Matthew readied himself as the slow-moving wave of [Lvl. 1- Slime]'s were plopping at him.
"Sarah! Take Bowser and get back into the pocket in the cave wall!"
As Sarah called Bowser and pulled him back from fighting, Matthew was focusing very hard on his old ability.
This is a basic ability in the MMO version of the game but most of the NPC's are not supposed to learn it as it would be immediately worthless after getting one's class. The ability in question was the obvious and omnipresent [Mana Strike] that costed 20 MP for the extra damage output of a whopping (+5).
[Come on…] thought Matthew as he was focusing in a serene pose when his spear began to flicker. After a few seconds, the spear tip was fully covered in a layer of light-blue mana.
Matthew then stepped forward quickly and performed a strike on the first [Lvl. 1- Slime] in front of him (-12 HP). Then, as he attacked, the other [Lvl. 1- Slime]'s at the defender's flanks suddenly jumped at Matthew and dealt (-4 HP) and (-5 HP) damage, respectively. This brought Matthew's health down to (118 HP) as he had recovered 2 points of HP during the few seconds after combat.
[Ah, fuck…I need a new plan. I can't keep getting hit by those little bastards like that. Who gave the basic slimes the ability to fight in a group and use openings in defense??????]
"Sarah, these bastards are a little stronger than I thought, can you go ahead and try to get your ejection ready…just in case we need it."
"Uh, okay, I will try!"
As Sarah attempted to contact her conscious mind through the layers of game code, she could feel something blocking her from contacting the person that sent her the messages. She needed to get a whisper off but just couldn't anymore...
"Matty, I can't do it!"
"WHAT!!!" Said Matthew as he turned around to look at his sister when a [Lvl. 1- Slime] took the opportunity and jumped at him.
Matthew was aware of the slime's ability to use the actions of the opponents against them, so he made a feint…sort of.
Matthew dodged the [Lvl. 1- Slime] as it was flying through the air and kicked it with his shoe at Sarah and Bowser like a soccer ball.
(-6 HP)
The gelatinous blob flew and jiggled through the air as it landed with a hard *PLOP*.
Matthew ran back to his family and attacked the dazed [Lvl. 1- Slime] from behind with [Mana Strike], getting another critical strike! This time it dealt a total of (-24 HP) and ended the blobs semi-existence.
"Ha! These little fuckers aren't so bad still, I can handle it." Said Matthew as he rushed back to the group of [Lvl. 1- Slime]'s and went around them, leaving plenty of space for the slimes to jump without hurting him.
As he made his way to their backside, he readied his spear and activated another [Mana Strike].
One of the slimes was about to jump after its friends as Matthew instantly moved forward and cut into it dealing (-12 HP) to the slime. Then Matthew felt something from behind…
He heard a loud and even wetter plop from his six. This slime was a different size according to the loudness of the movement.
"Sarah…I-I think I might have failed you again." Stammered Matthew as a meter-wide gray [Lvl. 3- King Slime] *SLAMMED* into his back before he could jump out of the way.
(-40 HP) Critical strike!
Matthew fell forward and landed on his hands, he knew he had (79 HP) and (24 MP) with the amount of damage and regeneration he has undergone during the fight.
"Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck…" Matthew stammered out as he nearly pissed his pants from the fear and pain. It was the worst he had ever felt. It was like being hit with a baseball bat from a high schooler and on top of the physical damage, he could feel the strong acid eating away at his clothes through the amount of heat that was being released.
"MATTY!!!" Screamed Sarah as she started to run at the pile of [Lvl. 1- Slime]'s that was between her and her brother.
Matthew laid on the floor of the cavern…time was moving so slowly for him. It was just like when he learned that his sister had died. When he felt the "change" or the "snap" in his brain.
[I am going to die here…I don't know if I will respawn…or if it is really the end this time.
What a sick fucking joke! Give me happiness for 10 FUCKING minutes and then it is taken away from me…
What did I do? Why is this happening? They are fucking slimes…how do we die to this?]
(-5 HP)
(-5 HP)
(-10 HP!)
(-40 HP!)
Matthew was convulsing from the pain and he was locked within his own mind as he was dissolved alive.
[…how do we die this way?]
(-10 HP!)
(-5 HP)
Matthew with just (3 HP) left realized something.
[…how do WE! die this way?]
As Matthew came back to his senses and looked up at his sweet sister, he was hit once more.
(-5 HP)
[Ding! Matthew has fallen!]
…
…
…
Matthew felt cold…
Simple and endless cold…
It was like when he got in his family's deep-freeze when he was a kid…
[Ah…this is nice…I can finally relax.]
Matthew felt the endless darkness, but it did not pay him any mind as he felt like it was a nice winter day and he just came in from playing in the snow. He had a chill that would let him drift off to sleep peacefully. When suddenly Matthew heard a muffled "Matty!"
[Hmm? Nobody calls me Matty? Ha, they must have the wrong person.]
Another muffled "Matty! Help me!" resounded within his mind as he was trying to take his post-play nap…
[Lady, I don't know you…the only person to call me Matty is my older sister, and she is de-]
Matthew froze over completely inside. A deep chill ran through his being and he began to feel that familiar anger come creeping back with a warm embrace.
[SAAARRRAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!]
"AHHHHHHH!!!!!" Screamed Matthew at the top of his lungs as he grabbed the spear next to him and laid waste to the fucking bastards in front of him.
"DIE! DIE! DIE!" he yelled with each inelegant thrust and slash, each full of holes that any decent fighter could dodge, but in this case, he was able to overwhelm the enemies with an unending, unrelenting, and unstoppable assault.
(-14 HP!) (-14 HP!) (-7 HP) (-14 HP!) 1x [Lvl. 1- Slime] has died!
(-7 HP) (-14 HP!) (-7 HP) (-7 HP) (-7 HP) 1x [Lvl. 1- Slime] has died!
(-7 HP) (-7 HP) (-7 HP)
With 2 [Lvl. 1- Slime]'s down, there were 4 fresh slimes, and one that was missing 12 HP and another missing 21 HP.
Matthew was able to take down the injured slimes and another full-HP one when the [Lvl. 3- King Slime] turned from his sister and went back to finish the job.
(-40 HP!) as the [Lvl. 3- King Slime] hit Matthew, it nearly knocked him down and expected him to be dead…but despite its natural instinct, the man kept swinging.
Matthew was slicing and cutting every piece of Jell-O he could get his spear on when he realized that he should be using his [Mana Strike].
With the [Mana Strike] activated with each attack, his damage nearly doubled.
(-12 HP)'s were flying about the place and occasionally a lucky (-24 HP) would land.
Soon the remaining 3 [Lvl. 1- Slime]'s were dead with only the "king" remaining.
Matthew had not noticed during the fight, but his body was partially dissolving and repairing damage at a visible rate.
Sarah stood in horror of her brother…
She had tears running down her face as she felt like it was her fault for not being able to protect her baby brother. She knew that Matty had said he might have infinite health and mana, but this isn't what she was thinking off.
A bleeding red man that was cutting and plunging his spear into the slimes without regard for his own safety.
The only thought on Matthew's mind was that his sister would not die. Never. Not on his watch!
Matthew swung and swung his weapon…
It was being fully corroded by the acid…
Eventually Matthew started to punch the [Lvl. 3- King Slime] because his spear's handle was no longer usable.
When he received the combat message that the monster had died, he blacked out.
~END~