With this chapter, we've breached one million words! One million and ten thousand I think... Congratulations on getting this far! I mean it.
This chapter is 12K words long, by the way. And according to google, the seven Harry Potter books are about one million and eighty thousand words long... so you've essentially read those by now.
This chapter was meant to be released earlier and in a slightly better condition, but I grew sick and I've been battling the toilet for a while now. Writing a paragraph and running out of the room every once in a while.
Anyhow, enjoy!
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[A choice is made. The path unfurls…]
The words hung in the air like smoke before dissipating. Philip felt the shift before he saw it, the temperature seemed to drop, sending goosebumps on his skin.
[Soldier First Stage 1-Star Trial, begins…]
/CLANG!/
The sound reverberated through his bones as the darkness before him convulsed. Shadows pooled and twisted like living ink, coalescing into a form far more formidable than the previous canines.
The creature that emerged stood nearly waist-high, its silver-gray fur bristling with primal ferocity.
/Growl…/
"As expected, it's a wolf."
The beast before him was no ordinary forest predator. A tall canine, a head taller than the husky. A decisive bite from this creature could directly shatter a bone in any person with thin skin. Their sharp claws and teeth would rip through their protection with ease, sending all who relied on them to heaven.
The wolf bared yellowed fangs longer than his fingers. Saliva dripped from its maw, steaming slightly in the cool air of the trial chamber.
"Now things are getting a little interesting… By the time I reach the next rank, would my opponent by a monster? Or would it be just a pack of wolves?"
He shook his head, the motion sending droplets of sweat flying from his brow; that didn't matter now.
/Step…/
/WOOF!/
The wolf exploded into motion, its powerful legs propelling it forward with terrifying speed. Dust kicked up in its wake as it closed the distance, those terrible jaws gaping wide for his throat.
Philip's pulse hammered in his ears, yet his breathing remained steady. This was yet again a familiar sentiment to him, being chased by a beast…
Rather than retreat, he stepped into the charge.
/Lift…/
/SMASH!/
It occurred in the blink of an eye. His right foot came up in a brutal arc, enhanced by Armament.
The impact sent shockwaves up his leg as his boot connected with the wolf's throat. A sickening crack echoed through the chamber as the beast's momentum carried it into the ground, its neck bending at an impossible angle.
/Shaa…/
For a brief moment, the phantom image of a pair of greaves formed on his feet, scattering away in the wind…
[Trial Completed - Challenger Rank Updated]
The wolf's body dissolved into the shadows, leaving behind only the scent of burnt fur and the memory of its final, strangled yelp.
[Soldier First Stage 1-Star]
[Congratulations Challenger!]
[Issuing rewards…]
[Abilities]
[Experience]
[Items]
"Experience."
[Providing five levels of experience to random Abilities…]
[Care 0 -> 5]
[Armament 6 -> 8]
[Exceed 0 -> 4]
A wave of memories crashed onto him, almost causing him to stumble backward. His boot scraped against stone as he fought to remain upright, his vision whitening as he lost his balance.
"… This one slapped quite hard… phew…" he gasped, pressing the heels of his hands against his temples
He looked down at his hands, watching in fascination as they briefly turned translucent. Blue fire flickered beneath his skin like lightning in a storm cloud, illuminating the network of veins and tendons before fading back to normal.
With each trial, the changes became more pronounced as his proficiency in his abilities grew. His muscles remembered movements they'd never performed, his nerves thrummed with energy they'd never channeled before, bringing them ever closer to their final form.
'Just this alone would be enough to make this adventure worthwhile.' He thought calmly, rolling his shoulders and feeling new power settle into his frame, 'Even if it's not perfect, this alone could be worth a month if not more of training back home.'
'I think I have started to understand what this… "Complex" is attempting to do with Armament. I think it's developing it in a manner centered on physical modification and transformation.'
'Armament has several aspects worth studying, but it seems a focus was chosen… well, we're only just starting…'
"I thought the experience increase wouldn't keep up with the demands, but this combination of abilities just breaks the balance of things."
'But I won't hold it against me. There are many out there training from an early age and going with top-tier equipment. I bet the moment they awaken they must get quite a few powerful abilities as well.'
'Speaking of that, I didn't awaken… but maybe the System just skipped that based on my already activated Status… Maybe this was the sole good thing about Darius. He awakened two very powerful support abilities… a shame he didn't have anywhere to use them on.'
'The only talent he had never came to see the light of day… there's a lesson in there, somewhere…'
[Soldier First Stage 2-Star Trial, begins…]
/CLANG!/
The familiar metallic bell shook the chamber as shadows once more swirled across the stone floor. This time, they split into three distinct pools, each writhing and twisting with ominous energy.
Philip's attention sharpened as the forms took shape. Wolves, but different from before… Larger. More dangerous. The two flanking creatures stood nearly as tall as the previous wolf, but the center...
/Growl…/
The alpha wolf's shoulders rose nearly to Philip's chest, its jaw broad enough to engulf a human head whole. Thick cords of muscle stood out beneath its dark fur, and when it snarled, drool splattered against the stone floor with audible splats.
"They're a bit bigger… The one in the middle is even larger. How heavy is he? 100 kilograms with that size?"
/Step…/
/DASH!/
The wolves moved in perfect synchronization. The alpha charged straight on while its pack mates circled wide, their paws barely making sound against the stone. A standard tactic, but still better than nothing.
This was when Philip stopped playing around. He had no supernatural senses to track multiple opponents, no enhanced reflexes beyond what Armament could briefly provide. And Armament...
Even with its increased proficiency, the energy drain remained staggering. Keeping it active for more than a few seconds in a single limb left him gasping as if he had run a marathon… not to mention the danger it was to himself.
Philip didn't want to spend unnecessary energy this early in the run.
"Let's play."
/Dash!/
He met the charge head-on, his boots pounding against the stone as he closed with the alpha. His sword, held in both hands now, flashed out in a wide horizontal arc!
/Swoosh!/
But the wolf jumped sideways, following his saber's movement. It twisted mid-stride, its powerful haunches launching it sideways to avoid the blade. Before Philip could adjust, those terrible jaws snapped at his exposed waist.
/SLASH!/
But against the wolf's expectations, Philip released his right hand from the sword, letting his left arm complete the swing while his right shot downward. A burst of Armament sent blue flames licking along his forearm as he intercepted the wolf's bite, cutting down through the beast's muzzle, bone, and brain in one fell swoop!
The creature did not whimper; it did not utter a single sound; it fell dead, cleaved in two as its body burned faintly.
/GROWL!/
He didn't stop paying attention, turning back with focus. He jumped sideways and crashed his left side, where the flimsy shield was strapped to, pushing the wolf to the side while his sword lashed out at the second on his back!
/CUT!/
/Whimper!/
The blade bypassed its defenses. A precise cut to its torso sent the beast tumbling back in pain. Hot blood sprayed across his face as the creature yelped and tumbled away.
At the same time, Philip pushed back with his shield, maintaining the distance between him and the wolf.
/SLASH!/
/Whimper!/
The moment the creature tried to claw at it, he pulled the shield back and slashed at its limbs, cutting them off and sending a severed paw spinning through the air
Finally, victorious… The chamber fell silent save for the pained whimpers of the dying wolves.
Philip stood amidst the carnage, his chest heaving, sweat stinging his eyes. One by one, he ended their suffering. The wolves soon began to vanish, leaving behind only faint marks to be added to his battlefield.
Blood was beginning to pool around him…
[Trial Completed - Challenger Rank Updated]
[Soldier First Stage 2-Star]
[Congratulations Challenger!]
[Issuing rewards…]
[Abilities]
[Experience]
[Items]
"The same as usual... a round of experience."
'I'm getting thirsty. I'm trying to conserve energy but this body can't help but sweat buckets all the time… Will I be forced to drink blood eventually?'
Philip shook his head. He wasn't that desperate yet.
