Dante gradually slowed down after realizing that the golem had grown bored and permitted him to escape unharmed, having quickly fled from it.
As he moved further away from the towering golem and its minions, Dante found himself in a grassy plain that he had not noticed before when the system projected an overview of the dimension to him. He had assumed this area was just like any other dungeon under the supervision of Elrid, but it now appeared to be shrouded in mystery.
Dante soon realized that there was much about this dimension that remained unknown to him. The sights before him were but a mere fraction of what he had previously believed this realm to encompass.
Therefore he questioned Elrid for more clarification. Despite questioning Elrid, Dante found that he had reverted to his usual annoying self and was evasive in his responses. However, Dante persisted and applied pressure through persistent questioning.
Eventually, Elrid relented and offered a cryptic response: ''Just focus on getting stronger. There are things you wouldn't comprehend even if I told you. This realm presents an opportunity for you, and you can trust that I won't cause you any harm since our souls are now bound together.''
Realizing that Elrid was unlikely to provide any further clarification, Dante halted his interrogation and instead turned his attention to the grassy plain before him.
The vast grassy plain was far from the typical landscape one might envision. Rather than a uniform sea of grass, the expanse was dotted with peculiar plants, grasses, and wildflowers of varying shapes and colors.
Curiously, amidst the flora, there were patches of scorched earth, blanketed in ash. Despite the harshness of these burnt areas, the surrounding plant life appeared to flourish in the peculiar environment.
Amidst the diverse array of wildflowers, some stood out with fiery red petals that seemed to glow in the sunlight. Their vibrant colors gave the impression that they might be hot to the touch, despite the breeze that swept across the grassy plain.
Despite the searing heat of the sun and the pervasive smell of burning ash, the wildflowers continued to bloom in breathtaking beauty.
Even without the presence of atmospheric water to provide any semblance of hydration, these remarkable plants somehow managed to thrive. The landscape was dotted with a few fiery trees that seemed to draw sustenance from the arid environment, their branches reaching out like fingers toward the scorching sun.
The fiery plane was a testament to the resilience of life in even the most challenging and inhospitable of environments.
Sadly, despite their beauty and resilience, one could not safely venture too close to these plant lifeforms as they were attuned to the element of fire. The slightest spark could set the entire area ablaze, engulfing everything in flames.
Even the trees, with their fiery nature, posed a significant risk to anyone who dared to approach too closely. As much as the fiery plane was a remarkable example of life surviving in harsh conditions, it was also a reminder of the importance of respecting the power of nature and the dangers that could come with it.
As Dante gazed in awe at the burningly aesthetic flora, he was suddenly jolted out of his reverie by a sudden movement. A wolf-like creature with a fiery pelt had appeared out of nowhere, pouncing at him with ferocity. Dante stumbled back, surprised by the sudden attack.
The creature's fur seemed to shimmer and dance with the same fiery energy that emanated from the plants and trees around them. It was clear that this was not a creature to be trifled with, and Dante quickly realized the danger that he was in.
Indeed, Dante's encounter with the fiery wolf-like creature was a stark reminder of the threats that beautiful but dangerous environments could pose.
Drawing his katana in a swift motion, Dante sidestepped the attack of the fiery wolf-like creature. He moved with grace and precision, his leg muscles bulging out as he shifted his weight to the left.
The creature's fiery pelt shimmered in the sunlight as it spun around to face Dante, its eyes gleaming with a fierce determination. Dante could feel the heat radiating from the creature's body, making him sweat despite the dryness of the fiery plane.
He knew that he had to be careful, but also that he couldn't let the creature get the upper hand. He took a deep breath and steadied himself, his katana still at the ready, waiting for the next move of the fiery wolf.
The wolf's feet were engulfed in flames, causing it to fiercely kick the ground with its paws. Its terrifying jaws opened wide, intending to bite off Dante's head in one swift motion.
However, Dante relied on his Oppressive Control ability to its fullest extent, causing his leg muscles to bulge as he narrowly avoided being bitten.
Despite his best efforts, Dante found himself stuck in a continuous cycle of evading the wolf's attacks and trying to counter them with his sword strikes. However, the wolf's evasive maneuvers, flame magic, and unique body framework made it difficult for Dante to land a decisive blow.
