[Lava Hound Lv. 52]
The hound, with skin cracked and filled with fiery magma, emerged, snarling menacingly in Atlas's direction. But this time, he was no longer the same as before. After facing countless battles against the Lava Hound the last few days, he had grown stronger, evolving with remarkable speed.
Atlas took his stance, positioning himself with a martial arts technique he had picked up quickly from Kurogasa. The crowd watched in tense silence, fully aware that the opponent Atlas would face in this final showdown was no ordinary monster. And this was only the beginning.
Come to me, you motherf—!
Atlas gritted his teeth, bracing himself as the Lava Hound charged forward.
He focused, tracking the Hound's movements and searching for the right spot to grab—any area free from lava, to minimize the damage he'd take.
The beast lunged at him, but Atlas sidestepped with speed, gripping its body and using its own momentum to hurl it upward. As the monster crashed down, Atlas darted forward, landing punch after relentless punch.
Though the creature managed to break free briefly, he repeated this maneuver two, three times, and finally, within just two minutes, the monster lay defeated—a feat that had once taken him nearly two hours.
Everyone watching swallowed hard, stunned by the brutal, staggering progress he'd made.
[Your have killed Lava Hound Lv. 52]
[You received 1,084 Exp]
[Exp: 4,877/136,109]
[The Unbreakable Routine has been upgraded to a higher rank: Immutable Discipline, Rating S]
[Your daily routine has built such profound muscle memory that you've gained a natural resistance to exhaustion. Physical actions, like running and combat movements, become nearly automatic.]
[Benefit: Reduced stamina drain during prolonged activity, allowing for extended battle time and other physically demanding tasks.]
"Ah, another upgrade is always welcome."
Atlas grinned as four more Lava Hounds emerged, swiftly closing in on him.
This time, he drew the Fang of Infernos spear from his Inventory, steadying himself as he spun it, ready for the oncoming attack. The Lava Hounds snarled, spreading out and charging at him from all sides.
With fluid precision, Atlas sidestepped, twirling the spear before striking, impaling the first Lava Hound and hurling it into the air with a fierce, determined grit. Moving seamlessly, he unleashed a flurry of sweeping cuts, thrusts, and rapid strikes, each movement targeting their weaknesses with pinpoint accuracy.
In moments, he brought down all four Lava Hounds, each one over level 50, without breaking his focus for even a second.
[Your have killed Lava Hound Lv. 51]
[You received 1,337 Exp]
[Exp: 9,466/136,109]
[Your mastery over the spear has risen significantly, upgrading your Measured Strikes talent to Perfected Rhythm, Rating A]
[You have achieved a near-perfect, instinctual timing with each spear strike. This enhancement allows you to adjust your attack rhythm automatically based on your opponent's movements, boosting accuracy and minimizing energy use.]
[Benefit: Increased spear damage and critical hit rate against agile opponents.]
[Name: Atlas Blackthorn]
[Level: 45]
[Strength: 184 | Agility: 83 | Intelligence: 61 | Constitution: 90 | Stamina: 86]
[Available Stat Points: 10]
[Job: The Lord]
[Class: Warrior]
[Unyielding Resolve (A) - Tactical Awareness (A) - Instinctual Command (A) - Perfected Rhythm (A) - Immutable Discipline (S) - Commanding Presence (S) - Bloodbound Vigor (S)]
Atlas reviewed his updated status, marveling at how far he'd come in just the last two weeks. Every single one of his talents had reached at least an A rating, with three now ranked at an impressive S.
On top of that, his stat points had also seen a major boost thanks to his intense training over the past a week. He'd gained around 40 stat points, a truly incredible leap in such a short time.
At last, his final challenge appeared: a panther-like creature with a flaming mane, renowned for its stealthy ambushes in volcanic terrain.
This was truly a massive cat, moving with slow, calculated steps, as if ready to strike without warning. The fiery aura surrounding the creature made it look even more ferocious, its blazing intensity adding to its menacing presence.
