After another few hours of killing ants, Helo stops to check his status.
Name: Helo
Tier 1
Class: Shaded Predator (Pseudo Tier 3)
Level: 22
Stats: 290
- Str: 21 (+5%)
- Agl: 46 (+15%)
- Dex:31 (+15%)
- Per: 40 (+30%)
- Vit: 56(+40%)
- End: 20 (+15%)
- Int: 20 (+5%)
- Will: 56 (+40%)
Feeling happy about his progress he pulls out his tablet. The rest of the team left around two in the afternoon. Now it is around seven o’clock. Feeling the strain in his tired muscles Helo looks up in to the ashen sky and can’t help but laugh.
He was so overwhelmed when he first got here that he went through everything like it didn’t matter, this was because he was repressing his nerves. Then he was constantly on edge due to his upcoming fight.
Now finally feeling free, even with his circumstances Helo is in a great mood. “Haaaa, damn I wish the little fluffball was with me.” Helo says to himself when he turns to look around him.
He is standing three-fourths up the volcano on a rock ledge and his view is breathtaking. He can see a crisscrossed landscape of lava flows and dark rock. The dark sky is catching an orange glow and the ocean in the distance is a constant counter to the dark volcano.
“Wow, my life really has changed.” Thinking back to what he learned about his own abilities he thinks. Although I think I was born into this, even if I didn’t realize.
Taking a second to enjoy the view Helo steps off the side of his perch and while falling he thinks that he can see people moving. With a shrug Helo assumes that they are another group. It is the end of his teams usually dungeon slot.
Ignoring the small group of people, Helo starts weaving his way toward the exit. He has to jump lava flows, avoid and kill ants, traverse the mountainous landscape, and dodge boulders. This is some of the most danger he has been in, but he is having a blast.
Letting his aura out it doesn’t settle in like usual. He might be in the natural habitat of a volcano but he is used to his aura settling into the energy flows of a more forested climate.
While running Helo works on slipping his aura into the energy within the volcanic region. It is different from what he is used to, but he is making some progress as he moves. Getting lost in his own thoughts he is caught off guard when a barrage of projectiles sail overhead.
Looking up Helo can see a mass of physical and magical attacks hurtling toward him. The sky is lit up with the whistling of arrows, the crackling of ice, and the roar of flames.
Using his aura to sense his surrounding he first looks for any ants. After realizing that this isn’t a mistake and he is being attacked Helo activates his ‘Dashing Lunge’ skill and dives backward.
As the danger grows larger, his bloodline pushes free with the increased beating of his heart. His senses are heightened and his instincts are running free. The first thing he noticed is the smell around him. He is used to the sulfuric and salted smell from the volcano and ocean.
But hidden under those two scents Helo can detect humans that are surrounding him. This is something that his unconscious mind overlooked because he has gotten more comfortable to living around people.
Realizing that he has been surrounded Helo pushing his movement skill as hard as he can, blasting backward Helo runs shoulder first into a wall of wind. The skill repulses his movement and Helo bounces backward.
At the same time an orchestra of debuffs and restrictions lash out to keep in restrained. Looking into the sky Helo can see that the barrage is almost raining down on him. With a growl of anger Helo unleashes his aura and he can feel the restriction and skills weakening.
Whatever affinities or intents that are suffusing the skills are starting to lose their meaning. Helo can feel the restrictions wavering but it isn’t enough.
“Sir, we are keeping him contained, but something is wrong.” A soldier working for Grant calls out. “He did something that is forcing us to expend extra mana to power our skills. Some of the guys are even saying that they are starting to get headaches.”
“Well keep it up. The second volley is coming any second.” Grant says while brushing his man off.
“All we need is to kill this kid and we will have a ticket to a better life.” Grant shouts to his men. Most of them are excited about the opportunity. But a few of them are having doubts about their mission.
“Are you sure this was an order from Graham, sir.” Ben says with a lot of hesitation. He has read the reports on Helo, and he likes the kid a lot. He even thinks that the kid will be a great leader once he is trained.
“Yes. Graham said that Helo is getting too close to his daughter. He wants him disposed of.”
