Daniel charged toward the Boss, his Absolute Lightblade gleaming with divine fury, blood and sweat streaking his face. Klav stumbled behind, barely alive, his robes torn, his body trembling from mana exhaustion.
Each step was a struggle, his vision blurring, but he clung to his dagger, refusing to collapse. The village burned around them, flames licking the sky, the air thick with smoke and the stench of death.
The Boss stood at the square's center, his cloaked figure unmoving, staff-sword pulsing with arcane runes. His malicious grin widened, a predator savoring the hunt's end.
Daniel's heart pounded, his mind racing with a brutal choice. Klav could retreat, find Saint Torren, and bring help, but it might mean Daniel's death against this monster. Or Klav could stay, and together, they might, just might, bring the bastard down.
One wrong move, and we're both fucked. He glanced at Klav, whose bloodshot eyes met his, defiant despite the pain. The boy wouldn't run, not unless Daniel ordered it, and time was slipping away.
Let me check his status, Daniel thought, calling on the Goddess of Light's hidden gift. The ability to read another's status, unregistered by the system, was a secret edge, one even the curses couldn't touch. He focused, and the Boss's status window flickered into view, its glowing text searing his mind. What he saw stopped him cold.
---
[Character Status]:
Name: Valthor Vayren
Race: Human
Age: 25
Rank: A
[Attributes]:
-> Strength: 50
-> Speed: 100
-> Durability: 84
-> MP: 800
-> INT: 47
-> MP Regen: +10%
[Passive Traits]:
Reactive Flow:
-> Movement Speed increases by 10% after evading an attack (stacks up to 3 times)
-> Grants +5% critical rate for 5 seconds after each successful dodge or parry
Mana Thread Control:
-> Allows basic manipulation of mana outside the body, enabling precision control of mana-infused weapons and spell guidance
-> Enhances spell stability and accuracy
[Skills]:
[Inborn-skills]:
Voidstep Assault (S-tier Awakened | Power: A—tier)
The user can instantly close distance to a target within 15 meters, leaving a brief spatial afterimage. Follow-up strikes hits before the enemies can perceive movement. Has a 35% chance to bypass non-magical armor entirely.
MP: 90
Mana Fang (B-tier Awakened | Power: B—tier)
Let's the user channel raw mana into short-blade constructs over both hands. Each strike deals INT-based bonus damage and disables one active buff per hit.
MP: 65
Duration: 8 seconds
[Normal skill]:
Phase Lash (A-tier Awakened | Power: A-tier)
The user can unleash a whip-like arc of condensed mana that lashes out up to 12 meters. On contact, it disrupts enemy movement and delays the activation of their next skill by 1.5 seconds. Deals moderate INT damage and inflicts "Distort", reducing the target's evasion by 15% for 5 seconds.
MP: 80
---
Daniel was disgusted with Valthor Vayren's stats. His speed and strength alone could bring him death. He gritted his teeth, his face displaying his anger towards Valthor.
This bastard is too strong. I can't defeat him in the state I'm in. His body ached, blood seeping from a dozen cuts, his five mana points a cruel joke against Valthor's 800. The Lightblade hummed in his grip, but without mana to unleash even in a fraction of its divine power, it was just a sharp sword against a BattleMage who could blink across the battlefield and carve him apart with mana-forged blades.
He glanced at Klav, slumped agains" a s'oldering cart, his face pale, dagger trembling in his hand. The boy was out of mana, barely standing, his Chrono Severance useless now. If they both fought, they'd die. If Klav ran for help, Daniel might buy enough time for Saint Torren to arrive. It's the only way. We'll both die in vain otherwise.
"Klav," Daniel rasped, his voice raw from smoke and strain. "Run. Get to the church. Find Priest Howard. Tell him to call for Saint Torren."
Klav's eyes widened, his bloodied face twisting in protest. "No way, Daniel! I'm not leaving you with that monster!"
Daniel's grip tightened on his sword, his eyes fierce. "Do it, damn it! I'll hold him off. Go!"
Klav hesitated, tears mixing with the blood on his cheeks, but he nodded, stumbling to his feet. "Don't die," he whispered, then turned, sprinting toward the church through the burning village, dodging flames and debris.
Daniel faced Valthor, the Boss, whose grin widened, his cloaked figure radiating menace. The square was a graveyard of bandit corpses, their blood pooling on the cobblestones, but Valthor stood untouched, his staff-sword glowing with arcane runes.
"Just you now, little hero," he said, his voice smooth and mocking. "Let's see if you're worth my time."
Daniel charged, a roar tearing from his throat, the Lightblade slashing with all his strength. Valthor vanished in a shimmer of mana, Voidstep Assault carrying him fifteen meters in a blink.
