-Vol 5: A New Life-

-Lava Monster(4)-

Kenshin didn’t know he had an unintentional viewer to his fight, so, he held nothing back and fought with everything he had. This monster was not only sturdy and strong, but it also had a variety of skills that reduced the amount of damage it receives. In addition to the high amount of HP and healing skill it possesses, Kenshin was having the time of his day without pulling his punches. Killing it would simply become a chore to someone of the same level as this monster.

He had already exchanged around hundred blows with the golem and found various facts about it. This golem was highly intelligent, knowing when to advance and when to retreat. Kenshin supposed it was a common trait to all the monsters who crossed the threshold of level 50. Second, it wasn’t completely invulnerable, beating the liquid part of its body did cause some damage to it, but it was so minuscule that it healed almost instantly. Third, despite its agility being too low, for some reason, its reaction time was similar to his own.

All these facts concluded one thing; the system had tailor-made this monster for him. Once again, Kenshin became speechless at this system that seemed not to follow any rules or laws he could think of. Its as if, someone consciously managing it, changing it to suit his needs, helping him when necessary. But instead of feeling elation, he felt apprehensive instead. Humans fear what they don’t know, and Kenshin knew next to nothing about his system’s origin.

A wave of concentrated lava arrived in front of him, giving him no time to think about other matters. Narrowing his eyes, Kenshin jumped back to avoid the lava, at the same time, he stepped heavily on the ground and barreled towards the golem. In the midflight, he clenched his right hand and aimed a hook at the golem’s torso, the place which was hardened by the rocks. Those are the only places where the creature seemed to take damage. But Kenshin wasn’t the least bit discouraged; he used almost everything he knew onto the golem, slowly mastering them.

Bit by bit, Kenshin felt sweat oozing from various pores of his body. Without any skills and equipment, the fight with the monster was more challenging than what he had initially thought. But on the hindsight, it was also a good thing, he had already somewhat mastered his DEF and now in the process of mastering his PHY. The real challenge was ATK which affected the AGI. Controlling the right amount of force and maintaining a constant speed, slowing and hurrying…all these things were challenging for now.

Due to his increased ATK and AGI, the strain it put on his physique and stamina was huge, akin to a highly demanding engine. His seemingly infinite stamina started to drain at a rate faster than what Kenshin was used to, especially after gaining skills like [Passive Regeenration] and [Tireless Body]. They both also gained a huge amount of EXP as a result. By now, he had already discarded his tattered shirt and half melted boots, courtesy of one of the lava blasts.

The monster wasn’t any good either; Kenshin’s erratic strikes had done a number on its half molten body. Even with its damage reduction type and regeneration type skills, its HP had taken a huge blow, decreasing from 1999 to 999. Kenshin had chipped away 1000 of its HP with just his fists even while it regenerated some.

Even with its many damage reducing skills, the golem couldn’t hold a candle to Kenshin’s power. He, probably, could have killed the golem within a few minutes if given access to all his skills and equipment. Nonetheless, it became exceedingly clear that even level 50 monsters, forget about humans, couldn’t stand against him for more than few a minutes when he was going all out.

For a second, Kenshin wondered if it was all a dream, and he was going to wake up at any moment. Not very long ago, he was like a street urchin, struggling to make his ends meet, but then suddenly one day a system appears out of nowhere, and he becomes a millionaire soon after. His strength increased at speed faster than a rocket leaving the atmosphere, though a huge part of it was due to that contract he had formed with Core.

It took him a few minutes to regenerate enough stamina to have another round of a bout with the golem, and he would try some new tactics to deal with the stoney beast. But all those new tactics were for dealing less damage to the beast and providing more exercise for him. In the end, Kenshin was treating it like a training partner, a dummy to beat and test his abilities on!

After a few more rounds of beating around, where Kenshin would accurately aim at its torso, legs, and hands, the golem’s HP came down all the way to 60. During that time, he wasn’t idle either. He was using his [Replication] repeatedly on it while gaining EXP to level up the skill.

[You have used Replication on Skill Physical Damage Resistance]

[Replication is sucessful]

[+456 EXP]

[Warning* All the skill slots allocated for the skill are full. Choose a skill among these, to store the new skill!]

[You have used Replication on Skill Physical Damage Resistance]

[Replication is sucessful]

[+456 EXP]

[Warning* All the skill slots allocated for the skill are full. Choose a skill among these, to store the new skill!]

[You have used Replication on Skill Physical Damage Resistance]

[Replication is sucessful]

[+456 EXP]

[Warning* All the skill slots allocated for the skill are full. Choose a skill among these, to store the new skill!]

The skill was gaining experience like crazy; the bar was almost full. A few more attempt and his [Replication] would level up. When that happens, there would be no need for him to waste his precious skill point... not that he has any.

He knew, by doing so, he would open the option of gaining a skill after its death. That skill won’t affect his allotted skills slots. He had discovered this function of his skill after an accident back when he was in the north. He also vaguely remembered the day when he got the system. Even after the monkey’s death, its skill, the [Passive Regeneration] was replicated by him.

Finally, after a few more attempts, the much-awaited notification flashed in front of his eye.

[Ding* Congratulations. Skill Replication has gained a level]

[2 new skill slots are now available to store replicated skill]

He was waiting for this a long time; activating his skill again, he started to copy shamelessly.

[Ding* You have successfully replicated Physical Damage Resistance]

[+456 EXP]

[Physical Damage Resistance Lv 1](Passive/Always active)[1000 EXP to next level up]

0.5% Immune to all type of Physical damage

[Ding* You have successfully replicated Magical Damage Resistance]

[+456 EXP]

[Magical Damage Resistance Lv 1](Passive/Always active)[1000 EXP to next level up]

0.5% Immune to all type of magical damage.

As for its other skills, Kenshin already had a better version of it available to him. He was not interested in them.

After milking it for all its worth, Kenshin decided to end the golem’s suffering. The golem’s HP was now at 60 anyway, one more accurate strike and it would die. So, Kenshin took a step forward, and vanished from his spot, appearing so close to the golem that his nose almost touched its solid semi-broken legs.

He had still not mastered his ATK boosted AGI. Cocking his fist back, he slammed at its legs with everything he had. With a booming noise, the cracked rocky legs of the golem shattered to peace and soon started to turn into particles and vanish into thin air.

As a special monster, it didn’t have any special effect ending. It simply vanished after doing its work, leaving behind a few things in its wake.

[Ding* You have successfully completed Side Quest 1]