Chapter 5- A Very Familiar Face

(Hayden)

Hey there!

Hayden here.

I’m back after around 2 weeks of gruesome training, I’ve finally decided I’m strong enough to leave the area. So far I’ve only levelled up once. Wait, I know what you’re thinking but I assure you I did a lot of training instead. Here take a look

Status WindowName:HaydenAlignment:NeutralLevel:8Class:-Race:HumanGender:MaleTitles The Second, Fighter, Survivor-Health:640/ 640Health Regen:0.064 / SecMana:530 / 530Mana Regen:0.57 / SecStamina:640 / 640Stamina Regen:0.064 / Sec-Strenght:67Agility:73Vitality:64Intelligence:53Wisdom:57Leadership:5Luck:15-Physical Resistances10%-Elemental ResistancesFire:1%Water:1%Wind:1%Earth:1%Light:1%Darkness:1%Unused stat points96

Though it was significantly getting harder to level up.

So it turns out I was right about my hypothesis on the intelligence and wisdoms stats. Reading books does increase them. So far I’ve discovered that reading anything you don’t know which is basically in categories beneficial to growth of the human mind like physics, chemistry, biology, maths and so on increases intelligence. It increases wisdom also but only slightly. Wisdom increases faster if you read history, philosophy and strategy books. Same with the knowledge books, they also increase intelligence but to a lesser degree. I’ve took the liberty to increase both of them equally by first revising and further reinforcing my knowledge on the human anatomy. I’ve also read some strategy books on fighting, always could use the knowledge especially now since I’ll probably need to use them. I’ve actually found lots of books while scavenging for food, and regardless of how useless the books are, I’ve stored them all in the noir ring.

I’ve also scouted this place and discovered that this is actually a small housing area. I didn’t notice it since I’ve often just run past this location without paying much attention but now that I have gotten a chance look around, it’s actually pretty cut off from the other part of the district. There’s only one road that leads here and out, it’s surrounded by forest/ park. It’s also the reason why I assume there’s not a lot of monsters. I’ve sort of scouted to identify where the imps where coming from and all the time they’ve been coming from the direction of the meteor. So I think it’s safe to hypothesize that the meteor is sort of where the monsters are coming from. I don’t know if I should thank my lucky stars that I ended up here.

Anyway, I’m certainly confident that I can atleast survive if I left this place now. Plus I really want to go back home. My house has is a great location and I can’t help but feel it is also extremely strategic. It’s a penthouse suite on an apartment and people usually can’t go up there. It’s sort of isolated and basically I can fortify the place pretty well. Besides that, there’s a supermarket close by that I can raid for goods.

Oh and I also found a way to increase physical resistance. You just got to endure pain and hits, a lot.

The way I increased was actually through my hand to hand martial arts training sets. I used a punching bag initially that I found in one of the houses, until I destroyed it….. Then I moved on to something harder like make walls, until I started leaving cracks in them. So lastly I moved on to trees, kicking and punching, all with my new training suit.

Yeap

I managed to buy the training gear set, which came with the wrist and ankle bands, the chest vest and the waist band, with a training sword and knife. So basically I made use of them, wearing them all the time. It was hard to get use to them at first so I had to take it slow. The suit weight in total about 100 kg, with the sword and knife being 10 kg and 5 kg. I actually couldn’t move much at first so I took it real slowly. First I had to start learning how to walk with these things on, the weight on them is incredible and I actually had a hard time trying to breathe sometimes. It also took an hour or so for me to start learning how to walk. But a very motivational sound totally resolved my will. You can’t imagine how fast my stats were coming with these things on. I also trained my skills with both the sword and knife. I trained with both of them individually and together until I’m actually proficient with using them. I also actually tried to use them in combat but they immediately disappeared. Only to reappear after the fights over in a notification window. Sigh, it would have been so much more worth it if I could actually use them to fight since they definitely would deal a lot of damage considering their weight.

