The bandits found themselves under the confused debuff with the dark magic of Spirit Possession weaving through their bodies. The ethereal influence cast a veil of disorientation over their senses, turning allies into adversaries. The once-coordinated band of Mushroom Human bandits now attacked each other as the person in front of them was Brandon. Seizing the opportune moment, Brandon lazily reached into his inventory and retrieved a mushroom. He bit into the savory fungi with practiced ease, savoring its taste as the unique blend of flavors cascaded over his senses. As he munched down on the mushroom, a surge of power coursed through him, sharpening his focus and increasing his speed.
Meanwhile, the bandits, entrapped in the confusion status buff, unwittingly turned on each other. A chaotic melee erupted as Mushroom Human bandit knights clashed in a frenzy. Swords clashed against shields, and bewildered allies grappled with one another. The forest echoed with the sounds of combat, punctuated by confused shouts and the clattering of weaponry. Amidst the melee, Brandon, now boosted by the mushroom's effects, observed the pandemonium he had created. The bandits, once a formidable united force, were now entangled in their own internal battle. It was a strategic advantage he intended to exploit.
As the bandits battled each other, Brandon moved with calculated precision, weaving through the chaotic skirmish. He exploited the openings created by their skirmish, landing precise critical strikes with his dagger and utilizing his dark magic to weaken them further. The forest became a stage for dark magic and chaos, and Brandon, the Cursed Hero, had trouble holding himself back.
It was his first time actively attempting to capture an enemy in the game. With all of his skills that focused around debuffing the enemy, you'd think it'd be easier to subdue these enemies, but these guys weren't no joke. After the confused debuff wore off, they formed up into a formation that made it incredibly difficult for Brandon to land a hit without suffering a blow in return. Even after eating the Golden Super Mushroom, which increased his speed greatly, they just turtled up!
Brandon nearly lost his mind when he saw them downing potions to recover their health and mana. NPCs weren't supposed to use items! What the hell is this?! They even grinned at him when they saw his dumbfounded expression. "The Queen has shared with us tactics to help survive against Adventurers like you. She is aware that Adventurers are capable of resisting her mushrooms even after eating them. But we know more about our abilities than you Adventurers ever will! So, come on, Brandon, the Cursed Hero! We prepared greatly for this ambush. You shall fall here."
The battle restarted, and Brandon took on the five mushroom humans with a mad grin on his face. Adaptive hostile enemies, it was truly amazing. They were learning as they fought against Brandon. As he showed off all of the skills in his arsenal, they learned and strategized against it. They protected each other and followed up on each other's attacks, giving Brandon little to no room at all to defend or react.
"Hahahaha! This is so much fun!" Brandon couldn't believe it.
World of Eternia was the greatest game in the world, and he loved it. He loved every aspect of it. Even as he was pushed to his absolute limit inside his gaming pod, he never felt more alive than he did right now. In this second life of his as a hero for humanity. Everything was so realistic but, at the same time, so fantastical and magical. The sweat running down his face that sometimes forced him to blink in the heat of this battle, the way that the enemy NPCs realistically responded to wounds targeting their body by gripping that part after being hit, and just the way they were changing their tactics and learning by watching him play!
"God, I love it!!! This is heaven!" Brandon brandished his knife before stabbing it into his heart.
Five bodies fell to the ground. Brandon and Bandit 1-4. Brandon's health points reached zero. The game over screen briefly popped up but just as it was about to appear in the center of his screen, a purple shadow hand tightly gripped it and crushed it to pieces. "You haven't repaid your debt to me. You cannot die." Brandon's soul was tossed back into his body by the one who gave him his dark magic.
He slowly rose from the ground, staring at the golden bandit. "I heard rumors of Cursed Ones being able to return from the dead, but to think that those legends were true…" Bandit 5 was stunned. "It is all the more imperative that I capture you. The Mushroom Queen shall rule all and conquer all!" He charged.
"Humanity's will to survive shall never die!" Brandon couldn't help but retort as he downed a Life Mushroom, tripling his health.