24 Chapter 24: Player / Finished / Champion

Labored breathing could be heard throughout the streets of hope. Other than this labored breathing however there was no other sound in range.

Everything else other than this intense breathing had gone silent. Everything felt like it was perfectly still.

"hahahahaha-HAHAHAHA!" Laughed the voice that was breathing heavily before.

"I FINALLY DID IT!" Ethan Grey screamed as he held a blade that was deeply bloodied with green gore. His clothes were no longer clean and his face was covered in stubble.

His eyes were bloodshot and he looked like a mad man as they darted all around.

"Now where are you hiding little boy?!" Yelled Ethan as he waved his blade around and released a deep sniff.

<The user has used skill <Bloodhound>. All life forms within 100 yards will be highlighted in view.>

Ethan smiled and reached around his shoulder, into a black backpack that seemed to hold infinite mysteries. He reached in and pulled out an old tattered mask. It was simple and elegant, holding the air of something that could not be touched by man.

The mask had a simple design on it that distinguished it differently from other masks. The 4 suits of a deck were casually placed on the cheeks and forehead of the mask and made it appear like something a gambler would wear to a masquerade ball.

As soon as the mask touched Ethan's face, however, he felt a contorting pain that took over him.

<Pain has been distributed for use of The <Mask of 100 Faces>. Bloodlust has increased by one point.>

Ethan felt his skin itch at the feeling of the mask attached to his face.

'I want to turn into 'that' person!' Ethan thought to the system, and the system obeyed.

In a matter of seconds, a person stood in the center of the street that hadn't been their moments before.

'Lucas' smiled at the systems prompt and began to laugh to himself once more.

"You finally reminded me, sweet Lucas! Who I really am! A killer! Just like you!" He shouted into the air.

"No wonder Big Brother Lucas is on top!" He screamed again but stopped as soon as he heard the noise of feet on concrete.

'Small feet. Roughly 400 feet away. Moving at a steady yet declining pace.' Ethan thought to himself as he began to move forward steadily.

Every chase that Ethan has ever been in was the chase of a lifetime. For both him... and his target.

---

Lucas stared at the contract and those words again. The laundry mats blue lights remained on yet flickered briefly every now and then.

"Hey, Lee!" Lucas shouted at the little mouse that was quietly sleeping.

He jolted awake and released a sharp yelp before calming down.

"Really kid? You got to pull the old surpriser on the old man?" Lee said in a slightly annoyed tone.

"What the hell does this mean old 'man'?" Lucas asked as he pointed to one line on the contract.

The old mouse acted as if nothing was the matter and slowly took his time to read the line that Lucas was pointing out.

"Ah... this line huh... The signee of this contract will be under effects of said contract for the total time of a year or so." Lee read calmly.

"And?" Lee turned to Lucas and asked.

Lucas's face turned to one of anger but before he could talk Lee began to laugh and clap.

"I didn't think you would catch that. Good job, champion!" Lee said and clapped, and as he clapped the contract re-wrote itself and erased the line. It instead said '100 days from the start of the signee's signature of said contract.'

Lucas let out a gentle smile because of the praise but quickly realized that Lee was trying to pull a quick one on him.

"Really Lee?!" He asked... rather loudly at that.

Lee raised his hands into the air in a defensive gesture before shrugging.

"Go, easy pal... It's hard for an old mouse like me to remember stuff like that." Lee said before Lucas just sighed in response.

Lucas signed the contract after double... no triple-checking it again and again. After signing, however, a notification blocked his view, preventing him to see how Lee was responding to him finally signing the contract.

<Congratulations!>

<All users that are a part of the <Tournament> will now receive their rewards. For those who were not in a tournament, please be aware that only the strongest may be on top... and that those who are not strong will not remain at the bottom for very long.>

'...'

Lucas remained silent for a moment before the window automatically closed in front of him. He stared at the contract that lied in front of him and frowned.

"Why the hell am I getting so lucky?" Lucas asked to the air in front of him.

Lee looked at him as if he was crazy before quickly grabbing up the contract and eating it.

"What the hell was that for?!" Lucas asked as he saw the mouse quickly devour the paper contract.