I have to say I’m quite proud of the fact that I’ve developed a new fighting style while I was training. I used what I know and mixed them together to create a fighting style that would suited my current needs. I’m happy to say that my fighting style can transition smoothly between both monsters and humans. I hope. I actually just did mental training for monsters, that I hope I never meet. You know mythological monsters, I did image/ shadow training imagining I was fighting hydras, lions, wolf packs, rats, 6 armed demons, and so on. Basically I made my fighting style with an intention on fighting those kind of things and also humans. I won’t say I’m a genius martial arts, but I certainly feel like one right now. Now I know it’s not perfect but it’ll get there. Someday.

I tested it on like multiple imps, I’ll say around 50 which is the biggest battle I had in the last 2 weeks and I can confidently say it works. It’s also growing fast, from a dream to reality because of this.

[tr]Title ‘Genius Fighter’You are a blessed to fight. You learn fighting skills 4x faster than a fighter and have a master’s instinct

My fighter title upgraded when I fought those 50 imps. I say it was definitely wise of me to not use my stat points. Oh yeah I forgot to mention, I’ve actually cleaned up the machete, it’s all shiny now. I’ve found its sheath so now I can hang it on my back and look like badass, or at least that’s how I hope I’ll look.

Oh and the imps are level 16 by the way, in case I forgot to mention. I don’t exactly know the exact requirements for being able to see the level but I suspect it has something to do with the monster being in range with your level. I think it’s about 10 levels. I’m also certain that the elite imp is somewhere about lv 20. Oh yea I got another achievement too because of that fight.

[tr]Achievement ‘One against 50’You have defeated more than 50 monsters in a single fight. You have bonus of 5% in both physical and elemental resistance when fighting against 5 or more opponents.

Also a note, I’ve tried to experiment on what I could do with the blood control skill but so far I’ve only been able to do what the description says. I can’t help but feel there is something more to the skill. I guess it’ll only be unlocked when I level the skill.

So now I’ve decided to move, to finally return go back to my house. If you’re wondering why I’m not saying anything about how I wonder if my parents are still alive or if their at home, it’s because they don’t live here. They don’t live in Australia, only I do because I’m studying here. Although I do wonder about them, there’s nothing I can do, they’re a million miles away.

Anyway, I’m sort of reluctant to leave my crib, my little hiding spot. It really has a special spot in my heart, especially after I refurnished the place. I brought in oil lamps, a king size mattress (mm hmmm big beds are good), pillows (lots of them), and posters and so on. Well I’m taking most of that stuff anyway so a part of this room/cellar will still remain with my but still. I will miss you, my safe hidden cellar.

Before, I left the area however I made sure I didn’t leave anything that could potentially be of used to me especially any d.i.y equipment’s and stuff like that. Those d.i.y stuff are vital in apocalyptic situations which I’m sure is currently happening, considering the still lack of noises except those roaring noise and occasional screams that I hear in the distance.

So I left the neighbourhood and proceed to walk to my next destination, my beautiful, gorgeous suite, while wearing my training suit. I mean I can easily take them off if I need too. I just have to open my storage portal and throw them in.

Do you know why I call it a suit? Because they basically combine together when I wear them all. That’s a definitely handy way for me to take them off because all I have to do to take them of is pull a zip.

After walking for 10 minutes down a hill, I soon pass by familiar locations, a restaurant I used to go with my friends, now run down and destroyed, a few houses I recognise, and a park that’s sort of destroyed, actually most of the structures and buildings in the area are destroyed. I also see a lot of dead bodies, rotting away but some of them looks like they’ve been chewed on.

I also noticed a few dead rotting monster bodies some I’ve definitely never fought before. Must have been another survivor I hope. I can’t help but feel like I’m being closer to finding another person. I also don’t know if I should be worried or happy. I mean don’t you watch all post-apocalyptic shows? How mankind starts turning to evil scum once the world comes to an end?

While I was having this inner monologue, I saw a few figures rushing out from the fenced up courtyard of one of the houses.

*ROAR*

Wow a new monster, it looks like a dog but only thing dark black in colour with horns on its head and it looks like it’s not alone, it has a few more brethren and what looks to be a tiny green ugly men which I think are goblins. They start charging at me like I’m food or something.

As they get closer their names and level start popping up.

Glargin Lv 12

Goblin Lv 14

Hmm aren’t their levels a little low? I’m actually wondering if I was lucky or unlucky that I got imps as my first monsters.

