Isabelle stood in the courtyard, surrounded by the eager yet captive crowd. The Overlord stood opposite to her in his second form, looking feeble, frail, and ethereal. He giggled.
“This is too weird,” said Isabelle. “You’re acting like a completely different person.”
“I assure you, I’m the same Overlord you know and love!” said the Overlord. He twirled his long blades flaming with yellow energy. “Just, you know, a little different. And a little more powerful.” The Overlord jumped in the air, twirled three times, and sliced both blades through the wind. In a flash of bright yellow light, the two slashes stayed in the air for a second and then shot forward like projectiles, right in Isabelle’s direction. She leapt up and backwards, doing a backflip and evaded the slashes just in time.
[Stamina 94%]
Isabelle landed on her feet in a half-crouch. The Overlord landed on the tip of his left foot. The two projectile slashes hit the ground and shook it.
“Nice moves, Isabelle,” said the Overlord. He brushed his long, gray hair out of what was probably his face, though Isabelle still couldn’t really see his face under his shrouded hood. “It’s very impressive how well you’ve taken to using your system. Let’s see if you can keep it up!” The Overlord leapt forward, twirling both swords outward.
Isabelle watched him heading towards her. What was the right move? Isabelle needed to focus.
[Notice: use stamina for extra battle focus?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
[Stamina 87%]
Isabelle was shocked to see that, even in slow motion, the movement of the Overlord’s blades was so fast that it seemed scarcely more than a blur. So much for getting a shot in quickly. What else could she do? Isabelle’s only thought was to use more of her ice blast spell, because it was the only destroy magic that she’d successfully used against the Overlord. Isabelle decided that was definitely the best move, but first she needed to change her positioning a little, because if the Overlord didn’t get thrown off course by the spell, he’d definitely hit her when time sped back up and Isabelle didn’t even want to think about how much hp she’d have left afther that collision. She leapt over to the side, so that if the Overlord continued on his current trajectory he’d completely miss her. Perfect. Then, she raised her right hand and thought, ‘Cast Ice Blast,’ and did her absolute best to charge it full of mana.
[Mana 21%]
Time sped up as ice shards flew from her fingertips and battered over the Overlord. At first, he looked staggered, but then he quickly turned and kept spining his blades and in a moment the rest of the spell had been sliced aside by his weaponry and cast to the side like a pile of dirt.
[1004 damage dealt]
[655 frost damage dealt]
The Overlord stopped twirling his blades and laughed. “Nice job, Isabelle. You really can move quickly. That’s very impressive. But I’m going to hit you eventually. And when I do, you’re going to have a serious problem.”
“Maybe you’re right,” said Isabelle.
“Maybe?!” said the Overlord. “Come on, Isabelle, don’t be silly. Why else would you be avoiding me? If you could one hit me like I can one hit you you wouldn’t be skirting around like this, you’d have already killed me.”
“How do you know that?” asked Isabelle. “Why do you think I would’ve already killed you if I haven’t now?”
“Are you serious, Isabelle?” asked Tahsi, who was projecting from the sidelines at the top of his lungs. He took a bite of bread. “Really, I think the Overlord’s hit the nail on the head here.”
“Tahsi! Why don’t you just support me, you doofus?” said Isabelle. She looked back to the Overlord. “Now go ahead, answer me. Why do you think I can’t one hit you? Why are you so sure I would’ve already done it if I could?”
“It’s simple, really,” said the Overlord with a chuckle. He paced around the courtyard, swinging his blades around lackadasically. “I’ve studied up on you. Or, I’ve had my associates study up on you, at least, and they’ve reported back to me. And, from what I can tell, you’ve got a real knack for taking quick, decisive action. Whether that action is the best, or the worst, or somewhere in the middle is anyone’s guess. But, regardless, you aren’t really one to patter around and wait for the right moment to strike. You aren’t really the one to wait at all, if I’m being honest.” The Overlord giggled.
“Ugh. You really are the same Overlord, after all,” said Isabelle.
“What do you mean?” asked the Overlord. “I do agree that my second form is wildly different from my standard form, and that I act somewhat differently in this form than I do in my standard form.”
“You won’t shut up!” said Isabelle. “I swear to god, I’ve never met someone who loved the sound of their own voice more than you.”
Maviel, who’d been standing off to the side, laughed loudly.
Tahsi asked through a mouthful of bread for clarification of which god Isabelle was swearing to.
“Stop bullying me, Isabelle,” said the Overlord with a whine. “I can’t help my personality.”
