NOVEL FROG Lag 6.14
Lag 6.14
– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –
Hardkour felt his entire body tense, every muscle under his skin seizing and tightening at once. His breath hitched in his lungs as the urge to breathe in took a step back to simply reacting. At the exact time, his eyes widened suddenly before quickly narrowing a half-instant later.
For a moment, he was nearly a statue.
Breath-Holding (25 → 26)
Then he wasn't.
A grin overtook his mouth, the expression growing visibly wider as he took two deliberate steps to the side. One singular thought was on his mind as he turned his entire body with him. Finally.
His eyes passed over Nordwind as he easily avoided her mid-leap, the woman already rocketing past him. The confident sneer on her face fell apart under Hardkour's gaze as he simply side-stepped her attempted pounce, a raised foot from him enough to send her spiraling out of control completely.
The new cape scrambled as she stumbled into a near-faceplant, Nordwind falling forward to meet the ground with both hands in front of her as she caught herself from doing exactly that. The woman landed entirely on all fours, her body in something of a push-up position, but Greg barely paid her any attention as he focused his gaze at the man in black still standing several meters away.
He tilted his head, mindfully aware of the constricting sensation pressing down on and around him. And there's Krieg doing his thing. He dropped his eyes back down to the fuming form of Nordwind as she pushed herself up to her feet, hands in front of her as layers of frost materialized on her knuckles.
Hardening her face back into a glare, the young woman tightened those same ice-covered hands into fists and she swung at Greg again.
And again.
And again.
Wow. Hardkour avoided each blow with sharp, but deliberate motions, each dodge accompanied with a single step back and away from the Empire cape. Wow, he repeated to himself again. She is really not good at this. Even with Krieg hampering his movements and breathing, her blows were easy enough to step away from, and that was without using much speed at all. Every punch she threw was obviously powerful but at the same time clearly inexperienced, even to his own eyes.
Resistance: Cold (8 → 9)
Greg shuddered slightly, his attention drawn away from his opponent's technique as goosebumps prickled across his body, the intensity of the cold rising even further. At the same time, even more lines of frost wove their way up Nordwind's forearms in tighter and denser patterns with audible crackling noises, the blue of her arms hidden almost entirely by fractal-patterned white.
At the same time, ice radiated across the asphalt and spread with every step the cape took towards him, leaving the ground slick with frost and the air bitterly sharp. Great. Greg suppressed the urge to cough as the words almost completely refused to leave his mouth, despite his efforts. Air felt like soup in his lungs, muscles tight as he did his best to keep his movements under control. To make things even worse, the iced-over ground threatened to trip him up at the same time as snares of frost burst from the ground in multiple attempts to crawl up his legs.
Nordwind charged forward again, fist pulled back for what Hardkour could tell to be another combo. The teenage cape simply shook his head as he dodged her first amateur blow. More basic than basic. He stepped in, one arm up as he quickly parried another punch with his forearm. A moment later, both fists blurred into motion.
Parry (17 → 18)
"Nnngghahhh!"
Nordwind stumbled back once more with another sound of pain on her lips, eight blows to the head in a quarter as many seconds doing just enough damage to rattle her super-tough skull. Hardkour simply watched, blue eyes flashing for a half-second before they returned to normal almost immediately. Hm. So that Enhanced Strength and Durability is still there. Huh.
He clicked his tongue with clear annoyance. Yeah, I don't have time to wear her down. It's not my time being wasted here.
As if on cue, Nordwind stepped forward to face him again, the amateur cape simply shaking her head as she got back in her amateur stance, both hands raised in a bad mimicry of a boxer's. Greg took that as his cue.
Hardkour shot forward, heavy fist swinging on a direct path to the woman's right side and... missed?
Huh. His blow went wide as Nordwind dodged with a sharp slant to the opposite side, swinging forward with a blow of her own.
-45
-18
-11
-8
Resistance: Cold (9→ 11)
+ 1 VIT (204 → 205)
The blond grunted slightly as her fist impacted his stomach, a sensation like several knives in his chest following behind a cannonball of raw force. He jerked back, teeth grit tight and stared down at himself with a slight wince as a layer of frost spread across his torso. Hardkour let out another involuntary grunt as the sudden movement only tore further at his skin, shards of ice from Nordwind's momentary touch stabbing deep into and past his still-healing wounds. Okay, dumb move. Dumb move. Don't let her touch you.
Still, he didn't falter.
Hardkour tilted his head as Nordwind's fist swung by again, and suppressed yet another grunt as frost stung at the left side of his face from the narrow miss. She swung again and Greg retaliated with speed she couldn't match the moment she neared him. Bashing her fist away with his forearm, the vigilante lunged forward and into his attacker.
- 2
- 2
- 1
- 1
- 1
Resistance: Cold (11 → 12)
The teenager shrugged off the pain that was Nordwind's ice, ignoring the sensation of jagged barbs of ice as they grew into his arm. It hurt, slightly, but not enough to bother him. Pain was an afterthought at this point, and when it wasn't, it was just a reason to fight harder to put down whatever made him hurt in the first place.
It was for this reason that Greg Veder wore a grin as he struck out with a heavy punch that found its mark in Nordwind's solar plexus. The moment she staggered backwards clutching her chest, he shot forward once again and smashed the hardest part of his elbow into the side of her face.
His grin grew larger across his face as he heard a pained groan from his opponent as she went down once again. "That enough for you yet? I got plenty more. Just let me kn-"
Greg blinked, the words hitching in his throat as he felt his lungs tighten again. The blond raised one eyebrow as he shot a look down down at the groaning villain. He frowned a moment later, both eyes narrowing as he raised his gaze.
I swear to god… Blue eyes promised the silent figure a good deal of pain in return as he focused his eyes on the slowly-advancing Krieg still a good distance away.
The man did well to mask his movements, avoiding any visible motion when Greg's attention strayed anywhere near him. All of it was probably an attempt to avoid a direct attack, but Greg could see him. He knew exactly what Krieg was doing. Even more than that, from the pressure on his lungs and the tightness in his limbs, he could feel it. I know your game, man.
A growl came from a few feet away as Nordwind shot back to her feet and lunged once again at her expectant opponent.
"Y-you really should give up," Greg snarked through tight lungs, ducking aside another set of punches with an easy grace.
"Make me!"
"... 'kay."
