*BANG*
Gerald dodged the tentacle attack of the mutated dog, taking the opportunity to land a solid side kick that barely hurt it.
But the goal wasn't to hurt it.
As the Mutated Tentacled Beast focused all its attention on him, three knives that had a thin purple string connected to their bases attacked from tricky angles, forcing the dog to divert its attention back to the other opponent.
A very costly move.
As the tentacles assaulting Gerald were lifted to block the incoming knives, he surges forward with an explosive urgency that cracked the floor beneath him.
{Activated Common Skill - Shadow Dash}
{Your Physique has increased slightly}
Limitless Evolution.
*SHIIING*
*GURGLE*
*SCREAM*
A tentacle was cut off. In its pain, the monster was unable to defend from the two other knives that cut off its other tentacle and then plunged deep into its skull.
And with that, this 2-meter-tall, 3.5-meter-long aberration of nature was finally killed.
{Your Intelligence has increased significantly}
This beast was even stronger than the other one he fought earlier. Way stronger.
And he wasn't able to defeat it alone.
Gerald looked to Blue who was leaning against the wall a safe distance away with an ashen face.
"You got any rewards?" He asked while regulating his breathing.
"Yeah." Blue's expression visibly relaxed. "Physique increased significantly."
Gerald nodded, and they both scrutinized the corpse.
It's worth mentioning that Blue had agreed to Gerald's teammup proposal very quickly, even though he seemed like the type that would be afraid of death.
The reason was also very simple. He was self aware.
"Only the strong can survive in this world."
Before the Great Apocalypse, this saying wasn't that thought provoking. But the reality now is that strength is the only thing that matters.
And so, they had resolved to clean up the fifth and last floor of the building, before finally setting put for the Government Settlement.
Blue's Ability was a Superior Tier called Puppeteer Strings that allowed him to manipulate purple 'energy strings', that could also serve as a form of Telekinesis since they didn't Obey the laws of gravity.
The speed and load bearing capacity, as well as potential lethatlity of these strings depended on his Intelligence.
His Intelligence was about one star, and yet he was still this useful.
Gerald stared at his own Ability in a bit of indignation.
Though the effective growth of his stats in this time period were still satisfactory.
{NAME: Gerald Lionheart
RACE: Human (Homo Sapiens)
ABILITY: Limitless (Unique)
AGI: 1.8 stars
PHY: 1.6 stars
INT: 1.5 stars
LIFE LEVEL: 1 star
SKILL(S):
- Shadow Dash(Common): Increases linear speed by 30% for 3 seconds.Cool Down is inversely proportional to INT.(Current cool down is 7.3 seconds.
}
He was getting steadily stronger.
"So when do we head out?" Blue asked as the two left the first floor, scratching the stubble that he hadn't shaved for days.
"Maybe after you shave that." Gerald said, slightly annoyed at the sound.
Blue laughed lightheartedly.
"We have to be well prepared anyways, so it'll take a few days."
"Yes Boss!" Blue replied with a stern expression, only to get an exasperated glance from Gerald.
...
"AAAAARRRGGHH!"
Ralph roared in pain as he tried in vain to extinguish the flames burning on his body.
Even his gigantified frame couldn't help much from the pain of literally being turned alive.
He charged at Shae maniacally, but before he could close the distance, she created a compressed ball of fire in record time and sent it his way, creating an explosion that scorched the earth in a radius of three meters.
When the flames thinned a few seconds later, Ralph was on his feet with mangled arms, trying his best to get up to continue the fight.
*BANG*
A hole appeared on Ralph's forehead, as he stared forward with wide eyes.
His body hit the ground with a thud, filled with grievances.
Shae stood over his corpse with eyes that were even colder than the Arctic, even though she was technically more inclined to flames.
*BANG**BANG**BANG*
She lowered the gun with a sneer and turned to leave after confirming his death, the sound of her footsteps echoing in the hallway.
"There is no more Killer Gang from today henceforth. Only my Flame Citadel!"
The gang members from her faction some distance away cheered loudly, followed by the others in fear.
The Ralph loyalists had already been killed.
'This is the beginning of my rise. My rise as the Flame Empress!'
An ambition flowed in her eyes.
One that threatened to destroy all in her way.