He was stealing my stats?! I need to get him off me! I wiggled and punched him in his pectorals, but to no effect. He shook off everything I threw at him, his grip unyielding. Desperation set in as I opened my mouth wide, sinking my teeth into his thumb. At the last moment, he released me and I tumbled to the ground, dazed and disoriented. The world spun around me, a blur of confusion and pain. "Please... someone," I muttered weakly, falling onto my stomach in defeat. Thana stood over me, his expression mocking, a sneer curling his lips. His eyes gleamed with a mix of triumph and malice, savoring the moment of victory. As my strength waned, I managed to lift my head to look at him. He was holding back a smile, a chilling sight that belied his worship. "You evil, evil..." I gasped, unable to finish the accusation. With great effort, I turned my head to the side and squinted at my stats, trying to assess the damage.
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Health: 1000 (-2000)
Strength: 6 (-2400)
Speed: 10 (-2990)
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"I lost it! My stats I've worked so hard for! No, no, no!!" I slammed my fist into the ground, cracking it. The pain shot up my arm, but it was nothing compared to the emotional turmoil. The cracks spread like lightning across the pavement, mirroring the shattered pieces of my dreams. How could this happen? All those hours of effort, all those quests, gone in an instant. Thana's boot crashed against my spine, a sharp pain holding me in place. My fingernails dug into my skin, frustration and desperation mingling in my clenched fists. I tried to flex my muscles, but they wouldn't respond. I had lost even that sort of healing ability. Thana looked down at my crumpled form, his voice cold and calculating. "You could've helped me." he said, the pressure increasing from his foot on my back. "It's so hard to not kill you by accident. If you work with me, I can give you your stats back." I spat on his other boot, anger boiling over. "Never." I snarled defiantly. He raised his boot off me, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "I have ways of convincing you." I struggled to raise myself, but slipped. In that moment, he delivered a swift kick to my chin. I was sent flying, unable to fight back.
In the air, my transformation wore off. My white hoodie turning back into dark purple. There it goes.. Another force hit me on my cheek, and I crashed into the wall. Spread eagle, I slid down, feeling the hard surface resist under my weight. Groaning, I crawled toward the door, desperate to escape. Sadly, before I could reach safety, Thana grabbed my ankle. He mocked me, his voice deep and gravelly like the Hulk's. "Hulk smash!" With a powerful swing, he lifted me into the air, and I ragdolled helplessly. For a moment, he held me aloft, letting me feel the terror of the fall to come, then slammed me onto the ground. My bones cracked, and muscles tore under the force of impact. Agony exploded through my body, and I screamed from the pain. Thana was planning this..
How haven't I died yet? I only had a thousand health left. Facing the ceiling, the room felt suffocatingly ominous. Dark shadows danced across the cracked, stained plaster, creating eerie shapes that seemed to loom over me. The walls, once a pristine black, were now marred with smears of my own blood, stark against the dim light filtering through small, high-set windows. Dust motes swirled lazily in the air, catching the feeble rays of daylight and casting fleeting, ghostly patterns across the floor.
I had lost my will to fight. Thana stood over me, his voice dripping with malice. "How about now? Want to work for me again?" Everything in my body pushed for me to say yes, to end the torment, but I just couldn't. Maybe my suffering would end soon, and I wouldn't have to sacrifice my soul. Yes, that had to be it! I slowly closed my eyes, hoping for relief. Thana crouched down and forced my eyelids open with a cruel grip. His voice turned dark and menacing. "No, that won't happen. You must suffer." He moved into a ground and pound position, dominating me with his weight. His first slap across my face was soft, almost mocking. I instinctively raised my hands to guard, but he slapped my guard aside with force. My arms slammed into the ground, the impact sending shockwaves of pain through my body.
The next few minutes blur in my memory. My power and will waned, and I endured every single blow without resistance. Human thought slipped away from me. Thana charged up a powerful punch, poised to deliver a death blow. I feared he might end me simply because I'd annoyed him. But instead, he relaxed his fist and kicked me to the side. I lay there, broken and defeated, waiting for whatever would come next.
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Soul: 640 (-10)
Skills:
Lvl. 3 Adamant Resolve - Steel your mind and body against all obstacles, temporarily becoming immune to crowd control effects and mental manipulation. 10 soul to use, five minute cooldown. (Activated) The five minute cooldown has commenced.
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This is what I wanted. Far across from Thana, near the entrance of the room, I lay there broken. That's what he thought, at least. But against all odds, I managed to stand. I faced Thana, determination burning in my eyes. I spoke to the System with a voice that barely concealed my resolve, "Sacrifice every skill except Martial Mastery, Lazarus, Strength Booster, Speed Booster, Skill Combination, Divine Might, Accelerated Impulsion Onslaught, and Unstoppable Omega Critical Hit." I heard a confirming ding, and then I summoned the Book. The System's voice explained, "60000 points added." I wished well to all those skills, for they had served me faithfully. But now, it was time. In the fastest movement I could muster, I upgraded myself one last time.
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Book Level: 5
Name: Oren Hashigana
Health: 20000
Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.
Strength: 6
Speed: 10
Defense: 30%
Soul: 8170 (+7520 Max)
Skills:
Lvl. 2 Skill Combination
Lvl. 3 Lazarus
Lvl. 1 Strength Booster
Lvl. 1 Speed Booster
Lvl. 3 Martial Mastery
Lvl. 2 Divine Might
Lvl. ??? Unstoppable Omega Critical Hit
Lvl. ??? Accelerated Impulsion Onslaught
Lvl. ??? Infinite Growth Limit (Passive) - No growth limit.
