~ I have added this Fanfic to my Patreon. If you'd like to read advanced chapters, feel free to check it out!
~ I'm planning to increase the number of advanced chapters to +18 this weekend!
~ I've edited some of the previous chapters to remove anything you might consider "cringe" or "unnecessary." I'll continue reviewing them from time to time!
~ Very soon, we'll return to releasing two chapters daily, including bonus privileges for Power Stone contributions!
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"Crap." Issei muttered as he backed off. What to do? He squinted at the monster before he realised that it didn't have one of those machines embedded in its back. Could it not regenerate then?
'Only one way to find out.' he thought as he drew out one of the iron daggers and threw it at the encroaching Boneripper, embedding itself in the Super Rat Ogre's shoulder, making it roar in anger.
"Man-Thing, you'll have to do better than that!" Farsqueaker jeered, before he squeaked in pain as a flint dagger hit his muzzle, making it bleed.
"Looks like I just did!" Issei shouted defiantly as he threw another flint knife at the fat ratman.
"Boneripper! What are you dawdling around for!? Kill him!" Farsqueaker snarled in a rage after the Man-Thing, fortunately missed him this time.
Issei hurriedly redrew his steel short sword as the massive Rat Ogre drew closer. He dodged to the side as Farsqueaker lashed out with a whip, then he had to dodge again when Boneripper lashed out with its clawed paw, gouging a line of rock from the floor when it missed.
Issei counterattacked with several cuts from his swords on the arm that had just missed him before leaping back again to avoid another swipe from the sword-sized claws.
The Sekiryūtei grimaced as he saw that the black blood from the Rat Ogre was hissing as it hit the rock. Was it acidic enough to eat through rock? What about steel? He glanced at his swords and was relieved to see that there was no hissing going on there.
"Boneripper! KILL-KILL!" Farsqueaker roared as he attacked with his whips. Issei dodged one and cut the other down to size.
Boneripper roared, raised its massive blade arm and brought it down, aimed right at Issei. He leapt back, but the displaced air of the swipe sent him flying back.
-20 HP!
Warning! You have less than a hundred HP!
"OW! Dammit!" Issei cursed as he leapt to his feet again, "Heh…looks like you're in a bit of a pickle there."
Indeed, Boneripper's attack with its blade arm was so strong that it had gotten stuck in the rocky floor, much to the befuddlement of the dim-witted monster.
"Boneripper! Pull your arm-OW!" Farsqueaker snarled, and then yelped as another flint dagger landed accurately on his muzzle.
Issei charged in to take advantage of Boneripper's immobilisation. He hacked and slashed across its back and even cut off the beast's tail, which made a screen pop up.
You have cut off one of Boneripper's limbs! You have inflicted the [Bleeding] status on Boneripper!
With a roar of pain, Boneripper finally ripped its blade arm from the arena floor and whirled to face Issei with a growl.
'Crap. Looks like it's time to get serious.' Issei thought and called out, "[Boosted Gear]!"
[Boost!]
You have been affected by the status effect [Boost!]! Your power has been doubled!
The red fingerless gauntlet materialised and glowed red with power. Issei felt this boost more than the first two times he'd used the [Boosted Gear]. It was probably because he had far more impressive stats to double this time around. He mentally added actual jogging and weight lifting to his training schedule.
With a roar, Boneripper slashed at Issei with its blade arm. Issei ducked under it and struck at the part of its arm where the blade was connected to the stump of its shoulder with both swords in a scissor cut motion. His blades bit deep into the flesh, but Issei was forced to halt his attack prematurely in order to dodge the monster's teeth as it tried to bite him in half.
Farsqueaker lashed out with its only remaining whip, but Issei shouted, "[Parry]!" and deflected it, although it wasn't a classic parry. He then lashed out with his other sword and sliced the whip in half, leaving Farsqueaker all but defenceless.
Issei ran around the monster and cut several times with his swords, hoping to enrage the Rat Ogre to the point that it would use its massive blade-arm again. And, as expected, Boneripper roared and raised its blade-arm, bringing it down at Issei, who had already leapt back and driven his swords into the ground to not fly off like the last time.
"Boneripper! Fool-fool!" Farsqueaker raged impotently.
Issei took the chance offered and started hacking at the stuck arm with his swords, finally cutting it off in a geyser of black blood and a roar of pain and fury from Boneripper.
You have cut off one of Boneripper's limbs! You have increased the [Bleeding] Status to [Heavy Bleeding]!
Issei backed off so he could give Boneripper a once over. The monster's tail and left arm were severed, disgorging gouts of blood that was pooling around its clawed feet. The Rat Ogre was breathing heavily and was probably going into shock due to the damage Issei had inflicted and the amount of blood it had lost.
[Boost!]
You have been affected by the status effect [Boost!]! Your power has been doubled!
[Boost!] Limit Reached! Starting Countdown.
3:00...
2:59...
2:58...
"Farsqueaker! It's time to finish this!" Issei yelled once he saw the timer. He charged at Boneripper, who raiser its only remaining hand sluggishly to strike at the pesky enemy that was killing him.
The Sekiryūtei dodged the clumsy and slow attack, spinning around to drive both of his blades into the gut of the Rat Ogre, dragging them through its body before ripping them out, and disembowelling the monster in an explosion of blood.
You have fatally wounded Boneripper! He will die in 5:00!
With a choking growl, its clawed paw futilely trying to keep its guts from spilling out, Boneripper collapsed onto its knees before it slammed face first onto the arena floor with a thump, spilling Farsqueaker from his perch and sending him sprawling to the floor.
"NO! Boneripper!" the fat ratman yelled in disbelief.
Issei didn't waste any more time with Boneripper and charged at Farsqueaker. The ratman came to his senses when he spotted Issei and he lashed out with what remained of his whips, but to no avail as the Sekiryūtei cut through them.
"NO! This cannot happen!" Farsqueaker shrieked in terror as he cast away his whips and drew out a steel dagger with each of his arms before attacking rabidly with them, forcing Issei onto the defensive from the ferocity of the ratman's attack.
"What's wrong? I thought you were better than Byral?" Issei taunted him as the Sekiryūtei dodged another frantic swipe of a blade, "You don't look so good by the way. Not been getting enough exercise?"
It was true. Farsqueaker was panting like a steam engine at full tilt after just a minute or so of combat. Even Issei had been better than that at first.
"SILENCE!" the ratman shrieked, "Die-die-die-die-die-die-die-die-die!"
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