Path of the Slayer B3 4. Nobles & Slaps

“No,” I said.

Weave.

Slap.

My metal palm caught her face with a smack that was partially a palm thrust without breaking the spirit of the event. By following through, I forced her into a backward flip while she kept sailing like a cannonball past me.

I didn’t bother to look back as a small notification popped up in my System Logs.

[1/35 self-important nobles!]

An elf flickered into view to my left, away from my Hellion Half Ripper. He moved with multiple magic powers that sped him up, achieving a speed that was nearly beyond me.

His hand burned red with a fiery power as he thrust a slap for my face.

I powered up a little further and traded shots with him.

He couldn’t knock me out of step or bother me much, and my backhand sent him cartwheeling out of the way.

[2/35 self-important nobles!]

Three of them appeared with a flash of energy, magic, and elemental powers.

A half-giant male roared with ice shards circling his body in front of me. A daring earth-rumbling dwarf male faced off against my right side where my half ripper waited. A human woman with shining light magic flashed me from the left while going for my flank.

Three hands came around at different intervals to ensure I was knocked out of step.

My cultivator gates spiraled faster. My energy efficiency and potency became greater. Even without killing, Slayer Intent gave me a greater edge to dominate.

Other powers came into play, especially my electromagnetic magic and elementalist grandmastery. My veins shone with glimmering magnetic lights along my left forearm and up my neck as my body became so much greater than ever before.

Weave.

Slap.

Weave.

Slap.

Weave.

Slap.

The half-giant had his ice vortex ripped in half and his body folded by my palm when I slapped him where his fatty liver should be. He launched away with a howl and a trail of frost.

The earth-shaking dwarf took one to the back of the head, and even with Path Energy, the lights went off. At the very least, the ground softened into a nice soil bed when he went for a brief nap.

There was luck involved and finely tuned hearing for me to track the flashy human woman’s attack. I let her slap glance off as I rolled into a counter slap that broke her jaw and sent her teeth flying.

[5/35 self-important nobles!]

“This is ridiculous! I thought the plan was just to talk him down and make him listen! I have better things to do!” shouted an elf male as he abandoned the event immediately. Nearly twenty others followed his example and scurried out of my way.

[24/35 self-important nobles!]

“Disgusting vultures. They think their family’s riches will see them through to the peak of godhood? It is through the strength of the arm and the power of magic where one sees who stands and who falls in the Realm Verse!”

A muscular human who made his fine clothes look painted on moved toward my front while nine others surrounded me. He was Epic in the high Level 80s. He also liked to hear himself talk.

“It’s impressive what you’ve been able to achieve for an Exquisite cripple. Surely, you have a Bloodline running through your veins. But the ten of us are well trained by the best of the best. We’ve dealt with Bloodlines before!”

Other than the muscular one, there were three other humans, two dwarves, two half-giants, one elf, and a half-dragon. They were all Epics in the high Level 80s. From what I could tell, they moved better than the others and had more signs of greater combat experience.

“Just you ten?” I said. “Too easy.”

I watched them burst out with energy, magic, and various powers as my One-Man Army became more prominent. My power erupted into a new tier. I didn’t bother dodging much as I strode through them and traded slaps.

One half-giant covered in lightning fell with half of his face swelling. The windy elf flew away from a backhand to her nose, leaving a trail of blood in the wake.

A dwarf covered in metal and spikes crumpled like sheet paper after taking a modified slap that struck the bottom of my palm to their chin.

The second half-giant came around with explosive power for a double slap on each side of my head. I absorbed both slaps by raising both arms to block before rolling through and replying with a slap that sent him flipping sideways multiple times.

The other dwarf was transformed into a fuzzy creature with claws and fangs, and while he left a few claw marks on my face, I sent his fangs flying and put him to sleep briefly.

The half-dragon squawked indignantly as I slapped her just hard enough to force her into a seat that blocked off the humans, who were smarter about picking their slaps against me.

They were aiming at my legs to actually knock me out of step.

The indignant half-dragon on the floor impeded that.

