Unlabeled human skeleton
celebrityhipbones
2023.11.23 15:13 the-female-form celebrityhipbones
Exposed hip-bones are the most underrated bit of human anatomy. This exists as a place to collect images of this gorgeous bit of sexy skeleton.
2020.11.18 16:44 ill_sit_here_and_wait
The community dedicated to the funniest joke possibly crafted by the peak of the human intellect created by u/Enderbattle005 named “ill just sit here and wait” the joke was wonderfully made using an ingenious combination of Fortnite skins to make the appearance that Codename E.L.F (also known as Jonesy) is progressively getting older while waiting on the chair he is sitting on until he gets so old he grows a very long beard until finally he becomes an old skeleton. Tributes to u/Enderbattle005.
2013.05.27 21:26 FluffyPandaShiba /r/Undertale: butterscotch AND cinnamon!
UNDERTALE is an indie RPG created by developer Toby Fox about a child, who falls into an underworld filled with monsters. Their only weapon being their DETERMINATION as they try to FIGHT or ACT their way out. Will you show monsters standing in your way MERCY, or slaughter them all?
2024.06.02 08:11 Ceramic_Boi The Blank 2
[Next]:
Part 2 The child.
Previous[Next]
“Uhm. I’m not sure what you mean, kid. I don’t know who your parents are.”
“C’mon! I watched you come out of that crypt! Maybe if I tell you their names it’ll spark your memory! My dad’s name was James Luceniel, and my mother’s was Talma Luceniel. Don’t you remember them?”
Internally, I groan. I never caught the name of that female elf, but one of the males was definitely named James. I can’t have this ten-year-old just wander into that crypt and find one of her parents brutalized by some monster. I need a distraction.
I notice the faint grip of the child release, and she backs away. I can see the blood from my robe mixing with the dirt already caught in her dress.
“Oh. I never thought you could get dirty, Mr. Reaper! I guess it makes sense given who you are, but the thought never crossed my mind! Would you like some help cleaning your cloak before you take me to see my parents?”
“Oh. Sure,” I say, confused and perturbed by this child’s readiness to just help a bloodstained stranger.
“We’ll get you all nice and cleaned up Mr. Reaper. Then you can help me!” She says as she begins leading me out of the graveyard.
“So, why do you keep calling me ‘Mr. Reaper’?”
“Because that’s what we’ve always called you. Is that wrong?”
“Yes. That’s not my name. My name is… Uhm…”
“Go on, I’d love to call you by your actual name! I didn’t realize I’d been using the wrong one!”
“I… Huh. I can’t remember.”
As we step out into the town proper, I can’t help but think that it looks terrible. Most of the buildings have collapsed, and the few buildings left standing are massively overgrown with various climbing plants. There aren’t many people in the street either.
“That’s okay. I’m sure you’ll remember eventually. You might want to turn down this alley though. People probably won’t like seeing you out in the middle of the street.”
“I suppose you’re right.”
As she leads me through the back alleys, I can’t help but stare at some of the cobblestone buildings we pass. I notice that where the stones would normally be held together with mortar, there are thick, dark green vines binding the stones together. It almost looks like the vines are moving. Yet, despite the strangeness of their construction, I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve been here before. Everything seems so eerily familiar, yet nothing concrete. Hesitantly, I ask, “So, what is the story of this place? I thought elves mostly stuck to treetop fortresses. Never knew you guys to build with stone.”
“Oh. Well, we didn’t build this place. We moved in a very long time ago. The Ancient Oak told me that the village was made by some creatures called ‘Hai-oo-mans.’ I don’t really know what those are, but apparently, they were really, really good at building stuff. I guess they all died off at some point. Don’t really know how, but when the Beastkin decided they were gonna fight us and we ran away, the Ancient Oak knew about this place and helped us move in and rebuild a bit.”
Hai-oo-mans… Does she mean Humans?
“Wait. You don’t know what humans are?”
“Not really. Why? Are there a lot of them where you’re from?”
“I mean… yeah?”
“Oh. Was it a lot of work for you when they died? I bet it was, Mr. Reaper.”
There she goes again with that moniker.
“I don’t think I ever asked your name, kid. What is it?”
“Oh. Sorry. I had assumed you already knew it. I’m Namaski! Namaski Luceniel. May I ask you another question?”
“Sure.”
“How did my parents die.”
Shit. Oh shit. Shit. Fuck. Shit. Shit. How’d she find out!
“What do you mean?” I ask, begging this to be some massive misunderstanding.
“I’m not sure how else to phrase it. I watched my mom and dad be set in the ground when I was fifteen. Nobody really explained it to me at the time, and people still refuse to tell me what exactly happened.”
“When you were fifteen?”
“Yeah. That would’ve been… six years ago.”
Oh thank Toyl. Wait… “You barely look ten years old!”
“Excuse me? I am not a toddler.”
“Toddler? At ten? I know I never interacted with elves much, but by Toyl you people take forever to develop.”
“Toyl? I don’t think I’ve heard of that god. Is he some sort of death god?”
“Death god? Why would… No. She’s my god.”
“How can she be your god, but not a death god, Mr. Reaper?”
“Why do you think I would worship a death god?”
“Worship? I thought you were the Grim Reaper. You know… Faithful servant and manifested embodiment of Death. Seemed pretty clear from your frame and complexion why some people thought you were a skeleton.”
“No. I’m… I’m just a human.”
“Oh. I get it. This is some weird death joke. You might want to work on that sense of humor of yours, Mr. Reaper. Anyway, we’re here!”
“It’s not… Whatever.”
What stands before us is quite possibly the shoddiest house in the entire town. I stand outside of the doorframe for almost a full minute wondering how the building hasn’t collapsed yet.
“Feel free to come in whenever you feel like it!”
Right. “I’m coming in!” I shout as I step through the doorframe.
Immediately, a wad of items is shoved into my arms.
“Sorry, I don’t have a tub, but here’s a towel, washrag, and some soap. There’s a secret section of the river just a few hundred meters out the back door. Also, there’s a set of my dad’s old clothes in there. I think they might fit you. Once you’re done, I’ll take those rags you’re wearing and clean them. Maybe try mending some of the tears too.”
“Thanks, but you really don’t have to do all of that.”
“It’s no problem! I like helping!”
Maybe I should just leave all this stuff just outside the door. Sneak away before she notices. I really don’t want to take advantage of some poor kid. Besides, what am I gonna do when her aunt, uncle, grandparent, or whoever is taking care of her shows up? It’s best that I just leave now.
But… For some reason, I don’t want to.
“What’s the matter, Mr. Reaper?” She pouts. “Is it not good enough? I’m sorry! I can get better soap! Soap that actually smells nice if that’s what you want! Or is it my dad’s clothes? Are they not your style? Why do you look so sad? What can I do better?”
“Please, calm down.”
“I’m calm! I promise!”
“It’s just that I don’t want to impose on you, and also I’m pretty sure your grandmother or aunt or whoever probably doesn’t want you inviting a stranger into your house and giving them your things.”
“You don’t have to worry about that! I’m the matron of this household! The only person I have to listen to is The Ancient Oak! Besides, you aren’t taking advantage of me! I offered!”
“But-”
“No buts! Now get yours in that river and start scrubbing,” she shouts as she begins to try and shove me out of the back door.
With a small chuckle, I let out a “Yes Ma’am.” and allow her to push me out of the door.
What a weird kid. She seems like a good one though. If only she wasn’t so trusting.
Previous[Next]
submitted by Ceramic_Boi to HFY [link] [comments]
Part 2 The child.
Previous[Next]
“C’mon! I watched you come out of that crypt! Maybe if I tell you their names it’ll spark your memory! My dad’s name was James Luceniel, and my mother’s was Talma Luceniel. Don’t you remember them?”
Internally, I groan. I never caught the name of that female elf, but one of the males was definitely named James. I can’t have this ten-year-old just wander into that crypt and find one of her parents brutalized by some monster. I need a distraction.
I notice the faint grip of the child release, and she backs away. I can see the blood from my robe mixing with the dirt already caught in her dress.
“Oh. I never thought you could get dirty, Mr. Reaper! I guess it makes sense given who you are, but the thought never crossed my mind! Would you like some help cleaning your cloak before you take me to see my parents?”
“Oh. Sure,” I say, confused and perturbed by this child’s readiness to just help a bloodstained stranger.
“We’ll get you all nice and cleaned up Mr. Reaper. Then you can help me!” She says as she begins leading me out of the graveyard.
“So, why do you keep calling me ‘Mr. Reaper’?”
“Because that’s what we’ve always called you. Is that wrong?”
“Yes. That’s not my name. My name is… Uhm…”
“Go on, I’d love to call you by your actual name! I didn’t realize I’d been using the wrong one!”
“I… Huh. I can’t remember.”
As we step out into the town proper, I can’t help but think that it looks terrible. Most of the buildings have collapsed, and the few buildings left standing are massively overgrown with various climbing plants. There aren’t many people in the street either.
“That’s okay. I’m sure you’ll remember eventually. You might want to turn down this alley though. People probably won’t like seeing you out in the middle of the street.”
“I suppose you’re right.”
As she leads me through the back alleys, I can’t help but stare at some of the cobblestone buildings we pass. I notice that where the stones would normally be held together with mortar, there are thick, dark green vines binding the stones together. It almost looks like the vines are moving. Yet, despite the strangeness of their construction, I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve been here before. Everything seems so eerily familiar, yet nothing concrete. Hesitantly, I ask, “So, what is the story of this place? I thought elves mostly stuck to treetop fortresses. Never knew you guys to build with stone.”
“Oh. Well, we didn’t build this place. We moved in a very long time ago. The Ancient Oak told me that the village was made by some creatures called ‘Hai-oo-mans.’ I don’t really know what those are, but apparently, they were really, really good at building stuff. I guess they all died off at some point. Don’t really know how, but when the Beastkin decided they were gonna fight us and we ran away, the Ancient Oak knew about this place and helped us move in and rebuild a bit.”
Hai-oo-mans… Does she mean Humans?
“Wait. You don’t know what humans are?”
“Not really. Why? Are there a lot of them where you’re from?”
“I mean… yeah?”
“Oh. Was it a lot of work for you when they died? I bet it was, Mr. Reaper.”
There she goes again with that moniker.
“I don’t think I ever asked your name, kid. What is it?”
“Oh. Sorry. I had assumed you already knew it. I’m Namaski! Namaski Luceniel. May I ask you another question?”
“Sure.”
“How did my parents die.”
Shit. Oh shit. Shit. Fuck. Shit. Shit. How’d she find out!
“What do you mean?” I ask, begging this to be some massive misunderstanding.
“I’m not sure how else to phrase it. I watched my mom and dad be set in the ground when I was fifteen. Nobody really explained it to me at the time, and people still refuse to tell me what exactly happened.”
“When you were fifteen?”
“Yeah. That would’ve been… six years ago.”
Oh thank Toyl. Wait… “You barely look ten years old!”
“Excuse me? I am not a toddler.”
“Toddler? At ten? I know I never interacted with elves much, but by Toyl you people take forever to develop.”
“Toyl? I don’t think I’ve heard of that god. Is he some sort of death god?”
“Death god? Why would… No. She’s my god.”
“How can she be your god, but not a death god, Mr. Reaper?”
“Why do you think I would worship a death god?”
“Worship? I thought you were the Grim Reaper. You know… Faithful servant and manifested embodiment of Death. Seemed pretty clear from your frame and complexion why some people thought you were a skeleton.”
“No. I’m… I’m just a human.”
“Oh. I get it. This is some weird death joke. You might want to work on that sense of humor of yours, Mr. Reaper. Anyway, we’re here!”
“It’s not… Whatever.”
What stands before us is quite possibly the shoddiest house in the entire town. I stand outside of the doorframe for almost a full minute wondering how the building hasn’t collapsed yet.
“Feel free to come in whenever you feel like it!”
Right. “I’m coming in!” I shout as I step through the doorframe.
Immediately, a wad of items is shoved into my arms.
“Sorry, I don’t have a tub, but here’s a towel, washrag, and some soap. There’s a secret section of the river just a few hundred meters out the back door. Also, there’s a set of my dad’s old clothes in there. I think they might fit you. Once you’re done, I’ll take those rags you’re wearing and clean them. Maybe try mending some of the tears too.”
“Thanks, but you really don’t have to do all of that.”
“It’s no problem! I like helping!”
Maybe I should just leave all this stuff just outside the door. Sneak away before she notices. I really don’t want to take advantage of some poor kid. Besides, what am I gonna do when her aunt, uncle, grandparent, or whoever is taking care of her shows up? It’s best that I just leave now.
But… For some reason, I don’t want to.
“What’s the matter, Mr. Reaper?” She pouts. “Is it not good enough? I’m sorry! I can get better soap! Soap that actually smells nice if that’s what you want! Or is it my dad’s clothes? Are they not your style? Why do you look so sad? What can I do better?”
“Please, calm down.”
“I’m calm! I promise!”
“It’s just that I don’t want to impose on you, and also I’m pretty sure your grandmother or aunt or whoever probably doesn’t want you inviting a stranger into your house and giving them your things.”
“You don’t have to worry about that! I’m the matron of this household! The only person I have to listen to is The Ancient Oak! Besides, you aren’t taking advantage of me! I offered!”
“But-”
“No buts! Now get yours in that river and start scrubbing,” she shouts as she begins to try and shove me out of the back door.
With a small chuckle, I let out a “Yes Ma’am.” and allow her to push me out of the door.
What a weird kid. She seems like a good one though. If only she wasn’t so trusting.
Previous[Next]
Author’s Note: Sorry for the long delay! Apparently all it took was a tornado ripping through my house to get me motivated again! Don’t worry, everyone is fine, and this is a nice distraction from the destruction. As always, thanks for reading, and I hope to see y’all again.P.S. Feel free to join my Discord server here for stuff like shoddy character drawings and periodic updates!
2024.06.02 07:54 TotalSpaceNut Remember these ads in old comics? Did anyone buy the X-Ray specs?? lol
 | submitted by TotalSpaceNut to FuckImOld [link] [comments] |
2024.06.02 06:10 omegacluster Album Anniversary List 2024-06-02
Today's anniversaries are:
1937
2009
2010
2012
2015
2019
submitted by omegacluster to ctebcm [link] [comments]
1937
2009
2010
2012
2015
- Codas - Currents (experimental, metal, drone, drone ambient, heavy, industrial, instrumental, mathcore, progressive metal, New York)
- Consider the Source - World War Trio (Parts Ⅱ & Ⅲ) (experimental, rock, world, instrumental, jazz, progressive, New York)
- Leprous - The Congregation (Rock, Hard Rock, Metal)
- Pyrrhon - Growth without End (extreme metal, metal, death metal, progressive death metal, progressive metal, technical death metal, New York)
- Sein zum Tode - Siamese Second Cousins Never Removed (metal, avant-garde metal, circus music, Columbia) Read our review.
- The ILY's - I've Always Been Good at True Love (Alternative, Rock, Indie Rock/Rock pop)
- Féroces - Juliette (rock, new wave, post-rock, Besançon) Read our review.
- Instar - Instar (metal, ambient, progressive, Austin)
- '68 - Two Parts Viper (hard rock, noise punk, punk, rock, blues rock, math rock, noise rock, post-hardcore, post-punk, Atlanta)
- A Trust Unclean - Parturition (death metal, djent, metal, progressive metal, technical metal, heavy metal, United Kingdom)
- Art Contest - Two Songs (rock, indie rock, math rock, noise, pop, probability & statistics, Georgia)
- Dark Matter Secret - Perfect World Creation (technical death metal, progressive metal, Nashville)
- Dougmore - Outerboros (folk, art folk, avant-folk, banjo, chamber folk, dreamfolk, indie, indie folk, lush, mythic, progressive bluegrass, psychedelic, psychedelic folk, singer-songwriter, storytelling, New York)
- Dystopian Future Movies - Time (alternative, garage rock, hard rock, post-rock, prog-rock, psychedelic rock, Nottingham)
- Eidola - To Speak, to Listen (experimental rock, groove rock, post-hardcore, progressive metal, Provo)
- Elder - Reflections of a Floating World (rock, armageddon shop, doom, heavy psychedelic rock, prog, progressive rock, stickman records, Berlin)
- Emperor of Mind - Resistance (atmospheric, experimental, metal, progressive metal, djent, mathcore, Salem)
- Fabian Almazan & Rhizome - Alcanza (jazz, chamber music, cuba, piano, New York)
- Gentiane Michaud-Gagnon Trio - Eternal Cycle (jazz, Montreal)
- Ghost - Everything We Touch Turns to Dust (ambient, denver, electronica, experimental, idm, electro, electro-acoustic, Oakland)
- Gravetemple - Áthatolhatatlan félelmek (Impassable Fears) (experimental, drone, experimental, free rock, metal, ritual, New York)
- Hands that Lift the Oceans - Impetus (black metal, experimental, metal, post black metal, Würzburg)
- Hot Flash Heat Wave - Soaked (dream pop, oakland, pop, rock, bedroom pop, dreampop, new wave, post-punk, psychedelic rock, San Francisco)
- Human - Fractured Lands (improvisation, improvised, jazz, new music, London)
- Inertia - The Process (alternative, metal, pop, rock, alternative rock, ambient, dark, darkpop, djent, post-hardcore, post-rock, radio rock, Apple Valley)
- Miss Cantaloupe - Miss Cantaloupe (alternative, avant rock, enchanting, ethereal, fairytale, psychadelic, Philadelphia)
- Mutoid Man - War Moans (rock, metal, punk, New York)
- Orchestre national de jazz de Montréal - Under the Influence Suite (Jazz)
- Sikth - The Future in Whose Eyes? (Metal)
- Thunkfish - Renegades (jazz, experimental, funk, fusion jazz, pthronk, rock, sample-based, Edinburgh)
- Time Lurker - Time Lurker (black metal, atmospheric black metal, metal, atmospheric, France)
- Völur - Ancestors (ambient folk, metal, doom metal, folk, Toronto)
2019
- Alex Fournier Sextet - Triio (jazz, canada, canadian jazz, creative music, free jazz, improv, jazz, new music, toronto, Toronto)
- Bitter Lake - New Branches on Old Trees (metal, avant-garde metal, black metal, jazzcore, post black metal, United Kingdom)
- The Pen Club - Data Retrieval (contemporary jazz, jazz, free jazz, Sydney) Read our review.
- Άντη Σκορδή (Andys Skordis) - In… Se… (gamelan opera) Read our review.
- Hex Wound - Averse to the Universe (blackened death metal)
- Pixel Archipelago - Intervallic Prism (experimental rock, microtonal)
- Clément Janinet - La Litanie des cimes (contemporary classical)
- Ivy to Fraudulent Game - 再生する (Saisei suru) (math rock)
- Skeletonized Quartet - Future Shock (avant-garde jazz)
- Black Particles - Loss Function (post-metal)
- Etno histeria World Orchestra - 2021 (folk)
- Neperia - Ptesmata (symphonic death metal)
- Nito - Awakening (post-rock)
- A Fool's Errand - The Art of Leaving Things Behind (post-rock)
- Adjy - June Songs, Volume 1 (progressive folk rock)
- Æffect - Theory of Mind (progressive death metal)
- After Ours - Music for Cats (nu jazz)
- Ash Trio - Ash (jazz fusion)
- Cloutchaser - Metallica (mathcore)
- David T Little - Black Lodge (contemporary opera)
- Depuis l'abîme - L'Incendie (post-hardcore)
- Einar Solberg - 16 (pop)
- Gorgeous - Sapsucker (avant-prog)
- Goyard Ibn Said & غيث (Ghais Guevara) - Goyard Comin': Exordium (experimental hip-hop)
- Hills like White Lions - Meander (progressive metal)
- Illegal Crowns - Unclosed (free improvisation)
- Jack Cooper - Arrival (contemporary classical)
- John Liberatore, played by Zohn Collective - Catch Somewhere (chamber music)
- Joshua Jaswon Octet - Polar Waters (modern jazz)
- Kid Millions & Sarah Bernstein - Forest Park Live (free improvisation)
- Knower - Knower Forever (pop)
- Koningsor - Death Process (mathcore)
- Lars Fredrik Frøislie - Fire fortellinger (progressive rock)
- Lausch - Love & Order (alternative rock)
- Linda May Han Oh - The Glass Hours (modern jazz)
- Mary Ancheta Quartet - Level Up (jazz fusion)
- McKinley Dixon - Beloved! Paradise! Jazz‽ (hip-hop)
- Moral Collapse - Divine Prosthetics (progressive death metal)
- Nōn serviam - Death Ataraxia (experimental black metal)
- OK Goodnight - The Fox & the Bird (progressive rock)
- Phonem - Geometriks (modern jazz)
- Pupil Slicer - Blossom (mathcore)
- Quiet Sonia - Quiet Sonia (slowcore)
- Risin Sabotage - Macabre (stoner rock)
- Sarah Pagé - Voda (ambient classical)
- Sébastien Parent - Projet Seb Parent (big band jazz)
- Signe Emmeluth's Onomatopoesia - Syntax (modern jazz)
- Solarium - Aube/Nocturne (jazz fusion)
- Sophie Ellis-Bextor - 花 (Hana) (pop)
- Surema - Surema (post-metal)
- Thantifaxath - Hive Mind Narcosis (avant-garde black metal)
- Travis Orbin - Travis Orbin (progressive metal)
- Unfurl - Ascension (blackened post-hardcore)
- Vacuous - Katabasis (death metal)
- Void of Nihility - Above the Stars of God (avant-garde black metal)
- Vulfmon - Vulfnik (funk)
- Yoni Mayraz - Dybbuk Tse! (nu jazz)
2024.06.02 04:02 da_moonrat Trading Adopt me pets for Specific knifes and guns in MM2
I’m trading adopt me pets for specific MM2 knifes and guns, I also have some pets in pet simulator X that are good if anyone is interested in those instead.
Adopt me pets I’m trading
Guardian lion, Rat, Yellow Butterfly, Glyptodon, mummy cat, neon robin and normal robin, albino bat, Ox, Axolotl, White Skeleton Dog, lunar Ox, Neon fly ride panda, neon fly ride dog.
Other adopt me items I’m trading
Choo Choo Train, Pink Princess Carriage, Human bubble, Teacup Stroller.
MM2 items I’m willing to trade these for
Cookie cane 2022, Sugar Gun 2015, Laser gun, Slasher, green Seer, overseer Gun, ice piercer, ice wing, latte knife, latte gun, waves Knife, Ocean gun, Rainbow gun, Turkey leg, swirly blade.
submitted by da_moonrat to crosstradingrblx [link] [comments]
Adopt me pets I’m trading
Guardian lion, Rat, Yellow Butterfly, Glyptodon, mummy cat, neon robin and normal robin, albino bat, Ox, Axolotl, White Skeleton Dog, lunar Ox, Neon fly ride panda, neon fly ride dog.
Other adopt me items I’m trading
Choo Choo Train, Pink Princess Carriage, Human bubble, Teacup Stroller.
MM2 items I’m willing to trade these for
Cookie cane 2022, Sugar Gun 2015, Laser gun, Slasher, green Seer, overseer Gun, ice piercer, ice wing, latte knife, latte gun, waves Knife, Ocean gun, Rainbow gun, Turkey leg, swirly blade.
2024.06.02 03:49 Square-Salamander591 Hito Hito No Mi, Mythical Model: Reaper
Hito Hito No Mi, Mythical Model: Reaper
Appearance: Lavender coloured Corn-like fruit. The "Husk" of the corn appear wispy and smoke like.
Description: A Zoan-type Devil Fruit that grants its user the ability to transform into a perceived personification of the Reaper of Death.
Reaper Hybrid Form: The user can assume a hybrid form that combines the features of their full transformstion with their human characteristics. They gaint 3 feet to their height, wings sprout from their back and. And the shadowy wisps cover their arms and legs.
Soul Weakening Bite: In both transformed forms the user gains the use of a ghostly blade, by drawing blood they are able to siphon stamina until the enemy loses conciousness..
Enhanced Senses: The user gains heightened senses, particularly in detecting heat and vibrations, allowing them to track prey or sense danger more effectively. This extends to the ability to sense the human soul.
Increased Agility: The user's agility and reflexes are significantly enhanced, allowing them to dodge attacks with ease and move swiftly in combat.
Camouflage: The user fully or partially transformed can become ghostlike and appear invisible to all but those proficient with observation haki. This ability is particularly useful for stealth operations and ambushes.
submitted by Square-Salamander591 to DevilFruitIdeas [link] [comments]
Human Human Fruit, Model: Reaper
Type: Mythical ZoanAppearance: Lavender coloured Corn-like fruit. The "Husk" of the corn appear wispy and smoke like.
Description: A Zoan-type Devil Fruit that grants its user the ability to transform into a perceived personification of the Reaper of Death.
Abilities and Powers:
Full Transformation: The user can transform completely into a Reaper, gaining 5 feet to their natural height. Their skin takes on an almost translucent ashy colour with their skeleton slightly visible. Shadowy wisps envelop their body and take on the form of a full body cloak. Their eyes appear to sink into darkness and enormous wings sprout from their back.Reaper Hybrid Form: The user can assume a hybrid form that combines the features of their full transformstion with their human characteristics. They gaint 3 feet to their height, wings sprout from their back and. And the shadowy wisps cover their arms and legs.
Soul Weakening Bite: In both transformed forms the user gains the use of a ghostly blade, by drawing blood they are able to siphon stamina until the enemy loses conciousness..
Enhanced Senses: The user gains heightened senses, particularly in detecting heat and vibrations, allowing them to track prey or sense danger more effectively. This extends to the ability to sense the human soul.
Increased Agility: The user's agility and reflexes are significantly enhanced, allowing them to dodge attacks with ease and move swiftly in combat.
Camouflage: The user fully or partially transformed can become ghostlike and appear invisible to all but those proficient with observation haki. This ability is particularly useful for stealth operations and ambushes.
Usage Examples:
- Soul Strike: With the ghostly wisps enveloped around their limbs the user is able to weaken oponent with each strike they make.
- Soul Steal: Becoming ghostlike, the user is able to pierce opinents with their ghostly blade rendering them unconcious.
- Hybrid Combat: In hybrid form, the user combines human combat skills with the deadly abilities of a black mamba for versatile and effective fighting. -Flight: The user is able to make use of the wings they gain for flight.
Awakening:
In their awakened form the wisps that envelop their head and torso disperse and form a smoke like sash that wraps over their shoulders and around their neck. Their legs are still covered by the cloak. The abilities they gain include being able to become more ghostlike, making them impervious to any haki-less attacks. They are also able to momentarily draw out the sounds of individuals by placing their palm over their heart. Lastly they are able to summon the souls of those they pierce with their ghostly blade to become a ghostly apparition that fights on their side.Weaknesses:
- High Winds: The user's strengths lie is the wisps that envelop their body, in high winds the user cannot focus these wisps rendering them incapable of using their Soul abilities.
- Light: They are stronger in the darkness or during the night. This extends to user's of the Pika Pika No Mi.
- Standard Devil Fruit Weaknesses: Like all Devil Fruit users, the user is vulnerable to the inability to swim and the nullifying effects of Seastone.
2024.06.02 02:49 EyeSoapYes tier list for Sans Undertale
 | submitted by EyeSoapYes to DeathBattleMatchups [link] [comments] |
2024.06.02 00:13 Money-Independence-3 I got a job as a security guard, something is under the warehouse.
When I first took this job, I never could have predicted what would happen. After all the years of training and the experiences that I have had throughout my life, I am pretty good at being prepared for the worst. But before I begin this story, a little bit about myself.
I was a bit of a troubled child some might say. I lost both my parents to a car accident when I was 2. After that, I bounced from foster home to foster home. I blame it on the system. Almost every foster home I was put in was terrible. The parents were only doing it for the money and barely took care of the foster children. And when Social Services came, you think they listened to the children? No. But, I took on a personality that did help throughout this time. I decided that I wouldn't take shit from anyone. When some of the foster homes' actual children tried to bully me or other foster kids, they very quickly learned not to after several broken bones. In addition, I took this attitude to the public schools. Bullies would pick on the weak, and they would suddenly have broken noses and fingers. But, since it was the public school the bullies were not punished. Only me. However when the bullies would see me or get close to their victims while I was around they would quickly go the other way. This went on for the entirety of my youth. I never had a plan for my life. All I knew was that I was unwanted anywhere, and had nowhere to go. But one day, I was passing by the living room, and I saw a commercial on the tv that changed my life's course. It was an ad to join the United States Marine Corps. After this, I found a new purpose for my life. Unfortunately I was 15 at the time. But I immediately started training myself physically and mentally for this new course. I studied at the public library since I wasn't allowed to use the foster home's computer. I started working out at the high school's gym after class. And finally at 18 I joined the Corps. The next 8 years were the best of my life. After boot camp, MCT (Marine Combat Training), and SOI (School of Infantry) I soon learned about the Raiders. Which is Marine Corps special forces. I immediately put in for it and got selected. I was able to go to several foreign countries and fight many battles. All of my fellow Marines were the greatest family I ever had. Once I was at the end of my second enlistment I decided it was time for me to enter the civilian world again. At that time, we had a bad mission and I lost my closest friends. So I did what anybody in this situation does. I found a reasonably inexpensive apartment and drank excessively for the next month. Once I felt that my liver had been well punished, I began searching for a job. Now, money was not an issue for me at this time. I had plenty in savings to last most people a couple of years. While I was in the military, I never really bought anything since I knew I would be traveling all over. I also still had money saved from the insurance when my parents passed all those years ago that I refused to spend. So I tried finding a job that I would fit into given my skill sets. After some time I found what I was looking for. It was a position within a security company that provides its services to companies in both the private sector as well as government facilities. I immediately applied and got accepted. For the next year after this, I was able to complete some training required for the job and bought my own house in Nevada. I worked as a fill in guard for multiple high ranking officials here and there within my state. But one day, I was given a position that would alter my perception of reality forever.
“John!” my boss bellowed as he entered the locker room. I had been getting my gear, body armor, and rifle ready to head to the meeting room. I look up and see this mountain of a man standing in the doorway with a large jolly smile on his face. “Got a job for you” he continued, waving a file in his hand. “What's the Job?” I asked while doing my best to give back a friendly grin. I've been told I’m not great at expressing my emotions. But I’ve been trying. “Well, good news. It's a government facility that needs a pair of guards.” My ears perked up as he said this. “Where at?” I asked with some excitement in my voice. “A warehouse in the desert just outside of the town where you live.” My shoulders drop a little with disappointment. “What sort of warehouse is it?” I ask. “It is a government funded science facility. Something about monitoring seismic activity in the area. During the evening, you and one other guard will be posted there to watch over the equipment.” I thought for a moment and I remembered the place he was talking about. About 5 miles from my home on the outskirts of town, there is a fenced off plot of land that has one large building out in the middle. I had always driven past it on the way to a rifle range and saw the no trespassing signs on the fence and didn't think much of it. “What's the uniform situation?” I ask. “Standard Polo, slacks, and duty belt.” “Body armor and weapons?” I asked, already feeling the boredom seeping in. “None required. You can wear soft armor if it makes you feel better. But there will be a locker with shotguns as a last resort. Aside from that, just your nightstick.” It is at this point I let out a disappointed sigh. After a long moment I look up and ask, “why did you pick me specifically for this position?” He looks at me with that unwavering smile and says, “well, nobody wanted to volunteer for it. So I decided to volun-tell the first person I saw this morning.” He leans over and gives me a strong pat on the back and walks out. I sigh again, take off my usual gear and just dress in the uniform he told me. I do grab my soft armor though. With my duty belt and the file in hand, I head to my SUV. Opening the file, there was the basic information about the warehouse and a padlock key labeled “Front gate”. I shake my head and begin my drive to this warehouse. Luckily, this place was in between home and our headquarters. So once I started this job, at least I wouldn't have to drive as much.
