Johan had won the battle, but he was dangerously injured.
'A demigod would survive this, right?' Mentally mapping out the deep cut in his back and his very injured face.
It was an ugly map.
His lip, nose, and ear were missing chunks of flesh, and his back was open to the elements.
'Will I get an infection? A great child of a being of myth, fighting off a monster stronger and more skilled than him, just to die of a damned infection. Absurd. I hope the scars look cool when they heal.' Johan kept his mind working to avoid the pain.
He focused his mind elsewhere.
'The swords.
Name: -
Titles: Ghoul Bane
Race: Celestial Bronze Sword (Fair Quality, Well Maintained)
Age: 3 minutes
Owner: Johan Cole
Skills:
Description: A reward from the quest >MY SOLDIERS RAGE<. The sword has been imbued with a deep hatred for ghouls and undead and has absorbed a skill thanks to it. Increased accuracy against ghouls.]
'It… Absorbed that skill that I… Made? What the hell? This is… Ugh, I just digested all the other information damnit.' Johan complained, albeit half-heartedly.
[Name: Devourer (Poor, Worn)
Titles: Mortal Slayer, Bane
Race: Stygian Steel Sword
Age: ?
Owner: Johan Cole
Skills:
'Annoying. At least when it's my own skills, I kind of already have the knowledge of what they do in my head since I can almost instinctively use them. But what the fuck do those even do? Can I use them?' Johan wondered, theorizing heavily until he randomly got an idea.
'Maybe I could use observe on them?'
[Skill -Essence of Undeath: Bathed in the aura of the underworld and Marnid(Unmarnid the ghoul), it gained an aura of its own. This aura induces a state of non-living in the living. Deadly to mortals, but utterly harmless to immortals, divine beings and undead beings.]
'No way that worked.' Johan said.
As he held it, he found himself bathing in the aura. 'Passive skill?'
He found that just holding the blade afflicted him with the aura, although really weak. Far weaker than the strength of his undead aura absorption speed. And he could tell it was weaker than when it stabbed him.
(A/N: Johan's skill descriptions will be at the bottom of the chapter and in an aux chapter. Any time he earns a new skill the description will be there only for the first chapter the skill appears in.)
'Then…'
[Skill -Howl of Death: Death is deeply embroiled in the blade, when its swung death lets loose a screech to announce its presence and inflict terror into the hearts of enemies.]
'Is this why my fear resistance rose so much?'
[Skill -Devour: Unmarnid feasted on the life essence and soul energy of many beings using the blade as a channeling medium. Which allowed the blade itself to unlock the skill to devour the life energy of the living as usable energy. Mostly to empower its next attack.]
'Then… My aunt- No. Focus.' Johan steeled his will. 'Lets look at all of my skills.'
[Skill List -
In Typhoons Dying Breath, he cursed the gods, their demi-god children, so that they'd release a stench most delicious to monsters that get stronger the more they knew of themselves.
A mind crafted to understand Greek but makes it difficult to understand other languages. Effectively causes dyslexia.
Born for war, a body with instincts to survive in battle, inadvertently causing ADHD.
…]
"Ugh… Too much." Johan groaned at the information overload, he immediately abandoned the idea of looking at the description of ALL of his skills.
[HP: 23% (Necrosis VI, Bleed III)
MP: 17% (Necrosis VI)]
"Okay, I can waste some mana or magic or whatever on testing these skills until I fully heal. Hopefully." Johan said to himself, desperate for distraction.
Coming to terms with the fact that his aunt is dead and looking at her corpse are two very separate things.
'Okay, then just my three newest skills. The one I made… I guess? And then the two I got from missions.' Johan directed himself.
[Skill List -
"Guh- agh. You… Fuck.". An upwards slash based on the movements of a certain foe. Has a buff against Undead and a bigger buff against Ghouls. Brace armament and step into a low stance that prevents recoil from most enemy attacks. Follow up with a strong upward strike.
MADE IN HEAVEN! Raise your armament aloft and pledge to honor the [REDACTED] in battle, granting oneself and nearby allies increased attack power and defense.
Thunder Clap and Flash! Grants your armament's attacks a holy essence after firing off a golden blade projectile.]
