Death March — Fixed

“Tek here, finding out that Demons are scarier in real life than in movies. Apparently, they roar--imagine standing at the metal bars of a lion enclosure and have it roar in your ear…Surprisingly scary.”

I quickly arrived on the rooftop of a large building, where the plaza in its entirety can be see. From here I could see the massive form of the Demon and the dozens of soldiers who encircled it--furthermore, the soldiers who had arrived from guarding the gate, instead of from the castle, were protecting the Mages behind them.

Maybe the Knights saw a chance for an attack, the cavalry joined into the formation with the surviving soldiers. Spear thrusts and arrows rained on the Demon--which was obviously playing around. The attacks can’t do anything to him, and he caught the soldiers, seeming to enjoy breaking their bones.

“Now, this is an interesting development. Judging from how badly they fight--it’s good that I am here.” I speak to myself as I look around, trying to estimate the best timing to step it.

I am now wearing clothing that differs greatly from what I was wearing earlier, now donned in a worn out cloak with a large hood, since I know that it’ll get dirty anyway, so I wear the cheapest looking one.

Taking out the Magic Gun that I had prepared in advance, I kneel on one knee and bring the scope to my eye. It’s not the handgun type, but one that resembles a rifle with a big scope.

The Demon is moving about, around three hundred meters away, so it’s hard to get a bead on him. Right as the soldiers pull back, the Mages cast some form of Earth Magic that results in the lower half of the Demon’s body being buried in the ground.

It is a good opportunity since the Demon is currently immobilized, so I pull the trigger--and missed.

Well, that was to be expected, I haven’t really used any guns in real life. Other than the training I went through when I joined Army Cadets because of friends,, for a little over a year--almost 9 years before this.

When I pulled the trigger, my line of fire dropped--luckily I missed the soldier who was in the way; but he did jump back as the stones shattered at his feet and sprayed debris up.

The Demon continuously got hit by Fire and Lightning Magic, but was circled by some kind of anti-magic barrier, seeming to take no damage.

The moment he stopped moving again, I rapidly fire the Magic Gun at the Demon, the setting is set quite low--so I won’t destroy buildings if I miss.

The third shot finally hit! 

Suddenly a bar appeared, floating, and semi-transparent, in the air next to the Demon; and it decreased a little bit.

“What is this, a game?” I smiled as I asked--I love easy mode, and it was nice enough to show the health bar of my enemies.

>>Skill: Shooting Acquired.

>>Skill: Aiming Acquired.

>>Skill: Sniping Acquired.

In the corner of my view, the small Log window displays the skill acquisition messages.

Oh?

Right--I can gain skills easily can’t I?

This looks like the perfect opportunity to rapidly gain a bunch of combat related skills, let my gamer instinct run wild…grinding skills!

However, looking away from the Demon was a bad move. 

Without any time to avoid it, a lightning bolt sent by the Demon hit me--and after smashing into me, the lightning struck and destroyed the foothold I am using--The roof of the building got completely destroyed.

>>Skill: Demon - Lightning Magic Acquired.

>>Skill: Lightning Resistance Acquired.

>>Skill: Paralysis Resistance Acquired.

>>Skill: Pain Resistance Acquired.

“Urgh--my hands and feet are tingling--”

If I had to explain it, the feeling was like when your arms or legs go numb, and then recover feeling--only for that feeling to be those painful pins and needles.

Looking down at my own HP bar, I see that I’ve received a whole 5 points of damage.

Come to think of it, I haven’t checked the Demon’s level--

Alright, let’s look.

Race: Demon

Level: 62

Skills: Lightning Magic: Demon, Wind Magic: Demon, Darkness Magic: Demon, Fighting, and Flight.

I pushed aside the wreckage of the building, and saw that it doesn’t seem like the Demon is pursuing me.

>>Skill: Rapid Regeneration Acquired.

When I look at my HP bar again, I see that it had completely recovered before I had even noticed it.

