Chapter 4: The 15th Challenge

Two hours later....

Ron was sitting meditating for the fifteenth challenge. The previous 13th and 14th challenges he'd cleared with not much difficulty as both the challenges had monsters weak to fire. He was lucky, the crimson apes didn't appear in huge numbers. It would've become quite a difficult challenge that way.

The system announcement sounds out,

[Challenge 15: Defeat a Martial Mantis.]

Hearing that Ron gets excited. The martial mantis, although an advanced 2 star beast, it can rival even those at basic 3 star beasts.

Ron becomes a bit vigilant, it was the first beast he'd encounter that can be a real threat, with it's nimble body and legs, it's speed is quite terrifying.

Ron recovered all his mana and stamina during his meditation. He was at full strength but he still had to be careful. His 50 mana points allowed for the use of at most intermediate level pyromancy spells. His inheritance and everything else was locked till he gets into the real celestial grounds.

But he didn't need any cheats right now, he simply wanted to complete all the challenges, no one can stop him this time.

So he prepares, using his mana, he envelops his whole body empowering it and forming a kind of detection barrier. The mantis will definitely move faster than he can see so this is his best chance to avoid serious injuries.

The terrain this time is again a huge grassland and the mantis appears, the same color as the grass.

It has a perfect cover now. The mantis looks at him with it's beady eyes and without warning performs a jump with it's hind legs.

"Fck.", Ron curses at it's annoying speed and ducks down, saving his neck just in time as the mantis' scythe like limbs, cut just a few strands of his crimson hair.

He looks behind him only to see nothing as the mantis has vanished within the grass. He spreads his mana sense, using a total of 10 mana points, around a 2m radius. It's better to use his mana sense right now as with his eyes and danger sense it'll be too late to react.

He closes his eyes and focuses on his mana and danger sense whole-heartedly.

"Left, got you!", he exclaims after sensing it's direction, it's moving at a fast speed but he uses his dagger to deflect one of it's scythes while it's momentum carries it away again.

Disappearing into the grass once more, the mantis stalks the prey which is able to sense it somehow. It uses it's amazing hind legs to jump in every direction as it keeps increasing it's speed. Once more it charges.

Ron, visibly annoyed at the mantis' hit and run tactics, mutters," If you don't wanna fight head on, I'll just fcking make you."

After declaring that he gets into a four legged stance, sheathing back his dagger. The stance for the flame panther arts that he'd learned during his travels, was known for its speed and the burden it put on the users body and mana.

He couldn't use it as soon as he got his mana because it took time for the mind and body to get accustomed to the new energy. Now that it was time, he burned another 10 points of his mana, forming flaming claws and empowering his body once more.

As soon as the charging mantis got into his attack range, he used minimal movements to dodge the scythes. Without letting it pass, he uses both of his flaming claws to wound it's hind legs.

Skreeeeee...

The mantis screeches, but can't halt it's momentum and crashes to the ground farther away from Ron. Ron seeing the opportunity rushes to it. Still keeping his stance, using his hands as forelegs he pounces on the mantis. The mantis deflects his claws with his scythes and stands on it's injured leg. Although wounded and not being able to perform it's jumps any longer, the mantis still had it's innate martial arts.

Now no longer fearing it's speed, Ron now distances himself a bit. The mantis looking at him backing away, tries to jump but the wounds on it's legs won't allow that as more green blood keeps flowing from it's wounds.

Skreeeeee.....

It screeches again and jumps towards Ron, ignoring the pain,but it's speed is no longer the same as before. Ron smirks and toys with it for a bit with his dagger, slowly making small cuts on it's whole body.

But soon he gets bored as the mantis innate arts are still childs play to him after it's annoying speed has been taken care of. He forms a small beam with his flames using 5 mana points and pierces it's brain, frying it and killing it off.

It lays there dead and motionless, the beady eyes open and staring straight ahead.

[Challenge 15: Cleared.]

Ron meditates again to recover his mana and stamina after that fight.

[Challenge 16: Kill Three Martial Mantises]

"Fck, if one wasn't enough already, you really want me to fight three of them now.", Ron once more starts with cursing the system.

Looking at the challenges so far, some were difficult for him while some easy, but what he doesn't understand is how any normal person from earth will be able to reach this far.

The one person that reached the 17th challenge in his past life could be considered a monster when it came to combat. He was hailed as a hero of the whole human civilization.

