A Drag......on

We walked through the forest of metal. The stars shining onto the metal and bouncing around the silver jungle. Each beam is like a thread or vine connecting the trees in a spectral web. I pushed on ahead of them, my dagger gripped firmly in my hand. The leather pressing into my hand. The steel hilt touching my finger, the cool metal making my hairs stand on end.

I walked into a clearing, my feet brushing through the due kissed grass.

Before me was a monster, 'The' monster. It had huge clawed feet, the talons stretching into the ground like spikes. Black fur covered her body like the night, each clump of hair like a thorn and the dotted dark blue bolts of lightning the rose. The beast's back was gently arched as it went from the long ink black tail to the monstrous headhead. The ghastly head staring at the damp ground, saliva dripping onto the floor from its huge teeth that curved out of its mouth. In its eyes was a storm the white of the eye plagued with clouds and thunder coursing through its irises.

I walked forward. This is what I need, to grow stronger I need to fight strong monsters and steal their skills. I'm pathetic after all.

I can't kill it right away, not that I could. I need to let it exhaust all its skills and then I can kill it. I wish I still had that defensive skill but my strategy will have to work.

I opened my palm and 2summonjed a fireball, the red orb fairing at the beast as I chased after running into the center of the clearing. The attack slammed into the monster's hide, evaporating on impact. It screeched and the sky started to darken thunderclaps sounding through the crater and echoing through the area. Please let this work. I unraveled part of the leather exposing the metal handle and threw the knife onto the ground, the steel digging into the dirt. And I then jumped into the air, my body flailing into the air, kicking out to stabilize myself. Then a streak of heat passed by my cheek burning the skin but passing me and slamming into the dagger. The monster bolted for the forest, her legs thrashing against the dirt to move.

"Oh no you don't!"

'Unique skill 'copy' activated - 'Thunderclap' sub skill paste x5'

Five thunderbolts slammed into the ground before her, raining fire and electricity into the dirt. She rolled and kicked to stop herself scrambling and running from me. I finally fell to the floor picking up my knife, the loosely wrapped leather curling around my arm.I ran across the ground, my arms lagging behind me as I sprinted towards the cornered animal. She stared at me, lightning bouncing off her fur, small currents forming between her and the ground. Then in an instant she was gone, suddenly a bolt of lightning was traveling towards me. I threw my dagger and the lightning followed, turning into the beast and smashing the knife into the ground, the small blade bouncing and clattering in the grass about twenty meters away. The monster then turned to me, its mouth dripping with saliva.

Then as it lowered its head its muscles tightened veins bulging in her muscled legs. It readied to pounce the monster's claws wrapping around my head. Then the monster flew to the right smashing into the ground.

"Finish this Assassin"

"stop messing around!"

"No, it might have more skills."

"If it did, it would've used them to finish this."

Fine! I'll do it, I already got some pretty overpowered skills so I'm happy.

I clapped my hands together the entire world black except for the blue target, the one point I can see.

'Unique skill 'copy' activated - 'Thunderclap' sub skill paste x5'

Extending my hands and dragging them down like a conductor at the climax of a symphony, the music swelling until finally.

'Crash!!'

The lightning bolts pillared into the monster's heart with pinpoint precision burning through the flesh and singing the fur.

'Critical hit -999'

'You killed the Nhyrfo

You leveled up three times.'

Damn only level twenty eight! I still have eight slots left, the Nhyrfo had less abilities than I thought but I got some powerful skills, still nothing defensive though. The closest thing I have is 'vicious counter' but I need two weapons for that.

_________________________________________________________________________

Username: ItsAssassin

Race: Shadowrath

Class: Knife

Level: 28

Vitality: 30

Wisdom: 17

Strength: 11

Speed: 40

Title: none

Unique skill: Copy

Special skills: Eye of death

Inventory: Amature Assassin's Blade

_________________________________________________________________________

"Phew, we're finally done. E why didn't you kill that thing immediately."

"I can't tell you you'll sell the info"

"What's so bad about your ability getting out?"

"I don't know."

"So tell me man!"

"Fine fine, my ability to to copy skills and techniques of humans and monsters once I see it i can steal it and use it for myself"

"Oh I see now… you steal mine?"

"Nah..."