Back in the killing box Helo vanishes his blades and pulls out his staff. Faster than he has before Helo spins his staff and creates a projectile. Forcing more energy than all his other attempts Helo focuses his will and creates a tether between the projection and himself.
Spinning his naginata the projection follows behind and they both block the majority of the attacks. Due to Helo’s aura the magical attacks have diminished striking force and the physical projectiles are dodged or deflected.
The attacks that slip through Helo is quick to tear out of his flesh with a spray of blood and a scream of pain. Storing his naginata Helo draws his knives and sprints in the opposite direction. Up above him he can see the second volley start its decent.
He can feel as whoever is casting the debuffs on him starts fighting back against his aura and bloodline, they do his buy pouring mana into their skills. After taking a few steps Helo steps into the shadow of a boulder and wraps his bloodline energy around himself like a clock.
Everyone that is surrounding him can no longer sense his presence. Most of those watching can still see him wrapped in shadows, but the ones on the other side of the boulder can no longer sense his presence.
Pulling out on of his throwing blades Helo attempts to use the first technique in the ‘Twin Fang’ style. Manipulating his energy into his throwing knife Helo tries to use the technique called ‘Attacking from a Step Behind’.
The name is long, but the skill has two parts. The first is to conceal one’s presence. The second is to project your presence away from your body. This is used to confuse and attack from stealth. During his reading Helo even read that at a higher level of mastery someone can even project their killing intent away from their body.
For the first time Helo is able to sense his own presence as his aura is projected into the dagger. This is different than when he infuses his weapons with his aura. THIs is like the dagger feels like another him. The presence is weak and it is only a fraction of his true presence but Helo hopes it is enough.
Tossing the dagger in front of him, Helo spins behind and turns the other way. He can feel within his aura as a wall erupts in front of his dagger. Turning back around Helo watches as his throwing knife stabs blade first into the wall of rock with a ‘PIIIING’, at the same time he hears a “BING” in his head.
Roucind on the other side of the boulder he comes face to face with a smug looking man. His smug look quickly turns into shock and then fright as Helo rams a kukri into his skull. Thinking about taking some blood from the man Helo stops himself when he smells ammonia. “Ewwe did he piss himself in fright.” Helo looks down and sees a wet spot below the man.
Shaking his head in disgust he decides against draining some of the man’s blood. Dashing away from the boulder he hears as the volley finally lands in the location that he was supposed to be trapped in.
As Helo runs, he can feel a second circle of people who are surrounding them. Scanning them with his red eyes, he can see a few of them carrying bows, there is even a man with a rifle. “This circle must be the people shooting the projectiles at me.” Helo says while running.
There are now people shouting all around him. The first circle was made up of physical fighters, debuffers and people who can make barriers. That circle was about one-hundred feet in diameter. The second row is another hundred feet out filled with distance fighters.
From the cacophony of yelling and random attacks that are being fired past him, Helo doesn’t think that they expected him to escape. Behind him everyone is starting to give chase, and in front they are all preparing to attack.
Using his ‘Double Lunge’ skill Helo pushes it hard and blitzes directly at a mage. The mage is tier 1 and wearing light blue. Water or Ice. Helo thinks to himself in the few moments it takes him to approach.
Pulling out the knife he hasn’t thrown yet, he covers the blade in ‘Forced Still’ and throws the weapon at the mage. The blade sinks into the mages hip and he starts to fall with a scream of pain. Trying to catch himself the mage trips over his locked hip. Accidently releasing the mana he was gathering at the ground the mage’s eyes go wide in shock as a wave of water dugs into the ground and rebounds into his face.
“So, water.” Helo says as he passes. Getting over one-hundred-meters past Helo’s movement skill ends and he can feel his knife return to his wrist.
Not sure how to feel Helo furrows his brow and keeps running. He enjoyed the short fight, but it seems like he was betrayed. His first thought goes to Kenneth, but he doesn’t see how Kenneth could get so many people to attack him.
Turning around for just a moment he can see as over 20 men are chasing after him. They are wearing outfits similar to guard uniforms, like someone only has a guard uniform near them but they don’t want to look like a guard. “Or they are really bad disguises.”
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Turning back around he is about to keep running when multiple sirens blare in his head. The first is that suddenly all sounds are cut off, the world around him almost feels frozen due to his sudden lack of hearing. The next is a slight killing intent that is directed toward him.
