The World Cataclysm - Chapter 98: Devourer's Might

At Dave’s command, Richard gritted his teeth as he had no choice except to charge at the Devourer. He hadn’t thought that Dave would drag him into such a battle, yet the thought of his safe future soothed his heart. Devourer was the last obstacle he needed to pass through before he could get his life back to his hands.

Hence, Richard activated his [Rage] skill which accumulated enough energy to power him up. Compared to the blue mana covering Dave’s swords, a layer of red aura enveloped his body. Although visible to the eye, it had no tangible matter in it, representing a form of energy as the mana.

Feeling how strength surged through his body, Richard dashed towards Devourer’s back as he slashed it with his sword. Being confident of his strength which had gotten a boost from his [Rage] skill, he cheered inwardly for getting a clear hit on it.

However, in the next moment, his face darkened as a shock was written on it. Powered with his strength and momentum, his sword wasn’t even able to pierce through its outer skin as it was blocked by its steel-hard muscles.

‘What is with its insane defence?!’ Richard exclaimed in surprise inwardly. He had never met such a zombie with such high defences. He hadn’t even left a scratch on it.

Yet it seemed that the Devourer wasn’t fond of being attacked from behind as it growled loudly and slashed with its claws. Noticing its attack, Richard hurriedly dodged its claws as he backed away from it. With his skill active, Richard barely had enough agility to contend with its speed.

However, Devourer didn’t seem to let Richard go as it dashed at him. He was barely following its attacks since he was just a student a month ago and never held a sword before. Hence, he failed to counterattack the Devourer in its relentless pursuit.

Seeing how Devourer’s aggro was shifted to the Richard, a thought flashed inside his head, ‘Well, I’ve taken him with me purely for this reason.’

With his agility increased, Dave believed that he could probe other skills from his life. Although he hadn’t learned most of them by himself, as some of them were granted to him by the System, those skills were deeply engraved in his mind that he could perform them even with closed eyes. It was just he hadn’t enough agility to perform them before.

Using a Flash Step to instantly appear behind the Devourer, Dave raised his Steel Sword which was enveloped in the blue light. Then, Dave dropped his blade at Devourer, chopping down at him, at the same time as his breathing became more rushed compared to his calm and stable breathing way.

Immediately two sword lights appeared behind its back, slashing the same place, as they were replaced by a deep cut on its back. Although the wound wasn’t serious to heavily injure it, everyone cheered at its sight. It was the first bleed!

At the same time, Dave received consecutive system notifications.

[You have learned Chop (LVL 1)]

[Regression is reacting towards your new skill]

[Your Chop (LVL 1) has turned into Chop (LVL 5)]

[You have learned Double Chop (LVL 1)]

[Regression is reacting towards your new skill]

[Your Double Chop (LVL 1) has turned into Double Chop (LVL 2)]

These two skills were from the series of skills that he had learned by himself. At level 5, Chop increases his attack power by 25%, while the Double Chop allows him to chop twice at the same time. Furthermore, in Double Chop, the second chop used the force behind the first one which doubles the attack power of the second Chop. That was 50% increase in the second one. It was a skill that focused on dealing high damage to one place.

Actually, Chop was one of the skills every melee Enhancer had as it was a Basic Skill. Basic Skills didn’t take up a skill slot nor could they be levelled up by a skill point. Therefore, all of the Enhancers learns it by acquiring a Skill Book as it can be learned immediately. Dave also wasn’t an exception in that aspect. Hence, he could perform a basic move like a chop, yet it wasn’t to a state of being recognized by the System.

However, the System counted it for him since he was able to perform Double Chop which required learning Chop first. Well, it worked fine for him.

Receiving a wound from Dave, Devourer roared madly as it felt pain for the first time. Immediately, its attention was shifted towards him, leaving poor Richard aside. Getting time to catch his breath, Richard heaved a sigh of relief as his arms already hurt as if his arm bone were close to snapping.

Richard inwardly shuddered from Devourer’s attack power even if he had barely followed its movements and blocked them with his weapon. However, when he looked at Dave, he was surprised by the latter’s movements.

Dave dodged Devourer’s attacks so fast that he left afterimages behind him.

