The imps saw the one that killed their friend and shouted in anger. They all ran towards Emeros.
"What an aim!" Dan praised.
"Look! They're all attacking! There must be a dozen of them!" Philip whispered.
Eleven imps ran at them at a fast speed.
The three allies of Emeros saw the charge and could not help but freeze. The sight of a man fighting against hordes of creatures would have made any other man faint.
Yet, for some reason, Emeros could remain standing against the Imps.
Emeros had seen worse monsters than before. He had seen things from the perspective of Kyros and Noxus and how they battled gods and fell. What was that compared to a group of midgets?
SMASH!
The rock struck another imp on the head.
---
Damage inflicted: 86.45
---
Emeros frowned as his attack lacked Force. Out of the 11 Force points, he was only able to release 5!
The imps continued to charge, and Emeros threw another rock again.
SMASH!
---
Damage inflicted: 83.6
---
Despite the decaying value, the stones that Emeros threw weakened the imps and caused them to remain on the floor, squirming from the injury they received.
The imps were gaining ground, and Emeros switched to his sword.
It was an unfamiliar sensation because it was his first time holding on to it. But the first-person memory of wielding the sword from Kyros and Noxus remained.
Emeros poured out Force to his sword and concentrated as the imps drew near.
"Now!" Emeros shouted.
His friends moved out of the darkness, and Philip was on top of the large rock they hid behind and began throwing more stones at them.
THUD! THUD!
Two stones struck the bodies of the imps as Don's throw missed.
But the three quickly threw another stone.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
And another, and another.
The appearance of the three startled the imps, and the group was divided as those that were struck began to run back.
Emeros took a deep breath and ran forward with sword in hand.
"Just like... Kyros!" Emeros tried to recall the memories of Kyros and how he handled the sword. His memories included faint sensations of the Force energy.
SLASH!
---
Damage inflicted: 246
---
The slash had easily sliced off the head of an imp.
Gauge quickly activated at the creature's death.
---
Imp
Level 2
HP: 120
Strength: 5
Magic: 0
Dexterity: 10
Intelligence: 11
Vitality: 5
---
But Emeros did not release the Force energy but tried to contain it on his blade. He felt some of the Force leak out and hurriedly
swung the sword again.
Another imp tried to block the attack with his small spear, but the sword cut through it easily.
SLASH!
The arm of the imp was cut off.
---
Damage inflicted: 70
---
Emeros slashed out again, and his sword spun.
Three of the imps that surrounded Emeros all dove together and made their attacks.
Emeros began to swing his sword wildly to block, but a spear drove into his leather armor.
STAB!
---
Damage received: 32
Vitality Points: 233 /280
---
Emeros's health had steadily recovered since the punch of the level three man.
Emeros stabbed back at the imp.
---
Damage inflicted: 134
---ραпdαs `n?ν?| сom
Emeros was stabbed in the side of his torso, and the attack he could exert was weakened.
But Emeros ran towards the imp as he slapped the spear to the side.
His sword stabbed through the imp, and with the imp as a meat shield, Emeros tacked the other.
STAB!
The last imp saw his two allies die and retreated.
Emeros picked up the spear and hurled it at the imp.
STAB!
The last of the imps that attacked Emeros was dead. But the fight was not over.
Emeros quickly ran toward his allies and threw spears and rocks. Some of the imps that got hit by the thrown stones were also.
Three imps
Wesret was at the front and was slashing wildly with his right hand.
Dan was also fighting while Philip remained up the rock and kept throwing stones to slow the other members.
But now, Emeros had arrived, and they soon killed the imps.
Wesret had some small cuts as the spears grazed him in the battle. The group sat down and was amazed at what they did.
"That... that was crazy! We almost died!"
Emeros was also seated and began to think about what they had gone through.
"So this is... what it means to be weak. I can clearly see it now. My allies don't have fighting experience. Against small imps, it was already a deadly battle for them, and they would have died if I was not around. So the poor can't level up. Fighting imps would already be suicide..." Emeros reflected.
"I wonder if this could help you guys level up..." Emeros thought out loud.
