With his boots to the ground, he made his way to the nearest burger joint. It happened to be a place called Big Girls. Not the kind of place he would consider going to usually. Most of the people in here were dressed up like this was a prime dating joint. At least the sounds of people stuffing their faces was normal.
After spending the last four hours beating zombies to death with his bare hands, he wanted normalcy. That was when his eyes caught the profile on his waitress. "Hey, my name is Ueno, if you need to get my attention just shout Ueno. I'll be your waitress tonight." Melchior nodded and paid close attention to her profile.
Ueno Masago lv100
Race: Ghoul
Titles: Regenerator, Super Waitress, Black Dober's Assassin\
Classes: Assassin lv50, Waitress lv35, Ghoul lv15
HP 20,000(+100,000/min)
Highest stat DEX
Relationship locked
He calmed his racing heart and looked at the menu. "I can just take your drink. You can wait until I get back to order." Ueno said. When his heart finally calmed he looked back at her.
"I'd like a peanut butter banana milk shake and a big girl meal." He said with all the calm he could muster.
Ueno is weirded out by your actions. She now suspects something is off.
Silently, he cursed his lack of charisma. If she discovered, he knew she might take a break and attack him. All he had to do was keep his cool.
"Sir, I need your menu." Ueno said.
"I'm sorry its been a long time since I've been out of the house. I word from home." Melchior said. His heart calmed, all he had to do was sell it. "How long have you worked here you seem to know what you're doing?" Melchior asked. Make the conversation about her and he might be able to get out of here.
"I've been here a few years now. Since I was 16 if you can believe it. This place has been good to me." He handed her his menu.
"You don't look a day over 18 you couldn't have been here that long." Melchior said.
"I'm 19 but you don't look too old yourself what are you 20." She tapped her chin a few times. "You're a youtuber aren't you? Is there a camera on you? Am I online right now?" Ueno asked with a smirk. There was a look in her eyes that turned predatory.
"Nothing like that I'm afraid. I do work for a company that I can't say the name of. Mostly beta testing and its looking to be a fun game."
Affection with game has increased by 1. (3/100) Tolerated
+1charisma for communicating.
CHA 3
"Wow that sounds like the dream. Are you single?" Melchior nodded and Ueno's lips twitched. "Well I have to put your order in you must be hungry from talking to me." Ueno said.
She brought his milk shake to him moments later and carried food to other tables. "So, America or Europe, your Japanese is pretty good. That accent though." She gently placed his burger and fries in front of him.
"I'm from America. Though, I haven't seen the Father land in a long time. I'd like to go back. That may be impossible for a few decades."
"Did you get in trouble?" Melchior thought about giving his actual opinion then thought better of it.
"It isn't the same the culture has died." Melchior said. What was he doing? Was there something in his drink. Ghoul or not he shouldn't be outing his feelings to a waitress. "Am I supposed to give a tip." Ueno shook her head and left him his check.
On the receipt was her phone number.
Relationship with Ueno Masago has been unlocked. (10/100) Interested
+3CHA
CHA 6
Melchior swallowed down his burger and fries and left the store. He was out 2000yen for the meal and only had 5000yen to his name. He walked back towards his apartment. With no gamer body, he was tired. How long would it be before a lack of gamer mind turned him into a psychopath? Those tools were in most games for a reason.
Once he was inside, he bolted his door and remembered he didn't have a cellphone. How was he going to text her? The game didn't have a helpful opinion. He collapsed on his futon and went to sleep.
His dreams were filled with dead blood and zombie brains. He fought and killed with all his might. Melchior stood upon a mound of corpses as the heavens opened and light shined down on him. That light was the sun peeking through his bedroom. He woke up.
It was 6:00hours and he had another 6 hours before he would be whisked off to work. Well what else could he call killing undead in an alternate dimension. He went to a nearby convenience store and bought a carton of eggs.
Raw Eggs x36 - +50% STR/END/DEX gains for 12 hours max stack 12
Melchior cracked 12 of them started running. It was slow but he knew this would make him much stronger.
Due to running under heavy weight DEX has increased by 12
DEX 26
An hour later my next pay off happened.
Due to wearing arm and leg weights strength has increased by 24
STR 50
Perk gained (Great Strength) PHYS DMG x2
Perks
Great Strength – PHYS DMG x2
This was exactly what he needed to turn the tide of battle. It might be another five hours before his next gain, but it was worth it. Sweat poured down his body as he fought to keep going.
