Chapter 328 (2/2)

There was a Physical Fitness skill, and what looked like Empower and Haste. In addition-

Again, Rose froze, even as her hand continued to write. What?! Her skill gave this man’s skill an A rating? Aside from Dauntless, this was the first time-

“I concede.”

As the two stopped using skills, her skill stopped pestering her, halfway through her note. Very slowly, Rose looked up. Brute stood very still, the point of the other man’s spear at his throat.

The spear was lowered. The two men shook hands. The black haired man looked questioningly at Rose, who could only nod weakly, swallowing. “...Welcome to the Refuge.”

After the other group had left, and Rose had calmed her breathing, she walked up to Brute, who stood extremely still, remaining in the same spot from which he had surrendered. As she approached, Rose opened her mouth to speak, but saw a small crimson bead on his neck, and instead just looked on slack jawed.

Brute remained there, with his eyes closed, as Rose struggled to run through possibilities.

With the sheer volume of skills that the other man had activated, it had been too difficult to pick apart exactly what happened. But even still, Brute should have no trouble winning… he had an almost unstoppable trifecta of skills.

Brute’s most dominant skill was the ability to stop the momentum of any attacks on him in a certain area. The Stamina cost was so prohibitive that it could be used only a few times in a fight from full Stamina, and if burned constantly about two full seconds, but the battle had been about that amount of time. There was no way he should have lost.

In addition, Brute had a short range teleportation skill, and an absolutely fearsome ability to absorb Stamina from any person he laid his hands on. With these skills combined, he could fuel his momentum control Skills almost indefinitely, or until the opponent ran out of Stamina. Combined with a life before the System filled with martial arts training, trying to imagine the way for a close combat specialist to overcome Brute, was a bit…

More than anything, Rose was filled with annoyance, and a small speck of fear. Because her abilities, which she had trusted to feed her the weaknesses of an opponent, had turned up nothing. Was the other obscuring her somehow…? That amount of passive skills, though, what Class…

Brute opened his eyes, his expression placid.

Rose frowned. “...Your ranking should be about an 8 star warrior. Aside from Dauntless and myself, there aren’t more than 3 people stronger than you here. Yet you lost.”

Turning, Brute’s gaze followed the direction the group had left. Still, he said nothing.

Rose lowered her voice. “How were you injured so quickly? I felt you activating your skill-”

“I can only steal the momentum away from my opponents,” Brute said slowly, closing his eyes. “... There is nothing I can do about my own momentum. He gave me no choice but to impale myself on his spear… to avoid his other attacks.”

Rose’s eyebrows rose. Then she opened her mouth again, but closed it, annoyed. Perhaps this had just rattled her because it was the first time in a long time that her skill had been useless. Truly, it was unexpected. Even the Raid Bosses that they found didn’t trouble her like this. They could be seen through.

But Rose didn’t want to give up. If she had another shot-

“If Dauntless returns…” Brute said slowly. “...he will be crushed. That man is the most monstrous thing I have seen since the System arrived. If Dauntless returns, they must be kept apart-”

“He’s already back,” Rose whispered, feeling unwilling, but oddly fearful. Even in the face of overwhelming odds, Dauntless would not back off like Brute would. He would throw himself closer to the fire, unwilling to cede his stance as the strongest. “It was reported while we walked over. He’s just… wandering throughout the city…”

Instantly, that little bit of shock that remained fell away, and Rose Calloway once more felt her mind begin to whir. Although there was a strong opponent, that person was not necessarily an enemy. And if possible, it would be best to keep it that way. But if it ended up going the other direction…

Rose would dismantle the foe that stood in Dauntless’ way. Like she did every time.