The armoured giant’s figure seem to tower high above me as the blade of ethereal energy formed over its right forearm seemed to bend the very fabric of the space as the mana wheezed around us, so did the demonic energy, as if that weapon held some superiority in some kind, which I was unaware of. The shimmering black blade emanated a subtlety as its light spread through the platform.
The Sentient firmed the warhammer in its left hand as the intricate and mystifying runes over it glowed and the ambient mana in the air seemed to pull toward it as a dim sheen started to project over its sturdy, but cracked and worn-out surface.
The entire armour it wore—rather it was the armour itself which was living and moving, like a sentient creature having a conscious—looked like a piece of equipment which had seen and been through so much adversity and damage as if it could crumble by a strike strong enough.
My mana jolted as I firmed my feet over the shaking platform, preparing to take the sentient’s assault head on.
It swung its huge warhammer in my direction, but the shockwave produced by that single swing shook the very air around me as the mana winced and grinded under the assault. The fear of being crushed by the force of the warhammer pervaded my mind as I guided mana into my legs immediately and stimulated the tendons and ligaments precisely as I lunged to my left and rolled over the ground and almost instantly took back my footing.
But the entire platform quaked as it threated to fall into the void below us as the sound akin to the shattering of glass whistled past my ears.
I snapped my head to look back at the Sentient and saw its warhammer had struck the spot I previously stood on.
A shiver ran through my spine as I saw the entire area of the platform where its warhammer had mercilessly crashed into, shattered and broken as only a dark and desolate void was perceivable as a moment later the shattered parts of the platform started to repair themselves.
‘Crap...’I swallowed hard as I looked at the Sentient correcting its posture and twirling the warhammer in its arm like a toy. ‘If I'd been hit by that thing then...’ a shiver tore me from my thoughts as I felt the hair at the back of my neck stand.
Almost instantly the Guardian lunged in my direction, its speed wasn’t something to joke about as its towering figure was over me in just a few steps.
I activated Leap and vanished into the paths with a flash of black lightning crackling in my wake as I rode the intervened highways and appeared near the throne.
Just running away like this wouldn’t be any good, and most probably I needed to defeat this Guardian to pass this trial and escape this platform like space. There didn’t seem to be any other choice presented to me, or in sight.
But something was telling me that, this Guardian wasn’t just any simple test waiting for me. With that single strike I had realized that its physical capabilities far exceed mine, but just in strength as far as I had witnessed. Its speed came pale in comparison to mine.
The Guardian snapped its head as the tendrils of lightning vanished, as if it was genuinely confused where I had disappeared suddenly. Its giant form spun and I felt like I saw something akin to surprise and awe showing through its two dark ethereal eyes which burned under its helmet.
The Guardian buckled its knees and lunged in my direction, but this time, it brandished the shimmering blade of black energy manifested from its armour which seem to shake the air and make it ripple. Its body casted a shadown over me as only the distance of a few inches remained between us.
This time I held my ground and firmed my grip over the hilt of my sword as my mana bolted to the maximum and the bleak surface of the sword burned with a luminescent radiance as we both swung our blades and then a tremor ran through the air as my physical sword clashed against the ethereal energy of the blade. My mana grinded against the surreal and otherworldly energy released by the blade.
But the moment both weapons collided, sharp and fiery tendrils of energy seem to lurch out of the black ethereal blade and started to wrap around the surface of my sword.
The blade of razor’s edge started to wince under the stress as the air around me shook and harsh shockwaves billowed through the air. I grounded my teeth as razor’s edge threated to succumb to the onslaught of the guardian’s attack, as I saw the hilt form a crack over itself, as I forced more mana toward it and the corrupted energy fought against my mana—my brows knitted as I witnessed that my mana was being overpowered by the otherworldly energy of the blade, which seemed to ignore my mana and keeping control—, but I was no match for the guardian’s superior strength as it overpowered me, pushing me several steps back as I fought back.
But I didn’t seem to have much options at my disposal. Its raw strength was far stronger than any person I had ever fought, but felt a sense of oddness as it kept overpowering me. As if it was trying to test me somehow.
