As soon as Emhe raised the shield, she tilted it around 50 degrees and leaned to her right as she tried to use [Bash] with one hand on the warlord's head.
Fortunately, the heavy shield deflected the greatsword, preventing the attack from splitting her in half. However, the attack was so powerful that she felt as if her left arm had been crushed. "GODS! What a pain!"
The intense pain caused her to lose her balance, thus missing the attack. Still, she managed to hit the warlord's neck vertebrae, seriously damaging one. With a broken vertebra, the undead staggered for several seconds as it struggled to keep its head from falling off.
"Bleep! You are suffering [Spectral Cold IV]!
You are reaching dangerous levels!"
Emhe opened the inventory and tried to unequip the shield to grab the heavy staff with both hands, but...
"Bleep! Restricted action. You can't equip the heavy staff with both hands! Your left arm is severely injured!"
Without letting go of the shield. "Well, then it will have to be with the mace!"
Emhe closed the inventory and time regained its speed while the warlord still staggered. Then, she struck with all her might the hand with which the undead held the greatsword. "Drop it, drop it, drop it! DROP IT, YOU FUCKING BASTARD! DROP IT!!! Finally, and after breaking its thumbs, the undead dropped the weapon. "YES! You're already mine!"
“Bleep! An unknown spell affecting you is being cast from another plane!
This inspiring spell provides you with [Inner Fire]!
You have countered [Spectral Cold IV], but you are still suffering [Spectral Cold II]!”
Emhe thought about hitting the undead in the face with the shield, but the immense pain barely allowed her to hold the heavy piece of wood and metal. With no choice but to attack, she struck the warlord’s head with the mace using her full weight body plus the weight of the shield.
“Bleep! You have countered [Spectral Cold II]!
You possess [Inner Fire I]”
*[Inner Fire II]: Buff. Provides:
> +10% to Tenacity
> The pain suffered is slightly reduced.
Pushed by the intense assault, the undead fell backwards. Situation that Emhe was not going to miss. Driven by a frenzy of violence that dulled some of the pain she was enduring, Emhe lunged at the warlord, striking its head again and again.
Emhe tried to simulate the [Berserk] and [Tense] skills, but to no avail. Still, he vented all her anger as memories of Dianna kept flashing through her mind. "YOU KILLED HIM! YOU KILLED HIM, BASTARD! NOW IT'S YOUR TURN!"
"Bleep! You possess [Inner Fire II]!"
*[Inner Fire II]: Buff. Provides:
> +20% to Tenacity.
> The pain suffered is reduced.
Embracing anger while she unnecessarily recalling memories of Richard's suffering, her mind finally seemed to reach a state similar to [Berserk].
"Bleep! You possess [Inner Fire III]!"
*[Inner Fire III]: Buff. Provides:
> +30% to Tenacity.
> The pain suffered is greatly reduced.
Emhe struck the warlord’s head so violently, that she managed to deform its rusty helmet. "You're not going to get up in a million years! You hear me? Not in a million fucking years!"
However, despite the powerful attacks, the warlord was not about to let itself be hit without defending. A succession of blows from both sides ended with the warlord finally ceasing to move.
After enduring a considerable amount of blows, Emhe collapsed on top of the warlord, unable to move in indescribable pain.
"Bleep! There are new essences in your surroundings. Try to absorb it before its host rise once more!"
Lying on top of the undead, and almost motionless, Emhe unequipped her weapons and touched it with both hands. She no longer disliked having that thing so close. She was so beaten up, that she had a hard time understanding what she was hearing.
"Bleep! The [Inner Fire] effect has disappeared!"
"Bleep! New essence gained! You have gained 430 essence points. Honoring your pact, you handed over 215 points to the entity called Supherm."
"Thum, Thump! Your Dexterity attribute has increased by 1."
"Thum, Thump! Your Willpower attribute has increased by 2."
"Bleep! You have discovered a new weapon skill that aims at slow or downed targets. Strike with moderate blunt damage with a bonus to stun if hitting vital areas or numbness if hitting limbs.”
Emhe whispered almost stammering. "I like the sound of Heavy Strike!"
"Bleep! New weapon skill. [Heavy Strike] (Level 1)!
You have discovered a new combat mastery with the help of the essences found! Blunt Mastery!
Your Blunt Mastery has increased by 1! Your current value is 1!
