Kapitel 91: Perfect diversion (2)
The bad news, the soldier doesn't die from being hit by my blood edge. The good news, from the way he is screaming I can tell that it hurts pretty badly. No really, the wound doesn't look that bad but he's acting like a pig that's being butchered.
<Don't ask me how it works but it seems that your weak sanguine venom skill somehow created a synergy with blood edge. I suspect that blood edge has a set parameter that incorporates skills that can cause additional effects.>
So why exactly is he screaming? My venom is only weak so his higher constitution should easily negate it.
<Your venom isn't affected by the victim's constitution stat. It doesn't do damage but instead makes the wound keep bleeding. The man in question is bleeding out and short of healing magic or cauterizing the wound with heat nothing can stop that.>
That's really convenient! Normally my venom skill has little use since the wounds from my bites are too small. Now that I can attach the venom to the blood edge I can finally make full use of that skill.
In my excitement, I launch another small blood edge but the soldiers are to be very alert now and block it immediately. Looks like I'm stalling this group then.
While circling around the group of soldiers and launching the occasional small blood edge I look around and inspect the map. We are stalling for time alright but we won't be able to keep this up for long.
The harpies in the sky are having it the worst. Before the elves were hindered by the soldiers and held back to avoid friendly fire. Now that they are fighting an enemy in the sky they are free to unleash their full potential. Arrows fly like bullets shot from a machine gun and blades of wind are launched in both directions.
Guy seems to be doing kind of alright. He's rushing around between four groups of soldiers trying to keep the wannabe goblins alive. Despite his efforts, their numbers are dwindling and the dryads are too support-oriented to keep this fight going without the wannabe goblins to tank the damage.
Navi, when are more reinforcements arriving?
<That's the thing. They aren't going to arrive because they were never sent. It would seem that Vespasian plans to take this floor with as little cost as possible.>
That's stupid! If he doesn't send reinforcements then all his forces here will be wiped out and he will have to send more next time.
<That is correct but your vision is too narrow. To Vespasian, this entire campaign is just a game. He won't start to take it seriously until the last few colosseums are taken. He pretends like he wants to do anything the roman way but I know that he reads books of all warlords and strategists. This is just my opinion but I believe that every monster currently on this floor is a diversion. A perfect diversion.>
You mean it's like before when we attacked the supply line while the main offensive started?
<Not quite. This is mere conjecture but he probably hopes to draw out as many forces as possible and annihilate them all in on fell swoop. He'll use their idea of counter-attacking to get them into one place and then he'll snap the trap shut with them inside.>
So what's the trap?
<I haven't the faintest clue. That's probably his aim, no one can guess what's going to happen.>
So what do I do now?
<Fight until you die then well pull you out and end your mission there... Actually, Vespasian wants you to watch his plan come to fruition with him. You'll be respawned in his current location once you die.>
No reason to draw this out then. I dart up a tree leaving the group of soldiers that I was stalling in confusion. Once I'm in the treetops I launch myself right back down into said group of soldiers.
They don't react fast enough and I fly past their heads. Now to try my idea.
I launch two big blood edges, one to the front and one to the back. Since I'm in the middle of the soldiers they should all get hit. The moment the sanguine blades shoot out I feel incredibly drained and everything turns black.
<Wow, you managed to kill yourself by utterly draining your mp. Did you know that you went into the negatives?>
So what, death can't do anything to me. I was even thinking of using the skill a third time to make sure some of them died.
<Jade dear, have you ever had a really really really bad hangover?>
No.
<If your mp goes into the negatives it puts a strain on your soul. The resulting condition feels like a horrible hangover with no tested medicine for and not forgetting that it lasts for quite a while.>
Why didn't you tell me?!!
<You're an adventurer for gods' sake. You're supposed to know that letting your mp fall below ten percent without the necessary skills to compensate is dangerous.>
I knew that it would kill you but not all this soul business. But I don't feel the pain right now. Can you just not respawn me until my soul is okay again?
<No can do. In this state, your soul would need forever to recover. Just bear with it.>
I suddenly feel cold marvel floor below me again and once I open my eyes I see lounging on a couch in what looks to be a luxurious movie theater. The screen in front of me is giant!
"Glad you could make it. Ready to watch my epic victory in 16k resolution?"
I groan, my head feels like it's repeatedly splitting itself with an axe while being in the middle of a techno club with the hearing of a cat. Somebody kill me!
<Dying won't help you at all. You'll simply be respawned and continue to suffer. So stop complaining, grit your teeth and get through this.>
AUTORENGEDANKEN 
djarcher
djarcher As you might know, I've been writing two stories simultaneously for a while now. I have decided to put the other one (conquering the lower realms) on hold for now and concentrate on this one. I can't promise daily chapters but there should be an increase of chapters released compared to before.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein