06 Fighting Shadow Part 2

But the moment was instantly broken, the Shadow quickly twisted its hyperspatial body at an impossible angle and lunged at his torso fast!

But Nuel had already anticipated that and was already on the move!

With the <Ability : Precognition (Basic)> activated, his actions was moving one second ahead - he evaded to the right and swung the stun baton as hard as he could, activating the <Weapon Skill : Shockstrike> in the motion - exactly in the same way he had done it before.

Thus, the Shadow missed.

And Nuel's <Shockstrike > hit landed.

Level 5 Umbral Roamer's [ HP ] -9 points (Shocked!).

Nuel's [ STA ] -5 points.

Nuel's [ Psions ] -2 points.

Viperstick's [ Durability ] -2 points.

KIEEeeaaAAGGHH!!!

The Shadow turned around and swiped its claws from right-to-left.

And again, Nuel dove forward-right and speared the stun baton towards its middle.

Level 5 Umbral Roamer's [ HP ] -16 points (Critical!).

Nuel's [ STA ] -2 points.

Nuel's [ Psions ] -2 points.

The amorphous creature shrieked and crumpled rapidly away from him.

And again, Nuel took the opportunity while the Shadow was still staggering from his critical strike to strike the monster once...

Level 5 Umbral Roamer's [ HP ] -4.6 points (Blunt!).

Nuel's [ STA ] -2 points.

...twice...

Level 5 Umbral Roamer's [ HP ] -4.6 points (Blunt!).

Nuel's [ STA ] -2 points.

...three times before he retreated away, just like he did earlier.

Level 5 Umbral Roamer's [ HP ] -4.6 points (Blunt!).

Nuel's [ STA ] -2 points.

And Nuel stalled for time dancing with the Shadow again to regenerate some [ STA ] and [ Psion ], as the monster convulsed in <Abnormal Status : Staggered>.

In that dark five-by-five meters room, tension was high while the scale of the battle was slowly tipping towards him.

Though if it had been in another time, Nuel might have actually found the analogy funny.

Inevitably, Nuel repeated his actions one more time before the Level 5 Umbral Roamer's [ HP ] finally dropped to around 7 points.

Two more hits and it'd be finally dead. F**k, I'm so tired...

3 Critical Hits landed successfully every after three hits, what were the odds?

But it was no random coincidence, Nuel's many years of experience hunting down Shadows allowed him know where to target any Umbral lifeform's <Weakness Spot> - at their centre!

It was called an <Umbral Core>, and it functioned as an Umbral's anchor to stay in reality.

And this made it easier for newbies and casuals to take down low-level Shadows.

Striking any monster's <Weakness Spot> would break its attack-combo chain and caused it to be inflicted with the <Abnormal Status : Staggered>, which was a game mechanics used primarily during boss-fights.

It was supposedly to help buy time for squad members to regroup and reposition.

Nuel pulled up his [ Character Status ] screen once again and checked the mission timer.

Duration left : (5m:29s)

3 minutes had passed. Not long more the rescuers should be here. I wonder from which squad the players would be...?

...and how should I approach them...?

...should I just say that I'm actually a person and not an NPC and then ask for their help...to contact the devs? I doubt they'd take a f**king shit, I'd end up being treated like an easter egg or something and get posted as a meme on the game's Discussion Board...

As he inched himself towards the whimpering Shadow inflicted with the <Abnormal Status : Staggered>, he took a look around the room.

He tried sensing any presence nearby, but his ESP range was not able to reach beyond ten meters, yet.

The continuous blaring sound of the alarm siren did not help with his focus either.

He raised the <Slightly-Bent Viperstick-600> and thought of a meme;

To quote Schwarzenegger from Terminator 2...

"Hasta la vista, baby."

Level 5 Umbral Roamer's [ HP ] -4.6 points (Blunt!).

Nuel's [ STA ] -2 points.

Level 5 Umbral Roamer's [ HP ] -4.6 points (Blunt!).

Nuel's [ STA ] -2 points.

Ding!

_____

Level 5 Umbral Roamer × 1 has been neutralised.

You have obtained <XP> +5.

You have obtained <Fractalite Quartz Sand> × 2.

Do you wish to receive <Fractalite Quartz Sand> × 2 now?

- Y / N -

_____

Ding!

_____

An amazing achievement!

You have neutralised a hostile target with a higher level than you.

You have received the [ Common Title : Enduring Will ].

You are the first to earn this title.

The [ Common Title : Enduring Will ] would be promoted to the [ Uncommon Title : Enduring Brute ].

_____

[ Common Title : Enduring Will ] >> [ Uncommon Title : Enduring Brute ].

-----You have successfully neutralised a hostile who surpasses your level with brute force. Take pride in your talent in close-quarters combat!-----

Grade : Uncommon

Requirement(s) :

• No [ Reputation ] requirement.

