National Heroes

My chest is burning, my throat feels like it's made of lava. Every muscle in my body is spent. I barely have enough energy to move any more.

I'm standing on the corpse of a Minotaur, blood is flowing down my clothes steadily, the liquid meandering down my limbs and dripping onto the chest of the half boar half man.

I'm exhausted, but I finally did it.

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Username: ItsAssassin

Race: Shadowrath

Class: Knife

Level: 60

Vitality: 50

Wisdom: 70

Strength: 33

Speed: 80

Title: none

Unique skill: Copy

Special skills: Eye of death

Inventory: Amature Assassin's Blade, Amature Assassin Hood.

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I made it! It took me three days of grinding and taking quests from every city in this country, but I finally did it. The way you level up is strange in this game. Your level goes up in accordance to the amount of monsters you kill, but your individual stats are a different matter. They go up in accordance to how much you use them. For instance if you take a lot of damage your vitality will increase every time you level up, but if you use speed and magic like me that will increase much further ahead strength and vitality. It's interesting and lets me upgrade the fighting style I use, instead of having useless things like strength.

Even though I got battered in this fight, I doubt my vitality will increase by too much. Damn if I lost this much blood IRL I'd die for sure, this game really is wonderful.

I walked into town approaching the gate.

"What city are you allied to?"

"None"

"Then you want to try out for this city?"

"I want to aim a little higher, because you're looking at your next national hero."

"Aah Dragon Prince, protect my will. Thirty people have already tried out, and none of their matches have lasted more than twenty seconds. Are you still sure you want to try out?"

"Yup"

"Alright, this way, um…?"

"Assassin."

"Oh my draconic lord, give me strength"

I was walking through the city, trailing after the hulking man.

People crowded around, staring at me.

"Isn't that assassin?"

"What's he doing here?"

"Did you guys see the video of him fighting a dragon??"

"Wait, is he not allied to a city yet?"

"Is he choosing this one?"

"Is there anything higher than a city representative?"

"Yeah, aren't all the slots here filled?"

Then I was taken through the city, past the gathering crowds and up into the palace. The cobbled streets and shops morphing into gardens and smoothed floors, the elegant scenery, was shocking and bizarre. The palace was huge with four spires all stemming from a large manor with golden detailing on the windows and doorways, the house itself was made from a regal beige stone that looked like it was cleaned every day. The entire house screamed money. Then out of the first door a huge man with a great sword and great shield over his shoulder walked out, by his side was a tall man he had a grin across his face and a crown on his head. To the side of the man was a beautiful lady with long light-brown hair and a kind smile. And on the shoulders was a small boy. He had blue eyes that pierced the long distance, he was also wearing shorts and a small suit.

"So you're the new challenger?you're all skin and bones? How could you stand up to me?"

"Maybe I can, maybe I can't, but I just finished off a strength only monster today, so I think I have some experience."

"Ooh, pray tell, what monster was this?"

"A Minotaur"

"Well, well it seems you have shown up, the one they spoke of must be you!" a huge smile crossed his face as he set the child down, "everyone I fought when asked are you the strongest said no… they all said an assassin was the strongest and I have been so looking forward to your arrival, I thought you had allied with another country but no you have finally come, and now I can't even wait for the arena! Let's go right here and now!!!!"

"You would fight with a child so close? Maybe you are undeserving of the title hero. But do not fear, I shall take it soon!"

"Oh right, I forget myself. I am sorry, let us go to the arena, so that way everyone can watch this glorious battle, but first I must ask your name, young one."

"Assassin" the man burst into laughter, the smile never wavering.

We walked to the arena, and it was swarming with people. The chants spread through the huge coliseum, with players shouting my name from the stands. I stepped into the arena, my hands in my pockets as I stared into the giant's face. He had a huge shield in his left arm that was covered in strange metals and in the center there was a light blue gem, then in his right hand he had a sword again massive that no normal person would be able to move with two hands let alone one! His body was covered in a thick steel armor. I recognize the style. It's based on ancient roman armor which had segments that could fold, maximizing flexibility whilst also keeping the strength of a suit of armor. It's all good having speed, but if I can't pierce his armor, what can I do?

"Let's get started!"

Fine, my only option is to annihilate him with magic first, then stab through the cracks in his armor.

I flicked my hands out, thunder cracking in the air.

Then as I dragged them down three streams of lightning smashed into the man, he swung his shield upwards the gem creating a dome. The lightning smashed into the barrier and bounced off, smashing into the ground. I then fired three fireballs and dashed after them, the ground cracking underneath me. He blocked the fire but lost his footing as the ground disappeared, I jumped forward, not hesitating to slice down my dagger aiming for his face. Quickly recovering, the man swung out his sword, the great blade slamming into my knife and pushing me backwards, my body rolling and flipping over in the dirt, each landing filling me with pain. I stopped when I hit the wall, my body crashing into the stone. I had no time to recover, as soon as I stopped moving he was on me, his sword raised over his head. Managing to push myself away, I turned into a bolt of lightning jumping away. His sword smashed into the wall, crushing the stone underneath, pulverizing the wall.

The stadium was in silence now, this was a clash between titans that no player could even imagine surviving. Me included. His strength is nothing short of godly, but his speed is phenomenal too. How can this be possible? This guy is the worst match for me if it is. If I can't steal his skills, then I don't stand a chance. It's like everything he does is from pure, raw strength. But even so… I need to fight. And I will win.

