Loopbreaker Chapter 65

The sound of the morning bell rang.

"It's earlier than usual," Michael grunted as he sat up. "What gives?"

Sitting up, Francis chuckled. “It’s Phillip. One never knows what he’s going to have us do.”

“That’s for sure… let’s get dressed, I don’t want to be last,” his brother replied.

Francis nodded, anxious to see what waited for him on the other side of the battlefield.

[ Quick Attack ( Uncommon ) - This skill is an activatable ability that speeds up the attack while also altering its path. It can be used in any form of lee attack. The damage and power behind the attack is reduced by .5 the normal output. Utilizing the ability drains a portion of the user's stamina and the cooldown is based upon the skill rank as well as the user's physical ability. As the rank increases, the damage reduction will decrease. Skill does not protect the item used or the physical body from injury when attacking. ]

***

Francis roared, ripping his sword from the snake’s scales, driving it repeatedly into its chest, and glancing around at all the beasts staring at him.

I can’t believe it took two hundred and forty-eight deaths just to defeat this one beast...

Four deaths prior, his Perception had increased to a twenty-six, and everything changed. The only disadvantage to that increase in perception was the horrible death he experienced when his senses overloaded and the snake-kin ripped his head off.

Francis had convinced Stenson he needed to do this. The old man had agreed, still seemingly amazed at how much Francis had progressed.

Even now, with his stats, there was no way Francis could have achieved this growth in the Spires without long, drawn-out weeks, if he could stay alive there. Here, he had a place that didn’t care about what his birth order was.

All they wanted to do was kill him.

And all Francis wanted to do was get stronger by grinding himself to death against the horde.

(Stats aren’t potentially fully updated till later, just knowing they’ll go here)

[ Status ]

Francis Lancaster

Age 17

Strength: 31

Endurance: 33

Agility: 31

Wisdom: 19

Perception: 26

Magic: 10

Skills

Swordsmanship (Common) - 59 Advanced

Shield Use (Common) - 46 Advanced

Tracking (Uncommon) - 10 Basic

Stealth (Uncommon) - 11 Novice

Traps (Uncommon) - 3 Basic

Rock Throwing (Common) - 7 Basic

ntal Resist ( Uncommon ) - 38 Proficient

Blood of the Undying ( Unknown )- 100 Sage

Fast Learner (Epic) - 1 Basic (Locked)

Horseback Riding (Common)- 11 Novice

Horseback Handling (Uncommon) - 6 Basic

Mace (Common)- 11 Novice

Pain Resistance (Uncommon) - 41 Advanced

Poison Resistance (Rare) - 33 Proficient

Power Strike (Rare) - 28 Proficient

Brawling (Uncommon) - 31 Proficient

Strong Bones (Rare) - 34 Proficient

Death’s Dance (Epic) 13 Novice

Magic Resistance (Rare) 29 - Proficient

Magic Feedback (Legendary) - 8 Basic

Quick Attack (Uncommon) - 19 Novice

Death's Dance was barely adding only the slightest amount of strength, as the poison magic the snake had used had lost most of its potency due to his Magical Resistance. Every chance Francis had in all these loops, he used Quick Attack and Power Strike whenever he sensed it was possible.

Francis’s body had grown stronger, and his skills had reached ranks that even the general didn’t want to admit were absurd for his age.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Francis yanked his weapon free, flicking the blade to the side and sending out a wave of green blood.

Another roar ca monts later from deeper in the enemy lines, and a figure Francis had wondered if he would face again stepped forward.

An armored rhino-kin erged from the edges of the gathered beasts that had watched him kill the snake.

This one felt different than the one off to the left where Francis normally fought, but it didn’t matter. It was still a foe he wanted to test himself against.

A foe he needed to learn to overco.

The rhino-kins' steps thundered as it moved toward him, getting down on all fours and charging.

Francis moved a few steps away from the snake’s corpse. He smiled, set his legs and prepared for the new challenge. As the beast drew close Francis took a step forward, pivoted and threw his shield at the incoming rhino-kin.

[ Power Strike ]

It snapped forward, spinning with a force Francis had learned a hundred deaths or so ago having fought against the serpent. The rhino-kin moved slightly to the side, sohow seeming to sense the montum and danger.

Francis continued his turn as the shield ca off his hands, dashing behind the spinning tal disc and shifting to the side, away from the beast.

The rhino-kin didn’t grunt or seem to complain as the shield bounced off the thick hide along its shoulder, yet the impact caused it to stumble slightly to the right.

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Francis was there, just a second afterward and as the creature tried to swing that deadly horn toward him, he dodged and struck.

[ Power Strike ]

[ Quick Attack ]

Francis’ sword cut the beast along the side, slicing through the tough hide and destroying one of the leather straps holding its armor.