Effect(s) :

• <Title Buff : Enduring Brute>

- Can only be toggled during combat.

- [ Max.HP ] +( 10% + 1%/s ) until a maximum of +30%.

- [ HP.Regen ] +0.5 for 5 seconds after receiving damage (stacks).

- Stamina Cost : 1/s

_____

Ding!

_____

An outstanding achievement!

You have single-handedly neutralised a hostile target with a much higher level than you.

You have received the [ Common Title : Undoused Will ].

You are the first to earn this title.

The [ Common Title : Undoused Will ] would be promoted to the [ Uncommon Title : Undoused Strength ].

_____

[ Common Title : Undoused Will ] >> [ Uncommon Title : Undoused Strength ]

-----You have successfully single-handedly neutralised a hostile with a much higher level than you despite the odds. Your talent in close-quarters combat may be a gift from the heavens after all!-----

Grade : Uncommon

Requirement(s) :

• No [ Reputation ] requirement.

Effect(s) :

• <Title Buff : Undoused Strength>

- Can only be toggled during combat combat.

- [ Attribute : STR ] +( 1 + 0.2/s ) until a maximum of +5.

- [ Attribute : Unknown ] +( 1 + 0.2/s ) until a maximum of +5.

- [ Crit.Proc Chance ] +20% for 5 seconds after receiving damage.

- Stamina Cost : 1/s

_____

Ding!

_____

The [ Uncommon Title : Enduring Brute ] and [ Uncommon Title : Undoused Strength ] share similar characteristics and can be merged.

Do you wish to merge the [ Uncommon Title : Enduring Brute ] and [ Uncommon Title : Undoused Strength ]?

- Y / N -

_____

What the hell?!! F**k, yeah!

Ding!

_____

The [ Uncommon Title : Enduring Brute ] and [ Uncommon Title : Undoused Strength ] have been merged into the [ Unique Title : Born of Giant's Strength ].

_____

[ Unique Title : Born of Giant's Strength ]

-----Your unyielding spirit in the face of death and your unbroken flesh despite the odds, your relentless heavy blows against foes stronger than you are proofs that you are truly born of the Giant's strength!-----

Grade : Unique | Upgradeable

Requirement (s) :

• No [ Reputation ] requirement.

Effect(s) :

• [ Base Attribute : STR ] +2.

• [ Base Attribute : VIT ] +2.

• [ Base Attribute : Unknown ] +2.

• <Title Buff : Giant's Strength>

- Can only be toggled during combat.

- [ Max.HP ] +2.25% /s until a maximum of +40%.

- [ Melee.DMG ] +1% /s until a maximum of 25%.

- [ Crit.Proc Chance ] +25% to your next attack, every 5 seconds.

- [ Immunity ] +10% for 5 seconds after receiving damage.

- Stamina Cost : 2/s

_____

Nuel could feel newfound strength was infusing into him, energising his muscles and bones down to the cellular level, empowering him and revitalising him.

D*mn, an Attribute title! Plus 2 points in both Strength and Vitality - and another in the Support Attribute tab...

...though it's another Unique Title, it got a relatively huge Stamina cost for its buff ability, I could only use it for at most 30 seconds, provided that I stay still during melee combat, which is absur-

But before he could celebrate anything, he felt it - another chaotic presence even greater than the Shadow he just defeated was approaching fast towards his location.

Nuel turned his head slowly towards the metallic door at the other end of the room.

F**k, I'm so f**ked-

BOOM!

A black amorphous mass punched the metallic door, and the door dented like a piece of aluminium sheet.

Nuel was already escaping through the other exit door.

He needed to escape, fast!

BOOM!!!

BRIIEEeeaaAANNK!!!

It was tearing the door open!

F**K! I can barely hold on my own soloing against a Roamer, and now what, add a Hunter to the mix?!! I'm not that crazy!

He sprinted outside to the corridor where he came from and turned around a bend.

Nuel ran as hard as he could, he did not even look back to feel the frightening presence that was already stepping into the room behind him!

KIIEEeeaaAAGGHHH!!!

He felt as if his head had almost exploded when the monster's <Ability : Shadow Shriek> hit him at more than 15 meters away.

Nuel's [ Sanity ] -5.71 points.

Nuel's [ HP ] -5 points.

_____

You are in combat.

You have been inflicted with <Abnormal Status : Mind-Staggered>.

_____

Fortunately, Nuel had equipped the new Title just in time and barely activated its buff ability.

_____

You are using the <Title Buff : Giant's Strength>.

Your <Immunity > chance has increased by 10%.

You have successfully resisted the <Abnormal Status : Mind-Staggered>.

_____

His mind almost cracked as it reverberated, his [ Sanity ] points fell just right above his [ Crit.Sanity ].

He almost dropped to his knees just before he reached outside that Shadow's ability range.

