Luke, Sam, Gareth, and Travis were sitting in Hopkins's parking lot drinking hot chocolate as they watched the battles in the [Arena of the Ancients] by the concrete wall that had been operating almost nonstop.
Luke had dragged them here to get away from Mr.Brindley. The fat cat had been a friend of Luke's mom. But she was down in Seattle right now, and Mr.Brindly had creeped him out.
People were fighting against the illusionary lesser hydras or each other. Unfortunately, Sam hadn't brought them out here for anything social. Luke had managed to get back to level 17, getting to [Water Enhancer] Level 4. But it wasn't enough progress and it was bothering him.
"Alright, Luke, what's this all about?" Sam asked as she tossed a piece of bubble gum into her mouth. "You've been moping around since we got into that fight with those assholes."
"Yeah. I mean, my little bro is kinda like that, but he's been throwing himself into his work since he died, and you know, he actually died." Gareth pointed out.
Gareth's harsh words felt like a blade of ice to his heart, and Luke had to force himself not to flinch as the guilt wormed its way through his stomach.
"I'm fine …" Luke muttered.
"What is it, dude? You beat the shit out of that Hydra. So what the hell is wrong with --" Gareth was cut off as Luke blurted it out.
"Look, I'm fine!!" Luke all but shouted, "But we … we lost that fight."
"It's ok, Luke." Travis began.
"Travis, you fought that guy to a standstill, solo. Penny can apparently brainwash people. Hell, you technically won your fight since your guy died," Luke said. "The rest of us got our asses handed by one asshole."
Travis signed. "Yeah, because he was a beta-tester, and you weren't."
"That feels extremely condescending." Luke shot back.
Travis rolled his eyes. "It's not personal. They're just better at this than you."
"Ok, and how do we get there."
"Git gud," Travis said.
"Oh, thanks, that's helpful," Luke said sarcastically. "I meant how? What classes do I pick? What skills should I get? I need some actual advice."
Travis rolled his eyes.
"I wasn't trying to troll you. I meant what I said. There is no class or special skill that's going to magically make everything easy. Sure, the skills can help, especially skills that work together well, and honestly, you have too many classes as is.
But what matters is your actual skills. Not your system skills. Your real skills. Your movements need to be speedy, and your attacks should be precise. You need to learn the move sets of your enemies. You need to learn their classes and their skills and how they might deploy them. You need intelligence, patience and perseverance. You need to git gud."
"But that's going to take so long." Luke moaned
"Of course it will. Nothing worth anything comes easy. We all struggle, Luke. Every one of us can get knocked down and frustrated throughout our lives. We fail, and we experience loss. In order to continue on our journey, we have to focus, practice, and learn from our mistakes. And a bit of help from a friend never hurts.
"But I don't want to need help," Luke muttered.
"You will always need help, Luke. We all do. These things I am saying are not you, nor are they specific to you. It is advice as old as time itself. Passed down from generation to generation since before the age of the ancients. So you see, get gud is not some dismissive meme. Quite the contrary. It speaks to a truth at the heart of our entire lives. It is, in fact, the best advice that anyone could ever give you."
"Wow, I don't really know what to say."
Travis shrugged.
"You don't need to say anything, Luke. You just need to try. But if you really want to get stronger, stop whining and start grinding those skills."
"And you ruined it," Luke grumped.
Travis pulled his sword out and walked towards the Arena.
"Are you just going to sit there, or are you going to train?" Travis asked.
Luke picked up his sword, droplets of water forming on the blade as he did before he followed after Travis as he got to the arena.
Travis stood in the middle of the arena, his sword drawn, before he pulled out his phone and turned on country music.
"What?! I like to listen to music while I play," Travis said, observing Luke's confused look.
DING!!!
You have been challenged to a duel in the [Arena of the Ancients]!!!
Travis The Lizard Wizard vs Luke Gracson
Terms: None
Wager: None
As a Duel in the [Arena of the Ancients], death has been suspended.
Accept Y/N
The moment Luke accepted the duel, he charged forward, bringing his sword around for Travis's head. Travis disappeared Luke's sword, swishing through the air, trailing water almost like the reverse of air bubbles when you waved your arm in the water.
