Mob 5.14

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He did it.

Or well, he had done it.

It, being the dynamic entry he had always dreamed of.

Even better, he had pulled off said entry with style, flair, and three, simultaneous manifestations of his aerokinesis.

Three!

A blast of wind, stronger than any he had ever pulled off before, to send Lung flying back. A controlled wind spout to gently carry Glory Girl out of harm's way. And, finally, a third plume of air to ease his landing just enough that he didn't crumple the roof of the car he chose as a landing spot.

Adept Aerokinesis Lvl Up!

4→5

If that wasn't impressive enough, he had managed several sentences in Japanese, no less, before pulling off a full magical knight transformation in front of superheroes, a supervillain, and every single person watching on the L33tNation Live Stream. #L33tSubSquad

Language Japanese Lvl Up!

8→9

He had pulled air into his lungs with another inspired use of his powers, pushing the sound of his voice out on the airwaves to give it a depth and richness that made him sound so heroic and regal. And then, to put the final cherry on top of the moment of awesome, he opened his mouth again and responded to Lung's open challenge in the only way he knew how, "...upon thee, Heaven's most divine justice!"

For a moment, there was silence.

No one said a word, the sounds of flickering flames seeming to quiet for just that very second as Greg stood there with his sword pointed out. For the span of a single breath, Greg Veder found himself alone with his thoughts long enough for him to have the piercing moment of clarity he really should have had several minutes ago when he came up with the idea to taunt Lung into insanity.

Taunt Lvl Up!

10→11

Blue eyes widened with some measure of fear, then narrowed with renewed certainty as Greg gripped his weapon even tighter. Oh.

His heart skipped a beat. Shit.

An instant later, the world wrenched itself back to life, Greg's surrounding bursting with vibrant color and deafening sound as Lung reared up on two legs, split all four parts of his X-shaped mouth wide open and threw his arms back, the air suddenly seeming to tremble an instant before the noise hit him.

If the very concept of rage could be given an audible means of expression, there was no doubt in the mind of one Gregory Lucas Veder that it could only sound exactly like what was in front of him at this very moment as Lung's fury coincided with the fiery explosion that continually burst from the villain as he made his anger known.

"Is that even a sound?"

Lung didn't bother to answer Greg's query, the scale-covered villain still roaring at the top of his lungs as if fighting to be heard over the force of his own flames. One could almost be thankful that both Lung and his pyrokinetic tantrum seemed to be in a competition for who could shatter more eardrums because it saved Greg and everyone else from having to hear the disgusting noises that came from Lung's suddenly violent and explosive growth.

The villain had shot up an entire foot in the span of five seconds as Greg's sudden entrance fanned the flames of Lung's escalating threat in the worst way possible. Silvery scales spread across the dragon's skin like a rash, thickening and bulging in places as vast expanses of muscle and flesh beneath it struggled to keep up. Beneath all that, massive bones surged into new positions as well, Lung's body eager to expand and improve so that the villain in question could do what he needed.

Another second and Lung dropped to all fours, endless roar still going strong. One clawed foot pawed the asphalt, raking furrows into half-melted tar and sending the boiling, semi-solid pitch splattering against the remnants of a brick wall. Glowing depths formed the dragon's hateful eyes, burning orange like molten iron. Those malevolent pits stared down Greg with the unfathomable rage that could only belong to a human being, albeit one in the shape of a beast.

Greg smiled back, the sound of his heart pounding in his ears a familiar and comforting tone as he let the golden warmth that was his Willpower spread out and over him, Gram gaining an even stronger glow as he layered it over the weapon as well. Right hand adjusting itself on the hilt, he steeled his expression somewhat, drawing in his smile as he prepared to meet Lung's charge. Unnecessarily Dramatic Encounter numero dos, here we go.

Ability Gained

Language: Spanish

Language: Spanish Lv 16

Me llamo Gregory.

Reflects your speaking skill, and understanding of, the Spanish language.

He blinked at the pop-up, confusion and realization appearing on his face almost at the same time. Oh… Oh, yeah. I forgot that wasn't there.

He blinked again, body relaxing slightly as he puzzled over the new arrival. Wait a sec, why is it here n-

A throbbing at the base of his skull drew his attention, Greg's eyes widening as his arms seemed to move on their own, the blond suddenly swinging Gram with as much force as he could muster. His sword slashed out in front of him, the blade meeting the thrown object with what felt like an endless screech of metal as he fought to keep himself still and his arms from flying back against the force he found himself against. Despite how long it felt, said screech lasted for only an instant as a pulse of wind burst from the tip of his blade, sending what was now two halves of a charred pick-up flying apart from Greg.

The young cape stared wide-eyed at Lung's now-charging form, an annoyance rising in his chest in the form of raw heat as he responded in kind at the draconic villain.

"DID YOU JUST THROW A TRUCK AT ME!"

It wasn't a question.

It really wasn't.

It especially wasn't when you consider that instead of punctuating the statement with an uptick in pitch, Greg did so with a punch as he leapt forward. An oddly translucent glow surrounded his arm as he did so, the light show disappearing as he thrust forward the limb in question. A mass of pressurized air shot out, encompassing more space than Greg himself. The force of the pressure wave compressed in moments and slammed into another vehicle – albeit a much smaller one – and sent it flying powerfully back at Lung, a hail of debris carried along in its wake.

Adept Aerokinesis Lvl Up!

5→6

In response, Lung simply snatched the car out of thin air with a twist in his charge, tore the vehicle in two, and whirled, flinging the car's front at Greg. Greg yelped as he dove forward, ducking into a roll to dodge under the flying hunk of metal before skidding short and leaping back to avoid the crash of the rear-half that followed.

"Watch it!" A startled, indignant cry from behind him and the smashing sound of a closely dodged car-half hitting the ground reminded Greg that he wasn't the only one to worry about on this battlefield. He swung around to catch sight of Glory Girl suddenly take to the skies, a terrified expression on her face. Whoops!

