Theos sat cross-legged, his body motionless as the faint glow of red spirit energy enveloped him. His breaths were slow and deliberate, his focus entirely on the energy coursing through him. Over the past six days, Theos had engaged in a painstaking cycle of channeling his spirit energy to heal his battered body, particularly his brain, which had borne the brunt of injuries during the second test.
It was only possible to heal his wounds in such a short time because of his Energy Manipulation talent (SSS).
You are able to sense and direct various forms of energy, including spirit energy, qi, mana, or any other equivalent. This ability allows you far greater control of both your internal reserves and ambient energy in your surroundings.
He is able to manipulate his energy much better than others.
After using his spirit energy to repair himself, his reserves would deplete. But it was not a problem as recovering the existing spirit energy required no cultivation; it naturally replenished from the environment in a matter of time. It is true for all levels of cultivation.
Only increasing the capacity of his spirit energy—a task for stages like spirit gathering—required deliberate effort and time.
For Theos, this automatic recovery had become a lifeline as he continued healing for such a long time. It was the sixth day of the test, and this rhythm had defined his every moment.
As the first rays of sunlight filtered through the canopy, Theos opened his eyes, their fiery glow piercing the dim light.
"Fuuu," he exhaled slowly, releasing a breath that carried tension from his body. 'I didn't think it would take this long to heal from the injuries. I better be careful next time.'
He rolled his neck, the sharp cracks breaking the silence of the forest. His body felt renewed, albeit still a touch stiff. After settling for a moment, he closed his eyes again, this time focusing inward to assess his spirit energy. It pulsed with vigor, far exceeding what it had been when he first entered the trial.
'It's six times compared to when I started,' he thought, a smirk curling his lips. 'Hehe, let's see what Xiphos says now.'
Xiphos always had a natural abundance of spirit energy, nearly double that of Theos's before the trial began. It had been one of Xiphos's rare advantages that he took subtle pride in.
But now, Theos's spirit energy had surpassed his friend's, finally leveling or even skewing the playing field to his side. The image of Xiphos's reaction brought a rare flicker of amusement to his otherwise serious demeanor.
"He he he," he chuckled under his breath. 'He won't be smug about it now.'
Theos stood and leapt into the air, his body twisting in a graceful arc before descending with controlled power. As his feet hit the ground with an audible boom, a small crater formed beneath him, dust swirling in his wake. Rising to his full height, his fiery eyes scanned the horizon.
'It's time to start hunting,' Theos thought with determination. With only a day and a half left in the trial, he knew he had to make up for lost time. His spirit energy flared briefly as he launched himself deeper into the wilderness, his pace unrelenting.
The forest was alive with the hum of life, yet Theos's focus remained singular. His heightened senses mapped the terrain as he moved swiftly through the trees. He encountered multiple Bronze Level and a few Silver Level beasts along the way, their faint growls and rustling movements betraying their presence. Yet, he did not engage with them; only Gold Level beasts could help him make the progress he needed. Slowing his steps, he approached silently, his eyes narrowing as the scene came into view.
In a clearing, a massive Gold peak Level 2 beast stood amidst the wreckage of broken trees. Its name sprang to Theos's mind instantly: the Thunderclaw Ape. Towering over ten feet tall, its limbs exuded raw power, arcs of lightning dancing across its jet-black fur. The very air around it sizzled with static energy, a faint hum resonating with each of its movements. Its glowing yellow eyes scanned the forest, a predator seeking its next victim.
Theos crouched behind a fallen log, observing the beast's patterns. 'That thing's dangerous,' he thought, his smirk returning. 'Perfect.'
The ape roared suddenly, its cry reverberating through the forest as a surge of lightning arced from its claws, striking a nearby tree and reducing it to splinters. Theos took a steadying breath and stepped into the clearing, drawing the beast's attention.
"Alright, big guy," Theos said aloud, his tone almost playful. "Let's dance."
