PLAYER SYSTEM C29 VICTORY

The Flybeast Queen wasn’t just attacking anymore—she was toying with him, humiliating him. Every beat of her powerful wings sent Jack crashing into the muck, and the searing beams from her eyes shredded his HP bar with brutal efficiency.

Jack downed potion after potion, barely staying alive. But now his supply was running dangerously low. ‘Damn it... at this rate, I’ll be out of potions before I even touch her.’ His hand tightened around his dagger, breath ragged, body aching.

He braced himself for another onslaught, expecting the Queen to rush him again—but instead, she hovered in place, her wings humming with a sharp, almost mocking resonance. The attack didn’t come.

Jack narrowed his eyes. “What now...?”

Then, he heard it—a chorus of buzzing. From behind the Queen, a fresh swarm of Flybeasts emerged, drawn by her call.

Jack’s lips curled into a bitter smile. “So you’re bored now? Summoning your little minions to watch me struggle?” He could almost feel the Queen’s disdain in the way she hovered, her wings vibrating like laughter. The swarm surrounded her, all eyes locked on him.

‘She’s playing with me... like I’m some kind of entertainment.’ Jack’s jaw clenched. The insult stung, but within the humiliation, he saw a chance.

‘No… this might be exactly what I need.’ His mind raced, adrenaline sharpening his thoughts. ‘If I can keep her entertained… I can buy time. And if I’m smart about it, I can use this swarm—use them to level up.’

His gaze hardened, flicking between the Flybeasts. ‘The Queen’s too fast. My Grasp of Doom can’t slow her enough. But if I level it up... if I can just raise it a bit more, maybe... just maybe, I can bring her down.’

He took a deep breath, steadying himself as the swarm buzzed closer. ‘Alright, let’s give her the show she wants. But when it’s over, I’ll be the one standing.’

The Flybeasts surged toward him, a wave of chitin and wings. Jack focused, calling forth his power.

[Grasp of Doom]!

Dark tendrils erupted, latching onto their shadows, slowing them just enough for him to strike. This was his moment—time to turn the Queen’s game into his own.

The Flybeasts couldn’t get close—slowed to a crawl by [Grasp of Doom], their wings flailing sluggishly in the air. Jack seized the opening.

[Piercing Dawn: Radiance]!

A blinding light shot forth, cutting through the horde. One by one, the Flybeasts dropped from the sky, their bodies hitting the ground with dull thuds.

A grin spread across Jack’s face as yet another wave of the creatures swarmed toward him. Without hesitation, he cast [Grasp of Doom] again, halting their momentum. The air crackled as he unleashed his AoE attack, sending shockwaves through the battlefield.

The weaker Flybeasts were obliterated on impact, but some stubborn ones pushed through the barrage. Jack didn’t wait.

[Gracepierce]!
[Piercing Dawn]!

He dispatched them quickly with focused, lethal strikes. AoE alone wasn’t enough to take down these bastards—some needed precise, concentrated force.

Time slipped by, and the swarm that once numbered in the hundreds had dwindled to none. Jack stood alone amidst the wreckage, panting lightly, eyes glowing with a mix of exhaustion and triumph.

[Grasp of Doom] – Level 4.

[Gracepierce] – Level 4.

[Piercing Dawn] and [Piercing Dawn: Radiance] – nearly at Level 5. So close.

[Gracepierce: Lumen Fang] – Level 3.

[Mournburst] – Level 2. Its power now devastating, turning enemies into violent bursts of blood. The progress bar to Level 3 was rising fast.

“At this rate… maybe I can take down the Flybeast Queen without burning through my unallocated stat points,” Jack thought, his pulse steady but alert.

The idea was tempting. His skills alone might be enough. But he wasn’t sure—not yet.

The Flybeast Queen hovered above, unfazed by the massacre of her offspring. Her many eyes locked onto him, cold and calculating. She didn’t rage, didn’t wail. Just a pause. A flicker of light in her eyes.

She’s done playing games.

With a deafening screech, she lunged.

[Grasp of Doom]!

Jack cast the spell instinctively. Her speed dropped, but not enough. He barely managed to dodge her strike, heart pounding in his chest.

“Damn. That’s not slowing her like before.”

He countered with [Gracepierce], but the Queen twisted away with surprising agility, evading his strike effortlessly.

“She’s faster than I thought.”

“Looks like I’ve got no choice… I’ll have to use my Unallocated Points to boost my speed,” Jack thought, frustration flickering in his eyes.

He had hesitated until now, reluctant to spend those precious points too early. The game guide made it clear: players gained three points per level only until Level 30. After that, it dropped—two points from Level 31, and just one point per level after Level 50.

He wanted to be strategic, to make the most of every point, carefully balancing his attributes.

But now wasn’t the time to be cautious.

“If I don’t deal with her now, I’m dead.”

With a deep breath, Jack opened his status panel and allocated 12 points into Agility.

Agility: 46 → 58.

“This should be enough.”

The Flybeast Queen let out a piercing shriek and charged.

Jack’s eyes sharpened as he dodged, casting [Grasp of Doom] mid-motion. Her speed dropped just enough for him to slip past her strike. He countered with a swift attack aimed at her wings.

But the blow barely scratched her thick, armored limbs.

“Damn… tough as hell.”

He frowned, recalculating.
“I need more power—and I need to keep up. Speed alone won’t cut it.”

Opening the panel again, he pushed 7 points into Strength.

Strength: 48 → 55.

And another 12 points into Dexterity.

Dexterity: 46 → 58.

Now only 14 points remained unspent.

He clenched his fists, feeling the surge of power course through his limbs. His body felt lighter, faster—stronger. He lunged.

This time, he closed the distance before she could react. His blade struck, biting deeper into her wing, and with [Grasp of Doom] still suppressing her, he pressed the advantage.

Even with the advantage, Jack struggled.

The Flybeast Queen was higher level, stronger, and relentless. Every strike she delivered forced him to stay sharp, to push his newly boosted stats to their limit. She didn’t fall easily.

But slowly—steadily—he wore her down.

His breaths grew heavy, his movements slower. Fatigue gnawed at his limbs, but he refused to let up. Draining the last of his potions, he wiped the sweat from his brow and charged again.

Minutes stretched into what felt like hours.

Finally, after thirty grueling minutes, he saw his chance.

[Mournburst]!

The skill connected, slamming into her wing. It didn’t tear her apart as it had with the lesser beasts, but it was enough. The Queen crashed to the ground, her limbs trembling, her flight broken. She lay there—weak, limping, barely able to lift her head.

Jack approached, his steps unsteady but triumphant. A weary grin tugged at his lips.

"You were a pain in the ass..." he muttered, pressing his boot down on her twitching body, pinning her in place. "But I win. That’s all that matters."

The Queen let out a low, distorted buzz—more a groan of pain than defiance.

Jack didn’t hesitate.

With one swift stomp to her mouth, he silenced her cry. His dagger gleamed for a brief second before he drove it straight into her core.

Her HP bar plummeted—10... 5... 0.

[Congratulations! You’ve defeated the Flybeast Queen, Level 23 – Elite Monster!]

[You leveled up! Level 16 → Level 19!]

[Bonus EXP awarded for defeating an Elite Monster!]

[You leveled up! Level 19 → Level 21!]

Jack exhaled sharply, dropping to one knee as the notifications flooded his screen. Victory at last.