I have no time to mess around.
----------------------------------------
Soul: 135 (-50)
Skills:
Lvl. 1 Rage - Sacrifice your free will and attack anything in your sight for the next minute. In return, your speed is increased by 200%. 50 soul to use, one day cooldown. (Activated) The one day cooldown has commenced.
----------------------------------------
He stood there, just staring, a sense of wariness emanating from his every movement. My arms instinctively stayed down at my sides, veins pulsating with an intensity I hadn't felt before. The rubble, seemingly defying gravity, began to soar through the damaged roof, adding an eerie backdrop.
As the tension escalated, my fingers started to bend and stretch, a physical manifestation of my body's preparedness for the imminent struggle. Despite the impending clash, I clung to the assurance that my body was still under my control. However, in a fleeting moment, some form of artificial intelligence was poised to take over, ready to fight on my behalf. Determined not to relinquish my will, I was ready to fight against it. You will not deny me my revenge! My face contorted in a grimace as memories of the previous out-of-body experience when I used the skill flashed through my mind. I vividly recalled a force that seemed to "push" me, ejecting me from my own body. Now, in the midst of the current ordeal, I sensed a similar force exerting pressure against my stomach. In an almost surreal sequence, my perspective shifted, and I found myself witnessing the back of my own head.
Fueled by frustration and defiance, I vehemently declared, "You bastard! Do not deny me this!" Although, I made no noise. I instinctively reached for the back of my head, desperately holding on as the mysterious force continued to push against me. The struggle was intense, and I knew I couldn't maintain my grip for much longer.
I soon noticed an unusual opening in my back, resembling a crack that appeared almost white. Surprisingly, the relentless pushing force paused for a fleeting second, providing a brief respite. Seizing the opportunity, I swiftly shifted my hands, endeavoring to spread open the mysterious crack that seemed to be the gateway back to my body. Summoning every ounce of strength within me, I exerted myself to widen the gap. As I did so, the once overpowering force pushing against me gradually lost its vigor. It was a surreal experience – pushing my body into my body. That sounded paradoxical but encapsulated the essence of the bizarre struggle.
In this peculiar act, I pressed forward, determined to reclaim control. The pushing force weakened further, its resistance giving way to my effort. Gradually, my surroundings shifted, and I found myself once again viewing the world through my own eyes. The sensation was both extraordinary and relieving, as if I had successfully navigated a precarious journey and, against all odds, retained my free will.
----------------------------------------
Notice:
The System is malfunctioning. Stop this rebellion. The skill will help you either way. Er̵̨̲̈̍r̴̛̦̟̉o̸͈͘r̵͆͝ͅ ̶̗͓̒͘è̷̳͝r̴̻͔͑r̵͕̼̔o̸̹̥͛̕r̴̯͗̐ ̶̲͠e̶̘̞͘r̴̩̈́r̷̦͠ỏ̴̬̏r̸̰̥̀̈́ ̸͓̆̽e̶̡̢͘r̸̪͐ṟ̷͜͠ò̴̠̃ř̸̫r̵̹̻̉r̵̙̆͛r̷̥͛̈r̴̨̰͠r̵̠͛̃r̷̗̆̕ŗ̸̲̇̚r̴͙̈͝..
Error resolved. This will not happen again. We are lenient, so the skill 'Rage' will not be taken away, but be nerfed according to the new parameters of this specific use;
200% --> 180%.
----------------------------------------
Fine by me; that still gets me up to the low three hundreds. My body surged with speed, ready to engage him in the upcoming confrontation. He bellowed, "Oh, you're done tweaking out now? After all that talk, you're going to make me make the first move?!" The charged atmosphere intensified as he sprinted towards me, but I maintained a clear focus on his every move.
In the blink of an eye, he launched a powerful right jab straight at my face. Swiftly, I ducked under the oncoming strike, seizing the opportunity to retaliate with a well-executed right liver blow. The precision of my form was evident, yet the blow lacked the necessary force to truly incapacitate him. Undeterred, he glanced downward to his left and taunted, "Seems like your speed's gone up, but not your power." In response, he raised his right hand, preparing for a counter. Unfazed by his mockery, I questioned, "You think so?" Without hesitation, I unleashed a rapid barrage of three punches to the same area on his liver, effectively halting his impending counter-punch. The pain etched across his face as his left hand instinctively clutched his aching liver.
Seizing the moment, I executed a graceful spin and launched a spinning back kick directly into his stomach, creating the much-needed space between us. He staggered backward as I intended. Navigating through the main dining area, I asserted, "You must not fight a lot. If the same amount of strength is sped up fourfold, it's more powerful. Simple."