Melchior returned to the apartment after five hours of constant running. Even without gamers body, his current body was impressive. His joints should be in ruins, but he was feeling stronger than ever. Power was addictive.
END has increased by 12
END 45
DEX has increased by 12
DEX 38
STR has increased by 24
STR 74
Brawler lv9 +18STR +27END +9DEX
HP 330 (+14/min)
MP 250 (+16/min)
STR 26
END 33
DEX 14
INT 25
WIS 16
CHA 2
LUK 20
Brawler Stance lv5
Fisticuffs lv18
Target lv10
Bulk Up lv12
Perks
Great Strength x2PHYS DMG
Traits
Brutal +25% Relationship Growth with those with the brutal trait. 50% more likely to find brutal solutions to problems.
Melchior looked at his hands. His fingers were like polish sausages. Even without Bulk Up he was becoming a muscular man. With his skills used to their max and a crit, he could deal 438.9 damage with a single punch.
After leaving his weights behind and putting on his brass knuckles he was ready. 100MP was ripped from his body and he was sucked away to another dimension. His fists tightened. This was it. He stepped into the mist and heard groaning. He opened his mouth and roared to the heavens.
The first zombie that approached him died in two quick hits. Bulk up was active and making his body stronger than ever. His muscles were hard and formed a type of armor on his body.
Brawler lv10
Skill Unlocked
Counter lv1 (novice); 1 x lv + DEX/2 = counter %; CRT; 10PP x lv
The next zombie that flailed at me was parried and struck for double the damage. When target was added to the equation it had the chance for 4x damage. Zombies were exploding from punches.
Kill Count 60
New Perk
(Great Endurance) x2 health and PHYS DEF from skills
Brawler lv20
Skill unlocked
Flurry Blows lv1 (novice); 1 x lv + DEX/2 = number of blows within a second. 5PP x lv
Fisticuffs lv25(intermediate) 2 x lv + STR/2 = PHYS DMG; 20PP x lv
Brawler Stance lv22
Bulk UP lv20
Target lv 15
Counter lv10
Drops
10,000Yen
Bullet proof vest x5 +500DEF
Knee pads x10 +20DEF
Shin guards x3 +20DEF
Waterproof Socks x10 +1DEF +50% resistance to water
Infantry Helmet x1 +500DEF
Soldier Slacks x3 +10DEF
Normal zombies couldn't damage him while Bulk Up was active. His muscles shield him from their inferior might. He was getting good and ready to take on the boss.
DEF 1161
Kill Count 120
Brawler lv28
Perks
(Super Strength) x4 PHYS DMG
(Super Endurance) x4 health and x4 PHYS DEF from skills
(Great Dexterity) x2 health regen and x2 CRT DMG
Fisticuffs lv45
Bulk UP lv40 (Intermediate) 2 x lv +END/2; 20PP x lv
Brawler Stance lv40
Target lv35 (Intermediate) 2 x lv + DEX/2 = CRT% If percentage surpasses 100% increase damage by percentage.
Counter lv30 (Intermediate) 2 x lv +DEX/2 = % chance to counter
Flurry Blows lv20
Iron Skin lv5 (novice) 1 x lv + INT/2 = DEF; cost 100MP/min
He made his way through a doorway and a zombie stood there ready with a shotgun. It unloaded both barrels into Melchior's chest. It raised the butt of the gun and smashed Melchior in the nose.
700DEF
That single blow had ruined his bullet proof vest. There must have been something in the slug. Melchior smashed his fist against the zombie's face, and it didn't explode. He looked at the zombie's profile.
Bubba Elite Zombie lv30
HP800/2400
A second blow destroyed it.
The undead fear for their undead lives. They are converging.
Melchior leapt out of the window ignoring the broken glass. He ran for the clearing where the undead had collected. They were piling into each other amassing into an abomination.
Giant Undead lv50
HP 40,000/40,000
DEF 1000
Main Stat END
The monster swiped hitting Melchior and smashing him into a nearby building. Concrete and metal fell everywhere. His armor's defense was useless. Slowly, he pushed the bricks off him and stood up. Killing the lesser undead had been easy. This thing naturally had 1000DEF so any attack he used will do less than half damage. That attack had been rather slow. He'd only been hit because, he wasn't expecting it.