While Ron was thinking about the hero and preparing for his challenge.

........

......

....

At another 16th challenge.......

The Hero of humanity, who Ron keeps mentioning, is currently fighting the three mantises.

Standing tall like a mountain, he holds his spear while his arrogant emotionless eyes gaze at the mantises, making them retreat back in utter terror. They don't dare to attack as the very presence of this person makes them shiver.

Although being the same age as Ron, this person with black hair and hollow eyes gives off a dangerous feeling. He uses his red aura, bursting under his feet and increasing his speed. He charges towards the mantises who try to retreat, but his spear is faster and beheads all three of them with a single swing of his spear.

The system announcement sounds out again.

[Challenge 16th: Cleared.]

[Congratulations, Fin Aster, on being the first human to clear the 16th challenge]

[10 stat points will be randomly assigned to your stats.]

Hearing the announcements, his aura shifts and his demeanor changes completely. He seems like an excited youth now, his eyes gleaming and his lips curled into an ecstatic smile.

"Hahahaha, I did it, I'm still number 1.", he yells excitedly and sits down on the grass. His whole presence has changed, he now seems just like any other excited youth.

[The 17th Challenge: Kill the Golden Knight]

"Huh, what kinda monster is it, I wonder?", Fin wonders aloud, looking at the blue screen infront of him. The Golden Knight is written in deep golden letters, it might be on a different level, considering no other monster name was written like that.

A golden Knight in full armour appears in an empty field. It emanates a certain presence of authority and magnificence with a huge sword hung on it's back. It stands to observe the youth named Fin.

Looking at the knight that exudes threat, Fin regains his emotionless eyes and a dreary presence. He again stands tall holding the spear in his right hand. His presence rivaling that of the knight.

The knight draws his sword, and walks calmly towards Fin, like an executioner going to behead a criminal. The casual gait and demeanor revealing a certainty towards it's actions.

Before it could get that close, Fin swings his spear at the knight. Hitting the golden armour, the black metallic spear breaks into pieces , while the knight continues his casual gait towards Fin.

Discarding the now broken spear, Fin uses his Aura, that he got after the 10th challenge from an elixir, just like Ron got his mana. His eyes remain pitch black as his whole body gains a layer of red covering him in it. He burns his aura and his muscles bulge.

He rushes in towards the armoured knight, which swings it's sword at him. He dodges and attacks with a torrent of fist strikes.

Klang...

Klang...

Klang....

The metallic sounds are heard,but the armour doesn't seem affected at all.

"Huh,hollow?", fin exclaims sensing the armour is hollow on the inside. But how does one defeat it then, he can see that physical attacks are barely doing anything.

The knight undettered by the barrage, keeps swinging his huge sword faster and faster. He keeps attacking fin while Fin keeps dodging.

The knight shines in a deeper glow and uses an AOE attack. Ethereal swords attack in all directions, and fin is late to dodge. He gets hit in the legs and a huge gash appears.

Fin had been continuously using his aura in this fight and now that he had been wounded, the aura points being used soared and began to heal his legs. The gash could be seen to visibly heal and he was back in top shape again.

Now left with 30 points of aura. He uses 10 aura points more and gathers the aura to his fist, and right leg. Rushing up towards the knight, dodging the sword attack, he jumps to it's head hits with full force.

The attack is nullified and does not affect the knight at all. The knight,seeing the opportunity pierces Fin's heart and just like that Fin hangs on the Knight's blade. The sword piercing his chest keeps him mid air.

Ghuuk...huk....

Fin spits a mouthful of blood, but he still has those emotionless eyes, that relentless gaze. Seemingly unaffected by the wounds, he gathers all of his aura in his fingers and hanging onto the knights head, he plunges that aura into its eyes. The aura washes the whole inside of the armour and a screech is heard, the armour falls to the ground.

[ Challenge 17th:Cleared]

[Congratulations, Fin Aster, on being the first human to clear the 17th challenge]

[Reward: Advanced passive skill: Relentless]

As soon as the knight disappears, emotions return to Fins eyes and his face scrunches in pain. His breathing becomes ragged and he knows he'll die soon enough. Tears begin to fill his eyes....

But he soon remembers the announcement from before, "I give up." He shouts out while gritting his teeth. A blue light flashes and he disappears from the Trial grounds.

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[To be continued.]