The Acknowledgement - Volume One

A Dicey Situation

                Just as Winter caught his breath, more of the steel-jawed Raikans stepped out from the darkness ahead. "Want some too?" He asks, standing straight to confront this large group of steel-jawed Raikans. He summoned his daggers from his inventory to his hands and quickly rushed toward the monsters. In return, they rushed toward Winter. Just like before, they were left slaughtered and a bloody mess on the subway floor. Going all the way down the dark hallway. Moving beyond this point, Winter walked into an expansive room, far better than the long, dark hallways. With this next room, new monsters began to appear. With each wave of beasts he killed, he advanced in levels. Before he knew it, the monsters were exhausted, and no longer spawned. "Guess... It's time to move on to the next room," he sat against the wall, standing up with exhaustion in his body.

~>System<{" [Title: Way of The Hunter] A Title given to a hunter proficient in slaying beasts. All Abilities Are Buffed by +40% When Fighting Against Beast-Type Monsters Lvl 1,"}>it rang<~

                "Oh! That'll be quite useful... If I get the right dungeons," he commented and walked. Without paying attention, he fell down a step. Like anyone else, it scared him intensely, and began paying more attention to where he was stepping. Similar to the beginning hallway, but going down, deep down. It was clammy and foggy. Increasingly getting darker and darker the deeper he went. Before he knew it, he hit the final floor. The subway station itself. With tracks going across the width of the room. Filled with water, the waiting-type areas were left dry.

                Just as he took his first few steps into the new room, a loud shrieking hiss erupted from under the water, and a large cobra head rose from the water, starting right at Winter with its piercing slits for eyes. Its body raised its head higher and higher, stopping a couple of feet below the ceiling. Its mouth open, it bared its fangs. Long sharp dagger-like fangs. Its shine made it seem as if it was metal, but poison dripped from its points. Pooling in Its mouth before falling to the subway station floor.

                "Aren't You impressive," Winter admired the dark blue scales that covered the massive serpent. Orange diamond dots accented the blue, running down the side of the serpent. "Oh... So flattery won't persuade you, now?" He asks, looking up at its head. A small title was given to the snake. The massive serpent held the title: "Blue Venom-Fanged Kasaka," Staring down as it hissed, then lunges forward for Winter. Rushing to the side, he grinds his puny dagger across Kasaka's side. Sparks flew from Winter's dagger. Kasaka's tail whipped and slammed against Winter's side, launching him away into a pillar.

                The pillar bent and broke around Winter's body. Spitting out blood from his mouth, he gasped for air. The Kasaka charged Winter once more. His eyes widened, and he pushed himself up off the pillar. Winter stepped on the Kasaka's nose and ran down its back. Kasaka erupted through the pillar and make a sharp turn to meet Winter at its own back end. Mouth wide, and bearing its sharp venom fangs. Winter turned to look at the Kasaka and notice its approach. Winter pushed off the tip of Kasaka's tail and landed on his feet facing Kasaka. He leaped back, and block with his two puny daggers. Just in time to catch Kasaka's large fang with his daggers. Winter was pushed back into another pillar. Spitting out the oxygen in his lungs.

~>System<{" As your health is below 30%, [Skill: 'Perseverance'] Will Activate. Damage taken will be reduced by 50%],"}>it rang, explaining this skill of Winter's.<~

                "Shit... I need to finish this!" He thought, gasping for air. Kasaka tried swallowing Winter whole and brought the pillar down with him. Winter stabbed Kasaka's mouth and drew blood with each stab. Kasaka screeched and hissed in pain, pulling away as it destroyed the pillar. Winter ducked and roll out of the way, jumping up from his knees onto Kasaka's back. "My daggers won't cut it! Fuck that, you know what I got? Just enough of THESE HANDS!" He exclaimed, holding onto its neck. Kasaka thrashed around, trying to knock Winter off. He held on tightly, digging his nails in. Winter's gauntlets helped to hold on better. Using all of his strength, he pressed his arms together, denting the scales. Breaking and cracking the scales as he pressed harder and harder. Using every ounce of his strength, Winter broke Kasaka's ribs. Forcing them into unnatural positions into their own flesh and organs.