The sound of a one-man stampede caught his attention an instant later, Greg swinging his gaze back around to see Lung still bearing down on him, the villain now full-out charging with an inferno cloaking his silver-scaled form.

To his credit, though, Greg somehow managed not to say anymore words as he darted away from Lung and leapt atop a roof to put some distance between the two of them, embarrassing or otherwise.

He did scream a few, though.

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

The battlefield was Coventree Plaza: a large city commons Greg faintly recognized, built on the edge of the city and home to a great many businesses either on the edge of failure or already past it. Nestled in between the relatively bustling areas that were Downtown and the Commercial District, one would have thought it'd have been more thriving.

One would be wrong.

Despite all that, it didn't really matter what shape the area had been in before today because Lung was doing his very best to make sure it was utterly unusable after he was done here. Flames spewed from his open mouth and outstretched palms, tracing after Greg's form as he flitted from rooftop to rooftop around Lung himself. He moved like a bird on the wing, swooping through the air fast enough that he'd be barely a white blur to most, but held back to avoid the chance of Lung getting used to what he could really do.

Still, the young cape knew he couldn't keep this up forever. Not because he didn't have the stamina nor the speed to manage it but, well… Seriously, what is this guy's plan? he thought to himself, teeth grit in an open grimace that might have been considered a smile in different circumstances. I know he's mad as hell right now, so why isn't he chasing me?

Greg spun in mid-air, strong legs carrying him over a ledge and half again another rooftop, before he quickly landed on the squat, gravel-covered surface of an empty store, feet kicking off the ground again in another moment as heat and death threatened to close in on him if he dared stumble or slow down any more than he already had. His bright blue cape flapped behind him, nearly completely horizontal for the few moments Greg was able to run straight ahead. Granted, he couldn't help but feel somewhat elated on some level that he actually had a cape.

Neither his excitement at that nor the heat – haha! – of the moment managed to dull his confusion at Lung's antics. Greg was well aware of how the dragon-man liked to fight. If personal experience hadn't let him know that Lung — apart from a few blasts and streams of fire to force opponents out into the open — rarely used pyrokinesis for much more than coating himself in an aura of flame, years of online cape discussion, debate and encyclopedia referencing would have. Above anything else, Lung was rather uninventive for a cape, relying on his own brute force to handle what he could far more easily accomplish with an extended barrage of fire. That much was simple enough to understand; Lung liked to handle fights with his physicality above all else, and liked to get in close even when it was to his detriment.

Yet, his actions now seemed to be going directly against that.

I don't get this. He glanced over his shoulder as he leapt over another gap between buildings, eyes tracking Lung as the man-beast surged after him on the ground below, gaze turned in Greg's direction even as he ran forward. Despite his eyes firmly locked in Greg's direction as he darted from building to building around in the plaza, Lung made no attempt to rush after him directly, seemingly content to continue this winding chase around the perimeter with his own powerful strides. Makes no sense. It's like he-

The thought was torn from Greg's head as his Danger Sense pulsed a warning, the cape reacting to the sudden stimulus by bursting off the rooftop long before he could reach the ledge. The plume of flames from Lung's maw had suddenly become a jet of fire. What was once comparable to a flamethrower was now acting more like an acetylene torch on steroids. The heat shifted from sweltering to unbearable as a slight grunt forced itself from Greg's clenched jaw.

Arms pinwheeling as Greg lurched forward in the air, his unprepared leap cost him both speed and height. A powerful gale buffeted him from behind to give him just the extra bit of distance he needed as he began to arc downwards but even then, the landing was harsher than he would have liked. Greg slammed onto the gravel-covered rooftop, body shifting into an immediate roll as he scattered across the rough surface like a stone skipping over still-waters before leaping back onto his feet as another pulse rang out in the back of his mind. He surged forward before fiery death could land atop him, pulling on the well of warmth inside him as he continued leaping from rooftop to rooftop, Lung's flames chasing after him as they fed on the fuel Greg left behind.

The fuel being entire buildings.

The blond nearly froze in place as realization struck him, hands clenching at his sides as the thought forced itself into the forefront of his mind, but he forced himself forward even still. It's like he's not even focused on me, he thought to himself, eyes darting around as he bounded from building to building. If not me, then…

He blinked. No.

Greg's eyes widened in dawning realization as he swiveled his head from side to side, gaze tracking the battlefield as he kept one eye firmly on the villain still managing to keep pace with him on the ground below. The fires…

Lung wasn't setting them at random, Greg realized with a slow sense of worry, or simply chasing after him with it. If he wanted them to hit me or trap me in, he'd have boxed me in already, he concluded, suddenly anxious as to what else he could have missed. No, he thought again, shaking his head as he came to mind. He doesn't care about boxing me in. I came to him. He wouldn't need to box me in. But…

WIS + 1

The notification was a confirmation Greg didn't need as he glanced back over his shoulder, sharp eyes spotting the massive walls of fire left behind by Lung as they traced the edges of the promenade leaving almost the entire perimeter cut off from the outside. You slippery lizard...

Either the Protectorate would be too busy trying to contain the flames from consuming entire blocks or they'd be unable to cross the flames. Flames and burning debris from buildings that were already dangerous unstable from the fight Lung had been having with the Protectorate and New Wave for hours, hot enough to boil blood if any of them tried to force their way through the barrier of flames. Either way, it meant that Lung was getting what he wanted and Greg was going to give him the rest.

"Alright, you want me!?" The murmur rose to his lips as he darted back to stare at Lung, the dragon still charging linearly around the long end of the rectangular plaza to keep up with Greg's pace. "Let's go, then!"