I swiftly seized a nearby leftover plate, its weight balanced in my hand as I skillfully hurled it towards him. Reacting with agility, he swiped the plate away, but the diversion had served its purpose – I found myself positioned in his blind spot. Capitalizing on the advantage, I unleashed a rapid succession of strikes to the same vulnerable area on his liver, my blows landing with precision and determination. Through the fabric of his shirt, I discerned the telltale signs of swelling, evidence of the impact.
As he gurgled and staggered under the onslaught, the toll of the relentless assault evident in his every movement, I recognized an opportunity. Yet, in a surprising turn, he rallied and delivered a formidable roundhouse kick targeted at my left liver.
----------------------------------------
Health: 3500 (-1000)
----------------------------------------
I spat out a rivulet of blood to my side, feeling the sting as I clutched my side. Despite the visible toll on my body, my muscles weren't heavily damaged, thanks to the strategic health upgrades I had invested in. As I regained my composure, I found myself propelled backward, soaring over a table in the process. Instinctively, I reached out and grasped the table, arresting my mid-air flight. In a split-second decision, I twisted my body diagonally, skillfully redirecting the kinetic force onto the table. With a controlled heave, I hurled the table towards him with a stingray kick. Aware of the time constraints, I knew I had around forty seconds left before the skill ran out.
Leaping into the air, I executed a sweeping swipe to my side, generating another gust of wind. Aroha's presence loomed in the surroundings, limiting the frequency with which I could employ such maneuvers and destructive power. My opponent, vigilant and guarding against my airborne assault, leapt to meet me in mid-air.
He raised his left fist, and I raised my right. As our bodies met, clashed fists echoed. The sheer strength behind the impact caused immediate bone-cracking, resonating through both our bodies. Recognizing the advantage in my speed, I strategically bent my elbow, absorbing and then releasing the force to push him backward. The result was a line of cracked concrete on the ground beneath him.
The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
With my airtime dwindling, I gracefully descended back to the ground, locking eyes with the motionless figure below. Turning to the System in the brief moment of respite, I inquired, "Can I use a skill while in Rage?" The response, laden with a hint of uncertainty, came, "... You're not supposed to be in control. But since you still are, technically yes." A creepy smile crept across my face as I acknowledged, "Good."
----------------------------------------
Soul: 85 (-55)
Skills:
Lvl. 2 Skill Combination (Speed + Strength Booster) - Stacked the Speed and Strength Booster skills. The cooldown has activated for both of these skills, and for skill combination.
----------------------------------------
I charged forward, coming to a sudden halt right in front of him. Leaping into the air, my trajectory perpendicular to his body, I noticed his eyes were closed. The question lingered – had he succumbed and been knocked out? Unfazed by the uncertainty, my eyes and arms began to crackle with yellow electricity. Am I represented by this yellow electricity? No matter. I poised myself to descend upon him, ready to unleash a barrage of strikes.
In a sudden awakening, his eyes snapped open, and he instinctively raised his guard. Undeterred, I locked eyes with him, my expression transforming into the most menacing visage I could muster. With a chilling tone, I uttered, "Die." The onslaught began – one thousand, two thousand, three thousand, and the count continued, each punch delivered with an unprecedented speed achieved by bending the rules of the System.
The relentless assault seemed endless, a speed I acknowledged would be hard to attain under normal circumstances. The force generated by each punch served as a destructive weapon, pummeling him senseless. As the count surpassed the second thousand punch, his defenses wavered. Though he had defended well initially, his body began to swell, bleed, and his clothes tore with each subsequent blow.
I accelerated the speed even further, unleashing a destructive force that strained the concrete ground beneath us. Despite my efforts to hold back, the surroundings bore the brunt of the unleashed power. As the skill's allotted time dwindled, I stood over him, surveying the aftermath. His face was unrecognizable, his body battered, swollen, and bleeding. Yet, to my surprise, the quest hadn't concluded, leaving me in a state of concern and uncertainty.
The potent fusion of power and speed that coursed through me during the Rage state dissipated, leaving nothing. Despite having endured the battle relatively unscathed, fatigue began to settle in, this is the toll I had to pay. Reflecting on my luck in facing him, I turned around, my weariness apparent.
Just as I contemplated calling out Aroha's name, a sudden jolt of agony tore through my back muscles. A profound sense of dread enveloped me as I looked down to discover a hand protruding from my stomach, a surreal and horrifying sight. Blood erupted from my mouth, intermingling with the crimson pool forming around the intrusive appendage.
