Chapter 28: The 10,000 Monsters

Ryo stood in the midst of an eerie, shifting battlefield. The horizon stretched infinitely, filled with twisted, shadowy figures and a horde of monsters numbering in the thousands. Their eyes glowed with malice, and the air seemed to crackle with the energy of their presence. Ryo's heart pounded in his chest. The system's voice had just given him the impossible task of defeating 10,000 monsters—ranging from level 50 to 120—without being able to check his status until the task was complete.

"I have no choice but to survive…" Ryo thought, his hands shaking as his senses heightened.

The first wave hit without warning. From the swirling shadows emerged the Shadow Wolves, their fur as dark as night, their eyes burning with an unnatural hunger. Their jaws dripped with a thick, tar-like substance, and their claws scraped the ground with a sound that sent chills down Ryo's spine.

The system's voice echoed in his mind, "Level 50 Shadow Wolves. Weak against light and fire."

Ryo didn't hesitate. With a burst of focus, he summoned Fireball, hurling it at the first wolf in his path. The fireball exploded with force, scorching the beast's fur and sending it stumbling back. But the pack was relentless. More of the wolves rushed forward, their speed unnerving, attempting to surround him.

Ryo gritted his teeth, stepping back to create distance. His Elemental Manipulation surged through him, and in a heartbeat, he turned the ground beneath his feet into molten rock. The wolves hesitated for a split second, their paws sinking into the hot surface. He didn't waste the opportunity, summoning another Fireball, but this time, he fused it with a twist of Bloodflame Mastery, creating a fiery vortex that consumed the wolves in an instant.

"Level up," Ryo heard the familiar notification sound, but he couldn't afford to dwell on it. The battle was far from over.

As the last of the wolves disintegrated into ash, the ground beneath Ryo's feet trembled, signaling the arrival of another wave. This time, Stone Golems—hulking, rock-skinned monsters—emerged from the earth, their massive fists ready to crush anything in their path. Their stony hides were tough, resistant to fire, and their movements slow, but their power was overwhelming.

Ryo quickly assessed the situation, recognizing the weakness in their slow speed. Blood Puppetry was his immediate choice. With a flick of his wrist, he manipulated the blood inside one of the golems' massive stone cores. The golem's body jerked violently, and it staggered forward, its own momentum turning against it.

Ryo leapt into action, drawing his sword and delivering a series of precise strikes to the golem's joints. Each blow cracked its rocky exterior, but the creature fought back, swinging its fists with bone-crushing force. Ryo barely managed to dodge the attacks, feeling the shockwaves through his body.

Despite the golem's brute strength, Ryo found his rhythm, exploiting its lack of agility. His strikes became faster, more focused, and soon, the golem's stone armor began to crumble under the pressure. With one final, well-placed strike, Ryo pierced its heart, causing the creature to collapse into a pile of broken rocks.

Another Level up notification echoed in his mind, but he ignored it, too focused on the oncoming horde to care.

The Battle Intensifies

The next wave was not as forgiving. The Fire Wyverns—dragons that were smaller in size but fast and ferocious—descended from the sky with an ear-piercing screech. Their scales glowed like embers, and their fiery breath could melt anything in its path.

Ryo's first instinct was to try and meet them head-on, but he realized quickly that their agility and aerial advantage were far too dangerous. Instead, he ducked and weaved through their attacks, using his Elemental Manipulation to create barriers of wind and stone to deflect their fireballs.

One wyvern in particular—a larger, more aggressive one—locked eyes with Ryo, and in an instant, it dive-bombed towards him, its claws aimed to impale.

"I have to move!"

Ryo's instincts kicked in. He focused all of his remaining energy into Abyssal Dragon Wings, summoning massive, dark-feathered wings from his back. He propelled himself upwards, narrowly dodging the wyvern's deadly descent. With a shout, Ryo summoned a torrent of Lightning, surrounding his wings with crackling electricity. The wyvern hesitated, but not for long. It lunged at him with terrifying speed.

He turned and met it head-on, using his Bloodscale Armor to protect himself from its fiery claws. But the heat was overwhelming. Ryo's skin burned under the pressure, and his breath came in ragged gasps.

He knew he couldn't keep this up for long. With his enhanced strength, Ryo swung his sword, aiming directly for the wyvern's throat. The blade cut deep, and with a roar of pain, the wyvern collapsed to the ground in a plume of smoke and flame.

Ryo landed heavily on the ground, his wings vanishing as the remaining wyverns circled above, preparing for another attack.

The Final Wave

Just when Ryo thought he couldn't take any more, the ground began to shake again, and the system's voice filled his mind.

"Level 100 Demon Knights. Prepare yourself."

Ryo's blood ran cold. These were no ordinary monsters. Demon Knights, humanoid warriors covered in dark armor, wielded weapons that glowed with cursed energy. Their eyes burned with a dark fire, and their armor was nearly impervious to physical damage.

Ryo, exhausted but not defeated, raised his sword, gathering his remaining strength. The first Demon Knight lunged at him with a massive spear, its tip glowing ominously. Ryo dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding a deadly strike. The ground where the spear had pierced the earth cracked open, releasing a burst of dark energy.

"Damn it," Ryo muttered, feeling his strength falter. He couldn't keep evading forever.

But then, a new determination surged through him. The Paradox Physique within him, the endless potential for growth, ignited. His body, though battered, began to heal at an accelerated rate. Ryo's vision sharpened, his movements faster, more precise. The Demon Knights were strong, but he had learned so much in these trials.

With a roar, Ryo engaged the Demon Knights, his attacks now flowing with an otherworldly grace. Each strike from his blade struck with the force of a thunderclap, and his Blood Rampage kicked in, giving him the strength to fight with relentless fury.

One by one, the Demon Knights fell. Their armor shattered under Ryo's blows, and their cursed weapons were turned against them. But even as he defeated them, more emerged from the shadows, each more powerful than the last.

It took everything Ryo had, but with his final breath—his blood running low, his body near collapse—he finally struck the last Demon Knight down.

Training Completion

The battlefield fell silent. The monsters, the waves of enemies—everything was gone. Ryo stood alone, his body bruised, battered, and bloodied, but alive.

The system's voice rang out.

"Congratulations, Ryo Takashi. You have completed training phase 2. The 10,000 monsters have been defeated."

Ryo collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily, unable to stand any longer. But as he looked at the horizon, the sense of victory surged within him.

"Level up…" Ryo whispered, but he had no idea what level he was now. It didn't matter.

[starting phase 3]....