150: Hatred

Hatred

With her opponent being a sorcerer, Neve had some idea of what she could expect. Especially since she was a mage herself. 

Knowing this, she took stock of everything she had while she and Lamrosh stood just outside the crevice. 

[Some more Potions of Fervor, granting 2% damage increase stacking up to 4 times, the poison of Subtle Brutality, which corrodes an opponent's internal organs, increasing the damage they take. That squire amulet, which increases physical damage. And I don't think Lam can heal, so all of my healing in this fight is still going to come from my Minor Healing Potions.] 

Speaking of Lamrosh, Neve looked at the girl, who was standing before her somewhat anxiously, waiting for Neve's indication for them to go in. 

[... I'm guessing she's not gonna help me fight her own dad, is she? But... What will she do if I win? Would she even be okay with that outcome?] 

She saw no other alternative, though. In order to progress, Neve needed the portal to the next floor to open, and, ordinarily, that only happened as the Floor Boss died. 

So, one way or another, this fight was going to happen. 

[I guess I'll find out.] 

"Okay," Neve said as she placed a hand on Lamrosh's shoulder. "Let's go in." 

"Mhm!" 

Pulling her along, Lamrosh took the lead, entering the same boss arena they'd visited previously. However, the sapphire torches burning at the arena's entrance this time cast a slightly dimmer light. Before, Neve had been able to see Lamrosh's father clearly but, now, only the lower half of the man's body was visible, as his upper half was concealed in the darkness. 

"Hm..." The orc stood up slowly as Lamrosh let go of Neve's hand and ran over to her father. "Lamrosh. Explain this. Now." 

[... He even sounds a lot more threatening than before.] 

"N-Neve isn't bad!" The girl quickly began to argue. "She helped me!" 

"An act I am grateful for, but one that fails to wash away the sins of her kind," the orc responded. "She must pay for them. Regardless of what she has done for you." 

"But..." 

"Now," he cut her off. "Step aside. I had intended not to end the life of your helper before your eyes, but if you insist on getting in the way, I will have to turn this into a lesson." 

[Well, it looks like it's a good time to get my potions in.] 

Quickly, she pulled a Potion of Fervor and drank it as quickly as she could, following that up with that Subtle Brutality poison, applying that to her blade. 

"W-Wait!" Lamrosh cried out, running forward. 

As she did, however, a rune that had been placed near the orc activated, stopping the little girl. She couldn't move, allowing her father to walk past her without having to say another word. 

[Shit. No help from Lam, then.] 

Finally, his level appeared over his head. 

Level 61

MP: 1000/1000

[100 Arcane,] Neve noted. [Figures.] 

"Now, wait just one moment. I will scold you once this pest has been exterminated." 

On that ominous note, the battle began with the orc raising his staff and using the same spell from before, materializing a sword made of magic out of the staff's tip.

The sword launched itself at Neve, but, knowing what was about to happen, the healer dodged out of the way. 

The path to the boss was clear, and Neve considered running up and going for a hit, but having seen what just happened to Lamrosh, she hesitated. That minor moment of consideration allowed the orc to spam that same spell over and over again, to which Neve responded by strafing to the right, moving in a circle around the orc. 

MP: 960/1000

MP: 950/1000

MP: 940/1000

She got closer to it with every spell she avoided, eventually getting in range for a stab. 

Just as she was about to go for it, a rune appeared. Neve stopped herself just before she could step on the trap, though. 

A moment later, the trap faded away. 

[Yep, saw that one coming. So, he probably has a circle of these things around him. How am I gonna get to him?] 

At this angle, she could see how Lamrosh watched on with horror. It was easy to guess how she was feeling seeing the woman that saved her and her own father trying to kill each other. 

[... Sorry.] 

That was all she could offer. She had to do this, after all. 

Stepping away again. this time, the orc switched spells. 

[Huh!?] 

Above Neve's head, globes of water began to form. 

[Shit, shit, shit!] 

She ran as fast as she could, from one end of the room to another. Obviously, she wanted to avoid taking the damage this spell would give out, but it wasn't just about that. 

[If that thing lowers my Precision at all, I'm probably just fucked!] 

As the spheres attempted to fall on her head periodically, once more, Neve got as close as she could to her opponent. 

Another rune attempted to stop her, but Neve halted her pace just before she could land on top of it. 

Like before, a couple of seconds passed and the spell faded away. This time, Neve took that opportunity to strike. 

She lunged in, shortsword extended, and aimed at the sorcerer's body. She didn't bother going for a weak point this time as she had confidence that she could end this fight early, so she didn't want to make aiming this hit any harder on herself than it needed to be. 

