The vast plains regained their calmness, the once turbulent air—stirred into a fiery tempest by his breakthrough—now flowing gently once more. Beneath it, the blades of grass swayed in rhythm, creating a serene and peaceful atmosphere. Only the whisper of the wind and the gentle rustling of the grass could be heard, restoring the land to its natural tranquility.
Under this natural tranquility, Kallus sat at the center, his surrounding aura regaining its calmness, his presence now harmonized with the nature around him.
He took a slow breath, exhaling the remnants of the immense energy he had just harnessed as he gazed upon the tranquil landscape around him. Yet, even in this moment of peace, he knew it wouldn’t last.
After breaking through and reclaiming the Grandmaster rank, Kallu could already feel new restrictions pressing against him. But he wasn’t concerned—he understood their purpose. These weren’t limits imposed by his own talent, which was boundless, but rather barriers set by the trial itself. To advance from Initial Grandmaster Rank 1 to the Peak of Grandmaster Rank 9, he had to overcome this challenge.
This time, he was ready. Unlike his previous trial, where he had been forced to rely on various techniques to secure victory—even resorting to one of his most powerful moves, Heaven’s Cut, due to his lack of battle experience—things were different now.
Back then, he had only just stepped onto the path of evolution, his combat awareness still underdeveloped.
But after ten years of relentless cultivation, training, and battle-hardened experience within the Void Tower, Kallu had ascended to an entirely new level of power. He had mastered every technique, refined his instincts to perfection, and shattered the limits of what he once thought possible.
Yet, as he stood at the edge of his next trial, a tinge of regret surfaced. This fleeting tranquility—so recently restored—would soon be broken once more, and this time, by his own hands. His mouth twitched slightly at the thought before he let out a sigh and muttered, "Oh well… it’ll return to this state once I’m done with the battle that’s about to begin."
Just then, a soft glow flickered at the corner of his eye. A notification panel materialized before him, its luminous text hovering in the air.
The panel was a solid green, with bold red text displayed across it:
[User has met the requirements to begin the Trial of Evolution.]
[Would you like to proceed?]
Beneath it, only a single option was available—
[Yes]
Kallu’s mouth twitched furiously. "At least give me a choice!" he grumbled under his breath.
He grumbled while looking upward as if he knew the culprit was watching him. "Whatever, I don’t care," he muttered.
Even if he had been given a choice, he knew he would have chosen the trial anyway. Still, he scoffed and said, "At least have some decency, Supreme Being! Give me a choice—if only for the sake of mental satisfaction, damn it!"
He stopped, exhaling sharply, before shaking his head. There was no point in complaining. The battle was inevitable
Silently, with a single thought, he clicked [Yes].
The world around him trembled as the notification panel flickered.
[Host has chosen to proceed with the Trial of Evolution.]
[Prepare yourself. The trial will begin in 5 minutes.]
More text appeared each word carrying an undeniable weight.
[Trial Requirement: Achieve Complete Victory]
[Progress: 0%]
Now, standing before the next trial, which would begin in 5 minutes he was confident. He knew it would be anything but easy—perhaps even more difficult than before—but this time, he was ready.
And just like that, five minutes passed in the blink of an eye. Suddenly, two piercing roars, reminiscent of a bird’s cry, echoed from the mountains to the south of the plains where Kallus stood.
His attention was instantly drawn in that direction, his expression turning serious.
Without hesitation, his left hand reached for his sword, which he morphed seamlessly into a bow. His gaze remained fixed on the endless mountains, ready for whatever was to come.
Suddenly from opposite sides of the southern mountain range, two towering pillars began to rise, seeming to touch the heavens themselves, causing space itself to fluctuate and the weather to shift dramatically.
Black clouds rapidly formed in the sky, and in mere moments, they had completely engulfed the entire endless mountain region.
The first emerged from the right side, where snow blanketed everything—from the mountain peaks to their very base. This pillar was a brilliant shade of blue, freezing the very air around it.
