Dystopian Tales Online

It is at least easy to tell by just a glance that nowhere a two noobs can defeat a hidden boss with a level thrice their number. But one can never tell that a little calculation of stats can change the flow of the game. One hit could change the whole level system upside down, making those on the low range be on the top.

Leon wielded out his wooden staff holding the edge of it with his two hands. By his race, an Elf, his affinity in magic is high compared to the other races. Being created from pure mana, his body can regenerate MP by just collecting the spirit energy even in the middle of combat.

[Spirit Energy] is the so-called particles of mana that can be found in the air, earth, water. Mana is usually stored in a six-helix crystal in myriad of colors representing the amount of mana present to the certain crystal. In low level caves and dungeons, red to yellow crystals can be dug out and some are found sticking on the walls. These crystals feed the surrounding air and earth the minutest mana called the Spirit Energy.

But in this dungeon, Leon noticed that the number of mana crystals are only few while some are in the color of coal and white. These crystals represent that they are overused and out of energy. Even though the [ELVEN RACE] can collect the MP twice the number a normal race can do, this scarcity of Spirit Energy is still a problem. That is why rather than healing, he is using his MP for spells.

Learning this fact, Leon calculated MP that he can earn for a minute. Forgetting about the seven minutes left for the game, he widened his perspective of lasting for ten minutes and more so. That time is according to his previous game play but the situation changed now. Protecting only one party member, he can increase the number of spells that he can use.

Opening his player's interface, a translucent plate appeared in front him almost blocking his frontal view. He quickly scrolled for a certain command and searched for the Spell Book and opened it. A smaller plate appeared out to the right side of the [SPELL BOOK] option showing him names of spells with their specific mana input.

Of course, as a low level Elven, only a few spells can be used. Some are even in dim black slate due to the insufficient mana left in his system. The remaining spells are the common stun and run attacks that only costs a point of MP but also has a minimal effect on the enemy. Elven and mages don't actually high power to create a close combat tackle that is why they are preferred to do long range attacks.

There are also specialize spells that the Elven can use. Only two are left under his radar and both only consumes five points of MP. The cool-down of both spells are still in a minute time. Because Leon didn't know the [SKILL POINT SYSTEM] - a system of the game that gives you the freedom to allot points in a certain skill or spell to obtain its maximum potential. He only have these specialized skills in Level one that is why his spell's cool down time is over a minute and it's power is only strong enough to steal a single point.

He opened his skill point folder. Fighting the monsters from the higher floors gave him some skill points. Only earning twenty, he put one of his chosen specialized skill in level five with the additional point in Fibonacci scale. That is, for this skill to level up in two, he has to use one skill point. And to level up to three, he has to add his recent point to the previous point of the skill. That is one plus two that gives him three skill points. And to level up to four, he needed five skill points at all.

Spending one, three, five, and eight - he is now only left with three points. He allotted the remaining to the Stun and Attack spell that only follows the one skill point until reaching a certain level - level 10 - that collects two SP.

Leon is about to proceed on his next adjustment when his screen suddenly shook that sent static to his view. Sweeping the interface on the side, he saw dusts of clouds foaming around the area blocking the visibility of the players. He can see strikes of blades flying around before having the warrior's back appear on his sight.

Shin is carefully taking the beast in a close combat. Due to his low level, his HP is gradually decreasing in a larger number, though still in a favorable condition. Despite having the [HUMANOID RACE], Shin's main archetype is a warrior that elevates his attack power and HP increased by twenty percent. He is a level higher than Leon and can block and evade attacks despite the enemy's higher rank.

Shin withdraw from his position and jumped beside the elf. He is trying to regenerate some HP, a characteristics common to any of the Warrior class. Though, unlike the Elven Race that needed Spirit Energy, the Tank Ranks (the other name for a warrior archetype) only needed consecutive combos and combat energy to have their HP rise up. In this situation, he can almost collect HP by just hitting the beast twice.

"I never thought that it can work," Shin said, breathing unsteadily from the high leap.

"It's a chance," Leon retorted. "The Tanks have the unusual durability towards fighting enemies higher to their level that is why they are usually used at vanguards. And with your innate character skill [IRON TANK], the moment the enemy notices you, by just ignoring a glance, you can hit them with double damage."

"But this is the common sense of a warrior. Why is there a drastic change with our flow?"

Shin asked the proper question. Of course, they are using the same tactic with their members when they are on the higher grounds. Shin with the other front liners, they are using a spell closer to Iron Tank. [Iron Tank] is a skill that makes the enemies' attention directed towards the caster. The hit points would be the same as the normal attack. But once the enemy turns around, or let's say tried to attack other players, the caster can now give a double attack hit point to the enemy which is almost stronger than the original.

Then, why did it change when Leon commanded him?

"I am just using a simple strategy. That is to follow our original setting," Leon said. "Warriors are better to a close combat. Elf, archers, and even mages needed to fire in a certain distance to maximize the attack energy. With your level and race, we can take this beast's HP slowly, however..."

They both looked at the howling beasts now in [RED RAGE]. Reaching Red Rage, a certain condition will be met by the players causing a catalyst that hastens the beast's growth that makes it impossible to beat. With this monster's HP lowered almost a hundred, thanks to Shin, is entering in a vital stage. The physical and magical affinities will be doubled than the original, letting the beast cast hard to negate spells.

