CHAPTER X: BATTLE AT THE RUIN TEMPLE
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TRIAL TIME 03:19
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THE VILE PLAINS
RUIN TEMPLE
CLYDE
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< YOU HAVE ENTERED A PLATINUM MANA ZONE >
< WELCOME TO THE TRIAL DUNGEON SUBJUGATION >
Scenario: “You have been summoned to the waring island nation of Serendipity to solve a dispute between warring City states. You are new to this world and have been summoned to a temple so you may learn the world from a monk. Both city-states have been ramping up for war and once they find out who you are, they will seek you as an ally and if they can’t ally with you, they will kill you.
This Trial is based on your CHOICE of Concept, and Focus. Space is a huge concept so your Focus was used to come up with an appropriate Scenario for your Class-PATH which has led to an upgraded difficulty Cultivator trial.
Join a side and defeat the other, or don’t and control more land than either nation to win.
Either way, LIVE WELL!”
{Dungeon Mode is WAR}
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“Oh, this is going to be good,” Clyde said with a big smile on his face as the light came back to the room blinding him. ”Ahhh!”
When a few seconds later he tried to open his eyes, he noticed that he was in a broken down old decrepit temple. He looked around to see five people lying on the dirt-covered ground. They were dressed in brown robes, but after further inspection, they were just filthy. He wondered why they were just lying there as he scanned the room still lying down himself. His body wasn’t feeling great, but he was slowly getting better and his bearings.
“They were all in a mana-deprived state from casting a combination spell above their tier, Colonel didn’t know how he knew that, he just knew he did, and there was nothing he could do about it for a few minutes.” The narrator informed him of their state as he rolled his eyes. He was discombobulated. So he looked at his prompts as they lit up his HUD.
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< YOU HAVE ENTERED A RUNIC WORLD LOWER ZONE >
{This zone of the world has a Cap Mana level, and little Essence levels. Therefore the cap level for any class is 70 and for any profession is Artist rank. Skill users are not limited. Specializing in this area grants triple the life extension. Each individual class can be leveled to the cap. There are no gods to offer the Cultivator quest, however. Travel further away from the islands to higher Mana/Essence areas to leave these restrictions. Be advised once you leave you cannot reenter this zone and you will lose all knowledge of the zone.
Welcome Legacy we hope you LIVE FREE or at the very least DIE WELL.}
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Clyde read the prompt a second time and was actually excited about the zone. If there was a cap that meant that the strongest either were the rulers or the left for bigger and better things. The ones who stayed were more than likely weak-willed individuals, and Colonel knew he wouldn’t lose to people like that.
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{This is a Respawn zone since you were not born in this zone you must first earn access to your respawns system before you die, or you will die permanently.}
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“Colonel had no intention of dying, but he would like to earn a respawn because there must be benefits for that as well.” The narrator stated.
He looked at the next prompt, saw his objectives, and smiled. “Too easy.”
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< DUNGEON COMPLETION OBJECTIVE LIST >
{1. Make a Stronghold.
2. Win the war.
3. Gain access to a respawn system.
4. Choose a side in conflict.
5. Solve the puzzle.
6. Face the final boss.
6. Don’t Die more than once.}
{100% Completion Bonus is a Rank upgrade.}
< 0% Completion >
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That was when Clyde felt it. Something was off, his awareness was buzzing as his sense of danger just ramped up. He kept still, and let his powers help his intuition. His perception was helpful, but it was his Title bonus that sealed the deal.
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< PERCEPTION + SUBTERFUGE CHECK >
{A Stealth enemy combatant is about to kill one of your summoners!}
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DIAMOND BONUS: Glimpse+; 99% chance to see through subterfuge. The + adds a visual representation of the subterfuge. Hopefully without transporting you halfway across time.
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Clyde didn’t even hesitate he wasn’t a very stealthy guy to begin with. His first M.O.S. in the army was a 19K or M1A1 Abrams tank crew member. They were not subtle vehicles. He told Soto he would be the tank, not because he wanted to take hits, no, he became the tank so he could do a shit ton of damage, and finish fights before they became problematic.
He looked at his map to Identify where the enemy was and saw ten red dots all around him. He concentrated on the one closest to one of the monks. He assumed they were monks at least. Then he used his boot’s item active effect.
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{ITEM NAME: Legacy Boots
ITEM TYPE: Footwear
ITEM RANK: LEGENDARY(set item)
ITEM DESCRIPTION: Black combat boots with reinforced heel and toe. They are not considered armor and can be as opaque, and in any design as you will like. These boots CANNOT be identified by any skill, item, or ability under mid-legendary.
