Jason and Alex stood face to face with the rogue and warrior, tension filled the air. The battle was inevitable, and Jason and Alex both knew it. The rogue took a step forward, while the warrior tightened his grip on his weapon.
Without wasting a moment, Jason summoned his shadow bolt, his fingers tingling with power. The bolt materialised above his palm, crackling with a blackish-purple energy. Alex, his determination renewed, readied his spear, his eyes locked on the enemies before him, the warrior.
The rogue, quick to strike, lunged forward with his daggers, aiming for Jason's throat. But Jason activated Void Shield, blocking the lethal blades and replenishing some of his lost mana. With a focused gaze, he released his shadow bolt, sending it hurtling toward the rogue.
However, the rogue was not one to be taken down easily. He displayed his agility, effortlessly dodging the incoming projectile. Sensing an opportunity, Alex took advantage of the distraction, lunging at the rogue with his spear. The spear sliced through the air, aiming for the rogue's arm.
But the warrior was not idle. With a bellowing roar, he swung his weapon, intercepting Alex's strike. With a thunderous clash, the force of the impact reverberated through Alex's arm, momentarily staggering him. Jason, seeing this, shot a shadow bolt at the warrior, but the warrior, anticipating this, pulled out a shield and blocked it. The shield crumbled from the power of the shadow bolt, shocking the warrior.
As the battle escalated, the level 6 warrior grew bored and stated, "Well, I guess I'll end this fella." This earned a harsh look from Alex as he commanded the warrior. “ You better leave Bernard alone or so help me God,” who was still passed out and oblivious to the unfolding conflict. The warrior screamed out, "Stop!" This abrupt interruption made the battlefield freeze, with both the warrior and the rogue looking at him in confusion. “ God? You think there is a God after all this shit, if there is a God, it's the System, and it wants us to kill each other.”
The warrior continued, " And you think you can fucking order me around? Look at you, all puffed out, same with your buddy over there." He then turned to his underlings and berated them, "And you guys are even more fucking useless. How can you not deal with these fuckheads?" The warrior jumped down from where he was standing over Bernard, adding, "Hurry up and kill them, or I will. Then I'll kill you for wasting my time." This struck fear into the hearts of the underlings, who seemed to muster up strength out of nowhere. Alex and Jason noticed something peculiar: the warrior's blade started radiating a faint red glow.
The warrior lifted his blade in the air, causing confusion for both Alex and Jason, as he was a fair distance away. Jason looked at Alex with a confused expression, and Alex returned the same look. Alex spoke up, asking, "What is he doing? He's just... standing there with his blade in the air." Jason mirrored Alex's confusion, saying, "Yeah, I don't know either, but is it just me, or is that blade getting redder?" Alex quickly shifted his gaze to the warrior, focusing on the blade, and to his surprise, he could clearly see the blade growing redder as if something was heating it up.
Alex turned his attention to the rogue, asking, "Hey, what is your buddy doing?" The rogue responded with a sly remark, saying, "You won't be here long enough to find out," accompanied by a twisted smile resembling the Joker. Jason, feeling a sense of unease, decided it was time to take action. He activated his shadow bolt skill. Jason pondered if the warrior's glowing blade was a result of a similar skill to his Shadow bolt, one involving mana, but he pushed that thought aside for now, recognising the immediate need for action. With no more interruptions, Jason unleashed his shadow bolt, directing it towards the warrior's arm, aiming to disrupt his attack.
This prompted a swift reaction from the warrior, who swiftly swung his blade in a downward motion. The blade created a crescent-shaped wave that collided with Jason's shadow bolt. The impact severed the shadow bolt, splitting it into two distinct halves, steering the wave off course by cutting it into a tree. However, the unexpected turn of events didn't end there. By sheer luck, one-half of the shadow bolt veered off course and struck the rogue directly in the face, sending him crashing into a nearby tree.
The group's attention immediately shifted to the writhing rogue, who was desperately trying to rid himself of the substance which had made contact with his face. His cries for help echoed through the air, pleading for an end to the pain. "PLEASE MAKE IT STOP! IT HURTS! KILL ME! KILL ME, PLEASE!" And then, pure silence. Everyone was shocked and in disbelief. All eyes turned to Jason, whose expression was one of horror and dismay, as he clearly didn't know his own strength, and with that, Jason heard a distinct ‘Ding’, signalling the death of the rogue.
"FUCK! Do you know how hard it is to find good underlings? I mean, I was going to kill him after he reached a decent level, but now I gotta find another cow to fatten up," the warrior grumbled in disappointment. The level 3 warrior glared at him with anger, his voice laced with frustration, "You never gave a shit about Bill, did you? We were just cows to you, a means to gain experience."
"Yeah, of course, you are. How stupid do you think I am to keep you two around? You're useless. Didn't you see the side quest? 'Last One Standing,' of course—" Before the warrior could finish his sentence, a shadow bolt soared through the air, striking the level 3 warrior square in the temple. His skull exploded, showering the surroundings with brain matter. The warrior's remains dropped to its knees, lifeless, and slumped forward. Another ding echoed in Jason's mind.
