NOVEL NEXT Chapter 13: Half-Step
Getting to level 6 was immediately different from the ones before.
<Congratulations! You have reached your first half-step tier. As a reward for reaching this first milestone, you may choose an extra option to enhance. Reach further milestones to gain greater rewards. Which two aspects of yourself would you like to enhance?>
Excellent, Dominic said to himself, delighted at this luck. Reach further milestones for greater gains, eh…? He looked forward to seeing them, though had no idea when the next would be. Since it said it was a ‘half-step’, did that mean the next one would be in another six levels? Perhaps. I’ll find out, I guess, he decided. Mentally shrugging, he returned his thoughts to the present situation.
He’d already got one option chosen, so kept that in mind even as he perused the list. Having already done one test on the previous level and been pleased with the results, he decided to do another for his second choice. One for logic, one for fun, he justified to himself. And Leo.
<You have chosen to enhance your Heart and your Coat (lengthen). Apply changes?>
Yes, he thought, though second-guessed himself a moment later. This was his life not a game, after all. Maybe making a ‘fun’ choice wasn’t the best… Anyway, too late now. Let’s see the results.
Status of Dominic Martin Cole / Leo
Species: Lion (body) / human (mind), Two-Souled
Level: Half-step Evolved Beast Level 6 (Path of Evolution)
Progress to Evolution: 16/147 PP
Hunger level: 0%
Thirst level: 0%
Quests: A Noble Endeavour; Regain what is Lost
Acquired Abilities:
Quick Strike (T0) level 1 (30% to level 2) – 3 SP for +20% speed; 6 SP for +30% speed
Powerful Kick level 1 (44%)
Crushing Bite level 1 (30%)
Defensive abilities:
- Fur level 3 (6-8 Slicing damage reduction, 1-2 Piercing damage reduction, 3-4 Crushing damage reduction, 1-2 Tearing damage reduction)
- Skin level 3 (2-3 Slicing damage reduction, 1-2 Piercing damage reduction)
Offensive abilities:
- Claws level 2 (6-11 Slicing damage, 6-8 Tearing damage, 3-5 Piercing damage)
- Bite level 1 (32-50 Crushing damage, 27-50 Tearing damage, 25-35 Piercing damage)
General abilities:
- Muscular Body level 4 (max speed 24mps; max speed duration 13s) (80/80 SP)
- Carnivore Constitution level 1 (300 HP)
Well, that’s good to see. His SP hadn’t increased by 15 points this time – it had increased by 20. His max speed duration had also increased to more than it had been before he lost the speed due to his hardened skin – I wonder why I didn’t get that back when I increased my skin’s flexibility again?
Those facts, along with the better increases in damage reduction in comparison to the last time he picked his coat all pointed to one thing: that focusing on a single area would have increasing returns. It was great to be able to choose two different areas again. If I’m supposed to get ‘greater rewards’, maybe I’ll even be able to choose three different options at Tier 2….
Six levels was as many more as he’d earned so far, and they would potentially be harder to earn since they’d cost more PP. Still, Dominic was optimistic: he’d already powered his way through six levels in in two days. Several of them in this dungeon, even. For the first time, Dominic was glad he’d got chased by the hyenas: he’d have never found it otherwise.
Speaking of, it was time he got back to work. The keys, and Prey Points, weren’t going to find themselves, after all. Getting up, he stretched luxuriously, his mouth opening in a silent yawn. I’m never going to be able to get used to how far my spine bends, Dominic decided even as he shook his fur – which had doubled in length.
The wispy longer strands of fur which made up his poor-excuse for a mane now flapped around his ears and eyes, reminding him a little of when he’d gone through an emo stage at school and had bangs. He thought back to that time with embarrassed fondness – he’d thought he was so cool. It was only with the benefit of hindsight that he realised all the adults around him had probably been laughing internally. Or sighing. His dad had done a lot of sighing through those years.
Pulling his mind back onto the topic at hand, he became a bit more critical than reminiscent. Considering most of the fur on his body had only been a centimetre long or so, doubling its length didn’t seem like it should mean much, but the effects were quite noticeable. His mane was, naturally, much more affected – double the length meant he was actually starting to have a mane. It was still tawny instead of the usual colour of a lion’s signature feature, but he couldn’t help shaking his head a few times just to feel it shift again. Leo, who’d been pretty quiet for quite a time, gave off a sudden sense of approval. Typical. I really don’t get why he wants a mane so badly.
Padding away, Dominic headed directly towards where he knew the next key was. What he’d discovered when he’d gone out scouting before was that each of the four keys were positioned in cardinal directions around the temple, as far away from each other as they could get in the cavern. At least, without any other indication of North, that’s what he decided to label them as.
The keys were each held, like the one he’d just collected, by a single trodil surrounded by a group. The reason he’d chosen the one to the ‘South’ was simple: it was the easiest.
Each camp of trodils was more difficult than the previous. The one he’d just cleared had had a single trodil key-holder at level 4, and two guards at level 2. Although he had no way of being sure, his scouting had revealed that each of the camps held bigger and bigger trodils. If he had to guess, the next camp would hold guards of level 3 and a key-holder of level 5. That followed on from roaming guards of level 1 and a roaming key-holder of level 3.
If his guess about the pattern was correct, that would mean that the last guards would end up being level 5, a level even greater than the key-holder he had just killed. The key-holder, on the other hand, would be level 7. That was a higher level than he was now.