Greg moved, clearing meters in a blurred instant. Suddenly, before the wannabe supervillainess could properly raise her guard, she found herself staring into the blank yet hungry eyes of her teenage opponent. "How's..."
Nordwind's eyes couldn't even track him, barely having time to even shift all the way down as the teenager rushed past her flimsy attempt to block. Fist already rushing upwards, Greg didn't bother to hold back. You can take it.
"This?"
+ 1 STR (224 → 225)
Hitting her jaw was like punching raw metal; Nordwind's durability was that impressive. That was the only reason her head stayed attached to the rest of her body when his fist struck home, especially as the force of the blow was enough to lift the hooded cape into the air. Greg's eyes didn't leave her until her flight came to a sudden end as she crashed face-first into the ground and even then, not until she let out a groan of pain as she lay on the asphalt clutching her now-bleeding nose.
The teenage cape lowered his hand, a single breath escaping his lips in a short, terse exhale. He raised an eyebrow, gaze drifting from Nordwind to the still-silent Krieg. They held eye contact as Greg took several quick steps back, the pressure on his chest easing slightly the farther away he got.
Not daring to take the risk, Hardkour made sure to keep his eyes locked firmly onto Krieg as the blond took in a deep breath. He didn't bother to inhibit his Aerokinesis this time, the overactive power actually assisting him as it helped funnel an extra helping of sorely-needed fresh air to his aching lungs.
Aerokinesis (Adept) (20 → 21)
Finally…
"Fuck you!"
Greg's attention turned back to the irritated woman as she burst to her feet again, having brushed off the blow that had sent her off her feet in seconds. Inwardly shaking his head, he dodged a large spike of ice moments before it burst out from under his feet. The ice growth shot forward and past him, a jagged line of meter-tall frost jutting from the ground at speeds that just barely managed to stay on the safe side of school-zone legal.
Nordwind roared again as ice formed across her upper limbs again, layers and layers of frost quickly solidifying before his eyes into translucent gauntlets of ice on her fists and all the way up to her otherwise slender forearms.
He fought the urge to frown, unsure what to expect. Do those… Do they actually make her stronger or tougher? Or is this like an intimidation thing?.
Without giving him another second to think, Nordwind lunged at Hardkour in a blur of motion.
Really? He scoffed to himself as he casually dodged a punch from an ice-covered fist that was noticeably slower than her last.
She swung again and met empty air, raging with a grunt.
Faster than she could even track, Greg had moved to her other side, twisting as he launched several well-placed hits to her open torso. He sprang forward, leaping off his back foot the moment she fully turned to face him, and threw his entire weight behind his strike. His fist slammed into her side in the form of a punishing hook, the lack of give against his knuckles something he had come to expect from her durable body.
Still, she only weighed so much.
And she could still feel.
Nordwind fell back in a hard pratfall, ass on ice with one hand at her side as she hissed the universal symphony of pain through her gritted teeth..
Yeah, smart move, Nordy. Give up more speed just to keep not hitting me. One eyebrow raised as she leapt back up to her feet, Greg made to dodge back and out of her range as he had been doing for a while now, only to nearly freeze completely as a pulse ran down his neck.
Instinct sent him forward instead of backward. Barely even thinking about his move, the teenage vigilante launched himself towards the charging Nordwind. A raised knee struck home into the Empire cape's chest, hard enough to easily shatter bone on a normal person. The sound of cracking accompanied the impact as she fell back and to the ground with a harsh grunt.
Nice trick. Hardkour peeked over his shoulder, nodding slightly as he spotted the sharp-looking stalagmite of ice that had erupted right behind him; the source of the cracking noise and clearly what Nordwind had planned to spear him with if he had jumped back.
"You know w-what?" He began, voice labored and strained. Greg cleared his throat as Nordwind began to pick herself up again, doing his best to speak through lungs that felt waterlogged. "I thought you were kinda retarded but that wasn't a bad move back there. With the feint and the ice thing. Pretty smart, honestly. Smartest move you've made yet."
+ 1 VIT (205 → 206)
Taunt (19 → 20)
For some reason, she seemed to get even more annoyed at that.
The next set of blows she threw seemed to say as much. He had to give it to her though, she knew how to throw a punch if nothing else. Thing was…
"GODFUCKINGDAMNIT!"
Thing was, Nordwind clearly didn't know how to do much else. Aggressive combos, sure, but her knowledge seemed to stop where her fists began. She was strong and fast, sure, but she really just didn't know how to fight. The little bit of skill she had rested on the giant mountain that was her strength and speed, the two of those packaged right along with her super-tough nature as a Brute.
Okay, Greg blinked as he silently dodged another cross before countering with a quick jab of his own. Pot calling the kettle black there.
"You know, I read up a lot about the human body." He dodged her punch, avoiding the urge to catch her wrist and snap the limb despite the opportunity that was her overextended limb right there in front of him and all but begging to be abused. Greg shook the thought away, not really interested in seeing if he could regrow a frozen and shattered arm at the moment.
Instead, he dodged again, ducking low and delivering four quick yet hard punches to Nordwind's unguarded midsection. "You probably don't care," he made a noncommittal noise from the side of his mouth as he danced around Nordwind's continued attempts to actually hit him, "but I remember a lot of it too. I found out a lot about Brutes. Like, for example…"
The temperature dropped further and a pair of rime-like greaves grew over Nordwind's legs to accompany her icy gauntlets. She burst out with an awkward kick, a desperate attempt to hit him even once failing just as her other tries had as Hardkour simply dodged to the side and smashed yet another fist into her unprotected face.
Beginner Combat (20 → 21)
"Like, for example," he repeated again, forcing his labored voice even louder just to be heard over Nordwind's groans. "Brutes, like you and me, tend to just be tougher humans. Usually, you know." He flashed the seething woman a patented "Fuck-You" smile, perfectly crafted to piss off it's intended target.
"I'M GONNA FUCKING END YOU!"
It's really too easy sometimes. He couldn't even tell if that was his own work or [Taunt] kicking in anymore, not like it really mattered. "It means…"
Greg darted past her as she charged towards him without restraint, leaving the woman somewhat confused until she spun around with a curse on her lips. "Little shi-"
A heavy blow to her ear knocked the words from her mouth and sent the woman sprawling across the asphalt. "It means that they usually have the same weak points as normies."
Nordwind rose again from the last hit, another rivulet of blood trailing from the side of her mouth to match the small stream already flowing from her nose. Red running down her face, the woman glared back at the teenager standing still across from her. Ice-blue eyes brimmed with rage as she tightened her fists at her sides and let out another grunt, this one of effort rather than pain.