[Providing seven levels of experience to random Abilities…]
[Care 5 -> Limit]
[Provided Ability -Care- cannot undergo metamorphosis in due trial, the remaining rewards are spread throughout the Challenger's Imprint]
[Given the lack of Abilities on the Challenger's Imprint. Remaining rewards will be converted into a fitting reward]
[Armament 8 -> 9]
[Exceed 4 -> 6]
He took the memories as always. Gasping as the pain receded. The aftertaste of copper filled his mouth… "Urg… Pfft!" he'd bitten his tongue
He spat to the side, watching the crimson droplet sizzle against the pristine white floor of the trial chamber, shaking his head as he recovered his composure.
And just in time for him to notice a large glowing chest before him…
"Phew… Another unexpected development. I didn't know this was possible."
'Someone at this stage of the trials should've had multiple abilities, so these kinds of events wouldn't occur… This seems to be quite rare since I found no mention of it in either Darius' memories or the little research I did before coming here.'
"Seems like there are limits to how some abilities can grow… fair. The Trials are quite lenient in the way they give experience."
"If someone has only one Ability, but it's quite strong, then with one or two rewards it could be more than enough to turn someone into an unstoppable machine, much less talk about evolving it. There has to be some form of limit, even if it trivializes the idea of the trials… but I'm not the one who makes the rules."
'In fact, I am one such problem maker…'
"Anyhow, if Care has reached its limits… then it's time to pull back one of my abilities from its little box."
'I don't even need to worry much about its growth rate decreasing since if I gain another large influx of experience, it'll just upgrade my abilities raw.'
"With how my Abilities are, I may have to consider choosing a new Ability for my next reward. Otherwise, I'll have to kiss that option goodbye."
'I'm not too keen on that though… I might as well dump everything on items…'
"That said, I gained a chest…"
He approached the chest with some suspicion. He knelt before it, his fingers hovering just above the latch. The metal was cool to the touch, almost freezing, causing him to flinch for a moment before he held onto its latch.
With a decisive motion, he flipped the latch.
/Shine!…/
A column of prismatic light shot up from the chest, reaching for the sky like a pillar of light. So bright it forced Philip to shield his eyes. The light solidified into a pair of gloves that hovered before him, pristine white fur backed by sleek black leather.
[Northern Wolf Gloves 1-Star
-Soldier Artifact-
Gloves manufactured from the toughest hide of the Northern Wolves known for their pristine coats.
]
The gloves looked quite simple, being black underneath and white on the back with fur sticking out. And while the design was a little ugly and fancy for him, what mattered was that they were comfortable and they would help cushion the weight of his heavy weapon.
"Not bad. My previous gloves were too thin and useless." He said out loud as he threw his previous gloves away, putting on the new pair
'They're a little hot, but it won't affect me much since they're tight… They won't be slipping away anytime soon.' He thought as he flexed his fingers, testing the range of motion the gloves provided them
[Soldier First Stage 3-Star Trial, begins…]
/CLANG!/
This time, the shadow ball became a carpet, and from the darkness, two dozen beasts sprung forth… Twenty large wolves each as large as the alpha from the previous round being led by a wolf tall enough to reach his chest in all fours.
"… That's almost a lion… And this is supposed to be Soldier-Rank? What do they even take a soldier for…"
Philip scratched the back of his head as he grew used to his gloves. Exhaling faintly, he knew there was no stalling it now.
/Step…/
/HOWLING!/
The chorus of howls shook the chamber, the sound vibrating in Philip's chest. The pack charged as one, their movements frighteningly coordinated.
The alpha hung back as it slowly followed from the back, its piercing gaze tracking Philip's every twitch.
"I thought I'd be able to go a little further with this body… but this is where I'll have to stop."
'If I try to fight this without Armament, I'll risk injury or worse. I'm good at fighting, but I have to give in where it's due… I've grown too used to getting injured while doing so.'
'The only experience I have when that's not the case was during my second venture through Gamerverse, but even then, that experience only applies to Humans… and giant robots.'
/GROWL!/
/Burn!/
"Let's take it slow… partial materialization." He muttered as Armament formed around his body, starting from his legs and hands. A pair of greaves and gauntlets formed around the edges of his body, creating thin, phantom-like traces that spread around in the air behind him
With this much control, he could avoid burning away his equipment and tiring himself out, but if he forced it too much, he'd end up fighting his next few battles naked…
/Sizzle…/
Each step left smoldering footprints on the pristine white ground. But no matter how hot his feet became, the ground only marked and never melted through.
His eyes flashed with light as his energy flowed through his bloodstream, his heart changing pace almost instantly as he instinctively controlled his blood flow.
/KICK!/
He kicked the ground with force, casting a shower of blue sparks before him as he launched himself skyward several meters above the ground. "HUPP!" He exclaimed after a deep breath, slashing down at the first beast below him.
A blue wave of light was cast before his blade, cutting through the first wolf with ease before slamming against the ground, spreading like flames in alcohol, catching several more wolves in the process. He then positioned his feet sideways, "sliding" in the air as he left a trail of flames behind him.
/SLASH!/
Philip twisted midair, his blade flashing as wolves leaped to intercept him. Their coordinated attacks were impressive, but they failed to pull him down. He kept his carnage going as he made way to their leader, whose eyes had narrowed by now.
/Growl…/
The alpha watched from below, its golden eyes displaying its thoughts. A series of guttural growls directed the pack's movements, adjusting their strategy in real-time, guiding the pack to minimize damage. But this wouldn't be enough.
/JUMP!/
With terrifying speed, the leader jumped after Philip, intent on dragging him down. The massive wolf reached over four meters and threatened to bite his neck, but Philip wasn't going down easily.
/SLASH!/
He sped up in the air, pivoting at the last instant, driving his blade deep into the beast's underbelly, avoiding its jaws and claws. He threw the wolf down as it burned in Armament's flames, causing it to set several other wolves alight.
/Control…/
Philip reached out with his power, feeling the blood within the fallen wolves. With a thought, he ignited it, turning their corpses into incendiary bombs that sent the remaining pack scrambling in panic. Not giving them the chance to coordinate and fight at all.
Once he felt it was enough, he reached down to the ground and took a deep breath, his heartbeat slowing down… "Huff…"
He almost collapsed to the side, using his blade as support. The blue flames flickered and died as he released his hold on Armament. "Even this little... I overdid it again."
"Just trying to reach outside my body almost caused me to collapse right then and there… I tried to do too much at once.'
'I need to figure out a way to compensate for these ridiculous stats. Otherwise, at this rate, I won't be getting that far at all.' He looked at the wolves burning in agony as they whimpered and screamed in desperation. He didn't feel much as he looked at them roll and tug at each other, but without full protection from his mental traits, he did feel a faint trace of pity and sorrow at the sight
"Is my limit the Rank of Champion? I can probably fight above it, but only once or twice. I don't think I have what it takes to go beyond Heroic in this state… not without a way to make do for the backlash of dying."
'If I were to use Armament at full power and Exceed, I'd likely maintain control for a while, but there wouldn't be a comeback from that. It's a do-or-die state. Maybe if it were my last battle of the stage, I wouldn't mind, but it's too early for that.'
He sat on the ground to meditate, recovering as much of his stamina as he could. Paying attention to the burning wolves around him as they collapsed and died in the burning ground.
[Trial Completed - Challenger Rank Updated]
[Soldier First Stage 3-Star]
[Congratulations Challenger!]
[Issuing rewards…]
[You've been granted 6000 Trial Shards]
[Abilities]
[Experience]
[Items]
"Hum... Is everything in place?… Good. Let's get this over with."
Philip reached into the depths of his being, retrieving Armament and Exceed from Greenhouse's protective embrace. The abilities settled back into his core with a comforting warmth.
It was a strange feeling, but he could feel each ability as a small ball of energy, allowing him to manipulate them with ease. He didn't know if others could do this as well, but he assumed it was the case for all people.
While he didn't know if all Abilities could be represented like this, he moved on, putting his theories aside.
'I've taken Armament and Exceed from Greehouse, it should be enough to raise both of them to the next stage… Honestly, I'm excited to see what this System will consider an evolution for these abilities.'
'If I had known I would have such an opportunity, I would've pressed the Goddess more. Imagine if I could've brought Skill Fusion? Even if only a few levels… if I could've raised it to the point it evolved to the next stage… that alone would've made it all worth it.'