Then [Third Labor] screamed at him. Luke turned just in time to see multiple fireballs before they impacted his centre of mass. The spell exploded with enough force. He bounced off the invisible walls that surrounded the arena as the flames washed over his body, charing his skin to a crisp.
DING!!!
Travis the Lizard Wizard has Defeated you in a duel.
Would you like a rematch? Y/N
<[Third Labor] has Reached Level 24>
"What just happened??" Luke asked as he got up uninjured, thanks to the arena's magic.
"I teleported to the left. Then I hit you with multiple fireballs until you died." Travis said as he reactivated the arena's magic.
"What exactly was I supposed to learn from that?" Luke asked.
"You do not understand how I fight, and you need to use those skills of yours to pay better attention," Travis said. "I'm a mana leech Spellsword. My first move will always be to use most of my mana pool to soften up my target before I engage in melee," Travis explained.
Sam and Gareth stepped into the arena with Luke.
"We want to do two on two?" Gareth asked.
"Three on one," Travis said, swishing his sword through the air before gesturing for them to take him on.
DING!!!
You have been challenged to a duel in the [Arena of the Ancients]!!!
Travis The Lizard Wizard vs Luke Gracson, Gareth Brown, Samatha Mato
Terms: None
Wager: None
As this is a Duel in the [Arena of the Ancients], death has been suspended.
Accept Y/N
Luke charged forward, this time using [Rapid Water Steps] as Travis teleported away. Luke slid past the fireball with his increased speed. Gareth took the blast head-on, grunting as his body was enveloped in fire. Sam had already drawn an [Infused powershot] and aimed it directly towards Travis's head.
Travis merely tilted his head out of the way, blasting Sam with another fireball. Sam was sent rolling backwards as Luke charged, unleashing a [First Labour] that Travis dodged before he sliced Luke's leg open with his sword.
"Gah," Luke hissed as he spun and swung at Travis again.
"Missed me." Travis taunted as he ducked under the attack and sliced under his arm.
"[All Eyes on Me]," Gareth called out as he charged directly at Travis.
[All Eyes on Me] - Rare
[All Eyes on Me]: Restrict the focus of your enemies' attention on your person. The radius of an area of effect is equal to 1 meter per skill level.
Travis's head jerked towards Gareth as he swore.
"Dammit, Gareth. I think you just gave me a crick in my neck." Travis groaned as he [Blink stepped] behind Gareth just as he tried to put his axe through the lizard wizard's head.
Instead, Gareth stumbled, pulling his attack to avoid hitting Luke. Then Travis kicked him from behind, causing Gareth to stumble right into Luke and head butt him in the nose.
"Ah, mah nose!!" Luke winced, completely bent over as he reflexively clenched his shattered septum, his eyes watering. “Nat door falt Graare!”
"Aw Sorry Luke!!" Gareth apologized profusely.
Luke shook his head as he exhaled through his mouth. Then Travis ran his blade through Gareth's chest.
"You guys realize the match is still on, yes?!" Travis asked as he ripped his blade through Gareth's side, carving out a chunk of Gareth's chest as he stood back.
"The fight is still on. Don't lose focus!!" Travis hissed.
Luke barely heard a word as he raised his sword, then lunged at Travis in a blur. They clashed one sword against a sword. Water and mana were sent everywhere with every clash. Luke clearly had the edge in strength, and his collection of legendary skills, but Travis had an even bigger advantage in speed and was far more familiar with how to use his skills in combat. It was a battle between a prodigy and an old warhorse. Travis knew all of this before the fight, and he was clearly trying to force Luke to improve by brutally punishing his every mistake.
Sam hadn't been idle. Magic whirled around her hands as a spectral bear popped into existence. Its body was tiny, only coming up to her stomach, and deep purple in colour.
[Spirit of the Ursa Nox] - Historic
[Spirit of the Ursa Nox]: Draw from your bloodline and summon the spirit of the Ursa Nox. a powerful ancestral spirit with the ability to protect and heal. Spirits level and skill levels are dependent on the level of this skill.
She almost immediately moved over to Gareth, and the healing magic started to surround his downed friend as she drew an arrow and waited for her chance to strike.
Luke and Travis didn't give her many openings as they clashed. Travis was showing just how fast he could move with just two of his skills.
[Blink Step] - Rare
Stolen story; please report.