The bastard's voice, laced with cruelty, emanated from behind me, "Stupid little b***h! I don't know what you did, but you're a whole lot weaker all of a sudden." He started to compliment me for some reason, "Be proud of yourself, however; you're probably the strongest opponent the Alliance has faced. If there is a Heaven, you'd go there, Oren." He then retroactively took it back, "Aroha will soon follow. Alright, that's enough of the sentimental stuff." You callous.. piece of s**t.
----------------------------------------
Health: 0 (-3500)
----------------------------------------
He withdrew his hand from my stomach, leaving me reeling from the excruciating pain. Attempting to summon the strength to move forward, I struggled to rise but found myself collapsing flat on my face. The intensity of the pain was overwhelming, making each breath a struggle. In the throes of agony, I mustered the strength to utter words through gritted teeth, "You... why can't you... leave us alone." The plea for reprieve was ignored, a desperate sentiment underlining the dire, dire circumstances. Despite my resolve, the reality of my weakened state became painfully apparent – I could barely contend with a representative.
He stood before me, seemingly indifferent to my suffering, preparing to ascend the stairs. Desperation clawed at me as my fingers scraped against the floor. Instinctively, I knew Aroha's safety rested above. Summoning the last ounce of strength, I bellowed, "Activate, Lazarus!" The plea for assistance reverberated, carrying the weight of hope amid the shadows of impending darkness.
----------------------------------------
Soul: 105 (-80)
Skills:
Lvl. 3 Lazarus - After being given a fatal blow or when your health becomes 0, revive with half of your health restored and an increase to all your stats. 80 soul to use, one month cooldown. (Activated) The one month cooldown has commenced.
Stats:
Health: 2250 (+2250)
Strength: 300 (+114)
Speed: 300 (+116)
----------------------------------------
A convenient puff of smoke enveloped me, acting as a conduit for rapid relief from the searing pain. As the smoke dissipated, the lingering agony vanished, replaced by a renewed sense of strength and vitality. The representative swiftly ascended the stairs, leaving behind a closed hole that seemed to mend as if the blood within me had miraculously returned to its rightful place.
With the last traces of the smoke dispersing, I found myself locking eyes with him, the tension between us finally about to end. In response to my inexplicable recovery, he quipped, "That another one of your skills, Oren? Aren't you blessed?" Blood still dripping down my face, a testament to the brutality endured, I defied the odds and sprinted up the stairs, catching him off guard with a speed beyond his expectations.
Surprising him with my accelerated pace, I reached for his upper chest, gripping the skin with a determination fueled by desperation. Despite his attempt to retaliate with a punch to my cheek, my head swiveled, absorbing the impact. In a defiant move, I bit down with ferocity, locking eyes with him as if challenging him to do better. Unyielding, I reciprocated with a powerful punch directed squarely at his face. The exchange intensified as he countered with a punch of his own, the brutal dance of blows continuing in the confined space of the staircase.
----------------------------------------
Health: 2000 (-250)
----------------------------------------
He punched. I punched.
----------------------------------------
Health: 1750 (-250)
----------------------------------------
He punched. I punched harder.
----------------------------------------
Health: 1400 (-350)
----------------------------------------
He punched harder. I punched harder.
----------------------------------------
Health: 1050 (-350)
----------------------------------------
He punched slower. I punched harder.
----------------------------------------
Health: 800 (-250)
----------------------------------------
He punched even slower. I punched harder.
----------------------------------------
Health: 600 (-200)
----------------------------------------
He barely landed his punch. I punched even harder.
----------------------------------------
Health: 500 (-100)
----------------------------------------
I unleashed one final punch, the intent not merely to strike him but to push through his entire body and soul. My fist connected with his nose, and rather than stopping, it pressed forward. It broke through the barrier of his skull, relentlessly advancing until it reached his brain. It was a gruesome spectacle as blood erupted, a visceral testament to the force behind the punch. Undeterred, I continued to push, my fist traversing through the back of his skull with a surreal and relentless momentum. Blood spat out fast like a fountain. The macabre scene unfolded as I finally let my fist drop to my side. I looked up, letting the blood envelop me. Covered in the aftermath of the brutality, I stood amidst the carnage. This was my baptism, a baptism of blood.
----------------------------------------
Quest 9: Deceptive Representative
You avenged him well.
Rewards:
3000 points
1 Lvl. 1 Skill Roulette
Free Book Upgrade
Tips:
I'm sorry about Tony. He's looking down from Heaven.
----------------------------------------