159 Chapter 158: Battling The One of Swords (I)
To go a bit into how damage works, it's been an ever-changing formula since sky, but for now we'll be using one of the formulas. To begin with, skill ranks effect damage as so:
E = 90%, D = 100%, C = 110%, C+ = 120%, B = 130%, B+ = 140%, A = 150%, A+ = 160%, S = 170%, S+ = 180%, SS = 200%, SS+ = 225%, SSS = 250%, SSS+ = 275%, 4S = 300%, 5S = 350%
Everything used in combat has a skill modifier like this. This multiplier is called PRM.
As Naoto's growth is currently in Azure/Cold steel territory, we will be using this formula here for damage calculations:
((5*STR/ATS*PRM-2.5*DEF)/2) * BO bonus * critical bonus
(Master quartz, brave orders, and element/weapon efficacy will factor into this later)
Though depending on the future scenarios, I may tweak this formula to that given scenario. Brave Orders don't exist yet, neither do master quartz, so we'll see where they play in.
I am not actually sure if receiving damage has a calculation so for now, we'll use a simple one:
((2*DEF/ADF-Enemy PRM*ATK/ATS*2)/1.5) * Critical bonus * Enemy Brave Order / Passive damage reduction%)
I am sure that looks simple, right? :V)
Giliath demands your power stones!
*
Seeing myself readying for combat, as did the assailant, the One of Swords, before me on a pillar not too far away, I decided to take this moment to use my Vermillion Eyes, and check the number one assassin out. Among the Garden of Swords, the One of Swords was the highest rank one could achieve. He only had one superior, and that was the Warden of the Garden of Swords, which I believe was none other than the Emperor himself. The One of Swords likely reported to the Emperor, and the Emperor alone.
[Ace Rayne - Lv150
Title: One of Swords
Organization: Garden of Swords
The number one assassin within the Garden of Swords, one of the Four Gardens that belong to the Organization, a similar organization to that of Ouroboros, but tenders to their own desires, and mostly operates in Calvard and the East. Near perfect kill ratio, and refuses to turn back a mission until his target is either dead, or incapacitated. Also has deep worry for his sister to not join the work he currently does. After arriving in Erebonia, Ace has been looking for a way to escape from the Emperor's grasp.
HP: 1000000
EXP: ???
STR: 3500 DEF: 2500
ATS: 1500 ADF: 1000
SPD: 125
Yep. Definitely an endgame boss if this was one of the normal games. And Level 150 to boot. I wanted to suck in a cold breath of air. I wonder, would the Jaeger King have similar stats to Ace? Seeing Ace's stats visible, his strength was rather monstrous. Seeing him effortlessly wield such a large blade, it made sense. I would definitely have to be careful once I start exchanging blows with Ace. One swing of that nasty sword would likely shave off more than ten percent of my current health.
Since I was wearing both my weapon and armor now, I decided to have a quick comparison of Ace's strength to my own. It's been a while since I've worn my Jaeger armor too, so I decided to have a quick view of its stats as well.
Naoto's Status
Level: 105
HP: 15000 EP: 1400
STR: 2110 (+70%, 750) DEF: 2300 (+60%, +100, +1000)
ATS: 2550 (+70%, +50%) ADF: 2125 (+50%, 1000)
AGI: 172 (+10%, +75, +20) DEX: 110 (+10%)
INT: 1100 (+10%) LUCK: 50
[Radiant Starlight] (Growth) -Lv100/250
STR +750 DEF +100 AGI +75 +50% to ATS when equipped. EP recovery rate is doubled.
Phoenix Armor (New)
Def +1000, ADF +1000, STR +100 AGI +20
The armor of a Jaeger Captain. Hand forged out of one of the toughest known metals known in Zemuria. Upgradable. Due to the alloy's weight, it allows user to be nimble, not hindering their speed. Normal orbal bullets won't have an easy time piercing it.
These stats of mine have been definitely improving since the grind started with father's training ever so long ago. Thanks to killing the few assassins who were of the similar level to me, my level directly rose to 105, prior to arriving on the rooftop. Yet with both my weapon and armor equipped, these stats were still comparable to bosses ranging in the 125-150 range, such as Ace himself.
My ATS in particular was quite high. If I launched a normal attack right now, it may not even cause any damage to Ace. Me landing a blow on the Jaeger King was a feat in itself. Not to mention that the War God easily slashed through an arrow launched by a Divergent Weapon. Having both of those experiences in mind, I think I know my best path forward, especially since I am in my dhampir form right now. These stats of mine weren't even affected by using a combat orbment yet, either. That alone was something to look forward to. Erika Russell was currently upgrading mine to have a master quartz slot, so I was unable to bring it with me for this.
Ace saw me grab for my Radiant Starlight, entering a combat stance of my own. But unlike master's stance, I did not point out my rapier.
