Rumor and the tiger stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. The predator didn't attack immediately after being discovered, nor did the tester make any sudden moves that might startle it into action.
There was something in the green eyes of the tiger that Rumor really didn't like. A spark of intelligence that had no place in an animal's gaze.
A glint of anticipation, as if the creature were just waiting for Rumor to panic.
Right away, Rumor realized this wasn't just a man-eater. It was a hunter. The thrill of the chase was more important to it than the end result itself.
What a monster.
[ Night Terror ]
[ Species: Bengal Tiger ]
[ Gender: Male ]
[ Age: 12 ]
[ Strength: 22 ]
[ Dexterity: 19 ]
[ Vitality: 13 ]
[ Temperance: 5 ]
[ Spirit: 5 ]
[ Appeal: 7 ]
[ Skills: Stalking lvl 5, Crushing Bite lvl 4, Rip and Tear lvl 2 ]
[ Description: A massive predator who has dominated the Indian jungles for years. Somewhere along the way, it acquired a taste for human flesh. ]
[ Stalking lvl 5: Passive. Reduce the amount of noise made when stalking prey. ]
[ Crushing Bite lvl 4: Active. Your jaws are powerful enough to crush rocks. Each level in this skill grants a 7% increase to attack power. Current increase: 28%. Has a fixed chance to temporarily cripple limbs. ]
[ Rip and Tear lvl 2: Active. Use your teeth and claws to savagely tear your prey apart. Perform 5 attacks, starting with 100% attack power, and with each subsequent attack increasing damage by 10%. ]
To reiterate: what a monster. The tiger fully showcased its unbelievable physical stats by being a walking fortress of pure muscle.
Standing at nearly 2 meters tall and 7 meters in length, the Bengal Tiger was far larger than any of its real world counterparts could ever hope to be. Steel-like muscles rippled beneath the smooth coat of orange, black, and white fur, the tip of its tail swaying ever-so-slightly as it watched Rumor.
Something had to give eventually. And it was Rumor who moved first.
The tester spun his body fully around, turning the muzzle of his [ E-206 Renegade Blaster Rifle ] towards the tiger and pressing the trigger.
The monster dodged. Rumor almost couldn't believe his eyes. The distance between them was less than 20 meters, and yet the tiger hopped to the side, baring its fangs at Rumor, and dodging the laser completely.
Internally, the tester of a twinge of fear, but mostly indignation. He hadn't survived this long to die in the maw of some overgrown kitty cat.
So he aimed again, and fired again.
"Roooooaaarrr!"
And again, the tiger avoided it. But in doing so, it was forced to retreat a couple of steps, which apparently enraged it, because it roared.
Sleeping birds awoke and set flight in fear. Trees trembled and leaves fell. Even the water in the pond rippled weakly.
Rumor didn't falter. He activated [ Grav-Leap Boost ] and rushed towards the tiger.
Indeed, you heard it right. The tester didn't try to put more distance between himself and the predator. Doing so would only make dodging his shots easier for the creature.
Instead, he charged the monster. Another laser left his blaster, and this one connected.
[ You have initiated an attack on Night Terror. Calculating attack value... Deducting target's defense... ]
[ You have dealt 43 points of damage to Night Terror. ]
Rumor didn't have the time to read the notification and admire how much his offensive power had increased since his first incursion. The pain had snapped the tiger from its confusion at seeing the puny human rush towards it instead of away, and it swiped at him with its claws.
Rumor saw the retaliation coming and hastily raised his weapon in front of his body to block. He had underestimated the reach of the tiger. With just a step forward it had closed the distance between them.
THUMP!
The force behind the massive paw hurled him back like he was a tennis ball. His arms ached from the impact, and his [ E-206 Renegade Blaster Rifle ] lost 4 points of durability.
Rumor made a quick decision to abandon the weapon. He had hoped to get another shot off, really put that level 5 [ Firearm Mastery ] to use, but reality wasn't so kind.
The tiger was right on top of him now. Rumor rolled to the side, letting it crash on the spot he had just been, and drew his knife, nailing its right front paw to the ground.
[ You have dealt 22 points of damage to Night Terror. ]
"Roooooaaaar!"
This time the roar was more of pain than rage. Rumor withdrew the blade with a spray of blood just as the tiger swiped for him again with its left paw.
[ Night Terror attacked you. Calculating attack value... Deducting your defense... ]
[ You have suffered 38 points of damage. ]
That one he didn't manage to block, his position was too awkward. It caught him on the left shoulder, and he was fairly certain it was dislocated.
It also sent him tumbling through the ground, dirt and mud staining his clothes and skin, but he quickly jumped to his feet.
Thank god he had the foresight of buying more defensive items. Without his new equipment, two swipes lf the monster's paws would have been enough to end him.
Now, Rumor and the tiger were facing each other again, neither in a rush to attack. The beast was nursing a spot of scorched fur on its chest, and limping from a paw. It had learned the tester was no easy prey, but a hunter like itself.
