43 Life or Death
As though he had just woke up from a fever dream, Dan looked around in a confused manner.
'What was I doing a few moments before?'
Dan could not help but remember just moments before when he felt his heart beating faster and stronger by the second. He even had the illusion his body had burst into flames from how hot his body had become.
Currently, Dan doesn't feel anything particularly different from how he usually does. Whether it was just his imagination or he actually did get sick, Dan could not help but feel that now is not the time for any of that. However, one thing kept sticking to the back of his mind. He felt as if he had talked to someone about something very important.
Dan shook my head.
'That is not important right now. I'm just confusing myself now. I need to focus. Focus!'
As if to throw away all of his inhibitions, Dan momentarily closed his eyes to calm down.
'…Hmm? This is…? What is this?'
The instant Dan had closed his eyes, a peculiar sensation rose from inside of him. It was a familiar feeling. Something that he had felt before. But on top of his head, he could not remember where he had felt such a sensation before.
'… I figured it out. This is the same feeling I get whenever I buy a new Skill from the Skill Store!'
Moments later, Dan was able to finally remember. It was the unique feeling he gets from the synchronization of knowledge and power of obtaining a new Skill for the first time. As soon as he realized it, Dan knew that somehow, without his knowledge, a new Skill appeared inside his Status. To his further surprise, it is even two Skills rather than just one. While still confused, the synchronization of the new Skills had not stopped even once.
'… This is….!? Battle Skills!? When did my System have any Battle Skills? A Support-Type learning Battle Skills… I never heard of such a thing!'
For Dan, it is a unprecedent phenomenom. Although he was suprised, his eyes never stopped trying find out what these two Skills are. After he read both their descriptions, Dan's had only one thought left in his mind.
'Amazing... if I have this...!'
What had been only cloudy skies until the horizon, a fragile ray of light peaked from the clouds. From that fragile ray, it continues to grow bigger until the skies fully clear and light spreads throughout the land. Dan then suddenly remembered the moment when he saw Kate protect that girl. Despite her low level, even Kate's Skill had produced enough effect to challenge a Milez. From that moment, Kate had shown Dan something important. That the path to survival still exist.
"Kate! Wait for a second."
"Dan? What's wrong? Don't tell me you have second thoughts about me being here? It's a waste of time to tell me otherwise."
"That's not it. Rather, I need you to help me."
"Help? … You have something, don't you?"
"There is no more time so I can't tell you what it is. I can only hope you would trust me on this."
"... Dan, I feel insulted that you believed so little in me. No matter what your plan is, I'll do my best to support you."
"Kate…"
"So what should I do?"
"…Thank you."
With Kate's unwavering support, Dan gained the confidence that he needed. For Dan's plan to work, Kate cooperation is a necessary component. To Dan, as long as both of them do their parts, their victory is all but assured.
"Okay, here's my plan…"
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"You ready."
"Who you talking to? I was born ready."
With a strong response, Kate immediately stepped forward to meet the Milezs head-on.
"Hey! Ya Fatties! You want some of this!? Then come and get it!"
With Kate raising her voice, she instantly attracted both of Milezs towards her direction. Having obtained a target, both Milezs immediatly towards Kate without hesitation. With bodies the size and weight of a fully-packed truck, the intimation that Kate should feel is no laughing matter. But as one might expect, Kate did not take this lying down. As soon as she attracted their intention she immediatly ran away in a random direction. Seeing their prey escape, both Milezs chased after her.
"Oi! Can't have you forget about me! Get over here!"
The moment Kate had caught both Milez's attention, Dan who was left alone was easily able to circle behind them with ease. Once in the position, Dan immediately raised my voice. Hearing his shout, the Milez closest to Dan immediately stopped chasing after Kate before turning around slowly to face him. The other Milez ignored Dan as it continued to its chase after Kate who had shouted first. Having seperating the two Milez's from eachother, it was sign that the first step of Dan's plan had been completely successful.
'Success! For me to have any real success with using my new Skills, it is required that I can get into a one-on-one situation with a Milez.'
While feeling slightly guilty from having Kate take on half of such a great burden while still exhausted, Dan harden his heart to focus on the task at hand. Luckily, having successfully pulled the attention of one Milez Dan was able to discover something critical abou the Milez's movements. Despite their speed when traveling in a straight line, their ability to turn direction is abysmally slow. As long as Kate never runs in a straight line, she should be able to run circles around the Milez relatively easily. Kate, having realized this truth, zig-zagging all over the place. Unable to keep up with Kate's agile movements, Kate had successfully dodging the Milez's every move.