I pulled up to the gate and pulled out the key that was provided with the file. After entering and securing the gate, I look toward the building and see two vehicles parked out front. One large gray sedan and a red prius. Once I pulled up, a round looking man alongside a woman that was wearing our security uniform stepped out of the building and headed toward me. “Welcome!” the man said with a blinding smile. Man, these morning people really are something else. The woman approached me with an equally bright smile holding out her hand. “You must be my new partner. I'm Stacy. Nice to meet you.” “Likewise.” I said, shaking her hand and trying to put on my friendliest smile. Stacy, on first impressions, has a very friendly personality. She had fairly light brown hair and emerald green eyes. She stood roughly a foot shorter than myself, and her physique is slender and well toned while still being curved in a very attractive way. What caught my attention was the fact that, despite her size and stature, she carried herself with a sense of confidence while not trying to be overly imposing. The man that was there I could only describe as plump. He was about 2 inches shorter than Stacy. He had a balding head with a very poor attempt at a comb over. “Well then, Mr. Miller.” He said. “Just John is fine.” I responded. “Alright John. You can call me Bill. Now that we are acquainted, let's begin the tour.” He turned around and headed to the main entrance. Upon entering, I quickly identified the four quadcons and large mobile research vehicle parked in the center. There were dirty tire tracks leading from the large double doors to the vehicle. “Here is the research equipment you will be guarding. Every evening, once the scientists put their equipment away, you will be responsible for verifying that all of the locks are secured. The keys will be given to you and placed in a lockbox that is kept in your office.” Glancing to the right, I saw what I assumed to be our office. It was a small shack built into the side of the main building. Beckoning us toward it, Bill said, “and over here is where you will likely be spending most of your time.” In the office, there was a long desk with large windows looking out to the interior of the warehouse. At the back there was a small restroom that was surprisingly clean. And, what I was looking for, at the back corner was a locked green weapons locker that housed two Mossberg 500 pump action shotguns. Next to that was a small table with walkie talkies on charging stations. Above the charging station were two flat screen TVs with the video feed of security cameras monitoring both the inside and outside of the building. On the desk was a land line telephone, coffee pot, and a microwave. Underneath was a minifridge and a locking filing cabinet. Bill motioned to the cabinet, “This is where the keys to the storage units and truck will be kept with at least one of you having the key to it nearby. All the amenities are available to use, the AC works, and the chairs are comfy.” He grinned proudly like a child that had just finished his chores. “And if you'll follow me,” he said exiting the office door. As we followed, he went around the office shack where a side by side ATV was parked. Attached to it was a spot light on the front and an extra fuel container in the back. “This will be your steed” Bill says with exaggerated grandeur. “You will be able to use this to go around the compound if needed. Just log your driving so we know when the fuel needs to be replenished. Now, over here,” turning on his heel, he walked toward the opposite end of the warehouse. In this direction was a door labeled Janitors closet. Opening it, there were shelves of cleaning supplies, a push broom, and a wheeled bucket with a mop in it. “You can use these if you need to. There are cleaners that take care of the whole building during the day.” Well, at least we won't be doubling as janitors. Bill clapped his hands together, “do you have any questions?” He began walking back toward the office. “Do you get much disturbance out here that requires guarding?” I asked. “Well, the equipment and research is funded by the government. So they want to be sure nothing gets taken. As far as the disturbances, there are the occasional teenagers that try to sneak onto the property at night to do whatever teens do these days.” “What sort of research is being done here?” Stacy asked. We got back to the office and Bill leaned on the wall sweating and out of breath. “I don't know all the details. But it has something to do with monitoring the seismic readings in order to predict earthquakes or something. But I'm sure they can explain it better.” He pulled out a white cloth and wiped his head. I guess he used all his energy for the introduction. At that moment, we heard the crunching of graven as more vehicles pulled up outside. “Speak of the devil” Bill put the cloth away and looked at his watch. Through the window of the office the clock on the wall read nine in the morning. “If you follow me, we can meet the researchers.” For the next several minutes, we were introduced to the lead researcher Mike and his four grad students. Once introductions were finished, they loaded up the large truck and headed out to the desert. “Allright,” Bill said again, clapping. “You will be on guard during the night. Be here at six this evening. for the start of your shift. At six in the morning we will have two other guards relieve you during the day.” He headed over to the red Prius. “If you have any other questions, my cell number is in your files. Good luck” He hopped in and drove off leaving the two of us standing in front of the building. “Well,” Stacy said after a moment of silence. “I look forward to working with you, and I guess I'll see you tonight.” I nodded at this. “See you then.” We both left the site for the day. It turned out that Stacy and I both lived in the same town not too far apart. At least the company chose guards that live close to the site to save on driving.
The next four weeks were fairly uneventful. On the first night, we were able to talk with the researchers. Their explanation was the same as Bill had said. They were monitoring the seismic reading to predict earthquakes. But when the lead researcher said that, I got the sense that there was more to it. After some interrogation tips that I got from a CIA member that was stationed in Syria with me, I began to get good at knowing when someone was lying or withholding information. But, I didn't press the issue. If this was something more serious, there would be alot more security than two guards at a time with minimal equipment. After some deliberation with Stacy, we came up with a routine for our shifts. Every hour, one of us would take a walk around the inside of the warehouse. And every four hours one of us would take the ATV and do a patrol around the perimeter of the fence. The whole drive takes about twenty minutes. As far as issues during this time, not much happened. Every once in a while a camera would go down and one of us would check on it. After either jiggling the cable or just resetting it, the feed would go back to normal. There was one night that we noticed some teens outside of the fence seemingly daring each other to climb over. After revving the ATV and hitting them with the spotlight, they decided to leave. But during our shifts I did get to learn more about Stacy. She is a near polar opposite to me. She is very cheerful and chatty. From what she told me, I learned that she was mostly raised by her grandfather who was a police officer for the majority of his life. She had great respect for him before his passing. She wanted to be just like him with his sense of justice and strength. However, she decided to become private security instead of a police officer. I did notice that she seemed to avoid the topic of her parents. From the different walks of life that I encountered within the military, I decided it was best not to press the topic. She also seemed to like the horror genre of stories and films. During our shifts we were allowed to bring things to pass the time. She would bring a wireless speaker and play music and something called creepypasta. I on the other hand would put in one ear bud with music and read a book when we were not chatting. During the first week, we did have to stand guard for the entire 7 days. But after that more guards were stationed at the warehouse for the weekend to give us time off. This did come with an issue. Stacy would ask to hang out during the weekend. She would want to go to the movie theater or get lunch somewhere. But when she asked, I would say that I had plans. Which isn't a lie, but it mostly consisted of meal prep, physical training, and going to a shooting range. The problem I had was this, I never had a girlfriend. While Stacy is both kind and beautiful, I have no idea how to proceed with this. I would only feel awkward. Despite this, she didn't seem to have any intention of giving up. She would still ask every Friday, and when I told her I was busy, she would say, “maybe next weekend then.”
It was Friday of the fifth week when it happened. Me and Stacy were five hours into our shift, and I had just gotten back from a patrol on the ATV. “See any of the Graboids that they are looking for?” Stacy asked, grinning. “I'm afraid not,” I said disappointedly. “Just the usual rodents and reptiles. Although maybe they turned to shriekers and left.” I grinned as well. After logging the patrol, I entered the office and picked up “The Art Of War” and continued reading where I left off. Stacy was listening to one of those creepypastas on her phone. It was about something called a Skinwalker hunting hikers in a national park. It seemed kind of interesting. Maybe I should start looking into these stories. “So,” Stacy said, pausing the video. “You wanna catch a movie this weekend?” Her emerald eyes glistened with anticipation. “Sorry. I have plans.” I responded. She sighed and slouched sadly. “Well. Maybe next weekend then.” I know if anyone saw me in this situation, they would be screaming at me. A beautiful woman is asking me if I want to spend time together outside of work. After this exchange we continued with our activities waiting for my alarm to go off signaling a patrol. It was at this moment when we felt a strong tremor beneath the warehouse. Feeling tremors wasnt that unusual for this area. Every once in a while we might feel a light one during our shifts. But this one was stronger than any other that we've felt. But before we could get under our desk expecting it to be an earthquake, it was already over. The whole thing had lasted less than a minute. We both sat back in our chairs and looked at each other with a sigh of relief. Soon our nerves were settled and we returned to our entertainment. Fifteen minutes later the alarm on my phone sounded. Stacy stood up stretching. “I'll take this one”, she said. I nodded in agreement and looked back at the camera feeds. The camera that overlooked the corner by the janitors closet was static. “Could you look at camera three when you walk by it?” I asked, pointing at the monitor. She nodded and gave a thumbs up. “Got it.” She grabbed a walkie off the charger and clipped it to her belt. Once she left the office, I returned to my book, occasionally glancing at the monitor. After a few minutes, I heard a click on my radio and then a door slam from the other side of the warehouse. I picked up the radio, “Stacy, you good?” I asked. From the way the office was positioned, the view of that closet is blocked by the truck and quadcons. I looked at the monitor and that camera was still out. “Stacy, you good?” I repeated. No answer. I grabbed my radio and a flashlight and headed out the office to check on her. My worry was that during that tremor, some of the cleaner spilled and she might have slipped on it hitting her head. I very quickly walked over to the closet. I didn't see Stacy anywhere, but her radio was on the floor by the door. I ran over and opened the door worried. But instead of seeing Stacy laying on the floor unconscious, there was a large hole on the concrete. I stood there for a moment trying to process what I was looking at. But remembering Stacy, I pulled out my flashlight carefully looking down the hole. Instead of going straight down, it went in at an angle almost like a tunnel. It was large enough for myself to crawl into if I needed to. “Stacy!” I yelled. “Are you down there?” No response. “Shit” I muttered to myself. I then got down and headed in.
The tunnel seemed to go down for at least twenty feet before leading into another much larger tunnel. Once there, I was surprisingly able to stand up with plenty of room. “I wonder if this is what those researchers were looking into.” I thought to myself. Looking left and right, this tunnel continued further than my flashlight could reach. “Stacy! Can you hear me?” I yelled. The only response I got was my own echo. Looking down, I tried to find any indication of the direction she might have gone. At first I didn't see anything. I did notice that there were drag marks in the dirt going left. No boot marks though. I made a mark in the dirt to indicate the tunnel back to the surface, and started down the left tunnel. For the next ten minutes, I was quickly walking my way through this dark tunnel, yelling Stacy's name all throughout. The tunnel kept going down and curving every now and then. But still no sign of Stacy. Eventually I came to a fork. It was here that the drag marks stopped. After calling Stacy's name a few more times, I knew I had to get to the surface and call for backup. As much as I hated the idea, I knew it was necessary. But right as I was about to turn and head back, I heard a scream. It was very faint, but it came from the right tunnel. Now that I had a direction, I decided to continue quicker than before. I traveled deeper and deeper into these unknown depths. It was at this point that I noticed a turn off up ahead going left. I knew that if there wasn't another sound at this intersection, that I would have to return. I got to the turn off and yelled for Stacy. After a few minutes I heard what sounded like footsteps coming toward me. “Stacy?” I yelled. I carefully walked forward. There was another sound. Heavy breathing. The tunnel turned right. As soon as I rounded the corner, I saw something straight out of a horror movie. It stood on all fours with short legs and long arms, head just about touching the ceiling at roughly eight feet in height. Its skin was an ashen gray color with small tufts of fur near the shoulders. The face and large ears reminded me of a bat. Its eyes were so white, they almost seemed to glow in the darkness. I got the sense that, while it couldn't see me, it knew I was there due to my yelling. As soon as I lock eyes with this creature, before I can do anything, it inhales and lets out an ear piercing shriek. I covered my ears, but it didn't do anything as my vision started to fade to black.
“Sergeant!” There was somebody yelling. “Sergeant Miller!” I opened my eyes and I was on the ground looking at the bright sky. Then a figure appeared reaching down to help me up. Corporal Johnson grabbed my hand and pulled me up. “You good sergeant?” He asked. “Yeah, I'm good!” I yelled back grabbing my rifle and getting back to the cover of the hummvee. As bullets riddled the opposite side of the vehicle, I went to the front and returned fire over the hood taking out two of the attackers. Johnson came up behind me doing the same. “The fifty is down, and Rodriguez is hit!” He yelled while reloading. I looked at the hummvee ahead of ours. The doors were open and I saw Corporal Smith messing with the radio while being covered by Private Williams. On the ground beside them was Rodriguez being treated by the Corpsman. I looked back to Johnson, “Cover me! I'm moving up”, I yelled to him. He nodded, racking his rifle. “Moving!” I yelled as I sprinted to the next vic. A couple of bullets hit near my feet. As soon as I got to the rear, I yelled, “set!” Johnson started running while I kept him covered. Once we were both there, we checked on Rodriguez. The corpsman looked up at me, “we need a medevac now!” He yelled holding a wound near the neck. I nodded quickly and got up to Smith who was yelling on the radio. I knelt down, “what's the ETA on those birds?” I asked. He shook his head angrily. “They are at least five minutes out!” He said cursing as a bullet hit the top of the door next to him. “We won't last that long! Just get on the 240 and fire back now!” I yelled in his ear. “Aye Sergeant!” Smith climbs into the hummvee and mounts the turret with the 240 machine gun firing back. I looked back at Johnson, “we need to get to the lead vic and mount the Mark 19!” I yelled back. Johnson gave me a devilish grin, “aye sergeant!” He yelled back. The lead hummvee was two vehicles ahead. With the help of Williams’ suppressing fire, we got to the second vic. “Just one more” I thought to myself. Johnson got ready to move to the next hummvee. I nod at him and get set for suppressing fire. “Moving!” He selled. Right as he started running there was a snap and he hit the dirt as blood started pooling by his head. “Sniper!” I yelled back to the others. But as soon as I looked back to where Smiths’ 240 was roaring, the entire hummvee exploded as an RPG detonated below it. A large piece of what I assume was the door, hit me in the helmet and I was back on the ground. I looked up with blurred vision seeing an attack helicopter unloading its payload toward the enemy placements. But as I blinked, there was a large face staring at me from across the street. An inhuman face. Almost like a bat. I start to remember what this thing is, just as my vision fades to black.
“Sergeant!” There was somebody yelling. “Sergeant Miller!” I opened my eyes and I was on the ground looking at the bright sky. Then a figure appeared reaching down to help me up. Corporal Johnson grabbed my hand and pulled me up. “You good sergeant?” He asked. “Yeah, I'm good!” I yelled back grabbing my rifle and getting back to the cover of the hummvee. As bullets riddled the opposite side of the vehicle, I went to the front and returned fire over the hood taking out two of the attackers. Johnson came up behind me doing the same. “The fifty is down, and Rodriguez is hit!” He yelled while reloading. I looked at the hummvee ahead of ours. The doors were open and I saw Corporal Smith messing with the radio while being covered by Private Williams. I looked back at Johnson. “Wait.” I thought to myself. “I-I was just here.” I watched as Johnson continued to make the same moves as he did in this memory. I stand up and look around as he runs to the next hummvee. I hear the corpsman yell about evac. Smith yelling about the ETA on the birds. “This,” I said to myself. “This was the last mission.” Then I remembered. A face. An inhuman face. I looked across the street where I saw it. I close my eyes and shake my head. When I opened my eyes, I was back in the darkness of a tunnel. The monster was now looming over me reaching out with its large clawed hand. I immediately jumped back out of its arms reach. The monster seemed surprised that its trance was broken. It began to inhale, readying another shriek. But before it could let out its scream, I drew the compact Sig pistol that I keep under my uniform and put two rounds between its eyes. Now when I asked the boss about having weapons, he said they weren't required. He didn't say I couldn't conceal one just in case. The creature slumped to the ground lifeless. Despite the ringing in my ears from the shot, I knew I had to continue forward to find Stacy. I looked down and was glad to see the footprints and drag marks were clear and continued forward. As I continued down the tunnels, the walls started to change. The texture went from the dirt and stone to a black and almost rubbery plastic. If I had to compare, it looked almost like the walls in that Aliens movie. That thought also unnerved me. Soon after noticing the changes, I started to hear a voice further down the tunnel. It was Stacy's voice. Faint, but there. I quickened my pace. The tunnel then seemed to open up into a large cavern. It was so large that my flashlight couldn't reach the opposite end. The walls had that same alien-like texture. I then noticed bulb-like growths attached to the walls. Walking to the nearest one I peered in. There was the remains of a human skeleton. From the looks of it, the bones were here for many years. The clothes, or what was left of them, looked similar to those I've seen in mining pictures from the 1800s. Moving forward, each bulb, or pod I guessed, had a similar sight. A human skeleton, no flesh remaining. They were all in a pose that suggested they all died screaming. At least, those that still had a jaw attached. After looking into the fifth one, I heard Stacy’s voice again from across the cavern. I immediately started walking in that direction. At that moment I looked up toward the ceiling and saw a nightmare. There were hundreds of those creatures attached and encased in similar pods. All seemingly asleep and ready to get out at a moment's notice. Off to the side, there were several of those bods that were empty. Immediately lowering my light, I hastened my pace as quietly as possible. At the end of the cavern, I saw the pale face of Stacy peeking out of what I now assumed were feeding pods. “No daddy, no.” She was muttering to herself quietly. “Don't hurt mommy.” I lifted her head up and her eyes were open but unfocused. “She must be in that trance” I thought to myself. Reaching to my belt, I pulled out a pocket knife and began cutting away at the pod. Luckily for me, whatever this was made of had not hardened yet. As soon as there was enough give, I pulled Stacy out and placed her on the ground. “Come on. Wake up Stacy.” I said quietly into her ear. After about a minute of speaking to her and giving a light sternum rub, her eyes finally came back into focus. “John?” She asked. I put my hand over her mouth and whispered into her ear, “Shh. We need to get out of here quietly.” I pointed the light up at the creature pods. Her eyes widened. Then she looked at me and nodded slowly. I removed my hand and helped her to her feet. She was a little wobbly. “Can you walk?” I asked. She nodded again and we began our track to the surface.
I took point and followed the tracks that led me here. Seeing me with my pistol aimed ahead Stacy asked, “are there more of them in the tunnels?” “Yeah.” I said gesturing up ahead at the carcass of the creature that I shot earlier. She nodded approvingly. She then pulled out her own Sig pistol from her waistband. I think I’m in love. We continued down the tunnels with haste. When we rounded one corner, another two more of the creatures were shuffling towards us. As soon as I saw them, I took a knee and put two rounds in the first one killing it. The second one climbed over the body and sped up taking a deep breath. But before I could fire at it, Stacy put three rounds into its head. I looked back at her and she was in a perfect shooter's stance the muzzle of her pistol still smoking. With our ears still ringing, I gave her a thumbs up and we continued. After some time, we finally reached the smaller tunnel leading up to the janitor's closet in the warehouse. We got out and looked around making sure that none of the creatures were waiting above. After clearing the building, we both sighed with relief. Stacy then started toward the office. “I'm going to call for backup,” she said. I shook my head. “No. We need to collapse that cavern before those things can get up here.” She looked at me with confusion. “And how do you expect us to do that? I doubt the researchers have explosives in their truck,” she said pointing at the vehicle. “Just follow me,” I said heading to the front door. Stacy hesitated and quickly followed. I immediately ran to my SUV and opened the rear. As soon as Stacy caught up, I opened the plastic cases and her eyes widened. “Take your pick,” I said gesturing toward the case full of guns and armor. After a moment, she grabbed a suppressed Honey Badger rifle, a glock 17, and a chest rig for spare magazines. I took my own Suppressed M4 rifle, glock 19, and my plate carrier. After we strapped on the gear, I handed her a pair of noise canceling headphones to help with the gunshots underground. “So, you usually carry this much gear?” Stacy asked, turning on the headphones. “Well,” I said. “You never know when you need it.” After putting on my own headphones, I pulled out a duffel bag from a much deeper compartment of the case. I set it on the ground and opened it. Stacy's eyes went even wider than before. “Is that?” she stammered. “Yep.” I said, looking down at the large bag full of plastic bricks marked as C4. “Where did you?” she started. “Let's just say I know a guy who knows a guy.” I responded, pulling out a detonator and making sure I had enough components. “Let's move.” I said, throwing the bag over my shoulder and loading my rifle. She nodded, loading her rifle.
Once we reentered the tunnel, the mics on the headphones were able to pick up the faint sounds of the creatures footsteps and distant shrieks. I looked back at Stacy, “ready.” I asked. “Let's go,” She responded. I placed a glow stick at the entrance and began the move forward. After only a few minutes of walking one of those creatures rounded a corner. As it did, it let out one of those ear piercing screams. But, fortunately for us, those headphones worked very well at canceling out the effect that it had. I grinned and promptly put two rounds between its eyes. After stepping over the body and rounded the corner, there were two more. “Shit,” I thought. “More of those pods must have opened.” Despite this revelation, we continued. Killing every creature along the way. Stacy did surprise me though. All of her moves were smooth and calculated. She clearly had more training than what the security company provided. Maybe I should ask her about it when we get out of here. She might make a good range buddy. It took twice as long to get to the cavern the second time. A couple of those creatures almost got the jump on us. They would wait around corners or try to attack from behind. I did get hit, but somehow it only damaged the armor plate. I did note that it went through the plate like butter. Definitely didn't want to get directly hit by that. Once we finally arrived at the cavern, there were more empty pods. And even more were starting to move. I dropped the duffel bag and gave Stacy some of the bricks and detonators. “You take that side and I'll take this one,” I told her. “Got it,” she said. I quickly showed her how to arm the device and we began planting. I put some of them in the empty food pods as well as sticking them to the wall. A couple of the pods burst open. I was quickly able to dispatch them. Once we finally finished planting the C4, we met back at the entrance of the cavern. I took out a timer and attached it to the wall. “We are going to have to run,” I said, punching in fifteen minutes. She took a deep breath and nodded. I nodded back and hit start. We bolted down the tunnels. The bodies of the creatures we killed on the way in, did slow us down. But I calculated that. A couple of them did try to ambush us, but we quickly put them down. Throughout this run, I was able to place a couple of the remaining C4 at key intersections in order to collapse the tunnels. We finally reached the last turn and saw the first glow stick up ahead. I glanced down at the timer on my watch. 5 minutes. “Perfect,” I thought, grinning to myself. I helped Stacy up the tunnel. “Keep going. I'll be right up.” I said. I knelt down and planted the last C4 charge at the base of the exit. I then began crawling up the tunnel. But just before my legs entered the hole, something grabbed my right foot and yanked me back down. It held me upside down and I was able to get a good look at my assailant. It was one of those creatures, but this one seemed bigger. There were scars all over its face and torso. “And you must be the leader,” I said. It snarled. My rifle was on my back so I couldn't grab it. It reared its other arm back and readied a slash. “I don't think so,” I said, drawing my pistol and dumping half the mag into its body. It let out one last scream dropping me and falling dead. I looked at my timer. 2 minutes. Shit. I dove into the tunnel and crawled up as fast as I could. When my head popped out, Stacy was there and she helped pull me out. I looked at her and quickly motioned to the door. “We need to haul ass!” I yelled. Without hesitation, she sprinted with me to the door. She passed me and slammed into the door opening it. I guess I'll need to work on my run time. As soon as I passed the threshold, I heard the beeping of my watch indicating the 5 second mark. We bolted toward the gate. Once we got there, the timer went off. There was a rumble underground as I knew the C4 had detonated. It was a moment later that the backside of the warehouse exploded, as the rest of it caved in. I noticed that a section of the desert seemed to sink slightly. That area was where the researchers seemed to spend the most time. I knew they were hiding something. I shook my head and looked back at our vehicles. Somehow, by some miracle, no debris had hit them. We glanced at each other and both let out a big sigh of relief. We began walking back to my SUV. “So,” I said. “What’s playing in the theater?” Stacy looked up at me, smiled and began laughing. I laughed too as she leaned on my shoulder. “Don't know. As long as it's not horror.” I put my arm around her shoulders. “I agree.”
submitted by Money-Independence-3 to JordanGrupeHorror [link] [comments]
I was a bit of a troubled child some might say. I lost both my parents to a car accident when I was 2. After that, I bounced from foster home to foster home. I blame it on the system. Almost every foster home I was put in was terrible. The parents were only doing it for the money and barely took care of the foster children. And when Social Services came, you think they listened to the children? No. But, I took on a personality that did help throughout this time. I decided that I wouldn't take shit from anyone. When some of the foster homes' actual children tried to bully me or other foster kids, they very quickly learned not to after several broken bones. In addition, I took this attitude to the public schools. Bullies would pick on the weak, and they would suddenly have broken noses and fingers. But, since it was the public school the bullies were not punished. Only me. However when the bullies would see me or get close to their victims while I was around they would quickly go the other way. This went on for the entirety of my youth. I never had a plan for my life. All I knew was that I was unwanted anywhere, and had nowhere to go. But one day, I was passing by the living room, and I saw a commercial on the tv that changed my life's course. It was an ad to join the United States Marine Corps. After this, I found a new purpose for my life. Unfortunately I was 15 at the time. But I immediately started training myself physically and mentally for this new course. I studied at the public library since I wasn't allowed to use the foster home's computer. I started working out at the high school's gym after class. And finally at 18 I joined the Corps. The next 8 years were the best of my life. After boot camp, MCT (Marine Combat Training), and SOI (School of Infantry) I soon learned about the Raiders. Which is Marine Corps special forces. I immediately put in for it and got selected. I was able to go to several foreign countries and fight many battles. All of my fellow Marines were the greatest family I ever had. Once I was at the end of my second enlistment I decided it was time for me to enter the civilian world again. At that time, we had a bad mission and I lost my closest friends. So I did what anybody in this situation does. I found a reasonably inexpensive apartment and drank excessively for the next month. Once I felt that my liver had been well punished, I began searching for a job. Now, money was not an issue for me at this time. I had plenty in savings to last most people a couple of years. While I was in the military, I never really bought anything since I knew I would be traveling all over. I also still had money saved from the insurance when my parents passed all those years ago that I refused to spend. So I tried finding a job that I would fit into given my skill sets. After some time I found what I was looking for. It was a position within a security company that provides its services to companies in both the private sector as well as government facilities. I immediately applied and got accepted. For the next year after this, I was able to complete some training required for the job and bought my own house in Nevada. I worked as a fill in guard for multiple high ranking officials here and there within my state. But one day, I was given a position that would alter my perception of reality forever.
“John!” my boss bellowed as he entered the locker room. I had been getting my gear, body armor, and rifle ready to head to the meeting room. I look up and see this mountain of a man standing in the doorway with a large jolly smile on his face. “Got a job for you” he continued, waving a file in his hand. “What's the Job?” I asked while doing my best to give back a friendly grin. I've been told I’m not great at expressing my emotions. But I’ve been trying. “Well, good news. It's a government facility that needs a pair of guards.” My ears perked up as he said this. “Where at?” I asked with some excitement in my voice. “A warehouse in the desert just outside of the town where you live.” My shoulders drop a little with disappointment. “What sort of warehouse is it?” I ask. “It is a government funded science facility. Something about monitoring seismic activity in the area. During the evening, you and one other guard will be posted there to watch over the equipment.” I thought for a moment and I remembered the place he was talking about. About 5 miles from my home on the outskirts of town, there is a fenced off plot of land that has one large building out in the middle. I had always driven past it on the way to a rifle range and saw the no trespassing signs on the fence and didn't think much of it. “What's the uniform situation?” I ask. “Standard Polo, slacks, and duty belt.” “Body armor and weapons?” I asked, already feeling the boredom seeping in. “None required. You can wear soft armor if it makes you feel better. But there will be a locker with shotguns as a last resort. Aside from that, just your nightstick.” It is at this point I let out a disappointed sigh. After a long moment I look up and ask, “why did you pick me specifically for this position?” He looks at me with that unwavering smile and says, “well, nobody wanted to volunteer for it. So I decided to volun-tell the first person I saw this morning.” He leans over and gives me a strong pat on the back and walks out. I sigh again, take off my usual gear and just dress in the uniform he told me. I do grab my soft armor though. With my duty belt and the file in hand, I head to my SUV. Opening the file, there was the basic information about the warehouse and a padlock key labeled “Front gate”. I shake my head and begin my drive to this warehouse. Luckily, this place was in between home and our headquarters. So once I started this job, at least I wouldn't have to drive as much.
I pulled up to the gate and pulled out the key that was provided with the file. After entering and securing the gate, I look toward the building and see two vehicles parked out front. One large gray sedan and a red prius. Once I pulled up, a round looking man alongside a woman that was wearing our security uniform stepped out of the building and headed toward me. “Welcome!” the man said with a blinding smile. Man, these morning people really are something else. The woman approached me with an equally bright smile holding out her hand. “You must be my new partner. I'm Stacy. Nice to meet you.” “Likewise.” I said, shaking her hand and trying to put on my friendliest smile. Stacy, on first impressions, has a very friendly personality. She had fairly light brown hair and emerald green eyes. She stood roughly a foot shorter than myself, and her physique is slender and well toned while still being curved in a very attractive way. What caught my attention was the fact that, despite her size and stature, she carried herself with a sense of confidence while not trying to be overly imposing. The man that was there I could only describe as plump. He was about 2 inches shorter than Stacy. He had a balding head with a very poor attempt at a comb over. “Well then, Mr. Miller.” He said. “Just John is fine.” I responded. “Alright John. You can call me Bill. Now that we are acquainted, let's begin the tour.” He turned around and headed to the main entrance. Upon entering, I quickly identified the four quadcons and large mobile research vehicle parked in the center. There were dirty tire tracks leading from the large double doors to the vehicle. “Here is the research equipment you will be guarding. Every evening, once the scientists put their equipment away, you will be responsible for verifying that all of the locks are secured. The keys will be given to you and placed in a lockbox that is kept in your office.” Glancing to the right, I saw what I assumed to be our office. It was a small shack built into the side of the main building. Beckoning us toward it, Bill said, “and over here is where you will likely be spending most of your time.” In the office, there was a long desk with large windows looking out to the interior of the warehouse. At the back there was a small restroom that was surprisingly clean. And, what I was looking for, at the back corner was a locked green weapons locker that housed two Mossberg 500 pump action shotguns. Next to that was a small table with walkie talkies on charging stations. Above the charging station were two flat screen TVs with the video feed of security cameras monitoring both the inside and outside of the building. On the desk was a land line telephone, coffee pot, and a microwave. Underneath was a minifridge and a locking filing cabinet. Bill motioned to the cabinet, “This is where the keys to the storage units and truck will be kept with at least one of you having the key to it nearby. All the amenities are available to use, the AC works, and the chairs are comfy.” He grinned proudly like a child that had just finished his chores. “And if you'll follow me,” he said exiting the office door. As we followed, he went around the office shack where a side by side ATV was parked. Attached to it was a spot light on the front and an extra fuel container in the back. “This will be your steed” Bill says with exaggerated grandeur. “You will be able to use this to go around the compound if needed. Just log your driving so we know when the fuel needs to be replenished. Now, over here,” turning on his heel, he walked toward the opposite end of the warehouse. In this direction was a door labeled Janitors closet. Opening it, there were shelves of cleaning supplies, a push broom, and a wheeled bucket with a mop in it. “You can use these if you need to. There are cleaners that take care of the whole building during the day.” Well, at least we won't be doubling as janitors. Bill clapped his hands together, “do you have any questions?” He began walking back toward the office. “Do you get much disturbance out here that requires guarding?” I asked. “Well, the equipment and research is funded by the government. So they want to be sure nothing gets taken. As far as the disturbances, there are the occasional teenagers that try to sneak onto the property at night to do whatever teens do these days.” “What sort of research is being done here?” Stacy asked. We got back to the office and Bill leaned on the wall sweating and out of breath. “I don't know all the details. But it has something to do with monitoring the seismic readings in order to predict earthquakes or something. But I'm sure they can explain it better.” He pulled out a white cloth and wiped his head. I guess he used all his energy for the introduction. At that moment, we heard the crunching of graven as more vehicles pulled up outside. “Speak of the devil” Bill put the cloth away and looked at his watch. Through the window of the office the clock on the wall read nine in the morning. “If you follow me, we can meet the researchers.” For the next several minutes, we were introduced to the lead researcher Mike and his four grad students. Once introductions were finished, they loaded up the large truck and headed out to the desert. “Allright,” Bill said again, clapping. “You will be on guard during the night. Be here at six this evening. for the start of your shift. At six in the morning we will have two other guards relieve you during the day.” He headed over to the red Prius. “If you have any other questions, my cell number is in your files. Good luck” He hopped in and drove off leaving the two of us standing in front of the building. “Well,” Stacy said after a moment of silence. “I look forward to working with you, and I guess I'll see you tonight.” I nodded at this. “See you then.” We both left the site for the day. It turned out that Stacy and I both lived in the same town not too far apart. At least the company chose guards that live close to the site to save on driving.
The next four weeks were fairly uneventful. On the first night, we were able to talk with the researchers. Their explanation was the same as Bill had said. They were monitoring the seismic reading to predict earthquakes. But when the lead researcher said that, I got the sense that there was more to it. After some interrogation tips that I got from a CIA member that was stationed in Syria with me, I began to get good at knowing when someone was lying or withholding information. But, I didn't press the issue. If this was something more serious, there would be alot more security than two guards at a time with minimal equipment. After some deliberation with Stacy, we came up with a routine for our shifts. Every hour, one of us would take a walk around the inside of the warehouse. And every four hours one of us would take the ATV and do a patrol around the perimeter of the fence. The whole drive takes about twenty minutes. As far as issues during this time, not much happened. Every once in a while a camera would go down and one of us would check on it. After either jiggling the cable or just resetting it, the feed would go back to normal. There was one night that we noticed some teens outside of the fence seemingly daring each other to climb over. After revving the ATV and hitting them with the spotlight, they decided to leave. But during our shifts I did get to learn more about Stacy. She is a near polar opposite to me. She is very cheerful and chatty. From what she told me, I learned that she was mostly raised by her grandfather who was a police officer for the majority of his life. She had great respect for him before his passing. She wanted to be just like him with his sense of justice and strength. However, she decided to become private security instead of a police officer. I did notice that she seemed to avoid the topic of her parents. From the different walks of life that I encountered within the military, I decided it was best not to press the topic. She also seemed to like the horror genre of stories and films. During our shifts we were allowed to bring things to pass the time. She would bring a wireless speaker and play music and something called creepypasta. I on the other hand would put in one ear bud with music and read a book when we were not chatting. During the first week, we did have to stand guard for the entire 7 days. But after that more guards were stationed at the warehouse for the weekend to give us time off. This did come with an issue. Stacy would ask to hang out during the weekend. She would want to go to the movie theater or get lunch somewhere. But when she asked, I would say that I had plans. Which isn't a lie, but it mostly consisted of meal prep, physical training, and going to a shooting range. The problem I had was this, I never had a girlfriend. While Stacy is both kind and beautiful, I have no idea how to proceed with this. I would only feel awkward. Despite this, she didn't seem to have any intention of giving up. She would still ask every Friday, and when I told her I was busy, she would say, “maybe next weekend then.”