With a grunt, Greg forced himself off the rooftop as bent knees uncoiled like tensed and readied springs. A wave of displaced air followed behind him as he leapt above the massive flare Lung launched his way, jet spurting out in repeated bursts, his body shooting forward towards the villain. He twisted his body in mid-air, shifting and angling in the span of a few seconds until he was upright, both hands tightening around the hilt of his weapon. "Have at thee, craven!"

He swung his sword once.

A crescent of wind shot from the downwards swing, the formation glowing with that same translucence from before and a solidity that seemed to match those of Lung's flames.

A torso-sized claw swiped the air and fire exploded in front of Lung, the wind blade dissipating to nothing in the face of greater elemental force. More followed it as Greg dropped down to ground level, each one meeting another angry swipe of flame from a Lung that was already far too angry to deal with such minor annoyances.

Greg touched down on a patch of unburnt grass, one of the rare few around, the spectral winds of his aerokinesis flaring to pad his hard landing. Barely even paying attention to that, the blond didn't let his gaze drop for an instant, eyes locked firmly on Lung as the two circled each other.

"OUGHHH…"

He fought the urge to blink in confusion at Lung's sudden outstretched growl, the younger cape nearly easing his readied position as he continued his cautious prowl just outside of Lung's easy reach. One hand reaffirming its position on the hilt of his blade, Greg kept the other free simply out of caution and tilted his head towards Lung. Don't let him trick you, alright? Just… just stay focused and strike hard.

"KEEEL… OUGHHH…"

The dragon-man's declaration of murderous intent came with little streamers of flame, each one escaping his horror-movie maw in angry pressurized spurts. Angry as Lung might have been, Greg couldn't resist smiling at the words, the glow of the blade in his right hand brightening along with the expression on his face. "Before we start, how about some ground rules?"

The corona around Lung flared ever so slightly, hands curling further at his sides as his massive body shifted on the already-bubbling asphalt beneath his clawed, digitigrade legs. His mouth opened again, exposing the glow of his insides as larger spurts of flame escaped him in the form of a breath.

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Amid the crackle of flames and the oppressive, oven-like heat heat that slowly – ever so slowly – chipped away at his health with continuing scarlet pop-ups displaying minuscule numbers, the fifteen-year old found it in him to laugh, the sound coming out slightly more confident than he himself felt, his laughter sounding out clear as a bell despite the ruination about them. "No biting, no scratching, no rabbit punches, donkey punches, dragon punches, and last but not least, let's try to keep the heat around a moderate 70℉. I mean, my hair doesn't frizz but I don't wanna risk it. Fair?"

Taunt Lvl Up!

11→12

Wrong thing to say, it seemed.

Lung exploded forward, corona literally bursting outwards as he launched himself bodily at the smaller figure across from him. Nearly thirteen feet and God-only-knows-how-many pounds of dragon-man bore down on Greg but he reacted instantly, the younger cape having received a warning just a moment before his opponent even moved. The world seemed to slow as he drew on his [Reinforcement], the energy spiking in intensity for an instant as he leapt several meters to the right of Lung's charge. As the silver-scaled titan passed him by, bulky form nearly a blur as Greg twisted of his own volition to face the villain's back, he swung his sword again.

Wind shot from the edge of his sword in another crescent, speeding towards Lung's exposed back as fast as the thing could manage. It hit home as Greg's feet fully met the ground again, the air-blade tearing through Lung's fiery armor to bite deep into his scales and even past those. The sounds from the villain were equal parts fury and agony as Lung met the ground on all fours, but it didn't last for along as the red flesh visible underneath exposed scales rapidly bubbled and sealed itself up, visible steam escaping from where the wound previously was as a new line of silver appeared atop it.

Roaring again, Lung spun in place, lengthy tail behind him smashing apart any debris or shattered bench that dared impede him. By the time he made a full revolution, so much bulk moving far faster and more fluidly than it had any right to, Greg was already upon him and it was all Lung could do but roar and thrash as the golden blade bit into the side of his maw.

It struck with force, his massive head wrenched to the left as the thing swung into his face and left with a chunk of flesh gone. The blade pulsed with a blistering light as it met his scales and the red flesh beneath it, hurting far more than such a small weapon should. A scream drove itself into Lung's ears as the burning pain returned even as he swung a hefty arm at the source of the pain. Despite repeated attempts, each one angrier than the last, Lung couldn't quite strike the annoying fly that was his target.

Acrobatics Lvl Up!

26→27

Shifting directions in mid-air, Greg danced atop a set of constantly disappearing platforms as he darted around Lung's explosive form, barely avoiding lancing bursts of flame and angry, wild swings from the frighteningly fast villain.

Mana Platform Lvl Up!

3→4

With another hard swing, Gram met scale and sought deeper again, a spurt of blood arcing from the side of the villain's long neck as the blade carved its way through nearly a meter of poorly guarded flesh. An eager smile burst across Greg's face and his mouth opened wide as the grin he wore gave way to a teasing laugh, mocking words following immediately after. "How weaketh art thou? Methought thou were a dragon, n-"

Greg's eyes widened as he instinctively leapt into the air, body reacting to the sudden pulse at the base of his neck almost before his mind could catch up.

CRACK!

Reflexes Lvl Up!

16→17

He twisted in midair, flipping further backwards and away as a set of platforms formed under his hands, the remainder of what he was going to say immediately forgotten in the wake of a sudden pulse of warning and a burst of sound that shook his eardrums. A good sixty feet above the ground, Greg spun himself around to glance back at his opponent, Lung's head darting around in search of him as the full length of his tail darted back to pool at his back in a manner much like an undulating snake.

Acrobatics Lvl Up!

27→28

He can… He can control that thing? He couldn't help but ask himself the question despite knowing very well that what they were, blue eyes staring at Lung's clearly prehensile tail, the silver-scaled and spiked appendage ready to whip out again.

