TOP SECRET: Adventures in the Dark Continent Chapter 4: Choosing the starting village

"Ahh ... Ahhh ... Where am I ??" Intense agony wracked the young man's body. It seemed his bones were shattered from a devastating strike.

"Is this the room from before?" He scanned his surroundings. The young man noticed he was back in the chamber where he had studied the basic information book.

"How did I end up here again? I just recall sneaking up to strike the Cyclops from behind, but right then, a massive impact slammed into me..." Ache throbbed throughout the young man's frame. It felt exactly like getting smashed by a truck.

"Looks like the Cyclops landed a hit on me and finished me off..."

"What strategies can beat that monstrous beast? Direct confrontation? Hit and retreat?" The young man pondered various tactics for battling the Cyclops. Since death wasn't permanent, experimenting posed no risk, though the suffering remained excruciating.

"Time for the second try..." Once more, the young man stepped through the door.

Upon emerging in the coliseum, the Cyclops stood ready, awaiting him.

"Arggg !!!!!" Spotting its foe, the Cyclops bellowed and rushed forward.

Pang Zzzzz Pang Zzzz

Dragging its wooden club, the Cyclops thundered ahead.

"Ahh !!!" The young man charged straight at the Cyclops too. He hoisted his shield, hoping to block the crushing strike.

Shuooo !!!

The club's mighty swing cut through the air so swiftly it whistled fiercely.

Pang !!!!!

Back inside the room once more...

"Ahhh ..." Awakening, the young man saw he had respawned in the familiar spot.

"This hurts so much." Once again, his bones felt fractured.

"Charging head-on failed. Gotta switch tactics."

Again, the young man passed through the door.

"Ahhh!!!!" The instant he materialized, he barreled toward the Cyclops, which mirrored his aggression.

"Argg !!!!"

Shuooo !!!

Once more, the Cyclops whipped its massive club at the young man. He tumbled aside, evading the blow.

Slash!!!

Springing up fast, the young man slashed the Cyclops' leg. A slender streak of blood appeared.

"Arggg !!!!" Enraged by the wound, the Cyclops whirled its enormous arm with speed.

Pang !!!!

Before he could react, the young man flew dozens of meters through the air from the impact. Back to the room he went.

The Cyclops' palm strike proved instantly fatal.

"That must've been what got me first time... It swatted with its arm... Onward to another go..."

Rising, the young man re-entered the steel door.

For dozens of rounds, the young man's relentless, mad retries continued. Each ended in death, varied in method.

Though bones snapped and death stung repeatedly, the torment paid off. He uncovered the Cyclops' vulnerabilities and victory paths.

Attempt fifty...

"Now's the moment for another shot." Pain already made the young man's body prickle.

With a face full of assurance, the young man strode through the steel door. Victory over the Cyclops felt within grasp this round.

"Here we go!!!" Stowing the shield on his back, the young man dashed at the Cyclops. It reciprocated.

Pang zzzzzz Pang zzzzz

Shuooo !!!!

With tremendous force, the Cyclops swung its club at the young man. Dodging with two rolls to the flank, he circled behind the beast.

Slash

Thrusting his sword into the earth, the young man carved chunks of stone and gathered them.

Shuoo ...

One stone flew off. Glancing that way, the Cyclops saw emptiness, puzzled since something had dropped—yet unidentified. Lacking ears, it possessed just a single eye and mouth.

Shuoo ...

Next came a larger stone, hurled forth.

"Argg ..." Baffled without sight of its enemy, the Cyclops grumbled.

Shuoo ...

A rock the size of a football sailed nearby. Unable to tolerate it, the Cyclops fumed, spotted the projectile, and lumbered closer.

Pang zzzzzz Pang

Hauling the hefty club along, the Cyclops moved seven meters from the young man, who sliced more stones and clutched them.

Shuooo ...

A stone pelted the Cyclops' rear. Whipping around, it beheld the young man holding a bunch of stones.

"Argggg !!!!!" Furious, the Cyclops stormed ahead.

Shuooo !!!!

"Arggg !!!!!!!"

Straight at the Cyclops' eye flew a stone from the young man's throw. Pain made it howl.

"Arg !!!!" Blazing with rage, the Cyclops barreled at the young man.

Shuooo !!!

Into the Cyclops' eye sailed yet another stone.

