Idle Money System

As the forces clashed, Alexander, clearly outmatched in strength, as he spat blood midair as he was hurled backward, crashing into the ground with a loud thud that created a small crater upon impact.

"Heh, I'm really no match for it," Alexander said with a smile, his last bit of strength already seeping away.

"I should really try to work hard more, rather than relying on my system for skills and powerups," he mumbled inwardly, feeling hopeless in this situation.

[It's not entirely hopeless Host, if you target the red gem on its forehead, you might prevail, although the odds of winning are very slim.]

The system's voice reached him, and upon hearing it, his eyes, once dull and devoid of hope, became resolute.

If he were to surrender now, would it not mean that facing any stronger opponent in the future, he would simply yield in defeat?

That was not what he desires, he had to fight.

Then his willpower to fight returned igniting his heart to continue on, he knows that if he died right now this beast and the man will chase the villagers.

As Alexander lay in the shallow crater, bruised and bloodied, his vision swam with each agonizing heartbeat.

Despite his pain, a spark of determination blazed within him.

He wouldn't let this monster slaughter the villagers. He couldn't give in now.

"System," he muttered through gritted teeth, "put all my free points into speed."

In an instant, he felt his muscles tighten and his body grow lighter, the familiar sensation of newfound power coursing through him.

His speed surged, making him feel almost weightless in comparison to his earlier state.

[Status Updated: Speed: 86]

The reason he choses speed rather than strength, if he can't land a critical hit then strength would be more useless if he can't fight it head on.

The serpent, sensing his willpower to fight, let out a hiss that reverberated through the air, its crimson gem glowing with a menacing light.

It wasn't going to make this easy for him.

Alexander stood, drawing on every ounce of his willpower as he held his sword, Infernal Fury, firmly in hand.

The blade trembled as he steadied his grip, his knuckles turned white with the effort.

With a furious lunge, the serpent lashed its tail at him, each strike a blur of speed and ferocity.

Alexander dodged midway, with his enhaned speed allowing him to evade its attacks with narrow margins.

Explore more stories at empire

Still, he wasn't fast enough to land a hit on its forehead, the serpent was relentlessly guarding its vulnerable spot.

But he was patient. He darted to the side, narrowly escaping a tail swipe, then slashed toward its flank.

The serpent twisted, meeting him with a ferocious bite that forced him back.

Alexander grunted, his heart racing as he assessed the situation.

"I need to weaken it, even if its only a little. If I want to get a good shot at the red gem on its forehead." he uttered, in a heavy breathed.

He launched himself forward, zigzagging unpredictably, his blade flashing in a deadly arc.

He aimed for the creature's neck, and as he made contact, sparks flew, but the scales absorbed most of the impact.

The serpent retaliated immediately, swiping him with its claws.

Alexander was barely able to block the hit, stumbling back from the force.

"Damn, did I choose wrongly in putting my free points?" he muttered, his grip tightening.

The serpent lunged forward, its gaping mouth dripping with venom.

Alexander rolled beneath it, narrowly avoiding the venom as it splattered behind him, hissing upon contact with the ground.

But he wasn't done yet.

As the serpent twisted, Alexander saw his chance, its head was momentarily lowered, exposing the faint, pulsing glow of the blood gem.

This was his opening.

"Bloodlust" he shouted, activating his skill, now that it's finally cooldown.

[Bloodlust: As the wielder's desire for battle intensifies, Bloodlust heightens the Host's senses and reflexes, increasing strength and speed by 60%. Prolonged use diminishes clarity and control, potentially leading to a berserk state.]

A surge of raw power tore through him, his muscles rippling as his speed and strength soared.

His vision sharpened to a razor's edge, and his breathing became shallow and rapid as the thrill of battle overtook him.

He could feel himself staggering on the brink, but he pushed it aside. This was his only shot.

With the increased in power, he moved in a blur, closing the distance between himself and the serpent before it had time to react.

He lunged, aiming straight for the blood-red gem.

The serpent reared back, but he was faster, slicing his sword across the gem's surface.

The impact sent a shockwave through his arms, and he saw a hairline crack form in the gem.

The serpent screeched in agony, thrashing violently, its body twisting in pain.

But its rage only grew. With renewed fury, it lashed out, its movements now even more aggressive.

It whipped its tail toward him, but Alexander, now boosted by [Bloodlust], dodged it easily, landing a clean hit along its neck.

For a moment, he felt invincible, his senses so heightened that he could see every move, anticipate every attack.

But as [Bloodlust] took hold, he felt his control slipping. He had to finish this quickly or risk losing himself to the berserk state.

After all, the Berserker's instinct had reached its maximum, and he had used his two skills continuously.

Even with the aid of his skill, [Heart of Stone], it proved to be useless right now.

He forced himself to focus, locking onto the gem.

