Cyberserk

Chapter 3 - Fighting the Dead and the New World

The elevator in the building didn't work. The partners were coming down the stairs from the third floor. The phantom was explaining to Dan some of the specifics of the game. He was not apologetic about his rudeness; the phantom also wanted a reliable and strong partner.

"Planet Earth fencing is a special cultural achievement of the human race. Mastery of the sword is complex management of the physical laws and material features of the planet. A player's sword is a special case. The techniques of the human sword cannot be applied to it. The player's sword has its durability and this durability differs from the durability of a human sword. Here is one example. Human fencing does not welcome strain on the sharp edge of the blade. The edge of the sword is vulnerable. A game sword does not blunt. It can be used as a crushing weapon. The physics of your in-game body has nothing to do with the physiology of a normal person. Dan Raven, the world has changed and you have changed with it. Call it the apocalypse. Call it a new round of evolution. I'll be interested to watch your mind! How much will you remain Human?"

Dan listened to the clone's words and realized this guy was right! Swordsmanship techniques are cool and could be the basis for a new style of swordsmanship. But a game sword is a special tool. Physical techniques require the mandatory use of magical skills! Then there's no point in the old school of swordsmanship at all. Sword and Magic are one in the new world.

The boys went outside. Dan stopped and watched as the phantom walked determinedly toward the portal.

"Hey, asshole! Stay away from the zombies! This isn't a TV show!"

"Where are the police? Now, this kid is going to die!"

"Stupid b***h! All the cops are sniffing the stench of their plastic cups of cheap coffee right now. Dude, you die first. What apartment are you from?"

Dan Raven froze. The screams of the residents reminded him how unpleasant it was for him to live in this place. He was paying for a cheap apartment in a cheap high-rise pigsty. Now the pigs were awake and waiting to be entertained.

The phantom paid no attention to the people's screams. He began to test his body more actively. He didn't have much experience in the gym training. Dan Raven was a disgusting wimp and a nerd! This guy reminded some of a dumb robot. He always did his morning warm-up routine but disdained sports. Weird guy.

The clone shook his body from side to side and moved his armed hand. The player was getting used to the weight of the weapon. He stepped in from the skeleton's side so that the dead men lined up in a single line.

The skeleton spotted the enemy and moved toward the enemy. He approached in stride and pulled the bones of his arms toward the player.

Phantom quickly sprang toward the skeleton and swung his sword sharply horizontally to deal damage to the skeleton's arms. Hands are the main threat from a primitive skeleton!

Damage numbers appeared above the dead man's skull! Dan exhaled with delight when he saw the funny numbers -4, -5 flying into the sky. It was cooler than watching the most over-the-top computer effects show about the zombie apocalypse.

The skeleton's body swung sideways from the human attack. The phantom struck again. It was a ridiculous and brutal blow that put any school of human swordsmanship to shame! It was a punch that was more suited to a baseball bat! Rough and simple.

Boom!

"Mama said knock you out! I'm gonna knock you out!"

A new number of damage -6 was flown into the sky. The skeleton collapsed on the pavement. The player killed the skeleton in three hits. Dan smiled with delight. He got a real partner. Raven wanted to test his strength. The phantom drew the attention of the entire audience.

"Dude, who are you? Johnny look! There's some freak out there finishing off a skeleton!"

"Young man, stop the outrage! Somebody! Call the police."

Dan Raven suddenly felt a strange sense of euphoria. He was the one who loved listening to the old hits of the last century. The lyrics rang in the young man's head that made him move with the aggression and assertiveness of a fighter.

The phantom responded and loudly began to spit out the words in a voice full of fun.

"I'm gonna rock this land," the player's sword made a quick swipe of the blade across the zombie's outstretched arms. Right to left! Squeeze! Squeeze!

"I'm gonna take this itty-bitty world by storm," another sword stroke and a kick to the zombie's body.

"And I'm just getting warm!" The phantom, in the dance move of an unforgettable Michael Jackson, moonwalked away from the two zombies.

Then the player exploded with a series of attacks. It was powerful and wild. Red damage numbers flew into the sky. -4, -5, -5, -7! One zombie fell on its side with an inarticulate rumble and froze. The guy took his time and hit the old enemy a couple of times.

Suddenly the zombie's body exploded and its hull blew apart in bits of little clouds. A gray box hovered in the air. The phantom quickly grabbed the box with his left hand.

"We're happy Vincent!" shouted the killer of the dead.

Three sword strokes were enough for the desperate swordsman to finish off the last opponent.

