Chapter 26: Temporary Skills

Bam!

Gerald’s fist slammed into Cashel’s abdomen with the force of a bulldozer, sending Cashel flying backwards. The air was punched clean out of his lungs and he crashed hard into a broken wall and dust, plaster and rocks rained down around him. ..

He quickly straightened up and doubled over, coughing up thick blood that sprayed through the gap the mask created before sealing back. Then he scrambled upright on pure instinct before Gerald could close the distance again.

The system windows now reappeared clearer this time at the corner of his eyes.

[Shadow Step — 18:42 remaining]

[Kinetic Reinforcement — 8:42 remaining]

[Mana Thread Sensing — 33:42 remaining]

[Adaptive Barrier — Ready]

Cashel’s eyes widened behind the mask for a split second. He had assumed the binding skill suppressed everything. All three active cards were still counting down.

Apparently the cards were only muffled, not cancelled, and they still counted the same.

’Typical,’ he scoffed under his breath and lifted his head.

At that moment Gerald was coming at him again, his red mana flaring around both his fists. Cashel could see the red threads clearly this time.

Taking note of Gerald’s stance, where his source of balance was, he leapt backwards and the Shadow Step card triggered on reflex.

The world folded in half like before, blurring in that moment, and he reappeared ten metres away on the half-collapsed second-floor railing.

He pulled himself over the railing, his heart racing while breathing hard.

[Card on Cooldown]

The notification appeared briefly and then vanished.

Cashel quickly recalled the gun and dagger into inventory. In their place he summoned one of the swords in the case, and it was one with a rather strange shape.

From the hilt it was heavy, the handle made with hard heavy wood, and the blade itself was made with a metal that had a strange red under colour.

Cashel studied it briefly while Gerald stomped towards him.

The blade was thin at the base, but as it went to the tip it became wider until it resembled a cutlass. He could not quite place his finger on what the name was called.

"Sch... scim... Yeah, scimitar," he muttered under his breath as he ran his other hand along the wide blade.

Without thinking, he opened the shop screen as he leapt over the railings again and began moving in the opposite direction from Gerald.

[Exclusive Shop — Active]

[Skill Shop] [Weapon Shop] [Potion Shop] [Card Shop] [Class Shop (Locked)]

He picked the skill shop but not without making a mental note to visit the class shop.

Appearing at the top of the list was exactly what he was looking for.

[Recommended: Swordsman (Mid-tier) — 450,000 points]

Duration: 25 minutes

Effect: Basic-to-intermediate sword techniques, improved blade control, modest speed boost while weapon is drawn.

Would it counter Gerald’s ability? Cashel had no idea, but he bought it anyway and watched the points get deducted immediately.

[Skill acquired: Swordsman (Mid-tier)]

[Points remaining: 1,201,760]

A new set of information now reappeared on the screen as the Mana Thread Sensing focused harder on Gerald.

[Target Analysis Complete]

[Name: Gerald Jones]

[Class: Dark Strength Mage]

[Primary Affinity: Dark Magic / Physical Enhancement]

[Notable Traits: Unique Binding Skill (limited uses), High physical durability, Regenerative crystalline structure]

’Dark magic and raw strength... huh?’ That explained the binding and the way the bullet bounced off his body.

Cashel thought and began moving along the broken railing, leaping from one section of broken stones and debris to the next, forcing Gerald to chase while the new sword skill began to get absorbed into his body and his muscles.

The countdown timers kept ticking in the corner, a special screen made for that, like a clock.

Then suddenly there was a soft crackling sound inside the mask. It made him frown.

"Bishop," Amia’s voice came through the communicator calmly. "Are you busy?"

Cashel quickly leapt down from the railings the moment he spotted Gerald already in the air. He jumped down from the height and Gerald resumed chasing him again.

He groaned, tightening his grip on the sword while his mind worked to think of a plan.

"Yes I am. What’s the matter?"

"Change of plans." Cashel frowned. "The artefact isn’t in the northern sector of the city anymore. The tracking signal moved and it’s attached to the beast you’re supposed to capture, and it’s heading your way."

Cashel’s frown deepened. "You’re kidding." A grunt left his lips when he ran up the wall, leapt off it and flipped over Gerald, running opposite his direction once again.

The man roared angrily, energy filling up the building like smoke. At that moment his speed doubled and he chased after Cashel fiercely.

"I’m not." The sound of buildings collapsing and the joyous war cries of the fighters on Amia’s end filled the background as she spoke. "I’ll leave it to you. Also hurry up. Andeen’s looking for me."

Before Cashel could ask what she meant by that she disconnected, and at the same time Gerald swung his fists behind Cashel.

Shivering from the thought of the impact, Cashel spun around on his heels, raising the sword to take the hit instead.

Half expecting it to break, he shut his eyes slightly to protect them from the shards of metal, but he felt the sword slice through and hook.

Gerald’s face twisted in pain and Cashel’s eyes widened.

However, the angle was awkward. Gerald was taller and heavier, forcing Cashel to bend his legs beneath him just to keep the blade between them.

Still the sword had worked. It had actually cut him, but due to the fact Cashel had not used force, it did not cut deep.

Blood welled on the surface of the wound before slowly dripping down the corners.

Cashel smiled. He finally got a solution.

He quickly twisted the blade and dragged it out of Gerald’s hands before leaping backwards while the huge man stood there slowly letting what had just happened sink in.

"This is why I dislike fresh awakeners," Gerald’s voice rumbled throughout the entire building, causing more rocks to fall. However, Cashel, who could see the energy in the air, suddenly felt his body go tense. "Uncultured brats who gives bad names to the previous generation of awakeners."

Cashel just scoffed, pissing Gerald even more and he growled.

"Cashel Altar, I suggest you surrender because this will not get you far, as much as I hate quick kills, I am far too busy to be entertaining your nonsense like this."

As Gerald spoke, the red energy became denser and the threads thickened, and they were coated with a purple energy. And the cut on his skin was also healing.

Cashel frowned when he saw this, "This bastard seriously doesn’t know when to stop, huh?" he muttered under his breath.

Gerald was using his dark magic to increase all his strengths. As he could no longer use bind on Cashel he could only resort to using pure strength.

Normally it would not be an issue for Cashel since Gerald was a reckless fighter, but add rage to that.

However, before Gerald could enter an attack stance, a wave of cold intense energy filled and rolled through the building, and again more than once.

The energy pushed back Gerald’s energy quicker than he would imagine, until it completely faded from the air.

Ice began forming from the ground, from one spear, then another, and then dozens.

Cashel stared at them, then his eyes darkened. "This must be some kind of joke," he mumbled. "The card was supposed to work."

One of the timer screens switched briefly.

[All cards are in effect and effective]

Then it changed back, leaving Cashel even more confused.

’If it’s effective why is it going out of control again?’

The question barely settled when the communicator in the mask came on again.

"Bishop," Amia said, "Andeen is looking for you..."

Cashel’s face went blank. "What?"

"...and she’s searching through the entire city, so... I guess good luck...?"

"Wait, why?"

Amia laughed on the other end. "She told me she couldn’t sense you... so..."

"What did you tell her?" Cashel demanded, completely ignoring Gerald who was also equally confused by the familiar energy in the air and the ice spears.

"See you back at the meet-up point, byeee!"