The next time the tiger moved, Rumor was fairly certain it had used the [ Rip and Tear ] skill. Large swathes of soil were violently ripped off and sent flying, while he ducked and rolled out of the way of the beast.
Again, he couldn't dodge completely. A set of claws carved through his flesh, leaving three bloody trenches over his ribs, and he took another 40 points of damage. Now he was down to 92 HP.
Without needing to think much about it, Rumor used [ Bacta Rush ]. It felt like someone had injected cooling into his veins, and the pain from the cuts diminished greatly.
He would have to invest on spirit the next time he got some free points, however. Just [ Grav-Leap Boost ] and [ Bacta Rush ], plus the [ Observe ] from earlier had almost drained his MP.
But now wasn't the time to think about that. The moment he got up and saw that the tiger still had its back turned to him, Rumor acted.
He jumped on top of the beast.
"Stay still, you fucker!"
Obviously, the tiger didn't take kindly to that. It bucked and heaved to try to throw him off, but Rumor had looped his left arm under its neck and was holding on for dear life.
Meanwhile, his right hand worked at repeatedly stabbing the animal on the soft - relatively to other body parts - flesh of its neck. [ Stab Again ] came in handy then, with a translucent red copy of his [ Standard Ottegan Army Blade ] sinking into the body of the animal alongside its real counterpart.
The tiger didn't like that. It roared again and trashed wildly, successfully managing to dislodge Rumor.
But by now, the damage was done. The tester hadn't cut wildly. His target had been the beast's carotid artery, and, deep as it was, it seemed he had been victorious.
Blood gushed out in large spurts, dyeing the entire front of the tiger red. It growled at Rumor, legs tensing as if to pounce on him again, but collapsed before it could.
[ You cut Night Terror on a vital area. Calculating attack value... ]
[ Critical strike achieved, target's defense was ignored. You dealt 51 points of damage to Night Terror. ]
[ Night Terror is suffering from a bleeding status effect, losing 5 HP every 5 seconds. ]
Rumor didn't make the rookie mistake of approaching the tiger just because it looked like it was dieing. He patiently watched its chest rise and fall, slower each breath, and the murderous glint in its green eyes vanish.
[ Night Terror has died. ]
[ Battle summary: You have slain Night Terror. ]
[ You have acquired: Tiger Pelt (Perfect), Heart of a Man-Eater, 2-Stars Engraving. ]
[ Hidden achievement completed: Night Terror. ]
[ Night Terror (completed): Hunt the monster that has been terrorizing Mayapore Village. ]
[ Completion rewards: Reputation in Mayapore Village +10.000, reputation in Pankot Palace +1.000, reputation in British Army (Indian Division) +1.000, interest of Maharajah Zalim Singh and Captain Blumburtt. ]
[ This achievement can not be upgraded further. ]
[ Your reputation in Pankot Palace has reached Familiar (0/3.000). ]
[ Your reputation in the British Army (Indian Division) has reached Familiar (0/3.000). ]
The Side Mission would only be considered completed when he presented proof he had killed the beast to the villagers, but even so, the rewards were already abundant.
The achievement was expected, although the rewards not so much. A pure reputation increase didn't seem that useful, especially in the village since it had nothing to offer him, but the interest of two support storyline characters was a double-edged knife. It might give him benefits, or attract attention he didn't want.
He checked the other rewards.
[ Tiger Pelt (Perfect) ]
[ Rarity: 3-Stars ]
[ Effect: None ]
[ Description: The pelt of a giant man-eater tiger. While it has no practical effect, many are attracted by its beauty and bloody history. ]
[ Observation: Can not be brought out of this world. ]
His second 3-Stars item, and it was mostly useless. Mostly, because the description set some thoughts churning in Rumor's mind. Unfortunately, it couldn't be taken out of the Indiana Jones universe.
[ Heart of a Man-Eater ]
[ Rarity: 2-Stars ]
[ Effect: Consume to increase spirit and temperance by 1. ]
[ Description: The heart of a man-eating tiger. Many souls had fallen to the mighty beast. Consuming its heart will bring them peace and you strength. ]
[ Observation: Can be brought out of this world. ]
That... That was actually insane. Rumor had just been complaining about not having enough mental stats, and an item that increased 2 points of it just dropped on his lap.
He took the heart out of his inventory and grimaced. It was a big, slimy thing he couldn't hold with just one hand.
What was this universe's fixation with hearts anyway?
Although he was disgusted, Rumor still powered through and ate the heart bite by chewy bite. It was just too tempting to give up because of something like nausea.
[ You have consumed Heart of a Man-Eater - Spirit +1, Temperance +1. ]
"Blergh!"
The tester took some clean water from his storage and washed his mouth with it before spitting. He repeated the process a few times before being satisfied the overwhelming taste of blood was gone.
The last reward was the one who gave him pause the most. It was an engraving for the Night Terror.
On one hand, he already had 3 traits, and none of them were bad. [ Desert Whisperer ] boosted his speed in deserts, [ Stalking Killer ] made his steps silent when hunting, and [ Grease the Gears ] let him bribe others more easily.
