(Clone Warrior) Chapter 47: Combat Experience

Small post today, I have been really sick these past three days, and I've only been able to produce a chapter. Also, I would love it if you could comment on any skills you want to see.

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“You are Agony.“  Alex pondered over the odd existence he had acquired when he renewed his status. He was actually surprised to feel that he still had a clone still alive somewhere, and he proceeded to cancel it, on the assumption that they were probably injured and a liability. It wasn’t a bad guess, the other clones had almost instantly died, and it wasn’t out of reason to assume that they were in the same area.

“I am.”

He had summoned a clone upon seeing the new addition in his gift. At first it was a normal clone, then he delved deep into his inner space, plucking with his metaphorical limb a small red pulsating light and thrusting out into the vague connection he had with his clone. The change was dazzling, the clone’s back hunched, his shoulders slumped, his legs spread that bit wider and his hands rested upon the hip where a sword holster would be. The clone had his head high though, giving Alex the impression of a battle-weary yet not broken character.

“Do you have your memories?”

“Yes, everything.”

Alex smiled widely; this was big. Reconnaissance was a major hole in his skillset, he would have to normally send a clone or several to an unknown zone and hope that they would come back alive. It was inefficient, and would expend valuable equipment while potentially exposing his identity if it was a human.

“I will not commit suicide for you Alex.” Agony spoke out, the man clearly seeing his intention. “No matter how much you want me to, I will not go out to my death for you. I will follow your orders as long as they are reasonable.”

“That… wasn’t what I expected.” Alex held the urge to argue against, he had promised himself to change and not assume that every clone has to obey. “Alright, you are far more experienced than I in fighting. Let us have a spar to see what this new upgrade brought us.”

Agony nodded and Alex threw him a wooden practice sword he had lying around.

“We are going outside, the tower is way too small for this, so wear a mask.”

They squared up outside, Alex held his sword straight in front of him and with his feet in a straight line towards his enemy. It was instinct, these positions and stances, the swings and slashes, it came naturally. Agony begged to differ, with not even a stance, just glaring at Alex with his sword pointed to ground.

“You are not going to…do anything?” Alex asked.

“I don’t need to.”

“Whatever floats your boat.”

Alex advanced cautiously, circling Agony and getting closer with every step. Agony didn’t deign him to turn towards him, staying still and with closed eyes. He must be using Singular Focus, hearing his steps or whatever. Still, Agony would be in a disadvantage with his back to him. Alex stilled in place for several moments and then charged, his legs launching like a slingshot to the clone.

As he was going to ram his sword through Agony’s abdomen, the clone calmly pivoted his body on his left leg and with it came a slash straight towards Alex’s flank. Alex was lucky to tumble and roll on the ground, as it let him avoid the slash. But Agony didn’t give him a moment to breathe, with a downward strike that made Alex's hand wither in pain from the vibrations when he blocked.

Still, while he may be on the ground, Alex defended against all the attacks with blocks guided with instincts, and waited for a gap in the attacks. It came, and Alex was about to get up, but he had a clump of dirt thrown into his eyes. A smack sounded out in the street, and Alex held his head in pain from the hit Agony gave him.

“Fuck man, did you have to hit me on the head so hard.”

“It is good to learn pain. It won’t bruise.”

“Fuck you.”

Alex got from the ground with gritted teeth and tears on the edge of his eyes from the dirt. Agony had a small smile of amusement, taking pleasure from seeing him in pain. Suddenly from Alex’s hands three rocks shot forth, and Agony hit the rocks with perfect precision, sending them back to Alex.

The rocks only hit Alex’s sword and were blocked successfully, falling down to the ground harmlessly.

“Dirty move.”

“It’s more a test of our skills, isn’t it?” Alex smirked. “Guess we didn’t need that Deflect Projectile skill after all, Swordsmanship can encompass it.”

That statement was not entirely convincing to Alex, since he speculated that skills with broader ranges of application were comparatively weaker and those with a more focus scope can achieve far more. That and skills like Swordsmanship were harder to level, though that problem would never be an issue.

He also needed to expand his skillset, get the final three skills he needed. They weren’t strictly necessary to have for his class to advance, with ten skills being enough, but he thought that the more skills he had at level one hundred, the more options he had. He needed to insert them now rather than later, as the monsters he fought were getting strong and multiplying in number. Whatever boost a class could give him, he needed it. Especially for those monsters he happened to spot in the wall breaches.

Not even his confidence in his ability gave him hope to even injure one of those. He needed a class or a skill that could deal damage to them. Preferably the skill wouldn’t cause damage to their users, but with his curse, those were probably the only options.

“Agony, I am going to search through the books for some skills, could you get ten sets of armor and weapons from the stashes around here?” Alex intended to send out a full force of ten clones, a heavy task force to hopefully deal injury to one of the giant monsters. It would be a dangerous mission, but he trusted in himself and in Agony to get the job done.

Agony nodded and went to carry the various warrior sets stashed in various dried-up wells, with his physical abilities, he would have an easy time carrying it all or dragging it in a bag.

Alex retreated to the bell tower and rummaged through the pile of loot, throwing the odd jewelry away and cradling the precious skill books that he had found in an abandoned store. He skimmed most of them and threw those with mana requirements back into the loot pile. Out came six skills.