— VIII —
[Parry]
Something doesn't feel right…
Even with the "fairness" of going 1v1, Lisbeth wasn't performing well against the «Ruin Kobold Trooper».
After the first surprise attacks, the battle turned into a stalemate, where a slight mistake could open the door to a quick end.
[Crack]
Liz parried the mob's unknown sword skill with one of her own. However…
My health is going down anyway!?
This was one of the disadvantages of going against a higher-level monster: both could execute the same skill, but depending on factors such as level, equipment quality, stats, and special effects, the final result would expose who had the real tools to defeat the other.
Even if the opponent was a brainless monster, a bigger number would cover for that weakness.
"Guh!" She grunted in disapproval as she put some distance between them.
I'm at half. She took a moment to steady her breath. What do I do? What I'm supposed to do?!
From the corner of her eye, Neo wasn't having it any better. And at the same time, she couldn't comprehend how somebody could change his fighting style so drastically: one moment he was using only his feet, and the next he was balancing himself like a drunk in the middle of a street fight.
Honestly, how does he do that?
"Wataah!" A high-pitched, playful shout resounded from the American after a flying kick. "Hoo-ah!" Followed by an elbow into the sternum, finishing with a lightning-fast backhand with the other hand. (Forest Law's grab: Dragon's Fire)
Does he have to resemble Bruce Lee so much? Jeez, sometimes the American made her feel like a joke for taking the fight seriously.
It's almost like he's playing around with no care in the world–
"This is a game, and if we're going to be around for a prolonged time, we might as well savor every moment at our grasp…" His voice made echo inside her head.
She remembered his words back at the Town of Beginnings. At that time, she wasn't sure if he was for real, but…
Is that all it takes?
Just think of this like a normal videogame…
That's insane…except he's standing with way more health than me, so maybe I don't have a vote on what counted as insanity anymore.
Fine. If skill wasn't enough, she'd borrow his head for a minute.
Liz calmed her breath a bit, then focused on her feelings for a moment: all the fear and doubt that were mounting by the second.
The mace user searched for a change of perspective. Something, anything that would make her snap out of what was leading toward defeat.
Forget everything! She made her call from within. There's no death fight, only annoyances trying to poke me with sticks.
That last one didn't sound reassuring.
After a few swings, she was obligated to contest with a [Parry] because of her lack of speed. Even if Lisbeth didn't intend to keep going with that strat, the AI adaptation wasn't a joke at all.
Another chunk of her health disappeared, and it wouldn't take much more to reach the red bar. And with that, her thumb started drumming the haft of her mace without noticing.
It's… not working! She gritted her teeth.
Imitating somebody's mentality wasn't easy. Leaving aside her own mortality wasn't a solution either. She wasn't suicidal.
Among the chaos in her inner world, a peculiar image formed: she and Neo, drinking and laughing in a bar. Having a classic "boy and girl who like each other but were too busy having fun to just say it."
JUST LIKE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN BACK THEN… not him holding her so she didn't fall into a depression spiral after being trapped.
Frustration exploded within; her grip tightened on the haft. Her jaw set… then her breathing slowed.
The desire to go at his side by her own resolution. Not over his footprints –beside them. The resolution of TALKING and LAUGHING WITH HIM.
Her breathing calmed down after deep, resolute exhalations. Her eyes sharpened.
"I'm Shinozaki Rika–" She murmured low, but with conviction. "–and I'm not done–"
The Kobold let out an ugly growl before making its next move.
Neo - Lesson 1: First observe and collect intelligence.
The Trooper went for a horizontal slash.
These mobs repeat the same moves, even if they could adjust angles and timing, Lisbeth concluded.
The mace user barely ducked the axe slash before responding in kind, her swing connecting with the monster's exposed blue leg. The Trooper growled in pain this time.
Neo - Lesson 2: Once you get the picture, test it.
The mob ignored its previous setback and kept swinging its weapon at Liz, hoping for a lucky hit.
Horizontal, vertical, and X-shaped cleavings. It never starts from below.
Once again, she waited for the horizontal before making her retaliation on the other leg.
The monster staggered, temporarily losing the footing it needed to keep up the fight.
Neo - Lesson 3: Understand how your avatar moves… it will make the difference in successfully activating skills and executing precise attacks.
NOW!
She initiated her skill, mace glowing briefly before hammering the skull of the paralyzed «Ruin Kobold Trooper».
The mob convulsed briefly before disappearing into a thousand polygons.
________________
"Haaa–" Neo's chest emptied all at once. He hadn't noticed it was full.
The disadvantage in Lisbeth's situation was giving him second thoughts about just grabbing her and running away toward wherever this cave led.
Fortunately, she just finished her fight.
Just two more.
The remaining Trooper snarled in fury as it made another horizontal swing. This time Neo waited until the last moment to jump over it.
"Dynamic Entry!" He overexaggerated an aerial kick –no skill included– that ended at the head of the mob. The critical hit did its work and brought the monster to 0 HP.
That was good. Worth asking myself later whether the noise is doing its job…or I've just started enjoying it.
He had been overbearing with his skills and moves until now. His theory was that it might attract more "attention" to him, making it less probable that his foe would skip him and attack his partner.
He recalled the first fight with the pair of wolves on the path toward Horunka, where the mob had avoided him to attack Lisbeth.
There was a momentary silence; Lisbeth and Neo were ready to finish the big red guy.
"Graaawwh!" An even greater growl came from «Redfang», as more Troopers emerged from the shadows of the other paths.
This…this is… Neo counted them as they came out of the dark. Exactly three. The same three, in the same positions.
A reset…well shit…
They couldn't keep fighting like this. Their stamina and concentration wouldn't last forever.
Escape wasn't an option either; traps and more mobs awaited them down the other paths. Like a survivor on an island, deciding whether to wait to be rescued or try his/her luck in the open sea, that window of opportunity is gone. They stayed.
And the possibility of being overrun grew by the second.
How much time had passed? His eyes flicked toward the blocked path where his party members had been separated. Then toward his minimap, where those two had been unmoving for a while now…
Are they discussing the weather or what?! Frustration was becoming unbearable to suppress. He worked his jaw.
No, don't take it on them, Neo reasoned for a moment. It was all me: my plan, my decision…my mistake.
Since there was no way to know if this mini-boss would keep pumping out soldiers indefinitely, there was only one solution:
Eliminate the source.
"Stay on defense!" he shouted to Lisbeth. "I'll take their leader." He launched forward without waiting for a reply.
At the same time, he closed his right hand, a faint glow growing from the inside of that fist.
This is untested. Hope it works…
The Troopers reacted, one after another charging at the American, slashes from all angles raining over him. Weaving his body with an almost unnatural elasticity, he kept dodging them without retaliating.
Lisbeth observed, looking for an opportunity to engage in a surprise offensive. Her face betrayed her growing concern: Neo wasn't responding the way he always did. He refrained from using any skill or throwing a normal hit.
An eternal minute had passed since Neo started dodging. Then he cut past all the mobs, going straight for «Redfang». The Guardian raised its big club.
An empowered horizontal swing passed by without meeting its target.
A chance!
To dodge, he dropped his weight into a deep crouch, his right shoulder sinking so low that his knuckles nearly grazed the earth. White light spilled past his fingers, right hand illuminating the dirt beneath him brighter than the usual «unarmed» skill.
Legs exploding upward, and his hips violently twisted forward, acting as a pivot point for the blow.
The now full glowing arm launched upward, tracing a deadly three-quarter arc between a hook and an uppercut, crashing directly into «Redfang»'s unprotected chin.
[Smash]!
A hammer-like noise echoed –and after a moment– crystal breaking followed.