10 The Battle with Thomas: Unleashing Aura Mastery
The resounding sound of metal clashing filled the battlefield as neither side gained the upper hand, their strengths appearing almost equal.
However, Kuber was the one facing genuine danger. Before him stood a master of Arnis, the national martial art of the Philippines, renowned for its lethality.
Summoning his sword from the inventory, Kuber assumed a defensive stance, trying to collect his courage. In stark contrast, Thomas seemed relaxed, treating the situation as if it posed no threat to him.
With a wicked grin on his face, Thomas lunged at Kuber, swiftly swinging his knife. In a split second, he closed the distance between them, and Kuber narrowly dodged the blade. Unfortunately, the knife grazed Kuber's nose, leaving a cut mark.
Time seemed to slow down for Kuber. Facing Thomas felt like confronting death itself, as his opponent's speed surpassed his expectations.
"Oh! You're good. I thought a single swing of my knife would finish you off," Thomas taunted, wearing a sinister smile. To him, Kuber seemed like nothing more than prey.
"Don't act like a predator, Thomas. I've seen many strong men like you fall without achieving anything," Kuber retorted, his anger rising at Thomas's provocation. Despite feeling humiliated, he was determined to take the risk and fight this man.
Summoning his courage, Kuber took out the aura book he had recently purchased.
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[Aurabook – Beginner's Aura Mastery]
Aura masters are those who can strengthen their weapons and unleash powerful aura techniques. These techniques are based on the aura energy within our bodies. Depending on your talent for aura manipulation, you can become an aura master or aura guardian. With this book, you can embark on the beautiful journey of an aura user.
[Rank] – F
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"Damn, this book still looks shady," Kuber thought warily about learning a skill with such a vague description. However, this wasn't the time to worry about trivial matters. Determined to improve himself, he resolved to open the aurabook.
Thomas wasn't one to wait and see his opponent power up. Sensing that Kuber was up to something, he swiftly took out another throwing knife and hurled it at Kuber.
Kuber instinctively lifted his hand to shield himself, but the knife managed to penetrate his hand. "Argh!" he cried out in pain. However, amidst the pain, he succeeded in learning the skill from the aura book.
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[You have learned "Beginner's Aura Mastery" successfully]
[You have unlocked "Aura"]
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[Level] – 2
[Name] – Kuber Walton
[Title] – Traitor's Son, Goblin
[Lifespan] – 21/84 years
[Class] – None
[Unique skill] – Appraisal(S)
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[Attributes]
[Strength] – 4
[Agility] – 4
[Stamina] – 5
[Aura] – 10
[Wisdom] – 9
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[Skills] [Inventory] [Shop]
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A cold sensation welled up inside Kuber, his insides screaming with pain. Nonetheless, he felt excited, not because he was a masochist, but because he had just gained a new power. His eyes gleamed with excitement, and his heart pounded relentlessly.
Strengthening his sword with the cold energy called aura, he assumed an offensive stance.
"That's interesting. You were able to actually buy a skill book despite being so weak. Tell me, how did you do it?" Thomas inquired, curious about Kuber's acquisition of the skill book.
Thomas continued to look down on Kuber, seemingly unfazed by his opponent's new skill. After all, he had a B-rank unique skill backing him up, making him feel superior. On the other hand, Kuber also possessed an S-rank unique skill, but it wasn't meant for battle.
"You don't need to know about that. Just die for me," Kuber taunted with a loud roar.
Kuber charged at Thomas, thrusting his sword. However, Thomas easily deflected the attack and retaliated by slicing Kuber's stomach, inflicting a serious wound. Despite the pain and blood loss, Kuber stood his ground. With Thomas cornering him, Kuber felt death looming near.
'I need to find something, something that can save my life today,' Kuber thought desperately, searching for a way to escape this perilous situation. To his surprise, he discovered something unexpected near the battlefield.
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[Explosive type weapon – Mana Landmine]
A weapon copied from the landmine weapon on Earth. It can create an explosion powerful enough to kill a level 3 player. It uses mana as its source of energy.
[Rank] – E
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A landmine was hidden near the battlefield, concealed beneath the earth, and unbeknownst to everyone present.
