BOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!!!
The battlefield ruptured beneath us.
Fists collided.
Kicks crashed.
Shockwaves exploded endlessly across the volcanic world like the wrath of ancient gods unleashed.
BAM!!! BAM!!!! BAAAAAAMMMMM!!!!!
Every exchange distorted the air itself.
Mountains shattered from stray force alone.
Rivers of magma burst into the sky like erupting oceans.
---
Yet despite all that destruction—
compared to VARKHUL…
I still looked small.
---
Our figures tore through the battlefield at blinding speed.
A gigantic primordial predator hunting down a smaller, faster beast.
---
BAM!!!!
I twisted sideways mid-air and drove an uppercut directly into VARKHUL's jaw.
A thin trail of blood escaped the corner of his lips.
---
For the first time since this battle began—
I had drawn blood repeatedly.
---
But instead of anger—
his grin widened.
---
Predatory.
Ancient.
Excited.
---
BOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!
His massive fist tore past my face by inches.
The pressure behind the punch erased the mountain several kilometers behind me.
---
Not destroyed.
Erased.
---
I ducked beneath his arm—
appearing directly inside his blind spot.
---
BAM!!!! BAM!!!! BAM!!!!
A storm of fists rained against his ribs.
Blue-white lightning exploded around my body as Beast Lightning Form II pushed my speed to terrifying levels.
---
The volcanic landscape trembled violently beneath the pressure.
---
Yet VARKHUL still didn't defend.
---
He simply stood there—
allowing my attacks to land.
---
Like an ancient beast observing the struggles of something younger.
---
That expression irritated me more than the overwhelming power gap itself.
---
My aura exploded violently.
Lightning surged around me like enraged celestial serpents.
---
The more he smiled—
the harder I attacked.
---
BAM!!!! BAM!!!! BAAAAMMMMM!!!!
Shockwaves detonated endlessly.
The ground collapsed inward.
Entire cliffs vaporized beneath the pressure.
---
Still—
he remained standing.
---
Unmoving.
Unshaken.
Like an indestructible wall forged by the universe itself.
---
Then—
his crimson eyes flashed.
---
DANGER!!!
---
BOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!!
An invisible force exploded outward from his body.
Not aura.
Not energy.
Pure physical pressure.
---
The impact slammed into me instantly.
My body blasted backward through the volcanic terrain as molten rock exploded around me.
---
SWISH—!!!!!
Air screamed beside me.
---
DANGER!!!
---
BAMMMMM!!!!
VARKHUL's fist slammed directly into my crossed guard.
The impact bent the atmosphere around us.
---
CRAAAAACKKKK!!!!!
The azure scales covering my arms splintered apart like fragile glass.
---
BOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!!
I was launched across the battlefield.
Boots grinding violently against the volcanic ground as I tore through mountains and molten rivers alike.
---
But before I could stabilize—
he was already there.
---
His gigantic frame moved with impossible agility.
Every movement carried monstrous weight yet terrifying precision.
---
BAM!!! BAM!!!! BAM!!!!
Fists collided endlessly.
BOOOOMMMM!!!! BOOOOMMMM!!!! BOOOOMMMM!!!!!!
The heavens trembled from our clash.
Thunder roared endlessly overhead.
---
For the first time since activating Beast Lightning Form II—
I realized something terrifying.
---
He was adapting too.
---
Not just me.
---
His movements were becoming faster.
Sharper.
More refined.
---
Like the battle itself was waking up the beast inside him.
---
A savage grin spread across his face.
Meanwhile—
my mind worked endlessly.
---
Watching.
Learning.
Calculating.
---
Every muscle shift.
Every breathing pattern.
Every tiny movement before impact.
---
The lessons from the Ascension Tower were finally bearing fruit.
---
BAM!!!!
I caught his fist.
---
But instead of blocking the force directly—
I redirected it.
---
Ripple Wave Control.
---
The impact traveled through my body sideways instead of crushing my bones outright.
---
The volcanic ground behind me exploded from the redirected force.
---
VARKHUL's eyes narrowed slightly.
---
Interesting.
---
BAMMMM!!!!
I countered instantly with a spinning upward kick aimed at his throat.
---
But his massive palm caught my leg effortlessly.
---
For a brief moment—
both of us froze.
---
Observing.
Analyzing.
---
Then—
his smile widened.
---
"Interesting…"
---
His deep voice echoed across the battlefield like distant thunder.
---
"You've stopped fighting like an animal."
---
BOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!!
A terrifying heat erupted from his body.
---
Not aura.
Not lightning.
---
Raw destructive force.
---
The volcanic world itself began melting further beneath him.
---
Reality distorted around his massive frame.
---
But instead of retreating—
I stepped forward.
---
BAM!!!!
A low strike slammed into his ribs.
Interrupting the energy gathering process.
---
For the first time—
genuine surprise crossed his face.
---
Then he laughed.
---
A deep, booming laugh.
---
"You continue to surprise me…"
---
BOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!!
Another invisible shockwave exploded from his body.
Far heavier than before.
---
I was blasted backward again.