Still reeling from the shocking turn of events, Alex slowly turned his head to face Jason. A wide, sinister smile spread across his face with his eyes practically popping out of the sockets. Alex’s eyes were wide with disbelief. All he managed to say was, "WHAT THE FUCK, JASON!"
When the shadow bolt hit the rogue, Jason felt a strange sensation. It was the first time he had taken a life, a human life, and yet it felt oddly….. normal. He pondered to himself, "Is this because they were going to kill us? But that doesn't feel right. I feel like I needed to do it... to cleanse this world. Trash like them isn't worth living. Only the strong can prevail. This has always been the case, even before the system. The strong get what they want, and if the weak desire something, they can't have it. It's their own fault, even if it's because they never had a chance before. But now, they have the opportunity. There are no more excuses with the system here. Everyone is born equal in this world, regardless of who they are. Whether you're a garbage man or the fucking President of the United States, it doesn't matter anymore. It means... nothing."
Something snapped within Jason's mind, triggering a new realisation, a new…. mentality. As a result, a flood of multiple system notifications, but he paid no attention to them in his current state. The thirst for power consumed him, driving his actions and thoughts.
The idea of Alex gaining all the experience points and tutorial points from defeating the warriors did not sit well with Jason. He refused to give Alex the chance to surpass him. With a calming coolness taking over, Jason summoned another shadow bolt firing it at the warrior, his precision honed to perfection. The bolt struck its target, and Jason could hear the satisfying "ding" signalling his victory. The coldness within him grew stronger, fueling his desire for more power.
Without hesitation, he conjured yet another shadow bolt, this time aiming directly at the level 6 warrior's head. The bolt narrowly missed a head-on collision, leaving behind a small scratch. A dark aura lingered on the man's cheek.
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The warrior recoiled, falling on his ass and grabbing his cheek, yelling in pain, "WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS SHIT? GET IT OFF ME!" Jason stood there, laughing manically, as the aura finally faded away after a couple of seconds. The man angrily got up, screaming, "I'M GONNA FUCKING KILL YOU ALL!"
Jason quickly ran to the warrior as he was on the floor, scratching his cheek. Gripping the warrior's wrist with his hand, activating a skill he hadn't used yet - Soul Drain. The butcher stayed there, motionless, until suddenly a yell pierced the air, "AHHHHHH, I'MMA KILL YOU, BITCH!" The warrior summoned a weapon, a clever, and he rapidly backed away, getting a couple of meters away. Jason could swear he saw the man grow in size, his muscles rippling with power and his clothes tearing.
With a deranged laugh, the warrior taunted, "Hahahaha, there's no way you are going to win! Did you know that at level 5, you get to pick a skill? And this is what I chose - Butcher's Rampage!" Suddenly, the butcher started running at Jason with incredible speed, giving him pause. Jason barely managed to summon his Void Shield, but as the warrior raised his hand in the air, a red glow emanated from it.
Thinking quickly, Jason abandoned the shield and swiftly sidestepped. Just as he moved, a crescent-shaped wave sliced through his Void Shield, splitting it in half. The close call should have been fatal, but instead of discouraging him, an inexplicable feeling of happiness washed over Jason. It made him smile, the thrill of facing such danger and surviving against all odds.
Alex, still in shock from witnessing the intense battle, stood there, unable to believe what was happening. He uttered in disbelief, "Jason just killed two people like it was nothing."
Alex, finally regaining his composure, looked at Bernard, who was still passed out. He rushed over to Bernard, trying to wake him up, while Jason continued to fight the warrior. Alex took out a health potion and forcefully poured it down Bernard's mouth. After a few seconds, Bernard groaned and opened his eyes, asking what had happened. All he could see was the pained expression on Alex's face as he looked out onto the battlefield. Still unable to get up, Bernard saw blood spattered everywhere and noticed Jason with a maniacal smile. Confused and disoriented, he quickly turned to Alex and asked what was going on. "What the hell, Alex? What happened? I'm so confused. Is Adrian alive?" Bernard's question hung in the air, and the disappointment in Alex's eyes gave him the answer.
Alex responded, "Jason killed the other two warriors by himself. Although the first one seemed to have been a mistake, he intentionally killed the second one. And when I looked over at him, his face was just like the one he has on right now. It's sinister." Bernard, now feeling better, stood up with a stoic expression and told Alex, "We will talk about this later as a group and figure out the best course of action." Alex grabbed Bernard by the shoulders, a sense of fear and concern evident in his voice, "Don't you get it? Jason killed someone and enjoyed it. Aren't you scared?" Bernard replied angrily, "Fuck yeah, I'm scared. But as I see it, we would have had to kill them anyway. This world has changed. If we spared them, who's to say they won't go and kill someone else or come back with a group to kill us again? As I said, we will talk about this later."