I firmed both arms over the hilt and changed the trajectory of my sword, being the better swordsman, it took me little effort to use the dominating strength of my opponent against it through my two life times worth of mastery over the sword.
I changed the trajectory of my sword as my arms winced and my muscles tightened from the strain as mana rushed through my veins. The energy sword twisted ever-so-slightly, but it gave me just the opportunity to fight back.
I focused mana into my lower half and pivoted as I dodged the thrust of the guardian’s sword, as I once again disappeared into the paths.
Reappearing behind the guardian’s back, I lifted up into the air as the mana worked inside my left hand and my attention went to a nasty crack near the guardian’s shoulder, which stretched down to its flank.
My arm fully charged with mana, as the bone within started to wince under the sharp pain as my muscles constricted and compressed like a spring compressed to its limit.
Before the Guardian could have realised what had happened, I charged my fist at it as my arm hissed and blurred through the air as my fist struck the Guardian and the impact made it stumble forward as it lost its balance and crashed into the stone throne as it broke apart, spraying the area with dust and crumbled rock and marble.
But just as the Guardian tried to take its footing back, the entire left side of its shoulder was immediately encased by a thick layer of ice.
But I looked down at my arm and the knuckle looked broken with blood dripping through the cracked skin of my fingers.
‘Tsk...that armour is more durable than I thought,’ I grumbled as my arm fixed itself. 'Despite being in crappy condition, its durability is better than any armour I'd ever seen before.'
Just before my arm had struck the Guardian, I started casting a spell in my palm through my sheer force and dominance over mana. It was similar to like double casting one spell over another at the same time, which was released after the first one was casted. I got the idea for the creation of this spell by observing Adam and how my quake-head teacher had taught me in the past. To hide the second spell by encasing it under the first spell being formed to make it unnoticeable. And keeping the spell hidden under the robust of my burst technique, worked as a good camouflage to catch my opponent off guard. But alas, it did put quite a bit of burden over my mind and body similarly, but it was a worth it skill I had tested out since I had started using elemental magic.
And so far I was only able to do so with the deviant attribute of ice. But I wasn’t hundred percent sure if it would’ve worked out or not. This spell was still in its testing phase as it hadn’t been long since I had acquired the ability to spell cast.
The lingering, but sharp pain made a twisted scowl to arch my face as the Guardian shook its arm and the ice encasing its armour shattered easily and the shrapnel scattered to the floor as chilling mist spiralled through the air. The warhammer in its hand started to burn with a bright sheen of pure white and golden light as the mana around us wheezed.
“I guess I gotta do better then that,” I retorted with a breath, cracking a half-worrisome and half-excited smirk as my mana started to work inside me and a fiery barrage of lightning started to whip on to the surface of my sword, coiling around it like a serpent as the tendrils cracked and shook the air.
My eyes focused on the cracked opening of the Guardian’s sternum which released a dim but bright light, but covered by a rimmed part of the scales which encased its armour.
The Guardian raised its warhammer as the runes over it started to burn even more fiercely as the mana started to converge in its direction at faster rates than before. And I finally noticed that there was a circular shaped object etched on the top of the warhammer.
I activated Mind Eye as the ambient motes of mana shimmering around me and the demonic energy appeared to my eyes. I looked upon the warhammer and it was forcefully squeezing the mana from the atmosphere and absorbing it around the core. The mana started to gather at faster rates as the top end of the weapon burst with a dazzling sparkle of light as the runes over it worked as some medium to help adjust the level and output of the mana which was being pulled into the weapon itself.
But I wasn’t getting a very good feeling about this.
But suddenly, the compressed mana in the warhammer was released in the form of a dazzling beam of pure and untampered energy which was shot in my direction. My eyes widened in horror as the ambient mana in the air seem to disintegrate, or the remaining particles being rapidly absorbed into the beam of energy to tear through the air in front of me.