Daniel's blade struck air, and pain exploded in his side as Valthor's staff-sword slashed across his ribs. Blood sprayed, the cut deep, and Daniel staggered, clutching the wound.
Fuck, he's too fast.
Valthor didn't relent. He flickered again, another Voidstep, appearing behind Daniel. Mana Fang activated, his hands glowing with short, jagged blades of raw mana. He struck, the blades raking Daniel's shoulder, shredding leather and flesh.
Blood gushed, the pain blinding, but Daniel swung his Lightblade, aiming for Valthor's chest. The BattleMage parried with his staff, the clash sparking, and Daniel's arm went numb from the force. He wasn't even trying.
Daniel rolled, dodging a Phase Lash that cracked the ground, its whip-like mana arc leaving a scorched trail. The Distort debuff hit, his movements sluggish, evasion crippled.
Valthor's speed surged, Reactive Flow stacking as he dodged Daniel's desperate swings, his critical rate climbing. Another Voidstep, and Valthor's mana blades slashed Daniel's thigh, blood spurting, muscle torn.
Daniel screamed, collapsing to one knee, the Lightblade trembling in his grip.
"You're pathetic," Valthor sneered, circling like a vulture. He unleashed another Phase Lash, the mana whip coiling around Daniel's arm, burning through skin. Blood dripped, the pain searing, and Daniel's next swing faltered, delayed by the skill's disruption.
Daniel gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand. I can't scratch him. He's toying with me. Every move Valthor made was precise, his Mana Thread Control guiding his strikes with surgical accuracy.
Daniel lunged, the Lightblade aiming for Valthor's neck, but the BattleMage sidestepped, his speed a blur. A Mana Fang blade stabbed Daniel's back, blood pouring, and he fell forward, coughing red onto the cobblestones.
Get up, damn it. For Mom. For Elira.
Valthor laughed, his staff raised. "I'll break you, boy. Just like I'll break this village." He flickered forward, Voidstep closing the gap, and his mana blades slashed again, carving a gash across Daniel's chest.
Blood soaked his tunic, his vision fading, but he swung the Lightblade, a desperate arc that Valthor batted away like a child's toy. The BattleMage kicked him, the blow cracking ribs, sending Daniel sprawling into a pile of burning debris.
Pain consumed him, blood pooling beneath, but he clung to consciousness, his sword still in hand.
Valthor loomed over him, his grin a slash of cruelty. "Stay down, or I'll make it worse." He turned, as if bored, his cloak billowing, ready to unleash hell on the village.
Daniel's fingers tightened on the Lightblade, his body screaming, blood dripping from every wound. Not yet. I'm not done. He staggered to his feet, raising his sword, defiance burning hotter than the flames around him.
------
Klav's lungs burned as he sprinted through the village, his legs weak, blood trailing from his wounds. The church loomed ahead, its stone spire untouched by the flames devouring the homes around it.
Screams echoed, villagers fleeing, some clutching wounds, others carrying children. Klav's heart pounded, guilt clawing at him. I left him. I left Daniel to die. But he pushed on, dodging a collapsing roof, the heat scorching his skin.
He burst through the church doors, the heavy wood slamming against the walls. The interior was dim, lit by flickering candles, the air heavy with incense. At the altar knelt Father Howard, the village priest, his gray robes pooling around him, hands clasped in fervent prayer.
His lips moved, muttering pleas to the Goddess of Light, his face etched with desperation.
"Father Howard!" Klav gasped, stumbling forward, blood dripping onto the stone floor. "We need Saint Torren! The bandits... their leader's too strong. Daniel's fighting him alone!"
Howard's eyes snapped open, weary and bloodshot. He rose, his hands trembling. "Klav, I've been praying. I called for Saint Torren hours ago, when the fires started."
Klav's stomach dropped. "And?"
Howard's face fell, his voice a whisper. "Nothing. He hasn't come."
Klav's knees buckled, and he collapsed onto the church's cold stone floor, tears spilling from his eyes. His vision blurred, the flickering candlelight casting shadows that danced like mocking specters.
Each tear splashed against the stone, a silent testament to his despair. Father Howard's words echoed in his mind. Klav's chest heaved, sobs wracking his small frame. He had abandoned Daniel, his only friend, left him to face that monster alone.
"He's dead," Klav choked out, his voice breaking. "I left him..."
The weight of his choice crushed him, guilt clawing at his heart. But then, a spark ignited within, a warmth like a divine hand brushing his mind. His tears slowed, his resolve hardening.
He looked up, eyes red but fierce, and pushed himself to his feet. Father Howard, still at the altar, turned, his gray robes swaying.