Points: 28
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Thana exclaimed, "You sacrificed nearly every skill for mere soul? Well, congrats! You can use as many skills as you want, as much as you want! You have no stats, though!" He didn't see it. He was truly blinded by his sin. I opened my palm to the sky, feeling the power surge within me. "You must not understand." I said calmly, my voice carrying a newfound strength. I flexed my arms, showcasing its vascularity. The muscles bulged, veins snaking across the surface like rivers on a map.
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Soul: 7870 (-300)
Skills:
Lvl. 2 Skill Combination (Divine Might + Accelerated Impulsion Onslaught) - Stacked the Divine Might and Accelerated Impulsion Onslaught skills. The cooldown has activated for both of these skills, and for skill combination. You have no uses left.
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Skills:
Lvl. 2 Divine Might and Lvl. 3 Accelerated Impulsion Onslaught have unmatched synergy with each-other! The parameters of the skill combination are altered. The combination of these skills is made into; "Lvl. 3 Divine Impulsion Onslaught" To use this skill as intended, fight with your life on the line.
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My aura crackled with a mesmerizing mix of red, white, yellow, and black lightning, each bolt pulsing with raw power. The red bolts flickered with a fierce intensity, the white ones gleamed with a pure brilliance, the yellow ones sparked with vibrant energy, and the black ones shimmered with an ominous darkness. Thana swiped his arm to the side, a twisted grin on his face. "Perfect, perfect! More stats for me to steal!" He lunged forward and grasped my neck, draining more of my stats with a malicious glee. In response, I instinctively lashed out, punching him in the chest. The blow seemed to have little effect. Undeterred, I threw another punch, this time putting all my power and speed into the strike.
Again, and again, and again! Each blow landed with increasing force and speed, the impact echoing through the air with a sharp noise. One punch was a lightning-fast jab, snapping out like a viper's strike, aiming directly for his midsection. The next punch was a powerful uppercut, delivered with explosive force. Then, a flurry of rapid hooks followed, each one connecting with precision, aiming for vulnerable spots—ribs, jaw, and temple.
Thana growled in frustration, his grip faltering under the relentless assault. "I can steal it quicker than you can gain!" he bellowed, attempting to ward off my punches. A black flame crept up his body, swirling around him with an ominous intensity. He's going all out. "Not at all, Thana!" I shouted loudly, my fists a blur as I intensified my assault. Thana struggled to block my blows, now resorting to using his fingers to deflect my attacks. "Take it!" I roared, pushing through his fingers with rejuvenated power. Finally, he released his grip and staggered back, forced to retreat. As the seconds passed, I could feel my strength and speed growing, fueled by the burst of power within me. My muscles tensed and swelled with newfound vigor, and I moved with a fluidity and precision that surpassed anything I had experienced before.
I dashed at Thana, my footsteps echoing through the hall as I closed the distance between us. With lightning speed, I fired off a series of strikes. A sharp hook aimed at his jaw, a straight punch towards his chest, followed by a swift front kick to his midsection. Thana was quick, dodging most of my attacks, but I managed to graze him with a few blows. Seeing an opportunity, I unleashed another powerful hook, but he anticipated it and ducked just in time. Not one to give up, I leaned forward, putting my entire bodyweight into a shoulder slam aimed at his head. The impact was jarring, sending him staggering backwards until he landed heavily on his throne. Thana's hand instinctively gripped the throne's top, steadying himself as he looked up at me, his eyes ablaze with dark flame. I stood before him, breathing heavily, locking eyes with him in an intense stare-down.
I gathered all my strength and ran at Thana for another confrontation. With every ounce of might, I closed the distance between us, bursting onward. As I reached him, I leaped into the air, coiling my knees for maximum impact. Thana, anticipating my move, raised his guard, bracing for the attack. Ignoring his guard, I executed a powerful dropkick. My feet connected with his forearm with, and Thana was sent flying backward, crashing hard behind his throne. I slipped and cracked my back against the stone throne, causing a superficial injury, but I quickly recovered and stood up. Meanwhile, Thana struggled to his knees, coughing up a few drops of blood. He's starting to take legitimate damage. That was one of the strongest attacks I could execute, but the point is.. he's possible to kill.
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Strength: 7000 (+12634)
Speed: 8000 (+15359)
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I broke the silence, my voice steady despite the unease I felt, "Every hit I land, even ones I don't, increases my stats. I also gain stats passively. Sure, this is a limited transformation, but..." Thana showed the first sign of worry on his face so far, a flicker of concern crossing his features as he processed my words. "With all my soul, I can fight for six minutes." I continued, my tone firm and resolute. Thana stared at me, his expression now a mix of anger, worry, and something else I couldn't quite place. He periodically jumped, his arms low at his side, displaying a fluid and controlled movement. Disapproval dripped from his voice, sharp with disdain, "You've increased your limit, albeit temporarily, by abusing what you were granted by God." I slid down my jacket sleeve, revealing an insignia etched into the fabric, catching the light. "If there's a limit, I haven't found it yet." I stated calmly, my eyes locked onto Thana's, daring him to challenge me further.