Isabelle had to stop and chuckle. How could the Overlord be so terribly pitiful in this form? He was seeming less and less like an Overlord and more like a puppy with superpowers.
“It’s not a bug, Isabelle,” said the Overlord. He giggled. “It’s a feature.”
Before she could react, the Overlord leapt towards her and slid in a well-angled kick of his left foot to her ankles, sending Isabelle stumbling onto her back.
[-3 hp]
“Be careful, Isabelle,” said the Overlord. He leaned in close, so that she could almost see the shape of his face under his hood. He smelled, surprisingly enough—or not, for this form at least—of lilacs. Then, the Overlord spoke in a voice twenthy times deeper and more terrifying than the voice he’d used when angry in his first form. “I don’t like being bullied!”
Isabelle saw the Overlord being right up in her face as a golden opportunity, and she was ready to take it. She focused.
[Notice: use stamina for extra battle focus?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
[Stamina 89%]
Isabelle had to move quickly. She opened her inventory. She needed something that could decapitate this fucker.
Inventory: Isabelle
Carrying capacity: 242.4/282
Item
Traits
Overlord’s Black Silver Hammer (enchanted)
+50 damage, +50 str, +10 const, +8 stm, +13 carry weight
Overlord's Glorious Electrifying Axe (enchanted)
+45 damage, +48 str, +18 const, +15 stm, +12 carry weight
Steel Warhammer of Electrocution (enchanted) (poisoned)
+18 damage, +11 str, +8 const, +5 stm, +11 carry weight
Scimitar (poisoned)
+1 poison, +8 damage, +2 dx
Stealth Drainer (enchanted)
+5 stealth, +10 damage, +1 carry weight
Poisoning Dagger x2
+1 poison, +6 damage, +1 sneak level, +1 carry weight
Ropes of Binding (enchanted)
+1 carry weight
Steel Mace
+10 damage, +1 str, +4 carry weight
Ruby Studded Pocket Knife
+1 stealth, +3 sneak, +0.5 carry weight
Young Red Dragon Dagger x2
+2 fire damage, +5 damage, +3 stm, +1 dx, +2 carry weight
Young Red Dragon Glaive
+2 fire damage, +7 damage, +2 str, +6 carry weight
Poisoning Dagger x2
+1 poison, +6 damage, +1 sneak level, +1 carry weight
Steel Longsword
+5 str, +5 damage, +8 carry eight
Abbreviated list based on prior use. Focus to see more items…
Isabelle looked at the Overlord. He was still just staring into her face. Isabelle was more than a little thankful that whatever the Overlord’s class what kept him from using his stamina for battle focus, because this ability to slow down time was providing instrumental to her survival and success.
[Stamina 79%]
As long as she didn’t run out of stamina, of course. Isabelle looked back over her inventory. She cursed the fact that she didn’t have the str necessary to use any of the Overlord’s weapons against him. She started to wonder if trying to behead the Overlord was a good choice. After all, would it be worth it to try to crit kill someone who was undoubtedly so much more powerful than herself? It seemed a little risky. What was the deal with those ropes of binding, again? Could she use those against him? She focused on them and thought, ‘Learn More.’
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Item: Ropes of Binding (enchanted)
Traits: n/a
Description: These ropes of binding will keep even the most unruly foe from escaping your grasp. Their enchantment forces anyone wearing them to stay close to you, and weakens their str and const.
Even the most unruly foe, huh? Even the Overlord? Possibly so. Isabelle had to be certain it was a good idea before acting, because as soon as she tried anything it the way of using the item time would surely speed back up.
[Stamina 56%]
Or, did she even have time to wonder? Now was the time for action.
[Ropes of Binding (enchanted) equipped]
Isabelle held the shiny, golden ropes in her hands.
“Wait, what the—” said the Overlord in a deep, slow-motion voice.
Isabelle reached over his head and tied the ropes around his neck.
[Stamina 48%]
Time zoomed up to full speed and the Overlord found himself tied tightly by the neck in Isabelle’s binding ropes.
“Aw, fuck!” said the Overlord. “Just what do you think you’re doing, Isabelle?”
Isabelle felt a tinge of fear as she held the Overlord on the lead. What was she doing? She didn’t rightly know! She needed to think of a plan. Her stamina was probably too low to slow down time again. Then again, didn’t she have a potion that could help with that?
