Somewhere in the jungle with an angel
Katherine glanced around the shimmering barrier now enclosing them. Magic wasn’t usually her thing—too flashy, too complicated—but this barrier was thrilling.
Complex patterns wove across its translucent surface, shifting and pulsing as if alive. She had seen nothing like it, not even the barriers crafted by Rateh, the dungeon boss. His shield seemed cheap in comparison.
Curiosity got the better of her, and she reached out to touch the barrier. The moment her fingertips brushed its surface, the Blobrg lunged. Its ridiculous body, still charred and smoldering, slammed against the barrier, sending ripples of light cascading through the magical weave.
Katherine’s lips twisted in a disgusted grimace.
Its malformed limbs and oozing wounds were worse than anything she’d seen, even in that creepy Czech museum exhibit where they’d recreated folklore monsters. Those creatures seemed almost charming next to this abomination.
When the Blobrg reared up and lashed out again, its craggy limbs screeching against the shield, instinct took over. Katherine dove backward, landing with a thud.
Never trust a magician.
“Wut? Charlie?” she muttered, her gaze landing on the figure standing nearby. An angel?
They were talking—Charlie, and the angel—something about class changes. Apparently, they’d been discussing it without her input. She frowned. “Wat’s a Glory Seeker?” Her attention wavered as her eyes landed on the angel’s sword, and a mad grin spread across her face.
The angel, Sera, sent a barrage of stat screens her way, but Katherine barely spared them a glance. Screens? Stats? Hu?! Who cares about those when you’ve got a sword like that?
Katherine’s hand drifted to her own pitiful short sword, and she sighed. That’s the weapon I need.
“Wat now? I want it!” she declared, her excitement boiling over, and turned on her recording. Fans need to see ‘tis!
Sera began explaining something about angels, honor, and responsibility, but Katherine’s attention had already drifted. The angel’s words droned on, more monotonous than her law teacher. Why her parents had ever forced her to study law, she’d never understand.
It was like a foreign language to her—she might as well be listening to someone speak Chinese.
After what felt like hours, the angel finally closed her mouth—sadly, only for a second. “Katherine, do you understand?” Sera’s voice cut through her daydream, commanding, her piercing gaze locking onto Katherine.
For real, the same as teachers.
Katherine blinked innocently and nodded with feigned enthusiasm. “Yas, lady Sera! Constitutional norms are constitutive conventions!”
The angel sighed, her patience visibly thinning, and glanced back at the invisible screens in front of her. “It seems we have approval. Are you certain you want to become a Glory Seeker? From everything I’ve told you, only the ‘honorable’ part seems to apply to you.” Sera hesitated, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. “I may have… over-explained.”
Katherine glanced over at Charlie, who was busy hunched over a cluster of bubbling cauldrons. There were at least ten of them, steam rising as they brewed.
Katherine smirked.
KatFan69 always thought long and hard about these things, and yet somehow, always reached the same conclusion as her.
“Yas! ‘tat sword! Gimme!” Katherine exclaimed, her voice teeming with anticipation. Her English wasn’t as perfect as her Czech, but nobody cared so far!
Sera sighed again—long, drawn out, and heavy with resignation. Slowly, she unfastened the sword from her side, its blade catching the light as she handed it over to Katherine.
The weapon was massive, built for power and intimidation. Its blade, nearly a meter and a half long, gleamed with a red hue that seemed almost alive, faint tendrils of red swirling beneath the polished surface like trapped… something.
Inscribed along the flat of the blade were strange runes that glowed faintly with every movement.
So goated!
The hilt was wrapped in deep crimson leather, its grip finally broad enough to fit both her hands comfortably, with an extra gap to spare.
As Sera handed it over, Katherine reached out with both hands, her muscles straining as she lifted it. The sword was heavier than she expected, its weight grounding her, demanding balance and control. She grinned as she ran her fingers along the hilt, feeling the fine edge.
Katherine’s eyes widened, full of awe and excitement as she dropped to one knee in gratitude for the gift.
The weight of the massive sword rested heavily in her hands. “Your friend is… resourceful…” Sera said, her gaze shifting to Charlie, who was absorbed in her unique alchemy. Steam wafted from one of the many bubbling cauldrons, and faint traces of herbs and minerals floated in the air. “Her plan is sound, but there’s a crack in it.”
Katherine glanced up from her position, tilting her head. “Wat?”
She felt a pang of understanding when she thought of Charlie. Their connection ran deeper than the typical streamer-chat. While others in her chat sent short messages or bombarded her with emojis, Charlie always wrote full paragraphs. Detailed strategies, witty banter—things that made Katherine smile.
Even if she often ignored the advice in favor of her passionate approach, which was funny itself to see Charlie sending facepalm emoji.