After slowing them down, disrupting their rhythm while keeping my rhythm going, I had an easier time removing three of them. Then I grabbed the big muscular and talkative one by the wrist.

I yanked him into one of my strongest slaps– reserved just for him. He crashed through a few hedges and made a gazebo explode to the alarm of the onlookers on the flanks.

[34/35 self-important nobles!]

Unfortunately, the power given by my one-man skill ended with that, making me weaker.

One noble remained, the biggest and most powerful of the rabble. He stood over nine feet tall with broad shoulders that could hold up castle gates or smash straight through with a mere check. He wore no suit jacket and had his shirt sleeves rolled up his tree-trunk thick forearms.

Held in the corner of his mouth was a fat cigar, and across his face was a ragged scar, making him look mean and arrogant. The addition of two massive horns curved out from the sides of his skull only added to the impressive force of personality that he exuded naturally.

Half-minotaur. Legendary. Somewhere at Level 90. Maybe Level 91.

The words he spoke rumbled in my chest. “You know how long I had to scrape, bow, and work my way up to my position? You know how long I had to play the game – to get along and go along – kissing the unwiped asses of these neurotic, pissant children just so I can achieve my dreams? You know how long?”

I stood before him. “I don’t.”

He took a big draft of his cigar and huffed it out of his wide nostrils. “Of course, you don’t. I had to suffer my way up to Rank 5 before I got my chance. And even then, I was still an outsider. Legendary doesn’t mean jack. It’s all about who you were born into. It’s all about the old connections. Connections that trace back many years. Cycles, even!”

I shook my head lightly. “I don’t care.”

He bellowed with meanspirited laughter that thumped the air with power. “Oh, that’s rich! Of course you don’t care! You’re just like every little youngling strapped to a rocket ship for the peak! You’ve got no idea how soon all of your fuel will burn out. You think you can keep up this momentum and not get beaten down? Not get flattened? Son, they’re bigger and meaner than you! You. Will. Be. Stepped. On!”

I nodded. “I know.”

“You know?”

I nodded again. “I do. I’ve been stepped on plenty. And they will step on me some more. But if I don’t die, I’ll Keep Going.”

After my Epiphany finished resonating, a long silence followed.

The cigar fell to the floor, its end still a bright orange.

The Legendary half-minotaur cocked back his massive arm. He swung all the way back while flexing his wide chest. Path Magic flared. The type that was focused on strength, physical prowess, and more that made him stronger and stronger and stronger some more.

He exuded magic that made him seem like a big and hefty landscape where a herd of bovine creatures would stampede against a threat. It was all contained inside of him. His muscles bulged. His veins thickened. His form enlarged until he was almost twelve feet tall.

His shirt exploded off of him as he became a canvas of raw power.

I braced myself and focused, my lead foot sliding forward while I hunkered down with knees bent. Path Energy raged with a more turbulent effect, making my overcoat wave like a flag behind my shoulders while the doom avatar shifted to a side hold.

From within my body, I bundled, contracted, bundled, and contracted as much power as I could as quickly as I could. Path Magic and Great Skills, actives and passives, worked in concert together. My heart hammered and pulsated. Brilliant light shone from within my core.

My supply of Path Energy dwindled rapidly despite my efficiency.

Yet, I kept bundling, refining, and empowering until it was time.

I took a deep breath and cocked my arm back.

The half-minotaur let out an explosive bellow that could be heard all across the mountain and maybe further than that. He smashed one step forward and shook the vicinity, knocking some onlookers to the floor, making some of my juniors squawk. Then he swung his massive arm down at me, his palm open, his fingers splayed.

From the balls of my feet and up through my hips, I turned and swung my arm from behind me with all of my power and technique. I felt an electromagnetic bomb release from within me while I struggled with all of my intent to keep it inside – fueling my physical power alone. Then it finally came out when our hands met.

The hand-to-hand dap nearly tore my arm from my shoulder. A ripple of power that was technically greater than mine surrounded us – I recognized it as being Zez’s – as the eruption from my hand meeting the half-minotaur’s massive palm rolled out and slammed into barriers that were held by a Domain and the System’s support.