'I'm happy for this too, of course, but the prospect of reaching higher levels in it is far more enticing… being able to fuse Titles, Traits… or even raising Skill Fusion's ability to bypass barriers… wouldn't there be a point where Skill Fusion is so powerful it can directly fuse skills from different statuses together?'
'There should be… I can only dream of it though.'
"I'll go with experience… again."
[Providing ten levels of experience to random Abilities…]
[Armament 9 -> Limit]
[Provided Ability -Armament- cannot undergo metamorphosis in due trial, the remaining rewards are spread throughout the Challenger's Imprint]]
[Exceed 6 -> Limit]
[Provided Ability -Exceed- cannot undergo metamorphosis in due trial, the remaining rewards are spread throughout the Challenger's Imprint]
[Given the lack of Abilities on the Challenger's Imprint. Remaining rewards will be converted into a fitting reward]
Another chest materialized before him, just like before, in all its shiny glory.
"!!!"
The wave of memories was tremendous; his mind was being split open in two in such a violent manner he fell down to his knees, grunting and gasping for air.
/BURN!/
Armament erupted from Philip's body in uncontrolled waves, blue fire licking at everything within reach. His veins glowed beneath his skin, pulsing in time with his racing heartbeat.
His body convulsed under the ability's strange power, threatening to end collapse right then and there.
Armament had always been more than just a technique. It was something tied directly to the body. Gradually changing it as he was increased his proficiency in the technique… But sudden shifts of proficiency like this made it all burst out at once. All of its slumbering potential released.
The flames waned as suddenly as they'd appeared, flashing in and out of his body as his conciousness returned from its torture chamber. Philip gasped for air as he regained control over his body, panting on all fours. Sweat dripped from his brow, sizzling as it hit the scorched floor beneath him.
Using the chest next to him to lift himself off the ground, he slowly recomposed himself, cursing the world inside his head.
"Huff… Huff… Shit…"
'My poor head…'
With this final revelation, Philip confirmed his suspicions. This version of Armament this world's System was creating was far different from the one he knew from Eden.
Maybe it was due to its form. This world had a strict hierarchy of how abilities were displayed, being each divided into ten stages… compressing the idea of the skill into it seemed unfitting… Instead, Armament's goal shifted, being transformed into something that could belong within this altered System…
Of course, Philip couldn't tell exactly if his conjecture was correct in his explanation alone. He didn't know the criteria for skills being given levels in Eden, and he didn't know why all skills he had come across in this world so far also only had ten stages… But he could tell that things were put in a manner that seemed to show there was more to discover.
This world had already envisioned a higher level or at least a continuation for his powers, but at this stage of the trials, he couldn't reach it.
"Huff… I'm curious… and pissed off. I want to see what lies beyond this." He muttered amidst his gasps, quickly recovering his stamina as he proficiently controlled his blood flow
"All Abilities are now capped for this Stage… or Rank… doesn't matter. Since the next stage is considered high in society, maybe it's worth investing some of my rewards into getting new Abilities."
'Most of the populace only goes as far as the Civilian Rank, and some outstanding ones may reach the Soldier Rank. But beyond that is rare. If you're a doctor, an engineer or anything else with a Champion Rank Completion, you're essentially within the elite of this world.'
'Maybe I've been too elitist myself being so against getting new Abilities… Help and Greenhouse are quite strong together, but they aren't suitable for this type of activity.'
"I started from the bottom anyway… why try to act as if I'm above some trashy skills?"
'Speaking of that… I should put my abilities back in Greenhouse. Even if they can't grow anymore, just being there improves their efficiency. Maybe if I had the time to study and train, I might've been able to push them past their limits midway through the trials… but I doubt they'd give me so much time.'
"Phew… this is fun."
/Clack!/
He put his hands over the chest's latch and pushed it open with a smile, /Burst!/ light shot up to the sky once more as another item formed before him…
"This… what's this? Looks like a ring."
[Wolfern's Acolyte Ring 3-Star
-Soldier Artifact-
Ring of the Northern Wolfren Order, manufactured from deep iron found within the great glaciers.
]
[Unique attribute -> Physical Body: 5E]
The moment he put the ring on, he felt his body lighten as his tiredness went away. However, he felt something odd coming from the ring.
The ring had the head of a wolf carved on its tip, and the moment he put it on, he saw the wolf's eyes brighten. The light seemed to follow him, but after looking at the ring through many angles, he dismissed it as an illusion.
"This is unexpected… Artifacts that give some sort of boost like this are meant to be rare in lower stages. Especially at such low difficulties… maybe it's just because information on higher difficulties is hard to come by reliably since everything is monitored so damn hard…"
'If that's the case, maybe it's worth investing some rewards into items after all. I don't think I need extra powers right now, might as well get some items to make up for my lack of Stats.'
'That said… I can't help it but feel like the wolf's eyes are following me… It's just two bright lights though.'
"It must've been the wind… who am I kidding?…"
'Something's definitely wrong with it.'
[Challenger, you have completed your trials. Proceed to the next stage, or attempt a greater challenge]
[You may also choose to relinquish future blessings. If you decide on such, you may keep all your current rewards and continue with greater challenges, but they won't provide you with anything until you complete a set]
[But if you are to fail, your ascension won't come to a sudden halt but continue from where you left off]
[Champion]
[Heroic]
[Extreme]
"… Seems like I can't stay with my thoughts for long… Let's proceed, Champion!"
'With a 5E rating on physical body, that's nearing the limits of an ordinary Human. I think that the maximum someone can go is Limit E, but that's based on genetics… Knowing Darius, his genetics are likely pretty bad too.'
[A choice is made. The path unfurls…]
[You have stepped into the realm of Champions. Although the road is long and hazardous, may you never face defeat]
[Grade-0 limitations have been lifted as your authority increases]
[The Complex has been expanded]
/Growl…/
"Hum?"
Taken away from his thoughts, Philip heard a wolf's growl… but the challenge hadn't begun yet.
A strange scene occurred. The air itself seemed to freeze as the sky above the arena split open, revealing a yawning void of deepest blue. From its depths descended a gray scroll, its surface rough like aged hide, crackling with frost as it unfurled before him.
… It was no different from the previous System notifications, but it differed in both looks and feel… He reached out for the scroll, but before his hand could touch it, a simple System message ensued:
[The Trials have been temporarily halted; proceed with caution]
"What?…" Philip's breath fogged in the suddenly frigid air
'When did it things grow this cold?'
His breath was condensing but his body felt warm… This is usually a bad sign…
[Your actions have gathered the attention of a higher being]
[Caninarus Wolfern - Lord of the Glacial Mountains - takes interest in your ascent]
[A preposition is made]
[From this point onwards, until the end of the stage, rewards will only be granted at the end of every Rank. But in turn, the total amount will double]
[Will you partake in the covenant?]
[The Lord of the Glacial Mountains has an interest in testing your abilities]
[A preposition is made]
[The next series of trials will be compressed into a single confrontation. The difficulty has been set to Champion First Stage 5-Star]
[Will you partake in the covenant?]
Philip frowned as he read the notifications. He wasn't unfamiliar with them… These were the trials of the Gods. It was one of the closest places to heaven, where the divines looked down from above.
It was far too common to meet a deity in these trials, but not so soon, not so early… If Philip had been challenging the Heroic difficulty, he wouldn't frown much at it, but he had just stepped into the realm of Champions.
Receiving the attention and blessings directly from such a being was a dream to many. If they received their love and grace, there was even a chance they could receive the strongest abilities known to mankind…
Gods were known to interfere in the mortal world quite frequently. Philip expected to meet with one eventually… but he didn't let his greed take over his judgment yet.
Attention could be both positive and negative… It should have been exhilarating, but the wolf's eyes on his finger burned hotter with each passing second.
"Five stars?… Then, this difficulty alone is harder than it would've been if I went with the traditional route?…"
'The question is, regardless of which offer I take, I'll only be taking my rewards at the end of the trials. So… can I beat the Champion Difficulty as I'm now?'
'… Yes, I can. But can I keep going afterward?'
"… I'll accept both covenants…" He then smiled like a devil as he looked at the System screen
"But how about we increase the odds a little?"