"Made in heaven?" Johan rasped out in shock, "The fucking stand? Yep, using that one first."
'So it says raise your… Armament? Just say weapon damnit. And then pledge honor to redacted? What? My dad? A certain god? I remember Athena's name was redacted before the P-I level thing went up to P-II. Eh, it doesn't matter. Granting oneself and nearby allies increased attack power and defense? Okay… So?'
"Made In Heaven!" He raised his celestial bronze sword to the skies as if relishing a victory, mentally chanting 'Honor to Olympus!'.
*Shwaa~* A sound chimed out as golden light fell upon his form and his weapon began to glow in a golden light.
He felt his muscles tighten, almost growing, he felt his skin and flesh bolster itself. He felt… Divine. Even if the sudden drain of magic left him feeling lethargic.
Well… More lethargic than the necrosis already made him feel.
"Woah…" Was all he could say.
He swung his swords around and felt the difference in force, even doing small dash maneuvers.
'What a boost. What? Probably a... fourth stronger or something?
'Okay, next up. Sacred blade. Another holy type skill. Must be because of that ghoul. Thunder clap and Flash? What does thunder have to do with this? Grants your armament's- fucking christ… Gods? Fucking hell, just say weapon!- attacks a holy essence after firing off a holy a golden blade projectile? Okay so… Blade projectile? Weird.'
"Uh? Thunder clap and flash?" Johan intoned as he thrust out his celestial sword.
He felt something rise up in his chest, warm…
*Burp*
"Wha?" He bumbled.
'Where's my blade projectile? Is it because I used Made In He- I mean
"Thunder clap and flash!" He thrust his sword out again, to no avail.
"What the fuck?" He was utterly confused.
'Maybe it's another anime reference? It doesn't tell me how to use it, just what it would do on success. Wait, maybe my mana?
[MP: 3%(Necrosis VI)]
'Fuck. Is it really that? How much mana did
[Skill -
"Oh. Didn't know I could do that. Then.. If I had seventeen percent magic, and then using
[Skill -
"Damn. Way cheaper than golden vow despite being an actual attack AND a buff. Bizzare. Is the buff weaker or something? Anyways. If I keep holding Devourer I'll definitely have enough magic to use
He felt sick just being at such low MP on top of his low HP. Leading to him slowly losing the desire to use his skills and lower his MP even closer to empty.
[HP: 26% (Necrosis VI, Bleed III)
MP: 3% (Necrosis VI)
So Johan found a chair and sat down, he was dead exhausted. Mentally, physically, magically and emotionally. And with the prospect of literal magic no longer being in his palm anymore, he felt himself wind down.
'I probably shouldn't fall asleep here… But a little nap couldn't hurt. Could it?' But he couldn't even fight it if he wanted to.
The whispers of Hypnos overwhelmed him and he descended into his domain.
[Achievement earned >Fate Breaker<
Live and survive longer than the fates originally planned.
Reward: Title, Skill Level Up Token, MP and HP Boost, Ambrosia Square x2]
[Skills -
Skill Gained -
-------------------------------------------------------------
Around twenty minutes later, a small group approached Johan's sleeping form. They were with swords not too dissimilar to the one Johan received as a reward.
"Monster Essence. And it left behind fangs. A ghoul?" A young brown haired girl with olive skin asked her two compatriots.
"Looks like it." A blond haired boy muttered, taking the fangs out of her hands.
A few paces away, their third companion called out to them. It was yet another girl with dirty blond hair, not dissimilar from Johan's.
"You two!" she hissed out, "There's a boy here. With two swords."
The golden haired boy looked up and cocked a brow, "Stygian steel and celestial bronze?"
"Ew, who in the underworld crafted that sword? A blind child?" The olive skinned girl said, fixing a stray lock of hair behind her ear in disgust.
"So I'm guessing he's the reason behind our quest?" The blond boy asked rhetorically.
"Shackled no longer, the stars and the souls are all for him to hold. Celestial bronze for stars and Stygian steel for souls. Seems about right." The olive girl nodded, pulling a cap from her pocket as if brandishing a weapon.
"I… Yeah, I remember the prophecy, Annabeth." The blond boy face-palmed.