Inventory: Isabelle
Carrying capacity: 242.4/282
Item
Traits
Potion of Endless Stamina x2
+0.5 carry weight
Abbreviated list based on prior use. Focus to see more items…
[Potion of Endless Stamina drunken]
[Stamina 100%]
Perfect. Now that Isabelle had all the stamina, it was focusing time.
[Notice: use stamina for extra battle focus?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
[Stamina 100%]
These endless stamina potions were too good. Isabelle would have to buy some more if she made it out of this mess alive. Or maybe she could learn to craft them, once again assuming she made it out of this situation alive.
Thinking of potions, Isabelle suddenly realized something. Didn’t she have a potion that would increase her str? Would it possibly be enough to weild one of the Overlord’s weapons from earlier? There was only one way to find out.
Inventory: Isabelle
Carrying capacity: 241.9/282
Item
Traits
Potion of Giant Strength
+155 str, +0.5 carry weight
Abbreviated list based on prior use. Focus to see more items…
One hundred and fifty five str? If anything could give Isabelle the temporary boost needed to use one of those crazy ass weapons, this was it.
[Potion of Giant Strength drunken]
[+155 str]
Isabelle gasped as all of the muscles in her body became noticeably more toned. She could even see some veins bulging in her arms through her young red dragon gauntlets! That was insane.
[Stamina 100%]
Perfect. It was time to try and use one of the Overlord’s weapons to take him down.
Inventory: Isabelle
Carrying capacity: 241.9/282
Item
Traits
Overlord’s Black Silver Hammer (enchanted)
+50 damage, +50 str, +10 const, +8 stm, +13 carry weight
Overlord's Glorious Electrifying Axe (enchanted)
+45 damage, +48 str, +18 const, +15 stm, +12 carry weight
Isabelle had a plus one hundred and fifty five str modifier, so there was no way in hell she couldn’t use one of these things. She had a feeling that the best weapon to chance a crit and behead the Overlord was the axe.
[Overlord’s Glorious Electrifying Axe (enchanted) equipped]
[+45 damage]
[+48 str]
[+18 const]
[+15 stm]
The axe didn’t even feel heavy in her hands, though it was easily three times the size of Isabelle’s entire body. The only problem now was that equipping the axe had forced her to let go of the lead around the Overlord’s neck. Time was still slowed to a crawl, so the Overlord had not moved a lot, but she would have to be really careful about hitting him. She was still hoping for a nice, clean decapitation.
Isabelle raised the axe and swung towards the Overlord’s neck. However, as time sped up and her axe got closer and closer to the Overlord, he snapped and moved his neck out of the way. The axe still swung down, and sliced off his left hand.
[Stamina 100%]
[Critical hit]
Indeed, it was critical. The Overlord’s arm stump bled a torrent of blood.
[13980 damage dealt]
Wow, she’d done over nine thousand damage on the Overlord! He staggered back, balking as he watched his hand rolling around on the courtyard ground. One of his blades clattered on the ground next to it. Isabele focused on it.
[Add ‘Overlord’s Flaming Yellow Katana’ to inventory?]
Isabelle thought yes. The blade disappeared.
“Gods damnit!” said the Overlord in his deep, angry voice. “I can’t believe you mutilated me, Isabelle! That’s so mean!”
Isabelle was so disturbed and off-put by how the Overlord had been acting since he transformed. Supposedly this new form came with an amazing amount of power, but Isabelle hadn’t necessarily seen an example of that, and now she’d cut his hand off! Isabelle leapt forward and raised the axe again. The Overlord only laughed.
“Go ahead, Isabelle,” he said. “Try and kill me. Just try. I want to see how well you can do.”
It sounded like a trap, but Isabelle wanted to take her chances anyway. She raised her axe, but the Overlord was already gone.
“What? Where’d you go?” asked Isabelle.
The Overlord giggled behind her. She could feel his breath. In a shudder Isabelle spun around, only to see a puff of dust.
“What the fuck’s going on?” asked Isabelle. “Where are you?”
“I’m right behind you, Isabelle,” said the Overlord. He giggled again.
Oh, how Isabelle hated that damn giggle. She swung around, axe prepared to slice, but once again hit nothing but dust and air.
“Ugh!” said Isabelle. “This is fucking ridiculous! Are you just toying with me?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” said the Overlord. He giggled yet again. The giggle seemed to get more strained and high pitched each time he did it. “I’m just trying to keep from getting another arm lopped off. Either that, or I’m waiting for your potion of giant strength to ware off. Really it’s anyone’s guess which of those is true.”