Rolling his eyes as he dodged past another spike of ice from the ground, Hardkour darted around her. Still growling, Nordwind whipped around and made to throw another uncoordinated punch...
"Do."
...just in time to catch sight of the bottom of a blood-splattered boot.
"Better!"
Hardkour's sole slammed into her face with little mercy, the force of it enough to launch Nordwind into another spin, this one out of her control and off her feet.
This is a joke, he thought with a shake of his head as the woman fell back head over heels. Not a funny ha-ha joke, more like a... homeless guy named Rich.
"And a lot like you, aren't really all that tough." He smirked as he ribbed the woman but it was honestly impressive that with as many hits she had taken to the face, she was still in the fight with only a busted nose and lip to show for it. "At least, if you can figure out what they're weak to." Nordwind really wasn't weak at all, honestly. If anything, she was definitely stronger than him and definitely more durable, from the way her skin resisted his hits. Not anywhere near as fast, but enough to give Battery trouble, at least.
As he spoke, Nordwind tried to rise again, but another boot to the face cut that short. "See, my point. Same weak spots as normies. Fact is, most Brutes aren't even tougher to everything, really." He clicked his tongue as the Brute coughed on all fours, blood from her nose and mouth spilling onto the asphalt and staining her icy battleground.
"Shut the fuck up," Nordwind retorted as her chest rose in hard pants, voice a cold growl as she quickly shot up from the ground with the dogged stamina that was often seen as common in so many Brutes. "You can't even take one fucking hi-!"
Greg stared back at her in smug silence as Nordwind staggered back once again like a drunk, both hands clutching her still-bleeding and now-broken nose as she let out groans that could only be of pain. Hardkour raised his gaze to shoot a glare at Krieg, wondering if the frustration he noticed in the man was just his imagination.
Whatever, he'll talk when it matters. Deciding to put off confronting Krieg for now, he stared back down at Nordwind with eyes that were almost bored. "What was I saying again?" He continued on, acting like he honestly didn't remember. "Oh, yeah! What they're weak to! For instance…" The blond raised a hand as his opponent began to stand again, looking battered but as resilient as he expected.
Unfortunately for her, Greg was already gone, the sheer burst of kinetic energy he expended in a single motion enough to shatter the ice under his feet. Nordwind didn't even have time to register his acceleration as he blurred in her eyes as he darted around to take her back.
It was speed impossible to react to, but it was not necessarily an action impossible to predict, especially with his top speed cut in half by Krieg's power. And Nordwind had seen enough to do exactly that.
The ice-themed cape thrust her hand behind herback before the rest of her body could turn to meet it. Half a heart-beat later, a car-sized spike of ice burst from the battlefield.
"Gotcha!"
Her eyes widened as the teenager's body twisted itself into a tight flip in mid-air, Hardkour's face a bright grin as he bounded off her ice structure with inhuman agility. With a slight grunt, the teenage cape launched himself forward with one hand in front of him, propelled like a missile as his outstretched fist crackled with what could only be electricity.
Nordwind made to dodge again with what little warning she had, ducking aside with a look of shock on her face.
It helped very little.
His knuckles landed hard as they smashed against her temple, the open target she presented to him, with audible force. Once again, it felt like introducing his fists to a wall of solid metal.
This time, though…
This time, something gave.
The hit erupted with a crack that definitely was not just ice as his electrified blow sent Nordwind's skull directly into the ice rink of a battleground.
A moment later, another crack erupted, this time from the ice, as a hard skull slammed into it hard enough to shatter it even further.
Electrokinesis (Minor) (1 → 2)
Beginner Combat (21 → 22)
Nordwind lay there on the cracked ice breathing heavily, eyes out of focus and blood flowing freely as it stained her face, costume and the ground. Greg dropped to the ground, looking down over her with a small smile. He bent down into a crouch, hands resting on his knees as he looked at the half-conscious woman.
"Let's review, students. Brutes are shaped like humans." He raised one finger.
"Humans have weak points." A second.
"Most Brutes have weak points." A third.
"Like the solar plexus, jaw, nose, ears, and temple." A fourth.
"A hard enough hit to those last four can rattle the brain something fierce." And finally, his thumb.
In all honesty, unless he used enough Reinforcement for it to show, he didn't have much of a choice given how durable she was. Add onto the fact that heat just made her even stronger and… well, he was already running low on options.
His smile widened slightly more and flexed all five of his digits again, each one spread out wide as small arcs of electricity sparked and jumped between all of them. "Another little weakness that most things with a nervous system have, Brutes included..."
She couldn't even make an attempt to dodge this time.
Not that it mattered, the force behind the hit was almost nothing.
What it came with, on the other hand…
Electrokinesis (Minor) (2 → 3)
His palm cupped her face and the sound of sparking electricity was audible for a scant second before the noise that was Nordwind's screaming drowned it out.
She flailed on the ground, unable to even grab for him as her muscles seized and spasmed. Regardless, Hardkour refused to let go as she continued to scream.
"I'm honestly sorry about this," He said aloud, more to himself than her, the words not even audible over the sound of her screeching. "Not for this, but like… well, that I gotta finish this so quick."
Electrokinesis (Minor) (3 → 4)
After a few more seconds, he stopped and the insensate Brute flopped back to the ground completely. The only thing stopping her from finally resting on the asphalt was the gloved hand holding her up by her hood.
Hardkour jumped back, still holding onto the unconscious Nordwind, and landed next to the still unmoving Stormtiger just a few meters back, unceremoniously dragging the female cape behind him. The man with shattered wrists lay completely unconscious against the curb, dead to the world behind his mask but Greg's focus wasn't on him.
No.
Once again, his attention was on Krieg.
The man had moved closer yet again in the time Greg's attention had been away from him. He could feel it in his chest too, the tightness that was the Neo-Nazi's power trying to constrict both his movements and breathing from several meters away.
"It's over, Krieg! It's over!" The words left his mouth in one long exhale, the sound quickly devolving into something like laughter. Greg shook his head as he laughed back at the still form of Krieg and the other trembling cape by his side, her hand finally removed from the older man's shoulder.
"Tell me where the kids are..." He paused to gesture down to the two broken and unconscious capes at his feet. "Tell me where there are and I won't finish the job I started."
