Chapter 10

"Don't feel too bad; you aren't the first monster to fall for that move."

Mori stood with slight sweat on his face. Back before Mori was about to get hit, he was able to rip his dagger from his scar and drop it. Then he chose to use himself as a distraction from his dagger's appearance.

"Now, let's continue where we left off, shall we?"

Mori raises his hand to retrieve his dagger.

*Astral Grip Used (LV 4)

*Astral Grip Level Up!

*Astral Stat Level Up!

As it ripped from the Dusk's back and glided into Mori's hand, he stood ready to fight it head-on.

But to his surprise, the Dusk reacted slowly. Instead of charging him, he studied him and mimicked him. Suddenly from the Dusk's elbow scar, he pulled out a similar dagger to Mori's.

"Huh, I was not expecting that."

While it adjusted, Mori continued watching its every move. Then within seconds, it vanished and appeared before him, its dagger's tip aimed at Mori's right eye; Mori fell back and dodged, thanks to his improved reflexes, and with a chance, he swiped left with his dagger attempting to cut the body of the Dusk. The blade instead phased through it like it had cut nothing but air.

Mori fell to his back and watched as the Dusk jumped on the opportunity and attempted to stab Mori while he was on the ground. Clashing their daggers, Mori holds his ground as the Dusk's blade narrows in on his chest. Slowly it begins digging into his chest; then, with force, the Dusk pulls back to stab again, Mori quickly uses it as an opportunity and strikes for the head. Immediately piercing through the Dusk's right eye. The Dusk shrieks in pain and leaps off Mori. Quickly allowing him to get up and readjust.

"Note to self, don't let it pin me again."

While the Dusk held its blue bleeding eye, Mori went on the offensive, throwing his dagger with force towards the Dusk. The Dusk immediately parried it to the side before charging toward Mori with a vicious reaction.

"Shit..."

Mori attempted to recall his dagger, but before it reached his hand, the Dusk stabbed through Mori's right hand and wrapped its ghostly shadow hand around his throat. Simultaneously as its dagger rips from Mori's hand, it turns and launches Mori into the air with a forceful throw. As Mori's vision shakes, the Dusk leaps to him and drives his dagger through his chest; blood coughs from Mori's mouth covering the Dusk's shoulder before it pulls it out and swipes him to the floor with the pommel of its dagger.

As Mori collided against the ground, the Dusk landed heavily before him and stood with its head tilted as it stared at him with its singular ghostly eye. Mori shakes as he bleeds out from multiple wounds.

"I-I'm going to die; I can't die..."

*Fear subdued

*Sadness subdued

*Anger subdued

"Even now, I can't experience the emotions I used to have. It truly is a sad reality."

The Dusk revs back as it goes for the next attack; Mori holds out his left hand and waits for his dagger to reach his palm; however, once the hilt of the dagger glides into his hand.

*Astral Level Up!

Mori jabs forward.

*TING

His dagger collides against the Dusk's dagger and parries it back. Allowing him to go for a stab, but as he attempted to press the tip of the blade into the Dusk, it leaped back once more, avoiding severe damage.

"Damn it... I was so close!"

In frustration, Mori throws his dagger at the Dusk and watches it pass through it thoroughly.

"Hah! You won't see this coming again!"

Mori pulled back his left arm as he used Astral Grip once again. However, it flowed through the Dusk with ease. The Dusk screeched as it revved for its next attack. So with haste, Mori throws his dagger into the ceiling. Then the moment the Dusk charged forth, he waited for the right moment, and right as its breath brisked against his skin, he leaped. Grabbing hold of his dagger for leverage.

The Dusk ran past Mori's original spot as Mori held on to the hilt of his dagger. The Dusk looked around, trying to sniff out Mori. But as the weight of Mori took a toll on his dagger, it loosened, and Mori quickly began falling. As his back slams against the ground, the Dusk turns to see its prey.

"Ahh, that hurt... Damn."

As Mori adjusted his head slightly, he noticed the Dusk rushing towards him, and with urgency, he reached for his falling dagger. As it was nearing his hand, the Dusk swept by and grabbed hold of his dagger, taking it for itself. Mori's eyes widened as he didn't expect the monster to learn so quickly.

