The Chase Begins

By the time Kyle got access to the Mana Manipulation Skill it was well and truly night-time, and a bleary-eyed Claire started grilling him on what occurred within him to unlock it.

“Honestly, I think it had something to do with my Class, I tried to sense the area around me and that didn’t really work but I felt something weird inside my chest and as I tried to ‘see’ deeper I eventually came across what felt like a chained door within me, all I had to do was unlock it,” Kyle said rubbing his forehead to try to reduce the headache that had long since taken up residence within his skull.

Claire stared at him for a moment, “So, that can’t be right, it sounds like you already gained access to the Skill, but someone sealed it away.”

“How could I have already gained access to the Skill?”

“I dunno, I’ve never heard of something like this before, I don’t think this will help much with my bottleneck either,” she replied managing to look confused and irritated at the same time.

“Well, what if you look at it this way: your Skill won’t grow any further because of the limitations you’ve decided for yourself, that’s what a bottleneck is after all, so what if you try the same technique I did,” Kyle asked.

“I suppose it could work,” she replied the strange expression still twisting her face, “but I’ve never heard of someone trying to force a bottleneck open like that and succeeding.”

She thought about it some more before deciding to give it a go, sighing Kyle thought ‘It’ll be a while before I can unlock it anyway, 20 points is a big investment,’ as he wandered over to the others who instead of a fire were huddled around a small glowing rock, “Hey guys.”

“Got the Skill huh? Not bad, we were just talking about our plans for tomorrow,” said Ulrich with a slightly troubled look on his face.

“I went out scouting while you were trying to unlock the Skill, and I finally found some tracks and other signs that could be the Boss,” said Resald.

“That’s a good thing isn’t it? Why do you sound so troubled? Kyle asked warily, bracing himself for bad news.

“The track I found were huge, and the monsters in that area are all at least 3 levels higher than the ones we fought today, but it gets worse; the tracks led deeper into the woods and they weren’t alone.”

“So other than my usefulness running out, what exactly does that mean?”

“You can still be useful, we can’t let you stand around doing nothing after all, but it means you will have to stay near Resald and Claire and protect them from anything that gets past Ulrich and I,” explained Theodore, who had returned to his usual fuzzy self.

Ulrich nodded at this, “Right, we’ll try to protect you guys as much as possible so we’ll all be breaking out our more powerful Skills, but on the subject of the Boss, it’s travelling in a group that will likely be more powerful than any monster in this Zone but the Boss itself and will fight to protect their master, we call these ‘Minions’ in the guild.”

“We also have no assurance that this is actually the Boss, it could even be another monster come to challenge the Boss of this Zone to usurp its position and grow more powerful,” continued Resald.

“Shit. Well let’s just hope that scenario isn’t the one we’re dealing with, you said tracks, right? What sort of tracks?” asked Kyle as a shiver of dread went down his spine at the idea there could be two extremely powerful monsters running around.

“Looked like a boar’s, a really massive boar’s,” answered Resald who was paying attention to Kyle’s face as he did and nodded at the serious look that appeared on it, realising the young man indeed understood the situation and the felt a wave of confusion as Kyle’s face started to look relieved.

“That’s actually a relief. I think we can rule out it being an intruder.”

“Oh, what makes you think so?” asked Resald.

“Pretty sure it was in the report,” he smirked at the irritated Elf.

“That’s right the first monster you fought! It was a boar as well wasn’t it,” Ulrich said as understanding dawned in his eyes, “that makes it much less likely, but we still can’t rule it out.”

“Maybe not, but that’s still a good sign, right?”

Ulrich nodded at Kyle’s question and got up saying he was going to sit first watch.

“Resald, Claire told me you might be able to tell me something about Unique Skills,” Kyle turned his attention to the elf.

“What do you want to know?”

“I think I kind of get the passive ones, but I still need to know about active ones, how do they end up working?”

“Where creating a Passive Unique Skill is something that you do when you are reaching the point when a Passive Skill is running out of upgrades that interest you and combine with something else, an Active Skill is different, more like an optional extra that you can choose to use,” Resald explained, “We keep both parts and the two powers are combined together each time we use them. It’s not efficient, as they use all the cost of their component parts, but it is powerful.”

“So, they can be used independently, and the combination part is more like a powerup?”

“Right, the component Skills, or Spells also level up independently, but you do get to see the current capabilities and cost of the Unique Skill as an independent skill.”

“Seems like an odd way of doing it, but it also sounds very adaptable.”

“Yes, to both, it is complicated which is why the Unique Skill sheet was added by the System later on.”

“It didn’t exist originally?”

“No, it’s like Companions in that respect, something a User came up with and the System decided to implement.”

