Chương 107: Chapter 102-Chosen Wrathborn

Sitting straight up, I hit something hard. What in the hells? As my eyes slowly adjust to the light, I see a very pissed-off Penelope in front of me. She rubs her head in pain, and I quickly realize what I hit. Why was her head so close to mine?

"You're back!" Hopper yells as he gives me a hug.

"Yeah, I'm The Chosen One. Of course I'm back," I [Lie] as I nurse my splitting headache.

"It is good to see you well, Chosen Betrayer. I assume this means that you dealt with the rage?" Alyver asks as she looks me over.

"Yup. I took that rage and kicked it right out. I feel… clear-headed. The first time since we started all of this. So, who wants to help me go kick some Wrathborn ass?" I ask with a devilish smile. Penelope puts something in her shirt pocket.

"Well, it's good to see that you've finally regained that annoying charm, Charlatan, but we still have to come up with a plan to defeat the Wrathborn. We've bound its greatest weapon, but the Wrathborn is an old being," she immediately starts explaining. Hopper nods.

"Which means the Wrathborn will have had plenty of time to [Level Up]. Even without the rage affecting us, they'll still have a bunch of other [Skills], not to mention the difference in [Attributes]." Nodding along, I start to concoct a plan, and it all hinges on one thing. My [Level Up]. Whether or not I get the [Skill] I'm hoping for will make or break this plan. So, please… be there. You've Reached LvL. 15!! Please Choose a New Skill or Level Up an Existing Skill!!

Focusing on the [System Message], I pick the new [Skill] option. Please Pick One Skill: <Taunt> <Slash> <Parry> Ah, you've got to be kidding me. This is the first time I actually get a combat [Skill], and I'm not going to even pick it. I swear someone is fucking with me. Maybe the Gods. Yeah, right. They've got better things to do. No use in beating around the bush. I know what [Skill] I need to win against the Wrathborn, and it's going to be so much fun. Skill <Taunt> has been gained.

Skill Level of <Taunt> has been adjusted to account for innate talent"I have a plan guys, and you're going to love it," I say as Penelope and Hopper down their Calmness potions. They look at each other and give a smile. The Headmaster slams his fist on the table.

"How dare he!? I am a being of immeasurable strength. I've brought nations to ruin! I slayed the Sword Saint! AND HE DARES CALL ME A COWARD!" he yells as he flips the table. The Shapeshifter Shady enters the cave with a hint of fear.

"Sir, the preparations are ready. I have what you asked for," he says as he presents a box. The Headmaster violently snatches the box away from him.

"It's about time! What took you so long?" he asks, not really listening to the answer.

"I'm sorry! The Chosen One almost caught me, but I was able to slip away. Sir, what do you plan to do now?" Shady asks. The Headmaster looks up at the glowing ice wall. The symbol of the Wrathborn is etched into it. It pulses as more mana is fed into it.

"I was hoping to gain more power, but it seems that my plans have to be accelerated," he says as he points the purple crystal at the Wrathborn symbol and pockets the box.

"Just so we are clear. You're speeding up these plans of yours because you're afraid right?" The Chosen One asks. The Headmaster turns to the Chosen One with anger flaring through him.

"Chosen One, how nice of you to finally join us!" Penelope looks at the Headmaster with a look of surprise.

"Headmaster Vil? You're the Wrathborn?! That's impossible. You've been the Headmaster for almost forty years." The Headmaster laughs as the human form drops to reveal a more demonic form. Dark red skin, a pair of large leathery wings, pointy Demon horns, and a cloak made of physical hate. Before Penelope stands the Wrathborn.

"Forty long years I've been playing this role. All in preparation for this very moment. The moment where I kill The Chosen One," he says as he notices the absence of the Shapeshifter. The Chosen One smiles in an unsettling way.

"Well, I'm right here. What are you waiting for? Or are you all talk?" Anger flares through the Wrathborn, but he hesitates. Even though this Chosen One has only been one for a few months, the Wrathborn knows that he has shown considerable power at every possible turn. Not to mention he wields The Chosen Blade. One misstep and this could easily end in the Wrathborn's death, or at least that's what he thinks.

"Do you think me so easily taunted? I am the one and only Wrathborn. A being born of wrath and violence. I was brought into this world to sow chaos, and today I will accomplish that goal with this," he gloats as he holds up the purple crystal. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"Is that your safety blanket? Does it contain a bunch of hate and shattered dreams? Can you not go to sleep without it by your side?" The Chosen One pushes and pushes. The Wrathborns' lips flare in rage.

"This is the instrument of this Empire's destruction. This will unseal Tyranus, The Slumbering Disaster!" he proclaims. Penelope stands with a hint of worry.

"Are you insane!? Unleashing Tryanus will end in your destruction as well."

"Oh, Penelope, this is a coward we're dealing with. He already has a way out, don't you? Couldn't finish the job yourself, and now you're going to run away and let somebody else deal with me? I was wrong. You're not just a coward. You're worse than a coward. You're a worm," The Chosen One says with vitriol. Rage flows through the Wrathborn as he pockets the crystal.

"You're wrong. I'm going to make sure I kill you first," he says as he flies straight at The Chosen One. The Chosen One smiles as he doesn't move an inch. With an outstretched claw, the Wrathborn goes to rip out the Chosen One's throat. Suddenly, a bottle is slammed into the Wrathborn's mouth. The Wrathborn turns to notice Hopper forcing a Calmness potion down the Wrathborn's throat.

