BOOM!
The ground beneath their feet cracked as they both charged at each other with terrifying speed.
Clang
Their weapons collided with terrifying force, making their hands numb, especially Italo's, as Benoth's strength far exceeded his. He also felt the scorching heat coming from Benoth's sword and immediately recoiled.
"You said you're not Travis, well you can't deny the famous Flow Skill, Duke," Italo scoffed. He knew this was Travis' first Flow Skill, Sparks, and it was well known. It was a Flow Skill that created fire through sparks, which could be channeled into a Base Core Weapon, increasing the blade's temperature to the extent that it could easily tear through reinforced metal like butter.
Benoth remained quiet. His sword continued glowing redder by the second, and the air around it felt scorched. Feeling the intense pressure from Benoth's sword, Italo swallowed secretly.
"Going up against that sword with my dagger would just be begging for my hands and dagger to get sliced off," Italo muttered. "Wait… what have I been thinking? My Flow Stimulation Power is Water Flow Stimulation."
Italo threw his dagger to the floor, then stretched both his hands forward. "Let's do this."
[Water Flow Stimulation 2: Bubble]
Benoth dashed forward, all Italo could see was a blur of Benoth figure. Just as Benoth was about to slice his head off cleanly, a bubble made of water wrapped around Italo. When Benoth's sword touched the bubble, its heat quenched. Despite the blade still being hot, Italo caught it with his teeth. It didn't affect him much as for the fact his flow stimulation power was water and he had certain resistance towards heat or flames.
This left Benoth in a state of shock for a few seconds, he instinctively kicked Italo in the face, sending him crashing into an orchard tree.
"What is wrong with him…" Benoth muttered.
Benoth clearly didn't liked the fact that, Italo used his mouth to catch his sword. Some moments later, he then saw Italo dashing toward him, his mouth bloody and torn.
"Now you pissed me off," Italo growled.
[Water Flow Stimulation 3: Water Pin]
Italo launched Water Pins repeatedly at Benoth, who deflected each attack with his sword. His sword was now getting brittle. Though it was a Base Core Weapon, it was a Grade One weapon. If Benoth had known something like this would happen, he would have taken a Grade Two weapon instead, but who would have thought this would happen on his way back home.
Looking at Italo barreling towards him, Benoth's irritation grew, even more. He had beaten and severely injured this man several times over, yet he kept coming like an undying cockroach.
"Hey, puke knock-off… since my poison doesn't work on your strong Grade Three resistance, and I'm at a clear disadvantage facing you, why don't we make it more fun?" Italo yelled.
"What is he planning on doing now," Benoth muttered. "Well… I can't just sit around and let it happen."
[Fire Flow Stimulation 1: Sparks]
Just as Benoth was about to charge at Italo and finish him off, he saw Italo pull out a dagger and stab himself with it. Benoth was dumbstruck, wondering if Italo had truly lost his mind, but he soon realized he was wrong.
Italo's wound began healing at a terrifying speed. He grew taller, his broad shoulders becoming even wider. His wounded mouth healed and reshaped into a snout, his teeth grew larger and sharper like a wolf's, and claws extended from his hands and feet. The ground cracked, under his sudden weight.
'What's happening, and what was in that dagger.' Benoth thought.
"His base... it's being corrupted. His transforming into a hybrid." Benoth was baffled.
Italo now looked like a terrifying beast that resembled a werewolf, but bigger and uglier.
ROOOOAAAAARRR!!
He let out a resounding roar that made the orchard's trees shook violently. Benoth staggered under the suffocating pressure coming from the beast, Italo.
"How do you like me now?"
"What have you done to yourself?"
"What... isn't obvious, I didn't want you to get bored by my pathetic strength, so I did what I did, for us to enjoy this playdate. Now I have the power of a tier three creature," Italo replied casually. "Though, It has its disadvantages, like my base core being corrupted, and me being in this state permanently, but it doesn't matter, as far as we have enough time to enjoy our playdate, I don't mind the cost."
"What's wrong with you, Amata!"
"I said my name isn't Amata, it's ITALO!!"
Italo roared as he leaped at Benoth, his mouth stretched wide open, sharp teeth bared. Benoth showed no fear. He remained calm and waited for the right moment.
[Fire Flow Stimulation 1: Sparks]
Benoth gripped his sword tightly, he knew his sword would give out soon, but that wasn't a problem. If his flames could ignite Italo from the inside, he could still finish him off.
"That same flow skill won't do you much good," Italo sneered.
As Italo closed in, he snapped his jaws shut and flipped mid-air, leaving Benoth confused. Before Benoth could understand what was happening, he felt a powerful claw grip both his shoulders. He looked up and a saw Italo mocking expression, as he raised his sword for an upward strike, Italo tossed him straight into the air, his sword left his hands.
As Benoth reached the apex, Italo appeared beside him and punched him downward, hard.
BOOM!
Benoth smashed into the ground and ricocheted back into the air, the force cracking the earth beneath him. Benoth was still in the air when Italo followed with a devastating kick, sending Benoth flying again this time horizontally.
BOOM!