Seeing Kate's suprisingly agile movement, when she should have been still exhausted, Dan was able to temporarliy gain a piece of mind. As long as Kate can continue what she is doing, Dan plans on leaving Kate alone for the time being. But even so, Dan also decided to end the battle on his side as quickly as possible. Since Dan doesn't know how long Kate can last, all he can do is try his best.
"SKRAAAWW!!!!"
The one who made the first move... was the Milez. With a charge reminiscent of a large boulder picking up speed down a hill, the Milez quickly covered the distance between itself and Dan. Having not let down his gaurd, Dan immediatly dodged towards the side. While Dan does not have the speed that Kate has due to differences in Stats, it was enough for him to out of the way. Missing its target, Milez could only chare past where Dan had stood once before, the momentum of its interia preventing it from stopping. Not letting that chance go to waste, Dan immediatly made his first move.
[Sensitivity Vision (H)]
That's right. Dan first move was the most simple but probably to most effective move he can make against any oppenent. With the ability to read the thoughts of others to know their every move while also discovering their 'sensitivity areas' akin to revealing their weakest portions of their body, there is no other better move in Dan's disposal that he knows.
'… what the fuck it's this?'
'XXXXXXXX'
To his suprise, Dan was not able to elicit the response he expected once he used his Skill. What flowed into his mind was unmistakbly the thoughts the Milez has toward Dan. However, no matter how much he dissects it, Dan was unable to make heads or tails of what thoughts he is recieving. It was as though he was trying to listen to a T.V. program, but the language it's in is not one he understands.
'Is this what all 'Invaders' sound like?'
Of all the feelings Dan could understand within myriad of noise flowing into his brain, only the feeling unending desire to eradicate for all life, not just his own, could be felt. But for Dan, that feeling is all that he really needs. As long as he can feel the focus of the Milez's impulses are on him, he doesn't need any other thoughts.
However, as one problem is resolved, a new more difficult problem rises up to take its place.
'… As expected, I don't see anything at first glance.'
Had Dan not been tuned to the Milez's thoughts, he would've thought his [Senstivity Vision (H)] had came out a dud. Pink lights? Red lights? Not even a hint of the most important 'black light' could be seen anywhere on the Milez's body. No matter where he looks, Dan is unable to even pin down a single good 'sensitivity area'. Knowing full well the Milez's armor-like exoskeleton, Dan expected as much.
While although he knows this, such information does not give Dan any single advantage. Without a single guide showing him the way, Dan can only give up on ever finding a 'weakness' on the Milez's body. If Dan were to compare its body to something, he would akin it to that of a mini moving fortress, And he was the soldier that was tasked to take it down.
'Can I really do this?'
"…No, it's not the quesiton of, 'Can I do it?' " Dan shakes his head, "It is 'I have to do it.' For all our sakes."
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[Ero Trigger Point Style (H)] – Prerequisite: [Healing Touch (H)](PASSIVE/ACTIVE), [Sensitivity Vision (H)], [Reflexology (H)]. and [Deep Tissue Massage (H)]. Level 1 Access… Clear.
With your touch, you can make any woman desire for you with ease. However to make them 'yours', just having the 'magic touch' is not enough. If you do not have the power to defend what is yours, you are just fated to die alone. For that reason, a certain 'Ero Masseuse' developed the ultimate 'martial art'. Using the perfect fusion of 'violence' and 'ero massage technique', 'she' has overcame that 'fate' time and time again. It is now your turn to experience even a fragment of 'her' greatness. At the cost of points, the User is now capable of embodying the 'essence' of the Ero Trigger Point Style. The longer you remain on the path to the ultimate 'Eros', this Style will get stronger with you. Whether if you can 'use' it or that it 'uses' you... it is your choice.
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[Ero Trigger Point Style (H)]…. Activate!!
"!!?"
Once Dan activated his new Skill for the first time, the effect was immediate. What he had been unable to see before now appears before eyes so clear it is blinding. Red, pink, dark red, light pink. Lit with a variety of shades of red all over, it was if the Milez had become decorated with red Christmas lights. These streaks of light do not only covered the Milez all over its surface of its body. As though imitating the complexity of blood vessels, red/pink lights could be seen spreading and branching out from inside the Milez. To Dan, the Milez became nothing more than a translucent screen, its body merely projection screen. The image of the Milez's every muscle, ligament, and tendon is being lit up and put on full display for all Dan can see.
