Life or Death battle.

It took Cain a moment, but he eventually realized he had been sent flying out of the building through the wall by the {Miasma Devil}.

He soared through the air, slowly drifting away from consciousness with the grey clouds reflected in the depths of his glassy eyes...

*gasp!*

As soon as he hit the ground, a sharp breath of air escaped from his lips.

The entire world looked a few shades darker in his eyes...

His ears were ringing, his mouth was overwhelmed with the coppery taste of blood and his body hurting all over as well. There was only so much he could take in at a time.

All this happened just within a few breaths. Maybe because he was still under the effects of {Golden blood}, but he was able to get his senses back only a few seconds later.

"Kekekeke..."

The grating laughter of the {Miasma Devil} rang in his ears like the bell of the grim reaper.

'Shit!'

Death was approaching because he had let his soul dance too long on the edge, and now, it was on the verge of falling into that bottomless abyss he had taunted.

'G-get u-up.'

"Do not be unreconciled. It is because you are weak."

'Get up.'

Cain could hear it call out to him...

"Your fate is to serve as sustenance to me and my race, the strong."

Its words were degrading and humiliating, aimed at bringing him down so he would have no intentions to fight back. Still, he paid no mind to the devil...

He could hear the devil getting closer, but the voice in his head was getting even louder.

'Get up!'

"The significance of you and your race is simply to be a means to an end. The purpose of your existence is to-"

The words the {Miasma Devil} was about to say got stuck in its throat.

'GET UP, AND FIGHT!'

Cain's broken body twitched as he shakily brought himself to his feet, his eyes locked directly onto the {Miasma Devil}.

For the first time since the fight began, the Devil had not felt even a little hint of fear, looked it in the eye.

It had been cautious of Cain but never once during their fight had it been afraid of him. Now, it suddenly felt a terror that had been absent all this while, almost like it had come face-to-face with the natural predator of his race that had been bidding his time to reveal his fangs.

As for Cain, all the feelings of rage and excitement began mixing to form a strange new emotion bubbling within his chest.

When it reached heights he could no longer bear, he let it all out in the form of a thunderous roar...

"ROAR!!!"

All the rage in his body had turned into a fire starter, and the mana within him, the fuel. He felt as though all the mana that was left in his broken body had been ignited. He could feel a strange sensation of strength filling him up.

In his moment of weakness, something within him had awoken...

"As long as I can still hold my blade, as long as I still draw even a silver of breath..."

Cain was still bruised and battered, but he had somehow found the strength to draw his blade one more time.

"As long as I still hold on to life, my blade will be pointed at those who dare to insult my pride!"

Legs wide spread, blade perpendicular to the ground, both hands on the hilt, he looked the devil straight in its eyes.

Name: {Cain Lenosi}

Level: 10.

Strength: 70. (10).

Agility: 98. (15).

Stamina: 3/68.

Vitality: 24.

Defense: 24.

Control: 3.8.

Perception: 1.0.

HP: 500/2,400.

MP: 400/750.

Magic: 22.

Skills: Golden blood, Mana Blade, Lightening Edge, Blade Mastery Lvl. 1, Burst Step, Metal Creation Lvl.1

Titles: Champion of Ashur (locked).

Free attribute points: 10.

System points: 0.

{Inventory}. {Shop}.

He only had three seconds before he became completely powerless.

Cain took a deep breath...

Then made his move...

He directed all the mana present in his body into his arms. He was going all out now. 400 mana points disappeared in an instant. He pushed all he had in a split second. One moment, he was still standing where he had been, the next, he was already standing a few meters before the {Miasma Devil}, his blade descending. At that moment, he activated his skills.

"Mana Blade!"

"Lightening Edge!"

"{Metal Creation}"

Cain didn't hold anything back.

The Miasma Devil released a roar of panic as it also activated its skill.

"Tentacle Barrage!"

All the tentacles it had lost in the battle were regrown in an instant. They are shown with a sinister light, swinging at Cain to kill.

These two, consciously or not, had treated each other as equal opponents. They had given each other the ultimate respect a warrior could give to his opponent, that being sparing no effort, and using the best of their abilities to face one another. At that moment, nothing else mattered.

As soon as he had activated all three skills, it was like he had been enlightened. He could feel the flow of his power leaving his body and entering his blade.

It was like a reaction had taken place. In that brief moment, he was about to attack, his blade lit up with a profound golden light. The light was so piercingly sharp, just looking at it gave off the feeling of being stabbed by sharp weapons.