[The Lord of the Glacial Mountains listens to your preposition]
"I have a request. You want me to fight, I will… but I can't try my best, not so soon… So let's raise the difficulty even further! Enough to make it worth me trying!"
"In exchange, I ask for some sort of recovery method afterward so I may continue my trials. How about that?"
[…]
The silence stretched. Then…
[The Lord of the Glacial Mountains accepts your offer]
[A preposition is made]
[The next trial's difficulty is increased, granting increased rewards. If successful, the Challenger's physical conditioning will be restored]
[The difficulty of the next trial has been set to be Champion First Stage 7-Star]
Philip didn't hesitate, "Quite the jump… I accept."
[The Trials have resumed]
/SHAAA!/
The darkness surged. Black water geysered upward, a tidal wave of liquid shadow that crashed against invisible barriers before receding. Where it passed, the ground froze instantly, a rime of black ice crackling outward.
From the dissipating waters emerged a silhouette. Two and a half meters of primal fury clad in gleaming white-and-red armor. A large humanoid creature with thick arms and legs and lots of white fur… A werewolf.
The werewolf's breath came in visible plumes, each exhale dropping the temperature further. Its golden eyes burned beneath the helmet's shadow, locked onto Philip with terrifying focus.
[Champion First Stage 7-Star Trial, begins…]
[1:00]
The countdown shimmered in the air, its numbers burning crimson against the frozen backdrop. A line of blue fire traced itself across the ground, the boundary that would start the real battle.
From Champion Rank onwards, at least for the combat trials, the time between each trial was marked with a timer. That was how long he had until it all began.
/CLANG!/
The powerful bell resounded in the heavens, marking the start of the challenge!
/Silence…/
The beast's breathing was calm and collected. It looked at him from afar, waiting for him to make the first move. Whether it was bound by restrictions or not, it didn't matter.
It was studying him.
"I can feel it."
'The first proper opponent in a while.'
His instincts told him to flee, but those weren't his senses. They belonged to someone else, a man that had already departed from this world… the ghostly impressions left in this body.
A memory of weakness, one crushed it beneath his will.
/BURN!/
For the first time ever since its awakening, Armament was released in all its power!
/SHAAA!/
Blue flames erupted across his body, licking the ground and the skies above. They reshaped into armor, its glowing sheen resembling heated metal.
From the dancing pyre of ethereal flames, a knight stepped out with his blade in hand. The metallic Dadao burned with the magical flames, the oxidized layer on its edge peeling off under the intense heat.
/Baddum!/
Philip's heartbeat rose to its maximum. He could feel the intense energy coursing through his feeble muscles. Even with the ring's power, it wasn't enough to contain it in the least. Still, he pressed on.
He said he'd fight with everything he had, so he would.
'I can still do more. If only my body weren't so feeble… then let's push it!'
"Hupp!"
[You've entered the state of exceeding limitations]
The world slowed, his flesh expanded. His bones creaked and his muscles tore, but the blue flames of Armament filled in the gaps, transforming him into something inhuman…
Philip's body exploded with even greater energy. His eyes turned red as his veins burst and his heartbeat grew erratic. His muscles swelled grotesquely before the flames smoothed them into something more stable… His body was hit with an influx of power but at a great cost…
Once this ended, he'd die.
/BURST/
Another transformation occurred. The flames increased in intensity, and the Dadao began to faintly change colors… The arena became a battleground of opposing elements; flames licking at frost, steam boiling upward in great geysers.
The armor grew thicker and clearer, with intricate patterns spread out across its surface. This wasn't some sort of hidden potential but the inner potential of Armament.
Even with his proficiency, he couldn't bring forth all of its power. If he tried, he would likely die instantly or rip himself apart. What he did before was the edge of his limits, but now that those limits had been pushed further…
"…"
The werewolf finally moved, its cleaver-axe dropping into a ready stance. Ice spread from its feet in jagged spikes.
"I'm feeling it now; this is great!"
Philip stomped on the ground, spreading flames throughout the arena.
'Fabrin was far from a decent opponent. What fun is there is facing someone who's just toying with you?'
'Simulation room has some great possibilities, but it's not authentic… Even if I can't die here, this is the closest in quite some time I've felt like this.'
"Let's fight!"
/DASH/
The ground shattered behind him as ran forward like a train, leaving fiery footsteps and cracked ground.
The ground shattered behind him as Philip became a blue comet. The werewolf's growl turned into a roar as it met his charge, cleaver swinging in a deadly arc.
/Growl…/
Once he stepped out of the limited zone, the werewolf knight growled, cracked its neck and raised its cleaver. It could clearly keep up with Philip's speed and senses. Philip smiled even further; it would've been boring if he couldn't.
/ROAR!/
The werewolf's growl turned into a roar as it met his charge, cleaver swinging in a deadly arc.
"HUPP!"
/SWOSH!/
/CLANG!/
Philip's Dadao and the werewolf's axe collided together, sending a wave of sparks throughout the area. The impact sent shockwaves through the arena. Scattering the surrounding ice and fog.
/SMASH!/
For a heartbeat, they strained against each other, however, Philip's strength was still a step above the werewolf's. The werewolf skidded back, its boots carving trenches in the frozen ground… With his strength, he pushed the werewolf back before dashing after it.
/CLANG!/
His Dadao pushed through the side, slashing from below, while the werewolf struck from above.
/CLANG!/
Their weapons collided in the air, but neither was pushed back. They were stuck to each other as if bound by an invisible attraction.
Philip was surprised. He expected a powerful enemy, but it was more skilled than he expected…
/ROAAARR!/
"!"
The werewolf suddenly roared, and its body exploded with energy. Frost exploded outward from its body, sheathing its armor in jagged ice and cold air, while its axe-cleaver was covered by a large chunk of ice, growing monstrous in size.
Its breath became slower and more controlled, each exhale dropping snowflakes that swirled in an ever-growing storm. Its body grew slightly, now twenty centimeters larger.
The white fur sticking through the gaps in the armor grew longer like a coat, icicles forming underneath it as cold winds brushed onto the ground below.
/Growl…/
"So you know a trick or two… Good, it'd be boring otherwise. Let's ramp this up a notch!" He proclaimed as he suddenly vanished
"!…?!"
/CLANG!/
Through Armament, even basic techniques like Quickening evolved, becoming utterly unrecognizable.
Philip came and went from the beast's vision, leaving behind only a faint trail of flames in the vague direction he was running at!
The werewolf took notice of its surroundings, spreading the ice to create a domain. Whenever Philip trod, even if beyond its gaze, he'd be able to follow.
The second strike came directly… ahead!
/CLANG!/
The werewolf reacted instantly, its cleaver ruptured with power as it clung to its hilt with both hands, slamming its cleaver into the ground with titanic might! Ice spider-webbed outward, forming a crystalline domain. Where Philip's flames touched, the ice blackened but held.
Philip countered without cowardice, swinging his Dadao upward without fear!
/BOOOOM!/
Hot and cold mixed together into a grand explosion. Causing steam and water to pool around them.
"…!"
/SLASH!/
In the concealing mist, Philip became a blue phantom, striking from angles no human body should manage.
But the werewolf was ready.
/ROAAAAARRR!/
Another battle cry, one powerful enough to burst the cloud open. Its roar parted the fog like a physical force, revealing Philip mid-strike.
/CLANG!/
Philip slashed across its chest, but his blade did not pass through, sticking to the ever-forming ice covering it, the cold so great he feared the metal had bound together through cold welding.
/SWOOSH!/
Seeing this, the werewolf did not hesitate and slashed down at his head.
Philip let go of his weapon, jumping to the side before delivering a strike to the beast's wrist, cracking the armor, but it did not let go of his blade.
"ROAAR!"
/SMASH!/
With its free hand, the werewolf's gauntleted fist slammed toward Philip's chest with crushing force. At the last possible instant, Philip twisted his torso with serpentine grace. His hands shot out like vipers, fingers clamping around the beast's massive forearm as he pulled with everything he had!
By using Armament to shift his weight and pull at the beast, he sent the creature flying into the sky before slamming it against the burning ground.
