Required Stats: AGI - 5
Durability: 30/30
Damage: 6-12
Effect: Devious barbs – Increases the chance to cause a bleeding and enhances both it’s damage and duration by 20%
Note: A rather ordinary-looking dagger, aside from the cruel, vicious barbs lining the blade.
Right as the clock strikes 2 AM, Alex hears Rishi’s soft footstep, a single, intentional sound. Then the system notification pops up.
[It is now 2 AM. Remaining players’ locations will be revealed in 5 seconds for the duration of 60 seconds.]
Just as the message appears, Alex hears Rishi tap the ground twice in quick succession. With heightened awareness, Alex listens and strains his senses. He can’t see anything, but there’s a faint crunch near the entrance, someone stepping on the broken display close to where they’re standing.
Deciding not to wait any longer, Alex takes the initiative. In one swift motion, he pulls out his [Sword of Pluto] and makes a broad, powerful slash toward the area where he heard the sound.
Simultaneously, Rishi leaps back in the opposite direction, anticipating Alex’s move and creating distance for himself as a ranged combatant.
Alex senses a shift in the air before him, but his slash meets nothing but empty space. Suddenly, he hears a woman’s voice chanting boldly, "Expelliarmus!" The spell’s impact is instant, and his sword flies from his hand, landing several meters away in a display case filled with phones. A woman materializes directly in front of him, shedding her invisibility—a Disillusionment Charm from Harry Potter, Alex realizes. She holds a wicked-looking dagger and lunges at him.
But Alex is faster. Instinctively, he activates Sealions Icewing Embrace lvl 2, and a frosty mist envelops him, solidifying his armor with icy spikes. Her dagger hits his armor, unable to penetrate, and she cries out as her arm gets pierced by the spikes, leaving it bloodied.
Icewing Embrace Durability -1
You have dealt 25 damage to Player Nr. 2
Seizing the advantage, Alex drives his [Barbed Dagger] into her shoulder, causing an immediate bleed and additional cold damage.
You have dealt 13 damage to Player Nr. 2
You have dealt 14 damage to Player Nr. 2
You have caused a bleeding to Player Nr. 2
Shocked, the woman stumbles back, attempting to flee. But Rishi has anticipated her move and slips behind her, pressing his gun to the back of her head. "Surrender now," he says icily. "One wrong move, and it’s over. Drop the dagger."
Reluctantly, she lets the dagger fall. Alex picks it up and inspects its stats.
[Poison Enchanted Dagger]
World: Harry Potter
Quality: Light Blue
Type: Dagger
Required Stats: AGI - 7, MNA - 7, PHY - 5
Durability: 45/50
Damage: 12-14
Effect 1: Poisoned Blade - Deals 20 Poison damage over 1 Minute
Effect 2: Poison Enhancement - Increases the effect & duration of poisons applied to this blade by 30%
Note: A dagger purchased by Mr. Borgin in 1986 from a shady witch at Borgin and Burkes for 25 Galleons, resold days later at a tenfold profit. The blade not only produces poison but also amplifies it.
Alex whistles. "Not bad, a light blue dagger from Borgin and Burkes and able to cast two powerful spells from the Harry Potter world. You were right, Rishi; she’s formidable."
Rishi grins, whispering, "You deserve nothing less than death for that assassination attempt, but I can offer you a different path. A way to live, despite your misdeeds against us." He takes a contract from his pocket. "Sign this, and I promise not only your survival in this mission, but I’ll also grant you a chance to become a long-term assistant."
The woman, torn and intimidated, replies coldly, “Kill me. I’d rather die than end up as a slave.”
Rishi hides his anger behind a smile. “How about you cut the self-righteous nonsense and actually read the contract? It’s more than fair, given the situation. If you’re too dense to recognize that, then maybe I should retract my offer since you’re obviously not worth taking under my care if that’s really the case.”
The woman quickly scans the contract, while Alex, retrieving his sword, stands guard in front of her, alert for any suspicious movement. A glimmer of hope flashes in her eyes, and Alex smirks, analyzing the situation. "Rishi’s a sharp one. He probably knows he’ll gain more from her as an ally—bound by restrictions, but with enough freedom to live her life. That he had this contract ready means he’d already anticipated a scenario like this, planning to catch a useful asset. What a manipulative monster."
With a bite to her thumb, she presses it onto the contract, sealing it. Rishi lets out a triumphant laugh and lowers his gun. “Wonderful! You’ve made a smart choice.”
Alex glares, sword still raised. “Can I trust her not to go rogue?” he demands, still wary after the assassination attempt.
“You can,” Rishi reassures him with a calm tone.
Alex curses, furious at the attempted ambush and frustrated at having missed critical information. He strikes a shelf in the store with his icy [Sword of Pluto], shattering part of it and freezing the remnants in place. “Damn, I was so focused on that ambush that I missed the map reveal. Now we have no idea where the other players are.”
Rishi’s smile softens, this time genuine. “Don’t worry, I caught a glimpse. No one’s in New Springville or anywhere nearby. The other players were further north, closer to the bay. We can relax for now.”