It was Friday of the fifth week when it happened. Me and Stacy were five hours into our shift, and I had just gotten back from a patrol on the ATV. “See any of the Graboids that they are looking for?” Stacy asked, grinning. “I'm afraid not,” I said disappointedly. “Just the usual rodents and reptiles. Although maybe they turned to shriekers and left.” I grinned as well. After logging the patrol, I entered the office and picked up “The Art Of War” and continued reading where I left off. Stacy was listening to one of those creepypastas on her phone. It was about something called a Skinwalker hunting hikers in a national park. It seemed kind of interesting. Maybe I should start looking into these stories. “So,” Stacy said, pausing the video. “You wanna catch a movie this weekend?” Her emerald eyes glistened with anticipation. “Sorry. I have plans.” I responded. She sighed and slouched sadly. “Well. Maybe next weekend then.” I know if anyone saw me in this situation, they would be screaming at me. A beautiful woman is asking me if I want to spend time together outside of work. After this exchange we continued with our activities waiting for my alarm to go off signaling a patrol. It was at this moment when we felt a strong tremor beneath the warehouse. Feeling tremors wasnt that unusual for this area. Every once in a while we might feel a light one during our shifts. But this one was stronger than any other that we've felt. But before we could get under our desk expecting it to be an earthquake, it was already over. The whole thing had lasted less than a minute. We both sat back in our chairs and looked at each other with a sigh of relief. Soon our nerves were settled and we returned to our entertainment. Fifteen minutes later the alarm on my phone sounded. Stacy stood up stretching. “I'll take this one”, she said. I nodded in agreement and looked back at the camera feeds. The camera that overlooked the corner by the janitors closet was static. “Could you look at camera three when you walk by it?” I asked, pointing at the monitor. She nodded and gave a thumbs up. “Got it.” She grabbed a walkie off the charger and clipped it to her belt. Once she left the office, I returned to my book, occasionally glancing at the monitor. After a few minutes, I heard a click on my radio and then a door slam from the other side of the warehouse. I picked up the radio, “Stacy, you good?” I asked. From the way the office was positioned, the view of that closet is blocked by the truck and quadcons. I looked at the monitor and that camera was still out. “Stacy, you good?” I repeated. No answer. I grabbed my radio and a flashlight and headed out the office to check on her. My worry was that during that tremor, some of the cleaner spilled and she might have slipped on it hitting her head. I very quickly walked over to the closet. I didn't see Stacy anywhere, but her radio was on the floor by the door. I ran over and opened the door worried. But instead of seeing Stacy laying on the floor unconscious, there was a large hole on the concrete. I stood there for a moment trying to process what I was looking at. But remembering Stacy, I pulled out my flashlight carefully looking down the hole. Instead of going straight down, it went in at an angle almost like a tunnel. It was large enough for myself to crawl into if I needed to. “Stacy!” I yelled. “Are you down there?” No response. “Shit” I muttered to myself. I then got down and headed in.
The tunnel seemed to go down for at least twenty feet before leading into another much larger tunnel. Once there, I was surprisingly able to stand up with plenty of room. “I wonder if this is what those researchers were looking into.” I thought to myself. Looking left and right, this tunnel continued further than my flashlight could reach. “Stacy! Can you hear me?” I yelled. The only response I got was my own echo. Looking down, I tried to find any indication of the direction she might have gone. At first I didn't see anything. I did notice that there were drag marks in the dirt going left. No boot marks though. I made a mark in the dirt to indicate the tunnel back to the surface, and started down the left tunnel. For the next ten minutes, I was quickly walking my way through this dark tunnel, yelling Stacy's name all throughout. The tunnel kept going down and curving every now and then. But still no sign of Stacy. Eventually I came to a fork. It was here that the drag marks stopped. After calling Stacy's name a few more times, I knew I had to get to the surface and call for backup. As much as I hated the idea, I knew it was necessary. But right as I was about to turn and head back, I heard a scream. It was very faint, but it came from the right tunnel. Now that I had a direction, I decided to continue quicker than before. I traveled deeper and deeper into these unknown depths. It was at this point that I noticed a turn off up ahead going left. I knew that if there wasn't another sound at this intersection, that I would have to return. I got to the turn off and yelled for Stacy. After a few minutes I heard what sounded like footsteps coming toward me. “Stacy?” I yelled. I carefully walked forward. There was another sound. Heavy breathing. The tunnel turned right. As soon as I rounded the corner, I saw something straight out of a horror movie. It stood on all fours with short legs and long arms, head just about touching the ceiling at roughly eight feet in height. Its skin was an ashen gray color with small tufts of fur near the shoulders. The face and large ears reminded me of a bat. Its eyes were so white, they almost seemed to glow in the darkness. I got the sense that, while it couldn't see me, it knew I was there due to my yelling. As soon as I lock eyes with this creature, before I can do anything, it inhales and lets out an ear piercing shriek. I covered my ears, but it didn't do anything as my vision started to fade to black.
“Sergeant!” There was somebody yelling. “Sergeant Miller!” I opened my eyes and I was on the ground looking at the bright sky. Then a figure appeared reaching down to help me up. Corporal Johnson grabbed my hand and pulled me up. “You good sergeant?” He asked. “Yeah, I'm good!” I yelled back grabbing my rifle and getting back to the cover of the hummvee. As bullets riddled the opposite side of the vehicle, I went to the front and returned fire over the hood taking out two of the attackers. Johnson came up behind me doing the same. “The fifty is down, and Rodriguez is hit!” He yelled while reloading. I looked at the hummvee ahead of ours. The doors were open and I saw Corporal Smith messing with the radio while being covered by Private Williams. On the ground beside them was Rodriguez being treated by the Corpsman. I looked back to Johnson, “Cover me! I'm moving up”, I yelled to him. He nodded, racking his rifle. “Moving!” I yelled as I sprinted to the next vic. A couple of bullets hit near my feet. As soon as I got to the rear, I yelled, “set!” Johnson started running while I kept him covered. Once we were both there, we checked on Rodriguez. The corpsman looked up at me, “we need a medevac now!” He yelled holding a wound near the neck. I nodded quickly and got up to Smith who was yelling on the radio. I knelt down, “what's the ETA on those birds?” I asked. He shook his head angrily. “They are at least five minutes out!” He said cursing as a bullet hit the top of the door next to him. “We won't last that long! Just get on the 240 and fire back now!” I yelled in his ear. “Aye Sergeant!” Smith climbs into the hummvee and mounts the turret with the 240 machine gun firing back. I looked back at Johnson, “we need to get to the lead vic and mount the Mark 19!” I yelled back. Johnson gave me a devilish grin, “aye sergeant!” He yelled back. The lead hummvee was two vehicles ahead. With the help of Williams’ suppressing fire, we got to the second vic. “Just one more” I thought to myself. Johnson got ready to move to the next hummvee. I nod at him and get set for suppressing fire. “Moving!” He selled. Right as he started running there was a snap and he hit the dirt as blood started pooling by his head. “Sniper!” I yelled back to the others. But as soon as I looked back to where Smiths’ 240 was roaring, the entire hummvee exploded as an RPG detonated below it. A large piece of what I assume was the door, hit me in the helmet and I was back on the ground. I looked up with blurred vision seeing an attack helicopter unloading its payload toward the enemy placements. But as I blinked, there was a large face staring at me from across the street. An inhuman face. Almost like a bat. I start to remember what this thing is, just as my vision fades to black.
“Sergeant!” There was somebody yelling. “Sergeant Miller!” I opened my eyes and I was on the ground looking at the bright sky. Then a figure appeared reaching down to help me up. Corporal Johnson grabbed my hand and pulled me up. “You good sergeant?” He asked. “Yeah, I'm good!” I yelled back grabbing my rifle and getting back to the cover of the hummvee. As bullets riddled the opposite side of the vehicle, I went to the front and returned fire over the hood taking out two of the attackers. Johnson came up behind me doing the same. “The fifty is down, and Rodriguez is hit!” He yelled while reloading. I looked at the hummvee ahead of ours. The doors were open and I saw Corporal Smith messing with the radio while being covered by Private Williams. I looked back at Johnson. “Wait.” I thought to myself. “I-I was just here.” I watched as Johnson continued to make the same moves as he did in this memory. I stand up and look around as he runs to the next hummvee. I hear the corpsman yell about evac. Smith yelling about the ETA on the birds. “This,” I said to myself. “This was the last mission.” Then I remembered. A face. An inhuman face. I looked across the street where I saw it. I close my eyes and shake my head. When I opened my eyes, I was back in the darkness of a tunnel. The monster was now looming over me reaching out with its large clawed hand. I immediately jumped back out of its arms reach. The monster seemed surprised that its trance was broken. It began to inhale, readying another shriek. But before it could let out its scream, I drew the compact Sig pistol that I keep under my uniform and put two rounds between its eyes. Now when I asked the boss about having weapons, he said they weren't required. He didn't say I couldn't conceal one just in case. The creature slumped to the ground lifeless. Despite the ringing in my ears from the shot, I knew I had to continue forward to find Stacy. I looked down and was glad to see the footprints and drag marks were clear and continued forward. As I continued down the tunnels, the walls started to change. The texture went from the dirt and stone to a black and almost rubbery plastic. If I had to compare, it looked almost like the walls in that Aliens movie. That thought also unnerved me. Soon after noticing the changes, I started to hear a voice further down the tunnel. It was Stacy's voice. Faint, but there. I quickened my pace. The tunnel then seemed to open up into a large cavern. It was so large that my flashlight couldn't reach the opposite end. The walls had that same alien-like texture. I then noticed bulb-like growths attached to the walls. Walking to the nearest one I peered in. There was the remains of a human skeleton. From the looks of it, the bones were here for many years. The clothes, or what was left of them, looked similar to those I've seen in mining pictures from the 1800s. Moving forward, each bulb, or pod I guessed, had a similar sight. A human skeleton, no flesh remaining. They were all in a pose that suggested they all died screaming. At least, those that still had a jaw attached. After looking into the fifth one, I heard Stacy’s voice again from across the cavern. I immediately started walking in that direction. At that moment I looked up toward the ceiling and saw a nightmare. There were hundreds of those creatures attached and encased in similar pods. All seemingly asleep and ready to get out at a moment's notice. Off to the side, there were several of those bods that were empty. Immediately lowering my light, I hastened my pace as quietly as possible. At the end of the cavern, I saw the pale face of Stacy peeking out of what I now assumed were feeding pods. “No daddy, no.” She was muttering to herself quietly. “Don't hurt mommy.” I lifted her head up and her eyes were open but unfocused. “She must be in that trance” I thought to myself. Reaching to my belt, I pulled out a pocket knife and began cutting away at the pod. Luckily for me, whatever this was made of had not hardened yet. As soon as there was enough give, I pulled Stacy out and placed her on the ground. “Come on. Wake up Stacy.” I said quietly into her ear. After about a minute of speaking to her and giving a light sternum rub, her eyes finally came back into focus. “John?” She asked. I put my hand over her mouth and whispered into her ear, “Shh. We need to get out of here quietly.” I pointed the light up at the creature pods. Her eyes widened. Then she looked at me and nodded slowly. I removed my hand and helped her to her feet. She was a little wobbly. “Can you walk?” I asked. She nodded again and we began our track to the surface.
I took point and followed the tracks that led me here. Seeing me with my pistol aimed ahead Stacy asked, “are there more of them in the tunnels?” “Yeah.” I said gesturing up ahead at the carcass of the creature that I shot earlier. She nodded approvingly. She then pulled out her own Sig pistol from her waistband. I think I’m in love. We continued down the tunnels with haste. When we rounded one corner, another two more of the creatures were shuffling towards us. As soon as I saw them, I took a knee and put two rounds in the first one killing it. The second one climbed over the body and sped up taking a deep breath. But before I could fire at it, Stacy put three rounds into its head. I looked back at her and she was in a perfect shooter's stance the muzzle of her pistol still smoking. With our ears still ringing, I gave her a thumbs up and we continued. After some time, we finally reached the smaller tunnel leading up to the janitor's closet in the warehouse. We got out and looked around making sure that none of the creatures were waiting above. After clearing the building, we both sighed with relief. Stacy then started toward the office. “I'm going to call for backup,” she said. I shook my head. “No. We need to collapse that cavern before those things can get up here.” She looked at me with confusion. “And how do you expect us to do that? I doubt the researchers have explosives in their truck,” she said pointing at the vehicle. “Just follow me,” I said heading to the front door. Stacy hesitated and quickly followed. I immediately ran to my SUV and opened the rear. As soon as Stacy caught up, I opened the plastic cases and her eyes widened. “Take your pick,” I said gesturing toward the case full of guns and armor. After a moment, she grabbed a suppressed Honey Badger rifle, a glock 17, and a chest rig for spare magazines. I took my own Suppressed M4 rifle, glock 19, and my plate carrier. After we strapped on the gear, I handed her a pair of noise canceling headphones to help with the gunshots underground. “So, you usually carry this much gear?” Stacy asked, turning on the headphones. “Well,” I said. “You never know when you need it.” After putting on my own headphones, I pulled out a duffel bag from a much deeper compartment of the case. I set it on the ground and opened it. Stacy's eyes went even wider than before. “Is that?” she stammered. “Yep.” I said, looking down at the large bag full of plastic bricks marked as C4. “Where did you?” she started. “Let's just say I know a guy who knows a guy.” I responded, pulling out a detonator and making sure I had enough components. “Let's move.” I said, throwing the bag over my shoulder and loading my rifle. She nodded, loading her rifle.
Once we reentered the tunnel, the mics on the headphones were able to pick up the faint sounds of the creatures footsteps and distant shrieks. I looked back at Stacy, “ready.” I asked. “Let's go,” She responded. I placed a glow stick at the entrance and began the move forward. After only a few minutes of walking one of those creatures rounded a corner. As it did, it let out one of those ear piercing screams. But, fortunately for us, those headphones worked very well at canceling out the effect that it had. I grinned and promptly put two rounds between its eyes. After stepping over the body and rounded the corner, there were two more. “Shit,” I thought. “More of those pods must have opened.” Despite this revelation, we continued. Killing every creature along the way. Stacy did surprise me though. All of her moves were smooth and calculated. She clearly had more training than what the security company provided. Maybe I should ask her about it when we get out of here. She might make a good range buddy. It took twice as long to get to the cavern the second time. A couple of those creatures almost got the jump on us. They would wait around corners or try to attack from behind. I did get hit, but somehow it only damaged the armor plate. I did note that it went through the plate like butter. Definitely didn't want to get directly hit by that. Once we finally arrived at the cavern, there were more empty pods. And even more were starting to move. I dropped the duffel bag and gave Stacy some of the bricks and detonators. “You take that side and I'll take this one,” I told her. “Got it,” she said. I quickly showed her how to arm the device and we began planting. I put some of them in the empty food pods as well as sticking them to the wall. A couple of the pods burst open. I was quickly able to dispatch them. Once we finally finished planting the C4, we met back at the entrance of the cavern. I took out a timer and attached it to the wall. “We are going to have to run,” I said, punching in fifteen minutes. She took a deep breath and nodded. I nodded back and hit start. We bolted down the tunnels. The bodies of the creatures we killed on the way in, did slow us down. But I calculated that. A couple of them did try to ambush us, but we quickly put them down. Throughout this run, I was able to place a couple of the remaining C4 at key intersections in order to collapse the tunnels. We finally reached the last turn and saw the first glow stick up ahead. I glanced down at the timer on my watch. 5 minutes. “Perfect,” I thought, grinning to myself. I helped Stacy up the tunnel. “Keep going. I'll be right up.” I said. I knelt down and planted the last C4 charge at the base of the exit. I then began crawling up the tunnel. But just before my legs entered the hole, something grabbed my right foot and yanked me back down. It held me upside down and I was able to get a good look at my assailant. It was one of those creatures, but this one seemed bigger. There were scars all over its face and torso. “And you must be the leader,” I said. It snarled. My rifle was on my back so I couldn't grab it. It reared its other arm back and readied a slash. “I don't think so,” I said, drawing my pistol and dumping half the mag into its body. It let out one last scream dropping me and falling dead. I looked at my timer. 2 minutes. Shit. I dove into the tunnel and crawled up as fast as I could. When my head popped out, Stacy was there and she helped pull me out. I looked at her and quickly motioned to the door. “We need to haul ass!” I yelled. Without hesitation, she sprinted with me to the door. She passed me and slammed into the door opening it. I guess I'll need to work on my run time. As soon as I passed the threshold, I heard the beeping of my watch indicating the 5 second mark. We bolted toward the gate. Once we got there, the timer went off. There was a rumble underground as I knew the C4 had detonated. It was a moment later that the backside of the warehouse exploded, as the rest of it caved in. I noticed that a section of the desert seemed to sink slightly. That area was where the researchers seemed to spend the most time. I knew they were hiding something. I shook my head and looked back at our vehicles. Somehow, by some miracle, no debris had hit them. We glanced at each other and both let out a big sigh of relief. We began walking back to my SUV. “So,” I said. “What’s playing in the theater?” Stacy looked up at me, smiled and began laughing. I laughed too as she leaned on my shoulder. “Don't know. As long as it's not horror.” I put my arm around her shoulders. “I agree.”
2024.06.01 23:02 Dio_Ludicolo Looking for opponents for the Ethereal Skeleton (SCP Foundation)
 | Basic information: The SCP Foundation tried to figure out how to destroy SCP-6969 (which is an anomalous time loop created when someone cums). The Foundation accidentally destroyed the concept of sex, which would make humanity go extinct since nobody could reproduce. As a result, the essophysical embodiment of Death merged with the concept of Sex and created a giant Ethereal Skeleton that’s always on the horizon. The SCP Foundation couldn’t figure out how to destroy it, so they shot at it with a rail gun from space. This woke it up, but it caused it to release a shockwave that turned all humans on earth into grape soda. submitted by Dio_Ludicolo to DeathBattleMatchups [link] [comments] It’s shockwave was multi-continent level because it encircled the entire earth, but it might be outerverse level since it’s from the noosphere and exists as an abstract concept. Btw the document establishes that even though it’s a -J article, it’s still canon. https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/scp-6969-j |
2024.06.01 22:49 Jazzy_in_green_510 the things that I've odd things in fnaf SB that no one is talking about
Creation of burn trap and the vacant nature of the pizza plex.
(Note: the post is made based on the game timeline; not the book trilogy plus the introduction of “the mimic” and only focuses on game observations)I love every aspect and detail, which are in the games, whether they are in backgrounds, textures, items, or the personalities in the main cast of the game. It is phenomenal and especially for a horror indie game. I have been seeing many other fnaf YouTubers theorizing about various aspects of Five Nights at Freddy Security Breach, which is fine and all but there are still many unanswered questions and also certain details that we are still overlooking. Here are the things that actually need to be addressed:
· The actual events of the plex before and after the arrival of Vanessa
· Was Bonnie torn apart for his parts just to rebuild Afton or did he find out about Vanny’s plan and tried to warn other staff members?
· Why is there a Foxy-themed area when the famous pirate fox is not even present?
· Why do certain endo-skeleton belong to the parts and service?
· The possibility that Glitchtrap has corrupted the programming as well as the AI of the animatronics.
· Was Luis aka a colleague, whom Vanessa is familiar with and did he try to save her from the vires?
· Why does Plex only have Vanessa as the night guard for the huge plex because it needs more than one guard for security in the area?
· What happens to human employees and night guards; where did they all disappear?
· The vacant nature of the pizza plex
· The deteriorating appearance with the passage of time the players play the game.
· Is there a striking appearance similarity of Gregory looking like the crying child?
· When was the protocol for various security badges installed and why?
· The exact time period for the construction and opening of the plex?
· Why dose there is a large amount of black trash bags; unless they are the bodies which are disposed of there?
· Why does in general the condition of the plex feel more untidy and unkempt or disorganized?
· Where are the remains of Henry, William, and Michael in the hidden underground location?
Now from the start, we audience play as a child named Gregory who is first seen as a lost child who has separated from his parents and Freddy is there to help us leave the area. However, the audience thinks but the truth is darker than we think. The further we progress into the game; the further we get into the lore and certain mysterious events about a huge compound.
We are also introduced to the other characters in the game with the passage of time. The crew (Monty, Chica, Roxy) display vicious animal-like behavior and the daycare attendant is a possessive controlling psychopath. The behavior is different from what Freddy mentioned; he and the other animatronics are programmed not to hurt guests or anyone unless they pose a threat. We get to tasks to upgrade Glamrock Freddy after we destroy corrupted band members. Not knowing that all of these parts a corrupted by the virus that is shown in the “Afton Boss Fight”.
From the very beginning of the game, it does not make sense that for just a bunch of five animatronics, it is extremely ridiculous to have a mega-sized attraction and does not make sense unless there was more than five animatronics existing in that area. As well in order to maintain such a gigantic place must require at least 4-5 hundred thousand workers to take care of the Plex as well as to maintain the animatronics. By judging the size of the Plex; is the size of Disneyland but compressed into a mega-size mall (including all the huge attractions and other technical stations). As well as that Vanessa is the only human character existing in the Plex and is hinted to be the only one who the full access to every part of the establishment. Logically maintaining the security of such a huge building is extremely challenging, as you need approximately 30-70 guards to do. Similarly, it does not make any sense that, in such a large area, Vanessa is the only one who has access to the whole Plex. The most jarring thing in Plex is the lack of sanitation and mentioning of reusing stale pizza for every birthday party. At every point of the game, there are trash bags present as well as cockroaches walking on rotten foods in the kitchen. It clearly shows that robots are not doing an efficient job. It is also evident that new workers are allowed dayshift only and are extremely restricted in accessing certain areas.
I believe that Glamrock Bonnie and even Pirate Foxy or Glamrock Foxy existed in the pizza plex at that point before Vanessa arrived. I feel that the plex was once a lively place where every animatronic after performing, was stationed in their themed placed areas, just to entertain guests and make it more enjoyable. E.g.: Glamrock Bonnie in Bonnie Bowl, Roxy in Roxy Raceway, Monty in Monty Golf, etc. I think there were also other animatronics as well for example "El chip". I can imagine it was a dream place to work there and employees were having a blast. It was a sort of dream paradise for Fazbear mascot fans. As humans as robots coexisted as a sort of community.
But after Vanessa arrived things started to change, workers started seeing that endoskeleton attacking them and computers glitching. Things became even more intense when staff started finding either damaged animatronics or destroyed beyond repair. Then later on in a fake meeting for staff, Vanny unleashed the endoskeletons to kill them all and the rest were fired without giving reasons for them. But for those who escaped the mall and knew the dark truth of the company; corrupted special delivery animatronics were unleashed on them to get rid of them.
As a result, the whole plex feels so spacious but very vacant as if someone was supposed to be there standing there but they are all absent. As well as it explains the spacious nature meaning that 100+ employees plus 10+ animatronics (think of all the fnaf OCs existing under one roof) work in harmony.
I feel like Glamrock Bonnie was attacked by the mimic or even corrupted Glamrock Freddy due to which Monty shows hatred towards Freddy as his role model is killed in front of him and got all the blame Due to which uncorrupted Freddy feels guilty for killing his brotherly best friend and right-hand man Glamrock Bonnie.
While Glamrock Foxy was crushed by his own log ride and remains are still somewhere in the log ride water, undiscovered. Due to this Roxy is anxious all the time as her mentor and moral supporter was killed and his remains were never removed as the Fazbear Entertainment log ride was unprofessionally sealed off.
The demise of Glamrock Bonnie and Glamrock Foxy took a huge toll on Freddy and especially on Glamrock Chica. We can see her eating huge amounts of trash as food as a coping mechanism and secretly making crying noises when one is around her. She wants to show people that she is strong but in reality, broken due to the losses of her dearest friends as well as employees of the pizza plex she cared and cherished the most.
In the end, to me, Fnaf was a tragic story of people and machines having to suffer the misfortunes of a company and the madness of one man Willam Afton.
2024.06.01 22:49 Jazzy_in_green_510 the things that I've odd things in fnaf SB that no one is talking about
Creation of burn trap and the vacant nature of the pizza plex.
(Note: the post is made based on the game timeline; not the book trilogy plus the introduction of “the mimic” and only focuses on game observations)I love every aspect and detail, which are in the games, whether they are in backgrounds, textures, items, or the personalities in the main cast of the game. It is phenomenal and especially for a horror indie game. I have been seeing many other fnaf YouTubers theorizing about various aspects of Five Nights at Freddy Security Breach, which is fine and all but there are still many unanswered questions and also certain details that we are still overlooking. Here are the things that actually need to be addressed:
· The actual events of the plex before and after the arrival of Vanessa
· Was Bonnie torn apart for his parts just to rebuild Afton or did he find out about Vanny’s plan and tried to warn other staff members?
· Why is there a Foxy-themed area when the famous pirate fox is not even present?
· Why do certain endo-skeleton belong to the parts and service?
· The possibility that Glitchtrap has corrupted the programming as well as the AI of the animatronics.
· Was Luis aka a colleague, whom Vanessa is familiar with and did he try to save her from the vires?
· Why does Plex only have Vanessa as the night guard for the huge plex because it needs more than one guard for security in the area?
· What happens to human employees and night guards; where did they all disappear?
· The vacant nature of the pizza plex
· The deteriorating appearance with the passage of time the players play the game.
· Is there a striking appearance similarity of Gregory looking like the crying child?
· When was the protocol for various security badges installed and why?
· The exact time period for the construction and opening of the plex?
· Why dose there is a large amount of black trash bags; unless they are the bodies which are disposed of there?
· Why does in general the condition of the plex feel more untidy and unkempt or disorganized?
· Where are the remains of Henry, William, and Michael in the hidden underground location?
Now from the start, we audience play as a child named Gregory who is first seen as a lost child who has separated from his parents and Freddy is there to help us leave the area. However, the audience thinks but the truth is darker than we think. The further we progress into the game; the further we get into the lore and certain mysterious events about a huge compound.
We are also introduced to the other characters in the game with the passage of time. The crew (Monty, Chica, Roxy) display vicious animal-like behavior and the daycare attendant is a possessive controlling psychopath. The behavior is different from what Freddy mentioned; he and the other animatronics are programmed not to hurt guests or anyone unless they pose a threat. We get to tasks to upgrade Glamrock Freddy after we destroy corrupted band members. Not knowing that all of these parts a corrupted by the virus that is shown in the “Afton Boss Fight”.
From the very beginning of the game, it does not make sense that for just a bunch of five animatronics, it is extremely ridiculous to have a mega-sized attraction and does not make sense unless there was more than five animatronics existing in that area. As well in order to maintain such a gigantic place must require at least 4-5 hundred thousand workers to take care of the Plex as well as to maintain the animatronics. By judging the size of the Plex; is the size of Disneyland but compressed into a mega-size mall (including all the huge attractions and other technical stations). As well as that Vanessa is the only human character existing in the Plex and is hinted to be the only one who the full access to every part of the establishment. Logically maintaining the security of such a huge building is extremely challenging, as you need approximately 30-70 guards to do. Similarly, it does not make any sense that, in such a large area, Vanessa is the only one who has access to the whole Plex. The most jarring thing in Plex is the lack of sanitation and mentioning of reusing stale pizza for every birthday party. At every point of the game, there are trash bags present as well as cockroaches walking on rotten foods in the kitchen. It clearly shows that robots are not doing an efficient job. It is also evident that new workers are allowed dayshift only and are extremely restricted in accessing certain areas.
I believe that Glamrock Bonnie and even Pirate Foxy or Glamrock Foxy existed in the pizza plex at that point before Vanessa arrived. I feel that the plex was once a lively place where every animatronic after performing, was stationed in their themed placed areas, just to entertain guests and make it more enjoyable. E.g.: Glamrock Bonnie in Bonnie Bowl, Roxy in Roxy Raceway, Monty in Monty Golf, etc. I think there were also other animatronics as well for example "El chip". I can imagine it was a dream place to work there and employees were having a blast. It was a sort of dream paradise for Fazbear mascot fans. As humans as robots coexisted as a sort of community.
But after Vanessa arrived things started to change, workers started seeing that endoskeleton attacking them and computers glitching. Things became even more intense when staff started finding either damaged animatronics or destroyed beyond repair. Then later on in a fake meeting for staff, Vanny unleashed the endoskeletons to kill them all and the rest were fired without giving reasons for them. But for those who escaped the mall and knew the dark truth of the company; corrupted special delivery animatronics were unleashed on them to get rid of them.
As a result, the whole plex feels so spacious but very vacant as if someone was supposed to be there standing there but they are all absent. As well as it explains the spacious nature meaning that 100+ employees plus 10+ animatronics (think of all the fnaf OCs existing under one roof) work in harmony.
I feel like Glamrock Bonnie was attacked by the mimic or even corrupted Glamrock Freddy due to which Monty shows hatred towards Freddy as his role model is killed in front of him and got all the blame Due to which uncorrupted Freddy feels guilty for killing his brotherly best friend and right-hand man Glamrock Bonnie.
While Glamrock Foxy was crushed by his own log ride and remains are still somewhere in the log ride water, undiscovered. Due to this Roxy is anxious all the time as her mentor and moral supporter was killed and his remains were never removed as the Fazbear Entertainment log ride was unprofessionally sealed off.
The demise of Glamrock Bonnie and Glamrock Foxy took a huge toll on Freddy and especially on Glamrock Chica. We can see her eating huge amounts of trash as food as a coping mechanism and secretly making crying noises when one is around her. She wants to show people that she is strong but in reality, broken due to the losses of her dearest friends as well as employees of the pizza plex she cared and cherished the most.
In the end, to me, Fnaf was a tragic story of people and machines having to suffer the misfortunes of a company and the madness of one man Willam Afton.
2024.06.01 22:10 Poppeppercaramel Historical Post Part 5 : Familiar showcase and Classification
 | submitted by Poppeppercaramel to Varanusthewizard [link] [comments] |
2024.06.01 22:06 GachaDinguS Cramps on the first day of pride (also school is over⁉️)
 | Life is kicking me off of a cliff with these cramps istg submitted by GachaDinguS to GachaClub [link] [comments] Anywho happy pride month‼️ Remember: No matter what you identify as, you are completely valid! Gay, straight, aro, ace, trans, cis, anything! You're still a human, and you deserve to be treated just the same as everyone else Also! Don't forget to include our aro, ace, and trans siblings in pride. They deserve to be respected too, and we shouldn't be excluding them from our community. Afterall, it's all about acceptance, is it not? For everyone who doesn't know who you are, where you stand or lean, that's also fine! We're still young, and you have plenty of time to discover who you are. There's no shame in continuing to explore yourself. And if you're identifying as something, afraid that you're faking it... you aren't, and I know that. Fakers know that they are fakers. If it turns out that you aren't what you initially thought, that's still okay! As said before, we're all still discovering ourselves, and there shouldn't be any shame is doing so. That doesn't make you any less valid. As for my unlabeled folk: I didn't forget you! Being unlabeled is completely fine. There's no need to fit under anything, especially if it doesn't feel right or if you just don't feel comfortable with a given label, and you are still completely valid and accepted in my eyes |
2024.06.01 20:51 Lower-Masterpiece-94 HUMANS... DESCENDED FROM SKELETONS??! WOWIE! I WAS RIGHT!
 | submitted by Lower-Masterpiece-94 to WaterfallDump [link] [comments] |
2024.06.01 20:18 ethosveros [PC][2000-2005] RTS game with a factions and a Dragon Shapeshifter
Platform(s): PC
Genre: RTS
Estimated year of release: Early 2000's
Graphics/art style: Very similar to Age of Empires II and Rise of Nations. In color and graphics. Medieval themes with fantasy aswell! There where mystic creatures but humans, magic spells and catapults. There were forests, beach and castles. Top-down view, typical RTS stuff.
Notable characters: There where some of them. Maybe 03 factions in total where you had a "hero". One was a mage that could transform itself into a Dragon, and was named something similar to Loken. Another was a human with a huge yellow steel armour - white color skin. Probably blonde aswell. And the last was probably a necromancer or a skeleton king, but I could be mistaken.
Notable gameplay mechanics: Basically you choose a map to play on and a starting factions from the three I already mentioned, create an army and - if I remeber correctly you needed to defeat the other factions. I remember fondly of the hero that could turn itself into a dragon, he could spit acid and was super OP. There could have been a story mode but I was just a kid and liked to play the traditional conquest mode.
Other details: I was playing this game as a child and my memory of it is fuzzy. I only remember some details because I used the "loken" guy as inspiration to one of my nicknames at the time. I couldn't find tho anything while searching for that specific name withing the RTS genre or anything similar so here is my last resort. I have already seen those "25 RTS games no one remember of" videos but none seems to mention this specific one.
submitted by ethosveros to tipofmyjoystick [link] [comments]
Genre: RTS
Estimated year of release: Early 2000's
Graphics/art style: Very similar to Age of Empires II and Rise of Nations. In color and graphics. Medieval themes with fantasy aswell! There where mystic creatures but humans, magic spells and catapults. There were forests, beach and castles. Top-down view, typical RTS stuff.
Notable characters: There where some of them. Maybe 03 factions in total where you had a "hero". One was a mage that could transform itself into a Dragon, and was named something similar to Loken. Another was a human with a huge yellow steel armour - white color skin. Probably blonde aswell. And the last was probably a necromancer or a skeleton king, but I could be mistaken.
Notable gameplay mechanics: Basically you choose a map to play on and a starting factions from the three I already mentioned, create an army and - if I remeber correctly you needed to defeat the other factions. I remember fondly of the hero that could turn itself into a dragon, he could spit acid and was super OP. There could have been a story mode but I was just a kid and liked to play the traditional conquest mode.
Other details: I was playing this game as a child and my memory of it is fuzzy. I only remember some details because I used the "loken" guy as inspiration to one of my nicknames at the time. I couldn't find tho anything while searching for that specific name withing the RTS genre or anything similar so here is my last resort. I have already seen those "25 RTS games no one remember of" videos but none seems to mention this specific one.
2024.06.01 20:09 Express_Librarian538 Reports about giants
Reports about giants
The following publication makes no claim to completeness or verifiable scientific basis. It is intended only to provide a rough initial overview.
