VRMMO: Passing of the Sword

Thieves had six common skills.

From the first class advancement, there was Stealth, Backstab, Eviscerate.

From the second class advancement, there was Gouge, Cut, and Dual Dagger Garrote.

One was for concealment, two were for control, and the remaining three were for inflicting damage.

The Dual Dagger Garrote inflicted the most damage, but there was a requirement before it could be used: two daggers had to slash the target’s neck at the same time with pinpoint timing. If not, the attack would simply register as two ordinary attacks.

However, this requirement was almost too simple for Mystery. She was already wielding her daggers!

Dual Dagger Garrote!

After using Backstab, she unleashed two more ordinary attacks, before immediately using Dual Dagger Garrote on the back of the Flaming Ghost’s neck.

The two daggers precisely cut into its neck. Her decisiveness and merciless attack were enough to send chills down one’s spine!

-1786!

The Dual Dagger Garrote was the result of two daggers being used at the same time. Plus, since it was a skill, additional damage was inflicted, which explained why the damage inflicted was ridiculously high.

However, there was one fatal weakness of the Dual Dagger Garrote: Both preparing and initiating it took a long time relatively speaking. More accurately speaking, getting the daggers into the right position took up valuable time.

The daggers had to be wielded with one’s hands crossed. Then, the user had to accumulate their strength before they could unleash the skill. Those who were swift or familiar with the movement could use the skill fairly quickly. However, if one was unfamiliar, he would take at least a second if they relied on the skill guide endowed by the system.

If controlling the skill took one second and unleashing it used up another second, the enemy would have long since fled when the attack was finally unleashed. Instead of attacking the enemy, one would be attacking thin air.

Mystery on the other hand, was very swift, and had even connected it to her previous two attacks. Everything was done within a single second. However, she stopped attacking and immediately retreated.

Hoo!

The Flaming Ghost recovered from its vertigo and immediately clawed towards its back. However, Mystery had already retreated, so it didn’t manage to strike anything.

That’s quick. Even Blue Maple was slightly astonished.

Mystery’s Dual Dagger Garrote had been unleashed extremely quickly. Yet it had carried the same strength as a swordsman’s strike.

But she still couldn’t attack another two more times. Otherwise, she would’ve certainly been struck.

It was a Rank 60 Elite Boss, much stronger than the Samurai Warlord that Blue Maple had encountered previously. For someone like Mystery, whose class wasn’t strength-based, she wouldn’t have been able to effectively resist the ghost’s claws.

Mystery didn’t conceal herself this time. She immediately engaged the Flaming Ghost once again.

The Flaming Ghost was much quicker than Mystery, but she still managed to avoid its attack again and again with her agility.

Rather than saying the Flaming Ghost was a ghost, it was better to say that Mystery was. Her swift movements and unpredictable attacks made her resemble a spirit roaming the darkness.

Her unpredictability made it difficult for the Flaming Ghost to guess what she was going to do and she controlled the rhythm of the fight with her pace. The Flaming Ghost was like a little kid that was being played with. as if there was a stronger Looming Shadow around.

Mystery indeed lived up to her name.

……

Mystery calmly avoided every claw attack that the Flaming Ghost unleashed. It was unable to touch Mystery at all, its Flaming Charge consistently striking thin air.

Even in a fight, she was like an intoxicating drug. Her devilish figure under her tight-fitting armor moved along to the rhythm of the fight, making it seem as if she was trying to seduce someone. At times, her bosom would jiggle with her movements.

Though it was a fight right now, any onlooker would feel as if this was some kind of passionate dance!

Only, her attacks were so merciless…

Every blow was lethal!

Her attacks were even purer than Blue Maple’s. Every one of them was aimed straight at the neck. Even if she failed to strike the neck, she would still aim her target towards the chest or other fatal spots.

She’s really merciless. Blue Maple was watching the fight out of boredom, but he still exclaimed in his heart at her ferociousness.

He couldn’t help but compliment the precise blows that were being unleashed on the Flaming Ghost.

Although Blue Maple was confident that he could do everything Mystery was doing, his bad habit was that he was lazy.

He would rather sleep than put so much effort into attacking. To him, this was an unnecessary fight; it was harmless fun. There was no need to put in too much effort.

That was why he was impressed by the fact that she was so focused and intent on attacking a weak spot.

However, he wasn’t entirely free to simply watch the fight. This quest wouldn’t let either of them get by so easily.

At that moment, the Flaming Ghost opened its mouth wide, preparing to release a sound-based attack. Mystery didn’t care what sort of attack it was, she immediately fled!

“Hee!!!”

Devouring Screams!

-1023、-546！

It was an AoE skill that spanned a 20 meters square radius. Although Mystery managed to dodge the brunt attack, she was still close to it. As such, she suffered more damage than Blue Maple. Blue Maple’s hidden class managed to slightly make up for the rank difference, which greatly alleviated the damage that he suffered.

Mystery immediately downed a huge health potion afterwards, before concealing herself again.

After that…Blue Maple was left standing alone in the darkness.

Whereas the Flaming Ghost immediately turned its attention to Blue Maple. Blue Maple was speechless.

“Why don’t I try going up?” Blue Maple felt that it wasn’t a good plan for him to remain as-is. He might as well go higher up in the air, but he didn’t know if that would work out.

He leaped upward, and leapt further upward with the help of his Airborne Somersault before forming a talismanic platform with his Airborne Somersault and landing on it.

Right now, Blue Maple was 10 meters above ground.

Hope it doesn’t jump up. Blue Maple thought to himself, but he wasn’t worried. If this didn’t work out, he could just go back down. It would just be a little more inconvenient for him.