The world seemed to tilt as the massive creature left the ground. Philip's boots dug trenches in the frozen earth as he completed the throw, slamming the werewolf knight into the burning ground with enough force to shake the whole arena.
Steam exploded outward as flame met frost, the impact crater glowing orange at its center.
/STOMP!/
/PULL!/
"ROAARRR!!"
He shoved his feet onto the beast's shoulder before twisting its arm, hearing joints pop and cartilage tear as he attempted to crack it, but it did something against his expectations!
"!!!"
'Everything… froze?'
The world suddenly froze in place.
Philip's breath fogged before his face... and remained suspended. The dancing flames around his body froze mid-flicker, their light refracting through suddenly crystalline air. His pulse thundered in his ears - the only movement in this frozen moment.
'That's not it… I've been encased in ice!'
The whole world had.
A mystical type of ice, it had frozen everything in place, even fire. Although with each passing moment, the flames surging from inside him eroded the ice surrounding his body, melting it.
Meanwhile, however, the werewolf moved.
/Swish…/
The werewolf pulled its arm from Philip's grip and adjusted its body.
The beast rose like a specter from mist, its movements smooth and unhurried in the frozen world. Philip could feel its golden eyes studying him through the ice, could almost taste its satisfaction as it adjusted its battered armor… seemingly smiling from under its helmet. That was the emotion he felt irradiating from the creature.
/SWING!/
It swung its axe in his direction, the ice around him twisting and turning to permit him passage. He was one with the cold, moving through like a shark in water.
/SLASH!/
"!…"
The axe slashed through Philip's body, cutting through him! Pain blossomed along Philip's right side as the blade sheared through armor and flesh alike. It breached his armor and slashed his arm off!
/BURN!/
But as his blood ran through the ice, from the center of his body erupted a geyser of blue fire, so intense it bored a finger-width tunnel through the mystical ice, melting a path for him to move through.
Philip used his evolved quickening to traverse through the hole. The world seemed to snap back into motion as he reformed before the werewolf, his remaining fist already glowing white-hot.
The beast barely had time to react before Philip's punch connected with its chest plate, the metal glowing cherry-red before melting through entirely.
/Flow!/
As the beast was struck, the world fully resumed its pace as all the frozen air was unshackled, and with it, Philip regained control over his body. He held onto his bleeding shoulder, arm still attached but heavily injured.
In the nick of time, Philip activated Armament and escaped with quickening. He would've evaded most of the damage if he could, but he needed that opportunity! Otherwise, the beast might've kept him encased in ice and struck him from afar until it grew tired.
Across the ravaged battlefield, the werewolf studied the smoldering wound in its chest with something almost resembling respect. Then its golden eyes locked onto Philip once more.
With his body falling apart by the minute, he dashed forward! Using Armament to pull his Dadao that had fallen next to him, free from its bind with the armor!
/CLANG!/
/CLANG!/
/CLANG!/
An exchange of swordsmanship ensued between the two of them. And while the werewolf was clearly beastly-looking, its proficiency was comparable to Philip's!
What mattered most was that Philip wasn't used to this sword shape, so much of his experience wasn't applicable here… but there was one thing he was used to, and that was facing monsters taller, stronger, and with inhuman anatomy!
/C-Crack!/
"…"
With every strike, the Dadao's edge notched. Its edge growing weaker and weaker as it stood in the middle of two opposing forces.
/Slide… SLASH!/
Philip ducked beneath a horizontal sweep, his boots skidding across blood-slick ice. He came up inside the werewolf's guard, driving his armored knee into its thigh.
As the beast staggered, he transformed into a streak of fire, reappearing behind it with his blade aimed at its hamstrings…
/ROAR!/
The werewolf reacted with unnatural speed, its elbow crashing toward Philip's temple. He barely managed to twist away by stopping his strike. However, he did not let go of his offense. His free hand glowing with concentrated energy, he stabbed it straight into the beast's waist, /SPLAT/ Black blood and viscera sprayed across the ice as Philip tore free a chunk of frozen flesh.
Before the beast could retaliate again, he turned to mist again, evading another blow.
/SPLATTER!/
He reappeared behind it, slashing down at its less protected leg joints, causing the beast to collapse to one of its knees. Even so, it delivered a powerful strike to Philip's back by controlling the surrounding ice, piercing his skin and entrapping his legs in ice.
/SMASH!/
Gritting his teeth against the pain, Philip brought his fist down in a fiery-enhanced punch that cratered the back of the werewolf's helmet. The beast face-planted into the ice, its body sliding several meters before coming to rest.
Philip wrenched himself free from the ice, jumping in the air after the werewolf. His arms arched backward, he smashed his Dadao against the werewolf as the latter tried to block him with his cleaver.
/Swoosh!/
/BOOM!/
He turned back onto the streak of fire, making use of his constant swift movements and frame to dance around his opponent. He delivered a mighty strike at the weakness in its chest armor, causing the beast to coil slightly and its head to drop just low enough for him to let go of his Dadao and pull its face with his hands and smash his helmet against it.
/CLANG!/
"ROAAAARR!"
The superheated air slammed straight into the creature's eyes! It roared in protest, stepping backward as it swung its axe around disorderly.
/CLANG!/
Philip took this chance to strike the axe out of his opponent's hands, sending it flying back!
"Round two!"
/Grasp… PUNCH!/
He took a martial stance and punched straight at the beast's stomach, and with the impact, it fell down where Philip then jumped and began wrestling the beast almost twice his size.
/Pull… CRACK!/
/ROAAAAARRR!/
He slid under its left foot, the one he had already injured before, and wrapped himself around it. With his armor burning and searing its skin, he pulled, cracking the joints on its feet!
/ROAAARR!/
The werewolf screamed in pain and anger, slamming its hands on the ground, causing pillars of ice to rise. Seeing this move was like the one he used before, Philip jumped back before he was encased in it.
/Crack…/
/Crunk…/
The ice snapped before him as a tall glacier stood between him and the beast. Inside the ice, the werewolf slowly got back on its feet, clearly having difficulty standing with one of its legs unresponsive.
/Growl…/
/Crack…/
Ice formed around its skin, and a coat of frost surrounded its wounded limb. Using it for support, the beast howled. The same scene occurred in different areas of its body as ice took over its injuries, becoming akin to translucent flesh.
/BOOOOOM!/
The glacier exploded, sending sharp, cold chunks of ice everywhere that pierced his skin even as he shielded it. From the fog of their clashing elements, the beast dashed forth with the cleaver in both hands, enraged beyond compare.
/BANG!/
The weapons clashed, and the air rippled, but at the same time, a dangerous /Crack/ resounded…
Philip's Dadao, battered and abused, which had already been weakened by the constant back and forth between hot and cold, finally… snapped.
"Well, shit."
The werewolf's triumphant roar shook the arena. It raised its weapon high in self-praise, the blade now sheathed in a swirling vortex of frost energy.
"ROAAAAARRR!!"
It wasted no time. With its remaining limb, the werewolf kicked him back and condensed dangerous energy around its cleaver, causing a powerful blizzard to take over the arena.
"No, you don't, we're far from over!"
"!"
/BURN!/
/SPLAT!/
He vanished in a burst of blue fire, reappearing directly beneath the charging beast. His remaining hand, wreathed in flames hotter than any he'd conjured before, punched straight through the weakened chestplate and into the werewolf's torso, leaving a fiery hole behind.
"UGH… ROOAAAAARRR!"
/SLASH!/
"!!"
The werewolf bit through the pain and slashed down, uncaring about everything around it.
/FLASH!/
A wave of white slammed against Philip, and then… his senses were sent into disarray.
…
"Urg… I'm uh… Alive… alive?…"
Consciousness returned in fits and starts. Philip's first sensation was cold, a deep, penetrating cold that seeped into his bones… He found himself encased in ice and buried in melting snow…
His eyelids fluttered open to reveal a crystalline tomb. He was encased in ice several feet thick, buried beneath tons of snow and debris. The blue glow of his flickering Armament provided the only illumination, casting eerie shadows through his frozen prison.