Krieg simply made a move to close the distance, Impuls following right behind the man, only for them both to pause as Hardkour shouted out again. "Not another fucking step!" He barked the sentence as he shook the unconscious Nordwind by her hood. "You get closer and I use her as an example. Every minute you stall, I break a limb. You lie, and she loses the ability to walk. Make your choice."
"..." Krieg continued to stare at him, the only movement from the man coming from his greatcoat as it fluttered in the slight night-time breeze. "Why do I doubt that?" His voice was raised, yet despite that, sounded just as calm as unbothered as ever. "More than that, declaring intent to murder and you still consider yourself distinct from villains? Do you lack understanding of your own deeds or are your thoughts so far separated from your actions that you still b-"
The sound of a loud CRACK silenced Krieg, and Greg removed his foot from Nordwind's shattered leg without even glancing down. Eyes full of rage stared down the Neo-Nazi as Greg opened his mouth again. "Oh, shut up with your bullshit armchair psychology! I said it before, I don't give a fuck what you think!"
The teenager sniffed, free hand wiping traces of his own blood from below his nose. He spoke the words he meant with more passion than he intended, barely holding himself back from outright shouting. "Dozens of kids for one random Nazi villain wannabe? You think I won't make that trade?" He shook Nordwind again, a slight groan coming from the woman despite being too out of it to even open her eyes.
"I could rip her jaw off," he switched again from truth to lie without a moment's hesitation. "I know how normies feel. She's a Brute, yeah, but you heard her leg. She doesn't get really tough unless she's actively using her power, right? But not when she's passed out, yeah. Not right now."
Krieg visibly stilled, if that was possible, but the woman next to him shuddered like a leaf at Greg's threat. He took that as a sign to continue.
"Wouldn't be too hard either. One quick pull and she's done."
Krieg raised his hand. "We both know th-
Greg didn't let him continue. "You. Don't. Know. Me," the teenager interrupted, intoning each syllable carefully. "First of all, a four-man crew? For me? Fucking insulting.
"Second, you didn't know how fast I was or you would have planned better. Third, you didn't know how tough I was or you would have come with more people. Finally, you didn't know that I don't just control fire, I'm also a living battery," Greg paused and blinked for a second, his emphasis on the last word an unintended joke. "I'll rip her jaw off if I don't get what I want and you can bet on that."
Bullshitting (6 → 8)
Intimidation (18 → 19)
"Not just her jaw, too. Grab the top of her mouth, yank a bit, and I get a Nazi skull to use a paperweight. Lucky me." The lies flew out of his mouth as easily as he breathed, which - given Krieg's hold on his lungs - wasn't exactly all that easy. "After that, well," He slowly and purposely glanced down at the other unconscious cape next to him, before returning his eyes to Krieg. "I can cook up a Stormtiger barbeque."
Krieg's hands tightened at his sides. Got him.
"So, what's it gonna be, Captain Nazi?" Greg spoke up again, not letting his expression shift. "You lose two valuable team members or I get my info?"
"..."
"Her jaw…" he repeated the words as he used his free hand to cup the body part in question, slowly moving it in his hand to get the point across, "or…"
"Drop her," Krieg finally spoke again.
Hardkour's head tilted towards the unconscious woman in his hands. "No problem, I will... when you tell me what I want."
"You don't want this fight, boy."
"You said that almost five minutes ago, Krieg," Greg challenged, "and look at me now."
"Yes, an idiot and a greenhorn. I'm not as easily beaten."
"I bet Stormtiger thought that too but it doesn't matter anyway." Blood-stained fingertips tightened around Nordwind's hood, raising her slightly higher. "I told you, another step forward…"
"Old S-s-saint's R-row!"
The blood-splattered vigilante blinked, his attention suddenly focused on the last person he had expected to speak, given she had yet to say a word before.
Krieg, for all his attempts at control, seemed to be nearly as surprised as the teenager as he glanced at the trembling figure to his left with what Greg could only imagine as pure shock behind his gas mask.
"Th-they're by Old Saint's Row, w-w-with the dead apartments!" Impuls shouted again, her head down as her hands covered her face as if to protect herself from expected reprisal or unwanted attention. "That's all I kn-know! Please d-d-don't kill them, p-please."
"... you're joking." He didn't yell, voice audible to no one but himself. Especially so, as he mouthed the words to himself one more time. One eye twitched as he stared between the frozen Krieg and the trembling Impuls.
"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!" This time, he did yell.
Voice carried by rage and Aerokinesis, the air rippled around him from the force of his yell. "Old Saints Row? Do you think I'm that stupid? Really?"
He stepped forward, teeth grit as his head swiveled between both of the capes that were still conscious. "Is that it? Huh? The other side of town?! You think I'm dumb enough to run to the other side of the city, like I'm enough of a retard to believe you guys are doing this on my own fucking turf!"
The teenager took a step forward, allowing Nordwind to drop to the ground as he released her hood. He took another step, fists tight at his sides. "Where. Are. They."
Impuls didn't say another word, the small woman simply shaking her head as she kept her face covered behind her hands. Greg's gaze turned to Krieg, the man seeming off-balance for the first time since all of this had started.
It's a lie. They're lying to you. It had to be, right? A lie. What else could it be? Right?
He stepped back, fists shuddering as he tried to think straight. This is a mind game Krieg's pulling. He saw Stormy and Nordwind lose and he coached the last one to say this, because why else… Greg shook his head furiously. But why, though? Why would he do that, make her lie when he could just as easily point me somewhere else? No reason to send me back across town to my turf when he could just lie and say it's in Empire territory that's just a trap waiting for me or…
He looked up again, unsure of what to do. This makes no sense… but…
But it was the only lead he had.
And he knew it.
Even if he didn't trust it…
"That's the place, right?" Greg turned his head , blue eyes darting from the silent Krieg to the two wounded and insensate capes at his sides and back to the trembling form of Impuls. "You're sure of it?"
Despite Krieg's hand on her shoulder visibly tightening in what had to be a painful grip, Impuls still managed to give him a confirming nod.
God, I hope I'm not being played. If he was, then…
"FUCK!" He bit the word out with all the anger he could force into a single syllable.
"Fuck! Fucking fucking god fucking fuck!" Hardkour raised a shaky hand, pointing a single finger at Krieg as he held himself back from turning the empty block into a hellstorm from one bad tantrum. "If this is bullshit, I swear to God, I… I'll make… I… I… I'm…"
He glanced down at Nordwind as an idea came to him. Glancing back at Krieg, the teen grabbed the unconscious woman at his feet and tossed her over his shoulder without missing a beat. "I'm taking her with me.," he finally responded back to Krieg.
