The Achievement Junkie

The moment electricity around Trank took a visible form, Rydel launched the first attack. His arrow flew true to his aim, piercing Trank's forehead. Yet, as the arrow pierced the lanky man it never took hold of anything and phased through him without a trace.

Such a display forced the party to reevaluate the man standing before them.

"Since you're so eager to play, then allow me to oblige." Trank licked his lips. Next, he vanished.

Right in front of them, the tall, hard-to-miss man had disappeared without leaving any footprints or a single sound. The party's opinion of Trank soared all the higher as they readied themselves for his attack.

"I expected more."

With a sigh, Trank reappeared behind Rydel. Lightning coated his finger as the man's long arms extended with the speed of a gunshot for the hunter's forehead.

Rydel fought his body to forcibly evade the attack. He managed to avoid the finger, but his balance was thrown and Trank's second hand was already hurtling toward the hunter.

"Not bad," snickered Trank. "But too slow."

Just as the finger was about to drive itself through Rydel's chest, a blade appeared to parry the electrocuting finger.

"Oh… So you're not just the party leader by name, but also in terms of ability." Trank's face twisted even more as he got a good look at Jack, who had appeared in front of the vulnerable hunter. "I'm definitely keeping you to myself."

"Yeah, good luck with that. Some say I'm too much to handle," Jack bantered.

Like Trank had done earlier, Jack also disappeared in the blink of an eye using his Sudden Death skill. Flanking the bounty hunter, Jack reappeared with his sword already swinging down on the man's right arm.

Surprisingly, Jack managed to make contact. Or so he thought. His blade glided through Trank's figure as if the man was a ghost, unable to be touched by anything physically.

However, just moments ago Jack had managed to not only touch Trank's finger but block it from killing Rydel. The hero quickly deduced what may be the cause and prepared for Trank's counterattack.

With his smile intact, Trank swung the same illusory arm at Jack. That time it made full contact with Jack's sword and forced him back a couple of meters. The leftover static electricity on Jack's sword numbed his hand, feeding some of Jack's fears and proving that the four versus one scenario may not give them an advantage.

"You've got some strange skills, huh Trank?"

"Indeed." Trank proudly bowed to Jack, not fearing any possible attack that might come as he did so.

Jack explained his thoughts out loud, "I'm guessing that your phasing ability is a skill you've either paid a high price for or you've developed yourself. It lets you use your speed to the fullest, making minute movements to dodge an attack while still appearing to receive it."

"You're correct. You're one of the few who managed to deduce that," stated Trank. "Then again, most don't live long enough to properly witness it in the first place."

"But that's not why you specialize in facing groups," Jack continued. "Even when I block your attacks, I still feel a numbing effect from the overwhelming static electricity. You don't need anyone to support you because you're able to support yourself by controlling the flow of any fight you're in."

Trank's eyes widened as he again bowed. "Splendid, absolutely splendid. Now that you know of my abilities, have you come up with a strategy to face me?"

"I may not look it, but I have a lot of PvP experience, so I think I already understand your build."

"PvP? My build?" Trank finally showed some confusion. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that I know you're a glass cannon," Jack explained with a smile of his own. "You've increased your speed and attack power to their limits, but you've ignored your defenses completely. And to make up for your lack of defense, you've created a strategy that mixes your incredible speed with your ability to stun opponents. But if even one attack lands on you properly, then you're done for."

The man's smile twisted all the more as Trank spastically popped his neck to loosen up.

A moment of silence passed as Jack's party members took his words to heart in an attempt to better prepare themselves.

Daliea soon heard a voice in her head. 'When I signal, you run with the Flame Tiger.'

She said nothing in response but quietly nodded as she kept a close eye on the threatening presence before her.

"To deduce all that so quickly… Who are you, anyway?" Trank asked giddily.

"Nobody, just a guy who wants to make sure Trodar stays safe," replied Jack.

"Then I guess I'll have to coax the truth out of you… But I'll have to save that for later when we're alone. For now, I should get serious or you might force me to share my prey."

A pulse of electricity burst from Trank, hitting each of the party members and forcibly tensing up their bodies. At the same time, Trank struck back at the hunter who had first targeted him.

Jack managed to again block the attack, but it was much cruder and sloppier due to fighting the static electricity coursing through him.

"You must be the one who nearly killed Toms, correct?" Trank giggled as he pointed to Rydel. "I've never seen such an arrow used on a human before. It was quite amusing to see old Toms writhing in pain for once."

All while speaking, Trank lunged back to the hunter. "Too bad I had to save the man."

Rydel was forced to defend himself as Jack was too slow to perform consecutive blocks while fighting the static. The hunter chose an interesting tactic, one that caught even Trank off guard.

As Trank lunged toward Rydel's chest, Rydel merely leaned to take the blow directly with his shoulder. The finger pierced his flesh and rendered his left arm useless, but Rydel's right arm held a dagger aiming for Trank's extended elbow. However, he was too slow to disable the bounty hunter and Rydel only managed to wound Trank, hindering the attack speed of his right arm.

"You… You're fun too…" Trank laughed as he jumped back to avoid further damage. "Are you all like this?"

Again, Trank disappeared but he resumed the conversation. "You… You were the illusion man?"

He struck forward with his left arm, aiming for Daliea's neck. Trank's face showed an expression of pure pleasure as he relished in the excitement of finding such wonderful playthings.

'Now!'

That shout went of in Daliea's head as Jack appeared between her and Trank. But unlike before, Jack wasn't attempting to block or parry the attack. Stealing Rydel's strategy, he made sure to protect Daliea with his chest as he swung his glowing sword across Trank's torso.

The two men traded attacks as Daliea brought out her Flame Tiger and mounted him.

More riled up than ever, Trank stepped back and ran a finger along his bloodied chest before sucking it clean. "Oh… I'm going to enjoy you."

But as the Flame Tiger dashed away, everyone heard the crackle of a lightning bolt.

Electricity ran over the bodies of Daliea and the Flame Tiger as they fell to the ground, barely moving. What followed was the sudden disappearance and reappearance of Trank, who now stood over both of them.

Jack watched in horror and groaned as felt his body fight the numbing blow he had just taken. And his mind was rattled, trying to understand who Trank was unaffected by his Stunning Blow attack.

All the hero could do was watch as Trank thrust his finger into the Flame Tiger's skull, extracting its life.

Daliea, fully incapable of moving, looked back to Jack and the party. She noticed the arrow heading toward Trank, as well as the defensive position of Dirk. What she focused on was the agony on Jack's face.

The goblin girl smiled. That was all she could do after taking that lighting bolt.