Ducking low he hears the sound of a blade slicing through the air above his head. Looking up Helo can see a man wearing dark clothes landing on the ground.
Bracing himself to fight he is surprised as more men step out from around him. Some of them are panting and look like they were running but others look fine. What surprised Helo is that his hearing isn’t picking up anything. Another surprise is that each man is standing outside the range of his aura.
Tilting his head in confusion, he doesn’t drop his guard but he is trying to figure out what is happening. “Who are you?” Helo asks.
Nobody in the group speaks before a man wearing a captain’s uniform with a mustache takes a step forward. With a wave of his hand all the sound comes crashing back and suddenly Helo can hear their breathing and heartbeats. He can even hear as two of the men shuffle their feet uncomfortably.
Focusing on his hearing Helo turns his head and looks directly at a man who is crouching on a rock protrusion thirty yards away. Normally Helo can’t hear that far but the man’s breathing is a little heavy.
“Wow, my intel was right. You just pick out a human from thirty meters away.” Speaking louder he yells, “Come closer he already found you.”
Looking back toward Helo the man studies him and on his face, there is a hint of respect. Quickly it goes back to cruelty and irritation. Helo has multiple wounds on his body and they are seeping blood form the first volley.
Based on what he can hear there are five men surrounding him and a sixth that is coming closer. Asking the question again Helo asks. “Who are you?”
“Oh us?” The man just shrugs and laughs. “Haha we are The Undeserving. It’s a name for a movement in awakened circles, but the name fits us so well. But the truth is, to you, we are the last thing you will see.”
Doing a quick scan with identify Helo isn’t happy about what he sees.
Human Mage
Tier 1 Level 45
Human Warrior
Tier 1 Level 46
Human Support
Tier 1 Level 44
The other three men a similarly leveled and Helo can feel as his bloodline starts to fully awaken. It is pushing against his body and soul in a way similar to when Victious pressured him. To Helo it feels like he is too large to fit inside of his body. From what he has noticed before he will get injured but he will also make progress in unlocking his bloodline.
With another wave of Grant’s hand everyone surrounding Helo attacks. Leaping forward Helo is glad for the time Grant took to gloat. He had long enough for ‘Dashing Lunge’ to come off cooldown.
Due to Helo’s own efforts, ‘Dashing Lunge’ is changing from a movement skill to something closer to a boosting skill. He has been pushing it to last longer and has been working on making the skill act more like a channeled ability.
As Helo takes his first step he can feel something different. The change isn’t just in his mind. It is in everything. “BING” Almost stumbling Helo looks around for what went wrong. To his surprise everything seems to be going just a little slower, or is he moving faster.
Stopping his train of thought from slipping away Helo rolls forward and finds that not only are his steps faster, but his other movements are as well. Rolling under an arrow, he starts getting up only to have to block a sword strike.
Attempting to jump away Helo is stopped as chains made from ice coat his leg. The ice is cold enough that frost is starting to spread.
Wrapping his bloodline around his blades hilt, Helo slams his hand down on the chain. The chain manacle shatters with a ringing crack. Off to the side he can hear someone cry out in pain.
Hitting the ground hard from the tension leaving the chain, Helo rolls left to block a spear thrust. Activating ‘Forced Still’ Helo is careful to stop his bloodline from fueling the ability. Grabbing the spear shaft Helo uses it to pull himself up and jabs his blade into the man’s stomach.
As the skill activates the man doubles over Helo’s fist, like he just got all the wind knocked out of him by a semi. Taking a two-handed hold on his blade, Helo lifts the man and tosses him at the swordsman that is attacking him from behind.
Using the moment, Helo starts running way and has to stop as a wave of dizziness washes over him. Falling forward and forcing himself to hold down his dinner, Helo holds his head as he hits the ground.
Closing his eyes he has to fight to remain conscious as the world spins. With his eyes closed he starts checking over his body. Thinking that he somehow got a head injury Helo runs his hands over his head. Coming back with no blood, he looks inward.
Around his ears, Helo can see a sickly green mana trying to force its way into his head. He can tell that his bloodline is fighting the energy off, but it is slow going.
