CHAPTER 16 - Attacking The Criminal Base

Chinatown.....southern district Kentucky

"Master — If this is all your ability — then I think I would have no problem winning the martial school contest"

Mocheda said as she stared at master Chang with a smile on her face.

Meanwhile master Chang was greatly shaken by the unexpected fighting prowess of Mocheda.

Every attack she made was deadly and precise — which made him to understand one thing;

If this had been a true battle of life and death — he would have been fatally injured by those last two attacks.

But how did she develop such power??

Master Chang remembered his training sessions with Mocheda during the past years — and he knew that he never for once taught her any battle skills or techniques.

Ever since the death of his daughter — master Chang lost all zeal and passion in martial arts — which led to him forbidding himself in advancing his battle skills.

He was in so much pain and sorrow — that he chose to begin practicing martial arts as a healing factor — in order to heal the scars of his tragic loss.

"What sort of technique was that?"

Master Chang asked as he stood up — while staring at Mocheda.

"That was Tai Chi" Mocheda replied.

"What?! — no it's wasn't" master Chang protested.

He knew what Tai Chi was — for he had been practicing it for the past forty years!

Tai Chi was a fine line between balance and control.

It dealt more with the flow and direction of internal and external energy.

Though it was quite useful in battle — it never promoted an aggressive and confrontational style like Mocheda just displayed.

"What makes you think that — master?"

Mocheda asked — still maintaining the smile on her face.

"With the effective control and flow of energy that Tai Chi provides — don't you think it would be a perfect tool for combat?"

Master Chang raised his eyebrows in surprise as he stared at Mocheda with wide eyes.

In his youthful days — when he was passionate about martial arts and it's secrets — he came across a worn out scroll that postulated the art of Tai Chi as a way of controlling a vast amount of energy, which can culminate into a terrifying source of power.

This discovery was what led him down the path of studying and practicing Tai Chi.

"You once told me about the death of your daughter — which probably led to your abandonment of the true practice of Tai Chi"

Mocheda interrupted his thoughts as she spoke.

"But I want you to understand something master — you will never find true peace and healing — if you don't acknowledge the nature of the gift placed in your hands.

Master Chang shook in surprise at those words — for those words were quite similar to what he said to her years ago — when she was in her dire state of need.

"So — master Ye Chang"

Mocheda interrupted his thoughts and spoke — while taking her battle stance.

"Why don't we begin the next round? — and this time around — please don't disappoint me too much"

**************

"Oh my God" Geoffrey couldn't believe his eyes as he gazed at the terrible scene before him.

The burnt and mutilated bodies of several men were scattered around the forest floor.

Catherine's body trembled slightly as she herself wondered how could such a thing be possible.

Though she had earlier witnessed such a scene — it was still quite an unnerving sight to behold.

_{Congratulations.....you have permanently neutralized ten hostiles and gained ten soul resent essences}_

The ethereal voice spoke — while displaying it's golden words in front of Peter.

'Ten hostiles were permanently neutralized — which meant that ten of these guys were dead'

Peter thought as he glanced around the battle scene.

If the golden staff was already this powerful — what would happen when he begins to unlock more forms of his power??

"Let's keep moving" Catherine said with a calm tone — after her and Geoffrey had armed themselves with some weapons that were scattered around the area.

--------------------------------

In a surveillance room at the criminals base in the forest.....

Brody stared at the surveillance footage that displayed the unconscious, dead and burnt up bodies of twenty men.

Twenty armed men!!

His eyes and mouth were open wide as he shook in fear.

He had never seen such a scary situation before.

And all this was being performed by a boy, one guy and a woman.

Three people!!

Their base was being invaded by the three people — and they could do nothing about it!

His instincts screamed at him to run away — but he just couldn't accept being defeated by such a group of unlikely people.

"Gather all necessary documents, tools and weapons — we're leaving"

He suddenly gave the order to his bushy haired right hand man.

"Boss we're leaving?" The bushy haired lackey gaped at Brody.

"Yes moron we're leaving! — gather the necessary things and prep the transport vehicle"

Brody roared at his lackey — whom jumped and nodded in fear while going out to carry out his orders.

Brody wasn't stupid enough to stay behind and confront a group of people whom had easily taken out thirty five of his lackeys.

Thirty five!

Such a number of criminals was well enough to threaten and fight against the police precinct!

