The Fool's Freedom

The blood and gore that spilled out made even Alan cringe. The foot was still attached to the rest of the leg, but it seemed like his new friend had pulled out pieces of cartilage through the flesh, tearing apart everything in the process. It was an amazing feat of strength and just proved the danger of a tier two.

Especially a special one, like Jay. Alan very much doubted such weird and dangerous skills were the norm throughout the vast universe. And everyone had repeatedly told him how ‘special’ newly integrated worlds were. Judging by his limited experiences and what he was seeing, there was some truth in that.

Some kept their classes, delving deeper into what they offered or choosing ‘specializations’. Others, like Alan and apparently his new friend, strayed from the accepted and well-trodden paths and found stranger things. He wondered if a normal warrior could reach such heights, or perhaps, unleash even greater power. There was strength in simplicity. Unfortunately, simplicity was not his forte at the moment.

The giant raged and kicked his leg, sending Jay flying into a pile of rocks. There was a brief glow of miasma that fully covered the man as he hit the rocks. Alan was sure Jay would live, so he wasn’t worried at all about being left to deal with the boss alone. Even if he couldn’t win, he would flee and come back with a vengeance when he was stronger. He wondered if the Dungeon would grow too, considering how close it was to some Sanctuaries that couldn’t clear even a regular patrol. Namely the elves.

Whatever. It’s my turn now.

Alan took a few more seconds to make sure the mana was working on his pains and aches, healing his flesh as if it was slowly sewing him back together. The process was slow despite the slight boost from [Warlock’s Body Mastery]. Focusing on it and trying to take control of the mana weaving in and out of his flesh was an attractive thought, but there was no time for that now. The damage was not too bad. Nothing was broken thankfully, but his bones were quite sturdy, especially since he had enchanted them. It still remained to be seen what would happen with them. The thought of someone like Jay being capable of pulling them through the rest of his body was quite gnarly, as it reminded him of his suffering in the Bone Lord’s realm.

He cringed and willed [Shadow Creation] to coat him. His will spread around stealing whatever color existed in the world, and the whispers of the shadows became more persistent, deeper, and demanding.

Alan ignored them. His own anger had risen to the surface. It was anger for the mistake he had made, anger for the false confidence stepping up a tier had given him, and anger for his enemy. Worst of all, he was angry he was getting so many ideas without having the time to try and implement them. Perhaps fleeing to his own abode in the spiritual world and living as a hermit was not so bad an idea after all.

Most of all he was angry how the System that deemed it necessary to bring him down each time he felt powerful. It had allowed him a brief period of feeling triumphant this time, he couldn’t neglect that. However, the first Dungeon he had delved into was this strong…

Alan used [Void Step] to approach the last living guardian, ignoring the snarling giant jadari who was only keeping balance by using two of his four arms to hold onto whatever he found. His blood was green and Alan watched with amazement as it slowly started turning to jaderin iron over the wound. It was a joint, so it would hopefully still limit the movement, but the very fact that the giant had such a ‘healing’ factor was an issue.

Alan’s own skills weren’t as potent as Jay’s when it came to penetrating defenses. He worked slowly, allowing his will to break apart what it touched. Just like life had broken him before – a process of patience and constant pressure.

I need to speed things up.

It didn’t take long to execute the last guardian which earned Alan yet another level, bringing him to 113.

Kehlani had long retreated and Thomas had joined her and Amir at the entrance of the cave. Only Amir still had use, and his constant long-range buffs were very welcome. Alan appreciated the sped-up flow of mana that allowed him to wield the shadows like extensions of his body. Even his mind felt faster under the man’s strange skills. A brief thought of kidnapping him passed through and got lost in the action.

Finally, Alan turned toward the boss who had almost completely healed his ankle. He met the large beastly gaze of the panther giant and without waiting rushed forward. The giant tested his foot with a careful step, and then swung its many arms, like a windmill.

Alan concentrated like never before, making full use of his boosted cognitive functions and the anger that seemed like a driving force in his growth. How strange it was that being angry was so motivating and freeing in this new world, rather than stifling and leading to self-pity like it had been back on old Earth.

He saw the attacks. They had the briefest tinge of mana in them, but his sharpened senses were enough to feel the danger, and [Mortal Peril] was singing like a death knell in his mind.

Each of the air currents created by the attacks was enough to hurt Alan. He didn’t want to think what an actual hit would do to him, but despite their strength, the speed was manageable and that gave him confidence. He weaved through them, allowing tendrils of shadow to spread and get hit by the air blades, just to feel their strength and sense when they were too close.

He reached the ankle in what felt but a moment and the giant lifted his foot as if anticipating what was happening. Alan was faster though, and he managed to unleash a few charged shadow blades tinged with the red light of life at the iron-covered ankle. It was harder than the pure unrefined ore, but it was brittle against his Will and its almost corrosive effect.

