Life Reset: Conquest (New Era Online Book 5)

by Kuznits, Shemer

  I found it interesting that despite the assassins’ advantage, the boss’s toughened armor and significantly higher level reduced much of their damage. Attacks that were meant to open a throat became shallow slashes, and strikes to vital organs were unable to reach their target. But it was just a matter of time. The kobold assassins jumped on top of him, slicing and stabbing. As Shadow-Touched creatures, the blackness was no obstacle, allowing them to attack unopposed.

  A few seconds later, the kukris’ enchantment came into play, and the minor wounds they inflicted instantly grew, darkness oozing out of them, increasing the damage. With a final death gurgle, the commander fell, leaving his magnificent armor behind.

  The kobolds had all gained two levels from the fight, bringing Shikasha and Rickss to level 30. They both unlocked a new skill called ‘Mark,’ which made any target they marked take extra damage. I cast two Heal Followers spells in rapid succession, bringing the seven surviving kobolds back to full health.

  Unfortunately, we couldn’t take the commander’s armor with us. It wasn’t epic but it was still magical and valuable. I lamented the need to leave it behind, but none of the kobolds were strong enough to carry it unencumbered, and I needed them to be at their top game for the two remaining commanders.

  The downed officer also left behind a pile of coins, making my clan richer by 2,000 gold. And he left one more item.

  Akzar’s Commander Ring #2

  Description: A magical ring, part of a set. Complete the set to unlock the full power.

  That was interesting. I ordered one of the kobolds to pocket the ring then we swiftly moved on to the next guarded door. I didn’t have much time remaining.

  ***

  “I’ll kill you and eat your bones!” Terdamesh nearly screamed as he heaved, trying to maintain his giant bulk upright.

  “That seems highly unlikely,” I said pleasantly to the nearly dead shaman.

  “Even if you kill me, I’ll return and hunt you down. There will be no hiding for you – I’ll do everything in my power to end your miserable existence!”

  “Like creating goblin-demon hybrids to plague my clan?” I asked, feeling my temper rise. “Like making them rape goblin females to infect them with their abominable spawn? Let me tell you something.” I lowered my voice so only the hob could hear me. “After I kill you, I’m going to kill the leaders of this city and become Akzar’s leader. Then, there’ll be some changes around here. Like a vacancy in the head shaman slot.”

  “No!” Terdamesh roared and charged at me, pouring all of his remaining strength into a final, desperate attack. I let loose a direball from my staff, followed closely by my soaring dagger. The giant swerved in his charge and tried to summon a shield. I hit him with a Mana Drain spell, disrupting the casting with a plane of shimmering energy.

  An instant later, the direball struck him, tearing huge gashes over his giant body. I could feel Terdamesh’s broken spell’s energies rebound on him, tearing him even further from the inside. My dagger hit an instant later, plunging into the champion’s heart to pluck out his life.

  “Drat.” I watched the giant’s form crumple beneath me, his body not turning into a black puddle. “Dead by your own spell backlash. How very rude of you not to wait for my dagger.” I chuckled when a notification popped open. “Oh well, at least I get the credit for killing you.”

  Immortal Killed!

  Boss Tier 4 Progression: 5/200

  “Unbelievable!” Glaive’s voice thundered through the roar of the crowd. “The goblin has won! We have a new Magical champion! Look out Bonecruncher, you’re next!”

  “Shadow-crap,” I muttered, taking in the torn and devastated arena. This fight was over and the next one was about to start. I had to hurry.

  ***

  As I took out two more void crystals and drained their energy back in the arena, I rushed along with my clone through the third floor’s corridor toward the second commander.

  When we came into view of the next guarded door, I saw the level 40 soldiers alert and ready, scanning the area and grabbing their weapons. I guessed some noise had escaped and made it to them, though not enough for them to raise the alarm.

  Mark them, I ordered Shikasha and Rickss.

  The two kobolds complied, and suddenly, vulnerable parts along the two guards’ bodies glistened with an opaque shimmer, marking their vital organs and weak parts of their armor.

  I took a moment to inspect one of the kobolds to gauge their current combat capabilities. Fighting and killing higher-level opponents had done wonders to their levels and combat skills. Taking into account the level discrepancy between them and our intended targets, I estimated each stealth attack would do between 80 and 120 damage before the kukris’ second effect kicked in. So on average, four kobolds should inflict 400 points of damage combined. And that assessment didn’t include the bonus from the Mark skill. I couldn’t take the risk of one of the elites breaking away from Freeze again and warning the others, so I was going to take a calculated risk and do it differently this time.

  Ricks and Shikasha, you and two others attack the soldier on the left. The other three, on the right.

  Putting my two strongest assassins on the same team would guarantee enough damage to eliminate their target. As for the other one, I would use my magic to help ensure the other three assassins a kill. However, as a clone, my spellcasting options were more limited; without my magical gear, I could only cast a single spell every few seconds. Controlling the darkness to blind the guards was too risky; one of them might still be able to open the door and reveal our presence. So I decided to attack instead. My drilling arrows were more damaging than the assassins’ kukris, after all.