That didn’t stop the entire mountain from shaking, feeling the raw power until it finally ended.

“Bahahahaha!” guffawed the half-minotaur as he shook my somewhat mangled arm. “You are one helluva devil, if I’ve ever seen one! It’s been too damn long since I’ve seen these spoiled children get what’s coming to them for thinking they can suck on the teat and become worthy! Bahahahaha!”

He clapped me on the shoulder that was still hurting, but I smiled and chuckled with him. “I’m just doing all I can to be included at the table.”

“Oh, I know. I know! And chances are you’re gonna blow up. But System-dammit, can’t we just put our money with the little guy and just pray the best for him! Hells, I’ll do it right now. What do you need? A donation? I can write you up a check for five billion right here, right now. No need to pay it back!”

I grinned even broader. “The donation is appreciated. But I want to show my juniors the strength of my course. We’ll make some money my way. Perhaps you’ll see me as a safer gamble afterward.”

“Is that so! Well, let me get out of your way so you can show us what you’ve got, Sir Arden the Nomad!” The half-minotaur promptly removed himself, and the little Veteran event ended with my victory.

[Congratulations, Pathwalker! You’ve won the Veteran Slap Box Event! Bravo!]

No new Levels or powers, unfortunately, but there would be no more direct harassment. Any other harassment would have to be more discreet.

We continued up the mountain unbothered, our course taking us to the grandiose doorway of the Auction House. The silence from the others was louder than the gossiping nobles all over the place.

Finally, Brug broke it. “That was the greatest handshake I’d ever seen.”

The half-orc refastened his grip on the cart that held our unconscious nomad cultist as he thought about his next words. “How did you know he wasn’t going to hit your face?”

“I just knew. It was a gut feeling.”

I shrugged with the same shoulder that was getting repaired by Kroker’s energy – it was more efficient when the Cleric did the healing. After I took out and drained a Path Elixir, my energy went up from 27% to 145%. Then I explained a little further.

“He was in pain. So, I listened.”

Brug nodded slowly at that and seemed to have a unique moment of consideration.

Redfang dashed up to me with a frantic skip in her steps. She waved her hands frantically around me. “But your pretty clothes! They’re ruined!”

Ah, yeah, they were.

Ignoring my warrior nomad skill, I frowned down at myself. There was no need for a mirror. I knew the golden roots on my face would’ve gotten wiped off. A few slaps had torn away ear piercings.

Everything else that had remained was torn and left ratty. Despite being Rank 5 and Rare, these sorts of items were based on actual rarity and could be ruined by much weaker powers.

“Is there any resale value left?” I asked.

Velira answered. “In most cases, no. You’ll have to truly be someone famous for the damages to be overlooked.”

“Tsk. Ridiculous. That marvelous display should raise the value,” hissed Syleth.

I sighed.

One hundred fifty million. Gone. Just like that.

The equivalent was fifteen million Rank 1s losing their entire livelihoods for a year.

Maybe I should’ve taken that five billion donation, but the spirit of it would’ve been detrimental to my aims.

“I’m sorry,” Grimmy mumbled. “It’s my fault.”

“Don’t worry about it.” I gave her a smile. “I had fun.”

Grimmy still looked sad until Marnarka reached down and let the half-gob ride on a horn. Like flipping a switch, Grimmy went back to being all smiles. The juniors congregated around the pair, with Veteran Zez trailing in the back. Merlin and Thumper joined me by flanking my sides.

The Auction House entrance loomed over us as I rolled my shoulders and ditched the overcoat, letting it fall behind me on the pristine marble steps. I rolled my sleeves even further up my arms until they were tight around the base of my biceps.

The guards nodded at us as they stayed out of our way. A few loitering nobles gave me dirty looks, but kept to themselves. I barely registered them as I focused on what I planned to auction.

I’d discussed this with Merlin and Thumper for hours.

If we wanted to make a big change in our lives, we had to go with something nobody would expect. We had to leverage my fake Path and my tentative connection with Melody Eclipse much further.

We were going to have to lie a little and hustle hard.