Exhausted and drained from the intense battle, I made my way over to the cooler, my muscles aching with every step. With trembling hands, I reached for a water bottle, the cool plastic providing a welcome relief against my overheated skin. Falling to my knees, I twisted off the cap and greedily drank every last drop of water, the refreshing liquid soothing my parched throat and replenishing my depleted hydration. Gasping for air as I finished, I tossed the empty bottle aside, watching it roll down the hillside as I allowed myself a moment to rest.
Turning my gaze skyward, I opened my palm and focused my will, summoning the book into my grasp. With a flash of energy, it materialized in my hand. I upgraded quickly, clicking what I needed. I was completely set on getting the Protection skill, as I would need it to protect Aroha.
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Book Level: 4
Name: Oren Hashigana
Health: 5700
Strength: 470 (+20)
Speed: 500 (+30)
Defense: 11%
Soul: 310
Skills:
Lvl. 2 Skill Combination
Lvl. 3 Lazarus
Lvl. 1 Hard Slam
Lvl. 1 Strength Booster
Lvl. 1 Speed Booster
Lvl. 1 Triple Strike
Lvl. 1 Cross-Arm Guard
Lvl. 1 Critical Hit
Lvl. 2 Danger Sense
Lvl. 1 Sledgehammer
Lvl. 1 Rage
Lvl. 1 Stealing Skills
Lvl. 2 Guaranteed Dodge
Lvl. 2 Peeking
Lvl. 2 Sword Power
Lvl. 1 Passive Healing
Lvl. 3 Roulette
Lvl. 3 Solomonic Adaptability
(+) Lvl. 3 Protection
Lvl. ??? Infinite Growth Limit (Passive) - No growth limit.
Points: 238
Shop:
Stats: 90p
Lvl. 1 Nullify - Nullify one ailment or status. 20 soul to use, one week cooldown. 1000p
Lvl. 3 Weapon Mastery - Any weapon that you pick up is able to hurt Gifted. Consequently, you are able to use it at an expert's level. 50 soul every minute of use, one day cooldown. 6000p
Upgrade Book: 50000p
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I walked towards the next indicator, located within the dense forested area of the mountain, the pain from my injuries weighed heavily on my mind. My shoulder throbbed with every step. Despite my best efforts to ignore it, the pain persisted, making each movement a struggle. In an attempt to distract myself, I focused on formulating a strategy for the upcoming fight. I knew that my next opponent could be even stronger, and I needed to be prepared for whatever skills they might present. I rehearsed my plan of attack in my mind, visualizing each move with precision. I resolved to provoke my opponent into making a reckless charge, luring them into a trap that I had carefully laid. When they least expected it, I would unleash a devastating Hard Slam, using their own momentum against them to deliver a crippling blow. If that didn't finish them off, I would follow up with a rapid series of blows, unleashing a Triple Strike to overwhelm them with a flurry of blows.
I scanned the grassland, searching for any sign of my opponent, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that I felt. The moist earth squelched beneath my shoes, and the rustling of leaves in the nearby trees only added to the sense of said unease. Could he be hiding in the dense foliage, biding his time until the perfect moment to strike? With speed, I swiped the air with my forearm, sending a powerful gust of wind to obliterate the trees surrounding me. But as the debris settled, there was still no sign of the enemy. I grimaced in frustration, preparing to repeat the process when suddenly, a sharp pain seared across my cheek. A knife had sliced through the air, narrowly missing me but leaving a deep gash in its wake.
Reacting on instinct, I spun around and delivered a powerful roundhouse kick, shattering the trees to my south. From the wreckage emerged a figure, tall and imposing, with striking red hair cascading down his shoulders and a face that exuded an air of dangerous allure. Black knives materialized around his fingers as he introduced himself. "I'm sure you know who I am." he declared, his gaze piercing. "I'm the Representative of Recruitment. A displeasure meeting you." He's the one who created the black material!
I seized the opportunity to taunt him, "How did you like Time ruining your school recruitment?" I challenged. To my surprise, he responded with a snicker, a gesture that portrayed his arrogance. "That fool ruined some plans, but helped me in some others." he retorted cryptically, his tone dripping with amusement. In response, he launched a barrage of knives with incredible velocity, each one aimed at me with deadly accuracy. But I was quicker, my reflexes infinitely faster, allowing me to deflect each projectile away. Some embedded themselves into the distant trees, while others fell harmlessly to the ground. His demeanor shifted, transitioning from aggression to caution. "I was right. I can't beat you, not alone at least," he admitted, adopting a defensive posture as he acknowledged the futility of facing me single-handedly.
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As Recruitment unleashed his attack, a bright red portal materialized before us, revealing the unexpected figure of Adalard. His appearance, however, was unsettlingly devoid of the vibrant energy and life that had once characterized him. Instead, he seemed mechanical, as if stripped of his own will and autonomy. I strained my senses, desperately hoping that this was some twisted illusion or manipulation. To my dismay, it was indeed Adalard standing before us, his once lively features now hollow and vacant. It was as if his very essence had been hollowed out, leaving behind a mere shell of his former self. Recruitment's callous laughter pierced through as he revealed the sinister truth behind Adalard's transformation. "I made a deal with him." he admitted. "The Alliance fixed him in return for his allegiance. But you and I know, he wouldn't work with terrorists, so I had a friend torture him into shape!"
