Chapter 74: Unavoidable Conflict

[00 Months: 04 Days: 05 Hours]

"Hahahahaha... haaaa..." Nathan's voice hung in the air like a dark omen.

"By the time we're done with you, Mikey... " He sneered, a malicious glint in his eyes.

"... You'll be begging to spill everything you know."

As his comrades closed in, encircling me like predators stalking their prey, a surge of determination welled up within me.

'I could try to escape, but that would be detrimental to me. These people know too much...'

Thus, I steeled myself, focusing my mind and body on the fierce battle that was about to unfold.

'So far it seems like it'll be three against one.'

As I squared my shoulders and met the menacing gazes of my adversaries, a small smile formed on my curling lips.

'Should I even the odds a little?'

No, I probably shouldn't. These three were most likely not the true masterminds behind their scheme.

'If someone is after Lucy Fer, he must have sent these three... at least, that's what I think.'

It was also possible that the individual behind these three was watching my interaction with them.

'I can't do anything about that currently... though I wish I could.'

The bottom line was that, in case such a thing was happening, I couldn't reveal all of my cards yet.

I had to hide my most valuable assets unless the situation absolutely called for it.

'They also probably saw me saving the town last night. Now that I think about it, this whole thing seemed suspicious from the start.'

The fact that they chose to attack me after the night when Demon Beasts attacked the town.

'Its been many years since something of that sort had happened, and even then it wasn't to the degree that it happened.'

It made me suspect that the three had something to do with it.

'I can always ask the three once I'm done with them.'

For now, though... I had to fight!

'<All Seeing Eyes>' My thoughts echoed as I looked at all three of my opponents.

[Status Info]

- Name: Nathan Desir

- Race: Human

- Level: 17

- Life Force: 20

- Energy Level: 11

- Combat Ability: 20

<Threat Assessment Result: Medium>

[Status Info]

- Name: Jack Scotsman

- Race: Human

- Level: 15

- Life Force: 5

- Energy Level: 10

- Combat Ability: 30

<Threat Assessment Result: Low>

[Status Info]

- Name: Luca Mendez

- Race: Human

- Level: 15

- Life Force: 15

- Energy Level: 25

- Combat Ability: 5

<Threat Assessment Result: Low> seaʀᴄh thё NôvelFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

'I see... so that's how it is.' A wry smile formed on my face as I stared at their briefed Status Information.

<All Seeing Eyes> was an extremely useful Skill, and after Lucy Fer used it against me, I decided to get it myself.

Unfortunately, the cost of using the Skill was so exorbitant that I had to use it sparingly.

There were three major use levels of using <All Seeing Eyes>.

The first would only show me the ~Name~ and ~Level~ of the target, and it cost 10 Energy to use.

The second level, which was the one I just used, showed more information than the first, and cost a whopping 35 Energy.

As for the final level, it was most likely the one Lucy Fer used on me, which was able to see all my Information, except their details and the [Additional Information].

It cost 100 Energy, and I couldn't afford to spend that much merely to know how strong my opponents were.

'In the first place, the cumulative of my Energy Level is 100. And that's if I include the Super Energy Rocks... which I wasn't using this time.'.

Needless to say, I was going to have to manage a lot of my resources this time.

'I probably shouldn't even use <Visualize>...'

The good news was that my enemies didn't appear particularly strong. Unfortunately, I couldn't see their Skills, Items or the effect of the Items they had.

Those sorts of details changed a lot on a fight, and I should know that, considering how Skills and Items played a huge role in my combat.

After all, even though Nathan's stats seemed like the smallest of the three, he was still a much higher threat than the rest.

I couldn't afford to underestimate any of them, especially if I took account of combo moves that could exist in their ranks. Your next journey awaits at m v|l-e-NovelFire

Teamwork could be very dangerous for a solo player.

'I'll have to be careful from this point on...'

Regardless of everything, however, I wasn't planning on losing!'

~WHOOOSHH!!~

As Nathan and his two lackeys closed in on me, the air crackled with tension.

I knew this battle would be a test of my skills and cunning, especially since I was going in blind regarding their particular abilities.

'I might need to use <Visualize>. But first...'

I activated <Turbo>, feeling the surge of energy coursing through my veins.

My speed increased exponentially, granting me the advantage of swift movements.

With <Immersion> activated, I could sense their every intention, their subtle shifts in weight, and the flow of their energy.

Nathan's eyes locked onto mine, a knowing smile etched across his face.

A blade swiftly appeared in his grasp, gleaming dangerously with the sunlight.

"You were warned..." His lips curled widely as he expertly brandished his blade.

He seemed like a master swordsman, his blade an extension of his very being.

'At least that's what <Immersion> tells me.'

If I was to take what he told me earlier seriously, that meant the true danger behind him were his eyes.

'They're wide open. Watching me. Almost as of they can see my every move.'

I wondered if it was an ability similar to <Visualize>.

~FWISH!~

His first strike was lightning-fast, a barrage of precise slashes aimed at my vulnerable points.

I evaded, my body a blur as I weaved through his onslaught, relying on my enhanced speed and <Immersion> to dodge his attacks with precision.

Meanwhile, the one called Luca, whom I pretty much classified as a Mage—most likely a ranged one—considering the absurd amount of Stats he poured into his Energy Level, and the fact that, of the three, he was maintaining the most distance from me.

~VWUUUSSSHH!~

Luca unleashed a torrent of fire and lightning spells, their destructive power crackling through the air.

'Just as expected!' I smiled, my eyes gleaming with the aftereffects of <Visualize>.

It looked like I was right, after all!

