Chapter 85: Let’s Play Drums!!
The desert roared.
WHOOOOOOOOM!
The spinning blade storm descended from the sky like a metallic tornado. Sand exploded upward and rocks shattered. The air itself screamed beneath the pressure.
Above it all, the Skyblader hovered with its glowing blue eyes locked onto its prey.
Nobody stared upward. Sweat rolled down his forehead.
Yet strangely he wasn’t scared. Not anymore. Everything seemed to be coming together.
The system suddenly appeared.
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[Battle Awareness Reaching Threshold]
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Nobody grinned. "Nice."
He rolled his shoulders. Then pointed a crowbar at the giant bird. "Even if this Gelete birdie does whatever...I’m ready."
SKREEEEEEEE!
The Skyblader immediately responded. The spinning blade storm split apart. Hundreds of rotating feather blades launched toward Nobody. Each blade spun so fast it became a silver blur.
SWOOOOOOSH!
Nobody inhaled deeply. Then moved.
CLANG!
One crowbar spun in his right hand.
CLANG!
The second spun in his left. The incoming blades struck. But instead of dodging Nobody began deflecting them.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
Sparks exploded. Metal crashed against metal. The blade feathers bounced away in every direction. Several embedded themselves into nearby rocks. Others disappeared into the dunes.
Nobody continued spinning the crowbars. The movements felt smooth and natural. Like he had practiced them for years.
The Skyblader screeched angrily. Its attack wasn’t working. So it adapted. The giant bird suddenly accelerated.
BOOOOM!
Its metallic body shot through the air and its wings folded. Its eyes glowed brighter. Then another volley launched. This time from behind.
Nobody’s instincts reacted instantly to upcoming danger from behind.
Left side, high angle. He didn’t even need to turn. His body moved automatically.
WHOOSH!
He jumped. Several spinning blades sliced through the space where he had been standing. Nobody flipped through the air. Then rotated his body.
SPIN!
Both crowbars crashed against the incoming projectiles.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
The blades scattered. One flew hundreds of meters away. Another embedded itself deep inside a rock formation.
Nobody landed smoothly. The sand shifted beneath his feet. He smiled. "Oh. So that’s how we’re doing this."
The Skyblader screeched again. Its attacks became more aggressive. The monster had begun studying him.
Nobody noticed immediately.
Another volley came. High, then low, then left, then right. Each attack felt deliberate and calculated.
His eyes narrowed. "...Huh." He dodged another barrage.
Then another.
Something clicked. The monster wasn’t simply attacking. It was observing and adjusting.
Nobody rolled beneath several incoming blades. Then jumped backward. His gaze locked onto the creature’s face. "The blue eyes. Those strange glowing eyes."
The more he looked the stranger they seemed. They didn’t resemble normal eyes. They looked artificial. Almost like glass. Blue light continuously pulsed inside them.
Nobody’s mind began connecting pieces.
The monster attacked again.
Nobody dodged. Then watched.
The eyes moved, tracking him never losing focus. No matter how fast he moved. No matter where he teleported. The eyes followed.
His grin slowly widened. "Oh." The realization finally came. "I think I figured you out."
Far away..
Ren sat up slightly. "Hmm?" The rabbit coach looked interested.
Back in the desert..
Nobody continued observing. The Skyblader launched another attack. Hundreds of blades aimed precisely.
Nobody slid underneath them. Then laughed. "You sneaky freaky bird."
SKREEEEE!
The monster became more aggressive. Its wings opened. Thousands of metallic feathers shimmered.
But Nobody wasn’t paying attention to the wings anymore. He was watching the eyes. The glowing blue eyes.
The monster’s greatest weapon might not be its feathers. It might be its vision.
Nobody pointed one crowbar upward. "The birdie is attacking while observing."
Another volley came.
Nobody dodged effortlessly. His movements looked smoother than ever before.
The system appeared.
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[Battle Awareness Increased]
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[Pattern Recognition Improved]
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[Combat Analysis Improved]
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Nobody grinned. "Exactly." He pointed toward the Skyblader. "Your eyes. They’re helping you predict me."
The monster suddenly hesitated.
Nobody noticed. And that tiny hesitation confirmed everything.
The eyes of the monster mattered a lot.
He laughed. "Hah! I knew it!"
The Skyblader screeched angrily. Then immediately launched another storm.
But now Nobody saw things differently. Every attack felt less overwhelming. Less impossible. Because he understood the monster. Understanding an enemy was powerful.
