"Tang ina! Why are they that big?"
I stepped back as soon as I saw a group of tikbalangs going my way. They snorted and some even neighed.
"System, will you warn me next time? What kind of creatures I'll be facing next time, and items I might ne-"
[FOR CLARIFICATION. I DID PUT UP NOTIFICATION BUT YOU SWIPED IT AWAY.]
Makes sense. Maybe when I was busy or something. The system wasn't playing games with me.
The first tikbalang lunged at me and...for the sake of all the horses, why was it so fast?
I dodged to my side and fell hard on the ground face first.
"This is so unfair."
I stood up and all I did was dodge. If I even try to counter, another one was already behind me.
A delay would likely break a bone, when they stomp at me.
I rolled and crouched, watching as another tikbalang attacked from my right. Then another one. And another one.
They kept coming at me without stopping. And I couldn't even outrun them.
"There's definitely a way to strike back." I muttered to myself.
That's when i looked around and gritted my teeth.
"Gotta make us of the environment then."
I ran towards a big narra tree and pressed my back on it. Waiting...
Waiting...
Till one pounced on my from my left, but I dodged and stepped back. The tikbalang hit the tree with such impact from its own momentum, causing a delay for it to recover.
That was the opening I needed. Without wasting that chance, I stabbed the tikbalang's side deeply causing it to scatter into fragments till it disappeared.
[TIKBALANG ELIMINATED: 1/100]
"99 more to go. I can do this."
I kept that strategy throughout the battle.
[TIKBALANG ELIMINATED: 2/100....3....4....5....6...7....8.....9]
As the numbers rose, my movements were more precised and was able to counter them now without much trouble.
"Ugh! You're ugly." I said as one tikbalang caught me off guard and was about to bite me.
I pushed its face away, shoving it as far as I could.
Then...kicked it with everything I've got just to be released. I stabbed it's chest and it shattered.
I was already halfway through my kill count that they've started changing patterns.
They're now attacking in groups. Three as the lowest, and five in a group as the highest count I've noticed.
"Hey be fair. I'm only one." I complained as a group of four tikbalangs attacked me at the same time.
I ran as fast as I could, making sure I kept my distance. Then I stopped and faced them as more trees were on the way.
The tree roots were already so big and filling up the ground as I looked around.
"If I slip, I'll be seriously in trouble. Better to stop running and start fighting.
I gripped my dagger tightly and this time, I did the first move.
I lunged at the first one I saw, planting my dagger on its throat. Then moved to the second one and kicked it on the face with a round house before stabbing its chest.
[DAGGER OF EXECUTION HAS LEVELED UP]
[DAGGER MASTERY: LEVEL 4]
Nice timing. My dagger mastery increased. I could feel my movements more naturally now than being forced to move, because of the skill.
I was rushing to end it since the fight was taking longer to take them down.
They adapted and started moving in such organized manner.
I ran towards a tikbalang that was about to lunged at me. I met it head on and fought it without hesitation.
I still fear them. But fearing them wouldn't help me at all. I've been scared and was a coward but I've managed to change that.
[GAINED 6500 POINTS]
I already killed 65 tikbalangs, and I'm already exhausted. But the points....my eyes were practically sparkling seeing it.
Which was a mistake.
One tikbalang managed to strike me by the head and I fell down on the ground groaning in pain.
"Puta! That hurts!"
I put my hand on my head, and was stunned when my hand felt something wet on my head.
I slowly retracted my hand and watched what it was.
"Blood."
My breath hitched and I stumbled back...
"There's blood. My own blood...."
[HOLY WATER PURCHASED]
The system, without my intervention deducted points purchasing the holy water on its own.
It was keeping me alive at all cost. As soon as the holy water materializes, I drank it and felt the pain disappear.
I checked my head and the bleeding stopped.
I gripped my dagger even more and stood up. I just unlocked another fear and its not about the creatures anymore.
It's about getting hurt. I don't wanna be hurt, again.
Seeing my own blood made me swear never to get hurt again.
It's better to take the enemies down by overkilling them than to get hurt.
"System, unlock user status feature."
[STATUS HAS BEEN UNLOCKED]
[USER: ANTHONY]
[SYSTEM LEVEL 3]
[STR: 1, AGI: 1, VIT: 1, STA: 1]
[STAT POINTS AVAILABLE: 15]
I checked the new status feature that I unlocked and studied it. Every system levels gives me 5 points which was not bad.
I added 5 on STR and AGI, while 3 on VIT and 2 on STA.
And i felt the change immediately.
By body felt lighter, because of AGI, and the grip I gave the dagger felt much powerful.
I tested the changes towards the tikbalang who hit me, and I was amazed how one slash shattered it.
I smirked and looked at the remaining tikbalangs.
"Time for you to disappear."
I dashed through groups of the tikbalangs and slashed the dagger from one creature to another.
Until every one of them disappeared.
[MONTHLY COMBAT CHECKING COMPLETED.]
[TIKBALANGS ELIMINATED : 100/100]
[GAINED POINTS 10000]
[TOTAL POINTS: 10,238]
"Yes! I'm rich again."
[HOST DO YOU WANT TO UPGRADE THE SYSTEM WITH 10000 POINTS TO LEVEL 4? Y/N]
I was about to press [YES] when I remembered Alicia's patch that cost 5000 points. So I tapped [NO].
Alicia's safety matters more than my own leveling. And i can always earn them back.
For now, I'm goad I finished the monthly combat stronger and braver.