"I find out this is a game, I break her other leg. I find out any kids are dead, I break her spine. I find out they're all gone? She... she goes too."
"That… that wasn't what the deal you offered," Krieg responded, taking a step forward.
"I know, I'm changing it. You should be glad I'm not changing it any further. Oh, and one last thing," the teenager spat on the ground.
"Fuck you, Krieg."
He leaped without wasting a moment more, ground to roof in the blink of an eye.
The instant he landed on the railing atop the roof, he burst off it like a launching pad, built-up speed and somewhat measured strength forcing his body through the air and launched himself halfway across an entire block.
One arm tightened around Nordwind's legs as he dropped to another roof's surface again, the woman's unconscious upper body flopping against his back. Not wasting more than a second, Greg hurtled up into the air again, a sense of uncertainty rising in his chest as he rushed from rooftop to rooftop, occasionally skipping the buildings in between entirely.
+ 9500 XP
+10500 XP
+ Stormtiger Chain
Quest Success!
"Those Wacky Nazis III: Enhanced Interrogation" Completed!
Objectives
- Discover where the kids are being kept. [✔]
- Do not kill the Empire attackers during this quest. [✔]
Gained 5000 XP
Gained $5000
Gained 2 Stat Points
Bonus Objective:
- K.O. both Stormtiger and Nordwind in under 5 minutes. [✔]
Skill: Cryokinesis (Basic)
Reinforcement (Acolyte) (6 → 10)
Aerokinesis (Adept) + 5 (21→ 26)
+ 5 STR (225 → 230)
Skill Obtained!
Cryokinesis (Basic) Lv 1
Say freeze.
Drop temperatures and project freezing air within a range of (1) meter.
Cost: 20 MP per second of sustained use at max range.
I… Oh my god, I gotta call Seo.
The thought came to him mid-leap as the appearance of the opaque screens in front of him gave him a bit more hope, easing the rage in his chest before Gamer's Mind could do more than take the edge off.
He dropped down on the edge of a rooftop and the blond took a second to adjust the knocked-out Nazi on his shoulder as he dug a hand in his pocket. A moment later, he blinked as his hand went past the point where his pocket should stop… and simply continued deeper. Greg blinked again as he stared down at his own arm poking right through one of the many holes in the trousers of his costume. Fuck. So, that burner's gone.
As far as he could guess, it was probably somewhere scattered to the wind several blocks in a random direction, or in a million pieces thanks to Stormtiger's surprise attack. Greg let out a deep sigh and pulled his personal phone from his Inventory with a simple thought and a flash of blue light.
The moment he flicked his thumb across the phone to unlock it, Greg paused at the first notification to appear on the top of the screen. Seven voicemails? Sparky?
He winced, a slight shake of the head following the action. "I don't have time for this."
Deciding to deal with that later, he quickly opened his texts, entered the number of his second-in-command from memory and began to type.
To Seo
It's Boss. Codename: Blue Eyes, White Dragon.
Move out to Old Saints Row with plenty of people and big cars.
Head towards the screaming and fire.
Pressing Send on the message, Greg began to lower the phone from his face but before he could drop it completely, he paused.
Hesitation clear even behind his mask, he gripped the device in his hands slightly tighter.
I said… I know I said later but…
"Greg, I… fuck, just… I know you're doing your crazy superhero shit but god damn it, you gotta pick up your phone.
Look, brah, I'm fucked. I'm beyond fucked right now, I… fuck… I got grabbed after I left your place. I know, I know, you told my stupid ass not to, but I…
Fuck, the Empire got me. My fucking skateboard is probably in some dumpster or some shit or whatever… not the point, fuck, my head… my head hurts…
I'm in… Fuck, I can't think straight, I don't even know where the fuck I am an-and I'm freaking the fuck out, okay?
There was these guys and-and I… why am I saying this again? You're not picking up the phone and this is like the fourth call… I… I…
L-look, G, I don't know if I'm gonna make it tonight if you don't find me. I don't know where I am. There's like almost two dozen E88 here and so many Winslow kids and I… There's no fucking streetlights and it's just a shit ton of abandoned buildings, brah.
I-I… Just…
I need help, G. Mal… just fucking everything, I'm fucked. I got fucked up real bad and y-AHHH!"
"..."
The phone in his hand vanished in a flicker of blue as Greg's other hand went slack. With nothing to keep her secured, Nordwind silently fell to the empty rooftop in a slump.
For another half-second, there was silence.
[Anger] negated by Gamer's Mind
[Anger] negated by Gamer-
[Anger] negated by G-
[Anger] negated b-
[Anger] negate-
[Anger] nega-
[Anger] ne-
[Anger] n-
[Anger]
[Anger]
[Anger]
[Anger]
"FUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!"
The roof shattered and a streak of red light shot across the Brockton Bay skyline screaming pure rage at the top of his lungs.
– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –
Gregory Lucas Veder
Job: Student
Age: 15 Title: Ninja - Low Class
Level 33 Experience 51300/60000
Health 2710/3350
Mana 1240 Will 1252
STR 230 INT 90
SPD 138 (142) WIS 22 (-70%)
VIT 203 CHA 33 (+9) (-90%)
Stat Points 2 Perk Points 10
Cash: $7,550
TRAITS
Nerd-Geek Hybrid
Your obsession with video gaming, computers, fantasy/sci-fi literature and 80's/90's pop culture has left you in the rare middle of two circles; the obsessive fandom-loving geek and the intelligent, knowledge seeking nerd. Sadly, your hobbies have left you with an aversion to physical exertion.
+50% bonus to INT gains
-50% penalty to STR, SPD & VIT gains.
Asperger's Syndrome
Ever since you were a little kid, you've always been a little bit off. Impulsive, obsessive, socially obtuse and emotionally needy, you're a bit of a weirdo. You now know that you have Asperger's Syndrome. Thanks to the help of a PRT doctor with good advice, you're now more aware of your own mental state.
-70% to total WIS
-90% to total CHA.
Casanova Bloodline
As a Veder man, you have a great smile, natural charm and a confident approach to life that draws the ladies in like a moth to a flame. Your great cheekbones don't hurt either. It's how your dad got your mom to go out with him while dating at least three other girls and sleeping with two others, at least that's what he always told you - even when you didn't ask - all the time.