You have discovered a new combat mastery! Mace Mastery!
Your Mace Mastery has increased by 1! Your current value is 1(13)!”
*[Heavy Strike] (Level 1): Weapon Skill. Strike with a one or two-handed weapon. Strike with moderate blunt damage with a bonus to stun if hitting vital areas or numbness if hitting limbs.
Maximum Blunt Damage (MBD): It’s value is the sum of:
> (6% of own Weight if one handed (12% if two-handed)
> (Extra weight (On the arms))**
> (40% of Power)
> (30% of Dexterity)
> (5% of of Intelligence)
> (15% of of Willpower)
> (Combat Mastery of the group to which the weapon used belongs.)
> (Combat Mastery with the weapon used.)
Critical Hit: MBDx3.
While executing the skill you acquire:
> (1% to Power)
> (2% to Willpower)
> (3% to Dexterity)
Stamina Consumption per hit: 3% of own Weight + Weapon Weight.
**Any item equipped on the arm or arms that increases its total weight. Such as gloves, armor, extra protections and the weapons themselves.
Supherm was so nervous that he seemed to be out of his mind. "Are you crazy?! Are you fucking crazy?! I thought you were going to die! Why the hell didn't you give up?! Why the hell did you go to this extreme?! I had to sacrifice the essence you gave me to keep you alive!"
Trembling and not understanding why Supherm was behaving like that. "What?!"
Supherm's anger barely allowed him to explain himself. "This place is way more dangerous than you can imagine. I was hoping you'd understand with such a tough test, but you, you... You're crazy!!! I was hoping that you would give up and that the inability of defeating the warlord would encourage you to train hard! But you're definitely fucking crazy!"
Smiling as tears began to well up in her eyes. "I may be crazy, but I've won!"
Supherm scolded her. "Won?! I've done the impossible to strengthen your mind so that the pain wouldn't make you lose your sanity! Haven't you noticed that you have benefited from [Inner Fire]?!" The being continued to reproach her for her lack of judgment, but Emhe didn't hear it. She lost consciousness embracing the darkness.
Moments later, she found herself standing in her Tower of Knowledge. The weapons and shield she had just used were now placed on the racks and stands. There was also a reward in the form of three new books on the shelves of the top floor, but she wouldn't discover that for the moment.
Supherm's hissing voice echoed everywhere, startling her. "I have removed all your psychological and physical damage linked to Plane 23. You won’t go back in there with that suicidal attitude! I wanted to motivate you, not that you find a way to kill yourself!"
Emhe listened uneasily to that, realizing that she would lose the chance to obtain precious essence. Acknowledging that Supherm had helped her, her victory tasted like nothing. "So I've defeated level 39 and 46 enemies while being level 1 thanks to you?”
"Look, child! You weren't level 1 there! And this is your Tower of Knowledge. Only your mind and willpower comes here. It's something different from what you understand by your body. Because in Plane 23, your body is that of..."
Wanting to know if her speculation was true. "Dianna?"
"No! Enough! You've made it clear that no matter what I say, you will just go back and face them again! I know you want to see how it would be like to face enemies of that level, but they are much weaker than the beings they were when they were alive!” Leaving her with a lot of unanswered questions. “Return to the real plane! Don't expect me to call you back anytime soon!"
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"Bleep! Automatically deactivating sleep mode. The rest lasted 8 minutes.
You are still suffering [Weakness II]!
An Energy regeneration buff will start in 19 minutes provided by [Chicken and Cheese Sandwich]. It will provide you with 2435 Energy points, countering [Weakness II]!
Waking up…
You possess the [Rested] effect!"
"Thum, Thump! Your Power attribute has increased by 1."
Realizing that the increase in Power had been due to the kicks against the training dummy and that the fatigue had not yet disappeared. "Only 8 minutes? I guess since it was another plane, time there doesn't pass like it does here."
Still with her eyes closed, she focused on her character screen. She was eager to see the increase in her attributes.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Class: Violent
Power: 102+30 = 132-26 = 106
Dexterity: 106+0 = 106-10 = 96
Intelligence: 106+0 =106+19 = 125
Willpower: 106+21 = 127-12 = 115
HP: 212/232
Energy: 104443/132000
Stamina: 317/(317)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Surprised. "What the hell! Why am I hurt?! Supherm said... Oh! I get it! It has nothing to do with planes, it's also because of the training against the dummy! I don't quite understand if that's my total HP or the HP of my legs! They hurt a lot."
