Chapter 16

Ryo Akira stood at the edge of the battlefield, his eyes locked onto the massive titan in front of him. The sight of such a towering creature was overwhelming, but Ryo's resolve remained firm. Despite being a new recruit, his instincts told him that this was the moment he had been waiting for.

The titan, seemingly oblivious to his presence, continued to stomp around, wreaking havoc on the area. It had no intellect, no cunning; it was just a mindless force of destruction. To most, this would be a terrifying opponent, but Ryo saw it as an opportunity.

"Damn! A 12-meter titan, huh? This'll be a good challenge," he muttered under his breath, tightening his grip on his blade.

As he readied himself, a familiar prompt echoed in his mind.

Ding! System prompt: A new super-difficult task has been released. Please check it out!

Ryo immediately accessed the task. It was a challenge to defeat the titan and earn 100 experience points, along with a month's worth of supplies. The reward was substantial, and the task itself wasn't to be taken lightly.

"100 experience points... that's enough to level up twice," Ryo thought, eyes gleaming with anticipation. The task description was clear—eliminate this 12-meter titan. He had already gained 10 experience points just for completing the previous task, and defeating this giant would push him to a whole new level. This was an opportunity he couldn't afford to waste.

He glanced around, noting the chaos unfolding around him. A few recruits were struggling against the titan's swift and brutal attacks. Its long arms lashed out, snatching several of them up in the blink of an eye. They had no chance. They weren't trained for something like this.

Ryo's thoughts shifted back to the task. The titan wasn't smart, and that worked to his advantage. He could exploit the creature's lack of strategy and use his maneuverability to get in close. The forest around him offered ample cover, with trees standing tall as anchor points for his three-dimensional maneuver gear.

The key here was precision. If he could get close enough to the titan's nape, one swift strike would bring it down.

"Here goes nothing," Ryo muttered, activating his maneuver gear. With a burst of speed, he soared through the air, skillfully weaving between the trees, closing the gap between him and the titan.

The titan, focused on its mindless destruction, didn't even notice Ryo as he swung into action. He darted towards its side, the maneuvering device allowing him to stay light on his feet. His heart pounded in his chest, but he was calm. This was his fight.

As he neared the titan's nape, Ryo adjusted his stance, readying his blade. The titan's thick skin and massive size would be tough to cut through, but Ryo had trained for moments like this. His blade was sharp, and his will was stronger.

With a final leap, Ryo plunged toward the titan's neck. Time seemed to slow as he drew closer, his mind calculating the perfect angle for the strike. In a single, fluid motion, he swung his blade, aiming for the soft spot beneath the titan's skull.

The sound of metal meeting flesh echoed through the forest.

The titan let out a grotesque roar as its enormous body staggered, then collapsed, crashing to the ground with a thunderous impact.

Ding! Task complete! 100 experience points earned!

Ryo landed gracefully atop the fallen titan, his chest heaving with the adrenaline rush. His heart raced, but his mind was already thinking ahead. This victory would boost his strength, but it was just the beginning. There were many more challenges ahead, and Ryo Akira would be ready for them all.

With a satisfied grin, he turned back toward the other recruits, who had managed to stay out of harm's way. He couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. This battle had been his to fight—and win.

"Is that all you've got, titan?" Ryo muttered to himself. He had just begun.