Ryo slumped onto the ground, his chest rising and falling as he gasped for air. The past phase had drained him more than he expected, forcing him to rely solely on Elemental Manipulation. He had fought ogres, trolls, wyverns, and vampire behemoths, barely making it through unscathed. Now, he had only half an hour to recover before the next phase began.
"This trial is insane…" he thought, closing his eyes.
His body ached, and his muscles screamed in protest, but he couldn't afford to collapse now. He activated Paradox Physique's regeneration, allowing his stamina and minor injuries to heal rapidly.
[SYSTEM NOTICE: Phase 5 will now begin.]
A cold chill ran down Ryo's spine as the system's voice echoed once again.
[In this phase, only physical combat-related abilities are allowed. All other abilities will be locked.]
Ryo's eyes widened. No elemental magic, no blood abilities, no flight, nothing except brute force?
He groaned, running a hand through his messy hair. "Great! Now this?!" he shouted in frustration.
Fighting with Elemental Manipulation had been easier—he could control the battlefield, attack from a distance, and weaken his enemies before finishing them. But pure physical combat? He would have to rely on his fists, speed, reflexes, and Draconic abilities related to strength and endurance.
[Phase 5 – Beginning Now.]
The ground trembled. Dust swirled into the air as a new wave of creatures emerged from the darkness ahead.
Leading the charge were *armored minotaurs, their towering forms covered in thick plates of muscle and steel. Behind them, giant black-furred lycans howled under the blood-red sky. Stone golems, each the size of a small fortress, stomped forward, shaking the battlefield with every step.
In the sky above, bat-like monstrosities with serrated wings screeched loudly, their soulless red eyes fixated on Ryo.
Ryo cracked his knuckles. No tricks. Just fists and instincts.
"Bring it on."
The first minotaur roared, charging at him with its massive twin axes. Its speed was shocking for a creature of its size, but Ryo's reflexes kicked in.
He ducked at the last second, avoiding a devastating downward swing that shattered the ground. Using the opening, Ryo twisted his body and delivered a powerful uppercut, sending the minotaur soaring into the air.
Before it could crash down, he leaped up and slammed his knee into its skull, instantly knocking it out.
A sharp gust of wind signaled another attack.
Ryo turned in time to see a lycan pouncing toward him, its claws extended.
He clenched his fist and threw a straight punch, landing it directly into the lycan's chest. The impact created a shockwave, sending the beast flying backward, crashing into a group of minotaurs.
More enemies charged at him—three minotaurs, two lycans, and a golem swinging a colossal stone fist.
Ryo activated Paradox Physique, his muscles strengthening instantly, increasing his speed and power.
In a blur, he dashed toward the minotaurs.
With a single *spinning kick, he shattered one's helmet and caved in its skull.
He grabbed another minotaur's arm and tore it from its socket, using the severed limb as a weapon to knock away the third.
The *lycans lunged again, but Ryo dodged with precision. He countered by grabbing one by the throat and slamming it into the ground so hard that the earth cracked.
The second lycan bit into his shoulder, but his Draconic Scales activated instantly, stopping the attack.
With an annoyed grunt, Ryo grabbed the beast's head and twisted it violently, snapping its neck.
BOOM!
A giant stone fist came crashing down, forcing Ryo to jump back. The golem roared, its body glowing with runes as it raised another massive arm.
Ryo smirked.
"Let's see how strong you really are."
He activated Draconic Strength, his muscles expanding slightly. Then, he dashed forward, dodging another fist before planting his feet firmly into the ground.
As the *golem brought down its second fist, Ryo caught it mid-air with both hands!
The sheer force made the ground beneath him crumble, but he gritted his teeth, veins bulging from his arms.
"Not bad… but you're too slow!"
With a mighty roar, he lifted the golem by its arm and slammed it headfirst into the battlefield, shattering its rocky body into hundreds of pieces!
Final Opponent – The Sky Reaper
A chilling screech echoed from above.
Ryo looked up to see a massive bat-like beast with six wings, its body covered in crimson armor.
[Sky Reaper – Elite Monster Detected.]
The Sky Reaper dived toward him, its razor-sharp wings extended.
Ryo jumped high, meeting it mid-air. The beast flapped its wings violently, releasing air blades that sliced through the ground below.
He narrowly dodged, then coated his arms with Draconic Aura and delivered a powerful double-fist smash to its back. The impact sent the Sky Reaper spiraling downward, where it crashed into the ground, leaving a massive crater.
Before it could recover, Ryo landed beside it and stomped on its head, crushing its skull completely.
A moment of silence followed before the system's voice rang out.
Phase 5 Ends
[SYSTEM NOTICE: Phase 5 Completed.]
Ryo exhaled, feeling his body burning from exhaustion. His arms, legs, and back ached from the relentless combat.
[Phase 6 will begin in 30 minutes.]
He groaned. "Another one? Give me a damn break…"
Collapsing onto the ground, he stared up at the sky.
"What's next? Fighting gods?"
[yes..... ] Author's Note:
what's next? With Phase 6 looming ahead, what kind of insane challenge awaits him? And will he even get a moment to breathe before the system throws another curveball at him?
Let me know what you think of this chapter! What was your favorite fight scene? And do you have any guesses about the upcoming phases?
As always, thanks for reading, and stay tuned for the next chapter! 🚀🔥