TD 3.0
Chapter 13
*Congratulations, you're the first to get past Dirk Gray without his permission! You have been rewarded with 2 ability points.
Taking a deep breath, I realized I had held it in when Dirk Gray charged at me. He was faster than me! And I cheated! How was he so fast? Perhaps I was only able to 'hack' to the max for my level? That's my only guess, because that werewolf was definitely faster than I was when it resurrected!
I looked around and found myself inside what looked like a fort that looked like something straight out of world of warcraft. The re was a small lean to hut with a young lady sitting in a chair dressed in a royal grand dress. The fence of the fort was wooden stake poles with pointy ends. The middle of the fort was on a hill, so it was easy to see over the fort. All around in the distance was a moving ground, upon closer inspection it looked like armies of giant ants.
"Welcome adventure! My name is Princess Dian Forward, during this dive you must defend me against four waves of monsters. While they are a mindless creature they have a devastating curse when you defeat them. No one has ever completed this part of the dungeon during their first dive. I can see this is your first time here, so as of such if you are able to complete the four waves without myself taking damage I will reward you with an innate skill that no other adventure as ever received." With this she pulled out a small fan and began to rapidly flick her wrist giving me a wink.
I quickly checked myself by mentally saying 'stats', and a window popped up in my vision.
Name: Bertram Bullock, Level 11, Race: RaceBody (Skaven Lord)
(400/400 hp) (2/111 Power) (30/30 End)
Class
Ability Points: 39
Stat Points: 20
Active Title: "System Lord."
Class
[Summon Jhinn]
[Skaven Call (+2 level)]
My two powerful abilities were both on cooldown, and I was faced with once again an impossible feat.
My advantage right now is my Divine Avatar and stealth, so I quickly put them into action. I activated stealth up as soon as my Avatar appeared before me, and I silently walked over to the princess and snuck behind her. I had no mana so there were no casting spells, but I did have my legendary armor. I fell into a squat that still afforded me a good view of anything that might come near this princess I was charged with protecting. My Avatar also went into stealth, but I could see his transparent outline easily.
My Avatar had summoned the weird samurai sword again, and powered his chakra into the weapon and then he continued to power up his chakra all throughout his limbs until he was covered with this chakra aura. Then an earthquake shook the entire fort with a deafening sound coming from the ants as they charged towards the fort. Parts of the fort's fence began falling all around, becoming a hazard already for my Avatar as he dodged the ones that shot towards him.
I was surprised to feel the speed from my monk had also affected me again, and felt more assured to our success. The first ant to break through the fence sent the poles flying towards the little lady that I sat in front of. I knew I was going to have to act so I stood up and pointed my palm at the pole to shoot my blue fire from my hands. Then the next moment my monk came into view as he jumped up and kicked the side of the pole sending it to the side stabbing into and ants head. The ant was dead instantly as it skidded to a stop in front of the princess. It was like a car that lost a wheel and skidded to a stop from the friction of the ground.
From the shake of the ground and watching how physics affected the dying ant before us, these creatures were easily the same weight as a car. Their jaws were the next scary thing, most of their weight came from the muscles that allowed them to snap things in half. Nearly the same instant there was ants on all sides, there was no way my monk could stop them all. So I dropped stealth and reached out towards my monk and activated [System Hack] again changing the numbers to max with how fast his haste was.
I also received haste, so I reached out with my hand and immediately shot two bolts of my blue fire at all five of the creatures that were about to converge. Then I picked up the princess in her chair and moved her from the spot where she once was. With her safe, I turned back towards where all the ants converged into each other, which sounded just like a twelve-car pileup. Shrapnel shot up nearly faster than I could move as I quickly kicked the ones headed towards the princesses.
When I looked around, I was surprised to see that my monk self-had killed over twenty ants that were all around the princesses. I then grabbed her and moved her to the center of the fort on the small hill. This would make it easier to defend because even now ants were crashing into the little lean too destroying it completely from the back of it.