[Blink Step]: A skill that allows the user to perform short-range line-of-sight teleportation. Ideal for quick repositioning in combat or evading attacks. Increase range by 1 meter per skill level. Mana cost: 25 Mana
[Perfect Motion] - Rare
[Perfect Motion]: Increase your AGIL, DEX and PER by 1.5% per skill level. Cost 100 Mana per minute.
Between his enhanced speed and the constant teleportation, Luke struggled to keep up, and his six labour skills worked overtime with [Rapid Water Steps] to compensate for his lack of agility.
Luke's sword work was still a shallow trick, but it was developing into what might one day be a well-honed style. But right now, he realized that he was basically a child. Worse, his lack of speed was holding back his skills to the point that he felt like he was constantly reacting to his opponent.
On the other hand, while Travis wasn't a master of the blade pre-system, he had fully developed his fighting style and incorporated as much magic as martial technique into his own swordsmanship.
Luke was being forced on the defensive as Travis teleported around him, dropping spells and attacking him from odd angles. A single moment of inattention would give Travis an opening, and he was stuck doing little more than parrying and dodging what seemed like an endless forest of blades as he spammed [Rapid Water Steps].
"[Snatch]," Sam called out.
[Snatch] - Uncommon
[Snatch]: This skill specializes in swift, subtle theft. It allows the user to teleport a small item directly into their hand. The size of the object that can be stolen and the range from which it can be taken increased by 1% per skill level. Additionally, the target’s perception of the event is reduced by 0.5% per skill level, making the act of stealing nearly undetectable.
All of a sudden, Travis stumbled as his sword was now tightly gripped in Sam's hand.
Luke didn't miss the opportunity as he activated [First Labor] and [Sixth Labor]. His sword glowed that familiar orange as it grew as large as a tree with veins of mana running through it, and he brought it down with all of his strength.
Travis didn't panic or even look away. He simply opened his mouth and sucked in his sword like it was a slushie. Luke stumbled as the effects of [Sixth Labor] disappeared. Luke's sword crashed into the ground a foot away from Travis as the Lizard Wizard's scales started to glow the same orange as Luke's sword.
[Body of Magic] - Legendary
[Body of Magic]: In concert with [Consume Magic], the user takes on aspects of the magic they have devoured, augmenting their stats and granting them various other buffs from type damage, buffs, and defences. Using [Consume Magic] on multiple different sources of magic will result in multiple buffs, each with its own timer. The strength of this effect increases by 5% per skill level. Each effect lasts 1 minute per skill level.
"Good attempt," Travis chuckled. "But you shouldn't bet everything on one attack. Otherwise, you're going to get screwed."
"Thanks for the advice," Luke said, smiling as he raised his sword, [First Labor] still glowing on his blade despite Travis's efforts.
"Good thing I'm the distraction," Luke said.
"[Turret Stance: Rapid Fire] [Blast Shot]," Sam said as she unleashed an arrow.
[Blast Shot] - Epic
[Blast Shot]: Upon impact, this shot detonates in a powerful explosion, dealing area damage to surrounding targets. Cost: 42 Stamina.
Level 20 Capstone - [Turret Stance] - Ancient
[Turret Stance]: This skill allows the user to adopt one of several specialized stances, each enhancing a different aspect of combat. In any of these stances, the user becomes immobile and unable to move without breaking the stance.:
1. [Sniper Stance]: Increases range by 5% per skill level and damage by 2.5% per skill level. However, the firing rate is decreased by 50%.
2. [Machine Stance]: Boosts fire rate by 5% per skill level.
3. [Guard Stance]: Enhances armour rating by 5% per skill level but reduces fire rate, range, and damage by 50%.
4. [Artillery Stance]: Increases range by 25% per skill level and damage by 5% per skill level. However, the firing rate is decreased by 90%.
5. ECT.
Travis tried and failed to dodge as the arrow impacted his chest. The arrow exploded with enough force that even from almost six feet away, Luke was knocked on his ass. Two more arrows slammed into Travis before he teleported away worse for wear, blood seeping up from his scales and a dozen gashes crisscrossing his body. Sam didn't let up as she kept firing arrow after arrow forcing Travis to constantly teleport around to avoid getting blown off his ass. At one point, she got lucky and hit Travis's tail, blowing it clean off.
