The fishmen gazed at Asher with a absent yet somehow convincing death glare. It was clear that this creature possessed the intellect of a fish combined with the physique of a man. Its appearance suggested a singular intent: to violently confront Asher. What surprised Asher most was that this fishman was ranked as a level 10 normal mod. On Earth, the most formidable foe he had ever encountered was a level 10 boss, specifically the zombified warden. This indicated that the minimum level of the monsters in this trial would be level 10, signifying that those classified as elite or bosses would likely attain levels far surpassing the normal ranked ones. While Asher had managed to handle enemies of higher levels without much trouble, he recognized that as their levels rose, so would their difficulty, since typically, a higher level equated to greater power and a more extensive arsenal of abilities. Thus, Asher realized he couldn't afford to be complacent about the disparity in levels and needed to strategize effectively to overcome his slow leveling progress in the face of the trial's exponentially increasing level with each stage.
Even though the fishman was level 10, Asher wasn't scared of it at all. First, it didn't have any weapons, and according to the system prompt, its best attacks were lunging and biting with its sharp teeth, which looked like those of a piranha. "I guess you'll be the perfect dummy to test my guardian's new ability," Asher said, clearly excited. He was eager to see how much damage his guardian could do after using his newly acquired Necrotic Touch skill.
The fishmen, with unbridled aggression, swiftly attacked Asher. Yet, as if foreseeing this assault, the guardian positioned himself as a wall, his newly acquired shield raised in defense. As the fishmen's claws struck and tore into the shield, Asher observed its flesh-like surface being ripped apart, yet also rapidly regenerating. Intrigued, he noticed how the shield's repair seemingly drew health from his guardian as it had described from its item description, but the guardian's natural regenerative capabilities appeared to outpace the loss. This led Asher to ponder: Was the shield's repair demand minimal, or was his guardian's healing ability more potent than anticipated? Or, perhaps, was the damage sustained by the shield so trivial that it required only a small amount of the guardian's health for restoration?
One thing was clear to Asher: his investment in the shield was well justified. The shield performed exactly as advertised, providing the durability he needed to ascend to higher levels without the risk of it being destroyed. This assurance was crucial, as a compromised shield would leave him dangerously exposed and vulnerable to attack.
Having confirmed the effectiveness of the shield, Asher was eager to test 'Death's Caress' an ability that would reveal its true potential as his guardian's health dwindled. Curious about its capabilities, Asher instructed his guardian to allow the fishmen to attack until its health was reduced to 30%.
The guardian, now equipped with a semblance of emotional intelligence, expressed confusion at Asher's command. It conveyed its puzzlement through interrogation marks flashing across its LED visor. Despite this display of concern, the guardian complied with its master's directive without hesitation.
Asher, witnessing his guardian's expressive response, felt a twinge of uncertainty. Initially, he had commanded the guardian without hesitation, even if it meant compromising its safety. However, the addition of the LED visor, which afforded the guardian a degree of emotional expression, complicated matters. It made Asher feel as though he was issuing orders to a sentient being or a comrade, rather than a soulless specter. This thought lingered momentarily before Asher pushed it to the back of his mind, reminding himself that he could always remove the visor, reverting the guardian to its previous, unfeeling state.
The transformation in Asher's guardian was swift and remarkable once it reached the health threshold Asher had set. At 30% health, a significant shift in its capabilities was evident. The guardian began to deftly and rapidly dodge the fishmen's attacks, its speed astonishingly enhanced. The 'Death's Caress' ability provided a clear advantage: for every percent of health lost, the guardian’s movement speed increased by an equivalent percent. This meant that the 70% health deficit translated into a 70% increase in movement speed, a stark contrast to the 11% boost from its shield charge skill.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
The skill's impact was indeed game-changing, leaving Asher amazed that such a powerful ability was classified merely as magic-ranked. Moreover, 'Death's Caress' also offered a 0.5% damage mitigation for each percent of health lost. This meant that at 30% health, the guardian was not only faster but also significantly tougher to harm, with a 35% damage mitigation in effect currently. This exponential increase in defense made it increasingly challenging for the fishmen to deplete the guardian's health further, a strategic advantage that Asher couldn't help but find astonishing.
Upon Asher's command, the guardian activated 'Necrotic Touch' evidenced by a green aura manifesting around its hands and shield, casting an ominous glow. This was the first time Asher would witness the effect in action, and his expectations were high for an explosive damage output.
As the LED Visor indicated the activation of Necrotic Touch[https://i.imgur.com/qTABiF4.png [https://i.imgur.com/qTABiF4.png]], the guardian immediately employed its Shield Charge[https://i.imgur.com/uKTDwBk.png [https://i.imgur.com/uKTDwBk.png]]. The combined effects of the 70% increased movement speed from 'Death's Caress' and the 11% boost from Shield Charge turned the guardian into a blur, moving too swiftly for Asher to visually track.
Then, in a sudden burst, there was an explosive sound.
Bam!
The fishmen, who was just a moment ago within striking distance, was propelled across the shore, the impact of the assault proving fatal in a single hit.
You have killed a 'Fishmen'. You have earned 20 EXP! (25/700)
Asher's system prompt confirmed the kill. He was astounded. The unexpected velocity had taken the fishmen by surprise, and the transformation of physical damage into necrotic damage, coupled with a 20% increased damage to living creatures, had been devastatingly effective.
The key to this overwhelming power lay in the conversion of physical damage to necrotic damage. Likely, the fishman had no defense against necrotic damage, making it much more vulnerable than it would have been against pure physical damage. This strategic combination of speed and damage type had resulted in an attack that was both surprising and overwhelmingly lethal, shaking Asher to his core with its effectiveness.
Reeling from the impact of what he had just witnessed, Asher took a moment to process the incredible synergy between his guardian's abilities. The sheer efficiency of 'Necrotic Touch' combined with the 'Shield Charge' had exceeded his wildest expectations. The guardian's rapid movements, now enhanced by 'Death's Caress' had allowed it to strike with such speed and force that the fishman stood no chance.
Asher's understanding of his guardian's abilities deepened significantly from this experience. He recognized that while the extraordinary speed boost from 'Death's Caress' was contingent on the guardian's low health and couldn't be relied upon consistently, the devastating damage output from 'Necrotic Touch' combined with 'Shield Charge' was a more regularly achievable tactic.
This revelation about the strategic use of his guardian's skills was indeed a turning point for Asher. It highlighted the necessity of not just knowing each ability in isolation but understanding how they could be synergistically combined to create more powerful effects. This battle served as a vivid lesson in the art of tactical synergy, showing Asher that the correct pairing of skills could produce outcomes significantly greater than expected. This encounter was more than just a victory in battle; it was a critical learning experience that expanded his tactical thinking.
"Amazing!" Asher's exhilaration was palpable as he admired the lingering effects of the Necrotic Touch on his guardian. The skill, though briefly activated, had already proven its formidable impact. He regretted not having more enemies at hand to fully exploit its potential during its active duration. Nevertheless, this brief experiment had provided invaluable insights.
Now more confident in his guardian's capabilities and the effective use of its skills, Asher was ready to pursue his primary objective with renewed vigor. With a clear strategy in mind, Asher directed his next steps: "First course of action, finding more fishmen to farm!"