Path of the Slayer B1 C9. Slayer Versus Slayer

I made my choice while walking out of my rest spot and straight into some bad weather, which was relative in this hellish Realm.

[Congrats! You’ve chosen Apex Fervor: Level 11 (Uncommon)!]

As the heavy rumbling and unwavering destruction grew louder and closer, an acid deluge fell from the skies. Ash sludge fell along with it. Thick clouds of yellow noxious fumes condensed along the ground, reaching up to my head, just in case my vision wasn’t already as bad as it could get.

Sloshing through acidic flooding, my legs pumping, my lungs working through the noxious fumes, I felt my Path Energy suffer. From 80% to 79%. Then to 78%. Then 77%. And so on.

I took it all in stride, jogging at a superhuman pace away from the big and mean thing that was on course to murder-screw me. I took a glance at my profile while making educated guesses on how to best use everything despite how piss-poor my situation was, pun intended.

[Arden, “I’ll Keep Going,” Pathwalker

Path of the Slayer: Level 6

Path Magic: Path Energy (Exquisite), Tyrannosaurus Roar (Rare), Relentless Surge (Uncommon), Apex Fervor (Uncommon).

Great Skills: Gear Modder Speed (Uncommon), Multi-Striker Potency (Uncommon), Punching Bag Expertise (Uncommon).

Bonded Treasures: Hellion Half Ripper (Exquisite).]

“I’ll Keep Going,” I muttered to myself, my voice resonating through the air, my Epiphany raising my spirits.

Ideas came to mind as my Path Energy circulated fast inside of my skull, boosting my thoughts even with the energy decline increasing.

I turned down a street I recognized from how far I ran and rammed into a shoddy wall. I busted through, Path Energy crackling over my form. Most of the storm remained outside, giving me some reprieve, except for the noxious gas spreading everywhere.

That and the ghouls taking up the space indoors.

Which was great for me, because ghouls were a precious resource.

I punched one in the face with my inactive half ripper fist. The ghoul’s head burst apart like a melon struck by a hammer, and before I could target another ghoul, my Path Energy went up from 73% to 74%.

That was a whole percent.

From a punch with Hellion inactive.

FUCK YES!

I went punch-happy, plowing through ghouls with my metal fist. I rapidly built myself back up to 100% Path Energy before I grasped the pull handle on the half ripper’s inner forearm.

The wall to my left exploded. A giant and armored monstrosity of a humanoid man came smashing through like an ox in a fine-art shop. And in its humanoid hand was a big black sword that carved its way through dozens of ghouls, support columns, and collapsed debris with nothing able to stop it.

Worse than all, the Rank 3 Suppression rolled over the room and made me want to crumple to the floor and face my fate. Path Energy resisted, but not without paying a heavy price that was worse than being outside in the hellish storm.

All in all, I had to make a desperate move or get completely wiped out.

I activated the only Path Magic that could save me directly: Relentless Surge.

Path Energy: 98% to 63%.

I dodged by the skin of my teeth, my body pummeled by the flying debris, my legs pumping with all their might and speed. As I moved aside, I reached for the one ghoul that miraculously came out intact.

Hellion plowed through its chest, drawing blood without killing it, enabling me to activate my new Path Magic: Apex Fervor. My Path Energy dropped to 50% while my agility went up even further.

My vision became a tunnel focused on the ghoul stuck on my arm. I could already feel Relentless Surge going on the decline without something else to slaughter.

I squeezed the timing for all it was worth before pulling the ghoul apart with my bare hands, refreshing Relentless Surge while ending Apex Fervor. By then, I was out of the demolished building and back into the pouring acid rain, blinded by all that was in front of me, my feet stubbing and tripping and smashing on the uneven and flooded streets.

Relentless Surge was on its way out, but I ran into a pack of Rank 2 and Rank 1 ghouls. I couldn’t tell how many there were, which didn’t matter much. They were all around me, trying to tear me apart.

I was thankful for that as I punched a Rank 1 dead, refreshing Relentless Surge.

I grabbed and yanked on the pull cord. The start-up growl from the half ripper was louder than any from the autosaw prior.

It was so loud, the swarming ghouls hesitated, as if the noise from the first start-up was too overwhelming for them. Nothing was as loud and overwhelming as the heavy footfalls of the Fallen Slayer trailing after me.

