Chapter 3 - The Massacre in the Sewer!
Disclaimer: I own nothing but my original characters and artwork, so if you recognize it from elsewhere, surprise! That's not mine. Enjoy ~.
Word Count 2331
Chapter 3 - Massacre in the sewers!
***
After Lucy left Mr. Skeleton alone with his thoughts as she sought to communicate about this ''Creator''.
King Hassan remained alone, with only his Saber and the mutilated corpse of the adult rat that had been devoured by the Verminous of the Stellar Abyss shortly before.
As the holographic screen reflected on his skeletal face, the blue flames in his eye sockets seemed to have weakened, reflecting his deep meditation.
[Status]
[Name]: King Hassan
[Race]: Skeleton
[Title: 1]
[Level: 2]
[Halo]: The Emissary of the Underworld
[Health]: 160/160
[Mana]: 10/10
[Stats]
Strength: (8) [+10] [+]
Agility: (4) [+]
Endurance: (6) [+10] [+]
Magic Power: (2) [+]
[Stats points: 15]
[Talents] : [Undead] [Gluttony] [Piety] [Amorphism] [Item Box]
[Skills] : [Appraisal]
[Equipment]: Military Saber (Condition: Good)
''I'm still weak...'' Murmured Mr. Skeleton after self-assessing himself.
''It seems that the worm is a gluttonous creature, able to absorb and redistribute the attributes of the corpses it consumes. That could be useful,'' King Hassan commented.
''However, if that Creator decides to remove this ability of mine, it will be a huge loss.''
King Hassan the Skeleton briefly pondered over his ability of [Gluttony], but decided not to give it much thought. After all, if the Creator didn't like him for this skill, there wasn't much he could do about it.
Instead, he focused his attention on his talents and skills, seeking to make the best use of them.
Using that location of the sewer as a temporary base, King Hassan placed himself on one of the side walls, he used the location of the sewer with the privileged view as it had only one entrance and four walls, which allowed him to have a strategic point of defense.
Ready, King Hassan decided to evaluate his skills.
King Hassan, having the skills of [Undead] and [Gluttony], already had a sense of what they could provide him.
As an undead being, King Hassan has unique abilities due to his condition, such as a natural resistance to certain types of damage and immunity to disease. In addition, he never gets tired, which allows him to fight for long periods without fatigue.
Furthermore, King Hassan's [Gluttony] ability has already been proven when a horrifying creature from another dimension was summoned.
King Hassan, following Lucy's instructions, touched his [Pity] skill with his bony hand, and immediately a new panel opened before his eyes.
[Piety]
Skill Rank: F
Skill Effect: Transforms anyone who turns their back on the bearer into an obedient slave.
''Interesting.'' thought King Hassan: ''For some reason, that sounds familiar.'' Murmured King Hassan to himself.
He tried to search his fragmented memory for any clues about his [Pity] ability.
Blurred images and confused memories flashed through his mind, but nothing was clear enough to provide a definitive answer.
Shaking his head and getting rid of those fuzzy memories, Mr. Skeleton tapped on the last skill:
[Item Box]
Rank: F
Effect: Magical box that stores and transports items of moderate size and lightweight. Expands with the user's ability. Instant access regardless of location. Stores only inanimate items that do not exceed the box's capacity. ]
Mr. Skeleton, upon looking at his [Item Box] skill, was amazed at its functionality.
The ability to store and transport items conveniently and safely were something he found extremely useful in his battles.
Mr. Skeleton smiled, recognizing that this skill would be a valuable tool in his future battles, offering him greater flexibility and versatility in his combat strategies. For now, he had no treasure to keep inside the [Item Box].
And finally the replica of Lucy's saber.
[Military Saber]
Rank: A+
Condition: Great
Description: High-quality saber with a sharp blade and ergonomic handle for better grip. A reliable and effective weapon in combat.
Abilities:
Precise Strike: balanced blade for precise and accurate strikes.
Sharp Blade: precise and deep cut.
Enhanced Agility: light and agile for fast and accurate movements.
Statistics:
Attack: 200
Attack Speed: 2/s
Durability: 3000
Additional Effect: +10 strength for the wearer.
King Hassan was awestruck at the sight of the Military Sabre in his hands. For a moment, he stood motionless, admiring the beauty and skill of the weapon. After a few seconds, his face lit up with a smile of admiration.
It was a funny scene when his jaw dropped a little as he examined the sharp blade and comfortable grip.
He then began to spin the saber skillfully in the air, testing his agility and balance.
The sharp blade glinted in the light, and the ergonomic handle fit perfectly in his hand. He knew that this weapon would be an advantage in his next fight.
