RIIIIIIIIIIIIIP—
The sound of the air being torn apart rang out like a divine scream.
Though the space within the hall didn’t shatter like glass fragments, due to its hardness.
The momentum of the golden lightning was unmatched—yet Ryuk’s hand continued towards it.
It reached it, and just when Radiant Aveaia would have expected him to be blasted backward like a broken kite, his hands sliced through the bolt like a sharp blade through butter.
CRAAACKKKLLLEEE!
Golden lightning crackled around Ryuk’s arms, raging wildly, dancing across his skin and seeming to try and envelope him.
The system notification blinked before his gaze.
[You Have Been Struck by a Special Element: Fallen Lightning—renowned for its paralysis effect.]
[The host’s skeletal system is resistant to paralysis.]
[Paralysis effect: Nullified.]
The system flashed again just as a grin appeared on Ryuk’s lips.
His extended hands suddenly clenched.
BAAAAAANNNGG!
The sound was that of iron clashing violently against iron as his palms caught the edge of a golden spear, still brimming with insane fallen lightning.
"Got you," he whispered.
In that instant, his grip around the tip of the spear tightened.
His legs slammed into the ground like anchors, and then—
WEEEAVVVVVVEEEE—
The Fallen Guard who held the other end of the golden spear was suddenly lifted off his feet by his weapon.
Ryuk hoisted him into the air with sheer force before—
VROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The colossal body was flung across the entire hall, moving with insane and uncontrollable speed, and then crashed into the second approaching Fallen Guard with thunderous impact—
BAAAAAAANG!
A heavy crash echoed as the two massive Fallen guards slammed into each other, spinning uncontrollably before disappearing into the distance.
Moments later—
BAAAAANNNNG!
Another impact.
A giant war hammer appeared from the side, swinging straight toward his head, but his palms reached sideways with twice their speed and stopped it dead in its tracks.
It instantly shifted into claws, anchoring into the hammer’s side, then his other arm jerked back, the fingers folding into each other before unleashing a devastating punch.
VROOOOOOOM!
The air exploded as Ryuk’s fist slammed into the hammer’s head,
A circular shockwave rippled forth, followed by cracks quickly meandering through the hammerhead.
KAAAABOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
It was instantly blasted apart as chunks of pitch-black stone flew in every direction.
The Fallen Guard staggered back three steps, the force of the attack rippling through its massive form.
It stopped at the fourth step, its singular golden eyes turning to look at its weapon, which had been reduced to just the handle.
It turned back to Ryuk, only to find an object magnifying in its vision.
HOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWLLLLLLLLL!!!
A deafening howl pierced through the chamber, so loud it silenced everything else.
KAAA-CHAAA!
Bones cracked loudly, nearly breaking as Ryuk’s right hand violently recoiled—but a smirk curved his lips as he slowly lowered his arm to the floor.
In his grasp?
A weapon: The Abyssal Howler.
THUMP
THUMP
Two knees dropped.
The Fallen Guard collapsed before Ryuk with something having ripped through its head, leaving behind floating golden motes where its head ought to be.
Its body shimmered—then vanished into golden particles.
[Congratulations! You have defeated a Fallen Guard.]
[Rewards: +1,000,000 EXP!]
"One down, huh?" Ryuk muttered.
______
"He already defeated one of the Fallen Guards?"
Her Voice rang out through the Voidspace, eyes slightly widened in disbelief, but her gaze fell sharply upon the weapon now resting in Ryuk’s grasp.
Her fingers curled, tight with tension.
"What is that weapon?" she murmured, watching a second and the same version of the weapon materialize in Ryuk’s other hand.
_______
RIIIIIP!
The air split again as Ryuk darted sideways.
BAAAANNNNG!
The golden wall behind him shuddered as the phantom of a spear’s edge flashed by his head.
But he was already gone, moving forward at an incredible speed.
He fired both guns continuously,
HOWWWLLL!
HOWWWLLL!
HOWWWLLL!
HOWWWLLL!
Two shots tore through the space.
The Fallen Guards reacted instantly, darting away from their positions.
Where the bullets landed, the ground cracked—huge, gaping fissures forming from the explosive impact.
Ryuk became a blur—golden lightning and pulsing power bursts filled the hall, but he wove through every strike, dodging with an ease that made it seem like he had foreseen their movements years ago.
And after the third set of howls:
THUMP
THUMP
Two knees hit the ground, and another guard fell, a gaping hole in its chest and neck.
Five more howls followed, and he came to a stop.
The third Fallen Guard collapsed.
Its entire upper body is missing—blown apart by an especially powerful explosive force.
Only the legs remained, which eventually disintegrated into molten dots of golden light.
[You have defeated two more Fallen Guards.]
[Rewards: +2,000,000 EXP!]
SHIMMER.
A golden vortex opened beside him, and Radiant Aveiea stepped out.
Ryuk looked at her, seeing her expression still beholding that nonchalance, but this time, he could see it.
Her unbothered and seemingly unimpressed calm now held a bit of caution.
"You have completed the Identification Test for a Fallen Guard," she said.
"You’ll now be issued your Identification Card—"
"I have a question," Ryuk cut in.
"You said a Fallen Guard is just one tier of being a Combatant, right?"
"Yes..." she replied, her eyes narrowing.
And then—realization lit up within her gaze.
"You want to take the Tier 2 test?"
"Yes, I do," he affirmed with a nod.
"Fine," she said, agreeing quicker than Ryuk expected, but it only affirmed to him that whatever the Tier 2 test was, it probably won’t be any good for him.
"If you pass the Tier 2 Combatant Test... you’ll be more than a Fallen Guard."
"To be precise, you’d become an Arch Guard."
Ryuk’s gaze sharpened.
"And what are the benefits of that?" he asked.
He wanted a reason, beyond just shattering the smug calm of some Seraphim Initiate’s stare.
If he was going to take on Tier 2, there has to be more that makes it worth it.
More Value for him, just like their terms.