Jin examined his and Zephyr's stats, then he slowed down to make the distance between them and the bandits closer.
"He's slowing down. He must be tired!" one of the bandits said.
But little did they know that Jin was doing it on purpose. He stopped and faced the bandits, then quickly dashed towards them with aura enveloping his body.
"What? He can use aura? I thought he couldn't awaken. Is your information wrong, Rus?" the bandit boss asked.
"No, boss Long. My information is correct. I know this guy. He visits SEA once in a while, and people call him trash," Rus replied.
While they were arguing, Jin took down one of their companions in the blink of an eye.
"What's with this speed? He's already a Peak of B-Rank Aura User!" someone from the bandit side exclaimed.
Jin's swordsmanship was still sloppy, but at least his basic foundation wasn't that bad. He provoked the already confused bandits, saying, "You guys are really doomed! You want to rob me with these kinds of skills?"
The bandits were using daggers, swords, and Magic gun, so it was a bit difficult to approach them. But Jin had a plan. "I will kill this bitch first. Zephyr, buff me!" he said.
"Squish, squish," Zephyr replied while on Jin's shoulder.
Beep.. [Your speed and strength increase slightly]
After receiving the buff, Jin used his aura to enhance his speed. The bandits couldn't keep up with him.
"You're dead," he said to the bandit in shock at the sight of Jin appearing in front of him and slicing him down.
"So the gunner is dead. You guys are next!" Jin said with an expression of a demon that gave intense fear to the bandits.
"What... What is that? That person is a demon! I don't want to die!" one of the bandits started to run away.
"You cowards! Don't run! Start attacking him together!" the bandit boss ordered. But all of them died together.
"Now it's only the two of us," Jin said.
"Not just because you're at the peak of B-Rank, you can easily take me down!" The bandit boss sneered. "And it looks like you've only just awakened your power recently." He reached into his dimensional pocket and took out a small vial of serum.
"What is that thing?" I asked, curious about the mysterious item.
"Appraise," I commanded, activating the appraisal function in my system to identify the serum.
Item Name: Mad Ability Awakening
Description: A serum that unlocks the hidden abilities within the user's mind. It grants temporary access to extraordinary powers. However, the side effects may cause the user to lose control of their mind and become a danger to themselves and others.
"A Mad Ability Awakening! That's worth at least a thousand crystals!" I couldn't help but marvel at the value of the serum. "You bandits sure are rich!"
"So you know this item," the bandit boss said with a smug grin. "Then you also know that you are the one who's going to die today! HAHAHA! Thousand crystals are nothing compared to my life's worth."
"Do you really think you can win just because you have that thing?" I retorted confidently, but in reality, I was starting to doubt my chances of victory.
If this bandit boss was a B-rank, then his power might be equivalent to at least the first stage of an A-Rank aura user after using this serum. And here I thought that adding all my stat points would make me comparable to an A-Ranker. I didn't have a choice, though; I needed to win this fight.
"Then let's see!" The bandit boss injected the serum into his neck, and a powerful aura surrounded him.
"What a powerful aura!" I couldn't help but gasp at the sight before me.
The bandit boss began to transform into a humanoid monster, letting out agonizing roars as his body contorted and mutated. I couldn't help but feel a sense of dread wash over me. This was going to be a tough fight.
As the transformation process began, Jin quickly launched an attack on his opponent, hoping to catch him off guard. But it was too late. The bandit boss had transformed into an unimaginable monster, emitting a terrible aura and growing in size and muscle mass.
"Damn! He's become even stronger!" Jin muttered to himself, bracing himself for the impending battle.
The two combatants exchanged blows, their powerful attacks tearing apart the surrounding environment. While Jin wielded a sword, the bandit boss relied solely on his fists, overpowering Jin in terms of physical strength.
Realizing that he needed assistance, Jin called out to his companion, Zephyr. "Zephyr, buff!" he commanded, hoping to gain an advantage in the fight.
After an hour of fierce fighting, both combatants were exhausted, and the effects of the serum were starting to weaken. Jin had sustained numerous injuries during the fight, but luckily he had a healing potion on hand. He quickly drank it, and to his surprise, the potion's effects were far more potent than he had anticipated.
"Wow, I didn't expect this common potion to be so effective!" Jin exclaimed, impressed with the potion's healing power.
As Jin began to recover from his injuries, the bandit boss entered a berserk state and attacked Jin recklessly, hoping to finish him off. But Jin remained calm and focused, determined to end the battle once and for all.
"I'll finish this now!" Jin thought, as he concentrated his aura into his sword and charged towards the bandit boss.
As the two combatants exchanged blows, something unexpected happened. The effects of Jin's aura sword suddenly activated, unleashing a devastating aura slash that sliced the bandit boss's body in half.
Beep.
[You killed a strong opponent]
[New Title Acquired: Against All Odds]
Level up... Level up... Level up... Level up....
Jin couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement as he heard the familiar sound of leveling up. He had just defeated a formidable foe, one who had pushed him to his limits. And now, he had gained a significant boost in strength and abilities.
With a satisfied grin on his face, Jin took a moment to catch his breath and assess the aftermath of the battle. The surrounding area was in shambles, with debris and rubble scattered everywhere.
The bandit boss lay motionless on the ground, his body sliced in half by Jin's powerful Aura Slash.
"How lucky! Finally, this trash is dead!" Jin exclaimed, overjoyed at his victory.
"If it weren't for the aura slash, I might have been the one lying on the ground. I wonder if this is what they call plot armor? Am I the main character now?" he chuckled to himself, amused by the thought.
Jin couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction as he looked at the defeated bandit boss. It was a hard-fought victory, but one that was well worth the effort. He knew that he had pushed himself to his limits and had come out on top.
Jin and Zephyr made their way back to the spacecraft, ready to leave the wasteland behind. As they boarded the ship, Jin couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over him. He had accomplished what he had set out to do, and now it was time to move on to the next adventure.
As he settled into the cockpit, Jin took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He could feel the hum of the engines beneath him, the thrum of power that would carry him to his next destination. And with that thought, he opened his eyes and began to plot his course.
Zephyr, for his part, settled in next to Jin, his fluffy form warm against Jin's side. He watched as Jin worked, his eyes flickering with intelligence and understanding. And though he couldn't speak, he knew that he was an important part of Jin's journey.
As the spacecraft lifted off from the ground and soared into the sky, Jin couldn't help but smile. He was ready for whatever lay ahead, confident in his abilities and his strength. And with Zephyr by his side, he knew that he could conquer anything that came his way.