The speed of the monk seemed to be enough as ants began exploding before they got to far into the fort. So, I scanned my endless inventory for an item I could use. I programed my own search as if it was a computer and made it only show me legendary weapons. Then I searched for weapons that could handle defenses like emitting a shield and I was rewarded with ten items. I flicked my wrist and summoned the second one.
A small orb appeared in my hand which looked like a fortune crystal with a base to hold it. I set it on the ground, then pushed one power into it which was all that it needed to activate it. A greenish shield formed around me and the princess that had what looked like slow green lighting traveling all around the shield in an unending display.
Loud cracks sounded from above that scared the hell outta me. I looked up to see that there were large wasps the size of helicopter's landing into the shield and dying instantly falling to the side. I had just saved this operation in time, not even realizing there were other types of creatures mixed in with the ever dying ants. Dings kept sounding in my head as my monk continued his slaughter, and the every dying monster wasps that kept crashing into the shield.
With the high success of the legendary "Orb of Father Nature" I began searching for more legendary items that might be of use. Unfortunately, most required a certain class, or a lot more power to activate them. Then something started going wrong even before my monk died. Error notifications were sounding off so I quickly opened them scanning the text.
*You have been
*Your 'Mind Sage's Spiritual Shield' from your equipment has killed a creature.
*Your 'Mind Sage's Spiritual Shield' from your equipment has killed a creature.
*Your 'Mind Sage's Spiritual Shield' from your equipment has killed a creature.
*Your 'Mind Sage's Spiritual Shield' from your equipment has killed a creature.
I could no longer use my active abilities! I couldn't resume my Divine Avatar! But for some reason the small orb shield was keeping us safe, and my blue flame that was on my feet was harming the creatures all around me that wished me harm.
"I've never seen an adventure win this way, it almost seems like your cheating." The princess declared looking all around as the creatures kept dying.
I ignored her and tried to get more details on this curse, apparently I received a curse every time a creature died. Which was why all my abilities were disabled, only it wasn't a timed disable; it was permanent until cured. I continued to search my vast inventory for any time of cure item. Even using my new search in my head there was a lot that had the word cure in them, but didn't actually cure curses. This was like a low level skill in games back on earth why the hell not now?
I took a knee and checked my orb, and it was full force not wear and tear, it was a permanent shield that kept damaging the creatures along with my equipment procs. I technically didn't need my active abilities, the creatures were killing themselves. But I knew it was unwise to just chill and wait till I won, I needed backup if need be.
I looked to the princesses which was looking all around us as all the creatures all died then back to the orb in wonder. "Princess Forward?" I asked getting her attention to me. You wouldn't happen to have an ability to cure the curse, do you?" I asked, because why not, what if she does have one.
"Two… Two things you have done have never been done. First you killed all of the first and second waves, taking on all those curses. Second you actually asked me if I have the cure curse ability. Upon completing this level for the first time I have an innate skill that gives one the ability to cure all ailments. I can cure or remove the disability to one of your active skills before you continue from here. I cannot, however, cure all your ailments, nor can you once you receive this innate skill. You have to wait till your done with the dungeon for the innate skill to take effect." She answered looking around at another wave of what looked like flying rhino's charge into the shield killing themselves.
So, I could only get one active ability back to continue my dive once I completed this first part of the dungeon. I didn't need my Title equips ability, I already had 'System Lord' active, although it was useless without the system hack ability. Summoning Gabe or Skaven call were both down and probably would be for the rest of the dungeon unless I got them replenished like before, but I couldn't count on that. Astral Projection was nothing of use, nor was my spells. Only Divine Avatar would be of any use, as I was contemplating which active skill to use the attacks stopped and I received another notification.
*Congratulations, you are the first to Save the princess during your first dive! You will receive the innate ability [Cure All] once you have finished your first dive.
