NOVEL NEXT Chapter 569: Buff
From the shadows, Mia reappeared, twin daggers flashing under the moonlight, moving fast.
'Another one? How could I miss her?'
Before Alex could react, she was already on him. The first blade slashed across his ribs.
[You take 100 Damage]
[HP: 250 / 1150]
He grunted and swung wide, Cleave, but she backflipped out of range, landing beside Tovik.
"Persistent," Alex muttered. But he didn't have time to press, the moment his eyes shifted back, the Medic was already moving.
Heal!
Soft golden light flowed from his hands to the Knight. Tovik's wounds began to close, bones audibly cracking back into place.
[+320 HP]
[Tovik – HP: 540 / 1000]
"Should've known you'd betray me," Alex growled.
Now it was three. He spun his mace once in hand and slid one foot back, entering a ready stance.
Mia vanished into stealth again, circling. Tovik recovered his shield and rose slowly, blood wiped from his chin. The Medic retreated to the rear, already preparing another spell.
'Alright then… let's make this fun.'
Alex exhaled once, eyes sharpening.
In that moment, he remembered one of his favorite game in the past. It was like he was back in a VRMO arena. Arena 6, third tier, nighttime setting.
Two-on-ones were common, Scout plus Tank combos were a favorite of mid-rank grinders. And Alex had always loved grinding them into the dirt. Watch their pattern. Count the cooldowns. Predict, than counter them.
Tovik charged in again, sword raised. Alex didn't block, he sidestepped the first slash, letting it cut through the air beside him.
The instant Tovik turned to adjust his stance, Alex struck low with the butt of his mace.
BAM!
[110 Damage]
[Tovik – HP: 430 / 1000]
A blur on his left.
Scout Skill: Flickering Step
She struck from behind, Alex twisted with her motion, catching her arm with his gauntlet and dragging her forward with her own momentum.
"Got you," he whispered.
BOOM!
Seismic Blast
The shockwave exploded beneath them both. Mia was thrown back, cloak torn and ribs cracked.
[260 Damage]
[Scout – HP: 140 / 400]
[Status: Dazed – 2.5s]
Tovik came again, shield raised to guard his approach.
Alex feinted a high strike, baiting the block, then redirected, slamming his mace into the side of the Knight's leg.
CRACK!
[240 Damage]
[Tovik – HP: 190 / 1000]
'Cooldown on Shield Burst is 6 seconds. He's got 2 left. Medic's glow spell still cooking, likely 10-second delay minimum. Scout's recovery frame is tight. Good.'
Alex smiled. The pattern was clean now, tells in their footwork, even the subtle way Tovik gritted his teeth before each charge.
All of it painted a picture. And he was reading it like a veteran speedrunner tearing through a familiar dungeon.
Then they move again.
Tovik slammed his shield into the ground, Taunt Pulse.
A wave of pressure radiated outward, locking Alex's aggro onto him.
[Status: Forced Target Lock – 3.0s]
Before Alex could move, Mia, recovered faster than expected. She dashed in from behind, already gritting her teeth through the pain, blades glinting with the faint shimmer of Poison Touch.
SLASH!
[You take 95 Damage – Poison Applied (15/sec, 5 sec)]
[HP: 240 / 1150]
[Status: Target Lock, Poisoned]
Tovik didn't miss the opening. He surged forward, shield low, sword rising.
Shield Burst – Ready
BAM!
The hit connected, sending Alex tumbling through the dirt.
[You take 210 Damage]
[HP: 175 / 1150]
The poison ticked,
[15 Damage]
[HP: 160 / 1150]
"Push him now!" the Medic barked from the backline, already channeling healing skill, one with minor regen over time.
Tovik moved in, each strike timed with Mia's harassing flanks. Alex had no time to reset his stance. The shield came again.
Alex suddenly planted his foot, deliberately taking the shield hit on his reinforced left bracer.
CLANG!
[You take 80 Damage]
[HP: 80 / 1150]
But the bracer held. Tovik reeled half a step. Just enough.
Alex activated shifting his body in mid-stagger. His arm wound back, Crushing Blow.
CRACK!
The mace slammed into Tovik's ribs so hard his armor folded inward.
[310 Damage]
[Tovik – HP: 0 / 1000]
[Knight Defeated]
But it wasn't over. Mia leapt forward, "Dammit, Die you Evermore Dog!"
Blades spinning into a dual cross-cut strike. Alex didn't dodge. He dropped to one knee and slammed his mace into the ground.
Seismic Blast.
BOOM!
The quake exploded beneath Mia's feet, launching her into the air like a ragdoll.
[280 Damage]
[Mia – HP: 10 / 400]
She hit the ground hard, body twisting midair before slamming into a patch of broken stone.
Alex began to rise, ready to end it.
But the Medic wasn't done.
"Velocity Surge!" he shouted, pushing both palms forward.
A silver streak of energy zipped from his hands and slammed into Mia.
[Skill Activated – Velocity Surge: +80% AGI for 8 seconds]
Mia's eyes snapped open, and her body jerked upright with unnatural speed. She moved, and vanished.
SWHOOSH!
A blur tore across the battlefield. Alex barely had time to track it. She was behind him, then to his left, then in front, her blades attacking nonstop like a whirlwind.
CLANG! SLASH! CLANG!
[You take 80 Damage]
[You take 95 Damage – Critical Hit!]
[You take 110 Damage]
[HP: 80 → 0 / 1150]
[You're Dead!]
Alex staggered, blood spilling from half a dozen cuts. She wasn't just fast, she was inhumanly fast.
Even his trained instincts struggled to predict her next strike. Alex grin than activated his cheat. His body begin to distort.
[Error! $%#@! %@^#@$]
The air around him shimmered subtly, and for a split-second, everything slowed. Not in reality, but in his perception.
Mia's next slash came in a horizontal arc, Alex leaned under it, then slammed his elbow into her gut.
She coughed, momentarily stunned.
Alex's hand shot up, gripping her wrist mid-strike.
BANG!
His mace struck her ribs like a thunderbolt, shattering bone and sending her flying across the field.
[190 Damage]
[Mia – HP: 0/ 400]
The distortion stopped. Her body collapsed in a heap.
Alex exhaled, chest heaving. The field shimmered, perception returning to normal.
The Medic froze mid-step, eyes wide in disbelief.
"W… What are you…"
Alex looked at him, bloodied but still standing.
"Seem you are really lucky today," he muttered, lifting his mace again. Than turn his gaze to other side. "Aria you're here aren't you?"