Ivandoe's eyes narrowed as he gazed at the imposing wall and gate. He knew he had to think outside the box if he was going to breach the empire's defenses.
He began to scan the surrounding area, searching for any weakness or vulnerability in the wall or gate. As he searched , he noticed a group of shady-looking characters huddled in the shadows, whispering among themselves.
Ivandoe's instincts told him that these individuals might be able to help him. But at what cost?
He approached the group cautiously, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. The group's leader, a burly man with a scar above his eyebrow, looked him up and down before nodding. He then sneered at Ivandoe and said;
"You think you can just waltz in here and expect us to help you? We're not charity workers kid".
Suddenly, the group's members pulled out their own Hyperbooks, the air around them crackling with energy.
"You're the one with the Hyperbook, aren't you? We've been tracking you. That book is worth a fortune on the black market." One of them said.
Ivandoe drew his Sword of the Paradox, ready for battle. The group charged, seeking to claim the Hyperbook for themselves.
The attackers swarmed Ivandoe, but he stood firm. With a swift slash, he took down the first attacker. The second attacker tried to grab Ivandoe from behind, but he used Dilation to slow down time and dodged the grab. Ivandoe countered with a powerful strike, sending the attacker crashing to the ground.
As the battle raged on, Ivandoe activated his Hyperbook, unleashing a burst of energy that sent two attackers flying. The leader, fueled by greed, launched a desperate Hyperbook attack. Ivandoe deflected the blast with his sword and countered with a devastating combination of slashes.
The leader stumbled back, wounded. "You'll never make it out alive," he snarled. Ivandoe disarmed him with a swift kick. "I'm not here for your approval."
With a final strike, Ivandoe defeated the leader. The group's intentions were clear: they sought to exploit his Hyperbook for personal gain.
Ivandoe stood victorious, his chest heaving with exertion.
HYPER STATES UPDATE
°HEALTH:75%
°ENERGY:60%
°AURA/MANA:60%
°HYPERBOOK LVL:3
°HYPER LVL: 1
°ITEMS:
- Sword of the Paradox (Equipped)
° SUB-ABILITY:
- Dilation (Duration: 5 minutes)
Ivandoe knew he had to keep moving, to find a way into the Empire of Chandesia before it was too late.
Ivandoe stood at the base of the Great Wall, gazing up at its towering height. He took a deep breath, focusing his mind on the task ahead.
With a burst of creativity, Ivandoe used his Omni-Craft ability to create a pair of sticky sneakers. The shoes adhered to the wall's
surface, allowing him to climb with ease.
Next, Ivandoe activated his dilation ability, boosting his speed by 2%. He dashed towards the wall, his feet moving swiftly as he ascended.
Winged creatures, likely the guardians of the wall, swooped down to attack Ivandoe. But he was too fast, flashing them out of the way with his sword.
As he neared the top, Ivandoe spotted four guards patrolling the wall's edge. He knew he had to move quickly to avoid detection.
With a surge of adrenaline, Ivandoe boosted his speed by additional 5%. He sprinted up the final stretch of the wall, his sticky sneakers finding holds with ease.
The guards, caught off guard by Ivandoe's sudden appearance stumbled backward in surprise.
Ivandoe stood tall, his chest heaving with exhaustion, as he gazed out over the empire's landscape.
HYPER STATES UPDATE
HEALTH:74%
ENERGY:40%
AURA/MANA:50%
HYPERBOOK LVL:3
HYPER LVL:1
ITEMS: SWORD OF THE PARADOX (EQUIPPED)
STICKER SNEAKERS (EQUIPPED)
SUB-ABILITY: DILATION (DURATION:5 MINUTES)
Ivandoe knew that his next move would be crucial. He had to take down the guards and sneak into the palace without alerting the entire empire.
As Ivandoe stood tall, gazing out at the empire's landscape, he knew he had to act swiftly. The guards, though caught off guard, were quickly regaining their composure. Ivandoe spotted a small doorway on the wall's edge, partially hidden by a tapestry. He deduced that it might lead to servant's corridor or a hidden passageway.
Without hesitation, Ivandoe sprinted towards the doorway, his sticky sneakers making barely a sound on the stone floor. The guards, now fully alert, gave chase. Ivandoe could hear their armor clanking and their shouts for backup.
As he reached the doorway, Ivandoe swiftly opened it and slipped inside.
He found himself in a narrow, dimly lit corridor, the air thick with dust and smell of old linen. Ivandoe's eyes adjusted slowly, and he began to make out the outlines of doors and alcoves along the corridor.
Suddenly, he heard the guards entering the corridor, their torches casting flickering shadows on the walls. Ivandoe knew he had to keep moving. He started to run, his sticky sneakers silent on the floor.
Ivandoe's eyes scanned the corridor, searching for any signs of danger or potential escape routes. He could hear the guards' footsteps echoing off the walls, getting closer with every passing moment.