"Stop flirting you two." The blond girl rolled her eyes.
With a sigh she began complaining, "I didn't think it'd be a demi-god kid. Much less one that survived this long without being in camp. Coulda sent a goat boy or somethin."
"What makes you think he's survived a long time?" The blond boy asked.
"You think he just happened upon those two swords Luke? Or fought off a ghoul at such a young age by accident? You don't need to be the daughter of the war god to notice the obvious." She berated him.
"I think there wouldn't be a dead mortal over there if he survived for a long time on his own." Luke shot back, nodding his head behind them to an old woman's corpse on the ground.
Annabeth gasped at that, looking over to where Luke was motioning.
"Oh my…" Was all the brunette could say in response.
"Brutal…" Was Clarisse's response.
"Made in heaven…"
"What? Made in heaven? What are you talking about Clarisse?" Luke was genuinely baffled and turned around to look at Clarisse-
*Zzwwshh*
Everyone felt the cold fingers of Thanatos wrap around their hearts, as if their death was sealed in fate. Demi-god instincts all around kicked in.
Annabeth slipped a baseball cap on and shimmered out of existence.
Clarisse brandished her spear and raised her shield threateningly.
And Luke swung his sword behind him as he retreated away from the chilling sound.
*ClAng*
But
Clarrise stepped forwards at that, ready to capitalize on the momentary pause in combat, but was unable to as the Demi-god boy they thought was fast asleep was now all over Luke, seemingly glued to him.
Johan shadowed Luke's movements effortlessly, it was as if the string of fate were being toyed with by him. Luke's instinctive back step was mirrored with a quick dash forwards from Johan. The following spin kick from Luke was ducked under and capitalized on. He followed his spinning form and slipped behind him.
Before Luke could react Johan kicked him down to his knees and held his sword to his throat, biting into his skin enough to draw blood in the process. Deep enough to afflict him with-
'
"Who are you? Why are you all here? With swords and spears at that." Johan asked simply, the last dredges of sleep completely gone from his form in the face of what seemed like another monster attack.
"Put him down and then we'll explain." Clarisse was shook at seeing Luke of all people dismantled so easily, even if he was disarmed, but she still barked out her words in a commanding manner.
"You're in no position to order me around girl. I killed the last monster I came across, don't let him be next. What are you anyways? Mimics? Vampires?" Johan rasped out, eyes utterly focused.
"Vampi- what? No! We're demi-gods, just like you." She responded confusedly.
"Yeah yeah, because you magically just know that I'm a demi-god. Just like that ghoul. Tell me who you really are or else." Johan said while cutting a bit deeper into Luke's neck, ignoring the pain from his back.
[HP: 78% (Necrosis I)
MP: 91% (Necrosis I)
'Where the fuck is this necrosis at?' Johan complained internally. His wounds, while not fully healed, were all mostly closed. He couldn't believe he was still afflicted with necrosis.
And Johan was very drowsy as well. Was. Until he noticed three people nearby, two of which openly brandishing cold weapons. Of which his observe hardly gathered any information about them if at all-
'Wait three!' He quickly snapped his head around for the third to no avail.
"No, you idiot! No one other than demi-gods uses Celes-" Clarisse tried to explain, but Johan cut her off.
"Shut the fuck up, I know there were three of you. Either come out the golden child dies." Johan threatened.
'I can't fight against a spear. Not without sacred blade. And I haven't figured out how to use it yet. Spears counter swords because of their differing attacks and effective range. And if I get close that shield will both stop my attacks and can be used to bash me back into spear range. A losing battle all around if she's even remotely competent. And judging by those muscles…' He felt like his thoughts got a little side tracked so he shook his head and refocused, 'And then that third one is still hiding.'
As he was about to yell out for the third person to show themself again he felt Devourer get knocked out of his grip- away from his hostage. And then a force hit his groin, barely missing his testicles.
"Uua-" He choked out before crumbling to the earth, from both pain and the fact that the kick destabilized his footing.
He chained his fall into a backwards roll, hitting someone that couldn't quite be seen
'Invisibility?' His mind once again began churning battle plans.
He then reached into his inventory to grab his nameless Celestial Bronze sword that he put away for his initiative attack and swiped at where he bumped into his invisible adversary.
