The plains were scarred from the previous waves, blackened earth smoking under a turbulent sky. The air vibrated with tension; the storm above swirled violently as Wave 4 emerged: 8,000 enemies, double the previous numbers.
I stood alone, wraiths flanking me. Every muscle burned. Every nerve screamed. The adrenaline from Wave 3 still coursed through me, but now I had to push beyond limits I hadn't thought possible. My system support lingered at 20%, the cruel reminder that I had to rely on my body, my mind, and my wraiths alone.
I took a deep breath, fingers brushing the hilt of my sword. "Time to get serious."
Violet lightning flared along my veins as I summoned my blade fully, amethyst light rippling along its edge. It was heavier than ever, charged with the storm inside me. Every strike now had potential not just to kill, but to alter the battlefield itself.
The first wave of wolves surged, faster and stronger than before, shadowed forms glinting in the stormlight. I swung my sword in a wide arc. Abyssstorm erupted in tandem, the ground beneath me cracking as lightning surged outward in branching streaks, electrocuting dozens at once.
I gritted my teeth. Each strike, each surge, drained energy from my body. My lungs burned with the effort, muscles trembling from exertion. Yet the battlefield bent to the storm I wielded—wolves screamed and fell, serpents convulsed, rock giants staggered.
This is my storm. My will is the law here. I thought, smirking despite the pain.
A molten giant slammed into the ground beside me, sending tremors that rattled my bones. I swung my blade down, channeling Judgment Spark into the dirt. Lightning tore through the giant's core, splitting it in two. The energy explosion sent debris flying, scattering smaller wolves and serpents like leaves in a gale.
Wave 4 did not relent. Packs of serpents struck from the sky, wolves from the ground, rock behemoths charging in tight formation. Each attack was faster, more coordinated, more deadly. My wraiths reacted instantly, but even their reflexes strained. Obsidian intercepted a molten fist that would have smashed me flat. Shadow dragged a lightning serpent into the air, shredding it mid-flight. Rift carved a path through a swarm of wolves.
I felt the toll immediately. Energy seared through my limbs, every strike costing more than the last. My chest heaved. Pain clawed from every cut and burn. Sweat, blood, and violet sparks streaked across the battlefield. I staggered, barely deflecting a serpentine strike with the hilt of my sword.
Almost… too many. My mind raced. But I can't stop. I won't stop.
I leapt, blade slicing through two rock giants simultaneously, lightning arcs connecting with dozens of wolves and serpents. The ground split beneath me, forming jagged channels of electricity. Wolves fell into the cracks, serpents scorched as lightning danced across the fractured earth.
Each time I used a large-scale attack, I felt my energy drain dangerously close to the limits. My vision blurred, my arms shook, yet I smiled faintly. This is what fighting calamity feels like. This is why I exist.
A shadow wolf lunged from behind. I barely deflected it with the back of my sword, the force throwing me forward. I rolled across scorched ground, pain stabbing through my ribs as a jagged rock scraped my side. I sprang upright, violet lightning surging along my body, igniting Storm Veins and Abyssstorm simultaneously.
The battlefield became a storm of death. Every swing of my sword carved arcs of amethyst lightning across the ground, sending waves of destructive energy outward. Wolves, serpents, and giants screamed, staggered, fell—but more pressed forward relentlessly.
I could feel the edge of near-death pressing against me. My lungs burned, muscles screamed, veins throbbed with exhaustion. Each time a molten giant's fist smashed near me, each time a serpent struck from above, I barely survived. Pain flashed in my vision, and yet I pressed forward, smirk curling across bloodied lips.
Let them come. I thought, violet lightning snapping in arcs along my blade. Every strike, every death, every scar… is mine.
The wraiths moved like extensions of my will, cutting down clusters, intercepting attacks, and allowing me to focus on precision strikes that could alter the battlefield. Shadow leapt, shredding wolves in mid-air. Rift tore a trench through serpents. Obsidian intercepted a rock giant mid-charge. Together, we were lethal, unstoppable.
By the midpoint, half the enemies had fallen. The plains were littered with bodies, scorched earth, and the remnants of lightning storms. Sweat and blood dripped into my eyes. My energy dwindled. Every large-scale attack now cost agony, each strike pushing me closer to collapse.
I stumbled, nearly falling from exhaustion. A molten fist slammed into the ground inches from my feet, sending shards of stone into the air. I bit back a scream, planting my sword in the earth and sending Judgment Spark outward in a radial strike, cleaving dozens of wolves and serpents instantly.
The last of Wave 4 fell after what felt like an eternity. 8,000 enemies were no more. My chest heaved, every muscle screaming, my vision flickering with exhaustion. Sweat, blood, and sparks covered me, but I had survived.
The system chimed softly:
[Wave 4 Complete – Progress Recorded]
XP Gained: +20,000, Level Up Progress: +24%
I staggered, blade still glowing faintly with residual storm energy. My wraiths hovered near, shadows and lightning flickering, exhausted but functional. I wiped blood from my cheek, voice low and hoarse:
"Wave 5… the final curtain. Let's see if you can survive me."
The storm above intensified further, dark clouds crackling violently. The plains themselves seemed to shiver in anticipation of the final wave.
I took a deep breath, grounding myself, violet lightning crawling along my veins. My body screamed in protest, yet my mind was calm. Wave 5 would be the ultimate test, the edge of survival, the final step toward the divine reward.
And I… Ashura Bellet, heir of the Nameless God's authority, would see it through.