"Why not?"

"Well for one I didn't want you to see me using your ability because i didnt want you to call me a hacker. And also I didn't want to annoy you by stealing it and then using my higherlevel to use it better."

"Fair, that why you don't have hers?"

"Yeah..."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner? It's a pretty cool power but you're using it wrong."

"I am?"

"yeah you need to go to the most dangerous place and steal like level 100 skills."

"Hahahahaha, that wouldn't work. I would only get skills comparable to my level so they'd be weaker."

"Awww man, but see, it's not overpowered, it has flaws like all of us."

"Thanks Banana."

"Call me Bana now. That's what my real name is but I don't mind if you know it."

"Thanks mine's charlie but you can stick with E if you want."

"So that's where lee comes from. I always wondered, anyway I gotta go now later guys and don't get too powerful without me ok."

Bana waved and smiled, turning his head and logging out. But for a second there I could've sworn I saw his face turn sower, his eyes going blank and his face dropping from a kind hearted smile to a look of contempt.

Does he hate me?

Is it jealousy? Or is it genuine hatred? Am I just seeing things? Am I dissatisfied with his response? It was less than I expected. He should've blown up, right? That's how the old banana would've reacted.

"So then… what now?" Psye was staring at me, her cute face looking at my scarred one. Sometimes I forget just how lucky I am to even be on the same server as her. Why does she hang out with me? Is it because she doesn't know anyone else? When school starts again will she leave me too?

"Helloooo anyone home?"

"Yeah, sorry I just spaced out."

"Geee, am I that boring???"

"No, I'm just thinking."

"So I had a guy come into the store today, he said he was from our school, so I mentioned you, turns out he was there to meet you, something about guilt and checking up on you and holiday work."

"That'll be Dan, he's an um old friend."

"I sense history but I'll pry it from you another time, hey only five more days till school huh? You excited?"

"Yeah I can't contain my joy."

"You think you'll lose your position as top player?"

"Not if I can secure this position."

"Well I may or may not have a plan. If you want we can go to the capital when I reach level twenty, I'll apply for a position, get in and take you along on all my quests as a servant of sorts."

"Hah hah"

"I'm serious, if you fetch me drinks I'll happily give you high level quests so you don't have to scrounge on this stuff."

"Uh thanks."

"No problem you can owe me one and I'll get you to pay me back when I'm in a pinch or just kinda hungry."'

"Being indebted to you sounds scary"

"Really you wouldn't want to serve a cute girl like me????"

"No, just shut up and let's go to the south!"

"Hahahaha you went beet red!"

"Shut up!!"

We ran towards the south of the lake for maybe ten minutes in complete silence. We ran through the forest, the trees rushing past us, the leaves crumpling underfoot. Until we burst out of the woods. Before me was a huge plane. The wind sweeps over the calm, long, green grass. The blue sky perfectly melding with the fruitful green. In the distance were forests of stumps and the woodland completely destroyed. The clouds in the air were only wisps, small smears of white on the giant blue canvas the distance patched with decimated trees and rivers of flowing green. There was no sight of the monster. Was it just a natural phenomenon? Was this a dud? No!!! It's a game, I'm giving the developers too much credit, they can't make a.i capable of gossiping and exaggeration. Can they?

We walked into the fields, the grass lapping at our legs like animals.

Then over the gentle hills I heard it… The roar of a dragon, the terrifying and murderous scream of that beast. This can't be!! How is there a dragon so close to the starting village?!?!?!?!

This isn't fair!

I can't die, I can't go back eight levels!

I can't stand up to that right?

Then the wind started to pick up pushing us both backwards. The colossal strength overwhelmed me, my legs sliding from the pressure.

Then over the hills came a pure white dragon, the ghostly appearance mimicking a cloud in the sky, its jagged scales reflecting the light of the moon.

Then flapping its wings it let out a small burst of wind that wrapped into a single slicing shape. The wind blade rushed towards me, the air swirling and spinning.

Sticking out my hand a lightning bolt smashed into the ground, the soil and grass erupting with flames and the brown soil flying into the air. The arrow of thunder heated the air and made the blade of wind rise high into the air above me.