Rolling onto his stomach Helo starts crawling away. Only to receive a kick to his stomach. The kick sends him into the air and rolling onto his back.
Looking up Helo can see Grant’s face looking down on him. He has a smug look in his eyes and sneers at Helo. Speaking in a mocking voice the man says. “Isn’t this a beautiful skill. It starts by using sound to invade your mind. But it ends with hypnosis. Man, you wouldn’t believe the amazing ways I have used this skill.” He says with a perverted smile. Looking behind him he says. “Right guys! We had a lot of fun with this.”
Closing his eyes Helo looks inward and can see that his internal energy is about to fight off the insidious mana.
“Hey don’t close your eyes.” Grant yells as he kicks Helo. This kick hits his arm and Helo’s dagger clatters on the ground before the sound turns faint and start to echo.
Opening his eyes Helo looks Grant in the face and the man gives him a hideous smile. “It should be about done. It is taking far longer than I expected, but you are some kind of little monster.”
Closing his eyes again Helo tries to find a way out of the situation. The only thing he can think of is his new skill. Accepting the kick form Grant, Helo opens his notification.
Through interacting with your bloodline your skill ‘Dashing Lunge’ (Uncommon) has upgraded to Bloodline Awakening (Rare)
Bloodline Awakening (Rare): Drawing on the power of your bloodline you can increase the speed of your body and mind greatly. Slightly enhances the control over your bloodline abilities and other physical stats. *Warning* Using this skill for a long duration or repeatedly may cause harm to your body and soul.
Receiving another kick to his stomach Helo opens his eyes and activates his new skill. He already used it for over fifteen seconds and activating it again he can feel how the skill starts doing damage to him. It is like plugging a cell phone directly into the power grid. His body and soul are too weak to handle the energy as it ravages through him.
Groaning in pain Helo looks to his side to find his knife. Not seeing his blade anywhere Helo looks further and hidden in the shadow of a protrusion is a hole into the ant’s nest.
The ants are not dangerous to Helo on the surface, but he has no doubts that the ants inside the nest are stronger and more numerous. Finding it as his best option he looks back to Grant.
Grant raised his foot to kick Helo again. Watching the kick come down it seems to be slower than last time. The kick connects with his side and this time Helo hears a rib crack. Shouting in pain he doesn’t let the broken rib stop him.
Helping the kick carry him Helo rolls to his side and directly next to the shadow of the protrusion. Grant starts sauntering over and speaks. “Looks like your getting weaker. I’m not surprised; I never believed that you were as amazing as they said you were.” Grant is to focused on mocking Helo to notice that the shadow he was near is starting to creep closer.
Some of his men who are standing back notice the weird occurrence. One is about to speak up but gets cut off by Helo. He is coughing up blood but manages to speak “You.. ahem… ambush me and talk about strength.” He says in a weak and low tone.
Grant is about to mock him but Helo starts talking again. “It’s okay. I have always enjoyed a good hunt. Let’s see how you like it.”
As Helo says those last words the man who was about to speak realizes that something is going to happen. “BOSS!” the man yells. Grant turns back and from the corner of his eye he sees the shadows swirl around Helo. The entire protrusion is covered in darkness and looking into the area is like looking into an abyss.
Grant takes a step forward and as he does Helo steps out. Driving his blade into Grant’s hip he cuts through bone activates ‘Forced Still’.
With blood on his face, fangs and red slitted eyes Helo looks into Grants shocked face. “The exit is about three hours away. Have fun.”
Taking a step back Helo vanishes into the shadows as an arrow shoots past Grants head. A second later a fire blast erupts in the rocks shadow revealing the hole into the ground.
“Boss… What do we do?” One of his men asks.
Holding the wound in his side he shouts, “Get together with the entire force. Find me a healer!
Down in the hole Helo made it about three-hundred-feet before he was forced to stop and couch up more blood.
“God that felt so cringy. Why did I do that. I should have just killed him.” Helo says to himself. “Well now have to beat them to the exit.”
Getting back up Helo conceals himself and starts traversing the ant nest. He continues to find the Giant Fire Ants everywhere. As he does, he tears them apart in an extremely gruesome fashion. He has realized by now that it isn’t blood that heals him but vitality. If there is enough, he can even take it from the air. The taking the ants apart, he is letting all the vitality stored in their bodies free.