“Well I have the next watch so I’d better head to bed for the night,” Kyle said heading towards his sleeping area.

The next morning after the camp had been packed up they moved on, deeper into the Zone.

Kyle stood watching as the two who had supported his efforts to improve yesterday cut a trail of carnage through a group of Horned Wolves, monstrous grey creatures with thick hides that his chains bounced off whenever he took a swing at one that came to close only for Ulrich to cut one nearly in half with a glowing sword or one of Theodore’s paws slamming into it with enough force to turn what it hit into pulp.

“I had no idea they were holding back so much.”

“Of course, they were, it was hard enough for you to keep up with them yesterday,” said Resald who shot an arrow that exploded into a web of vines that covered a wolf that was sneaking up on Ulrich, “the last thing you needed in your first battle with party members was for them to be so far ahead of you that you lose confidence in your own abilities.”

“And yet it’s alright to make me feel that way now?” asked Kyle drily making Claire laugh as she cast a new buff over Theodore before answering him.

“No, it’s not, but does it look like they have a choice in the matter? Those wolves are all Level 9 monsters and neither Teddy or I are over Level 10 and Resald’s an archer type, so he’s not really much use in a melee, no offence.”

“None taken, you’re not wrong… shit another got through, you’re up Kyle. We’ll give you backup, but you have more Agility than Claire and like she said I’m not much use up close.”

Swearing as he watched the hulking wolf lower its head as it charged towards him Kyle ran to his right to draw it away from the rest of the Party before leaping to avoid the jagged piece of bone that passed for the beast’s horn, feeling a searing line carving through his chest as he tumbled over it.

Whirling his chain as he came to his feet he flicked a Lash at one of its back legs in the hope of both grabbing its attention and slowing it down. The attack struck the leg with a dull thudding sound which was quickly followed by a yelp as the leg collapsed under the beast. Thanking his good fortune Kyle pulled out his other chain for extra damage as Resald, having seen an opportunity sent a spinning arrow through the front leg on the same side drawing a keening sound from the beast which was struggling to its feet.

“Thank the System I managed to talk Ulrich into letting me use both of these yesterday afternoon,” Kyle muttered to himself as he drew closer sending both chains whirling towards the wolf’s head as he closed in.

The wounded monster snapped the arrow in its leg as it limped in Kyle’s direction blood running from a hole where one of its teeth should have been. Snarling the creature tried to rip Kyle open with its horn but its leg slowed it down too much and Kyle managed to step to the side and wrap one of his chains around its neck before slamming his fist, around which the other chain had been coiled into the side of its head, making Claire and Resald cringe as not the creatures skull, but Kyles hand came out the worst of the two.

Claire quickly cast a healing spell on Kyles hand as he flinched back but he didn’t let go of the chain around the wolves neck and with Lash coming off of cooldown quickly used it as the bones in his hand popped back into place, drawing a low whining sound from the now severely injured wolf which Resald then finished off with an arrow through the eye before turning back and continuing to provide support to the two front-line fighters who were finishing off the other member of the pack.

Panting Kyle slumped to the ground as Fi who was flying overhead came down and landed next to him. “Well at least Thick Skin’s going to level up quickly,” Kyle joked looking down at her as he cradled his still tender hand.

“Yes, I suppose that’s one way to look at it,” she said rolling her eyes at her partner.

“It’s a good thing you levelled up your Medium Armor for the first time earlier as well, that scratch across your chest would have been worse if you hadn’t.” Kyle had indeed levelled up the Skill which had given him the same boost to defence from medium armour that his other armour skill had to light.

“Yeah really need to get Dodge as well,” Kyle admitted as he looked down at his poor coat which was once again looking somewhat worse for wear.

He slowly got to his feet as the last of the wolves fell and the Party started to skin and butcher them, “I’ll keep an eye on the perimeter, he called and receiving a nod from the busy Ulrich he went and did so.

A few minutes later with the area looking much worse for wear after the commotion they noticed some more tracks which Resald identified as the same ones he had seen yesterday.

“So, we’re on the trail then,” said Ulrich looking satisfied with the results of the last battle, Kyle suspected he had levelled up one of his Skills but decided not to ask as Resald’s face looked grim.

“Yes, but I think those wolves were as well which doesn’t bode well no matter how I look at it.”

The satisfied look fled from Ulrich’s face as he asked, “What do you mean?”

“I mean, the Boss either had control over those monsters and knows we’re after it somehow, or they were following it for their own reasons, it’s hard to say which would be worse.”

The others swore, even Claire which drew a surprised look from Fi who was once again being petted and they decided to hurry in the direction the tracks were headed but to be much more cautious from here on out.

