The storm raged on as I ran, my feet sinking into the muddy ground with every step.
Rain poured down in thick sheets, drenching me completely, but I barely felt the cold.
I was close.
I pushed forward, ignoring the ache in my legs. The wind howled through the trees, and thunder boomed overhead.
Lightning flashed across the sky, lighting up the world for a brief moment.
That's when I saw it.
Checkpoint 22.
I slowed down, coming to a stop near the edge of a steep drop.
Below me was a massive crater, a huge hole in the ground that stretched far and wide.
The land inside was dead—no trees, no grass, just blackened rocks and jagged mounts sticking out from the ground.
The rain hit the surface and turned into thin streams, washing over the cracks and crevices.
Right in the center stood the checkpoint pillar, a tall stone structure almost 50ft high, covered in thick lightning.
It crackled and sparked, making the air hum with energy. At the top of the pillar, a glowing golden glass core rested, flickering like a beacon in the storm.
I was surprised to see that it was a golden core.
"Oh, so it's a gold checkpoint."
Ignoring the checkpoint I scanned the crater which was a massive battlefield now.
The crater wasn't empty. It was filled with Abominations.
The first kind were Tree Trolls—huge, hulking figures between 9 to 12ft with rough bark-like skin that cracked as they moved. Their long, gnarled arms swung heavily, and their hollow faces pulsed with an eerie glow.
The second kind were Golems. Blackened rock Abominations, their bodies covered in deep cracks that glowed faintly red.
They were smaller than the Tree Trolls, but still massive, ranging between six and nine feet tall. They moved stiffly, every step making the ground shake slightly.
Both types of Abominations were surrounding the pillar, some fighting each other, others wandering aimlessly.
But that wasn't all.
On a rocky mount near the checkpoint pillar, two figures stood, weapons drawn.
I squinted through the rain, but they were too far for me to recognize.
But they weren't Steve.
I gritted my teeth and kept scanning the area. My heart pounded, and then—
I found him.
On another rocky mount, further away, a lone figure stood, surrounded by Abominations.
Steve.
I could make out that his clothes were tattered. His left arm hung limply at his side, broken. He was using his sword, swinging and slashing, knocking Abominations back as they tried to climb up to him.
He was outnumbered. He was injured. He was alone.
I clenched my fists, my breath coming out in sharp bursts.
The rain poured harder, lightning flashing across the sky. I could hear the growls and screeches of the Abominations, the crackling of lightning, the pounding of my own heartbeat.
I had to get to him.
But between us stood a sea of monsters.
I took a deep breath.
I pulled up my status, my eyes scanning the familiar text glowing in front of me.
[Status]
------------------------------------------------
Name : Billion Ironhart
Race : Human
Class : N/A
Laws : N/A
Level : 10
Talent :
- Generator 2
- Essence : 7/10
Attributes :
- Strength: 25.5
- Constitution: 20
- Dexterity: 20
- Psynapse : 24.2
Unused Stats: 0
Skills:
- Essence Manipulation (Innate) Level 2
- Psynapse Boost (Innate) Level 1
------------------------------------------------
I exhaled through my nose, feeling the tension coil in my muscles.
7 out of 10 Essence.
Not bad, I had generated some during my sprint here. If I burned through it too fast in battle, I'd be left with nothing so I will have to use and generate Essence in the thick of the battle.
Strength, Constitution, Dexterity—all solid.
I wasn't at my peak, but I could fight.
My Psynapse had also improved, giving me better reaction time and awareness.
My gaze lingered on Essence Manipulation and Psynapse Boost.
I hadn't pushed these to their limits yet. If I timed my boosts right, I could enhance my speed and reflexes without wasting too much Essence.
I dropped my bag, pulled out the first aid kit, and secured it tightly to my back using the bandages.
Then I whispered.
"Power up."
My heart thrummed, burning with anticipation, as if it knew a real fight was coming.
I locked my eyes on Steve.
He swung his sword with one hand, his movements sharp but strained. Whenever an abomination got too close, he kicked it down, trying to keep them from overwhelming him. But there were too many.
They were closing in fast.
It was time to let him know he wasn't alone.
I activated my skill.
[Essence Manipulation]
Essence surged through me as I directed it into my throat. Then, with everything I had, I roared.
"STEEEEEEEEEVVVVEEEEEE!"
Thunder cracked across the sky, almost as if answering my call.
For a brief moment, everything stilled. The battlefield fell into silence. The abominations hesitated.
My eyes stayed locked on Steve. Slowly, he turned, his gaze searching through the rain until it landed on me.
Then, with deliberate movement, he raised his sword high, pointing it toward the sky. A silent acknowledgment.
I grinned.
"Let's begin."
I planted my foot down and sprinted forward.
My feet pounded against the muddy ground, splashing through puddles as I charged toward the crater. The cold rain slapped against my face, but I didn't slow down.
I had fought Tree Trolls before. I knew their movements. They were slow but powerful. If I got too close, their long arms could grab me in an instant.
I had never fought the Golems before. I had no idea what they could do.
It didn't matter.
I ran straight into the battlefield.
The first Tree Troll turned toward me, its hollow face pulsing with dim light. It let out a deep, creaking groan and swung one massive arm at me.
I dodged the swing and, without stopping, closed the distance, driving my elbow straight into its jaw. Its head snapped back, and the force sent it flying, crashing into a group of tree trolls.
My eyes scanned the battlefield, searching for a stronger opponent. Then I spotted one, a Level 9 tree troll.
Pivoting, I sprinted toward it, weaving through the chaos. Any abomination that got in my way was either dodged or sent flying with a quick punch.
Finally, I reached it.
Channeling Essence into my leg, I leaped, then infused my right arm with Essence and drove the fist straight through its back. My hand burst out from its chest.
The tree troll collapsed instantly.
I grabbed its leg and yanked it free from the body. Testing its weight in my grip, I smirked.
"Perfect."
Gripping the torn-off tree troll leg tightly, I turned just as another one lunged at me. Its hollow eyes glowed faintly, its gnarled fingers reaching out.
I swung.
The thick limb crashed into its face with a deep, cracking sound, sending it sprawling backward like a broken branch caught in a storm.
Another rushed in from the side, but I pivoted, shifting my weight, and brought the leg down like a hammer.
The heavy blow shattered its shoulder, forcing it to collapse onto its knees before I finished it off with a brutal swing to the head.
A third one tried to grab me from behind.
Without looking, I spun, twisting my hips, and slammed the club into its midsection. It lifted off the ground, flipping twice before crashing into a pile of burned rocks.
The makeshift weapon worked better than I expected.
It was heavy, solid, and packed enough force to break through the tree trolls' tough bark-like skin.
I swung wide, clearing space around me, each strike knocking them down or sending them flying. They swarmed, but with every step, I smashed, crushed, and shattered.
And then, I finally came across my first golem.
I narrowed my eyes and scanned it.
[Scorched Golem – Level 8]