I move towards the another building, quickly assigning a skill point to Pain Resistance, Lightning Resistance, Paralysis Resistance, Shooting, and Rapid Regeneration while moving. There was a three story building around a hundred meters away from my previous sniper perch, and I jump over the wall which surrounds it and onto the roof.

Since the soldiers surrounding the Demon has decreased to less than half their previous number, the methods that I could use to attack the Demon has increased.

Taking a bow and arrow from storage, I aim at the Demon; I may have never used a bow until now, but thanks to the Sniping and Shooting Skills, I seem to be able to instinctively aiming.

Taking aim, the moment when the Demon stopped, I shoot--and missed.

My hand that I used to pull the bowstring hurt.

After that, no matter how many arrows I shoot, none of them actually hit--even though I could understand how to shoot the bow--there were no good results.

The number of encircling soldiers dropped even further.

I discovered a route which would allow me to discreetly get close to the Demon; after dropping from the roof, I equip one of the Lizardman spears from my inventory.

If I knew that this would happen, I would have had armour tailored as well--

Holding the thick, solid shaft of the spear in both hands, I hide in the shadows.

>>Skill: Spy Acquired.

Since I got a skill that looks to be useful, I immediately allocate points to it.

There are several large carriages overturned on the way to the Demon, where I am going.

When I activate the Spy skill, the sound of my footsteps disappear completely.

The Demon’s roar can be heard, followed by the sound of knights being hit by lightning--that roar seems to be the way that the Demon casts spells.

While its attention is diverted, I quickly dash forwards and thrust the spear from behind; and with an unpleasant sound, the sensation of tearing real flesh is transferred to my hand--the unexpected sensations made my grip loosen slightly and when the Demon’s tail strikes at me from a blind spot, it sends me flying over three meters away.

After rolling along the ground, I stop at the wreckage of some carriages.

>>Skill: Surprise Attack Acquired.

>>Skill: Spear Acquired.

>>Skill: Shock Resistance Acquired.

My HP only reduced by a single point--however, probably because this is the first real fight that I have been in, my limbs won’t stop trembling.

Fortunately, the Demon turned his attention back to the knights, allowing me a chance to recuperate; I take a few deep breaths and the trembling begins to subside.

>>Skill: Fear Resistance Acquired.

>>Skill: Reckless Courage Acquired.

I quickly take a small bronze sword and shield from my inventory, leaving the sword in its scabbard, I push it through the belt loop of my jeans; usually a metal fixture or special belt would be used to hold it, but it can’t be helped because I don’t have one--let’s buy it later.

I also prepare a small bow, along with an arrow, which has a bone arrowhead. The Demon is only a little over ten meters away, but I still don’t think I’d hit it.

The Demon lifted up an attacking soldier and threw him at the knights; I matched the timing of his throw and dashed closer, shooting the arrow at zero distance, completely unnoticed.

>>Skill: Bow Acquired.

I immediately discard the bow, slashing at the Demon the moment I unsheathed the sword; this is a move used by sword fighters in animes, which supposedly accelerates the speed of the blade and increases damage--which isn’t how physics works, the friction of the blade on the sheath slows it more than the drag of air on the blade if it is normally swung; it has the opposite effect.

The small sword broke in one hit--

>>Skill: Iai Acquired.

>>Skill: One-Handed Sword Acquired.

“** **** *****!!” While cursing with words in a language that I had never heard before, the Demon attacked me with obviously poisonous claws.

I promptly decided to receive the attack using the small bronze shield, but the Demon is attacking from both sides; the judgement to block with the broken sword at the same time came on the spur of the moment.

Of course, such a thing can’t defend against such a powerful attacks and the rest of the sword breaks with a single blow from the poisonous claw.

>>Skill: Demon Language Acquired.

>>Skill: Poison Resistance Acquired.

