In the depths of Caine's eyes, his Arcane Ring glowed faintly, seizing control of his blood qi and forming thin filaments around him. The filaments moved swiftly, suturing his open wounds.
Though far from fully healed, the bleeding finally stopped.
Caine rose to his feet, rolling his shoulders as the light of his Arcane Ring dimmed. In its place, his Martial Ring began to glow.
When Caine had resolved to refocus on the mastery of his talents, he hadn't been joking.
WHOOSH!
His blood qi twisted and warped under the control of his Martial Ring, transforming into a sleek, black spear.
The weapon was a masterpiece. Its pole was jet black, etched with intricate golden runes, and near its blade, a metallic golden dragon coiled upward, wrapping around the long, single-edged blade.
The metallic tang of blood qi filled the air as Caine grasped the spear. Around his wrists and ankles, halos of dense silver light pulsed rhythmically.
He looked up, smiling faintly.
'I might die.'
The entity looming in the skies above radiated power so immense that merely gazing at it made Caine's vision blur and his thoughts waver. His stomach churned, his heart raced, and goosebumps rippled across his skin.
And yet, he smiled.
His body may have trembled under the entity's overwhelming presence, but his gaze remained steady, his resolve unbroken.
The celestial being paused for a moment. Its faceless visage twisted, and from its blank surface, a pair of white eyes formed, along with a mouth.
"My… child…"
Caine didn't frown at the words. Instead, he raised a brow in mild surprise and remained silent.
The entity took a single step forward, then descended from the void above, landing within the dome.
It now stood no more than ten meters away from Caine.
Their gazes locked.
"My child, do you know why you have angered me?" the entity asked, its voice a symphony of nature's raw forces—the rustling of leaves, the roar of volcanoes, the crash of waves, and the howl of storms.
It was as if the world itself spoke.
"No." Caine shook his head calmly. Though he had an idea, he wasn't entirely sure.
Beyond that, he had no clue who—or what—he was truly speaking to.
As far as he knew, tribulations weren't supposed to have… this.
"Good," the entity nodded. "Because you have not angered me at all."
Before Caine could respond, it continued.
"I am the World Avatar, the incarnation of this world. Well, at least a fragment of my incarnation, but the point stands."
The Avatar's gaze shifted to the horizon as it spoke.
"I am not here to punish you, nor am I here to judge you. I am here to test you."
"These bones you've forged, this flesh you've crafted… they are unique. Very unique." The Avatar's voice carried a subtle weight, its tone reverent and ominous. "What you've created is not normal. It is too special."
Its eyes gleamed faintly.
"If you survive what is to come, perhaps you'll one day understand the significance of this moment. Perhaps you'll ascend to heights so great that you'll grasp the heresy of what you've made."
"And perhaps, on that day, you'll realize how merciful I've been."
The Avatar sighed, its ethereal presence momentarily flickering.
"I allowed you to devour my heavenly lightning to solidify the foundation of your creations, but it was not without purpose. Now that you have this power…"
It waved its hand, and a blade materialized within its grasp. The weapon was simple—so plain it almost felt like an insult to the Avatar's divine aura.
"… battle me for your right to live and for the integrity of what you've created. Win, and you'll live to see what lies ahead. Lose, and death will claim you. Simple, no?"
Caine smirked, his tone light. "Who would've thought a world would be so… human? Peculiar, isn't it?"
For a fleeting moment, the Avatar's blank face twisted into what could only be described as a smile.
"I suppose that makes the both of us anomalies, Caine."
The words echoed as its features faded away, returning to a faceless void.
CLANK!
Caine was violently flung backward, a powerful leg crashing into his chest and sending waves of chaotic qi spiraling through him.
As he tumbled and rolled across the ground, he couldn't help but admire the Avatar's mastery of qi.
But then again, if this truly was the incarnation of his world—or even a fragment of it—such skill was to be expected.
He scrambled to his feet, only to be forced onto the defensive again. The Avatar was upon him, its blade slicing through the air toward his neck.
The halo on Caine's right arm spun rapidly, and above his head, a spell circle materialized in an instant.
[Buffer]
The atmospheric qi wrapped around the Avatar, significantly slowing its movements for a few precious moments before it broke free.
But those moments were all Caine needed.
WHOOSH!
The blade struck empty air as Caine weaved beneath it, darting into close range. His spear pole shortened until it resembled a sword, and with a flash, he swung upward, aiming for the Avatar's chest.
Qi gathered around the Avatar at blinding speed, forming layers of protective shields.
Caine's blade struck the first barrier but barely scratched its surface before rebounding. The force of the impact wrenched his arm backward, nearly tearing it from its socket.
He stumbled, wincing in pain.
In a blur, the Avatar struck him dozens of times, its palms coated with chaotic qi.
Caine spat out a mouthful of blood as he crumpled to his knees. Before he could recover, the Avatar's rising knee slammed into his chin, sending his body flying upward.
Suspended in midair, Caine became a perfect target for the Avatar's next move.
With a wave of its hand, it summoned countless beams of chaotic qi, which shot toward him with unrelenting precision.
BOOOOOOOOOM!
The beams crashed into Caine, consuming him in a blinding explosion of light and energy.