Descartes (1)
◈ Attack Power: Unknown
◈ Strength +10 | Agility +10 | Mana +5
◈ Summon Count +2
◈ Brilliance Blade Manifestation (Duration: 100 seconds)
*(Fragment not acquired — option unavailable)*
*(Fragment not acquired — option unavailable)*
The second fragment had fused with the blade. And at the same time, a new option appeared.
Brilliance Blade—that was the new addition. From the description, it seemed like an option that manifested a blade...
I had to test it right away.
Vwoooong!
My hunch was spot on. Light surged from Yodo, Barseto, blooming like flames in the shape of a blade. A pure white glow that kept rising without end. The length looked to be over a meter, and the blade itself was impressively thin.
"...A blade like this."
I was stunned. Nothing like it existed anywhere.
Kethar stared straight through the Brilliance Blade, equally shocked.
"Ho, is that a blade?"
"Seems like it."
"Never seen an item like this. What the hell are you carrying?"
"Too complicated to explain, but you know about it. That Damian-exclusive item I mentioned when we were heading to take him out. This is it."
"......Ah, right. Incredible."
Whoosh—whoosh—
I swung it lightly. The light blade held its form without wavering.
Then how tough was it?
I glanced at the spot where the second fragment had floated—a thick metal plate.
Could it cut that? Felt like it might.
Swoosh!
Crack!
"......Unbelievable."
It took some effort, but the metal slab was sliced clean through.
A blade that cut steel.
"Insane."
"......A-agreed."
A curse slipped out unbidden. Kethar nodded along naturally.
At this level of sharpness, could it slice through an enemy's blade? Probably not. They wrap theirs in mana by default. But it'd deal way more damage than a normal one.
One downside: duration. It had a 100-second limit.
There were options to extend skill times, but I'd tweak the setup later.
Oh, and it leveled up too.
Besides the new option, another change: Yodo, Barseto's level rose. Strength and Agility got an extra +5 each, plus a new Mana boost.
Finally, some Mana—everything had been Strength and Agility before. Good news.
"......Glad we found it."
Kethar had located his gear too. A Tattoo Artist-exclusive item: a bracelet.
Click.
He slipped on the bead-like bracelet right away. Named Nirvana.
The reason for the name? Its effect: absorb a fallen target's power and send them to nirvana or whatever.
Anyway, that was the gist.
Kethar eyed the mid-boss, Peros, sprawled on the floor.
"Gonna engrave that guy's power?"
"......Thinking about it. Gotta grab whatever we can right now."
"Not a bad call."
Nirvana had limited uses, increasing slightly per Tattoo Artist level-up. Kethar planned to spend one on Peros.
I could use the guy's weapon as a clone, but...
One of the set effects was clone summons. But clones had fixed costs.
Reviving this one means sacrificing Jeanne's clone or the intern's. Not worth it.
And it wasn't worth clearing out normal weapons either. The guy's main skills were all mobility-based.
Whiiiing.
Kethar held the bracelet to the body. It spewed black light, sucking in the soul like inhaling wind. After a long pull, Nirvana stopped.
Shoooo...
Changes rippled through Kethar. Black shadows leaked from the bracelet, crawling up his forearm and etching a tattoo onto his body.
"What skill'd you get?"
"...【Shadow Step】."
"Handy one."
【Shadow Step】—the guy's skill. Instant short-range teleport. Not long like 【Teleport】, but short cooldown was its edge. Perfect for close-range fighter Kethar.
"Let's move."
We'd got what we came for. Time to link up with Jackson's crew and wrap this up.
The toughest hurdle was next.
* * *
Bang!
Rat-tat-tat-tat—!
Gunfire echoed through the narrow corridor. Lab guards swarmed in packs; Jackson's crew countered slowly, using his shield as a wall.
"Die!!!"
Fwoosh!
Maybe the lab stirred old memories—April's eyes flashed with fury.
"Gaaahhh!"
"Kraaaah!"
April chained 【Ignition】 and 【Combustion】 relentlessly, then hit clustered foes with 【Transfer】. The fearless chargers burned pitch-black.
"Lady's making it easier. Jerome, you set?"
"Y-yeah! All done!"
Their mission: plant explosive kits across the labs. Damian said it was the only way to shut them down.
"Good. On to the last spot. Wait for Damian and Kethar there."
"Got it, boss!"
Bang!
Splatter!
Michael skewered the line-rushing guards and replied. Jackson's crew dashed on.
Destination: the path to Descartes' lab. They'd hold it till Damian and Kethar arrived.
"Block 'em here."
The fork split two ways. Jackson backed against the lab path, shield up.
"There!"
"Block the lab!"
Foes poured from one prong. Good—easier to cover one side.
But Jackson wondered: Why only one side? To pressure us, they'd come both ways...