Ren smiled while watching. "Good. You’re finally thinking during combat."
Nobody sprinted across the desert. The bird pursued him relentlessly. More blades flew and more attacks came. Yet his movements continued improving.
The system suddenly flashed.
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[NOTICE]
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Battle Awareness Threshold Reached
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Nobody froze briefly. A warm sensation flowed through his body. The battlefield suddenly became crystal clear.
Wind direction, blade angles, enemy movement. Everything felt easier to understand.
His eyes widened. "Oh. Oh wow." The difference was immediate.
The Skyblader attacked again. Nobody casually stepped aside.
The blade missed.
Another.
Missed.
Another.
Missed.
The monster’s attacks no longer looked overwhelming. They looked predictable. The Skyblader realized something was wrong. Its prey had changed. The hunter had lost control.
Nobody slowly lifted both crowbars. A confident smile spread across his face. The same smile Ren wore when he already knew the outcome. "You know what?"
The bird screeched.
Nobody pointed directly at its glowing eyes. "I think I know exactly how to beat you now."
High above the desert...the Skyblader’s blue eyes narrowed.
Nobody tightened his grip on both crowbars.
The fallen Skyblader was still struggling to recover from the previous exchange. Its blue eyes continued tracking him.
Nobody pointed one crowbar at it. Then he called the system. "System."
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[SYSTEM WINDOW]
YES?
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"Can I use Infinite Crowbar Swingers?"
A brief pause followed.
Then the answer appeared.
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[REQUEST DENIED]
Skill Restricted For Current Stage
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Nobody’s shoulders immediately dropped.
"Damn. Why do all the fun things get restricted?"
The system wisely chose not to answer.
SKREEEEEEEE!
The Skyblader screeched furiously. Its wings spread. Another wave of blade feathers launched toward him.
SWISH!
SWISH!
SWISH!
Nobody dodged them effortlessly. Then pointed toward the bird. "Alright...New plan."
The bird tilted its head.
Nobody grinned. "Let me make your eyes pop out like light bulbs."
SKREEEE?!
The Skyblader looked offended. "Yeah...I said it."
The giant bird immediately launched another barrage.
But Nobody was already moving. He sprinted toward a towering rock formation.
THUD!
THUD!
THUD!
Then jumped.
CRACK!
The rock cracked beneath his feet. He launched himself upward.
Higher.
Higher. Even higher.
The Skyblader’s glowing blue eyes followed him.
Exactly as he expected. "Gotcha." Nobody twisted in midair. Then threw both crowbars. "TAKE THIS!"
WHOOSH!
The weapons spun through the air like twin black comets. Faster and faster.
The Skyblader tried to react. But it was too late.
CRAAAAASH!
One crowbar smashed directly into the left eye.
CRACK!
The second slammed into the right.
CRUNCH!
Blue light exploded outward.
SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!
The monster released a horrifying scream. Its flight instantly became unstable. The giant bird spun uncontrollably.
BOOOOOOM!
It crashed into the desert. Sand erupted everywhere. The impact shook the entire battlefield.
Nobody landed nearby. A grin spread across his face. "Direct hit." The crowbars returned automatically.
WHOOSH!
CLINK.
CLINK.
Back into his hands.
The Skyblader twitched. Trying to stand and recover. Trying very hard not to become a victim.
Unfortunately its opponent was Nobody. And Nobody had suddenly remembered something. A wicked smile appeared. "Oh. It’s been a long time."
The bird froze. Even the system looked concerned.
Nobody walked toward it slowly. Holding both crowbars. "Long time since I played drums."
The Skyblader looked terrified.
Ren watched through the floating screen. "...What?"
Nobody raised both crowbars.
Then....
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
He started smacking the bird repeatedly. Each hit produced a different sound.
DONK!
BONK!
BAM!
DUM!
DUM!
DUM!
Nobody immediately began making music. "Drum solo!"
BANG!
"DUM DUM!"
BONK!
"DUM DUM DUM!"
WHACK!
The poor Skyblader became a living drum set. Sand flew everywhere. Feathers exploded into the air.
Even the system seemed speechless.
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[SYSTEM WINDOW]
[...]
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Far away....
Ren’s eyes widened. His carrot almost fell from his hand. "..." He said "...Is this guy for real?!"
Nobody continued his performance. "DUM DUM DUM!"
WHACK!
"DUN DUN DUN!"
BONK!
The desert echoed with chaotic percussion. And somewhere beneath all the crowbar impacts....
The Skyblader deeply regretted ever joining Stage 6.
