LVL UP!

HP +100

MP +15

Atk +3

Def +2

 

You have 1 skill point available.

 

Would you like to use it now?

 

I chose ‘yes’, then I selected the HEAT BEAM ability.

 

HEAT BEAM 1

LVL: 1 -> 2

DPS +6

Range +40m

MPS +3

 

I clenched my scaled fist with a satisfied grin. The level up had also increased my size. This forest Wei-Jian had brought me to was filled with low level enemies to farm. It had only taken a few hours for me to reach level two. I was alone, though I couldn’t get too far from my Keeper, that was one of the restrictions he’d placed on his party. Of course, I wasn’t a voluntary member either, so it’s not like I could just leave of my own volition.

At first, I’d been really angry at being captured and turned into some guy’s tool, but I realised there was no point in fighting him. He was giving me the opportunity to level up and I had no way to get away from him in any case. It seemed that was just the way this world functioned. They, or we, weren’t a free species. Almost all Kaiju belonged to a Keeper, Mei had told me. Only a few WILD Kaiju known as ‘Rogues’ didn’t, but people debated if these mysterious, lone-wolf, high-level Kaiju even existed.

Just then, I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. I readied myself. It was a forest rat, probably the weakest enemy that existed in this world. When I got close enough to an opponent its level would display in my HUD, but the actual values of its stats were hidden. This creature was a measly level one. Based on the rats I’d defeated already; I doubted this one had HP above fifty.

I moved in quickly, baring my claws. The rat tried to dodge but I managed to catch it. I got in two fast hits. It ran and I chased after it. It wasn’t powerful but it was fast; at this rate it would get away from me. Thinking for a moment, I selected HEAT BEAM. I felt the ability beginning to charge up. Then, just as I was about to unleash my attack, the ground came away from me.

Huh? I fell flat on my face and my attack shot wildly through the branches above as I landed. My cumbersome dinosaur-like feet had caught on an exposed tree root. As I raised my head ashamedly, I caught a glimpse of the rat vanishing into the forest. Shit, at least nobody was around to see that. My thoughts were interrupted by some laughter.

“How pathetic can you be?” a deep, nasally voice asked.

Typical. I pushed myself up off my stomach and turned to face the person who’d spoken. To my surprise, it was a Kaiju. He was leaning against a tree, standing like a humanoid with small, membrane wings folded up against his back. His scaly body was a dark blue, with lighter blue spikes on the tips of his elbows and running from the top of his head down to his club-like tail. I wanted to say he looked like an ice dragon. He was giving me a mean look.

“What are you, level one?” he asked.

“Two actually,” I mumbled as I got to my feet.

“Hmph, take some pride.”

He approached me, displaying his clawed fingers. When he got close, he peered into my eyes with his piercing blue stare. I tensed as I prepared to defend myself. My HUD showed that he was level six.

“I’m Yukiharu, by the way.” He passed me by without so much as raising a claw.

What did this guy want anyhow?

“I’m Shi. Are you WILD?”

Yukiharu chuckled. “No, my Keeper’s aiming for the top of the leader board, as I’m sure yours is too.”

My fist tightened. This guy was definitely dangerous. Damn, if Mei was around we could probably take him on, but alone I was so weak.

“You’re thinking of fighting me? Don’t bother. I’d nullify your abilities.”

Huh? He already knew what abilities I had? Who was this guy anyway?

“I’m just another contender for the title.” He smiled wickedly. “Don’t mind me.”

“What do you want?”

“Nothing to do with you, I can assure you. I just happened to be passing by and decided to watch. I can’t say I was impressed.”

He was starting to really piss me off.

“You expected me to fight you? How cute. I wouldn’t sully my claws with the likes of such an opponent.”

That was it. I didn’t care if I got the shit beaten out of me. I couldn’t take this guy any longer. With as much of a roar as I could muster up, I rushed at him. I stood a good head taller than him but that difference in our sizes wouldn’t matter if he was agile. Despite this, I threw caution to the win. I swung my meaty tail at his legs.

He smirked and then leapt into the air, easily avoiding my clumsy attack. The blue dragon landed a clawed foot hard on my face. I skidded backwards as he landed. Without wasting a second, he came at me from the side.

“ICE BOLT!”

A blast of cold energy ejected from his mouth. It hit my foot, freezing it solid to the ground. I struggled to break free, but the ice was rock hard. He followed up the paralysing attack with a punch to my gut. I didn’t manage to block in time and with my capability to dodge heavily impeded, I failed to avoid the strike. It landed hard. I retched at the pain as his hand sunk deep into my stomach.

I doubled over from the pain as he leapt back. I gritted my teeth. I couldn’t let him beat me this easily. I charged up my HEAT BEAM and aimed it at my foot. Realising what I was doing, Yukiharu came at me again, but by the time he reached me, I’d managed to melt the ice which was pinning me in place.

I dropped and rolled out of the way of his charge, then grabbed him by the ankle and pulled him to the ground. If there was one advantage I had, it was my bulky mass. I got on top of my opponent and held him down. He struggled against me but wasn’t able to knock me off.

It would have been an ideal position if I’d had some way of finishing him there and then. My HEAT BEAM was still on cooldown and I had no other abilities. I was using my hands to pin his arms down. It was only a matter of time before –

“FROST SHIELD!”

In an instant his body became cold to the touch. As my fingers numbed, I quickly let my adversary go and leapt away. I readied myself once more, a few metres from my adversary. Yukiharu got to his feet and stretched his neck. He’d managed to maintain his grin, putting his shining, razor teeth on display.

“You put up more resistance than I expected. Not bad.”

The compliment sounded genuine, but I still didn’t want to hear it from his mouth. Then, at the same time, I heard voices from either side calling out.

“Shi!”

“Yuki!”

We eyed each other, then turned in opposite directions. I could see Wei-Jian approaching through the trees. When I turned back, another figure had appeared. She wore a short, blue dress, that fitted tightly to her body. It had a yellow trim, and long sleeves that hung loosely around her wrists. She had long, black hair, held back with a matching blue headband, and her face bore a stern expression which eyed me suspiciously.

“Who are you?” she asked, pointing the staff she held towards my Keeper.

“I hadn’t expected to meet another Keeper here,” Wei-Jian said. “Were you having some rough and tumble with her Kaiju, Shi?”

I scowled. “He got under my skin.”

The girl’s eyes narrowed. “Enough fooling around. Come on Yuki, we don’t have time to play with them.”

As she turned, Wei-Jian called to her. “Wait! Couldn’t you at least tell me your name?”

She looked back at him with disdain. “You should introduce yourself first.”

“I am Wei-Jian.”

“Rya. I expect you’ll see my name on the leader board soon.”

“Oh ho ho. Confident are we, miss?”

“Hpmh, and with good reason.” In a flash, she was beside him, the end of her staff at his throat. “Don’t get in my way.”

She lowered her weapon and then walked off into the forest without looking back. Yukiharu gave me a wave, then followed her away. As they disappeared out of sight, Wei-Jian laughed.

“I hope we meet again, Rya…”