The Insurrection of the Inept Hero

Chapter 28: Ethos Arsenal

RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING~!

I fell to the ground while covering my ears from the dragon's roar.

My ears! Crap!

My vision started to blur and the energy in my body once again began to seep away. I bit my lip and my stamina eventually returned to my body but my senses were dulled to the point that I can't even think properly anymore.

I need to get rid of this thing fast.

Standing up, I fired Inferno, a stream of blue flames immersing the skeletal dragon.

When the flames cleared, the dragon was still standing as if my flames didn't affect it at all.

Next, I threw another countless wave of Volatile Orbs. Once they detonated, I was kicked from behind.

"Ack!"

The witch had appeared from behind and delivered a kick to the head. Once I met with the ground, she grabbed my hair and begun tossing me around. Then she threw me towards the skeletal dragon.

I managed to regain composure and vented flames throughout my body which managed to push the skeletal dragon back a few feet. But a few feet is nothing to a dragon of its size.

Dropping back on the ground, I quickly Flash Stepped around the room while blasting it with Inferno.

The skeletal dragon shielded itself with its wings. I used Flame Pillars, multiple pillars of flames erupting beneath the dragon, eventually submerging it in flames.

I wanted to make sure that the dragon was down but I didn't have enough time and I was eventually taken off topic when I received a kick to the face.

The witch then proceeded to punch me in the stomach, hips, legs, and arms.

Even when I attempted to block, she just managed to trick me and hit me in another spot. Luckily, I wasn't really affected much, except that she kept on aiming for my vital spots.

I attempted to fight back and even though I didn't get a hit on her, I managed to block some of her attacks.

"Take this!"

Her left hand dimmed and I ducked just in time to dodge her attack. That's when I found an opening and I took it.

I swept her feet and she fell on the ground. On my feet again, I performed Fallen Descent and Soaring Dragon Fist.

Though she managed to roll away, the impact of my attack sent a violent shockwave which blasted her to the other side of the room and there was a crater in the ground.

When I stood up and looked over at her direction, she had vanished.

She's like a ghost; you see her for one second and when you blink, she just vanishes. It must be one of her skills, an annoying one to be specific.

I quickly turned around when my instincts came back to me and I managed to parry her attack. She flew back and landed on the wall. For some reason, she wasn't falling down. Maybe gravity had stopped. Then I realized she was walking on the walls.

"Took you long enough to fight back."

"Don't-" I drew my dagger and my sword. "Get so cocky."

A stream of water blasted from the end of my sword and bolted straight for the witch. She vanished when she sunk back into the darkness and I stabbed the ground with my sword. Sending flames into the ground and through the entire room, there were no shadows left for her to use.

She fell from the ceiling and landed in the sea of flames. But when I noticed that she had landed on tattered wings, I immediately turned around to face the dragon which was still alive.

It towered above me and swung its claws which I blocked with my dagger.

Damn! Earth Dome would be a useful move right now. Aura Barrier and Energy Shield are only effective against projectiles and spells but not against physical attacks.

I was being pushed by the dragon and I knew my strength wasn't enough to beat it. So I Flash Stepped away and appeared above the dragon. I stabbed the top of its head with my sword and it easily went through. However, even though I had impaled its head, it somehow still had consciousness.

Even when I threw a round of Volatile Orbs into its mouth, it still didn't fall. Then I recalled when it bellowed and something inside it glowed.

That's it! Even though skeletal creatures don't have a heart, some of them have a core. That is what I need to aim for, the core.

I skidded back and threw another wave of Volatile Orbs. However, that was just a diversion so I can get near and under the dragon. Volatile Orbs won't affect me as long as I have Aura Barrier activated, though that won't prevent it from shattering. The force of Volatile Orbs is deadly and powerful enough to break at least six layers of Aura Barriers. All I need is to get close, that is all that matters.

I quickly ran forward behind my Volatile Orbs and the dragon was ready to swipe its claws. I slid under my Volatile Orbs and right when I was under the dragon, they ignited.

Activating multiple Energy Shields and an Aura Barrier, I managed not to get caught in the explosion and the dragon began to bellow again. When I glanced up, I could see the light glowing inside it.

This is my chance!

I quickly wrapped my hands in dark energy which glowed purple and dug my hand into the dragon's chest.

Ever wonder what pressurized dark energy feels like? Feels like slime and cold mist at the same time. Liquid and gas, water and air, etc.

