Chapter 58: Fight back

Blood boiling like a pot of water in one hundred degrees Celsius heat, Jin gritted his teeth aggressively as he glared at his system screen, impatiently. Desperately. He was ready to obliterate the demons! For manipulating him!

[+50 Exp, +50 Exp, +20 UP, +20 UP]

[Exp: 2/30 | Level 5]

[+50 Exp]

[Congratulations, you have leveled up!]

[+5 UP]

[Exp: 22/40 | Level 6]

[+50 Exp]

[Congratulations, you have leveled up!]

[+5 UP]

[Exp: 32/50 | Level 7]

He quickly tapped a finger upon the Stats tab.

[Stats]

[Strength:10]

[Health: 20]

[Speed: 7]

[Skill: 5]

[Available UP points : 50]

Faster than ever, he began to erratically tap on different stat-criteria. Expeditious in the act. Determination on his visage.

He, furrowed brows, clenched his draw. His heart throbbed relentlessly. His hand trembled as he tapped his finger on the pluses next to the stats. His body remained aquiver.

Flint grimaced at him. "What's he doing?" alluding apprehension in his tone.

"He's spending upgrade points!" shouted Alura.

Krod looked at her. "What do you mean?"

She furrowed her brows at him. "Don't 'what do you mean' me! I'm the one with a system here!"

Flint looked daggers at Alura. "Then go stop him from doing it! STOP HIM!!!"

Alura and Krod darted toward him.

On reflex, he glanced up to see them gaining on him. They were close.

While lunging toward him, Krod fired a barrage of fireballs. Jin was hit on his hand. He shook off and used the other hand to continue spending his upgrade points.

They were gaining on jinx

When suddenly, the sky began to flicker with green lightning flashing all about the clouds. The heavens were roaring at the surface of the Earth. Then, a sword darted down from the skies and stuck in the ground before them.

They halted—with their hands in front of their faces—as the gusts of powerful wind and dust brushed roughly against their bodies, blowing their hair sporadically.

Then came a shock-wave that shook the whole building. Glass shattered. They were all bewildered. They moved their hands from their faces, but they still couldn't see anything. They couldn't see Jin.

Mist.

They were blinded by a prevalent steam. The area where the sword had crashed down was shrouded in mist. Mist as thick as smoke. As fluid as falling ash from a volcanic eruption.

As the smoke cleared, they were slowly able to make Jin out in spite of the little bits of mist that lingered.

Jin stood—the pole still stuck in his body, preventing him from moving—with a daunting mask on his face that they hadn't seen before.

He appeared to be tapping the air on their part. Then silence.

[Stats]

[Strength: 40]

[Health: 30]

[Speed: 17]

[Skill: 5]

[Available UP points: 0]

[Speed Lvl 15 reached]

[New skill: dash]

Slowly he clutched a hand to the pole that remained in his abdomen. He squeezed it. Then, he squeezed it even tighter. And finally, he began pulling on it with all his mustered might.

The end of the pole was stuck firmly in the ground, whereas the other end jutted out and lingered in the air. Jin continued to pull on the pole.

Then, he began to scream the loudest he could as the pole moved higher in the air—the direction he was pushing it. Blood trailed against the pole like a paintbrush using red. Shrieking.

Finally, he yanked the pole out from his body, and it began to tumble. It started to lean. The tall iron pole was about to hit Flint, who stood in the way.

Flint simply sidestepped, and the pole crashed into the ground, missing him by only an inch or two.

Metal collided with the floor, sounding. The vibration conscious.

Jin, face concealed by his mask, continued to peer at the demons in his presence. He didn't even take a second to look at his fallen friends. His eyes were glued to his enemies.

His eyes kept their green glow.

Having spent points on Health, his HP started to increase slowly.

[HP: 19/30]

[HP: 23/30]

[HP: 27/30]

[HP: 30/30]

Flint turned to his subordinates. "What are fools waiting for?"

They all looked at Jin. They paused for a moment. And finally, they lunged toward him.

As the demons—with the exception of Flint—came pouncing toward him like a pack of wolves, Jin took a step toward the sword that was stuck in the ground.

He furrowed his brows, and clasped his hand to the handle of Laevateinn. He began to feel a shock as if he was being electrocuted.

[!] [Level 500 Strength required]

He saw that he could not heave the weapon, yet he persisted; trying as best he could to wield the powerful weapon.

When suddenly there was a spark of green lightning that directly hit the sword's blade.

[Laevateinn is downgrading…]

Suddenly, the sword began to shrink. It shrunk such that Jin could lift it now. Its point grew sharper. Its blade, shape, and handle grew smaller. And finally, the sleek blade began to significantly curve.

He, eyes glowing green, could Laevateinn's new form sending sinister whispers into his ears. Holding the weapon, he felt an upsurge in his power.

[Laevateinn form: dagger]

Jin now had the dagger in his hand. He rotated horizontally, brought it closer to his face, and made a powerful stance as the demons began to assault.

Krod struck first. He pounced toward Jin with a hand completely swathed in flames. Jin had always thought that Krod possessed a telekinetic ability, not flames.

Krod thrust his fist forward. Jin quickly ducked as the arm launched overhead. Quickly, Jin flipped his dagger, and slashed Krod's abdomen. A contrail of green light followed the blade alongside a slash of blood.

Krod groaned, and quickly balled both his fists. He hammered both his hands into Jin's back like a gorilla would. Jin was knocked down to his knees.

He quickly looked up at the hobgoblin's fiery arms as they came bolting downward at him again. This lethal blow would hit his head and kill him off. He couldn't accept this.

Krod's fists stopped midway. His countenance softened. Then his brows knitted in confusion. He was staring at what appeared to be Alura on her knees. He looked around only to see another Alura.

Before he could even look down again. A blade ran across his throat, followed by a green contrail. He quickly placed both his hands upon his neck in efforts to stop the bleeding from his slit throat.

Blood dripped loudly.

[HP: 252/260]

He was then looking at Jin who then kicked him to his chest. Then again. Then another. A back kick was enough to knock him down. He collapsed, his back collided with the floor; a thudding sounded.

Jin tossed his head around. The others weren't attacking him. They observed the battle between him and Krod. And they knew who was about to win.

Jin had not finished delivering a barrage of attacks to his fallen assailant yet. Krod remained on the floor holding his bleeding neck. Jin quickly leaped into the air, and was about to drop down on Krod's body.

Krod saw him descending. He quickly rolled. Jin's feet missed him. Suddenly, he grabbed Jin by a leg when he landed. He yanked Jin's body, and hurled him a few meters away with profound strength.

Jin had collapsed, but he quickly sprang to his feet again. He started darting toward Krod, who was still lying supine.

Krod's hands quickly combust into raging flames. Then, he placed them upon his slit neck again. He wailed as he burnt his flesh back together; closing the cut. "My instant regeneration isn't working!"

Jin appeared out of nowhere to him. Jin stomped on his abdomen. He raised up from the ground, and on his behind. He swiftly looked up at Jin and bloated his cheeks.

Jin quickly slashed his dagger. Krod raised a hand, taking the cut to his thick calloused palm. Then, he turned his arm horizontally as Jin slashed again. He received another cut to his forearm.

Then he, cheeks bloated, dropped his arms, and leaned closer to Jin. He expelled flames alongside his breath. He blew fire onto Jin's mask.

Upon feeling the heat despite wearing the mask, Jin dashed backward. This gave Krod enough time to rise to his feet again.

Suddenly, Officer Clarke bolted toward Jin. "You suck at fire, Krod! You should stick to telekinesis—or you can let me show you how to use the flames of hell!"