Then wasting no time I charged forward my legs leaving the ground.I stuck my finger out making the gun and summoned four fireballs. Then flicking my finger into the air to mimic a gun firing I launched the orbs of fire and heat at the wind dragon. The flames hit the dragon exploding on its pale skin.

'-50'

I charged forward electricity surging around my feet and arms as I was carried through the air, my body disappearing into a bolt of blue plasma.

My head rushed as I accelerated forward, my body weightless in comparison to my heavy human form. As I slowed my body returned to normal. I dived forward shooting webs from my hand and pulling myself to the side of the dragon. Using my arms to drag myself through the air. The dragon grabbed my string flinging me up into the air, the huge wings flapping beneath me as I soared through the air. I flailed and struggled like a confused newborn trying to stabilize my body. I let out a cry of excitement as I flew through the sky. My back facing the moon and staring down at the shrinking fields. Below me was the dragon, its large body being propelled upwards. The monstrous beast opened its jaw, huge polished fangs opening exposing themselves to my helpless body. Roaring as it pursued me through the air the dragon chased me, its gargantuan wings flapping to thrust itself forward.

Ahahhahahahahahahaha this game is seriously too much fun!!!!!!!

I clapped my hands and suddenly a cracking and loud booming sound came from behind me.

'Unique skill 'copy' activated - 'Thunderclap'

A pillar of light erupted from behind me smashing down towards the dragon's monstrous face. But at the last minute it thrust itself away spinning and to correct its form and then chasing me again. Its huge mouth opened a wind pressure building in its throat. And then it fired shooting towards me a bullet of wind shattering the sky as it pelted towards me.

I focused my mana pouring all of it into my palm and burning the heat out of my lamp, the flames pushing through the massive bullet of wind.then falling down towards the dragon my body falling directly into its mouth.

"This is game over."

I saw in the corner of my eye a single white shining light. My hand stretched out to grab the small arrow whistling towards me. My entire body was practically inside the dragon's mouth, all that was in front of me was the darkness of his insides. Then it slammed the huge mouth closed and chomped down.

"For you!!!!!!!"

I pulled my hands inwards and pushed them back out, cutting through the monster's mouth and slicing through the scales.

'Unique skill 'copy' activated - 'vicious counter'

I drove through the dragon cutting it in half, my body breaking through its body. Thunderbolts cut through behind me, slicing the flesh and striking the monster's body.

It's over…. Holy shit did I just kill a dragon?

'You killed 'Sky Dragon level 3'

You leveled up seven times'

O fell down to the ground, my body aching.

"What the hell?"

"I'm sorry… uegh" I coughed blood falling from my mouth, I guess this is the consequence of overdoing it like that. "Who is serving who?"

"After that I think I pledge my heart and soul to you my liege."

"As you should that was freaking awesome blueghk" blood was now rolling down my mouth.

"You alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine, I just overextended my mana a bit. But it's good you pledge your soul to me cuz I need a decent vice captain."

"Wow me? Really I'm sure there are better people."

"Maybe as gamers but with me we'll never be short of firepower. I need you to help with stuff like quests and events that no one could match you at… but i'm not making a guild for a while just thinking ahead right now."

"Speaking of that, I got that fight on video. Can I post it on the forum?"

"Yeah sure. Thanks for playing with me today. I had fun, I'll see you tomorrow sometime."

I logged off my soul returning to my weak body, the moon still shining through the window.

_________________________________________________________________________

Username: ItsAssassin

Race: Shadowrath

Class: Knife

Level: 35

Vitality: 35

Wisdom: 17

Strength: 13

Speed: 50

Title: none

Unique skill: Copy

Special skills: Eye of death

Inventory: Amature Assassin's Blade

_________________________________________________________________________

Clicking onto the forum I saw the video chuckling to myself at what I look like.

'Holy shit is that real?'

'Did he just kill a dragon on the third day????'

'What is this guy?'

'What is his US???? I gotta know!'

'ItsAssassin: if you can find me in-game and beat me in a duel I'll tell you.'

'Woah is that him?'

'Hey assassin, how old are you? And um are you single?'

'Assassin be friends with meeee?'

'Teach me to be good like you man!'

'Assassin what's your starting village?'

'How do you become good like you?'

I turned off the PC and curled into my bed facing the wall and turning my head from the window... What will I do tomorrow?