Chapter 84 - No Pain, No Sight, All Gain

Atlas focused intently, honing in on every subtle shift in the elemental particles swirling around him. The monsters were closing in, their chaotic movements sending ripples through the particles, signaling multiple attackers from different directions.

He remained motionless, spinning his spear once to center himself as he adjusted his stance to meet the unseen threats. His mind was sharp and calm—a stark contrast to the early days of his training, when panic would overtake him in moments like this.

Suddenly, an attack came from behind!

His instincts jolted him into action, but the speed of the strike overwhelmed him. The blow landed hard, forcing him to stumble forward.

Before he could recover, another attack came from the front. Atlas spun his spear instinctively, sweeping out in a wide arc—direct hit! 

The weapon's momentum carried him to the side, but another crushing impact hit him squarely, throwing him off balance.

He lashed out with his spear in a sweeping motion, trying to keep the attackers at bay. 

Three monsters!

From their height and movements, he recognized them as Lava Hounds.

Atlas gritted his teeth. He wasn't allowed to use active skills in this session, but his passive abilities were still in play. He made a quick decision—Water Element.

With a surge of focus, hundreds of faint water elemental particles in the area were drawn toward him, wrapping around his body and spear like a flowing shield. 

He leapt forward, thrusting his spear toward one of the hounds. 

The recoil of the impact told him he had landed a solid hit. Without hesitating, he launched into another quick maneuver, jumping high and delivering a powerful overhead strike that slammed into the target.

But another attack came from his right side! He shifted his stance, parrying the strike with his spear in a sweeping motion.

Behind!

A sudden blow struck the back of his head, sending him sprawling to the ground. He rolled to one side, barely avoiding another attack.

Damn it! They're overwhelming me from all sides!

As he scrambled to recover, Atlas sensed another presence—no, multiple ones. Lava Beetles. They were swarming closer.

Atlas swiftly moved away from his previous position, knowing the monsters were converging there.

I've fought these things hundreds of times! 

He clenched his spear tightly. He understood their movements, their attack patterns, and the most effective ways to kill them.

But the true challenge wasn't the monsters—it was the void of sensation. He had only his instincts and the shifting patterns of elemental particles to guide him.

The monsters followed, closing in!

Atlas suddenly halted and swept his spear in a rapid arc behind him—four Lava Hounds!

Without missing a beat, he swept higher, catching the air above, then spun his spear in a wide circle around him. 

Five Lava Beetles!

He smirked, planting his feet firmly on the ground.

I've got them now!

Visualizing the monsters' positions in his mind, he started to piece together the chaotic movements of the elemental particles. The scene unfolded in slow motion in his mind's eye.

Attack!

Atlas lunged forward, sweeping his spear in a wide arc. A spin attack followed, striking high. 

Left side! 

He brought his spear down in an overhand strike—feedback through the weapon confirmed the hit.

He took a few steps back as more monsters closed in.

Overhead strike! Feedback—another hit!

He spun his spear, attacking in a circular motion. Direct hits—three of them! 

He felt the feedback weakening—these monsters were faltering!

Planting his feet firmly, Atlas thrust his spear forward with precision. The strike landed clean, the feedback resonating through the shaft of the weapon. 

One down!

[You have killed Lava Beetle Lv. 53]

[You received 1,233 Exp]

[Exp: 4,223/179,665]

Atlas allowed a faint smile to cross his lips. He was beginning to understand the flow of this battle, and surprisingly, he was starting to enjoy it.

His confidence grew with each movement, and he began to move with greater agility and precision. 

It wasn't that he could defeat the monsters easily—far from it. He needed to strike their weak points multiple times before delivering a finishing blow. 

But this was a routine he had repeated countless times. He had grown so accustomed to it that even battles lasting nearly the entire day felt natural to him. Killing these monsters had become part of his daily life.

One of the Lava Beetles, weakened and retreating, caught his attention. At the same time, a Lava Hound blocked his path directly ahead.

Atlas reacted instantly. Leaping forward, he used the Lava Hound as a stepping stone, launching himself high into the air. With a swift overhead strike, he slammed his spear into the retreating Lava Beetle, driving it into the ground with a resounding impact.