"Congratulations, have you decided which one of your active abilities you'd like me to cure?" the princess asked with a smile.
"I believe I would like to have my [Divine Avatar] ability back." I answered picking up the orb and swishing it back into my inventory. I then began throwing all the mobs into my inventory as well, no sense in wasting them. As I was doing that, I received another notification that showed that I had Divine Avatar back.
I quickly resummoned my ninja avatar and he also ran around helping me Wisk all the corpses into my inventory. Looking around the entire fort it was surrounded by high mountains in the distance with only one dirt road that led out of the fort. Not knowing what or where I was supposed to go next I looked at the princesses who were just standing there watching me.
"Do you know where I'm supposed to go for the rest of the dungeon?" I asked, from which the princess gave me a nod.
"You are to escort me to my castle" She simply answered with a smile. "The road goes straight there, but the creatures you have fought will continue to plague us all the way till the castle. I will not be able to cure you again…" She then started to walk to the fort entrance and open the gate.
As me and my clone followed her out, I began strategizing. How was I supposed to keep her safe if I couldn't kill any creatures. If I just killed on, I'd lose my chance to create the avatar again. But if I didn't die, or my clone then we would be fine killing all the creatures. I was still getting loot from all the creatures I was killing, but my vast inventory was filled with items I'd never be able to read all as it was just too much. I couldn't use the orb, the description stated that it must remain still on the ground to be of use. There was nothing else from all my legendary items that could protect us and the princesses while remaining mobile. At least there was none I could actively use without the required classes.
'Screw it' I thought I quickly caught up to the princesses and remained behind her while my monk activated stealth and kept ahead of us. I started practicing making fireballs appear in my hands then I'd randomly throw them at objects. Every time I did my blue fire hands would throw an extra spiritual fireball at the target as well.
"Is it going to be the same monsters we fought at the fort?" I asked, getting a shake of her head.
"Nope, they are the same looking, but these next one's with their death you will be cursed the same with a different type of curse. This next one makes it, so you lose all your senses. You will be blinded, go deaf, and lose your vision." She answered, as more of those green rhino creatures began appearing through the Woodline.
This new information didn't seem as bad as I have [True-Sight], but if I was attacked again like I was back at the fort I for sure wouldn't make it. As we walked and nothing was attacking us, I decided to get to know this princesses a little better. I mean was she an NPC? Like an AI that was being controlled by the system or was she an actual person.
"I'm guessing you die a lot from all the divers in this dungeon?" I asked wondering if perhaps I'd be offending her, but she gave me a smile of understanding.
"Oh, this isn't the dungeon sweetie, this is the tutorial world. Your first dive will bring you to different parts of our world. During the first dive I offer the adventurers a chance to save me from the swarms of bug creatures, afterwards I remain at my castle. The last two you fought against will be bosses in the real dungeon, I will not appear in the dungeon, but these creatures' will." She answered pointing at a few ants charging at us from the left wood line.
I did a quick look to my right and seen that the rhinos were not coming at me at full speed. I tried to think what I could do to protect the princesses, but my Monk moved faster than me and picked up the princess then took off like a jet across the terrain. I of course couldn't go that fast, but I did float as fast as a car could drive. It was enough speed to remain ahead of all the creatures charging at us, but not enough to catch up with my clone and the princess.
There were new monsters along the trip, but I didn't stop to study them I just kept flying down the road, until I saw a castle come into view. It was amazing, not the castle but the city around the castle. It honestly looked like new ruins, as if they were old ruins but time reversed and you could watch people living in them.
Once we dropped off the princesses she had her court wizard teleport us to the final boss of the first dive. She explained that after this boss they would be living among the people of the world helping them out and doing our dives officially in the tutorial dungeon designed for it.
We were teleported to an open field, and Like the other bosses an invisible barrier was around the large ugly Sand Puppy. Then I started getting notifications again.