As the 3 glargin come close to me with their disgusting slob dripping out of their mouths, I just relax into my fighting stance. I’ve decided I’ll go without weapons this time, with my training suit on. The lead glargin leaped towards me once it thought it was close enough to go for my neck. This prompt me to do a right leg turning kick aiming its head. My shin smashed against its head while it was in mid-air which actually caused it to rocket of to the left. I actually think it’s dead from that one kick, I also heard and felt something cracked when I made contact with it. I then proceeded to do an axe kick with my left leg to the next glargin which smashed its head onto the road, cracking it both the road and the glargin skull, as my heel landed right on the top of it. I then proceeded to punch the other glargine that’s opening its jaws aiming for my neck, on its nose which smashed its face in, which I think ultimately crushed its spine. All this took place in a span of 5 seconds.

The 2 goblins that were rushing with their maces, actually tried their best to stop themselves. Fear evident in their face. It actually did them no good because I was right in front of them by the time they managed to completely stop.

I then punch the goblin on the right in the face and next to the one on the left with a turning back trust kick. Needless to say they both died instantly while rocketing away with broken bones.

“Damn I’m good”

A couple more goblin’s started rushing out of the house. It looks like an endless supply of goblins and glargine actually. Instead of waiting for them to come to me, I start sprinting towards them. I’m actually getting excited and my heart’s pumping super-fast. I reached them in about less than a second and as the first goblin is within my range of attack my sense of time starts slowing down.

I weave under his badly placed swing and proceed to cut him in half with my now unsheathed machete as my body almost reaches the finished motion of my dodge. I then recover my blade into an adapted jodan stance which I then proceed to straighten my body as I cut another goblin from its head down to the hips. Which then prompt me to leap forward with okuri ashi and another timely placed head cut on a pouncing glargine. Followed by me lowering my centre of gravity while spinning 360° before cutting the throat of 3 goblins whom all aimed their swings at where my head used to be. Which then prompt me to do a double slash, one diagonally from bottom left to upper right while the other from top to bottoms, while moving my legs forward a couple of steps with okuri ashi. This effectively caused the death of 4 goblins. Then I proceeded to do a spinning left elbow on one of the glargin’s and another swing of machete to the last glargin successfully separating its head from its body.

I stopped moving forward as I looked back to examine the trail of blood I just left.

“Phew” I breathe out as I released my built up energy back into a relaxed state, effectively speeding up time to normal as my senses stopped being that alert. The time it took for me to do that whole run was also about 10 seconds.

Well aren’t these guys painfully weak? I mean I feel bad right now, they got totally slaughtered.

I look back at all the dead monsters to see if there was any loot but I only see a couple of gold coins which of course I promptly put into my storage portal.

*DING*

[tr]You have been awarded 2 strength point, 2 vitality point, 2 agility point

I decided I should probably go into the house the goblins where using as their base. Who knows, maybe there’s loot? I start walking in there an before I even reach the step something just slammed into me which caused me to go flying out of the courtyard. I effectively flew like 20 meters. I also felt like maybe something cracked? It’s not like my rib’s cracked or anything but more like a couple of fractures. Now I have to admit but I was slightly day dreaming about loot that’s why I didn’t notice a fist until I was about to be hit. Still I totally had enough time to move a step back to lessen the impact or adjust my body to lower the damage but I was pretty confident in my stats so I just took the blow. Turns out I really had it coming to me for being so cocky.

I got up immediately, ignoring the pain in my chest to face my new enemy.

Elite Goblin LV ??

Sigh this guy’s level is pretty strong since I can’t see it. This means its level is 10 or more level higher than me. Compared to the other goblin’s isn’t its level too high? I can’t help but wonder if it was actually that level before or it had leveled up. I mean it had to be pretty strong to be able to gain so much levels. I definitely hope it didn’t kill any of my brethren mankind. I mean I don’t know if I should be happy that there is a high chance that there are survivors strong enough to cause the goblin to level up so much that it’s far more powerful than the other goblins or that it killed a lot of survivors.

“ROAR!!!!!!” the goblin shouts as he slammed its fists together creating a slightly transparent white aura that appears surrounding them. I sort can’t help but wonder what that skill does. After all it’s probably going to be mine soon. Though I don’t want to actually feel what it does straight up.