Just as she opened her eyes, there was a girl standing next to her. The same girl who, in the Adventurer's Guild, had introduced herself as Erihs. She was flushed and uncomfortable, as if she had been caught doing something she shouldn't.
Trying to dissimulate. "Are you okay? You were convulsing a few moments ago!"
Getting up quickly despite being tired. "Convulsing?!" Feeling a bit dizzy. "I'm fine! Don't worry!"
Erihs turned around trying to hide something. "Ok! If you're alright... then... I'm leaving!"
Emhe watched her in confusion as she walked away. "Thank you for caring, Erihs!"
Without turning around, Erihs blushed and smiled at hearing her name from her lips. "You're welcome!... See you later!"
Erihs quickened her pace until she disappeared into the streets of Antharia. "Why did I agree to keep an eye on her? I suck at this! I wasn't supposed to intervene, but... I'm such an idiot that I got worried when... Shit!"
Stopping behind a corner, Erihs covered her face with her hands as she remembered how beautiful Emhe looked while sleeping. Her face, her hair, her beautiful eyes, her incredible tall figure. "Enough! Idiot, idiot, idiot! What's wrong with me?! How can I like her so much if I've only met her this morning?!"
When she finally stopped thinking about her, she suddenly realized that the old woman was in front of her. Jumping backwards. "Fuck! Don't do that! You scared the hell out of me!"
The one known to all as Mother Fae, and to very few as Fleth responded with disgust. "I can't believe I'm going to pay you a silver coin to spy on her! What a deplorable spy you are!"
"I'm not a spy! You just paid me to keep an eye on her! You never told me that she couldn't see me! Besides, she was..."
Very serious and raising her hand to interrupt her. "I told you she couldn't see you, good for nothing!" Focusing on what really interested her. "What did you see?"
Erihs handed her back a very small magic spyglass. "That thing is amazing! I know there's a skill that allows you to see beyond what meets the eye, but I didn't know that an item could have it!"
Faced with the old woman's indifference, Erihs focused. "A brown-haired guy approached her while she was sleeping. He seemed to know her...!”
Furious, the old woman raised her voice. "Sleeping?" After spitting on the ground. "I told that wretch not to waste her time!"
Erihs took a step back. "She slept less than 10 minutes, and before that, she kicked those wooden and metal training dummies! Those in the training area!... I didn't know they were unbreakable!”
The old woman gave her a pleased look until Erihs deviated from what she wanted to hear. "With that item, I could see that her Energy level was below 80%! How can she be so tired if she just got here? I also saw something amazing!"
The old woman looked at her with a poker face. "Spit it out!"
About to say something that if she hadn't seen it, she wouldn't believe it. "While she was sleeping, three of her attributes increased by at least 4 points. Four! I mean! That's impossible!"
The old woman smiled widely, so much so that all her dirty teeth were visible. Starting to walk towards where Emhe was and intentionally forgetting to pay Erihs. "Anything else?"
Slightly anxious. "Yes. While she was sleeping and after the brown-haired guy left, she convulsed several times…"
Hitting the ground with her cane. "That's why you approached her?!"
When Erihs nodded, the old woman immediately took out a silver coin from under her black robes. Erihs smiled at the thought of the second silver coin she would receive that day. The old woman tossed it to her, but it fell short. It looked as if she had thrown it on the ground on purpose. As Erihs bent down to pick it up, the old woman said something unexpected. "Don't spend it on your stupid things! It's not for you! Go to the market and buy food and water for her!"
Erihs did not ask when she would be paid. Nor did she complain about becoming an errand girl. She knew the old woman was too powerful to anger her. "Should I get her another chicken and cheese sandwich?”
The old woman laughed sarcastically. "Heh heh heh! It's important to be attentive to what motivates us!"
Erihs blushed and went straight to the market. "I knew it! That's why she chose me to convince her. That's why she uses me to keep an eye on her. She knows I can't take my eyes off her from the moment I saw her arrive! She knows that...! Fuck!"
Rushing to get to the market as soon as possible. She was dying to see her again, even more so to be near her. That was what she was thinking when she began to catch up with an individual walking in the same direction as her. He wore an ocher robe, his hair was brown, and his walk was slow and calm.