When Devourer charged at him, Dave exhaled a mouthful of air as he prepared himself for it. As it reached him, he dodged its first attack, then series of other attempts to wound him. His body swayed from one side to another, while his steps were as light as he was stepping on a cloud.

At the same time as he was dodging it, Dave didn’t forget to counterattack as successive sword lights appeared as he dodged its attacks. First, the attack speed of both of his swords was normal, yet with every swing of his swords, they seemed to be getting faster and faster.

Later, his swords moved so fast that Adam and others weren’t able to follow them with their eyes as only sword lights flashed with every swing. In a short while, small wounds kept appearing on Devourer’s body as their number increased at a visible rate.

As he dodged Devourer, a melodic voice sounded in his head for a second time.

[You have learned Cloud Walk (LVL 1)]

[Regression is reacting towards your new skill]

[Your Cloud Walk (LVL 1) has turned into Cloud Walk (LVL 2)]

[You have learned Swift Sword (LVL 1)]

[Regression is reacting towards your new skill]

[Your Swift Sword (LVL 1) has turned into Swift Sword (LVL 2)]

At levels two, Cloud Walk and Swift Sword increased his movement speed and attack speed by 50% respectively. Cloud Walk was a mere footwork Dave had learned on his own. Compared to Flash Step that was used to dash for short distances, Cloud Walk increased movement speed in general and relied on swiftness.

On the other hand, Swift Sword was granted to him by his Swordsman Class as it relied on the momentum of previous attacks to increase the attack speed of the further ones.

As more small wounds kept appearing on its body, Devourer became enraged as it bellowed loudly. Taking an advantage of it, Dave retreated backwards as he shouted, “Brian, Rebecca, attack it!”

“Finally!” Brian said tiredly as he supported two Small Fireballs, hovering around him. Having been given a command to attack, he sent those fireballs at Devourer as they cut through the air at high speed, accurately hitting two spots on its body; one hit its head and another one hit its chest.

Rebecca also didn’t fall behind Brian as she formed countless Light Blades around her and shoot them at Devourer, leaving countless small cuts on its body yet unable to gravely injure it. As light blades were faster than fireballs, they reached their target first.

However, Rebecca couldn’t contend with Brian in terms of destructive power. As Small Fireballs connected with Devourer’s body, they immediately exploded revealing scorching heat condensed into balls.

Instantly, Devourer shrieked from pain as it started blindly attacking its surrounding. It didn’t matter would it hit its target or not; it just thrashed its surroundings, trying to soothe its pain deal with pests surrounding it.

‘Interesting, can I use that skill?’ Dave thought in a slight excitement. In the next moment, Dave rushed at the blindly attacking Devourer. When he was two meters away from it, Dave suddenly accelerated as he left afterimages behind himself.

As he was about to clash with Devourer, Dave suddenly vanished from his place, reappearing behind the Devourer. However, now, a deep wound in a form of a cross marked the Devourer’s chest.

At the same time, another system notification sounded in his head, yet now, without skill’s immediate level up

[You have learned Cross Slash (LVL 1)]

…

Observing everything from the sidelines, Dean Siphon’s pupils contracted as she gazed at everything in shock. Although Dave was a student in her university, her understanding of him and his background left her confused. It was impossible to keep such calmness without special training. Furthermore, she kept seeing familiar touches in his battle style.

Having been hit by a Cross Slash, Devourer let another pained shriek. However, a zombie was still a zombie, making it hard to kill the Devourer without crushing its brain. In the next moment, Devourer roared madly as something shot from its mouth like a bullet.

It barely brushed past Brian as it flew past him and headed right at Adam who stood behind him. Standing behind Devourer, Dave wasn’t able to react immediately to it as the distance between him and Adam was too great to traverse it with Flash Step.

Thankfully, Dean Siphon reacted immediately as she jumped at Adam and pushed him on the ground, barely evading it. As it brushed past them, Devourer immediately retracted that thing. Surprisingly, it was its tongue that was covered in greenish saliva.

Seeing that Adam was fine, Dave heaved a sigh of relief. ‘Good…it missed.’

However, the next moment, Dave’s face immediately darkened when he witnessed Devourer’s next action. Not only his, but everyone’s else face turned ugly from the scene.