Melchior burst from the remains of the fallen building and ran for the boss monster. He wanted that 100kyen. If he could kill this monster, then the next two weeks would be easy. While he ran at the monster he dashed to the left and right. The monster slowly followed him. It raised its hand to crush him. He dashed to the side as the attack hit. The concrete crumbled at the blow. A yellow target appeared on the elbow.
Melchior leapt onto the limb. It was cold and unfeeling. He expected it form an undead. Pulling back his hand, he smashed it into the giant elbow. Black blood and sinew poured from the wound. He felt through the wound until he wrapped his hand around a cord. With a yank, he ripped free a piece of the giant's elbow joint. A massive hand smacked into him.
Warning Player Below 50% health
Melchior spat out a mouthful of blood. It felt like his organs were crushed. The monster's right arm fell slack. It was on its hands and knees after smacking him. He jumped on his feet and dashed for the monster's legs. Getting into his stance he unleashed a flurry of strikes shattering the knee joint and causing the monster to fall.
Giant Zombie lv50
HP 25k/40k
He leapt on the zombie's back making his way to the zombie's left shoulder. After a flurry of punches the joint tore apart in ruins. It seemed a single giant zombie was no match for Melchior. The zombie crumbled incapable of defending the back of its head. Melchior delivered a series of powerful blows killing the monster.
Brawler lv35
New Skills
Resist PHYS DMG lv1 (novice); 1 x lv + END/2; passive
Punch Ghosts lv(max)
Drops
30,000yen
Skill Book: After Image; Novice = 1 after image, intermediate = 3 after images, Advanced = 5 after images, expert = 10 after images, master = unlimited after images.
Lesser Health Potions x 4
He was starting to understand the Brawler class. It wasn't about flashy moves and powerful weapons. It was simple and powerful. Each move added to the next creating a single powerful class. He made his way through the next mob of zombies. None survived a single punch. They weren't elites after all. The strongest among them was only lv8. They also didn't give much xp.
Kill count 150
Floor Boss unleashed
Reaper of the Lost
He heard the chuckling of a madman and a creature wearing black robes appeared.
Reaper of the Lost
Elite Reaper lv60
HP 20,000
Highest Stat DEX
It raised its scythe high, Melchior leapt into its guard. It tried to stumble back. Melchior caught it by the wrist keeping it from escaping. It moved its other hand at incredible speeds punching Melchior in the face. Melchior licked the blood from his busted lip and grinned at the reaper. While Melchior held it scythe it was powerless to use it.
His first punch hit the reaper in the face followed by flurry blows. Each blow was shocking to the reaper. Its body was little more than a punching bag against the gamer. If Melchior had let it keep its distance the reaper would have already killed Melchior. Now Melchior's hand was wrapped around the reaper's skull preparing to crush it. Then it cracked. The skull broke underneath Melchior's hand. The reaper vanished in an explosion of black souls.
Drops:
Monster Card x1 Summon a random monster
Skill Book: Summon
50,000yen
Melchior went ahead and tried to learn the summon skill.
Summon requires 50INT/WIS to learn
Afterimage requires 50INT/DEX to learn
Wasn't that a load of nonsense. It made all his drops useless except for the armor and money. Well he still had the reaper's scythe.
Death Scythe PHYS Damage 1000 + DEX/2
Requires 50DEX to use
At least he had a weapon he could use.
You could have used the shot gun as well. It would have made this boss battle even easier.
"What's wrong you sound depressed with the results. Not enough souls?" Melchior asked.
No, the souls were nice. You're killing proficiency has increased to ludicrous levels. Skills that enhance each other is what Brawler was meant to do. I'm surprised you killed the reaper the way you did.
"Polearms aren't close range weapons. If the reaper had a dagger on him this fight would have been different. So, can I have a bit more freedom with the IDs?" Melchior asked.
Yes, you've proved yourself responsible, for now.
+2Affection with the game. (5/100) Grudging Respect
Quest
Zombie Slayer
Prerequisite: Slay 150zombies
Bonus: Slay boss
Bonus: Slay Reaper
Bonus: Slay Reaper without taking 85% damage
Rewards 50,000yen
Bonus reward: 100,000Yen
Bonus Reward: DEX crystal x5
Bonus Reward: +15class level disk
With this floor beaten, he activated ID escape. Back in my apartment, the sun was down. It seemed time passed as normal in his ID. Melchior had rent for this month which was a god send. He could go out on the town now and talk to people.
Forming relationships and reaching 50 or greater will grant perks. Each relationship is different and will give a different perk.
