It had been four days since Zane arrived in Solaris City. Today marked the final day of the First Phase of the tournament.

For the past several days, he had roamed across the city, hunting down the fragments of the prototypic weapon. Ninety-eight pieces already sat in his possession. Only two remained.

Tracking them was almost like playing a video game—the system's green arrow hovered in his vision, pointing the way.

On his journey, he passed by several other students. Not a single one greeted him, nor did he care to greet them. Their glares of anger and disgust told him enough. He didn't blame them; after the whole "entry fee" fiasco, he had become the most hated face in Solaris City.

Now, he was on his way to collect the ninety-ninth part.

He hadn't seen his teammates in days. Traveling alone, he climbed a small hill, entering the northeastern part of the city. The landscape shifted—gone were the towering skyscrapers. In their place stood modest rows of white houses, shaded by trees and vines. Bamboo gardens swayed gently in the wind, filling the air with a tranquil rustle.

Peaceful, yes. But useless to most competitors. There was little here worth collecting.

Zane followed the arrow until it pointed him to the banks of a wide artificial river, one of the massive waterways that cut across Solaris City.

A frown tugged at his lips. Four hours remained. If he didn't finish collecting the last two parts by then, he'd be forcefully teleported back to Earth.

"I need to finish this fast," he muttered.

Without hesitation, he leapt into the water.

Cold pressure wrapped around his body as he plunged deeper. The arrow flickered, guiding him down. But the instant he entered the current, every instinct in his body screamed danger.

Ding!

[Be silent!]

[Warning: A river monster slumbers at the riverbed. Classification: Middle-stage 2-Star Beast.]

Zane's chest tightened. Great. Fighting underwater is my weakest option.

He forced his movements to slow, gliding downward with measured care. No unnecessary splashes. No vibrations.

Ten long minutes later, his feet finally touched the riverbed. He crept forward, the arrow glowing faintly in his vision.

Then he saw it.

"…What the flick…"

The ninety-ninth fragment of the weapon was embedded directly into the forehead of a massive python. A third eye gleamed faintly, sealed shut as the beast slumbered.

A translucent panel flickered above its head.

[Corrupted Green Water Python]

[Strength: 14,567 | Agility: 15,678 | Intelligence: 15,345]

[HP: 25,679 / 25,679]

[Mana: 30,244 / 30,244]

[Core: Middle-stage, Two-Star]

Zane's lips twisted. "Are you kidding me? System, is there any way to grab that part without waking the oversized noodle?"

[Analyzing situation…]

Half a minute dragged by before the system chimed again.

[Recommended action: Take the machine part and run as fast as possible.]

"…That's your best suggestion? Nice one." He gave a sarcastic thumbs-up, bubbles rising from his hand.

He clenched his jaw, forcing himself to think. Options raced through his head. Brute force was out of the question. He needed finesse.

Zane smirked. Now we're talking.

He began channeling his mana, spreading it across every muscle and nerve, ready to unleash any skill at a moment's notice. With steady movements, he swam closer to the python's massive head.

Up close, the beast's size dwarfed him—he was nothing more than an ant crawling across its scales. Carefully, he stepped onto the crown of its skull.

Drawing his dagger, he eyed the pear-like, radiant stone embedded in the serpent's forehead—its third eye.

Mana surged into his blade. With one swift motion, he carved the stone free.

Shhk!

The crystal came loose. Zane snatched it, stuffed it into his silk pouch, and hissed, "Luminous Step—full speed!"

His body shot upward like a rocket. He didn't dare look back.

But then—

ROOOOOOAR!

The beast's bellow thundered through the water, shaking the river itself.

Zane burst through the surface, landing on the bank in an explosion of spray. Without pause, he sprinted toward the location of the final weapon part.

A shadow swept over him.

The python erupted from the river, but it no longer slithered—it flew. Three pairs of vibrant, colorful wings sprouted from its back, beating furiously as it soared overhead.

Its jaws gaped.

Fwshh!

A ball of viscous, green liquid shot toward him. Zane sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the strike. The orb splattered across the ground and detonated.

Hissssss!

The earth corroded instantly. Trees, grass, even weeds dissolved into ash, leaving a barren scar where life had been.

Zane stopped, glancing up at the airborne python. A smirk tugged at his lips.

"So, you want a fight? Fine. I was craving protein anyway. Let's see how many hits you can take before I carve you into dinner."

"System," he asked aloud, "can I kill it?"

[Yes. But only if you use your Heretic Skill: Demonification. That is your only option.]

Zane chuckled. "Perfect. No one's around to see me use it."

He clasped his hands together, weaving a rapid series of seals. A low chant spilled from his lips as dark mana surged violently from his core, flooding his body.

His frame convulsed, then stretched—his height increasing by nearly two feet. His skin darkened into a tanned shade, while a pair of black horns twisted out of his forehead.

He checked his stats. All three main attributes had broken past 9,000.

Raw, explosive power pulsed through every fiber of his body. His blood boiled with violent urges, his mind teetering on the edge of frenzy. He wanted to fight. He wanted to destroy.

The python dove, cutting through the air like a living spear.

Zane dashed aside, dodging with precision. The beast whipped its tail, striking back with unbelievable speed.

Zane crossed his arms. "Divine Armor!"

A white dome of light snapped into existence around him.

BOOM!

The python's tail slammed into the barrier, blasting Zane across the ground. He tumbled through dirt and stone, the shimmering dome cracking but holding firm.

When he rose, he wasn't even scratched.

But he scowled. That one strike had burned through a huge portion of his mana.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.