Suddenly, Ivandoe spotted a small ventilation shaft in the wall, partially hidden by a tattered tapestry. Without hesitation, he sprinted towards the shaft and climbed inside, his sticky sneakers finding holds in the dusty metal.
As he caught his breath, Ivandoe listened intently, trying to pinpoint the guards' location. He heard them searching the corridor, their voices muffled but growing fainter.
Ivandoe realized he had to keep moving. He began to crawl through the ventilation shaft, his senses on high alert for any signs of danger.
The air was thick with dust, and Ivandoe's eyes watered from the grift. He squinted, trying to see through the gloom.
The shaft twisted and turned, leading him deeper into the heart of the palace.
Suddenly, Ivandoe heard the sound of voices, faint but unmistakable. His heart skipped a beat as he recognized Narissa's voice, muffled but determined.
Ivandoe's eyes scanned the grim scene before him. He had tracked Narissa's voice to a dimly lit cell, where he found her and the remaining students being held captive.
His heart sank as he took in the lifeless bodies of Zephyr, Caspian, Cormac, Kaito, and Kaida.
Narissa's voice was shaking as she tried to fend off the unwanted advances of a guard, who sneered at her while clutching his frost Hyperbook. Ivandoe's anger simmered just below the surface as he watched the scene unfold.
The other students, Elara, Aria, Ryker, Thane, Jax, Lila, and Bert, cowered in the corner, their eyes wide with fear. Ivandoe knew he had to act quickly to prevent further harm.
He noticed that the guards had been collecting the Hyperbooks of the murdered students, intending to submit them to their King. Ivandoe's mind racing, he tried to piece together the motives behind the guards' actions.
The Paradox's voice echoed in Ivandoe's mind, providing him with crucial information.
"Ivandoe, the guards are under orders to harvest the Hyperbooks of the students. The King believes that collecting these Hyperbooks, he can amplify his own power".
The Paradox's tone turned somber.
"This is a tragic turn of events, Ivandoe. Innocent lives are being lost, and the true potential of the Hyperbooks is being exploited".
Ivandoe's focus snapped back to the present, and he gained a guard's attention. But before the guard could react, Ivandoe had already crafted a dagger using his Omni-Craft ability.
He stabbed the guard in the neck and with a swift motion, he sent the dagger flying towards the guard who was still taking advantage of Narissa.
The guard, however, proved to be quicker than expected. He managed to grab the dagger mid-air and hurled it back at Ivandoe. But Ivandoe dodged the attack with ease, using the brief moment of distraction to craft another dagger. This time, Ivandoe's aim was true. The dagger pierced through the guard's hand, causing him to cry out in pain.
The leader of the guards barked orders, his voice dripping with urgency. He was a hulking figure, his thick muscles evident beneath his black armor. A cruel smile scar above his left eyebrow seemed to bore into those he looked at.
He turned to a few guards, a sneer twisting his face.
"And you, take care of that insolent brat. Ivandoe isn't it? I've heard of you. You're quite the legend among the students... for your weakness". The leader snorted, his eyes gleaming with contempt. "Let's see how you fare against us".
With a battle cry, the leader and his squad charged towards Ivandoe. But he didn't flinch. Instead, he did the unexpected –he boosted his speed by 5% using his dilation sub-ability and sprinted towards the two guards who were attempting to drag the other students away.
In a flash of steel, Ivandoe wielded the sword of the Paradox and slashed through the guards, freeing the students. The leader and his squad stumbled to a halt, their eyes wide with shock.
The Paradox's voice echoed in Ivandoe's mind, filled with approval.
"Bhwahahaha! Well done, Ivandoe. Your quick thinking and strategic mind are truly impressive".
Suddenly, an alert menu flickered to life in front of Ivandoe:
°PARADOX ALERT
ALERT:ENEMY IDENTIFIED
NAME:GORTHOK THE UNYIELDING
RANK: ELITE GUARD CAPTAIN
°ATTRIBUTES
STRENGTH:92
AGILITY:75
ENDURANCE:90
INTELLIGENCE:60
°SKILLS
MASTER SWORDSMANSHIP
ENHANCED STRENGTH
BATTLE TACTICS
°WEAKNESSES
VULNERABLE TO ATTACKS TARGETING HIS SCAR
LIMITED MAGICAL RESISTANCE
HYPERBOOK: "KHAOS UNBOUND"
LEVEL:55
EXPERIENCE (EXP): 75%
°ABILITIES: "FURY OF THE ABYSS"(PASSIVE): +20% STRENGTH "TACTICAL MASTERY"(ACTIVE):+30 AGILITY FOR 5 SECONDS.
°SQUAD HYPERBOOKS
2x "VALKYRIE'S WRATH" (LEVEL 25)
1x "MAELSTROM'S FURY" (LEVEL 40)
Ivandoe's eyes scanned the menu, his mind racing with strategies to take down Gorthok and his squad.