"How did you find me?" the person asked, appalled by the sudden change of events.
"Next time you want to hide, don't make so much noise," Genji replied, approaching to finish her.
Panic overwhelmed the woman, and she nervously eyed the door. The next moment, she disregarded that thought, knowing full well her meager speed wasn't enough to outrun Genji.
When she realized this, a maniacal glint appeared in her eyes. Her mental powers entered a volatile state and rampaged incessantly inside her. A strong headache assaulted her, but she bore with this discomfort, desperate for survival.
"DIE!" she screamed, launching a mental shock with all her might.
Genji's head tilted backward slightly, but he easily recovered from the impact. As he walked closer, more attacks hit him and caused him a dull pain. His footsteps momentarily faltered, but he knew he had won this hunt. Now, there was no way for her to escape, even with a teleportation item.
"WHY? WHY WON'T YOU DIE?!?!?" she screamed hysterically as her hair fell out from over-exerting her powers.
"You like mental attacks? How about I show you what a real one looks like?" Genji asked, stopping in front of her and staring into her eyes. His hands grabbed her face and forced her to return the stare. Fear and the realization of what was about to happen replaced her previous frenzy. But before she could get any more words out, an irresistible impact struck her mind.
Dominance Aura: Special
Then her eyes rolled back, and foam curled from her mouth. Genji let go and her body collapsed onto the ground. Seconds later, blood poured from her orifices, and her breathing halted.
[You have slain an Enforcer of SanguineRealm.]
[You have obtained: Scarlet Card - Enforcer and 1 privilege token]
It was that simple. The hardest part about this opponent was getting past her facade and finding her real body. Once that was done, Genji had countless ways to end her. That was not to say this enforcer was weak; rather, her abilities were very powerful.
Genji did not doubt that if she was given enough time, she could easily form a large army to plow through the world. Of course, this was highly dependent on her surviving the initial stages and finding enough people weaker than her.
That was the one weakness of her abilities. Similar to [Kraken's Grasp's] Dominance Aura, her skills worked best when facing opponents weaker than her. But when she encountered adversaries with higher stats, these skills became nearly useless.
It was for this reason that Genji never heavily relied on Dominance Aura. While it worked well against some mobs, he never made it a core skill like his other legendary equipment.
It was simply not as feasible, especially with how many stronger opponents he's faced. However, with his current development, this might change, thanks to his whopping 43 points of special. It was not often his opponents had such high stats, let alone an irregular stat like "special."
Of course, this also revealed the hidden problem with these skills: the unbalanced build. To make the most use of them, one needed to focus on a single stat, leaving the others as weaknesses. This was a terrible idea since relied heavily on matchup advantage. If one could find the right opponent, then they could steamroll them. But if they were unlucky, then it was their death.
Through this analysis, Genji understood the importance of developing all his stats at once. It might be slower, but it would eventually pay off. He'd rather spend a few worlds with lower stats than rush into the higher steps with such an exploitable weakness.
Plus, it wasn't like he would be negatively impacted because of his low world count. While he still can, he should do everything he can to build a solid foundation. That way, when he progresses to the next stage, he'll be one of the strongest within his stat range.
"Now it's your turn," he muttered, turning to the pharaoh's palace.
Numerous guards with flaring auras greeted him on his approach, but he easily slipped past them with his speed. Blood spurted out of their necks as Genji passed, having stopped holding back. Now that he had an ideal mission requirement, he didn't want to waste any more time.
"Why are you doing this? We did nothing wrong!" a servant asked, devastated by the loss of life.
"It doesn't matter if you did nothing wrong. Since you made me an enemy, you need to pay the price."
"We? Didn't you start this entire thing?!?!?"
"I see. That was clever of her," Genji said, thinking back to the brainwashing woman he'd just killed. "No matter. We've come this far, so it's too late to reconcile. It's best if I end this fast."
Then he snapped the servant's neck and headed for the throne room. Upon pushing open the broad stone doors, he saw a trembling pharaoh seated on a lavish chair.