The wolf's animal instincts and quick reflexes only added to its formidable fighting style, making it a challenging opponent for Dante to face.
Dante realized that fighting the wolf was vastly different from fighting a human opponent. He couldn't rely on predicting the movements of a human, as the wolf's behavior and positioning were more akin to that of a wild beast.
Dante had to adjust his fighting style and anticipate the wolf's moves, taking into account its unique anatomy and instincts. It was a challenging task, but Dante knew he had to adapt quickly if he wanted to emerge victorious from this intense battle.
To make matters worse, Dante didn't have much experience fighting magic beasts. His combat background primarily consisted of his time in the arena, where he fought other humans. He had only encountered weak beasts that were produced by low-grade Gates and had a few run-ins with stray mutant dogs in the streets of the slum.
This battle with the wolf was unlike anything he had experienced before, and he had to rely on his quick thinking and combat instincts to stay alive.
His Extrasensory Perception proved to be useful, particularly after his previous encounter with the dragon, which resulted in an increase in the range of his abilities to approximately twelve meters.
He had been anticipating that his ability to glimpse into the future would manifest at any moment, as it would have made his work significantly easier. However, to his surprise, it did not happen. Instead, he had to rely solely on his vision and perception.
It was worth noting that some of Dante's abilities appeared to manifest erratically, and the underlying principles upon which they functioned remained relatively implausible. The source of his constitution and the energy that his abilities relied on remained a mystery.
Despite how effortlessly Dante appeared to use his Oppressive Control, one might assume that bulging his muscles in and out would be an easy task. However, given the strain that it placed on the body, it was surprising that Dante could utilize it so easily.
Dante's Infinite Range Awareness ability was noteworthy, as it granted him a heightened perception of the world and the ability to navigate his surroundings. For instance, he could increase his perception when an opponent entered a certain range around him, and could even glimpse into the future when fighting an opponent who lacked this ability.
It was important to note that while these abilities did not directly affect time, they allowed Dante to manipulate his perception of time to a remarkable degree, which was no small feat. In fact, Dante had demonstrated this ability three times before awakening his fire element, which was impressive given that even the strongest beings in the world were unlikely to have such power.
Time was one of the few phenomena that could not be easily understood or influenced by the human mind, body, or soul. Even though Dante's abilities were related to perception rather than actual time manipulation, they still pointed to inconsistencies in his powers and body before awakening.
His ability to manipulate his perception of time was remarkable, given the limitations of human perception, but it also hinted at something deeper and more complex within Dante's abilities. It was clear that his powers were not fully understood, even by Dante himself, and that there was still much to learn about the true extent of his capabilities.
These ideas persisted in his mind after he realized that power and strength were not merely capricious demonstrations of Fate's dominance.
He couldn't fathom how he had overlooked this before his awakening, but now that he possessed relative power, he delved deeper into the true sources of power.
These thoughts mirrored the collective musings of the Earth's populace for the last millennium, ever since superhuman abilities had become an extraordinary yet commonplace spectacle. Despite the perplexity that these ideas caused him, they seemed to awaken something within him.
He suddenly realized that his seemingly leisurely thought process had occurred amid his battle with the wolf. It was as if he had delved deep within himself and retrieved these thoughts in a matter of milliseconds.
For the fourth time, it occurred again. He had another sudden glimpse into the future, where he saw the wolf's feet ablaze as it leaped towards him, poised to tear out his heart. Although this experience was shorter than the previous three, it felt different, and he recognized that he had attained a beginner's level of control over this ability.
As he had foreseen, the wolf pounced with the same stance and direction, determined to end him. Dante, having already anticipated the attack, focused all his strength on his counterattack. With his katana brandished over his head, he swung it in a powerful downward arc.
First Form: Fiery Eclipse
As the wolf pounced towards him, he readied himself and brought down his katana blade with full force, utilizing all forty units of his attack stat and the added power from his bulging muscles. The blade descended upon the wolf's body like a fiery eclipse, ready to strike with lethal force.
Swish!!
When the blade made contact, it seamlessly phased through the wolf's body without inflicting any harm...