*gosub_scene subroutines clear_fight_vars *set fight_scene "fight_rushing_bull" *gosub_scene subroutines set_enemy_stats 30 22 27 28 14 "middle" "Golden Bull" *temp angry_bull false Just as the name suggests, the beast watching over the Rushing Bull Tribe is an enormous male-cow, whose sitting height towers over you, with two large, long horns and bulging, inflated muscles. As you reach the place of its habitat, the bull excitedly stands up, pointing its horns at the symbols drawn in the dirt. [i]Prove your worth[/i], the writings read, and before you can even comprehend their meaning, the bull charges, its massive hooves shaking the very ground you stand on… *choice #Grab the bull's horns. You plant your feet into the ground and square your shoulders, waiting for the bull to reach you. When it does, you fearlessly grab its gigantic horns and… *gosub_scene subroutines f_stat_check_crit "str" "str" 2 0 *if (crit_stat_check) … although the power behind the bull is great, at the very limit of what the middle stage of Houtian allows, the strength inside your body is too monstrous to be compared. You effortlessly stop the beast in its tracks, causing an astonished expression to flicker through its ugly mug, and, with a loud grunt, you lift it in the air. Soon though, even your arms begins to shake from the sheer effort — the bull must weigh north of half a dozen tons — so, with a shout, you throw it to the side. *label bull_crashes The bull crashes into the earth with a loud, rumbling thud, emitting a shock wave that you can feel even standing several feet away. *choice #Kick the bull. While the bull tries to recover from your shocking display of strength, you leap towards it and kick its fat belly with your leg, as if the massive animal was nothing but an insignificant stone obstructing your path. *gosub_scene subroutines f_stat_check "str" "str" 3 *if (stat_check) Still in a daze after its previous loss, the bull is now lifted from the ground and launched through the trees, slamming them down with its oversized body as it tumbles and rolls in the air. You follow it, arriving near the Protector as soon as it lands, and… *choice #Attempt to strangle it. Wrap your arms around its meaty neck and exert your inhuman strength: the veins on your forearms bulge from the pressure and… *gosub_scene subroutines f_stat_check "str" "str" 5 *if (stat_check) … slowly, but surely the enormous bull grows limp in your hold, unable to break apart your grasp. *goto golden_bull *else … after, a fierce struggle, fail to submit the ferocious beast. It trashes out of your grasp and rams your stomach with its horns. *goto horned #Attempt to incapacitate the bull by targeting its weak points. *gosub_scene subroutines f_stat_check "per" "agi" 0 *if (stat_check) In a split second, you analyze the lying bull, and confirm the most suitable locations for your attacks: then, before the ferocious bull recovers, you strike first at its knees, then at its heart, and end the combination with a fierce punch onto its neck. Helpless, the bulls gives up its struggles and falls, unable to move. *goto golden_bull *else You try to analyze the lying bull, to confirm the most location for your attacks: however, you are too slow in your discernment, allowing the ferocious bull enough time to recover. It turns and rams your stomach with its horns. *goto horned *else The bull lets out a painful grunt, obviously in pain, but it manages to dig its hooves into the ground and absorb the impact of your attack — retaliating with a gruesome headbutt, drilling its horns into your stomach. *label horned *gosub_scene subroutines reduce_health 10 Letting out a groan, you forcefully shove the bull back, pulling its natural spikes out of your flesh. They, however, leave behind two nasty bleeding wounds. *goto second_rush #Let it get up, quietly. Quietly, you stand back and watch as the bull recovers from your shocking display of strength and gets up, infuriated. *goto second_rush #Let it get up, tauntingly. Your hands clasped behind your back, you tilt your head in amusement as you watch the bull struggle to recover from your shocking display of strength. "Do you need a hand, little cow?" — you shout, with an arrogant smirk on your lips — "It'd be pretty disappointing if you were tired already." Enraged, the bull slams its hooves and lets out terrifying, wrathful roar. *set fight_difficulty +1 [b]The bull is [i]enraged[/i]![/b] *goto second_rush *elseif (stat_check) … you are pushed several feet back, the skin of your hands peeling off from the intense friction, but eventually the giant bull comes to a halt. It tries to push you further, emitting rumbling bellows, but you hold firm and stop it in its tracks. Annoyed, the bull, through its horns, lifts you in the air and with a shake of its head throws you to the side. *goto second_rush *else fail to stop the bull's charge. Your hands slip from the friction and the beast impales you with its horns. *label drill_through They drill through your stomach and you are lifted from your feet as the bull continues its run, crushing multiple trees in its way with your hanging body bearing all the damage. *gosub_scene subroutines reduce_health 20 Eventually, the bull slows down and you use this opportunity to push yourself off its horns, bleeding heavily. *goto second_rush #Jump over it. You crouch slightly, readying yourself, and when the bull is a mere couple feet in front of you, you… *gosub_scene subroutines f_stat_check "agi" "agi" 0 *if (stat_check) … suddenly jump over its ramming horns, using its enormous head as a platform for your foot, before flipping in the air and letting the beast waste its charge into nothingness. *label kick_or_not *choice #Viciously kick it between the legs. Chuckling wickedly, you charge a kick both powerful and vicious, aiming it right in-between the bull's sturdy legs. When it connects with the bull's most sacred area, a soul-rendering, high-pitched shriek is all you hear before the poor, abused animal collapses on the ground, its eyes dull and lifeless due to the suffered agony… *set angry_bull true *goto golden_bull #Do nothing. *goto second_rush *else … fail to jump over the bull, impaling yourself on its ramming horns. *goto drill_through *selectable_if (mc_defensive_2_mastery >= 1) #Void Step. *gosub_scene subroutines skill_exhaustion mc_defensive_2_cost "" "defensive_2" Like