As I made my way back to the frontlines I got to note some of the more outstanding players each with their own advantages and disadvantages. There's an archer seemingly capable of targeting enemies from vast distances, I can see that he's capable of extending his mana towards his bow and arrow allowing it to travel stronger and faster, some mages now able to small meteorlike spells after a reasonably long casting time. The most impressive and eye catching ofcourse was the Shieldbearer Rhaegar with his berserker like bloodline.
Though our current acting leader is not bad as well. I can see that he has taken an ability that allows the him to carry an aura adding a bit of regeneration through his own nature attuned mana.
Probably a concept of some sort...
It was also good to node that majority of the players were now wearing an accessory or two. Some are even wearing masks obscuring both their face as well as blocking identify from going through their name and level, allowing me to remember that I somehow missed all of that after falling unconscious due to the backlash of absorbing Eve's soul fragment.
Seeing the recent acts of our current 'acting leader' It was a good thing that Zhao Mei really didn't left me behind that time. I know for a fact that these fools would be more than happy to get rid of an overpowered competitor specially if it means kicking me out of Asgard for good.
'Might as well get rid of them before they decided to act on me.'
Shelving the though as I see projectiles from upfront and behind, I dodged sideways before amassing a shot of mana on my leg bursting myself forward. Slightly increasing mana circulation throughout my body, I made my way towards the ongoing mellee killing one and three enemy soldiers before heading deeper to the reserved enemy lines, ignoring the ongoing battles as well as the other soldiers chasing after me.
These people really are crazy.
I chuckled as I forcefully passed through four more waves. The soldiers quickly becoming enraged after seeing me running off after killing one of their platoon members. Not a single hint of fatigue in me as I subtly circulated mana all over my body every now and then, confirming the unique effect it had on me.
From time to time I saw other players seemingly having the same idea as me, only for them to run out of feul after encountering two or three waves either getting forced to return or get caught due to exhaustion.
A few seconds I finally bypassed all of the remaining human waves, majority of them leaving me alone upon knowing that they couldn't prevent me from getting close to their mages and other ranged infantry.
Of course there were guardians assigned to guard after the ranged attackers but they were just what I need to help me block projectiles, as long as I get close that is.
Passing all of the mellee enemies what greeted me was large spells and swift arrows, forcing me to activate _Slow_ as soon as I got on their highground. Getting close to the range damage dealers two groups of five guardians flanked me from both sides.
Using three subsequent leaps each additionally empowered by a shot of mana, I was able to bypass the guardians directly closing in on the mages, the retaliation I was expecting from the 20 or so combination of mages and archers however didn't come like I expected.
Just by briefly overloading my body I was able to kill 15 out of the 20 without them having the time nor the stats to physically defend themselves.
Overspecialized units?
I quickly summed as I used applied another shot of mana to my leg leaping my way to cleave the remaining five. After that I also got rid of the Guardians, directly boosting me to level 9.
No wonder they were able to cast meteorites, and other more complex spells in such a low level. Unlike the mages on the group we intercepted, these people didn't have a single defensive spell on them. Not even body enhancement by the looks of it. Well this was warfare after all. Having Overspecialized people who can burst would be far more effective than having multiple mages who can only cast fireball or other low impact spells.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
This would've happened to me if I learned either _Feathered_ step or Second Cut instead of Mana Body Strengthening. Thankfully I took my time to think things through.
Closing my eyes as I took a deep breath, I stabbed my sword on the ground, before staring back at the last 21 people who were seemingly having fun slaughter all of their minions. They stood there some chatting, some laughing as they watched the whole ordeal. Unlike the experienced but almost powerless soldiers however these people appeared more akin to heroes rather than mindless grunts or Overspecialized glass cannons sent off as cannon fodder. The very appearance of their equipment and armor easily told me that any of these individuals would be able to overwhelm me if I engage them the in my current state.
There's really no choice is there...
How troublesome.
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[Info] William Rivera, Level 9
Current Stat Points:
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Strength | 12 + 20 -> 34
Perception | 12 + 15 -> 34
Vitality | 12
Endurance | 12
Origin Affinity | 10 + 5 -> 15
Origin Energy | 14 + 5 -> 19
Luck | -70
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Free Stat Points: 0
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Muttering to myself as I distributed all of the 45 free Stat points I've accumulated. Placing 20 to points to Physique and 15 to Perception, I've decided to skip Vitality and Endurance for the moment and reallocate the remaining points to Origin Affinity and Origin Energy. This would allow me to both increase my mana reserves, as well as mana circulation, and by estimate, the innate effects of my mana circulated through _Mana Body Strengthening_ should be more than enough to cover for both defense and stamina.