Sera turned to her. “The shield isn’t meant to be used this way. The consequences can be bad, even for a hero like her. If you go through with this, you know what must be done. Alone.” She gestured toward the pulsating barrier and the Blobrg still clawing at its edges.
“Yas. Glory fight,” Katherine said with a nod, her grin bold. This whole prestige-class thing was right up her game. Head first, kick first, ask questions later. She was nothing like her cautious classmates, debating laws over and over.
Sera allowed herself a rare smile. “Exactly.” Turning toward Charlie, she called, “Please bear witness, hero!”
Charlie’s head snapped up like a startled kitten. Her hands fumbled with the alchemy kit, spilling a few vials in her rush. “Wait, wait!” she stammered, scrambling to her feet.
But Sera, unbothered, continued. “Katherine, do you willingly swear to abide by the laws of Feran, be bound by his rules, and bask in his glory? Do you swear to always meet your enemy with honor?”
Charlie finally stumbled to their side, panting as though she’d sprinted a marathon. Her eyes darted nervously between Sera and Katherine.
Meanwhile, Katherine was steady, unfazed, her grin widening. She held the massive sword out proudly, its blade glinting in the soft light of the barrier. She locked eyes with Sera. “Yup, I swear!” she declared, her voice full of confidence.
Best stream!
Sera’s expression remained impassive as she placed her bare hand on the blade’s sharp edge. Blood seeped from the cut, tracing a thin red line down the steel and pooling at the hilt before dripping onto Katherine’s hand.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
The moment the blood touched her, something shifted in the sword.
Katherine couldn’t pinpoint it, but a chill settled over her, deeper than any winter she’d endured. It pierced through her like her ass was being plunged into an endless frost. The damn reality limit.
Why did she set it at eighty percent?
She screamed, her voice ripping through the meadow, before her world flickered and blanked out. By the time she regained her senses, she could barely register Sera’s voice. “I tear down the barrier.”
A flood of blue boxes filled her vision. The system interface screamed for her attention, but she swiped it away irritably.
Annoying!
“Katherine, pull out a teleport scroll! Now! Marketplace!” Charlie’s voice was shrill with panic.
Katherine turned toward her new-old friend, her chest tightening. A pang of sadness settled in her stomach. She wouldn’t be able to help Charlie with the quest—not this time. “No. Always meet with glory.”
“No!” Charlie’s voice was frantic as the teleport spell anchored her, pulling her body away in a glimmering haze. “Katherine, you can’t win! We’ll go on an adventure! Find the ring!”
Each word hit Katherine like a blow, weighing heavily on her heart. She clenched her jaw, forcing herself to ignore the pang of sadness swelling in her chest. For Charlie to have a chance—she needed to face this alone.
Only one needed to die.
Her grip tightened on the hilt of the massive sword as she turned toward the barrier. The cracks in the shield stretched wider with every passing second, the magical patterns distorting and flickering.
Never trust a magician.
Beyond it, the Blobrg’s distorted, triumphant screech burst through the air. It made the ground beneath her armored boots tremble.
She checked the camera—it was still recording. “Ya die!” she yelled, her voice strong.
With a deep breath, Katherine stomped forward, the weight of the sword empowering her. Her hair caught in the breeze, glowing like fire in the dim light. The barrier fractured further, shards of energy breaking away as the Blobrg’s monstrous limbs clawed at the opening.
No turning back now.
She activated her new sacrificial talent, [Glorious Fight]. Nothing outwardly happened, but she felt the power coursing through her. “For glory!” Katherine roared, raising her sword high.
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She willed her second newly unlocked talent, [Katherine’s Fury], to activate. The moment she did, a sharp pull drained her reserves, but the effect was immediate.
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Annoying! Stop!
A surge of red energy erupted from the blade, cascading down her arm like molten lava and enveloping her in a burning aura. It wasn’t just heat—it was power, wrapping around her like a blazing, protective cloak.
Then the fire caught.
Flames erupted around her, licking at the ground and igniting the air with a fiery glow. The meadow seemed to wither under the intensity of the inferno, and even the invisible Blobrg recoiled. It leapt to the right with unnatural speed, its razor-sharp limbs slashing at her side as it dodged the encroaching flames.
“Wahahaha!” Katherine cackled madly, the pain from the swipe barely registering through the adrenaline and fire roaring within her.
Blood seeped from her side, but she didn’t hesitate. Raising the massive sword overhead, she brought it down in a devastating arc. “[Judgment]!” she screamed, activating another newly gained skill.
The blade moved faster than thought; the strike empowered by divine energy? Magic? Who cared, honestly?
It carved through the Blobrg’s form with a blinding flash of red light, cutting through its defenses like they were one of her posters. The creature let out a distorted, ear-splitting shriek, its once-invulnerable body flickering wildly as Katherine’s strike tore it apart.
“See ya now!” Katherine roared, slashing her sword in a wide, horizontal arc.