/Burn…/
Then pain, so much pain that for a moment he wished for it all to end... then he remembered. Armament still burned fiercely, and that meant he was still very much alive.
"ARG!!"
'I'm going to die regardless at this rate!'
/BURN!/
The agony was indescribable as he forced his failing body to transform once more. His scream was swallowed by the ice as he became fire itself, boring upward through snow and stone alike.
He erupted into the open air like a phoenix from its pyre, his body reforming midair. The sight that greeted him stole what little breath remained in his lungs.
The arena was gone. In its place stretched an endless winter wasteland, jagged ice spires jutting from the ground like the bones of some long-dead leviathan. Blizzards raged on the horizon, their howling winds carrying flurries of snow that stung his exposed skin.
The blending of different shades of white and blue caused his vision to hurt.
"!"
But following his senses, he felt a heartbeat in the distance, and as his eyes pierced through the fog, there he found it, the werewolf knight, waiting for his return atop an icy throne. Carved from the glacial ice around it.
The throne had been stained red, but its wounds had all but closed, encased in ice like everything else.
The werewolf knight looked diminished now, its armor cracked and blackened, one leg clearly unusable. The hole in its chest had been plugged with a chunk of clear ice that pulsed with its slowing heartbeat. Yet it still gripped its cleaver with steady hands, its golden eyes tracking Philip's every movement.
""…""
Their gazes met across the frozen battlefield. No words were needed, both knew this would be the final exchange…
/FIRE!/
Philip kicked the empty air, descending like a comet in the beast's direction. It raised its head, looking at the blue comet above… and exhaled.
/Grasp…/
"ROAAAARRR!"
It held its battle-cleaver and screamed at the heavens, arms open wide.
/BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!/
The throne and the mountain of ice where it stood were reduced to rubble as a streak of steam pierced through it.
The impact caused dozens of avalanches across the landscape. With Philip feeling ribs break as they collided midair. There, Philip and the beast could be seen tugging at each other as they flew across the skies, slamming against every snow peak in their path.
They tumbled through the sky, trading blows that would level buildings, before crashing into a glacier with enough force to crack it open.
/BURST!/
/CRASH!/
They pierced through the glacier and crashed against the snowy fields, each falling in a different direction as tide of frost was flung across the skies.
Philip slid across the ground with his arms tucked at his sides. Rolling to a stop in a snowdrift, his vision blurring and darkening at the edges. Meanwhile, the werewolf did the same, maintaining its balance. Its movements sluggish now, its breathing labored.
Both combatants fell while looking at each other. Knowing full-well that each wouldn't be able to keep this for long.
/DASH!/
They charged simultaneously, two wounded titans refusing to fall! Philip knew he couldn't fight barehanded, and the werewolf knew that. One wanted to disarm his opponent; the other wanted to keep him at bay.
But against the werewolf's expectations, Philip was far more insane than it expected. Philip feinted left, then dove beneath the sweeping cleaver. He punched the cleaver, using his own flesh to twist its path even if it meant the loss of a limb!
"!"
His bare hands found the werewolf's wrists, using the creature's own momentum to disarm it… or try to. The beast's might proved too large, and he fiercely broke through his grasp! However, as that happened, the werewolf attempted to shake him off with a shoulder bash, but Philip's body turned to smoke again, a fiery afterimage!
It knew Philip could do that, but it believed he wouldn't resort to such cowardly tactics!
/ROAAAR!/
It roared in defiance, but Philip had already gotten what he wanted. He held both of its arms and used them as bars to propel himself to its face, kicking it and sending its helmet flying.
He paid no attention to what lay underneath it, however. Using Armament, he slashed through the beast's fingers, causing it to drop its weapon in pain.
With both without weapons, it was back to a brawl once more…
/PUNCH!/
His fist connected with the beast's jaw, feeling teeth shatter beneath the impact.
/GROWL!/
The werewolf punched his exposed waist and sent him flying back, cracking his ribs even further.
/Gasp!/
"Huff… hm?… ?!"
As Philip gasped for air in the snow, the werewolf showed another trick up its sleeve! The snow reformed around him, and he jumped from within in a surprise attack!
He tried to evade the strike and kick him away, but the werewolf knight evaded his strikes and pulled at his legs. Head-butting his body in return, sending stars across his vision as he crashed against the snow below.
/PIERCE!/
It lifted its broken foot, the ice beneath taking the shape of a sharp nail as it stomped the ground where Philip was.
He barely managed to evade the strike by causing an explosion beside him. It damaged him slightly, but better that than death.
With his left arm holding onto his chest, he grit his teeth and stepped into the beast's combat zone once more.
/PUNCH!/
/GROWL!/
/SLAMMM!/
Philip punched at the beast as it was distracted, but this time, it didn't take the punch. The beast evaded his strike and grabbed his arm, slamming him against the ground just as it had done before!
/ROAR!/
It roared with excitement at justice well served!
/Swoosh!/
Philip swiftly rolled and jumped off the ground with a series of martial moves such as Capoeira and Jiu-Jitsu. Pulling at the beast's legs, he forced it down to his level before delivering another hook straight to its chin!
/Thud!/
/SWOOSH!/
The werewolf fell to the side, and Philip jumped after it. They collapsed together in a tangle of limbs, each struggling for dominance, /SHUAAA!!/ The werewolf's frozen breath washed over Philip's face as they rolled across the ice, its remaining hand finding his throat.
Philip responded by driving his knee into the wound in its chest, feeling the icy plug crack under the pressure and driving the air from the beast's lungs.
/SWOOSH!/
With his dwindling strength, Philip twisted his body in a move borrowed from a dozen different martial arts. His legs scissored around the werewolf's injured limb as he pivoted, using leverage to flip their positions… But it immediately retaliated with a kick!
Philip barely avoided it, but the beast did not stop there. By controlling the ice, it used the snowy ground to push itself from an awkward position. And with its feet above Philip, it slammed down on his body, pressing down at his chest.
If Philip's energy wasn't so low, he would've avoided many such blows…
/Crack!/
"!"
At that moment, ice formed around him, locking his limbs in place. He tried to escape, but he couldn't even turn to fog.
/Grab…/
After struggling to get to its feet. The werewolf stumbled away and grabbed its cleaver with its bloody fingers, dragging it across the snow. It intended to end things with its prized weapon.
/Raise…/
/SWING!/
/SPLATTER!/
"!!"
At that moment, a pillar of red blood formed around Philip, piercing through multiple wounds of the werewolf, locking its body in place and causing it to miss its strike.
The massive cleaver fell to his side, cracking the snow and loosening his binds.
/C-Crack!/
/Pull!/
Philip unleashed himself from his predicament and approached the now fallen werewolf knight. Dozens of bloody spikes had covered different sections of its body. It seemed that even with its resilience and constitution, it couldn't keep moving with such injuries.
"… I enjoyed it."
Philip grabbed the werewolf's weapon, the massive cleaver almost his size, and pulled it from the cracked ground. With difficulty, he stood before it with it on his shoulder.
The werewolf was strong. It had sharp reactions, decision-making, unusual abilities, and the strength to put it all together. Had they both been the same size, Philip might've had difficulty taking advantage of their difference in height to get the upper hand.
'If only we were the same height… This fight would've been even better. And if I had a better shapped weapon… it would've been perfect.'
'I've learned much from this.'
Philip raised the fallen cleaver with trembling arms. The werewolf didn't resist, it simply closed its eyes, accepting the inevitable.
/SLASH!/
A single strike against its neck to end it all… and the world seemed to stop. Philip collapsed beside his fallen foe, his body finally giving out. His skin was a patchwork of burns and frostbite, his muscles torn beyond repair. Each breath came as a wet, painful rasp, his lungs were filling with blood…
His skin was blistered, his bones slowly fragmenting… and his vision grew turbid as he had difficulty breathing…
"C-Come on…"
[Trial Completed - Challenger Rank Updated]
[Champion First Stage 7-Star]
[Congratulations Challenger!]
