As I finished the last word, a surge of energy exploded within me, so intense that it nearly knocked me off my feet. My vision blurred, and for a moment, I thought I might pass out from the sheer force of it. But then the power settled into my limbs, my muscles swelling with strength, my reflexes sharpening to a razor's edge.
Berserker's Oath Activated
Strength and Attack Speed Increased by 20%
Defense Reduced by 30%
The boost was immediate, the pain in my body fading into the void. The surge of power from the Berserker's Oath flooded my senses, sharpening everything into a crystalline focus. My heart pounded with an unnatural rhythm, my muscles thrumming with energy, my movements faster, more precise. But with that power came a cost—my defense had dropped, leaving me vulnerable to every strike that could pierce through the torrent of speed and strength. I couldn't afford to let my guard down for even a moment.
But I had more than just raw power at my disposal.
The Blade of the Fallen King pulsed in my hand, its etched runes glowing a fierce blue, and I could feel the energy of the equipment from the game world waiting to be summoned. I couldn't go into battle with just a sword; I needed to bring everything I had to bear.
I ducked behind a column, taking a brief moment to access the system interface. The sounds of battle raged around me, but I blocked them out, focusing on the equipment menu. My heart raced as I scrolled through the inventory, searching for the best armor and items to equip in this dire moment.
My fingers hovered over a set of armor I had acquired in the game, something that had always been my go-to when facing overwhelming odds.
Equipment: Armor of the Last Vanguard
Type: Armor Set
Rarity: Epic
Effect: Increases defense by +30, resistance to physical damage by +15%, and grants the skill "Vanguard's Endurance," which reduces the stamina cost of all actions by 20%.**
I selected the armor, and in an instant, my clothes transformed. A dark, heavy chestplate materialized over my torso, the black metal etched with golden filigree, its surface faintly glowing as it adjusted to my body. Greaves and vambraces followed, encasing my arms and legs in the same protective metal, and a helmet crowned my head, its visor shaped into a fierce, expressionless mask. The weight of the armor was familiar, comforting even, as if I had worn it a thousand times before.
I could feel the armor's effects immediately, my defense bolstered, the raw power of the Berserker's Oath tempered by the sturdy resilience of the Vanguard armor. I felt almost unstoppable, but I knew better. In this world, nothing was certain.
With the armor equipped, I turned my attention to the rest of my gear. My old shield, dented and cracked from the battle so far, would never hold up against the remaining barbarians. I needed something stronger.
Equipment: Shield of Aegis
Type: Shield
Rarity: Epic
Effect: Increases block chance by +25%, grants a 10% chance to reflect damage back at attackers, and increases magic resistance by +20%.**
The shield appeared in my left hand, heavy and reassuring. The surface was polished to a mirror-like shine, with intricate patterns running along the edges, the center bearing the image of a roaring lion. It was a shield designed to protect and intimidate, and as I raised it, I felt a surge of confidence.
But I wasn't done yet. One more item—one more piece to complete the set.
Equipment: Helm of the Undying Flame
Type: Helmet
Rarity: Legendary
Effect: Increases fire resistance by +50%, grants the skill "Flame Shield," which creates a temporary barrier of fire that absorbs incoming damage and burns attackers, and increases health regeneration by +5 HP per second while active.**
The helm replaced the one that came with the Armor of the Last Vanguard, its surface a deep crimson, almost as if it were forged from molten metal. The flames danced along the edges, flickering in and out of existence, and I could feel the heat radiating from it, though it didn't burn me. Instead, the flames felt like a part of me, ready to be unleashed at my command.
I stepped out from behind the column, fully armored and ready to rejoin the battle. The moment I emerged, the nearest guards turned toward me, their eyes widening in shock. They had seen me before, a ragged prince fighting desperately to survive, but now I was something else entirely—a warrior clad in mythic armor, wielding a blade of legend.
"Who… who is that?" one of the guards muttered, his voice trembling with awe.
"It's the prince!" another exclaimed, his eyes widening as he recognized the face behind the visor. "It's Prince Eldric!"
