Clash

The ghoulish swordsmen stood a good 13 meters from Kore, their weapons degraded from constant use after a few seconds. They rushed forward toward him, unleashing a fury of loose attacks that were only a shadow of what they used to be. Kore swung his blade in a line toward them in an attempt to prevent any from landing.

TING!

[First perfect parry achieved]

[ +5 Senses]

The swordsman stumbled back from a shocked Kore, one had fallen over from the parry. Swiftly, Kore snapped out of his daze and swung at one of the swordsmen, slicing its chest open and killing it nearly instantly.

[ Forgotten Swordsman defeated]

{ +30 EXP }

[LEVEL UP]

[Please wait until the trial is over to receive your rewards.]

One of the ghouls swung its sword at the distracted Kore, striking his arm with a heavy blow.

[ - 7 HP ]

"AGH!" Kore screamed as he jumped back while a feeling of numbness and pain shot through his arm and body.

'IT HURTS' he screamed in his head.

Tears filled his eyes as he dropped the scale to the ground as a extreme pain shot through his arm, but the ghouls were already in front of him before he could gather himself, and one of them struck him with an attack to the chest.

[ - 5 HP ]

[ Critical Health Reached. ]

[ User's existence is in jeopardy. A 75% increase in all stats has been administered ]

The pain and numbness were fading away and being replaced with a feeling of immense power. Kore had regained his senses, and even though he couldn't move his left arm, he still wielded the sword.

One of the swordsmen that remained struck with speed rather than strength.

!!!

The air was filled with an ear-piercing shatter as pieces of the sword flew into the air and onto the ground behind the ghoul; its sword was completely gone, leaving only the hilt on the floor.

[ Forgotten Swordsman Defeated ]

[ +20 EXP ]

Kore swung again, this swing flowing from the last into the next, slicing another ghoul in half.

[ Forgotten Swordsman Defeated ]

[ + 25 EXP ]

The remaining two ghouls began attacking in unison, swinging from the left and right. Kore swiftly moved backward out of the way of the swings.

CLANG!

Both of their blades struck each other, which led to a piercing move forward.

TING!

He blocked both of the attacks with his sword, only skidding back a bit, Kore shoved the blades to the sides, swinging at one of the ghouls, only for it to be immediately parried, leaving him open to the other one.

[ - 3 HP ]

Another strike to the chest was received, but the pain was flooded out by the adrenaline pumping through his veins and the Buff working in unison.

He swung upward at the ghoul only to feint into a stab, piercing one through the chest but being kicked off by the other before a killing blow was delivered.

Kore rolled a few meters, only to stand up and block a downward strike.

[ Buff has been reduced to 50% ]

He was feeling weaker than before, and the need to end this battle was an ever-growing problem for him as death got closer and closer as the fight progressed. He took a deep breath before continuing.

They both swung downward at him in an attempt to take his arms off, but he blocked it again, ending up in a crouching position from the weight of the strikes.

'DAMN IT'

He pushed with all his might upward, forcing them to stumble back, leaving themselves unprotected.

Swish!

A slice split one of the swordsmen in half, leaving only one remaining.

[ Forgotten Swordsman Defeated ]

[ + 30 EXP ]

[ Buff has been reduced to 25% ]

He felt tired his body as a whole became heavier not only was the buff wearing off but the adrenaline too, pain filled his arm once more making him shaky.

'Don't think just fight.'

Both of the warriors faced off against each other, one from a bygone era and the other from the present. They each made their move.

Attack after attack came for Kore; he did his best to block and sometimes parry each strike, but it was too fast to keep up with fully.

[ - 3 HP ]

Slice after slice dug into his body, leaving Kore to hit a few times but not as frequently as the enemy.

The battle was dragging on and on as Kore's body began to fail. He was tired and making more and more mistakes, taking more minor hits and scratches.

CLANG!

[ A perfect parry has been achieved ]

They both stumbled back.

Kore and the final warrior faced each other, for one final attack in the eleventh hour of the battle.

A move was made by both at the same time.

Shluk!

The silence filled the arena, only to be broken by the thumping sound of something hitting the floor.

[The user has been struck by a fatal strike ]

A sword had pierced through Kore's chest, but the enemy swordsman's head had hit the ground behind it.

[Defeat of the Forgotten Master]

[ + 100 EXP ]

[ . . . ]

Kore only felt the running of a warm liquid down his chest as the arena around him faded into oblivion.

[ The user has completed the trial ]

[ User's health will be restored ]

[ User will be returned to original position of death ]

[ Reward... ]