So the goblin that seems massive about 6 feet with muscles bulging out of its body and definitely looks uglier than the normal goblins, rushes at me with a somewhat fast speed. Though the goblin’s movement seems to be very explosive and fast, I can’t help but wonder if he can constantly manoeuvre with that speed. So I test my theory out by leaping out of the way of the goblin obviously while doing so I slice its stomach as I go through the motions of my dodge. As my machete is trying to cut its body, I noticed from the response of the blade, that the goblins skin is extremely thick and most likely that cut only served to make him bleed. The goblin tried to turn and follow me but it’s momentum was too fast and like I suspect it caused him tremendous effort to stop, turn and begin chasing me again.

I did the same thing again once he reach me, with me aiming to cut the same spot again. This only infuriate him more with him growling and roaring.

I then proceed to dodge a few of his punches, as he tries to hit me. He has to lower his punches since I am way shorter than him and this gives me a few opportunities to nick his arm with a slash or two. We proceed with that exchange for a while until his arm starts turning red. He then got seriously pissed and slammed both of his arms on the ground causing a massive crack to the floor followed by a shockwave. I quickly retreated but still the shockwave managed to injure my organs a little bit as I spit out blood that was coming out from my throat.

After that he once again ponce at me, and I dodge and cut at the same spot on his stomach the same as last time but this time he manage to slam his fist into one of my shoulders by changing his pounce a little bit into a sort of rotating leap. Though it was just as slight graze it still stunned me long enough for him to close in the distance between us.

Sigh, this guy is a lot smarter than the other monsters, and doesn’t seem like it’ll go easy unless I start getting a little serious. I sheathe my machete behind my back and waited for an opening.

Before he could actually hit me, I slammed my knee into its crotch while grabbing the arm he used to punch at me and the other arm in a muay thai clinch, pulling his body slightly lower. The goblin howled in pain as soon as I had finished landing my knee on its groin. I then locked my clinch by holding one arm onto his arm pulling him lower and another onto his neck while kneeing him again in the crotch. I then proceed to do a couple of knees to his sternum and stomach with a changed grip, both hand griping his lowered neck before retreating with a slash to its throat with my quick unsheathing.

Yeap playing dirty is the way to go, I mean come on it’s a life and death situation, I’m sure anyone would do the same. The combo was effect wasn’t it? Don’t blame me for taking advantage of the situation. I then jump and did a flying knee on its face effectively mashing up its ugly face when it was straightening its self. Which I then proceed to stab my machete into its head. It didn’t die right away as it constantly struggled to remove the machete while getting a few lucky punches on me when I was trying to push the machete deeper into its head. Still it died in the end and all that matters is I won…… and loot!

*DING*

[tr]You have leveled up

[tr]You have been awarded 3 strength point, 4 vitality point, 2 agility point

[tr]Due to you fighting an elite goblin without adding any stats since the change, the skill the elite was using ‘Aura fist’ has evolved to ‘Aura Enhance’.

Oh wow, an evolved skill, what great luck. I intently wait near the goblins body while eating a chocolate bar for the skill book to appear. After a few seconds which for me seemed like a few minutes to me, the awaited skill book finally appeared. I immediately grab the book and learn the skill.

[tr]Aura Enhance Level 1Your body is enveloped in aura effectively increasing all attributes except luck and all resistances by 1% for 1 stamina per second. It also has a slight paralysing effect

Hmm this skill doesn’t seem to be that much when reading it here but it’s the same with the blood control skill. I can’t help but feel there is a deeper meaning and power hidden behind this skill. Damn. Let’s not think about this or I’ll get a headache instead let’s see what else dead elite goblin left for me.

Ooo a sword, it looks like a gladius only thing it’s about 3 and a half feet long. A leaf like sword with quite a weight to it about 5 kg which is fine to me now since I’m use to the 10 kg training sword. It also came with a sheath. I wonder if it has stats.

[table][tr]Gladius[tr][td100]This gladius is quite heavy and long, it was used by an adventurer until it met the said adventurer met his demise against a mighty goblin. It is said that this gladius although seems normal albeit its slightly different parameters has the ability to heat up and cool.