"No… that's not him," a knight said, shaking his head in disbelief. "I don't know who that is, but that's no mere prince. That's a warrior of legend."
Their words barely registered as I focused on the battle ahead. The barbarians had pushed further into the throne room, their hulking forms smashing through what remained of the guards' defenses. I couldn't afford to waste any time; I had to turn the tide of this battle before it was too late.
With a shout that echoed through the chamber, I charged into the fray, the Blade of the Fallen King gleaming in the dim light. The first barbarian I encountered swung a massive axe at my head, but I raised the Shield of Aegis just in time, deflecting the blow with a resounding clang. The force of the impact sent a shockwave up my arm, but the shield held firm, and I pushed forward, driving the blade of my sword into the barbarian's gut.
The creature let out a guttural roar, its eyes wide with pain and surprise as it crumpled to the ground. But I didn't stop to savor the victory—there were more enemies, more threats to deal with. I moved on, my every motion fluid and precise, the armor's effects making me faster, stronger, more resilient.
Another barbarian, this one wielding a spiked club, came at me from the side. I spun to meet him, my sword slicing through the air with lethal precision. The Blade of the Fallen King cleaved through his weapon, shattering it into splinters, and before he could react, I drove the sword into his chest, feeling the resistance of flesh and bone as the blade cut deep.
The barbarians around me hesitated, their ferocity faltering as they watched me cut through their ranks with ease. They had expected a prince—a weakling, an easy target. But what they faced now was something entirely different.
"Who are you?" one of the barbarians snarled, his voice thick with anger and fear. "You're no prince! You're a demon!"
I didn't bother to answer. Instead, I activated the Flame Shield skill, the helm on my head igniting with a burst of fire that spread across my body, forming a barrier of searing flames. The nearest barbarians recoiled in horror, their skin blistering from the intense heat as they tried to shield themselves from the inferno.
With a roar, I charged at them, the flames licking at my armor, the heat pulsing with every step I took. The fire didn't harm me, but every enemy I struck howled in agony as the flames consumed them, the fire burning away their flesh and reducing them to ash.
The guards and knights who had been fighting desperately to hold the line began to rally around me, their eyes wide with a mixture of awe and disbelief. They didn't know who I was—some of them still thought I was Eldric, while others whispered that I was a spirit, a demon, or a god of war. But it didn't matter. All that mattered was that the tide of battle was turning.
"Push them back!" I shouted, my voice amplified by the flames. "For Eldoria!"
The cry was taken up by the knights and guards, their morale surging as they fell in line behind me, pushing forward with renewed vigor. The barbarians, once so confident in their strength and numbers, now faltered, their formation breaking as they tried to retreat.
But there was no escape for them. I pressed the attack, cutting down every barbarian who stood in my path, the Blade of the Fallen King slicing through armor and flesh with ease. The Shield of Aegis deflected every blow that came my way, the reflection effect sending the force of their attacks back at them, stunning and disorienting them long enough for me to finish them off.
The flame shield roared around me, the heat intense and unforgiving. I could feel the power of the helm feeding into my very being, my movements growing more fluid, more precise with every strike. The room was filled with the acrid smell of burning flesh, the howls of the dying barbarians mingling with the cries of the guards as they rallied to my side.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the last of the barbarians fell to the ground, their bodies smoking, their weapons shattered. The throne room was littered with the dead, the once grand hall now a battlefield strewn with the corpses of friend and foe alike.
I stood there, panting, my chest heaving as the flames around me flickered and died, the energy of the Berserker's Oath finally spent. The adrenaline began to fade, and with it came the pain—the wounds I had sustained in the battle, the exhaustion that weighed down my limbs. But I had won. We had won.
The knights and guards gathered around me, their faces a mixture of awe and disbelief. Some of them knelt, their heads bowed in respect, while others simply stared at me, their eyes wide with wonder.
"Who… who are you?" one of the knights finally asked, his voice trembling. "Are you truly Prince Eldric?"