Chapter 2: 10th Challenge
[The 6th Challenge: Kill 100 Iron-claws]
The voice of the system rings out once more.
This is the challenge that the previous Ron had failed to complete. Although at that time he also had martial arts training but he was outnumbered and still failed.
This time though, he has finished the previous challenges with ease and isn't much exhausted by the continuous onslaught of the beasts. He is accustomed to their habits and attack patterns.
Although he still hasn't learned any skills of this game yet, nor is his status panel unlocked, he doesn't need them to perform his martial arts and the skills he has learned while living in the game world for 450 years.
His experience this time will be different as he plans to surpass everyone and change everything.
He focuses his attention on the 100 rats surrounding him. 5 of the rats jump towards him from the right direction, two of which he pierces with his dagger. While with the other hand crushes the other three, with a well placed chop.
The others rats screech loudly and jump at him in droves while some use the grass as cover and try to bite his legs.
Ron's eyes are closed and his well built body moves in a peculiar rhythm, dodging every rat that comes with aggression. His crimson hair sways in the wind, while a calm atmosphere surrounds him. He keeps moving around, dodging each rat and their deadly claws. It's all about his footwork as he swings the dagger every now and then, killing each rat.
Some are crushed by his feet while others that jump to attack are dealt swiftly with his hands and dagger.
Sensing that only some of them are left, Ron opens his eyes and goes on the offensive, charging at them. He pierces one through it's head, the brain matter still attached to the dagger while using his other arm to catch another rat and throwing it at the others.
At the end of the battle, Ron's feet and dagger are almost all covered in blood. There were too many of them but they were the weakest monsters in the game, so he could deal with them easily.
[Challenge 6 Completed.]
[ Reward: Mystery box.]
The rewards would all be given to the players at the end of all the trials. So Ron won't get any of the items as he was still in the trial. Nor did he get any stat points added. They were basically kept as free attribute points till he got his status screen.
Ron could imagine how his stats would be right now though..
[Name: Ron Agnis
STR:6, AGI:6, DEX:6, END:5, VIT:5 ]
A normal human would have all base points for the basic stats set to 5 or lower. Ron had 6 as he had been training and keeping his body in top shape since childhood.
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[Challenge 7: Kill 2 black rats.]
'The black rat, an intermediate grade 1 star beast. It's speed far surpasses that of the iron-claw, with it's bite being it's main weapon. It's size is also twice that of the iron-claw.'
The information appears in Ron's mind as the memories keep getting unlocked.
This time he directly closes his eyes. Utilizing his perception, he senses one rat trying to attack his face, while the other comes from the back of his head with it's mouth wide open.
He crouches down letting them collide with each other. The rats both bite at each other and blood flows from their now broken teeth. Ron hurriedly uses his knife to pierce both of their skulls, not giving them a chance to get back up.
[7th Challenge completed.]
[Reward: Basic skill: danger sense lv1]
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[8th Challenge: Kill 10 black rats.]
'The challenges keep getting harder, no wonder normal humans can't get past the sixth challenge.'
But there's not only humans that will have arrived in the celestial grounds, there are more races with strong innate abilities, that can get past the 10th stage per average.
So Ron is persistent this time to clear the 20th challenge, to surpass not only the humans but also the geniuses of other races.
He keeps thinking about these things, while killing the rats. Their speeds may be annoying but their hides are easier to pierce. And most of them are killed in one hit.
So in the end, all 10 of the rats are killed and the notification arrives.
[8th Challenge: Completed.]
[Reward: Intermediate knife mastery.]
Depending on what weapons one was using, the system determines the reward. For those fighting bare handed the skill awarded would be basic martial arts mastery. Ron using the knife, has been upgrading his mastery crazily. It's mostly due to the trial grounds giving these perks.
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[9th challenge: Kill 20 black rats: Completed. Reward: Dodge lv1.]
The ninth challenge was also completed the same way. It still didn't provide any difficulty.
After the 9th challenge, Ron sits down for a while to meditate as he knows the 10th challenge will be a threshold, difficult to cross.
Although he himself hadn't reached this far previously, but he'd heard about it from others who had.
So he meditates, relaxing both his mind and body. For as long as the 10th challange starts.
The rats bodies keep disappearing and so does the grass and the empty field.
In it's place appears a rocky terrain.
The voice of the system rings out again.
[10th Challenge: Destroy the rock golem.]
Finally hearing a different type of announcement, Ron perks up his ears, but hearing the word rock golem, his expression turns serious and his eyes narrow.
The rock-golem, an advanced grade 1 star beast, has quite a tough hide. Although it has a slow speed, it's defense makes up for that deficiency.
The rock-golem standing twice as tall as Ron, charges at him, which he dodges with ease as it's speed is indeed slow. Although it's attacks might one hit kill Ron, so he has to be careful to not get hit.
Ron rushes to it's back while scraping off a bit of the rock from the center, where the core is supposed to be.
Klaaaang.....
The sound of the dagger hitting the hard rocky surface echoes in the space. Ron continues to evade and chip off small chunks of the rock. But it is gonna be a long process this way.
"Will have to get through it's hide. Let's use that then.", Ron mutters to himself.
Although he can use a concentrated strike, it'll take too much of his stamina. And if the golem isn't killed in one hit it might retaliate.
The rock-golem attracts the rocks in the surroundings and heals the little bit damage done by Ron. The rocks gather again forming an AOE attack, which Ron narrowly avoids bu rolling around.
"Fuck it, I'm going to do it." Seeing the damage being healed so easily, Ron takes a stance.
With one foot ahead of the other, and holding his dagger in a sword drawing stance, he gathers his mental strength, concentration. The tip of the dagger shines and he rushes towards the incoming golem, evading it's right arm, and jumping towards it's chest. The dagger pierces it's chest and creates a huge hole in its torso, destroying the core of the golem. The core now crumbled, can't hold the rocks together and they fall to the ground.
Ron falls to his knees, almost passing out from mental exhaustion. In a normal human body, he has been fighting for so long, it's quite a feat to be able to stand straight already.
"I wonder how that smug bastard was able to pass through to the 17th challenge." He keeps being reminded of the figure of the Hero.
He knows he still can't match him right now, but with this second chance, he'll surely get ahead of him.
"And this challenge would be one of many in which I'll surpass him for sure. The number one human, I'll be sure to pay you back with interest obviously."
[Challenge 10: Completed.]
[Do you wish to continue the challenge?]
"Yes, I'll continue." Ron grits his teeth but still continues even if he dies in the next challenge, so what. He'll atleast try and never say humiliating words like'I quit' a second time. His pride won't allow it.
However a surprise awaits him, as the system continues.
[Bonus stage: Select a reward to continue further challenging.]
A blue window pops up infront of him.
[Weapons
Elixirs
Skills.]
"Hahahahaha, I knew those bastards were hiding some things like these. No wonder they become monsters just after the trial period. They are already a step ahead of everyone." Ron laughs after seeing the blue tab that appears infront of him.
Just now he had been, preparing for a life or death battle but it seems the system wasn't completely heartless. It allowed people a chance to continue from the inhumane tenth level onwards.
It all depended on whether the person chose a suitable reward from this bonus stage.
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[To be continued.]