Adams pulled the leather band around the lower part of his left wrist. The thing looked ridiculous, poorly made and stitched up with random strips of leather but the reinforced plates covered his knuckles and the side of his wrist. It was sufficient.
He placed the pipe on the ground and leaned against it. A deep sound echoed in the distance as something huge passed by. Adams shouldered the pipe and headed to where the sound came from.
Crash!
Adams looked up to see a broken piece of concrete that was about to fall from a half-destroyed building. He took a step back and raised his left arm instead of running away.
"Kinetic reinforcement."
The plates around his knuckles glowed and the piece of concrete hit his forehand with a powerful blow. His legs almost gave out and for a moment Adams felt the pain shoot from his wrist to his shoulder but he held the force within his body, letting it accumulate in the muscles.
"Interesting."
Adams pushed the fragment away and the pressure released from his arm, making him lightheaded.
’So that is the price.’
He resumed walking, the wound on his forearm still throbbing.
To Riven And Elena
Riven wiped the blood on his cheek. "How much longer?"
Elena scanned the streets as they turned a corner. "The next street could take us twenty minutes."
"It is too long."
"We could always run."
"I rather not arrive there exhausted."
"You have been saying that for the last ten minutes."
"Talking doesn’t consume much stamina."
Elena gave him a sidelong glance and Riven smiled, his hand resting on the weapon attached on his back. Despite the covering, it was impossible to mistake how heavy the thing was, and it almost seemed alive.
"Still thinking about that weapon?" Elena asked.
"It would be an incredible waste of time if it was not meant for me", he replied.
"You are still not sure who it is meant for?"
Riven shook his head. "I have seen nothing similar to this before."
"What does your System say?"
"That it does not know." Riven opened his system.
«[Designation: Unknown] [Wielder: The Last Archon] [Compatibility: 0%]» He closed the app. "I think it likes to keep secrets."
"It is probably best if you do not know everything", Elena said.
They turned the corner and a piercing cry echoed in the distance. Riven’s smile faded.
A group of people fought off a being with six limbs and a shell on its back. David swung a baseball bat at the monster but it caught the bat with two of its limbs, making the young man freeze on the spot. Another limb swept David’s waist sending him flying into a nearby car with a sickening crunch.
"David!"
The woman next to him sent a jolt of electricity at the beast, making the creature flinch.
"Again!" Riven cried. "Hit it again!"
A man ran up to join the fight but the monster’s limbs grabbed him by the collar, lifting the poor soul to eye level.
"Hey!" Riven ran up behind the beast and yanked the man away, saving him from the beast’s jaws. "Do not stand in front of it!"
Riven pulled out his black blade and Elena rushed to David’s aid. "He has an internal injury."
"Can you keep him alive?"
"For now."
Riven walked up to the beast but it ran at him. He jumped out of the way, waiting until the last moment before sidestepping the creature’s limbs, which cut the road behind him. Riven stabbed at the joint of the limbs, slicing cleanly through it and making the beast turn around and bite at him. Riven ducked and the woman sent another shock at the monster, making it stumble. Riven saw the opening and pointed at the creature’s stomach.
"There!"
The others followed his lead, the baseball bat hitting the sensitive flesh and making the beast leap back. Riven ran up and drove his knife upwards, impaling the creature at the base of its skull. It gave one final convulsion before dying. A small ball of light rolled out from under the monster’s body. Riven picked it up and the warm surface of the sphere fit comfortably in his palm.
"Another core."
One of the survivors stared at him. "What is it?"
"I am yet to figure that out", Riven replied, flipping the sphere over in his hand. "But I know it contains energy."
The blacksmith window opened. «[Compatible material detected.] [Monster Core: Low Grade.] [Forging compatibility: 87%.]»
Riven smiled. "Now this is interesting."
Elena walked up behind him. "Can you use it?"
"Possibly."
"For what?"
Riven looked at the object wrapped up on his back. "Something better."
He secured the core in a pouch on his belt and looked at the young man who had been hit earlier. "You are lucky to be alive."
The young man looked at him with red eyes. "Who are you? That thing knew you were coming."
"My name is Riven. You knew what to do against that thing."
"I have had practice", he replied, looking over Riven’s shoulder at the approaching mass of burning buildings.
"Get to somewhere safe."
"Where are you going?"
Riven looked at Elena. "That way."
She nodded and they disappeared around the corner.
Back to Adams
Adams heard gunfire and quickened his steps. People ran towards him, screaming for him to get away.
"Move!"
"Get out of here!"
"There is another one!"
Adams turned the corner to see the strange creature jumping out of the side of a building. The beast landed heavily on the street, its black scales glistening in the firelight. Two of its limbs dragged on the ground.
Adams stood his ground as the creature approached, lowering his pipe as it stared him down. The moment the beast lunged, Adams blocked the strike and drove the weapon into its ribs. One of the limbs moved back and Adams felt the power in the gauntlet increase.
"Good." Adams released the pressure and his fist drove into the beast’s chest. The explosion of force sent the creature flying back with a deafening screech. Adams looked at his hand. "That is useful."
The creature picked itself up but Adams was faster, charging forward and swinging the pipe. Its two limbs shot out to grab him but he sidestepped them and hit the side of its knee, making it buckle. Adams spun and hit its throat, making the beast stagger. Its arm came for him but Adams caught it and used the Kinetic reinforcement.
Adams felt the pain shoot through his shoulder as the strength poured out of him. Tightening his grip, he forced all of it back and the limb flew away with a scream, making the creature writhe in pain. Adams drove the pipe into its skull and it fell to the floor. Another orb of light rolled out from under the creature. Adams looked at it before picking it up.
«[Monsters Core obtained.]»
’That is it?’ Nothing else appeared. Adams slipped it into his pocket and looked ahead. He felt something approaching but it was still far away. His body screamed in protest and the gauntlet on his left hand was already inflating. Adams limped forwards, the fire burning behind him and the World Boss waiting in the distance. Somewhere ahead, along the same road, Elena and Riven made their way towards him.