"Arg !!!!!" Halting, the Cyclops wailed in agony, blinking its huge eye frantically against the hurt.

Shuooo !!!

Yet another stone launched.

"Arg !!!!!"

Pang !!!

The club crashed down as the Cyclops clutched its eye with both hands to ease the torment.

Shuooo !!!

One more stone took flight.

The young man hurled roughly seven stones directly at the Cyclops' eye. Its eyes had swollen puffy and red already. Sight impaired, the Cyclops staggered around in confusion.

"Argg !!! Argg !!! Argg !!! " Pain in its eye enraged the Cyclops terribly. It swung its arms wildly side to side, desperate to strike the young man.

Yet all efforts proved futile. The young man stayed far out of reach.

(Time to attack) Toward the Cyclops' rear dashed the young man.

Slash!!!

A gash appeared on the back of its knee.

"Argg !!!" Swiftly whirling, the Cyclops slapped out with its palm.

A side roll evaded the blow. Then the young man dashed back to the Cyclops' rear once more.

Slash!!

Yet another slash struck behind the knee.

"Argg !!!" Once again the Cyclops swung at the young man, missing completely.

Dodging every strike, the young man kept targeting the back of the knee.

Slash ... Slash ... Slash ...

Dozens of repeated slashes finally severed and ruined the back of the knee.

"Arggg !!!!!" Excruciating leg pain overwhelmed the Cyclops. Knees buckled as it collapsed, unable to support itself.

(Again !!) The young man retreated swiftly from the Cyclops, slashing the earth to gather more rocks.

Shuooo Shuooo Shuo

Five stones flew from his hand this time all at once.

"Arrgggg !!!!" Agony exploded as five sharp stones pummeled the eyes. Unable to rise, the Cyclops slumped to the ground, clawing at its inflamed, bulging eyes.

(Now !!!) Seizing the opportunity, the young man charged. He raced behind the Cyclops and swung his sword.

Slash!!!

Straight for the Cyclops' neck the young man slashed.

Merely a tickle registered for the Cyclops, no real pain.

Slash Slash Slash Slash

Undeterred, the young man persisted, hacking relentlessly at the same spot dozens, even hundreds of times.

"Argg !!!!" Pain finally erupted from the Cyclops as tiny incisions widened into a gaping, grievous wound.

Blood gushed profusely from the neck gash. Yet the Cyclops remained grounded, its leg too feeble to rise, forced to merely sit.

Occasionally its hands flailed backward, hoping to repel the young man. But every attempt failed; not once did it connect.

This tactic had been forged by the young man after dying forty-nine times at the Cyclops' hands.

"Argg !!! Arg " The Cyclops' roars faded weaker, its movements ceased. Blood drained completely from its body.

A few final chops later, the young man allowed blood loss to claim the Cyclops.

Blood drenched the entire scene.

Pang ...

Sometime after, a thud echoed heavily. Blood loss had felled the Cyclops.

Hurgh !!!! Hurgh !!!! Hurgh !!!!

Overcome by the gruesome sight, the young man retched violently. The strain of his first kill—even against a monstrous foe—proved too much. He heaved several times before blacking out.

"Congratulations. You have completed the tutorial "

"As a reward, you will receive two attribute points and one skill point."

"Go to the map room and choose your starting village" After the Cyclops' defeat, a mechanical voice announced this. Its corpse dissolved into dust, scattered away by the wind.

Before vanishing, a beam of light struck the young man's body.

Unaware of the tutorial rewards he'd gained, the young man faded away.

The next day

"Where am I?" Slowly the young man awoke, blinking at an unfamiliar surroundings.

A modest room with a table greeted him where he now lay on a bed—unlike before.

"Such a room again?" Approaching the table, the young man spotted a map marked with five distinct points.

Small villages, these points indicated—the beginner villages.

"These must be the initial five villages read in the book ..." Thoughtfully, the young man examined each, weighing the best choice.

Touching Village A expanded its image, revealing nearby areas and beasts.

For the remaining four villages, the young man repeated the process.

"When choosing a location, you will receive a skill according to the chosen city to help you on your adventure." So read the map's inscription.

"Which location should I choose? What would be easier to fight? Mutant beasts? Mutant sea beasts? Mutant desert beasts? Demons? Or zombies? " Staring pensively at the map, the young man pondered, undecided.