Chapter 21: Chapter 21 - Exhaustion and Fuel (Revised)
Five Minutes.
[The Skill [Impact Resistance VIII] has been upgraded to [Impact Resistance IX].]
[The Skill [Pierce Resistance VII] has been upgraded to [Pierce Resistance VIII].]
[The Skill [Slash Resistance VII] has been upgraded to [Slash Resistance VIII].]
I was bashed around that cube, hurled from end to end, stomped on and charged into for five excruciatingly long minutes before there was finally an update from the System.
[The Unique Skill [Mana Strain Resistance I] has been acquired.]
Immediately, I felt my Mana Core expand. It was almost negligible, but after so many hours analyzing the energy while I trekked, I could tell there was an improvement.
The Skill Window opened up all on its own, confirming what I had deduced.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[Mana Strain Resistance I] (Unique)
Per Level of Mana Strain Resistance, gain 10% Damage Negation against all effects of Mana-Burn.
Current Damage Negation: 5%
Additionally, gain a permanent 5% increase to [Mind] per Level of Mana Strain Resistance.
Current Boost to Mind: 5%
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I couldn’t help but smile as my burning internals and body-wide aches began to dull.
Unique ...
[Host’s [Mana Strain Resistance] has increased greatly]
[Host’s [Mana Strain Resistance] has increased greatly]
[Host’s [Mana Strain Resistance] has increased greatly]
The stiffness of my muscles were fading, and control was finally returning. So I pushed away all the System Prompts and Skill Windows. They could be browsed at leisure later.
Right now, I just had to kill two beasts.
I was currently skewered on the Knife-tailed Boar’s whip like tail, being dragged along the ground in a bloody fashion.
My axe was far out of reach in the other corner of the room. But I could finally move. So I did.
I planted my palms against the beast’s blood-slicked tail and forced myself forward, inch by inch. Flesh tore, blood poured, but I kept pushing.
With a final heave, the serrated blade of its tail was finally ripped free.
I dropped, my head on swivel as I clutched my chest, regeneration surging to mend the tunnel of meat through my torso.
My axe lay across the chamber, coincidentally at the furthest possible point from where I currently was. I ignored all else, and bolted.
I could hear the club-tail immediately giving chase, and though we were at the same level, it was quickly gaining on me. And a few seconds later, the beast’s club-tail inevitably smashed into my side, hurling me sideways. Pain flared, but bones held.
For once, an impact felt as simple as a punch.
90% damage negation is no joke...
I rolled with the momentum, my eyes never leaving sight of the weapon.
I’d been sent a little off course, and now the both boars were charging straight into me with intent to impale.
I employed the same tactic I had in Wave Two.
I circled to the left and away from the weapon, forcing their charges to curve away as well, and when the moment arrived, my feet planted hard into the tile, reversing all momentum as I dashed back the way I came, sending both boars hurtling past me as they struggled to change direction.
I ignored the commotion behind me as the boars crashed into the wall, and darted straight for the axe.
I dove, hands closing around the haft as I rolled straight back into my guard stance. Its black-steel weight slid into my grip, familiar and as solid as ever. I’d expected its blade to be chipped or worse, cracked, after the mana-fueled impact with the white tiles, but the weapon was surprisingly undamaged.
It was still virtually brand-new, save for the specks and stains of blood across its frame.
I’ll have to really thank Gerard the next time I meet him. It is a great weapon.
My gaze landed on the two boars that now circled me warily, snorting as their tusks dripped with blood.
I sensed my facial muscles act of their own volition, carving a smile across my face as I looked the beasts dead in the eyes.
My body was fully healed, and my weapon was back in my grasp.
Now, all that was left was to fight back.
--------------------------------------------------
The Club-Tailed Boar’s body collapsed to the floor in a heap beside the carcass of its Knife-tailed counterpart.
[You have killed a Lv.3 Squall-Class Club-Tailed Boar]
The Battle had been quick, but it could have been quicker had I succeeded at replicating that burst of strength. I had tried moving the Mana through my blood vessels again many times, but it had returned to its normal lazy state.
[The Third Wave has been cleared successfully.]
[Do you wish to Continue?]
[Yes/No]
Yes.
I watched as the Beast corpses dissolved and shattered into those countless fragments of red light. My gaze washed over the chamber, and my eyes found that singular tile I had cracked, just barely. But with the end of the wave, that too was being mended.
[Do you wish to Rest?]
[Yes/No]
I remembered my impulsive decision after the wave before this one. It angered me that I had been so careless, but at the same time, without that careless decision, I likely wouldn’t have acquired a unique resistance skill. It was the mess of emotion and frustration that drove me to do that, but now, those emotions felt distant.
They were there, just, not on the forefront of my mind.
I looked back to the System Prompts, Yes.
Adrenaline had carried me through the second half of that wave, but the moment it wore off, a crippling exhaustion overcame me. Training my axe swings wasn’t even an afterthought.
Fuel. I need fuel.
I hobbled over to my pack, somehow untouched by the carnage, and dropped to one knee, proceeding to devour rations at a pace that put all my previous expeditions into the culinary realm to shame.
Hard bread, smoked meat and dried fruit---I chewed and swallowed mechanically, but my body was soaking it up like a sponge. The effects were immediate. Unnaturally so.
Basic logic stated that humans needed time to absorb the energy in their fuel. Digestion, I believed it was called. But for some reason, it seemed my own body could simply disregard that need. The only explanation I could think of was that it was my gift at work.
I read through the new skill description again, and I realized the per level boost to my mind stat was higher than any of the other boosts I’d got through my Title.
Unique Rank... huh. Does that mean I’m the only person who has this skill? It did say the skill had to be created...
When I finally leaned back against the wall, panting after my hearty meal as I savored a final piece of dried meat, I pulled out the Axemanship manual. But not to look at forms.
I wanted to see if I could find anything about Mana Burn. I didn’t understand it at all, only that I’d somehow pushed the mana into my blood vessels, and it had strengthened me beyond measure. But it had also left me so crippled I’d probably have died instantly if not for my Gift.
A quick glance at the timer told me I only had 2 minutes left so I didn’t waste time.
The Manual had its techniques neatly separated by Hunter Rank requirements.
The Five basic forms I’d learnt were all simple forms in the Mortal Rank. But the book had techniques designed for Hunters going all the way up to the Gold Rank. It was surprising to learn that Gold Rank Hunters would still be learning "Basic Axemanship" techniques despite being nearly halfway up the ladder of this world.
But as I flipped through the numerous pages of the Manual, my fingers froze as certain descriptions in the pages meant for Gold Rank Hunters slotted into my memory.
Back when we fought the Gorge-Wolves... Freya’s sudden bursts of speed... I see now.
It appeared there was more to Mana than just fueling skills or magic.