+ 9 CHA
Dragon King’s Blood
Touch my skin, feel the pattern of my scales. Look into my eyes.
Feel the magic of my being. Know that I am dragonblood.
You’re more than just dragon-touched, now. For all intents and purposes, you are a dragon, in all but form. The blood of dragons and kings now runs through you. Your scales may yet be soft skin and your teeth may lack fangs, but that may yet change.
+ 500 HP
+ 20 STR
+ 20 SPD
Dragon King’s Soul
One does not need the size of a dragon to have the soul of a dragon.
You’ve defeated the Dragon of Kyushu for the second time and proven yourself more worthy of the role of ‘Dragon’ than he. What does that mean, though?
+500 MP
+500 Will
+20 INT
+20 VIT
Greater Human
The true power of human beings is that we can change ourselves on our own.
Pushing yourself past the limits of what could ever be considered human, you have entered into a realm that even the most obtuse would notice as distinctly in-human. (Unlocks perks for STR, SPD, VIT and INT once a stat crosses a benchmark of 200 pts)
PERKS
Baby Steps (1/3)
With Catlike Tread...
Allows very light movement across surfaces, allowing you to move or stand on surfaces that would normally not support your weight.
Battle Concentration
Keeping a calm head during a fight is often all you need.
Your experience gain increases by 90% due to your increased focus during battles.
Bulwark
Facing off against an opponent who far outclassed you has given you an ability to withstand impossible pain in the face of impossible odds.
Takes 50% less damage from opponents over five times your level.
Burdened Spirit
The soul grows through suffering.
All Mana Skills increase in magnitude by 2% for every debuff active on you, up to 50%.
Capegoat (5/5)
Their pain is your burden and boy, is it a burden.
Removes harmful status effect from your chosen target by absorbing the negative status, inflicting yourself with a lesser version.
Catch!
Hey batter, batter.
Your SPD is increased by 25% when it comes to catching thrown projectiles.
Danger Sense (6/10)
My common sense is tingling.
You gain a sixth sense that allows you to sense the presence of incoming danger.
Darkvision
It is pitch black but that doesn't matter to you.
Allows perfect night vision, regardless of the level of light.
Developed Mind (7/10)
I like to think of myself as enlightened.
Every time you gain a level, you gain an additional 5 MP for each rank of this perk.
Dragon Blood's Gift
What is a knight without armor? A dragon without scales? A lion without teeth?
All equipped armor and gear is self-repairing at a rate of 1% a minute, so long as it is constantly being fed mana or will in some manner.
Dragon King's Aura (1/10)
A dragon's breath is both sword and shield.
At a rate of 2 MP per second per rank, draw upon your [Elemental] Skills to generate an Aura of Mana that supersedes lesser [Elemental] effects based upon the Skill used and enhances the use of Skills of those [Elements]. Your equipment and body are immune to the effects of the Aura, but your surroundings are not. While your Aura is active, you may also utilize your Elemental Skills as a [Breath Weapon] with no harm to yourself.
Fast Healing
Just a flesh wound, right?
You heal much faster now, regaining Health at a rate of a fifth of your VIT every fifteen seconds.
Flowing Mana
The true power of the Warrior lies in his Breath.
Recovering from countless struggle has forced your physical energies into a state of rapid circulation. Your base mana recovery rate is multiplied by 10. (1 MP/s)
Growing Will (6/10)
Some people say you're rather willful.
Every time you gain a level, you gain an additional 5 Will for each rank of this perk.
Greater Iron Body
"It's a good thing I'm so buff, or that fall would've killed me. "
What is your body made of, exactly? It can't be anything human. All physical damage is reduced by your level number, applying after all other damage reduction.
+Blunt Force-based Status Effects require a Critical Hit to manifest
+10% of blunt damage inflicted totaling less than 5% of innate health is negated.
Keen Vision
20/20? That's weaksauce.
The clarity of your vision scales with your INT by a ratio of 2:1. (100%)
Lifegiver (10/10)
Health is more than just not getting sick.
Every time you gain a level, you gain an additional 5 HP for each rank of this perk.
Not Quite Dead
People die when they are killed… usually.
Survive after your HP sinks below 0 and a harmful status effect is active.
10% Chance to recover with full health when HP drops to 0.
Savior's Strength
Catch me as I fall!
If you're strong enough to hold an object when you catch it without hurting yourself, you can also catch it without hurting it.
Sleep It Off
Great advice, honestly.
Negative Status Effect durations are lessened by 25% while Asleep.
Super-Fulcrum
"Let me just lift this bus by its rear bumper."
When you lift something that you're strong enough to pick up without hurting yourself, it doesn't matter where you grip it. You can lift and move it as a single unit, no matter how the internal stresses should cause it to break. It might still bend or even flop with movable joints, but as long as you can lift it, it won't break due to how you're holding it. This won't stop somebody else from breaking it.
Surefooted
I don't trip.
Allows perfect traction over any solid ground, eliminating the chance of slipping and falling over your own feet.
Swift Learner (2/10)
You're no idiot.
You gain an increased amount of experience, increasing by 10% for each point in this skill.
Transformation Sequence (1/3)
"It's Morphin' Time!"
By willing yourself to transform, you can equip any full outfit within your inventory, transforming in a flash of blue light, mana glitter and/or a whirlwind of aerokinesis obscuring you.
Warrior's Breath
The true power of the Warrior lies in his Breath.
Recovering from countless struggle has forced your physical energies into a state of rapid circulation. Your base Willpower recovery rate is multiplied by 10. (1 Will/s)
TITLES
Dragonbane Knight
To hurt a dragon, one must hone their blade till it is sharper than teeth and claws. To survive a dragon, one must temper their armor until none but a dragon can pierce it. To catch a dragon, one must run and jump until both are akin to flight. To slay a dragon, one must become a dragon.
+ 10% Physical Resistance
+ 10% Resistance to Fire
+ 20 to VIT
+ 10 to STR
+ 200 to Health
+ 100% Damage against [Dragon]s.
Fear Bringer I
Who puts that scare into people?
Strikes fear into enemies equal or below 25% your level.
Lucky Bastard
Fortune smiles upon you. You have experienced good fortune at a time when you assumed all was lost.
+???
+???
+???
Man Slaughter...er I
It was an accident... right?