Erihs abruptly slowed down. "It's him!"
As if listening to her thoughts, the guy turned around and Erihs stopped short. Seeing that he kept his eyes closed while showing a friendly smile, Erihs turned back the way she had come, wanting nothing to do with him.
At first she walked briskly, but it wasn't long before she started running. "I've only seen that guy a few times in my life and never with his eyes open! Besides, Ian assured me he's someone dangerous!"
Lost in thought, Erihs nearly collided with someone on the street. She was dressed in a conspicuously expensive black leather outfit with a matching hood and cloak. Her beautiful eyes were purple and the only two visible strands of her hair were almost white. "If I were you, I'd go back to the market! Mother Fae is not a very patient woman!"
Erihs felt a bit of an idiot asking it, but she did it anyway. "Do you work for her?"
To Erihs' amazement, the young woman became invisible before her eyes. Erihs thought of running away, since seeing that kind of skill in broad daylight was a sign of having run into very dangerous people, however, as soon as she heard her behind her, this time very serious and threatening, she froze, not knowing what to do. "This is too big for you, rookie! You should keep picking up crumbs like the errand girl you are!"
Very nervous, Erihs grabbed her dagger from behind her back, but she didn't draw it.
Realizing what she had just done, the young woman warned her. "You know you can't attack me while we're in Antharia, right? Or are you such an idiot that you think you can threaten me?"
With a trembling voice. "I don't want any trouble! You're the one threatening me!"
With hair standing on end, Erihs heard the first real threat of her life. "Do as you've been told! If you tell the old woman that you've seen me, you'd better never leave this city! I swear I'll kill you if you cause me even the slightest trouble!"
Erihs ran towards the market without looking back. She ran almost on the verge of tears until she ran into the brown-haired guy again. He was still smiling without opening his eyes. Trembling and about to cry, she walked past him, trying not to attract his attention.
Once she reached the market crowd and saw a guard in the distance, she felt safer. She tried to blend in with the crowd, however, when someone touched her back, she couldn't help but let out a small cry and turned to reach for her dagger. When she realized it was her friend Ian, she felt like an idiot.
Ian watched her puzzled, analyzing her every gesture. "What's wrong with you?! Looks like you've seen the devil!"
Trembling and taking too long to answer. "No! Nothing! You just scared me!"
Cautiously, Ian looked around out of the corner of his eye. Then, he stared into her eyes. He had never seen her tremble like that. Ian was smart and capable. He could mentor her if he wanted to, but he didn't do that sort of thing anymore. That's why she knew she couldn't fool him.
Realizing that she wouldn't get rid of him without telling him everything, even though she knew that was a mistake. "Shit! This couldn't get any worse! Ian won't stop until he knows what's wrong with me! He won't stop until he knows who threatened me! He won't stop until he cuts off heads!"
Ian was like that. His friends were untouchable. He waited patiently for an answer while Erihs looked at the ground hesitantly. "N-nothing's wrong! R-really!"
Ian smiled, having a very clear idea of what he was going to do. She would follow her until he found him or them. It didn't matter how many there were. They were already dead even if they didn't know it.
Erihs, realizing what was about to happen, decided to nip it in the bud. "I'm playing errand girl for Mother Fae, your former mentor. I know you told me to stay away from her, but she was the one who told me; Don't even think about turning your back on me when I'm talking to you. However, she wasn't the one who threatened me!"
Frankly speaking. "It was my fault! I was mesmerized looking at a girl!"
Ian didn't even raise his eyebrows, he knew for sure who she was. They didn't have many secrets between them.
Immediately understanding that Mother Fae wasn't interested in just anyone. "Tell me about that girl!"
Erihs met his eyes. "You won't believe me, but I felt that I..."
"... you know her!" After a brief silence, Ian continued. "I told you it would happen with a lot of people in this world! It's probably someone you …"
With tears running down her cheeks. "I have fallen in love with her in barely an hour! I feel like I know her! I don't get it!"
As if he was looking at her in front of him, his heart began to pound. "She has green eyes, her hair is black with reddish tones and she's extremely beautiful!"
Erihs was stunned. "You know her?! It's impossible! She just arrived!"
Very serious. "She's not who you think she is!… Do as the old woman told you! I'll take care of the rest!"