He saw why. The other path crawled with freakish monsters.
"No way."
April reacted first. Four-armed things. Feet-on-shoulders abominations. Grotesque forms screamed lab experiments.
"Michael! Target 'em!"
"Y-yes sir!"
Regular experiments should fold to bullets—not specifics.
Bang!
Crunch!
Michael's shot pierced a head. But...
-Grrr...
-Kreeee!
It charged, head hole and all. Zombie-like.
Booom!
A bull-rusher slammed Jackson's shield. He braced with his mech arm, but piling masses pushed him back.
"I'll handle it!"
April ignited the rushers. Flames caught sure—but didn't stop them.
Needed overwhelming power. Like when protecting her mom.
"......"
Flashbacks: mom savagely bitten. Himself, powerless to save her—pathetic.
Regret for his weakness. Shame.
Ting-ting-ting!
"Ngh, urk. Watch out!"
"Careful, b-boss...! Urk!"
Jackson strained to block. Michael took bullet hail. Alpano got hit pulling him out.
"Not again......"
Nightmare redux. What changed? Nothing. Powerless once more.
"......"
Rage boiled over. No more losses to his weakness.
Fwaaah!
Flames erupted—not on foes, but her body.
Furious April transformed.
"H-hey, you're on fire!"
"......D-danger!"
"Sis! Sis!!!"
Jackson's crew panicked, calling her—but she heard nothing.
"I'll burn you all...... to ash."
Snap!
She thrust hands at the oncoming horde.
Whoooosh!
Body flames sucked inward, reigniting in her palms. April chanted.
Fwoosh!
Experiments ignited. Screams filled the air—but they pressed on.
However...
"Explode."
Kaboom!
Bodies burst like bombs. Flame attribute evolved to Explosion.
Shrapnel flew everywhere.
"Wh-what the......"
"She didn't just light 'em—she blew 'em up, right boss?"
"......Whoa."
April's rage birthed new power: 【Injection Explosion】. Enhanced injected attributes.
Ka-boom!
Crunch! Crunch!
Blasts chained. Guard corridor. Monster path.
"Gaaaaah!"
-Kreeeek!
Human and monster screams mingled.
But not all down. Reinforcements filled gaps, bullets flying nonstop.
"April!"
Thud!
She collapsed—mana drained from the surge.
Jerome supported her; others resisted.
"Ngh......"
Ting-ting-ting-ting!
Bang! Boom!
Left: bullet storm. Front: monster fists.
Jackson's sturdy shield cracked, yielding ground.
"B-boss! Sniping's got limits! More coming than we drop!"
"......C-close. Tough."
Michael: strong but slow. Alpano: fast but hard to approach. Jackson: defense-locked. Jerome's kits: spent.
Wham!
Craaack!
-Grk...
A greatsword pierced the head of a shield-smasher.
"You bastards......"
Furious Damian appeared.
His gaze swept the struggling crew and fallen April.
"Dare touch my people? Wipe 'em."
Weapon clones struck from behind.
* * *
Area cleared. No more waves.
"Probably from spiking her mana all at once."
Jackson checked April—mana issue. She'd unleashed unprecedented power. Explosion skill, likely.
【Injection Explosion】 is a Hero-grade skill.
Like item tiers, skills had grades. Higher = stronger. And not just anyone could wield high-grade ones.
So April's no ordinary character. Real noble?
Definitely not a major story figure—Kethar didn't recognize her.
Creators meddled beyond plot? Unclear.
One thing sure: April was special.
"Drink this."
I fed her an elixir. New power meant help against Descartes.
"Nngh......"
As Jackson guessed, mana-related. She stirred slowly.
"Th-them? Others okay? A-anyone hurt...?"
Awake, she fretted over comrades. Lab experiment trauma? Caused the rampage?
"We're good."
"Phew......"
Relief sigh. Anyway, April recovered.
But the process was suspicious.
Body on fire, huh.
Phoenix trait precursor? Overpowered fire-class trait.
But...
Final expansion's last boss trait.
Not awakened yet. Watch closer.
"Time to take him down."
Just Descartes left. We headed down the lab corridor, steeling ourselves.
Reached the end. Sealed iron door.
I flung it open.
Creeeak.
"Hmm, this is a problem. Brockton's almost in view."
Black coat, black staff in hand. Descartes gazed out the window, back turned.
He spoke without looking.
"Not here for the view with me, I take it. Orion?"
"As if."
"Hm, no......"
Descartes turned slowly.
"Then why......"
Fwaaaaa!
Immense mana surged. Dark, repulsive—like it'd swallow even me.
"Are you here to ruin my plans!!!!!"
His eyes drowned in devouring black.
"Let's begin."
Brockton's first boss. The arrow sparking corporate war.
Battle commenced.