He fled, passing the giant and using a rock outcropping to get a vantage point that brought him almost chest level with the creature. The jadari giant was a bit slower now that its leg was stiffer, but it still moved all right. Alan wondered if Jay could repeat what he had done.

If they disabled the thing's ability to move, then it would become easy prey to the likes of Alan, who could bombard it from a safe distance almost without limits.

Alan frowned. There was no sign of Jay. The three survivors were looking up from the ridge, hugging the wall. Only Amir had dared to walk closer to the edge and his perceptive eyes met Alan’s for a moment. The two exchanged nods just as Alan rushed out again. His strategy remained the same and he bombarded the giant’s broken ankle until the jaderin iron became a cracked mess and started falling apart.

It was slowly working, and the giant was raging all the more for it. He started breaking large rocks and throwing them, using his massive strength the try and squash Alan.

However, it was all worthless. Alan was faster, and he was feeling good, apart from all the pain in his body. Bruised flesh and wounds were nothing to the current him. The pain was like a motivating itch that reminded him that he could go further. Each step he took, and each challenge was a new way to be stronger and shed the limits of his current self.

That was the gift of the System. Endless growth dependent on his own understanding, choices, and luck.

Breaking the jaderin blood iron formed around the ankle took a solid ten minutes during which the giant transformed the valley into ruins with its tantrum. However, finally, Alan reached flesh. It was all he needed to start attacking even more fiercely, using [Shadow Creation] to create whips that turned into shadow slashes, to copy Kehlani’s spikes and send fast and weak projectiles when he couldn’t do more, and to stop and repeat of the healing the giant was capable of.

The wound was an opportunity and it slowly grew as blood and flesh were being cut bit by bit and his Will was tearing at the opening, weakening everything around. It was exhilarating.

However, hurting the bone proved difficult. Still, growing the wound was a sure way to eventually make the giant topple over. Then it was the head that would have to receive the bashing. The only issue was that Alan was running out of store life force. [Sacrificial Attack] had been instrumental in making all of his attacks strong enough to harm the giant.

What he had stored was almost gone, and the only other option once again remained Cole. The weak stream of Vitality that represented the connection to him was a disheartening thing, but Alan didn’t care all that much. If it was his fate to die for Alan’s good, then so be it.

He had another option just in front of him too, but he wasn’t sure it would work.

Drawing some vitality to use [Sacrificial Attack] once again, Alan got back to work. There was no time for worrying about others, especially Cole. It troubled him that Jay was nowhere to be seen, but hopefully, the guy was preparing some sort of an ultimate attack, and not scheming to betray him. Alan didn’t like betrayals. The curse connection was still there, and although it couldn’t be used to pinpoint Jay’s location, it gave Alan a piece of mind. With just a thought he could plunge the guy into a world of hurt resulting from his own deepest worries and fears.

Alan finally deigned the situation safe enough to try what he had planned to do. Preparing curse marks for [Curse of Stolen Life] had been given after he had seen how effective they were against the [Screamer], and he currently had two free.

He let out a barrage of attacks and dodged another large rock that landed near him, sending dust and debris flying everywhere. The giant was using two of its hands to hold onto the mountain’s wall now, as his foot was unstable and hovering slightly above the ground. It was curious to see such a large and fearsome creature succumb to pain, but everyone had a weakness.

Alan used the opportunity to get to the creature’s solid leg, which was planted on the ground, and let out his curse mark. The connection was instant, but it was the force of rejections that almost shattered the mark and made Alan gasp from shock. He quickly retreated, making full use of his mobility to use the giant’s size to his advantage and stay out of sight.

It was like trying to push through a wall. It felt impossible. Was the gap that large? Alan didn’t do so, since he was hurting the thing while staying relatively safe. Perhaps its very vitality was too large, or perhaps it was the jaderin ore it was consuming.

Without my curse, this will be a much slower process. Perhaps retreat is the best option?

It was too risky to keep fighting like this. He could eventually slip up. Who was to say the boss didn’t have any other tricks hidden away for just the right moment? Strength, shock waves, throwing things, and regeneration seemed plentiful.

Alan frowned. He circled around the boss as it spun, looking for him. Its back remained bloody, with only a thick layer of jaderin ore glistening in the blood. It was not healed like the ankle had been at all. Perhaps it was saving that ability for true injuries? It was possible.

It was then that Jay reappeared. Like a ghost covered in a miasmic veil, he swam out of the earth and reached into the giant’s other leg with both hands. Alan grinned at the screams that followed, and quickly moved out of the way as the giant’s healthy ankle exploded in gore, forcing it to step on its hurt one.

Alan instantly summoned [Chains of the Dark Servants] and bound the hurt limb. He fed the shadowy silhouettes some of Cole’s vitality and infused his will into the dark tendrils wrapping around the jadari giant’s ankle.