I ran forward, dashing straight for the bulking man, his muscles even visible under the steel. I dodged under the arcing swing, spreading my arms out wide, small white threads spreading from my fingers. Wrapping my arms around the man's torso, I attached a small threads to his back.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?" I jumped over his head running round the arena, my legs sprinting from every corner of the stage.

"Why, it's time for my performance to begin!"

The man dashed forward but couldn't move.

"What the hell did you do!!!!!!?!??!?!"

"Well, I covered the arena in webs to trip you up and stop your big body from moving, of course."

"This won't hold me!!!!!!"

"Oh, I know, I just wanted to confirm something is all."

He charged forward, the strings ripping to shreds and dragging behind him.

"Ah, I knew you were too strong."

"No! You didn't figure it out!"

"See, using magic like that really makes all that muscle useless, you know."

"Even if you know, it's not like you can do anything."

"Oh, there's plenty to be done. This match is over." I dashed forward.

'Unique skill 'copy' activated -'full-body augmentation'

I sat on his shoulder, my knife pressed into his throat, the blade only bending the skin, an ominous feeling for anyone. The idea that a small amount of strength and your life is over.

"You're good, I didn't expect that. But I'm not finished just yet."

He ripped the gem from his shield and pressed it into my body creating a force field around me and pushing my body away, I threw the stone away and charged in again. I pulled the knife close to my chest, thrusting out and stabbing at the armored man. His blade managed to block my volley of attacks, but his armor is slowing him down.

If I keep going, I can win!

'Unique skill 'copy' activated - 'twin slash charge.'

My body lurched forward thrusting into his chest, my blade broke through the armor cutting into the skin. It was too shallow.

I jumped back, gritting my teeth. Even if I land a hit, I can't do any substantial damage. If I go for the head, I'll kill him, and we can't have that. I need to think! How do I win. His attack and defense is too much for me, if I get hit by even one of his attacks, it's game over. I suppose to win, I'll need to neutralize the threats. First is his sword. I charged forward, lightning smashing into the ground behind the man. Backed into a corner, he swung out his sword and pulled the shield in front of his body. I dodged under the blow and punched into the man's elbow. He dropped the sword and I picked it up and threw it out of the arena.

"Now, was that necessary?"

"You could've picked it up if I did anything else." Next the shield. I ran forward, the shield hitting me in the face, but again I grabbed the steel rectangle, its heavy steel frame smashing into my body like a truck. I attached strings to the shield latching it to the ground through millions of wires, each one tethering the steel to the ground.

"Ah, I see now, you want to take every advantage I have and then overpower me?"

He dropped the shield, and it smashed into the ground with a crash. He then ran forward, his plated hand digging into my stomach. Blood spurted from my mouth as the punch sent me flying, my body flying through the air.

This isn't the end! I will prevail! I can win!

I clapped my hands together and inside the wind started to pick up, racing around in my palms.

'Unique Skill 'Copy' activated - 'wind bullet' subskill 'paste x 30'

"WIIIIIIND BUUUULLLLET!!!!!!!!!"

The powerful attack multiplied behind me until a wall of spinning air piled up behind me, the same attack a dragon used on me, this might reveal my US, but that's a necessary sacrifice. I fired the attack, the bullets rushing past me, all the dirt in the arena blown out and the winds rushing through the circular arena.

The man laughed.

"Sacred weapon unleash! RETURN TO ME NIHENYDD LADDWYR!!!!!!" the sword flew back to his hand and burst with energy light pouring out of the sword and power emanating from the weapon. The sword unleashed a golden slash, destroying all the bullets I'd made. I can't copy that skill without a sacred class weapon. What should I do? What is there left? I'm out of options! I have no skills that can stand up to that.

The man walked over to me with a golden aura shining from his body. His armor was blown off when the sword touched his hand, his muscles bulging out, making him bigger than before. His sword dragged across the stone, cracking the ground he stepped on.

"You have done well child to make me use this form." he had a deep godly voice, his entire demeanor had changed in a few seconds

"Hehe you were hiding this all that time?"

"Yes, you see now why fighting is futile?"

"Nope."

"Hahahaha I am glad."

He's not wrong, though, I only have a sliver of life left and not enough mana for a full-scale attack. The only thing that could possibly help me is landing a critical hit with thirty thunderclaps, but my eye of death hasn't activated, plus I'd kill him and that's not allowed. It's pretty much hopeless. Even if I ran away he's still faster than me.

'You defeated Hero "ha rok"

You leveled up fifteen times.'

Holy shit, I'm so lucky, this is impossible right? The game cant classify this guy as a whole new enemy, right? Well I can't complain if it gives me the final edge.

'Unique skill 'Copy' evolving: new sub skill acquired - 'Cut'

He swung his sword down, the skill activating and golden energy pouring from the blade.

'Unique skill 'copy' sub skill 'cut' activated toll = 200Mp and 50Hp'

I tapped the blade, my fingers pressing into the sword, and in an instant the aura was gone. I stared down the man, my knife pressed against his throat.

"Impossible! No one can stop Niehenyndd laddwyr it is a sword of the gods! This is impossible."

"Looks like I was hiding something too."

"The winner is Assassin!!!!!!"

The crowd went wild, the arena alive with chanting and shouting. I feel bad, I didn't earn this, I never should've leveled up like that. But man I'm drained, I have no Mp left and practically no Hp left. But I did it! And I got a new skill. I suppose my entire game has been built on stealing.

This game really is so much fun!