He wouldn’t be nervous about that, though, if not for the other thing he’d noticed. After all, even if the biggest trodil he’d seen while scouting was a bit bigger than him, he had faith in his teeth, claws, and flexibility. No, the complication was also about the numbers.
As the trodils got bigger, so did their entourage. If the level 4 had been accompanied by two lower-levelled trodils, the level 5 was accompanied by three. The next camp contained five trodils in total…and the last camp a full six. Assuming his guess about their levels was correct, he’d be facing five level 5s, and a level 7 at the same time. And that was a prospect that didn’t thrill him.
Though that’s why I started with the weakest, Dominic thought, trying to pep himself up. I’ve already got to level 6 – if I can get to level 7 or 8 over the next couple of camps, I’ll have a much better chance. And if he decided that it was too much risk, he could always leave the dungeon: he’d checked that the gateway was still present.
By this point, he’d reached the second camp of trodils. He was crouched in the grass that surrounded the bare earth of the camp itself, gazing at the trodils with intent eyes. The key-holder was at the back, almost against the cavern wall. The other three were arranged around it, two lying down; one on its feet.
Deciding that there was no point in trying to sneak close – the bare earth was too open for that – Dominic instead stood up straight and snarled a challenge at the trodils.
The trodils immediately went on the alert, all getting to their feet. Dominic noted that only the three guards came running at him, though, the key-holder once more keeping close to the key lying near its feet. Good. Three on one is much better odds than four on one.
Snap. Dominic dodged the first strike with a hair’s breadth to spare. My increased speed is already helping me, he noted absently.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t take advantage of the first trodil’s momentary vulnerability as the other two were also lunging at him.
Dancing out of the way, he wasn’t quite quick enough to avoid all damage.
<You have taken 17 damage (Piercing+Tearing)>
Pain lanced through his shoulder as the message floated before his eyes briefly. Dominic quickly paid attention to the amount of damage and then dismissed it. These ones are definitely more powerful than the others I fought.
The trodils weren’t the only ones to become more powerful, though. Keeping his head, Dominic dodged the strikes until one was too brave and took a risk.
Triggering Quick Strike, he lunged forward and snapped his jaws around the foolish trodil’s neck. Lifting it with his strong neck muscles, he shook it like a dog would a rat.
<You have dealt 106 damage to Trodil (Crushing+Piercing+Tearing)>
<You have killed Trodil (Basic Beast level 3)>
<You have earned 27 PP>
A fatal mistake committed by the trodil – over-extending in battle.
<You have taken 19 damage (Piercing+Tearing)>
<You have taken 16 damage (Piercing+Tearing)>
The other two trodils had taken advantage of his momentary distraction and had struck. One hit his flank, one had circled around to his hindquarters.
Dominic whirled around to strike at the trodil at his flank, his clawed paw delivering a blow the trodil wouldn’t quickly forget.
<You have dealt 18 damage to Trodil (Piercing+Tearing+Slicing)>
Yelping, it retreated, blood filling its eyes. Dominic wouldn’t let it do so. Another lunge boosted by Quick Strike later and he’d bitten a massive hole in its side. A good result even if it managed to dodge quickly enough to avoid having its spine crushed.
<You have dealt 75 damage to Trodil (Piercing+Tearing)>
Its cries filling the air, Dominic whirled around to directly face the trodil attempting to harry him from behind. The sole uninjured guard was much warier than its teammates.
They played a cat and mouse game for a few blows, each dodging the other’s but being dodged in return. A message suddenly filled Leo’s vision.
<You have killed Trodil (Basic Beast level 3)>
<You have earned 27 PP>
The other trodil must have bled out, he surmised, instinctively glancing towards the still body lying to the side of the fight.
The final guard took immediate advantage of his distraction, lunging with Quick Strike and latching onto his throat.
<You have taken 20 damage (Piercing+Tearing)>
The panic he’d felt before welled up but his own death now feeling like almost a distant dream, Dominic wasn’t overwhelmed by it again. Instead, he leant down to the ground and pinned the trodil to it, raking its body with his claws.
<You have dealt 20 damage to Trodil (Piercing+Tearing+Slicing)>
The trodil made a whining sound but held on, worrying at Dominic’s throat with its teeth. Fortunately, it had grabbed little more than loose skin; it would take a while before serious damage was caused.
Dominic, in return, kept raking at its vulnerable body with his claws. For all that the trodil tried to avoid him, with its own teeth buried in Dominic’s throat, there was nowhere to run.
<You have dealt 19 damage to Trodil (Piercing+Tearing+Slicing)>
<You have dealt 22 damage to Trodil (Piercing+Tearing+Slicing)>
<You have taken 17 damage (Piercing+Tearing)>
<You have dealt 23 damage to Trodil (Piercing+Tearing+Slicing)>
<You have dealt 25 damage to Trodil (Piercing+Tearing+Slicing)>
<You have taken 19 damage (Piercing+Tearing)>
<You have killed Trodil (Basic Beast level 3)>
<You have earned 27 PP>
As the trodil went limp, Dominic was able to get its teeth out of his flesh. He winced at the feeling, but couldn’t help the satisfaction as he surveyed the three dead trodils. He might be bleeding, but he’d succeeded.
However, that wasn’t the end of it. Like in the previous camp, the death of all its guards sent the key-keeper into a rage. Forgetting about the key, Dominic eyed it as it started swelling and expanding.
Round 2. Ding.
