Looking down shakily, Richard saw that while his pistol had blocked the majority of the bolt, it now had slightly melted on his waist. He reached towards the smoking hot piece of scrap metal that was formerly a pistol with trembling hands. Removing it as carefully and dropping it on the ground to prevent it causing more wounds he moaned in pain.

Immediately afterwards he reached in his pocket, pulled the healing potion and tried to open the tightly sealed cork by pulling it with his teeth.

The pungent taste of blood in his mouth did not matter and managed to open the potion with little effort. Richard poured the potion down his throat, tasting the flavor of the potion he almost threw up.

''This tastes like bitter shit, I would rather have the ironic taste of blood than this but whatever works I guess. Can't these come in strawberry flavor?'' He thought in his head while gritting his teeth together and turned his head to see how the battle was going.

Nadia was trying to avoid the iris best she could while attacking it simultaneously and Nick was looking a bit pale still pouring out his flames.

''This is not good, I have to help as soon as I can stand.'' Richard thought and pulled up his hp status in his mind.

Hp 22/152 Mp 6/55

''Jesus Christus, that was super close. Had I kept the pistol somewhere else I would likely be a goner. I can already feel some sensations from my legs but I think it is better to bide my time to surprise that fucking avatar.'' He thought briefly and inspected his condition.

Severe burns on his waist, only slight feeling on his legs, but on the positive side he was not bleeding out. The potions effects were truly magical: He could feel his flesh wriggling and repairing the major damages. Richard thought that it should be the same when wounds form scabs it repairs them. Resisting the temptation to scratch his itch on the wound, he focused his sight back on the battle.

Inspect

Name: ??? ( Incomplete phantom avatar) Level 20 ( Weakened ) Hp 148/560 Mp: 98/400

''Great, the mana pool is almost depleted and it has taken good chunks of damage from the attacks. Now I just hope that Nick and Nadia can keep the statue quo as it is.''

From afar Nick yelled out loud with great urgency in his voice. ''Almost out of mana! I am already struggling with the upkeep and it's getting harder and harder to focus my sight.''

Doubling her efforts, Nadia kept stabbing the avatar with a pale face. Sweat poured down from her forehead and her eyes revealed panic in them.

Richard could no longer just wait for his recovery and reached out to his Curtain-kun. He started to crawl towards the eyeball with scythe in hand, inching towards the unsuspecting target.

Nadia could see that Richard was conscious and immediately tried to draw its attention towards her.

Crackling with electricity the bloodshot eyeball intended to finish off the melee fighter as it sensed that the mage was out of juice soon.

Nadia dodged with rapid breaths by diving towards the ground when the bolt of lightning was about to be launched.

Whizzing beam of light shot above her shoulders and a loud boom was heard further away: She knew that she had succeeded in buying the time.

Quickly standing up, Nadia again pressed her attack on the eyeball.

Nick's flame attack was now depleted and he was semi sprinting towards the foe with Nadia's former makeshift morning star.

The eye saw that victory was nigh, so it started to squeeze out what remaining mana it could for the last stand.

Already crackling with purplish electricity it was almost ready to charge the attack, when it suddenly heard a raspy voice sounding from behind it.

''From hell's heart I slice at thee. Mighty strike''

Standing behind the eyeball, Richard had propped himself to stand with the scythe as a crutch. He could not stand without support for long and he knew it.

As soon as he was ready to muster all the strength he could, he went all in. Placing all his weight and fell his scythe on the unaware enemy in a magnificently sloppy leap attack.

This time Richard did not go for his usual smashing fetish with the blunt edge, but decided to cleave it with the blade.

The eyeball tried to turn rapidly, seemingly sensing the threat from behind and disposing of it quickly. But alas, it was too late.

The scythe penetrated the shimmering barrier with ease, and sliced the creepy eyeball in half. Reddish light flashed behind the strike and was absorbed by the scythe. The dim red light traversed through the scythe, and was finally absorbed into Richard's hands without any other special effects.

Level up [ 9 → 10 ]

Slumping in the ground while still holding the scythe, Richard started to laugh like a maniac.

''So long fucker!'' Richard muttered, coughing little blood after his laughing fit and he spat out the foul irony taste from his mouth.

