"You bastard!" Hugo's friend's mana surged throughout the training ground, exuding an oppressive aura and murderous intent. His eyes, bloodshot and wild, narrowed as his nostrils flared in fury. Fixated on Sucura, he seethed with barely contained rage.
Meanwhile, a small crowd of onlookers had gathered, their eyes darting between the two adversaries as they whispered amongst themselves, speculating the fight.
[Lvl. 23]
"[Earth Spike]!" In an instant, a whirlwind of mud, sand, and rock coalesced in midair, forming a series of sharp spikes that hurtled towards Sucura at breakneck speed.
Despite the impending onslaught, Sucura remained composed, unfazed by the attack.
*Crash!*
Abruptly, a man sporting a furrowed brow intervened, skillfully parrying the wrathful adventurer's attack. He was garbed in an elaborate bluish-dark yukata and donned a pair of Hanafuda earrings.
"Yara, attend to the injured adventurer on the ground," he instructed.
The woman standing behind him offered a slight bow in acknowledgment and promptly moved to Hugo's side. She knelt down, her skilled hands tending to his battered and bloodied visage with care and precision.
Hugo's friend trembled in the presence of the man before him. "C-Champion Kalinski."
Kalinski studied Sucura with a curious expression, appraising him intently. "You've overstepped your bounds," he observed.
Sucura maintained a neutral expression as he met Kalinski's gaze. "Hugo encouraged me to give it my all, and I failed to anticipate this outcome."
[Lvl. 71]
With a serene tone, Sucura added, "I will compensate for his injuries."
Kalinski arched an eyebrow, casting a furtive glance between Sucura and Hugo. His gaze lingered on Sucura for a moment, a thought crossing his mind: 'Intriguing, he defeated him with merely that aura… Could he be…?'
"Follow me," Kalinski instructed as he strode toward the building. Sucura trailed behind, keenly aware of the malevolent intent radiating from Hugo's friend at his back.
Remaining composed, he sighed inwardly and thought, 'I must pay more coins to avoid getting caught up in this Chained Villain Effect. Hopefully, it will be enough.'
As he walked, Sucura cast a glance at his profession and the newly acquired skill, contemplating its potential impact on his situation.
***
During an earlier confrontation, Sucura Vesper found himself pitted against Hugo.
[Lvl. 20]
Sucura contemplated, 'His level significantly exceeds mine, yet I don't perceive any imminent threat, unlike what I experienced with Shalanta.'
Hugo flashed a confident grin and challenged, "Show me everything you've got."
Sucura's gaze fell upon Hugo's abdomen, 'What is that peculiar red sphere embedded within?'
As Sucura aimed a precise kick at the red sphere in Hugo's stomach, Hugo winced as though the blow had struck a vulnerable spot.
'Could this be his Achilles' heel?' Sucura wondered.
After deflecting a head stab, Sucura sensed a newfound skill coursing through his body, particularly in his dagger-wielding arm. Without hesitation, he unleashed the technique, executing five rapid stabs and slashes in a mere second.
Sucura's relentless assault forced Hugo to his knees, pain etched across his face as the red sphere migrated to his head. Seizing the opportunity, Sucura delivered a powerful knee strike, rendering Hugo unconscious and crumpled on the ground.
'Perhaps my curiosity got the better of me,' Sucura mused.
As he reflected on Hugo's capabilities, Sucura surmised, 'In the grand hierarchy of the gacha game universe, Hugo would be no more than an R card – essentially insignificant, akin to a minuscule jade orb with negligible value.'
Undoubtedly, the true measure of one's strength cannot be solely determined by their level; rather, it is a multifaceted concept that encompasses various aspects.
In fact, the most crucial factors to consider include the individual's innate attributes, the array of unique skills they possess, and the rank of their chosen professions.
Additionally, one's authority, the presence of enigmatic spiritual entities, and the ownership of an extensive collection of both cursed and extraordinary mystical artifacts further contribute to the complexity of assessing one's true power. Ultimately, it is the intricate interplay of these elements that defines the potency of a character within the realm of the game.
***
[Profession]
Assassin (Current: Dormant) (Locked: Adept)
• Quick Succession (Dagger only)
- Unleash a rapid barrage of 5 powerful attacks within a single second, overwhelming your enemies with a relentless assault. This high speed flurry of strikes leaves your opponents disoriented and vulnerable, giving you the upper hand in battle. However, the intensity of this skill requires a brief recovery period, resulting in a 15-second cooldown before it can be used again.
[Skills]
Weakness Physiology (Rare Rank) (Passive)
- A skill that grants the user the ability to perceive and exploit the weaknesses of their enemies, provided they surpass their opponents' attributes. This skill enhances the user's combat prowess and strategic thinking, allowing them to target specific vulnerabilities in their foes. However, if the enemy is stronger than the user, the chances of successfully identifying their weaknesses are significantly reduced.
'That explains the red sphere I witnessed earlier; a weakness skill, quite intriguing indeed,' Sucura mused.
His gaze fixed on the [Adept] locked to his profession. 'This must be the ranking Sucura holds within his profession. All I need is to train and gain insight into it.' He pondered as he followed closely behind Champion Kalinski.
Sucura couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. 'I should have paid closer attention to the in-game dialogues. I recall Mr. Kalinski being a friend of the Grandmaster at the Adventurer's Pub, but that's the extent of my knowledge.' He sighed inwardly, lamenting his current predicament.
***
Hugo stirred to consciousness in the infirmary, his body instinctively straightening as he lay in bed. With a cautious hand, he gently probed his face, assessing for any fractures or damage.
His friend, Berto, quickly asked, "Hey, are you all right, Hugo? That fucking kid was hiding his real strength and probably making fun of others." Berto's eyes blazed with fury.
A healer approached the pair, presenting Hugo with a pouch brimming with coins. Intrigued, he questioned, "What might this be?"
"50 gold dai coins," the healer replied serenely. Both Hugo and Berto's expressions registered shock. "This is from the man earlier?" Hugo asked.
"Indeed, he compensated for your injuries. You have been fully restored, and you are now free to depart the infirmary," the healer informed them before taking her leave.
"That confounded lad, Hugo!" Berto exclaimed.
"Can you keep quiet for a moment, Berto?" Hugo interjected. "When he attacked me, there was no malice, nor was he making fun of me. He was as serious as if he were on a battlefield. That young man… Never mind."
"He likely bestowed these coins upon me out of sympathy," Hugo mused.
Berto gazed at his friend, his expression an amalgamation of bewilderment and incredulity. "So you intend to simply let this pass?"
"Do you truly wish to entangle yourself with an individual of such enigmatic origins?" Hugo retorted. "I'll just use this to get some free drinks and head home with a tidy sum." He flashed a mischievous grin. "We could even visit the district brothel, and I shall treat you to an evening of pleasure."
Berto found himself unable to suppress a smile. "Well, if you insist," he conceded, his own grin mirroring Hugo's.