What should I do? Derek pondered. Should I try to fight back before my stamina is completely drained?!
Dropping his favorite hammer could probably save him this time, but it would doom him in a long-term perspective. With just his bare hands, how could he survive or get stronger?
If not for his low HP, Derek would have probably first tried to fight before running away. Even if the opponent looked dreadful and its Level superior. The dwarf didn't know, after all, how strong his current self was. As things are now, he didn't want to risk the direct confrontation unless as a last resort.
"Haaaa...haaa...haaaa..." As his breaths got rougher and rougher, Derek pushed his body to the limit. He realized that if he stopped now, he wouldn't be able to move at all, let alone engage the terrible creature in battle.
How long was it? To Derek, this chase seemed to last forever. Without stopping, he pushed himself to the limit, over and over again. He slowed down after each fork in the tunnel he encountered. He entered side-paths, hoping that the creature will lose his tracks. Of course, those struggles were fruitless.
"Haaaa! Haaaa! Haaaa!" His lungs started to physically hurt from how fast and desperate he breathed. His legs started to feel weak, and the dwarf noticed that the monster got closer and closer, that it kept chasing even when it couldn't see him. He started to feel that the creature just played around with its prey and, in fact, could catch him whenever it wanted. Occasionally, it roared, presumably trying to intimidate Derek or, maybe, other creatures. This probably was the reason why he didn't encounter any other monster even after running for so long.
Shit! I don't want to die just like this! I just found out that my whole life was a lie...that I'm not even human. And this would be my end? Bullshit! Hey, System! Couldn't you help me?!
Of course, the System didn't give him any answer. But a peculiar idea entered his mind.
I didn't pay this much attention, but while I descended the hole with the rope, I have vaguely felt different powers inside of me... One of them solid, giving me the same feeling as when I regained my HP to above 10% - it should be Health. The second one was like a chilly breeze, the same that I felt as I used my Dwarf Senses - it should be Mana. And the third power that coursed through my whole body, just like blood...
As his limbs started to get heavy, Derek tried to catch the feeling of that flowing energy inside himself. He didn't know if it would change anything, but he hoped that it would. Based on how his Stone Body Talent required AP to use, Derek assumed that this resource should be related to physical abilities. Maybe it could regenerate his stamina the same way Health supported his body?
"Graaaahhhhahhhah!" The dwarf could hear as the monstrosity wailed in bone-chilling fashion just ten meters behind him.
Derek concentrated his full willpower on moving his tired body and trying to feel the liquid-like power that was supposed to exist inside of him. At last, he noticed a weak flow of something circulating through his body. Illusory but real. Weak but vibrant. He felt it. It was there. His Aura. Then, he ordered it to help his body to move. To run. To survive. With everything he had, he guided it to his limbs.
Congratulations! You have learned a Skill!
[Augmented Sprint] (Bronze, Common)
A notification appeared, but he mentally wished for it not to distract him with long texts. And this seemed to work, as it stopped showing him what the skill did. Instead, immediately, adding another text.
Congratulations! You have earned a Title!
[Aura Prodigy] (Rare)
It seemed that he turned the long descriptions off, as the notification didn't give more details about the Title. He didn't even notice it, though, as completely different emotions filled the dwarf.
Yes! Fuck yes, it worked! It worked! I'll live, you bitchy three-headed asshole! Derek Smith felt the power coursing through his veins, through his legs. As gentle but hot energy flowed through his lower limbs, fatigue all but disappeared. He sprinted faster than ever before as if he became Ariel Volt - the fastest human on Earth - himself and broke all known records!
"Ahahaha! Kiss my ass, you stupid mutant!" Derek shouted as he disappeared from the monster's sight. After running for some time and passing a couple of fork paths, he could no longer hear his pursuer.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Still, he didn't want to stop. The feeling of incredible power clouded his judgment.
This is amazing!
Derek enjoyed himself. I feel that I can run like this for hours!
But his delight didn't last long. Wait, what?!
Suddenly, the world became pitch black.
The duration of [Dwarf Senses] has ended!
Thump!
Then, with a heavy sound, Derek Smith collided with a hard wall at his full speed.
You have taken 11 Physical Damage!
Warning! You have less than 10% of HP left. Your body is no longer protected by Ether, so it'll take the full damage from all sources.
"Grrrrrrrr..." And then, to make matters worse, he heard two almost identical growls from completely different directions.