All the metal attribute mana in the entire area around the entire department complex had been consumed by Cain's skill, {Metal Creation} in just an instant.

All this just happened in a split second.

'1 second left.'

At the moment Cain brought his sword down, the world darkened slightly. The only source of illumination in the area came from the pillar of golden light within the hands of Cain.

"Die!"

He brought it down...

The golden beam of light was released from the edge of the blade...

For a brief moment, all sound disappeared...

Then the world returned to its natural state.

Golden light stuck to Cain's weapon like tongues of fire. The {Miasma Devil} stood there for a while without any movement. Suddenly, from the center of its head to its torso, it split in half. It was cleanly sliced into. There wasn't even any blood, as the surface of the wound left behind was completely cauterized.

'I lost...' These were the final thoughts of the {Miasma Devil} before its soul departed.

{Congratulations to the host... You have slain the Miasma Devil}.

{Level up!}

{Level up!}

{Level up!}

{Level up!}

{Level up!}

***

{+20 to Strength}.

{+20 to Agility}.

{+5 to Perception).

{+5 to Control}.

{Your skill, {Blade Mastery} has leveled up}.

{You have comprehended a new external skill, {Golden Severance}.

{+5 to Magic}.

{+5 to Perception}

{+5 to Control}.

{You have comprehended the sub-skill, {Metal Manipulation}.

{+5 to Perception}.

{+10 to Magic}.

{You have unlocked a new stat, Resistance}.

{+15 to Vitality}.

{+10 to Stamina}.

{+5 to Defense}.

***

Name: {Cain Lenosi}

Level: 15.

Strength: 60..(10).

Agility: 74..(15).

Stamina: 0/49.

Vitality: 32.

Defense: 22.

Control: 3.4.

Perception: 2.5.

HP: 50/3,200.

MP: 0/2,100.

Magic: 42.

Resistance: Poison- 0%.

Skills: Golden blood, Mana Blade, Lightening Edge, Blade Mastery Lvl. 2, Burst Step, Metal Creation Lvl.1, Golden Severance, Metal Manipulation.

Titles: Champion of Ashur (locked).

Free attribute points: 10.

System points: 0.

{Inventory}. {Shop}.

{Golden blood level.1}: Upon activation, multiply all physical stats by 2. Consumes 100 MP, and costs 1 point of stamina per second to maintain. Puts the body of the user under great strain. (1000/10000 SP). This is an internal skill, hence, it can be upgraded.

{Mana Blade}: Coat the surface of your blade with destructive mana to deal an extra 200% damage when attacking. It Consumes 5MP per second to sustain. Note:This is an external active skill, and cannot be upgraded.

{Lightening Edge: Increase attack speed by 100%. Critical rate increases by 5% when the skill is used. Cost 100MP to activate.

Cooldown: 1 minute.

{Blade Mastery lvl. 2.} (passive): Increases attack power and speed with bladed weapons by 30%. Increases critical chance and rate by 5%. (500/9,000SP).

{Burst Step}: Expell mana from beneath the feet, creating propulsion that allows the host to change trajectory abruptly when in motion. Increases movement speed by 30%.

Costs 5MP per activation. No cooldown.}

{Metal Creation Lvl 1.}: Gather the Metal elemental attribute mana to create constructs of metal. The effects of the skill are influenced by the host's magic and control stats, as well as imagination. (0/5,000SP).

{Golden Severance}: Condense an immense amount of metal attribute elemental mana into a concentrated beam of world light, capable of splitting anything it comes in contact with only for a single attack, and increases attack power by 500%. The attack consumes 500MP upon usage.

Cooldown: 5 minutes.

{Metal Manipulation}: Grants the ability to freely control metal of weight that does not exceed 1 ton. Skill is leveled up simultaneously with the {Metal Creation} skill.

***

Cain didn't even have any time to check his status screen. His vision was swiftly darkening. He was gradually losing all sensation in his body. The golden flames that burned on the surface of the {Bloody Katana} had been extinguished quickly, almost like they were an illusion.

'Have... to make... it back... inside.'

Subconsciously, even though he was as good as unconscious, Cain was still trying to survive. He didn't even know what he was doing.

He dragged his broken body with heavy steps, almost like he was sleepwalking. He edged his way towards the hole he made in the wall when he was blasted through by the {Miasma Devil}. He knew deep in his heart, that falling unconscious here, out in the open, might result in him losing his life to any random monster that happened to see his defenseless body.

Step by step, he inched forward, like he was drowning, now resurfaced and gasping for the air he so desperately desired.

But before he could get there, He passed out...