Tier 3+ - Accidental Champion - Chapter 47 - The System Doesn’t Stand for Cowards (Patreon)

The thunderous, explosive roar of the Cerotri Infernum rang out once more, stabbing at Xavier’s ears. The weird bubbling, popping, rumbling, jet-engine noise hit him threefold.

Xavier stared up at the hell beast. Behind him, his honour guard and party stood, along with the rest of the human army. Some of them were engaged with the enemy elves, which were scattered about the battlefield.

“Sergeant Bradley!” Xavier shouted. “Ensure you leave one or two of the enemy alive!” He paused briefly, coming up with an excuse. “I wish to question them thoroughly.”

Questions and torture were by no means a part of his plan, but he figured saying it in that way would appeal to the man considering how much he seemed to hate the “knife-ears.”

“Yes, Champion, sir!” Sergeant Bradley replied.

The man’s voice was far louder than Xavier’s. Definitely using a skill or spell of some sort. He was glad the man had been able to hear him at all. He’d worried that beast’s roar had deafened him.

The Cerotri Infernum reared up on its hind legs, throwing back every one of its three heads, releasing that roar for one final time before it attacked.

Xavier wasn’t going to stand there and wait for it to strike.

As terrifying as this thing looked, he had to remind himself that even though it was level 40, it was still far weaker than him. As long as he played this fight right—unlike the last boss fight—it should be easy enough.

Kill it before it kills you, and figure out if it has any weaknesses or tricks up its sleeve. That way, he could take it down even faster when he fully cleared this floor.

Xavier, enveloped in the silver sheen of Spiritual Trifecta, sprinted to the right of the beast, getting on its flank.

The first spell he wanted to use was Spirit Break, but he hadn’t cast that spell before. It had seemed like a useless spell to use upon the elven soldiers, considering he could take them all out so damned easily, and now he was regretting that decision a little bit.

Ah well, I can use this massive beast as a punching bag.

He flung Heavy Telekinesis at the beast, wanting to throw it off balance. It was still rearing back on its hind legs. A part of Xavier had expected the beast to be completely resistant to his magic. The other two floor bosses that he’d faced before this one had some magical resistance, after all.

So it didn’t come as a surprise when a purple sheen flashed all about its body. But the purple sheen wasn’t enough. Xavier’s Intelligence was an effective 108 now, and his Magical Potency boosted his damage by a considerable amount.

Xavier grinned as the Cerotri Infernum was knocked off to the side. The damned hell beast was far heavier than anything else Xavier had used the spell on, which just made him all the more glad for the type of telekinesis he’d chosen to specialise in.

It flew about thirty feet off to the left, tried to catch itself and regain its balance when its feet hit the ground. Instead, its sharp hooves dug deep troughs through the grassy field. The beast overbalanced and fell straight down.

Xavier frowned. He was glad he’d been able to throw the beast, but he hadn’t heard a single crack of breaking bone. It’s too big, and those muscles… they’re insulating the bones.

A cheer rang out behind him, a chorus of whoops from the army as though what he’d done would spell their victory.

It’s not dead yet, Xavier thought. Far from it.

As the beast struggled back to its feet, it was finally time for Xavier to test out his new spell. The spell was only Rank 1. And like Spiritual Trifecta when it was Rank 1, there were three different ways for him to use it.

He could will the spell to break his enemy’s body, his enemy’s mind, or his enemy’s magic. Like Spiritual Trifecta, his instinct was to generalise so the spell would let him do all three of those things at once.

He could only imagine how powerful the spell could be against single, strong opponents.

Soon, I won’t have to imagine.

Xavier thrust his staff forward. The beast still hadn’t made it back to its feet. Xavier thought Spirit Break, and the Cerotri Infernum broke.

He’d willed the spell to break his enemy’s body, and the spell did just that.

Spirit and Intelligence were Xavier’s strongest attributes, and that was clear as a symphony of loud cracks came from the hell beast. Having gotten back to its feet, it slipped straight back down to the ground.

Each of its four legs were twisted the wrong way, jutting out at absurd angles, jagged bones piercing through its flesh. All three of its heads were yanked one way, then the other. The sound of it—the sight of it—made Xavier flinch, unexpected as it was.

Those three heads opened their massive maws once more. But this time, it wasn’t a weird, explosive roar that was released. It was an agonised, tortured moan. The sound tugged at Xavier’s heart strings.

I caused this beast pain.

He wasn’t trying to torture it, but he needed to practice this spell. Xavier pursed his lips, and stepped toward the enemy.

He checked the cooldown on the spell.

Spirit Break has a cooldown of 15 seconds. It cannot be used for another 12 seconds.