He decided not to question too much and to take advantage of the opportunity at hand.
With the Military Saber in his scrawny hand, King Hassan began to explore that maze-like sewer.
King Hassan advanced through the labyrinth with his Military Saber in hand.
The blade glowed with a bluish light, ready to cut through anything that dared to cross the skeletal warrior's path.
King Hassan, determined to find new challenges to face, advanced through the narrow, dark corridors of the sewers.
The sound of dripping water echoed through the room, while the putrid smell of the sewage was nauseating.
Still, Mr. Skeleton did not hesitate to move on, eager to find new challenges to test his new weapon.
As he moved further into the mazes of the sewers, he was confronted by a group of medium-sized rats, whose red eyes glowed in the darkness.
The rats appeared to have a dirty, unkempt appearance, with matted hair and fat visible on their scaly skins.
Their red eyes glowed in the darkness, giving the impression that they were hungry and thirsty for blood.
Their sharp teeth could be seen clearly, as could their sharp claws that scraped the stone floor as they approached King Hassan.
They emitted high-pitched, shrill sounds, giving the impression that they were in a state of frenzy.
King Hassan didn't hesitate to respond with brutal violence.
A sinister gleam reflected in his eyes, as he wielded his Military Saber firmly and in combat readiness.
The rats advanced in a rush, their red eyes glowing in the darkness. Their coarse fur and sharp teeth gave them an even more ferocious appearance as they approached Mr. Skeleton.
His Military Saber moved in a fluid arc, slicing the rats to shreds with precise and relentless blows.
The sharp blade ripped through the rats' flesh, scattering blood and body parts into the air. The rats were dismembered, their entrails exposed in a bloody and chaotic spectacle.
The brutality of King Hassan's attacks was evident as he advanced mercilessly, his determination to face the monsters was clear in each powerful blow he delivered.
The battle was a macabre dance of steel against the flesh, and King Hassan dominated the combat, showing himself to be a true master of the blade.
The sounds of notifications that echoed in his ears were completely ignored by King Hassan, who was focused on the efficiency of his blows.
He did not allow himself to be distracted, keeping his attention on the fight against the rats that surrounded him.
[Gluttony is being activated!]
With each accurate blow, the torn bodies of the rats piled up around him, as the skeleton warrior continued to advance relentlessly through the maze of sewers,
Mr. Skeleton fought with unrelenting ferocity, decimating the rats in his path, as the echo of his blows resounded through the dark corridors of the sewers.
King Hassan finally stopped his killing spree, when he realized that he had decimated all the rats in the narrow sewer alley.
His Military Saber was stained with blood.
Through the cracks between his bones, King Hassan could see dark blood stains on his skeletal body.
The blood of the dead rats stuck to his joints and coated his bone structure, giving the skeleton an even more macabre appearance.
King Hassan wiped the blood from the blade with a quick, fluid motion.
The blood splattered on the dirty floor of the sewer, forming a scarlet semicircle around Hassan.
He then put the weapon back into its sheath, demonstrating an impressive skill at handling it. The metallic sound of the saber being holstered echoed through the labyrinth.
[Congratulations, King Hassan, You've Leveled up!]
[Level increased from Lv. 2 to Lv. 6. ]
[Strength increased by 4, Agility increased by 4, and Stamina increased by 4.]
[ 'Gluttony' was immensely satisfied with the meal. ]
[Strength increased by 10, agility increased by 10, and Endurance increased by 10.]
With a final burp, the wordless Cosmic Glutton disappeared without a trace.
With the realization of the satisfaction of "Gluttony," King Hassan felt a powerful current of dark, greenish energy flow through his skeletal body, giving off a sense of power and strength that coursed through every bone in his being.
His physical attributes have increased significantly, with an increase of 4 in his strength, agility, and endurance. His level has risen rapidly, from level 2 to level 6, pushing his power to new heights.
And in addition, Mr. Skeleton gained +10 in his strength, agility, and endurance, extra points because of the cosmic glutton.
[Status]
[Name]: King Hassan
[Race]: Skeleton
[Title]: 1
[Level]: 6
[Halo]: The Emissary of the Underworld
[Life]: 240/240
[Mana]: 10/10
[Stats]
Strength: (22) [+10] [+]
Agility: (18) [+]
Endurance: (20) [+10] [+]
Magic power: (2) [+]
[Stats points: 15]
[Talents] : [Undead] [Gluttony] [Piety] [Amorphism] [Item Box]
[Skills] : [Appraisal] [Saber Proficiency]
[Equipment]: Military saber (Condition: Good)
''Cool ... that feeling ... was wonderful.'' Murmured King Hassan.
