The wasteland where Dante found himself was a desolate and harsh environment, where remnants of a once-thriving civilization were now reduced to ruins and rubble. The air was thick with an eerie silence, broken only by the occasional howl of a distant wind or the screech of mutated creatures lurking in the shadows. The landscape was a monotonous sea of gray and brown, offering little solace or signs of life.
Dante, however, seemed unfazed by the desolation around him. With newfound excitement coursing through his veins, he wasted no time in moving forward aiming to absorb more for his SDI.
His ambitions didn't end there as Dante knew that he needed more E Rank Mutation Cores to advance further. Although he had pocketed the one from the Yao Guai, finding another E Rank monster nearby would be unlikely.
Determination burned within him as he planned to venture deeper into the Apocalypse World, braving grids controlled by powerful D, C, and even higher-rank monsters.
Dante's swift clearance of various F Rank monsters showcased his combat prowess. With effortless grace, he dispatched them using his halberd, leaving trails of vanquished foes in his wake. The desolate wasteland provided little resistance to him as he moved with unparalleled speed and agility. Dante's skill and experience with his naginata-like halberd made quick work of these lower-rank monsters.
As he harvested the essence and collected the cores of the F Rank creatures, Dante's body and mind grew stronger. The moderate increase in his SDI provided a significant advantage, enhancing his overall abilities by 100% at the least.
Player Name: Dante
Player Race: Human
HP: 350/350
Strength: 12.1 -> 24.6
Agility: 11.3 -> 23.2
Dexterity: 10.8 -> 26.9
Intelligence: 10.74 -> 15.5
Constitution: 12.2 -> 34.9
Vitality: 12.5 -> 35.9
Mutation Index: 0% (Safe)
Radiation Index: 0% (Safe)
Superpowers: Quantum Entanglement, Absorption.?
However, despite his impressive growth, Dante knew the limitations of ascending beyond the A Rank with his Absorption Superpower. The history of the Eternal Academy showed that very few had achieved such heights, and even those who did were often unique cases with dual superpowers. The ceiling for superpower players at the A Rank seemed almost insurmountable, with monstrous foes awaiting them.
The discussion about the challenges in surpassing A Rank and the limitations of raw stats gave a sense of realism to the world Dante now found himself in. It wasn't just about raw power but also the strategic use of abilities, tactics, and an understanding of the foes' strengths and weaknesses. The unyielding monsters, each with their unique superpowers, added to the complexity of Dante's journey.
In his quest for strength, Dante eventually encountered a powerful E Rank monster, a creature known as the "Apocalyptic Goliath." This towering behemoth stood at least fifteen feet tall, with bulging muscles and a thick, armored hide that seemed impervious to attacks. Its eyes glowed a sinister red, and its roars echoed through the wasteland, striking fear into the hearts of those unfortunate enough to cross its path.
Monster Name: Apocalyptic Goliath
Monster Rank: E
HP: 400/400
Strength: 29
Agility: 17
Dexterity: 18
Intelligence: 2.2
Constitution: 30
Vitality: 28?
As Dante approached the grid controlled by the Apocalyptic Goliath, he could feel an aura of menace and raw power emanating from the creature. This wasn't going to be an ordinary battle; it was a true test of his skills and determination.
God Damn, this monster was definitely a Peak E-Rank foe!
Without hesitation, Dante tightened his lightweight kevlar armor and unholstered the Barrett 50.cal sniper rifle. He knew that taking down this formidable foe would require precision and strategy. The sniper rifle would be his first choice to strike from a distance and weaken the monster's defenses.
As the first shot rang out, the Apocalyptic Goliath roared in pain, but its thick hide absorbed most of the impact. Unfazed, the massive creature charged towards Dante with frightening speed, closing the distance between them in mere seconds. Dante quickly switched to his halberd, the naginata-like weapon ready to meet the monster's charge.
BAM!
Their clash sent shockwaves through the surrounding area. Dante's agility allowed him to dodge the monster's heavy strikes and counter with swift, precise attacks of his own. He aimed for weak spots on the Goliath's body, exploiting gaps in its armored defenses.
BOOM!