Bonded to Colonel
ITEM EFFECT: (ACTIVE)Once per target the legacy can use Lesser Quick Step which allows him to cover a distance of up to 10 meters per piece in one step.
Cost: 100 Mana -10 per piece.
RARE MOD: 10% increase to Dexterity per piece
Current%: 50% (Not displayed on CS)
PLATINUM MOD: Self-cleaning & Self Repair
DIAMOND MOD: 10% increase in Dexterity on uneven terrain per piece
Current%: 50%(Not displayed on CS).
EPIC MOD: LOCKED
LEGENDARY MOD: LOCKED Earthquake: Once per week you can stomp creating an earthquake directed at any target you wish.}
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It must have looked crazy as Clyde went from lying on his back to standing in from of a shadow in the shape of a big cat in an instant. He instantly knew his boots were made with Space Essence, but didn’t have time to figure out how he knew.
The beast was startled out of stealth as it felt the Presence of a low-level Classer doing something impossible. The human felt around its first specialization, and the beast had killed many of those, but none were this fast. It quickly deduced that it had some items that made it faster. That was okay, it would take those items back to its tamer as a present.
Well, that was its thought as its brain was pushed out the backside of its skull. It died with at least good vibes.
Clyde shook the brain matter off of his hands as his gloves self-clean activated.
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< BATTLE LOG >
Sneak Attack!
You cause CRITICAL CATASTROPHIC HEAD TRAUMA -2800 DAMAGE to Shade Panther.
{Level 29 Shade Panther has died +6000 EXP}
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Clyde smiled as the other nine Shade panthers in the room broke stealth and turned to him, they understood that sneak attacks were more dangerous, so they never even imagined that this level ten Classer was dangerous in a straight-up fight. A sentiment that the legacy intended to rectify immediately. With another use of his quick step mod, he stood in front of another Shade Panther and punched this one killing it just as fast as the first one.
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< BATTLE LOG >
Sneak Attack!
You cause CRITICAL CATASTROPHIC HEAD TRAUMA -3100 DAMAGE to Shade Panther.
{Level 28 Shade Panther has died +5820 EXP}
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‘Still a sneak attack, nice.’ He thought as he dodged a leaping attack from a third panther. Just as he finished his roll, he quick stepped behind the off-balanced and puzzled Shade Panther and broke its neck.
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< BATTLE LOG >
Sneak Attack!
You cause CRITICAL CATASTROPHIC NECK INJURY -4300 DAMAGE to Shade Panther.
{Level 31 Shade Panther has died +9500 EXP}
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‘Whoa. That was too easy.’ The EXP had jumped a lot for just a few levels, but it was another tier above, so maybe that was why, he had to figure it out, and he had more targets to do so, seven more to be exact.
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< BATTLE LOG >
Counterattack!
You cause CRITICAL CATASTROPHIC NECK TRAUMA -1700 DAMAGE to Shade Panther.
{Level 25 Shade Panther has died +5500 EXP}
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Well six now, Clyde had backhanded a leaping beast and heard its neck snap. He toggled off his battle log and analyzed the panthers.
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< ANALYZE >
{Name: Shade Panther(Beast)(Tamed)
Level:33
HP:2820
MP:750
DR:900
Highest Stat
Physical: Dexterity
Mental: Luck
Bane: Light magic
Weaknesses: None.
Description: Shade Panthers are stealth pack hunters. While in the dark or shadows, they blend in with their backgrounds. As they level this ability transitions to an active ability. This Pack is tamed by a high-tier tamer power. At Level 30 they gain +24 DEX & LUCK, +8 STR & CON, and 2 INT per level.
EFFECTS: Confusion, Fear, Tamed}
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“There was this great feeling one got when they put the fear of the gods into their enemies.” The narrator said as Clyde read the effects with a smile. “The Legacy knew that even though they were scared the tamed Effect would prevent them from running.”
That was of course when the lowest-level Panther began to flee. “Oh no you don’t.” One quick step, and broken neck later, there were five. Clyde stood by the door so the other panthers couldn’t escape easily.
He smiled at their hesitation. That was when they did something else unexpected. They rushed to the unconscious bodies of the monks. Clyde’s smile slipped.
He toggled on his Halos and felt his mana start to fall quickly, but he had considered the monks his allies so he believed that killing the panthers would fill their pools up and bring them out of their mana depravity.
First was the Death Halo.
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{CLASS G-SPELL NAME: Greater Death Halo (Active/Toggle)
SPELL LEVEL: Student 0
SPELL EFFECT: When any enemy within a certain range of the Warlord is killed by the warlord and/or allies regains +1%HP, +1%MP, and adds 1+CL(Where CL is Class level) to DR for him and closest allies, in addition, any enemies in the Halo take an additional 10%+I (where I is intelligence) damage.