[Elite - Flare Stalker Lv. 56]
"Damn, an Elite-grade monster," Atlas muttered.
At that level and grade, this was no ordinary foe, and it was even larger than the biggest panthers he'd seen. The creature growled, a rumble that echoed ominously, but Atlas tightened his grip on his spear.
All he needed was to draw on the training of the past few days, putting every spear skill he'd honed to the test. He knew this was within his reach.
"I got badly injured a few days ago fighting that same monster," Garen, the leader of the Cinder team, said.
"Yeah, that beast moves fast and hits hard."
"But our Lord has been training intensely these past few days. I'm sure he can handle it," Zara replied confidently.
"Hah! He's got some real guts, doesn't he? I'm starting to like him even more," Kaida added with a laugh.
"But... will he survive facing a monster at such a high level?"
Edrik glanced over at Kurogasa. "I'll be genuinely shocked if he pulls this off on the first try," he smirked. "But I'm ready for it."
"He does have a way of surprising us," Kurogasa added with a nod.
"Should I move in closer, just in case?" Karian asked.
"Let's show a little more faith in our Lord," Kurogasa replied.
"Uh…," one of them said nervously. "Want me to do a card trick? You know… to ease the tension?"
Before anyone could respond, they noticed someone approaching. Milo, who had somehow appeared without them realizing it. The nearby troops quickly scattered, moving away from Milo and the leaders.
"Just stay there, Milo," Edrik said, swallowing hard.
The Flare Stalker let out a loud, mocking roar, eyes locked on Atlas as if challenging him. But Atlas stood firm, spear in hand, ready.
The beast charged forward, its movements fierce and fast. Atlas tracked it easily, sidestepping and spinning his spear to strike the creature with a precise blow.
Enraged, the Flare Stalker roared again, unleashing a wave of fiery energy in all directions. Atlas remained unaffected, darting toward the creature as it leapt. He slid low, aiming from below, and struck with another swift attack.
[Elite Skill - Flurry of Spears Lv. 1]
In a blur, Atlas unleashed a rapid series of spear thrusts, hitting the beast's flank and landing a solid strike on its haunches. The beast was thrown back with force, staggering as it struggled to regain its footing, snarling in anger.
The battle raged on. Atlas moved with surprising precision, narrowly dodging each attack. He sidestepped to the right just as two massive claws swiped toward his face, missing him by a hair's breadth.
He spun his spear and drove it toward the beast's abdomen, only for it to shift back, evading the strike.
The same pattern continued, Atlas jabbed forward, testing the creature's reflexes with quick, probing thrusts, each one met with nothing but air as the beast dodged gracefully, countering with a rapid tail swipe that blazed past his shoulder.
Realizing he'd have to pick up the pace, Atlas adjusted his rhythm, accelerating into a series of faster, harder attacks.
Then, in a flash of precision, he landed a solid strike on the creature's shoulder, his spear driving deep. The Flare Stalker roared, flames surging as it staggered, momentarily thrown off balance.
The creature leaped forward, its claws igniting as it hurled itself at him in a frenzied, last-ditch attack.
In that instant, Atlas saw his opening. Time seemed to slow as he took a half-step to the side, feeling the heat of its mane scorch past him. With every ounce of focus, he drove his spear upward, piercing through the beast's chest with a force that stopped it in its tracks.
The monster's flames flickered and slowly faded, and with a final growl, it crumpled to the ground, defeated.
[You have killed Elite - Flare Stalker Lv. 56]
[You received 4,568 Exp]
[Exp: 14,034/136,109]
Atlas took a deep breath, letting the rush of the fight wash over him. Around him, the crowd erupted in stunned admiration.
He had won.
[Common - Piercing Thrust leveled up to 7]
[Common - Sweeping Strike leveled up to 5]
[Common - Defensive Stance leveled up to 8]
[Common - Ground Slam leveled up to 5]
[Common - Power Strike leveled up to 9]
[Common - Endurance Boost leveled up to 10]
[Elite - Flurry of Spears leveled up to 2]