The spectators were silent. Den Raven, too, froze at such an act of vandalism and cruelty. As he struck, the sword sliced off pieces of the zombie's body. Dark liquid splattered in different directions and parts of dead bodies flew. A strong nasty smell hit the student's nose.

Suddenly an empty bottle flew out of one window and landed next to the armed guy at the portal. The ringing of the glass sounded like the clang of a bell in Dan Raven's ears.

The phantom laughed and shouted an invitation to his partner.

"Come on, bro, we have to go now. Stop faffing around, we're going to a world of wonders and adventures!"

Phantom pointed his sword toward the house and shouted in a more aggressive tone.

"A freak who likes to throw bottles. Now I know where you live. Look around in your new world, Punk. I'll let your guts out," the swordsman swung his sword and several disgusting droplets flew sideways.

There was an unnaturalness and crudity about it all, a primitive production of a cheap show about a savage barbarian.

But Dan knew it was serious when he saw the Phantom disappear into the purple light of the portal. The young man had no desire to stay on this side of reality! He quickly ran toward the portal and even jumped into it as he got closer.

A purple flash blinked before Dan's eyes and he saw an amazing landscape. It certainly wasn't planet Earth. And it was a place for players.

The main features of the place caught his eye. On the left side began the forest. Tall trees rose to the sky. The forest looked like a dense and impregnable wall. On the right side of the portal was a river. A wide river. Dan could not see the opposite bank in the pre-dawn twilight.

Ahead of him was a crowd of dead men. An enormous crowd of hundreds of the living dead were waiting for their victims. It was a gruesome sight. The zombies wandered slowly and bumped into each other. The skeletons weren't standing still either, moving from place to place. Several zombies moved toward the guys.

Dan froze at the sudden and unbelievable sight of the new side of the world. A push to the side and the loud voice of a displeased phantom brought the guy out of his shock.

" We have to run away from the portal. I don't like this crowd of freaks! Follow me," the clone ran toward the riverbank.

Dan quickly caught up with his partner and stopped on the bank of the wide river.

"I have the inventory. But we won't take any risks. Here's your first prey," the phantom held out a box to his partner.

Dan took the box and wanted to see what was inside. Suddenly the box fell apart and a gray book was left in the player's hands.

[You got the skill book level 1. The skill Werewolf is available to learn. Do you wish to learn the skill Werewolf? Yes/No]

"Take your time, brother, look in the skill book. You have a description of the skill

Level 1," the phantom suggested.

Dan quickly turned his attention to the skill book and found the Shapeshifting Skills section.

[Werewolf.

Required Level: 1

Requirement: None

Mana cost: 10. Spell duration: 40 Seconds. Increase attack strength by 50%. Increase speed by 20%. Increase health and endurance by 25%.

With this skill the player can turn into a werewolf, increasing his health, endurance, speed, and attack power. Repeated use of the skill in werewolf form returns to human form. Feel the power of the Beast]

"Den there is information. Sword damage on first-level monsters you've seen. I got hit by one dead punk! I took two points of damage. Hear that? Only 2 points of damage, but it hurt. The skeleton gave me 34 experience points. The zombie's worth 33 experience points. I don't have access to the store! That's disgusting. Renew me and get 14 experience points. I got 133 experience points! It's a shame to lose so much experience," the phantom shook his head. He took the sword by the blade and held out the handle to his partner.

"Why should I renew you? You've been cool. Now it's my turn to try. I'm not afraid, but those stupid zombies stink so nastily!" Dan took the outstretched sword.

"Dan doesn't act like a dumb a*s. As long as there's no point in mana you can safely waste mana. Get my feel for the fight, my emotions, and my primitive retarded punching skills. I may have hit like a beginner, but I've already finished off four dead men."

"Hasta la vista, baby," Dan laughed and activated the clone summoning skill.

The old phantom lost its density and vanished into thin air in a gust of wind. A new clone appeared nearby and immediately commented on the nuances of the game mechanics.

"I don't remember how I felt. But you got a miserable chunk of my experience," the phantom said.

"Yes. It's a strange feeling. Like faint drunkenness from beer," Dan admitted. "Nauseous and fun."

"Look, those freaks sent the guards into the portal. A few of the dead have crossed over to the other side. The rest are respecting the border. They have an agr zone," the phantom said.

"All the mobs in the games have an aggression zone," agreed Dan. "I want to try with zombies. The stench from a corpse is disgusting, but it's slow. I can beat a zombie," Raven said resolutely.

"Hasta la vista, baby," laughed the clone. "Buy me a sword after you win. I'm bored standing alone like a teenager's d**k in the early morning."