Killing them as he goes Helo eventually finds a fork in the road. Stopping for a moment because of hears something different Helo stays at the fork at watches as a large ant walks out on four legs. Its other legs are arms and holding a shield and sword. Both are made from bone.
Holy shit, what is that.
Ant Guardian
Tier 1 Level 36 Uncommon
A rare variant ant that is born from a powerful ant queen.
Not wanting to stir up the nest Helo chooses the other direction and continues on his way. He would have loved to dig through this entire nest and find the queen. Unfortunately, he has more important thing to do.
Helo rushes through the tunnels for another hour before finding an exit. Making his way back to the surface Helo looks around and based on what he sees on the volcano he is higher up and closer to the entrance.
With two exits to leave from he isn’t sure where to go, but he decides to find a good place to looks for the exit. Finding a vantage point Helo looks around and spots about twenty men heading toward the entrance to the floor.
Helo is about to take off after them but he stops and watches for a while. There were at least twenty-five men that attacked him. He might not be able to see them all but Helo as a suspicion that the leader left to the exit with his closest crew.
Sighing Helo is disappointed in himself. “I need more practice fighting people and groups. I have seen how my party deals with powerful monsters as a group. I just didn’t expect it to happen to me.”
He is beating himself up about how he let all those debuffs land without even realizing it. He hit a wall of wind that sent him back into a trap he was trying to escape. He even got caught using a chain skill.
Not sure which was to take Helo truthfully doesn’t care much about the main group. All he really wants is Grant. Deciding to trust his gut Helo starts heading for the exit of the floor.
Grant and his six closest subordinates told the rest of the party to go on ahead to the entrance before doubling back and going to the exit. He chooses this group specifically because of their skill sets. They all cover a specific aspect of team combat and are very capable.
He should have seven men with him, but the little monster killed one of them. Angry over the loss of a good minion Grant yells at his healer. “What do you mean you can’t heal it all!” He says as the wound Helo gave him continues to bleed.
“If we brought Arni with us he could have healed it. But I am not a light healer. Whatever skill the kid used on you, well, it flooded you with dark energy. I’m a conjurer, the only healing spirit I have is water based and she isn’t great at combating energy.” The elven conjurer says to Grant. He is the team’s healer, but he is also capable of doing a variety of other things by communing with spirits.
Shoving the useless healer away Grant gets up and starts walking again. His scout is capable of obscuring vision, and he is covering their sound. They should be a few hours away from the exit and then they are home free. They will have to flee BrightMoon territory but there are places they can hide, and once Calain is clan leader they will be rewarded.
Dashing toward the exit Helo can feel the strain pushing on his body and spirit. It feels like a burn mixed with a pulling a muscle. But it is his whole body and his soul. Soul damage isn’t something he is used to, but he is used to exhausting his spirit by over drawing on mental energy and training his aura.
Realizing that for now he lost his movement skill Helo is a little put out. He knows that while in the duel he experienced using his movement skill mixed with his dark energy. Helo is hoping that in his next skill selection he will be able to choose whatever that ability was.
While jumping over a lava flow, Helo hears a massive explosion behind him. Turning back, he can see as the side of the volcano erupts outward. Coming out of the new hole is a stream of lava and a horde of ants.
“Oh. The must have found all the dead ants in their tunnels.” Helo says because the eruption is directly over the tunnel he left. Deciding to hurry on his way Helo picks up speed and promises himself that he will be back to hunt the ants. Them being led by an alpha is just to good an opportunity.
Taking a final look back a massive Ant Guardian steps out. It is followed a group of smaller ants that sprint off. Those must be some kind of tracking ants. After the fast ants another group comes out. These ants have massive abdomens with large stingers on the back.
He is confused by what he is seeing until the ants use their legs to steady themselves and then aim their stingers toward the entrance before launching lava. “Well, I’m sure those guys will be fine. They are all near the end of tier 1.”
Class: Shaded Predator Level: 22 (869,279/1,036,000) (1,000 + 1,024,000)
“At least I made good progress in the tunnels.” He smiles and starts getting excited to hunt down Grant.