The Thunderclaw Ape snarled, arcs of lightning crackling across its fur as it fixed its glowing yellow eyes on Theos. Without warning, the beast lunged, its massive claws cutting through the air, trailing bolts of electricity. Theos sidestepped the initial swipe, the crackling energy close enough to make the hairs on his arms stand on end.
As the ape landed, its fists struck the ground, sending a shockwave rippling outward. Theos jumped back, narrowly avoiding the concussive force, his eyes narrowing. 'It's not just brute strength; this thing knows how to use its power,' he thought.
Theos retaliated, his dagger flashing as he slashed at the beast's forearm. In that instant, his Supreme Eyes activated, bathing his irises in a deep crimson hue.
Time seemed to slow slightly in his perception as glowing lines and weak points mapped themselves across the beast's body. He adjusted his strike just slightly, aiming not for a random slash but the junction between muscle and tendon, exploiting an exposed flaw his eyes had revealed. The blade connected, cutting through fur and flesh.
Sparks flew from the wound as the ape roared in pain, but the attack seemed to anger it more than weaken it. The Thunderclaw spun, its massive tail sweeping toward Theos with devastating force. Theos ducked, rolling to the side to avoid the blow.
The ape wasted no time, its claws glowing brighter as it slammed them into the earth. A surge of lightning spread outward in a web-like pattern, forcing Theos to leap onto a nearby rock to avoid the electrified ground. The air buzzed with static, and Theos could feel the electricity pricking at his skin.
From his elevated position, Theos charged forward, leaping toward the ape. Using the enhanced perception granted by his supreme eyes, he noted a tiny fracture in the ape's defensive stance—an uneven weight distribution in its hind legs, the way its right shoulder trembled. He angled his descent accordingly. His dagger gleamed as he aimed for the beast's shoulder, but the Thunderclaw reacted quickly, swinging a charged claw upward. Theos twisted mid-air, narrowly evading the counterattack, and landed behind the ape. In one fluid motion, he drove the dagger into the creature's exposed flank, its edges sinking deep.
The Thunderclaw howled, its roar shaking the trees, and unleashed another burst of lightning. The energy forced Theos to disengage, retreating to avoid being caught in the blast. He crouched low, his fiery eyes locked on the beast as he adjusted his grip on the hilts of his weapon.
The ape charged again, its fists glowing with concentrated energy. He maintained his keen focus, scanning for any inconsistency in its movement. He spotted it—the subtle delay between its left and right steps—and moved to intercept. Theos waited, watching its movements carefully. As it swung, he sidestepped at the last moment, using the momentum of the beast's attack to get inside its guard. His dagger flashed, striking at the soft tissue under its ribs with precise, cutting blows. Blood sprayed as the Thunderclaw staggered, its movements growing erratic.
"You're tough," Theos muttered, breathing heavily. "But I'm stronger."
The Thunderclaw snarled, its eyes blazing as it prepared a final, desperate attack. Lightning surged through its entire body, arcs of energy sparking wildly as it raised both fists for a devastating strike. Theos steadied himself, his spirit energy flaring in his body as he prepared for the onslaught.
With a roar, the beast brought its fists down, the impact sending a massive shockwave through the clearing. Theos leapt into the air, using the momentum to drive his dagger down into the Thunderclaw's exposed back, its edges piercing his heart. The blade pierced deep, severing vital connections as the beast's roar turned into a pained groan. Its body convulsed as the electricity flickered and died.
Theos landed lightly as the massive creature collapsed, its weight shaking the ground. He pulled his dagger free, wiping the blood off on the grass as he stood over the fallen beast. Despite the beast's size and power, Theos felt no true satisfaction. 'This wasn't even a proper challenge,' he thought, flexing his fingers as he adjusted to his regained strength. Sitting idle for days had dulled his instincts slightly, but now he was quickly reacclimating.
The only thing worrisome about Thunderclaw ape was its electricity. If the beast didnt have electricity, theos could have ended the fight in an instant.
