บท 26: Killing the Super Mutant (2).
Most of them didn't trust him, and he knew that. The only way to set his plans in motion was to convince them that he wasn't the selfish person Hunter had painted him out to be.
His plan was simple, but the risks involved were also very great. He planned on having a brutal close combat fight with the mutant. Previously, he had been avoiding a direct clash with the beast, using his blade to deflect its attacks or just outright dodging. Now, he was going to ignore all forms of defense. Just straight-up mauling. That is why he used the majority of his mana to create a metallic suit of armor for defense.
This was way more dangerous than just killing everyone here, but it was the smart thing to do. Not only would it benefit him in the long run, as he would now have them indebted to him for putting his body on the line to save them, but he would also be able to train his close combat skills, and maybe even create one or two skills as well.
He worked best under pressure, and what kind of pressure could be worse than the threat of death...
This {Crimson Bear} was the strongest opponent he had encountered since the start of these apocalyptic events. It was even more powerful than the {Miasma Devil}. It was also the second mutant he had encountered that had an elemental attribute, the first being the mutant the metal attribute mutant he had acquired the {Metal Creation} skill from.
If he was pushed to the edge, he was sure he would get stronger. That was one of the reasons why he didn't want the fight to end so quickly. If he wanted to, he would have created an opportunity to use {Golden Severance}, and the battle would have been over ages ago.
But he didn't want that...
He could not afford to miss this opportunity. If he killed the mutant quickly, the only things he would be able to gather are againlareels and extra stats, and maybe a mana shard. But by prolonging the fight, he could maximize his benefits at the expense of his life and safety, as well as the safety of others.
***
Cain wasn't very creative when it came to naming things.
Because of the nature of the skills, {Metal Creation} and {Metal Manipulation}, Cain realized that with a sufficient amount of mana, and a touch of creativity, he could construct any skill he wanted.
Because he usually killed opponents much stronger than himself, and his gift for creating ingenious skills, his stats, especially his magic stat, were higher than the average. The magic stat determined the amount of control an individual had over mana, and how well and efficiently said individual could use mana-related skills.
The way he treated his mana was similar to the way one would treat water. Without any manipulation, it was just flowing in his body chaotically. Once he activated a skill, he was able to feel the mana taking a different course of action, almost like the restless lake of power had finally found an outlet to flow out of. From there, for skills like his {Metal Manipulation} and {Metal Creation} skills, he would be able to control what the mana manifested into. For skills like his {Mana Blade} and {Lightening Edge}, it was like it already had the form it would take upon leaving his body.
With his little understanding of this mysterious power, he doubted things were so simple. For now, he was working with the information he had. To make the armor as sturdy as possible, he had layered the sheets of metal upon each other in the form of scales. He had chosen to use scales because they were the perfect balance between mobility and protection. If he had chosen to make plate armor or chain armor, he should either have to sacrifice mobility for better protection or vice versa.
It reminded him of the dragon he had encountered in his dream. The magnificent golden scales of the dragon left a huge impact on his psyche. He wanted to look just as powerful, glorious and majestic as that golden dragon.
BANG!
Man and beast began a deadly dance. Cain didn't abandon his blade, and still held it in his right hand, but this time, he used his entire body as a weapon as well. He fought exactly like a wild beast, without regard for his well-being.
To make things even more dramatic, he also made sure the {Crimson Bear} got a few nasty hits on him.
Blood, bones, flesh, and metal clashed again and again, portions of each departing from the combatants with every clash.
'So exciting!'
Cain was on a high. He could feel his internal organs rattle with every strike. The bear possessed physical strength that eclipsed him by a lot. Even after he activated {Golden Blood}, the beast had activated its booster skill as well. But Cain had the advantage when it came to perception and control. Because of how big the mutant's body was, although it was fast, and would most likely beat Cain in a straight-up race, it didn't possess the same flexibility as he did. He was able to avoid most of the mutant's blows like he had seen them from a mile away, while the attacks he received, were ones he was sure he could handle.
When all these factors were considered, the {Crimson Bear} and Cain were evenly matched. At least that was how Cain saw it.
In the eyes of the others...
"Cain! We have to go help him!" Susan cried out, her voice laced with panic. Every time Cain got hit by the {Crimson Bear}, every time she saw a dent appear on the armor of gold he wore, her heart beats couldn't help but speed up in fear.
"I don't know about you guys, but I'm not going to become fodder for someone else," Hunter said in a cold voice.
"You piece of shit! How could you say that after what you have seen, huh?!" Susan yelled at Hunter in an anger-filled voice.
"She's right, you know? If he needed us as fodder, then he wouldn't even lift a finger. All he would need to do is to sit back and wait for the beast to tear us all apart before he went for the kill."
Hunter still stared at the fight without responding.
"I don't give a damn about whatever the fuck you guys are on about. All I know is that I ain't no pussy. If you want to cower here like weaklings, go right ahead!"
"As for me, I want some blood!" Manny wasn't even interested in words from the beginning. All the dude ever thought of was fighting.
"Chaotic Wind ×2!"
An emerald glow even brighter than before surrounded his being. He moved faster than the wind, joining the fight with Cain.
"You decided to join in?" Cain wasn't too surprised when he saw Manny flashing around the monster.
'That's one down.'
Manny was even faster than before, much to Cain's surprise. As they attacked, Cain was able to see that Manny was even faster than him. His speed was on another level. His attack damage was many times lower than Cain's however.
The pressure on the mutant increased. With Manny's fast and furious strikes, and Cain's precise, swift and heavy attacks, the mutant was having an incredibly hard time.
"I don't know about you guys, but I won't just sit and allow someone to risk their lives to fight, while i do nothing but sit back and watch," Susan said with cold eyes as she drew her bow and began firing at the mutant. Her pinpoint accuracy and precision didn't give the mutant any space to maneuver.
"Yep. Gotta go help the boss." The fatty had a stupid grin plastered on his face as he aimed his gun at the mutant and fired a barrage of bullets.
"We have to join the fight. Even if he wants us to be fodder, it still doesn't change the fact that we will all die as well if he loses to the mutant. In case you didn't notice, we can't defeat it on our own. We need to work together." David said as he braced his shield before charging into the fray.
The others disregarded Hunter's warnings. They charged at the mutant, weapons drawn. Previously, they had been hesitant, thinking they were about to be sacrificed by Cain, so only he would reap the benefits. Cain's selfless display of putting his own life on the line without any regard for whether or not they were involved in the fight made them feel a bit at ease.
Now, everyone, except Hunter and Dan, charged at the mutant. They were convinced that they were fighting for their cause, for their survival. They weren't cannon fodder...
'Success...'
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