[Stormtail Kobold | Lvl 56 | General | HP: 6317/6317]
Before either Tiphanna or the silver-grey fiend could move an inch, Daisuke surged forward with terrifying speed, the Lipanthyer’s Fang clasped in hand. His eyes narrowed to dangerous slits as the blade drew a pair of luminous arcs, his lips pressed into a harsh, unmerciful line.
SLASH-SLASH!
[11 damage dealt.]
[11 damage dealt.]
Daisuke sprang backward, watching with cold detachment as the beast snarled, its bared teeth almost mocking him for the futile attempt to wound it.
This level 16 dagger has an average Attack Power of 69, and my Strength currently sits at 145 without Stat Reset. A standard attack without aiming for a Critical Hit barely scratched it—dealing the minimum threshold damage of 11. No surprise there. This mob is level 56 with a Defense of 252—my attack power isn’t even close to exceeding its defense.
The Kobold snarled in frustration as it unleashed a flurry of attacks, only to meet nothing but empty air. Its confidence wavered the moment its elusive target dipped low and learned forward, poised to strike back.
Monsters typically have multiple weak points—ranging from moderate, significant, to severe, with damage scaling accordingly. With the Eye of Verity, I always target the most severe to make up for my own shortcomings. Now, let’s go for a severe weakness and land a Critical Hit this time.
Realizing that its existence was nothing more than a test subject, the beast instinctively turned to flee—but Daisuke was faster. In a flash, his dagger carved through flesh, a three-hit combo driving deep into its prosternum with two of the strikes sinking straight into its heart.
[Critical!]
[953 damage dealt.]
[Situational Damage!]
[4763 damage dealt.]
[Situational Damage!]
[3165 damage dealt.]
DING!
[You have slain a «Stormtail Kobold»!]
[375 Experience Points have been acquired.]
[…]
When the creature slumped to the ground with a whine, Daisuke straightened and flicked the blood from his dagger, the wheels in his mind turning relentlessly.
It’s only when I aim for a weak spot and land a Critical Hit does my damage surpass its defense. And the moment I punctured the heart, Situational Damage activated.
He cupped his chin in thought. I’m beginning to suspect that unlocking Situational Damage requires executing that specific type of attack hundreds—maybe even thousands—of times. Along with relentlessly stacking debuffs, that’s probably how I’ve been dealing any kind of damage at all up to this point. And with my HUD turned off, I’ve been in the dark about it this whole time.
Realistically speaking, even though my stats are kinda juiced, I shouldn’t be hitting this hard with level 16 daggers and the armor I had before. Stat Reset, my debuffs, and Situational Damage have been carrying me all this time.
“Why didn’t you use the daggers I made?” Tiphanna asked, a childish pout forming on her small lips. “I thought you’d be a bit more eager to try them out.”
“GRRRR!”
“I am,” Daisuke replied with an exuberant grin, glancing toward the newly arrived test subjects. “I’m just conducting a little experiment, that’s all.”
Tiphanna readied herself for battle, though a hint of petulance still lingered in her voice. “And when will this little experiment of yours involve those new daggers?”
“Right now,” Daisuke responded casually, already darting toward the nearest Kobold, the Dark Upheaval daggers gleaming in the dim light. Let’s start with a basic attack—no weak points or special damage this time.
Daisuke shot forward, the twin daggers flashing with streaks of fiery orange and vivid green, shimmering with the power of their grand debut. As he closed the distance with the snarling Kobold, his movements were nothing short of breathtaking.
With unnerving speed, he slashed upward, the edge of Dark Upheaval cutting through the wind with the promise of oblivion, sinking deep into the creature’s side.
Before the guinea pig could even think to howl in agony, Daisuke pivoted on his heel, his grip shifting smoothly as he drove the second dagger into its back, the blade sinking with deadly accuracy.
[280 damage dealt.]
[257 damage dealt.]
Time slowed, Daisuke’s eyes sharpening calculatingly as he maneuvered his body to conduct the second phase of the test. As expected from a level 50 pair of weapons, he thought, even with my assassin-level stats in Strength, I still managed to hit higher than the 252 defense and land some damage. Now for the crit and weak points.
SHINGGG!
The daggers vibrated—a dirge of impending death—as they carved through space and time, their presence as inevitable as the end itself.