  The area near the guards wasn’t particularly well-lit, so I took a moment to control the shadows, coating the door with a thin sheet of viscous, noise-dampening darkness just behind the guards’ backs.

  Go!

  I launched six drilling arrows at the soldier on the right as three kobolds materialized from the shadows and stabbed his marked vulnerable parts. A fraction of a second later, the other four kobolds jumped on their target with darkness-oozing blades.

  The plan worked flawlessly. The four kobolds inflicted more than 500 points of damage on their intended target, surpassing my conservative estimation by a quarter. Similarly, my own target’s body was riddled with drilling arrows that inflicted 160 points of damage; coupled with the three kobolds’ attacks, it was more than enough to snuff out his life.

  I breathed a little easier. We’d taken out the guards and remained undetected by our intended target behind the door.

  I had to hurry, though. In the arena, the goblin slaves were already clearing away the signs of carnage, and the crowd was talking animatedly in anticipation for the battle of champions.

  I considered several options on how to best storm the room and decided to go with an already proven tactic with just a few alterations to maximize our chances.

  I filtered into the room as a mere shadow. The second commander and seven of his elite guards were sitting, drinking, and laughing around a table laden with food and drink. A fitting last meal.

  I channeled my mana, controlling the ambient darkness in the room, forcing it to rise and snuff out the light while also growing viscous to muffle the sound.

  As expected, the hobs instantly grew alarmed and rose to their feet, drawing weapons, but they couldn’t see a thing.

  I swam back out of the room and stood in front of the entrance. Concentrating briefly, I summoned another direball, empowering it with mana, making it expand rapidly. I nodded to Rickss, who snatched the door open. Then I flung the overcharged ball of destruction through and closed the door.

  The detonation was so powerful, we could hear it through the dimming darkness, and dust fell from the ceiling. We opened the door to find all seven soldiers dead. The commander was the only one still standing, his health down to half. The seven kobolds quickly corrected his still-living condition, their kukris, co
upled with the Mark skill, making his health gush out like water from a perforated barrel.

  Dark Mana spell school level increased to 53.

  “Thank you, don’t mind if I do,” I said, chuckling in my now-familiar hollow voice.

  The kobolds had all gained another level; Rickss and Shikasha reaching 31, while the others were at 29.

  They collected the dropped gold, making my clan richer by another 1,500. They also collected the slain commander’s ring for me.

  Akzar’s Commander Ring #3

  Description: A magical ring, part of a set. Complete the set to unlock the full power.

  I was a little disappointed I didn’t gain a level myself, especially since the commanders were all higher level than me, but a glance at my progress bar showed I was well on my way. Another successful fight or two should do the trick.

  We hurried up to the fourth and final floor when I heard one of the arena guards call out, “That’s it – they’re bringing Bonecruncher out now to kill that goblin. Let’s inform the commander.”

  “Shadow-crap.”

  My intended target was about to come out, and my chances for a successful surprise attack were falling rapidly.

  ***

  “Time for the challenge of champions!” Glaive’s voice announced. “Our very own mayor is on his way to witness this fight! Let’s welcome the contender, the goblin Totem who surprised us all with his formidable spells. Our brand-new Magical champion!”

  The crowd outside my room erupted into a chorus of boos and insults.

  Vic observed calmly.

  I exposed my teeth in a snarl at the booing crowd, itching to be let out. I was a clan chief, goddammit. I was strong. Soon, every one of those impudent fools would either join me or die.

  ***

  Back on the barracks’ fourth floor, the commander was leaving his room. He probably had some way of receiving messages from Glaive, because no messengers came running by to call him.

  I had only a short window of opportunity to attack with my full, undivided attention. Once the mayor made his appearance, my battle with The Champion would start. I did not want to have to fight two powerful foes at the same time.

  The seven kobolds and I were hiding along the sides of the corridor, which I’d dimmed using my Dark Mana control in anticipation of my target’s approach.

  At level 65, Darok was even stronger than the other two commanders, and his entourage of eight was level 45. Four soldiers walked ahead of their leader while the other four brought up the rear.

  That was a problem.

  From my waiting room in the arena, I suddenly heard the crowd’s chatter hush. I looked through the portcullis and saw a line of pristine-clad soldiers walking up toward a boxed booth.

  “Carnage fans,” Glaive announced, “the mayor has just arrived. Time to settle your final wagers, the main event is about to begin!”

  There was no more time to waste.

  Through my shadow clone’s eyes, I stared at my target closing in. I didn’t have time to whittle down his forces. They weren’t important. The only thing that mattered was killing him .

  Get ready, I projected my thoughts to the kobolds. Rickss, Shikasha, use Mark on the leader. Everyone, concentrate your attacks on him. On my command.

  I waited for the group to reach me and the hidden assassin then I mustered all the mana I could, reached out to the surrounding darkness, and pulled it down to wash over us like a giant tsunami.

  The corridor was instantly drenched in darkness.

