The 40 Floor –
Yui and Zalarosa stood still, uncertain.
Zalarosa (hesitant):
"Yui... should we really go? I don't want to climb that stairway. I feel an overwhelming presence up there."
Yui (with fear in her eyes):
"I feel it too... but we have to go. Come on."
As they reached the stairway, a massive monster—16 meters tall—suddenly appeared before them.
---
Meanwhile, at the top…
Ryo (bored):
"I'm starting to feel bored… wait, someone's coming."
---
Adventurer 1:
"Is this the final floor?"
Adventurer 2:
"Seems like it."
Adventurer 3:
"Hey, look! Someone's sitting there... Is he the final boss?"
Ryo:
"Welcome, welcome to the final floor. Honestly, I didn't expect anyone to reach this place so quickly."
Adventurer 1:
"Who are you? Are you a monster? Everyone, get ready to fight!"
Ryo:
"Not so fast. Let's at least introduce ourselves first. My name is Ryo."
The three adventurers introduced themselves:
Marina – Ice and water swordswoman
Arayos – Swordsman of Light
Gaidon – Earth and Nature wielder, team leader
Gaidon:
"So, you're going to fight us alone?"
Ryo snapped his fingers—and they were all transported.
---
New location:
A colossal stone arena on top of a forgotten mountain, cloaked in storm clouds and mist—an ancient battleground lost to time.
---
The Opponents:
Three Black-Gold Ranked adventurers, known as:
> "The Heavenly Seal Trio."
Arayos – Wields light at the speed of a flash.
Marina – Freezes the air and commands liquid swords.
Gaidon – Body as hard as steel, with living roots and stone blades swirling around him.
---
Gaidon:
"Just you, alone?"
Marina (mocking):
"He's either brave... or foolish."
Arayos (as his body glows):
"Let's finish him quickly. Maybe there's something valuable on him."
But Ryo didn't flinch. He looked up calmly and whispered:
Ryo:
"… Eternal Eye – First Level."
---
✦ [Eternal Eye – Level One] ✦
See weaknesses as glowing blue spots.
See strengths as golden auras.
Trace the flow of energy inside bodies.
Partial time manipulation in his field of vision: slow movement by 50% for 10 seconds every 2 minutes.
View the past and all things in the world.
---
As the eye activated, everything changed. Ryo saw the solar burst in Arayos' chest, a weak spot in Marina's neck, and a crack in Gaidon's weapon.
Ryo (coldly):
"You're strong… but I can see everything."
---
First Assault – The Holy Cyclone
Arayos struck first, vanishing in a beam of light, reappearing before Ryo in a slash faster than sound.
Ryo leaned slightly—just enough to dodge perfectly.
Marina:
"He dodged light?! No way…"
She formed whirlwinds of liquid swords, combining them into a massive spear of ice and hurled it.
Ryo slowed time around it, jumped atop the spear, and skated upward.
Ryo:
"Perfect timing."
From above, he dived toward Gaidon, who summoned stone lances from the earth.
Ryo drew his blade and whispered:
> "Technique: Invisible Slash."
The attack couldn't be seen—but the ground shattered and a crack split Gaidon's shield.
---
Three vs. One
They attacked at once:
Arayos from the front
Marina with an avalanche of frozen weapons
Gaidon summoned mud beasts and imprisoned Ryo with massive earth walls
Ryo only smiled.
Ryo:
"Then I'll use this… the second ability of the Eternal Eye."
---
✦ Thread Manipulation ✦
He could see energy threads connecting every motion to the environment.
He lightly tapped them with his blade, altering trajectories mid-air:
Arayos' light beam curved away.
Marina's ice spear disintegrated.
The summoned beasts collapsed.
Arayos (shocked):
"What… did he do?!"
Marina:
"He bent our attacks…?"
Ryo:
"This is only… the beginning."
---
✦ Full Disassembly Technique ✦
Ryo unlocked a hidden ability from a month ago. He now:
Saw their energy flows
Heard their nerve pulses
Felt their thoughts like whispers
He began his deadly dance:
Arayos: Strike to the neck – light extinguished.
Marina: Slash through vapor – pierced her shoulder's weak point.
Gaidon: One angled slash – shattered his greatsword.
All three collapsed, exhausted and stunned.
Ryo (sheathing his blade):
"No one is truly unbeatable… but I see everything you try to hide."
---
Conclusion
The trio retreated, defeated.
Arayos:
"You're… unbelievably strong."
Marina:
"If we weren't together… we'd be dead."
Ryo:
"Even together… you were no match. I spared you."
He turned away.
In the blink of an eye, the trio vanished—teleported by Ryo outside the forest, back into the city.
Gaidon (laughing bitterly):
"That monster… actually beat us. Good thing he let us live."
Marina:
"You're right…"
---
To be continued…