I'd have to deal with the lack of offense later on of course, but this should suffice for now. NOIM functioned more or less the same with reality, as long as I'm able to deal a lethal blow, the person would die more or less. Given the nature of my mana, I should be able to equalize any Stat difference... The problem is their numbers though...
Identifying each individual as new found power rushed from my core to my body, I quickly noted the balance of their composition. 6 guardians, 4 fighters, 4 archers, 4 mages and 2... healers. The very first time I'm seeing one, no two of them. The 2 healers were both carrying a large tome and a staff with a tree and a skull insignia. Both wearing a necklace containing the same insignia confirming a possibility that healing in this word is seemingly tied to an actual profession or some sorts.
Their levels ranging from 14 to 18 with the leader in the middle at level 22.
His smile somehow reminds me of the great sword wielder earlier... Probably the only sane person I've encountered from their empire.
'Probably a prince of some sort.'
[Info] Redamir Woles, 107th Prince of the Woles Empire, Level 22
I could only chuckle as I noticed as I felt the full blown effect of my reality warping luck kicking in. A full squad of bosses. One, even at the Fate's Struggle stage. My thoughts screaming at me to back off but I simply shrugged.
How would I be able to retrieve Eve's soul fragments on the later waves, if I can't even deal with this much? Our lives are on the line for this.
While teaming up with Zhao Mei may have been effectively safe, I knew I'd only be able to keep my lead by paving my way through even more bloodshed. This is Asgard after all. It wouldn't be impossible for someone to catchup to me even after just one wave. Not to mention the leadership bonuses that have been circulating all around the resting area.
A gentle reminder to 'restructure' our little group as soon as we end this wave.
Feeling the power circulating to my body no longer volatile, I overloaded myseld with mana as I drew my sword, my veins seemingly more thicker as more mana rushed to my body than I initially could.
As if time slowed as I enhanced my foot with an overloaded shot of mana, the ground exploding as I took a wide lunge towards the direction of one of the archers. It would have been ideal if I could take down the healers or mages early in the fight but seeing as both of the archetypes directly behind 6 guardians was enough for me to reconsider.
Boom!
I moved far faster than I ever have. Both the increase in my stats factored in that I'm able to rotate more mana, somehow having multiplicative effects on _Mana Body Strengthening_. Only the increase in my perception allowing me to keep up with everything happening.
Seeing the full 21 people position themselves, I added another shot of mana to my legs for another quick leap though not a meter later, I was directly stopped by the leader himself. My swing visibly delecerating allowing the leader to stop my strike in time. His sword directly clashing with mine, almost bending if not for me extending mana to my blade, fortifying the weapon just before we clashed swords.
A crater formed as the impact of our attacks exploded. Realizing that my stats were higher than him, the leader broke of our mellee using my swing to propel himself, sending me 3 birds of light each with the same power of the attack he did just now as he created distance between us.
*Boom!* *Boom!* *Boom!*
Three more craters formed, but I was already marching towards the guardians by the time the three birds slammed to the ground. Somehow similar to the leaders charge earlier, the birds fired off, almost instantenous similar to a bullet fired from a gun barrel.
"Careful! His stats are somehow higher than mine, create distance and slowly bleed him!"
I have a feeling that not even *Slow* would be able to negate that effect. I mumbled to myself after throwing a quick glance back at the enemy leader who was calmly giving orders not underestimating me in the slightest.
Casting slow anyway, I ignored the upcoming spells and projectiles as I overloaded my whole body this time, quickly closing in on one of the four archers, I attempted to bisect the archer in two only for the archer to leap away vertically.
Outmatching his speed, I quickly followed him, but just as I was about to cleave him in two he somehow jumped one more time in the air creating even more distance from me.
Seeing the grin on the archers face. I simply chuckled, easily noticing that I was baited. Reacting as I did so, I overloaded a shot of mana towards my hand, extending mana to the Spell Sword before throwing it as hard as I could.
Horror passed the archers eyes as the amplified *Spell Sword* shot towards his head, a faint golden barrier shone before the archer, but the amount of mana gathered in that short amount of time wasn't enough to repel the amplified blade I threw.
*Splash!*
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To be continued.