"Consider yourself unlucky. I was going to make this my last stop, but this place is in too much chaos after everything. Trying to change anything in these conditions will be a nightmare. Let's put an end to this farce so I can continue my journey."
Genji twirled his flintlock and approached the terrified ruler. "Any last words?"
"Why? Aren't you the hero who saved this world? Why are you so cruel and bloodthirsty?"
"A hero? I never accepted that title. I do what I want, and nothing can stop me. To me, only a clear conscience and living without regrets matter. And right now, my conscience is telling me to end this before it becomes a bigger issue."
"Do you not fear the Sphinx and its wrath?!? It'll never forgive you for this!" The pharaoh tried again, praying that this name would be enough to discourage him.
"And that's why I'm doing this. If I let you live, won't you just tattletale on me and give me more problems? If I kill you now, I can buy myself some time before it notices. By then, I'll be long gone and it won't be able to find me. So for my peace of mind, please die."
"Wait! I-"
*BANG*
But Genji had heard enough and pulled the trigger, blasting the pharaoh's head into bits. Then he merged into the darkness and snuck out of the city, heading for the next location to try his luck.
----------------------------------------
"Another group of travelers," Genji muttered as he munched on a piece of jerky. Beside him, Bruce kicked at a large scorpion, trying to find any form of entertainment after trekking through endless stretches of sand.
The scenery hadn't changed for hours, and if it weren't for the numerous twisted corpses they'd left behind, Bruce might have thought he was running in place.
Hearing Genji's comment, Bruce looked up with interest. In the distance, a small group of weary warriors trudged through the relentless heat on foot. Many of them were shirtless, and their ripped shorts were caked with sand and glistening sweat, forming a muddy layer on their skin.
It was a ragged group that seemed to have lost their way. Their shoulders slumped, and they wearily dragged their feet. One of them took out a water flask and uncorked it. When he turned it upside down, only a drop trickled out after a few seconds of holding that position.
The man grumbled in frustration before storing the flask away. It was clear that they had just run out of water, a dire situation in this arid environment. Without replenishing their supply soon, dehydration would claim their lives.
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As the group continued their path, one of them noticed Genji and pointed in his direction. The others turned to look and considered the idea of robbing him for supplies, but quickly dismissed it. This traveler didn't even have a water flask and appeared to be in straights than they were. Why would they risk their lives for nothing?
And so, they continued on their respective paths without disturbing one another, though they remained within sight of each other. After a few hours, Genji observed their dry, parched skin and slower movements.
One person finally couldn't bear the heat anymore and eventually collapsed, but the rest pressed on without looking back. In their current state, they couldn't save themselves, let alone help others.
"Do they know where they're going, or should I stop following them?" Genji wondered aloud as he took a swig from a bottle of water. "Maybe we should head back and continue tracing the river. At least that way, I have some assurance of finding a village."
After persevering a bit longer, they spotted the faint outline of a palm tree. Upon seeing this, the distant group perked up and quickened their pace. There was only one place with palm trees in the desert: an oasis. And an oasis meant water, a lifeline they urgently needed at this moment.
As they drew closer, their strides increased again, transitioning from a brisk walk to a light jog. Any thoughts of conserving their energy had vanished. Why bother when they could recover once they reached their destination?
However, Genji sensed something was amiss and halted Bruce. The palm tree they were approaching appeared desiccated with flaky bark, an unusual sight for a tree near water. In fact, there wasn't even a mirage, a common occurrence near oases, around the tree!
The group ahead, lost in their jubilation, failed to notice this detail and sprinted full tilt, racing to reach the tree faster than the other. And it was this impatience that led them into this trap. Realization dawned on them as they closed in, but they had no time to react.
Emerging from the sand like a dolphin in the water, a large blur darted past them from below. When the creature finally settled, it revealed a behemoth that looked like a cross between a whale and a lizard.
