Chapter Eleven: Finally Some Action part 3
As four friends of different ages, backgrounds and aspirations enjoyed themselves, savoring good human food in the warm glow of the restaurant's ambient lighting, a dungeon popped up.
With a crash that shattered the peaceful evening, a car flew into the restaurant like a missile, shattering the glass windows in an explosion of glittering fragments. The sound was deafening—metal grinding against concrete, glass raining down like deadly confetti. Chaos erupted as patrons screamed and dove for cover.
"My car!" Kai exclaimed, his voice cracking with disbelief and genuine anguish.
It turned out the car thrown was his beloved jeep, now a twisted sculpture of metal and broken dreams.
"Sorry bro" Zeke had walked up to him, tapping him consolingly on the shoulder with one hand whilst using the other to clean his face with a napkin, wiping away the food stains from his lips.
"Okay, guys, it's time to bounce. We're not built for battle. Let's get to safety"
Zeke said to the trio, his voice carrying an odd calm that contrasted sharply with the destruction around them. He was very much unnerved by the destruction, but his survival instincts had kicked in.
"You can't seriously be this calm" Aaron said, already standing up to follow Zeke. Zeke's confidence was as calming as it was unsettling—like a lighthouse in a storm that might be hiding dangerous rocks beneath.
A monster.
With Zeke taking charge, they walked out of the restaurant through the gaping hole where the entrance used to be, glass crunching under their feet as they tried to find their way home. The evening air felt different now—charged with danger and the metallic scent of destruction.
It was then an axe flew towards them, spinning through the air with deadly precision.
Before Zeke could react, Jude had conjured a flaming hammer that materialized in his hands with a whoosh of superheated air. He swatted the axe away, but the force from the weapon pushed him backwards, his feet skidding against the pavement.
"Strong" Jude said with a fierce look, flames still dancing around his fingers like living things.
"Something's coming." Kai said, his body tense as a bowstring, every muscle coiled and ready.
As they looked towards the direction the axe had come from, they saw a minotaur walking towards them. Its massive form cast a shadow that seemed to swallow the streetlight, its aura suffocating like a blanket of pure malice. Each step it took cracked the asphalt beneath its hooves.
"Stay behind us" Aaron said, standing at the forefront whilst Kai and Jude flanked him, their formation as natural as breathing.
Are these guys strong? What gave them the courage to stand and fight against something of such magnitude?
I'm immortal so I fear nothing, but c'mon guys.
{You could check their stats} Zero said, his voice carrying a helpful suggestion.
Before Zeke could address Zero, he saw a blue screen flicker in his sights like a HUD display materializing from thin air.
[MISSION INITIATED]
[PROTECT THE ONLY SEMBLANCE OF NORMALCY YOU HAVE IN THIS WORLD]
[REWARD: RANDOM]
[FAILURE: THE DEATH OF YOUR MORTAL FRIENDS AND THE REALIZATION OF THE INEVITABILITY OF MORTALITY]
{Failure from this context would be something that would happen if you don't save your friends, which would then mean this monster is strong. I think it's time to use your ability to better understand your enemy} Zero told Zeke as the latter watched his new friends—brothers in the making—face something the system has deemed a death sentence if he doesn't intervene.
And here I am wanting to live a slice of life.
'Observation'
Zeke thought, activating his ability. He first viewed his friends' status windows to understand their source of courage.
…
(Status window)
Name: Jude Wren.
Age: 18
Race: Human
Rank: E Rank
…
STATS
Strength: E(50)
Agility: E(75)
Endurance: D(120)
Perception: E(80)
Magic Power: D(100)
…
INNATE ABILITY
Flame Weaponry (S Rank)
Allows you to emit fire that can shape into any variety of cold weaponry such as swords, axes, hammers and even bows and crossbows. The flames mimic the properties of the weapon it forms into, so it will be sharp as a sword, heavy as a hammer etc.
…
TRAITS
Level Up (SS Rank)
Whenever you kill something, you absorb 10% of their stats and permanently add it to your own, such a simple ability with promises of so much power.
…
{Remark: The son of destiny. You've got luck running into him. So much for NPC feels}
…
(Status Window)
Name: Kai Min
Age: 18
Race: Human
Rank: E Rank
…
STATS
Strength: F(40)
Agility: E(60)
Endurance: E(70)
Perception: E(85)
Magic Power: D(110)
…
INNATE ABILITY
Sky Fracture (A Rank)
Allows you to rain down weapons made of holy light from the sky ranging from swords and glaives to skyscraper-sized lances depending on the amount of energy you expend.
…
{Remark: Not everybody is the son of destiny, but at least he has potential. High rank fodder}
…
(Status window)
Name: Aaron Kessler
Age: 19
Race: Human
Rank: E Rank
…
STATS
Strength: E(70)
Agility: E(80)
Endurance: E(90)
Perception: E(75)
Magic Power: E(65)
…
INNATE ABILITY
Umbrakinesis (B Rank)
Allows you to weave shadow and darkness into physical form and exert control over it, like chains made of shadows, spikes erupting from a target's shadow or lances of darkness.
…
SKILLS
Unarmed combat (A Rank)
What else is there to tell you?
…
{Remark: One out of three is a nice average. Sons of destiny are not cabbages found on the streets. High rank fodder}
…..
'Wow'
Zeke thought, having no time to encapsulate his shock. He focused on the minotaur to know what he was up against.
….
(Status window)
Name: Nil
Age: Irrelevant
Race: Superior Minotaur
Rank: S Rank
…
STATS
Strength: S (1100)
Agility: A (650)
Endurance: S (1000)
Perception: S (840)
Magic Power: A (550)
….
INNATE ABILITY
Labyrinthine Wrath (S-Rank)
Description: Channel the primal rage of your divine-cursed origins, amplifying your physical attacks with seismic force and creating disorienting shockwaves.
….
TRAITS
Peak specimen (A Rank)
You are genetically the peak of your race. All those impurities or genetic defects your race could have had don't affect you.
Superior Minotaur Strength (A Rank)
No need to explain—you'll feel how hard he punches yourself.
Near death boost (A Rank)
Every time you return from near death, all of your stats are increased permanently.
…
{Remark: You've run into an anomaly. The Minotaur in most myths are a cause of divine punishment. The first monster you face just so happens to be a Minotaur, right when you were enjoying slice of life instead of action. Coincidence or Nah}
….
"Well, shit" Zeke said with a grin spreading across his face like a crack in a dam. He walked in front of the trio, his movements carrying the fluid confidence of someone who'd made peace with danger.
"That guy's too strong for you guys. He's an S Rank anomaly. Watch from afar. If you have any long-ranged abilities, distract him for me with them"
He told them as he walked towards the Minotaur, the beast surprisingly patient, waiting for prey to come to him like a predator confident in its superiority.
With a turn of his head, Zeke spoke to them again, his voice carrying the weight of absolute authority.
"Make sure you watch from afar." And then gave them a deep look that conveyed more than words ever could.
They all had abilities that would be helpful from long range.
Lucky for me.
…
{Finally, some action}
"Zero, play Pureojuice gear five drill," he smirked, rolling up the sleeve of his trench coat with deliberate confidence. The fabric bunched against his forearm as anticipation coursed through his veins like liquid fire. "Let's take this immortality for a test ride." He moved towards the beast with nothing but his fists, his trusty AI, and the unwavering confidence that he'd come back from death after being pummeled by the monster.