In response to Rex's slash, the Neo-Life creature merely adjusted its stance as it's staff, still rooted on the ground, moved into the path of Rex's slash.
Clang!!!
The two objects, A lethal strike borne from a green-lit sword and the lazy stance change of a staff that had taken on a purplish glow the moment it made contact with the sword, CLASHED!!!.
Aargh!!
Rex could not hold back a painful wimp that escaped his mouth. As his mind was assaulted by pain, he felt he noticed a bit of reaction from his Foe, Rex could barely sort out what sort of reaction it was, but he knew he noticed something.
The reverbration that had traveled through the sword, the moment it made contact with the staff, felt like it was going to pull apart his shoulder. Using the force of the impact, Rex dashed backward, to fully analyze what had just happened.
Boom!!
A punch landed squarely on his chest, sending Rex sliding further backward than he intended.
-5HP
HP: 35/40
The punch even though lacking in momentum, has glazed down more than a tenth of his HP.
Rex consciously dashed further backward, increasing the space between him and the Neo-Life Creature.
As Rex dashed backward, the Neo-Life creature switched to a relaxed posture. It leaned in to its staff, using it to support it's tall figure, its eyes bore a hint of amusement as it studied Rex.
Rex tried to calm his madly beating heart as he tried to make sense of his most recent exchange, an act aimed at attempting to find a path for victory in his immediately disadvantageous exchange.
During the brief exchange, the purplish glow his opponents staff had taken gave him a strong sense of familiarity. It was most likely the same augmentation of HARDEN he had employed. But it felt much different from his. It felt like like it was employed more effectively than his.
He had used the Augment effect of HARDEN on his sword too, during their brief exchange. The mechanism of use still felt instinctual, similar to how he employed It when he used it on his body, only that the energy flowed into his weapon and not reinforce a part of his body.
The moment his skill had made contact with his sword, he could feel a connection established between him and the Eldrim Sword, improving his control over it and strengthening the sword. Feeling it with a form of energy that seeked to be used. He had employed to strengthen his attack, he could feel his strike become weightier ... more lethal.
But his opponent had used it differently, it felt like the HARDEN his staff employed was fiercer and specifically reinforced the defense of the staff. Making it sturdier and gaining a repulsive trait that had almost completely rebounded all the power stored in his strike, sending it shuttling through his arm.
And his opponent's use of it had been instantaneous, it felt like every single one of the energy contained in the HARDEN skill was maximally employed.
Rex could feel he was onto something. "A possible path to victory, that lay within the assumption that, the Neo-life creature that stood in a mocking relaxed stance in front of him, was using HARDEN differently from how he used it.
"Is there a way, I can replicate that?". This question rang in Rex's mind as his gaze were fixed on his foe.
'. . .'
He had expected a reply from X L, not minding the fact that his question was directed to no one. But silence was all that permeated the cavern.
The only invalid answer to his question.
The Neo-Life creature though seemed to acknowledge Rex's unspoken question. As it strengthened its posture with obvious amusement, one of its dark aboreal fingers, indicating for Rex to come.
"A taunt to battle"
Rex glanced at his Cosmic Essence, the base of his skill.
CE: 19/22
His recent use of HARDEN had brought down his CP by 3 points, he could only pull HARDEN off six more times.
As Rex once again poised himself for battle, his heartbeat was magnified as it beats grew heavier..deeper, drowning all distractions.
"It's just a game"
"It's just a game"
But the awful sense of foreboding, that was at the back of his mind, did not disappear.
It wasn't just a game, it was a gamble.
A very high-stake one.
His long-awaited future was at stake.
He could not afford to lose.
The eerie purplish eyes of his foe, lay affixed on Rex, unchanging.
Its stare seemed to hide a motive, a motive that even deluded Rex. It's prey!.
Whopp!!!
Rex instantly shot forward, performing an upward cut with his sword. A move Rex had chosen, cause it seemed to be the most difficult to block with a staff.
He believed it would at least pose some level of difficulty to the Neo-Life Creature.
As the sword drew closer to the creature, it barely reacted.
As the sword got within inches of its head.
The Neo-life creature finally responded to his move, Its head abruptly tilted backward.
A move that it's speed and direction was an unnatural sight to Rex.
. . .
But Rex hadn't been outplayed yet.
At that moment of unnatural aerobatics.
Rex reinforced his arms as they gripped tightly onto the sword with HARDEN, employing the skill to forcefully change his uppercut to a slash. Switching the horizontal momentum of his cut to a vertical slash.
Whooosshhhh!!!
A wheezing sound cut through the air, as Rex's sword sliced towards the Neo-Life creatures exposed neck.
Its intention bare, a slit of the throat.
As Rex's sword shot towards its goal.
- - -
Bammm!!!!
The Neo-Life Creature, employed HARDEN on its two feet as it forcefully shot itself backward, As Rex's slash slashed past it, missing its mark in the most tiniest of distance.
Huuu!! Huu!! Hu!
Rex's breath came out in loud huffs, this attack felt very different.
His arms were throbbing with pain.
In between breaths, his CE bar popped up.
CE: 16/22 {XL}
-3CE
But it was not the only notification.
A series of notifications followed:
-2HP
HP: 33/40
HARDEN:BASE STATE ESTABLISHED
BASE STATE
HARDEN Lvl 3
Reinforce/Augment a 55cm part of the body or 1kg weapon, increasing strength by 250% for 3 secs.
E.COST: 3CE
HARDEN: SECONDARY STATE A UNLOCKED
HARDEN Lvl 3
Reinforce/Augment a 55cm part of the body or 1kg weapon, increasing strength by 750% for 1 sec.
E.COST: 3CE
💙COST: 2HP
Rex barely noted his lost HP, as his mind was fully engrossed in fully appreciating the changes his skill had undergone.
Primary State!!!!!
Secondary State!!!
"Players are in complete control of their skill, the player interface is a guide that establishes the standard. Players can further improve their skills based on their own alterations with the skills mechanism"
"Huhh!" Rex could not help himself from loudly exclaiming at the cutie's voice interjection to his train of thought.
"How come you are only saying that now"
"Well, you just figured that out, so I am providing you the relevant information about your most recent discovery," X L defended her action.
Rex had employed HARDEN differently in his last exchange. During his normal usage of the skill. He could feel the energy calmly flow as it reinforced his body. The reinforcement was sustained and it had a therapeutic feel about it.
But this time, it was different. Rex had forcefully sent the energy flowing towards his arms, the flow was not calm like his prior use of the skill. It was like a torrent as it flooded his arm, greatly amplifying his strength. Which he employed, to forcefully change his sword move.
As Rex glanced at the new development with his skill, that was still in view. A slow steady calm was slowly taking root in his mind. There was a path to victory.
Compared to his prior use of the skill, it felt like on one hand, he was holding a machine gun and spraying tens of shots to take down a target, holding his trigger down for more than was necessary. But on the other hand, all of his shots were compressed into one single shot, a highly penetrative and damage sufficed shot.
As Rex slowly came of his analysis, he observed his foe. It eerie but intelligent eyes, seemed to hold some form of acknowledgement for Rex's achievement. It stood still observing Rex.
"You are dead meat" Rex verbally announced, as he once again dashed forward towards the Neo-Life Creature. It was not going to be the end of him.
Every single step of his dash was infused with Rex's enthusiasm,. With the most recent development. He was 100% certain he was going to take down his monkish foe.
A declaration fueled by his need to succeed.
A small voice in Rex's mind whispered as he dashed forward, "You are the Overlord class, everything is possible".