Using its massive front claws, the creature dismembered its prey before tossing it into its gaping mouth. After a few rough chews, it swallowed and moved on to the next body. Genji's eyes shifted to its small hind legs and then to its tail, where a "palm tree" swayed.
[Desert Stalker]
Health: 35,800/35,800
Energy: 460/460
Con: 38
Str: 38
Dex: 31
Int: 23
Spc: 12
Skills:
- Boss (Passive): +12,000 health
- Behemoth (Passive): +20,000 health, +30% body strength
- Ambush Swipe (Active): Burst out with 300% speed and launch a sneak attack dealing 200% damage
- Camouflage (Active): Appear like the desert sand to the distant eye
- Well Adapted (Passive): Unaffected by extreme environments
No other skills can be read.
"Hey, Bruce. Are you interested in trying whatever that is?"
Bruce assessed the behemoth in the distance and shook his head. Let's stick with the blood. That flesh doesn't look tender.
"In that case, I'm going all out," Genji declared with a smile as he retrieved a bottle of [Titan Feller]. "It's been a while since I killed something large with this."
Genji dismounted and activated Untraceable Movement, swiftly closing the distance to the boss. When he the proximity, he flashstepped and materialized above the creature, his saber shrouded in shadow flames.
In one fluid motion, Genji delivered a powerful slash and hurled the bottle into the wound. Then Genji kicked off the back, utilizing Like A Feather to glide away.
*KUUUAARRRR*
The behemoth roared in agony and flailed its claws erratically at an unseen enemy. Realizing the futility of its actions, it collapsed to the ground, writhing in an attempt to alleviate its torment.
Genji allowed the swirling dust storm to cloak him and propel him further upward, allowing him to manifest his flintlock. With precision, he aimed, and a massive curse-infused projectile descended, disrupting the creature's frenzied rampage.
When the behemoth regained its footing, it unleashed another roar, swinging its head wildly in search of its elusive assailant. During this, Genji positioned himself directly above the creature's head and deactivated his gliding, diving headfirst for the creature.
Dagger Arts: Impact Strike
Like a satellite strike, the behemoth's skull slammed into the ground. Genji gave the saber a hard twist and dropped another bottle of [Titan Feller] into the wound.
The creature felt its skull dissolve and thrashed about in pain. In moments of lucidity, it clawed at its head, attempting to remove the corrosive substance. However, unlike the previous wound, this one was in a more precarious position, demanding greater caution. Just one wrong move and it would dig out its brains instead.
Genji stepped back from the floundering giant and returned to Bruce. From there, they watched the frenzied outburst before the creature succumbed to the poison.
[You have slain the Desert Stalker]
[Your maximum energy has increased by 23 points]
[You have obtained 34,622 coins and the Hands of Ambush]
[Hands of Ambush]
Rating: Epic
Type: Gloves
Defense: 21
Requirements: Stealth (Master), 27 Dexterity, 28 Strength, 30 Constitution
Durability: 100/100
Effects:
1. Deadly Ambush (Passive): When launching a sneak attack, move at 200% speed and deal 200% damage on the first strike, with a 5-minute cooldown between triggers.
2. Camouflage (Active): Blend into your surroundings by manipulating the light around you, with a 4-hour cooldown.
Description: A useful pair of gloves that encompasses the core skills of a desert predator. Don't be deceived by how well it fits an assassin; you will need the strength and body of a warrior if you want to use this.
When he saw these stats, Genji instantly removed his current pair. After washing his hands to remove the sweat and the strong leather smell, he equipped the new gloves. It was a simple effect, but Genji could think of many uses for them.
"I feel sorry for anyone who has to face my assassinations."
Bruce rolled his eyes in response. I'm sure you do.
"Okay, stop dawdling. There's a lot of blood over there."
After Bruce had turned the body into a husk, Genji scavenged it for anything valuable. He pushed aside the tail and eventually focused on the claws. They were a pair of darkish bones, having survived the tunneling of sand and taken on an earthly hue. Genji peeled back the surrounding flesh before finally separating the elongated triangular weapon at the joint.
