Chapter 11: Combat Standard!!
Chapter 11: Combat Standard and Trial!!!
I wore the ring on my right hand and headed to the trial location. I reached there after a while. It was yet another dungeon. But this time, it was not red dungeon. It was an orange dungeon. I didn't now that the trial would be here.
<
The orange dungeon wasn't in orange color. Only its huge entry door was in orange color. Aside from the door, everything looked exactly like pyramids but much bigger and much intimidating. The air around the dungeon was very chilly with murderous aura lingering on the air.
"So, now that I am here, what should I do? I can't just enter this dungeon huh?", I enquired.
"Of course, you can't. Place your hands on the palm scanner and it will send you to the trial location after scanning your data.", It replied.
"Also, before you begin your trial, you need to know something.", it added when it saw that I saw ready to begin the trial.
"What is it? Shoot it faster", I was eager to try the trial and check the effects of Aerin's ring.
"So, the trial is supposed to be for your own good as it will help you in improving your combat standards. But everything you learn or how much can you improve depends upon yourself. I would also like to say that you aren't the only one to have an A.I system. There are many of them and they all have access to the trials. So, learn and improve as much as you can." It spoke.
I nodded and didn't think much about it. I knew that there must be something behind it but I ignored it as mulling over it wouldn't change my situation at all. I just focused on my situation right now.
Ting
<
These are the states of one's mind as their combat standard progresses.
1. Heightened Sense
All your sense will be heightened to help you fare better in combat. Higher your battle experience, stronger will be the heightened sense.
2. Tranquility
After heightened sense comes tranquility. It being the state of calm and remain tranquil to everything happening around you.
3. Mushin State
State to act and react intuitively without any hesitation or active thought.
4. Zen State
Mind without mind. It is the state of "no-mindness". One's mind isn't occupied by any thought, emotion or senses. Being open to everything, it acts naturally.
5. Pseudo-domain
Mastering everything within oneself, one can achieve pseudo-domain. Within a certain range, one begins to achieve absolute control.
6. Domain Realm
One achieves true absolute control over a certain range.
7. Truth Realm
8.
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Whoa… I was excited upon seeing the combat standards. This meant that levels weren't the only way to make one stronger. One can also become stronger through oneself. I was glad that I unlocked Heightened sense by myself without the help of the trial. I could aim for Tranquility in the trial. Or if I turned out to be a combat maniac, I might reach domain state too. Ha-ha… I knew that it was only my idiotic thought. But well optimism is better I thought and put my palm on the scanner to finally begin my trial.
…Scanning…
<1st Trial activating>
…3…
…2…
…1…
With all these messages, finally my screen and surrounding turned dark and I could feel myself passing through some space or whatever and after a while, it stopped and I found myself in a completely different environment.
I knew that I was inside the pyramid. I didn't imagine that it would be so much bigger inside it and I knew that the hall I was in was one of the many halls inside the pyramid.
The hall was almost the size of a football ground. The hall was spacious. I was at the center of the hall and I looked around me only to find nothing at all. I was just about to ask system about it when I heard an announcement.
<1st stage beginning>
Soon an altar appeared before me and a monster I had never seen or heard about appeared from the altar.
Level 15
HP:10,000/10,000
MP:5,000/5,000
It was the first time I was seeing a Lord level monster. I knew that higher the rank, it will be more intelligent, fiercer and stronger. But I was confident with the Aerin's ring. It boosted my basic attributes by 50% and with all the extra additions from other equipment and weapons, so, now I had
1. 16 Strength (8 base+ 4 bonus from Aerin's ring + 4 from The Stake)
2. 37 Agility (26 base+ 13 bonus from Aerin's ring -2 from Chilly armor)
3. 6 Vitality (4 base and 2 from Aerin's ring)
4. 12 Intelligence (8 +4)
5. 3 Endurance (2+1)
6. 1130 HP (1000 base + 60 from vitality +70 from equipment)
7. 180 MP (MP=15* Intelligence)
And my attack power and defenses both also had increased by a lot. So, I was confident that I could deal with it easily.
I dashed towards it with my 37 agility and when I was near it, I unequipped my Stake and equipped the bow and fired it. We were so close that it had no chance to dodge or defend the arrows.
That was what I was thinking but it blocked one and only two arrows hit. I was shocked that it was able to block one from so close despite me catching it by surprise. But still the damage dealt was satisfactory.
-100
-100
Azog was annoyed when it was hit by the arrows. It was a demon lord and it had already reached tranquility. That must be why it was able to dodge the arrows. I then didn't give it any moment to rest as I saw that it was already restring its HP.
I was looking at it and I soon discovered that it could restore 1% of its HP every 2 seconds. I needed to deal more than 50 damage every second only to keep up with its restoring ability. But I wasn't intimidated one bit as I could deal much more damage to it now.
I neared it and threw a powerful Triple cut. It dodged the cut. I was surprised but I remained calm and followed up with slashes and chops.
-100
-100
I connected two hits as it dodged the others. Despite my high agility, it was able to dodge some of my attacks because of its high combat standard. But it wasn't able to counter as my attacks were continuous and non-stop.
It restored its 50HP every second while I dealt more than 100 damage every second with slashes, triple cuts or fireballs or the bow.
Though I was overwhelming it one-sidedly, it still took me about 3 minutes to kill it.
<10 TP obtained>
<1st stage cleared>
<2nd stage beginning>
I was wondering how the 2nd stage would be when the hall started shaking. A large circular space of 2m radius appeared out of nowhere 50m in front of me. I could see nothing but darkness inside the space crack.
Ting
I didn't know what awaited me at the other end. But I knew that I was excited. Fighting monsters was starting to excite me more and more. Though I only started fighting them just yesterday. I calmed myself and my emotions and entered the void to begin the 2nd stage.
Ting
…TO BE CONTINUED…
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