After checking once more that new Unique Skill 「 Envy of the Doppëlganger 」and made sure I wasn't dreaming, I continue to adventure deeper into the forest.
After all, as my mission says, I have to slaughter demons that were found in that forest, I was planning on killing them one by one in a 'fair' fight but I have a skill to test so, I guess I won't play fair this time.
I walk deeper and deeper into the forest, not crossing path with any demons but I've encountered some creatures, like wild bears or wolves, pretty dangerous for new adventurers but not for me.
After all as I've killed demons before, with my birth skill 「 Betrayer 」I gained quite the stats.
「 Stats :
Strength : 1000
Agility : 700
Stamina : 800
Mana : 1200
Magic control : 1100 」
I know, those stats seems pretty high at first sigh with those great numbers, but in fact even though I'm stronger than most adventurer, I have the stats of a B ranked adventurer at most, although I'm actually C rank.
The highest grade an adventurer can achieve is S rank, but the gap between ranks get higher and higher, therefore, S rank adventurers are extremely rare but considered as strong as an army just by themselves.
A B rank in comparison is considered as a very well trained soldier, a good element indeed, but only equivalent to one single soldier versus a whole country's army, that's the difference between S rank and B rank.
Back at my slaughter mission, after I wandered for almost an hour, I finally heard some noise, it was steps.
Those steps were not that far from where I was, they seemed to go to the South, I headed to the East, therefore I decided to change my direction and went to see who else could be in that forest.
And, Jackpot ! It was a group of 4 demons !
According to my experience, 2 of them are pretty weak, probably some lucky survivors following the strongest demon in their sights, 1 of them was at the same level of the demons I usually fight, therefore it can be entertaining fighting him.
But the last one, he seemed way more powerful, if I had to estimate, I'd say his stats are just a bit higher than mine, and demons possesses more than one skill, so I can't be sure about his true power.
But he's a perfect guinea pig for my new Unique Skill !
I followed them quietly and I kept a great distance, not too far to keep them on sight but not to close so they won't notice me that easily.
After a few minutes, they stopped walking, the 2 weakest went to explore forward the other 2, so I took this opportunity to close in.
But then, the strongest of the 2 others suddenly turned his head at my direction, he seemed to look directly at me, although I hid behind a tree and bushes as long as he turned his head.
After a minute of silence, he said.
"I know you're here, not far, so show yourself, or I'll make you !"
His tone was threatening and serious, he emitted a sinister aura and as I said, his stats are at least equivalent to mine, that's why I didn't want to fight to the front.
But now I have no other choices, but I wouldn't just show up and be attacked would I ?
So with some quick steps I rushed towards other bushes and trees while closing in, so that the demons couldn't attack that easily, and then, I rushed towards the weakest of the twos.
I had my sword ready to cut him in half and as I was about to slice him, he immediately guarded up and my sword bounced against a sort of barrier, I was quite surprised.
As my sword was blocked by that barrier, the other demon, the strongest, smiled and he shot dozens of black fireballs, I haven't seen that skill before but it sensed like trouble.
As soon as I've seen the black fireballs, I've took some steps back and did my best to avoid this attack, some fireballs hurt trees, other bushes and then some others hurt the floor, spreading dust everywhere, making it difficult to see who is where now.
The strongest demon smiled and seemed confident, even more as a kicking sound was heard, pushing whatever was kicked to some trees.
"Hector get over here !"
He commanded, and then the other demon seemed to go immediately next to him, the demon smiled and looked to the direction where the kicking sound was heard.
"It's over for you, wanderer !"
He said after shooting a pilar of black flames in the direction of the kicking sound, then screams were heard, but after the pilar of black flames ended, we could heard some breaths left.
"I'll end him !"
The other demon said after going into that direction, but then the dust finished to disperse, the weaker demons of the duo, the one that wad called Hector, seemed very fast for the strongest of the duo.
Finally a blade cutting flesh was heard, and a final agony scream, it seems the enemy of the duo of demons was dead.
With a move of his hand, the strongest of the duo moved out the dust that was on the battle place, revealing a scene that shocked him.
There were 2 Hectors, and one of them had a sword inside the other's body, it went through his heart, the Hector alive smiled and that's when the demon finally realized, that other Hector, it was me.
The exact moment the black fireballs touched the ground and spreaded dust, I moved forward the weakest demon and took his appearance immediately, then I kicked him as he was now unguarded, and I easily kicked him to another tree.
The rest was simple, going to the strongest with Hector's appearance, letting him almost kill his own partner and finally lend the final blow myself.
After all, 「 The Envy of the Doppëlganger 」sure allows me to change my appearance, but what's interesting is his other power, the one to steal the skills of those I killed and mimicked their appearance at the same time.
「 The conditions are met, activating 'the Envy of the Doppëlganger' . 」
As the strongest demon saw the impostor Hector killing the real Hector, a black aura emitted from me, covered the real Hector and then went back to me.
「 Congratulations, you now possess a new Rare Skill, check your skills to see it. 」
「 Congratulations, you now possess a new Super Rare Skill, check your skills to see it. 」
So that Hector I killed possessed 2 skills, a rare and a super rare, that good to know, but I'll have to check those skills.
「 The conditions are met, activating 'Betrayer' . 」
After the black aura of my Unique Skill went back to me, some red veins appeared through Hector's body and rushed into mine, after all I killed a demon as a member of the demon species, so now Hector's stats are mine.