I shivered, the depths of Recruitment's depravity laid bare for all to see. In a desperate attempt to reach the real Adalard buried deep inside his subconscious, I called out to him, hoping to break through the haze of manipulation that clouded his mind. "Hey, this isn't you! Get it together, man!" I pleaded. Recruitment's response was chillingly dismissive, extinguishing any flicker of hope that remained. "Sadly, another one tried the same thing you did," he remarked callously. "Limitless had to die at his brainwashed friend's hands! Point being, he's not coming back."
Recruitment's callous words continued, amplifying the sense of despair and disbelief. "Does this create emotional turmoil within you? Well, I got some more for you," he taunted. The portal shimmered once more, this time emitting a white glow as The Blaze Dragon stepped through, his eyes similarly devoid of the vibrant energy and determination that had once defined him. He felt alive, though. Recruitment's arms stretched wide as he proclaimed to the heavens, reveling in the chaos and suffering he had wrought. "Adalard helping us is just a case of torture, but Jun here is just a case of power-driven insanity! He wanted to be stronger, so we helped him!" he declared, his words ringing with a sense of triumph.
I couldn't help but confront Jun, grappling with the horrifying reality of his betrayal. "Is this true? You are helping out terrorists for power?!" I demanded, my voice tinged with a mix of disbelief and anguish. Jun's response was tinged with resignation, his demeanor betraying the weight of his choices. "You wouldn't understand," he sighed, a sense of weariness evident in his voice. With a subtle tug on his belt, he resolved himself to face me, his determination unwavering. "after my loss against the Red Samurai, I realized that Judo wasn't evolved enough to handle immense stat differences. Now, I shall prove my 'Evolved Judo' is strong enough to best you."
Jun lunged forward with his tackle, his speed and precision were evident, his stats rose since the last time I've seen him. I backed up, but despite doing so, he managed to seize hold of my pants with his thumb and index finger, his grip somehow firm as with a full grab. He attempted to raise me to slam me face-first into the ground, but I countered, instinctively raising my knee and delivering a powerful stomp to the back of his head. The impact was powerful, blood trickling from the wound on the back of his head, but to my surprise, he maintained his grip, his determination unbroken. I prepared to deliver another decisive blow, but before I could act, Adalard intervened.
He struck me with a left hook. Adalard's strike landed hard, and I felt the power, driving the breath from my lungs. His fist opened into a hand, he swiftly seized the fabric of my shirt, anchoring me in place before I could fall back from the force of his blow. He tightened his hand, preventing any escape. Meanwhile, Recruitment revealed himself in the sky above, launching a barrage of knives aimed directly at me.
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Soul: 290 (-20)
Skills:
Lvl. 1 Speed Booster - Increase your speed by 150% for three seconds. 20 soul to use, one minute cooldown. (Activated) The one minute cooldown has commenced.
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I shook myself free from the tight grips of both Adalard and Jun, my muscles flowing freely. I launched into a flurry of punches and hooks aimed at Adalard's chest and Jun's head. Each blow was delivered with precision, the impact reverberating through my arms, but I tempered my strength, ensuring they remained on their feet instead of being sent flying backward. They stumbled to the ground, and I quickly scanned the sky. The knives fell quicker than I expected, and I instinctively stepped back, narrowly avoiding the deadly blades as they sliced through the grass with a hiss. A voice broke the silence, gleeful. It was Recruitment, standing on the ground where I had just been standing moments before. "Lucky me." Feeling the impact of the knives striking my back, I opened my mouth in surprise, yet no sound left it. The sensation was excruciating as the blades pierced through my skin. Blood seeped from the wounds, staining my clothes crimson.
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Health: 200 (-5500)
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I fell hard to the ground, the impact driving the knives deeper into my chest. Amidst everything, my mind raced to assess the situation. I forced my gaze towards the spot where the knives had originated, squinting through the haze of pain to focus on a thin black string. Following the string's path, my eyes widened in shock as they landed on a massive crossbow fashioned from the same dark material. It was cleverly concealed amidst the distant trees, obscured by the foliage I had summoned to block the view. How had Recruitment managed to orchestrate such a thing?! With a growl of defiance, I slammed my fist into the ground, the earth shuddering. Before I could act on my impulse to rise and retaliate, Recruitment crouched before me, his presence a mocking reminder of his control over the situation. "I planted that crossbow in preparation for this fight." he admitted casually, his body language emanating a smug satisfaction. "Those two were nice meat shields."
I looked at the bright side, however. Those two are completely out of this fight and my Lazarus skill, the ultimate trump card in my arsenal, should be off cooldown by now. I planned my next move, ready to spring back into action and end this confrontation once and for all. Recruitment's whispered to me, completely shutting down any of those thoughts. "I also know about your Lazarus skill." he murmured. "I'm going to stab you in the head to circumvent that."