"You best be ready, Ace. I won't be holding back.", I said, revealing a playful grin. Ace raised his eyes seeing me extend my palm frontward. Ace expected to turn my blade toward him, but contrary to his expectation, with one motion of my hand, I sliced my own palm, revealing a light cut. As blood started to drip out, I channeled my mana. It didn't take long for a bluish aura to wrap around my body. Seeing this aura suddenly appear, Ace's eyes turned serious. He was expecting it to be overbearing, but this blue aura of mana, he felt an eerie soothness strike against his mind.
"This aura...", Ace uttered to himself, only to expect the unexpected. Alisa also blinked at this sudden aura around my body. As blood continued to drip, it started to act as if it had a mind of its own. Drop after drop, blood started to escape from my palm, quickly forming three spheres over my shoulders.
"Are those spheres really made of blood?", Ace pondered, still unsure of the sight he was currently witnessing. He then formed a smile on his face. "Hahaha! I knew someone like you wouldn't be normal.", Ace continued to say, revealing a laugh. He then raised his greatsword as if it was nothing. I ignored his laugh and continued to channel my mana some more.
"That isn't all, you know.", I said, revealing my own smile seeing anticipation appear in Ace's eyes as he readied for my attack. Thanks to my Regeneration ability now, the small wound began to heal right before his eyes, which caused Ace to turn serious.
"That's some healing factor. Part of me is starting to think whether you're human or not.", Ace continued to say, seeing the wound now closed up.
"Haha.", I replied, letting out a laugh of my own. Hearing Ace said that, he wasn't that far off. But I still see myself as a human, since I was born from human parents. I just have a nifty ability with the Gamer System called the Job class, which could even change my appearance. Being a dhampir right now, I wasn't human, but that was only because my Job was currently active.
Knowing that, as I channeled my mana, I raised my spare hand again, pointing my finger upward. Ignoring Ace's reaction just now, I started to utter a short chant.
"Glacialis Acus.", I uttered, which caused Ace to blink at me, hearing words he hadn't heard before. But before he could react further, my mana started to condense before his eyes. At the same time, the atmosphere around us began to turn cold. This sudden drop in temperature caused Alisa to shiver a bit, but she kept my robe tight around her body.
One after another, small needles made of ice began to take shape, only to start floating around the blood spheres. I didn't stop there either, and I followed these icy needles with a successive chant.
"Sanguis Acus.", I uttered softly for a second chant.
As the icy needles began to surround over my head, the bloody spheres began to shoot out blood of its own, only to condense into bloody needles. Both these blood and ice needles began to swerve around over me. There were well over a count of twenty to thirty of them, and each one, should one land a hit, would act as an attack, using my ATS to strike the opponent.
"Tch. I shouldn't have given time for you to prepare those. I have no idea what in the hell you just did, but I'll smash those needles away.", Ace said, brandishing his weapon at me. He then started to leak an aura of his own, likely his battle qi. He wasn't cloaked like those other assassins were, so one really wondered whether he was truly an assassin or not.
"I'd have it no other way.", I playfully smiled at Ace. "But do remember, try not to blink, okay?", I said, which caused Ace to blink.
I readied my Radiant Starlight, using the same stance as my master does this time. I started to hop in place, despite the current platform not being too big. Ace suddenly launched his body right at me, doing a large swing of his blade as my needles started to launch at him. As the needles began to strike, Ace swung down hard, smashing several needles away altogether. The one swing of his sword created a large blast of wind, which was sent directly my way. But as I continued to hop in place, my own speed began to increase more and more, leaving behind a faint afterimage. The wind from his blade struck a phantom image, which caused him to blink.
Yet in that one blink, several remaining needles struck different parts of his body. The areas that struck him caused blood to spur out. But for the icy needles specifically, the moment Ace's blood started to escape, the cold ice began to freeze it over. As to where the blood needles struck, gashes appeared over his clothes. But surprisingly Ace found his blood escaping from body, only to fly back toward the needles themselves. The needles continued its flight path, only to get absorbed back into the three blood spheres that were still floating over me. As Ace became damaged, several damage counts started to appear over his head. Some numbers were even in large red text, signaling that they were critical hits.
[-8,400] [-8,500] [-8,600] [-8,700] [-8,450] [-8,500] [-8,600] [-15,000!] [-17,000!] [ -16,500! [-18,000!]
Of the thirty or so needles launched at Ace, twelve of the icy and bloody needles managed to strike his body, causing several damage numbers to appear over his head. Ace winced in pain. The wounds did a fair amount of damage as he felt sharp needle-like blades strike against his body, and he felt his body turn cold as a result of being hit by the icy needles.
Ace had a whopping one million health. Through that damaging spell alone, I was able to cut off about a little over a tenth of Ace's health. My EP did drain as a result, but I did learn healing items do exist in this world, so I did manage to prepare some healing items to rejuvenate my lost EP. These needles caused a lot of blood to either freeze over or to spurt out, and get absorbed into the blood spheres...