Halo range: 10-meter radius per level from Warlord. Cast time: 5 seconds. Cost: 10 mana per second. Duration: until out of mana or toggled off. Cool down: 120 seconds. Requirements: chant, be part of a team or party with at least one other member within range.
STUDENT EFFECT: The Spell can be used without allies at 25% effectiveness. (50% on targets higher Tier than you.)}
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As the halo ramped up Clyde activated his second Halo, Regeneration Halo.
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{CLASS G-SPELL NAME: Minor Regeneration Halo (Active/Toggle)
SPELL LEVEL: Student 0
SPELL EFFECT: Regeneration (Toggle): Accelerate the regeneration of other creatures.
Halo range: 2 meters radius per level from Warlord. Cast time: Instant. Cost: 1 mana per 5 seconds. Duration: until out of mana or toggled off. Cool down: None. Requirements: chant, be part of a team or party with at least one other member within range.
STUDENT EFFECT: The Spell can be used without allies at 25% effectiveness. (50% on targets higher Tier than you.)}
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Just as it came on a few monks stirred. The cats pounce on them first. But Colonel was much faster than the tier 3 beast at least with his boots, and perception working over time.
He appeared in between two leaping panthers and grabbed their hind legs, halting their forward momentum. The beast we only confused for a second before their bodies became paste as he slammed the poor lower-constitution cats together three times before they expired.
Whatever plan the other three had went out the window when before the bodies of the two dead cats hit the ground. Clyde was behind the highest level one and tried to snap its neck. But it was prepared it used an ability and clawed Clyde’s face off.
The beast felt joy, but that soon turned into fear then nothing, as the human it had just allowed his face to be hit more surprised than anything. The follow-up punch through the beast’s mouth and into its brain killing it instantly. Clyde let the battle log show him what had happened and he was now very much away he had nothing to fear.
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< BATTLE LOG >
Shade Panther does 2400 damage negated by DR
Counterattack!
You cause CRITICAL CATASTROPHIC HEAD TRAUMA -5600 DAMAGE to Shade Panther.
{Level 33 Shade Panther has died +10,000 EXP}
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That was a ton of damage negation, and Clyde was now aware of how DR was so important for front-line fighters. The EXP was really nice as well. But what was more important was with their leader dead the other two were cowed to the point that he could use his ranger and mage spells. “Ice shard!” he chanted
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{CLASS G-SPELL NAME: Ice Shard (Active)
SPELL LEVEL: Novice 0
SPELL EFFECT: Create a shard of ice the length of a short sword.
Cast Time: 2 seconds Cost:1 mana. Damage: 20 for every level of the spell + I/2 and 2% chance of slow per level of the spell. Range: 20 meters per level of the spell. Cool down: None. Requirements: Chant and hand gestures.
STUDENT EFFECT: Use extra mana to enlarge the shard to do AOE damage.
NOVICE EFFECT: Shard has more perpetrating power per level of the Spell}
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Colonel had put more mana into the shard so by the time he had fired the shard floating over his shoulder, it was the length of a pool cue. It didn’t kill the panther, but it did stop it from running. The other one was much more lucky, it didn’t suffer at all. One died by stomping, the other by a broken neck. The latter proving that grappling bypasses DR, after breaking the pinned panther’s neck he confirmed it, though the beast didn’t have much DR left after having a shard of ice rip right through it.
He looked over the last kills.
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< BATTLE LOG >
{Shade Panther X2 has died +12,400 EXP}
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He looked at the ten loot globes as they started to melt together, but then stopped when one, then all five of the monks woke up to the carnage around them.
Clyde analyzed them.