Benoth crashed near a fish pond, the pain was unbearable, he felt as if his internal organs had been rearranged. His eyes rolled back as his consciousness began to fade, memories of his wife and children flooding his mind. "Ahh… damn… my life is flashing before my eyes."
*Cough, Cough*
Benoth coughed up a mouthful of blood.
"I'm not going to give up here, even if it means breaking it," Benoth muttered as he slowly sat up.
It didn't take long for Italo to land beside him. He grabbed Benoth by the head, mocking him.
"Pathetic. A beginner Grade Three can't defeat a Hybrid Tier Three like myself," Italo sneered.
Benoth's eyes burned with killing intent. He wanted nothing more, than to let this man meet his maker.
"Stare all you want. It won't change the fact that you're weak against me," Italo said. He then glanced at the fish pond and smiled darkly.
Benoth felt a bad premonition.
"Let's play a new game called how long can a Grade Three Duke survive underwater," Italo said manically, as he pinned Benoth and shoved his head into the pond.
Some Grade Three cultivators could last hours underwater, but Benoth was severely injured. At best, he could barely last an hour.
Benoth struggled desperately.
"Come on, beg me... I might consider not shoving!" Italo shoved Benoth head deeper into the pond. "your head deeper... hahahaha,"
'I don't care anymore. I'm going to break—'
Before Benoth thought could finish, he heard something that made him both happy and disbelieving.
"Duke Benoth!"
He heard his name, Italo then released him. The saw two young adventurers running towards them. Benoth heart sank as he sensed they were Grade One and compared to Italo current state they were nothing. He knew that it was likely the old man that send both adventurers to help him out, thinking it was something they could handle.
As they approached, they saw Italo pinning Benoth to the ground and immediately recognized Benoth, despite the way he looked currently.
Italo laughed. "Our current game ends here. The next one is called save the two little pigs from the Big... Bad... Wolf."
"Your time starts now."
Italo lunged.
The both saw the hybrid creature, Italo, approaching and prepared to fight but sensed something was wrong, this was no ordinary tier one or tier two hybrid they could handle.
"Run!" Benoth yelled, but it was too late.
Benoth's heart sank, he watched as Italo ripped off one adventurer's head. The other tried to help, despite his fear, but was instinctively knocked away by Italo's clawed hand.
Benoth gritted his teeth.
Italo suddenly froze, sensing something wrong.
Thunder rumbled violently, a deafening roar that echoed through the heavens, as if the end of everything had come.
It was already nightime a bright light shot towards the direction of the pond where Benoth was, Italo turned towards Benoth direction, he saw Benoth standing up. All the wounds on his body had completely healed. Then he heard him chanting something.
"ONE IS I, WITH ALL THE REALM, FOR I DRAW POWER FROM THE SECOND..."
"BREAK."
OOHHHWOOOMM
The light descended from the heavens, bathing Benoth in a divine radiance as he rose gently. To Italo or to anyone else, he looked like a god.
"Amata or Italo, your death is sealed... This ends now"
[Fire Flow Stimulation 2: Engulfing Venomous Flame]
Emerald-green fire erupted toward Italo.
Italo stared at the scene in disbelief. He never imagined something like this could happen. He knew he couldn't stand against Benoth, nor could he fully sense the extent of his strength. What terrified him even more was the approaching flame, it was no ordinary flame, even from a distance, he could feel the intense heat coming from it.
A thought crossed his mind, the one he had always hated and cursed: fleeing. But now, he didn't care. All he wanted was to run as far away from the flame, and from Benoth, as soon as possible. Yet fear rooted him to the spot. He couldn't move. At first, he thought it was Benoth holding him still, but he was wrong.
The flames engulfed him. He wailed on the ground, but it did no good. Desperate, he ran toward the pond and leapt into its waters, but the fire still burned, corroding his body and leaving nothing but ashes floating on the surface.
Benoth landed nearby, half-kneeling, coughing up blood. "I never thought I would use it… the backlash came faster than I expected."
Moments later, exhaustion settled in. His eyelids grew heavy, and despite his struggle, he eventually fell asleep. When he woke, he felt significantly better, though the weight of the power he had just used still lingered, but the rest of his wounds had healed. He didn't know how long he had been asleep, but it was still nighttime.
He slowly got to his feet and walked through the farmland, searching for the adventurer that Italo had knocked away. Benoth had sensed someone following him as he walked through the farmland. He was ready to fight despite his condition.
"Aren't you going to stop hiding and come out?" Benoth called out.
"As expected from the legendary Travis, ahem, Duke Benoth. I'm Velde, and I come in peace," the man said, as he came into view.
Benoth was able to relax slightly after listening to the man. Though it was nighttime, he could see the man clearly. The man was six feet tall, with a well-built frame and short black hair. He looked fairly average, but from his aura, Benoth could sense he was at peak Grade Two.
"What do you want?" Benoth asked cautiously.
"It's simple. Join me and become a member of the organization," Velde replied.
"Does this organization of yours have a name?"
"That is classified information for non-members," Velde responded casually.
"So, what's your point?" Benoth asked.
"Well, Duke Benoth… you won the trial. You can now become an official member of the organization, where you can gain power and access valuable resources for further ascension," Velde explained.