The plains trembled under the arrival of the second wave. Twice the numbers, twice the ferocity: 2,000 enemies. Elemental beasts surged from the storm clouds above—shadow wolves, lightning serpents, molten rock giants—all moving with coordinated precision. The air vibrated with their collective roar, and a sense of impending chaos settled over the battlefield.
I exhaled slowly, feeling the weight of the task press against my chest. Only 20% system support. The storm inside me responded, impatient and raw, but this was no longer a warm-up. This was a trial of endurance.
"Alright," I murmured, smirking despite the tension tightening in my limbs. "Let's see who can keep up."
I stepped forward, lightning tracing the lines of my arms, sword held ready. Shadow, Rift, and Obsidian moved alongside me, silent and lethal.
The first cluster of wolves lunged, teeth bared, eyes glowing. I moved faster than thought, Judgment Spark piercing through three in succession. Their howls turned into silence. Rift followed, slicing through a second wave of wolves approaching from above. Shadow intercepted one that tried to flank me, teeth snapping in perfect timing, leaving only broken shadows behind.
But this was only the beginning. The molten rock giants struck simultaneously, heavy enough to crush a small building. I dodged the first swing, rolling across the scorched ground, only narrowly avoiding its molten fist. Sparks from lightning arcs flared as my sword met stone, carving a deep gash into its side.
One giant lashed again. My vision blurred as the force slammed me backward. Pain exploded along my ribs. I rolled, barely avoiding being pinned, and swung Judgment Spark in a horizontal strike, slicing through three wolves that had joined the giant in the attack.
I could feel exhaustion clawing at me. My arms trembled, lungs burned, every muscle screaming for reprieve. My wraiths stayed close, intercepting and attacking with precise timing, but even their help wasn't enough to reduce the relentless pressure.
A lightning serpent latched onto my shoulder mid-strike, its fangs sinking deep. I staggered, blood mixing with sweat, vision dimming slightly. A surge of energy from Aether Conduction pulsed through my body, burning pain into raw speed. I ripped the serpent free, sending it flying into a group of molten giants.
The battle escalated. Wolves leapt over fallen rocks, giants slammed the ground, sending tremors up my legs. Two serpents dove from above in a synchronized attack. I barely deflected one with Obsidian, the other grazing my cheek and drawing a streak of blood.
I staggered back, forcing myself upright. This is… close… I thought, muscles straining. My body limits were screaming. My sword arm quivered. Yet, something deeper inside refused to break—the storm inside me, unyielding, pushing through every inch of pain.
Another wave of beasts surged, and I met them head-on. Abyssstorm erupted, tentacles of violet lightning striking in perfect arcs, leaving scorched marks across the battlefield. Wraiths moved in synchronization, targeting the most dangerous foes first.
Despite this, near-death moments came unrelenting. A molten giant's fist smashed down; I barely jumped, leaving my boots scorched and my chest aching from the impact. A pack of shadow wolves lunged simultaneously; I slashed one, dodged another, and felt a fang graze my side, burning into my ribs.
I bit back the pain, swinging Judgment Spark again and again. The battlefield was chaos incarnate, but the principle was clear: precision, speed, and controlled violence. Every step, every strike, every dodge was measured. Wraiths covered my blind spots, and together we tore through the wave.
Finally, the last of the 2,000 enemies fell. I dropped to my knees, sword in the dirt, chest heaving. Violet sparks flickered along my body, veins throbbed with residual energy, and I realized just how close I had come to dying multiple times.
Yet, even at the edge of collapse, a sense of triumph surged. The Nameless God's test wasn't about glory—it was about endurance, pushing limits, surviving against impossible odds. And I had done it.
The system chimed softly, notification glowing:
[Wave 2 Complete – Progress Recorded]
XP Gained: +5,000, Level Up Progress: +12%
I allowed myself a brief smirk, wiping blood from my cheek. "Not bad… but you'll have to do better, Wave 3." My voice carried across the silent plains, the only sound now the faint crackle of residual lightning from the battlefield.
Shadow, Rift, and Obsidian hovered around me, undamaged, but alert. Even they could sense the escalation in the coming waves.
I stood, brushing dirt and blood from my armor, looking to the horizon. The storm was far from over. Each wave stronger than the last. Each wave a step closer to something greater.
And I… would survive.