Because of this, her hit landed, though it was almost entirely ineffective. 

"Ergh," the orc grunted, pulling away as a shallow cut appeared on his abdomen. 

[Hm. That did almost no damage at all. I mean, that's to be expected, sure, since I haven't stacked my potion buff and I only just now applied my poison. But, still... For it to do *that* little, how many points does this guy have in Endurance?] 

She had no time to work out the potential math as, soon, more of those water balls appeared over her head. As she ran around, trying to dodge out of the way, she made sure to trigger more of the runic traps around the orc, stepping just close enough for them to appear and then moving out of the way immediately. 

Once enough of them were out of the way, the healer ran in, looking to shank the man again. 

The orc saw it coming and conjured a wall of flames between himself and Neve. Determined, though, the woman simply walked through it. 

With one hand aimed at the man's torso and the other already scrolling through her Inventory, Neve decided to tank the damage entirely. 

No pain, no gain, after all. 

"AGH!" Neve cried out with gritted teeth, pulling her knife out of the orc's body and gulping down a Minor Healing Potion at the same time. 

With some distance placed between them, both parties paused. 

Scowling deeply, the orc looked back at Neve with so much resentment that the healer honestly felt shaken.  1

"... Time and time again, your kind has come to me," the orc suddenly said. Neve's brows pulled together, as she wondered what exactly was happening right now. 

[I figured he had a personality, like Lia, but... What is this? Something feels wrong.] 

"Time, and time again, you've taken it all. My hopes, my dreams of a revived world... All of these plans of mine ended at the hands of an apathetic human. I will not have it happen again." 

Standing up straight, ignoring the bleeding wounds on his torso, the orc began to walk toward Lamrosh. 

"At this point, my hatred for you and your people has become so strong that I can hardly feel anything else. Love, ambition... It is all so painfully muffled." 

Neve's eyes widened. 

[Wait...] 

"Will I act upon my previous goals? Maybe. But, right now... All I want is to see you die. By any means necessary." 

The man then raised a hand, letting it hover over Lamrosh's head. 

"Forgive me, Lamrosh. I have come back so many times, however. I assume you will as well." 

Neve had seen this situation play out in RPGs enough to know where this was going. 

And, instinctively, she moved forward. She couldn't just let it happen. 

She tackled the orc girl, getting her out of the rune and preventing the spell the boss activated all of a sudden from affecting her. 

Instead, as she covered Lamrosh with her own body, it affected Neve herself. 

"AAAAGH!" Neve screamed. Electricity burned throughout her body. 

Quest Completed!

IP Gained: 10

IP: 50

Neve didn't even notice the message, though. 

Instead, the world went black. 

All of the sensations going through Neve's body faded away, until, eventually, she could feel nothing at all. 

Her eyes opened. 

[Huh?] Neve thought, looking around. [What happened?] 

She was in an empty, black room. 

Looking down at herself, she found her own body glowing.

[What is this?] 

"Hm..." A voice hummed at the other end of this place. Neve looked ahead and found Lamrosh's father standing there, glowing just as brightly as she was. "This is unprecedented." 

"What the hell did you do!?" Neve asked, yelling as loudly as she could. The orc seemed unfazed. 

"I had intended to absorb Lamrosh's power. Use it to defeat you," he muttered. "Instead... Now I have this to deal with. Hm..." He nodded at something. "Ah... I see. Is that right?" 

[Who is he-] 

"Neve, hi!" Tamira said in Neve's mind. "First of all, congrats on the Floor Quest! Second, long story short, since, you know, you're about to fight and all, you should know that you just triggered an alternate version of the 6th Floor's boss fight. This place doesn't quite work like real life does. This is a battle between your spirit and his. As such, you will be given access to tools you would not be able to use otherwise.] 

[W-What?]

"Eh, you'll understand in a moment."

Tamira left and, suddenly, a message appeared. 

Status Effect Lost!

{Silenced} 

Status Effect Gained!

{Balanced Soul} 

{All attributes are raised to 100, but all level scaling is lost. All class requirements are eliminated. All level requirements are eliminated. All spells, attacks, techniques, and items deal only their base damage.}

Level N/A

MP: 1300/1300 (+300)

EXP: 90/510

AP: 3690

IP: 50

WST: 72910

---

Endurance: 100

Speed: 100

Precision: 100

Strength: 100

Arcane: 100

Neve's breath caught in her throat. 

[W-What?] 

"Now..." the orc said quietly. Neve looked ahead and found that all of a sudden, he'd become like an entirely different person.

Wielding a black warhammer in one hand and a staff in the other, he stepped forward, saying only one more thing.

"Neve Stephens... Let us see whose hatred is stronger." 

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