Blood trickled down his nostrils and his eyes.

If his [ Sanity ] had reached below the threshold, his CE would immediately drop to 0, losing all of his mobility.

He would then be crawling on all fours and unable to evade any attacks no longer. He would really be the meat on the chopping board!

F**K!!!

Nuel dragged his limping body as he silently slipped into a room somewhere along the stretch of corridor where he had passed from earlier.

...thank God for the Title. I actually almost died less than half an hour into the game...

The Level 7 Umbral Hunter could be heard thrashing around and screaming from the room he was currently hiding in.

KIIEEeeaaAAGGHHH!!!

Bang!

Boom!

Bang!

Bang!

Unlike the other Shadow he had slain earlier, this four-meters tall Shadow had a more well-defined appearance.

There were dark-crytalline carapaces surrounding its centre, protecting its vulnerable core.

It also had an extra two appendages tipped with long razor-thin claws, protruding from its back, giving it a more abominable look with a total of six whip-like limbs altogether.

Well, that was how Nuel remembered it from when the monster was behind a computer screen anyway. The real thing would be bound to appear more horrific.

Its superior crazing ability, the <Ability : Mindwarp Breath>, was able to trigger-negate his [ Sanity.Recovery ] rate and that would rapidly erode the meagre [ Sanity ] pool he had.

He looked over to the mission timer - Duration left : ( 1m:09s )

F**k, I don't think I can complete the dungeon mission like this, I don't have enough time-?

His eyes caught a glowing prompt pulsating at the [ Missions ] tab of his [ Character Status ] screen.

He select-opened the tab and began reading through.

His eyes stopped at the [ Class-Change Mission : Esper ] which showed it was completed.

How-When did I complete it...?

_____

[ MISSIONS

[ Class-Change Mission : Esper ] Completed [ Class : Civilian ( Level 1 ) ] can be promoted to the [ Class : Esper ( Level 1 ) ].

Requirements :

• Use <Talent's Active : Tranquil Aura (Basic)< strong>> ( 0 >> 10 /10s ).

• Use <Ability : Precognition (Basic)> during a battle ( 0 >> 3 /3 ) times.

Rewards :

• [ Sanity ] max +20.

• [ Energy : Psions ] max +10.

• [ Base Attribute : INT ] +2.

• [ Base Attribute : Unknown ] +2.

• <Ability : Delusory Shroud (Basic)> obtained.

• <Unallocated Skill Point> +1.

Do you wish to be promoted from [ Class : Civilian ] to [ Class : Esper ] now?

-- YES / NO --

_____

Do you wish to learn <Ability : Delusory Shroud (Basic)> now?

-- YES / NO --

_____

If it's like this, I think it's possible...?!

.....

The <Umbral Hunter> suddenly stopped in its tracks.

It 'looked' towards the other entrance where it was sure it felt a weak, mental presence passing by, if not just for a moment.

Suddenly, the horrifying monster shuddered and began convulsing as it screamed and lashed its appendages on its back around at nothing in frantic.

Level 7 Umbral Hunter's [ HP ] -30 (Critical!).

KIIEEeeaaAAGGHHH!!!

Boom!

Level 7 Umbral Hunter's [ HP ] -27 (Critical!).

And it lashed at nothing again.

Bang!

Level 7 Umbral Hunter's [ HP ] -26 (Critical!).

KIIEEeeaaAAGGHHH!!!

And again.

Level 7 Umbral Hunter's [ HP ] -28 (Critical!).

And again, while roaring into the air; tearing the poor room apart, trying to kill an enemy it could not see.

.....

Take this, you f**ker!

Nuel grabbed the Shadow at its <Umbral Core> through the gaps of its carapace and tried crushing it with pure brute force while activating the <Title Buff : Giant's Strength> to support him.

The Shadow's centre shook as cracks began to trace the core's surface.

Level 7 Umbral Hunter's [ HP ] -27 (Critical!).

KIIEEeeaaAAGGHHH!!!

...And this! And this!

Nuel tore a piece of the monster's black carapace and began punching the core he held with his left fist.

Bam! Bam!

Level 7 Umbral Hunter's [ HP ] -29 (Critical!).

Kiieeaaghh!

...and this...!

Its screams gradually turned into growling after a gruel thirty seconds before the Umbral staggered right above Nuel as it began to fall.

Nuel sidestepped the dying creature and dropped to his bum as he breathed heavily.

The Shadow writhed on the floor for a moment or two before it stilled and shattered, like fragile glasses hitting the floor.

Ding!

_____

Congratulations!

You have successfully neutralised the <Dungeon Boss> Level 7 Umbral Hunter.

You have obtained <XP> +12.6.

You have obtained <Umbral Core Shard> × 1.

You have obtained <Fractalite Quartz Sand> × 3.

.....