With a thought the burning paths of energy pulled me towards themselves, but as I vanished I felt some distortion occurring through the space as I looked at the space between me and my destination which held the intricate web stable as the paths distorted and crackled, making my figure to halt and left suspended between the transition as the wormholes seemed dull and unresponsive for the shortest of a millisecond as they stood frozen like some interference had cancelled out and overpowered my influence for a moment which tried to cut off my connection with the pathways.
But a moment later, my figure vanished effortlessly into the stream, but from my left flank an immense and unimaginable amount of pain overcame my body as it seared away at my inside as my screams were doused through the fiery energy of the paths, diminishing my moans as I moved.
When I came to be, I realized that the Guardian was already making its way in my direction. Its speed was fascinating, unlike before, as the cranking of its cracked armour was carried to my ears, jolting my senses with a sense of wariness.
My legs seemed to tremble as I quickly made an assessment of my body and saw my left flank was blasted by that energy beam from before and only the remains of a stream of crimson gushed to the floor dying the humming platform with the dark shade of crimson as my battle robes were doused with my blood. The crisp stench of my burned muscles and skin rose in the air which was carried to my nose as I scowled and cursed, catching my breath as my face twisted further.
Should I Leap again? I thought in a panic as my body steadily healed itself, but the wasted time had given the Guardian the opportunity to cover the distance between us as it stood just a few feet away now.
No, I had already used it three times which had made me exhaust my mana and plus the Guardian seems to be somehow getting used to reading the flow of my escape.
Was it able to read the flow of the energy when I vanished into the paths and took a guess where I will be reappearing? I thought with a conflicted frown creasing my brows.
It could be, or not...
Just as I thought, it wasn’t some brain dead creature created to be a sparing partner to challenge me to assess my strength and control. This Sentient most probably held a certain level of intelligence and was created in a way to be able to fight in the most optimised and efficient way possible, but slowly getting used to its opponent’s attack patterns and behaviour just by observing them during battle.
And it was steadily getting used to mine.
This makes things a lot messier than I had thought. And that armour of it’s was just incredibly sturdy beside being severely damaged by the expanse of time. It was as if it was a piece of perfection created by some renowned and mighty craftsman to even withstand the greatest infinite expanse of time.
Holding back against this thing wouldn’t be optimal in the long run. And with its versatility and strength, it was only a matter of time before it got used to my attack pattern perfectly and overpowered me, ultimately defeating me.
I took a deep breath as the air around me seemed turn chilly and freeze as a distorted spiralling mist rose around me.
This was a spell that I was still conflicted and not so confident about using yet, but it was necessary as time was of essence.
My mana worked as I sent a pulse and activated Ruler’s Authority. I felt my auditory and visual senses sharpen as the mana started to work. The pounding of my heart calmed and the worrisome thoughts which prickled the back of my head were swept away by the release of the alluring yet calm and stable surge of power shrouding my body in a cocoon of warmth, providing strength to me.
Suddenly seeing the air around me change as my posture straightened, the Guardian halted in its stride as the black blade rippled and the surge of its power stabilised and for some peculiar reason it seemed to be observing me now rather attacking or taking any defensive measure to prevent me from casting my spell.
So that’s how you wanna play, huh? I said inwardly as my eyes were glued to the Guardian. It stood maintaining some distance from me, observing with an air of keenness and curiosity which I felt through its posture. Now that I looked at the Guardian with my much heightened senses I realised that there was not one opening or even the slightest bit of crack in its absolute defence. As it was a piece of craftsmanship created for the very purpose of being the ultimate weapon. The strongest opponent I had faced yet so far in this life, which had made me struggle this much, despite me being an rank.
My spell started to take form in my arms as I willed the mana in the air to take the shape necessary and what I had in mind.
My arms surged with the raw power of mana, the magical energy coursing through my veins as the bones beneath my skin seemed to wince under the pressure building within, as a chill ran through my body as I pulled all the water particles of mana into my body.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Despite having dominant control over almost all the four elements of mana, I still lacked the perspective to manipulate them into the way I needed to. I guess I did lack a sense of perspective and versatility when it came to using the mana for attribute manipulation for a spell. As an rank, my reserves and control over mana was hundreds of times more stronger and sensitive than any person below the required rank for being able to use the skill of mana conglomeration and agglomeration.
