Ares strolled through the dense forest of the Zenith Tower's sixth floor with a calm, measured pace. His sword hung loosely in his right hand, while the sheathe rested firmly in his left.
His sharp eyes scanned the surroundings, taking in every sound and flicker of movement.
Unlike the lower floors, the trial here was completely private. The absence of prying eyes lifted a weight from his shoulders.
No one would witness his every move or uncover the secrets he guarded fiercely.
He could finally go all out, unleash everything he had without restraint. It was truly liberating.
The rustling leaves and occasional chirping of birds gave the forest a deceptively tranquil atmosphere. But Ares was no fool. Every shadow, every shifting branch, could conceal a threat.
This was a trial afterall, something here needed to be killed.
A deep growl broke the forest's eerie quiet. Ares stilled, his ears catching the faint rustle of leaves as something big moved through the underbrush.
'No, not just one thing. Three things!'
The growls grew louder, turning into bone chilling roars that echoed through the forest.
Then, from three directions, three green-necked wolves emerged, their glowing yellow eyes locked onto Ares like he was prey.
Their appearance was both majestic and deadly. Their sleek, muscular forms were built for speed and power.
Each wolf was a striking combination of deadly elegance and primal power.
Their necks glowed with a faint green hue, pulsing like a heartbeat. It was a clear hint of the Bloodline ability they possessed. Although even without this hint, he had learnt of their Bloodline ability before, so he still knew.
Their claws dug into the earth as they circled him. Ares remained still, his calm expression unshaken. But inside, his mind was working at lightning speed.
They were coordinating, looking to strike at the same time. If he didn't act now, he'd be overwhelmed.
'Three directions. I can't take them all at once.'
Swoosh!
With a burst of speed, Ares dashed toward the wolf on his left. His Burst technique activated, doubling his speed as he shot forward like an arrow. The wind screamed in his ears as he closed the gap in an instant.
The wolf reacted instantly, its neck flaring with a sudden, blinding green light. But Ares anticipated the move. He closed his eyes for a split second, letting his instincts guide him.
If he saw that flash of light, he would be disoriented and feel extremely dizzy. Luckily, he didn't see it. His momentum didn't waver at all!
Bang!
With a loud bang, Ares and the wolf collided with tremendous force.
Despite the fact that Ares' physical strength was already insanely absurd for a non-strength type Bloodliner of his stage, he still lost in that collision.
There was a large gap between human and beast at the same stage that couldn't be crossed without a powerful strength type Bloodline.
Still, he managed to deflect the wolf's snapping jaws with his strike. Then he used the force to pivot into position right beneath its throat.
Bang!
His sword flashed, and with one clean cut, the wolf collapsed mid lunge.
He had killed it in less than three strikes.
The remaining two wolves growled furiously, their green necks glowing ominously as they leapt at him from either side.
Ares didn't wait for them to reach him. He darted into the trees, using the thick foliage to break their line of sight.
The wolves gave chase, their growls echoing through the forest. One wolf leapt at him from the side, but Ares sidestepped at the last second, causing it to crash into a tree trunk with a heavy thud.
Bang!
Before it could recover, Ares spun around, his blade slicing cleanly through its neck
The final wolf hesitated for just a moment, its glowing neck flickering. Seeing this, Ares feigned retreat, leading it toward a fallen log. The moment the wolf jumped over the obstacle, Ares was already waiting.
He spun around and drove his sword into its chest with precision, ending the fight.
The forest fell silent once more as the last wolf fell. Ares exhaled, wiping his blade clean before sheathing it.
He stared at the corpse of the wolves for a moment before smirking. That had been an enjoyable battle.
Without a word, Ares retrieved his spear from where he placed it and moved forward. The door to the next floor shimmered in the distance, beckoning him onward.
As Ares stepped through the glowing door, the scenery changed dramatically. Gone was the dense forest. In its place loomed a rugged, rocky mountain.
Jagged cliffs loomed on either side, and the uneven ground crunched beneath Ares' boots. The air was cold and dry, carrying a faint metallic tang.
Suddenly, the ground trembled slightly. Ares instinctively tightened his grip on his sword as he looked around, his senses on high alert.
Then, from the mists ahead, five massive figures emerged.
The golems were monstrous, each standing four metres tall. Their bodies were made of jagged stone, their limbs thick and heavy. Their glowing red eyes burned with a mindless rage as they stomped toward him.
They moved in unison, charging directly at him. The ground quaked under their weight.
Ares dropped his spear and unsheathed his sword swiftly. He had no intention of facing them all at once and he knew the best way to split them up.
Without hesitation, he started running backward, carefully leading the group. Just as he'd expected, their speeds varied.
The largest, lumbering one fell behind while the fastest surged ahead.
When the first golem was within striking range, it slammed its massive foot down.
Boom!
The floor beneath Ares erupted as a jagged rock shot upward. But he was already moving. He had sensed the disturbance beneath him and had reacted accordingly.
His Burst technique activated again, propelling him to the side just as the rock grazed past him.
Then, he ducked below the golem's outstretched arm, moving nimbly to its back.
Bang!
With a precise thrust, he drove the weapon into the glowing core embedded in its chest. The golem shuddered and collapsed into a pile of rubble.
The second golem charged in, its massive fists slamming into the ground. Ares used the rocky terrain to his advantage, leaping onto a nearby boulder and launching himself down at the golem.
Boom!
His sword pierced through its back, shattering its core.
The third followed closely, stomping the ground in rage. Ares anticipated the rising rock once again and flipped over it, landing directly in front of the golem's exposed core. A precise thrust ended its rampage.
The final two golems met similar fates as Ares danced around them with fluid precision. His sword glinted in the sparse sunlight, looking like a blur of motion as he struck.
When the last golem fell, Ares stood amidst the rubble, his breathing steady but his muscles taut. He glanced toward the glowing door that had appeared ahead.
Without hesitation, he stepped through.
In the clearing outside the Tower, Squad 4's youths were still gathered, their eyes fixed on the massive structure that was the Zenith Tower.
Now that their squad leader had passed all the first five floors, they couldn't see what was going on inside anymore.
The only thing they knew was the current floor he was in due to the glowing light on such floor.
And what they saw was shocking.
"Can you believe this?" one of them said, their voice filled with disbelief. "He's already reached the eighth floor!"
"That's insane! How is he moving so fast?"
As they spoke, the ninth floor lit up, its glow piercing through the twilight sky. It had been barely five minutes since the lights of the 8th floor lit up!
The group fell silent, their jaws dropping.
"He's on the ninth floor already?!" someone finally exclaimed.
_____
Power stone Goal!
50 PS - 1 Bonus chapter
100 PS - 2 Bonus chapter
200 PS (Quite an achievement as of now) - 3 Bonus chapters.