So… he began, standing perfectly still on the underside of a platform made of nigh-invisible mana several meters in the air as Lung roared impotently on the street below. Lung's tail can break the speed of sound. Greg let out a low breath of air, not even able to be surprised at this new development. Good to know.

He clicked his tongue in annoyance, only to flinch as Lung froze below, entire body stilling as Greg's eyes slowly widened. Don't tell me…

Lung's head twisted atop his serpentine neck, almost rotating an entire one-hundred and eighty degrees as his eyes locked onto the target of all his ire. The villain roared again, the sound mixed in with what could have been a curse as his mouth opened out to reveal his patent four-parted snarl and a mouth full of teeth that promised death by one means or another as steam and fire escaped him in persistent spurts.

Fuck.

A tower of flame rushed up to meet him, a jet composed as much of Lung's rage as it was bright yellow fire, searing the sky and warning the entire city of the dragon's location. It didn't even come close to touching Greg, though.

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Motherfucker! Well, it didn't even come close to touching Greg's body, that much was certain as the annoyed teen hit the ground with half his cape missing, the other half shriveling upwards as embers made their way over the rest of the garment."You burned my cape!" The sound from him was its own roar, annoyance mixing in with an actual boiling fury that Greg was doing his best to keep firmly tamped down, lest it harm his focus.

He surged forward with a renewed strength in his muscles, body alight with his trademark golden glow as he darted forward to meet Lung again. The villain charged forward himself, a single forelimb slamming into the partially melted asphalt hard enough to cause a lava-like eruption of fire and tar beneath his feet.

Another limb met Greg's weapon, an arm coated with bright yellow fire and steadily-thickening layers of scale exploding against glowing steel as the smaller cape roared again. "[Weapon Charge!]"

The glow shifted from golden to a visibly distinct cobalt as Gram bit into Lung's wrist, the layers of scale giving way as Lung roared in pain once more. Before the dragon-man could withdraw his limb, Greg forced the energy in him to rise, slashing yet again with his weapon as he dodged another angry swing from Lung's other arm, a burst of flame exploding outwards from where it came down.

Rather than jump right into his awaiting face, Greg quickly darted to his right, bleeding off a good deal of his momentum as he burst backwards off another platform. His other hand curled its fingers to form a swirling sphere of aerokinetic wind, densely packed air-blades swirling within the pressurized confines of the sphere in his hand. With a grunt, Greg flung it with a sweep out towards Lung and the manifestation of razor-wind shot out, a burst of air forcing Lung to take a step back as the sphere exploded like a grenade against his face. Scales scattered free with clinking noises as they hit the ground, a good chunk of Lung's exposed reddish flesh bearing scars and open wounds from the razor-like cutting winds Greg had forced into the ball.

Mana Platform Lvl Up!

4→5

Adept Aerokinesis Lvl Up!

6→7

Stormtiger's special move… Greg took a moment to pull a face, feeling a level of distaste for copying anything the fight-hungry Neo-Nazi had done. Great, now I feel dirty.

Another roar from Lung was silenced prematurely before bursting back to life angrier than before, the villain's temper stoked to higher peaks as Gram drove itself deep into his chest, forming a bright red and steaming 'X' on the villain's chest.

"Come on!" Gram slashed out again, scoring another slash into Lung's open chest. Blood came pouring out in rivulets, steaming as it hit the ground and not for the first time, Greg found himself wondering how it even did that. Considering blood hot enough to steam would have thickened by now, he rapidly mused, sending another river of blood flowing with a hard swing into Lung's neck, maybe Lung's blood is just different from normal blood? Fish have antifreeze blood, right? Maybe dragons just have anti-boil?

Before he could further deliberate on what was a potentially award-winning thesis on the cardiovascular system of the Eastern-originating, North-American subspecies of dragon known as Lung, another strike came for him, this one backed by potentially endless amounts of fire curled within a single palm but Greg met it with another swipe from his blade, flames petering out as steel flitted through Lung's thick arm with a sickening squelch of flesh.

Swordplay: Single Blade Lvl Up!

26→27

The bellow from Lung was enough to shatter eardrums, the dragon's wrist falling apart from the bone as he erupted like a living blast furnace. A mammoth-sized foot slammed down on a small mountain of debris, hard enough to form a small crater and crack the ground for meters around. Yet, it didn't deter Greg from darting in again and driving Gram deep into Lung's chest with a loud "[Dash Straight!]", sword held out in front of him like a jousting knight.

Lung reared back from the blow, the blade coming free with that movement, and lunged forward again to roar at Greg only for the teen to flip off another set of glowing platforms, an armored foot driving itself into the side of Lung's face as he screamed a single syllable as loud as he could. "[Burst!]"

Red light overtook gold and Greg felt a stabbing pain travel through his leg for an instant as he made contact. An instant later, Lung's face was knocked aside as a collection of raw force and a mass of air at the ball of Greg's foot did their combined duty.

Ignoring the already fading pain in his metatarsals, the young cape forced himself into a mid-air spin and swung his sword again. Gram came down on the intersection between Lung's shoulder and his sinuous neck with the grace of a butcher's knife and all the momentum of Greg's body behind it, as the blond found himself screaming two words for the second time in half as many minutes. "[Weapon Charge!]"

Swordplay: Single Blade Lvl Up!

27→28

Reinforcement (Apprentice) Lvl Up!

23→24

Weapon Charge Lvl Up!

17→18

Adept Aerokinesis Lvl Up!

7→9

Even amid the heat and Lung's corona threatening to roast him alive, the young cape managed to weather the entire thing as best he could with an aura of his own; wind spinning around him like a tornado in miniature, coating limbs and torso to protect him from the worst of Lung's heat. Even still, it wasn't enough as Lung only seemed to burn hotter as the fight continued past it's first few minutes.