Oooo cool.

I can’t wait to test this. I swing the blade and try to get it to change its temperature.

Nothings working? I decided not to test it yet, and threw my machete into the storage.

Bye bye my old friend you’re being replaced. Thanks for all your help.

Wait

Did the description say adventurer? Like in those fantasy world fictions? Doesn’t that mean alternate worlds? These monster’s come from alternate worlds? Well not really shocking after everything that’s happening but I can’t help but feel this is a clue to the mystery of why the change happened.

I then proceed to try out my new skill aura enhance. Which seemed to not work. I mean I can’t get it to work because there wasn’t any instructions or anything of that sorts. It says it uses stamina so maybe? Use something like chi? I’ve tried to learn how to use chi before but I’ve never gotten that far with it. I mean I always felt something but there didn’t seem to be any benefits.

No harm in trying now.

So I go into a calm state of my mind and try to draw out my energy from the depths of my body, which surprisingly works really fast as I start to feel a flow of warm energy gushing out from within my body. Then I proceed to wrap it around my whole body like what I’ve seen the orc do with its fist.

I open my eyes and all I get is a disappointed feeling instead. There’s no changes in my body no transparent aura or anything. That’s when I realized I should try to compress that energy around my body. Which was what I did. I started to see an aura rising around my body from my skin and I could feel the power underneath it. It worked! HAHA

Holy shit this is a little addictive. Although it doesn’t improve my stat much, it actually feels really good, like a personal shield or something wrapping around my body, also strengthening me. After that I tried to undo the aura. Which was surprisingly easy.

I then proceed to practice calling it back and forth until I was successful in calling it at once. It was actually easier each time I did the enhancement. I feel like a goku right now with this aura on. I can’t help but imagine that what it’ll be when it’s level upped. Would it get stronger until I can become super saiyan? I decided I should continuously use this skill every time I'm training or fighting to see if I can get it to level up.

Anyway, time to stop standing like an idiot with a stupid grin stuck on my face, and go check out the house. Before that, I tried to do the same to the sword hoping I can activate the swords properties and it worked.

I felt like there was 2 pathways to regulate the sword, one was deep in close to the core of the sword and another was close to the edge. I choose the one next to the core first and it seemed, like the sword suddenly turned cold. Slowly but surely mist started appearing around the sword. Holy shit that’s pretty cool. Following that, I proceed to then direct my energy to the other pathway and the sword started turning hot. I could see its edge slowly turning red until it became blazing red kind of like a light saber. The heat from the sword can be felt from a distance.

This sword is super cool. I check my stamina and noticed it didn’t really drain my stamina. This means that the sword either doesn’t need to spend any stamina or it has a really low upkeep.

Great!

I now go and check the house but all I see is basically dirt, poo and some rags. Wait I also see bones, and a very pungent and bad smell. The inside of the house is destroyed and filthy. There was basically nothing in there but poop and dirt. I see some human looking skulls hanging as decorations though.All the furniture of the place was destroyed. Though I found a coin stash upstairs in the main bedroom. Must have been the elite’s bedroom. HAHAHA

Thanks elite.

Anyway after looting a few of the still standing houses, I continued my journey towards my house again. I also had to kill a few monsters but all’s well.

By the time I reached the area where my apartment’s located, it was almost night time with the sun setting. That’s when I heard sounds of what seemed to be someone fighting and lots of monsters growling. I quickly rushed to where the source of the sound is, with hope that it’s another survivor. Please be a good survivor! Please be a good survivor!

When I arrived at the area, it was down the street really close to the supermarket near my house. I saw a figure running away and constantly firing what seem to be arrows with a bow against monsters that look like dogs, not glargin’s but maybe more like wolves. The figure looks tired and seems to have trouble running. I can’t get a good look at the figure as it was getting dark and the person’s back was against me still, I took of my training suit and sprinted towards that person. As I get closer, I notice the person is a girl and she doesn’t seem to notice me coming to help. When I was nearly there about 30 meters away, I was able to get a glimpse of her face when she turned and fired another arrow. What I see, is a familiar face.

A very familiar face. Advertisement Previous

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