The Beast Deck Emperor

005: Level 8

Konga Ashiri was legendary, the discovery of this dungeon had led to the formation of the kingdom of Ounyi Idu. Its resources used to the back bone of the kingdoms economy, making it one of the giants within the Zango Empire. But that was a lifetime ago, now things were terrible with much of kingdoms resources severely exploited, the neighboring kingdoms to the east and west were all sharpening their blades in an attempt to carve off a piece of the kingdom for themselves.

 

Tyrone didn’t care much what happened to the kingdom, this place has never been fair to him. And even though he had found himself In this situation he pretty much only saw this as an avenue to get power and live his life as something more than just a common street rat and thief. A chance to actually have a life and not be found dead in a ditch somewhere before the age of 30, or settling down with some random tavern wench and bringing more kinds into this world to live in squalor and poverty and crime.

 

He took a closer look at his surroundings, noticing that he was underground, or rather in some underground catacombs. Either he wasn’t sure, this wasn’t earth he was looking at but rather concrete so that spoke volumes of the fact that this was a building, not that it mattered either ways. Tyrone moved forwards as there was only one exit outside of the chamber he found himself, and it would not walk through itself.

 

Tyrone picked his way forwards, crossing the archway out into an underground hallway. It was infested though with hedgehogs the size of dogs and with tusks like boars. Tyrone’s eyes glittered as he knew these were ticket to power and a much more better life….. He was a bit too early in making that assumption. But never the less he had the tools necessary to deal with these things.

 

*Tu-tu-tu-tu*

 

One of the hedgehogs had noticed him, and in rapid fashion before he could so much as blink, it had fired a salvo of spines from its back at Tyrone who was so shocked he had not been able to put up a defense on time. Two of the spines missed their mark as he had jerked back and to the side, bi8t the third had sunk deep into his thigh and come out the other side, Blood spurting out of the brand new hole in his body.

 

Tyrone fell into a panic as he used his [Slipstream] card, but the lack of wind of any sort made the movement technique somewhat weak, but it was still enough boosts to his low stats to have him running away from the monster and back into the chamber he had come from, pained grunts escaping from his mouth as the monster gave chase.

 

But that was a ploy, the entrance to the dungeon, aka the circular chamber that he had found himself in when he first came in was a safe zone that monsters couldn’t get in. and apart from that, it was rumored that the place had a passive healing boost that made injuries heal three times faster than normal and boosted healing and recovery cards.

 

Tyrone had neither a healing or recovery card, to him that place was just synonymous with one thing and one thing only….. Survival. He crossed the threshold with a hobble and turned around and stabbed out with the sword that he had been given. There was a bright shimmer of light as the threshold that separated the safe zone from the rest of the dungeon lit, up creating a barrier that simultaneously stopped Tyrone from attacking and the monster from getting in.

 

There was a recoil so power it wrenched the sword out of Tyrone’s hand, while the monster gave a loud screech of pain and stumbled backwards. It pretty much made sense to him at that point, the dungeon would create safe zones to protect its delvers from death…. But it could not be exploited and used to attack the monsters in turn. If Tyrone wanted to kill that beast, he would have to walk out of the safe zone and do it himself.

 

He worked quickly, taking the shirt he had on off and quickly using to wrap around the hole in his leg. In the absence of recovery or healing cards he would have to rely on the safe zone to heal himself, but at the rate he was going, he would probably bleed out before that happens… unless of course he levels up.

 

Leveling up will cleanse him of every injury and restore his resource pools. It was the only thing he could possibly rely on to survive, and right now this was the best way to go about it…. He had to kill that beast, any other way would mean he dies, long before he gets the chance to level up. He hobbled up to his sword and picked it up before holding the dagger/ short sword in the other.

 

The beast had taken a few steps backwards just to stare at Tyrone. It had tried with futility to get through the barrier separating it from Tyrone. With no sign of success it had stalked backwards to glare at Tyrone, waiting for him to come through and meet his demise at its mighty claws. Tyrone had no intention of keeping his dancing partner waiting, he was racing against death here.

 

The monster responded by firing off another trio of spikes, Tyrone was already expecting as he expertly moved the short sword in his right hand to deflect the spike heading to his thighs while evading the other two in much the same manner he had done with the first one.

 

He gave the beast a few gaps and watched as it rushed towards him a mouth filled with fangs bared and ready to shred him to pieces. Tyrone awkwardly hopped over the beast as it ran underneath him. Its rotund body stumbled head over tails as it tried to slow itself down. Tyrone hobbled faster it as quickly as he possibly could, reaching it just as it got back to its feet, it swung its tiny tusk, batting Tyrone’s approaching longsword to the side, however the short sword following quickly behind it did not stand on ceremony as it stabbed into the beast’s ears.

 

It was a rather anticlimactic end as the beast slumped to the ground, dragging the short sword out of Tyrone’s hands. He stumbled back a few steps caught off balance as he attempted to keep himself from falling. However his injured thigh did not help matters as he fell with a thump, his sword clattering to the ground as his breath was knocked out of him, and he was still very injured. On a whim he called up his stat sheet.

 

NAME: Tyrone Piraeus Julius Alexander Carter// AGE: 23 // CLASS: [N/A]

LEVEL: 7 (99%)// BLOODLINE: [N/A] // TALENT: [N/A]

SPIRIT: 20/20// DECKS: [N/A] [N/A] [N/A]

STATS: body (5) mind (5) control (8) soul (2)

ACTIVE DECK: []

ACTIVE CARDS: [Slipstream]

PASSIVE CARDS: [Sense Magic] [Nimble]

SPECIAL CARDS: []

CARD CRADLE (7): [Slipstream (U-II] [Sense Magic (C-V)] [Nimble (C-IX)] [Perceptive (C-V)]

 

99% Tyrone cursed softly, he was right on the cusp of a level, but of course he would end up in such a situation. He really has never been lucky at anything at all in his life and this was rapidly proving to be one of them. However as he cursed at the unfairness of it all, he heard more than a few set of feet slapping the cold hard floor in the darkness as he raised his head enough to see a trio of beats heading his way, he cursed softly as he quickly got up and grabbed his long sword and hobbled quickly to the dead beast to retrieve his short sword.

 

As he pulled out the blade from the dead monster, his vision swam as an intense feeling nausea swept over him. He stumbled and desperately tried to reorient himself quickly in other to be better prepared to intercept the monsters hurrying to him with the intent to bring to death to him…. He wasn’t as lucky as the first salvo of spines were already heading for his body.

 

[Slipstream]

 

Tyrone’s body moved, moving far faster than should be possible as he moved to the side evading the first salvo of spines sent his way. He rushed forwards knowing the beast would rush him after a failed spine attack, he swept the edged side of his longsword forwards, watching impassively as the skull of the beast got stuck halfway through the blade before Tyrone pulled it up and jumped backwards, all injuries healed to evade the next set of spines that were heading his way.

 

[You Have Achieved Level 8! +1 to all stats! (Growth Redacted Until Level 0)]

 

Tyrone cursed at the familiar message he has been seeing ever since he achieved his first level at age 6. It has taken him seventeen whole years to achieve his current level, yet in a span of s few death inducing moments he had made the progress of 4 months. Perhaps he had no control over the direction of his life, but Tyrone was sure of one thing.

 

No matter what he had to do, he would not be leaving this place not until he reached level 10, but until he could achieve as much of a high level as he could…..he was going to hunt every last thing he sets his eyes on.