While he had expected it, of course, it was very disheartening for him to note that Lung was slowly growing as things went on; his neck a great deal thicker and longer than it had been at the start, for one, and each area his sword met growing larger and bearing a thicker layer of scales as they healed over.

To make matters worse, the battlefield was not to his advantage. There was only so far Greg could go before being surrounded by more fire and Lung was in no way limited in his movement or range by anything at all. He ducked another swipe from Lung, dropping from his platforms above to drag the edge of his sword down the villain's exposed chest. Just seconds later, he could barely even see the deep gashes he had carved into Lung's flesh, scales already forming over the healing wounds.

This isn't gonna work, the blond noted in the middle of diverting a slash from Lung with the flat of his blade. The screech of claws along the supernatural metal rang out, and flames sprung from Lung's arm like a wave crashing onto a rocky beach, bathing Greg in the dragon's now bright-yellow fire and scorching him with infernal heat. His armor felt molten, almost softening from the heat were it not for Greg's [Layer Reinforcement] trying to keep it strong. A single moment later, he found himself barely suppressing the urge to scream at the top of his dried-out lungs as he barely avoided another supersonic lash of Lung's tail with a quick flip backwards. He's healing too fast. He's getting bigger and his flames…

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Resistance: Heat Lvl Up!

47→48

Parry Lvl Up!

11→13

Another pressure wave launched itself at Lung in the form of a punch from Greg, the dragon-man barely edging back as it met him. Instead, he roared back a bright yellow stream of fire that threatened everything in its path. Even if he can't hit me, I'm getting baked alive like a Thanksgiving turkey because he keeps getting hotter! He retaliated at Lung with an angry slash, annoyance and so much restrained fury fighting its way to the forefront again and making him lose focus. "Just die already!"

Lung struck just then and his massive limb was met with the flat side of Gram for a second time but unlike the first, it struck like a cannonball launched at the speed of sound. But the attack angle was too clever, and Greg couldn't turn it aside as Lung's massive fist burst through his guard and smashed into the younger cape's breastplate with the force of a tank missile.

-410 [Critical Hit]

Debuff: Cracked Ribs (3) – 2 Hours Resistance: Blunt Force Lvl Up!

66→68

The young cape nearly lost his footing, skidding back as he found himself taking the brunt of a super-strong strike with not even a full second to prepare himself. Nearly doubling over from the sudden force, Greg forced his will to his lower body and activated [Surface Adhesion] on the soles of his feet in the hope it would be enough to keep him standing. Luckily, he was right. Instead of getting knocked head over heels, the blond was forced into a backwards slide, the soles of his feet tearing backwards over asphalt and debris in direct defiance of the laws of physics and friction.

Okay, he began as he finally stopped several tens of meters away, chest heaving from both exertion and the constant heat as he brought Gram out in front of him, you lost about 20% of your health. In one hit. No worries. You got this. Just… new plan, he quickly decided, wincing at the ache that was his ribs, Stop fighting him. Make him fight me.

"Is that all you got? Huh?" Greg's words came out raspy as his chest heaved from lack of air and a great deal of pain, mouth dry as Lung's flames did their best to dry up whatever moisture remained in the air. The less said about how his lungs felt like dried jerky, the better. Holding his breath certainly didn't help much, that was for sure. "Is that all the big, bad dragon-man's got? I thought you were supposed to scare me!"

Breath-Holding Lvl Up!

14→15

"Come on, Lung! Where's the effort?" He let out a shout at the top of his lungs, directly calling out the Draconic Boss himself with aerokinesis to assist his raspy voice. Even with his voice as loud as it was, Greg could barely hear himself what with Lung's roaring, exploding and general stomping around being enough to drown out lesser noises. Mind-numbing pain and a roar of blind rage met Greg's taunt as Lung pounced again, his landing a thunderous crash as he brought his forelimbs down on the spot where the other cape had been. It was truly insane how huge he was now, over four meters in height and counting with no end in sight.

Greg found himself shuddering as he recalled the rumors he had read online of Lung's potential, his own theories a large part of them, and shuddered yet again as he recalled that his own powers had confirmed the other rumors about Lung stalemating Leviathan the last time Greg had fought the hellbeast in front of him. That did not make him feel better in the slightest. I gotta end this quick and in a big way. Hit him hard once, faster than he can heal from.

Having crossed over a dozen meters in the same time it took Lung to locate him, Greg faced the draconic villain with his arms wide open, sword held high in his right as a formation of wind circled around his left. "Hit me with your best shot!" The grin behind his helmet was openly manic now, white teeth giving off the appearance of sharp fangs as Greg's mouth stretched open even wider as his laughter increased as rapidly as his volume. "Fire away!"

Taunt Lvl Up!

12→13

He did.

Lung charged forward, sending forth a meteor of roiling blue flame as Greg rushed forward to meet his opponent, free hand out in front of him with his fingers clawed as a similar-sized burst of wind left his palm.

An instant later, fire met wind in a powerful conflagration as the roofs of the three nearest buildings were blown off entirely, masonry, wood and stone sent flying as every remaining window in the vicinity shattered completely, glass shards sent flying from the sudden pressure wave that erupted within Coventree Plaza.

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o – Spoiler: STATUS Greg Lucas Veder Age: 15 (and three-quarters!) Job: Student Title: Dragon-Blooded Knight Level 23 Experience 18500/38000 Health 1045/1757 (+100) Mana 435/515 (+25) Willpower 509/622 (+22) STR 80 (+5) (+5) (+25) SPD 80 (+5) VIT 105 (+15) INT 55 WIS 20 (-70%) CHA 27 (+9) (-90%) [+15] Stat Points: 0 Perk Points: 0 Cash: $505,700.82

TRAITS

Nerd-Geek Hybrid: Your obsession with video gaming, computers, fantasy/sci-fi literature and 80's/90's pop culture has left you in the rare middle of two circles; the obsessive fandom-loving geek and the intelligent, knowledge seeking nerd. Sadly, your hobbies have left you with an aversion to physical exertion. (50% bonus to INT gains, -50% penalty to STR, SPD & VIT gains.)