Direct physical attacks on an enemy with VIT equaling or below 5% of your ST has 5% chance of causing instant death.
Low-Class Ninja
Hide in shadows and darkness. You're a ninja! A NINJA! Cool...
Increases the effectiveness of Evasion, Acrobatics and Stealth-based skills by 35% and + 5 to SPD STAT.
Punisher I
Revenge is a dish best eaten through a straw.
Increases all forms of damage by 5% to those who do damage to your allies.
Squire
Training to be a knight, I see?
Title grants +15% increased damage with a sword and 15% increased physical resistance when equipped with a sword.
SKILLS
Gamer's Body (Passive) Lv. MAX
Allows you to live life as if were a game.
Sleeping restores HP, MP, Will and removes most negative status effects.
Gamer's Mind (Passive) Lv. MAX
Grants immunity to mental status effects, emotional and mental trauma and severely dangerous emotional states.
Aerokinesis (Adept) Lv 26
"Storm's a brewin'... Metaphorically too."
Exert the force of your air control over the range of a football field and with the raw wind speed of a Category 7 Hurricane.
Cost: 100 MP per second of sustained use at maximum range & power.
Analyze Lvl Max
The more you know...
An immediate upgrade to Observe, this Skill grants you added knowledge on the subject in relation to other realms of knowledge you might already possess.
Cost: 1 MP
Cryokinesis (Basic) Lv 1
Say freeze.
Drop temperatures and project freezing air within a range of (1) meter.
Cost: 20 MP per second of sustained use at max range.
Dash Straight Lv 20
Force equals Mass times Acceleration.
You may suck at physics, but you know that much.
Through reinforcing the body, you smash your fist into a target while moving at high speed. Damage scales based on distance moved. (1.5x Damage Cap)
Cost: 25 Will + 2 Will for every meter
Electrokinesis (Minor) Lv 4
A human taser. Impressive?
You've got the power of lightning at your finger-tips. Sadly, that's pretty much as far as it goes.
Cost: 10 mp per second of sustained use
Mana Barrier Lv 6
Some kind of force-field!
The power to generate and manipulate defensive fields of arcane energy as a projected construct of your Mana. When using this Skill, your barriers can negate and/or deflect all physical damage up to a certain level. Any damage above the negation level shatters the barrier immediately.
Warning: Strength of barriers can decrease proportionally and drastically with complexity.
Cost: 50 Mana
Magnetism (Minor) Lvl 1
Magnets? How do they work?
You possess all the power of an office magnet toy.
Cost: 5 mp per second of sustained use
Mana Bolt Lv 3
Magic Missile for the uninitiated.
A projectile of raw kinetic force that flies with incredible speed toward your chosen target.
Cost: 100 MP
Mana Glitter Lv 9
Sparkle like the pretty bishounen you were always meant to be. Or a princess. Or a pedophilic slightly-rapey vampire. Who's judging you?
Release particles of mana from your body in the form of iridescent sapphire sparkles. Max Range increases by half a meter per level. (5 meters)
Cost: 1 MP per second
Mana Platform Lv 7
I call it walking on air.
Using raw mana, you create semi-solid platforms under your feet that last only as long as you remain still. Platforms double in size every five levels. (0.5 m)
Cost: 1 MP per 2 seconds
Pyrokinesis (Adept) Lv 6
Great Balls of Fire!
You're a walking firestorm, the ability to launch enough flame at once to set an entire building ablaze from hundreds of feet away.
Cost: 250 MP per second of sustained use at max range.
Raging Combo Lv 18
A blistering barrage of belligerent blows built to batter baddies.
By repeatedly using weaker forms of Angry Straight, you pummel your target with raw frustration and anger. (36 Hits)
Cost: 65 Will
Reinforcement (Acolyte) Lv 10
Enhance your physique to new levels, your body and soul working in tandem.
Reinforcement imbues you with the efforts of the physical aspect of your soul given form, pushing your actual body to heights it might never had reached otherwise. Increases your effective strength and speed by 200%. Improved control means that weaker usages of Reinforcement is within your grasp for lower costs. Increases your effective strength, speed and resistances by 5% per level with this technique. (250%)
Cost: 5 Will/s
Subskill: Burst
Cast from hit points. Yeah, it's one of those skills.
A short, yet extremely concentrated and focused burst of Reinforcement applied to the extremities for an insane burst of ability lasting 2 seconds.
x 3 top Reinforced SPD/STR
Cost: 50 Will, 50 HP
Subskill: Layer Reinforcement
To improve on an item is to improve the very soul of it.
Increases the quality of non-living items, increasing their sharpness, durability, and hardness. This form of Reinforcement can be used on non-living substances for a multiplier of ten.
Surface Adhesion Lv 20
You ever wanted to be Spider-Man? Don't lie. Of course you did.
This skill allows you to stick to walls and hang on to ceilings and vertical surfaces without a risk of falling. While not denying gravity, this allows you to adhere to surfaces unaided.
Cost: 2 MP per second
Structural Analysis Lv 13
Judging the concept of creation, Hypothesizing the basic structure...
Grants the ability to gain a rudimentary understanding of the internal structure and functional design of simple, non-living objects.
Cost: 2 mp per square half-meter of object.
Subskill: Physical Analysis
Allows an innate understanding of the human body with the levels of complexity based on the progression of the primary skill, Structural Analysis.
Weapon Charge Lv 23
Conceptually do twice as much damage with a weapon. Broken?
What's that mean?
Boosts weapon damage x 2.
Length of charge increases by 1/2 second for every level. (11.5 sec)
Cost: 8 MP
ABILITIES
Acrobatics Lv 46
Parkour!
An ability that enables you to pull off backflips, frontflips and any manner of jumping-based ground-movement technique with greater ease.
Awareness: Willpower Lv MAX
Willpower, ki, chi, qi, stamina, aura, mantra, physical energy, life energy, od, or even hamon… Call it what you want. It's all the same in the end.
You have gained awareness of your Willpower, the physical energy found within all living organisms. Gaining awareness of your physical energy has given you some semblance of control over it.
Ballroom Dancing Lv 1
I wouldn't call it dancing yet. More like a full-body dry heave set to music.
Represents your skill in the art of dancing in a fancy, romantic manner when with a partner.
Anatomy: Intermediate Lvl 2
The quickest way to a man's heart? Directly through his ribcage.
Gain a more experienced understanding of the human body and how interconnected systems function.