That attack elicited a noise, the rhino-kin roaring as it skidded to a halt and quickly rose to its back legs.

Francis struck again and again, using all of his skills on the beast’s haunches, rolling and dodging the fist that ca downward at him. The rhino-kin’s fist sent out a spray of dirt, creating a hole from the impact.

Francis played for its back, attacking the area that wasn’t as protected as the rest of the beast's body. He tracked the movents of the rhino-kin, reacting to how it shifted and moved, eyes tracking everything he could as his sword pierced and carved off flesh.

The beast bellowed at him, a different one than the usual roars of anger. These sounded like the rhino-kin was in pain.

Francis continued his assault until he suddenly felt pressure from behind, pain radiating through his core, and stumbled forward.

Glancing down, Francis saw an arrow as thick as his arm protruding from his chest. It had multiple barbs and looked to be made entirely of tal.

Death's Dance roared within him, telling him the end of this loop was just a few steps away.

He turned his head, trying to see where the attack had co from, yet all he saw a grey fist coming down at him.

“Fu–”

The sound of the morning bell rang.

"It's earlier than usual," Michael grunted as he sat up. "What gives?"

***

“So… you found an archer of so sort,” Stenson said, drumming his fingers on the table beside his chair.

Francis nodded and sighed. “I wouldn’t say I found it. Rather, I’d say it found .”

The older man chuckled and bobbed his head. “Still, your growth is… exceptional. A twenty-six in perception is sothing few will ever achieve. That Fast Learner skill is paying off trendously.”

“You say that way every ti,” Francis replied. “I an, I realize you don’t know it, but it’s just sothing I co to expect.”

“Well, forgive for not being able to rember anything between your deaths.”

“And there’s that one too.”

Stenson shook his head and frowned. “Are you being playful or disrespectful?”

Pretending to look off into the distance and have to consider it, Francis turned and winked, knowing how this conversation would end.

“Playful. Once I said sothing disrespectful and that path wasn’t a good one for either of us.”

“Well, I have to admit I am a rather smart man,” Stenson replied. “I an, according to everything you say I say. Still, I’m assuming this is when you want advice?”

“Maybe… I’m not sure. Sothing happened in that fight and I think I might have been able to defeat that rhino-kin if nothing interfered but I’m also wondering why sothing did. Never before has a creature done that. Even when you managed to defeat that one tiger-kin, everything else remained in place. Why would sothing break a code I thought they lived by?”

“A warrior's code for one isn’t for another,” Stenson said. “Would you sit back and let your brother be killed in a fight between him and soone else or sothing else?”

“No,” Francis scoffed.

“Even if it appeared both he and his opponent desired that?”

“Hell no. He’s…” Francis stopped his reply and sighed. “I get it. So sothing didn’t want to watch kill another one of its kind. Still, that makes wonder what the hell we’re going to do. How do you defeat a creature you can’t…”

He paused, shook his head, and then snorted.

“What, what are you thinking?” Stenson asked, leaning forward on his chair.

“Give a second. I’m rembering all my deaths,” Francis replied.

Every ti I changed sothing, it didn’t matter if it was a slightly different thing I did or a major one. So words ant a helt, while other words ant not getting it. But the outco of the battle seems to be consistent. The sa creatures, sa attack and spell patterns… but what if…

Francis paused, realizing his new Perception was providing him with the ability to recall things like never before.

“I have a question,” Francis said. “Let’s pretend every fight I did was exactly the sa. I an, I know it feels like it would be impossible to always take the sa exact steps, or make every thrust and swing of my sword just like the life before, but what if I could and did? Would that an that whatever beast just killed would do so again? Would it fire at the sa spot and place? Could I ti it? If I know when it’s coming, could I dodge the arrow?”

Francis watched as Stenson’s eyes did what his sisters did when thinking. The older man’s lips bunched up and relaxed for a few monts.

“My answer would be yes, but we’re talking about countless deaths. You’re at the cusp of sothing and I imagine I’ve probably wondered when you would achieve it. Those last few deaths, what is different when you fight?”

Francis smiled at the older man and knew imdiately where he was going with that question.

“I can see the flow of battle better and react differently. Their attack patterns, movents, everything. It’s almost like I can expect or know where they will go.”

“That is because you’ve reached a point where one’s mind evolves,” Stenson stated. “It’s rumored that at higher levels, soone can recall everything perfectly. Every sll, taste, image, and book they have read. For you… I’m not sure how your mind could handle so much to rember but again, I understand what you want to attempt. To do that would be… madness. What if it took a thousand or ten thousand tries? All for what? Seeing what attacked you? I’m not certain that would be worth the potential ntal distress, even with potential skills and stats you might gain.”

Francis couldn’t help but frown because he thought the idea made sense. He also understood that the general might be right.

