Chapter 11: Tank and Spank, Or Not…?

Chapter 11: Tank and Spank, Or Not...?

It was harder than it sounded to limit himself to around D-Rank abilities, especially with his high Atn and Dex. He saw the D-Rank moles attacks coming a mile away, and they were so slow. He could practically eat a sandwich while waiting for a swinging claw to reach him. In fact, he was eating a sandwich as the three-bladed paw wound around in his direction.

Then, trying to keep his reflexes to the level of somebody three ranks and hundreds of Dex lower than him he stepped back. Cutting through the air just an inch in front of him, the sword-like claws seemed to take forever to finish their arc, and he stepped back in. Starting to form a Rune of Impact around his left hand, he quickly canceled that it wouldve created a Sandwich of Impact and instead focused on his right hand. Even during that delay, the D-Rank Wildclaw Mole had barely begun to notice Hiral wasnt in four pieces in front of it. By the time it did figure that out

WHAM, Hiral buried his fist in the moles bright-red nose. Damn thing is practically a target on its face

Not taking the benefits of his Second-Skin of UrThul into account namely the fact it increased all his runes potency by a Rank the rodents head exploded like a ripe melon.

Hiraaaaal! Nat whined, her debuff landing on the corpse to have absolutely zero effect.

Sorry, he said quickly. Im just not good at pretending Im D-Rank. This was the third mole in as many encounters hed exploded. Maybe, just maybe, the others are onto something with me and explosions. Honestly, it probably wouldve been more if the others didnt make him sit out most of the fights. He was just critting far too much today. Every time, in fact.

Right and Left are doing fine at it, Milly said at the same time her Chain Heal bounced between the party.

You have been buffed by Chain Heal.

Moderate health is restored before chaining to a nearby ally to restore a reduced amount.

Note: Amount restored based on casters Wis.

Note (2): Chain Heal bounces between a number of targets based on Rank, modified by Wis.

Note (3): Chain Heal can bounce back to previous targets as long as a different target is struck between.

Note (4): Lingering effect restores an additional 1% health over 3 seconds after being struck by Chain Heal.

Hiral dismissed the buff window, though he couldnt help but smile. All of Nats abilities were considered buffs or debuffs, and a surprising number of Millys were too. Even if he wasnt getting achievements from this dungeon, the sheer number of additional abilities he was adding to the Lost Chord was completely worth it. Maybe I should just go around the islands asking people to buff or debuff me

Okay, Seena said, interrupting his thoughts. Thats the end of that pack. Yanily says the second Mid-Boss should be in the next room. Were just about done with moles.

Give us the run down on it? Hiral said, then turned to Left. Banner of Courage to top everybody off for the fight?

Left just nodded and reached over to touch the tattoo seemingly emblazoned on his Coat of UrThul. Not even a second later, he pulled his fingers away, a streamer of solar smoke trailing it before it snapped into the shape of a glowing banner seemingly fluttering in the wind. From the Banner, a shining dome of rejuvenating light encompassed the party.

You have been buffed by Banner of Courage.

Critical Strike Rate increased by 18% for 180 seconds.

Critical Strike Damage increased by 60% for 180 seconds.

Attack Speed increased by 8% for 180 seconds.

Moderate Healing Over Time for 180 seconds.

Moderate Shielding granted for 180 seconds.

All Attributes increased by 5% for 180 seconds.

Immune to Fear and Fear-like effects for 180 seconds.

Solar Absorption Rate increased by 1 Rank for 180 seconds.

Now at A-Rank thanks, again, to the Second-Skin the Banner was strong. Not only had most of its bonuses increased nicely, but it also now gave attribute bonuses. Five percent may not have seemed like a whole lot at first glance, but it stacked with all their other attribute increases. Even the twenty percent from Life of the Party+ and Hirals natural Dex and Atn bonuses. Other than the fact a person needed to remain within the dome of light to benefit, it was an extremely powerful buff. Possibly the most powerful they had.

And it still has at least one more Rank of growth. Maybe even two, when left gets to S-Rank himself?

Hiral just shook his head as he imagined going into a fight with those absurd increases.

This Mid-Boss, Yanily said, pulling Hiral back to the present. It takes ten hits to kill it. Doesnt matter how hard you hit it, he looked straight at Hiral, or how soft. Ten hits.

