Uluriq

"Your timing is poor; now, instead of a swift death like I intended, I'm going to have to kill you with my bare hands." I told him, even though I knew he couldn't understand it.

This whole 'Deathworld Game' has taken a major toll on my psyche... I wonder if I'll even be the same person when I meet Biatheise again...

No matter, we'll cross that bridge when it's time to do so.

The champion finally broke out of his stupor, calling back with a strange barking noise.

While it wouldn't be the first time a species developed dialect based on barks, the barks also had a strange hint of a hissing noise to them... which was just odd to hear.

After a moment, a number of champions entered the cave.

Amongst them were an odd set of names.

[Malisen The Pactmaster]

Danger Level: None

[Gundril The Decisive]

Danger Level: Mostly Harmless

[Flolop The Deceitful]

Danger Level: Mostly Harmless

There was a total of twelve champions here, the vast majority being considered non-threats; but of course I know better than to listen to the system on this, as I don't have my [Skills] right now.

By my estimate, they should each be a step or two higher than usual relatively speaking, unless they have a [Skill] that boosts Attributes, which would obviously make any calculations utterly pointless.

This topography is pretty terrible for me as far as battlefields go, the cave is too narrow for me even to spread out my wings, let alone fly like I usually do.

On the other hand, it limits the number of attacks they can make without hitting each other... not that that's likely to stop them, considering what message they must be looking at when they see me.

Next was the issue of my first target.

Now usually you should take out the leader first, but by the way he's obviously scared out of his mind, I don't think I will.

A bad leader is worse than no leader at all.

So the answer is obviously to thin out their numbers as quickly as possible.

Before the strange pseudo-canine could turn back around to probably gloat about his numbers advantage, I charged at him.

He raised his arming sword to block my attack, but it didn't matter.

I grabbed the blade with my offhand, pulling the sword out of his hands and knocking him off balance in the same motion... though I suppose I had forgotten something important.

My hand started bleeding because I had forgotten that I can't activate my [Barrier] right now.

I ignored it and followed through on the punch to the champion's face.

His skull shattered under my fist, killing him instantly.

I broke the flat of the blade against my knee and threw the pieces behind me.

It had the desired effect of causing panic amongst the survivors.

The rest of the champions each used a ranged attack against me, everything from bolts of fire to fountains of poison from their mouths.

I brought up the dead champion and used it as a meat shield, allowing me to block the attacks an instant before it disintegrated.

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I threw the corpse which was turning into dust at them as a distraction. A few stray shots clipped my sides, but for the most part it worked as I needed it to.

The next two champions attempted to stab me with a spear and a trident respectively.

I grabbed both of the polearms and used them both to stab the other in the throat.

I then took the two champions who were choking on their own blood and pushed them into the crowd.

They saw it coming this time and got out of the way.

But that's exactly what I wanted.

I rushed past them all and got outside, stretching my wings and ascending into the air.

They attempted to use their various ranged attacks again, except this time they found out how agile I was in the air.

They failed to land a single hit.

I then ducked behind a nearby tree.

I could hear them running toward me.

The poor fools.

I wrapped my arms around the trunk and squeezed as hard as I could.

The tree was incredibly hard, and for a moment I thought that it wouldn't work... but sure enough, I felt it start to buckle.

I stepped back and finished it off with a kick, causing the tree to fall toward me.

I widened my stance and held up my hands.

As it fell, I shifted my weight, directing the momentum of the falling tree into a massive swing.

A number of champions were caught in the swing and knocked off their feet or killed outright.

However, that ended suddenly as the tree was cut in half.

Gundril The Decisive stood in the wake of destruction, his blade newly covered in sap.

I had thought that 'The Pactmaster' meant he was the leader, but maybe I was wrong? Even if I wasn't, Gundril is likely to take the position if they survive this encounter.

I hefted the tree up to my shoulders, which almost forced me into a crouch due to its sheer weight... it almost felt like I was holding a stone pillar of the same size.

I then used all of my strength to throw the remainder of the trunk as if it were a javelin.

Gundril dodged it easily, but the champions behind him weren't so lucky.

There were now six champions, the three who caught my eye earlier and three other bloodied individuals.

I waved them toward me, moving into a low stance.

The six survivors all charged me at once.