  The soldiers’ reactions were quick and decisive. They drew their weapons and moved to surround their leader. It would have been the perfect opportunity for a direball, but by now, my assassins were inside the blast radius.

  Attack! I shouted mentally.

  Like little reptilian ninjas, the kobolds leaped out of stealth at the commander, aiming at the few shimmering vulnerable areas.

  To my horror, the commander danced back half a step just as the assassins revealed themselves. Seven deadly strikes were commuted into normal blows, which canceled out the kukris’ lethal extra effect. The commander brought his sword down on one of the kobolds, instantly killing the much lower-level creature.

  I realized with a start that he was somehow able to see through the unnatural magical darkness. He must have had an item that allowed him to do that, completely negating the kobolds’ stealthed bonus. The assassins still drew blood, but none of the hits were critical, only reducing his health by roughly 200 points. A mere scratch for his total health pool of 2,000.

  Thankfully, the other guards were still unable to see in the darkness, but they slashed their weapons in defensive patterns. Fighting blindly was something these elite soldiers had trained in.

  The portcullis to my waiting room opened up, inviting me out into the arena.

  I had a split second to decide my next move. A direball would hit and injure all enemies, but the lower-level kobolds would probably all be killed. I could freeze one soldier, which was also not very useful. None of my other abilities were going to grant me a quick victory.

  Instead, I let the kobolds hold out on their own. Rickss and Shikasha dodged the commander’s attacks, looking for an opening. The other assassins darted back to give them room and were engaging the other soldiers, but aside from a casual lucky hit, the soldiers proved way too adept at fending off my followers.

  I narrowed my eyes as I studied the commander. I skipped Analyze and simply groped for the information tendrils he gave off while simultaneously opening my mind to sense the mana around me.

  There! I thought excitedly. The commander was wearing a brooch that granted him magical vision.

  I cast Drilling Arrow, launching all six projectiles at the enchanted item.

  ***

  From across the arena, Bonecruncher entered.

  The arena had been stripped clear, and nothing stood between The Champion and me other than flat, open ground.

  The hulking Ettin was easily over three meters tall. The mouths of his two massive heads were open wide, bellowing roars that nearly drowned the crowd’s noise. The Champion was holding a thick chain with a spiked metal ball in one hand and a massive serrated cleaver in the other. Both weapons exuded a strong aura of magic, and by the way he was holding them, it was clear he knew how to use them.

  < I wonder if it’s too late for me to put some money on that big puppet,> Vic mused.

  “Begin!” Glaive roared.

  Bonecruncher hurled the chain toward me like a whip. I hurriedly raised my shield, and the chain wrapped around it. I teleported out of the energy bubble just in time. The chain circled the shield twice before the spiked ball at the end slammed into it, easily breaching the barrier and pulverizing the ground where I’d stood a moment before.

  Focus! I told myself as I controlled my two bodies in two different battles. Even with the so-called ‘mental twin’ that helped me direct two bodies and reduced the strain from my mind, focusing on my next moves was difficult.

  I just had to stall the two-headed behemoth a little longer.

  ***

  One by one, the drilling arrows struck all around the pendant, riddling the commander’s body and shaving off nearly 300 HP before the last one hit its intended target directly. The magical device exploded in a shower of sparks and the commander’s confident movements instantly became sluggish. He backed up.

  Right into a couple of assassins that were fighting his rear guards.

  The advantage was finally back in my hands.

  Assassins, switch targets, everyone on the commander, I ordered. Go!

  As one, the remaining six kobolds disengaged from their foes and turned to pounce on the leader. Normally, such a move would have opened them up for a retaliation strike, but all of the hobs were blinded and couldn’t take advantage of the situation.

  Six gleaming kukris found the commander’s vul
nerable areas, slicing arteries and piercing organs. Darok’s health shrank from 75 percent to 50 percent.

  Disengage and stand back! I said.

  The commander flailed about, hitting two of his men. His bleeding wounds flared as the enchanted dagger’s secondary effect kicked in, eating away his flesh. His health bar plummeted as darkness spread.

  Forty percent … 30 percent … 20 percent …

  The commander had somehow pulled through the effects of the corrosive darkness. His body burst with energy as the vast amount of damage he’d suffered triggered his boss’s special ability. With a wave of his hand, his soldiers pulled back to form a tight ring of steel and bodies around him, and I could tell their health and resistance had just received a massive boost.

  The kobolds had cleared away by now.

  I grinned. “Thanks for making it easier.”

  “Who the hell are you?” the commander shouted as I cast an overcharged direball.

  “Your new boss.” I heaved the sphere of destruction at the tightly packed group. It exploded with a tremendous force that caught all enemies inside the blast radius, sending soldiers flying and turning their gravely injured leader into a storm of minced meat.

  Immortal Killed!

  Boss Tier 4 Progression: 6/200

  ***

  Back in the arena, I dodged another chain swipe then followed through with an additional short-ranged teleport to evade the second attack. A giant cleaver hit the spot where I’d been standing barely a second later in a splatter of green acid.

  “It’s about time,” I said with a relieved sigh.

  Bonecruncher tilted his heads at my words.