On the other hand, the Night Terror engraving was a 2-Stars. And, considering the type of creature the tiger was, either it would give him a trait similar to [ Stalking Killer ] but of a higher tier, or something related to pure attack power.
Rumor thought hard about it. 5 minutes, then 10, 15. 20 whole minutes before he made his decision.
[ You have used 2-Stars Engraving (Night Terror). ]
[ You received the trait: Steel Muscles. ]
[ Steel Muscles ]
[ Rarity: 2-Stars ]
[ Effect: Increase physical attack by 15% or 25 points, whichever is higher. ]
[ Description: Through its physical prowess, the Night Terror was the undisputed ruler of this region. Now you have a portion of its power. ]
[ Warning: You already have all your trait slots filled. Would you like to substitute one of them for Steel Muscles? ]
Rumor had the distinct impression that he had gotten one of the worst possible traits the Night Terror possessed. But no use crying over spilled milk.
"Yes. Substitute [ Desert Whisperer ]."
His first trait was nice, but somewhat restricted. [ Steel Muscles ] was much more versatile.
[ Trait Desert Whisperer deleted. You have fused the trait Steel Muscles. ]
Rumor felt the change immediately. Suddenly his body was filled with power, his physical attack having jumped from 50 to 75. Even his muscles felt harder when he poked them.
Satisfied, Rumor turned off the system. Using his newfound strength, he grabbed the Night Terror's tail and started pulling.
It wasn't easy. The carcass had to weight nearly half a ton. But Rumor's strength was leagues above a normal human's.
When he entered Mayapore Village, it was to stunned silence. The villagers had been preparing to go to bed when they spotted him, and his prize.
Rumor ignored them, and continued dragging the dead tiger until he was in the center of the village, right in front of the small shrine that used to house the Sankara Stone.
Once there, he let the beast drop and sat on it, watching the village chief and elders approach with trembling hands.
"The Night Terror! You have slain him!"
Out of the corner of his eyes, Rumor saw Indiana Jones, Short Round, and Willie watching from a distance. The singer had her hands over her mouth to hold back a scream, while the boy looked about to sprint towards him, eyes sparkling.
It was the remaining of the three that Rumor focused on, however. The archeologist had a glint in his eyes that not even his hat could cover.
[ Your actions have impressed main storyline character Indiana Jones. Relationship greatly increases to Neutral (200/1.000). ]
It was as Rumor had predicted. Based on Indiana Jones' personality, there were 3 things that the man desired above all else: uncovering ancient secrets, adventure, and beautiful women - in that order.
Each character required a different approach to befriend them. With Willie, flattery would likely work. But the famous Dr. Jones had no need for honeyed words. To impress him you had to either prove your knowledge, or your adventurous spirit.
Rumor took his gaze away from the archeologist. This was already a good start. Now for the finish.
"I have killed the Night Terror! It will no longer haunt our fields and dreams!"
Rumor proclaimed it like he was a great warrior coming back from a war. To the villagers, in a way he was. They erupted into cheers right away, rushing forward to carry Rumor and touch the dead tiger.
[ Your reputation in Mayapore Village has greatly risen to Respected (1.200/25.000). ]
[ Your relationship with the village chief has greatly increased to Respected (1.000/10.000). ]
Well, wasn't that interesting? Previously, the system had only told him about 5 levels of relationship: Nemesis, Hostile, Neutral, Liked, and Respected. If the later was already the highest, why did it still have a progression bar?
As for skipping straight past Well-Known and Reputable to Respected in reputation, Rumor wasn't too surprised. It was a small village, so gaining reputation points was much quicker than with larger factions, and he had accomplished quite the feat, having already been reward 6.000 points before.
And that was before he factored in the next messages:
[ Side Mission Night Terrors completed. ]
[ Calculating completion percentage... 100% Rating: Perfect. ]
[ Completion rewards: Reputation in Mayapore Village +10.000, reputation in Pankot Palace +1.000, reputation in British Army (Indian Division) +1.000, World-specific 2-Stars Skill Scroll. ]
It was basically a copy and paste from the achievement, minus the interest of the Maharaja and the British captain, which he already had. He likely would have to meet them in person for it to become anything more.
Overall, Rumor thought it wasn't a bad haul. A side mission would go a long way to improve his world exploration rate, and he had already made great advances in reputation and relationship with several factions and characters.
The only thing that could make it better was of this [ World-specific 2-Stars Skill Scroll ] gave him something really, really good.
[ You have used a World-specific 2-Stars Skill Scroll. ]
[ You have received the skill RitualMimicry. ]
[ Ritual Mimicry ]
[ Rarity: 2-Stars ]
[ Effect: Quickly imitate sacred rites and ceremonies to blend in. ]
[ Cost: None ]
[ Cooldown: None ]
[ Description: Passive. A skill for those who are deeply studied into the obscure rituals and ceremonies of many different cultures, allowing them to blend in. ]
[ Observation: This skill can not be upgraded. ]
Rumor's smile widened.