Chapter 53: [En Vigor]

[~11/22]

Only two beings existed in the world I was living in.

I, Moonshine, the predator. And the High Hobgoblin Warrior Inductee-- the prey.

This was my world. Everything around it lulled and came to a stop because I bid it to be so.

It was just two. One was attacking with all of its might, doing its best to survive. The other, calmly taking on the attacks, punishing every action and thought.

Who was who?

...

Three beings existed in the World I was living in.

I, Moonshine, the predator. The High Hobgoblin Warrior Inductee-- the prey.

And a Hobgoblin High Warrior... my World-Ender.

There were three beings. One was attacking with all of its might, doing its best to survive. The other, calmly avoiding the attacks, smiling devilishly at the other's peril.

And the last one was causing that Peril.

...Why was I being choked?

"Kyak!" My scream echoed in my head, cut short by my pressed windpipe. I couldn't understand it. One moment I was fighting and defeating the Inductee. The next moment, I was lifted off of my feet, and my breath was cut short.

I could barely swivel my head as I tried to catch the face of my assailant. Turning as far as I could, I caught its face.

Ugly.

[You are Suffocating!]

The High Warrior was back up. In 40 seconds, it recovered and got back on its feet. And what it chose to do was not try and start another duel with me. No.

It snuck behind me, much quieter than its 2+ meter-tall frame should be able to. Without a noise, it appeared posterior to me, while I was engulfed in my own vision and drunk on my own confidence.

[You've lost 200 health.]

It snatched at the me in that vision, breaking it, as it was currently trying to break my own neck.

"Guh!"my voice came out even more strangled as the Monster strengthened its hold. My arms, legs were flailing; my head already losing conscious. I couldn't move its arms no matter what I did; the difference in our stats were absolute.

I didn't want to die here.

[You've lost 200 health.]

"It... hurts..." I was seeing stars. My oxygen was being cut. My grip on the spear was starting to loosen.

"Ge. Ge. Ge." The Inductee. The Inductee that I was brutalizing before walked up to my almost dead corpse. Its eyes were clear. completely focused, as if nothing could possibly interrupt this moment.

It grabbed its sword with both hands and raised it to its shoulder.

It was getting ready to kill me. I was going to be disgraced by this monster. Killed against my will, dying at the hands of something weaker than me.

[You've lost 200 health.]

My health was blinking Red. Since entering this Oasis, I haven't been able to take a break once, and drink any type of potion. I've been cut, hit, stabbed, crushed, slammed, and almost mutilated by my enemies. And now I was at the event horizon. My end.

...I don't want it to end like this.

I can't let it end like this...

The Inductee swung its blade.

…

[Your Persistence stat has increased by 1.]

I WON'T let it end like this.

Using the last of my strength left in my arms, I once again grasped the 'Spear of the High Warrior' with both hands and thrusted.

Thrusted right into the High Warrior's ribs.

"GRRRRAAAHH!" The monster let out the most hideous, disturbing scream I had ever heard in my life. A scream that allowed my escape. It quickly let loose its hold of me and I wriggled myself free and fell down, right before the Inductee's sword met skin.

The High Warrior's skin.

With the very limited durability, the sword cut through the spear like butter and it disintegrated, meanwhile the blade cut in deep into the High Warrior's chest.

"GUUURAAAAH!!" The High Warrior bellowed again. The eyes of the Inductee looked like they had seen demons; timid and afraid, the monster was shaking.

'Chance!' The word popped up not a moment late, as I immediately wrapped my hands around the sword embedded into the High Warrior.

This was the end-all.

I yanked the weapon out.

"Graakkk!"

The High Warrior stumbled back and fell.

"Gurrk!?" The Inductee snapped out of its scare.

It started to turn around.

"Hyaaa!"

It was too late.

Shiiing!

My sword met the ground. So did the Inductee's head.

...

Everything was quiet. Everything lulled. Just for a moment, Everything was peaceful.

"Gurt."

My nemesis made a noise.

'Shit.' I immediately backed away, stepping over the disappearing body of the Inductee. I scrambled as fast as possible to locate my potions in my inventory. I grabbed both a Beginner Health Potion and an Intermediate Health Potion and doused my mouth with them.

I immediately started recovering. The small cuts as well as the big gashes started to recover.

My psyche, not so much.

The feeling of being grasped around my throat and left helpless, dangling in the air against my will was still fresh in my head. I wanted to curl up and take time to myself. I wanted to sit down and stare, at nothing in particular, and calm myself down.

But I couldn't. I wasn't allowed to, nor given the chance to. In this current world, it seemed nothing ever went through me first. My decision to put myself first wasn't ever considered.

Because I'm not strong enough. Not Important enough.

That's why I'm here though. Why I'm doing these crazy things. To get stronger. To become more important.

[Your health is at 100%.]

I concentrated and looked at what was in front of me. Finally, I only had one enemy to strike down. I was at full health. They were barely at half. I also had a weapon. They did not.

Those were my advantages. For my opponent— the High Warrior— it held the Advantage in almost every other category. Stats, reach, familiarity, and unpredictability.

And it was still holding back its most important strength. I still remember what Godspeed told me about the High Warrior when we first began this demonic 'training' of his. It was why I was still so afraid of them.

…

"Listen Moonshine," he began. "In terms of, well, about everything really, the Hobgoblin High Warrior is better than you."

"Jeez. How supporting," I commented sarcastically.

"But there is something that you have that is a significant advantage over this monster:

Me. Teaching you."

"Of course you would praise yourself," I mumbled.

"Oh, and of course technique. I don't think you can match with most people your level, but against these monsters— you got them down pat. You just need some familiarity, that's all.

But there's something about the High Warrior that can change that notion. The High Warrior holds a skill in reserve that I doubt you've encountered yet— a self buff. If activated at the worst moment possible then, well— just abandon all hopes, my dude."

Godspeed proceeded to elaborate on the skill— the name, the appearance, the activation, the specific multiplier, and the correct scenario for them to use it as well.

""Gurratt. Gurrakk. Grrrtt. Gak. Gutt.""

The skill was named [En Vigor.]

It would appear after a small chant was performed, where they were forced to stand still by mandate.

The High Warrior would then start emitting a black aura as the tattoos on the monster would begin to evaporate, causing the aura around it to look like smog.

""[Ghad.]"

The monster's original stats would rise to 130% of its base.

This was what made the Monster so damn fearsome.