“Do you wish for us to close in and finish the hell beast, my lord?” Sergeant Bradley said. The man had come out of nowhere, standing beside Xavier.

Xavier blinked at the use of my lord. The sergeant had been deferential toward them, but that was the first time he’d used such an honorific. Xavier wasn’t sure how he felt about it. “No, Sergeant. Tell your men to stand back. You have some of the enemy in custody?”

“Aye, my lord. Knocked out three of them. Got them tied up good. They should wake up soon.”

“None of them surrendered?” Xavier asked. The hell beast was still struggling on the ground. Xavier’s forehead creased as he looked at it.

Sergeant Bradley’s eyes widened. He stared openly at Xavier. “Surrendered? Elves might be right bastards, but they aren’t cowards. The System doesn’t stand for cowards.” He shook his head. “Surrendered,” he muttered.

Xavier raised an eyebrow at the sergeant. Perhaps he should have expected that. He’d already learnt that from the System, after all. In fact, it was one of the first things he’d learnt from it.

The System is ruthless. It wants us to fight. It killed that Navy Seal because he wouldn’t. He supposed that made surrender a dirty word in the Greater Universe.

Xavier checked his cooldown again. It was nearing its end. The hell beast looked miserable. Defeated. Though it was still trying to gain its feet, it simply couldn’t anymore. Xavier hadn’t even seen what spells it could cast, though he was sure it would have had something, being level 40 and all.

Figuring he had time, he checked his spells. And, sure enough, he found that Spirit Break now had an Upgrade Quest available.

Spirit Break – Rank 1

Upgrade Quest:

As you have now used this spell, you have begun your first step on the path to upgrading it to Rank 2.

Available paths:

1. Spirit Break (Body) – Break an enemy’s body, crippling their ability to fight – to upgrade, fight an enemy while this path is active. Progress: 1/10

2. Spirit Break (Mind) – Break an enemy’s mind, hindering their ability to think – to upgrade, fight an enemy while this path is active. Progress: 0/10

3. Spirit Break (Soul) - Break an enemy’s spirit, blocking their ability to use magic – to upgrade, fight an enemy while this path is active. Progress: 0/10

4. Spirit Break (All) – Break an enemy’s body, mind, and spirit, crippling their ability to fight, hindering their ability to think, and blocking their ability to use magic - to upgrade, fight an enemy while this path is active. Progress: 0/5

Choosing one path may eliminate some or all other paths. This will both limit your ability and strengthen it.

Upgrading a spell from Rank 1 to Rank 2 will make you immediately forget another Rank 1 spell of your choosing. Once a spell is forgotten, it is almost impossible to be learnt again.

As you have no other Rank 1 spells, this does not currently apply.

One cannot walk backward on the path.

Xavier tilted his head to the side as he sped through the description, glad he could read so much faster now.

Just like with Spiritual Trifecta, there doesn’t seem to be any drawbacks in generalising with this spell, he thought. He was also glad to find that bringing it to the next rank wouldn’t make him forget any other spells. I guess it’s best to learn one spell at a time, rather than several. I wonder if I’ll have a choice when I gain my next class.

He looked over at the still struggling Cerotri Infernum, which he had basically taken down with two spells, not even having to touch it or take a single hit from it.

And this spell is damned powerful. Or maybe the spell is powerful because I am?

He glanced back at the battlefield. He’d been able to take out dozens of the elves at once. And with Spiritual Trifecta active—boosting his physical defence, as well as enhancing his physical strength and magical potency—he would barely take any damage.

Maybe I could take the whole army by myself. Especially if I gained a few more levels. Not that he thought it would be a smart thing to try.

When Spirit Break reached the end of its cooldown, he stared over at the Cerotri Infernum, his forehead creasing. He muttered, “Sorry, little beast,” under his breath, then he cast the spell, willing it to break the enemy’s mind.

More agonised moans were released from the enemy’s three mouths. He shut his eyes, not wanting to see the pain this thing was in. The pain he was causing it.

I’m torturing this beast to gain power. But… how is that any worse than all the death I’ve caused?

He recalled Sergeant Bradley words: The System doesn’t stand for cowards.

Xavier steeled himself, opened his eyes, resolve settling within him. He’d chosen this spell because he knew it would make him strong. He couldn’t shy away from what it was able to do.

If he was going to remain the most powerful Champion of Earth, if he was going to lead humanity to victory against those who wished to destroy them or enslave them, then he would need to embrace every bit of power he could get his hands on.

Xavier took another step toward the hell beast and waited for Spirit Break to reach the end of its cooldown.

Then, he would cast it again.