As they continued everyone was surprised when Fi gasped in shock a few minutes later.

“Huh!?”

“”SHHH.””

Everyone turned to look at her questioningly and the now thoroughly embarrassed Fi started to tell them what was wrong in a low voice as she looked around.

“Kyle just unlocked the Sneak Skill.”

“So?” whispered Kyle.

“So, that means you’re succeeding in hiding from something,” replied Resald who immediately started scanning his surroundings.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t find anything in the undergrowth and they slowly moved on as the monster they were tracking was still moving and they didn’t have time to stop.

*snap*

The whole party looked up as a twig came tumbling down from above them.

“Well that’s not good,” groaned Resald as he still couldn’t see anything, but they couldn’t afford to get ambushed so grumbling, he started climbing a nearby tree causing a rustling sound to come from above as a massive snake fell from the tree to land on him.

Hitting the ground with a thud the two immediately started wrestling as Resald struggled to escape the powerful coils.

“Shit! Someone Identify it!” cried Ulrich as he closed in.

Armoured Constrictor

Level 10

HP: ???

This large snake crushes its victims in coils coated with the thick scales that give it its name before swallowing it whole. Able to use its long body like a whip to fend off another enemy one should be thankful this breed isn’t venomous as well.

“It’s not venomous but be careful of the tail!” shouted Claire moments before a brutal blow struck Ulrich’s shield sending him sprawling with his arm bending in a direction it wasn’t supposed to.

Roaring as he shifted to his Battle Form Theodore put his body in between the massive serpent and the fallen Tank as the tail whipped round again.

Refusing to stand by and watch his friends be injured Kyle, not trusting his ability to hit the beast without hitting Resald as well tried to get his chain into the monster’s mouth to prevent it from biting down on the weakly struggling elf who was by now starting to turn blue.

After casting one of her more powerful heals on Ulrich Claire started bombarding the creature with bolts of blue energy casting a few heals on the rapidly worsening Resald.

Kyle finally managed to get his chain looped through the beast’s mouth as it reared back from a particularly painful attack from the diminutive woman who was shrieking out Resald’s name as she continued her assault. Hauling back on the chain Kyle tried to keep a hold of the creature as it started writhing but it was far stronger than he was, and he was sent flying forwards as it struck out at Claire, causing Theodore to roar in rage once again and barrel into the larger snake.

Swearing a still dizzy Ulrich scrambled to his feet as Kyle tumbled head over heels. Using the same Skill that had ended their sparring match two days ago he struck out at the snake’s head causing a gash to appear in the scales near its neck as it dodged at the last second. This had an unexpected benefit as the monster loosened the coils that had previously been encasing Resald, moving as fast as he was able Kyle staggered over and grabbed the man’s arm to attempt to pull him out, catching a glancing blow from the snake’s tail as he did so. Swearing once again Kyle strengthened his grip as best he could with one hand, as the blow had dislocated an arm. Pulling as hard as he could he slowly pulled a groaning Resald out form the coils as Ulrich continued his assault as Theodore stood watch over an injured Claire who was trying to heal everyone at once.

Once the elf was free Kyle pulled him slowly around the tree it had fallen from trying to get behind Theodore and Claire so that she could start treatment. This job done he started flinging his chains at the monster from behind Ulrich who was still trying to behead the snake which had blood running from multiple gashes down its neck.

Managing to hit it on its sensitive nose with a Lash, Kyle watched as Ulrich followed up with a powerful attack which finally finished the beast causing its massive body to thrash in its final throes.

“That was way too close,” said Ulrich, “well done everyone you reacted well given the circumstances, its too bad Kyle’s not a higher level though, you could have gotten Resald out faster, good job with that by the way.”

Claire glared daggers at Ulrich as she attempted to revive the still comatose Resald, “Pretty sure you didn’t need to mention his level, but I’m glad that everyone’s relatively safe.”

“Sorry, sorry.”

By the time everyone had been healed by the diligent young woman they had already stripped the snake of as much as they could carry so they decided to move on, but much more cautiously this time.

“I hear something up ahead,” said Fi finally as she had been performing reconnaissance in place of the slightly shell-shocked Resald, “I think it’s what’s making the tracks we’re following.”

“Well let’s pick up the pace a little, we’ve taken too long as it is, every moment the Zone is active is another moment that someone could be killed in it, including us,” decided Ulrich who as he stated started moving faster towards the direction Fi had come from, eventually the others could hear the squealing sound of a group of pigs and slowed again intent on sneaking up on them if possible.

Spotting a break in the trees they formed up behind several and upon peaking around the trunk of his Resald said something that the others could only agree with.

“Now that’s a big pig.”