I punched another Rank 1 ghoul dead and pulled on the cord a second time.

The second attempt provided an even more boisterous and guttural blare. The volume was so disturbing, the nearest ghouls stumbled away from me. That made it easier to see the massive evil arm moving forward like a bundle of giant snakes aimed at me.

The ghouls between me and the evil arm ended up speared or crushed, which included a Rank 2.

I activated another Great Skill: Multi-Striker Potency and threw myself to the side with all of my strength and speed where other ghouls swarmed. My fist smashed through four of their heads and returned some Path Energy to me.

The key part was that I slipped past the shield of a Rank 2 ghoul and plowed my edgy metal fingers into its ribcage. The impact forced the tall monster to stumble back as I activated my Apex Fervor magic.

My vision became a tunnel focused on the Rank 2 ghoul. My legs moved with dashing speed and power. Together, we barreled through multiple Rank 1 ghouls, knocking them aside mostly instead of killing them.

That was until I yanked the ghoul’s sword from out of its hand. The weapon itself attacked me with cursed magic, but I ignored it as I stuck it out to the side, Path Energy overwhelming the cursed energy and sharpening the edge for my benefit.

I activated Multi-Striker Potency again. Combining the Great Skill with Relentless Surge and Apex fervor sent me zooming as I hacked through a dozen ghouls casually. Enough so that surge could keep going strong for a little while without needing another immediate kill.

By then, the Rank 2 ghoul on the end of my half ripper hand was bashing its fists on my head. Every impact drained me of more Path Energy while rattling my skull.

The Fallen Slayer was still behind me. The ghoul on my fist had served its purpose. I dropped the sword, grabbed the pull handle again, and let it rip a third time.

The third guttural roar was so loud, it shocked even me and I nearly fell into a tumble. I fought to straighten myself as a deep and maddened voice laughed in an undercurrent to the roaring artificer item.

The arm vibrated violently. Thick black fumes blew from the vent. A deep red glow shone from the hellish treasure bonded to me, and I felt some slight concern at what I was unleashing.

But hey, I was in hell.

So why shouldn’t I do as the demons do and commit a little play with evil things?

As for the Rank 2 ghoul stuck on my hand, its fate became a slightly prolonged and violent one. The hall ripper shredded and churned from inside the ghoul’s chest with multiple flashes of light circling around my fist that I couldn’t quite make out.

Only when I concentrated and squeezed my fist, I noticed frenzied red lights that looked like mini autosaws whirring from around my balled hand, but as pure magic energy. The red autosaw energy slashed through rib bones, churned up organs, and disemboweled everything around the fist.

More importantly, I felt a tremendous rush of Path Energy flow back inside of me, more than I’d expected. The Hellion Half Ripper was better at drawing Vitality and turning that into Path Energy for me. I was nearly at 80% when the Rank 2 ghoul died, leaving me with the shield.

With Apex Fervor deactivated, I lost my speed, which was fortunate, because I crashed face first into some rubble in my way a second later. My half ripper fist smashed through the rubble easily, chewing on stone and steel with autosaw energy. Sparks and chips flew as Hellion hungrily churned through whatever was in its path.

I couldn’t even fathom how the Exquisite artifice worked. One day, I was going to open Hellion up and get to know the artifice intimately.

Until then, I turned about, shield in my left, the half ripper to my right. I felt a little more prepared to face the Fallen Slayer.

Something metallic and thrown with great strength collided with me.

Great Skill activated: Punching Bag Expertise.

The metal deformed all around me, entangling my limbs with its rusty frame. Hellion growled and churned, ripping through each piece of metal frame like it was made of paper, creating constant sparks on my right side.

On my left, the shield was smashed to smithereens and laying in useless splinters against me. All around me, I could vaguely tell I was in a deformed carriage, but beyond that, I had no idea what was going on. My temporary prison plowed through multiple obstacles, every impact rattling me, taking me along for the ride as we tumbled crazily.

Then, after a final splash somewhere, everything became still. I put the half ripper to work while feeding it my Path Energy, slicing and chewing through the metal encasing me.

The metal gave way with ease, and I emerged at the end with a violent burst of autosaw energy. Sparks and shrapnel flew away from me, my body showing no sign of slowing down much.

