The next morning, the sun was a faint blur behind the thick veil of clouds, casting the frozen world in a pale gray light. Bhoumik, Indrali, and Maya ventured deeper into the mountains, the cold biting at their skin. Bhoumik felt the weight of his cultivation coursing through him, but he knew that theory alone wasn't enough. He needed to test himself.
Maya, coiled around his left arm, glared at him playfully. "Remember, Bhoumik—use your hands first. Weapons are a crutch until you master your body's strength."
Bhoumik raised an eyebrow and grinned. "Are you, a limbless creature, lecturing me about using hands?" he teased.
Maya's eyes flashed with annoyance, and with a quick motion, she uncoiled and flung Bhoumik through the air with surprising strength. He landed with a thud several meters away, groaning as he picked himself up from the snow-covered ground.
"Don't test me," Maya hissed, narrowing her eyes dangerously. "Next time, I won't be so gentle."
Bhoumik dusted off his clothes, laughing despite the bruises forming on his body. "Alright, alright, I'm sorry," he said, trying to hold back his laughter.
As they continued their trek, the mountains seemed to stretch on endlessly, their sharp peaks cutting into the sky. After what felt like hours of walking, Indrali halted. "There," she said, pointing ahead.
In the distance, Bhoumik could see a hulking creature moving slowly through the snow. It was a massive, white-furred bear, its thick pelt nearly blending into the icy landscape. The beast was known as a Snow Bear, a rank-2 beast renowned for its incredible defense.
"That's a rank-2 beast," Bhoumik said nervously. "I'm only at the 3rd level of Master Realm, which puts me on par with a low-rank-1 beast. That thing could kill me easily."
Indrali glanced at him with a calm expression. "Perhaps. But it won't be easy for the bear. You have techniques that can rival its power. This is the perfect opportunity to test your combat skills. If you can defeat a rank-2 beast, it means your strength surpasses your current cultivation. That's what we need to determine."
Maya nodded, her tongue flicking out in agreement. "Indrali is right. Besides, it's only a low-rank-2 beast. You have the tools to win this fight."
Bhoumik swallowed his nerves and nodded, stepping forward toward the bear. The Snow Bear immediately reacted to his presence, letting out a deep, rumbling growl as it turned to face him. Its massive form towered over Bhoumik, its claws digging into the snow.
Bhoumik didn't hesitate. He sprinted toward the beast, channeling his spiritual energy into his legs to increase his speed. As he got close, he leaped into the air, summoning the power of his Ice Element to enhance his kick. His foot connected with the bear's thick hide, but the creature barely flinched. The bear grabbed his leg in its powerful jaws, and with a savage motion, flung him into the ground.
Pain erupted through Bhoumik's body as he rolled across the snow, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. The bear's strength was overwhelming, and it had barely been hurt by his first attack. He staggered to his feet, his breathing ragged, but his mind was sharp. He needed to stay calm and wait for the right moment.
The bear charged at him, its massive form crashing through the snow with terrifying speed. Bhoumik stood still, watching its movements carefully. At the last second, he dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the bear's powerful claws.
In a fluid motion, Bhoumik dodged the bear's massive claws, narrowly avoiding the sharp talons that gouged into the icy ground where he had just stood. His mind raced as he calculated his next move. The Snow Bear was powerful, but it wasn't invincible. It was slow, relying more on brute strength and defense. If he could exploit its lack of agility, there was a chance he could win.
Bhoumik summoned spiritual energy into his palms, feeling the chill of the Ice Element swirl around him. He formed two Ice Blades-sharp, translucent daggers that shimmered in the cold air. His legs burned from the earlier assault, but he gritted his teeth and pushed through the pain.
The Snow Bear let out a low growl, its heavy body turning toward him once more. Blood dripped from the small scratch he had inflicted earlier, but it was far from enough to slow the beast down. It charged again, the ground trembling under its massive weight as it barreled toward Bhoumik with murderous intent.
This time, Bhoumik didn't wait. He dashed forward to meet the beast, his speed enhanced by spiritual energy. As the bear swung a massive paw toward him, he ducked under the blow and slashed at its exposed flank with the Ice Blade in his right hand. The blade bit into the bear's thick hide, drawing a line of blood, but once again, it was shallow.
The bear roared in fury, swiping with its other paw. Bhoumik rolled to the side, barely avoiding the strike, but the force of the attack sent him skidding across the snow. His heart raced. The bear's defense was formidable, and his attacks weren't doing enough damage.
I need to find its weak spot, he thought, panting heavily. His body was aching from the repeated impacts, but he couldn't afford to slow down.
The bear roared again, charging straight at him. This time, Bhoumik noticed something. As the beast moved, its head was lowered, exposing its thick neck. It was an opening-small, but it was there.
With renewed determination, Bhoumik steadied himself. He watched the bear's movements closely, waiting for the right moment. When the bear lunged again, Bhoumik sprinted forward, channeling as much spiritual energy as he could into his legs. His speed increased, and he leaped into the air.
The bear swiped upward, but Bhoumik twisted his body midair, avoiding the claws by inches. As he came down, he swung his left hand, aiming the Ice Blade at the bear's neck. The blade cut deep this time, slicing into the vulnerable flesh. Blood sprayed into the air, darkening the snow as the bear let out a deafening roar of pain.
Bhoumik landed hard, rolling across the ground, but he quickly regained his footing. The Snow Bear staggered, blood pouring from the wound on its neck. It wasn't a fatal blow, but it had clearly hurt the beast more than the previous attacks.
The bear's eyes gleamed with rage as it let out a furious growl, Its massive paw slammed into the ground, sending a shockwave through the earth. Bhoumik's legs trembled from the impact, but he remained standing, watching the beast carefully. He couldn't afford to lose focus now.
The Snow Bear gathered its remaining strength, preparing for one last, desperate assault. Its muscles tensed, and its body surged forward with terrifying speed, claws outstretched. Bhoumik braced himself, knowing that this final clash would decide the outcome.
This is it.....
He gathered every ounce of spiritual energy within him, focusing it into his right arm. His hand glowed with a pale blue light, the ice element swirling around his fist as he prepared his most powerful attack: Ice Dragon Fist.
The bear lunged at him, its massive. form blotting out the sky as it came down like an avalanche. Bhoumik didn't flinch, Instead, he roared in defiance, his body moving on pure instinct
With a powerful leap, Bhoumik launched himself toward the bear. His right hand surged forward, and as he punched, an ethereal dragon made of ice burst forth from his fist, roaring as it collided with the bear's massive chest.
The impact was thunderous.
The ice Dragon Fist smashed into the bear's body, the force of the blow sending it rolling backward across the snow. Blood sprayed from its wounds as the ice dragon tore through its defenses, leaving deep gashes in its flesh.
The bear let out one last, agonized roar before its body collapsed into the snow, twitching once before going still. Blood pooled around the fallen beast, its once fearsome presence now nothing more than a broken corpse.