“Hmph, kid, do you really think I don’t know what skills that old gangster passed on to you? There’s no use even if you reach the rooftop!” The old man sarcastically jibed, but Blue Maple couldn’t hear him.

The matter of the fact was that Blue Maple’s thinking was too naïve. The Flaming Ghost wouldn’t jump up!

It simply drifted upwards...

It was a ghost. Why wouldn’t it?

Seriously…it’s best if I return to the ground, Blue Maple thought to himself. Even though he’d guessed this might happen, he’d still harbored some hope that his idea would work. What if the ghost hadn’t finished puberty?

After this, Blue Maple removed the platform beneath him and landed back on the ground.

“Ta.”

Blue Maple decisively ran towards a huge rock after he landed. He reactivated his night vision, his eyes once again shining with blue light. He could clearly see his surroundings now.

The Flaming Ghost stayed hot on his tracks, managing to keep up with his speed. As soon as Blue Maple reactivated his night vision, he also boosted his speed through his smelted protective gear. Otherwise, a Level 41 player wouldn’t have been able to come close to outpacing a Rank 60 Elite Boss.

His job now was to stall for time so that Mystery could restore her HP. His HP was still fine, and he could still protect himself using his skills.

It was their habit to keep themselves in the best possible fighting shape.They were intent on restoring their HP so that they could deal with any impromptu situations.

From the looks of it, the Flaming Ghost didn’t pose a threat apart from its Devouring Screams. It didn’t seem very easy for it to use, either.

There were no longer any threats. With Mystery’s reflexes, she would have no problem sustaining the fight.

But what if the Flaming Ghost resorted to some kind of special skill? What if the Flaming Ghost’s Terror Cry was different? What if there was another Flaming Ghost nearby?

That was why they needed to keep themselves in the best fighting condition. However, Blue Maple wasn’t very fond of doing that normally.

It wasn’t as if he was going to really die. Why did he have to be so serious? Wouldn’t it be better to be more relaxed?

That was why he hadn’t moved a single step even after the Flaming Ghost released its sonic attack. Even after his HP fell, he hadn’t bothered to restore it…

Seriously, stalling for time like this is so annoying. Blue Maple was annoyed as he avoided the Flaming Ghost’s attacks.

Hoo!

The Flaming Ghost’s attack struck nothing once again.

I really want to retaliate. Blue Maple was itching to attack, but he wasn’t allowed to.

Kacha!

A large segment of volcanic rock above Blue Maple was sheared away by the Flaming Ghost. He was petrified when he witnessed this scene.

If not for his quick reflexes, he would have been the one cleaved apart instead of the rock.

It’s about time. Blue Maple estimated that it was about time Mystery’s HP finished being restored.

Blue Maple’s flashed, avoiding the Flaming Ghost’s claw. He then instantly fled around the side of the Flaming Ghost. He swiftly made his way behind the ghost, who instantly turned around to chase Blue Maple down after witnessing the situation.

Blue Maple seemed to be slower this time. The Flaming Ghost soon caught up with him and swung towards him!

The Flaming Ghost only managed to tell that something had flashed in front of it, before Blue Maple’s figure instantly turned into a shadow!

Hidden Attack!

Gouge!

The Flaming Ghost reeled!

It was time for Mystery to attack.

Blue Maple and Mystery teamed up so well that it almost seemed like they’d discussed this beforehand! However, there was no way that they could’ve interacted when she was trying to restore her HP and he was furiously trying to avoid the Flaming Ghost’s attack. Their eyes hadn’t even met.

However, they both knew exactly the time to strike and the state to strike in!

Mystery struck again. She immediately inflicted 2000+ damage. Perhaps it was because of the daggers she’d been given. Anyway, her attacks were extremely lethal!

She didn’t retreat this time. Instead, she quickly maneuvered her way behind the Flaming Ghost. Although the Flaming Ghost had recovered from the initial blow, it was still unable to escape its fate.

Backstab!

-598！

Mystery followed it up with two slashes and her Dual Dagger Garrote once again.

-554、-521、-1802！

Stealth!

She disappeared after her flurry of attacks yet again.

“Hee!”

The Flaming Ghost immediately let out a furious, deafening howl. It was ready to vent it all on Blue Maple. Since Mystery had vanished again, Blue Maple was the one incurring its wrath.

However…

Blue Maple had disappeared too…

“Ooo…”

The Flaming Ghost was confused all of a sudden. It had lost both of its targets. It looked left and right, but couldn’t find anything. It could only helplessly drift through the air.

“Hmm?”

Even Mystery was unaware of what was going on. She hadn’t thought Blue Maple was a Thief. She noticed that his dagger was formed by Heavenly Fire, but the only concealment skill she’d seen him use was his 1.5 second long Hidden Attack.

But right now…

“This rascal…” The old man was also speechless as he continued to observe.

“That old gangster’s fire can be used in such a way?” He was also puzzled. Although he knew how strong Old Man Fang’s Heavenly Fire was, even he didn’t know that it could be used like this.

Where was Blue Maple?

He was on the other side of the cave, lying on a slightly flat but diagonally-placed piece of volcanic rock. He was using his hands as a pillow to prop his head up, but didn’t move as he watched the Flaming Ghost.

Blue Maple had discovered that his Heavenly Fire could be used for concealment only if he was perfectly still.

Just as Old Man Fang had mentioned, there were a few other fun things he could do with his Heavenly Fire, but it was up to him to discover them.

This time, it had allowed him to conceal himself. On a previous occasion, he’d managed to form huge wings that had acted as a parachute. Although they weren’t very useful in a fight, they were still very practical applications.