-ALTgray: "HAKEEM- ACTIVATE YOUR CUTTHROAT SKILL!" Gray shouted this out at the top of his lungs.
Even though the situation accounted for the need for concise and clear instructions, Leek found it unnecessary to do so by shouting so overtly.
-Leek: "Got it. But next time call me by my game name please, I like to roleplay before getting frisky!" He winked at the homoerotic comment, dropping any sincerity in his message.
He also pointed out that, without any intervention, his skill would activate on its own.
It had already done so when the light spell was cast. It was revealing the monsters, to be specific as their bloodlust had been otherwise hidden.
-ALTgray: "Now. Do as much damage as you can. I killed the [Kobold Magister (16)] during its Light cast. Its duration will be longer, giving us an advantage as they're all skilled in the dark!" As these commands came from his mouth Gray dawned his sword.
Leek, listening to his leader's words went straight for those behind the now-dead [Kobold Magister (16)]. His hands came at an angle as if winding up an attack with his still grounded glaive.
Realizing the idiocy, two [Kobold Fighter (18)]'s met his bluff. The two broke off into a pre-flank position while a [Lost Goblin (14)] took the frontend, facing Leek directly.
With the difference in level it was likely the Goblin had been taken as captive. Forced to engage in suicidal tactics that benefit the Kobold's, showing no regard for their distant cousin.
Its hand trembled as a rusted arming sword, that which is typically associated with an undead knight, came to threaten its attacker; whom had gotten close enough for the [Lost Goblin (14)] to flinch.
A squint in anticipation left everything a blur.
Leek, during his slash, had equipped his Glaive back into his hand. Taking a broadside stance, and sweeping horizontally across the three attackers.
Cutting both of the [Kobold Fighter (18)]'s he did a sum of fourteen damage. The Fighter to his right having a remaining twenty-nine HP, out of its original thirty-four; the other having seventeen, of it original twenty-six.
The damage he did was somewhat inline with what he's been doing since he started the game, with a minor bump... must be the class, mixed with the ad hoc armor they were clad in.
Belief was the his damage should not have been so low, and despite doing a decent chunk in that go, the Fighter's did not flinch at him. Animalistic instincts kept them fixated on the thought of gorging their gullets with his insides.
Airborne, their movements were restrictive as different sections of their stitched together protection rejected one another at certain joints.
To his right was one wielding a double sided axe; a piece of sturdy wood, attached through the middle of the head to form its handle.
It was now positioned overhead, of the [Kobold Fighter (18)], and coming down at its enemy's body.
Leek instinctually grabbed it by the belly. This did quickly stop the monster, but the other Kobold took to his opening. Its club, spiked with random pieces of sharp metal came from his upper thigh.
Hurriedly Leek launched the Kobold, whose axe he held, further into the air by overpowering its grip on the handle.
He pivoted his torso to allow his right hand to again face-check the weapon of his foe.
"Ghhuraaah!"
The [Kobold Fighter (18)] without hesitation let go of its wannabe mace. Dropping to the ground, to then shoot itself directly under Leek's arm, which still held the club.
Taking a shield it held on its back, facing it downward straight to his ribcage.Catching him between thoughts, Leek was knocked off balance.
Realizing this he purposefully fell to the ground. As he hit the ground, Leek threw the spike club with all his might at the shield Kobold.
Its noggin got smacked directly by it own weapon, even with the time to block, the monster decided to just go for a blank expression.
It became slightly disoriented.
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Coming back down from its flight, the Kobold he had launched found itself thoroughly gutted. Leek's glaive had been placed under it, as to skewer its body.
-Leek: Even though it was result of his actions Leek did not take it well. "Ughhh... That's not right." was his reaction. It was enough damage to defeat it, a tad overkill for how much he is concerned.
Engaging while his opponent was still in its stupor Leek took his glaive and drove it into the still shield holding [Kobold Fighter (18)]. The one on his glaive had faded into pixels, so his blade had been clean when he did so.
""
Gray, watching his friend act on his words followed in pursuit.
He pulled at his companion, which had been embedded in the ground where a Korobold Brute once laid, slain.
The blade had been abnormally long, its tip split into a crescent shape. The cross guard remained symmetrical, forming into an S, curving horizontally around the sword.
Its length was substantial but still made good for one-handed use.
A Konda sword. Built with a fuller, running its entire length, still pooling with the blackish-red blood from the slain mobs.
One [Korobold Brute (15)] descended on him.