But using the different attributes of mana through the use of spellcasting was still posing quite troublesome for me, despite being able to manipulate all four, I knew already that I lacked in the compartment on how to manipulate the mana in certain forms and shapes—to time the spells formation and the mana which took a momentary lapse during spellcasting—which severely hampered my progress when using the basic attributive magic or either their deviances.
But somehow Ruler’s Authority allowed me to cheat through that issue, increasing my concentration several folds which wouldn’t have been possible in my normal state.
Giving me firm and absolute hold over the mana.
I saw the atoms in the air starting to freeze as the atmosphere grew lower and lower as the surge and onslaught of ice started to pervade. As my spell lurched forward from below my feet like a tidal wave engulfing and freezing everything that came in its way, be it the particles of mana or the entire platform. The ice soon reached the Guardian as it started to imprison its form and encasing it in a tomb of frost, but it just stood there and did nothing.
However, my own body reacted, shivering as an unsettling chill ran through me from my still amateurish control over the manipulation of attribute magic.
This spell was an incomplete experiment, untested and potentially perilous. If it goes wrong, things would turn out to be nasty for me instead.
With a determined focus, I lunged at the colossal golem, my arms blazing with a bright flash of light as the air itself seemed to freeze from my spell, my arms hissing through the air like a coiled serpent ready to strike as the mana reinforced each vein and tendon.
As my fist connected with the Golem's unyielding form, it became evident that this creature was no ordinary adversary as I only felt the impact releasing but immediately getting absorbed and discharged through to it. It effortlessly withstood the impact which shook the air and sent shockwaves to billow through the entire caged platform, cracking the ice which encased its towering form.
Not one dent was made over its red rimmed scaled armour even with the most precise and concentrated charge of my mana.
Its grip tightening around my hand like a vice as I frowned in pain with my bones healing. In a swift motion, the Golem hurled me through the air, the world spinning around me as the entire ice imprisoning its form shattered into shrapnel. Yet, the particles of wind converged, responding to my unspoken command to them as I corrected my form and twisted my body mid-air. With a flick of my wrist, luminescent blades of wind scythed past the Guardian forcing it to stagger several steps back as I saw a very slight and barely noticeable crack run from its sternum to its waist, as the scales over its armour tumbled to the floor.
The Guardian retaliated with its otherworldly blade, a manifestation of pure energy that slashed through the air. Reacting on instinct, I twisted my body mid-air, narrowly avoiding the deadly swipe that would have severed my head by a hair's breadth as sweat trickled the side of my face. I executed a graceful somersault, putting some distance between me and the relentless foe as my feet touched the ground.
‘Damn it!’ I grumbled. ‘That barely did any considerable damage to this damn thing!’ My thoughts laced with a surge of fury as an annoying sneer arched my face.
Taking a moment to assess the situation, I realized the enormity of the challenge. The Guardian, encased in sturdy, impregnable armour, seemed impervious to physical attacks—but not entirely. I think there was a certain level of force which it couldn’t bare, which I wasn’t able to produce. My punches and strikes were futile against its formidable defence, except for those fuelled by magical energy they worked albeit barely.
I felt a draw from my mana as I rode the paths, reappearing right in front of the towering Giant. A spell already formed within the palm of my hand, crackling with the brilliance of lightning as I took my sword out of its sheath.
The magical charge surged forward brimming my arm with energy and coiling through each vein and muscle as it prickled my skin, striking the Sentient squarely in its chest. The Giant groaned for the very first time, as I saw glimmer of hope, momentarily paralyzed in its position as the warhammer in its hand loosened as the runes over it dimmed.
Seizing the opportunity, I wasted no time and began crafting spell after another and shooting them at the Guardian. The air itself seemed to haze around me, making it difficult to breathe as a bright flame conjured from the tips of my fingers and engulfed the Sentient whole in a beautiful cascade of blue ethereal flames which melted the ice around me.