Alex froze, not knowing what to think, as Bernard suggested, "Let's find Mark. He ran away, but he might be the only one who can get us back to the group. Jason seems to have this under control, and I feel more like we will get in the way or, even worse, he might attack us." Alex turned around, looking at Jason, unable to recognise him at that moment. He didn't refute Bernard's statement, silently acknowledging the uncertainty of the situation.
Jason, completely absorbed in the duel, continued to shoot out shadow bolt after shadow bolt, but none of them found their mark. He could sense something peculiar happening, a strange sensation of dwindling mana. Realising he was running low on resources, he took a gamble. In a swift motion, he reached for a flask filled with a vibrant blue liquid and swiftly drank its contents. Instantly, he felt a surge of energy coursing through him, replenishing his mana reserves.
Meanwhile, the warrior deflected Jason's last shadow bolt with the flat side of his clever, taunting him with a snide remark. "You're getting on my nerves now. I have to finish this, and I hate to admit it, but this skill drains a lot of stamina and has a really bad side effect. So how about this? I'm going to throw one final attack and kill you. Just stay still."
Jason's smile widened as he responded, his voice laced with confidence, "My stamina is running low as well with all this running around." He placed his hand on his chin, contemplating his next move, before continuing, "How about this? Let's do this quick-draw style. On the count of five, we both fire off our strongest attacks. The last one standing wins."
The warrior roared with laughter, his voice echoing through the battlefield. "HAHAHAHA! I like your style, kid. I would ask you to join my team, but you already know I was going to kill those bastards, and I would do the same to you. So, yeah, I agree. Let's do it."
Both combatants positioned themselves, ready to unleash their ultimate attacks. The tension in the air was palpable as the countdown began.
Jason began the countdown, his voice filled with determination. "ONE," he activated his shadow bolt, channelling his mana into the spell. The pressure in the air intensified as the warrior raised his cleaver, ready to unleash his own devastating attack. Jason felt the weight of the moment, knowing that this duel would determine their fate.
Jason devised a plan, taking a gamble to see if he could charge up his skill just as the warrior had done. He attempted to pour his mana into the Shadow bolt but failed. Not one to get discouraged quickly, he remembered the dagger he had acquired. Remembering when he gripped it tightly in his hand, it would make him surge with power, so he applied that same logic with the Shadow bolt feeling a surge of power coursing through his hand and pushed it mentally to the shadow bolt, it was working.
The countdown continued. "TWO," Jason focused his concentration, pouring his mana into the spell with all his might. The shadow bolt began to grow in size, crackling with immense power. A blackish-purple aura surrounded it, pulsating with energy. Jason heard a familiar ding, signalling his progress, but he paid it no attention, his focus solely on the impending clash.
"THREE," Jason pushed himself further, pouring more mana into the shadow bolt, determined to reach its maximum potential. The spell crackled with unstable energy, its immense power threatening to burst forth. Sensing it growing unstable, Jason made a split-second decision and halted his mana infusion, knowing that pushing it any further could have disastrous consequences.
"FOUR," Jason held his breath, his gaze fixed on the warrior before him. He could see the blinding radiance of the warrior's blade, a symbol of his formidable strength and unwavering resolve. Jason knew that in order to emerge victorious, he had to give it his all in this final moment, imbuing almost all his mana in this one strike.
And then, the moment arrived. "FIVE." Jason fired the shadow bolt at the same time as the warrior. The air seemed to part as the two energy waves collided, but the shadow bolt swallowed the opposing force, effortlessly absorbing it. The warrior, ever the lying opponent, managed to dodge the projectile. However, Jason had anticipated this move and commanded the shadow bolt to change its course. With a mighty roar, the shadow bolt curved back towards the warrior.
Gripping his clever tightly, the warrior attempted to deflect the shadow bolt. But to his dismay, the shadow bolt effortlessly cut through the weapon, pushing through the warrior's defence. It struck him directly, tearing through his chest and causing a massive hole in a nearby tree, which toppled over.
Hearing the commotion, Alex and Bernard rushed back, fearing that something terrible had happened to Jason. As they reached Jason's location, they were greeted by the surreal sight of him standing over the deceased warrior, his manic laughter echoing through the air.
With concern in their eyes, Alex and Bernard approached cautiously, their eyes widening at the sight of the massive hole in the warrior's chest. The reality of the situation sank in, and they realised the extent of Jason's power and the darkness that seemed to consume him in battle.
In the pitch-black room, a man sat in deep meditation. His eyes slowly opened, revealing an intense gaze. As he lifted his gaze, it became clear that he wasn't merely focused on his immediate surroundings. His eyes seemed to penetrate the space in front of him as if peering into an unseen realm.
A faint grin spread across his face, a mix of amusement and intrigue. With a voice that carried an air of authority, he spoke aloud, breaking the silence that enveloped the room. "Well, well, what do we have here?"