Not too far from it was approaching [Crept Crawler]'s, varying in level from thirteen to fifteen.
Crept Crawler's were overgrown arachnids, of some species created by the game developers. They had an abnormal walking pattern, occasionally their back legs would cross over the fronts, nearly causing them to fall over.
If taking design progression into account, they look forcefully evolved to survive the underground terrain they inhabit.
The [Korobold Brute (15)] was his closest enemy. Rather than take it head on he avoided it altogether.
Swiping at him, with its cumbersome arms, Gray moved easily out of its way. His helmets eyes were set on the Crept Crawlers behind it; just as one would avoid a main boss until its minions were defeated, Gray did the same.
Fast.
The arachnids were not something to scoff at when it came to speed, for this reason Gray readied his empty hand, drawing at the pooling liquid in his sword to be concentrated at his fingertips.
He formed these into a claw-like glove around them.
A [Crept Crawler (14)] had gotten into his approximate range, jumping suddenly at his face without caution.
Expecting this he used the blood covered hand of his to stab the monster. This embedded each finger into its abdomen, and giving enough leverage to keep it from attaching to him. And with swift action he pulled it into his thrusting sword.
A crescent edge.
And in one fell swoop the [Crept Crawler (14)] had been taken out. If not for his direct hold of the squirming creature it was likely for it to have taken over four hits to kill.
When it comes to smaller mobs its typically OP to grapple with them. Critical hits are very likely in those instances, and does not waste unnecessary time dueling it out, especially when faced with swarm-type mobs.
Gray went about employing this logic to the other Crept Crawler's.
Hacking them to pieces, and dismembering their appendages to gain a better advantage.
This turned into a type of dance as he went about using his momentum to eliminate the arachnids, while simultaneously keeping the [Korobold Brute (15)] at arms length, and holding its aggro.
At this point his actions matched that of his partner's. They were dealing with foe's stronger than that from the upper floors, including a more specialized set of classes/move sets, but still running laps around them in sheer output.
To be frank it was mostly unfair.
A professional gamer, pulling his actions from the Japanese idea of a 'NEET,' who no-life's every game he attempts to become competitive in; FAO.
And his friend.
Someone running a glitched save whose applicable capabilities seem to interact in a wholly different manner then every other player.
...
"!!!"
The ledge leading into the further parts of the cavern quickly enveloped into this deep rumbling. This stopped the duo in their tracks.
At this point they had dealt with the majority of the weakling Kobold wave, so the cave floor was laden with their drops.
-ALTgray: "You hear that too, right." His index finger was positioned in front of his face, telling Leek to listen closely...?
Something was coming from the lower levels. It was not traveling by foot, as each step would have been felt as it encroached. This approaching presence was likely propelling itself to where Leek and Gray stood, skipping the areas still below them in level.
Then, after the anticipation grew to the point of turning their stomachs, a windstorm ripped through the dungeon.
Every large deposit of rock and unsecured sediment got sent flying backward. Shooting across Gray and Leek's ears at an astonishing speed.
To protect themselves, both dropped to the ground while covering their heads/faces as the winds tore through. Uprooting what felt like everything.
The event was not too burdensome as it quickly died. Though every Kobold/mob had not been lucky enough to brace themselves.
Their weapons, seemingly too dense to prevent their departure, had been scattered across the ground, while the owners were now out of sight as they disappeared into the dark dungeon; running for shelter wherever it was they had any.
After it calmed again they went to stand. Their aim being to face whatever it was that caused this 'situation.' Though, they would not mind for it to have been a natural dungeon occurrence.
*eeEUuURRRRAAAAAA*
A rupturing shout had been expelled.
Gray was compelled to hit the ground, in annoyingly close timeframe to him having gotten up.
Leek, who managed to get to a knee then force himself into a standing position felt this force also. His reaction to it was clearly less than that of Gray, who has the additional weight of his armor to take into account.
Under this force Gray struggled to simply pull his arms from under his body.
They were being crushed under his weight so, painstakingly, he dragged them until they were free, now laying stretched out above his head.
Closer.
The origin of this force inched towards them.
Incrementally the pressure surrounding them increased. So, just as you'd feel a heart-attacks beating pulse, they felt its steps...
Closer.
Getting eyes on the force before the other, as Gray's face was firmly stuck to the ground, Leek felt a palpitation when he did so.
Two bead eyes, piercing the darkness.
An apex predator.
Staring.