Boots carving deep trenches into the volcanic earth.
---
Then—
ROOOOOOOAAAAARRRRRRR!!!!!!!
---
A monstrous bear roar shook the heavens themselves.
---
The atmosphere changed instantly.
---
Gravity.
---
The world around VARKHUL began collapsing inward.
---
The battlefield sank beneath his presence.
---
BOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!!
A gigantic crater formed around him.
Thousands of meters wide.
---
The gravity kept increasing.
---
Heavier.
Heavier.
HEAVIER.
---
My knees bent slightly.
---
Breathing became difficult.
---
It felt like invisible mountains were crushing me from every direction simultaneously.
---
Even the air itself had become heavy.
---
My muscles trembled violently as I resisted the pressure.
---
The volcanic ground beneath me shattered continuously.
---
Yet despite all this—
I still couldn't properly sense his energy.
---
That realization struck me immediately.
---
Something was suppressing him.
---
No…
The Tower was suppressing him.
---
A Divine Realm Seventh Stage existence should erase me instantly.
---
Yet somehow—
I was surviving.
---
Because the Tower wanted this fight to happen.
---
That realization made me smile.
---
Not because the situation improved—
but because it meant something important.
---
This battle…
was possible to win.
---
Not through overwhelming strength.
Not through raw power.
But through adaptation.
---
The exact lesson the Ascension Tower had forced into me.
---
Crackling…
---
Blue-white lightning exploded around my body.
---
ROOOOOAAARRRR!!!!!
I roared back at him.
Pushing Beast Lightning Form II to its absolute limit.
---
Lightning erupted endlessly around my body.
Wild.
Violent.
Chaotic.
---
Thin white slits appeared within my blue pupils—
giving my eyes a far more predatory appearance.
---
BOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!!
My aura surged upward violently.
Colliding directly against the gravity pressure.
---
The battlefield exploded outward from the clash between our forces.
---
Magma seas split apart.
Mountains cracked.
Thunderstorms formed above us.
---
For a brief moment—
the pressure stabilized.
---
VARKHUL watched silently.
Still crouched slightly beneath the overwhelming gravity field surrounding him.
---
Then—
without warning—
he opened his mouth.
---
A crimson sphere of destruction formed within.
---
The surrounding air twisted violently toward it like reality itself was being devoured.
---
DANGER!!!!!
---
In less than a second—
BOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!!
A gigantic crimson beam erupted from his mouth.
---
The attack crossed the battlefield instantly.
---
I vanished sideways in a flash of blue lightning.
---
The beam barely missed me—
yet the heat still scorched my skin.
---
Everything behind me disappeared.
---
Not destroyed.
Not shattered.
---
Gone.
---
While moving—
I gathered energy into my palm.
---
Still no energy signature.
Still suppressed.
---
Definitely the Tower.
---
Otherwise—
this fight would have ended long ago.
---
Snapping out of my thoughts—
ROOOOOOOAAAAARRRRR!!!!!!!
---
A gigantic phantom white tiger formed behind me.
---
Its roar shook the battlefield.
---
Blue-white lightning spiraled violently around my body as the phantom merged into my attack.
---
I wasn't holding back anymore.
---
BOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!!
I unleashed the blast.
---
A massive beam of condensed lightning and destructive force tore across the battlefield like divine judgment itself.
---
The volcanic world turned blue-white.
---
The attack swallowed VARKHUL completely.
---
BOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!!!
---
A catastrophic explosion erupted moments later.
---
The shockwave annihilated everything nearby.
Mountains collapsed.
The terrain split apart.
Entire magma oceans evaporated instantly.
---
A gigantic crater formed at the center of the destruction.
---
Smoke consumed the battlefield.
---
Lightning still danced wildly through the air.
---
Then—
the smoke slowly parted.
---
VARKHUL floated above the crater.
---
Several bruises covered his massive frame now.
Thin trails of smoke rose from his skin.
---
Flickers of my lightning still crawled across his body.
---
Not major damage.
But damage nonetheless.
---
Progress.
---
I lowered into a fighting stance again.
Breathing heavily.
Body trembling from exhaustion.
---
Yet my eyes remained locked onto him.
---
VARKHUL slowly raised one hand before his face.
---
Observing the bruises silently.
---
Then—
he clenched his fist.
---
BOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!!
Several rings of pressure exploded upward into the heavens.
---
The sky cracked violently.
---
CRACKLING!!!!!
Red lightning erupted around his body like awakening dragons.
---
For the first time since this battle began—
his expression became serious.
---
The smoke fully dispersed.
---
Revealing him completely.
---
His crimson eyes glowed like dying stars.
---
Then—
BOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!
He vanished.
---
DANGER!!!!!
---
BAMMMMMMM!!!!!
A fist slammed into my face before I could even react.
---
My body blasted backward violently.
---
Boots skidding across the battlefield as VARKHUL chased after me relentlessly.
---
And for the very first time since entering Beast Lightning Form II—
fear crept into my chest.
---
Because I finally understood something terrifying.
---
VARKHUL…
hadn't truly started fighting seriously until now.