I wanted to immediately enable the the Poison Resistance skill, but I had no time or opportunity, since I was in the middle of a battlefield--I succeeded in blocking the claws with the small bronze shield--and throw the remaining grip of the sword at the Demon.

>>Skill: Shield Acquired.

>>Skill: Throwing Acquired.

While trying to take out a new weapon, I neglected my guard--the Demon took the chance and flipped me with one well placed swing of its scorpion-like tail; I quickly rolled over, and he began to stomp down onto the ground, chasing me.

Three consecutive waves of stomping come at me, I finally manage to break away.

>>Skill: Evasion Acquired.

 

I manage to get a foot under me and push off from a strange position, managing to take a distance from the Demon.

Finally managing to gain the required time, I rapidly allocate skill points into Evasion, Shield, Poison Resistance, and Shock Resistance one by one.

I quickly pull a dagger and club from my inventory, slipping the dagger into my now free belt loop, I hold the club. Somehow, I get the feeling that a look of ridicule flashed across the Demon’s face.

I wonder if the Demon has the Rapid Regeneration skill, his HP is recovering surprisingly quickly.

That skill doesn’t seem to be listed among his skills, maybe it is a Race specific ability.

From the corner of my eye, I can see that the knights are readying themselves for the next attack. With a sigh, I carefully measure the distance between myself and the Demon. It ignores the knight’s attempted, futile, assault and keeps its attention on me as well.

Leaping forwards, I strike the Demon’s chest with the club--which breaks on contact with the armour-like black skin. The shield is still in my free hand, and I use it to defend against the resulting counterattack, avoiding the Demon’s tail sweep, with the minimum amount of movement possible.

I pull the dagger and slash at it, and while it couldn’t outright avoid the attack, it somehow managed to parry it with its claws.

>>Skill: One-Handed Staff Acquired.

>>Skill: Dagger Acquired.

>>Skill: Parry Acquired.

The knights begin to run towards us, and when they reach the middle of the plaza the Demon focuses on them for a second--using this chance, I cause it to stagger by ramming it in the face with my shield.

I quickly use the recoil to jump backwards, leaping over the incoming horses and their riders.

>>Skill: Shield Bash Acquired.

The knights attack once before withdrawing, in a wave-like arrangement, as the next knight does the same as the one before, thrusting his lance once before safely withdrawing.

>>Skill: Cooperation Acquired.

From the three man formation, the last in line fails to withdraw in time as the Demon’s tail smashes into his chest; both he and the horse topple over and hit the ground with a thunderous crash, screams, and a panicked neigh.

Dashing forwards, I kick the Demon in the shoulder, just as it swings its claws at the fallen knight, saving his life.

>>Skill: Kicking Acquired.

I picked up a spear with a broken tip, and carefully place my dagger back into its scabbard--as I expected, the dagger’s reach is much too short, being easy to parry and leaving me open for attacks.

I carefully block and redirect the Demon’s attack, and attention, to gain time so that the knights and soldiers who have fallen from their horses can withdraw; while doing this, I also sometimes strike at the Demon’s clawed feet, sometimes the armoured arms--and at others, dodging as though my life depends on it.

>>Skill: Two-Handed Staff Acquired.

The spear finally broke after it became prey for the poisonous claws one too many times.

The Demon’s eyes begin to shine ominously.

Because of the bad feeling crawling down my spine, I raised my small bronze shield and closed my cloak, covering my whole body--the Demon was probably about to use some kind of gaze attack.

Will it be charm, paralyze, petrification--or even instant death?

With a soft crackling noise, both the mantle and shield rapidly turned grey, becoming nothing but stone. I managed to endure the attack, with only the sacrifice of my cloak and shield--it might have been dangerous if I had moved a little bit later.

>>Skill: Petrification Resistance Acquired.

Since nearing the Demon will probably just result in petrification, I decide to quickly assign skill points to Parry and Petrification Resistance--I may like getting stoned--but not like this.

However, petrification attacks may not be exclusive to Demons.