World of Karik: A Game of Villains 27 The Undead

You've got to be kidding me! Was I really not going to be able to handle this monster? There must be a solution! Dodging the subsequent attacks, I tried to remember what Ronald had said before I left the cave. Something about being a liar and walking around with full strength and something else all the time. But what did he mean by that? Had I translated something incorrectly? No, I can't start doubting myself now. I have to think.

One could have full stats… And then not have them. How was that possible? Could points really be spent?

Struck by a sudden thought, I almost missed a blow, but managed to dodge it in the last moment. Stats could be spent—strength could be added to punches, and dexterity to combos. I once wondered how Baldy could make a four hit combo as that required 75 dexterity. How could he have had that much at level 5, keeping in mind the fact that one could only add fifty points to each stat? And what happened to spent points? One couldn't keep spending them forever. However, this was all just a theory; I had to test it. As I had already understood, everything in this world was based on feelings, so I just had to try and imagine it happen.

I mentally draw a picture of a thin trickle flowing from the strength bar right into the scythe. I almost stumbled. The second time I missed a blow and lost hundreds of health points. Luckily, I had six hundred and forty of them together with upgraded endurance and my Stone Skin. But the third time the trickle turned red, creating a barely noticeable scarlet haze around the scythe.

Damage: 52(weapons: 25; strength: 22; strength modifier: 5); damage blocked; damage dealt: 0

I failed to break through the monster's skin again; the blow was even weaker than the combo. But, more importantly, I did it. Yes, the haze disappeared after a single blow. Yes, I lost five strength points, but a system message informed that they would return every ten minutes. But, damn it, now I knew how to win.

The first thing I checked was if I would be able to use dexterity and intelligence the same way. Green and blue trickles immediately responded to my desire. It seemed that everything became much easier once you figured out how things worked

I added ten intelligence points to Stone Spikes, and they finally broke through the zombie's protection, nailing it to the ground. To be honest, I was afraid that ten points would not be enough, but I couldn't spend more; I needed the rest for my magical protection. The local gnats would kill me in the blink of an eye if I spent it all. The next step was to add twenty-five dexterity points to combos, so that they would gain three more moves.

There we go.

Damage: 42 (weapons: 25; strength: 17); damage blocked; damage dealt: 0

The strength index fell after the last try, and the blows became weaker.

Damage: 55 (weapons: 25; strength: 17; combo modifier: 13); damage blocked; damage dealt: 0

Before the third blow I put all strength I had into the scythe. If this doesn't work, I don't know what will. It was a pity that I wasn't good at math and couldn't calculate my chance of success on the go.

Damage: 94 (weapon: 25; strength: 17; strength modifier: 17; combo modifier: 35); damage blocked; damage dealt: 14

I managed to break through the armor and cause at least some damage, but it was too little. I was sure that the sixty percent added to the third blow in the combo and all of the extra strength could tip the scale in my favor. Alas, the reality was much tougher. And now I couldn't move until my strength and dexterity were restored. The zombie already tore off the leg that had been caught onto one of the spikes and it moved toward me, gradually accelerating as it did so.

What else did I have? Only my scythe, that I couldn't even raise and fifteen points of intelligence that were preventing me from dying. A sudden thought flashed through my mind, If the Stone Spikes pierced its defense when I enhanced them with intelligence, the same might work with a different spell. Light Protection that had replaced my Curse was still haunting me. If it appeared, that meant that there was something to defend against. And what was healing if not the brightest manifestation of that element? These, of course, were only my guesses, but, I had no other choice.

Fifteen intelligence points were put into Cure Light Wounds.

Chapter end