The Thunderclaw Ape had understood how to use its abilities, but its proficiency with lightning manipulation was far from refined, leaving exploitable openings in its attacks. Also its physcial power were not that great. Hence the beast was easier than Theos expected.
"You were strong," Theos murmured, almost as an afterthought, "but not strong enough."
"One down," he said, his voice calm but resolute. Kneeling beside the fallen Thunderclaw Ape, Theos searched for its token. Embedded in the creature's chest was a glowing golden token, radiating faint warmth. Theos gripped the token and pulled it free, the energy within it thrumming briefly before settling. He held it up, observing its glow for a moment before tucking it away. 'Time to find the next,' he thought, rising to his feet as his fiery eyes scanned the forest once more.
The forest remained alive with distant sounds—growls, roars, and faint clashes of other aspirants battling their own challenges. Theos began moving again, his steps silent but swift. The token's faint warmth pressed against his side as it rested in his pocket, His pace quickened as he picked up a faint scent of rain in the air, blending with the earthy musk of the forest. Somewhere in the distance, the caw of a bird broke the tension, startling a small rodent that darted past Theos's feet.
'If Xiphos were here, he'd probably trip over that thing,' Theos thought, a fleeting grin crossing his face before his focus sharpened again.
As the canopy above grew denser, casting darker shadows on the forest floor, Theos's senses picked up subtle shifts in the environment. The air felt heavier, the sound of rushing water faint but growing. He slowed his steps as he approached a stream flanked by jagged rocks, its surface rippling unnaturally. Curious, Theos crouched by the bank and flicked a pebble into the water. A hiss erupted as the pebble disintegrated upon contact. 'Poisonous runoff. Nice touch,' he mused, a sardonic smile tugging at his lips.
Before he could move further, a rustle in the bushes ahead caught his attention. He froze, his fiery eyes narrowing as he drew his dagger. A Gold Level beast? No—this felt different. Heavy breathing reached his ears, along with the faint clink of metal. 'Another aspirant?' he wondered.
The bushes parted, revealing a hulking figure: a Muscle Forging cultivator wielding a spiked mace. The stranger's eyes locked on Theos, his expression a mix of desperation and hostility.
"Hand over the token," the cultivator growled, lifting his weapon threateningly.
Theos tilted his head, his smirk returning. "Or what?"
Without waiting for a reply, the cultivator charged, his mace arcing down with brutal force. Theos sidestepped effortlessly, the weapon crashing into the ground with a dull thud, sending shards of earth flying. Theos's smirk widened as he stepped back, watching the bald man recover for another swing.
"That's all?" Theos teased, spinning one of his daggers lazily in his hand. The cultivator snarled in frustration and swung again, but Theos was already gone, appearing to his left with a faint blur of motion.
"Missed," Theos said, his tone mocking. He made no move to attack, dancing out of range each time the cultivator lunged forward. The mace struck nothing but air, and with every failed attempt, the man's anger grew.
Theos dodged a final, desperate swing and yawned dramatically. "This is getting boring," he said flatly. "Let's end this."
Before the cultivator could react, Theos stepped forward and vanished from view. The bald man's eyes darted around wildly, searching for his opponent. In the next instant, Theos appeared directly in front of him, his dagger slicing in a single, fluid motion. Blood sprayed as the cultivator's arms fell limp, both hands severed at the wrists.
The man let out a scream, stumbling back. Theos's fiery eyes locked onto him, and a wave of black, oppressive energy poured forth, enveloping the cultivator in suffocating killing intent. The man froze, his body trembling uncontrollably. His knees buckled, and the sharp smell of urine filled the air.
"If I ever see you again, you won't leave alive," Theos said coldly, his voice laced with menace. He turned away, but not before snatching the tokens from the cultivator's pocket. Theos held them briefly, noting their faint glow, before slipping it into his own pouch. His total was now 1,600 points.
Theos gave the trembling man one last glance before vanishing into the forest, leaving behind only silence and fear.