His vision narrowed, the serpent's furious thrashing fading into the background as his target filled his mind.

He darted forward, deflecting another strike from its tail and slashing toward its head.

His blade met with resistance as he struck the gem again, chipping away at its surface.

The serpent roared, and with a speed that matched his own, it lunged, its jaws wide open.

Alexander was almost caught off guard, his mind clouded by the effects of Bloodlust, but he managed to twist out of the way at the last second.

He retaliated with a brutal downward slash, driving his blade into the gem one final time with all his might.

The gem shattered with a resounding crack, pieces of it scattering like shards of glass.

The serpent let out an ear-splitting scream, its body convulsing as it writhed in agony.

A dark mist poured from the fractured gem, and its crimson glow faded into a dull, lifeless gray.

The beast staggered back, weakened and disoriented, its strength sapped by the destruction of its power source.

Alexander stumbled, from the effects of two skills leaving him drained, his body is heavy and aching.

Since he was already severely injured in the first place, engaging in combat with another beast of the same caliber as the Ravenwing he had defeated would be courting death.

If there been no weakness at all, the beastly snake would have triumphed, leaving no opportunity for victory.

Fortunately, it appears to have gained strength from external factors, and upon its destruction, victory was secured.

His vision swam as he fought to stay upright, but he knew he couldn't falter. This was his moment to end it.

Gathering his remaining strength, he raised his sword and charged at the serpent one last time.

With a powerful swing, he drove his blade deep into the beast's skull, piercing through the broken gem and ending its torment.

The serpent's body fell limp, collapsing to the ground with a thud that echoed through the forest.

It was still breathing, so Alexander chose not to pursue it, knowing that it was nearing its end.

Alexander stood over it, panting, his chest heaving as he fought to catch his breath.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Blood dripped from his wounds, his clothes torn and battered, but he had done it. The villagers were safe from now on.

As he looked around, he saw the villagers did not actually ran but stay behind into the dense trees, their faces peering back with a mix of awe and gratitude.

He could see Aeloria's relieved smile and Anya's joyful face looking at him; even though his vision was blurry, he could perceive them clearly for reasons unknown to him.

Even Nendo, the man, was brimming with smiles upon seeing his grin.

Alexander gave them a nod, with a smile in his own. He doesn't want to show his vulnerability towards them.

He had fought and won, but at a cost that left him weary beyond words.

hissed

He collapsed to one knee, his sword slipping from his grasp. The battle had been grueling, and as the adrenaline faded, the full weight of his injuries sank in.

But a faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He had survived, and so had they.

[Bloodlust Deactivated]

[Berserker Instinct Deactivated]

Somewhere nearby, the man in black seethed, watching his prized beast fall. But he knew this wasn't the end.

Aeloria, witnessing her victory, was overjoyed as she emerged from the forest and ran towards him.

Anya and the rest of the villagers also ran to join in the celebration.

"Alex, you did it!" Aeloria exclaimed, tears streaming down her smiling face.

"Big brother Alex is cool," Anya said, jumping and running towards him.

The villagers were also very happy as they ran towards the battlefield.

Alex, hearing their voices, looked at them with a slight smile on his face, with only one eye open.

He was so tired from the fight, yet as they ran, their faces were filled with happiness.

Suddenly, it turned grim. Aeloria, witnessing this, looked on, filled with sorrow.

"Alex, look out!" she shouted, her voice trailing off.

Alexander, hearing this, was too late to react as a dagger stabbed him in the back.

The blade pierced his back, making its tip visible in his chest.

His eyes turned dark as he puked a lot of blood. Shifting his head, he saw the culprit; it was the man clad in a black suit.

"Young man, you have ruined my future. That's my way to become famous throughout the world, now I'll take your life, in return" he said full of killing intent with his eyes burning in rage.

"I almost forgot about you!" Alexander said coldly, as his clarity returned and held the man in the neck carrying him up.

The speed was so overwhelming that the man was left stunned, unable to move or dodge in any way.

The one he was using is his injured arm that was hit by venom. His tone was deadly as he increased his grip.

"You asshole, let go!" The man was terrified.

He had thought that he had already used up all his energy, but that seems to not be the case at all.

The dagger in his hands continuously slashed, stabbed, and swiped in his front body.

Alexander gazed upon the scene with calmness as blood dripped from his body and mouth.

"This is the end," he muttered.

With the increased pressure, the man's face turned violet as he dropped the dagger and lay lifelessly in his hands.

[You killed a level 29 Human. You've gained 10,000 exp.]

He let go, and its body fell lifelessly to the ground. Alexander's injury turned even more critical as he was losing lots of blood.

Not only had he been afflicted with the same poison as the brother of the man he had slain.

But he was also struck by the venom of a snake that was now mingling within his bloodstream.

He fell to the ground heavily as he passed out.