Chapter 24

Garrett screamed in pain as he stumbled backwards. He dropped his sword, while his hands reached up to the sharpened bone that was now lodged into his eye socket.

Logan didn’t waste any time leaping to pick up the fallen sword.

“You idiot,” yelled Brad, rushing towards Logan.

He lifted his foot and gave a powerful kick right into Logan’s chin, before the guy could even look up. The young man went tousling backwards.

“Guard my rear,” shouted Brad to his other companion, as he hurried forward and pushed his boot into Logan’s arm.

“Let go of the sword, tough guy,” said Brad.

“Leave him alone,” screamed Sally, rushing forward and pushing Brad.

Brad slashed outward in rage. His sword cut across Sally’s stomach.

Blood began to form in a long line.

Sally’s eyes bulged. Her skin went pale.

Brad’s frustration and anger only grew.

This is turning into a real shit show real quick, he thought.

His Perception picked up a rush of footsteps running behind him.

“Heal yourself,” he barked at Sally before spinning around to see the incoming intruder. His eyes bulged, “What the⁠—”

Coming out from the reeds of the marshland was a spear wielder wearing proper armor and a skull for a helmet. He looked like a half-man, half-lizard monster.

Who the heck is this⁠—

Brad quickly identified him.

Oh crap, Brad thought. How high a level is this guy that I can’t see what level he is!?

The spear wielder rushed forward with a blur.

Brad watched his companion ahead of him, lift up his battle axe.

The lizard-man leapt to the side and with incredible quickness jabbed his spear forward. Bright light emerged around his spear tip just as it blasted through his companion’s throat.

Holy crap, Brad thought, the guy has an actual offensive ability!

So far they had only unlocked passive or utilitarian skills when reaching level 5.

Brad rushed towards the spear warrior.

He gripped his short sword tightly. He needed to move quickly, break the range advantage the spear had over him.

That was where his companion had gone wrong. The axe attack was too slow and clunky. A fast spear fighter like this lizard-dude took full advantage of that. The only way to take this guy on was to move quickly and fearlessly.

Brad’s level 5 warrior-class skill began to fill him with information mid-fight. Kinetic Sense had him intuitively see the different angles and options the lizard-guy might thrust his way.

A spear came flying right towards Brad’s head, but thanks to Kinetic Sense, he saw it coming. He dodged, but didn’t back pedal. That would have been fatal. He needed to close the gap. He dodged and moved forward.

He was now in range. He slashed his sword at the lizard-man. The attacker had to block with his spear’s staff.

The two weapons slashed into one another.

Brad grinned.

I got you, fool.

Brad slid his blade away and thrust his blade towards his enemy’s legs. There was no way he could react in time to block it. The spear was too cumbersome once inside the close range of Brad’s short sword.

Either the lizard-guy took the hit and got injured or he tried to dodge which would only weaken his position further.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

It’s over, Brad grinned.

Except it wasn’t.

Brad’s attack went through. His Kinetic Sense showed him an opening, a crack in the lizard-dude’s armor. His blade stabbed into his skin, except it didn’t penetrate. It didn’t break through. The guy’s flesh was just too toughened and strong.

What kind of monster is he!?

He looked up to see a grin poking out from the face covered in the shadows of his lizard skull helmet.

Brad realized where he had gone wrong. His strategy had been sound–if he had been fighting someone of equal power. But they were not equals.

He let me take the open attack on purpose!

It was the last thing Brad thought as he watched the spear tip light up with bright white energy and slash across his neck.

* * *

Rob’s heart was pounding.

The man in front of him had a line of blood dripping down his neck.

The warrior dropped his blade and reached up to his bleeding neck. His eyes rolled into the back of his head. Next thing he knew he had collapsed to the ground.