"Great job, Watermelons," Kitome said sarcastically, clapping her hands . Clyde could feel her envy too—she had nothing on the wonder that was Harumi . For once, he welcomed Toru's blank stare . The brown-haired, blue-eyed rich boy for once didn't comment, though he did stare just a little too long at Harumi's chest .

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The group moved on at a faster pace . Clyde picked up a stick, a piece of paper then attempted to utilize his crafting skill . Nothing happened . The interface revealed that nothing was possible, which didn't surprise the young man . He only wanted an experimental jab at his new ability . He'd shop for a few things the next day to get started . Crafting was probably the most important ability he had—and if he didn't master it, the Viper would wipe the floor with him .

Just then, Clyde noticed a small group of pumkos trotting around . A little further ahead stood a larger, metallic version of the creature with eyes of red embers . The group quickly dispatched the normal pumkos then started toward the leader .

[Congratulations, you have reached level 8! Stats increased!]

Clyde a.n.a.lyzed the obvious mini-boss .

MetPumko .

Level: 25

Type: monster .

Work under: Your hostile detection isn't high enough for this nor do you know the information to fill this in . Geeze boy, hit p.u.b.erty already . Some athlete .

Special: Your hostile detection isn't high enough for this . Tsk, tsk . You're a disappointment

Weakness: Your hostile detection isn't high enough for this . Big surprise .

Resistances: See above .

Secret: Your hostile detection, luck, and will isn't high enough for this . Wimpy, wimpy, wimpy . Noob .

Ignoring the prompt that nearly sent him into a rage, Clyde said, "he's a strong one . "

"Good," Toru said . "I'll have it no other way . "

[Your party has entered combat!]

The metpumko laughed .

"d.a.m.ned humans, do you make light of me?"

[Enemy has activated Guiding Radiance!]

An outline of white aura surrounded it . And it stared intently at Kitome . The magical girl shuddered .

"Stop staring at me, you perv!"

"Oh please, don't get full of yourself," the pumko said . "You have no goods I care for . "

"You piece of—"

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Kitome unleashed a scattered shot of heart bombs at the taunting monster .

[Enemy HP has dropped to 175%]

Clyde blinked . Enemies can have health over one hundred percent? How was this fair?

Harumi was the next to attack, discharging b.a.l.l.s of electricity . The metpumko laughed .

"Is that all you got?"

[Enemy resists electric attack . ]

Clyde and Toru rushed him simultaneously . The monster dodged Clyde's attack and then bashed Toru to the ground with a single swipe of heavy claws .

[Enemy activates Wavebound . ]

A glowing blue circle appeared around the monster then expanded faster than Clyde's eyes could see . It struck the party hard enough to send them all flying backward at least a yard . The white that was around the enemy faded .

[Your HP has dropped to 50% ]

Clyde sucked in a breath, enduring the pain as much as he could . Harumi stepped forward, held up a hand, and like a fountain of joy, healing light bounded from her, joining the party in an embrace .

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[Your HP has been restored to 70% and is slowly healing over time . ]

Everyone stood, focusing . Clyde took aim then fired an energy ball . The monster . . . dodged it .

"You suck," it said .

[Your MP has dropped to 60%]

[Enemy has activated Will-o-wisps!]

Clyde barely dodged the a.s.sault of purple fireb.a.l.l.s . He rushed the monster again, dodged its swipe then managed to get in a strong Precise slash . His sword bit deep into the enemy . When he pulled back, it roared .

[Critical! Enemy HP has dropped to 140% Enemy is stunned . ATTACK ONCE MORE!]

Clyde took heed of the prompt and activated Scatter shot . Concentrating, he directed all five energy b.a.l.l.s to hit the stunned monster .

[Enemy HP has dropped to 105%]

[Your MP has dropped to 20%]

Clyde backed off, while Toru lurched into the fray, unleas.h.i.+ng a series of martial art combos that connected to various points of the monster .

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[Enemy HP has dropped to 80%]

"You know, you're kind of p.i.s.sing me off, you pesky humans," the pumko said . "You're like mosquitos . You don't quit . Let me show you something . "

"f.u.c.k, get him before he does something crazy," Clyde said, catching his breath . The loss of that much MP started to take its toll on him . He could feel a headache form .

"Too late! HA! Eat this!"

[Enemy has activated Raid ender . ]

"s.h.i.+t," Clyde said as the monster unleashed a lot of light . He was way too under-leveled for this . This thing was too strong for him . The semi-sphere of intense white light expanded from the enemy and engulfed the entire party in a ma.s.s of pain, shock, and agony . To Clyde, they were all one and the same .

[Your HP has dropped to 1%]

[Pa.s.sive skill Secret sword and martial arts combination's defense boost has allowed you to endure this attack . ]

[Danger! You are critically low on health . ]

Clyde felt intense pain everywhere . Even in his eyeb.a.l.l.s . He noticed his party, struggling to stand, most of them inflicted with stun and shocked status alignments . Harumi couldn't even move to heal him .

"Well, it's been fun," the pumko said . "Well, not really . Say goodbye . "

It started toward Clyde, step by step, chuckling and there wasn't a thing the young man could do . One hit and it was over . Earth…gone . Just like this . He didn't want this . He couldn't let it end . Not like this . This was just stupid . A party wipe by a mini-boss? Why didn't he prepare for this?

[Your talent Main Character Stuff has activated . ]

[Extremely rare random ability activated: Deus Ex Machina . ]

No…way, Clyde thought . Ah s.h.i.+t, just let me die . He chuckled to himself . Of all clichés…d.a.m.n, he really was a main character . The Stone .

[Ability activated . LIMIT BREAK!]

Clyde felt strength like never before surge through his veins like raging rivers . This felt like the high of a Red Bull on steroids . He felt his capacity expand, meld with the universe and he just knew .

He took a deep breath, standing straight, light radiating around him as if he was a star on a dark night .

"Limit break," he said then aimed one hand at the shocked monster .

[Activated Limit Break Skill: Almighty von seki]

A large beam of blue and black magic blasted from Clyde's hand and disintegrated the mini-boss . Ashes rained almost everywhere . The air smelled of burned cloth and metal and vegetation . His party remained in their places, mouths agape .

A brown chest appeared in the monster's place, bringing a wide grin to the young man's face . Finally . An enemy drop . Loot! He thought he'd never live to see it in this world . That or his luck stat gave him nothing .

[Battle completed . Victory! Reward: 9000 EXP and $300 . ]

[Congratulations, you have reached levels 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 . This is because the enemy you defeated was of the demon's lords social clutch . Stats increased! You've earned 3 free points! You've unlocked the skill Deep Slas.h.!.+ Precise Slash has increased to level 2 . Hostile detection has increased to level 3! More information about an enemy will be revealed . ]

[Your HP has slowly healed to 10% and still slowly increases due to ally's effect . ]

Clyde didn't care about any of that . He opened the chest and smiled . He wasn't the greedy type, but after what he just did, first claim should be no problem to the others . He grabbed a glowing book .

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