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< ANALYZE >
{PLAYER NAME: Davin Moe
LEVEL: 50
CASTE: Commoner(Classer) CLASS: Monk RACE: Mermaid
POOLS:
HP 3,200/81800 regen 3252 HP per day
MP 73/1,960 regen 1815 MP per hour
DR:0/165
AR:79/100
ATTRIBUTES:
Strength:348 Dexterity:1616 Constitution:1636 Magic:3.9 Intelligence:179 Charisma:1579 Luck:275
EFFECTS: Collared}
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< ANALYZE >
{PLAYER NAME: Sheela Moe
LEVEL: 50
CASTE: Commoner(Classer) CLASS: Monk RACE: Mermaid
POOLS:
HP 3,200/76,650 regen 3,160HP per day
MP 73/2,900 regen 1846MP per hour
DR:0/155
AR:92/100
ATTRIBUTES:
Strength:256 Dexterity:1571 Constitution:1533 Magic:5.8 Intelligence:219 Charisma:1627 Luck:154
EFFECTS: Collared}
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< ANALYZE >
{PLAYER NAME: Oprah Samson
LEVEL: 50
CASTE: Commoner(Classer) CLASS: Monk RACE: Mermaid
POOLS:
HP 3,200/77,200 regen 3178HP per hour
MP 73/1950 regen 1890MP per hour
DR:0/155
AR:98/100
ATTRIBUTES:
Strength:289 Dexterity:1526 Constitution:1544 Magic:3.9 Intelligence:256 Charisma:1634 Luck:153
EFFECTS: Collared}
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< ANALYZE >
{PLAYER NAME: Alon Joy
LEVEL: 60/30
CASTE: Noble CLASS: Inquisitor/Lord RACE: High Elf
POOLS:
HP 3,200/9900 regen 3341HP per hour
MP 73/2950 regen 5295MP per hour
DR:0/350
AR:900/1000
ATTRIBUTES:
Strength:89 Dexterity:110 Constitution:198 Magic:5.9 Intelligence:3,143 Charisma:2,152 Luck:1370
EFFECTS: Glamor charm}
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He noticed something funny about Alon’s presence. He had a reddish glow around him. ‘Hmm looks like we have a traitor in our mist.’ Clyde thought as he analyzed the last monk who had a glowed yellow.
As they all slowly stood the Moe’s were definitely related by blood, they both had smooth dark skin, and blue hair, and not just dyed blue it was natural, even Davin’s beard was blue. Oprah had olive skin and beautiful green hair in cornrows. None were very tall, but that didn’t mean much with their levels.
Alon looked like two different people, one short with green hair like Oprah and his real elf face which was pale skinned with long pointy ears, his face had a scowl on it taking away from the elf’s preternatural beauty but also confirming that the last monk was the first person Clyde had to talk to, as the scowl of the elf was aimed at the last person.
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< ANALYZE >
{PLAYER NAME: Peck Joy
LEVEL: 43
CASTE: Commoner(Classer) CLASS: Cleric RACE: Half Mermaid/Elf
POOLS:
HP 7,000/12,500 regen 3777HP per hour
MP 73/2450 regen 5071MP per hour
DR:0/135
AR:79/100
ATTRIBUTES:
Strength:157 Dexterity:110 Constitution:250 Magic:4.9
Intelligence:1544 Charisma:3527 Luck:1110
EFFECTS: Oath beaker}
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‘This one seems like he has a story to tell.’ He looked at the monks as they looked around confused at the loot globes. The three Mermaids that weren’t suspicious players, all looked at Clyde with reverence. Peck looked at him warily, and then he looked at Alon just as Alon started to cast a spell, not what he thought they were going to do, and he wasn’t going to let that happen.
“Who is in charge?” He said loud enough for everyone in the small broken-down church to hear.
Alon’s spell fizzled out. “How do you know our language?” He asked surprised.
Clyde was a bit surprised as well. He had spoken a completely different language but didn’t know how he knew it. But this wasn’t his first rodeo. “I asked a Question Alon Joy.”
More than his linguistic skills, the fact that he knew the true name of the elf shook him. But it was the other three’s reaction that showed how little Clyde knew about this new world.
The elf’s face went red as he looked at Peck with rage in his eyes. “Peck you dare tell someone my true name.”
But Peck wasn’t idle he had used the legacy’s distraction to get to the other three monks. “I didn’t Father, but I am glad he knows.” Peck smashed a glass vial in between his hands releasing a wave of water mana into the building. The other monks pulled their staffs out of storage devices and prepared to defend themselves. The water mana started to pour into the three full mermaid bodies as they grew bigger their collars growing with them.
Alon looked at them with interest, but not fear. “I see you have planned your betrayal well, did you kill off the tamer’s pets before I could wake up?” He looked at the loot globes trying to figure out the situation. But ultimately it didn’t matter to him. They were all weak. Even the summoning was a failure. He looked back at the human they had summoned a level 10 nobody. He pulled out a small remote controller and pushed a button making all but Peck freeze in place.
But before Peck could answer to everyone’s surprise the Level 10 nobody crossed the room instantly. Clyde had made all of his gear invisible except his pants and shirt so when the barefoot man in army trousers and a sleeveless shirt stood in front of the slowly growing mermaids even Alon froze.
“I asked a question.” He said to Peck with his back to Alon. He analyzed the collar around their neck.
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< ANALYZE >
{Item Name: Mermaid Slave Collar
Item Type: Controlling collar
Item Rank: Platinum
Item description: A copper Collar infused with mind and domination Mana.