The first tablet of the Babylonian heroic epic from the clay tablet library of 'Assurbanipal', which was created around 1200 BC from Sumerian and Akkadian traditions from the 3rd millennium BC, reports on Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk, among other things: He was eleven cubits tall, the width of his chest measured nine spans. Two parts of him are god and a third part is human (...) This 2/3 god seemed invincible. No wonder, because depending on which cubit you use for the conversion, Gilgamesh is an almost unbelievable size of up to six meters.
In the Scofield Bible, Genesis 6:1-4, it says: In those days the giants (also called Nephilim) were on the earth, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. The Ethiopian Book of Enoch, from chapter 6 onwards, also reports of angels (200 in number) who descended from heaven to earth to father offspring with human women, from which giants emerged. It was not the sins of men, but the fallen angels and their bastards that were the main reason for the flood triggered by God. In the Torah, Numbers 13:32-33, Moses' scouts report after their return from the land of Canaan: All the people we saw there (in Canaan) are of great stature. We also saw giants there. Children of Anak from the race of giants. We felt like locusts compared to them, and that is how we must have felt to them too.
In the Luther Bible, Deuteronomy 3:11, we read about an Amorite king: Only King Og of Bashan was left of the giants. Behold, his iron bed (…) is nine cubits long and four cubits wide, according to a man's elbow.
An ancient Egyptian royal cubit is equal to 0.524 meters, which means that Og's bed must have been an impressive 4.88 meters long.
Flavius Josephus, a Roman-Jewish historian from the 1st century AD, wrote in his work Antiquities and the War of the Jews, Life and Other Works, Volume 2, Chapter 2, Paragraph 3: They took the city (Hebron) by force and strangled everyone in it. What remained were giants who were much larger and different in shape from humans. They were terrible to look at. Their bones are still on display today and anyone who has not seen them with their own eyes cannot believe that they were so enormously large (…)
Pausanias, an ancient historian, reported in the 2nd century AD that five-meter-tall humanoid skeletons were found in what is now Syria.
The great chronicle of Taiping reports that an envoy from Emperor Tang Xuanzong was stranded on an unknown coast by a storm on the high seas. There he and numerous other shipwrecked people are said to have been greeted by giants who were six meters or more tall.
In Greek mythology, Titans are considered the oldest Greek race of gods. The giants (Gigantes) are hybrids of humans and snakes. They are considered to be opponents of the Olympian gods.
In Germanic mythology, there are numerous gigantic gods. They are said to have lived in Riesenheim, which in ancient Germanic languages is called Jötunheimr or Utgard and can be translated as the outside world.
Nordic mythology tells of Odin as the supreme god and creator of the world and of the Aesir, the main gods of the Nordic pantheon. The Aesir created humans and actively intervened in their fate. The Aesir were supported by the Vanir (nature gods). Both fought against the forces of evil, the race of giants who were intent on destroying the world and the gods.
An ancient legend about the enormous and mysterious pyramid complex of Puma Punku (Bolivia) says: The complex was built in one night by a people of giants after a gigantic flood had destroyed the entire area.
The Indians consider giants to be prehistoric humans. In the 19th century, David Cusick wrote down the legends of his tribe. They tell of the Ronnongwetowanca people, who are said to have been giants. Around 1000 BC there was a battle between Cusick's tribe, the Tuscarora, and the Ronnongwetowanca. The Tuscarora were victorious, and there were no more giants.
The Cherokee report giants that were twice their size. In addition, according to their legends, there is a secret place with a sculpture that was built for Tsul'kalu - a great hunter among the giants.
On the granite walls in the Havasu Canyon of the Grand Canyon there is an enigmatic scratch drawing that shows a giant fighting a mammoth. The depiction is by ahe iron layer, which suggests that it was very old.
The skeleton of a giant was found in 1829 on a hotel construction site in Chesterville, in the US state of Ohio. After detailed examinations, it was determined that the skeleton was anatomically identical to that of a modern human but had more teeth. After the skeleton was sent to Mansfield for further examination, its trace was lost.
In Lompoc Rancho, in the US state of California, soldiers digging a pit for a powder magazine in 1833 came across the skeleton of a giant who was said to have been almost four meters tall when he was alive. Next to the strange creature, which was supposedly equipped with double rows of teeth, lay a gigantic stone axe as well as stones and mussel shells on which indecipherable symbols had been carved. After local Indians learned of the giant's discovery, they stole and burned his bones.
In Kansas City, in the US state of Missouri, a gigantic skull was said to have been found in a hill in 1877. The strange creature is said to have been a good seven meters tall when it was alive.
In 1877, surveyors in Eureka, in the US state of Nevada, came across the bone of a powerful humanoid creature in a rock. Doctors who examined the fossil thought that the creature must have been around four meters tall. The rock in which the bone was discovered was later estimated to be 185 million years old.
In 1891, construction workers in Crittenden, in the US state of Arizona, came across a huge stone coffin while digging a pit for the foundation of an office building. Inside were the mummified remains of a humanoid giant with a body height of at least four meters. His bones had decayed, but drawings on the coffin depicted the giant.
Giant skeletons were discovered in an Indian grave on a farm in Jackson, in the US state of Ohio, in 1897. The finds were handed over to the Eastern Institute, where they disappeared without a trace.
In 1909, the prehistoric skeleton of a humanoid giant, said to have been over 4.5 meters tall, was excavated in Iztapalapa, Mexico.
In 1923, the bodies of two humanoid giants over five meters tall were said to have been discovered in the Grand Canyon in the US state of Arizona.
In 1926, miners found gigantic humanoid molars in a tunnel in a coal mine in the US state of Montana. To the great surprise of archaeologists and anthropologists, the teeth were stuck in a layer of rock that was at least 30 million years old.
In 1931, several skeletons of humanoid giants were found in the Humboldt Lake bed near Lovelock in the US state of Nevada.
In 1958, the complete humanoid skeleton of a giant was said to have been found in Italy, which was enclosed in an 11 million year old layer of coal.
In 1958, gardeners found a decomposed, 3.3 meter tall human corpse in a vineyard in West Virginia. The discovery was labeled a fake after a newspaper reported that three bullets had been found in the skull. The bullets were not described in detail. It is also not known what happened to the remains.
In 1968, a gigantic skeleton of a Neanderthal-like creature was excavated in the US state of Minnesota. However, a planned radiocarbon dating could not be carried out because the skeleton disappeared without a trace en route to being examined.
In Bir Hooker (Egypt), an old grave robber guarded the severed finger of a humanoid giant for several decades. It was an heirloom from his grandfather. The Swiss entrepreneur and amateur researcher Gregor Spörri was allowed to photograph the 38 centimeter long finger in 1988. After a resettlement operation in the 1990s in the Bir Hooker area, the trace of the relic and that of its former owner was unfortunately lost. Source here
submitted by Express_Librarian538 to AlternativeHistory [link] [comments]
The following publication makes no claim to completeness or verifiable scientific basis. It is intended only to provide a rough initial overview.
The first tablet of the Babylonian heroic epic from the clay tablet library of 'Assurbanipal', which was created around 1200 BC from Sumerian and Akkadian traditions from the 3rd millennium BC, reports on Gilgamesh, the king of Uruk, among other things: He was eleven cubits tall, the width of his chest measured nine spans. Two parts of him are god and a third part is human (...) This 2/3 god seemed invincible. No wonder, because depending on which cubit you use for the conversion, Gilgamesh is an almost unbelievable size of up to six meters.
In the Scofield Bible, Genesis 6:1-4, it says: In those days the giants (also called Nephilim) were on the earth, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. The Ethiopian Book of Enoch, from chapter 6 onwards, also reports of angels (200 in number) who descended from heaven to earth to father offspring with human women, from which giants emerged. It was not the sins of men, but the fallen angels and their bastards that were the main reason for the flood triggered by God. In the Torah, Numbers 13:32-33, Moses' scouts report after their return from the land of Canaan: All the people we saw there (in Canaan) are of great stature. We also saw giants there. Children of Anak from the race of giants. We felt like locusts compared to them, and that is how we must have felt to them too.
In the Luther Bible, Deuteronomy 3:11, we read about an Amorite king: Only King Og of Bashan was left of the giants. Behold, his iron bed (…) is nine cubits long and four cubits wide, according to a man's elbow.
An ancient Egyptian royal cubit is equal to 0.524 meters, which means that Og's bed must have been an impressive 4.88 meters long.
Flavius Josephus, a Roman-Jewish historian from the 1st century AD, wrote in his work Antiquities and the War of the Jews, Life and Other Works, Volume 2, Chapter 2, Paragraph 3: They took the city (Hebron) by force and strangled everyone in it. What remained were giants who were much larger and different in shape from humans. They were terrible to look at. Their bones are still on display today and anyone who has not seen them with their own eyes cannot believe that they were so enormously large (…)
Pausanias, an ancient historian, reported in the 2nd century AD that five-meter-tall humanoid skeletons were found in what is now Syria.
The great chronicle of Taiping reports that an envoy from Emperor Tang Xuanzong was stranded on an unknown coast by a storm on the high seas. There he and numerous other shipwrecked people are said to have been greeted by giants who were six meters or more tall.
In Greek mythology, Titans are considered the oldest Greek race of gods. The giants (Gigantes) are hybrids of humans and snakes. They are considered to be opponents of the Olympian gods.
In Germanic mythology, there are numerous gigantic gods. They are said to have lived in Riesenheim, which in ancient Germanic languages is called Jötunheimr or Utgard and can be translated as the outside world.
Nordic mythology tells of Odin as the supreme god and creator of the world and of the Aesir, the main gods of the Nordic pantheon. The Aesir created humans and actively intervened in their fate. The Aesir were supported by the Vanir (nature gods). Both fought against the forces of evil, the race of giants who were intent on destroying the world and the gods.
An ancient legend about the enormous and mysterious pyramid complex of Puma Punku (Bolivia) says: The complex was built in one night by a people of giants after a gigantic flood had destroyed the entire area.
The Indians consider giants to be prehistoric humans. In the 19th century, David Cusick wrote down the legends of his tribe. They tell of the Ronnongwetowanca people, who are said to have been giants. Around 1000 BC there was a battle between Cusick's tribe, the Tuscarora, and the Ronnongwetowanca. The Tuscarora were victorious, and there were no more giants.
The Cherokee report giants that were twice their size. In addition, according to their legends, there is a secret place with a sculpture that was built for Tsul'kalu - a great hunter among the giants.
On the granite walls in the Havasu Canyon of the Grand Canyon there is an enigmatic scratch drawing that shows a giant fighting a mammoth. The depiction is by ahe iron layer, which suggests that it was very old.
The skeleton of a giant was found in 1829 on a hotel construction site in Chesterville, in the US state of Ohio. After detailed examinations, it was determined that the skeleton was anatomically identical to that of a modern human but had more teeth. After the skeleton was sent to Mansfield for further examination, its trace was lost.
In Lompoc Rancho, in the US state of California, soldiers digging a pit for a powder magazine in 1833 came across the skeleton of a giant who was said to have been almost four meters tall when he was alive. Next to the strange creature, which was supposedly equipped with double rows of teeth, lay a gigantic stone axe as well as stones and mussel shells on which indecipherable symbols had been carved. After local Indians learned of the giant's discovery, they stole and burned his bones.
In Kansas City, in the US state of Missouri, a gigantic skull was said to have been found in a hill in 1877. The strange creature is said to have been a good seven meters tall when it was alive.
In 1877, surveyors in Eureka, in the US state of Nevada, came across the bone of a powerful humanoid creature in a rock. Doctors who examined the fossil thought that the creature must have been around four meters tall. The rock in which the bone was discovered was later estimated to be 185 million years old.
In 1891, construction workers in Crittenden, in the US state of Arizona, came across a huge stone coffin while digging a pit for the foundation of an office building. Inside were the mummified remains of a humanoid giant with a body height of at least four meters. His bones had decayed, but drawings on the coffin depicted the giant.
Giant skeletons were discovered in an Indian grave on a farm in Jackson, in the US state of Ohio, in 1897. The finds were handed over to the Eastern Institute, where they disappeared without a trace.
In 1909, the prehistoric skeleton of a humanoid giant, said to have been over 4.5 meters tall, was excavated in Iztapalapa, Mexico.
In 1923, the bodies of two humanoid giants over five meters tall were said to have been discovered in the Grand Canyon in the US state of Arizona.
In 1926, miners found gigantic humanoid molars in a tunnel in a coal mine in the US state of Montana. To the great surprise of archaeologists and anthropologists, the teeth were stuck in a layer of rock that was at least 30 million years old.
In 1931, several skeletons of humanoid giants were found in the Humboldt Lake bed near Lovelock in the US state of Nevada.
In 1958, the complete humanoid skeleton of a giant was said to have been found in Italy, which was enclosed in an 11 million year old layer of coal.
In 1958, gardeners found a decomposed, 3.3 meter tall human corpse in a vineyard in West Virginia. The discovery was labeled a fake after a newspaper reported that three bullets had been found in the skull. The bullets were not described in detail. It is also not known what happened to the remains.
In 1968, a gigantic skeleton of a Neanderthal-like creature was excavated in the US state of Minnesota. However, a planned radiocarbon dating could not be carried out because the skeleton disappeared without a trace en route to being examined.
In Bir Hooker (Egypt), an old grave robber guarded the severed finger of a humanoid giant for several decades. It was an heirloom from his grandfather. The Swiss entrepreneur and amateur researcher Gregor Spörri was allowed to photograph the 38 centimeter long finger in 1988. After a resettlement operation in the 1990s in the Bir Hooker area, the trace of the relic and that of its former owner was unfortunately lost. Source here
2024.06.01 15:36 kenUdigitt Novel Chapter 426
Disclaimer: I do not speak Korean. This is purely translated by machine with a lot of cleanup afterward. With that in mind, I am open to criticism to improve these translations. Enjoy!
Chapter 426
Whoosh!
The instant he confronted the colossal Fire Dragon emerging from the spearhead, the Arch Lich had a stark realization.
'It's too late.'
The attack was inescapable.
His unspoken spell and the nearly completed magic dissipated among the abrupt inferno that enveloped him.
Radiating the Fire of Calamity, the Fire Dragon opened its gaping maw towards the paralyzed Arch Lich, who had become numb to even pain.
Boom!
A draconian roar accompanied by billowing blue flames engulfed everything. The air warped, and the searing heat vaporized all in its path.
The Arch Lich felt his magical barriers and shields dissolving, reviving sensations he thought he had long forgotten.
'It's hot.'
Roar!
The blue Fire of Calamity dominated his vision. The Fire Dragon, unrelenting, swept over him and continued its relentless flight.
Its target was the enormous black Gate at the heart of the devastated city.
Wait, it was hurtling towards the Gate.
'No!'
In a surge of panic, the Arch Lich's red eyes widened, and he extended his hand futilely as the Fire Dragon consumed the Gate, nearly equal in size.
At that moment, when the flames met the extraordinary magical power fueled by the life force of countless humans, a blinding explosion erupted.
Boom!
A pillar of light visible from vast distances ascended.
Darkness clashed with blue flames, merging rapidly. The stripped skyscrapers that had barely held against the onslaught now crumbled, unleashing a ring of tempestuous winds.
Gurgurrrrrugug.
An unspeakable roar and tremor shook the earth.
The ash-gray sky cracked open, and the dense fog smothering the city dispersed like a dispelled illusion.
Then, as if it were all a fleeting dream, a tranquil silence descended.
'Ah.'
With a vacant stare, the Arch Lich surveyed the landscape.
The scene was ostensibly unchanged, yet he knew — everything, including himself, had irreversibly transformed. It had all crumbled, like a sandcastle at high tide.
Slowly, the Arch Lich turned his gaze. The trembling red glow fell upon a figure, imposing as a steel tower.
- I should have killed you.
A declaration that pierced the stillness.
Pale as death, Jin Tae-Kyung spoke. Despite appearing on the brink of collapse from the physical toll and mental strain of endless battles, his voice retained its unwavering force.
"I know. Why didn't you kill me quickly?"
The Arch Lich's lips sealed shut. The missed chance to end Jin Tae-Kyung's life was his error.
A lapse in vigilance had undone everything.
'My King, please forgive this disloyal servant.'
The Arch Lich sought forgiveness from his King, wherever he might be.
Had he not hesitated, had he slain Jin Tae-Kyung before the human's monstrous ally was reborn and drove that cursed sword into his chest... all would have unfolded as ordained.
He would have endured, finalized the Gate, and unleashed legions of monsters to devastate humanity and ignite their cities.
All while anticipating the return of the formidable King.
Yet, his flawless scheme had crumbled spectacularly.
All due to one man — Jin Tae-Kyung.
The crimson in the Arch Lich's eyes ignited with dwindling power.
He silently vowed vengeance, and his oath of retribution echoed towards Jin Tae-Kyung.
- Remember me. One day, I will trample your souls with my bare feet.
Jin Tae-Kyung spat out a glob of phlegm.
"The one that's about to die always spouts bullshit. How about you try calling Asmodeus a bastard instead? If you do, I may consider ending this quickly."
The Skeleton King hesitated before speaking.
- Asmodeus, you bastard...
"Not you."
- Ah, I know. I just wanted to try it once. But it feels wrong to say such disrespectful words.
"Why? You're a king now, too."
- Yes, that's right.
By the River of Death, he swore to tear those two apart.
The Arch Lich extended both hands towards Jin Tae-Kyung and the Skeleton King.
His skeletal fingers tightened as if to obliterate them from a distance, yet nothing ensued.
Instead, a stray wind caressed his entire form.
Swoosh.
It was disintegration. Beginning with the Arch Lich's hands, his very essence started to erode.
Arms, legs, torso, and at last, the skull housing the dimming red glow.
- Please survive. Until the day we meet again... [Note: the second villain who wishes the MC a long life.]
A voice steeped in bitterness mingled with the wind and faded away.
The growing tempest scattered the ashes that were once the Arch Lich.
As it howled, its reach extended to everything within the radius of One Strike, leaving behind a desolate landscape of collapsed skyscrapers, heaps of concrete, overturned vehicles, and lifeless bodies...
And the unfinished colossal Gate, which might have sparked an even more catastrophic war.
Whoosh.
In the midst of this desolation, Jin Tae-Kyung stood in silence, a solitary chime ringing in his ears, audible only to him amidst the chaos.
Ding. Ding. Ding.
A flood of System notifications clouded his vision, signaling the end of the ordeal.
Yet, Jin Tae-Kyung’s body, drained of all energy, began to sway towards the earth.
'I did it.'
With that single thought, he surrendered to a profound and serene slumber.
And the Skeleton King, carefully catching the falling form of Jin Tae-Kyung, could see it.
The faint smile spreading across his lips.
- You've worked hard.
Wicked but still a decent human, he murmured to himself.
Intent on transporting Jin Tae-Kyung to a place of rest and safety, the Skeleton King suddenly recalled something he had forgotten.
- Oh, right. The sword.
Was it called 'Hero's Soul'? He wasn't sure who had named it, but it was certain that a mysterious power was imbued in it.
It was thanks to that sword that he, once a Skeleton Warlord on the verge of extinction, had been awakened and able to deal a serious blow to the dreadful Arch Lich.
- I almost forgot. I must make sure to take it.
Locating the sword didn't take long. It had lain quietly at the spot where the Arch Lich last stood, embedded in its chest until the final moments.
Yet, as the Skeleton King lifted the [Hero's Soul], confusion furrowed his brow.
- Hmm, something feels off.
It was a strange sensation, difficult to explain.
It might be accurate to say that while it remained a legendary sword, its mystical aura seemed somewhat diminished.
- Did I pick up the wrong sword?
But despite a thorough search and close inspection of the sword, nothing seemed amiss.
After some contemplation, scratching his golden skull, the Skeleton King concluded.
- Hmm. It must be the right one, I suppose.
He thought it was just a momentary feeling. The sword he remembered looked the same, and he had seen it fall from Arch Lich's chest at the last moment.
'But why does this feel so unsettling?'
It was a perplexing anomaly. The Skeleton King shook his head and tucked the sword between his pelvic bones for safekeeping.
As he approached the fallen Jin Tae-Kyung, he remained oblivious.
Unseen by him, as Jin Tae-Kyung succumbed to unconsciousness, drained of all strength, a mist-like black energy mingled with the dispersing wind.
Simultaneously, the golden light that had clung to the [Hero's Soul] disapeared from the sword as it pursued this dark essence.
But this light was not merely riding the wind.
The black energy, intertwined with the wind, drifted along until his path was obstructed.
The Arch Lich, now merely a feeble fragment of his former soul, widened his eyes at the dazzling golden light shimmering before him.
'Such an absurdity.'
Before dissolving, the Arch Lich’s final words to Jin Tae-Kyung and the Skeleton King were sincere.
He vowed a swift return, ready to drench the land with blood, wielding greater power and commanding a vaster horde of monsters than ever before.
Life Force Vessel.
A high-level dark magic exclusive to the undead, capable of preserving fragments of souls, was thought to prevent eternal obliteration. [Note: like a horcrux from Harry Potter.]
Or so he had thought, until that resplendent golden light intercepted him.
- What are you?
Now reduced to a mere sliver of a soul, the Arch Lich was no match for the brilliance emanating from the light.
Mixed emotions of anger, astonishment, and fear intensified the black energy.
Despite the Arch Lich’s thoughts reaching out, the golden light remained impassive, merely intensifying its radiance and expanding in size.
Then, the Arch Lich understood the true essence of the light.
It was not magic but a soul. The soul of someone he had once crushed and defiled. Though formless, it persisted within the sword, sustained solely by sheer will.
The Arch Lich suddenly recalled one of the memories he had buried deep in his mind.
'You are noble, human. What is your name?'
On that day of carnage, where blood ran like rivers and corpses mounted like hills, amidst ruins and death, one human stood defiant till the end.
- Lei Fei.
The movement of the Arch Lich, or rather the black energy, halted abruptly.
The brilliant golden light burst forth from the void, enveloping him like a tidal wave.
Whoosh!
'...Damn it all.'
And those were the Arch Lich's final thoughts.
* * *
The atmosphere on the battlefield, where the main forces congregated, was electric.
As the S-rank Hunters and a contingent of troops moved to the rear to forge a pathway for the suicide squad, tens of thousands of monsters capitalized on the opportunity to launch an assault.
「Fire Rain!」
Boom!
From the back lines, the mage unit unleashed their area-wide magic, and a torrential downpour of fire descended upon the enemy.
In that moment, as hundreds of monsters were reduced to cinders, the mages' fists clenched in grim resolve.
Squeal! Crack!
「...Huh?」
One mage, his face etched with confusion, wiped away the blood that had splashed across his features.
The face of his comrade, who had shared a smile just moments ago, was obliterated. No, it had been blown apart.
This was the work of a black lance, piercing through the air like a beam of light from a distance.
Squeal, boom!
Another lance hurtled through the air, impaling several mages before their screams could even begin.
「Aaagh!」
「Death Knights! It's Death Knights!」
「Damn it, what the hell are you talking about! Weren't they all dealt with?」
「No, it seems not! It looks like they had hidden some elite monsters among them!」
This foreboding pronouncement quickly became a gruesome reality.
With the S-rank Hunters away, elite monsters emerged on the battlefield, initiating a brutal massacre.
Screech!
Boom!
Death Knights, Liches, and scores of invisible Wyverns materialized, unleashing a ruthless onslaught.
As people fell and monsters advanced without pause, a profound despair settled over those who fought desperately to hold their ground.
Even if the S-rank Hunters were present, this battle would have been tough to emerge victorious from.
'It's all over.'
And just when all seemed lost, as they braced for death.
Swoosh!
The blade of a Death Knight, caught mid-slash through a victim, suddenly halted.
No, it disintegrated into ash.
"W-what is this...?"
A hunter who had narrowly escaped death looked around in astonishment.
It was a sight beyond belief.
First, hundreds fell, then thousands disintegrated.
Before long, tens of thousands of monsters were disintegrating into ash and collapsing.
Swoosh.
It was the beginning of the end.
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submitted by kenUdigitt to u/kenUdigitt [link] [comments]
Chapter 426
Whoosh!
The instant he confronted the colossal Fire Dragon emerging from the spearhead, the Arch Lich had a stark realization.
'It's too late.'
The attack was inescapable.
His unspoken spell and the nearly completed magic dissipated among the abrupt inferno that enveloped him.
Radiating the Fire of Calamity, the Fire Dragon opened its gaping maw towards the paralyzed Arch Lich, who had become numb to even pain.
Boom!
A draconian roar accompanied by billowing blue flames engulfed everything. The air warped, and the searing heat vaporized all in its path.
The Arch Lich felt his magical barriers and shields dissolving, reviving sensations he thought he had long forgotten.
'It's hot.'
Roar!
The blue Fire of Calamity dominated his vision. The Fire Dragon, unrelenting, swept over him and continued its relentless flight.
Its target was the enormous black Gate at the heart of the devastated city.
Wait, it was hurtling towards the Gate.
'No!'
In a surge of panic, the Arch Lich's red eyes widened, and he extended his hand futilely as the Fire Dragon consumed the Gate, nearly equal in size.
At that moment, when the flames met the extraordinary magical power fueled by the life force of countless humans, a blinding explosion erupted.
Boom!
A pillar of light visible from vast distances ascended.
Darkness clashed with blue flames, merging rapidly. The stripped skyscrapers that had barely held against the onslaught now crumbled, unleashing a ring of tempestuous winds.
Gurgurrrrrugug.
An unspeakable roar and tremor shook the earth.
The ash-gray sky cracked open, and the dense fog smothering the city dispersed like a dispelled illusion.
Then, as if it were all a fleeting dream, a tranquil silence descended.
'Ah.'
With a vacant stare, the Arch Lich surveyed the landscape.
The scene was ostensibly unchanged, yet he knew — everything, including himself, had irreversibly transformed. It had all crumbled, like a sandcastle at high tide.
Slowly, the Arch Lich turned his gaze. The trembling red glow fell upon a figure, imposing as a steel tower.
- I should have killed you.
A declaration that pierced the stillness.
Pale as death, Jin Tae-Kyung spoke. Despite appearing on the brink of collapse from the physical toll and mental strain of endless battles, his voice retained its unwavering force.
"I know. Why didn't you kill me quickly?"
The Arch Lich's lips sealed shut. The missed chance to end Jin Tae-Kyung's life was his error.
A lapse in vigilance had undone everything.
'My King, please forgive this disloyal servant.'
The Arch Lich sought forgiveness from his King, wherever he might be.
Had he not hesitated, had he slain Jin Tae-Kyung before the human's monstrous ally was reborn and drove that cursed sword into his chest... all would have unfolded as ordained.
He would have endured, finalized the Gate, and unleashed legions of monsters to devastate humanity and ignite their cities.
All while anticipating the return of the formidable King.
Yet, his flawless scheme had crumbled spectacularly.
All due to one man — Jin Tae-Kyung.
The crimson in the Arch Lich's eyes ignited with dwindling power.
He silently vowed vengeance, and his oath of retribution echoed towards Jin Tae-Kyung.
- Remember me. One day, I will trample your souls with my bare feet.
Jin Tae-Kyung spat out a glob of phlegm.
"The one that's about to die always spouts bullshit. How about you try calling Asmodeus a bastard instead? If you do, I may consider ending this quickly."
The Skeleton King hesitated before speaking.
- Asmodeus, you bastard...
"Not you."
- Ah, I know. I just wanted to try it once. But it feels wrong to say such disrespectful words.
"Why? You're a king now, too."
- Yes, that's right.
By the River of Death, he swore to tear those two apart.
The Arch Lich extended both hands towards Jin Tae-Kyung and the Skeleton King.
His skeletal fingers tightened as if to obliterate them from a distance, yet nothing ensued.
Instead, a stray wind caressed his entire form.
Swoosh.
It was disintegration. Beginning with the Arch Lich's hands, his very essence started to erode.
Arms, legs, torso, and at last, the skull housing the dimming red glow.
- Please survive. Until the day we meet again... [Note: the second villain who wishes the MC a long life.]
A voice steeped in bitterness mingled with the wind and faded away.
The growing tempest scattered the ashes that were once the Arch Lich.
As it howled, its reach extended to everything within the radius of One Strike, leaving behind a desolate landscape of collapsed skyscrapers, heaps of concrete, overturned vehicles, and lifeless bodies...
And the unfinished colossal Gate, which might have sparked an even more catastrophic war.
Whoosh.
In the midst of this desolation, Jin Tae-Kyung stood in silence, a solitary chime ringing in his ears, audible only to him amidst the chaos.
Ding. Ding. Ding.
A flood of System notifications clouded his vision, signaling the end of the ordeal.
Yet, Jin Tae-Kyung’s body, drained of all energy, began to sway towards the earth.
'I did it.'
With that single thought, he surrendered to a profound and serene slumber.
And the Skeleton King, carefully catching the falling form of Jin Tae-Kyung, could see it.
The faint smile spreading across his lips.
- You've worked hard.
Wicked but still a decent human, he murmured to himself.
Intent on transporting Jin Tae-Kyung to a place of rest and safety, the Skeleton King suddenly recalled something he had forgotten.
- Oh, right. The sword.
Was it called 'Hero's Soul'? He wasn't sure who had named it, but it was certain that a mysterious power was imbued in it.
It was thanks to that sword that he, once a Skeleton Warlord on the verge of extinction, had been awakened and able to deal a serious blow to the dreadful Arch Lich.
- I almost forgot. I must make sure to take it.
Locating the sword didn't take long. It had lain quietly at the spot where the Arch Lich last stood, embedded in its chest until the final moments.
Yet, as the Skeleton King lifted the [Hero's Soul], confusion furrowed his brow.
- Hmm, something feels off.
It was a strange sensation, difficult to explain.
It might be accurate to say that while it remained a legendary sword, its mystical aura seemed somewhat diminished.
- Did I pick up the wrong sword?
But despite a thorough search and close inspection of the sword, nothing seemed amiss.
After some contemplation, scratching his golden skull, the Skeleton King concluded.
- Hmm. It must be the right one, I suppose.
He thought it was just a momentary feeling. The sword he remembered looked the same, and he had seen it fall from Arch Lich's chest at the last moment.
'But why does this feel so unsettling?'
It was a perplexing anomaly. The Skeleton King shook his head and tucked the sword between his pelvic bones for safekeeping.
As he approached the fallen Jin Tae-Kyung, he remained oblivious.
Unseen by him, as Jin Tae-Kyung succumbed to unconsciousness, drained of all strength, a mist-like black energy mingled with the dispersing wind.
Simultaneously, the golden light that had clung to the [Hero's Soul] disapeared from the sword as it pursued this dark essence.
But this light was not merely riding the wind.
The black energy, intertwined with the wind, drifted along until his path was obstructed.
The Arch Lich, now merely a feeble fragment of his former soul, widened his eyes at the dazzling golden light shimmering before him.
'Such an absurdity.'
Before dissolving, the Arch Lich’s final words to Jin Tae-Kyung and the Skeleton King were sincere.
He vowed a swift return, ready to drench the land with blood, wielding greater power and commanding a vaster horde of monsters than ever before.
Life Force Vessel.
A high-level dark magic exclusive to the undead, capable of preserving fragments of souls, was thought to prevent eternal obliteration. [Note: like a horcrux from Harry Potter.]
Or so he had thought, until that resplendent golden light intercepted him.
- What are you?
Now reduced to a mere sliver of a soul, the Arch Lich was no match for the brilliance emanating from the light.
Mixed emotions of anger, astonishment, and fear intensified the black energy.
Despite the Arch Lich’s thoughts reaching out, the golden light remained impassive, merely intensifying its radiance and expanding in size.
Then, the Arch Lich understood the true essence of the light.
It was not magic but a soul. The soul of someone he had once crushed and defiled. Though formless, it persisted within the sword, sustained solely by sheer will.
The Arch Lich suddenly recalled one of the memories he had buried deep in his mind.
'You are noble, human. What is your name?'
On that day of carnage, where blood ran like rivers and corpses mounted like hills, amidst ruins and death, one human stood defiant till the end.
- Lei Fei.
The movement of the Arch Lich, or rather the black energy, halted abruptly.
The brilliant golden light burst forth from the void, enveloping him like a tidal wave.
Whoosh!
'...Damn it all.'
And those were the Arch Lich's final thoughts.
* * *
The atmosphere on the battlefield, where the main forces congregated, was electric.
As the S-rank Hunters and a contingent of troops moved to the rear to forge a pathway for the suicide squad, tens of thousands of monsters capitalized on the opportunity to launch an assault.
「Fire Rain!」
Boom!
From the back lines, the mage unit unleashed their area-wide magic, and a torrential downpour of fire descended upon the enemy.
In that moment, as hundreds of monsters were reduced to cinders, the mages' fists clenched in grim resolve.
Squeal! Crack!
「...Huh?」
One mage, his face etched with confusion, wiped away the blood that had splashed across his features.
The face of his comrade, who had shared a smile just moments ago, was obliterated. No, it had been blown apart.
This was the work of a black lance, piercing through the air like a beam of light from a distance.
Squeal, boom!
Another lance hurtled through the air, impaling several mages before their screams could even begin.
「Aaagh!」
「Death Knights! It's Death Knights!」
「Damn it, what the hell are you talking about! Weren't they all dealt with?」
「No, it seems not! It looks like they had hidden some elite monsters among them!」
This foreboding pronouncement quickly became a gruesome reality.
With the S-rank Hunters away, elite monsters emerged on the battlefield, initiating a brutal massacre.
Screech!
Boom!
Death Knights, Liches, and scores of invisible Wyverns materialized, unleashing a ruthless onslaught.
As people fell and monsters advanced without pause, a profound despair settled over those who fought desperately to hold their ground.
Even if the S-rank Hunters were present, this battle would have been tough to emerge victorious from.
'It's all over.'
