Ep. 2 — Chapter 8: First World (3)

Going by a game world's logic, it wouldn't matter how strong you were in your life. All that matters in the game is your points and where you invest them in. How powerful you are depends on your stats, and not your age or body size.

And that was being displayed by the two elder women beside me, who were proficiently swinging around their walking sticks.

Lia charged in at them with her dagger and they would redirect her arm away with the hook of the stick before slamming it on her shoulder.

Minimi also jumped in the fight, easing the burden on Lia.

"You old shits…!" Lia hissed and started aiming the dagger at the lady. She stepped back and leapt up, supported by her walking stick before slamming her foot against Lia's arms which she used to block the blow.

Lia skidded back a few metres, gritting her teeth.

Minimi successfully tripped his opponent before charging at the other one.

"You filthy thing…!" The old woman exclaimed and struck Minimi's head with her stick. "Off of me, you vile creature!"

Feeling insulted, Minimi bit her arm and she let out a loud shriek, continously hitting the Minimi's head, trying to break free from his bite.

"Face forward!"

I quickly stepped back, barely evading the blow that the guy sent. His fist crashed into the ground with great impact.

Judging from what he was displaying, the guy must have some sort of ability that allows him to increase his physicality tremendously. His punches alone were able to crack the grounds. A basketball sized craters were left behind as imprints of his attacks.

Whenever he struck, a light blue trail followed, along with destructive force that cracked the ground.

[100 Points invested in Agility. Your speed has increased! Level 5 ≫ Level 8!]

My movements sped up and evading became much easier.

"This could have all been avoided…!" He raised his fist and dashed towards me, swinging his fist into an uppercut.

As I leapt back, I felt the strong winds blowing upwards and gritted my teeth. "…if you'd just let us go with you!!"

I spun in the air, slamming my heel onto his shoulder. He stumbled and fell to one knee.

Using that to my advantage, I kicked his face and sent him rolling across the ground.

"You were already thinking of attacking, weren't you? I don't appreciate hostile people in my party, you know?"

"You cocky little…!"

"Heads up." I leapt forward and delivered a blow to his chin. His giant body flying up a few feet before falling back to the ground wtih a loud thud.

[Your Skill, 'Basic Martial Arts' has increased to Level 6!]

[Achievement acquired: 'Cocky Little Shit'!]

"Wha…?"

Despite playing the game, there were still things I wasn't able to wrap my head around. From what I know, 'Skills' were things that I learn physically, such as my 'Basic Martial Arts' and 'Lightweight'.

'Abilities' were more power-type skills. As for 'Attributes', they are sort of passive abilities.

However, I didn't understand the use of 'Achievements'. If it was in the game, I would not mind it much, but when it's become reality, it became all the more confusing.

I heard the sounds of the Minimi's growlings and quickly turned to find both Lia and the Minimi going against the agile elder women.

The Minimi climbed onto Lia's back and used her to launch towards his opponent. Lia ran forward with her dagger and started to swing at the woman. The two women either had some sort of martial arts Skills—or they had always known it.

Either way, since they've invested points in their physicality, they became formidable opponents for both Lia and the kid.

I stepped forward to assist them, only to be grabbed by the ankle by the guy earlier.

"You're with me—!"

The world spun around as the guy picked me up by my feet and threw me to the ground. But instead of crashing into the ground, I caught myself with my heel and struck the guy with my elbow.

[Your Skill, 'Lightweight' has levelled up! Level 2 ≫ Level 3!]

"System, how many Points do I have?"

[Current Points in possession: 2,450P]

His next attack came. "Invest 300 Points in…"

The fist barely missed my shoulder, but I could feel the impact blowing me back. 'Lightweight' made it possible for me to catch myself from falling and jumped back as the next attack came. "…'Basic Martial Arts'!"

['Basic Martial Arts' has levelled up! Level 5 ≫ Level 9!]

[Skill, 'Basic Martial Arts' is nearing a 'Skill Evolution'!]

[Points remaining: 2,150P]

I flew forward, hitting him in succession, deflecting his blows in the process. Blood spewed out of his mouth and barely passed by me. I raised my fist and struck his chin. A loud crack was heard.

