[I have played around for quite some time now, shall we truly get started?]
Spoke the higher being as his voice took more of a serious tone.
"Huh?"
Wait… He wasn't even serious?
"What do you– Kgha!" I couldn't even finish after the being's outstretched hand came into contact with my stomach, the pain making me feel as if a hole had been drilled through my body.
"Kc… Khac, khac… Bwuh, hah, hah… Bleurghhhh!" After smashing into a building's wall I threw up the contents of my stomach, getting dizzy as I dug my fingers into my stomach, trying to somehow take hold of the pain and throw it away.
"J-Just…" I couldn't even form words properly, "... Why?"
[Why? You may ask me…]
He took a pause.
[Because you're an irregularity.]
His voice was sharp with authority as electric ripples stretched out from his body.
"What do you even…" I couldn't even voice long sentences by the fatigue.
[I mean to say that I've noticed something about you and that friend of yours there.]
I creaked my neck in Smool's direction, gazing at his bloodied and unconscious state.
"...?"
[You are way more powerful than you should've been considering this is just the start of the Story Quests.]
"And?" I voiced deadpan.
[That face of yours… it's annoying.]
He slowly lowered his hand to the air in front of him.
[Your forehead should be touching the ground when in front of me.]
Just as he voiced, I suddenly felt a sheer force of gravity pushing on my upper body, crashing me down to the ground.
"Grh…"
I can't back down…
{ [Username: Nord]
[Level: ????] - [Stat Points: ?????] - [Exp: ?????????/?????????]
[Race: Mythical]
[Job: Adventurer]
[Weapon: Mythic Killing Dagger(S-Grade)]
[Modifier(s): The Serpentine Slayer]
[HP: 1500▴▾/1500▴▾] -- [MP: 1242▴▾/1242▴▾]
[Strength: 202 ▴▾] -- [Agility: 102 ▴▾] -- [Sense: 85 ▴▾] -- [Vitality: 102 ▴▾] -- [Intelligence: 105 ▴▾] }
I'll fucking abuse the system to my benefit!
[Strength: 202 ▴▾]
-----> [Strength: 400 ▴▾]
[Agility: 102▴▾]
-----> [Agility: 400 ▴▾]
[Sense: 85 ▴▾]
-----> [Sense: 400 ▴▾]
[Vitality: 102 ▴▾]
-----> [Vitality: 400 ▴▾]
[Intelligence: 105 ▴▾]
-----> [Intelligence: 400 ▴▾]
[Physicality: 50 ▴▾]
-----> [Physicality: 200 ▴▾]
I raised all of my stats by a huge margin, not taking into consideration the backlash I would be receiving at the fact that it would take time to get used to such a huge change.
[Huh?]
The otherworldly being noticed that something was amiss as a shower of ether lightning overtook me.
"... Bwagh–!"
Instantly, blood shot out from everywhere I could sense it on my face.
My mouth, my ears, my eyes, my nose.
[Huh? Is this guy tryna self-destruct?]
Fuck… HP change…
My mind had become but a blur as I tapped at random spaces in the system window.
[HP: 1500 ▴▾]
-----> [HP: 3000 ▴▾]
The spasms of my muscles across my body slightly eased off as I used the potions I had gotten from clearing the main trial quest at the Colosseum yesterday.
[Remaining HP: 122]
[Remaining HP: 240↑]
[Remaining HP: 400↑]
[Remaining HP: 800↑]
I had used all five potions I had gotten and finally stood again.
"Aren't you supposed to be with the Honored Lenticulars?!" I raised my voice in a triumphant shout.
[...?]
"Yet you dare show yourself to fight without addressing your name! Have you no shame?"
[Ahh… I see what's this about. You were Nordy something, right?]
"Nord the Serpentine Slayer!" I said my name out proudly, buying as much time for the potions to have their full effect.
[Hmm, quite fancy…]
He smirked as he sat on empty air in his floating state, raising a leg over the other as he rested an elbow on it, reminding me of what a king would look like.
[I am Ares.]
[The King of War.]
