82. Moth to the Flame
In a crisis, concentration and judgment sharpen dramatically. I spotted my vision flooding white for an instant and moved fast.
I activated the All-In skill to amp up my endurance stat, triggered Iron Wall to boost my defense. I pulled a shield from my inventory to use as cover.
But I wasn't confident that would fully block it. If what I had wasn't enough, next up was using the surroundings.
The nearest max-sized cover: I ducked behind the Emerald Wyvern's corpse.
More hunch than prediction, but their bodies had to have resistance to their own attacks. Whether from raw physical durability or some weird magical means, who knew. If the former, I'd live; if the latter, I'd die.
A dead wyvern sure as shit wasn't going to play perfect shield anyway.
From finishing that judgment to acting on it: about one second.
-KABOOM!
The explosion's roar rang in my ears, replaced instantly by tinnitus. Vision already pure white. Hearing, sight, then touch and mana sense—all numbed.
My status window's HP bar plummeted at insane speed. I blacked out.
Consciousness lost. Super Regeneration activated.
A hazy, waterlogged daze. I barely came to, circulating mana fast to check my body while sensing the wyverns that had blasted me.
They were charging my way, thudding steps. But the distance hadn't closed much.
They weren't that slow, so it shouldn't take long. Guess my blackout was just a split second.
But in that blink, my body was shredded to rags.
"Kuhk."
A dry cough forced its way out. Felt like puking, but no blood, not even spit. Throat probably charred.
Fuck, breathing alone felt like fire searing my lungs. Eyes fried too, limbs nothing but wreckage. At this point, I was basically coal.
Status window HP: nearly bottomed out. One step from death.
"Heh, kuhk, kh, fu, ckin hell..."
Sounds insane, but damn, it felt good. Scorched lips twisted into a smirk.
Every time I grow—any way at all—I get this intense rush. If my vow to never stop pulls me forward, this growth high shoves me from behind.
"Heh, hehhehe, hahaha!"
So this thrill now—from feeling the growth? Nah, probably not.
I hate myself. Hate the pleasure I feel, all those animal urges.
That's why I've thrown myself into death's jaws over and over. To die. To kill me.
But in those crises, I grow faster than ever, get stronger. Thinking on it, no action more contradictory.
Maybe what I really love isn't throwing myself into danger—it's the act itself?
Fail: die. Succeed: grow. Looks like reckless gambling, but for someone craving both, either's a win.
"Ughk, keh, krr, heuh."
Feeling my body knit bit by bit, I eyed the five approaching wyverns.
Fun, thrilling, annoying, gross, hateful, repulsive... and fun again.
Emotions and will directly sway mana flow, so right now mine shook wildly. But this didn't use my mana, so I could lean on it worry-free.
Mana Reinforcement
Mana Reinforcement applied via pendant.
All stats dramatically increased!
-RUMBLE!
Pendant charged and used—thunderclap, and overwhelming power flooded my body.
Outside the cavern, wyverns moved freer. The chamber was wide enough to fly but not unrestricted.
So two of the five beat wings and took to the air. Their real stage now.
But for me, this was just starting. Body wrecked, but HP lingered—I wouldn't die.
Effects from Battle Continuation and Battle Awakening past two digits, plus half-healed state: I could still fight.
Add Unyielding triggered by plummeting HP, and pendant Mana Reinforcement.
Stronger than ever before. Right now.
-BOOM!
I kicked off the ground, arrowing at the ground-bound wyvern. It swung claws to smash me—but I was way faster.
Closed in, thrust a thick spear from inventory into its neck.
-KIIIII!
Intense mana waves from airborne ones. Beams incoming.
Even without buffs, I'd dodged before. Now? Easy.
Beams swept the ground, but I'd already leaped airborne.
"Hup."
Midair, deep breath, adjusted stance, one-hand sword out—Sword Charge.
Dash judgment propelled me forward, closing on the flying wyvern in a flash.
"Gotcha."
Touch-and-go range. Pulled a large halberd from inventory, slammed it into the wyvern's shoulder.
Grabbed the haft, climbed aboard, mounted its back.
Wyvern tried every aerial stunt to shake me, but no dice.
I stabbed sword and spear deeper into its shoulder, held tighter.
-KABOOM! Boom!
Others fired beams to down us—but not one hit.
Whether this wyvern's agility or their inability to aim at kin, dunno. But once mounted? Comfy.
Learning to hold on easy now.
"No Wyvern Rider class?"
Thought it'd be nice to tame flying mounts. Pulled throwing weapons from inventory.
Even on this bucking wyvern, my throws stayed dead-on.
"Hah!"
Hurled at another frozen wyvern.
Emerald Wyverns' big weakness: low defense vs firepower. Flight speed underwhelming too—perfect for my throwing specialty. Landed solid hits.
Sliced deep into the mount's shoulder, All-In for strength burst, ripped a wing off by hand.
-GRAAAAAH!!
Screaming plunge. Others waited groundside, battered.
I chugged potions, healed remnants, finished the dying ones.
"No big deal."
Minus the near-death beam, total curbstomp. Ever since gearing up proper, big mobs always felt this way.
One hit kills me, but their brute attacks? Never touch me. Skill gap.
Of course, only possible 'cause my base specs match theirs.
"Mana Reinforcement's straight busted."
Double buff from Unyielding and pendant—absurdly strong.
But not all rosy. Total reliance on items for peak power sucks.
Recoil post-use brutal, rechargeable so inflexible.
Now that I know its power, can't ditch it. OP items always a hassle.
Guess train to self-cast Mana Reinforcement ASAP.
Reflection over. One left.
"Your turn."
One spared wyvern: wings and claws torn, skewered to ground with sword and spear.
Can't fight, but mouth intact—one trick left.
"Fire away."
I strode up bold. It gathered mana for beam.
Already proved one beam won't kill. No cover now, but Mana Reinforcement ups defense higher.
Not bosses, random mobs—no rewards. So I'll take what I want.
Compound high-damage attack: tank a few, rack resistances?
Great Magic Resistance Lv.1
Spell Resistance Lv.1