"Fucking!! SHIT!!!" Travis screamed as his tail hit the dirt. "That fucking hurt!"
Luke waited for the next shot, but nothing came. Looking back, he found Sam completely passed out, but Gareth was slowly getting to his feet, and the bear spirit remained over Sam's unconscious body.
"Good trick. But if you can't put down your target, it's a bit too stamina-hungry." Travis chuckled, his scales now glowing both orange and blue.
DING!!!
The Lizard Wizard has activated [Ether Dragons Heart], increasing all of his stats by 100%
Travis pulled a spare sword from his inventory.
"My turn," Travis said as he shot forward. Luke tried to parry his sword, but his strength advantage was completely gone, and Travis battered away his sword before gutting him with the blade.
You have been afflicted with [Aether Wyrms Venom]
All resource regeneration has been reduced by 1% for every instance of [Aether Wyrms Venom] for 10 seconds
Luke barely saw the notification before he felt the familiar pull of … well, not death, but whatever the [Arena of the Ancients] did to him when he died within. His body was unresponsive, but he could see everything within the arena: Gareth and the Ursa Nox spirit lept at Travis.
Travis just grabbed the Ursa Nox spirit out of the air and drained away the mana in its body, causing it to die nearly instantly and empowering the lizard wizard just as the power he had taken from Luke began to fail. Gareth lasted longer than Luke did. His knack for combat allowed him to survive two of Travis's attacks before Travis teleported behind him and blasted him with [Dragons Breath] as he disembowelled him. Then Travis moved over to the still passed-out Sam and slit her throat.
DING!!!
Travis the Lizard Wizard has Defeated you in a duel.
Would you like a rematch? Y/N
<[Power of the Sea God] has Reached Level 2>
<[Power of the Sea God] has Reached Level 3>
<...>
<[Power of the Sea God] has Reached Level 8>
<[Posedian's Sea] has Reached Level 25>
<[Third Labor] has Reached Level 24>
<[Third Labor] has Reached Level 25>
<[Fourth Labor] has Reached Level 26>
<[Fifth Labor] has Reached Level 26>
<[Sixth Labor] has Reached Level 24>
<[Vitality of the Cretan Bull] has Reached Level 19>
<[Vitality of the Cretan Bull] has Reached Level 20>
<[Tide Ripper] has Reached Level 2>
<[Tide Ripper] has Reached Level 3>
<...>
<[Tide Ripper] has Reached Level 14>
<[Rapid Water Steps] has Reached Level 2>
<[Rapid Water Steps] has Reached Level 3>
<...>
<[Rapid Water Steps] has Reached Level 8>
"Ugh," Luke rose to his feet as the cartilage in his nose snapped back to its proper position, and his wounds vanished like the illusions they were.
"You guys ok?" Travis asked as he tested his tail.
"How the hell did you lose to those assholes earlier?" Luke asked as he rose to his feet.
"I didn't. I won, then the jackass used [Duty before Death], it's a skill that, upon the user hitting 0 hp, gives the user one to one hundred minutes as an unkillable juggernaut. so I had to run away for the next six minutes before he expired." Travis explained.
"Sorry about hitting you, Luke," Gareth said as he rose to his feet.
"Don't worry about it. It's funny how they never show the heroes in stories getting cold-cocked by a training accident, though." Luke muttered as he stretched.
"If it makes you feel better, you did better than I expected," Travis said.
"Really?" Sam asked.
"Yes." Travis said, turning to Sam, "Sam, excellent job using the [Spirit of the Ursa Nox] for the first time. You just need to remember you have that skill and use it more often. I'm glad to see you finally using that skill. It's a part of your toolkit that you've been neglecting +10 points. Good job with [Snatch] as well, unoriginal but classic +10 points. That being said, using [Blast Shot] and [Turret Stance] at the same time drained you far too quickly, leaving you vulnerable. You don't get points as it was a mixed result. Try mastering them separately before you start using them together."
Then he turned to Gareth.
"Gareth, your biggest weakness is that you lost focus the moment I tripped you up. You need to keep your eye on the goal. Despite that, you lasted a few seconds against me when I had two skills enhancing my stats. Don't underestimate the level of skill that takes. Take 50 points."
"Um, thanks, I would have preferred to beat you," Gareth said sheepishly.