Congratulations for reaching level 10

Job/Class available

Still laughing at their victory, Nadia and Nick approached Richard with relieved steps.

''Dude, are you ok? I totally thought that you were a goner.'' Nick asked Richard while observing his wounds from the bolt of lightning.

''I guess, the healing potion did help a lot and I finally got to see the special effect on my weapon. After rest I should be able to move normally.''

Raising his burnt shirt slightly to see what kind of hit he actually took, the trio saw a pistol shaped burn mark etched onto Richard's skin.

''Bro, now you have that pistol with you always.'' Nick laughed sarcastically at Richard.

''I can never show it to any gun company owners. If they saw the burn branding shaped like their pistol, they would automatically assume that I belong to them like cattle.'' Richard said with a downcast face.

''I really guess you are almost back to normal Richard. Too bad that the shock therapy could not cure your sense of humor.'' Nadia said in a playful manner before fixing her gaze on the remains of the eyeball.

Nick and Richard too focused their attention towards it with greedy gazes.

''It better have some good loot or I'm going to lose it.'' Nick said with a serious face.

''We better go check it now. You can take a breather here and we will do the afterwork searches.'' Nadia said seriously.

Nodding his head, Richard stayed in place and the lover duo started to race towards the remains of the eyeball to see what they could find.

Opening his backpack, Richard took out a few protein bars and foodstuffs that had high calorie, protein and such for the development of the body.

''Guess now is as good a time as any other. Status open.''

✶ Richard Morrison ✶ Title Job / Class Deathseeker (+1 more) - None - Level 10 Primary attributes Secondary attributes Skills Expand/hide Unspent attributes Strength - 20(+5) Luck - 7 Unarmed - 5 Sword skills - 2 10 Agility - 15 Charm - 5 Knife skills - 3 Ranged attacks - 5 Vitality - 13 Staff mastery - 1 Inspect - 2 Stamina - 18 Hp 41/152 Intelligence - 11 Mp 2/55 Spirit - 10(+5)

''Hmm. Vitality for healing quicker should be the best option? There is also the issue with my limited mana pool.''

Deciding to spend 5 points on vitality and 5 on intelligence, he kept munching away the food available.

Vitality increased +5 [ 13 → 18 ] Intelligence increased +5 [ 11 → 16 ]

Feeling a bit lightheaded after the upgrades, he nodded his head to himself.

''Surely enough mom was right, milk (protein) makes a man strong. The upgrade pains are nothing compared to the previous bad experience, after eating I feel like it's no big deal. I basically can't even feel them over my other pains.''

After distributing the attributes, he turned his attention towards the class notification and decided that it should wait for a bit after hearing excited yells coming from Nadia and Nick.

''What did you find to make all that commotion? Legendary artifacts maybe?'' Richard asked curiously, before realizing that they did not have any appraisal skills to identify items.

''From that fucking eyeball we got a pendant! It seems so cool and I bet Nick in a wager that it has to be powerful.'' Nadia joyfully jumped and shook off her hands to get rid of the eyeball remains from the search.

''What do you mean my love? You can't bet me away with your whim! Even if it is a guaranteed win. Ew ew ew, stop that! I don't even like dogs because when it rains they shake their furs and you are doing the same thing now, except with the remains of some creepy eyeball.'' Nick complained in disgusted tone while shaking his head.

Thinking to himself Nick could not believe the change that had happened over this short time and what has the world come to: Former suave businessman with dignity now trying to dodge giant eyeballs remains in a stinky swamp. Not cool.

''Stop complaining Nick, we got rich I tell you. Rich!'' Nadia still jumped like a kid in a candy store.

Watching the duo with their comedy routine, Richard muttered to himself. ''Pfft. Greedy capitalists automatically assume that something good belongs to them. If the necklace is truly that powerful, I should get some benefits too.''

Of course he knew that they played a superior role in defeating the eyeball, but he too was only a human. Greed is good sometimes, like in cheat codes and Richard needed to get benefits too in order to grow stronger.

''Guys, if you bring the necklace here I will Inspect it. We can decide who benefits from it after knowing the effects.''

Nadia and Nick nodded their heads and skipped towards Richard hand in hand for inspecting the artifact.