However, the creature's raw strength was immense, and each attack landed with bone-crushing force. Dante's armor was tested to its limits, absorbing some of the impact but still leaving him bruised and battered. He had to be cautious not to be caught in the creature's powerful grip otherwise he would taste Goku's fate when Ape Vegeta caught him.
Realizing that pure physical strength alone might not be enough, Dante decided to make use of his Quantum Entanglement Superpower. He disappeared from the quantum world, leaving the Goliath stunned into stupefaction.
He then returned the next second and struck the Goliath's jaw with his halberd, causing it to scream and lose a chunk of flesh. The Goliath roared in rage and entered berserk mode, unwilling to allow Dante a second of respite to do such evil again.
The battle intensified as Dante mustered his training by maximizing his agility and superhuman speed with the deadly precision of his halberd and sniper rifle. He evaded the Goliath's strikes with graceful acrobatics, closing in to deal powerful blows and then darting away before the creature could retaliate.
Dante felt exhilarated. This movement, this strength! He had only undergone light training in the Training World, but he felt like he could even take on Batman in terms of martial skill!
Of course, this was an illusion, Batman would probably beat this fellow until his limbs were crooked. He only felt skillful because he had a high and relatively balanced SDI along with some basic training on how to maximize it.
As time passed, the Goliath's roars of fury began to mix with sounds of frustration. It was clear that the monster was struggling to catch the elusive Dante, whose strategic movements and skill usage kept it off-balance.
Yet, Dante was not without his own struggles. The Goliath's relentless attacks pushed him to his limits, forcing him to utilize his Absorption Superpower to replenish his energy and recover from injuries during brief lulls in the battle as he run over shamelessly to kill nearby F rank monsters.
The Goliath was so angry that tears appeared in his eyes. Brother, have some martial virtue! How can you be so despicable!
The tide of the battle swung back and forth, as Dante's skills and superpowers challenged the Goliath's raw strength and powerful abilities. Endless shockwaves radiated form the point of their contact, causing the nearby area of around 300 meters to be unstable.
Finally, after a grueling and intense battle, Dante found the opportunity he had been waiting for. He identified a small chink in the Goliath's armor, an area that was less protected than the rest. With his halberd, he struck deep, driving the weapon into the creature's weak spot.
The Goliath let out one last defiant roar full of unwillingness and regret before collapsing to the ground, lifeless. Dante fell on his ass, his breath heavy and his body bruised, but a triumphant smile adorned his face. He had overcome a peak E Rank monster without using Bionics or Psionics to buff himself, showcasing the strength, skill, and determination that set him apart from other players in this unforgiving world.
As he absorbed the essence of the fallen Goliath, he could feel a significant boost to his SDI.
Player Name: Dante
Player Race: Human
HP: 350/350
Strength: 24.6 -> 30.4
Agility: 23.2 -> 26.6
ραndαsnοvεl.cοm Dexterity: 26.9 -> 30.5
Intelligence: 15.5 -> 15.94
Constitution: 34.9 -> 40.9
Vitality: 35.9 -> 41.5
Mutation Index: 0% (Safe)
Radiation Index: 0% (Safe)
Superpowers: Quantum Entanglement, Absorption.?
Dante was now a peak E Rank fellow himself. Hunting other E Rank monsters using his raw skills and SDI should be much easier going forward. However, the thing that left him unsatisfied was that his increased Intelligence was only being half used.
In the Eternal Universe, high intelligence allowed your brain to calculate faster and also made it easier to use mental related or magic superpowers. Quantum Entanglement was not related to his mind but his soul and Absorption was a body superpower that followed its own rules.
One couldn't help but be speechless with this Dante fellow. How many would appreciate higher IQ and calculating ability and he was unsatisfied, wanting to be able to use mental attacks.
Actually, it was not impossible, as the purpose of Psionics were exactly that, to grant psychic power. However, Dante had never been able to use it because the minimum SDI (after boosting) needed to have even the most basic telekinesis or telepathy was 500 points in Intelligence.
Lusting over such power with anything less would see you crush your brain into mush. Do you know how much energy and force needed to grasp something a distance away from you? Especially with a fragile and busy organ like the brain?
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