Despite the exhilarating first day, the night was pretty uneventful. Rahz woke up pretty early and decided to take a piss near some bushes while thinking about his new abilities. He had leveled up with the energy absorbed from the timber wolves he had slained the previous day and was eager to see what new things he could do.
The first skill Rahz acquired allowed him to inflict 20% more damage to an enemy. The skill also projected the warrior's energy into the opponents body hindering his ability to strengthen his skin and muscles reducing his physical defense for a few seconds. The skill was aptly name weakening blow and it was a staple of the warrior path.
The second skill was a passive skill called Boost Recovery. This skill increased the healing rate of the warrior by 5% permanentely. Rahz was able to heal a mid size wound in about 2 hours but with the new boost he could shave off about 6 min. Even though the recovery rate did not look like much at the moment, the potential of the skill was extraordinary considering that Rahz's body was constantly changing.
Rahz was pretty happy with his new skills and could not wait to show his dad all he had learned.
As he finished relieving himself, from the corner of his eye he manage to see some bushes moving. Rahz's turned to see what the movement was and what he saw made him suck in a cold breath.
An 8 ft Artic Bear found his way to Rahz's location due to the smell of blood on his body. The Aura emitted by the bear made Rahz uneasy. It was clear that the bear was at least one or 2 levels above his own.
The bear looked in Rahz's direction and stood up on his back legs. A deafening ROAR!!! was heard, followed by a sound similar to a stampede. Rahz Felt the earth shaking and the momentum generated by the bear coming at him was suffocating. He thought of using his axe to protect himself but his body would not respond, He was petrified. In an act of desperation, Rahz bit his tongue and manage to regain control of his body but it was too late. All Rahz could do at that moment was to activate Strengthen Defense and hold on for dear life.
The Artic Bear Rammed into Rahz and send him flying about 10 feet. Unlike the other beast Rahz fought previously, the bear quickly close the distance not giving Rahz any time to react.
While Rahz tried to recuperated from the initial shock, he breathed in a horrible stench that almost made him puke. He opened his eyes and what he saw was a pair of giant jaws coming towards his face.
Despite everything that was happening Rahz managed to react fairly quickly. He use Strengthen Defense on his right arm and lodge it between the bear jaws. Rahz felt a crushing pain in his arm and he almost passed out.
It would have been Rahz's end at that moment, had it not being for the other excruciating pain coming from his left shoulder and the middle of his chest. As the bear was biting Rahz's right arm, it also used his claw to maul him.
The wound left by the bear's claws was massive, blood was spurting out and the pain was unberable.
ARGH!!! Rahz screamed but the was helpless.
The Bear let go of the arm and proceeded to bite Rahz's leg.
AHH! HUFF! HUFF!
Rahz desperately looked around hoping to see something that could help him. A few feet away a shiny object called his attention. He couldn't tell what it was at first glance but after a couple of seconds he realized that it was his Axe. Through great effort Rahz roll his body and try to grab it while the bear continue to bite his leg and claw his back.
Rahz extended his fingers to his upmost and finally got a hold of his Mr. Choppy. He was cover in his own blood but the endorphins had kicked in and he was starting to feel no pain.
Using all the strength he could mustard, Rahz turn his body and activated devastating blow. He swung Mr Choppy and hit the bears neck with all his might.
Rawr!!! The bear howl due to the pain. Reflexibly, it activated his ability swipe and hit Rahz across the stomach. The impact sent rahz flying 15 ft back. Rahz landed on the ground with 3 big wounds across his abdoment.
The bear did not immidiately follow as it was trying to remove the axe stuck to his neck.
As Rahz laid on the floor, he didn't feel regret about dying . He felt rage.
He was mad that he lacked strength.
He was mad that he couldnt evolve into a berzerker.
He was mad that he was beaten by a stupid beast.
Finally, he was mad that he was dying alone.