Maybe another ti… I suppose I would skip ntioning this to him if I were to try that path.

“So we’re back to the sa question as always,” Francis said. “If that’s the case, I want to try sothing different this ti.”

The older man chuckled as he did between every death. “And what pray tell is that?”

“I’m going to go out there with just a shield and a sword.”

“That’s not a big deal. I an, are you taking sothing else, usually we haven’t discussed?”

“No, I an no armor. Just clothes.”

“Why… oh… you’re trying to get another skill. Guarded Stance?”

“Yes, but maybe another one as well,” Francis replied.

“Which is?” Stenson asked.

Francis laughed and just smiled. “I think I’m getting really close to getting Riposte as well.”

“Jaegers balls… I an… forgive , that was not…” Stenson stopped his apology as Francis burst out in a belly laugh. “I’ve cursed before, haven’t I?”

Blinking back tears, Francis nodded, laughing harder as the older man scowled.

“Forgive , son. I am going to wager you sotis bring out the worst in .”

“It’s okay… I… always laugh… this hard,” Francis replied.

***

[ New Skill - Guarded Stance ]

“YES!”

Francis’s shout seed to make the beastkin he was fighting hesitate montarily.

Laughing, Francis just stood there, buck naked, holding just a shield and a sword, dancing between the four creatures trying to kill him.

Cuts and scratches covered his body and Francis had found out after the first death it was better to fight naked. Clothes presented potential tripping hazards when one's pants fell down around their ankles.

Still, he planned to fight until the spell ca, experiencing the death of the black sheet and taking the added gift of Magic Resistance each ti.

“Hey, you, fall back!” a voice called out.

Francis shook his head as the first group of advanced soldiers reached him. He didn’t even glance at them, knowing it was the sa red-haired one from last ti. Normally, the man’s distraction caused Francis to get cut, but with his new ability, he avoided the claws that ca for his side.

“I’m fine, just focus on the other one’s! Plenty for everyone!” Francis yelled.

Shouts and the sound of combat grew louder as a line of troops reached him. The previous three tis one had actually tried to pull him back, stating he had earned his gold, but Francis had resisted, easily breaking free of the soldier’s grasp. Choosing to change things up a little bit, Francis fell back so.

“When the horn sounds, obey the orders!” Francis shouted. “I’ll be fine!”

Four n moved to join Francis’ side, cutting down the creatures that attacked and moving to help drive back the beasts he was facing.

“I’m fine I told you!” Francis called out. “Stop! I’m training skills!”

“What the hell are you saying?!” the warrior shouted. “This is a battle boy! Not so–”

The red-headed warrior stopped talking as he always, a trio of catkin overwhelming the solider because he was too focused on Francis and not the battle. The beasts quickly moved to attack another warrior.

More animals ca and Francis did his best, always blocking and parrying, only attacking after he had blocked or parried an attack. In his mind Francis could see it now. There were threads he had never noticed until recently. There was a small one attached to every creature he faced.

How their legs moved or hips turned. If you tied a string to it, they would always pull or push in a way that was expected.

Francis’ fights had turned into him watching the movents and reacting. He was faster than these creatures and instead of driving deeper into the enemy lines, Francis shifted sideways, removing more of the beasts that were nearby.

Spells started to rain down upon him now, and Francis knew it was ti to go if he wanted to wait for the next part.

[ Power Strike ]

[ Quick Attack ]

All catkins around him were dead in seconds, and Francis turned to the right.

“Shift or get hit by a spell!” Francis shouted.

None of the warriors listened. They never did, yet Francis cut down the beasts in his way, getting about a hundred yards before a massive rain of fire filled the area where he had been standing.

Glancing at the troops approaching his position, Francis sighed, judging from the distance and his own position.

Still haven’t gotten the other skill… maybe next ti.

As the enemies began to back up, Francis pressed into them, forcing so to stay and endure the sa pain he knew was coming. He watched as the black sheet of death began to form from the back of the enemy army. It moved quickly, washing over the battlefield and darkening the sky.

Screams ca from every man and beast around him as the magic assaulted them.

Francis’ skin burned, and try as he might to fight against it, he couldn’t.

It was like being dropped into the middle of a frozen lake with dozens of heavy stones tied around your ankles. He might get one or two off but he’d drown before escaping. Whatever spell this was ate his flesh like water washing away blood on stone.

Still, Francis embraced it, content to have gained one of the skills he wanted.

[ Guarded Stance ( Uncommon ) - The user gains the ability to enter a defensive stance for ten seconds, which mitigates physical damage done by 25%. The stance will cause the user’s body to harden, improving natural resistances and other abilities by a small percentage. As the skill rank improves, the length as well as the mitigation bonus will increase. Each use drains a small portion of the user's endurance. ]