'No cigar.' He complained, before attempting one final time, putting his blade at his hip as if holstering a katana , "Thunder clap and flash…
He felt something rise from within him and soak his blade, before being forcefully expelled outwards in a small golden crescent moon and arcing out towards the spear bearing girl.
*Shiuuu~*
It was so left-field that she hadn't even had the time to lift her shield, having to use her spear to defend herself from the arc of yellow holy light that flung itself from his blade.
*Chrrk* The spear shaft didn't seem to like that. For all of its durability, it still had to be flexible. So the damage received wasn't particularly minor.
Johan wasn't one to waste initiative. Especially with a hidden threat beyond his senses lurking about. With his visage and weapon wreathed in gold as if the incarnation of Gilgamesh himself, he charged towards Clarisse.
She shook out of her daze in record time, only to falter as he seemed to trip over his own feet.
"Now!" A disembodied voice called out, but it was all too familiar to her.
With a grunt of exertion, she dashed to Johan's prone form and readied herself to strike him with the damaged shaft of her spear.
And at the same time, his prone form found itself vulnerable to another, more accurate groin attack.
Double pincered!
*PAH*
"Uuah-" Was all Johan could groan out in pain before the pain overwhelmed him.
His mind that usually thought at the speed of light began blanking out from pain, slack-jawed and wide eyed as he began frothing at the mouth.
Clarisse only grinned at that as she entered effective attack range and thwapped Johan's head with the shaft of her spear just below the spear head, knocking him out cold, freeing him of utter misery.
*THNK!*
Their chests heaved with adrenaline and exertion.
"Didn't know you had that in ya 'Beth."
"Dont call me that," she snapped, "Besides, he was practically feral. Didn't have a choice, especially with that weird golden magic around him."
"Tch," She scoffed, "What an underwhelming quest. A few monsters and then a rabid demi-god."
Annabeth ignored her and looked down at Luke with concern. He was breathing heavily and couldn't seem to move, "What kind of magic was that?"
"Hah, I think the bastard got what he deserved. Annoying prick." Clarisse snided.
"Clarisse!" A fierce glare erupted from Annabeth.
"Just sayin." She shrugged.
-------------------------------------------------------------
[Name: Johan Quincy Cole
Titles: His Final Miracle, The Gamer, Genius, The Last Cole, Alive in Undeath, Bane of Undead, Fate Breaker**
Race: Demi-God(God, Human)
HP: 68% (Necrosis I, Testicular Torsion I)
MP: 92% (Necrosis I)
Age: 12
Occupation: N/A
**Skill Tokens: 2
Skills:
The pen is mightier than the sword. Knowledge is power. You learn faster than most.
Om nom nom, you can read really fast and comprehend it all as well…
Must've been the wind? You know how to be quiet and hide. Even if barely.
You're supposed to taste the meat, not the heat! You can cook up a fair amount of meals with some skill, but you're no chef.
Snitches get stitches, not bit- You can make some patterns and maybe fix a hole on a fault of clothes.
First, we mine. Then, we… Crafting things is easy for you, you can make some basic traps and weapons and fix together some knick knacks.
Shhhh, I'm hunting Wabbit. You can make some rudimentary traps. Most of the time.
Ghost Busters! We aint scared of no ghosts! You can resist a lot of detrimental effects of fear.
*Click*. You can mentally map out somewhere based on limited information such as sight, sound, memories and speculation. Mostly accurate.
*
These eyes see through your bullshit! You can observe the true nature of items and beings that aren't too much stronger than you. The stronger they are, the less information you get.
*
Push on! You can fight through pain sometimes.
*
Blehhh! You can resist some negative effects of necrosis. Occasionally.
*
It's blood. MY BLOOD! You don't bleed out so easily.
Brainz… You're built for the energy of the undead. Kinda. Absorbing it can heal and empower you. But too much can affect you negatively.
I may not have a brain, but I have an idea. You can make plans in the heat of battle. Some of them are even kinda good! Sometimes.
*
'Tis but a flesh wound. You heal faster than normal. Regeneration speed is multiplied by 1.1
*Inventory -
|Ambrosia Square x2|
Description: Demi-god son of