After finishing the contract, Lee burped slightly and laid on his back before replying.

"You got to seal the deal, kid! And a good mean is the best way to do that." After saying that, however, he fell asleep once more, leaving Lucas to ponder over what he should do with all these new stats points and skill points...

<Ding!~>

'Ah... Divinity, right. I wonder what that is used for...' Lucas thought to himself as he waited hopefully for the system to reply.

'What?' Lucas asked himself as he realized his system clearance had skyrocketed.

'Just more and more improvements by the minute... Is this class really so OP?' Lucas thought with a sigh.

He was starting to get a headache due to the fact that so many people knew who he was. The government itself has put a bounty on his head and all he can do is walk through the city hoping to find more survivors.

'System... Allocate 30 points into endurance... and 120 points into Psionics.' Lucas thought hesitantly.

<Done!~>

'...'

'Why do these system things seem to change in personality every few seconds?' Lucas asked himself before the system responded.

'!'

Lucas's eyebrows raised slightly as he thought of the implications of what he had just asked.

'If there is a question... there is an answer,' Lucas thought to himself before thinking of what to put his 3 skill points in.

'How about... 1 into <Fighting Stances: Hunter Style>... 1 into <Accelerated Healing>, and the final point into <Wish>!' Lucas thought as he suddenly remembered the incredible skill he received that was still at nearly a month cooldown period.

---

<Please choose one of the following options>:

This style typically showcases efficient movement and speed when attacking as well as never being able to be used for non-lethal attacks. Very effective against creatures that are underneath your level.

This style allows the user to attack targets that are larger than the user more efficiently. This effect can also be used against targets who are higher level than the user at a diminishing return depending on how small they are.

Taking this path leads your heart astray and your emotions useless. This path brings great strength to all who walk it but there is no turning back.

---

'Predator style seems like it would be the best for me even though Giant Slayer seems to be pretty cool too.' Lucas thought to himself as he completely disregarded the third option.

'I'm not a bad person after all... Who would choose such a path other than hardened criminals?...' Lucas shivered as bad memories were brought to light in his mind which he quickly pushed back down into the pit of his stomach.

'Predator Style it is then!'

<User has selected <Fighting Stances: Predator Style / Rarity: Very Rare>. Skill has been added to the skill list.>

'Yes,'

---

<Fighting Stances: Predator Style: Tier: 1 / LV: 1 / Rarity: Very Rare>:

Becoming at the top of the food chain is your goal. It is a must that you achieve this goal or you will starve while others prosper. While fighting creatures of a lower level than the user, the user gains +5 to all stats temporarily.

---

'Not bad at all...' Lucas thought to himself as he moved to the next skill.

---

<Please choose one of the following skills>:

Those of the troll kin or those blessed by them have astonishingly thick skin that regenerates at a second's notice. Though those that accept this blessing often see it as a curse due to its overwhelming weakness against fire...

Dragons live at the top of the food chain. Their scales are tougher than the strongest steel and anything below perfection can harm them. On top of their incredible resilience, dragons often have a unique resistance against fire damage and fearing effects due to their position on the food chain and ancestral bloodline.

This skill is for those who have suffered a great deal and lived through it. People who have this skill find that they have great regenerative abilities and general resistance to pain. (A/N: Get the reference?)

'Dragons skin seems like the coolest one... Also seems like the one with the most evolution potential. Guess I will go with you.' Lucas thought to himself while carefully considering the other choices.

'Yes,'

---

Tougher than the strongest steel, near bulletproof, Can withstand the heat of a volcano and even scare the mightiest of mortals. So why should such a beast ever be scared? The user gains 100% increased bonus to defense, 100% increased regeneration, 100% increased fire protection, and 100% increased fear protection.

---

'Hot damn! That skill is pretty good... Pretty good indeed.' Lucas thought to himself as his stomach began to growl.

'I gotta eat after this,' Lucas thought to himself as he rumbled through his pack while talking to the system.

'What does 100% increased fire protection really mean? Does it mean I take no fire damage at all? Or perhaps it means that I double my current defense towards flames...'

'I see...' Lucas thought as he grabbed a can of beans and cracked it open with his bare hands.

'Now onto wish...'

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