Item Effect: Makes wearer a willing servant up to level 50.
Rare Mod: Skill growth and leveling is cut in half while wearing collars.
Platinum Mod: Kill order.}
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Then something unexpected happened. His Trade sight pinged him as well.
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< TRADE SIGHT >
{Item Name: Mermaid Slave Collar
Item Type: Controlling collar
Item Rank: Platinum
Durability: 10
Time worn: 110 years
Item description: A copper Collar infused with mind and domination Mana. This item is severely damaged.
Item Effect: Makes wearer a willing servant up to level 50.
Rare Mad: Skill growth and leveling is cut in half while wearing collars.
Platinum Mod: Kill order.}
< NOTE >
{All controlling collars can not be touched by a collar wearer.}
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In four quick movements, the glow on all four collars disappeared, freeing the mermaids for the first time in a century. That was when Clyde knew what he had to do, the fact that this person had been enslaved for a hundred years made his eyes go red. He turned to Alon. “You enslaved your own son for a century.” It wasn’t a question.
“Yes, he had to prove his loyalty which he clearly has failed at.” The elf said matter of factly. “You shouldn’t have done that those collars are worth more than all your lives combined.” He dismissed the human and looked at the now-human-size mermaids and the larger-than-average size Peck. “Do you really want to take on the Imperium?”
Before Peck could answer Clyde surprised everyone again. He crossed the distance to the Inquisitor and smashed his elbow into his mouth breaking his perfect smile in blood and gore. Alon reeled back in pain for the first time in centuries and didn’t know how to react, not that the Legacy let him recover to react. Clyde just kept punching, and punching, and punching. Alon didn’t have a shield up his DR was at zero because of the summoning and his mana hadn’t recovered enough.
The Elf hadn’t been in a fistfight since the fall of the roman empire on earth so naturally, he was getting his ass kicked. The only reason why he was still alive was because of the tier disparity, but that was only helping so much. Clyde empowered his punches with his anger. Ice shards start to form around him as he punched. Then he felt two things. Another player was closing in fast, and Alon’s face caving in. An ice shard that had been floating next to him mentally slammed into the elf’s eye taking the last of his HP.
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< BATTLE LOG >
{You caused CATASTROPHIC HEAD TRAUMA -5600 of melee and magic DAMAGE to Alon Joy.
{Level 60 Inquisitor has died +100,000 EXP. Bonus EXP for killing a True classer is all his Free EXP +10,534,000 EXP.}
< NOTE >
{Destroy the phylactery of Alon within 48 hours or lose 90% of the Bonus EXP}
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As the Loot globe rose from Alon’s body, Clyde look at the front door of the church as it burst open to a female red-headed elf with a face that was full of rage. “Peck Joy! Did you betray my husband?”
Four ice shards slammed into a mana shield surrounding her and broke apart harmlessly.
“I guess it’s not going to be that easy,” Clyde said calmly. “It’s all good I got nothing, but time, space, and opportunity.” He quick stepped to her and clotheslined the wide eye elf. Just as he analyzed her. To see what he was dealing with.
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< ANALYZE >
{PLAYER NAME: Deena Joy
LEVEL: 61
CASTE: Commoner(Classer) CLASS: Beast Tamer RACE: High Elf
POOLS:
HP 8030/15,150 regen 3748HP per day(Halted)
MP 773/2050 regen 5998MP per hour(3750 for tamed beast Rukh)
DR:350/350
AR:900/1000
ATTRIBUTES:
Strength:189 Dexterity:150 Constitution:303 Magic:4.1 Intelligence:3445 Charisma:2553 Luck:1210
EFFECTS: Dungeon sickness, Rage, confusion}
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He didn’t do much damage, but that wasn’t what he wanted. Deena had a satchel that sounded like it had two glass vases in it. When she hit the ground all the air was pushed out of her. Again being a long-lived race, and also being the dominant race, didn’t give these elves a chance against a man who had been fighting all his life. The fact his physical stats were on the same level as theirs even though he was forty levels below them was actually kind of sad Clyde thought.
“What Colonel would find out later was that getting Titles on a runic world was harder than on a new Breaking one.” The Narrator informed him.
He didn’t care to process that as his perception pinged him again. A massive beast was landing on the...
The roof was ripped off the ruined temple, and Clyde had to dodge the falling debris. Deena wasn’t so lucky, as a piece of a pillar fell on her lower half, shattering her remaining DR and crushing her legs. She screamed in pain.
Clyde was disappointed. ‘This is a level 60 Classer? How... unimpressive.’ That was when he looked up at the creature that caused all the damage and smiled, it seemed the battle at the ruined temple was just getting started.