"Unfortunately, you ruined it by losing complete focus after you broke Luke's nose. -40 points."
"Fuck you, bro," Gareth shot back.
"Finally, Luke. Jesus, man, you were mostly good, but you need to get [Legendary Strength]. Your speed is just awful, and it lets me own your ass. No points for you. That being said, I was on my last legs. Once my boosting skills timed out, I would have been screwed."
Luke just stared up at the Lizard wizard in exasperation.
"A little vain to dump on us when you claim we're hardly any better." Luke pointed out.
"I had another nineteen minutes on my boosting skill. I had time." Travis shot back.
"Besides, I'm a hybrid fighter. My job in a raid is to hunt down the spell casters. I'm not nearly as good as a pure fighter or a pure mage. And I wouldn't be nearly as dangerous without my bloodline."
Gareth got a strange look on his face when Travis mentioned bloodlines. Something to look into later.
"Alright then. Let's go again. I want to see how many more skills I can grind ---"
Luke was cut off as someone screamed.
You may skip to the next chapter.
Name: Luke Graceson
Race: Demigod
Type: Humanoid
LVL: 17
SubRace: Human
Age 18
Health: 1400
Stamina: 2705
Mana: 2440
Health Regen: 16.3 per hour
Stamina Regen: 21.9 per min
Mana Regen: 6.8 per min
Titles: Awoken Myths
Immune
N/A
Resistances
Physical 12.5%, Elemental 12.5%, Vitality 10%, Mental 11%, Crit 20%, Insta-death 20%, Poison 20%, Disease 20%
Weakness
N/A
Bane
Manslayer, Godslayer
Classes: Heir to Theseus 12, Heir to Beleiraphone 1, Water Enhancer 4
Total
STR: 205
AGIL: 17
DEX: 74
CON: 112
END: 56
PER: 93
INT: 122
WILL: 17
SPIRIT: 51
EGO: 34
CHA: 93
LCK: 18
Base
STR: 187 +10%
AGIL: 17
DEX: 68 +10%
CON: 102 +10%
END: 51 +10%
PER: 85 +10%
INT: 102 +20%
WILL: 17
SPIRIT: 51
EGO: 34
CHA: 85 +10%
LCK: 17 +10%
Personal: +4 PER, +3 STR, +3 DEX, +2 CON, +2 CHA
Racial: +3 CON, +2 STR, +2 END, +2 SPIRIT, +2 CHA, +1 EGO
Bloodline: +5 STR, +5 INT
Level Bonus: +1 to all stats
Bloodline:
[Bloodline of Poseidon] - Legendary
Your father is Poseidon, the god of the sea, the earthshaker, Stormbringer, the father of horses, the guy you named the eighth planet in your solar system after. As the son of the sea god, you gain the following Benefits.
* [Power of the Sea God] - Level 1 >> Level 8
* [Poseidon's Sea] - Level 24 >> Level 25
* [Kin of Horses] - Level 20
* [Born Sailor] - Level 1
* [Natural Born Leader] - Level 22
* [Master of Death] - Level 18
* [Greek Tragedy] - Level 15
* [Divine Assistance (Guide)] - ErR0R#4!!*!%!$
* +5 STR per level
* +5 INT per level
Skill Slots: 14/60: Skill Points: 0
Personal Skills
* [Storage] - Level 10
* [Meditation] - Level 20 >> Level 36
Heir to Theseus 07/11
* [First Labor: Periphetes' Crippling Strike] - Level 25
* [Second Labor: The Charming of Sinis] - Level 23 >> Level 24
* [Third Labor: Hunter of The Crommyonian Sow] - Level 23 >> Level 25
* [Forth Labor: Vision of Sciron] - Level 25 >> Level 26
* [Fifth Labor: Father of Wrestling] - Level 25 >> Level 26
* Capstone - [Sixth Labor: Procrustes Just Deserts] - Level 23 >> Level 24
* [Vitality of the Cretan Bull] - Level 18 >> Level 20
Heir to Bellerophon 3/6
* [Molten Lead Lance] - Level 17
* [Athena's Bridle] - Level 1
Water Enhancer 3/6
* [Tide Ripper] - Level 1 >> Level 14
* [Rapid Water Steps] - Level 1 >> Level 8
* [Spearfisher] - Level 1