I landed in knee deep acid in a pit filled with ghouls.

The pit was wide, surprisingly so. And the walls were tall.

I couldn’t see myself jumping out even with all of my powers and energy.

Looking around me further, I noticed plenty of ghouls turning to examine me.

I examined them in return.

A pregnant pause hung between us before the violence broke out.

I clenched my metal fist, and Hellion went into a frenzy, roaring so loud it hurt my ears and made the nearest ghouls hesitate. I took advantage of that to examine the Hellion Half Ripper a little more.

There was glowing autosaw energy around each finger. More of the energy-shaped autosaws appeared on the knuckles, around the wrist, along the forearm, and stopping right at the end where only my flesh persisted.

The energy autosaws could form and spin in almost any direction, horizontal, vertical, or diagonal, and they changed when I concentrated, responding to my savage whim.

Inspired, I clenched my metal hand into an even tighter fist and fed more Path Energy into the rowdy thing. Then I focused on pushing the whirring autosaw energy down one direction between my knuckles.

To my surprise, the idea worked.

A two-foot long and dark red magic autosaw extended out of my fist. This one could unleash its cuts on both sides instead of one.

The cost to my Path Energy was considerable.

But with one sweep, I hacked down some of the nearest Rank 1 ghouls and recouped the cost plus additional on top. That was all the time I had to experiment on the field before the Fallen Slayer arrived, lunging from the edge and crashing down toward me.

The hulking man-monster held its giant black sword with both its armored fist and the bundle of oily serpents replacing its other arm. It swung a powerful downward cut that came with sharpened magic, daring me to face it head on and be split asunder along with the ghouls behind me and the flooded ground beneath.

I had other plans.

Path Magic activated: Relentless Surge, Tyrannosaurus Roar, Apex Fervor!

Great Skills activated: Multi-Striker Potency!

I let loose a monstrous roar as I rushed ahead, slashing through half a dozen ghouls before my feet left the flooded pit floor. I met the Fallen Slayer on its way down, my extended energy saw slashing along oily serpents that represented one of its arms.

My gamble paid off before the inevitable landing, returning a heap of Path Energy that I lost from one of the costliest maneuvers I’d ever done.

Relentless Surge buffed me with immense physicality. Apex Fervor added more on top as my vision blackened on the edges and became more focused on the Fallen Slayer.

Then there was Tyrannosaurus Roar, which froze up all the ghouls, including the Rank 2s, while making the Fallen Slayer a touch slower. That made all the difference when the Fallen Slayer slashed down, killed three dozen ghouls, and carved deep into the pit floor.

There was a heart-thumping moment where I was still on my way to the ground while the Fallen Slayer turned to face me. I landed in the nick of time, activating Multi-Strike Potency once again as the Fallen Slayer charged at me.

I slashed through multiple ghouls before swinging at the hideous arm of coiling substances on the Fallen Slayer’s left side. This time, I struck even deeper, spilling more of the oily thing.

My Path Energy crackled violently when some of the dark ichor touched me. I lost Path Energy rapidly, but I remained untainted by whatever that stuff was.

That also seemed to get an effect out of the Fallen Slayer.

The immensely imposing creature … stumbled.

I smiled. I was sure I could win this. I just had to keep up the same tactic of re-positioning and striking with ghouls in between. I also had to endure the Rank 3 Suppression, which made all of my uses of Path Energy costlier.

Yet, my every motion was fast and competent. My Path Energy smoothened the experience despite the flooding, the uneven flooring, and everything else in my way. I had to pay a lot and a lot of Path Energy, but I reaped that back by draining Vitality out of my prey.

I could feel it.

My Path itself.

The Path of the Slayer wanted to do what it was meant to do.

Everything became easier as I continued the course. Even the Suppression from the Fallen Slayer wasn’t enough to slow me down, not when I could keep my Path Energy up by slashing through ghouls again and again as I hacked away at the Fallen Slayer’s weak spot.

This became our game.

I stayed low and shifty, avoiding the big and obvious swings from the Fallen Slayer. Then I circled around to keep ghouls between us, taking full advantage of Multi-Striker Potency, sometimes for even multiple strikes.