Asperger's Syndrome: Ever since you were a little kid, you've always been a little bit off. Impulsive, obsessive, socially obtuse and emotionally needy, you're a bit of a weirdo. You now know that you have Asperger's Syndrome. Thanks to the help of a PRT doctor with good advice, you're now more aware of your own mental state. (-70% reduction to overall WIS, -90% reduction to overall CHA.)

Casanova Bloodline: As a Veder man, you have a great smile, natural charm and a confident approach to life that draws the ladies in like a moth to a flame. Your great cheekbones don't hurt either. It's how your dad got your mom to go out with him while dating at least three other girls and sleeping with two others, at least that's what he always told you - even when you didn't ask - all the time. (+ 9 CHA)

Dragon-Blooded: Fire and fury flows through your veins, blood of the dragon.

The mythical hero Siegfried was baptized in the blood of a magical dragon and became nigh-invulnerable, immune to nearly all forms of damage. You, on the other hand, were splattered in the blood of a not-so-magical dragon. (+ 250 HP, + 10 STR, + 10 SPD)

Dragon-Souled: For some, baptism by fire tends to be symbolic. Not for you, though.

Facing the heat of Lung's flames head-on has purified the strength of your will and the power of your soul. The beginnings of draconic power grow throughout your being. (+250 MP, +250 Will, +10 INT, +10 VIT)

Peak Human: What is peak human, anyway?

Somehow, you have surpassed the physical threshold of humanity, surpassing those inherent limits man is beholden to. (Unlocks perks for STR, SPD, VIT and INT once a stat crosses a benchmark of 50 pts)

PERKS

Baby Steps (1/3) [Ranked Skill]

With Catlike Tread...

Allows very light movement across surfaces, allowing you to move or stand on surfaces that would normally not support your weight.

Bulwark

Facing off against an opponent who far outclassed you has given you an ability to withstand impossible pain in the face of impossible odds.

Takes 50% less damage from opponents over five times your level.

Danger Sense (4/10) [Ranked Skill]

My common sense is tingling.

You gain a sixth sense that allows you to sense the presence of incoming danger.

Developed Mind (1/10) [Ranked Ability]

I like to think of myself as enlightened.

Every time you gain a level, you gain an additional 5 MP for each rank of this perk.

Dragon Blood's Gift

What is a knight without armor? A dragon without scales? A lion without teeth?

All equipped armor and gear is self-repairing at a rate of 1% a minute, so long as it is constantly being fed mana or will in some manner.

Fast Healing

Just a flesh wound, right?

You heal much faster now, regaining Health at a rate of a fifth of your VIT every fifteen seconds.

Fire Dragon's Aura (1/10) [Ranked Skill]

Bathed in Dragon Fire and Blood, I shall fear no flame

At a rate of 1 MP per second per rank, draw upon your pyrokinesis to generate an aura of fire. Your equipment and body are immune to the heat, of it and anything cooler than it. It is, however, actual fire, so try not to burn down your house. In addition, you can literally breathe fire instead of air while this is active.

Growing Will (1/10) [Ranked Ability]

Some people say you're rather willful.

Every time you gain a level, you gain an additional 5 Will for each rank of this perk.

Iron Body

"I am not built as weakly as you are."

Forget about being tougher than most people. Now, you're just plain superhuman. All physical damage is reduced by your level number, in addition to all other damage reduction.

+Blunt Force-based Status Effects require a Critical Hit to manifest

Keen Vision

20/20? That's weaksauce.

The range and clarity of your vision scale with your INT by a ratio of 2:1. (100%)

Lifegiver (5/10) [Ranked Ability]

Health is more than just not getting sick.

Every time you gain a level, you gain an additional 5 HP for each rank of this perk.

Not Quite Dead

People die when they are killed… usually.

Survive after your HP sinks below 0 and a harmful status effect is active.

10% Chance to recover with full health when HP drops to 0.

Sleep It Off

Great advice, honestly.

Negative Status Effect durations are lessened by 25% while Asleep.

Surefooted

I don't trip.

Allows perfect traction over any solid ground, eliminating the chance of slipping and falling over your own feet.

Swift Learner (2/10) [Ranked Ability]

You're no idiot.

You gain an increased amount of experience, increasing by 10% for each point in this skill.

Transformation Sequence (1/3) [Ranked Skill]

"It's Morphin' Time!"

By willing yourself to transform, you can equip any full outfit within your inventory, transforming in a flash of blue light, mana glitter and/or a whirlwind of aerokinesis obscuring you.

Warrior's Breath

The true power of the Warrior lies in his Breath.

Recovering from countless struggle has forced your physical energies into a state of rapid circulation. Your base Willpower recovery rate is multiplied by 10. (1 Will/per 2 seconds)

TITLES

Dragon-Blooded Knight [ACTIVE]

My body bathed in the blood of dragons, my soul forged in the hottest fires, my skill honed in battle, I have been reborn.

Title grants +10% overall Damage Resistance in addition to all regular resistances one has with an additional 10% resistance to fire, +10 to VIT, + 5 to STR, + 100 to Health and +50% Damage against any creature bearing the form of [Dragon].

Fear Bringer I

Who puts that scare into people?

Strikes fear into enemies equal or below 25% your level.

Lucky Bastard

Fortune smiles upon you. You have experienced good fortune at a time when you assumed all was lost.

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Man Slaughter...er I

It was an accident... right?

Direct physical attacks on an enemy with VIT equaling or below 5% of your ST has 5% chance of causing instant death.

Ninja-In-Training [ACTIVE]

It's my ninja way!!!

Increases the effectiveness of Evasion, Acrobatics and Stealth-based skills by 25% and + 2 to SPD STAT.