"Where are you going, child?" he called, his voice tinged with worry.
Klav didn't answer. I have to get back to Daniel. Anger surged, drowning his fear, fueling his steps. I've got to stay strong and help him. I have to. He sprinted to the church doors, shoving them open, the wood groaning as he plunged into the burning village, determined to fight or die by Daniel's side.
------
Daniel's world was pain and blood, his body a tapestry of wounds. The village square smoldered around him, flames licking the sky, the stench of charred wood and flesh choking the air.
Valthor loomed, his cloaked figure a specter of death, his staff-sword glowing with arcane malice. Daniel staggered to his feet, the Absolute Lightblade trembling in his grip, its golden edge dulled by his lack of mana. Blood dripped from gashes across his chest, arm, and thigh, pooling beneath him on the cobblestones.
Every breath burned, ribs cracked, but he raised his sword, defiance blazing in his eyes.
Valthor's grin was a slash of cruelty. "Still standing, boy?" he mocked, his voice smooth and venomous.
Daniel didn't answer. He lunged, the Lightblade slashing with desperate force, aiming for Valthor's throat. The BattleMage vanished in a shimmer, travelling across the square in a blink.
Daniel's blade struck air, and pain erupted as Valthor's mana-forged blades, conjured by Mana Fang, raked his back. Blood sprayed, flesh tearing, and Daniel stumbled, his scream swallowed by the roar of flames.
He swung blindly, the Lightblade carving a wild arc, but Valthor was already gone, his speed a blur, Reactive Flow stacking to make him untouchable.
Valthor reappeared, his staff-sword slashing. Daniel blocked, the clash jarring his arms, blood seeping from his wounds. Valthor's Phase Lash whipped out, a coiling arc of condensed mana that struck Daniel's shoulder.
The Distort debuff slowed him, his movements sluggish, and the mana burned through his tunic, blistering skin. Blood welled, the pain blinding, but Daniel roared, charging again, his blade thrusting for Valthor's chest.
The BattleMage parried with Mana Thread Control, his staff guiding the strike aside with eerie precision, and countered with a mana blade to Daniel's side. Blood gushed, ribs cracking under the force, and Daniel fell to one knee, gasping.
"Pathetic," Valthor spat, circling like a predator.
Daniel forced himself up, blood dripping, his vision swimming. The Lightblade felt heavy, his strength fading, but he swung, a desperate overhead slash. Valthor sidestepped, his speed inhuman, and unleashed another Voidstep Assault, closing the distance in a heartbeat.
His mana blades slashed Daniel's arm, tendon and muscle parting, blood spurting like a fountain. Daniel's grip faltered, the Lightblade nearly slipping, but he clutched it, screaming through the pain.
Valthor didn't pause. He flickered forward, his staff-sword a blur, and drove the blade into Daniel's abdomen. The steel punched through flesh, blood pouring, the pain a white-hot inferno.
Daniel's scream ripped through the square, raw and guttural, reverberating above the roaring flames as he crumpled, blood pooling beneath him, the Absolute Lightblade clattering to the scorched cobblestones.
I couldn't stop the raid, could I? The thought stung, bitter and heavy.
He forced a weak smile, his gaze drifting to the horizon where clouds swirled, briefly forming the ethereal silhouette of the Goddess of Light. A faint chuckle escaped his lips, cut short by a cough that sprayed blood.
His eyes shifted to Valthor, who stood over the Lightblade, his staff-sword raised to shatter it. The divine weapon pulsed, and Valthor's blade cracked against its unyielding surface, nearly splintering.
Valthor stared at the sword, awe flickering in his eyes. He reached for it, but a burst of lightning arced from the hilt, forcing him to snatch his hand back, singed and trembling.
His laughter erupted, wild and unhinged, as he marveled at the weapon's power. "How magnificent," he murmured, studying its golden gleam. His gaze flicked to Daniel, his voice laced with mockery. "A shame only you can wield it." He paused, then added, shamelessly, "I must congratulate you, though, for killing my father and that brat, Daren. I wanted them dead myself, but you've saved me the trouble. So, goodbye."
Valthor raised his staff-sword, its runes flaring, and lunged to finish Daniel. Daniel closed his eyes, bracing for death. A moment passed, then another. He opened his eyes, heart pounding, and saw a grotesque, dark hand gripping Valthor's weapon, halting it mid-strike.
The hand sprouted an eye, bulbous and slick, emerging from its flesh. It slid across the appendage, fixing Valthor with an unblinking stare. In a heartbeat, the hand pulsed, and Valthor vanished, consumed entirely, his body, weapon, and essence erased as if they'd never been.