No one said that there weren't even more monsters in the tunnels.
Shit, it hurts... Derek tried to stand up as he leaned on the wall before him.
[Dwarf Senses] activated! You have lost 5 MP. The calculated duration time is 25 minutes.
He used the Talent to regain his sight. Then, he touched the ground to detect the more precise location of the two monsters.
One is thirty meters away, and the other is fifty, the dwarf concluded.
Before, he crashed into the wall with the right side of his upper body, so it seriously ached. Moreover, it seemed that the pain in his legs came back as well. Derek decided to check his current condition.
HP: 4/100
AP: 8/20
MP: 1/10
Here we go again... Derek sighed. As far as he remembered, he did have 4 HP just after the fall as well. Now, though, he also was low on AP and MP.
Considering how my plan with a bait didn't work that well, I shouldn't have had disposed of the flashlight so soon. It still could have been useful to me, as I just can't sustain Dwarf Senses continuously... As things are now, it is only a matter of time until I'll be left in the complete absence of light without any way out. Then again, I doubt that the Maglite is still working.
In any case, it was too late to regret. There is no way he could find the way back now, after sprinting for so long and choosing random branching paths again and again.
Wait a minute... Derek pondered. As I tried to sense those two freaks, there was something else out of the ordinary.
The dwarf used his vibration senses again to inspect his surroundings. Sure enough, he could feel it. About a hundred meters away from his current position, there was a stream of water. The reason why he couldn't hear it with his ears was that a rather thin wall or rocks separated him and the stream. From what he could tell, the water current was rather strong. Probably strong enough to flush away at least one of the monsters...
Okay, I guess it is worth a try, the dwarf thought.
Then, Derek picked up Mjoolnir from the ground and started to slowly walk towards his destination.
This new Skill of mine sure burned through AP rather fast, Derek thought. I need to learn more about it.
[Augmented Sprint] (Bronze, Common), lvl 1 (28%):
This Skill is one of the basic ways to Move your Aura inside your body. With some effort, anyone can learn it! Guiding Aura to your legs as a whole allows you to run faster than you normally could without any fatigue whatsoever! Cool, right? 8)
Effect: Increases your sprinting speed and gives you nearly unlimited stamina. The increase in speed scales with your SPD stat and the Skill lvl. (SPD/2)+(10%*S.lvl)
The current increase: ~3,8 km/h. Sloooow...
Duration: 15 seconds at activation, then can be further sustained for additional AP cost.
Cost: 20% of SPD (rounded, 2 AP minimum) at activation, then the same amount per minute.
Cooldown: There is none!
A wry smile appeared on his mouth as Derek read the description. Subjectively, he felt that the Skill increased his speed by way more than less than 4 km/h.
Then again, if compared to how sluggish I ran because of the exhaustion, maybe the Skill indeed made me twice as fast. Compared to professional runners, though, I still would be a turtle even if I take this ability up to Level 10... As long as my SPD stat remains the same, whatever it is. On the bright side, I can sustain my maximum speed for way longer than any human, no matter how trained, could.
And here, his dream of being the fastest human... or, rather, the fastest dwarf on Earth got crushed. Then again, as far as he knew, Derek was the only dwarf on the planet, so maybe he already won this title. Too bad the System didn't give it to him officially. It seemed to like giving people "Titles".
Shit, here they are. As the dwarf was halfway towards the wall that separated him from the stream of water, two dark shadows appeared at the place of his "crushing accident".
One of them looked exactly the same as the monster that chased him before. And the other was about 30% smaller, but, otherwise, not much different.
Are they a parent and a child? Derek joked to himself. Or maybe a husband and a wife?
In either case, the dwarf knew that he didn't have the time to lose. He checked his current state.
HP: 5/100
AP: 10/20
MP: 1/10
If I want to try and fight, I'd need to at least have 5 AP left to activate my Stone Body. Using Augmented Sprint for the starting fifteen seconds would be more than enough to get me to my destination and would cost only 2 AP. Okay, go!
Instead of activating the Skill automatically, Derek directed Aura flowing through him towards his limbs and willed it to enhance his actions.
[Augmented Sprint] is activated! You have lost 2 AP. The calculated duration time is 15 seconds unless the Skill is further sustained.
Derek braced himself and, pushing his aching body, sprinted towards his greatest chance at survival in this damned place.