Punisher I

Revenge is a dish best eaten through a straw.

Increases all forms of damage by 5% to those who do damage to your allies.

Squire

Training to be a knight, I see?

Title grants +15% increased damage with a sword and 15% increased physical resistance when equipped with a sword.

Skills

Gamer's Body (Passive) Lv. MAX

Allows you to live life as if were a game.

Sleeping restores HP, MP, Will and removes most negative status effects.

Gamer's Mind (Passive) Lv. MAX

Grants immunity to mental status effects, emotional and mental trauma and severely dangerous emotional states.

Aerokinesis (Adept) Lv 9

"Storm's a brewin'... Metaphorically too."

Exert the force of your air control over the range of a football field and with the raw wind speed of a Category 7 Hurricane.

Cost: 100 MP per second of sustained use at maximum range & power.

Dash Straight Lv 12

Force equals Mass times Acceleration.

You may suck at physics, but you know that much.

Through reinforcing the body, you smash your fist into a target while moving at high speed. Damage scales based on distance moved. (1.5x Damage Cap)

Damage: 165

Cost: 25 Will + 2 Will for every meter power sprinted

Mana Bolt Lv 1

Magic Missile for the uninitiated.

A projectile of raw kinetic force that flies with incredible speed toward your chosen target.

Damage: 50

Cost: 100 MP

Mana Glitter Lv 9

Sparkle like the pretty bishounen you were always meant to be. Or a princess. Or a pedophilic slightly-rapey vampire. Who's judging you?

Release particles of mana from your body in the form of iridescent sapphire sparkles. Max Range increases by half a meter per level. (5 meters)

Cost: 1 MP per second

Mana Platform Lv 4

I call it walking on air.

Using raw mana, you create semi-solid platforms under your feet that last only as long as you remain still. Platforms double in size every five levels. (.25 m)

Cost: 1 MP per 2 seconds

Observe Lv 16

A skill to find out basic information relating to the chosen object.

Cost: 1 MP

Raging Combo Lv 13

A blistering barrage of belligerent blows built to batter baddies.

By repeatedly using weaker forms of Angry Straight, you pummel your target with raw frustration and anger. (36 Hits)

Damage: 390

Cost: 65 Will

Reinforcement (Apprentice) Lv 24

A discount version of the Kaio-Ken for the squishy wizard.

Increases your effective strength, speed and resistances by 5% per level with this technique from a base of 50%. Does not increase actual points of vitality or willpower. Improved control means that weaker usages of Reinforcement is within your grasp for lower costs. (170%)

Cost: 5 Will every 2 seconds

Warning: Overuse will lead to HP damage.

Subskill: Burst

Cast from hit points. Yeah, it's one of those skills. A short, yet extremely concentrated and focused burst of reinforcement applied to the extremities for an insane burst of ability lasting 1 second. (x 2.5 top Reinforced SPD/STR) Cost: 20 Will, 40 HP Subskill: Layer Reinforcement Increases the quality of non-living items, increasing their sharpness, durability, and hardness. This form of reinforcement can be used on non-living substances for a base quality increase of 250% Each level improves this by 25%. (775%) Cost: 2 Will every 5 seconds.

Mana Barrier Lv 1

Some kind of force-field!

The power to generate and manipulate defensive fields of arcane energy as a projected construct of your Mana. When using this Skill, your barriers can negate and/or deflect all physical damage up to a certain level. Any damage above the negation level shatters the barrier immediately. [Warning: Strength of barriers can decrease proportionally and drastically with complexity.]

Cost: 50 Mana Pyrokinesis (Basic) Lv 13

Burn, baby, burn!

Generate and control flames up to a range of 9 meters. Increases in range by 1 meter every other level.

Cost: 20 MP per second of sustained use at max range.

Surface Adhesion Lv 11

You ever wanted to be Spider-Man? Don't lie. Of course you did.

This skill allows you to stick to walls and hang on to ceilings and vertical surfaces without a risk of falling. While not denying gravity, this allows you to adhere to surfaces unaided.

Cost: 2 MP per second

Structural Analysis Lv 13

Judging the concept of creation, Hypothesizing the basic structure...

Grants the ability to gain a rudimentary understanding of the internal structure and functional design of simple, non-living objects.

Cost: 2 mp per square half-meter of object. Subskill: Physical Analysis Allows an innate understanding of the human body with the levels of complexity based on the progression of the primary skill, Structural Analysis. Weapon Charge Lv 18

Conceptually do twice as much damage with a weapon. Broken?

What's that mean?

Boosts weapon damage x 2.

Length of charge increases by 1/2 second for every level. (9 sec)

Cost: 8 MP

Abilities

Acrobatics Lv 28

Parkour!

An ability that enables you to pull off backflips, frontflips and any manner of jumping-based ground-movement technique with greater ease.

Awareness: Willpower Lv 7

Willpower, ki, chi, qi, stamina, aura, mantra, physical energy, life energy, od, or even hamon… Call it what you want. It's all the same in the end.

You have gained awareness of your Willpower, the physical energy found within all living organisms. Gaining awareness of your physical energy has given you some semblance of control over it.

Ballroom Dancing Lv 1

I wouldn't call it dancing yet. More like a full-body dry heave set to music.

Represents your skill in the art of dancing in a fancy, romantic manner when with a partner.

Anatomy: Intermediate Lvl 2

The quickest way to a man's heart? Directly through his ribcage.

Gain a more experienced understanding of the human body and how interconnected systems function.

[Status Effects] become easier to inflict in melee combat by 2% every level. (4%)

Basic: Increases [Critical Hit] damage by 10% per level. (100%)

Beginner Combat Lvl 17

I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.

The next level of combat, Beginner Combat is a fusion of fighting and footwork into the ability to learn new styles of combat, fusing them into a novice martial combat capability.