With every passing thought Rahz's fury was overtaking his reason. As his rage increased a few changes started to happen. The rune of awakening started heating up and absorbing energy at a fast pace. Rahz heartbeat was so strong that anybody standing close to him could hear it beating.
Ba-dum, Ba-dum
The killing intent was so intense that it made the artict bear take two steps back.
The energy radiating from his body started to burn the blood coming out from his wounds increasing his energy to a new level, it was like adding fuel to a fire.
When the energy level reached its peak and combined with his rage fueled killing intent, rahz felt something unlock in his mind. It was a skill that should not be available to him yet but somehow he had met the requirements .
"Blood for blood"
It was the staple of the berserker class.
As Rahz activated the skill the energy that was physically visible went inside his body. Rahz's muscles bulged and his veins pop out due to the increase in strength . In his frenzied state Rahz stopped feeling pain instead the pain was converted to a feeling of euphoria. Rahz strength increased by 20 % and his attack speed by 10% for 10 sec. While under the effects of the skills the more damage he took the higher the buffs. Up to an increased of 40 % increased strength and 30% attack speed right before dead.
The increase in power went beyond the limits that Rahz body was able to tolerated. In order to cope with the changes, his brain left him only with his primal instincts to survive. He was like a wild beats that had been push into a corner and his whole body radiated visible killing intent.
Rahz grabed the knife his father gave him and Rush towards the Bear. The sudden attack caught the beast off guard but it was still able to respond. The bear try to counter-attack with the skill swipe once again but Rahz didnt care. Just before the skill landed on his chest, Rahz moved just enough to protect his vitals but he still let the claw scratch him across his chest while he launched himself into the air towards the bear's face. Due to the nature of Blood for blood, Rahz speed increased to 20% after taking more damage from the Beast.
Rahz savagely stabbed the knife into the bears right eye and very quickly stabbed the left eye.
His attack speed with a light weapon as a knife was unreal. Having Cripple the bear's vision, Rahz left the knive stuck on the left eye of the bear and reach for Mr. Choppy.
Once he grabbed a hold of the axe, Rahz pulled with all his might. When the axe was dislodged from the bear's neck a blood blossom splashed all over Rahz face.
RAWR !!! with his eyes cripple the bear went into an enraged state and started trampling about.
Rahz licked the blood of the bear on his face and felt ecatasy. He launched himself again at the bear and swung his axe while using weakening blow. Rahz managed to hit the bear in the shoulder and weaken his defenses.
Rawr!! The bear stood up on his back legs and used his skill maul . Both paws came down in criscross faction. It was the bear's attempt to finish the fight and claim Rahz's life.
Faced with the bear's desperated attempt, Rahz made use of Blood for Blood to the upmost. With the improve attack speed Rahz manage to land a devastating blow across the bear's belly and still had time to swinging his axe towards the bear's neck.
Double K.O.
As the axe connected with the bears neck, the hit from the bears paws arrive in front of rahz. It was the end.
BOOM!!
The sound of hammer hitting against a wall was heard, and a transparent screen in the shape of a shield shatter piece by piece in front of Rahz.
It all happened really fast.
When the bear dropped the earth shook. Following the bear, Rahz dropped face first into the ground.
As Blood for Blood ended, blood spurt out from different pores of Rahz body. Using a skill far beyond his level caused great damage to his muscles.
Conforming to the the rules of the realm, the rune of awakening was hard at work absorbing the energy from the level 7 Artic Bear. Rahz had only step into level 5 but now, he was half of the way to level 6. This progress was without a doubt one of the best in the whole village.
30 ft from the spot where Rahz and the bear laid, a shadow came into view. A wolf about 6 ft tall sat on the ground with a relieve expression. This particular wolf was the elder shaman in charge of the east area of the graduation test. As he cast a healing spell on Rahz, he wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Only the oldest members of the village knew that the scariest person in the village was not the Chief. In his mind the scene of a fierce woman incinerating her enemies with holy fire made him shiver. If her only son would have met with misfortune on his watch probably his whole family would be annihilated.