"What? You want to use these imps we killed for us to level up?"
"I'm... kind of strong. As you can see, that imp stabbed me, and it didn't land a deep wound." Emeros revealed his side. He was bleeding and kept applying pressure to his side.
"I need you guys to level up more."
"Why?"
"To help me, of course. Guys, stick with me. Today is a day of new beginnings for us slaves!" Emeros smiled.
He was a pitiful young boy. But now, he had just defeated eleven imps. And while this accomplishment was nothing compared to his brothers, it was a great start. He was human. And for poor slaves like them, this feat that they pulled off was worthy of songs and praise!
My vitality is high due to my barbarian training, so this wound should close by tomorrow. Put all the imps on the cart, and let's head back." Emeros ordered.
Back near the parts of the mines where the slaves worked...
A man seated at the side still had not recovered from the attack. He could not work, meaning a day's worth of work was taken from him.
The man kept cursing at the 'Barbarian Boy' who people now called him.
"I hope that kid... dies!" The man had heard that Emeros and three others had moved deep into the parts of the mines, and even though the guards stopped them, they insisted and went on.
"Hmp! What's a barbarian slave going to do? He overestimates himself! He just landed a blow on you without your leather armor, and he's bragging like a king!" Another man spoke.
RATTLE... RATTLE... RATTLE...
The sound of a wheelbarrow could be heard, and suddenly, four people appeared within the large part of the cave where most of the slaves mined.
Don was proudly pushing the cart, and it contained a pile of imps!
Emeros was walking next to him and was holding onto his side.
"They... they killed that many monsters?!" The man who just spoke about Emeros exclaimed.
The one that Emeros punched had a stunned look too.
Emeros and the rest moved by them.
Emeros picked up a small stone and threw it at the man.
"Here. I injured you and cost you a day's work. Don't steal my stuff, and we're good." Emeros warned.
The man was stunned as he saw a small magic stone!
It was worth around two days' worth of wages!
Emeros walked on ahead, and it was only then that many noticed several bright stones mixed in the usual ores that were found.
"We're done for today. I believe this nets us three days' worth of wages each?" Emeros approached the guard that called him a stupid kid.
"And from who did you steal this, kid?"
"The imps? Or the stones?" Emeros frowned.
"Both!" The guard shouted.
"Who cares? People steal from each other here every day. But suddenly, it's an issue now?!" Emeros glared at the guard.
"If it were just stealing, then yes! But I'm sure you killed to get these stones!"
"That's right! We killed eleven! Eleven imps! Is that a crime?" Emeros sneered.
The guard was raging.
"Let's go. He's not worth our time. He doesn't have the authority to stop us. As I said, Mage Perment is my friend." Emeros urged his friends to keep pushing the cart. They were afraid of the guard, but Emeros showed no fear.
The guard was startled when he heard Mage Perment. He was a level 19 mage! He was close to reaching Captain level!
"Lies!"
"Then call him if you don't believe me!"
"Now you're just making stuff up! I'll arrest you right now for spouting nonsense!" The guard reached out and pulled Emeros.
Emeros paused for a bit and smiled as he drew his sword and pointed it at the guard.
"You dare to draw your sword against me, slave?!" The guard shouted.
"I've just killed nine of these eleven imps with my friends. Want to see how I killed nine of them?" Emeros challenged.
"You!"
"Based on your strength... you must be level 4! Let me tell you a secret... my strength is a little higher than level 4 because of my barbarian training!" Emeros chuckled and held onto the hand of the guard.
The strength of Emeros pressed on the hand of the guard, and the guard could not yank back his hand.
"You! Everyone! Look! He-! He is-!"
"I'm what? Holding your hand? Unless you caught me on a real crime, move away!" Emeros shouted, and the guard could not help but step back as Emeros released his hand.
The guard's expression had changed from anger and now revealed slight fear.
Emeros led the group on as they passed through the doors.
As they walked away, Emeros could not help but tremble in excitement. He had always wanted to do that against his bullies!
"So this is power? I might just be addicted!" Emeros laughed.
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l