My target remained the same: the eerie and monstrous arm. I kept hacking and hacking, chopping off thick pieces, spilling oily blood, and ensuring the Hellion Half Ripper was well fed on Vitality, topping my Path Energy.

The final sequence arrived.

The Fallen Slayer released a boisterous roar that was far louder than even the noise the half ripper could produce. From its darkened helm, I witnessed a pair of eyes that glowed a fierce and angry red. The Fallen Slayer’s speed suddenly picked up, and I was using Multi-Striker Potency just to get away.

Swinging its giant sword with more fervor, more craze, the Fallen Slayer went berserk. It didn’t even target me directly half the time. It just kept swinging, removing ghouls that would’ve played to my strategy, making the fight harder and deadlier.

There was a moment where I thought of running and reengaging when the Fallen Slayer calmed down. I refused. I wanted to win outright. I wanted to win convincingly.

Path Magic activated: Tyrannosaurus Roar!

It didn’t help as much as the first time I used it. But even then, the berserk movements of the Final Slayer slowed down a pinch.

I stayed focused on the small advantages as I circled around, slashed through ghouls for Path Energy, and placed a few between me and the Fallen Slayer.

Then I let my instincts take over, doing something that was mostly a theory, but I didn’t see why I couldn’t. I pushed even more Path Energy into Hellion, making the energy autosaw grow longer, thicker, and more ferocious.

It went from being two feet long to six feet long while casting a flickering dark red light on what remained in the hellish pit.

I felt a large amount of Path Energy get drained into the half ripper. But I didn’t care as I spotted a gap in the monster’s berserk swings. I rushed forward when there were only two remaining ghouls between me and the Fallen Slayer.

With Multi-Striker Potency activated, I slashed through the ghouls and struck what remained of the monstrous arm. I hacked all the way through, unleashing a fountain of oily blood, dropping the last of the evil tendrils.

The damage was critical, forcing the Fallen Slayer into a stumble. Its berserk rage ended, making it far slower than ever before.

I kept my great energy autosaw going, with me staying within range as I twist around with a mighty swing. The nearest teeth landed on the gorget. Sparks flew. A metal-on-metal shriek filled the pit.

The armor refused to give, at least for a split second. Then the great energy autosaw cut true, striking skin, shredding flesh, and reaching the vertebrate. A juddering impact traveled down into the rest of my body as the autosaw tested itself on the Fallen Slayer’s spine.

I smiled.

The kill was at hand, so I pushed all in.

The Fallen Slayer turned to honor that, taking a step into my attack, damaging its own spinal column while swinging its massive sword even though it was too close. The sword guard struck my side – Great Skill activated: Punching Bag Expertise – and my ribcage was pulverized, my organs pulped.

I jettisoned blood and gore out of my mouth. I felt all of my momentum for conquest reversed course. I was going to lose it all.

No!

I refused!

Somehow, through sheer willpower and insanity, I used Path Energy to ground my feet and keep from flying off. Unfortunately, I still slid a dozen feet backward, ripping my energy autosaw out of the Fallen Slayer’s neck before finishing the job.

I hit rock bottom at that point. I had to turn off the great energy autosaw. My Apex Fervor kept me focused on the Fallen Slayer, so I couldn’t even look around for another ghoul. And from what I could tell, there was none nearby.

Things were looking bad, but I held myself up as a man should and waited.

The Fallen Slayer stood on wobbly legs while facing me.

Then something surprising happened.

“Thank you, Young Slayer, for rousing me from mine mad sickness,” said the horrid monster. “I have fallen far from the Path, given to the allure of more power. This is mine price after I made a bed with the wrong devil. Let this be a warning to you … beware of the Defiled Covenant, for their wretchedness knows no bound.”

I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t really talk, even. My lungs were still getting reconstituted from mush to something vaguely usable with the dregs of my Path Energy. The best I could do was give a shaky thumbs up.

“So be it, Young Slayer. Please allow me … the honor of finishing what I should’ve done long ago.” The Fallen Slayer looked up at the hellish sky. “Oh, System, reward this one all that he deserves. Perhaps, he will go further up the Path better than I.”

The System didn’t respond.

The Fallen Slayer dropped his sword, stuck his thick fingers into the shredded gap in his neck…

And ripped his own head off.