Chapter 79 - New Strength (1)

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>> [Hoard]: Second skill associated with <Dodger> class. This skill can be used against any target regardless of their level. While this skill is active the user enters a state of absolute awareness which increases the user's agility and ability to dodge attacks. 

While this skill is active, the user would gain attack damage from every attack dodged. For example, if the user successfully dodges an attack that would have dealt 100 HP worth of damage, then the user's next attack would deal 100 HP worth of additional damage on top of what the user would have dealt without the extra damage. 

However, there is a drawback of using this skill. At one time either [Elude] or [Hoard] can be activated. Both of these skills would not activate simultaneously and also there will be a 10-second cooldown in case the user would like to switch between skills.

Moreover, bonus effects would be provided once the user had stacked a certain amount of damage using this ability.

• 1000 HP worth of damage ---> 10% Armour peneration

• 2500 HP worth of damage ---> 10% lifesteal

• 5000 HP worth of damage ---> 10% extra critical damage

• 7500 HP worth of damage ---> Deals additional area damage of 50% of the total attack in a radius of 10 meters.

...

• 15000 HP worth damage ---> <Unknown effect>

Please note that these effects are only temporary and would get used up once the accumulated damage is released. 

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The description of the skill was much longer than any skill Zok had ever obtained. He had to read it a total of five times before he was able to somewhat understand the purpose of this [Hoard] skill. In simple words, this skill could be used to accumulate damage over time by dodging attacks and this collected damage could then be released in one go.

Zok was always having trouble fighting against the hordes. But with this skill, as long as he successfully managed to dodge the attacks, we would be easily able to take care of them in one go. 

Also, the effects that he would gain after accumulating were quite nice. Just reading about the description made him want to test them out. However, Zok decided to hold his Tulaks. The skill was not the only thing he had earned all of a sudden. 

There was this weird voice in his head. Zok knew what the voice was, but he did not have a clue about why was this voice accompanying him now of all the time? There were a few other questions as well in Zok's mind, and he needed answers to them. 

[Read about the skill?]

The voice asked him, to which Zok nodded. 

[Thank god I did not have to explain to you about all that... you seem more intelligent than I thought. It seems my earlier presumptions of Occunians was incorrect.]

The voice threw yet another insult to his kind. But Zok did not care about others. Not anymore at least. The voice could talk as much shit about his people as he pleased if that meant he could get answers to his questions. 

"Okay, let's start this again. Who are you?" Zok inquired. 

[hm... let's see how should I go about this. You can say that I am the messenger of a certain god who had taken pity on you in your dying moments.]

"What do you mean?"

[You don't have many brain cells, do you?]

Even though Zok could not see the face behind the voice, he could still sense the disappointment in the tone in which the voice said those words. 

[Do you recall what happened after you fell into the pool of acid?]

Zok nodded his head. How could he forget that moment? It was the time the life as he knew was over and his new life began. A life filled with enemies and unknown dangers. 

[Let's just say that you were supposed to die at that moment. But a higher entity thought it wasn't fair and hence give you the power that you so proudly use now.]

Zok was not surprised a bit when he learned about that. During his adventures, he had already gotten to know about things that no one would ever know otherwise. One of which was about the constant interference of the 'gods' in their world. 

"Okay, so a god decided to save me... but why are you here and why now?"

[You high or something? Did you listen to a thing I told you? I am a MESSENGER, or in other words, I am the one you refer to as the 'system'. Without me, you would have no powers.]

The voice had a tinge of arrogance behind itself which, to be honest, wasn't surprising at all. If this voice was truly the voice of the system then it would make sense that it was inside his head.

[As for your latter question, well, I just wanted to make sure you were worth my time before I showed up.]

"What do you mean? You were already within me, right?"

[You give yourself too much value. You are strong, but not the strongest. Either way, whenever a being receives a system or a blessing, most of the time they start to think that they are invincible. This misplaced confidence leads to most of them dying even before they can get to level 25.]

As the 'system' said those words, memories of Zok's countless near-death experiences flashed in front of his eyes. It wasn't a lie to say that he indeed got a bit cocky after he got the system. But he had learnt from his mistakes and he would try to not get into much trouble. With the emphasis on 'try'. 

[So, in order to not waste my precious time. I decided to aide someone only when they reach a certain level. To be honest, I didn't think you would ever cross that threshold either. But here I am having this conversation with you.]

"Then what about-"

[Oi! Does this looks like an episode of 'Who Wants to be a millionaire?'. Stop asking these questions already!]

"Who wants to be a what?"

[Do you really not know- oh my bad. Wrong planet. Ignore what I said.]

"You're weird."

[Do you think anyone normal would accompany you?]"

"...."