My breathing seemed to grow heavy and restricted as I drew countless trajectories with my sword brimming with mana as a wind based spell blasted the ice under from the Guardian’s feet and obstructing its vision.
I heard the cracking of its armour as my desperation grew to pure excitement as adrenaline rushed through my veins, as I saw the towering figure of the Sentient push back, its feet staggered as my onslaught continued.
Just as its feet was lifted I billowed a wind attribute spell at it as the particles of water froze and imprisoned its body immediately, making movement even more difficult as its form flailed from its own weight.
I felt like I could win. No...I will. My heart beat like a victory drum, announcing my triumph over the colossal being which seemed to just take my onslaught without any form of retaliation.
But why was I getting worried? I was the one winning, but this sense of fear shrouding my body and mind made me wary of the my current situation. Panic bled to my face as my eyes widened and the muscles inside my body tightened as I blanked suddenly.
The world from in front of me seemed to dim as I lost the sense of direction and went crashing into one of the corners of the caged platform. By body rolled several times and struck the floor as I tried taking control but it was futile until I crashed into the spiky wall of the platform.
I took a hold of my feet, as pain seared away at my insides. I couldn’t seem to get a hold over my breathing. Then suddenly my insides stirred as an unimaginable agony gnawed away at my body as a stream of blood gushed from my mouth as I slumped to my knees.
“W-What....” I stammered as I looked down at my form and my entire right ribcage was broken as the severe damage tried to undo itself.
I quickly turned my head in front of me as the Guardian rose to it’s feet, not one speck of damage over its mighty form as the encasing ice around it turned to dust through the release of its diminutive aura, its towering bulk looking as intimidating as its eyes burned furiously like an abomination, like that time with the basilisk within the dungeon.
I felt fear claw away at the inside of my stomach as an uncomfortable sense of danger overcame my senses.
A chill ran through my spine as blood trickled from the sides of my mouth uncontrollably. My grip loosened over the hilt as my entire right side felt numb and unresponsive.
Then I felt as if someone had chocked the very air out of my lungs as some sharp object had been thrust into my temples. It felt unbearable and excruciating.
My eyes dilated from the sudden shock as my sense of fear grew to the point which couldn’t be compared to any diminutive fear, as my senses started going numb as if I was sinking into a quagmire of tar as the familiar sensation of death loomed over me. What I felt was true dread oozing from the Guardian’s body.
The intent released from the Guardian seemed to pierce the very air and strike me down as I couldn’t find the strength to rise back up to my feet as I felt a sense of futility as I peered at the Sentient. My entire body felt like it was being pushed down by some oppressive force which seemed to shake the air around me.
The platform quaked as if it could shatter any moment.
I was hindered powerless. Each of my muscles and bones winced under the intent released by the Sentient as I tried to rise back to my feet, but as if an enormous mountain had been placed over me, I couldn’t seem to move a single finger.
As if the mana itself had restricted my movement and chained me down.
The sound of footsteps rang into my ears as I looked at the Sentient now standing just a hair’s breadth away from me.
When did it get here? I thought as goosebumps rose over my body and my breathing further heaved under the panic which bled into my mind.
The Guardian brandished the ethereal black blade from before and thrust its arm at me. My senses seemed to dissolve all of a sudden as I felt blanking in and out of consciousness as my body lost all strength.
I felt pain, such mind shattering pain, which clawed away at my body and threatened to break my mind. As if I was being skinned alive and the blood of my body ran backward.
I felt warmth bleed from me as my body—from the sternum down to the waist—was dyed by a fiery and dark shade of crimson.
The ethereal blade struck right into my chest as I vomited blood and my vision blurred and I felt the once cold sensation of death starting to spread all over me, as if I was sinking into the depths of a cold lake.
The ethereal blade dug deeper as my screams and moans were doused as my body started to tear down as I chocked on my blood mixed with saliva.
But suddenly through my bloodied and blurry vision, I witnessed the ethereal blade crumbling suddenly as my chest lit up with a flash of light which seem to distort the blade—as if the blade was crumbling away or my own body's mana taking some defensive measure which fought back to protect me, it intervened with the otherworldly energy of the blade where they both collided—as the Sentient gave it a passing gaze and withdrew its arm back. With a burst of blinding light, the ethereal blade grew cracks and dissolved and vanished into oblivion.