He would retreat for the main time — while he plans to deal with these three people who had succeeded in wrecking his operations.

What confused him the most — was how they found out about the death-row gang's base in the woods.

Anyhow — it doesn't matter — all that was on his mind was how he would rape and torture the woman — while he kills the man and enslaves the kid for his human trafficking business.

"Boss what about the children?" His lackey came and interrupted his thoughts.

"Place them into the truck — they're all worth a lot of money"

-----------------------

_{You have gained a total of 15 soul resent and 3 soul tribute essences...do you want to automatically improve your stats?}_

_[Yes] or [No]_

The ethereal voice was back again with it's floating words.

'Automatically improve my stats?'

Peter was not sure what that meant — but he was intrigued to find out — as he gave his reply.

'Yes'

_{Affirmation received}_

_{Calculating total number of soul essences...}_

_{Soul essences calculated.....18 in total....culminating to a total number of 84 stat points}_

_{Stat points have been added to your attributes...check your stats for more information}_

Peter quickly acted by calling up his stats info.

Attack ~~~ [84]

Strength ~~~ [0]

Agility ~~~ [0]

Perception ~~~ [0]

Mana ~~~ [0]

Skill (2) ~~~ <Additional info>

Soul Tribute ~~~ [0/100] <Additional info>

Soul Resent ~~~ [0/100] <Additional info>

{You have received the legacy of Yukon and you're now a participant in the contest of might and magic}

{You'll be shortly summoned for training when the given time elapses}

[00:46:20]

The row of words that displayed the word 'skill' began flashing in golden light.

Selecting the flashing words, Peter stared at what came next;

[SKILL] ~AGGRESSIVE~

1) Mana Surge [You release the innate magical energy of your legacy in one attack]

[Damage] ~ 8.4%

[Mana] ~ None (cool down period = 10 hours)

_[The Mana surge is a bonus skill — given as a reward for your first stats update of more than 50 stats point]_

2) Staff Minion [The sentient force of the chaos staff rises up to fight for you]

[Damage] ~ 8.4%

[Mana] ~ 8 (no cool down period)

_[The chaos staff has acknowledged your will and courage to stand against danger — and so chooses to use it's energy to assist and protect you till you level up]_

Peter was quite amazed by what he was seeing.

'So it seems I have two skills to use in battle — one doesn't require Mana but can't be used continuously — while the other requires Mana but can be used continuously'

Glancing at the golden staff — he now understood why the staff could move and fight at his command independently — it was actually due to a skill.

This was quite exciting — as he wondered how powerful his other skill 'Mana surge' would be.

Checking his stats again, he discovered that he didn't yet possess any Mana — which wasn't really much of a problem due to the fact that his first skill could be activated without the need of Mana.

As he contemplated on whether to try out his new skill — the words of the ethereal voice sounded in his mind.

_{REMINDER...you have 40 minutes left before you will be summoned to the land of Reager for training}_

[00:40:05]

Peter frowned slightly as he stared at the group of words;

'Land of Reager? — where the hell is that?'

Stepping out of the woods, they came unto a wide open space which was occupied with various cars and most noticeably — a building of four storeys high.

"That's their base!" Catherine said as she cocked her gun and shot down two criminals — who were patrolling in front of the building.

But her attack was too hasty — which only helped to stir the hornets nest — as other armed criminals came out firing at them simultaneously.

"Take over!" Geoffrey yelled as he dragged Peter behind a huge stone pillar.

They were hounded and surrounded as gunshots blazed from left and right — not giving them any chance at retaliation.

Peter knew that if this continued — it would be only a matter of time before they were killed or captured.

Focusing his thoughts — he selected a skill.

[Mana Surge]

{You unleash the innate magical energy of your legacy in one attack}

{Mana Surge activating...[05s]..}

At this point — Peter saw a wave of golden energy flowing out from him towards the golden staff — which rose few meters higher in the air.

_{Mana Surge activated}_

_{Direct your attack towards intended target}_

'So I have to guide the attack?'

Peter came to a realization as he took in a deep breath and ran out from behind the stone pillar — and towards their assailants.

"Kid what are you doing?!" Geoffrey exclaimed in shock as he saw Peter dashing towards the criminals.

"Attack!" Peter yelled as he waved his hand towards the group of criminals.

~Whoosh~

A terrifying blast of energy swept the armed criminals into the air — as many of them were torn to pieces before they fell to the ground.