This works like an adrenaline rush.

"What should we do?" Shin asked.

Leon looked at the warrior's HP. It is still on the middle of the numbers but low for him to face the beast one on one again. He returned back to his interface and chose the newly leveled skill, holding his staff, pointing it towards the beast. Like an incantation, he motioned the end of the staff to create a circular line on the air, reciting the specific words for the spell to activate.

The air around him started to circulate, moving his long hair around showing his sharp ears. His eyes glinted bright, expressing the magic his system is releasing towards the staff. From the circle, he draw a star like figure forming the famous pentagon, getting brighter the sooner he finished the pentagram. A ball of energy is slowly being acc.u.mulated in the middle of the pentagram ready to be released any time.

Shin covered his face avoiding the dusts when he noticed the beast coming towards the elf. Leon didn't give him a command but initiative took him to act. He opened his player's interface seeing the current status of his health. The Iron Tank is still on the range so he attacked the beast once again dealing only a single point damage to it.

Due to the Red Rage, his Iron Tank seems to be useless. He gritted his teeth and tried attacking again to give time for the activation of the spell. It will only take ten seconds - isn't that fast enough to perform a spell? But in the middle of the war, a ten seconds difference can play a vital change.

Shin thrusted the cheap sword he is holding to the beast's side and slid down while slashing the tough skin. Though, he only made a meter length wound before the sword shattered due to its low durability. The beast tried catching him by moving its hand to the side but Shin is smart enough to step back quickly. He heard Leon called him from behind.

"Move away!" The elf commanded.

Shin just nodded, making the beast as a stepping tool, and boosted his jump up to land in a distance closer to Leon. The spell chanted by the elf was released pointing towards the beast enveloping it with a grey film slowly restricting its movement. Flashes of electricity also followed suit, reducing his action to minimal until it stopped. Bright light covered the whole place, blinding the players for a while.

The light that scattered dissolved in the air. The time continued running while the scene formed in front of their eyes again. A huge shadow loomed before them motionless.

Yes, the beast is no longer moving.

The smoke of dusts slowly dissipated around, giving a clearer vision to the surrounding. The remaining members who are watching the whole scene have their eyes in shock, wondering what just those consecutive moves are. They all turned their heads to the elf who is currently gasping for air.

"What did you--"

"Step back!" Leon yelled at them before they can take a single step. "Make sure to not enter the ten-foot radius or else you will die."

"What?"

"Just listen to me, idiots."

Shin hid a giggle while listening to the elf's trash talk. All through out the trip, Leon only interrupted a few times. Maybe if he interrupted more, they might be able to defeat this beast having all of the members present. Leon looked at him with a face of disinterest.

"It might look like a joke but we are not finished here," Leon said, pointing the enemy in a frozen state.

"How did you do that anyway?" Shin asked. "I'm not that informed when it comes to other races' spells."

"It's the Ghoul Touch," Leon answered. "It's a spell that paralyzes the enemy using a stench scent. Actually, it paralyzes anyone that can smell the stench within the ten-foot radius

"Really? Then why am I not affected?" Shin pointed himself. "I am still on the radius right?"

"It might affect you but remember that you are levels higher than me and more than that is a Tank Rank. There's no way that you will be affected directly with this spell. It won't even poison you a bit."

"Whoa... that is quick thinking. How about some other spells? Right, isn't your spell a bit faster? You didn't use a catalyst to spread the scent. So... how?"

"I actually have on spell that can be used but its cool down and MP intake is in a number that I can never gamble. So I use the Ghoul Touch. It is true that using scent to paralyze enemy will take time if I will not use a catalyst. But have you forgotten?"

Leon spread his arms up as if showing the whole place. Shin only took half a second to understand the point and beamed a smile. Leon returned it with s smirk.

"Well, I did say that we manage to stop this beast from moving but..." Leon looked at the beast. The grey film with currents running around is still there. He narrowed his eyes, seeing the numbers run around him. "Ghoul Touch is still a low class spell. It's effect will decrease with enemies with a higher level. Normally, it can hold an average monster for fifteen minutes. But this one..."

The longest must be ten minutes. Isn't that three minutes more than the expected time of survival before?

"Tell me how to do it. You're not playing solo. We can even ask help from them," Shin said, pointing to the cowards who kept hidden behind the rocks. Leon crooked his lips.

"Enough with the jokes, we can finish this one with just the two of us."

Shin was stunned for a while before laughing his lungs out. Indeed, if it was Leon who commanded them, they will surely defeat this floor's boss without doubt. He remembered the elf's ID number in his mind while reminding his self to send a personal friend request to the man. This game is interesting from the start but Leon made it more engaging.

"Want to bet the odds of winning this?" Shin asked.

"Hmmm... Well, we will both win, right?" Leon chuckled. "As if we will bet on the opposite side."

"Ha ha, still, let's bet," Shin insisted. "I bet that we will this game. One million gold coins."

"Sure, I also bet the same," Leon said.

The members who are watching from behind saw the backs of the future heroes. Unyielding, the both of them leaped in the sky with the courage to continue surviving until the end.