BXBX NOVEL Chapter 104: Exterminate The Hive (2)
•Skill's Active Effect of +5% Accuracy increased to 15%.
With the skill activated, you have an added 15% chance of making a successful kill.]
'Wait, that's it?!' Henry thought and the relief that he was starting to feel at the idea of having something else to face off against Angus who outstripped him in all physical stats, began to wane,
'Are you serious?' He asked the System like he was expecting an answer,
The way he saw it, he already didn't need the accuracy bonuses and only used them for the Skill Exp and to finally level up the Skill and to only have that Percentage increased as opposed to receiving some new Sub Skill that could prove needed for the fight to come had him feeling more disappointed than he had probably felt since he came into this world.
Henry didn't get an answer from the system and he stopped asking for one when more of the Newbies were crowding over now, moving like Zombies. Lacking any actual personality or individual intention. Just a Hive mentality to put their lives on the line to do their ~Hive-King's~ bidding.
"Ah fuck it," Henry said and more directly to the System (As direct as he could, seeing as he was talking to a screen that dispensed information with almost callous detachment) he said,
"Fuck you! I don't even need it."
He spun his revolver in his hand and, in a flow of movement guided by his agile wrist and fast finger, he made to shoot at the crowding Newbies and kill at least one of them with every single bullet he still had in the gun's cylinder.
Alas, there was only one bullet left and with a somewhat awkward cocking-on-empty sound, his superb move was cut short.
Plus, there was an interesting notification when the System dispensed rewards regarding the one kill he made;
[Kill-Reward: 15 Exp]
[You have received 150 Bonus Exp]
*[Nyx has received 75 Exp]
[You have gained Skill Exp]
Yes, despite how vocal Henry was about the System and not needing its bonuses, he activated his {Marksmanship} Skill all the same. He was disappointed about the outcome of the Skill Level-up but decided to keep at it for a chance for a better future outcome.
The mentality almost mirrored that of a gambler who believed his losses were merely paving the way for a bigger win.
Whether that would be the case or not remained to be seen.
Meanwhile, Nyx was not having all that better a time.
Having made four kills already, the Subjugated Newbies were starting to pay attention, as directed by their ~Hive King~, and since it was Henry that Angus wanted alive and not her, they had no qualms about shooting at her.
Already, bullets had struck her and cut her Hit Points down by another 20 but, of course, still she raged. She went after the ones who had shot at her first and struck one of them so hard, that he went flying and slammed into the Hadron Mansion's partially dilapidated wall with such force, that his head cracked on impact.
[Nyx has made a Kill]
[Nyx has received 20 Exp]
[You have received 150 Bonus Exp]
*[Nyx has received 75 Exp]
Her next victim suffered the very impactful barreling at her topmost speed further boosted by the <Shadow Dash> skill. The trauma seemed to have already robbed him of the ability to breathe but Nyx went a step further by trampling on him as she had done many others before.
[Nyx has made a Kill]
[Nyx has received 20 Exp]
[You have received 150 Bonus Exp]
*[Nyx has received 75 Exp]
Right then, as Henry was activated <Reload> to ensure both his guns had enough bullets loaded so he could resume his shooting, he received an alert from the System;
[You have Leveled Up!]
[You are now Level 12]
[Hit Point Maximum increased to 120]
[Hit Points: 60/120]
[Mana Point Maximum increased to 130]
[You have received 6 Stat Points to allocate]
[Nyx has leveled Up!]
[Nyx is now Level 4]
[Nyx's Hit Point Maximum increased to 95]
[Nyx's Mana is now 105]
[Strength: 45 ———> 50]
[Speed: 80 ———> 90]
[Stamina: 40 ———> 45]
'Put all my Stat Points into Agility,' Henry said immediately. Not particularly due to current need but rather to follow up on an earlier decision.
[Agility: 30 ———> 36]
As Henry was feeling swifter than ever and could feel something start to right itself in the balance of his Stats, Nyx reared powerfully and let out long aggressive whinnies as she reveled in a boost to her physicality.
"-Henry, go on ahead!-" she told him through their telepathy,
"-I'll cover you.-"
Nyx didn't wait for Henry to answer. She activated <Shadow Dash> in a steady stream that cost her Mana reserves but she could endure long enough to do what she had to do.
She dodged bullets fired at her but didn't go after the shooters but rather at those who were crowding around Henry and blocking his path to the Hadron Mansion.
Suddenly, the most prevalent sounds all over the Hadron Mansion compound were slams of collisions as the victims were sent flying by a mighty force they had no hope of surviving whether they made eventual hard contact with another hard surface or not.
With a path cleared, Henry gave Nyx a few words of thanks through their telepathy, and with powerful bounds backed by his Agility and Strength, he got across the compound and leaped through a hole in the wall.
He made to turn toward the West Wing when his Perception detected enemies. He looked up and pointed his guns before firing a few shots. One of his targets ducked behind a damaged wall and survived while the other keeled and fell off the top floor to hit the ground with a *Thud*.
The one who survived Henry's shot was suddenly no longer alone and with two others, leaped down before Henry could turn his gun at them.
Utilizing gravity, their leap-down was powerful and they aimed to dog-pile on Henry and finally pin him down as the tens and tens of Subjugated Newbies outside had been unable to do.
A foolish notion.
There were only three of them and despite a slight buckle of his knees, Henry remained standing. One of them was gripping his left arm so Henry swung it and slammed him into the ground and followed up with a bullet to the forehead.
[Kill-Reward: 15 Exp]
[You have received 150 Bonus Exp]
*[Nyx has received 75 Exp]
[You have gained Skill Exp]
Another was gripping his right arm and quickly suffered the same fate.
[Kill-Reward: 15 Exp]
[You have received 150 Bonus Exp]
*[Nyx has received 75 Exp]
[You have gained Skill Exp]
The third was holding on to Henry's neck and hugging his back tight so he turned and slammed him into the wall with enough force that the hold around his neck loosened.
Henry turned and made to shoot but paused. The Subjugated Newbie was knocked out and ordinarily, that wouldn't have mattered but Henry recognized him.
It was Tom the Newbie. The one who had come up with the tip that eventually led to the Bounty Hunter chase and went on to cost Tony his life. After the incident, Henry defended Tom because he believed the boy wasn't at fault.
Looking into that face, eyes closed and slumped against the wall, Henry felt some feelings. It was starting to dawn on him that he and Nyx just slaughtered a bunch of innocents whose only crime was that they were manipulated by Angus.
Henry didn't regret the killings —It was essential— but maybe, he could let just this one live.
Leaving Tom the Newbie behind, Henry ran the rest of the way to the West Wing and walked through the doorless arched doorway just in time to see Angus recoil with a grimace.
"Ah!" Angus let out while shaking his hand in pain with an inscrutable look at Yelena.
"Yelena?" Henry called out with wide eyes at her current look.
Her hair had grown so grey, it was now white and it had grown out in tangled, untidy locks and was so long, Henry was sure it would reach past her ankles if she were standing.
"Henry," Angus called out like one would call out to an old friend. The look in his eyes became a gloating one as the Vinculum on his chest pulsed with revitalized energy,
"Glad to see you made it in one piece.
And just in time too…"
Yelena opened her eyes slowly and her beautiful green orbs had been replaced with a sickening purple hue and her expression was blank.
Angus continued with his arms spread like a gracious lord,
"Just in time to become one with us."