Hell Rain's intensity increased as it formed balls of heat that started their descent to the dome.
[10%]
[Alert!]
[Seek shelter.]
Benign grimaced. This was one time he couldn't do that no matter how much he wanted to. Heavy whimpering came from the slimes as they trembled at the heat sizzling their bodies. Some started to melt at the bottom of the dome.
[40%]
[Alert!]
[Seek shelter.]
Soon, their whimpering got drowned by smaller balls falling to the dome. They held on, but it was obvious that they wouldn't hold on for long.
Benign bent towards the bottom of the dome, seeing an opening. If he made a run for it, he should survive or, at most, be hit with less damage.
"What?" He turned to see the lady, eyes glazed on the balls of heat above her, her defense lowered. It was like she was glued to the spot, enthralled by her impending doom. "Fuck me!" He rushed back to her.
[80%]
[Alert!]
[Seek shelter.]
He grabbed her and pushed her down the dome's opening. She tried to fight back, but he rolled her away from the exit to make an escape himself.
[90%]
[95%]
[Commenced.]
BOOM! THUD!!
BOOM! BOOM!
The balls crashed down in explosive force. Scorching away the dome with ease and firing at the ground. The arena began to tremble.
Reverberating. Everything immediately gone in smoke before contact. Benign kept running, pulling the lady with him, away from the arena. Rubbles and stones blocked their way, and most came flying toward them.
They were already outside, but he couldn't risk a -1000 HP deduction in the slightest. Even from the distance, as balls of fire, the juddering impact of the fireballs was still felt on the ground.
BOOM! BOOM!
THUD!!
BOOM! BOOM!
BOOM! THUD!
They should've stopped after annihilating the dome, but since the area had eaten away, Benign knew he must've miscalculated.
Or perhaps, Hell Rain would always destroy everything it came in contact with. There might be no managing it unless he wanted everything to be gone.
Far from the arena, he sighted a forest that promised sanctuary and cool breeze. Even far away, more than ten miles away, he could still hear small explosions from Hell Rain.
He noted the difference in Level Two was mostly the number of fireballs. Not that he could get used to the intensity even if it was the same.
His knees gave way the moment his legs touched the green grass, and he fell on his face. The lady sluggishly walked ahead before dropping as well.
Benign huffed out a chuckle. "I guess I win then. I broke free." He sighed. "Your slime friends are likely done for though."
All he heard was her heavy panting. He forced himself up and checked his Blade. The blade was hot, so much that the hilt felt risky to touch.
He placed it on the cool ground and smoke rose from the blade. "Does it adapt to its surroundings?" The atmosphere was relatively hot at the moment.
Not getting a reply, he remembered Lego was still gone. He inched towards a tree and rested his back on it. "I really shouldn't make use of this again."
No matter what. What if there were other people within the arena? He didn't want to think of it, but there could've been other lives, apart from slimes.
Destruction of public property was always handled by the top brass, but as a soldier, he did his best to limit it. He'd want the people to be able to live in that area after their victory.
Benign glanced at his blade, and it was cool. He turned when he heard the lady sigh. For a moment, he thought she had given up the ghost.
"How could such a formidable ability be owned by a human?" She muttered to herself. "How could…?"
Those had been his thoughts at first, except the human part. Any other attack skill would've helped him better than Hell Rain for a beginner skill.
"Are you doing alright, lady? You've been breathing heavily." He grabbed his Blade and left the ground.
She was still sprawled on the ground, hands and legs spread apart. She scoffed. "Protector of the realm? If you'd release such a powerful skill just to beat me, then you're not ready to protect anyone."
Benign hummed, nodding his head at her words. He couldn't deny the recklessness. "But I protected you, didn't I?" He smirked.
"And I didn't do that to beat you. I wanted to win so I can have the chance to protect others, and solve the glitches. The 'greater good' kind of thing."
She raised her upper body, glaring at him. "Huh."
Benign didn't know how to respond to that, so he changed the topic. "Anyway, since we are both tired, care to put a word to your boss to give me a place to rest before the next trial?"
He was exhausted after unleashing the Hell Rain. No mana points taken, but he hadn't changed much to withstand releasing it.
In these trials where his mana points were stagnant, it would have been the best time to practice his combat skills—if he had them.
"Your next trial is with my boss."
Benign's face fell. He was having a boss-level trial already? It was just the fourth one. "You would let me rest first, wouldn't you?"
"That's her call to make." The lady left the ground. "You did thrill me enough in this fight to make me zone out, so you better do the same for her."
What type of encouragement was that? He didn't plan to use Hell Rain anytime soon. Benign followed her, going deeper into the forest.
"But if I should give you a tip?" She continued, staring down at her hands. "Just try outsmarting her. Brute force will take you nowhere. She's a beast."
Benign nodded, hoping that tip would be useful for him. If he'd be given the details on his fight before he engaged in it, then he could try to plan ahead.
"Can I ask your name, lady?"
She sighed, but answered. "Rox. I am a newbie, but I've been working with my boss for a long time. She's also a Protector."
So this boss wasn't really a boss, just her boss? That made Benign feel a little better.
Brute force would definitely take him nowhere, so tricks were the only cards on the table. As long as he won, he wouldn't think much on what he did.