And just when all seemed lost, as they braced for death.
Swoosh!
The blade of a Death Knight, caught mid-slash through a victim, suddenly halted.
No, it disintegrated into ash.
"W-what is this...?"
A hunter who had narrowly escaped death looked around in astonishment.
It was a sight beyond belief.
First, hundreds fell, then thousands disintegrated.
Before long, tens of thousands of monsters were disintegrating into ash and collapsing.
Swoosh.
It was the beginning of the end.
Previous Table of Contents Next
2024.06.01 15:35 kenUdigitt Novel Chapter 425
Disclaimer: I do not speak Korean. This is purely translated by machine with a lot of cleanup afterward. With that in mind, I am open to criticism to improve these translations. Enjoy!
Chapter 425
Thud!
White Flames, having lost its mark, skittered across the ground.
"Ah."
With a snap of his fingers, the Arch Lich ensnared me, who stood frozen like a statue. Black hands, summoned from the void, clamped tightly around my body.
He wielded his magic effortlessly, foregoing the incantations usually required for spellcasting.
Step by step.
With each stride, the Arch Lich's magic swirled through him like a dense fog.
His left arm, obliterated earlier by my One Strike, began to regenerate. The shattered bones, now shaded darker, knitted together with eerie robustness.
As the completion of the Gate approached, his power swelled correspondingly.
- I wondered why I could smell death on you. That's quite a spectacular reason, isn't it? The friendship between a human and a monster is... quite touching.
Creak.
The sound of misaligned bones grated through my frame, yet my gaze drifted over the Arch Lich's shoulder.
Focused on a sword embedded in the earth, its hilt clutched by a hand that refused to relinquish its grip.
'Skeleton Warlord.'
By divine decree, humans and monsters were eternal adversaries.
Initially, it had been the same between us.
But now... I realized. At some juncture, the Skeleton Warlord had transcended mere monstrosity in my eyes.
'If I had still thought of him as just a monster, I would have annihilated him with my own hands.'
Destroying the Skeleton Warlord could have provided a crucial boost through leveling up.
Yet I faltered, and ultimately, I abstained.
Not merely because he had spared my life, but because he had won a place as a friend in my heart.
A hollow laugh burst from my lips.
‘Damn it. I should have never gotten attached.’
At that, the Arch Lich’s eyes narrowed slightly.
- You're laughing? In this situation?
“My mother used to say that laughter brings fortune.”
- You must be out of your mind.
“Why the fuss if I want to laugh? Are you my date or something?”
I spat at the Arch Lich’s face. A thick, ambiguous mixture of blood and phlegm trickled down his brow.
At that moment, a fierce red glow blazed from where his eyes ought to be.
- I've heard your response well.
“Fuck you.”
If I claimed to have no regrets about my life up to this point, I would be lying. Regrets, however, always arrive too late, and I've fought hard enough until now.
When I finally let go, everything seemed like a fleeting dream. My face, relaxed in a smile, was mirrored in the Arch Lich's sinister red gaze.
- I've said this before. Your body will be torn to shreds, and your soul will wander the River of Death forever.
I nodded, accepting this grim fate easily.
“That sounds about right. Just like that demon bastard you serve.”
- ...!
“When I meet him, I’ll send your regards. Give me his address.”
- ...Let’s see how long you can keep spouting such nonsense.
With a mere gesture from the Arch Lich, the massive magical hands constricting me tightened their grip and began to tear at my limbs with incredible force.
Slowly, bit by bit.
Creak, crunch.
A small cracking sound from within awoke the sense of pain I had momentarily escaped.
Though I believed I had no energy left for screams, an involuntary howl tore through my lips.
“Argh, aaaaargh!”
- That's it. Much better.
Blinded by agony, I braced for death as I unleashed the screams I had suppressed.
But just as the pain began to ebb away, instead of death, a System notification chimed.
Ding.
- [Top-grade Potion] used!
- The amount of potion used is too small. The injury has been slightly healed!
- Your injuries are too severe. A more potent and higher-quality healing is necessary!
…What?
As a refreshing sensation mingled with renewed pain, my eyes met the Arch Lich's, which gleamed mockingly.
In his hand, he held a glass bottle.
‘I see.’
It was one of the potions from Lee Jeong-Ryong’s subspace pocket, previously pilfered by the Arch Lich.
And now, he wielded the healing potion as an instrument of torment.
The potion delivered just enough healing to forestall death, yet it intensified my agony to new excruciating heights.
- Foolish human. Did you really think I would grant you an easy and comfortable death?
“……!”
- Continue to wail. Cry like a coward, thrash in pain, and only after you realize your foolishness will you be able to head towards the River of Death.
The Arch Lich swirled the glass bottle, his tone laced with derision.
The potion, diminished by barely a tenth, was a clear measure of the enduring pain yet to come.
That torment seemed destined to stretch into infinity.
Amidst the minimal relief and overwhelming pain, I gasped for air and managed a forced smile.
"If I chant 'Long live the Demon King' three times, will you end it quickly?"
- Well, if you put your heart and soul into it, I might consider.
“I won’t, you son of a bitch.”
- That's fine. We have plenty of time anyway. It wouldn’t hurt to think it over slowly…
Crack!
The Arch Lich’s glowing eyes flickered wildly, mirroring my own shock.
It was something neither he nor I had expected.
- What is this...
His voice trailed off in suspicion as he glanced down at his chest.
It was light. A brilliant, overwhelming radiance — bright enough to rival the sun - erupted from his chest.
'No, it’s not just light.'
I stared at it with a vacant gaze. It was a sword, emitting a brilliance greater than anything I had ever before.
I knew the name of that all-too-familiar sword.
‘Hero’s Soul.’
Beyond the skeletal chest of the Arch Lich, I could see the steadfast hand that clutched the sword’s hilt.
“……!”
Time seemed to halt.
In this nearly frozen world, I watched as hundreds, then thousands, of bone fragments coalesced.
They were mere remnants of a skeleton, yet they drew together with magnetic force, beginning to reconstruct.
Click, clack!
The symphony of bones assembling.
First, the limbs took shape, followed swiftly by the torso.
The bones, once black and lustrous, were bathed in the radiance of the [Hero's Soul]. They soon took on a subtle gold hue, lengthening and hardening in the process.
'Ah.'
It was a miraculous transformation.
The myriad bone fragments merged, reconstructing a body in a manner that seemed to reverse the flow of time. The light emanating from the sword expelled the darkness lodged within the joints, heralding the genesis of a new entity.
And then, as the skull clicked into place atop the reformed body—
Flash!
Golden light exploded from the vacant eye sockets, emitting an aura both deeply familiar and intriguingly foreign.
In the next moment, the suspended time resumed its course.
- You asked me why?
“……!”
My body jolted as if struck by lightning, recalling a memory from barely an hour earlier.
'But why? ...Why?'
That had been my question. Why did you shield me, knowing it spelled your destruction?
At the time, his response was uncertain, hinting that perhaps the sword had cast a spell over him.
Now, the answer I had not heard before resonated clearly.
- You're a cunning, wicked human...but also a pretty good guy.
A pretty good guy.
A phrase I had once said to someone else.
I stared at him, astonished. His enlarged, solid form radiated a soft golden glow. The silver pattern etched on the forehead of his skull resembled a crown.
No, it was clearly a crown.
[Lv.160 Skeleton King]
As the System window hovered above his head, laughter bubbled up from me uncontrollably.
"My Golgol has grown a lot."
- I wondered why I've been feeling itchy all this time. [Note: just a quick reminder: the Skeleton Warlord has previously complained, during one of the MC's abusive treatments, that his bones have been itchy and sensitive lately. For more details, look at novel chapter 409.]
The once small, dark caterpillar had finally emerged from its cocoon, wings unfurled.
The luminance of the Skeleton Warlord — now the Skeleton King — radiated outward like a crescent moon. Both of us shared a moment of laughter.
Yet, there was one who could not share in our mirth.
- Argh! Aaaaargh!
The Arch Lich.
This unparalleled Named Monster, commander of legions of the undead and bearer of undying, formidable magical powers, now contorted in torment.
A sword impaled through the heart of his chest.
The golden radiance from the [Hero's Soul] began to devour the magic, dissolving his form.
Perhaps even his soul.
- Human.
Prompted by the Skeleton King’s gentle summons, I knew it was time.
'Let's end this.'
Ding.
- [Hero's Soul] bestows upon you the light of healing!
- All status abnormalities have been removed!
- All injuries and stats have been restored!
- The soul of the departed smiles upon you.
Whoosh!
A surge of light from the [Hero's Soul] enveloped me, its warmth mending my fractured bones and knitting my flesh back together.
My organs, once damaged, and blood vessels, previously torn, now regenerated, the heat within them simmering like molten lava.
'I can do this.'
This newfound conviction was as solid as steel, surprising even to myself, yet unmistakably true.
With such power at my command, there was nothing beyond my reach.
'My turn.'
Ssssssht! Thump!
I picked up White Flames, which lay discarded nearby.
Pop!
Leaping into the air, I extended my foot.
My trajectory aimed me straight at the Arch Lich, who, amidst his powerful sorcery, writhed in agony.
- What in the world! What magic have you used!
The Arch Lich bellowed in fury.
His eyes, pulsating red, dilated with each pulse of agony.
His pain was palpable.
- Damn you, damn human! Aaaaargh!
Ignoring his curses, I raised White Flames with deliberate calm.
I positioned the mystical spear, its blade shimmering, to strike not just the flailing Arch Lich but also the ominous Gate looming behind him.
Whoosh.
From the core of my lower dantian, the fire dragon unfurled its wings, ascending as a fiery orb that exploded outward in all directions. The flames, kindled at my fingertips, climbed up the shaft of White Flames, cloaking it in layers of azure fire.
- You bastard! How dare you!
The Arch Lich flailed his limbs in a frenzy as his rage boiled over. Yet, the magic he cast fizzled out before it could reach me, snuffed by the searing barrier that cocooned me.
Despite his faltering strength, the darkness around the Gate churned with renewed vigor.
Then, it struck me.
'Now!'
As I twisted my body, the force of rotation surged from my legs through my waist, amplifying as it reached my shoulders and wrists. This caused White Flames to quiver with intense energy.
An extraordinary power, harnessed from the depths of my being, ignited a flame more colossal than any before.
This was the moment.
Swoosh!
In an instant, the distance between me and the Arch Lich collapsed, and time seemed to stretch thin.
Before his lips could complete his incantation, I struck with a force fueled by every ounce of my resolve and strength.
- Blin...!
One Strike.
There would be no second chances. The azure dragon, unleashed from the blade, enveloped both the Arch Lich and the ominous Gate.
Kaboom!
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submitted by kenUdigitt to u/kenUdigitt [link] [comments]
Chapter 425
Thud!
White Flames, having lost its mark, skittered across the ground.
"Ah."
With a snap of his fingers, the Arch Lich ensnared me, who stood frozen like a statue. Black hands, summoned from the void, clamped tightly around my body.
He wielded his magic effortlessly, foregoing the incantations usually required for spellcasting.
Step by step.
With each stride, the Arch Lich's magic swirled through him like a dense fog.
His left arm, obliterated earlier by my One Strike, began to regenerate. The shattered bones, now shaded darker, knitted together with eerie robustness.
As the completion of the Gate approached, his power swelled correspondingly.
- I wondered why I could smell death on you. That's quite a spectacular reason, isn't it? The friendship between a human and a monster is... quite touching.
Creak.
The sound of misaligned bones grated through my frame, yet my gaze drifted over the Arch Lich's shoulder.
Focused on a sword embedded in the earth, its hilt clutched by a hand that refused to relinquish its grip.
'Skeleton Warlord.'
By divine decree, humans and monsters were eternal adversaries.
Initially, it had been the same between us.
But now... I realized. At some juncture, the Skeleton Warlord had transcended mere monstrosity in my eyes.
'If I had still thought of him as just a monster, I would have annihilated him with my own hands.'
Destroying the Skeleton Warlord could have provided a crucial boost through leveling up.
Yet I faltered, and ultimately, I abstained.
Not merely because he had spared my life, but because he had won a place as a friend in my heart.
A hollow laugh burst from my lips.
‘Damn it. I should have never gotten attached.’
At that, the Arch Lich’s eyes narrowed slightly.
- You're laughing? In this situation?
“My mother used to say that laughter brings fortune.”
- You must be out of your mind.
“Why the fuss if I want to laugh? Are you my date or something?”
I spat at the Arch Lich’s face. A thick, ambiguous mixture of blood and phlegm trickled down his brow.
At that moment, a fierce red glow blazed from where his eyes ought to be.
- I've heard your response well.
“Fuck you.”
If I claimed to have no regrets about my life up to this point, I would be lying. Regrets, however, always arrive too late, and I've fought hard enough until now.
When I finally let go, everything seemed like a fleeting dream. My face, relaxed in a smile, was mirrored in the Arch Lich's sinister red gaze.
- I've said this before. Your body will be torn to shreds, and your soul will wander the River of Death forever.
I nodded, accepting this grim fate easily.
“That sounds about right. Just like that demon bastard you serve.”
- ...!
“When I meet him, I’ll send your regards. Give me his address.”
- ...Let’s see how long you can keep spouting such nonsense.
With a mere gesture from the Arch Lich, the massive magical hands constricting me tightened their grip and began to tear at my limbs with incredible force.
Slowly, bit by bit.
Creak, crunch.
A small cracking sound from within awoke the sense of pain I had momentarily escaped.
Though I believed I had no energy left for screams, an involuntary howl tore through my lips.
“Argh, aaaaargh!”
- That's it. Much better.
Blinded by agony, I braced for death as I unleashed the screams I had suppressed.
But just as the pain began to ebb away, instead of death, a System notification chimed.
Ding.
- [Top-grade Potion] used!
- The amount of potion used is too small. The injury has been slightly healed!
- Your injuries are too severe. A more potent and higher-quality healing is necessary!
…What?
As a refreshing sensation mingled with renewed pain, my eyes met the Arch Lich's, which gleamed mockingly.
In his hand, he held a glass bottle.
‘I see.’
It was one of the potions from Lee Jeong-Ryong’s subspace pocket, previously pilfered by the Arch Lich.
And now, he wielded the healing potion as an instrument of torment.
The potion delivered just enough healing to forestall death, yet it intensified my agony to new excruciating heights.
- Foolish human. Did you really think I would grant you an easy and comfortable death?
“……!”
- Continue to wail. Cry like a coward, thrash in pain, and only after you realize your foolishness will you be able to head towards the River of Death.
The Arch Lich swirled the glass bottle, his tone laced with derision.
The potion, diminished by barely a tenth, was a clear measure of the enduring pain yet to come.
That torment seemed destined to stretch into infinity.
Amidst the minimal relief and overwhelming pain, I gasped for air and managed a forced smile.
"If I chant 'Long live the Demon King' three times, will you end it quickly?"
- Well, if you put your heart and soul into it, I might consider.
“I won’t, you son of a bitch.”
- That's fine. We have plenty of time anyway. It wouldn’t hurt to think it over slowly…
Crack!
The Arch Lich’s glowing eyes flickered wildly, mirroring my own shock.
It was something neither he nor I had expected.
- What is this...
His voice trailed off in suspicion as he glanced down at his chest.
It was light. A brilliant, overwhelming radiance — bright enough to rival the sun - erupted from his chest.
'No, it’s not just light.'
I stared at it with a vacant gaze. It was a sword, emitting a brilliance greater than anything I had ever before.
I knew the name of that all-too-familiar sword.
‘Hero’s Soul.’
Beyond the skeletal chest of the Arch Lich, I could see the steadfast hand that clutched the sword’s hilt.
“……!”
Time seemed to halt.
In this nearly frozen world, I watched as hundreds, then thousands, of bone fragments coalesced.
They were mere remnants of a skeleton, yet they drew together with magnetic force, beginning to reconstruct.
Click, clack!
The symphony of bones assembling.
First, the limbs took shape, followed swiftly by the torso.
The bones, once black and lustrous, were bathed in the radiance of the [Hero's Soul]. They soon took on a subtle gold hue, lengthening and hardening in the process.
'Ah.'
It was a miraculous transformation.
The myriad bone fragments merged, reconstructing a body in a manner that seemed to reverse the flow of time. The light emanating from the sword expelled the darkness lodged within the joints, heralding the genesis of a new entity.
And then, as the skull clicked into place atop the reformed body—
Flash!
Golden light exploded from the vacant eye sockets, emitting an aura both deeply familiar and intriguingly foreign.
In the next moment, the suspended time resumed its course.
- You asked me why?
“……!”
My body jolted as if struck by lightning, recalling a memory from barely an hour earlier.
'But why? ...Why?'
That had been my question. Why did you shield me, knowing it spelled your destruction?
At the time, his response was uncertain, hinting that perhaps the sword had cast a spell over him.
Now, the answer I had not heard before resonated clearly.
- You're a cunning, wicked human...but also a pretty good guy.
A pretty good guy.
A phrase I had once said to someone else.
I stared at him, astonished. His enlarged, solid form radiated a soft golden glow. The silver pattern etched on the forehead of his skull resembled a crown.
No, it was clearly a crown.
[Lv.160 Skeleton King]
As the System window hovered above his head, laughter bubbled up from me uncontrollably.
"My Golgol has grown a lot."
- I wondered why I've been feeling itchy all this time. [Note: just a quick reminder: the Skeleton Warlord has previously complained, during one of the MC's abusive treatments, that his bones have been itchy and sensitive lately. For more details, look at novel chapter 409.]
The once small, dark caterpillar had finally emerged from its cocoon, wings unfurled.
The luminance of the Skeleton Warlord — now the Skeleton King — radiated outward like a crescent moon. Both of us shared a moment of laughter.
Yet, there was one who could not share in our mirth.
- Argh! Aaaaargh!
The Arch Lich.
This unparalleled Named Monster, commander of legions of the undead and bearer of undying, formidable magical powers, now contorted in torment.
A sword impaled through the heart of his chest.
The golden radiance from the [Hero's Soul] began to devour the magic, dissolving his form.
Perhaps even his soul.
- Human.
Prompted by the Skeleton King’s gentle summons, I knew it was time.
'Let's end this.'
Ding.
- [Hero's Soul] bestows upon you the light of healing!
- All status abnormalities have been removed!
- All injuries and stats have been restored!
- The soul of the departed smiles upon you.
Whoosh!
A surge of light from the [Hero's Soul] enveloped me, its warmth mending my fractured bones and knitting my flesh back together.
My organs, once damaged, and blood vessels, previously torn, now regenerated, the heat within them simmering like molten lava.
'I can do this.'
This newfound conviction was as solid as steel, surprising even to myself, yet unmistakably true.
With such power at my command, there was nothing beyond my reach.
'My turn.'
Ssssssht! Thump!
I picked up White Flames, which lay discarded nearby.
Pop!
Leaping into the air, I extended my foot.
My trajectory aimed me straight at the Arch Lich, who, amidst his powerful sorcery, writhed in agony.
- What in the world! What magic have you used!
The Arch Lich bellowed in fury.
His eyes, pulsating red, dilated with each pulse of agony.
His pain was palpable.
- Damn you, damn human! Aaaaargh!
Ignoring his curses, I raised White Flames with deliberate calm.
I positioned the mystical spear, its blade shimmering, to strike not just the flailing Arch Lich but also the ominous Gate looming behind him.
Whoosh.
From the core of my lower dantian, the fire dragon unfurled its wings, ascending as a fiery orb that exploded outward in all directions. The flames, kindled at my fingertips, climbed up the shaft of White Flames, cloaking it in layers of azure fire.
- You bastard! How dare you!
The Arch Lich flailed his limbs in a frenzy as his rage boiled over. Yet, the magic he cast fizzled out before it could reach me, snuffed by the searing barrier that cocooned me.
Despite his faltering strength, the darkness around the Gate churned with renewed vigor.
Then, it struck me.
'Now!'
As I twisted my body, the force of rotation surged from my legs through my waist, amplifying as it reached my shoulders and wrists. This caused White Flames to quiver with intense energy.
An extraordinary power, harnessed from the depths of my being, ignited a flame more colossal than any before.
This was the moment.
Swoosh!
In an instant, the distance between me and the Arch Lich collapsed, and time seemed to stretch thin.
Before his lips could complete his incantation, I struck with a force fueled by every ounce of my resolve and strength.
- Blin...!
One Strike.
There would be no second chances. The azure dragon, unleashed from the blade, enveloped both the Arch Lich and the ominous Gate.
Kaboom!
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2024.06.01 15:34 kenUdigitt Novel Chapter 424
Disclaimer: I do not speak Korean. This is purely translated by machine with a lot of cleanup afterward. With that in mind, I am open to criticism to improve these translations. Enjoy!
Chapter 424
Kwaaaaah!
Engulfed in searing blue flames, the vortex devoured everything in its path,
Buildings crumbled - their concrete skeletons exposed and steel frames twisted grotesquely. The ground was littered with the scattered bodies of humans and monsters alike, casualties of the relentless destruction.
The ultra-high heat obliterated nearly everything, reducing it all to ash and molten remnants.
Except for one.
- Blink.
Everything but him.
Beep.
- Skill, [One Strike] has been activated!
- [Qi] has been completely exhausted!
- Everything comes with a price. Despite serious injuries, you have overexerted your power.
- Status abnormality, [Exhaustion] has been applied!
- [Strength], [Stamina], [Agility] have temporarily plummeted!
My strength ebbed away, leaving me hollow. The alerts from the System rang incessantly in my ears, while the distant cries of the Skeleton Warlord in my inventory faded to mere whispers.
My body felt leaden, as though submerged in icy water. In the frigid solitude of my mind, one thought spun relentlessly:
'This was my last chance.'
Why hadn’t I seen it coming? Why hadn’t I guessed?
The Arch Lich had warned me; he had been observing me through his network of familiars scattered across the battlefield.
I should have suspected he'd seen my earlier uses of [One Strike] on the Liches and Death Knights.
I should have questioned it, even without certainty.
‘Idiot.’
A laugh, bitter and mocking, broke from my lips. I had promised myself never to let down my guard, yet here I was, caught in the most critical of errors.
The lack of options was no excuse. In battle, it is the outcome that counts, not the intent. This was the bitter fruit of my negligence.
Thud!
The iron bar I clutched fell from my weakening grasp, clanging loudly as it hit the ground. My legs buckled, forcing me to kneel.
Head bowed, I was enveloped by a suffocating darkness.
- You, human. How does it feel to pay the price for your reckless courage?
Struggling to lift my head, I locked eyes with his fiery red gaze. A hoarse whisper clawed its way through my parched throat.
"Of course it feels shitty, you damn bastard."
- It was a fearsome strike. I'll give you that much praise.
The Arch Lich’s voice dripped with triumph.
Despite his use of teleportation magic, he couldn’t entirely evade One Strike, resulting in the loss of his left arm. Yet, there he stood, a grim victor amidst the chaos of the battlefield.
His eyes, a sinister red, gleamed with a cruel joy as he gazed down at me, kneeling like a penitent sinner.
- I waited until the end. Despite the humiliation suffered at the hands of a human, I endured and persevered. And finally... this body claims victory.
His cunning was undeniable.
As I had feared, he had been anticipating One Strike from the outset.
Previously, I had obliterated Liches and Death Knights with One Strike, replenishing my stamina through leveling up, but he had keenly observed the moment I depleted all my strength.
- Do you understand now? This is your limit - the limit of a human.
Limit.
That word burrowed deeply into my chest.
Despite all my struggles, the label of F-rank haunted me. It was a limit I had strived to surpass every day since acquiring the System.
'Is this really the end?'
I had fought desperately, for myself and for those I loved, pushing through peril after peril. This was my life: a relentless challenge of transcending my own boundaries.
"It's not over... not yet."
The words fell from my lips, hollow and lifeless, as if spoken by another.
My vision blurred as I raised my eyes to meet the Arch Lich’s gaze.
- What?
"It's not over yet."
A battle to the death concludes only when one side falls and the other stands victorious.
Until then, the struggle persists.
As death loomed close, I whispered to myself.
'Inventory open. Summon.'
I thought I had secured one of the spears from my inventory in my grasp.
But then, I dropped it.
Clang!
In that moment, I realized my strength had waned too far to wield a spear, let alone swing it.
- Hahahaha!
The Arch Lich’s laughter was grotesque, reveling in my plight.
Yet, surrender was not an option for me. I would not, could not give up.
'Open Inventory. Summon.'
Weapon after weapon appeared in my hands.
Thud!
And one by one, I dropped them.
'Open Inventory. Summon.'
Thud!
- Oh, you foolish, stupid human!
The Arch Lich's mockery rang out.
Yet I persisted, undeterred.
Is it courageous to humbly accept one's end? If that is courage, then label me a coward.
I must survive — I believed this was the highest respect I could pay to the life I had fought so hard to live.
'Open Inventory. Summon.'
It was at that very moment.
Ding.
- [Endurance] greatly increases.
- The attribute, [Endurance], transforms into [Will]!
- Those with strong will are not easily broken; they do not fall. They will fight with all their might until the very end.
- A strong will, at times, can give you the power to overcome your limits!
- Special effect, [Indomitable], has been activated. Temporarily, all attributes slightly increase, and fatigue is reduced!
A surge of warmth spread through my core, faint yet fiercer than any force I had known.
It wasn't just a burst of power.
It was a beacon of hope kindled by my desperation and given by the System.
With hands shaking, I clasped the cold spear shaft firmly.
- You...
The Arch Lich had noticed the shift too.
His gaze, previously dismissive as if I was merely an exhibit, now widened in alarm. Seizing the moment, I mustered all my remaining strength and lunged forward.
Time seemed to stretch, elongating the seconds as I thrust the spear towards his looming figure.
Screeeeech!
As the spear tore through the air with a sonic boom, I saw it clearly — the Arch Lich’s eyes, twisted into a crescent of scorn.
It was a sneer.
- Blood Explosion.
Boom!
The force of the explosion reverberated through my body, sending shockwaves pulsing through every fiber.
With the last of my strength spent, my muscles seized up. The spear slipped from my weakened grip and impaled the ground at an awkward angle.
I blinked through eyes filled with blood. In a world now painted a visceral red, something warm and sticky splattered onto my face.
Drip, drip-drip.
'...Ah.'
It was blood.
My own blood, spurting forth like a gruesome fountain, showered down in a macabre rain.
As I raised my trembling hands, quivering like aspen leaves in a storm, the ghastly sight of my shredded flesh and starkly exposed bones confronted me.
Blood Explosion. A literal explosion of blood.
From the edges of my dimming consciousness, the cries of the Skeleton Warlord pierced the air.
- ...Human, human!
How long had he been shouting?
I tried to answer, but all that escaped my lips was a grotesque mix of blood and fragments of my organs.
"Cough."
The world spun chaotically before my eyes.
I reached out toward the Arch Lich, now just a blur through the blood-smeared lens of my vision, but my hand grasped only air.
Perhaps it always would.
- Snap out of it! Aren't you supposed to live?
Is that supposed to be encouragement?
I knew I had to survive, defeat him, and return home.
But...
'Can I really?'
Slowly, the world seemed to tilt.
No, the world was stable; it was I who was faltering. My body, ravaged by relentless bleeding and grievous injuries, used the last vestiges of its strength just to keep from collapsing.
'No. If I fall, it's all over.'
I propped myself up on a broken ankle.
The faint, thorn-like pain was a grim reminder that I was dying, yet the intermittent shouts from the Skeleton Warlord, sounding through the haze like a broken radio, affirmed that I was still somehow alive.
- ...Do it, human! Hurry!
Do it? Do what?
- Summon me now...!
My eardrums were ruptured, my consciousness slipping; the Skeleton Warlord's shouts were just muffled echoes in my shattered senses.
Even if I could have made out his words, there was nothing I could do to intercept the Arch Lich's next move.
- You have some interesting possessions.
Suddenly, in the Arch Lich's hand was a familiar object.
My cherished weapon, White Flames, which had weathered many battles at my side, now blazed in the hands of this usurper. He laughed, his skeletal frame aglow within the dancing flames.
- I have received a gift far too extravagant. I suppose it should be returned to its owner.
The Arch Lich drew back his arm. A potent magic dampened the inferno of White Flames and surged along the spear’s blade.
- Farewell, noble adversary — or perhaps just a fool who might have been something more.
Screech!
The sonic boom was fleeting, yet the moment stretched into an eternity.
I watched, mute, as White Flames hurtled towards me like a meteor. A whirlwind of thoughts raced through my mind, leading me to an inevitable conclusion.
'I can't avoid it.'
Then the only end left for me was death.
I had survived countless battles over the past seven years, but never had the specter of death loomed so palpably.
All I could do was witness its relentless advance.
'Yes, this is the end.'
I repeated the thought with eerie calm.
Crack!
The blade of White Flames cleaved through bone as it impaled me squarely in the chest.
I froze, eyes wide in shock — not pain.
"...You."
- Why, what?
Words failed me as I stared into the flickering blue eyes just inches from my face.
From a skull no larger than a soccer ball, the Skeleton Warlord had morphed into a towering figure over two meters tall, his voice blunt and confounding.
- Don't ask how I was able to get out on my own. Even this commander doesn't understand why.
"But why? ...Why?"
I asked, facing him.
The blade of the spear, protruding from the Skeleton Warlord's back to his chest, halted just a whisper away from piercing me.
If no one had intervened, I would have surely died.
He had just thrown himself to save my life.
- ...I don't know anymore. Damn it. I don't know anything now. Maybe I was enchanted by this sword.
Only then did I recognize the identity of the sword in the Skeleton Warlord's hand.
"Hero's Soul."
The only relic of Lei Fei, a sword that cannot be wielded by those who are not qualified to be heroes.
Yet here it was.
Held not by a hero, but by a Named Monster — the Skeleton Warlord.
- Hero's Soul, huh? For something made by humans, that's a pretty decent name. No, honestly, it's cool. Although it's too late to swing it properly now...
His voice trailed off, and the intense blue light in his eyes began to fade.
I understood what was happening to him.
'Extinction.'
Undoubtedly. Even now, the magical force of the Arch Lich, carried by the blade of White Flames, was devouring the Skeleton Warlord.
"You."
- Don't say any more. I'm already regretting this as it is.
I doubted his sincerity, especially given the soft chuckle that seemed at odds with his typically gruff demeanor.
- Human. There's something I'm curious about.
As the Arch Lich approached and the shoulders of the Skeleton Warlord crumbled, I gave a silent nod.
"Anything."
He hesitated for a moment then asked in a soft voice.
- About what you said last time. Was it sincere?
"Last time, what... Oh."
I suddenly remembered. The way he had been right after Lei Fei's death, pondering his forgotten past.
And the casual remark I had made.
'Well, I think he was probably a pretty good guy.'
'...Huh? Are you talking about me?'
'No. I'm just talking to myself.'
'Oh, yes. Right.'
So that's what it is.
For the Skeleton Warlord, who had awakened with power from a spirit that had lost all its memories, I might have been the closest thing to a friend he ever had.
The simple words I had spoken were like a pebble tossed into the still waters of his heart, causing ripples to spread outward.
'What an idiot.'
What was that all about? Why go this far over such a trivial thing?
A surge of emotion welled up within me, heat flushing my face, but I reined it in. I barely managed to muster my voice.
"Of course it was sincere."
- Yes, I see.
At that moment, as the blue light in his eyes flickered feebly, a cold voice cut through the air, heralding the end.
- Are you finished with your farewells?
"…!"
- Bone Explosion.
Boom!
Instinctively, I shielded my face with my arms, but the force of the explosion hurled me backward, sending shockwaves pulsating through me.
As I staggered to my feet, I witnessed a skull catapulted into the sky, bones splintering and scattering like brittle ice.
And then… silence.
The Skeleton Warlord had vanished.
Whoosh!
[Hero's Soul] plummeted from the heavens, its blade burying itself deep into the earth, gripped by a hand that had not relinquished it until the very end.
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Chapter 424
Kwaaaaah!
Engulfed in searing blue flames, the vortex devoured everything in its path,
Buildings crumbled - their concrete skeletons exposed and steel frames twisted grotesquely. The ground was littered with the scattered bodies of humans and monsters alike, casualties of the relentless destruction.
The ultra-high heat obliterated nearly everything, reducing it all to ash and molten remnants.
Except for one.
- Blink.
Everything but him.
Beep.
- Skill, [One Strike] has been activated!
- [Qi] has been completely exhausted!
- Everything comes with a price. Despite serious injuries, you have overexerted your power.
- Status abnormality, [Exhaustion] has been applied!
- [Strength], [Stamina], [Agility] have temporarily plummeted!
My strength ebbed away, leaving me hollow. The alerts from the System rang incessantly in my ears, while the distant cries of the Skeleton Warlord in my inventory faded to mere whispers.
My body felt leaden, as though submerged in icy water. In the frigid solitude of my mind, one thought spun relentlessly:
'This was my last chance.'
Why hadn’t I seen it coming? Why hadn’t I guessed?
The Arch Lich had warned me; he had been observing me through his network of familiars scattered across the battlefield.
I should have suspected he'd seen my earlier uses of [One Strike] on the Liches and Death Knights.
I should have questioned it, even without certainty.
‘Idiot.’
A laugh, bitter and mocking, broke from my lips. I had promised myself never to let down my guard, yet here I was, caught in the most critical of errors.
The lack of options was no excuse. In battle, it is the outcome that counts, not the intent. This was the bitter fruit of my negligence.
Thud!
The iron bar I clutched fell from my weakening grasp, clanging loudly as it hit the ground. My legs buckled, forcing me to kneel.
Head bowed, I was enveloped by a suffocating darkness.
- You, human. How does it feel to pay the price for your reckless courage?
Struggling to lift my head, I locked eyes with his fiery red gaze. A hoarse whisper clawed its way through my parched throat.