King Hassan stood motionless for a moment, enjoying the feeling of having torn the rats to pieces with his saber.
A horrifying smile formed on his face as he watched the blood drain from the lifeless bodies.
A part of King Hassan liked what he had just done. He showed no sign of remorse or empathy, only a cold expression.
King Hassan watched his saber carefully.
He remembered feeling a significant increase in his saber skill during the battle and suspected that his new skill, [Saber Proficiency], was responsible for this.
Mr. Skeleton opened the skill panel:
[Saber Proficiency]
Rank: F
Description: King Hassan's basic saber skill, allows him to perform simple, fundamental strikes such as vertical, horizontal, and diagonal cuts.
Passive Effect: +5% damage with saber weapons.
Passive Effect: Also, with constant training, King Hassan's saber skill can evolve, allowing him to perform more advanced moves
Hassan felt the knowledge flowing into his mind, filling the gap that once existed.
''I see, that's what I was missing.'' He uttered, after honing his knowledge in fencing.
Remembering his points, King Hassan began to ponder whether it was better to spend them and not keep them for too long.
His Strength, Agility, and Endurance statistics were already at high levels and his magical ability was low, however, he didn't have any skills that required mana to activate.
Magic Power was not needed at this very moment.
[The Emissary of the Underworld is impressed with his saber skills and applauds enthusiastically].
Quickly, his attention was diverted to the message box.
[The Emissary of the Underworld Presents him with the Scarlet Chameleon Cloak. ]
With a subtle blue glow illuminating the colorless sewers, an elegant cape floated in front of King Hassan.
The cape was made of a sturdy, soft fabric in dark shades of red and black. Its wide, well-designed hood allowed the wearer to keep his face hidden in the shadows.
King Hassan took the cloak without hesitation and put it on over his skeletal body, admiring the contrast between the dark fabric and the sinister glow of his bones.
[Scarlet Chameleon Cloak]
Rank: C+
Status: Excellent
Description: Elegant and resistant cape, in dark shades of red with a large hood and black inner lining for comfort and warmth in cold environments.
Abilities:
Chameleon: The cloak can camouflage itself in the environment, becoming almost invisible to anyone.
Enhanced Stealth: The cloak is silent and allows the wearer to move around more easily and undetected.
Statistics:
Defense: 120
Additional Effect: +25 agility for the wearer
Durability: 1500
Putting the cape aside, Mr. Skeleton returned to his status window, ready to spend his points.
[Status]
[Name]: King Hassan
[Race]: Skeleton
[Title]: 1
[Level]: 6
[Halo]: The Emissary of the Underworld
[Health]: 300/300
[Mana]: 10/10
[Stats]
Strength: (22) [+10] [+]
Agility: (18) [+25] [+]
Endurance: (20) [+10] [+]
Magic power: (2) [+]
[Stats points: 15]
[Talents] : [Undead] [Gluttony] [Piety] [Amorphism] [Item Box]
[Skills] : [Appraisal] [Saber Proficiency]
[Equipment] : Military Saber (State: Good), Scarlet Cloak of the Chameleon (State: Excellent)
[Defense] : 120
Mr. Skeleton remembered perfectly well what Lucy had taught him about statistics.
But he recalled them with a great summary:
Strength: Improves physical strength, speed, and durability.
Agility: Increases the user's perception of time and speed of thought, increases dexterity.
Endurance: Increases health and resistance to negative effects.
Magic power: Allows supernatural feats to be performed, increases mana and its regeneration, and the effectiveness of spells.
Decided, Mr. Skeleton pressed the [+] next to the statistic and put all 15 points into strength.
King Hassan felt a powerful increase in his physical strength after allocating all his stat points to Strength.
He could feel his bones strengthening, making him able to wield his military saber with even more dexterity and strength.
[Status]
[Name]: King Hassan
[Race]: Skeleton
[Title]: 1
[Level]: 6
[Halo]: The Emissary of the Underworld
[Health]: 300/300
[Mana]: 10/10
[Stats]:
Strength: (37) [+10]
Agility: (18) [+25]
Endurance: (20) [+10]
Magic power: (2)
[Stats points: 0]
[Talents] : [Undead] [Gluttony] [Piety] [Amorphism] [Item Box]
[Skills] : [Appraisal] [Saber Proficiency]
[Equipment]: Military Saber (Status: Good), Scarlet Cloak of the Chameleon (Status: Excellent)
[Defense] : 120
With his new improved strength, King Hassan advanced through the sewers.
Determined to increase his attributes to face the boss of the place. He knew he needed to improve his agility and stamina to fifty points to face the boss here.