Chapter 40: Sparring

William Oh once fought a giant atop a mountain on its sickly brother’s behalf, to regain his honor.

He buzzed like a gnat in the giant’s ear, effortlessly evading the Giant’s clutches. The giant’s wrath made his hair catch flame, and his wild swings shattered the mountainside, pelting William Oh with shards of stone that threatened to tear him to pieces, but William Oh tugged himself back together and turned into a lightning bolt, descending from on high to pierce the skull of the giant, smiting him back to the valley below, sending shock waves through the surrounding lands that let all who heard it know that the giant had been defeated.

As one, the surrounding people flocked to the mountain to get their hands on the Giant’s treasure, but the giants sickly brother and William Oh had already claimed the lion’s share of the Giant’s wealth.

• Jason Salazar

‘It mentions a giant and a brother. Who has William Oh had contact with who is male and has a giant sibling?’

I believe ‘flaming’ is a hint. The Oilton family is-

‘Yes…Roger Oilton.’

‘William Oh is in The Ring, at or near the Oilton residence…send the extraction team.’

William Oh

Resourceful Climber Level 12

13+ 25 Strength

36 + 4 Kinesthetics

39 + 19 Resistance

24 + 5 Focus

37 Acuity

Charges: 29/29

Free Points: 7

Item Abilities: Gravity Charge, +25% Charge/Kick potency, +15% movement speed, Fire Tracers, Acid Bolt, +greater acid Damage. Homefield Advantage (ice). 20% fire resistance.

Primary Abilities: Aspect of the Goat, Phantom Hand

Secondary Abilities: Sourdough

Ability Upgrade Available! (X2)

Should I dump my free points into Strength? Will thought, staring down the massive brute that had challenged him to a fight to prove his worthiness.

Will wasn’t buying that crap. He was fairly certain the guy just liked fighting.

Nah, it wouldn’t make a difference. And I wanna save my stats for when I know what my final Build will be.

Will didn’t plan on wearing platforms and a goat mask forever, regardless of how awesome it was to be able to fly on command.

Roger Oilton was slightly better than him in every stat save Strength, which he had twice as much as Will.

This was including stat bonuses from Relics.

With no gear on, Will didn’t even stand a chance.

Let’s see, with his strength, he can probably jump fifteen feet in the air, so…

“You ready?” Roger Oilton asked, rubbing the dirt of the courtyard between his hands like chalk. The tittering young women who had been playing tag earlier were now assembled around them, watching in fascination as their big brother was about to lay down some newbie punk.

The words ‘level twelve’ and ‘doomed’ were being bandied about.

“I’m not sure why this is a one-on-one, isn’t this supposed to be a test of our Party?” Will asked.

“A Party is only as strong as it’s leader, William Oh,” Roger said. “Plus it’ll give the kobold time to prepare his traps.”

“Nonsense,” Loth lied from where she stood in the circle of spectators. “I wouldn’t miss this.”

Will was absolutely sure her insects were setting up traps even as he spoke.

“So. Are you ready?”

Will sighed. “Sur-“

Roger launched forward at a speed that defied his sheer bulk.

Will started running.

He broke through the circle of onlookers and sprinted straight for the mansion, his speed barely keeping even with Roger’s thanks to his Relics.

Will grabbed a tiny crack in the paint and hauled himself up to the overhang, kicking off a pane of glass before flipping up and over, onto the roof.

I just need to get a height advantage, Will thought as he ran along the tiles.

CRACK!

Roger landed on the tiles in front of him, forcing Will to skid to a halt.

Amulet of the Homefield Advantage.

28/29 Charges remaining.

The sloped roof turned into ice and Roger’s feet flew out from underneath him.

The Rustic Brawler’s eyes went wide for a moment before his arm flickered down and stabbed his fingers into the ice, regaining his stability long enough to yank his boots off with his other hand.

The Rustic Brawler’s gross toenails bit down into the ice and secured his footing, and the chase was back on.

Will did gain some ground with that, though.

He sprinted up onto the frozen chimney, nimbly scaling the sheer ice-surface.

That’s about eight feet above him, Will thought, leaping up and off the chimney, directing his fall towards the Rusting Brawler, boot first.

Roger grinned, and tensed his legs beneath him, launching himself straight up to meet Will in mid-air, arm cocked for a knock-out punch.

Gravity Charge

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

27/29 Charges Remaining.

Will targeted the Phantom Hand floating directly above him.

Roger’s eyes widened as Will began falling up, drawing him out of the Brawler’s reach.

Sourdough

26/29 Charges Remaining.

Will Snatched the Clay Idol off his waist and smashed it against his knee.

Because the Miasma outside The Tower was so thin, all he got was an eight-foot-long snake with a malicious awareness to its gaze.

Good enough.

“Distract him,” Will said, throwing the snake down at Roger.

“Gah!” Roger shouted in surprise as the snake bit down into his shoulder and deliberately wrapped its bulk around his face.

All I need to do now is-

A bloom of pain shot through Will’s body as Roger caught a piece of clay midair and threw it through Will’s torso.

Sourdough

25/29 Charges Remaining.

Will’s hand shook as he retrieved the Potion of Greater Healing and downed it while simultaneously moving the Phantom hand, causing him to fall to the side.

Three more pieces of clay cut the air where he’d just been as Roger threw them, completely blinded by the snake wrapped around his face.

I thought this was a SPAR!? Will thought sourly, pulling out the Potion of Fury and yanking the cap off with his teeth.

Might as well win, then.

Sourdough