Still airborne, Atlas spun mid-flight, redirecting his momentum. Using the spin to power his next maneuver, he twisted back toward the Lava Hound and delivered another devastating strike, his spear connecting with a precise, powerful blow.

[You have killed Lava Beetle Lv. 51]

[You received 978 Exp]

[Exp: 5,201/179,665]

[You have killed Lava Hound Lv. 49]

[You received 759 Exp]

[Exp: 5,960/179,665]

He had done it. It took time to adjust, but Atlas successfully cleared the first wave of monsters.

The set of skills and talents he possessed had been crucial to his survival and stamina, allowing him to endure the relentless assault and volcanic terrain with greater resilience.

[Epic - Lifebound Shield (Passive, Defensive) Lv. 1]

Creates a natural barrier that absorbs a portion of incoming damage and converts it into health regeneration over time.

[Epic - Inferno Fortitude (Passive) Lv. 2]

Provides enhanced endurance and stamina, allowing him to thrive in harsh volcanic environments.

These abilities gave him a distinct edge, enabling him to not only withstand the prolonged battle but also recover and adapt as the fight continued. 

One week. 

Then, two weeks passed. 

Atlas followed a grueling routine, repeating similar training every day. He ran laps, increasing the distance and the weight he carried each day, pushing his body to its limits.

In the second phase of his training, he faced monsters attacking from all directions, all while his senses remained completely shut off.

By the third week, the challenge escalated further. Atlas now had to run the same number of laps, but in an environment teeming with roaming monsters that would ambush him whenever he passed.

Several times, he stumbled or fell into streams of molten lava. The searing pain should have been unbearable, but by now, Atlas had grown numb to it. Pain had become just another obstacle to overcome.

Every time he was forced to retreat, he would recover as best as he could, then push himself right back into the fight. 

Step by step, he grew stronger, his body adapting to the brutal conditions and the relentless onslaught of monsters.

Four weeks had passed.

Atlas now faced an entirely new challenge: battling his own troops in a simulation designed to test him to his limits. At first, it was a one-on-one skirmish. Then it escalated to two opponents, eventually culminating in a coordinated assault by four of his elite fighters.

This training was both intense and exhilarating. Unlike the monsters he had fought before, his troops were smarter and far more strategic. 

They took full advantage of his blind spots—though, to be fair, every spot was a blind spot for him. It was more about finding the gaps he couldn't predict or cover in time.

Zara, with her archery, excelled at disrupting Atlas's momentum. Her arrows struck the joints of his armor, throwing off his movements and causing him to lose balance at critical moments.

Garen capitalized on those openings with heavy, bone-crushing strikes, his sheer strength enough to send Atlas stumbling.

Meanwhile, Ronan unleashed relentless barrages of attacks from unpredictable angles, often using arrows or thrown projectiles to bombard Atlas. This constant pressure left him struggling to identify the direction of incoming strikes.

And then there was Kaida, whose fire magic delivered explosive bursts. Her fireballs hit with enough force to hurl Atlas across the field, leaving him scrambling to recover.

It wasn't just a test of skill; it was chaos—and Atlas loved every second of it.

The training sessions weren't just about improvement—they became moments of bonding. 

Every time a session ended, Atlas would take off his helmet and armor, only to be met with laughter from the group. They'd tease one another about the chaos of the battle.

By the sixth week, the real challenge arrived—the culmination of all his current session of training, the ultimate test.

Atlas stood at the center of the field, surrounded by low hills. He had no idea what he would face, only that this would be anything he'd encountered before. 

The only clue he had? This was his first.

Suddenly, he felt it, a massive surge of elemental particles, moving with terrifying force from one side.

What?! This is too strong!

Before he could even react, something enormous, fast, and overwhelmingly powerful struck him like a battering ram. 

The impact sent him hurtling through the air, slamming him into the arena's terrain wall with devastating speed. His body embedded into the surface, leaving cracks spidering out from the point of impact.

Damn!

But, This is it! This is what I've been training for!