He sat up, watching the terrifying image of the shadowy version of himself slowly stand with two daggers.

The Dusk turned to stare Mori down with its only ghostly white eye. Before it completely vanished into the shadows, popping up right behind him in seconds. Mori quickly grabbed hold of the Dusk's shins and rolled back, extending his feet into the Dusk's face, kicking it away the moment his feet connected.

Mori kicked up and turned as it flew through the air, reaching for his dagger with his astral grip skill.

*Astral Grip Used (Lv 5)

With the newly leveled version, it reacted faster and could be used from a different range—current max: One hundred and twenty feet.

In seconds it pulled the Dusk towards Mori as it held on with a harsh grip.

"Fine, if you won't let go of it! Then I'll make you let go!"

Mori pulled back his left arm and prepared to deliver a heavy blow with his fist.

As It closed in, Mori swung quickly, driving his left fist across the Dusk's face, feeling a strong connection between his fist and its face. The Dusk bounced along the floor, releasing both his dagger and Mori's dagger. Mori quickly retrieved his dagger, then looked at the Dusk's dagger.

"You messed up my right hand pretty bad... So lucky for you, I can't use your weapon right now."

Mori jolted over to the downed Dusk and attempted to deliver a killing blow, but his blade passed through the Dusk again and jammed into the ground. As it slowly lifted its head, it held its face close to Mori's before unleashing its eerie shriek. Mori grit his teeth as his eyes squinted from the harsh sound, stunning him for a mere moment, which allowed the Dusk to retrieve its weapon to its hand—mimicking Mori's Astral Grip skill.

"The proper form of mimicry... Great."

Mori hastily pulled his dagger out of the ground and jumped back.

*Ting, Ting, Ting

Locked into a sudden speed battle, Mori begins fighting head to head with the Dusk as their daggers clank off each other repeatedly.

*Ting, Ting, Ting!

They move from different parts of the arena with each collision. Their motions were swift and agile as they fought with monstrous speed. Clouds of dust kicking up from the floor as they slide back and forth between clashes. Then as Mori parries the Dusk's dagger with his own, a textbox appears before his eyes.

*New Skill unlocked! Pinpoint: Find a vital point of your enemy. (CD: Ten Minutes)

Mori's eyes widened as it vanished, and suddenly a thought-filled into his head.

"I can do this! *Skill Pinpoint activated!* This will work!"

Mori's yellow eyes glowed as they revealed a singular weak point of the Dusk. Its location, its other eye.

I'll aim for that when the time is right, Mori thought as he resumed clashing daggers with the Dusk.

*Ting, Ting, Ting, Ting

Sparks flew as Mori waited for the opportunity, but he also made sure not to fall off his rhythm as it would mean certain death. He was already bleeding heavily, yet he ignored it and continued fighting.

"Got to wait! N-Not yet!"

The Dusk continued to beat against Mori's blade with his; as it pushed and pushed, it revealed an opportunity. Quickly Mori held out his right foot, tripping the super-focused Dusk. Forcing the Dusk to lean forward unwillingly, Mori went for the kill, driving the tip of his dagger through the Dusk's last remaining eye. As his blade sailed deep into the Dusk's eye, It went eerily silent as the Dusk's weapon bounced against the ground, its body began to dissolve, and the battle was over. Mori had won, but barely.

He quickly fell to the floor, breathing heavily.

"That was too close..."

*A textbox appears

"Congratulations, you have successfully killed the boss of this floor."

*Reward: Dusk Frames

*These glasses allow the wearer to see the magical energy of those around him.

*Item Rank: C

*The item was placed in your inventory.

"A-A pair of glasses? All that for a pair of glasses?! You've got to be kidding me!"

As Mori lies on the floor, the elevator to the next level begins ascending, taking him to his subsequent battles.

"I have to survive ten more months of this... I don't know if I can keep doing this. It's intense."

Mori's time continues as he battles to become stronger. With every battle, every kill. He reaches further for the title of the strongest.