The notifications came faster now, each line pulsing with supernatural energy:
[Due to your covenant with Caninarus Wolfern, rewards are enhanced]
[Due to your covenant with Caninarus Wolfern, rewards are doubled]
[Due to your covenant with Caninarus Wolfern, physical conditioning is restored]
[Issuing rewards…]
[You've been granted 1000000 Trial Shards]
[Abilities -> Choose between Offensive, Defensive, and Support-type Abilities]
[Experience -> Choose up to three Abilities to enhance]
[Items]
[Shards]
/SHEEEN!/
A pillar of golden light descended from the heavens, striking Philip with the force of a tidal wave.
The sensation was indescribable. Like liquid fire pouring into every cell, mending torn muscle, knitting shattered bone, replacing lost blood… He felt like a thirsty man getting a drink after days of wandering in the desert.
When the light faded, Philip lay panting on suddenly warm stone, his skin steaming in the cold air, "Huff… Phew… That was rough… It's cold…"
Philip looked down at his body, as he feared before. All of his clothes were gone, having burned away without leaving behind a single shreed of fabric.
[The Lord of the Glacial Mountains applauds your battle and has given you an extra reward]
The only item remaining was the wolf-head ring, its metal somehow untouched by the inferno that had consumed everything else. The gemstone eyes glowed faintly, pulsing in time with his slowing heartbeat.
[Wolfern's Champion Ring 6-Star
-Champion Artifact-
Ring of the Northern Wolfren Order, manufactured from rarest deep iron found within the most ancient of the great glaciers. Gifted only to those that prove themselves to the Wolfren Order.
Blessed by the Lord of the Glacial Mountains, the ring carries his ideal that the greatest warriors must endure the greatest hardships.
]
[Unique attributes -> While the ring is worn, Physical Body won't decrease from Limit C+
While the ring is worn, the user will feel a constant searing pain around the point of contact. Wearing the ring for long periods of time can raise its effects up to Limit B
]
"!… Urg… I can feel it already… shit…"
Philip looked at his hand, but as he expected, there was nothing there. The pain was only illusory, there was no physical damage associated with the artifact.
'It's a powerful piece of equipment. Maybe with this, I can now push Armament further and not die.'
His gaze drifted across the ravaged battlefield. The werewolf's massive corpse still lay where it had fallen, its frozen cleaver half-buried in ice nearby, "What to do now?… I suppose its time to prepare. The next series of challenges will be just as hard as this one, but I won't have the luxury of recovery…"
'If the next challenge is as difficult as this, even with the bonus from the ring, it may be hard to reach Extreme, but that's okay. Reaching Extreme is something only a few legendary individuals can do. If I can complete Heroic, it would already be far above what I needed to do anyway.'
"But maybe I can push things a little further… That said, I need a weapon."
He looked at the werewolf knight's weapon. Still exuding cold air…
'Maybe I can keep it? Its armor is far too big for me. And even though it's the same for the weapon, it's better than nothing.'
"One thing at a time…" He muttered as he went through the notifications
[You've been granted 1000000 Trial Shards]
'That's a lot of Shards… more than I expected… There was a twenty times increase from Civilian to Soldier. 300 to 6000… Even if we cut it down in half from the covenant. That's still half a million… How much is that? A little over 80 times increase?'
'Maybe it's because the difficulty was seven stars and not three as usual. How much would each star be valued? Seventy thousand or something?' He thought as he made some quick calculations in his head
'When I put it that way, it feels a little lower then expected… Maybe even if there are more stars, the expected value does not increase much and it remains the same… Either way, it seems there was some rounding up for the values, and even if it's down, I won't complain much.'
'This much is probably about what I would receive from completing a Heroic trial, much less a Champion one.'
The reward structure had also clearly changed…
[Abilities -> Choose between Offensive, Defensive, and Support-type Abilities]
[Experience -> Choose up to three Abilities to enhance]
[Items]
[Shards]
"That said, there were some changes to the System too. The rewards have been expanded, and I now have more choices to pick from."
'There is is. I've finally been given the chance to receive shards… My bet is that I'd probably receive just as much as an Ability would be worth. Albeit likely a little less.'
'If it's a random Ability, then the System may give me something a little more worthwhile than raw currency, which I can use to buy anything. Although one could presume that if I skip the Ability and choose Shards, I'd grow potentially weaker and fail higher challenges. So maybe Shards are worth more in the end, but riskier.'
His eyes lingered on the Ability option, "I'm tempted to get a support skill. If I luck out and gain something like physical reinforcement… reaching Extreme won't be outside the realm of possibility."
'That said, should I risk and pick something else? Experience could be a possibility. With some limitations removed… No, it's too early. Armament and Exceed are too high level to be released in the first stage of the Trials.'
But the weapon predicament remained. His gaze drifted again to the frozen cleaver once more, "I could gamble on another item… honestly, it's probably what I should do. Without a weapon, going through the Heroic Rank Trials won't even be a possibility. But if I get the wrong thing here, then the potential of what I can get once I step onto the next stage will diminish…"
'There's no need to be greedy. I know the limits of this body…'
[The Lord of the Glacial Mountains takes an interest in your dilemma]
[A preposition is made]
[The next trial's difficulty is increased, granting increased rewards. If successful, the Challenger's physical conditioning will be restored. Once accepted, the Challenger will be granted a weapon fitting his being]
[The next series of trials will be compressed into a single confrontation. The difficulty has been set to Heroic First Stage 6-Star]
[Will you partake in the covenant?]
"Six stars… Usually, when the difficulty goes beyond three stars, it starts breeching onto the next Rank's level… but I only know this from one post I found on the web."
"Seven stars was quite considerable, maybe harder than anything I'd face on Heroic. So six stars… would that be equivalent to Extreme three stars? Maybe a little less?"
"Hum… This might be too much for me to handle… All rests on this then." He said as he let his thoughts drain from his lips
'I'll pick a support-type Ability.'
[The Lord of the Glacial Mountains takes an interest in your choice]
"What?"
'This guy is quite active… is he reading my thoughts?'
[A preposition is made]
[The previous Trial reward will be handled by the Lord of the Glacial Mountains. He offers a fitting Ability the Challenger desperately requires. If accepted, reward distribution will be closed]
[The Lord of the Glacial Mountains assures that if the reward is not up to the Challenger's standards, he may refuse it and leave it to fate to decide]
[Will you partake in the covenant?]
Philip had his suspicions; he wasn't stupid… but with the prospect of being able to go further down the trials… how could he not give it a shot?
"… Fate huh… Fine. I accept it. Let's see what you have to offer."
/Shaaa!/
The sky split with a thunderclap, a bolt of blue lightning striking Philip directly in the chest. There was no pain, only a strange tingling sensation that spread through his limbs, like dipping into an icy spring.
"This is… a strange feeling…"
[A new Ability has manifested within you]
[Flesh of the Bisclavrets 0]
"Interesting."
[Flesh of the Bisclavrets 0
The legendary body of a Bisclavret is said to be impervious to cold and highly resistant to the elements. It gave them the necessary edge to dominate the Northern Wilds and become the dominant force all feared to encounter in the snowy abyss.
Bisclavrets are said to grow stronger with age rather than to grow senile, with the only thing killing them from age being their own overwhelming strength as it grows unbearable for them to control. It is said that only in the coldest of mountains, able to freeze even the air, can an Elder Bisclavret remain as its imposing body is suppressed by the cold elements.
Truth is, the power of the Bisclavrets traces back to an ancient hero of legendary status that incorporated an ancient technique into his very body, passing it down to successive generations.
Even then, none has risen to his height since his passing. And over time, the original technique that gave origin to the Bisclavrets' body has been lost, existing only within their bloodline, their undeniable history.
…
]
The skill's description went on for a few more pages, describing the rich records and the unusual abilities of a Bisclavret's body. He also received a simple influx of memories that described a simple set of guidelines to practice this technique.
It gave Philip an idea of what kind of effect this Ability had. And while his body hadn't changed much from the outside, he could feel the significant change merely from having that Ability.
'This… could very well be what I was looking for. Maybe not exactly what I wanted, but close enough. A physical enhancement Ability that trains my body like some sort of ancient cultivation technique.'
'I know enough of it to employ it, but I'll be relying on the System to give me the proficiency needed to use it in combat… Should I keep it? Or should I gamble… No, I can't risk it. Not when I don't have some leeway for failure.'