[Status Effects] become easier to inflict in melee combat by 2% every level. (4%)
Basic: Increases [Critical Hit] damage by 10% per level. (100%)
Beginner Combat Lvl 22
I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.
The next level of combat, Beginner Combat is a fusion of fighting and footwork into the ability to learn new styles of combat, fusing them into a novice martial combat capability.
Increased bare-handed damage by 2% per level. (40%)
Blunt Weaponry Lv 5
Carry a big stick. Speaking softly is optional.
Measures your skill with using a blunt weapon.
Increases damage with a blunt weapon by 2% per level. (10%)
Breath-Holding Lv 26
Asphyxiation is a terrible way to die.
Increases time able to stay conscious without air by 30 seconds per level. (12.5 min)
Bullshitting Lv 8
First, you tell a lie; then you believe it; then you become it.
Increases chances that any lie you tell is successful by 2% with every level. (12%)
Cooking Lv 10
Some people are just born to cook and talk.
People have been cooking since the discovery of fire. Who knows what you could create if you put your mind to it?
Disarm Lv 18
Take their weapon from their warm, living hands.
Increases chance of disarming the enemy by 2% with every level. (36%)
Driving Lv 4 (XP: 25%)
NASCAR, here we come.
Measures your skill at operating a four-wheeled motorized vehicle.
Gunplay: Handguns Lv 8
Possibly more than the automobile, the handgun is synonymous with America.
Improves aim/accuracy/stability with a handgun by 5% per level. (40%)
Improves damage with a handgun by 2% per level. (16%)
Gunplay: Rifles Lv 4
Slightly better than a stormtrooper.
Improves aim/accuracy/stability with a rifle by 5% per level. (20%)
Improves damage with a rife by 2% per level. (8%)
Intimidation Lv 19
If you want to control someone, all you have to do is to make them feel afraid
Strike fear into the hearts of man and throw them off their guard, allowing you to score critical hits much easier. Increases chance of [Critical Hits] on enemies by 1% every level. (18%)
Kissing Lv 8
Looks like practicing on a peach actually paid off.
Represents your skill in the art of smooching.
Language: Japanese Lv 15
Gratuitous Japanese indeed.
Reflects your speaking skill, and understanding of, the Japanese language.
Language: Spanish Lv 16
Me llamo Gregory.
Reflects your speaking skill, and understanding of, the Spanish language.
Manipulation: Mana (Limited) Lv 10
Mana, magic energy, magicka, prana, ether, thaum, spiritual energy, magatsuhi or even chakra… Call it what you want. It all rests in the palm of your hand to command.
Your awareness of mana has advanced to an understanding of how to force the energy resting within your mind and soul to your eager and unprepared will. Adds a 1% bonus to effect of all mana-based skills. (10%)
Meditation Lvl 30
Breathe in the good shit. Breathe out the bullshit.
By finding your inner focus, you push out all earthly distractions and enter a state of mental and physical harmony, allowing a greater understanding of your mind and body. While meditating, your Mana and Will recover at a rate of 10% faster per level into this ability. You retain this bonus for a period of ten minutes post-Meditation. (300%)
Parry Lv 18
To deflect an attack is a double-edged sword;
Risking more damage for the chance to inflict the same.
Increases the effectiveness of any attempt to divert or deflect a physical attack by 2% with every level. (34%)
Reflexes II Lvl 1
That's two bullets. Child's play. When you can avoid six bullets, then you will have accomplished something.
Decreases innate reaction time by .1% per level. (95%)
Resistance: Biological Manipulation Lvl 5
Some people like to work with clay, or glass, or wood. Others prefer the mutability of flesh.
Measures your ability to resist any attempt to directly control your physical form, referring to skin, nerves, organs or otherwise. Increases by 2% per level. (10%)
Resistance: Blunt Force Lv. 71
Going from punching yourself in the face to actual self-mutilation?
Bold move, Veder. Let's see if it pays off.
Reduce all blunt force damage by 0.75% with every level from attacks less than 100% of your health. (53%)
Resistance: Cold Lv 12
The cold never stopped bothering you.
Increases resistance to cold temperature by 1% with every level from attacks less than 100% of your health. (12%)
Resistance: Electricity Lv 8
Everyone knows electrocution is harmless.
Increases resistance to electrical damage by 1% with every level from attacks less than 100% of your health. (8%)
Resistance: Heat II Lv 4
"You have to respect anything that can just stand there, on fire."
Reduces heat damage by 1% with every level from attacks up to 200% of health. (4%)
+ Increases resistance to heat damage by 1% with every level from attacks less than 100% of your health. (75%)
Salamander's Skin
I burn... well, not really?
Complete immunity to heat damage with a magnitude up to half of 1% of Innate VIT.
Resistance: Piercing Lv 41
The thrust or stab is risky because it can kill and yet not stop
Reduces piercing or stabbing damage by 0.75% with every level from attacks less than 100% of your health. (31%)
Resistance: Poison Lv 4
I wonder what counts as a poison...
Reduces damage and effects caused by poison by 1% every level that will cause damage less than 100% of your health, in any way, shape or form. (4%)
Resistance: Slashing Lv 20
The cut will stop but not kill.
Reduces slashing or cutting damage by 0.75% with every level from attacks less than 100% of your health. (15%)
Seduction Lv 1
I didn't mean to turn you on… or did I?
Manage to draw the attention of a member of the opposite sex using your innate attraction skills. Increases chance of [Critical Hits] on enemies by .5% every level. (.5%)
Singing Lv 2
Stick to doing musicals in the shower for now.
Represents your ability to hit the correct notes, harmonize and anything to do with the art of vocals.
Sneaking Lv 25
Ugh… stealth missions suck.
Allows for 2% quieter movement per level while trying not to be heard. (50%)
Stamina Lvl 25
Whatever I lack in talent I have in stamina.
Increase Will by + 5 with every level. (125 Will)
Swordplay: Single Blade Lv 40
All swords are the same.
Represents your martial skill with the art of a single blade.
Increases damage with a blade by 2% per level. (80%)
Taunt Lv 20
"And this! Is when I taunt you!"
Draw the attention of a target through nonsensical, idiotic, but occasionally piercing, verbal attacks. Increases chance of Critical Hits on enemies by 2% with every level. (38%)
Thrown Weapons Lv 4
Throwing your sword always works. Except, you know, when it doesn't.
Increases the skill, range and force by which items and weapons can be thrown by 2% with every level. (8%)