"Hah…?" I was left slack-jawed.
Am I really fighting against a Greek king?
[Quite the reaction I was looking forward to. I'm content.]
[Now then, since our introductions are over, shall we start again? For the second time now.]
I now stood firm on the battleground as he said that, my heart pounding non-stop with adrenaline as I faced off against Ares, the king of war.
The weight of his presence alone was enough to make people lose consciousness or blood to blow from their capillaries. His power radiating from every inch of his lean-built form.
This was going to be a battle like no other, probably fiercer than the one before… I strengthened myself to my core, after all.
Without wasting any more time, with a surge of energy, I conjured a protective barrier around myself once again, a shimmering shield of arcane force.
Ares smirked, his eyes gleaming with confidence as he summoned his divine armor, although, it seemed to be slightly different, less holy.
We circled each other, tension thick in the air, knowing that neither of us could afford to make a single mistake. Well, at least I couldn't afford to make one.
Ares made the first move this time, his speed and strength unmatched.
He charged forward, swinging a colossal Warhammer with a force that threatened to shatter the very ground beneath me.
With a burst of agility, stretching the fibers of my thighs and calves, I evaded his attack, narrowly dodging the deadly strike. My muscles coiled like springs as I retaliated, launching a barrage of punches and kicks imbued with my magical energy.
Each strike hit with precision, but Ares' otherworldly endurance proved to be a formidable defense as his beautiful long hair seemed to make the fight rather an enticing sight to witness.
As the battle waged on, I felt the weight of Ares' blows crashing against my shield, threatening to break through.
I could slightly sense his frustration growing as my 600 MP Shield held strong, its magical energy pushing back against his relentless assault.
But despite my best efforts, Ares was no ordinary opponent. His might far surpassed my own, and he skillfully parried my strikes, countering with his own devastating blows that sent me reeling numerous times.
[Something seems to have changed within you, Nord.]
"Thanks for the compliment," I huffed as I took a deep breath, readying for my next attack as the tips of Ares's hair began to take a crimson red.
I pushed myself to the limit, drawing upon every ounce of my magical abilities.
"Grah!" Arcane flames erupted from my fists, searing through the air as I launched fireballs towards Ares. But he deftly dodged and weaved between them, his speed and agility surprising for one of his immense stature. It was clear that this battle was not even close to being done, or at least won.
The next instant, he disappeared from my sight, appearing right next to me.
"Kgha!" I pulled the shield with the core of my strength to react in time to Ares's drilling fist.
[Nice reaction!]
He smirked as he formed a spear out of pure mana.
[Now survive this!]
Time seemed to slow as the pure mana manifestation zoomed into me within a blink.
I don't even know how, but the next time my attention caught up with the speed of my body, I was behind Ares, the S-Grade dagger in my hand. The tip of its blade reaching towards Ares's scalp whose hair had almost turned fully red.
[Oh, this was a new one.]
That voice entered my eyes as Ares flashed dozens of meters away, moving away from my slash without any difficulty whatsoever.
Although, the mana I had coalesced my dagger with had managed to gnash at his right cheek.
In that moment, a flicker of respect passed between us, as we recognized each other's tenacity and skill. I took a step back, as a silence stretched in the expanse. It was as if he acknowledged me.
The battle was a stalemate, an impasse born from my unwavering determination.
Although, if Ares truly wanted to kill me, I know for a fact he could've done so easily.
[We shall meet again, Nord the Serpentine Slayer.]
The dark into red ripples of his body turned into a blue one, like the system's when it showered me.
[Emberhorn bans Lenticular Member: Ares the King of War from the Main Story-Quests for 102 Years]
{ [Reason(s): Unallowed Appearance]
[Unallowed Interaction with the Cast Members]
[Unallowed Use of his Powers]
[Unallowed …]}
Numerous reasons appeared one after another, and though the first round ended without a clear victor, I knew this was just the beginning.
Ares and I would clash again, whether now, in the near, or far future.
Ding.
A red system window appeared in front of me.
[Suspicious Activity Noticed]
[Penalty]