I looked up at the towering form of the Guardian as it looked down at me with an air of contempt and a condescending sneer which was felt perfectly through its two dark energy like eyes.
“I seem to have overestimated your capabilities, Seo Jiwoo.” Suddenly the Sentient said, its voice so ancient yet sounding so hoarse and demonic as if it was enough to kill a person. It
W-Wht...? My mind weakened as my body flailed from the damage.
“I thought you might have amounted to at least something, considering you passed that old snake’s trial,” The Sentient said with a tinge of pity and regret in its tone as it spun and strode back in the direction of the destroyed throne. “But to think you would be this disappointing and pathetic. Now I’m questioning whether we made the right choice,—for believing you were the right chose—if that is all you amounted to than I’m beyond disappointed, human."
"For you to not be able to handle half of strength is nothing short of pathetic. You're unworthy."
The Sentient’s harsh words boomed through the air as if some serpent was wrapping around my throat, as I heard them faintly through the blood bounding in my ears.
Having a hole punctured into my chest was giving me a sense of déjà vu, as my body weakly healed itself. But my rate of recovery seemed to have been somehow tampered by that ethereal blade. It was barely adequate at the moment. I still had quite a bit of mana left, but my mana wasn't healing me.
I didn’t know what that Guardian had been talking about, but even I wanted to know why I was dragged into this...
The edges of my vision started to blur and darken as I felt my lungs stop pulling air. I felt cold, my body becoming unresponsive as the second went on. I was truly reaching near deaths door.
But even then, if I was going to die at the hands of this bastard then I wouldn’t just throw in the towel without a fight.
"U-Unworthy...my ass..." I spat through blood.
I took hold of my sword with quivering hands as my blood dried up, but the wound showed no signs of healing itself. But the pain was bearable now, to some degree.
I gritted my teeth as I sheathed my sword as I willed my mana to work for the last time. I had wasted quite a lot of it when spell casting, but to perform one last act wouldn’t pose much problem.
I surged my mana, reinforcing each muscle and vein in my body. My physique shuddered from shivers as I took a hold over my feet, which shook with the effort of carrying my weight.
My mind lurched as a headache came my way. But I focused as Ruler’s Authority assisted me, guided me.
The first movement of the crescent moon style purely focused on the creating a vertical slash which aligned with the amount of mana used and released which was directed through the force of the strike.
It was more like a movement which focused on pushing a basic sword movement to its limits and producing satisfactory results, counterpart to the user’s own latent strength.
But the way Master had created each movement was slightly different and unique from one another. They did indeed focused in bringing the outmost strength of the wielder’s physical capabilities, but the biggest flaw was also the concentration and energy manipulation plus pushing the body to its outmost limits. Understanding each and very nook and cranny of your body in order to distribute the mana equally for the release of the movements.
My arms blazed as the mana converged in my direction and danced as the vortex of mana started to rage around me. I brought razor’s edge to the appropriate level and raised my mana output to the limit.
Whatever mana I had left I was putting into this final strike.
The Guardian seemed to have caught on to what I was doing as its knees buckled and it lunged in my direction. Not giving me enough time to prepare.
I forced my body to move as it quivered and blood trickled my mouth making me nauseous. I felt like my consciousness could fade any moment.
I further intensified the effects of Ruler’s Authority as I was shrouding by a cocoon of cold apathy and indifference as the pain, weakness or thoughts of defeat vanished from my mind.
All that was left was my desire to take this movement to its completion and reach perfection to defeat the Guardian.
The platform from beneath me quaked as cracks ran through its surface as I steadied my posture and with a firm hold over the hilt released my sword from the grasp of the sheath.
The second movement was created in the way solely focused on compressing the mana to such a degree that it created a level of speed and strength upon its release which was humanely impossible without decades of training and ardours hell.
It layered the mana in a way which far exceeded the strength, speed and muscle movement needed for the first movement.