'Even if I could lose access to an incredible ability, this isn't that much of a loss either. If its description is to be believed, this could very well be a Legendary Grade Ability.'
'Each Rank unlocks access to corresponding grade Abilities. While precise information is rare, I know the overall layering of things.'
'Civilian Rank unlocks Civilian Grade Abilities, Soldier Rank unlocks Soldier Grade Abilities and so on… Until you reach Extreme. Once you reach that Rank and somehow complete it, then you might be lucky and receive a Legendary Grade Ability.'
'But why would I receive one right now?… Could it be… Seven stars… If my previous assumption was correct… if I take that three stars correspond to an entire Rank, then Champion seven stars would correspond to… Extreme one star?'
'If that's true… then it would also explain why my next offer was Heroic six stars. It corresponds to the maximum difficulty of the trials, Extreme three stars.'
"… Very well, I'll accept this and the previous covenant."
'With this Ability, I may just be able to show a portion of Armament's true power… Its current one at least."
"But I'll definitely reach higher… Will it be high enough to surpass the next challenge though?'
'The realm of legend… well… only partially. This is only the first Stage.'
'And even if I were to complete the Trials, no one is expecting me to come out as strong as the ancient heroes and mythical existences. The Trials are only meant to make the foundation on which someone will spend the rest of their life building upon… that will be their legend.'
'On that, I'm more of a passerby.'
[The Lord of the Glacial Mountains knew you'd make the right choice and grants you a fitting piece of equipment]
/Crack!/
/Slide…/
As the notification vanished before him. The large frozen axe next to him cracked open like a boulder being struck by a hammer. From the cracks, water flowed, and the chunks of ice were slowly washed down as his weapon was revealed from the carcass of the cleaver.
"That… may actually be a fitting weapon for me."
A long curved blade seemingly appeared from within the hilt of the axe. Its tip lodged inside the axe's head. Philip didn't believe the cleaver was built around the sword, but it sure looked like it.
The blade itself was inside a pure white sheeth with no visible openings… It made Philip remember a large Wii remote for some reason.
He held the blade with interest. It was cold, but not unbearably so. The shape felt familiar in his hand… It was indeed a katana!
'It's almost the perfect size I'm used to… Don't tell me… did the Lord of the Glacial Mountains figure out Armament was built with this kind of sword in mind merely from seeing me fight?'
'Did he figure out this was my preferred weapon from that? Honestly, it's not that bad. A standard longsword or greatsword would've done fine since I'm used to fighting with the Darklight Sword but I use it mostly due to its exceptional abilities.'
'In terms of pure skill, I'm better with something like this in hand… at least when fighting other humanoid entities.'
Before he moved on, Philip took one last look at his Status panel:
[Identity: Darius Narfa 18M
-Trial Candidate-
Stage of Completion: 1st Stage Heroic 1-Star
Approximated Qualities:
Physical Body: Limit F (Limit C+)
Spiritual Body: Limit F (4 E)
Astral Body: Limit F- (Limit E-)
]
'My stats are rising steadily. Especially Physical Body, it rose multiple levels just by gaining the skill. Astral Body also rose in level, but that's only for my basic stats. What matters is my strength with everything applied.'
'I'm still quite below the standard. If my Stats were all around B, I'd likely be strong enough to brute force my way through the first stage. Stats are valuable, but their influence decays in later stages.'
'I don't even know for certain what they signify. The first two Stats are well known, but what exactly does Astral Body encompasses?…'
"Let's see my Abilities… although it's not really necessary."
[Registered Abilities:
Care Limit
Armament Limit
Exceed Limit
Flesh of the Bisclavrets 0
]
'And then…'
[…
Innate - Greenhouse 1
]
'Yup, everything's as expected.'
"Only one thing left before moving on."
He looked at the sword, inspecting it.
[Edge of Frostbite 5-Star
-Heroic Artifact-
Sword of the Sangband, the Edge of Frostbite. The 7th Champion of the thirty heroic spirits of Caninarus Wolfern, Lord of the Glacial Mountains.
Manufactured from the flowing ice that never melts and tempered by the frozen flames of Mount Frekt, the Edge of Frostbite has never failed to claim a soul back to the white abyss.
Blessed by the Lord of the Glacial Mountains, the sword was known to have pierced the heart of Cartus, the abyssal whale. Its carved bones now form its sheet, perfecting its design.
…
]
Philip pulled out the peerless white katana from its sheath, revealing the blade hidden underneath. A pure blue and translucent blade akin to a sheet of ice. It seemed feeble, but with a simple touch, Philip could tell its resilience, "Does it not have any unique attributes?… It seems to contain some strange magic though…"
'The sword itself is extremely cold, as if I'm touching the inside of a freezer… But the hilt itself is warm.'
'Maybe this isn't the real thing but a replica. It wouldn't make much sense to bestow me with Heroic artifacts this soon in the Trials… but that's up to the Gods to decide.'
"I like it. A little light though… But the weight won't get in my way."
'On the contrary, actually.'
"… Okay, everything's finished… but uh… what do I do about this?" He asked as he looked down
"I can't fight naked…"
[The Lord of the Glacial Mountains agrees and says such a trivial matter should not interfere in your ascension]
/Shine!/
The body of the great werewolf knight flashed with light, and from his remains, a set of equipment appeared. Philip approached him with caution, taking a glance at them.
[Vestments of the Great Mane 3-Star
-Champion Artifact-
…
]
The equipment did not have any intrinsic abilities, but it had a long description, as was to be expected given the other items he had found so far.
In simple terms, it was a set of clothes that reminded him of Viking combat garments. Leathery straps everywhere protecting the sides of his body, sheets of the same translucent ice adorned his body, high boots, gloves, a white shirt, and of course, a metal helmet with a wolf head covering it, and the pelt of the wolf as a cape.
And of course, a single piece of underwear for him to cover himself with.
"… If I had an axe instead, I could cosplay as a Nordic barbarian…" He muttered as he put on the clothes, finding them rather comfortable and less warm than expected, they felt cold even… likely the same magic imbued onto the blade
Finally, as if waiting for him to finish his inspection, the System proclaimed the continuation of the trials:
[Challenger, you have completed your trials. Proceed to the next stage, or attempt a greater challenge]
[You may also choose to relinquish future blessings. If you decide on such, you may keep all your current rewards and continue with greater challenges, but they won't provide you with anything until you complete a set]
[But if you are to fail, your ascension won't come to a sudden halt but continue from where you left off]
[Heroic]
[Extreme]
"I hope I don't regret this… Heroic!"
[A choice is made. The path unfurls…]
[You have stepped into the realm of Heroes. Though your will, reach the end of your path]
[Grade-1 limitations have been lifted as your authority increases]
[The Complex has been expanded]
[Heroic First Stage 6-Star Trial, begins…]
[10:00]
[The Lord of the Glacial Mountains awaits your success]
"Yeah… me too."
/CONVERGE!/
Black tides erupted from the ground, covering the whole land in a tide of dark waves coalescing into a swirling vortex of power that made the previous summoning seem tame by comparison.
Philip could feel them rushing through his shoulders, legs, and arms, their density so great he was almost swept by the current.
"Looks like something rather strong is coming…"
A bead of sweat fell from his forehead as he felt the fluctuations of energy gathering around the center point of the tide. Like last time, it seemed a single entity would be his opponent.
'This phenomenon alone… is several times more intense than the last one. The different between this and the last challenge is five stars. Can I cover this…'
/BURST!/
The shadows exploded, casting the whole world black.
…
.
.
.
Notes
Next chapter will be the end of the first stage and we'll receive some insights into the Goddess' plan and Philip's role in this world which will shape how the rest of this arc will go.
I don't plan to drag it out for long, so we won't be experiencing all stages. So if he does remain, we'll be seeing some things happen, be they timeskips or resumes of his fights.
For all I'd like to write him fight twenty different oponnents. I'd likely end up extinguishing the little motivation I gathered recently.
Anyhow, I'll stop here before I burst my ass in my seat. That's all from me for today, goodnight and until next time.
Peace!