Controlling "Berserker" to keep Zyron occupied, Tris retreated while preparing his next magic.
The moment he gained distance, he could feel the negative effects of the black aura weakening.
'So it only has a strong influence within a certain range… In that case, I need to attack while keeping my distance.'
Of course, Zyron understood his own weapon's properties well—he wouldn't let Tris escape so easily.
He unleashed a powerful strike toward Berserker.
The puppet was blasted backward, its feet carving deep trenches into the ground as it slid.
Taking advantage of the opening, Zyron drove his blade into the earth.
Immediately, three pillars of black energy erupted from the point of impact.
They slithered through the air like serpents.
One intercepted Berserker as it rushed back in.
The other two curved around and shot straight toward Tris, who was still preparing his magic.
Facing the incoming attacks, Tris remained calm and continued casting.
"Boom!"
A violent impact rang out.
The black pillars were blocked by a powerful barrier that appeared instantly.
Near Tris's feet, a circular disk glowed with intricate magical patterns.
It was a defensive magic item once owned by Veylor.
A single-use tool that created a fixed-area barrier—flawed, but incredibly durable.
Perfect for protecting a Mage who needed time to cast.
Seeing his attack fail, Zyron turned his focus to Berserker, aiming to destroy it and eliminate one of Tris's key assets.
At the same time, he analyzed:
'A magic that takes this long… Is it a high-tier attack? Or something that alters the terrain?'
To be safe, Zyron began preparing both defensive magic and mobility options.
'Come on… show me what else you've got.'
Fighting with minimal support and no magical reinforcement, Berserker's condition quickly worsened.
But it had already fulfilled its role—it had bought Tris the time he needed.
"Combine!" Tris shouted, releasing his magic.
The transformation began.
A deep, ominous rumble echoed from the ground.
Then, the earth shattered.
Rocks and soil surged toward Tris, gathering into a rising mass.
It piled higher and higher, as a growing tower centered around him.
More and more earth converged, shaping itself—
Legs…
Torso…
Arms…
And finally, a small head.
The result: a colossal stone giant over ten meters tall.
Its sheer size radiated overwhelming pressure.
Tris stood embedded in the center of its chest—his lower body buried in stone, only his upper half visible.
Zyron observed and analyzed:
"Impressive. I doubt that thing is just some ordinary Golem. Planning to use it as your puppet?"
The way Tris controlled the giant felt eerily similar to Zyron's own fusion technique.
"With someone who has a puppet also in the shape of a Golem, why don't you come here yourself and judge?" - Tris replied from above.
"Oh, I'd be delighted."
Zyron waved his hand and retrieved another item from his spatial ring.
It took the form of a massive white tiger—its fangs and claws sharp enough to tear apart a grown man.
Zyron leapt onto its back.
Five threads of magical energy extended from his fingers, connecting to the beast.
The tiger came to life, rising onto all fours.
Zyron now resembled a knight riding his war mount.
Except instead of a horse, it was a ferocious puppet beast—
And instead of reins, ethereal magical threads guided it.
Despite the size difference, the aura Zyron radiated atop the tiger rivaled that of the stone giant.
"Both your puppets are truly unique," Tris admitted sincerely.
Even as enemies, he couldn't deny it—
Zyron fully deserved his position as leader.
A foe worthy of using every trick, every dirty tactic, just to gain even the smallest advantage.
A brief silence fell.
Then Tris struck first.
A massive fist descended toward Zyron and his mount.
Its scale made it seem as if the mountain itself was collapsing overhead.
The tiger accelerated and dodged.
When the punch hit the ground—
"BOOM!"
A catastrophic shockwave erupted.
The mountain trembled as the surrounding terrain was obliterated.
Even Zyron and the tiger weren't completely unaffected—they were nearly blown away.
But thanks to defensive magic, the damage remained controlled.
They quickly regained balance and continued moving.
Zyron swung his blade repeatedly.
Black crescent-shaped slashes flew toward the giant's chest and joints.
Tris reacted instantly.
Despite its massive size, the giant moved with surprising agility under his control.
With a small step, it covered a great distance, avoiding critical hits.
Then—
With a turn of its body and a swing of its arm—
A storm of stone projectiles launched toward Zyron.
Each rock was like a cannonball.
Their sheer weight alone could crush a human—
and now countless of them rained down at terrifying speed.
It was like witnessing the end of the world.
A natural disaster of pure destruction.
Thunderous impacts echoed as stones slammed into the ground.
Yet within that deadly storm—
Zyron and his tiger survived.
They were shrouded in a black aura, like a terrifying phantom.
The phantom weaved through the barrage, dodging and destroying what it couldn't avoid.
Zyron's sword split rocks apart,
while the tiger's strikes knocked them aside.
But they didn't remain passive.
From within the phantom—
Four pillars of black energy shot out toward the giant.
Like serpents, they coiled around its limbs—binding arms and legs.
Chains of darkness restrict its movement.
Seizing the opportunity—
Zyron launched his finishing move.
The black phantom turned into a spear, darting through the air, aimed directly at the chest of the stone giant, where Tris's image was exposed, lacking protection.