*Congratulations on being the first to get to the third boss! You have been rewarded with 10 stat points, and 10 ability points.
Then not two minutes later, the paladin appeared by my side with death teammates again as they teleported in around him on the ground and were slowly resurrected so they could stand again. Then not 2 minutes of a staring competition with the elven paladin the cat group teleported to my right.
This time I didn't make the first move to attack the boss and instead looked at the paladin and gave him the motion to go after the boss. This didn't seem to go with him well and he began walking over towards me brandishing his sword. Just then like before my innate skill [Runt Survival] automatically activated. This damn paladin was walking over to me to kill me again! Even with the haste effect of [Runt Survival] My monk didn't stand a chance against this paladin, so I backed up a little prepared to give my full support.
***
Class:
Ability Points: 49
Stat Points: 30
Title: "High-Lord"
[Divine Avatar (1)]
*All other active abilities have been temporary disabled.
'Gabe any advice you could give me?' I asked Gabe a little panicked with this pissed off paladin marching towards me.
'Don't die?' Gabe responded with a sense of laughter.
I could tell that was what the paladin was thinking, he was pissed, and it was towards me. He gave a short glance to my original behind me but since it was in the form of a Skaven, he guessed it was my pet. A very powerful pet that was floating in the air with blue fire glowing everywhere on it.
Just seeing the paladin's face, I knew there was nothing I could say to get out of him trying to attack me. I even looked to the boss in hopes that it would start charging, but it instead just stayed there watching us with mild curiosity.
The blade from the paladin appeared before me faster then I could react but then it quickly moved away deflecting a blow from behind him. The Panther lady had appeared behind him as if she teleported and got her attack parried. With a flick of my wrist I summoned my staff and swung it at him in hopes of stunning him. He easily deflected my blow and the Panther's at the same time then attacked himself getting first blood on us both. Before I even knew where he got me I had flicked my wrist summoning the silver blade I was fond of and shot it forward connecting to his armor which easily deflected the blow as well.
Then the cougar chick ran to my left and began attacking the paladin. One of the other elves drew its blade but was chopped down by the tiger cat person. The other elves raised their hands in defeat and backed away from the entire encounter. Just then marble sized fireballs came racing in from my side slamming directly into the paladin.
I hadn't realized that the paladin was attacked twice, it was two fireballs that slammed into the paladin bringing him to the ground. I didn't think, I just reacted and resummoned my staff and slammed him with it getting rewarded with stunning him. Then with a flick of my wrist the staff disappeared and the sword reappeared and I put my weight behind the blade as I slid it down on his neck, the only vulnerable spot I could find.
As soon as I killed the paladin, I quickly threw all his items into my inventory then I threw his body in there as well. I knew that he would be resurrected, but I would have one of his dead corpses. I couldn't wait to raise it from the dead and maybe attack him again. The boss then began to charge at us, which got us all to work together against it.
Once it was dead I also whisked it into my inventory in a puff of black mist. The elvan mage had walked up to me and slowly removed her sweat ridden robe and whisked it away into her own inventory.
"I'm surprised you have the room to store that big of a corpse in your inventory, along with the corpse of our paladin you killed." She whispered cutely in her see through cloth clothing she wore.
"Consider it payback" I replied not regretting killing the bastard.
"Oh, don't get me wrong none of us like him. He was forced to get us through our first dive, so we could unlock certain abilities and classes. He is tasked with helping us dive the dungeon for the next ten years." She stated matter of factly then gave me a smile.
Just then a whole crowd of people began appearing all around us, it was all the adventures I had seen before. They must of not of made it far during the first dive! Most of them didn't stay to chat and immediately began jogging towards a small village in the distance.
"See you at the capital." She waved as she and her group also began jogging towards the village.
I looked around me and realized no 'one had stayed behind, so I too began walking towards the village. I needed to become as powerful as I could to make it through hell. I really wanted to go back to my own heaven again, but not even death would get me back there.