The Blobrg, with a speed that contradicted its absurd size, leapt back, evading her attack. Its wounds, though deep and charred from her earlier strike, closed before her eyes, its body pulsating as it regenerated.
Katherine’s lips curled into a mad grin. “Oh, ya think ya’re tough, huh?” she muttered, more to her fans than the creature. With a ferocious cry, she lunged forward, her fiery aura flaring with every swing of her sword.
The Blobrg didn’t retreat this time. It crouched low, its skinny limbs spreading wide like a spider on the hunt, before launching itself at her.
“Nope!” Steel met claws in a deafening clash.
Katherine’s blade rang with each parry, her muscles straining as she blocked the Blobrg’s relentless swipes.
The creature was faster than she expected, its movements erratic and unpredictable. One limb darted toward her midsection, but she twisted her body at the last moment, bringing her sword up in a sharp upward slash. Sparks flew as her blade scraped against its hardened flesh, leaving a glowing molten streak in its wake.
My mistr will be proud!
The Blobrg snarled, its eyes narrowing as it countered with a sweeping strike of its own. Katherine ducked just in time, feeling the rush of air as its claws whistled past her head.
She spun on her heel, using her momentum to drive her sword downward in a crushing vertical blow. The ground beneath them cracked as the impact sent a shockwave rippling outward, but the Blobrg dodged at the last moment, skittering to the side with magical agility.
Katherine was using both her new skills liberally, always on the attack. “Come on, ya coward!” Katherine taunted, flames dancing around her as she stepped forward, relentless in her assault.
She slashed in a wide arc, forcing the creature to leap away, only for her to press the attack with a diagonal cut aimed at its exposed flank.
The Blobrg twisted its body unnaturally, avoiding the blade, and retaliated with a flurry of rapid swipes.
Katherine staggered back, her armor screeching as its claws raked across her shoulder. Pain grew, but she grinned through it, her eyes blazing with determination. “Hah! ‘tat all ya got?” she spat, gripping her sword tighter.
The Blobrg let out a screech, its body half-invisible as it prepared another strike.
They clashed again, neither backing down. Katherine’s strikes were heavy and deliberate, her blade leaving arcs of fire in its path, while the Blobrg’s attacks were a chaotic whirlwind of slashes and stabs.
As they fought, the surrounding meadow took the scars of their battle—scorched earth where her flames had burned and deep gouges in the soil from the creature’s claws.
At one point, the Blobrg lunged, aiming for her exposed side.
Katherine saw the opening and sidestepped, bringing her sword down in a quick counter. The blade connected, slicing through one of its limbs with a burst of flame. The severed limb hit the ground with a wet thud, but the Blobrg didn’t flinch. Instead, it turned and slashed at her with its remaining limbs, forcing her back on the defensive.
Blood dripped from both combatants now—her from the cuts in her armor, and it from the deep, smoldering gashes her sword had carved into its body.
Yet neither showed any signs of giving up.
Katherine’s breaths came heavy, but her grin never wavered. “Ya tough, I’ll give ya that,” she panted, wiping a trickle of blood from her lip. The Blobrg growled low, its glowing eyes locked on hers. Its movements were slower now, more cautious, as if it, too, was feeling the toll of their battle.
With a burst of energy, Katherine charged again, her sword flaring brighter. “Got last juice for ya! [Judgment]!”
The Blobrg roared in response, meeting her head-on in a final, frenzied clash. Sparks and flames exploded around them as steel met claws, their movements a blur of fury and precision.
A burst of red energy erupted from her sword, spreading like wildfire, consuming the Blobrg in an inferno of divine flames. The beast let out a distorted screech that shook her core, its limbs flailing wildly as the fire engulfed it.
Katherine pressed forward, her grin widening as she twisted the sword with all her might, cutting deeper into the creature.
The Blobrg flickered and fractured.
Its movements slowing as the flames tore it apart.
With one last defiant cry, she slashed horizontally, severing its core in a single, decisive motion. The creature collapsed in a heap, its body disintegrating into a mass of ash and light.
Then the meadow fell silent.
The only sound was the crackling remnants of her burning aura. Katherine stood over the pile of ash, her chest heaving, sweat dripping from her brow. Her aura flickered, growing dimmer, and the weight of the battle finally caught up with her.
And then, the cost.
Her knees buckled, and she fell to the ground, her hands gripping the hilt of her sword to keep herself upright. The fiery aura dissipated entirely, leaving only the cool breeze.
Pain coursed through her body, every nerve in protest as the price of her skills took its toll. Yet, despite the searing exhaustion, Katherine tilted her head back and let out a breathless laugh, her voice trembling with equal parts triumph and madness.
“I won,” she whispered, a grin spreading across her bloodied face as she turned toward the camera. “I won.”
[You died]