novelraw Chapter 65: Hunter Model. Pt 2
Chapter 65: Hunter Model. Pt 2
CLANG!
The metal hide was tougher than he expected. His blade left a deep gouge, but it didn’t cut through. The Hunter spun around, hissing with static.
It lashed out with its tail again, but this time, Daniel couldn’t dodge completely.
SNAP!
The energy whip caught him on the left shoulder.
"Argh!"
Daniel grunted through gritted teeth. The whip cut right through the fabric of his uniform. It seared the surface of his C-Grade Deflector Vest and burned the skin underneath.
The pain was sharp, like a hot iron branding him, but Daniel pushed it away. He used the pain. He let it fuel his focus.
The Hunter prepared to pounce, its metal muscles tensing.
"You are annoying," Daniel growled. He didn’t wait for the jump. He lunged forward, sliding on his knees across the smooth floor.
He went low, slipping right under the machine’s belly as it leaped into the air. As he slid underneath, Daniel punched upward.
He used his hand, charged with his C-Grade skill. "[Forceburst]!"
BOOOOM!
The shockwave slammed into the machine’s weak belly. The force was tremendous.
It knocked the Hunter out of the air, flipping it over. The robot crashed onto its back, its legs kicking as it struggled to get up.
Daniel rolled to his feet and turned fast. He didn’t give it a chance to recover. He sprinted toward the fallen machine.
The Hunter tried to strike him with its tail again, but Daniel caught the cable with his left hand. The electricity shocked him, numbing his fingers, but his high Vitality allowed him to hold on.
He pulled the tail hard, slamming the machine back down against the floor.
CLANG!
Daniel jumped on top of the machine. He pinned it to the ground with his knees, using his immense Strength stat to hold it down.
The robot fought and kicked like a wild animal, but it couldn’t move Daniel. "Stay down!" Daniel roared.
He raised his right dagger and activated [Venomous Strike], coating the blade in green energy.
He drove the dagger into the machine’s neck joint, right where the head connected to the body.
SHINK!
The blade sank deep. He ripped it out and stabbed again. And again. He stabbed until the red light in the Hunter’s eyes flickered and died.
He stabbed until the machine stopped moving.
Daniel stood up, breathing heavily. He looked down at the wrecked machine. Suddenly, a screech came from down the hall.
The first Hunter, the one with the broken leg, was dragging itself toward him. It was damaged, but it was still trying to fight.
It opened its mouth, preparing to fire a small laser beam. Daniel didn’t even flinch. He sheathed his dagger and held out his hand.
"[Mana Bolt]!"
A purple sphere of energy shot from his palm. It flew across the hallway and slammed into the damaged Hunter’s head.
KA-CRACK!
The machine’s head exploded in a shower of sparks and metal parts. The body collapsed, sliding a few inches before coming to a halt.
Silence returned to the hallway. Daniel stood there for a moment, checking his injuries. His shoulder burned, but the wound wasn’t deep.
His high Vitality was already working to close the skin. He rotated his arm to make sure the muscle wasn’t damaged. It hurt, but it moved freely.
"Just a scratch," he muttered. The notifications flashed in his vision, confirming his victory.
[You have slain: Verge Custodian - Hunter Model (Level 3) x2]
[EXP Gained: 160 EXP]
[-30% EXP reduction for lower-level kill: -45 EXP]
[Total EXP Gained: 115 EXP]
[Level 5: 930/1700 EXP]
Daniel stared at the floating blue text, and he let out a small sigh of disappointment because the experience points were much lower than he had hoped.
"The penalty for being higher level is harsh," he muttered to himself, dismissing the notification with a flick of his mind.
He stood in the silent, white hallway, looking down at the wreckage of the two machines he had just destroyed.
Smoke curled up from their broken bodies, and sparks flew from the severed wires.
They were piles of scrap metal now, but to Daniel, they were something else entirely.
He had initially thought about leaving them behind to save time, but his SSS-Grade talent, [Soul Assimilation], was itching to be used. He had 11 Assimilation Charges left, which was plenty, and walking away from free stats felt like a crime.
"Waste not, want not," Daniel whispered. He knelt beside the nearest Hunter unit. The metal was still hot to the touch from the battle, radiating a sharp, chemical smell.
He placed his hand firmly on the smooth, chrome head of the mechanical panther. He closed his eyes and focused his will.
The sensation was instantaneous, but it was completely different from the organic monsters he had hunted in the jungle.
The energy that rushed into his arm was cold, sharp, and organized. It washed over his mind, clearing away the last lingering fog of fatigue, and settled into his muscles, tightening them like steel cables.
[Soul Assimilation successful on Construct: Verge Custodian (Level 3) x2]
[Gain: Agility +16]
[Gain: Strength +12]
[Gain: Adaptability +12]
[Acquired Skill Fragment: Wall Adhesion (Partial)] [Assimilation Charges Consumed (9/15 Remaining).]
Daniel’s eyes snapped open as the power settled. He stood up, and he almost lost his balance because he moved too fast.
"Whoa," he breathed out, looking at his hands. The boost to his Agility was massive. He felt lighter. It was as if gravity had suddenly decided to lose its grip on him.
He flexed his fingers, and they moved with a speed that was almost blurring. But it was the notification about the skill fragment that caught his attention.
"Wall Adhesion? Partial?" Daniel muttered, confused. He looked at the bottom of his boots. He felt a strange, tingling sensation in his feet, like static electricity was trying to grip the floor.
He walked over to the smooth white wall of the corridor. He lifted his right leg and placed his foot flat against the vertical surface.
He pushed. His foot didn’t slide down. It stuck. It wasn’t a perfect hold like a spider, but there was a definite magnetic pull keeping his boot attached to the metal panel.
"It works," Daniel grinned. "It’s not a full skill yet, but it’s enough to help me climb."