I stood over his body toppled over, pressing my foot on his chest.

No sign of further resistance. This guy was down. I turned my attention to the old ladies.

Compared to this guy, the old ladies were less aggressive but seemed to be more powerful. And their coordination were spectacular. What made it all the more confusing was their faces, exact copies of one another.

"Twins…?"

I watched Lia fight, extremely impressed by her skills. It seems that she, too, have found the uses of Points.

The old lady extended her stick, pulling it back with the aim to hook Lia's neck and pulling her close. However, Lia evaded the attack and closed the distance between the two. She brought the dagger forward with her right arm and grazed the old lady's cheek.

"You mannerless bastard…!" She took steps back at an insane speed, creating a much bigger distance than before. "Using a weapon against an elderly woman such as myself."

"And you old hag thinks you get to order me around?"

Lia rushed in, and this time, the lady moved forward as well. She traded sticks with her twin and jabbed the hand that had the dagger.

"This granny will teach you manners, child."

The two engaged in a heated battle, moving at an incredible speed. The lady's jabs were parried by Lia's right arm, and she struck her with her left.

"All you old shits are the same…!"

Lia took large steps forward, closing their distance once more. She prevented the lady from using her stick and aimed with her right arm to the jaw.

Surprisingly, the woman raised her left palm and blocked the attack.

"…you're not my grandma, goddamnit!"

She swung her left arm but missed the woman's chest.

However, the lady fell back. She stepped backwards a few steps, her movements staggering.

It was then when I realised that her shirt was cut open. Blood spilling out of her chest all the way down to her waist.

"Ah…"

"Mei Mei!" The other lady rushed over, catching the woman in her arms. She kept speaking in Chinese so I wasn't able to understand her.

She looked up at Lia with an agonising glare. She pointed at her and muttered out something.

Lia only tightened the grip on her dagger, and took a few steps back. Not only her, but I was also able to feel the pressure being emitted from the woman at that moment. I rushed over to Lia and stepped in front of her.

"Be careful."

"She attacked us first…!"

"I know that." I said, glancing over at her for only a moment before turning back around. "I'm not saying it's your fault. Just be careful."

Lia readjusted her grip on the blade and stayed behind me, still staring at the woman ahead of us.

Her voice was gradually rising as if she was reciting a prayer to invoke some other being. And given the situation of the world now, it might just work.

She got up and placed her sister down. "You are naughty boys and girls."

Somehow, her voice was threatening.

"I teach you lesson." She grabbed both sticks and faint light emerged from her body. The moment she lifted her feet from the ground, she disappeared from sight and reappeared right in front of me.

I was able to move sligthly but her stick struck my shoulders and I flew back. Lia catching me before swinging her dagger at the woman.

"You, take her away!" I cried out for the Minimi and he quickly stepped in and dragged Lia back.

I snatched the dagger from Lia and broke the stick in half.

She pointed the broken end of the walking stick at me. "You kill yourself now."

I repositioned the dagger and gulped. She was correct. Breaking the stick only made it more dangerius for myself. At that point, I invest 50 Points into my durability.

[Your 'Durability' has increased slightly! Level 3 ≫ Level 4.]

[Remaining Points: 2,100P]

I thought I saw two of the women before she came up to me, swinging the sticks like a maniac. But it wasn't sloppy movements. Rather, it was as if she wielded two blades and were striking me with it.

My dagger and her sticks clashed, sparks appearing before us from the impact. I started skidding back as she continued to push forward.

I kicked her knee and she staggered as I slammed her with my elbows. Before my body could reach hers, the stick tapped me on two places before I fell back.

"Maybe you shouldn't have tried to attack us…!"

There was almost nothing I could do. In addition to her being driven by rage, her physical stats must have been higher than mine now. Or it could be her Skill.

Either way, I had to stall for time.

"You kill Mei Mei!"

"She would've killed us instead!"

"Mei Mei…you kill Mei Mei!" She yelled once more, taking a solid stance. She stuck one stick in between her chest and arm, holding the other on in the same hand. Then, she stretched out her free hand. "Now I kill you…"

I felt the strong pressure from earlier and seemed to have gotten a clue from her stance.

Damn it, I may have an idea of what her Skill was.