"Of course it feels shitty, you damn bastard."
- It was a fearsome strike. I'll give you that much praise.
The Arch Lich’s voice dripped with triumph.
Despite his use of teleportation magic, he couldn’t entirely evade One Strike, resulting in the loss of his left arm. Yet, there he stood, a grim victor amidst the chaos of the battlefield.
His eyes, a sinister red, gleamed with a cruel joy as he gazed down at me, kneeling like a penitent sinner.
- I waited until the end. Despite the humiliation suffered at the hands of a human, I endured and persevered. And finally... this body claims victory.
His cunning was undeniable.
As I had feared, he had been anticipating One Strike from the outset.
Previously, I had obliterated Liches and Death Knights with One Strike, replenishing my stamina through leveling up, but he had keenly observed the moment I depleted all my strength.
- Do you understand now? This is your limit - the limit of a human.
Limit.
That word burrowed deeply into my chest.
Despite all my struggles, the label of F-rank haunted me. It was a limit I had strived to surpass every day since acquiring the System.
'Is this really the end?'
I had fought desperately, for myself and for those I loved, pushing through peril after peril. This was my life: a relentless challenge of transcending my own boundaries.
"It's not over... not yet."
The words fell from my lips, hollow and lifeless, as if spoken by another.
My vision blurred as I raised my eyes to meet the Arch Lich’s gaze.
- What?
"It's not over yet."
A battle to the death concludes only when one side falls and the other stands victorious.
Until then, the struggle persists.
As death loomed close, I whispered to myself.
'Inventory open. Summon.'
I thought I had secured one of the spears from my inventory in my grasp.
But then, I dropped it.
Clang!
In that moment, I realized my strength had waned too far to wield a spear, let alone swing it.
- Hahahaha!
The Arch Lich’s laughter was grotesque, reveling in my plight.
Yet, surrender was not an option for me. I would not, could not give up.
'Open Inventory. Summon.'
Weapon after weapon appeared in my hands.
Thud!
And one by one, I dropped them.
'Open Inventory. Summon.'
Thud!
- Oh, you foolish, stupid human!
The Arch Lich's mockery rang out.
Yet I persisted, undeterred.
Is it courageous to humbly accept one's end? If that is courage, then label me a coward.
I must survive — I believed this was the highest respect I could pay to the life I had fought so hard to live.
'Open Inventory. Summon.'
It was at that very moment.
Ding.
- [Endurance] greatly increases.
- The attribute, [Endurance], transforms into [Will]!
- Those with strong will are not easily broken; they do not fall. They will fight with all their might until the very end.
- A strong will, at times, can give you the power to overcome your limits!
- Special effect, [Indomitable], has been activated. Temporarily, all attributes slightly increase, and fatigue is reduced!
A surge of warmth spread through my core, faint yet fiercer than any force I had known.
It wasn't just a burst of power.
It was a beacon of hope kindled by my desperation and given by the System.
With hands shaking, I clasped the cold spear shaft firmly.
- You...
The Arch Lich had noticed the shift too.
His gaze, previously dismissive as if I was merely an exhibit, now widened in alarm. Seizing the moment, I mustered all my remaining strength and lunged forward.
Time seemed to stretch, elongating the seconds as I thrust the spear towards his looming figure.
Screeeeech!
As the spear tore through the air with a sonic boom, I saw it clearly — the Arch Lich’s eyes, twisted into a crescent of scorn.
It was a sneer.
- Blood Explosion.
Boom!
The force of the explosion reverberated through my body, sending shockwaves pulsing through every fiber.
With the last of my strength spent, my muscles seized up. The spear slipped from my weakened grip and impaled the ground at an awkward angle.
I blinked through eyes filled with blood. In a world now painted a visceral red, something warm and sticky splattered onto my face.
Drip, drip-drip.
'...Ah.'
It was blood.
My own blood, spurting forth like a gruesome fountain, showered down in a macabre rain.
As I raised my trembling hands, quivering like aspen leaves in a storm, the ghastly sight of my shredded flesh and starkly exposed bones confronted me.
Blood Explosion. A literal explosion of blood.
From the edges of my dimming consciousness, the cries of the Skeleton Warlord pierced the air.
- ...Human, human!
How long had he been shouting?
I tried to answer, but all that escaped my lips was a grotesque mix of blood and fragments of my organs.
"Cough."
The world spun chaotically before my eyes.
I reached out toward the Arch Lich, now just a blur through the blood-smeared lens of my vision, but my hand grasped only air.
Perhaps it always would.
- Snap out of it! Aren't you supposed to live?
Is that supposed to be encouragement?
I knew I had to survive, defeat him, and return home.
But...
'Can I really?'
Slowly, the world seemed to tilt.
No, the world was stable; it was I who was faltering. My body, ravaged by relentless bleeding and grievous injuries, used the last vestiges of its strength just to keep from collapsing.
'No. If I fall, it's all over.'
I propped myself up on a broken ankle.
The faint, thorn-like pain was a grim reminder that I was dying, yet the intermittent shouts from the Skeleton Warlord, sounding through the haze like a broken radio, affirmed that I was still somehow alive.
- ...Do it, human! Hurry!
Do it? Do what?
- Summon me now...!
My eardrums were ruptured, my consciousness slipping; the Skeleton Warlord's shouts were just muffled echoes in my shattered senses.
Even if I could have made out his words, there was nothing I could do to intercept the Arch Lich's next move.
- You have some interesting possessions.
Suddenly, in the Arch Lich's hand was a familiar object.
My cherished weapon, White Flames, which had weathered many battles at my side, now blazed in the hands of this usurper. He laughed, his skeletal frame aglow within the dancing flames.
- I have received a gift far too extravagant. I suppose it should be returned to its owner.
The Arch Lich drew back his arm. A potent magic dampened the inferno of White Flames and surged along the spear’s blade.
- Farewell, noble adversary — or perhaps just a fool who might have been something more.
Screech!
The sonic boom was fleeting, yet the moment stretched into an eternity.
I watched, mute, as White Flames hurtled towards me like a meteor. A whirlwind of thoughts raced through my mind, leading me to an inevitable conclusion.
'I can't avoid it.'
Then the only end left for me was death.
I had survived countless battles over the past seven years, but never had the specter of death loomed so palpably.
All I could do was witness its relentless advance.
'Yes, this is the end.'
I repeated the thought with eerie calm.
Crack!
The blade of White Flames cleaved through bone as it impaled me squarely in the chest.
I froze, eyes wide in shock — not pain.
"...You."
- Why, what?
Words failed me as I stared into the flickering blue eyes just inches from my face.
From a skull no larger than a soccer ball, the Skeleton Warlord had morphed into a towering figure over two meters tall, his voice blunt and confounding.
- Don't ask how I was able to get out on my own. Even this commander doesn't understand why.
"But why? ...Why?"
I asked, facing him.
The blade of the spear, protruding from the Skeleton Warlord's back to his chest, halted just a whisper away from piercing me.
If no one had intervened, I would have surely died.
He had just thrown himself to save my life.
- ...I don't know anymore. Damn it. I don't know anything now. Maybe I was enchanted by this sword.
Only then did I recognize the identity of the sword in the Skeleton Warlord's hand.
"Hero's Soul."
The only relic of Lei Fei, a sword that cannot be wielded by those who are not qualified to be heroes.
Yet here it was.
Held not by a hero, but by a Named Monster — the Skeleton Warlord.
- Hero's Soul, huh? For something made by humans, that's a pretty decent name. No, honestly, it's cool. Although it's too late to swing it properly now...
His voice trailed off, and the intense blue light in his eyes began to fade.
I understood what was happening to him.
'Extinction.'
Undoubtedly. Even now, the magical force of the Arch Lich, carried by the blade of White Flames, was devouring the Skeleton Warlord.
"You."
- Don't say any more. I'm already regretting this as it is.
I doubted his sincerity, especially given the soft chuckle that seemed at odds with his typically gruff demeanor.
- Human. There's something I'm curious about.
As the Arch Lich approached and the shoulders of the Skeleton Warlord crumbled, I gave a silent nod.
"Anything."
He hesitated for a moment then asked in a soft voice.
- About what you said last time. Was it sincere?
"Last time, what... Oh."
I suddenly remembered. The way he had been right after Lei Fei's death, pondering his forgotten past.
And the casual remark I had made.
'Well, I think he was probably a pretty good guy.'
'...Huh? Are you talking about me?'
'No. I'm just talking to myself.'
'Oh, yes. Right.'
So that's what it is.
For the Skeleton Warlord, who had awakened with power from a spirit that had lost all its memories, I might have been the closest thing to a friend he ever had.
The simple words I had spoken were like a pebble tossed into the still waters of his heart, causing ripples to spread outward.
'What an idiot.'
What was that all about? Why go this far over such a trivial thing?
A surge of emotion welled up within me, heat flushing my face, but I reined it in. I barely managed to muster my voice.
"Of course it was sincere."
- Yes, I see.
At that moment, as the blue light in his eyes flickered feebly, a cold voice cut through the air, heralding the end.
- Are you finished with your farewells?
"…!"
- Bone Explosion.
Boom!
Instinctively, I shielded my face with my arms, but the force of the explosion hurled me backward, sending shockwaves pulsating through me.
As I staggered to my feet, I witnessed a skull catapulted into the sky, bones splintering and scattering like brittle ice.
And then… silence.
The Skeleton Warlord had vanished.
Whoosh!
[Hero's Soul] plummeted from the heavens, its blade burying itself deep into the earth, gripped by a hand that had not relinquished it until the very end.
Previous Table of Contents Next
2024.06.01 15:34 kenUdigitt Novel Chapter 423
Disclaimer: I do not speak Korean. This is purely translated by machine with a lot of cleanup afterward. With that in mind, I am open to criticism to improve these translations. Enjoy!
Chapter 423
Thud!
The moment I hurled the Arch Lich to the ground with a resounding crash, I coiled my energy and kicked the air.
Boom!
A thunderous explosion of compressed air echoed as I hurtled toward his descending form with fearsome velocity.
The Skeleton Warlord let out a scream or cheer — it was hard to tell which.
- That's it, human! Finish him!
Finish what, exactly?
His judgment was unfortunately wrong. I knew this better than anyone, especially as I drove my fist into the Arch Lich's jaw.
'Did he cast a defensive spell in that brief moment...?'
Before my fully-powered Flame-Extinguishing Divine Fist could make contact, he conjured a Bone Shield across his face, warding off the brunt of the blow.
Though the strike wasn’t wholly futile, he was no easy foe to vanquish.
And my prediction proved accurate. The Arch Lich, whose body had been plummeting earthward like a comet, abruptly stopped mid-descent, as potent magic filled the air.
- Darkness Hold.
Swoosh!
From the void, two colossal hands materialized. At first glance, they appeared as mere Dark Hands, but Darkness Hold was designed exclusively to ensnare its target, as the name suggested.
I dived headlong toward the encroaching hands, my spear poised for battle.
'I see it.'
Everything possesses an 'essence' — living creatures, the wind, even invisible forces.
With my middle dantian now open, I could discern and understand the core and essence of all things.
Just like in this moment.
Screech!
Flames burst forth, cleaving through the darkness. The writhing black hands dissipated into a mist, while the Arch Lich’s eyes glinted with malice.
The next instant, his spectral bony hand sliced through the air.
- Dark Claw!
Swoosh, swish!
The evaporating black mist morphed into the savage claws of a beast, descending in a furious onslaught.
The attacks came from every direction, each with a unique path. Deflecting them would be manageable if I concentrated, but that meant losing ground on the Arch Lich just after having narrowed the gap.
'I must make a choice.'
It's impossible to catch both rabbits, especially when the opponent is more of a tiger than a rabbit.
In an instant, I made my decision and unleashed White Flames — not at the encircling magic, but directly at the Arch Lich.
Boom!
The searing blue blaze of White Flames tore through the air like a bolt of lightning.
From the Arch Lich's mouth came a voice, tinged with unprecedented desperation.
- Bone Shie—!
It's already too late, you bastard.
Whoosh!
The blue blaze enveloped the Arch Lich completely.
The nascent bone shield disintegrated into dust under the blistering assault.
Crack!
The White Flames' blade speared through the Arch Lich’s chest, skewering him like meat over a fire. His scream was like none I had ever heard before.
Suddenly, a biting chill sliced through the air from every direction.
- Human, danger...!
Even without the Skeleton Warlord's cry, I already knew.
Yet, I did it anyway. In order to take bones, you have to sacrifice flesh. Fully aware of the impending harm, I still believed in my choice.
As magical claws descended from all around, I mulled over my decision.
'...Maybe I should have just blocked it.'
But regret was a luxury I could no longer afford.
Shhhhhh!
A wind swept over my entire form, chilling to the bone.
It was no illusion like a Bone Spear, nor slow enough to block. I contorted my body, bolstering my Qi, but the onslaught was relentless.
Shiing, slash, screee! Swoosh!
Shoulders, flanks, thighs, arms...
Countless magical claws lacerated my flesh. Blood gushed from the wounds, and agony surged through me.
'Damn it.'
It hurts enough to make me wish for death.
No matter how often one experiences it, pain is something one never gets used to.
My vision blurred, my limbs grew heavy and succumbed.
It was a brief lapse, yet it stretched into an agonizing eternity.
When my eyes fluttered open again, the first thing I saw was an imposing mass of concrete that had materialized seemingly out of nowhere.
- Wake up, human!
"…!"
The urgent command of the Skeleton Warlord jolted me back to awareness.
I funneled Qi into my stiff limbs, the pain from ruptured meridians reigniting my dulled senses.
'Now!'
With no time to waste, I hurled myself over.
Bang! A cloud of dust billowed as I crash-landed onto the concrete debris. Sharp tremors and pain shot through my legs.
"Ugh."
The Skeleton Warlord spoke to me as I grit my teeth against the pain,
- Human, you don't look… okay.
I drew a ragged breath and shot back,
"Huff. If you know that, then shut up. My head is throbbing."
It was no exaggeration; even the System notifications were enough to make my stomach churn.
Beep.
- Status abnormality, [Serious Injury] has been inflicted!
- Status abnormality, [Excessive Bleeding] has been inflicted!
- Due to severe injuries, your physical stats have drastically decreased!
- [Strength], [Agility], [Stamina] have each decreased by 200 points!
- You have sustained severe injuries! Immediate medical attention is required!
Yep, that sounds about right.
Whether from the blood loss or the relentless pain, my vision swam, and my thoughts muddled.
Yet, through the haze, one thought remained clear.
"The Arch Lich. Where is the Arch Lich?"
At my hoarse voice, the Skeleton Warlord shouted.
- You crazy human! Get treated first!
"The kill notification hasn't popped up yet. He's still alive..."
- Notification or not, get treated now!
"Ugh."
I told you to shut up.
Leaning heavily against the rubble, I felt dizzy. Blood seeped from my drenched clothing, and my limbs shook uncontrollably like trembling leaves.
'Shit.'
This time, I took a serious beating.
The only small comfort was that the Arch Lich must be just as badly off, if not worse.
- You foolish human!
I know. I know already.
While the echoes of reprimand rang in my skull, I spread my palm and whispered to myself.
'Inventory open. Summon.'
Pop!
Everything happened simultaneously.
From a subspace pocket, once belonging to Lee Jeong-Ryong, I retrieved an item now mine to command.
'Top-grade potion.'
Could Lee Jeong-Ryong have ever imagined that the two emergency potions he'd packed would both end up in my hands?
My fingers shook as I uncorked the Top-grade potion, desperate to drink it like it was the very elixir of life.
But just as I raised it to my lips.
Thud, swoosh!
"…Huh?"
It all happened in an instant.
A black vine shot up from the concrete debris, lashed at my wrist, and sent the potion arcing through the air, disappearing into the fog.
As I watched a few droplets disperse into the dusty air and sink into the earth, I muttered,
"Dark Vine."
A spell all too familiar.
The Skeleton Warlord groaned.
- It's him.
I lifted my gaze. A red light flickered through the dense fog like a distant flame.
Approaching was a figure, three meters tall with a sinister black gleam. It resembled a human, yet bore an essence that defied such a simple label as it emerged from the fog with heavy, deliberate steps.
- You, human.
The voice was low, heavy with unmistakable rage.
The Skeleton Warlord trembled within my Inventory, and a faint smile crossed my lips.
"You damn bastard. I was drinking that."
- Your struggle ends here.
Shriek, snap!
I had no chance to react — when the Arch Lich flicked his fingers, Lee Jeong-Ryong’s ordinary-looking subspace pocket was swept into the distance by the Dark Vine.
- Your shallow tricks will no longer work.
With each word he spoke, the magic encircling the Arch Lich stirred to life.
Yet, just as I bore grave injuries, his power too seemed diminished.
My White Flames spear that had scorched through his chest was unmistakably the cause.
'I can do this.'
Summoning my strength, I pushed myself upright. Extending my hand, I summoned a spear from my Inventory, clasping it firmly.
"The spear stuck in your chest really suits you. Should I add another so you're symmetric?"
- Do you think you will have the chance?
"Of course. Seeing your state, it seems quite possible."
- Human, you always fail to distinguish between bravery and recklessness. Foolish, truly foolish.
The Arch Lich, with a booming laugh, spread his arms wide.
Instead of his robe, now reduced to cinders by my previous assault, pitch-black magic surged from his form, taking shape.
'That's a...'
A menacing vortex of magic, its presence alone ominous.
Instinctively, I grasped the Arch Lich’s intentions.
'Gate.'
It appeared volatile, on the verge of eruption, yet it was unmistakably shaping into a gate.
The next words from the Arch Lich confirmed my suspicions.
- It's not complete yet... but if I can defeat you, I can complete it.
Suddenly, a deep voice, as if echoing from the heavens, caused the air itself to quiver.
- Come forth. Gate Open.
"…!"
I had to intervene somehow. But the pain hindered my movements, and the transformation had already begun.
I watched, eyes wide, as the next moment unfolded.
Boom!
The sparse rays of sunlight, which had been meekly filtering through the ashen clouds, vanished entirely.
As the sky split with a deafening roar, a tempest raged around us, and the ensuing darkness rose like a primordial giant.
Whoosh!
The flickering darkness ballooned from the heart of the ruined cityscape.
Rising as tall as a skyscraper and spanning wider than a football field, it dwarfed any Gate I had ever encountered, stirring a primal fear deep within my bones.
- Ah, aah.
Even the undead monster, the Skeleton Warlord, trembled at the sight.
As I stared transfixed at the Gate, a critical reminder flashed through my mind.
'I must stop it. No matter what.'
Though it wasn't fully formed, leaving it unchecked could unleash an unimaginable catastrophe.
Millions, possibly tens of millions, could perish.
And... among them might be those dear to me.
Mr. Choi, steadfast on the battlefield, and Shao Shen, to whom I had unexpectedly grown close.
Should the Arch Lich extend his reach beyond China to the peninsula... even the members of the Peace Guild and my cherished family would face dire peril.
'I must go.'
Pain and terror had seized my body, but it was sheer determination that propelled me forward.
Drawing on every reserve of strength, I rallied my Qi as my wounded meridians protested sharply, spurring fresh blood to seep from my wounds.
But I could not falter. I only had this one shot, this one opportunity.
'Brilliant Path of Fire.'
With each agonizing step, my battered legs drove me forward, leaving a blazing trail in my wake.
At its end awaited the catalyst of this chaos.
The one whose death could also end this.
'Die.'
One Strike.
Time seemed to slow as I drove my spear forward with all my strength.
The tornado I unleashed barreled toward him.
Boom!
And amidst the sea of blue flames that enveloped the world, his mocking laughter and his words sliced through the inferno.
- Blink.
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submitted by kenUdigitt to u/kenUdigitt [link] [comments]
Chapter 423
Thud!
The moment I hurled the Arch Lich to the ground with a resounding crash, I coiled my energy and kicked the air.
Boom!
A thunderous explosion of compressed air echoed as I hurtled toward his descending form with fearsome velocity.
The Skeleton Warlord let out a scream or cheer — it was hard to tell which.
- That's it, human! Finish him!
Finish what, exactly?
His judgment was unfortunately wrong. I knew this better than anyone, especially as I drove my fist into the Arch Lich's jaw.
'Did he cast a defensive spell in that brief moment...?'
Before my fully-powered Flame-Extinguishing Divine Fist could make contact, he conjured a Bone Shield across his face, warding off the brunt of the blow.
Though the strike wasn’t wholly futile, he was no easy foe to vanquish.
And my prediction proved accurate. The Arch Lich, whose body had been plummeting earthward like a comet, abruptly stopped mid-descent, as potent magic filled the air.
- Darkness Hold.
Swoosh!
From the void, two colossal hands materialized. At first glance, they appeared as mere Dark Hands, but Darkness Hold was designed exclusively to ensnare its target, as the name suggested.
I dived headlong toward the encroaching hands, my spear poised for battle.
'I see it.'
Everything possesses an 'essence' — living creatures, the wind, even invisible forces.
With my middle dantian now open, I could discern and understand the core and essence of all things.
Just like in this moment.
Screech!
Flames burst forth, cleaving through the darkness. The writhing black hands dissipated into a mist, while the Arch Lich’s eyes glinted with malice.
The next instant, his spectral bony hand sliced through the air.
- Dark Claw!
Swoosh, swish!
The evaporating black mist morphed into the savage claws of a beast, descending in a furious onslaught.
The attacks came from every direction, each with a unique path. Deflecting them would be manageable if I concentrated, but that meant losing ground on the Arch Lich just after having narrowed the gap.
'I must make a choice.'
It's impossible to catch both rabbits, especially when the opponent is more of a tiger than a rabbit.
In an instant, I made my decision and unleashed White Flames — not at the encircling magic, but directly at the Arch Lich.
Boom!
The searing blue blaze of White Flames tore through the air like a bolt of lightning.
From the Arch Lich's mouth came a voice, tinged with unprecedented desperation.
- Bone Shie—!
It's already too late, you bastard.
Whoosh!
The blue blaze enveloped the Arch Lich completely.
The nascent bone shield disintegrated into dust under the blistering assault.
Crack!
The White Flames' blade speared through the Arch Lich’s chest, skewering him like meat over a fire. His scream was like none I had ever heard before.
Suddenly, a biting chill sliced through the air from every direction.
- Human, danger...!
Even without the Skeleton Warlord's cry, I already knew.
Yet, I did it anyway. In order to take bones, you have to sacrifice flesh. Fully aware of the impending harm, I still believed in my choice.
As magical claws descended from all around, I mulled over my decision.
'...Maybe I should have just blocked it.'
But regret was a luxury I could no longer afford.
Shhhhhh!
A wind swept over my entire form, chilling to the bone.
It was no illusion like a Bone Spear, nor slow enough to block. I contorted my body, bolstering my Qi, but the onslaught was relentless.
Shiing, slash, screee! Swoosh!
Shoulders, flanks, thighs, arms...
Countless magical claws lacerated my flesh. Blood gushed from the wounds, and agony surged through me.
'Damn it.'
It hurts enough to make me wish for death.
No matter how often one experiences it, pain is something one never gets used to.
My vision blurred, my limbs grew heavy and succumbed.
It was a brief lapse, yet it stretched into an agonizing eternity.
When my eyes fluttered open again, the first thing I saw was an imposing mass of concrete that had materialized seemingly out of nowhere.
- Wake up, human!
"…!"
The urgent command of the Skeleton Warlord jolted me back to awareness.
I funneled Qi into my stiff limbs, the pain from ruptured meridians reigniting my dulled senses.
'Now!'
With no time to waste, I hurled myself over.
Bang! A cloud of dust billowed as I crash-landed onto the concrete debris. Sharp tremors and pain shot through my legs.
"Ugh."
The Skeleton Warlord spoke to me as I grit my teeth against the pain,
- Human, you don't look… okay.
I drew a ragged breath and shot back,
"Huff. If you know that, then shut up. My head is throbbing."
It was no exaggeration; even the System notifications were enough to make my stomach churn.
Beep.
- Status abnormality, [Serious Injury] has been inflicted!
- Status abnormality, [Excessive Bleeding] has been inflicted!
- Due to severe injuries, your physical stats have drastically decreased!
- [Strength], [Agility], [Stamina] have each decreased by 200 points!
- You have sustained severe injuries! Immediate medical attention is required!
Yep, that sounds about right.
Whether from the blood loss or the relentless pain, my vision swam, and my thoughts muddled.
Yet, through the haze, one thought remained clear.
"The Arch Lich. Where is the Arch Lich?"
At my hoarse voice, the Skeleton Warlord shouted.
- You crazy human! Get treated first!
"The kill notification hasn't popped up yet. He's still alive..."
- Notification or not, get treated now!
"Ugh."
I told you to shut up.
Leaning heavily against the rubble, I felt dizzy. Blood seeped from my drenched clothing, and my limbs shook uncontrollably like trembling leaves.
'Shit.'
This time, I took a serious beating.
The only small comfort was that the Arch Lich must be just as badly off, if not worse.
- You foolish human!
I know. I know already.
While the echoes of reprimand rang in my skull, I spread my palm and whispered to myself.
'Inventory open. Summon.'
Pop!
Everything happened simultaneously.
From a subspace pocket, once belonging to Lee Jeong-Ryong, I retrieved an item now mine to command.
'Top-grade potion.'
Could Lee Jeong-Ryong have ever imagined that the two emergency potions he'd packed would both end up in my hands?
My fingers shook as I uncorked the Top-grade potion, desperate to drink it like it was the very elixir of life.
But just as I raised it to my lips.
Thud, swoosh!
"…Huh?"
It all happened in an instant.
A black vine shot up from the concrete debris, lashed at my wrist, and sent the potion arcing through the air, disappearing into the fog.
As I watched a few droplets disperse into the dusty air and sink into the earth, I muttered,
"Dark Vine."
A spell all too familiar.
The Skeleton Warlord groaned.
- It's him.
I lifted my gaze. A red light flickered through the dense fog like a distant flame.
Approaching was a figure, three meters tall with a sinister black gleam. It resembled a human, yet bore an essence that defied such a simple label as it emerged from the fog with heavy, deliberate steps.
- You, human.
The voice was low, heavy with unmistakable rage.
The Skeleton Warlord trembled within my Inventory, and a faint smile crossed my lips.
"You damn bastard. I was drinking that."
- Your struggle ends here.
Shriek, snap!
I had no chance to react — when the Arch Lich flicked his fingers, Lee Jeong-Ryong’s ordinary-looking subspace pocket was swept into the distance by the Dark Vine.
- Your shallow tricks will no longer work.
With each word he spoke, the magic encircling the Arch Lich stirred to life.
Yet, just as I bore grave injuries, his power too seemed diminished.
My White Flames spear that had scorched through his chest was unmistakably the cause.
'I can do this.'
Summoning my strength, I pushed myself upright. Extending my hand, I summoned a spear from my Inventory, clasping it firmly.
"The spear stuck in your chest really suits you. Should I add another so you're symmetric?"
- Do you think you will have the chance?
"Of course. Seeing your state, it seems quite possible."
- Human, you always fail to distinguish between bravery and recklessness. Foolish, truly foolish.
The Arch Lich, with a booming laugh, spread his arms wide.
Instead of his robe, now reduced to cinders by my previous assault, pitch-black magic surged from his form, taking shape.
'That's a...'
A menacing vortex of magic, its presence alone ominous.
Instinctively, I grasped the Arch Lich’s intentions.
'Gate.'
It appeared volatile, on the verge of eruption, yet it was unmistakably shaping into a gate.
The next words from the Arch Lich confirmed my suspicions.
- It's not complete yet... but if I can defeat you, I can complete it.
Suddenly, a deep voice, as if echoing from the heavens, caused the air itself to quiver.
- Come forth. Gate Open.
"…!"
I had to intervene somehow. But the pain hindered my movements, and the transformation had already begun.
I watched, eyes wide, as the next moment unfolded.
Boom!
The sparse rays of sunlight, which had been meekly filtering through the ashen clouds, vanished entirely.
As the sky split with a deafening roar, a tempest raged around us, and the ensuing darkness rose like a primordial giant.
Whoosh!
The flickering darkness ballooned from the heart of the ruined cityscape.
Rising as tall as a skyscraper and spanning wider than a football field, it dwarfed any Gate I had ever encountered, stirring a primal fear deep within my bones.
- Ah, aah.
Even the undead monster, the Skeleton Warlord, trembled at the sight.
As I stared transfixed at the Gate, a critical reminder flashed through my mind.
'I must stop it. No matter what.'
Though it wasn't fully formed, leaving it unchecked could unleash an unimaginable catastrophe.
Millions, possibly tens of millions, could perish.
And... among them might be those dear to me.
Mr. Choi, steadfast on the battlefield, and Shao Shen, to whom I had unexpectedly grown close.
Should the Arch Lich extend his reach beyond China to the peninsula... even the members of the Peace Guild and my cherished family would face dire peril.
'I must go.'
Pain and terror had seized my body, but it was sheer determination that propelled me forward.
Drawing on every reserve of strength, I rallied my Qi as my wounded meridians protested sharply, spurring fresh blood to seep from my wounds.
But I could not falter. I only had this one shot, this one opportunity.
'Brilliant Path of Fire.'
With each agonizing step, my battered legs drove me forward, leaving a blazing trail in my wake.
At its end awaited the catalyst of this chaos.
The one whose death could also end this.
'Die.'
One Strike.
Time seemed to slow as I drove my spear forward with all my strength.
The tornado I unleashed barreled toward him.
Boom!
And amidst the sea of blue flames that enveloped the world, his mocking laughter and his words sliced through the inferno.
- Blink.
Previous Table of Contents Next
2024.06.01 15:33 kenUdigitt Novel Chapter 422
Disclaimer: I do not speak Korean. This is purely translated by machine with a lot of cleanup afterward. With that in mind, I am open to criticism to improve these translations. Enjoy!
Chapter 422
Ding. Ding. Ding.
- Opportunity arises within crisis. You have gained new enlightenment amidst a life-and-death battle!
- [Middle Dantian] has been opened!
- With the opening of the [Middle Dantian], all stats have increased by 20!
- The effects of [Qi Cultivation] have greatly improved!
- Your ability to understand and manipulate the flow of Qi has been greatly enhanced!
- Your internal and external states have been strengthened!
.
.
.
The relentless System notifications echoed in my ears, their cadence like a persistent hammer.
A sudden gust of wind swept through, playing with my sweat-drenched hair as a newfound vigor suffused my body.
A clear, resonant bell chimed, marking the culmination of my transformation.
Ding.
- As a reward for your enlightenment, you have gained a large amount of experience points!
- As a reward for your enlightenment, you have gained 50 bonus points!
- Level up!
- As a result of leveling up, all status effects, fatigue, and some injuries are recovered!
- The status abnormality, [Curse], has been lifted!
- Temporarily reduced stats have been restored to their original state!
I wasn't the only one who felt such changes.
No hand moves unseen by its master. The Arch Lich, sensing the dissolution of his curse, voiced his disbelief in a tone thick with suspicion.
- How did you...?!
His words, laden with myriad unspoken queries, met only my nonchalant shrug.
"Well."
- Well?
"Yes, well."
- Do you think that explains it?
"Obviously not. But do I really need to explain myself to you?"
From the flickering light in his eyes, incredulity was unmistakable.
- You're not a mage, are you?
"I did want to be a mage. They get paid more, you know. But I just don't have the talent for it. Nor the brains."
- Even those you call Grand Mages couldn't easily dispel my magic like this.
"There's nothing to it, really."
- This makes no sense!
I conceded silently.
The Arch Lich's mastery was undeniably beyond mine.
Even I, having long surpassed the ordinary bounds of a Hunter, struggled against his curses and the perilous illusions crafted from bone spears.
Without my recent enlightenment, I might not have stood here at all.
But...
"So what are you going to do about it?"
- ...!
The System was on my side; I had simply utilized the strength and resources it provided to navigate through the crisis.
If he thinks that's unfair, he can use the System himself.
"That's just how the world works. It's annoying and frustrating, but you just have to bear with it and move on. It's already happened. Right?"
The Skeleton Warlord, previously howling in rage until a moment ago, now murmured under his breath.
- Wow, you really do speak well.
That's just how I am.
- You wicked human. It doesn't look like he's going to just let it go and move on.
The Skeleton Warlord was right.
Suddenly, a chilling voice cut through the air, followed by a tempest of formidable magical energy.
- Unleash Sonic Buster.
Simultaneously.
Whoosh, boom!
A blast of densely compressed air erupted.
Its sheer velocity turned concrete to dust and twisted steel rebars like twigs.
The shockwave shattered the windows of a nearby skyscraper, sweeping up a storm of glass shards.
In an instant, before I could even blink, the devastating wind was mere inches from my face.
- Human!
The scream of the Skeleton Warlord resounded from my inventory.
Was it concern for his own fate, or anxiety over mine?
Regardless, the reason held little weight.
I was no longer the same person I had been mere moments ago.
'Ah.'
A warmth blossomed in my chest. The spot known to martial artists as the Middle Dantian had fully opened.
Suddenly, I understood everything around me. I felt it on my skin and saw it with acute clarity.
'So that's how it is.'
Time seemed to stretch, the world slowing to a crawl around me, rendering everything sharply defined and vivid.
A colossal orb of wind, launched like a slicing blade, and the intricate flow of magic that propelled it.
Shhhh!
Everything has a core, magic included. With the opening of my middle dantian, I could discern that core.
'Now.'
In this decelerated reality, I thrust my spear forward. The formidable orb of wind, previously unstoppable, cleaved neatly in two by the blade of White Flames.
The split fragments of the wind, once a unified force, now dispersed into hundreds, then thousands of smaller currents. Stripped of their magical command, they cascaded to the earth in a chaotic ballet.
