I hear a commotion outside the door of the janitor's closet. It sounds like the goons are running past, going towards the elevator. It's around time for the enforcers to come, so I no longer have to worry about the prisoners. This is when I strike, I leave the closet and rush for the main office.

Rob can't die by traditional means so I plan to use him as a distraction while I try to get Charlie out of there. I could summon him back with [Master's Whistle] when the cooldown resets. I have no training in swat tactics, but kicking down the door with my high Might wouldn't be an issue, but I have a better strategy. I open the unlocked door and prepare to see the worst.

There is no tortured Charlie strapped to the chair, rather there is a relatively fine-looking Charlie sitting across from the boss holding a cup of tea. I hold Rob back from lighting the place up and look questionably at Charlie.

"Ellis, what are you doing here?" (Charlie)

"So your name is Ellis, is it?" (Boss)

"Charlie, aren't you supposed to be held captive or something?" (Me)

"It's complicated, he can't hurt me or something terrible will happen to him. He is forcing me to stay here against my will using nonviolent approaches." (Charlie)

"Don't kiss and tell, business partner of mine."

Charlie stands up and slams the table, "You are no business partner of mine! You dare call yourself that after trying to strong-arm me from this deal for over a day now!"

Charlie is not in cahoots with this guy, the plan continues. I fall onto Charlie as I push him to the ground, Rob opens fire causing great damage to the room. The painting of the guy gets shredded, revealing a safe in the wall. The boss ducked underneath his desk as it gets filled with holes. The window overlooking the casino is undamaged as the massive aquarium shatters. Water and fish flood the room. Duchess leaves my neck to fulfill her part of the plan.

"You fucker! I may not be able to hurt Charlie but I can sure hurt you." The boss is pissed.

He was directing his words to me, but he first appeared next to Rob. I was barely able to track his movements. A quick backhand to Rob's head destroys it. Rob falls limp and the boss picks up the gun and crumples it into a ball.

"Now it's time for real fun." (Boss)

He pulls out a wad of cash and it burns to a crisp in his hand. Golden coins appear floating around him in a spiral, with a single wave of his hand they go flying straight at me. I manage to get on my feet before they reach me, and with no chance to dodge, I use my forearms to block the strange barrage.

My arms strain from each blow, and welts form on my forearms. The damage isn’t much but there are so many coins flying at me.

-10

-10

-10

[Resistance: Blunt 10 > 11]

-9

-9

Etc.

I move away as soon as I can, but the damage is overwhelming. He stops purposely once I appear to be on my last legs. The remaining floating coins drop to the ground, covering the room with money.

“What’s the matter, can’t take any more?”

I can take more, but I won’t let him know that. He wants to prolong my pain and make me despair, that gives me time. I discreetly start healing my wounds with half of my mana.

[Resistance: Blunt 11 > 12]

I put my fists in a boxing stance, in rebellion to his words, my initial plan was to break the window and jump out with Charlie, but the bullets didn’t break it. I rapidly start to think of a different way out, time for plan B.

[Do you need any help?] Duchess speaks to me.

I shake my head no, she has her things to do. If she sticks her head out she will die from this guy, and unlike Rob, she can't come back.

“Charlie, can you do anything?” I run behind the desk while asking a question. The boss seems amused by my scrambling.

“If I do anything to him, he can retaliate. That’s how the Goddesses blessing works.”

Goddess? I push all the questions I had aside and prepare for my next step. By now Duchess should have finished her part of the plan.

Her first step was to move Flash Gordon near the window. In my initial plan, he was there as a hidden weapon in case the boss tries to stop us at the last second. I can’t throw Flash Gordon at this guy, Flash Gordon might not survive it. I crawl over and grab him.

“Do you think hiding will save you? Get back here you little coward”

He walks over slowly like he's enjoying his time watching me struggle against him. I stand up abruptly knocking the desk over, money and documents go flying. The rest of the Duchess' part in the plan was to use her [Telepathy] at the enforcers she can see through the window and tell them that the boss is up here. She is also tasked to spam the boss with as much mental noise as she can when I'm about to strike him.

The boss is surprised for a second while I [Donkey Punch] him with Flash Gordon. I hold off on using [Empower] I’ll need that mana for something else.

Critical Hit!

-568

Blood streams from his face, clutching his nose he says, “So you have a defense ignore skill, hold still I’m going to shove that rock up your ass!”

I hop over the desk, and the bald man follows me. Rob was behind the desk waiting for this moment, he opened fire using [Bone Shot]. He already reassembled himself and was waiting for this moment.

Snapsnapsnapsnapsnapsnapsnap…

The constant sounds of snapping are drowned out by the barrage of bone bullets slamming into the boss. After the initial volley, the boss activates a skill that turns his entire body gold. The bone shots start dealing noticeably less damage, sometimes deflecting off.

“Fuck off, you tiny fucker. I thought I killed you.”

Rob doesn’t even try to dodge the attack, taking it head-on. Pieces of Rob scatter around the room. The golden boss pulls out a cane-like mace and swings it wildly at me. I was prepared and managed to duck underneath his attack, I slam Flash Gordon at his pelvis.

He steps back, easily dodging it. He looks around in anger.

“Where is all that noise coming from?! I’ll kill you!”

[Telepathy] is distracting him at crucial times, allowing me to not instantly die from his golden mace. By now, Duchess should have already told Charlie to leave the room and make sure the enforcers get here before I die.

Out of the corner of my perception, I see Charlie still in the room. I get surprised that Charlie is still standing there like a dumbass. The brief moment of distraction allows the boss to ‘Sparta kick’ me across the room.

-300

I slam against the wall, knocking the wind out of me. That one blow almost killed me straight up. Without the [Skeleton Gloves], my maximum health is 340. His earlier attacks brought me down to half health before I used half my mana to get back to relatively good shape.

His blow leaves me at 22 health, if it wasn’t for my resistance and my armor, I would have died.

[Resistance: Blunt 12 > 15]

My entire body is weak, it feels like my fragile organs popped inside my body. I start healing myself with [Heal Anything]. Blood is dripping from my eyes and mouth. The boss doesn't move from his spot across the room, he pulls out a golden gun from his waist.

“You are laughable kid, aren’t you?”

I don't answer, I can hear the enforcers rushing down the hallway. He smirks at me.

“I can hear them too, but don’t worry. I can kill you and get out of here before they can ruin my fun.”

Two shots are fired.