                Kasaka screeched and thrashed around violently. Slamming its head against anything and everything in hopes to knock Winter off its back. "Die already!" He screamed with gritted teeth, enduring the pain of being into the ceiling, walls, and pillars. Kasaka made many choking sounds, puking out massive amounts of blood. Slowly it began to stop struggling and fell to the floor, lifeless.

~>System<{" You Have Slain [Blue Venom-Fanged Kasaka]!"}>It rang<~
~>System<{" Level Up! [x5]"}>It rang as well<~

                With a sigh of relief, Winter laid back against the lifeless body of Kasaka, taking a well-earnt breather. A light orange glow was given off by something unseen beside the head of the large cobra. He stood and bent over to grab whatever was glowing for him. He pulled two items out from the light as it slowly fades. In his hand was a small black dagger with a white edge and a hilt made out of bones, and a pouch.

~>System<{" [Item: Kasaka's Venom Gland]. [Rank]: C. [Type: Poison]. A pouch containing refined venom from Kasaka. Upon defeating Kasaka, the [Player] has a slim chance of obtaining this item. Drinking this venom will make your skin tough, but your muscles will be permanently damaged due to the poison. [Effect: Kasaka's Ironclad Scales]: 20% of physical damage is reduced. [Side Effect: Muscle Damage]: -35 strength points,"}>it explained with a pop-up over the item<~
~>System<{" [Item: Kasaka's Venom Fang]. [Rank]: D. [Type: Dagger]. [Attack: +25] A Dagger Made From Kasaka's Venom Fang. Kasaka's venom still remains within the blade, thus causing paralysis and bleeding when used upon an opponent. The [Player] may store this item within their inventory, or sell it at the shop. [Effect: Paralysis] The Opponent Will be Paralyzed at a Certain Rate. [Effect: Bleed] The Opponent Will Lose 1% Health Every Second,"}>it explained with a pop-up over the item<~

                "Hm. Just C-rank? Strange," he thought to himself. Replacing the pouch with his own dagger to compare his own dagger with this new dagger. Storing the pouch in his inventory.

~>System<{" Item: [Ultimate Daggers] [Rank: S]. [Type: Dagger]. [Attack: +100] A Dagger Made From the Blood of The Great Ultima. Power From The Great Ultima Still Remains, Thus Enabling The Dagger to Evolve And Advance in Complexity With Each Advance in Level. [Effect: Evolution] With Each Level The Dagger Can be Improved And Grow in Complexity. [Effect: Additional Strength] Depending on the strength stat of the [Player], the dagger will increase in attack points,"}>it is explained in a pop-up in front of Winter<~

                "Hm... I wonder if I could somehow transfer the 'bleed' and 'paralysis' effect from 'Kasaka's Venom Fang' to my daggers," he thought aloud. He looked up, hearing the ring from the system once more.

~>System<{" [Effect Transfer: Kasaka's Venom Fang to Ultimate Daggers] This Transfer of Effects May Take a While Depending on The Type of Effect(s), How Strong it is, And How Many There Are on One Dagger. [Warning!] The Dagger With The Desired Effect Will be Destroyed When All Effects Are Transferred to The Desired Dagger. Are You Sure You Wish to Proceed With The Effect Transfer? [Y/N],"}>it explained<~

                "Yes, proceed," he watched the two daggers in his hands disappeared their icons now in the 'effect transfer' tab in front of him. The dungeon around him began to deteriorate. The strange illusion dissolved back into Winter's backyard. He then sat on the grass and began pulling energy from Gaia, through his tattoos. Waiting for the process to finish while resting. It began to rain, but Winter didn't mind. It felt good against his sweating body. Some blood ran down his face and off his torn-up clothes. "I took quite the beating..." He thought, looking down at his hands.