As Kuber's eyes fixated on the landmine, Thomas took advantage of the momentary distraction and swung his knife at Kuber once again. However, this time, Kuber managed to dodge the attack.
"It was a close call. You should keep your eyes on your opponent if you want to live longer."
"I don't need you to tell me what to do."
Kuber seized the opportunity and retaliated by slashing his sword towards Thomas, forcing him to retreat. Taking advantage of the opening, Kuber ran towards the landmine with all his might.
Thomas grew suspicious of Kuber's sudden escape, realizing that there might be something fishy about the statue. He swiftly rushed towards the statue, outrunning Kuber due to his superior agility.
"Do you think I would let you run away just like this? Do I look like a pushover to you?" Thomas taunted as he blocked Kuber's path to the statue.
Kuber's eyes were bloodshot from the pain of his stomach wound, but he knew he had no other option but to fight back in order to survive.
As Kuber lunged towards Thomas, he thrusted his sword with full force, causing Thomas to block the attack and step back. As Thomas moved backward, a strange beeping sound emanated from the spot where he had just stood. He glanced down at his foot, trying to check for anything suspicious, but it was too late to react.
Boom! A massive explosion erupted at that very spot, sending Thomas flying through the air. The force of the explosion also impacted Kuber, causing him to fall to the ground.
"Woah! What just happened?"
"An explosion occurred near the statue."
"Check if the statue is alright."
"Don't worry, the statue is okay, but what was that explosion?"
Everyone's attention was diverted from the ongoing fight to the site of the landmine explosion. The battlefield was now filled with questions and confusion.
"Young master! What happened to you? I told you to be careful just now," Alvin rushed to Kuber's side with a worried expression. Seeing Kuber bleeding profusely from his stomach wound, Alvin couldn't help but feel inadequate in protecting him.
"Don't worry, Alvin. I won't die from something like this," Kuber assured weakly, putting pressure on his wound to stop the bleeding as he lay on the ground, feeling utterly exhausted. His complexion had paled due to the excessive loss of blood, and his breathing was heavy as he struggled to maintain consciousness.
"Why do you have to take such risks, young master? You are just like your father—reckless and arrogant," Alvin scolded, though his words were filled with genuine concern for Kuber. He didn't want to see Kuber suffer the same fate as his father.
"I won't do something like this again, Alvin. Don't worry about me and check up on that person... Cough!" Kuber's words were interrupted by another bout of coughing, which resulted in him spitting out a mouthful of blood, further fueling Alvin's worries. Alvin held Kuber's hand tightly, his eyes filled with sympathy and concern for his young master's well-being.
"Young master, don't worry about anything else. The person you were fighting is barely alive. He will die in a minute if we leave him be."
"No, Alvin, we can't let him die like that. Drag him here; I will finish him with my sword."
Alvin paused for a moment, contemplating what he should do. Eventually, he agreed, "Yes, I understand, young master. I will drag that person here right now."
Kuber never held a grudge against Thomas, but he still wanted to be the one to end his life in order to gain experience points. The importance of leveling up had become evident to him.
"Here you go, young master. This is the person you wanted. As you can see, he is already half-dead," Alvin said as he brought the half-dead Thomas before Kuber.
Looking at Thomas with nothing but pity, Kuber struggled to stand up himself. With Alvin's support, he finally managed to rise, feeling extreme pain from his wound.
As Kuber looked down on Thomas, he asked an unexpected question, "Any last wish, Thomas, or should I say Tom?" Despite the hatred he felt for Thomas, Kuber's actions took a surprising turn as he showed sympathy and asked for Thomas's last wish, an act befitting a hero.
"I... I have a daughter. Her name is Selena Nolan. Please take care of her if you ever come across her," Thomas struggled to complete his sentence, managing to convey his last wish to Kuber.
"No, that's an absurd request to make. After all, you were just trying to kill me a second ago. I have no reason to fulfill your last wish, unless you have something valuable you can give me." Kuber responded calmly. In that moment of silence, he thrust his sword into Thomas, killing him instantly.
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[You have leveled up – Level 3]
[All of your stats will be raised by 1]
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"Hahaha... that was entertaining to watch. You truly are an entertaining person," a wise-looking man emerged from hiding, clapping his hands and laughing uncontrollably.