Anyway, the core's light began to fade away and I couldn't find it anymore. The only solution I had was to enter it with my entire body.

So I did what came into my mind, and eventually, I was inside the dragon. As I rummaged through the dark energy circling around its center, I eventually came in contact with something small and spherical. When I pulled it closer to see what it was, the dragon cried in pain.

When I pulled the sphere towards me, there was a small purple shining orb in my hand.

Finally

I activated my Aura Barrier and the dark energy around me disappeared and all that was around me was flames and bones.

I Flash Stepped away with the core in my hand and the dragon suddenly collapsed and fell into the sea of fire.

The witch had just woken up and when she saw that her dragon had fallen, she jumped in the air and hung from the ceiling using a dark chain.

"Impossible even the dragon?" A frantic look appeared on the witch's face.

Dmmmm~

The dragon's core in my hand began to glow. That's when I felt a massive wave of energy blast into my face. A weird sensation filled my hand, and that's when I had absorbed the core.

"Huh?"

Ding!

[Leveled up!(53)]

[Passive Skill Unlocked: Ethos Arsenal]

[Ethos Arsenal Unlocked!]

[Ethos Arsenal: With the souls obtained from specific defeated opponents, you are able to manifest them as physical weapons]

[Soul Absorbed: Osiris]

Interesting

I could feel another presence inside me and it was brimming with anger. A dragon's fuel is anger if I'm correct, it must've built up a massive amount of rage when it was still alive.

Well, I'll be happy to let it blow some steam.

My body began to glow when I allowed the soul of Osiris to form.

When the light died down, there was something different about my body. On my arms, legs, back, and face, I was equipped with some kind of armor made of bones. The gauntlets on my arms that kind of resembled a reptilian claw were slim and fitted perfectly onto my arms. That went the same for the claw-like greaves on my legs. The back armor was made up of many vertebrae which made a spine and had ribcages guarding the side of my chests. In addition to that, there was a tail that resembled the skeletal dragon's tail; long, skinny, and had a pointed tip. Lastly, around my face was a mask that covered my mouth and my nose when equipped.

[Osiris: Bones of the Grim Dragon imbued with necromantic energy that has been watched over by Osiris, one of the many lords of the underworld, grants the host monstrous power which can terrify even the undead| Effect: Augments host's strength by 150% to 300% depending on status; Damage dealt to undead will be doubled; Host will be resistant to toxic substances when the mask is equipped]

Interesting...

"...wh-what are you?" The witch asked frighteningly.

"I'm just a normal human," I responded.

The witch gulped and she headed for the exit. Before she left, she summoned a horde of skeletons to attack me and buy her some time.

I readied my fist and the skeletons flinched. The closer I got to them the more they moved back. Eventually, I reached the exit without even fighting them.

I flaunted Osiris and smirked.

Using Fallen Descent, I caused the entire cave to collapse and sealed the entrance. Then I sprinted back up.

It didn't take long for me to catch up to her. Once she had run past the gate, I grabbed her shoulder and threw her against the wall.

"Eek!"

"If you don't want to die, I suggest you listen to everything I say. Got that?"

She shook as she nodded and huddled up against the wall. I backed up a few feet away from her before crossing my arms. Suddenly, my mask activated.

Oh, that's right, this mist is still active. Guess I should tell her to remove it, just not now.

"Now then, answer my question. What is a witch doing in an underground chamber under a graveyard? Do you know that your mist is killing others?"

The witch didn't respond and looked off into another direction. I kneeled and turned her face towards me.

"Talk, or I'll just end you now," I said as I placed the claws on my gauntlets near her neck.

"You can try, but it's useless. Even I can't kill myself."

"What?"

"I've already died, but instead of rotting away as a zombie would, I became a ghoul."

Hmm, that would make sense. Ghouls are similar to zombies except they keep their human appearances with nigh-immortality due to their super regenerative abilities, enhanced strength, agility, perception, and feed on human flesh. They can also eat human food, but that doesn't satisfy their hunger much. They also age slower than humans, but I don't think I needed to say that... maybe.

Anyway, I noticed a tear dripping onto the ground and I turned back towards the witch.

"I just... need to avenge them."

"Avenge who?"

"The dead ones in this cemetery. As someone watched over by a reaper, I need to avenge everyone in this place."

I slowly withdrew my claws. She's doing this to avenge the zombies huh?

Interesting...

"Keep talking, you have my attention."

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