a shadow, you take a step and disappear, coming out of the void already behind the rushing animal. *goto kick_or_not *selectable_if (mc_defensive_1_mastery >= 1) #Celestial Shell. *gosub_scene subroutines skill_exhaustion mc_defensive_1_cost "" "defensive_1" A golden barrier forms around you and the bull, not knowing any better, slams into it full speed. *goto bull_crashes *label second_rush Once again, the bull drags its feet against the dirt, bellows and charges at you: its steps causing the earth to tremble, its cries bursting your earlobes. *choice #Run at it as well. Unwilling to be the victim in this exchange, you meet its charge head-on: first of all, you cross your arms, hoping that the toughness of your flesh will prove to be enough against the deadly horns… *gosub_scene subroutines f_stat_check "con" "str" 0 *if (stat_check) … your guess proves to be correct, as the horns barely manage to scratch your skin. Your momentum unperturbed, the horns crack, breaking under your weight, and, as you slam into the bull's head, you feel its skull cave from the sheer force you exert. With an extremely human-like expression of pain, the bull collapses on the ground… *goto golden_bull *else … your guess proves to be false, however, as the horns rupture your skin and slice through your bones, piercing your arms and entering your chest. Roaring, the bull raises its head and slams you into the ground, before stomping on you with its large hooves. *label slammed_down *gosub_scene subroutines reduce_health 15 Coughing out a mouthful of blood, you roll to the side and escape your immensely dangerous predicament. *goto beat_bull #Dodge to the side. *gosub_scene subroutines f_stat_check "agi" "agi" 4 *if (stat_check) With a nimble step, you avoid the charging bull and, just as it passes by, strike its neck with an elbow. With an extremely human-like expression of pain, the bull collapses on the ground… *goto golden_bull *else You try to step aside, but the bull, despite its size, proves to be too fast. Its horns rupture your skin and slice through your bones, piercing your arms and entering your chest. *goto slammed_down *selectable_if (mc_offensive_1_mastery >= 1) #Heavenly Crushing Palm. *gosub_scene subroutines skill_exhaustion mc_offensive_1_cost "" "offensive_1" As you stare down the charging bull, you raise your arm and guide your your Inner Energy into your palm. It glows, with the familiar to you light, and when the bull comes close, you strike out at its head. You feel the beast's skull cave in from the sheer force of your attack and, with an extremely human-like expression of pain, the bull collapses on the ground… *goto golden_bull *selectable_if (mc_offensive_2_mastery >= 1) #Earth-Shaking Fists *gosub_scene subroutines skill_exhaustion mc_offensive_2_cost "" "offensive_2" Before the bull manages to spear you with its horns, you step aside and unleash a series of punches charged to the brim with Inner Energy. One after another, they land onto the beast's skull and, eventually, you feel it cave from the sheer force behind your fists. With an extremely human-like expression of pain, the bull collapses on the ground… *goto golden_bull *selectable_if (mc_offensive_3_mastery >= 1) #Extreme Demon Finger. *gosub_scene subroutines skill_exhaustion mc_offensive_3_cost "" "offensive_3" Before the bull manages to spear you with its horns, you step aside and cut across its neck with your Inner Energy-charged finger. A small, yet vital incursion appears on its throat and the beast collapses on the ground, coughing out blood… *goto golden_bull *selectable_if (mc_offensive_4_mastery >= 1) #Flesh Scorching Kicks. *gosub_scene subroutines skill_exhaustion mc_offensive_4_cost "" "offensive_4" Before the bull manages to spear you with its horns, you step aside and unleash a series of kicks charges to the brim with Inner Energy. One after another, they land onto the beast's skull and, eventually, you feel it cave from the sheer force behind your feet. With an extremely human-like expression of pain, the bull collapses on the ground… *goto golden_bull *label beat_bull Despite your heavy wounds, the adrenaline inside your veins numbs the pain: gathering the remnants of your strength, you pull the bull's head closer, weave your legs around its neck and start pounding its skull with fists. The bull, unwilling to concede, trashes left and right, up and down, mauling your body with its weight. *gosub_scene subroutines reduce_health 10 But you withstand the damage and, eventually, manage to beat the beast into submission. Exhausted and in agony, it collapses on the ground… *goto golden_bull *label golden_bull *page_break Before you can bask in your victory, however, the bull's skin undergoes a transformation. The brown coating turns, piece by piece, into golden color. Two horns suddenly split into four and, from its stomach, another pair of legs starts to grow. The most noticeable change though is its bulk: the bull enlarges to unimaginable proportions, becoming more than thrice its previous size. When it stands back up, with no sign of its previous injuries, and you can feel the enormous amount of [i]power[/i] radiating from its body, you can't help but step back. [i]Peak-Houtian, at the very least…[/i] *if (angry_bull) Before you can even process the situation, the bull, blinded by anger caused by its previous humiliation, charges you again. Only this time, the attack is unavoidably fast: the bull knocks you down and crushes your flesh and bones under its massive hooves, thoroughly destroying every pieace of your skeleton. *gosub_scene subroutines reduce_health 10000 Thank the Heavens, you somehow manage to survive — but just the thought of another stomp like this fills you with horror. When you turn your head towards the bull, however, it just watches you with hatred in its small eyes. It huffs and begins to dig into the earth, soon producing a so-familiar to you stone. The bull kicks it over to you, before it sits walks away, lacking any intent to communicate with you further. *else Luckily, the bull does not seem to be set on continuing the fight: it huffs, with obvious anger, but begins to dig into the earth, soon producing a so-familiar to you stone. The bull kicks it over to you, before it sits walks away, lacking any intent to communicate with you further. *goto_scene expedition_rushing_bull stones_merge