「 Congratulations ! Your stats grew stronger, check your new stats. 」
"You... you bastard ! How dare you fool me with Hector's appearance !"
The other demon shouted in rage.
"What's the matter ? Can't do anything without your servant ?"
I said with a smile as I took back my real appearance, with still my mask on, I provoque him on purpose, I look him, ready to fight on one to one.
"How dare you... You'll regret what you just said !"
He screamed in rage, then the floor was shaking and a black aura went out of his body, he seemed to become stronger, as a buff he gave himself, with the black pilar and the black fireballs, that's make at least 3 skills of his.
As he screamed, I kept my cool and checked the new skills I had.
「 Skill - Perfect Guard (Rare)
When you guard up, a barrier appears and nullifies all physical damages of attack coming in front of you. 」
「 Skill - Execution (Super Rare)
The damages you deal ignore resistances and nullifies regeneration and heals. 」
So it seemed that Hector was a walking shield against warriors and with a great assassin potential with his Super Rare Skill, I guess they suit me well now.
As I finished seeing my new skills, the ground stopped shaking, I looked at the other demon, he was taller, and seemed stronger, more stuffed and enraged.
"I'll crush you down into small pieces !"
He screamed again like a wild enraged animal, then he charged at me with an impressive speed and drew a punch at me.
Fortunately with the stats I stole from Hector, I was able to react fast enough to put my guard on, activating the 「 Perfect Guard 」skill.
Thanks to that skill, his punch was blocked by a barrier and I didn't have a scratch, the demon seemed confused, I didn't hesitate and took advantage of it.
I moved forward the demon, stepping on my left side and I used my sword to attack his arm.
He didn't have time to dodge because of the confusion and so I managed to cut his arm with my sword, the demon took a step back and screamed in pain.
But then he smiled as if he didn't matter for him to lose an arm.
"Such wound can be fatal for you inferior being but not for me, Bestial the next demon general !"
He shouted as some seconds went by, he seemed to wait for something and then he realized.
"Wait... why does the regeneration effect of 「 Berserker 」doesn't work... ?"
Ah so that was what he was waiting for, too bad for him, with 「 Execution 」that effect is nullified, I smiled out of satisfy of such a very useful skill to be mine.
The demon was more and more confused as he looked at me, I didn't wait for him another time and charged him, I landed him another cut at his torso this time, the cut was not lethal but pretty painful and deep, the demon screamed in pain.
"How is this possible...? How can I get hurt by an inferior creature...? How can't I lend a hit on you but you can !?"
He screamed as he charged at me and tried to punch me with his other arm, but I reached first and guarded in the direction of his punch, therefore 「 Perfect Guard 」blocked completely his attack, I tried to attack him then, but he shot again some black fireballs at me, I managed to dodge them.
He seemed to get exhausted fast, is that an effect of his 「 Berserker 」skill he mentioned ?
Well that doesn't matter, now I have to finish this fight, but I won't let his skills go to waste, so I use 「 The Envy of the Doppëlganger 」to take his appearance, then I can make his skills mine.
He seemed more enraged and seemed to have lost all reason as he charged at me and tried to lend kicks and punches at me, although 「 Perfect Guard 」shew him it was useless, he was just like an animal victim of his own rage.
After some other minutes, I managed to land him on last blow with my sword and crushed his heart with it, the demon was now dead.
The fight was exhausting, and I was hurt at my chest, back and legs, even though 「 Perfect Guard 」nullifies the damages of the physical attacks, it doesn't nullifies the impact, so I went hitting some trees during the fight, but now it's over.
Again a black aura come from my body, surrounds his body before coming back to me.
「 The conditions are met, activating 'the Envy of the Doppëlganger' . 」
「 Congratulations ! You now possess a new Rare Skill, check your skills to see it. 」
「 Congratulations ! You now possess a new Rare Skill, check your skills to see it. 」
「 Congratulations ! You now possess a new Uncommon Skill, check your skill to see it. 」
And as against Hector, after the aura went the red veins going from the body of the dead demon to mine.
「 The conditions are met, activating 'Betrayer' . 」
「 Congratulations ! Your stats grew stronger, check your new stats. 」
So now I became quite stronger, I can definitely feel it, without seeing my stats, but well I'll just take another look.
「 Stats :
Strength : 2700
Agility : 1500
Stamina : 1700
Mana : 2000
Magic control : 2200 」
There're definitely great stats, but not enough to match a demon general, and not matching an A-rank adventurer, but I guess it will do.
Now I just have to check my new skills.
「 Skill - Black Flames (Rare)
The user can use Mana to manipulate and create black flames to use them against their targets, the black flames burn continously the target and can only be vanished with curse lifting skills. 」
「 Skill - Aura of Authority (Rare)
The weaker beings than the user are affected by his aura, they receive 'fear' and become slower the more they feel the aura of the user. 」
「 Skill - Berserker (Uncommon)
The user can temporarily convert Mana to Strength and Agility with a 1:1 ratio, gain the effect 'regeneration' but drains their Stamina 10 times faster. 」
So I was wrong, the black fireballs and the black pillar were only one skill, but well it doesn't matter.
After I finished checking my new skills, I heard some noises behind me, I took my sword and stand ready.
Then the 2 remaining of the former group of 4 demons, the weakest, arrived with a terrified yet malicious looking face, they were both holding women and a knife at their throat, then one of then talked.
"Give us your sword ! And don't move an inch or they're done for !"