Thats the trick? Seena asked, then glanced at the girls. All the Mid-Bosses or Bosses have at least one trick to them. Its very rare its a straight fight.

No tank and spank? Nat asked.

It was worse, Milly said. People at school even thought we her eyes widened as her mouth literally slapped shut. The glare Nat was giving her couldve melted stone.

Hiral looked between his two sisters one trying to stare the other deeper underground, while the second looked like she wanted everybody to forget she was even there. Or that shed said anything.

Are you telling me, Hiral started, his mouth going dry at the implication of her words. People treated you the same way they treated me because we were related?

Nat opened her mouth to answer too quickly and Hirals finger snapped up with his full three-hundred-plus Dex to cut her off. And dont even think about lying, he said. I know all your tells.

Nats lower jaw went side-to-side before she answered. It was just stupid people.

You mean kids, right? Hiral pressed on her choice of words.

She didnt answer.

It wasnt so bad when we got used to it, Milly said. And they mostly stopped after a few years

A few years? Hiral practically shouted, and purple flames flared to his side.

Rights Meridian lines had lit up like he was going to war, and Lefts knuckles were white around the Banner of Courage. The two doubles were feeling exactly the same thing Hiral was, and his hand went to the hilt over his shoulder.

As soon as his fingers touched it, the Emperors Greatsword flared to life, and he drew it in its fallen-star form. All around them, the walls of the dungeon creaked as gravity changed, and small stones lifted into the air.

Who was it? he asked. Give me names.

Nat and Milly looked at each other as solar energy flowed off the three copies of Hiral. Purple, white, and yellow bled from their tattoos and runes, and the dungeon continued to creak. It was one thing for the people of Fallen Reach to treat him like the Everfail, but to target his sisters?

No, just no. And why didnt I ever notice? Why didnt they ever tell me?

Looking at the faces of his sisters his loving sisters he knew the answer to that question immediately. They didnt want him to worry about them. They were protecting him. The opposite of what a big brother was supposed to do.

Who? he asked again, straining to keep his emotions in. He hadnt been so angry in in he didnt know how long. Line them up in the Amphitheatre of the Sun or all at once I dont care. I am

We are, Right corrected.

going to show them just how wrong they were, Left finished.

Its a long list, Milly said.

Then wed best get back up there to get started, Hiral said, stalking down the hall towards the next Mid-Boss.

Hey, where are you going? Nat asked.

Hiral didnt reply, his jaw clenched so he didnt scream and swear at how furious he was. His sisters wouldve been children for most of that treatment. And adults their teachers, probably had behaved like that. Oh, he was going to make them eat those words.

His fantasies played out in his head as he strode down the hall, until he finally entered a large room. Around two dozen mounds of loose, circular dirt dotted the room, and a carriage-size mole at the far end dove into one like it was a swimming pool. Just like that, in the blink of an eye, it was gone, and the battles mechanic began.

Ten hits, Yanily had said.

I dont have time for this.

Funneling solar energy into his sword, Hiral ramped up the Rune of Gravity, then layered on his own Runes of Expansion, Impact, and Increase. Then he simply leaned forward and swung with all his strength.

The sword cut into the stone directly in front of him, and a massive shockwave blasted out as the whole dungeon shook. Everything in front of him compressed in an expanding wave under the tremendous gravity hed dropped with his swing. Stone buckled and crushed, just two feet deep directly in front of him, but pounding deeper and deeper the further the wave went. A dozen feet by the mid-point of the room, twice that as the wave raced towards the far wall. Dust that shouldve shot into the air only ground into the rock, further breaking it down. The loose-dirt tunnels collapsed along with everything else, a cacophony of cracks echoing off the walls.

Hows that for blunt-force trauma? he whispered, imagining every unknown face of the people whod bullied his sisters.

Just like that, the Mid-Boss room was reduced to little more than a steep ramp almost like a theatre in front of him. Meanwhile, footsteps rushed up behind him, and Hiral hauled his sword up while glaring at the room. Where was that damn mole? As soon as it popped up, he was going to

Wow, Nat said from beside him, and a hand settled on his forearm. You completely one-shot it.

Its dead? he asked. Youre sure?

Pretty sure. We got an achievement, Nat said. Whack-a-Mole.