"A little too focused on me? So much so that you didn't even notice that the Hopper we came in with wasn't even the real Hopper," The Chosen One says as he gestures over to the ice [Clone]. The Wrathborn tries to pull back from the potion, but soon finds himself being struck in the back by Penelope. The hefty blow makes the Wrathborn reflexively take a gulp. Angry beyond belief, the Wrathborn grabs Penelope by the scruff and sends her flying towards the ice wall. With a swift kick, he stomps Hopper into the ground.

"Now you've pissed me off, Chosen One," he says with a low growl.

"Really? Good, let me show you how to make someone really rage." Drawing the Uneven Blade, I question my life decisions. Why have I decided to fight a Demon who could easily squish me like a bug? Better yet, why does my plan hinge on me pissing him off? Do I have a death wish? I hope not. I really want to live. The Wrathborn closes in within the blink of an eye. I've pissed him off, which means his attacks have gotten simplistic. He'll aim for the throat. With a simple slash, I block the attack.

The weight behind the attack threatens to send me flying, but I barely keep my ground.

"No wonder your original plan was to let Tyranus deal with me. You're far too weak to kill me," I [Taunt] as I struggle to keep him back.

"Your words hold no sway over me, Chosen One!" he yells, obviously letting my words sway him.

"Really, because falling for the same trick twice sure feels like I'm getting to you." The Wrathborn breaks away from me and quickly swipes behind him, only to find nothing.

"Would you look at that? Guess I was [Lying]." With anger flaring through him, he turns to slash at me. His claws find themselves blocked by Penelope's greatsword. An arrow stabs into his back as Hopper picks himself off the ground.

"Oh, wait! Maybe I wasn't [Lying]. Gods, maybe you should think twice when believing what I say," I [Taunt]. Ice grows out of the Wrathborn's back. Flexing, he shatters it. With a swing of his claw, he pushes Penelope back a couple of feet.

"I grow tired of your incessant taunting. I-" the Wrathborn says before faltering.

"Oh, is there something interesting down there? Maybe a gold coin or your dignity," I [Taunt].

"What did you do?" the Wrathborn asks as red ichor flows from his mouth.

"I just calmed you down a bit with a Calmness potion. What, do you not like when people mess with your emotions?" I ask with a devilish smile.

"You will pay for this," he growls.

"Get in line. You think you're the first person I've pissed off? Get over yourself. You're not even the scariest person I've met this year. Let alone in my entire life," I [Taunt]. Hopper fires off a volley of arrows that sink deep into the Wrathborn's wing. Penelope appears behind him with a crackling greatsword. With one swing, she sends him flying into the wall. Landing, she points her glowing hand at the hole in the wall and sends out a beam of light.

Huffing and puffing, she readies to fire another- Seemingly from nowhere, a hail of black blades flies out from the hole. Multiple shimmering shields appear, but are quickly shattered by the black blades. As the blades dissipate, I watch as Penelope is riddled with black blades that drip with a black ichor. What in the hells? Is it a [Skill]? Penelope rips a larger blade out of her shoulder.

"They're made of Demon blood!" Crawling out of the whole is a barely harmed Wrathborn.

"Very good, Princess. It's a nifty [Skill], isn't it? It turns my blood into blades that are sharp enough to cut through anything with ease. Not to mention its secondary effects," he says as he creates a sword from his blood. Secondary effects? Looking at Penelope, I see the wound begin to bleed profusely. The Demon blood is causing her to bleed out faster than she should. Not good. I had hoped that the Calmness potion would hurt him enough to make this winnable. Let's be real. It has weakened him.

He had to resort to using his [Skills], but even this is far too strong for us.

"Would you look at that? The great and powerful Wrathborn was forced into a corner by a couple of kids. When was the last time you actually had to use a [Skill]?" I [Taunt] as I stand in front of Penelope.

"My HP is dropping," she whispers.

"I know. We'll buy time. Find out how to stop it," I whisper back.

"Easier said than done." Rushing towards the Wrathborn, I cross my blade with his.

"Finally taking the offensive, Chosen One?" he asks.

"Had to give you a chance before I served you your own ass," I say as I parry his next attack. Hopper fires an arrow that the Wrathborn slashes out of the air. With an opening, I go to slash his shoulder. With inhuman movements, he blocks my attack. Pulling back, I narrowly dodge as his blade slashes past the edge of my neck. That was a close one. He's obviously the better swordsman, but if there's anything I'm confident in, it's the Uneven Blade. Pulling up the blade, I luckily find the perfect edge.

My Uneven Blade cuts clean through the Wrathborn's blood sword. Keeping the momentum, I cut deep into the Wrathborn's shoulder. Before I can pull away, he grabs hold of my wrist.

"Caught you," he says as he goes to swing down on me. Penelope suddenly appears next to me with ice covering her wounds. With a swipe of her greatsword, she cuts through the Wrathborn's hand that's holding me. Pulling free, I waste no time. I slash down, aiming for his leg. He blocks the attack with his other hand, but he's unable to block Penelope's cleave. The greatsword cuts clean into his stomach. He howls in pain.

Hopper, not missing the moment, fires a shot off, straight at his head, but before it can reach him, he disappears.

"What just-" I ask. Penelope suddenly throws up a shield that blocks a sharpened wooden stake. Looking up at the source of the attack, I see a wounded Wrathborn and… Professor Stargazer.

"Professor?" I ask.

"A Vashrin can not be The Chosen One. I won't allow it," she says with hate-filled eyes.