For a brief moment, even time itself seemed to slow, though Kallus quickly realized it was merely an illusion.
Meanwhile, on the left, the charred black mountains stood in stark contrast to their frozen counterparts. From its summit, a second pillar erupted. This one was a deep crimson with shimmering blue outlines he sheer intensity of its heat made the air boil.
For an instant, space itself seemed to ignite, as if catching fire, but that too was an illusion—one that flickered before vanishing.
Or perhaps a manifestation of power. A possibility.
Whatever beings resided within those pillars; they might very well possess the capabilities to turn such illusions into reality.
Kallus shook his head and muttered, "No point in overthinking. I’ll know soon enough—whether it’s illusion or reality."
After all, he could do the same, and more, with his current abilities.
With that thought, his eyes regained their sharp focus. He refused to let himself sink too deep into contemplation. Now was not the time for hesitation.
Suddenly, the two towering pillars—each made of opposing elements—began to tremble violently. A pair of deafening cries, different yet eerily similar, erupted from within them at the same time. The pillars shook and widened, their foundations cracking under the immense energy they contained.
Then, with a thunderous roar, they exploded into countless fragments.
The right pillar shattered into crystalline shards of pure ice, instantly transforming the surrounding area into a frozen domain. Meanwhile, the left pillar burst into embers of blazing red flames, engulfing its side in an inferno.
As the fragments scattered through the air, they suddenly reversed course, converging at the heart of each domain with breakneck speed. In mere moments, the energy condensed into two massive spheres—one of fire, the other of ice—each spanning hundreds of meters in diameter.
Kallus stood firm, his gaze locked onto the unfolding spectacle.
In mere seconds, a cry rang out—terrifying yet oddly soothing. To Kallus, it sounded like the call of a phoenix, ancient and powerful.
Under his watchful gaze, the two massive spheres trembled before bursting apart in a brilliant explosion of energy. From within, two colossal phoenixes emerged, their wings unfurling with an awe-inspiring display of elemental might.
One, wreathed in blazing flames, radiated scorching heat. The other, cloaked in frost, exuded an aura of piercing cold.
Each phoenix towered at nearly 150 meters from their talons to the crown of their heads, while their immense wingspans stretched close to 400 meters. One side of the sky burned with crimson fire, while the other shimmered with an icy, ethereal glow.
Kallus exhaled slowly, his grip tightening on his bow.
For he knew that his enemies had appeared, and from this spectacle, he could tell they had been enhanced.
His mouth twitched violently, fists clenched tight. What was already tough had just become even tougher, and he knew exactly why. He felt like crying—well, not literally.
Damn it! I shouldn’t have complained. Look at what happened! Damn it, he’s taking it out on me.
Regret crept in, sharp and unrelenting, as if he had hammered his own legs against the unyielding cliffs of the endless mountains.
....
Sharp and unrelenting—well, maybe not entirely unrelenting—but he regretted it nonetheless.
Sharp and unrelenting—well, maybe not entirely unrelenting—but he regretted it nonetheless.
Because he knew he had raised the difficulty of an already challenging trial to an even higher level. And while he regretted his actions, he was still confident that he could clear this trial.
It would just take a lot more effort—an effort he was willing to put in, knowing that one way or another, it would help him improve.
...
As the trial pressed on, Kallus steadied himself, his gaze sharpening as he tracked the movements of the two phoenixes. The fiery one blazed like a living sun, while the icy one radiated an aura so cold it seemed to freeze space itself.
The two phoenixes—locked their piercing eyes onto Kallus, fully aware of their task. Without hesitation, they moved.
A single, powerful flap of their wings sent the very air into chaos, winds surging outward with such force that void-like storms formed in their wake. In the next instant, they vanished.
Only to reappear as they shot toward Kallus at an incredible speed from their respective positions atop the endless mountains.
But as Kallus saw them. His unique eyes unraveled their essence, revealing their nature, their power.
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Information materialized in his vision; every intricate detail laid bare before him.