Swoosh, crash!
The winds whipped around, tousling my clothes and hair. I raised my head to face the Arch Lich, my expression tinged with a slight smile.
"Come down here. My neck hurts."
- You...!
"Fine, I'll come up."
Crack, boom!
A single step.
The ground beneath me shattered, and I propelled myself toward the grey expanse above.
* * *
Boom!
As Jin Tae-Kyung launched into the air, the Arch Lich grasped the gravity of the situation.
'I can't let this human approach.'
Avoiding melee combat was a basic rule for any mage, yet it held a new significance for the Arch Lich now.
'To think this body feels threatened by a mere human.'
He prided himself on having reached the pinnacle of black magic.
Despite the considerable drain on his power during his resurrection, the Arch Lich still wielded more magical might than any Grand Mage.
Yet, the human confronting him now... posed a genuine threat.
'Yes, just like that one back then.'
It was a memory he desperately wanted to forget. Gritting his teeth, the Arch Lich summoned his magic.
- Gravity!
This time, his command wasn't just a shout but a formidable wave of power, unleashing an invisible, formless force that crushed everything within its vast reach.
Even an S-rank Hunter like Jin Tae-Kyung could hardly withstand the overwhelming pressure closing in on him.
Bang!
A burst of compressed air shot from beneath Jin Tae-Kyung's feet as he executed the Void-Trampling Step, his body darting out of the gravity's lethal embrace.
His movements, sharp and swift as a hawk's, far surpassed those of any ordinary flyer.
'What the hell.'
The Arch Lich's eyes darkened as he watched Jin Tae-Kyung slice through the air, rapidly closing the distance.
It was clear now; Jin Tae-Kyung had not only accurately determined the range of the gravity spell but evaded it with uncanny skill.
'It wasn't mere luck that he dispelled the illusion magic. Then...'
Whoooosh!
Magic surged from the Arch Lich, vibrating the very air around him.
- Gravity. Gravity. Gravity.
He cast the high-level spell repeatedly, a feat beyond even the most adept mages. With this, the Arch Lich believed he would overpower Jin Tae-Kyung this time.
'Fall, human.'
Instead of increasing the force, he had expanded the spell's reach, creating a gravitational field vast enough to ensnare any within its grip...
Screech!
Doubt flickered in the Arch Lich's gaze.
Simultaneously, the crushing spell around Jin Tae-Kyung unraveled, its magical link severed as if sliced by an unseen blade.
Caught off-guard, the Arch Lich watched as Jin Tae-Kyung propelled himself forward, stepping into the void and rocketing upwards like a cannonball.
Boom! Sssshhhh!
With a deafening sonic boom, Jin Tae-Kyung soared, not merely in front but rising above the Arch Lich, and he brought down the White Flames with devastating force.
Whoosh, a streak of blue flames surged towards the Arch Lich.
Crash!
In the slowed-down reality, an invisible shield around the Arch Lich shattered like glass.
In that moment, the flames of Protective Qi, fueled by three gapjas of Scorching Yang Qi, penetrated the multitude of defensive spells cloaking the Arch Lich.
- Great Bone Wall!
With a grim command, a barrier of black bones erupted from the void.
This top-tier defensive magic, materializing merely a meter away, met the spear blade wreathed in flames.
In the ashen sky, a massive shockwave boomed and thunder roared around the two foes divided by the Bone Wall.
Whooooah!
The air burst with intensity, dispersing clouds that had roamed the high skies. Buildings teetering on collapse crumbled, and half-decayed bodies were whisked away by the winds.
Yet, the two beings responsible for this chaos faced each other across the barrier, their gazes steady.
"It was a waste, wasn't it?"
- Yes, indeed. No, wait...
The Arch Lich paused, his eyes fixated on the mystical spear blade that had penetrated the center of the wall.
- It was dangerous.
The length of the spear blade that passed through the Bone Wall was only about the length of a finger, and the burst of Protective Qi had not even grazed his nose.
It was fortunate for the Arch Lich and regrettable for Jin Tae-Kyung.
"You're lucky, you."
- Arrogant human, I must admit.
"What?"
Jin Tae-Kyung, taken aback, listened as the Arch Lich spoke more deliberately.
- You would be worthy of this win, if you truly are the Adversary.
"...The Adversary?"
- Yes. The King's Adversary. The eternal rival entangled by the whims of the gods. I cannot be certain yet... but perhaps that's why I was able to rise again from the River of Death.
Jin Tae-Kyung’s brow furrowed. What does the King's Adversary mean, and what was this talk of the whims of the gods?
"Are you a second-year middle school student? Clear away these bones and show me your right hand. Let's see if you have a Black Flame Dragon." [Note: this reference is a bit intricate. The "Black Flame Dragon" part originates from the YuYu Hakusho anime/manga, in which one of the characters has a Black Flame Dragon living in his right arm. The "second year middle school" part references a concept called "chuunibyou", which comes from the light novel "Even with Chuunibyou, I Want to Fall in Love!", which heavily references "YuYu Hakusho". The concept of "chuunibyou" describes a particular stage in adolescence where individuals might hold delusional beliefs of grandeur, pretending to have secret knowledge or hidden powers. It's typically characterized by dramatic, over-the-top behavior, which is often a source of embarrassment later in life. This concept was vastly popularized by the anime, "Love, Chunibyo, and Other Delusions!"]
The Arch Lich shook his head.
- This is something neither you nor I can understand. But one thing is certain.
His eyes, previously dimly glowing red, now blazed with intensity.
Initially, he had merely thought of him as a powerful, albeit strange, human. Now, his perception had shifted.
Memories from decades ago flooded back, when he had roamed the planet in service to the King.
And the face of that human he had encountered on the day he fell into the River of Death.
'The Adversary.'
The human who had not only slain him but had also assassinated the King.
The Arch Lich tried to halt him but failed; he attempted to close the distance but could not bridge it. This human was the only one the Arch Lich had ever truly feared.
Amidst the tumult of battle with Jin Tae-Kyung, memories of that fearful day surfaced.
- You... will surely die here.
His voice, grim yet resolute, reverberated through the air.
Jin Tae-Kyung’s reply was dismissive and direct.
"What are you talking about, idiot?"
Then, in the blink of an eye,
"Eat this."
Whoosh. Boom!
With calm defiance, Jin Tae-Kyung unleashed a fist wreathed in blue flames, obliterating everything before it.
It met the barrier of black bones head-on.
Flame-Extinguishing Divine Fist.
Crack!
The seemingly impenetrable Bone Wall shattered.
Through the cloud of bone shards, Jin Tae-Kyung, his face impassive, declared,
"It's much better this way. No more neck pain."
- ...!
"Down, boy."
Pop!
Like a streak of lightning, his fist shot forward, connecting squarely with the Arch Lich’s jaw.
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submitted by kenUdigitt to u/kenUdigitt [link] [comments]
Chapter 422
Ding. Ding. Ding.
- Opportunity arises within crisis. You have gained new enlightenment amidst a life-and-death battle!
- [Middle Dantian] has been opened!
- With the opening of the [Middle Dantian], all stats have increased by 20!
- The effects of [Qi Cultivation] have greatly improved!
- Your ability to understand and manipulate the flow of Qi has been greatly enhanced!
- Your internal and external states have been strengthened!
.
.
.
The relentless System notifications echoed in my ears, their cadence like a persistent hammer.
A sudden gust of wind swept through, playing with my sweat-drenched hair as a newfound vigor suffused my body.
A clear, resonant bell chimed, marking the culmination of my transformation.
Ding.
- As a reward for your enlightenment, you have gained a large amount of experience points!
- As a reward for your enlightenment, you have gained 50 bonus points!
- Level up!
- As a result of leveling up, all status effects, fatigue, and some injuries are recovered!
- The status abnormality, [Curse], has been lifted!
- Temporarily reduced stats have been restored to their original state!
I wasn't the only one who felt such changes.
No hand moves unseen by its master. The Arch Lich, sensing the dissolution of his curse, voiced his disbelief in a tone thick with suspicion.
- How did you...?!
His words, laden with myriad unspoken queries, met only my nonchalant shrug.
"Well."
- Well?
"Yes, well."
- Do you think that explains it?
"Obviously not. But do I really need to explain myself to you?"
From the flickering light in his eyes, incredulity was unmistakable.
- You're not a mage, are you?
"I did want to be a mage. They get paid more, you know. But I just don't have the talent for it. Nor the brains."
- Even those you call Grand Mages couldn't easily dispel my magic like this.
"There's nothing to it, really."
- This makes no sense!
I conceded silently.
The Arch Lich's mastery was undeniably beyond mine.
Even I, having long surpassed the ordinary bounds of a Hunter, struggled against his curses and the perilous illusions crafted from bone spears.
Without my recent enlightenment, I might not have stood here at all.
But...
"So what are you going to do about it?"
- ...!
The System was on my side; I had simply utilized the strength and resources it provided to navigate through the crisis.
If he thinks that's unfair, he can use the System himself.
"That's just how the world works. It's annoying and frustrating, but you just have to bear with it and move on. It's already happened. Right?"
The Skeleton Warlord, previously howling in rage until a moment ago, now murmured under his breath.
- Wow, you really do speak well.
That's just how I am.
- You wicked human. It doesn't look like he's going to just let it go and move on.
The Skeleton Warlord was right.
Suddenly, a chilling voice cut through the air, followed by a tempest of formidable magical energy.
- Unleash Sonic Buster.
Simultaneously.
Whoosh, boom!
A blast of densely compressed air erupted.
Its sheer velocity turned concrete to dust and twisted steel rebars like twigs.
The shockwave shattered the windows of a nearby skyscraper, sweeping up a storm of glass shards.
In an instant, before I could even blink, the devastating wind was mere inches from my face.
- Human!
The scream of the Skeleton Warlord resounded from my inventory.
Was it concern for his own fate, or anxiety over mine?
Regardless, the reason held little weight.
I was no longer the same person I had been mere moments ago.
'Ah.'
A warmth blossomed in my chest. The spot known to martial artists as the Middle Dantian had fully opened.
Suddenly, I understood everything around me. I felt it on my skin and saw it with acute clarity.
'So that's how it is.'
Time seemed to stretch, the world slowing to a crawl around me, rendering everything sharply defined and vivid.
A colossal orb of wind, launched like a slicing blade, and the intricate flow of magic that propelled it.
Shhhh!
Everything has a core, magic included. With the opening of my middle dantian, I could discern that core.
'Now.'
In this decelerated reality, I thrust my spear forward. The formidable orb of wind, previously unstoppable, cleaved neatly in two by the blade of White Flames.
The split fragments of the wind, once a unified force, now dispersed into hundreds, then thousands of smaller currents. Stripped of their magical command, they cascaded to the earth in a chaotic ballet.
Swoosh, crash!
The winds whipped around, tousling my clothes and hair. I raised my head to face the Arch Lich, my expression tinged with a slight smile.
"Come down here. My neck hurts."
- You...!
"Fine, I'll come up."
Crack, boom!
A single step.
The ground beneath me shattered, and I propelled myself toward the grey expanse above.
* * *
Boom!
As Jin Tae-Kyung launched into the air, the Arch Lich grasped the gravity of the situation.
'I can't let this human approach.'
Avoiding melee combat was a basic rule for any mage, yet it held a new significance for the Arch Lich now.
'To think this body feels threatened by a mere human.'
He prided himself on having reached the pinnacle of black magic.
Despite the considerable drain on his power during his resurrection, the Arch Lich still wielded more magical might than any Grand Mage.
Yet, the human confronting him now... posed a genuine threat.
'Yes, just like that one back then.'
It was a memory he desperately wanted to forget. Gritting his teeth, the Arch Lich summoned his magic.
- Gravity!
This time, his command wasn't just a shout but a formidable wave of power, unleashing an invisible, formless force that crushed everything within its vast reach.
Even an S-rank Hunter like Jin Tae-Kyung could hardly withstand the overwhelming pressure closing in on him.
Bang!
A burst of compressed air shot from beneath Jin Tae-Kyung's feet as he executed the Void-Trampling Step, his body darting out of the gravity's lethal embrace.
His movements, sharp and swift as a hawk's, far surpassed those of any ordinary flyer.
'What the hell.'
The Arch Lich's eyes darkened as he watched Jin Tae-Kyung slice through the air, rapidly closing the distance.
It was clear now; Jin Tae-Kyung had not only accurately determined the range of the gravity spell but evaded it with uncanny skill.
'It wasn't mere luck that he dispelled the illusion magic. Then...'
Whoooosh!
Magic surged from the Arch Lich, vibrating the very air around him.
- Gravity. Gravity. Gravity.
He cast the high-level spell repeatedly, a feat beyond even the most adept mages. With this, the Arch Lich believed he would overpower Jin Tae-Kyung this time.
'Fall, human.'
Instead of increasing the force, he had expanded the spell's reach, creating a gravitational field vast enough to ensnare any within its grip...
Screech!
Doubt flickered in the Arch Lich's gaze.
Simultaneously, the crushing spell around Jin Tae-Kyung unraveled, its magical link severed as if sliced by an unseen blade.
Caught off-guard, the Arch Lich watched as Jin Tae-Kyung propelled himself forward, stepping into the void and rocketing upwards like a cannonball.
Boom! Sssshhhh!
With a deafening sonic boom, Jin Tae-Kyung soared, not merely in front but rising above the Arch Lich, and he brought down the White Flames with devastating force.
Whoosh, a streak of blue flames surged towards the Arch Lich.
Crash!
In the slowed-down reality, an invisible shield around the Arch Lich shattered like glass.
In that moment, the flames of Protective Qi, fueled by three gapjas of Scorching Yang Qi, penetrated the multitude of defensive spells cloaking the Arch Lich.
- Great Bone Wall!
With a grim command, a barrier of black bones erupted from the void.
This top-tier defensive magic, materializing merely a meter away, met the spear blade wreathed in flames.
In the ashen sky, a massive shockwave boomed and thunder roared around the two foes divided by the Bone Wall.
Whooooah!
The air burst with intensity, dispersing clouds that had roamed the high skies. Buildings teetering on collapse crumbled, and half-decayed bodies were whisked away by the winds.
Yet, the two beings responsible for this chaos faced each other across the barrier, their gazes steady.
"It was a waste, wasn't it?"
- Yes, indeed. No, wait...
The Arch Lich paused, his eyes fixated on the mystical spear blade that had penetrated the center of the wall.
- It was dangerous.
The length of the spear blade that passed through the Bone Wall was only about the length of a finger, and the burst of Protective Qi had not even grazed his nose.
It was fortunate for the Arch Lich and regrettable for Jin Tae-Kyung.
"You're lucky, you."
- Arrogant human, I must admit.
"What?"
Jin Tae-Kyung, taken aback, listened as the Arch Lich spoke more deliberately.
- You would be worthy of this win, if you truly are the Adversary.
"...The Adversary?"
- Yes. The King's Adversary. The eternal rival entangled by the whims of the gods. I cannot be certain yet... but perhaps that's why I was able to rise again from the River of Death.
Jin Tae-Kyung’s brow furrowed. What does the King's Adversary mean, and what was this talk of the whims of the gods?
"Are you a second-year middle school student? Clear away these bones and show me your right hand. Let's see if you have a Black Flame Dragon." [Note: this reference is a bit intricate. The "Black Flame Dragon" part originates from the YuYu Hakusho anime/manga, in which one of the characters has a Black Flame Dragon living in his right arm. The "second year middle school" part references a concept called "chuunibyou", which comes from the light novel "Even with Chuunibyou, I Want to Fall in Love!", which heavily references "YuYu Hakusho". The concept of "chuunibyou" describes a particular stage in adolescence where individuals might hold delusional beliefs of grandeur, pretending to have secret knowledge or hidden powers. It's typically characterized by dramatic, over-the-top behavior, which is often a source of embarrassment later in life. This concept was vastly popularized by the anime, "Love, Chunibyo, and Other Delusions!"]
The Arch Lich shook his head.
- This is something neither you nor I can understand. But one thing is certain.
His eyes, previously dimly glowing red, now blazed with intensity.
Initially, he had merely thought of him as a powerful, albeit strange, human. Now, his perception had shifted.
Memories from decades ago flooded back, when he had roamed the planet in service to the King.
And the face of that human he had encountered on the day he fell into the River of Death.
'The Adversary.'
The human who had not only slain him but had also assassinated the King.
The Arch Lich tried to halt him but failed; he attempted to close the distance but could not bridge it. This human was the only one the Arch Lich had ever truly feared.
Amidst the tumult of battle with Jin Tae-Kyung, memories of that fearful day surfaced.
- You... will surely die here.
His voice, grim yet resolute, reverberated through the air.
Jin Tae-Kyung’s reply was dismissive and direct.
"What are you talking about, idiot?"
Then, in the blink of an eye,
"Eat this."
Whoosh. Boom!
With calm defiance, Jin Tae-Kyung unleashed a fist wreathed in blue flames, obliterating everything before it.
It met the barrier of black bones head-on.
Flame-Extinguishing Divine Fist.
Crack!
The seemingly impenetrable Bone Wall shattered.
Through the cloud of bone shards, Jin Tae-Kyung, his face impassive, declared,
"It's much better this way. No more neck pain."
- ...!
"Down, boy."
Pop!
Like a streak of lightning, his fist shot forward, connecting squarely with the Arch Lich’s jaw.
Previous Table of Contents Next
2024.06.01 14:54 ParticularlyAvocado Teen Titans Reviewed: Every Episode
1. Divide and Conquer - 4/5 (Slapper intro. Pretty good for a pilot episode, but it felt like they rushed into character drama a little too quickly. Like, I only JUST now met Robin and Cyborg for the first time, so this big breakup doesn't really hit as hard as I imagine it could had it been a later episode. The animation of this show is very fun and different from typical action cartoons, though. Stuff like the characters turning into chibis and going horrendeously off-model for gags is great stuff.)
2. Sisters - 3/5 (Immediately more character conflict and drama. I'd say this one works a little better, but again, I only really now just met Starfire, so there's not a hugely established friendship between her and the Titans enough yet. On the other hand, perhaps that's for this episode's benefit, as it's about her feeling replacable, which would not be very realistic after having been established as BFFs for several seasons. And I did think her and Robin's chat was really sweet, so whatever. Also, Blackfire is just a color swap of Starfire. Sunny Tennyson much?)
3. Final Exam - 4/5 (So this episode was the first to air, but is not the "real" pilot. Strangely enough, it would almost have worked better as a pilot, since it introduces the characters in their HQ immediately followed by showing how they work as a team. The H.I.V.E. aren't the most interesting villains but Gizmo was pretty amusing. What was with the lighting in the scene where they get out of the water though? Looked strange.)
4. Forces of Nature - 4/5 (Thunder's Sonic eyes is freaking me out. Please separate them... Anyway, decent episode, even if it's mostly just Thunder and Lightning wreaking havoc and getting moral lessons from Beast Boy.)
5. The Sum of His Parts - 5/5 (Fixit. Wow, clever name. Sarcasm aside, pretty great episode. It's interesting to see Cyborg's abilities explored, and the eerieniess of Fixit about to forcibly make him a full robot was highly engaging. Although while that IS the main story, the majority of this episode is spent with the other Titans fighting Mumbo Jumbo for some reason. Not that it's back, since I liked the zany wackiness of it. But it definitely didn't need take up that much time. Also, he briefly became a Canadian from South Park.)
6. Nevermore - 4/5 (Thunder and Lightning, Mumbo Jumbo, and now Doctor Light? So far this show has had really lame villains. Not that it's a huge detriment, because unlike other superhero cartoons, the focus in most episodes seem to be more on the inner workings of the Titans themselves as opposed to whatever villain they're facing, so I guess they just pick goofy ones to jumpstart the actual plots. Which in this episode was pretty amusing. Raven's a lot more mellow than her appearance would let on. I thought she would nearly murder Cyborg and Beast Boy for breaking into her room, but she was just slightly upset. Oh and, uh, what was up with intro being in Japanese?)
7. Switched - 4/5 (Just as I mentioned the villains being "lame" in the last episode, I thought Puppet King was pretty interesting. He's not like, compelling as a character or anything, but I found the puppet schtick fairly amusing to watch. As for the actual story, while "body swap" is not the most original idea for these kinds of shows, I still found it endearing how Raven and Starfire learned about one another. But the fact that they still keep their voices makes me go grrr.)
8. Deep Six - 3/5 (There's that Japanese intro again! Apparently it's used for episodes that are more comedic, while the English is for the "serious" ones. Guess I'll see if that assessment holds up under scrutiny. So this is mostly an underwater episode, which, while not a bad setting by default, feels pretty uninspired when it's nothing but blue backgrounds and rocks. Raven horning for Aqualad sure was a sight to behold, though. Felt a bit out of character.)
9. Masks - 4/5 (Wow, Red X was Robin? No way. It's not like they had the exact same voice or anything. Anyway, as good as this episode might be, it's really just some setup for Slade's schemes, which is really only vaguely hinted at whatever it is. As a result, I don't really have much to say. Starfire's lecture about Robin not trusting them was a bit "wha" though, because, yeah, if they knew Red X was Robin, they would've held back, and it would not be convincing.)
10. Mad Mod - 3/5 (Sheesh, this episode hurts my eyes. It's a funny one, though. And it has the Japanese intro, so I guess that fact about it was true. It's nothing but the Titans chasing some Brit for the entire episode. 20 minutes of pure zaniness. And Mad Mod was a pretty amusing gag villain. I also really liked the song "K2G" that played during that Scooby-Doo parody montage.)
11. Car Trouble - 3/5 (Gizmo drove away with Cyborg's car JUST as he arrived to confront the guys who initially stole it. He would have been right in the vicinity of it, how did he not notice it driving away? LOL. Also why do the two crooks calmly tiptoe around and vaguely say they "lost it" instead of just "some guy drove away with it right behind you like 10 seconds ago!".)
12/13. Apprentice - 5/5 (Slade merely wanting an apprentice is a bit of a confusing motivation. Like, for what purpose? Once he's fully molded Robin, what does he intend to do next? Take over the world? Not that it matters, since the conflict of Robin having to betray his friends to save their lives was thrilling enough. Although part 2 is obviously the better half, because the first is mostly just setup for that. Robin also makes a sick Batman reference, but can't directly mention him because of the Bat-embargo. LOL. Side note, the effect of the probes being the characters becoming...orange with a buncha circles wiggling around them was odd.)
14. How Long is Forever? - 5/5 (Robin just brooding in front of the speakers was funny. LOL. Anyway, the way time travel is handled here is confusing. I suppose it always is, but here it seems to function so that during the period Starfire was travelling 20 years, she simply did not exist during them. But she came back to the past in the end, meaning historically, she always returned. So instead of time travel looping around itself, I guess in this series when you travel, you're just gone. And if you return, the timeline you go back to will be a completely different one. That aside, it was neat to see the future Titans, although sheesh my guy Beast Boy aged horribly. And I find it hard to believe the entire city would become a dystopia like this, considering the Titans aren't the only heroes around.)
15. Every Dog Has His Day - 5/5 (Pretty solid for a zany comedy episode. Beast Boy becoming a dog to get bitches (pun intended) was funny. And the whole schtick of the Titans mistaking an actual green dog for him lent itself to a lot of good comedy. The reveal that that the dog is actually intelligent and can speak sort of "ruins" what made that aspect funny in the first place, but it doesn't affect the episode's quality or anything, so that's just a nitpick. Soto was pretty freaky though. Reminded me of Tiny from Ben 10.)
16. Terra - 4/5 (Yikes, Terra is scrawny. She's like a walking stick. I guess she has earth powers, although it's not really explored how or why. Though, at this point in the show, I've obviously learned that stuff is not something it prioritizes. Anyway, this episode is very good, but it's mostly just introduction to Terra and then a teaser that she is Slade's new apprentice victim. I'm interested for where that goes, but I don't have much else to say about this one specifically.)
17. Only Human - 4/5 (Not to go all Facts & Logic:tm:, but humans also have a limit to which they can use their muscles, so on a technical sense, Cyborg's conflict in this episode doesn't make much sense. Especially since he exceeds 100% by the end anyway, showing it was always possible. Not to diminish the story or anything, because I did find his conflict around it genuinely engaging. And the moment when he rises up to the challenge to actually beat Atlas is obviously very cathartic and rewarding. But also LOL that Atlas picked a beef with Cyborg over losing in a video game.)
18. Fear Itself - 4/5 (Here I spent the entire episode expecting the "obvious" reveal that everything scary that happened was a prank by the Titans to prove to Raven that she can be scared. Guess I was a little overconfident in that since it turns out she was just accidentally doing it herself.)
19. Date with Destiny - 4/5 (Hey, it's Spider-Man. I mean, Fang. That was a pretty freaky character design. Just a guy with a huge spider as his entire head. This episode felt like it ramped up the wacky animation to 11, particularly with nearly every motion Kitten makes. And that bit with Starfire's mouth falling into the punch stuck out, too. That aside, pretty cute episode. Starfire's jealousy is amusing.)
20. Transformation - 3/5 (Does the Titan Tower only have bathroom? That's ridiculous. It's huge! Anyway, not to complain about power inconsistency or whatever, but Starfire being able to instantly fly several hundred thousand kilometers away from Earth pretty much instantly, not to mention be able to breathe in space is a bit excessive. She's not Green Lantern... That aside, this was alright. It's neat to find out more about Tamaranians, but Starfire has already learned the "my friends will like me no matter what" lesson before.)
21. Titan Rising - 4/5 (Why is Raven so pissy at Terra? Like, I know she's moody and has a low temper, but raging at someone just trying their best? A bit out of character. That said, I still enjoyed the rivarly. I like Terra on the team. It's fun that they're expanding the roster.)
22. Winner Take All - 3/5 (Why does the Master of Games need people to lose a battle before he can absorb them and their powers? Why doesn't he just do it to all of them on the spot? I found it funny that Beast Boy lost the first round. When the episode began I was expecting some epic final battle between the three main characters. But nope, he just loses and is gone for the rest of the episode.)
23. Betrayal - 4/5 (That was a bit of a rushed betrayal. Terra is introduced in one episode, instantly leaves within the same one, makes a big comeback 4 episodes later, and betrays them in the very next while it's treated like some devastating loss to the team. Well, there is the game episode in between. But also she isn't even in that save for a silent cameo in one shot in the end, so that barely counts! That said I still liked the emotional beats of the story from Beast Boy's perspective and such, so I'm not hating on how this was done. I just think this could've meant more if she actually was a member of the Titans for the episodes leading up to this betrayal. On a lighter note, I liked Beast Boy's theatrical scenarios of how he should have asked her out.)
24. Fractured - 3/5 (So in-between the previous, serious, dramatic episode, and the upcoming 2-part finale which will obviously be about Terra, they felt they needed an episode about some annoying imp doing zany nonsense. Not that the show is a stranger to that stuff, but this wasn't nearly as charming as Mad Mod.)
25/26. Aftershock - 4/5 (Pretty standard "epic finale" fare, but obviously it's good because I liked this Terra arc, as rushed as it may have been. Her turning on Slade and even being the one who ends up killing him was pretty thrilling stuff. I didn't think they'd actually go that far, considering he's like the main villain of the series. But while that final battle between Beast Boy and Terra was pretty great due to the resonance and such it contains, I feel like the episode took up a lot of time having the Titans fight various miscellaneous characters leading up to it, that just wasn't as interesting. Side note, Raven and Terra just being colored completely brown to simulate being muddy stuck out to me. I don't know why. Mainly because most shows would draw wiggly lines to simulate the muddiness, not just one blank color.)
27. Deception - 4/5 (I know this show is episodic so stuff like this is bound to happen, but it is a bit eyerolling that characters seem to just learn the same lessons over and over. Like in this episode, Cyborg is beating himself up over being a cyborg, but by the end he accepts himself the way he is. A lesson he has learned in 2 episodes prior to this already. Not that I didn't think it was well done. His chat with Starfire was sweet, and the whole thing about him being undercover was entertaining too, so it's not much of an issue.)
28. X - 4/5 (So some guy steals Robin's Red X costume and takes up the mantle... But he also conveniently sounds exactly like Robin? Sure, because THAT makes sense. For the most part this episode is just baiting you into wanting to know who Red X is, but then NEVER answers it. Pretty rude. Nevertheless, it was still interesting. Also Professor Chang's design reminds me of Inspector 13 from Ben 10.)
29. Betrothed - 3/5 (Titans just casually flying to another planet like it's a mere road trip. OK. Is The Batman funding this or what? Also, that scene of Robin outside the spaceship made me LOL. Anyway it's interesting to see Tamaran thoroughly explored upon and such, but it's a bit absurd that every single person on the planet wears basically the exact same outfit.)
30. Crash - 4/5 (Cyborg's cybernetic features are confusing. Firstly, how could a digital virus affect his brain, which is clearly a biological component? Second, how and why are there red blood cells flowing in the "veins" of his mechanical parts? Nitpicking logic in a goofy joke episode aside, this was great stuff. I liked that they had to reluctantly get Gizmo to help, and Cyborg going nuts was just entertaining in its own right. I think the interior of his cybernetic parts were interestingly designed, and Beast Boy as an amoeba is just absurd but fun. Although it's inconsistent that he's able to talk while in that form, since he can't when he's any other animal.)
31. Haunted - 5/5 (This was pretty grim, but very thrilling. Given Slade was established as like the main villain of the show, even though it seemed obvious he was imaginary, I kept asking myself if he was actually real or not to come capacity, since I doubt the series would get rid of its main villain that easily. And well, they DID imply somebody else activated the hallucination chemical from the mask, so, like, yeah, he's clearly coming back. That said, if it was all in Robin's head, how did he get all those bruises and rips in his clothes? By punching the air? And why did Beast Boy have a cold in this episode? I guess they needed some comedic relief so it wouldn't be too grim for Cartoon Network.)
32. Spellbound - 4/5 ("Kardiak, you're under arrest". I get it. Because he is a heart. Pretty amusing. Anyway, yikes, Beast Boy sure was mean for NO reason. But the way they made up in the end with Raven even joining him and Cyborg's game of "stankball" was cute. As for Malchior, well, I thought he was a girl until he spoke.)
33. Revolution - 3/5 (Pretty much a rehash of the first Mad Mod episode. He has the Titans trapped in a maze of illusions and they chase him around and defeat him. Which I get is the whole gimmick since he's just a joke villain, so yeah. This was good, but not AS good. The pop-art backgrounds were pretty cool, and I liked how the British flag was the sky in the background the entire time. Plus, British Beast Boy was funny. The "message" about patriotism, democracy or whatever, felt a but muddled.)
34. Wavelength - 3/5 (I guess Brother Blood is growing to be Cyborg's arch nemesis or something. This was pretty average, so I barely got anything to say. Aqualad asks for help, so they take down Blood's underwater weapon and...Yeah. But I liked Bumblebee, and her fight scene with Cyborg had a lot of funny visuals. The bit where he shuts the door on her was amusing too.)
35. The Beast Within - 5/5 (This was great. You'd think it would be fairly predictable to tell a werewolf story with Beast Boy, but the execution really makes it work. Yeah, it's obvious he's acting strange because of the chemicals from the beginning. But his gradual shift from acting macho, to asshole, to picking a physical fight with Raven for NO reason was interesting because of how bizarrely out of character it is. Especially when his "beast" form took the Raven beef to the next level. But on top of that I especially enjoyed the twist that the Adonis guy from the beginning was a second werewolf, and the actual culprit. Robin seemed awfully quick to immediately lock Beast Boy away or straight up murder him though. For a guy who himself was blackmailed into being evil, you'd think he would be more considerate to other possibilities.)
36. Can I Keep Him? - 3/5 (This was alright. Pretty simple concept for a comedy episode is all. Beast Boy fosters a giant maggot and then it becomes bigger and dangerous. Kind of amusing how Starfire got more attached to it in like a day than Beast Boy did while hiding it for months. As a sode note, I liked the design of Rancids robot dog and dinosaur.)
37. Bunny Raven... or ...How to Make A Titananimal Disappear - 3/5 (Pretty good for a zany episode. The Titans as animals were amusing designs, and Beast Boy becoming a lamp instead was funny. Mumbo's song was catchy.)
38/39. Titans East - 4/5 (I like the concept of Titans East, although the only member I find particularly interesting is Bumblebee. I'm always fond of shrinking abilities for the potential practical uses that often go unacknowledged. She never really does anything with it besides shoot some lasers in the bad guys face, though. Speedy and Aqualad are kind of generic, and Más y Menos are just gag characters, so yeah. Cyborg's conflict here was pretty interesting, but the way he gets decapitated piece by piece was pretty brutal. But him sticking it to Brother Blood was pretty awesome, and I liked the sweet ending where he decides to stick with the Titans.)
40. Episode 257-494 - 3/5 (Steve Irwin gets mauled by a bear. Anyway, this episode is decent, but it's just an endless stream of references to other things, many of which I am not familiar with, so even as a comedy episode, a lot of the jokes don't work very well. That woman from the lame soap opera was still with Cyborg in the real world by the end because THAT makes sense. But it was funny.)
41. The Quest - 4/5 (Yeah, it was pretty obvious the old lady was the great master. Robin going through challenges was pretty entertaining though, but that snake one... He won by merely grabbing the snake? Sure, okay. The rest of the team dressing up as and pretending to be Robin was probably the best part, especially even Raven joining in.)
42. Birthmark - 4/5 (Welcome back, Slade. This was a very thrilling episode. Really just has you asking tons of questions. Like how is Slade back, why is he targeting Raven now, etc. But also, it was interesting how this potrays Robin and Raven as having a very close friendship. I mean I guess all the Titans are good friends, but these two haven't been explored as a duo at all, so it was interesting, if not a bit awkward.)