Flolop The Deceitful finally tipped his hand, splitting into several copies of himself. They were likely illusions, but one can never be too sure.

The copies each attacked from different angles.

I attacked two of them, but slightly overextended myself, leaving an opening for the third.

As the illusory dagger plunged into my side, it felt like I was being stabbed, but didn't cause any bleeding.

I ducked, moments from being hewn in half by Gundril.

From my bent position, I made a tackle-lunge against Gundril.

He dodged to the side, attempting to attack me as I passed by him.

In return, I hooked my foot on the back of his knee, ruining his stance and causing him to miss.

I leapt back to a stand, this time charging at Gundril myself.

One of the bloodied champions attempted to attack me, but I ducked low and grabbed them by the legs.

As I rose, I swung the champion at Gundril.

Gundril cut the champion in half with a single downward slash.

He was committed to it, which gave me an opening to strike.

"[Reverse Slash]!"

I beat my wings suddenly, canceling my momentum just before his blade ignored the laws of physics and reversed at exactly the same speed and angle.

Three illusions jumped up, threatening to hit me simultaneously from behind.

I flew straight up, avoiding all of their strikes and giving me the moment to smash their heads together in one fell swoop.

All three illusions disappeared and I took some time to rest in the air.

That's when Malisen The Pactmaster pointed up at me. "[Tyrant, 'fall']!"

Suddenly, my wings were paralyzed and I fell to the ground.

Both of the other two bloodied champions leapt on top of me.

More illusions and Gundril all attempted to end it.

I batted both champions in the sides of the head, causing their grips to loosen.

Next I pushed myself across the ground, into a roll, then onto my feet.

The two champions were sacrificed as intended, but I successfully eliminated the advantage that gave them.

It was now down to three.

I popped my shoulder back into its socket and watched them for their next move.

Malisen pointed at me. "[Tyrant-]"

I threw dirt into his eyes, causing him to lose concentration.

In that moment, I lunged with my full body at Gundril, using both my feet and wings to gain as much speed as possible.

Gundril noticed this and made a full-force downward cut.

My blood spilled into the air.

But the cut was too shallow.

I grabbed Gundril's sword out of his hands and threw it behind me.

Flolop's true body suddenly became visible, Gundril's sword cleanly pierced through his clavicle.

I was aiming at the center of mass, so I suppose I missed in a manner of speaking.

"[Swiftblade]!" Gundril yelled, attempting to resummon his artifact weapon.

I didn't let him, managing a hammerfist into the side of his neck.

I wound up for a second punch to the face.

"[Tyrant, 'stop']!"

My entire body ceased moving for just long enough for Gundril to recover and gain some distance.

I suppose that means that the more powerful the command, the shorter it lasts for.

I looked at the other two combatants and sized them up, just as they did with me.

I suppose this probably means all three of us are out of trump cards.

All that's left is just to beat each other to death as best as we can.

I inhaled deeply.

I picked up a rock and charged at Gundril.

He readied himself to block it.

I threw the rock at Malisen, hitting him directly in the head.

Gundril's eyes went wide.

I beat my wings into the ground, spitting up dirt into the air.

Gundril slashed at me, but I was to his side.

He attempted to chase me with a horizontal strike, but I was already too close.

I grabbed his striking arm and broke his elbow.

He switched hands and stabbed at me.

I hadn't even considered that he might be ambidextrous.

I wasn't completely able to get out of the way, taking a stab in the side.

I grabbed his remaining arm and tore it off.

Gundril screamed in pain.

I pulled his artifact weapon out of me and threw it to the side.

I then grabbed his head between my two hands, and tore his head in half vertically.

After he disintegrated, I looked over at Malisen who had fallen unconscious.

I simply crushed his head with my foot, he wouldn't be awake for a while and I wasn't in the mood for taking prisoners at the moment.

That's when I read a new message.

[Your Gamemaster has returned, your Skills can now be activated again.]

I was too tired to be angry.

----------------------------------------

Andrew

"Is everyone packed up?" I asked.

Hund gave me a thumbs-up. "Team one is good to go."

Juohen nodded. "Team two is ready too."

I steeled myself. "Alright everyone, we're moving out!"

A chorus of affirmation was the only reply.

We're going to survive this, I swear it to each of you!