As for the hide, much of it was beyond repair and firmly attached to the muscles. Genji decided it wasn't worth the effort and left the body for the vultures.
Two days later, they came upon a large city. Unlike the other places Genji had visited, this one gave a stable impression. No sandworms were hidden under the sand as he approached. The roads were paved with sandstone, the buildings were well-maintained, and a short wall protected the people. It was a city that reflected its values.
"I hope the pharaoh ruling this place is as reliable as it looks," he commented, responding to the praises uttered by the locals. "Otherwise, I might have to settle for a smaller village for my plans."
Genji strolled through the streets and investigated the city's situation. Guards patrolled the streets frequently, checking dark corners for any signs of crime. Merchant hawked their wares and fellow travelers emptied their hunts.
While it wasn't as prosperous as the Oasis town, it exuded a strong sense of security. The pharaoh undoubtedly valued the well-being of his subjects, boosting Genji's confidence. With such beliefs, Genji was certain the ruler would accept his proposal. After all, who could refuse such a promising prospect?
Now, all Genji needed to do was confirm the uniqueness of this root. To ensure it was a significant discovery rather than reinventing the wheel.
"That's some interesting stuff you have there," he said to a random merchant.
"You have a keen eye, stranger. This is the long-lost artifact of...Forged in the..."
"Okay, I get it. How much for it?"
"What's your offer?"
"Is this enough?" Genji took out the crocodile leather and tossed it to the merchant.
The man carefully felt the parchment, scrutinizing its intricate details before giving it a hard yank. After confirming that it sprung back into place, he nodded with satisfaction.
"Yes, this is good leather. Where did you get it?"
"From a crocodile."
"The crocodiles of the great river? How rare."
"You seem knowledgeable about it."
"I've seen 2 large hunting groups bring them back, but all of them had significant casualties. Your entire group must have suffered to kill that beast. Name your price. I won't cheat you."
"You mean it?"
"Yes. You're selling this to provide for their families, right?" The merchant conjured an elaborate story about the ordeal, inwardly empathizing with this unfortunate man. 'He must be filled with guilt after everything.'
"If you say so. I'll take all of these then." Genji selected some unique equipment and showed them to the merchant.
"Hold on, aren't you selling this for money? Why are you picking weapons?"
"I never said my group died. You just made that up and agreed to sell me stuff."
Genji's response left the merchant speechless and unable to counter. How could he when Genji was right?
'Darn. Why did I have to meet such a weirdo just when I decided to be nice? Is it that much fun to act like a victim and beg for pity?'
"By the way, do you know what this is? I picked it up on the way here, but I couldn't figure it out." Genji took out a root and shifted from small talk to the main point.
The merchant it and felt its rigid structure, trying to recall if he had seen such a peculiar plant. After a while, he shook his head and returned the item.
"I'm afraid not. Even with all my experience, I haven't seen something like this."
"Is that so? Thank you then."
Genji put everything away and left the stall, satisfied with the revelation. Now he just needed to get in touch with the ruler and present his case.
However, before he could get far, Genji sensed someone's gaze. It wasn't the casual kind that came with a passing glance, but a deliberate one focused only on him. On instinct, he jerked his head at the source, but his view was obstructed by a corner.
'Let's see who's so bold,' he thought as he ran around the corner.
But when he reached the turn, he found nothing but a gust of wind. Whoever this stalker was, they were swift and had responded decisively.
'Interesting. If you're bold enough, we'll cross paths again. Otherwise, you're not worth my time.'
As Genji walked away, a hooded figure peered from behind a distant building, paying careful attention to not repeat his previous mistake.
'He's as perceptive as I remembered. No wonder my previous plan failed. It's a good thing I reacted in time or I would have exposed myself.'
Then the figure stepped into view and lowered his hood, revealing a strand of crimson hair. It was a familiar shade of red, one that Genji knew too well—one that belonged to a nemesis named Sinclair.