Grinding [Pt 2]

[12:19 PM, Saturday 6th of May, 2024]

I had tried out both <Sprint > and <Focus >, and now <Visualize >.

So far, the experiences I was having with these Skills were beyond amazing. They were thrilling.

But I wasn't done yet.

'I've been saving the best for the last, and now it's finally time to use it.' A broad grin formed on my face as I looked at the glowing orb floating on top of my palm.

"....Rock."

I was excited to see all it could do, considering it's new and improved perks.

[Item Information]

Name: Energy Rock (Upgradeable)

Special Effect: Always Returns to User. Floats on User's fingertips. Can be controlled by the User through a mental link.

Combat Ability: +3

Energy Level: +2

Durability: Infinite

[End Of Information]

'Hehe... let's do this!'

The Demons were already beginning to drift apart, so it was the perfect opportunity to pick them off one at a time.

'I'm curious about how this really works.' I focused on my targets as I prepared to launch my Energy Rock.

'Will it add my current Combat Ability to the mix when dealing damage, since I'm linked to it, or will it's base Combat Ability and Energy Level be the only thing it'll exert if I just control it?'

These were the thoughts on my mind, and I could only solve them by taking the first step.

'I'll launch it using my hands for the first try, and then for the second, I'll control it psychically.'

That way, I would be able to notice the difference in damage allocation.

'Let's begun!'

~WHOOOMMM!!~

It felt like the wind parted as I thrust the Energy Rock in the direction of an unsuspecting Demon.

Like a sharp blur of pure blue light, the rock lunged at its head, impacting it within the fraction of a second.

~BAM!~

The head flew right off, and the Energy Ball blew open a hole in its skull as it tore through the head and smashed the building behind it—all in an instant.

~BOOOOMMM!~

'A-ah! That was too much!' Wincing a little, I ground my teeth.

The excessiveness of the damage caused instantly registered in my brain... as well as those of the enemies.

The Demons panicked, all of them swiftly looking around them to spot where the attack originated from.

Unfortunately for me, I was still recoiling from the shocking hit I made, so I wasn't able to completely hide away in time.

As a result, I was found.

"GRAAAKKKKK!!!" I heard them bellow out, sending loud noises echoing into the air.

'Shit! They'll make too much noise, and more will be drawn here in no time.'

That meant I had to silence them... and fast!

'Seems it's time for my second experiment with Energy Rock.'

Swiftly controlling the glowing rock with my mind, I felt it to be an extension of myself. It felt like I was holding it so close to myself, and I could direct it wherever I wanted it to go.

The control... the precision... everything felt too natural.

'Haa...' My wide grin intensified as I watched the Demons draw near to me. 'I've got this!'

~WHOOOOMMM!!!~

The Energy Rock swiftly launched itself from its position, rushing towards the group that charged in my direction.

Like a rushing bullet, it ricocheted on the heads of the monsters, blowing each one away from the rest of its body as it went after the next one.

One by one, they fell, until the last one crumbled just a few meters from me.

In the end, they were all powerless before me—or rather, my sole weapon.

"Good job." I smiled at the round orb that was already returning to me.

The blood of the monsters dripped from its smooth surface, and the vestiges that were left got burned by the energy it radiated.

All in all, it was a successful test run.

'It seems even more Demons are on their way here.' I smiled, changing my hiding position to a more secure one.

'<Sprint > and <Focus > are now back online. My Energy has somewhat been restored as well...'

Looking at the group that had gathered now, they would make good subjects for my next goal.

'I just have to find ways to combine my Skills and Energy Rock's attacks.' With a sharp glint in my eyes, I chuckled silently.

'I'll make sure to use everything at my disposal.'

Hopefully I could Level Up in the process.

********

[12:56 PM, Saturday 6th of May, 2024]

It was unfortunate that I couldn't Level Up even one bit, but I was able to learn a lot about my new abilities.

I could now effortlessly command Energy Rock, using it with far better fluidity than before.

I could also use <Focus > in conjunction with it, and with the aid of <Visualize >, I could perfectly predict the enemy's attacks, movements and locations.

<Sprint > also enabled me to act faster and get more done.

Thanks to my Necklace, I could recover my Energy Level, so as long as I alternated between the Skills I used, I wasn't going to run out of Energy.

"It all went well, which makes it kind of a shame..."

Looking around me now, there was no longer any need to hide or grow cautious.

"Seems there's no Demon around anymore."

I was the last one standing.

'This can't be right. I could have sworn there would be some sort of special reward for coming out and killing Demons.'

However, contrary to my opinions, there had been no System Notification that confirmed this suspicion since I started hunting.

And now the Demons were no more—at least, in my vicinity.

'Maybe I should patrol a little. If I use <Sprint > and <Focus >, I should be able to cover more ground while looking for potential targets.'

A tight feeling formed in my chest, considering the fact that I might have to stray a little distance from my base.

'But it'll be worth it.'

*******

[1:09 PM, Saturday 6th of May, 2024]

"Haa... I can't believe this."

At this point, I had already scoured my block, ensuring I didn't go too far from the area I recognized for safety. I didn't encounter a single Demon, or the sign of any.

That left me to the only place I knew for certain that Demons existed.

"To think I'd come back here." A wry smile formed on my lips as I gazed upon the towering building that stood tight in front of me.

"The hotel."

A sense of dread and foreboding swept through me as I lifted my feet and took my first step closer to the door.

No Demons were in sight, but the crawling feeling I had in my chest told me I wasn't too far from an infested area.

Still, something prompted me to move.

Was it instinct? Curiosity? I had no idea. But it allowed me to overcome the dread and reach out for the door in front of me.

And as soon as I touched it...

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

<Welcome To The Special Event>

{You have found the Special Event Area for your Zone, and as such, you will now be given a Special Mission to execute. Should you succeed, you will be awarded a Special Reward.}

~Special Event: <KILL ALL ENEMIES>~

<Would You Like To Proceed?>

[Yes] [No]

"Haa... haha... hahaha..."

The System had to be kidding me with this. After coming this far, did it really think I was going to turn back now?

'It's weird that this is the area the System chose, but I'm glad there's indeed a Special Event.'

I didn't plan on missing out in the slightest.

Stretching out my fingers to tap on the [Yes] icon, my eyes widened with excitement, and my lips curled up instantly.

With a racing heart, I pushed the date open and welcomed myself to my next challenge.

"Here I go."

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[A/N]

Anyone getting bad vibes about this place?

Is it just me?