Dave stood amidst the wreckage of the battlefield, the ground quaking beneath his feet. He had seen enough. His opponent had been holding back, but so had he. It was time to get serious. The realization hit him like a wave—this was a fight where even a moment of hesitation would lead to death. Only one would walk away from this trial, and Dave was determined to be that one.
His opponent, still glowing with dark energy, sneered at him. "Is that all you've got? I thought you SSS-ranked fighters were supposed to be more impressive."
Dave's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched. Without a word, he started channeling his own energy, letting it course through his body like an electric current. The ground beneath him trembled as his aura flared to life, a radiant blue energy that crackled and surged around him. It wasn't just a display—it was a warning.
The air between them grew thick with tension. Both fighters prepared for what was about to happen, and it would be nothing short of catastrophic.
Boom!
The sound of their first clash echoed like thunder across the dimension. Dave's fist collided with the enemy's arm, and the shockwave that followed rippled through the air, obliterating the terrain for miles. Entire cities in the distance collapsed under the sheer force of their strikes. Buildings crumbled, and mountains were reduced to rubble. The ground split open in massive chasms, as if the very planet itself was tearing apart from the intensity of their battle.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Each punch, each kick, carried the destructive force to level entire landscapes. The sky darkened as energy surged around them, the very fabric of the dimension straining under the power of their attacks. Dave and his opponent exchanged blows at blinding speed, moving so fast that they became little more than flashes of light across the horizon.
Dave felt the familiar rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins. His body moved almost on instinct, dodging the relentless barrage of punches and countering with his own. Every punch he threw connected with enough force to shatter mountains, every kick sent shockwaves that flattened cities. His opponent was fast, but Dave was faster now. The fighter's mocking confidence had disappeared, replaced by a growing desperation.
"You're… stronger than I thought," the fighter spat, breathing heavily, clearly beginning to tire from the prolonged fight.
Dave didn't respond. He had no time for words. His focus was absolute. He could feel the raw power surging through him, pushing him beyond his limits. This was what it meant to be an SSS-ranked fighter. His punches came faster, harder. The very air around them crackled with the intensity of their battle, and the landscape continued to be devastated in every direction.
Suddenly, Dave saw his opening. His opponent, too focused on offense, had left a critical gap in his defense. Without hesitation, Dave poured all of his energy into his next attack.
BOOM!
His fist connected with the fighter's chest, and the force of the blow sent shockwaves rippling across the battlefield. The ground beneath them shattered, collapsing into a massive crater. The fighter's eyes widened in shock and pain as the full brunt of Dave's power hit him like a freight train. The impact wasn't just physical—it was a strike that tore through his very soul.
The fighter was sent flying back, crashing through the landscape, his body tearing through mountains like they were made of paper. For a brief moment, there was silence. Then, with a final, thunderous crash, the fighter hit the ground, creating a crater so large it looked like a scar on the face of the world.
Dave stood there, breathing heavily, his fists still clenched. His body was covered in bruises and cuts, his muscles aching from the intensity of the fight. But he had won. The fighter lay motionless in the crater, his body broken, his aura completely extinguished.
Dave walked forward slowly, his heart still pounding in his chest. He had killed his opponent, but he knew this was only the beginning. This trial—this contest to the death—was far from over. There were hundreds, if not thousands, of fighters just as strong, if not stronger, waiting for him.
He stood at the edge of the crater, looking down at his fallen opponent, his expression grim. This was the reality of the trial. It was a brutal, unforgiving test where only the strongest would survive. He felt no satisfaction in the kill—only a cold resolve to keep moving forward.
Dave took a deep breath, letting the adrenaline slowly fade from his body. He glanced around at the battlefield, at the ruined landscape that stretched endlessly in every direction. His muscles tensed again, already preparing for the next fight. There would be no rest, no time to catch his breath. The next opponent could strike at any moment.
"This is just the beginning," Dave muttered to himself.
He knew the stakes. He knew that there was still a long way to go before the trial was over. The battlefield was filled with fighters just like the one he had just killed—some even more powerful. But Dave wasn't afraid. He had come this far, and he wasn't about to back down now.
He raised his head, his eyes scanning the horizon for the next challenger.