Kaiden exhaled sharply, tightening his grip on his scythe as the Omni Clan members lunged at him. He sidestepped the first attacker, his AGI giving him an edge as he countered with a fluid slash, severing the enemy’s stance and knocking them back. [-35 LP ] flashed over the enemy’s head, the clan member collapsing before dissipating into shimmering pixels.
The remaining enemies snarled, their movements coordinated as they encircled him. Kaiden twirled his scythe, activating Vine Step, his body shifting into a blur as he weaved between them. His blade whirled in the air, striking weak points and breaking through their defenses. [-40 LP], [-42 LP ], [ -38 LP ] each hit made contact, but as his combo meter filled, fatigue set in. His HUD flickered with warnings:
[Fatigue Debuff Active: AP Recovery Reduced ]
[Skill Cooldowns: Thorned Strike (8s), Fracture Strike (10s), Vine Step (15s) ]
Kaiden grit his teeth as a debuff icon appeared next to his name Weakened Defense (DEF -10 for 30s). He barely had time to react before one of the Omni members slashed at him from behind. [-20 LP]. Another landed a blow to his side. [-15 LP ]. He staggered, his LP plummeting rapidly as the last seven enemies advanced, weapons raised.
“Damn it,” he growled, wiping the sweat from his brow. The Omni Clan members jeered.
“Death to all Dayslayers,” one of them shouted.
Kaiden felt the exhaustion creeping in, but a smirk tugged at his lips. A pop-up appeared on his HUD.
[Party Member ‘MixMaster’ Has Logged In]
Out of nowhere, a bright, emerald glow enveloped Kaiden’s body. His LP shot up as the warmth of a heal-over-time effect pulsed through him. His DEF stat rose, indicated by a buff icon in his HUD. [Vital Sap applied: +30 LP/s, Verdant Guard applied: DEF +5 for 20s ].
“Need some help?” Naō’s voice echoed through the battle zone.
Kaiden turned to see Naō, donned in new gear; a sleek alchemist’s coat lined with reinforced leather straps, a satchel overflowing with potions hanging at his side. He hurled another vial, coating the ground in a Toxic mist that weakened and poisoned some of their enemies.
The Omni Clan members recoiled, caught off guard by the unexpected support.
Kaiden grinned. “Took you long enough.”
Naō smirked. “I had a feeling you’d try a solo run. Again. So I played up to this point.”
Kaiden chuckled. “Yeah, yeah. That’s on me.” He flexed his fingers, feeling his strength return as the buff settled in. “Let’s finish this.”
The battle resumed. Kaiden and Naō worked in tandem as Kaiden unleashed devastating melee attacks while Naō used his skills to keep him alive and debuffed the enemy forces. A well-placed Explosive Flask from Nao sent several Omni members tumbling back. [-45 LP], [-50 LP].
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
Kaiden came forward with Thorned Strike, his scythe glowing as thorns erupted along its edge, slashing through three foes in a single arc. [-55 LP ], [-60 LP], [-58 LP]. The Omni Clan’s numbers dwindled until only one remained, trembling with fury and exhaustion.
Kaiden finished them off with Fracture Strike, the blade cutting through the final enemy. [Critical Hit: -90 LP]. The last Omni Clan member collapsed, their form shattering into data.
[Level Up!]
[Nyte: Level 6]
LP: 170/170
AP: 100
ATK: 35
DEF: 25
DEX: 24
AGI: 40
INT: 17
WIS: 14
New Skill Unlocked
Shadow Step: A high-speed movement skill that teleport a short distance, avoiding enemy attacks. Cooldown: 20s
Kaiden exhaled, rolling his shoulders. “That was fun.”
Naō snorted. “Define ‘fun.’ Because that was probably both reckless and stupid.”
Kaiden smirked. “Still standing, aren’t I?”
Naō shook his head with a sigh but smiled. “Fine. But next time, we do this together. No running off alone.”
Kaiden nodded. “Agreed.”
As they caught their breath, a voice from the ground croaked out. One of the defeated Omni Clan members gasped, barely conscious.
“You… you think you’ve won? You Dayslayers are too late.” His HP flickered at 1, barely holding on. “The item has already been sold, the buyer… will use it to destroy Hollowmere.”
Kaiden and Nao exchanged glances, their post-battle relief vanishing.
The clan member coughed, his body flickering before he finally despawned, leaving behind only silence.
A quest update popped up in Kaiden’s HUD:
[Main Quest Updated: Report to Mayor Lucian About the Incoming Threat ]
Kaiden clenched his fists. “We need to get back to town. Now.”
Naō nodded. “Yeah. Before it’s too late.”
The two turned, exiting the battle-worn hall, their victory overshadowed by an even greater looming danger.
Kaiden and Naō rushed back to Hollowmere, their minds weighed down by the ominous warning from the Omni Clan member. They reached the mayor’s office, bursting in without hesitation.
Mayor Lucian stood from his desk, startled by their sudden entrance. “Dayslayers? What news do you bring?”
Kaiden caught his breath before answering, “The clan, one of their members, told us that the item was already sold. Someone’s planning to use it to destroy Hollowmere.”
Lucian’s face paled. He clutched the edge of his desk, his fingers trembling. “No…” He swallowed hard. “I heard the cry of a monster, a sound I’ve never heard before. It came from an abandoned greenhouse on the outskirts of town. The roar alone sent shivers down my spine. If my instincts are right… it’s a Bio Threat.”
A notification pinged in Kaiden’s HUD:
[Quest Updated: Investigate the Greenhouse and Eliminate the Bio Threat ]
Kaiden and Naō exchanged wary glances.
“We should heal up at the Solarium first,” Naō suggested, still catching his breath.
Kaiden nodded. “Yeah. We’ll need to be at full strength for this.”
The mayor nodded grimly. “Please, hurry. If that monster fully manifests, Hollowmere may not survive the sunrise.”