All the mana compressed into the sword released as the blade winced and shuddered under the stress of the movement. The space around me seemed to boom as the particles of wind converged in my direction, enveloping the body of razor’s edge.
“Second Movement: Horizon’s Edge."
The most perfect and complete horizontal slash generating enough power to cut down mountains. My muscles tore as the bones inside my arms winced as the mana discharged and the space from in front of me blanked and distorted as the tendrils of wind shook the air around me making a shockwave to billow as I saw the Sentient taking a defensive stance for the first time since our fight had started.
The platform quaked uncontrollably, as if it could get destroyed any minute.
I saw the Guardian bring its warhammer forward as I saw its form shifted and a blade protruded from the head of the weapon.
It firmed both hand over the warhammer and fought against the movement head on.
The force of the mana struck against the warhammer as the power generated tore through its defences and the mighty weapon crumbled to the floor as I saw the scales crack and tearing down as the Guardian grunted.
But the Guardian released its strength which it seemed to have suppressed since the start as the air grew oppressive from its mana and I saw in complete horror as it took the onslaught of Horizon’s Edge head on.
The surrounding space boomed as the platform quaked and the walls and ceiling shattered under the impact.
The force of the movement started to deteriorate slowly, as the Guardian took that moment and fought on with its mana and raw strength.
But it didn’t go unscathed as its shoulder was tore own revealing a bright flash of pure whiteness, as the giant horn of its helmet was cut down as it tumbled to the broken platform.
But from the blood staining my vision, I saw a wide crack run from its helmet and reach its sternum where I saw the scales scattering and laid eyes on a cubic jewel which had a dark rough surface and burned with a mystifying iridescent light around me.
My breathing staggered as I felt my mind going numb as desperation took a hold over me.
So even the crescent moon style didn’t work. I thought in despair as I stood in my spot, unmoving, eyes barely retaining their focus. Or rather I couldn’t seem to move at all. My body had refused to move as I made a twisted frown.
__________
「Warning」「Warning」 「Warning」
__________
__________
【The Host has undergone an excessive amount of damage. The regenerative aspect has been halted by some peculiar interference and Host's health is deteriorating. Consuming a potion is advised.】
__________
So this is it...
This is where I will die. My eyes blurred considerably as blood profusely gushed through my mouth.
The Sentient was over me in an instant as I felt the platform from beneath me shattering like glass.
“I take back what I said about you...” it said taking a step closer to me as I felt a sense of awe laced in its tone now. “It seems time has made my ability to assess a person dull and rudimentary.”
But with the last remaining energy I could have mustered, I bit my lips and held the hilt with both hands and thrust my sword towards the cubic object stuck in its sternum.
If I was going to die anyway, then I’ll struggle until the very last second.
“Ahaaaaaaaa.” I shouted, my battle cry boomed through the air which seem to shake the mana in the air around me as my sword neared the cubic object, which somehow seemed to sustain the Guardian.
But I looked with wide, horrified eyes as my sword flailed, crashed on to the floor and my left arm pulled back as blood rushed through my right one, beneath my feet a pool of blood forming.
My right arm up to the bicep tumbled on to the floor as a stream of blood rushed through the stump left behind.
My breath caught into my lungs as I wasn’t able to even scream or groan as the platform beneath me finally gave out as I fell into the wide hole, sinking into the void below me.
“If you somehow survive, crawl back up and challenge me again after growing stronger and I will give you what you want most, human.”
I heard the Guardian’s fleeting voice as I fell deeper into the black pit as the platform suspended in space started to vanish from my eyes.
From my side I heard the monotonous noise of the system which generated information into my crumbling mind.
____
【Trial Failed!!!】
【The Host had Failed to pass the Trial or meet the determined criteria for clearance.】
____
____
【Penalty issuing!!!】
____
That's all I heard until my mind blanked out from the unimaginable pain which seared away at me.
"I'm sorry Jihye...everyone..." that's all I was able to mutter with my remaining strength as a tear drop trickled my eye and all my skills deactivated as my consciousness drifted away into the oblivion of this void.