43. Cyborg the Barbarian - 4/5 (Silly concept, but I like it. Though given how time travel has been established in this show, Cyborg can't really do anything to affect the future, because everything he will do has already happened in the past. I like the design of the demon... Thingies)
44. Employee of the Month - 4/5 (I found it interesting how this acknowledges Beast Boy a physical task, as opposed to Raven or Starfire's breezy levitating. Beast Boy working at a meat shop itself was pretty funny, and the Tofu villain in the end sells the whole thing for me. LOL.)
45. Troq - 3/5 (The racism episode. The fact that we know what word "troq" is supposed to represent makes it very weird how often we see it used. I mean imagine an episode where they used the actual word this much... Yeah. I think this is pretty well done and what not in terms of being sweet and emotional, especially Cyborg's talk with Starfire and Robin instantly changing his mind on Val-Yor once he finds out. But the action plot they wrapped all this around didn't really have me hooked, and it's a pretty big chunk of the episode.)
46. The Prophecy - 3/5 (This is neat and all, but for the most part it really feels like nothing but setup for a grander plot than something to stand on its own. So while I'm sure the context of this will make the season finale more rewarding, this is just okay. I did get a kick out of Raven pulling up Slade as he was trying to leave just to jerk him around a little.)
47. Stranded - 4/5 (This is a fun episode, but it has one of the worst common TV tropes of all time; Character refusing to explain an easily explainable situation this creating conflict because of misunderstanding. I mean, yeah, Starfire DID describe what a "girlfriend" was, but then she just described what could also be platonic. Robin could have easily explained to her that there's a difference between platonic and romantic.)
48. Overdrive - 3/5 (I like the Billy Numerous theme music, but that's about it really.)
49. Mother Mae-Eye - 3/5 (Well, funny at times, I'll give it that. But ehhhh. Yeah, I don't know, there isn't much to be said here. Liked the scene where Robin spiked up his hair.)
50/51/52. The End - 5/5 (Yeah, pretty epic. The Titans using Raven's power was also cool. I was hoping to finally see Slade's face when his mask was knocked off, but I suppose a creepy half decomposed skeleton is also interesting... Don't really understand Trigon's motivation for, well, all of this though. He wants to take over the Earth and get rid of all life on it, just so he can sit in a giant chair and relax? I mean, the real story here is supposed to be about Raven, so I know it doesn't matter, but that's pretty thin for what's supposed to be the most threatening villain of the show to date.)
53/54. Homecoming - 3/5 (I love specific character focused episode where we see something more personal to them, but Beast Boy's background isn't that interesting and most of the team besides Elastigirl weren't very interesting. But I do find Negative Man's powers cool. Brain is a pretty cool villain too, I love his voice, really intimidating vibes. How are any of the Doom Patrol alive after what happened though? Never explained)
55. Trust - 4/5 (An entire Hot Spot episode? Interesting, since I always find it fun when shows divert from the main cast. Overall fun, but that ending was pretty frustrating though. Hot Spot was so obviously Madame Rouge!)
56. For Real - 3/5 (I do like the Titans East, but this was disappointing. I was hoping for more of a genuine episode in their own town, seeing their feats as a team and friends, as opposed to goofing off with Control Freak. Also one of the villains Brain had lined up two episodes ago is in jail here?? Were Más y Menos permanently translated to English for the audience to understand them? I mean I guess I prefer it, since having them two speaking what sounds like gibberish to the rest of the team makes it hard for them to appear as genuine friends, especially since they're mostly attached to each other as opposed to the whole team.)
57. Snowblind - 4/5 (Already loved Red Star and then he's immediately killed before my eyes!! Whyyyy! I was hoping he would gain control of his powers and aid the Titans. How has he still been getting tanks to fill up with radioactive liquid for so many decades though? And that's a pretty small room for two tanks a day over the span of decades.)
58. Kole - 3/5 (This entire season so far the Titans have just been around the world, given last time they were in what appears to be Russia, and now it's somewhere in Scandinavia. It's been an interesting change of pace, sure, but this episode wasn't terribly interesting. They meet some caveman with a little girl, Dr. Light is up to no good, etc.)
59. Hide and Seek - 3/5 (Bobby turning out to be real was a pretty fun "twist". Got dragged out for a while though.)
60. Lightspeed - 4/5 (Another non-Titan focused episode. Kid Flash is randomly horning on Jinx because why not, I guess? This Jinx redemption came out of absolutely nowhere, given how little we've seen of her prior. But Kid Flash is fun, so whatever.)
61. Revved Up - 3/5 (This episode is neat, but given how they are racing for the entirety of it, the constant action was pretty exhausting to sit through. Why did Raven sneezing and Starfire saying the Tamaranean equivalent of "bless you" inform all the villains they are Titans though? Also, infuriating we never got to see what's in the briefcase.)
62. Go! - 5/5 (Love seeing the origins of the team, though it's pretty oddly convenient that these 5 superpowered people (well 4 with powers) just so happened to stumble upon each other, same day, same time, same situation. I imagine shortly after this they occasionally stumbled upon each other trying to fight the same bad guy every so often and decided to start a team. Which would have been more realistic for their first interactions, not all 5 meeting at once. Pretty on the nose Batman reference but they still absolutely refuse to mention Batman.)
63/64. Calling All Titans!/Titans Together - 5/5 (Why is Beast Boy climbing up the mountain as a goat instead of just... Flying? This was quite the epic episode, I enjoyted the intensity of seeing nearly every hero be ambushed separately by different villains. It's a bit strange for the final part to mostly be from Beast Boy's perspective, and with the strange heroes he ends up meeting. I was expecting to see how the rest of the Titans made it to the Brotherhood of Evil base, but it's probably better this way, since it leaves it up to imagination, and it doesn't really matter. Seeing the brain finally defeated when all heroes went into battle was satisfying. Jericho's powers were pretty cool.)
65. Things Change - 4/5 (The amount of quiet and awkward scenes with that sad music was... Well, very strange. The whole Terra thing is a bit weird like, sure, if someone you don't know jumps up to you, acts as if they know you and tells you you've gotten amnesia, you'd think they were insane. But Beast Boy surely has photo proof? Or if not, he could get testimony from the rest of his team?? No??? It doesn't have to jog her memory back, but at the very least she'd realize the truth and know who she was instead of just being so vague and saying cryptic things. Some things she said implied perhaps she did know, because any real person would just yell out the weirdo stalking them, not give emotional speeches about the girl you once knew being gone etc. But all that aside, why did Slade send a robot out just to tell Beast Boy that he had nothing to do with what's happened to Terra? Also, that creatures ability to turn himself into any matter he touches is really cool.)
Movie: Trouble in Tokyo - 3/5 (This has pretty much one of the things I dislike most about movies based on TV shows; Instead of actually focusing on the iconic aspects of the series in question, it goes out of it's way to be as far removed from it as possible by setting it in a whole other country. Bummer, because an ideal Titans movie would really focus on the whole team, and THEIR city. Instead, they're just in Tokyo stopping a corrupt commander (who I knew was gonna be the bad guy from the get-go) who's creating crimes to be a hero. And the thing is with these kind of movies is, perhaps if they actually did focus on the characters relationships, it would be good. But instead they are mostly separated the entire time, just goofing off. And cue the obligatory relationship between Robin and Starfire. I mean, it was obviously going to happen, so it's not as if I mind it, but the drama feels pretty forced. They're heroes, yes, but they lounge around and take time off all the time when criminals aren't around. There really isn't much more to say about this. High-tier average. Although, admittedly, I was finding myself ready to close my eyes and fall asleep nearing the hour mark.)
-The Lost Episode - 3/5 (It's half the length of a normal episode, so it's hard to judge it, given it's not even serious at all. A fun little watch, for sure. Beast Boy walking around with a boombox on his shoulders was funny because of how dated it is.)
-New Teen Titans Shorts (Can't really rate them since they're just shorts, but here's a few throwaway thoughts: I like the artstyle. The lowercase T tower is a funny visual gag. Was Blackfire just killed? So, they finally actually showed Batman on screen (technically)? The hell was up with Cyborg's voice in one of these?)
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2. Sisters - 3/5 (Immediately more character conflict and drama. I'd say this one works a little better, but again, I only really now just met Starfire, so there's not a hugely established friendship between her and the Titans enough yet. On the other hand, perhaps that's for this episode's benefit, as it's about her feeling replacable, which would not be very realistic after having been established as BFFs for several seasons. And I did think her and Robin's chat was really sweet, so whatever. Also, Blackfire is just a color swap of Starfire. Sunny Tennyson much?)
3. Final Exam - 4/5 (So this episode was the first to air, but is not the "real" pilot. Strangely enough, it would almost have worked better as a pilot, since it introduces the characters in their HQ immediately followed by showing how they work as a team. The H.I.V.E. aren't the most interesting villains but Gizmo was pretty amusing. What was with the lighting in the scene where they get out of the water though? Looked strange.)
4. Forces of Nature - 4/5 (Thunder's Sonic eyes is freaking me out. Please separate them... Anyway, decent episode, even if it's mostly just Thunder and Lightning wreaking havoc and getting moral lessons from Beast Boy.)
5. The Sum of His Parts - 5/5 (Fixit. Wow, clever name. Sarcasm aside, pretty great episode. It's interesting to see Cyborg's abilities explored, and the eerieniess of Fixit about to forcibly make him a full robot was highly engaging. Although while that IS the main story, the majority of this episode is spent with the other Titans fighting Mumbo Jumbo for some reason. Not that it's back, since I liked the zany wackiness of it. But it definitely didn't need take up that much time. Also, he briefly became a Canadian from South Park.)
6. Nevermore - 4/5 (Thunder and Lightning, Mumbo Jumbo, and now Doctor Light? So far this show has had really lame villains. Not that it's a huge detriment, because unlike other superhero cartoons, the focus in most episodes seem to be more on the inner workings of the Titans themselves as opposed to whatever villain they're facing, so I guess they just pick goofy ones to jumpstart the actual plots. Which in this episode was pretty amusing. Raven's a lot more mellow than her appearance would let on. I thought she would nearly murder Cyborg and Beast Boy for breaking into her room, but she was just slightly upset. Oh and, uh, what was up with intro being in Japanese?)
7. Switched - 4/5 (Just as I mentioned the villains being "lame" in the last episode, I thought Puppet King was pretty interesting. He's not like, compelling as a character or anything, but I found the puppet schtick fairly amusing to watch. As for the actual story, while "body swap" is not the most original idea for these kinds of shows, I still found it endearing how Raven and Starfire learned about one another. But the fact that they still keep their voices makes me go grrr.)
8. Deep Six - 3/5 (There's that Japanese intro again! Apparently it's used for episodes that are more comedic, while the English is for the "serious" ones. Guess I'll see if that assessment holds up under scrutiny. So this is mostly an underwater episode, which, while not a bad setting by default, feels pretty uninspired when it's nothing but blue backgrounds and rocks. Raven horning for Aqualad sure was a sight to behold, though. Felt a bit out of character.)
9. Masks - 4/5 (Wow, Red X was Robin? No way. It's not like they had the exact same voice or anything. Anyway, as good as this episode might be, it's really just some setup for Slade's schemes, which is really only vaguely hinted at whatever it is. As a result, I don't really have much to say. Starfire's lecture about Robin not trusting them was a bit "wha" though, because, yeah, if they knew Red X was Robin, they would've held back, and it would not be convincing.)
10. Mad Mod - 3/5 (Sheesh, this episode hurts my eyes. It's a funny one, though. And it has the Japanese intro, so I guess that fact about it was true. It's nothing but the Titans chasing some Brit for the entire episode. 20 minutes of pure zaniness. And Mad Mod was a pretty amusing gag villain. I also really liked the song "K2G" that played during that Scooby-Doo parody montage.)
11. Car Trouble - 3/5 (Gizmo drove away with Cyborg's car JUST as he arrived to confront the guys who initially stole it. He would have been right in the vicinity of it, how did he not notice it driving away? LOL. Also why do the two crooks calmly tiptoe around and vaguely say they "lost it" instead of just "some guy drove away with it right behind you like 10 seconds ago!".)
12/13. Apprentice - 5/5 (Slade merely wanting an apprentice is a bit of a confusing motivation. Like, for what purpose? Once he's fully molded Robin, what does he intend to do next? Take over the world? Not that it matters, since the conflict of Robin having to betray his friends to save their lives was thrilling enough. Although part 2 is obviously the better half, because the first is mostly just setup for that. Robin also makes a sick Batman reference, but can't directly mention him because of the Bat-embargo. LOL. Side note, the effect of the probes being the characters becoming...orange with a buncha circles wiggling around them was odd.)
14. How Long is Forever? - 5/5 (Robin just brooding in front of the speakers was funny. LOL. Anyway, the way time travel is handled here is confusing. I suppose it always is, but here it seems to function so that during the period Starfire was travelling 20 years, she simply did not exist during them. But she came back to the past in the end, meaning historically, she always returned. So instead of time travel looping around itself, I guess in this series when you travel, you're just gone. And if you return, the timeline you go back to will be a completely different one. That aside, it was neat to see the future Titans, although sheesh my guy Beast Boy aged horribly. And I find it hard to believe the entire city would become a dystopia like this, considering the Titans aren't the only heroes around.)
15. Every Dog Has His Day - 5/5 (Pretty solid for a zany comedy episode. Beast Boy becoming a dog to get bitches (pun intended) was funny. And the whole schtick of the Titans mistaking an actual green dog for him lent itself to a lot of good comedy. The reveal that that the dog is actually intelligent and can speak sort of "ruins" what made that aspect funny in the first place, but it doesn't affect the episode's quality or anything, so that's just a nitpick. Soto was pretty freaky though. Reminded me of Tiny from Ben 10.)
16. Terra - 4/5 (Yikes, Terra is scrawny. She's like a walking stick. I guess she has earth powers, although it's not really explored how or why. Though, at this point in the show, I've obviously learned that stuff is not something it prioritizes. Anyway, this episode is very good, but it's mostly just introduction to Terra and then a teaser that she is Slade's new apprentice victim. I'm interested for where that goes, but I don't have much else to say about this one specifically.)
17. Only Human - 4/5 (Not to go all Facts & Logic:tm:, but humans also have a limit to which they can use their muscles, so on a technical sense, Cyborg's conflict in this episode doesn't make much sense. Especially since he exceeds 100% by the end anyway, showing it was always possible. Not to diminish the story or anything, because I did find his conflict around it genuinely engaging. And the moment when he rises up to the challenge to actually beat Atlas is obviously very cathartic and rewarding. But also LOL that Atlas picked a beef with Cyborg over losing in a video game.)
18. Fear Itself - 4/5 (Here I spent the entire episode expecting the "obvious" reveal that everything scary that happened was a prank by the Titans to prove to Raven that she can be scared. Guess I was a little overconfident in that since it turns out she was just accidentally doing it herself.)
19. Date with Destiny - 4/5 (Hey, it's Spider-Man. I mean, Fang. That was a pretty freaky character design. Just a guy with a huge spider as his entire head. This episode felt like it ramped up the wacky animation to 11, particularly with nearly every motion Kitten makes. And that bit with Starfire's mouth falling into the punch stuck out, too. That aside, pretty cute episode. Starfire's jealousy is amusing.)
20. Transformation - 3/5 (Does the Titan Tower only have bathroom? That's ridiculous. It's huge! Anyway, not to complain about power inconsistency or whatever, but Starfire being able to instantly fly several hundred thousand kilometers away from Earth pretty much instantly, not to mention be able to breathe in space is a bit excessive. She's not Green Lantern... That aside, this was alright. It's neat to find out more about Tamaranians, but Starfire has already learned the "my friends will like me no matter what" lesson before.)
21. Titan Rising - 4/5 (Why is Raven so pissy at Terra? Like, I know she's moody and has a low temper, but raging at someone just trying their best? A bit out of character. That said, I still enjoyed the rivarly. I like Terra on the team. It's fun that they're expanding the roster.)
22. Winner Take All - 3/5 (Why does the Master of Games need people to lose a battle before he can absorb them and their powers? Why doesn't he just do it to all of them on the spot? I found it funny that Beast Boy lost the first round. When the episode began I was expecting some epic final battle between the three main characters. But nope, he just loses and is gone for the rest of the episode.)
23. Betrayal - 4/5 (That was a bit of a rushed betrayal. Terra is introduced in one episode, instantly leaves within the same one, makes a big comeback 4 episodes later, and betrays them in the very next while it's treated like some devastating loss to the team. Well, there is the game episode in between. But also she isn't even in that save for a silent cameo in one shot in the end, so that barely counts! That said I still liked the emotional beats of the story from Beast Boy's perspective and such, so I'm not hating on how this was done. I just think this could've meant more if she actually was a member of the Titans for the episodes leading up to this betrayal. On a lighter note, I liked Beast Boy's theatrical scenarios of how he should have asked her out.)
24. Fractured - 3/5 (So in-between the previous, serious, dramatic episode, and the upcoming 2-part finale which will obviously be about Terra, they felt they needed an episode about some annoying imp doing zany nonsense. Not that the show is a stranger to that stuff, but this wasn't nearly as charming as Mad Mod.)
25/26. Aftershock - 4/5 (Pretty standard "epic finale" fare, but obviously it's good because I liked this Terra arc, as rushed as it may have been. Her turning on Slade and even being the one who ends up killing him was pretty thrilling stuff. I didn't think they'd actually go that far, considering he's like the main villain of the series. But while that final battle between Beast Boy and Terra was pretty great due to the resonance and such it contains, I feel like the episode took up a lot of time having the Titans fight various miscellaneous characters leading up to it, that just wasn't as interesting. Side note, Raven and Terra just being colored completely brown to simulate being muddy stuck out to me. I don't know why. Mainly because most shows would draw wiggly lines to simulate the muddiness, not just one blank color.)
27. Deception - 4/5 (I know this show is episodic so stuff like this is bound to happen, but it is a bit eyerolling that characters seem to just learn the same lessons over and over. Like in this episode, Cyborg is beating himself up over being a cyborg, but by the end he accepts himself the way he is. A lesson he has learned in 2 episodes prior to this already. Not that I didn't think it was well done. His chat with Starfire was sweet, and the whole thing about him being undercover was entertaining too, so it's not much of an issue.)
28. X - 4/5 (So some guy steals Robin's Red X costume and takes up the mantle... But he also conveniently sounds exactly like Robin? Sure, because THAT makes sense. For the most part this episode is just baiting you into wanting to know who Red X is, but then NEVER answers it. Pretty rude. Nevertheless, it was still interesting. Also Professor Chang's design reminds me of Inspector 13 from Ben 10.)
29. Betrothed - 3/5 (Titans just casually flying to another planet like it's a mere road trip. OK. Is The Batman funding this or what? Also, that scene of Robin outside the spaceship made me LOL. Anyway it's interesting to see Tamaran thoroughly explored upon and such, but it's a bit absurd that every single person on the planet wears basically the exact same outfit.)
30. Crash - 4/5 (Cyborg's cybernetic features are confusing. Firstly, how could a digital virus affect his brain, which is clearly a biological component? Second, how and why are there red blood cells flowing in the "veins" of his mechanical parts? Nitpicking logic in a goofy joke episode aside, this was great stuff. I liked that they had to reluctantly get Gizmo to help, and Cyborg going nuts was just entertaining in its own right. I think the interior of his cybernetic parts were interestingly designed, and Beast Boy as an amoeba is just absurd but fun. Although it's inconsistent that he's able to talk while in that form, since he can't when he's any other animal.)
31. Haunted - 5/5 (This was pretty grim, but very thrilling. Given Slade was established as like the main villain of the show, even though it seemed obvious he was imaginary, I kept asking myself if he was actually real or not to come capacity, since I doubt the series would get rid of its main villain that easily. And well, they DID imply somebody else activated the hallucination chemical from the mask, so, like, yeah, he's clearly coming back. That said, if it was all in Robin's head, how did he get all those bruises and rips in his clothes? By punching the air? And why did Beast Boy have a cold in this episode? I guess they needed some comedic relief so it wouldn't be too grim for Cartoon Network.)
32. Spellbound - 4/5 ("Kardiak, you're under arrest". I get it. Because he is a heart. Pretty amusing. Anyway, yikes, Beast Boy sure was mean for NO reason. But the way they made up in the end with Raven even joining him and Cyborg's game of "stankball" was cute. As for Malchior, well, I thought he was a girl until he spoke.)
33. Revolution - 3/5 (Pretty much a rehash of the first Mad Mod episode. He has the Titans trapped in a maze of illusions and they chase him around and defeat him. Which I get is the whole gimmick since he's just a joke villain, so yeah. This was good, but not AS good. The pop-art backgrounds were pretty cool, and I liked how the British flag was the sky in the background the entire time. Plus, British Beast Boy was funny. The "message" about patriotism, democracy or whatever, felt a but muddled.)
34. Wavelength - 3/5 (I guess Brother Blood is growing to be Cyborg's arch nemesis or something. This was pretty average, so I barely got anything to say. Aqualad asks for help, so they take down Blood's underwater weapon and...Yeah. But I liked Bumblebee, and her fight scene with Cyborg had a lot of funny visuals. The bit where he shuts the door on her was amusing too.)
35. The Beast Within - 5/5 (This was great. You'd think it would be fairly predictable to tell a werewolf story with Beast Boy, but the execution really makes it work. Yeah, it's obvious he's acting strange because of the chemicals from the beginning. But his gradual shift from acting macho, to asshole, to picking a physical fight with Raven for NO reason was interesting because of how bizarrely out of character it is. Especially when his "beast" form took the Raven beef to the next level. But on top of that I especially enjoyed the twist that the Adonis guy from the beginning was a second werewolf, and the actual culprit. Robin seemed awfully quick to immediately lock Beast Boy away or straight up murder him though. For a guy who himself was blackmailed into being evil, you'd think he would be more considerate to other possibilities.)
36. Can I Keep Him? - 3/5 (This was alright. Pretty simple concept for a comedy episode is all. Beast Boy fosters a giant maggot and then it becomes bigger and dangerous. Kind of amusing how Starfire got more attached to it in like a day than Beast Boy did while hiding it for months. As a sode note, I liked the design of Rancids robot dog and dinosaur.)
37. Bunny Raven... or ...How to Make A Titananimal Disappear - 3/5 (Pretty good for a zany episode. The Titans as animals were amusing designs, and Beast Boy becoming a lamp instead was funny. Mumbo's song was catchy.)
38/39. Titans East - 4/5 (I like the concept of Titans East, although the only member I find particularly interesting is Bumblebee. I'm always fond of shrinking abilities for the potential practical uses that often go unacknowledged. She never really does anything with it besides shoot some lasers in the bad guys face, though. Speedy and Aqualad are kind of generic, and Más y Menos are just gag characters, so yeah. Cyborg's conflict here was pretty interesting, but the way he gets decapitated piece by piece was pretty brutal. But him sticking it to Brother Blood was pretty awesome, and I liked the sweet ending where he decides to stick with the Titans.)
40. Episode 257-494 - 3/5 (Steve Irwin gets mauled by a bear. Anyway, this episode is decent, but it's just an endless stream of references to other things, many of which I am not familiar with, so even as a comedy episode, a lot of the jokes don't work very well. That woman from the lame soap opera was still with Cyborg in the real world by the end because THAT makes sense. But it was funny.)
41. The Quest - 4/5 (Yeah, it was pretty obvious the old lady was the great master. Robin going through challenges was pretty entertaining though, but that snake one... He won by merely grabbing the snake? Sure, okay. The rest of the team dressing up as and pretending to be Robin was probably the best part, especially even Raven joining in.)
42. Birthmark - 4/5 (Welcome back, Slade. This was a very thrilling episode. Really just has you asking tons of questions. Like how is Slade back, why is he targeting Raven now, etc. But also, it was interesting how this potrays Robin and Raven as having a very close friendship. I mean I guess all the Titans are good friends, but these two haven't been explored as a duo at all, so it was interesting, if not a bit awkward.)
43. Cyborg the Barbarian - 4/5 (Silly concept, but I like it. Though given how time travel has been established in this show, Cyborg can't really do anything to affect the future, because everything he will do has already happened in the past. I like the design of the demon... Thingies)
44. Employee of the Month - 4/5 (I found it interesting how this acknowledges Beast Boy a physical task, as opposed to Raven or Starfire's breezy levitating. Beast Boy working at a meat shop itself was pretty funny, and the Tofu villain in the end sells the whole thing for me. LOL.)
45. Troq - 3/5 (The racism episode. The fact that we know what word "troq" is supposed to represent makes it very weird how often we see it used. I mean imagine an episode where they used the actual word this much... Yeah. I think this is pretty well done and what not in terms of being sweet and emotional, especially Cyborg's talk with Starfire and Robin instantly changing his mind on Val-Yor once he finds out. But the action plot they wrapped all this around didn't really have me hooked, and it's a pretty big chunk of the episode.)
46. The Prophecy - 3/5 (This is neat and all, but for the most part it really feels like nothing but setup for a grander plot than something to stand on its own. So while I'm sure the context of this will make the season finale more rewarding, this is just okay. I did get a kick out of Raven pulling up Slade as he was trying to leave just to jerk him around a little.)
47. Stranded - 4/5 (This is a fun episode, but it has one of the worst common TV tropes of all time; Character refusing to explain an easily explainable situation this creating conflict because of misunderstanding. I mean, yeah, Starfire DID describe what a "girlfriend" was, but then she just described what could also be platonic. Robin could have easily explained to her that there's a difference between platonic and romantic.)
48. Overdrive - 3/5 (I like the Billy Numerous theme music, but that's about it really.)
49. Mother Mae-Eye - 3/5 (Well, funny at times, I'll give it that. But ehhhh. Yeah, I don't know, there isn't much to be said here. Liked the scene where Robin spiked up his hair.)
50/51/52. The End - 5/5 (Yeah, pretty epic. The Titans using Raven's power was also cool. I was hoping to finally see Slade's face when his mask was knocked off, but I suppose a creepy half decomposed skeleton is also interesting... Don't really understand Trigon's motivation for, well, all of this though. He wants to take over the Earth and get rid of all life on it, just so he can sit in a giant chair and relax? I mean, the real story here is supposed to be about Raven, so I know it doesn't matter, but that's pretty thin for what's supposed to be the most threatening villain of the show to date.)
53/54. Homecoming - 3/5 (I love specific character focused episode where we see something more personal to them, but Beast Boy's background isn't that interesting and most of the team besides Elastigirl weren't very interesting. But I do find Negative Man's powers cool. Brain is a pretty cool villain too, I love his voice, really intimidating vibes. How are any of the Doom Patrol alive after what happened though? Never explained)
55. Trust - 4/5 (An entire Hot Spot episode? Interesting, since I always find it fun when shows divert from the main cast. Overall fun, but that ending was pretty frustrating though. Hot Spot was so obviously Madame Rouge!)
56. For Real - 3/5 (I do like the Titans East, but this was disappointing. I was hoping for more of a genuine episode in their own town, seeing their feats as a team and friends, as opposed to goofing off with Control Freak. Also one of the villains Brain had lined up two episodes ago is in jail here?? Were Más y Menos permanently translated to English for the audience to understand them? I mean I guess I prefer it, since having them two speaking what sounds like gibberish to the rest of the team makes it hard for them to appear as genuine friends, especially since they're mostly attached to each other as opposed to the whole team.)
57. Snowblind - 4/5 (Already loved Red Star and then he's immediately killed before my eyes!! Whyyyy! I was hoping he would gain control of his powers and aid the Titans. How has he still been getting tanks to fill up with radioactive liquid for so many decades though? And that's a pretty small room for two tanks a day over the span of decades.)
58. Kole - 3/5 (This entire season so far the Titans have just been around the world, given last time they were in what appears to be Russia, and now it's somewhere in Scandinavia. It's been an interesting change of pace, sure, but this episode wasn't terribly interesting. They meet some caveman with a little girl, Dr. Light is up to no good, etc.)
59. Hide and Seek - 3/5 (Bobby turning out to be real was a pretty fun "twist". Got dragged out for a while though.)
60. Lightspeed - 4/5 (Another non-Titan focused episode. Kid Flash is randomly horning on Jinx because why not, I guess? This Jinx redemption came out of absolutely nowhere, given how little we've seen of her prior. But Kid Flash is fun, so whatever.)
61. Revved Up - 3/5 (This episode is neat, but given how they are racing for the entirety of it, the constant action was pretty exhausting to sit through. Why did Raven sneezing and Starfire saying the Tamaranean equivalent of "bless you" inform all the villains they are Titans though? Also, infuriating we never got to see what's in the briefcase.)
62. Go! - 5/5 (Love seeing the origins of the team, though it's pretty oddly convenient that these 5 superpowered people (well 4 with powers) just so happened to stumble upon each other, same day, same time, same situation. I imagine shortly after this they occasionally stumbled upon each other trying to fight the same bad guy every so often and decided to start a team. Which would have been more realistic for their first interactions, not all 5 meeting at once. Pretty on the nose Batman reference but they still absolutely refuse to mention Batman.)
63/64. Calling All Titans!/Titans Together - 5/5 (Why is Beast Boy climbing up the mountain as a goat instead of just... Flying? This was quite the epic episode, I enjoyted the intensity of seeing nearly every hero be ambushed separately by different villains. It's a bit strange for the final part to mostly be from Beast Boy's perspective, and with the strange heroes he ends up meeting. I was expecting to see how the rest of the Titans made it to the Brotherhood of Evil base, but it's probably better this way, since it leaves it up to imagination, and it doesn't really matter. Seeing the brain finally defeated when all heroes went into battle was satisfying. Jericho's powers were pretty cool.)
65. Things Change - 4/5 (The amount of quiet and awkward scenes with that sad music was... Well, very strange. The whole Terra thing is a bit weird like, sure, if someone you don't know jumps up to you, acts as if they know you and tells you you've gotten amnesia, you'd think they were insane. But Beast Boy surely has photo proof? Or if not, he could get testimony from the rest of his team?? No??? It doesn't have to jog her memory back, but at the very least she'd realize the truth and know who she was instead of just being so vague and saying cryptic things. Some things she said implied perhaps she did know, because any real person would just yell out the weirdo stalking them, not give emotional speeches about the girl you once knew being gone etc. But all that aside, why did Slade send a robot out just to tell Beast Boy that he had nothing to do with what's happened to Terra? Also, that creatures ability to turn himself into any matter he touches is really cool.)
Movie: Trouble in Tokyo - 3/5 (This has pretty much one of the things I dislike most about movies based on TV shows; Instead of actually focusing on the iconic aspects of the series in question, it goes out of it's way to be as far removed from it as possible by setting it in a whole other country. Bummer, because an ideal Titans movie would really focus on the whole team, and THEIR city. Instead, they're just in Tokyo stopping a corrupt commander (who I knew was gonna be the bad guy from the get-go) who's creating crimes to be a hero. And the thing is with these kind of movies is, perhaps if they actually did focus on the characters relationships, it would be good. But instead they are mostly separated the entire time, just goofing off. And cue the obligatory relationship between Robin and Starfire. I mean, it was obviously going to happen, so it's not as if I mind it, but the drama feels pretty forced. They're heroes, yes, but they lounge around and take time off all the time when criminals aren't around. There really isn't much more to say about this. High-tier average. Although, admittedly, I was finding myself ready to close my eyes and fall asleep nearing the hour mark.)
-The Lost Episode - 3/5 (It's half the length of a normal episode, so it's hard to judge it, given it's not even serious at all. A fun little watch, for sure. Beast Boy walking around with a boombox on his shoulders was funny because of how dated it is.)
-New Teen Titans Shorts (Can't really rate them since they're just shorts, but here's a few throwaway thoughts: I like the artstyle. The lowercase T tower is a funny visual gag. Was Blackfire just killed? So, they finally actually showed Batman on screen (technically)? The hell was up with Cyborg's voice in one of these?)
2024.06.01 13:31 justitia_ My people are so racist based on skin and I am sick of them pretending it does not exist in the country
I am a Turkish girl with darker complexion. No dear Ayse Fatma Mehmet who is gonna come to comment here, I am not kurdish. I just happen to be on the darker side as I have some Turkmen heritage. Everytime when I see a post about Turks and racism, they keep saying like a parrot how they do not discriminate based on color but ethnicity. This could not be far from the truth. I grew up being told I am "kara kuru (means dark and dry/skeleton, an insulting word used for ugly skinny dark people. ur not gonna see these people calling an ugly skinny person w fair complexion as "kuru")" or that I am some "somalian starving kid" because I was skinny and dark. My highschool classmates saw my childhood pics and they were like "u used to be much whiter, like cuter". Honestly, I've never seen Turks being rude to kurdish people with fair complexion. So no its not just the "ethnicity". You'll see Turkish people hating on arab immigrants but I promise you most will treat fair skinned arabs much better compare to darker ones. However, I also got this where people would try to ask what city I am from so they could talk shit about Kurds.
Turks love pretending that they are never skin racist because they treat black people like a human being lmao. Can you not see how cringe that sounds when the bare minimum they could do was that anyway?? I am just so sick of seeing tanned darker skinned turks being called names and not responding to it. Seeing ignorant turks denying this problem and pickme turks with dark complexions who minimise the issue. I am not the only darker skinned turkish girl who was bullied into researching for dangerous skin whitening procedures as a kid.
submitted by justitia_ to Vent [link] [comments]
Turks love pretending that they are never skin racist because they treat black people like a human being lmao. Can you not see how cringe that sounds when the bare minimum they could do was that anyway?? I am just so sick of seeing tanned darker skinned turks being called names and not responding to it. Seeing ignorant turks denying this problem and pickme turks with dark complexions who minimise the issue. I am not the only darker skinned turkish girl who was bullied into researching for dangerous skin whitening procedures as a kid.