“This is bullshit!” said Isabelle. “You know how much time my potion has left? Hell, you know I drank a potion?”
“If I was more clever, I would’ve pretended that I knew you drank a potion and wait for you to reveal whether you had or not,” said the Overlord. He was once again speaking from behind, but this time Isabelle didn’t turn around. “But, as you ought to remember, I can see your system. So I can see when you open your inventory, and I can even check the duration of your potions. You’re about to run out of that nifty ‘endless stamina,’ by the way. And giant strength won’t last too much longer, either. Regardless, it’s really not a huge concern for me, because I don’t think you’re going to make very good—”
Isabelle whipped back around and swung the axe again, but somehow the Overlord still skirted out of her way. Now he was standing across from her, about five leaps away.
“You’re moving so fast!” said Isabelle. “It’s like you’re toying with me or something. It feels insulting.”
“Aw, poor Isabelle,” said the Overlord with a pouty voice. “I’m sorry you feel that way.”
Isabelle scowled. She abhorred it when people apologized by saying they were sorry that the other person felt a certain way. It always came off to her as disingenuous, and onkly moreso now coming from this smug, second-form Overlord.
“Would you rather I hurt you?” the Overlord asked. He giggled that childish, infernal giggle yet again.
Before Isabelle could respond, the Overlord was standing right in fron of her. He was barely taller than her in this lithe second form.
[-42 hp]
[-5 mana]
[-2 int]
He’d stabbed her right in the gut! Isabelle hadn’t even seen the blade coming. However, she needed to take this opportunity. Isabelle unequipped the axe and grabbed the rope of binding dangling from the Overlord’s neck.
“Ack!” said the Overlord.
Isabelle needed to use a weapon she could hold with one hand, and she had just the tool in mind. She opened her inventory.
Inventory: Isabelle
Carrying capacity: 251.9/282
Item
Traits
Overlord’s Flaming Yellow Katana
+48 damage, +22 str, +37 dx, +11 stm, +10 carry weight
Abbreviated list based on prior use. Focus to see more items…
[Overlord’s Flaming Yellow Katana equipped]
[+48 damage]
[+22 str]
[+37 dx]
[+11 stm]
Isabelle focused.
[Notice: use stamina for extra battle focus?]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes. If she was about to run out of unlimited stamina, she might as well use it while she could.
[Stamina 100%]
Isabelle looked back to where the Overlord had been up close to her and saw that he was a little further away and trying to dash away, but her left hand holding the ropes of binding had kept him close to her. Perfect. Isabelle jabbed the Overlord in the groin with the flaming yellow katana.
[Critical hit]
The Overlord squealed, yes, squealed, as the blade implanted. Isabelle yanked the katana away and watched as the Overlord cringed in agony.
[11699 damage dealt]
[+3 hp]
[+5 mana]
[+2 int]
[Stamina 93%]
Well, that was nice. Even though she was out of unlimited stamina, Isabelle had managed to recover her int and mana from earlier, and had gotten a few hp back, too. Maybe she’d be able to keep hitting the Overlord!
[Error: Overlord’s Flaming Yellow Katana requires a str higher than yours to weild. It has been unequipped]
“Fuck!” said Isabelle. In shock and frustration, she released the ropes of binding. In a flash, the Overlord fled. “Oh, god damn it!” said Isabelle.
“Which god are you asking to damn it?” asked Tahsi from afar. “Oh, and would you like some bread? I’ll toss a chunk your way if you want!”
“Sure, I’ll take some bread, Tahsi,” said Isabelle. “But really I’d appreciate it if you could help me fight the Overlord.”
“Oh, no fucking way!” said Maviel, who leapt over towards Tahsi from wherever the hell she’d been before. “You are not to help the player, kobold! And if you do, I’ll string you upside down from your gonads and bleed you dry!”
“Wow, gee!” said Tahsi. “Isabelle, I’d love to help you, but obviously that’s not really possible for me at the moment. Sorry.”
Isabelle frowned. Some party member Tahsi was.
In a flash of pain, Isabelle felt the wind get punched out of her as she fell to the ground on her back. The Overlord was standing over her. Isabelle tried to move, but he set a cold, steel boot on her chest.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” said the Overlord. “You should’ve been paying more attention, Isabelle.”
Isabelle didn’t say anything. She didn’t want to give the Overlord the satisfaction.
“Well, then,” he said. The Overlord swung his yellow flaming katana around and pointed it right at Isabelle’s neck. “Any last words before I lop your head off and absorb your system?”