avoid bandits. But the moment the leader had spoken, she knew she had been naive. They were aiming for her. Working under the orders of some unknown individual. She lamented her naivety. Abandoning all hope of salvation, she closed her eyes.
At least let me survive this so I can take revenge..
She expected to feel the leader's hand on her at any moment, and she clenched her fists. But, that dreadful touch never came.
"It's not nice of you to surround such a lovely lady and ruin her pretty face with a look of fear y'know? If she's so scared of you, you're obviously doing something wrong. Learn to take a hint."
Sophia heard an unknown voice speak. She didn't know who it was, but all she knew was that it was an incredibly gentle voice. Taking a peak, she saw a man, dressed in jet black clothes standing between her and the leader. He was looking at the bandit troupe with disinterest. Noticing her peeking at him, the man softly spoke, "Don't worry mlady, I'll take of these men who are bothering you."
Sophia swore she felt her heart skip a beat.
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Leo looked at the men in front of him in disgust. He had jumped in between the girl and the leader in a flash. The bandit troupe couldn't even follow his movement. No one had realized when he had come in between them.
The basics of fighting against an enemy that outnumbers you are simple: break their fighting spirit. This can be achieved in two ways, take out the strongest fighter of the group instantly, or take out the weakest fighter of the group. In this situation, Leo chose the former.
Taking a step forward, he directed a punch at the leader's solar plexus, just as he was about to order his men. The leader crumpled instantly. Leo then delivered a heel drop kick on the base of the leader's skull.
*Krakkkkk*
A disgusting sound was heard, and the ground was stained with blood and gray matter.
Amongst the bandits, chaos ensued.
Screaming out of fear, they swung their swords at Leo wildly. No one thought about running. In the face of an enemy that took out their boss in two hits, they couldn't afford to run.
Dropping low to the ground, Leo swept at the ankles of the bandit closest to him., destroying his balance. As the bandit fell towards the ground, Leo lashed out with a splendid kick that connected with his windpipe, crushing it.
Grabbing the bandit's sword, he threw it straight ahead and watched it pierce the chest of the bandit coming at him from the front. Turning around, he slapped the wrist of bandit trying to backstab him, causing the sword to be stabbed into the ground instead. Grabbing the bandit's shoulders, Leo casually pushed him into the path of a slash that was aimed at Leo's neck.
Dropping the bandit's body, he grabbed the wrist of the bandit that had tried to slash at his neck, and pulled him close, as though to give him a hug. As the bandit fell forward, Leo drove his palm into the bandit's nose with such force that the cartilage was sent all the way into his brain, killing him instantly.
Rushing forward while keeping his body low, he grabbed another bandit by the wrist and flipped him. As the bandit landed on his back with an *oomph*, Leo grabbed his arm and impaled the bandit with his own sword. Turning around, he took a half step to his left and avoided an overhead blow. He reached out, grabbed the back of the bandit's head with his left hand, and pulled it towards himself. At the same time, he used his right palm to again, drive the bandit's nose into his brain. It was his favorite move in combat.
Feeling happy about executing his favorite move perfectly, he realized too late that there was still one bandit left. Turning around, he barely avoided the short sword the last bandit had thrown at his face. His vision blocked for a second, he lost sight of the last bandit. Searching for him, Leo found the bandit running away at full speed.
"Tsk. I let one get away. Oh well; at least the girl is safe."
But the next moment, something inexplicable happened. With a thunderous *boom*, a jet black bolt of lightning dropped from the heavens and struck the bandit, killing him instantly. And yet, before his corpse hit the ground, another bolt of lightning struck it. Again and again, the corpse was struck by that jet black lightning, until nothing was left but ashes.
Leo could have sworn her heard Asha's voice saying," HOW DARE YOU ALMOST SCRATCH HIM. YOU FILTH. DIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIE" as the lightning continuously struck the corpse.
But he just chalked it up to his imagination.