Increased bare-handed damage by 2% per level. (34%)

Blunt Weaponry Lv 5

Carry a big stick. Speaking softly is optional.

Measures your skill with using a blunt weapon.

Increases damage with a blunt weapon by 2% per level. (20%)

Breath-Holding Lv 15

Asphyxiation is a terrible way to die.

Increases time able to stay conscious without air by 30 seconds per level. (7.5 min)

Bullshitting Lv 6

First, you tell a lie; then you believe it; then you become it.

Increases chances that any lie you tell is successful by 2% with every level. (12%)

Cooking Lv 1

Some people are just born to cook and talk.

People have been cooking since the discovery of fire. Who knows what you could create if you put your mind to it?

Disarm Lv 6

Take their weapon from their warm, living hands.

Increases chance of disarming the enemy by 2% with every level. (12%)

Driving Lv 4

NASCAR, here we come.

Measures your skill at operating a four-wheeled motorized vehicle.

Gunplay: Handguns Lv 6

Possibly more than the automobile, the handgun is synonymous with America.

Improves aim/accuracy/stability with a handgun by 5% per level. (30%)

Improves damage with a handgun by 2% per level. (12%)

Gunplay: Rifles Lv 4

Slightly better than a stormtrooper.

Improves aim/accuracy/stability with a rifle by 5% per level. (20%)

Improves damage with a rife by 2% per level. (8%)

Intimidation Lv 8

If you want to control someone, all you have to do is to make them feel afraid.

Strike fear into the hearts of man and throw them off their guard, allowing you to score critical hits much easier. Increases chance of [Critical Hits] on enemies by 1% every level. (8%)

Kissing Lv 8

Looks like practicing on a peach actually paid off.

Represents your skill in the art of smooching.

Language: Japanese Lv 8

Gratuitous Japanese indeed.

Reflects your speaking skill, and understanding of, the Japanese language.

Language: Spanish Lv 16

Me llamo Gregory.

Reflects your speaking skill, and understanding of, the Spanish language.

Manipulation: Mana (Limited) Lv 1

Mana, magic energy, magicka, prana, ether, thaum, spiritual energy, magatsuhi or even chakra… Call it what you want. It all rests in the palm of your hand to command.

Your awareness of mana has advanced to an understanding of how to force the energy resting within your mind and soul to your eager and unprepared will. Adds a 1% bonus to effect of all mana-based skills.

Meditation Lvl 12

Breathe in the good shit. Breathe out the bullshit.

By finding your inner focus, you push out all earthly distractions and enter a state of mental and physical harmony, allowing a greater understanding of your mind and body. While meditating, your Mana and Will recover at a rate of 10% faster per level into this ability. You retain this bonus for a period of ten minutes post-Meditation. (120%)

Parry Lv 13

To deflect an attack is a double-edged sword;

Risking more damage for the chance to inflict the same.

Increases the effectiveness of any attempt to divert or deflect a physical attack by 2% with every level. (26%)

Reflexes Lv 17

DODGE!

Decreases innate reaction time by 5% per level. (85%)

Resistance: Biological Manipulation Lvl 5

Some people like to work with clay, or glass, or wood. Others prefer the mutability of flesh.

Measures your ability to resist any attempt to directly control your physical form, referring to skin, nerves, organs or otherwise. Increases by 2% per level. (10%)

Resistance: Blunt Force Lv. 68

Going from punching yourself in the face to actual self-mutilation?

Bold move, Veder. Let's see if it pays off.

Reduce all blunt force damage by 0.75% with every level from attacks less than 100% of your health. (51%)

Resistance: Cold Lv 8

The cold never stopped bothering you.

Increases resistance to cold temperature by 1% with every level from attacks less than 100% of your health. (8%)

Resistance: Electricity Lv 8

Everyone knows electrocution is harmless.

Increases resistance to electrical damage by 1% with every level from attacks less than 100% of your health. (8%)

Resistance: Heat Lv 48

"You have to respect anything that can just stand there, on fire."

Increases resistance to heat damage by 1% with every level from attacks less than 100% of your health. (48%)

Resistance: Piercing Lv 37

The thrust or stab is risky because it can kill and yet not stop

Reduces piercing or stabbing damage by 0.75% with every level from attacks less than 100% of your health. (27.75%)

Resistance: Poison Lv 4

I wonder what counts as a poison...

Reduces damage and effects caused by poison by 1% every level that will cause damage less than 100% of your health, in any way, shape or form. (4%)

Resistance: Slashing Lv 18

The cut will stop but not kill.

Reduces slashing or cutting damage by 0.75% with every level from attacks less than 100% of your health. (13.5%)

Seduction Lv 1

I didn't mean to turn you on… or did I?

Manage to draw the attention of a member of the opposite sex using your innate attraction skills. Increases chance of [Critical Hits] on enemies by .5% every level. (.5%)

Singing Lv 2

Stick to doing musicals in the shower for now.

Represents your ability to hit the correct notes, harmonize and anything to do with the art of vocals.

Sneaking Lv 15

Ugh… stealth missions suck.

Allows for 2% quieter movement per level while trying not to be heard. (30%)

Stamina Lvl 20

Whatever I lack in talent I have in stamina.

Increase Will by + 5 with every level. (100 Will)

Swordplay: Single Blade Lv 28

All swords are the same.

Represents your martial skill with the art of a single blade.

Increases damage with a blade by 2% per level. (56%)

Taunt Lv 13

"And this! Is when I taunt you!"

Draw the attention of a target through nonsensical, idiotic, but occasionally piercing, verbal attacks. Increases chance of Critical Hits on enemies by 2% with every level. (26%)

Thrown Weapons Lv 4

Throwing your sword always works. Except, you know, when it doesn't.

Increases the skill, range and force by which items and weapons can be thrown by 2% with every level. (8%)