Rael and The Art of Creation

"First things first."

With no time to panic, I took a deep breath and rolled my shoulders, ignoring the tension in my body. Selene was gone, but that didn't mean she was in necessarily in danger. 

'The obelisk mentioned "withstand the void," so with that in mind, this last trial should either be related to that or meant to bring us to a void-state. Perhaps it signified hardship or an extreme negative emotion?' I analyzed every nuance I could, and this was the only reasonable conclusion I could come up with.

I activated my mana, letting it surge throughout my body. My control was far better than before, but still a far cry from what I needed. I looked around and nothing had happened yet, which made me think of this spot as a safe zone.

'I should test my body and run some experiments. Maybe even push for a breakthrough?'

I focused on my red, sun-like core. It looked ready to burst, but then again, I hadn't actually had a proper breakthrough yet, so who knew? 

I spent a few minutes activating projections, each new one being more complex and at a higher level. I didn't want to waste too much energy, so I only went up to a certain extent. By doing so, I created a makeshift ranking system for my projections, making them easier to understand.

The 1st Stage - "Gas"

Gas projections meant generating an element or something non-solid. They still carried physical force or had an effect, but they weren't tangible objects. These projections caused no initial pain, but constant use would definitely take its toll.

Example: The wind bullets I used before.

The 2nd Stage - "Liquid"

Liquid projections had more physical force and were more structured than Gas. They could hold a shape but remained adaptable.

Example: A tornado!

In all seriousness, I theorized that the strain from Liquid projections would be similar to a migraine or muscle cramps. Since I hadn't been given a proper chance to practice—and I couldn't afford to waste mana here in case this wasn't a safe zone—this was just my theory.

The 3rd Stage - "Solid"

Not surprisingly, the next stage was Solid. These projections were far more complex, significantly stronger, and WAY more strenuous than the previous stages.

Example: If I had to compare it to something ridiculous, maybe a Category 5 hurricane—but that was just a theory. I had zero experience with these types yet. The pain level I theorized for this would be akin to getting an arm cut off or being stabbed in the vitals.

'Maybe my pain scale was exaggerated, but I needed to be ready. I'd been under so much stress before that I barely even remembered what pain felt like.'

I took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, then stood up, taking my first step away from the supposed safe zone.

"Hah~"

Instantly, the world changed.

I was now in an open plain under a high-noon sun. The sky was clear, and not a single tree was in sight.

"Grrr~!"

'P-Please, God, no...'

The low growl made my body tense. I knew fights—real fights—were the best way to improve. Experience had already taught me that. But did I really have to go back-to-back-to-back with these situations?

I turned toward the source of the growl, and I saw it.

No. Them.

Every single beast from outside. The ones that required a trio just to stand a chance against.

All of those monsters that should have been dead, they were back.

"Fuck me..." I muttered under my breath, but I didn't back down.

'Start off strong!'

I swung my arm fast from left to right, intending to release a single wind blade.

SCHLK!

SCHLK!

SCHLK!

The first row of beasts was completely annihilated, but my wind blade didn't even reach the row behind them. At most, I had only killed twenty, which was nowhere near enough to thin their numbers!

Switching tactics, I pressed my thumbs together and aligned my middle fingers, channeling light energy. A makeshift laser formed and then I started blasting.

THWNG!

"G-GOD, THAT FUCKING HURTS!"

My body couldn't handle the concentration of light. My hands were covered in blisters and torn skin. It hurt like hell, but I couldn't stop. If I let them take the advantage, I was done!

'I need to—'

My thoughts were cut off before they could even form.

A black outline of a panther manifested to my left in an instant.

FWOOSH~!

I channeled mana into the soles of my feet and dashed to my right.

"GRAH!"

A black panther with silver markings swung its deadly claws right where I had been standing.

'Shit!'

"GRAH!"

"FUCK!"

FWOOSH~!

A growl from behind made my instincts kick in. Jumping up into the air without hesitation however, that wasn't smart either.

"KAWWWW!"

Flying-type monsters swarmed toward me, their killing intent clear.

Fortunately, thanks to constant battles and my advanced reasoning from Earth, I could at least react in time.

"Wind Blast!"

I thrust my hands upward, channeling wind to propel myself downward at high speed.

Fortunately, my proficiency in "Gas"-stage projections was fast enough to execute it effectively.

'As for the other two stages... I'd definitely need more time or more support.'

I didn't know how much time had passed, but sweat was already dripping down my forehead. My adrenaline was at its peak, and my body was ready for war.

The only question was...

Could I win against the 900-something beasts that remained?