The Father That I Killed

Locked in a stare-down, the air crackled with tension, like a pre-storm quiet before chaos erupts.

I had kinda underestimated the need for a heavy-duty weapon, thinking my revolver could handle business, given my last lightweight challenger.

But life often surprises you, and this was one such moment.

In a swift, unexpected move, he materialized an ax pulsating with an ominous red light. Without warning, he swung it toward my neck, forcing me to evade hastily.

However, the assault didn't cease there. He continued with a relentless follow-up, directing the ax at my right hand. Despite my agility, he outmaneuvered me, leaving behind a deep, bleeding gash.

Gritting my teeth through the pain but still flashing a cocky grin, I cracked, "So, this means we're doing the whole fight-to-the-death, huh? I thought you were the disarm-and-live-in-harmony type."

"Disarmed can mean a few ways—chopped or killed. Either way, it achieves the goal of disarmament," he shot back, cold as ice.

Chuckles bubbled up, I admitted, "Agree to disagree."

Contrary to my mental image of facing someone Gideon-esque, I got a whole different ball game with this guy.

His unique weapon wasn't an immediate threat, not with my arsenal of skills ready to roll. I was eager to put them to the test.

In a whispered directive to Tiamat, I urged, "Level up my new skills to the maximum."

{Alright}

{Architect Activated: Teleportation, Visual Manipulation, and Sensory Nullification skills are maxed}

In the midst of our fierce exchange, I aimed to employ Visual Manipulation, but before I activated the skill, he countered with a skill-infused swing of his ax.

Each strike was accompanied by flames, devouring my robe in an uncontrollable blaze. Forced to shed the flaming garment, I faced the dual challenge of evading his relentless assault and navigating the confines of the narrow hallway.

His relentless onslaught persisted, the fiery ax leaving scorch marks on the surrounding walls.

Despite the obstacles, he exhibited remarkable speed and strength. However, the advantage of the confined space tempered the full force of his attacks.

Undeterred, I relied on my strategy—lock eyes on him for five seconds with Visual Manipulation, rendering him temporarily blind. As I enacted the plan, he froze, a panic-laden query escaping his lips.

"What are you doing to me?" he demanded.

A smirk played on my lips as I seized the opportunity to unleash a flurry of bullets. Several found their mark, penetrating his chest and stomach.

To my surprise, he dodged the remaining onslaught with a skillful display of ax maneuvers, defying the anticipated blindness.

He resumed his assault, but with a more erratic and imprecise cadence. Shit! Must be one of those skills sharpening his senses!

But I knew he was hurting—wounded, blinded, and probably cursing his unlucky stars. Plus, it seemed like the skill's effect would linger.

{The skill's effect is permanent. He's genuinely blind now}

Damn! Maxed-out skills could pull some wild tricks!

{Of course, there are requirements for that to happen. Better check them yourself; I'm not your skill encyclopedia,}

As expected of Tiamat, still annoying as usual.

Still, this fight would be over soon. As the fight reached its peak, I had a choice to make – stick to the usual or try out Sensory Nullification. Engaging with a player like him was a rare occurrence, sparking my curiosity.

As I got closer to the man, his movements had become erratic, a clear sign of our intense battle. I managed to momentarily stop him by grabbing his right hand and pausing the menacing swing of his ax.

But his determination persisted as he retaliated with blows to my face and desperate kicks.

"Don't mess with me! I will kill you!" his panicked shout filled the narrow hallway.

Oh shit! What a stupid idea.

I moved swiftly to his back, attempting to use the Sensory Nullification skill. In an instant, his movements stopped; he dropped his ax and fell to his knees.

"Stop... I give up..." his surrender came a moment too late as he collapsed and fainted.

Yup, I didn't regret testing the skill to him. Now, the only thing I needed to do was to kill him. But then, the system notification startled me.

[You received 2500 killing points and 250 EXP for killing one player.]

[Killing count: 55 players]

What?? He is dead! How come?

{I told you to read the skill description!}

Tiamat chimed in with an annoyed tone. I just rolled my eyes and started to read it:

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[Skill: Sensory Nullification SSR]

[Level: 99]

[MP Cost: 40]

[Skill Duration: 2 hours]

[Skill Cooldown: 15 minutes]

[Description: Bestows the user with the power to nullify all seven senses of the enemy, rendering them vulnerable and easily defeated.]

[Death Sentence: In rare instances, complete sensory nullification can escalate to a dire consequence - stopping the enemy's heartbeat and causing instant death.]

[Requrement:]

[The user must maintain continuous physical contact with the enemy throughout the skill's duration. Failure to do so results in the skill's failure.]

[Death Sentence: For the deadly consequence to occur, the enemy must be weaker than the user in level and expertise, amplifying the risk associated with invoking this lethal aspect of the skill.]

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I also read the Visual Manipulation. The enemy would become blind if the user was stronger in level and expertise, the same as Sensory Nullification.

Holy shit! All of these skills become really overpowered! I mean, making the enemy die just from a touch?! That was insane!

Amid the marvel of my upgraded skills, a sound snapped me back to reality—a child's desperate cry.

"Daddy!!!!!!" echoed through the desolation, setting off alarm bells in my head.

In panic mode, I bolted, finding a cozy hiding spot around the corner. From my covert vantage point, I watched the gut-wrenching scene unfold as the little one dashed to her father's lifeless figure.

"Please wake up! What should I do now without you," she wailed, cradling her dad's body.

The girl, barely eight, seemed tinier and more fragile than Jayden. Heavy sighs escaped me, the kid's grief weighing me down.

Responsibility came crashing in, and for the first time, a victorious battle felt empty. Guilt, the guest I'd been avoiding, wrapped around me.

Yet, a conflicting thought surfaced – the foolish father had challenged me abruptly, leaving his child alone to avenge someone he knew.

Wait, don't tell me the woman was her mom...

Peeking out carefully, I studied her sorrowful state. Oddly, she seemed unaware of the lady's body. Relief washed over me, but guilt clung like a shadow.

If Randy knew what I'd become, he'd probably be shaking his head in disappointment. He sacrificed himself to protect me, and here I am, racking up a body count for the sake of leveling up.

It feels like I betrayed him.

I used to talk about finding empathy in this chaotic world, a desire to protect the weak. Where did that belief go? Did my own greed overshadow it?

It's a tangled mess of thoughts, and honestly, I hate delving into complicated stuff. Right now, I need to push those thoughts aside and figure out what to do with this kid.