I instantly activated <Haven>, summoning a protective barrier that absorbed the impact of the fiery projectiles, shielding me from their scorching heat.

~BOOOOMMM!~

'Well, it seems their firepower isn't enough to pierce <Haven>.'

I wasn't surprised. Their Levels were lower than mine, after all.

And without an item that bypassed that effect, ranged attacks like Elemental Spells weren't really going to cut it.

'Now then... who's next?'

Once the dust somewhat settled, I cast my gaze on my next target.

Nathan was a short distance from me, but there was someone closer.

Swiftly moving my feet, I sprinted towards the most well-built enemy among the trio—Jack.

Twisting my body in the air, I gave him a roundhouse kick.

~WHAM!~

'Huh?' I noticed his body had changed color, turning somewhat metallic.

'I see. Body enhancement.' A smile rugged on my lips.

It seemed this one was a physical attacker. It made sense, considering the range at which he was fighting me.

'I'm learning a lot. This is my first serious fight with fellow humans, after all.'

Perhaps it was a good thing to savor the fight beyond the mere realm of caution.

"Raaahhhhh!!!" Jack, now seemingly impervious to regular attacks, charged towards me with brute force.

I swiftly assessed the situation, weighing my options.

With a quick calculation, I activated <Gravity Press>, the force of gravity increasing around him, slowing his movements and buying me precious seconds to counter.

'Amazing! To think he's even resisting<Gravity Press> this much.'

His resistance had to be incredibly high. Not as high as mine, but still...

~VWUUSH!~

I decided to infuse my strikes with elemental attributes, channeling the power of fire, wind, and lightning into my attacks.

My blows landed with precision, the impact reverberating through my foes. I unleashed a flurry of strikes, each one calculated and honed to exploit their weaknesses.

~BOOOOOMMM!~

As the battle raged on, energy crackled in the air, the clash of swords, and the explosive bursts of magic reverberating through the once-quiet valley.

The skirmish was fierce, each movement a dance of survival and dominance.

My opponents fought with a tenacity that matched their unique abilities, testing my skills and resolve.

Well, it was mostly me managing the Energy I had left while testing out various Skills to see how they would react.

It was a nice experiment which involved me observing how humans fared in a fight.

They weren't bad in all honesty.

If we were more even in Levels, I would have been in some trouble.

Using <Regeneration>, I allowed the s injuries I sustained to heal.

'What now? Should we restart?' I smiled at the pretty exhausted trio.

They probably had potions to help with their exhaustion, but I wasn't going to let them use anything.

They must have realized that too.

I sensed some form of debuff attack coming from Luca, but my <Full Resistance (High)> automatically dispelled it.

It cost me a lot to get that Skill, so I was glad it worked so well without me having to lift a finger.

'I should start wrapping up now.'

Utilizing <Teleportation>, I vanished and reappeared at strategic moments, catching them off guard.

The element of surprise became my ally as I launched surprise attacks, exploiting their momentary lapses in defense.

With a surge of energy, I activated <Elevate>, my stats soaring to new heights.

My strikes became faster, my reflexes sharper, as I tapped into my full potential.

I wove through their attacks, a blur of motion that left them struggling to keep up.

Despite their formidable abilities, I was vastly superior.

It seemed Nathan was already beginning to catch on to that as his wide grin began to morph into twisted rage.

"Just dieeeee!!!" He screamed with a murderous gleam in his eyes.

I thought they wanted to take me alive for questioning. What was with the sudden outburst of unbridled bloodlust?

~SWISH!~

His blade shone with energy as it neared me at breakneck speed.

Using <Viscosity>, I formed a protective slime layer around my arm, instantly wrapping the squishy material I generated all over it.

<Viscosity> granted me additional resistance to physical attacks, so the blade couldn't penetrate through my slime wall, though it hissed as a result of the energy that complimented it.

Still, by adding elemental attributes to the slime layer, it wasn't a challenge at all.

I became an unstoppable force, pushing past their defenses and striking with unwavering precision.

As the battle neared its climax, I could see the weariness etched on my adversaries' faces.

"H-haaa... haaa..." Their lips brought forth exhausted breaths.

"H-how are you... so strong?"

One by one, they fell to the ground, their bodies battered and broken. I stood before them, smiling.

"I don't know..." My response came afterwards, my eyes narrowing as I stared at Nathan in particular.

"... I may have killed too many enemies.,"

A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth, a mixture of satisfaction and admiration for their skills.

They hadn't pushed me to my limits, or anything, but it was still enjoyable.

It was inevitable that I would be the one to prevail in the end.

I glanced down at the defeated trio, a mix of emotions welling within me.

The fight had been somewhat intense, but I couldn't deny the thrill of overcoming such formidable opponents.

They had underestimated me, and now they lay defeated at my feet.

'Funny how I didn't use all my Skills...'

I was pretty strong now, wasn't I?

As soon as I made that thought, Lucy Fer's image flashed in my mind, and my ego shrunk down to size instantly.

'M-maybe not that strong. Haha...'

She was able to casually use the full power of <All Seeing Eyes>, and it didn't seem to bother her at all.

Her presence alone gave me shivers.

Plus... the way she spoke back then... it still registered in my mind.

'Almost as if...'

Before I knew it, I started to blush again, and I had to slap myself to snap out of it.

'Stop thinking about her, Mikey! She's dangerous!'

The mere fact that these three were after me just because of her proved that point.

I had to be careful moving forward.

For now though, I took a moment to catch my breath, to savor the taste of triumph, and to steel myself for the battles that lay ahead.

'Whoever is behind these guys... I think he just became my enemy.'

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[A/N]

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