Within those streaks of red/pink light, lights in the color of the darkest night sky could be seen decorating itself all over various places inside the Milez. Having seen the similar kind of thing before, there was no way Dan can ever misundertand what he is seeing right now.
"Amazing…"
'This is just like my [Sensitivity Vision (H)]... No, it's even more than that! As long as I can have this... I have a chance at winning!'
From just activating [Ero Trigger Point Style (H)], Dan's confidence exploded endlessly. What had been before a baseless confidence due to having read the Skills description, now became confindence in its rawest and purest form from experiencing the Skill first-hand. But because of his new found excitement, Dan had almost missed a single important detail. Along with his new sense of empowerment, Dan simultaneously feels a sensation he had felt once before. With a single thought, Dan instantly brought up his Systems Window in front of him.
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…
Total Points: 532 (-1)
531 (-1)
530 (-1) ....
….
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Dan looks on as his 'painstakingly' gained points are now decreasing at an alarming rate. Dan knew that if he doesn't finish this battle soon all the points he had ever not used until now will be gone before he knows it.
"SKREEEEE!!!"
"Woah!!"
With a terrifying lunge, the Milez launched itself towards Dan with a giant leap once again. Reading its trajectory, Dan immediately moved himself out of the way with a roll on the ground. Seconds later, huge crater was created from where Dan had stood seconds before.
"That was close. But thanks for reminding me you are still here. I got a present for you to express my gratitude."
Taking the chance where the Milez is still recovering from the rebound of its jump, Dan immediately charged within striking distance of it. Standing in a position underneath the Milez, he braced his feet onto the ground as he threw out his strongest palm strike with all of his might directly towards one of the Milez's leg joints closest to its body.
[Ero Trigger Point Style: Release Palm]
A wave of some kind of energy launched from Dan's palms, causing the inside of the Milez's joints turning its entire leg completely flaccid and numb.
"…!? SKREE!!!"
Having lost all sensation to one of one of its appendages, the Milez started to tilt onto its side. Still within range of being crushed by its huge body, Dan immediately retreated from underneath the Milez to a safe area. A loud 'thud can be heard as the now unbalanced Milez lays on its side. It can be seen clawing at the ground, trying to lift up its giant body again with difficulty.
Success!!
In the grand scheme, this victory was naught but a ripple in a clear pond, barely making its prescence known. However, to Dan, it was linchpin and turning point that will bring him to total vicotry. Dan's new [Ero Trigger Point Style (H)] unmistakably works. No, it works beyond what he could have ever expected. With just one strike, he was able to render the Milez almost unable to move. Dan's suprise was etched upon his face.
Forcefully calming himself down, Dan quickly made himself run towards the still flailing Milez once more.
[Ero Trigger Point Style: Release Palm] X5
With great certainty, Dan launched multiple energy wave attacks one more. Where he had only used it on one leg, this time, he aimed each and every one of his attacks to all the other legs in the same way. Having all of its appendages become useless, the Milez could do nothing but collaspe hard onto the groud. Its body now merely a sitting duck.
"S-KREE….Reeeee~…!!?"
Its previously ear-piercing cries now become far weaker than before. Now facing his previous 'target of fear', Dan gazed upon the Milez's current pitiful state, his mind experiecing a peculiar feeling.
"... This is my final tribute to you."
With his right hand raised, Dan placed his palms directly between the Milez's two compound eyes. Dan could feel the Milez's raw emotions as it passes through the temporary connection made by his new Skill. What had been an incomprehensible mess before, now became clear as day. In its eyes and in Dan's head, he can feel clearly the Milez's fear of death. While Dan doesn't truly understand it's exact emotions, he feels as though the Milez is acutally pleading for its life. Dan couldn't help himself feel weird from having the creature that had appeared so strong the first time he saw it, to become so weak as it is now.
… However, Dan's mind remained unyielding. There is only one conclusion for a relationship between him and the Milez.
"… Good-bye."
[Ero Trigger Point Style: Release Palm]
With that, the end of the first battle with the 'Invader' has finally come to a close.