Just like the Lipanthyer’s Fang before them, they yield to their purpose, blades painting a deadly yet beautiful arc of orange and green as they traced a lethal path to the Kobold’s prosternum.
[Critical!]
[2674 damage dealt.]
[Situational Damage!]
[13370 damage dealt.]
[Situational Damage!]
[10365 damage dealt.]
DING!
[You have slain a «Stormtail Kobold»!]
[375 Experience Points have been acquired.]
[…]
The remaining Kobolds snarled, thick saliva dripping from their maws, their fury ignited by the death of their kin. They charged in, desperate to tear the offender apart.
Yet, despite the oncoming peril, Tiphanna could only watch in awe as the Dark Upheaval daggers—her magnificent creations—effortlessly cleaved through hide and flesh like a hot knife through butter. The blades danced and howled hauntingly, tracing brilliant arcs of red, sliver, orange, and green as they devoured their prey without hesitation or remorse.
DING!
[Insta-Kill!]
[The effect of One-Hit Kill activates, instantly allowing the targeted enemy to be slain with a single strike.]
[769 Experience Points have been acquired.]
Daisuke was every bit as mesmerizing—his movements were sharp, fluid, and unyielding as he danced between the grasp of serious wounds and the threat of death itself. With each strike, he fanned the flames of the slaughter, feeding the chaos, baptizing his new daggers.
His form was a blur of deadly precision, a force of nature that seemed to devour everything in its path. When the last Kobold collapsed to the ground, Tiphanna finally breathed, her eyes alight with a mixture of awe and excitement, her heart racing.
“That was incredible!” she exclaimed, her eyes wide as she watched him nonchalantly flick the crimson stain from the daggers. “You took down the others with a single strike! Unbelievable! So?” She grinned, hands on her hips with a playful smirk. “Are they as great as I promised?”
“They are,” Daisuke replied, his voice sincere. “In fact, they’re even better than I imagined.”
Tiphanna gave a satisfied hum, her gaze mischievous as she peeked at him from one open eye. “You’re welcome. And just so you know, I plan to make the next weapon even stronger!”
Daisuke’s expression visibly softened, a sense of delight creeping across his face at the promise. The fact that I never knew one-shot kills granted 105% bonus EXP proves these daggers are clearly in a league of their own.
Finally, being able to kill multiple mobs in quick succession helped me figure that out. And to think these daggers offer more perks and debuffs than the Lipanthyer’s Fang and Salamander’s Claw combined. I can even imbue my attacks with fire or lightning at will. Still, there’s something that’s been bugging me…
“…Aren’t you cold?” Tiphanna asked softly, cradling the beanie he had gifted her while glancing shyly at his bare head. “I feel a bit guilty being the only one wearing a hat.”
Daisuke gently patted her head, his voice soothing. “Don’t worry about it,” he said with a smile. “My armor keeps me warm enough. But… can I ask you something?”
Tiphanna, her cheeks tinged with pink, averted her gaze to his chest, unsure whether to feel content or disgruntled by the affectionate gesture. “…What is it?”
“…When you chose to become a fighter, do you think the path found you, or was it something you decided for yourself?”
“…”
As Tiphanna searched her mind for the answer to his strange question, she unconsciously began unearthing memories that had long since been suppressed. Her eyebrows furrowed as fleeting images began flashing in her mind.
“I’m sorry,” Daisuke soothed, noticing the discomfort in her expression. “I didn’t mean to bring up anything painful.”
Tiphanna shook her head, her lips pressing into a thin line, a part of her missing the warmth of his touch. “No, it’s fine,” she replied quietly. “To answer your question… I chose to learn how to fight. I figured as a lone elf in this world, it was important to know how to protect myself.”
“That makes sense,” Daisuke murmured, his thoughts drifting to the harsh reality of slave trades and the value of her kind. “And blacksmithing? Was that something you chose as well?”
Tiphanna glanced down at her feet, a soft sentimental glow lit in her eyes. She nodded slowly. “Yes. In addition to finding the craft fascinating, I wanted to repay my father for everything he’d done for me. So, I worked hard, learning everything I could until I became an advanced blacksmith. Does that answer your question?”
Daisuke nodded.
“Then, let’s get going,” she murmured stoically, evidently troubled by the memories the conversation had stirred.