The Final Strike – Ending the Mutant Beast
Rael stood over the battlefield, his **entire body radiating dark energy.**
His eyes glowed with newfound power. **"This is still not enough."**
The mutant beast **rose again**, its body regenerating unnaturally. It refused to die.
Rael's **broken sword lay in pieces on the ground.**
He clenched his fists, **black energy swirling around them.**
The beast lunged—**Rael moved faster.**
He struck with a **single punch.**
The impact **shattered the creature's entire body.** The air rippled as a massive crater formed beneath them.
The beast let out a final, agonized screech—then **ceased to exist.**
As the dust settled, Rael heard the voice again.
**"You did well. But you are still incomplete."**
Rael growled. **"Show yourself."**
The voice chuckled. **"Not yet. But soon."**
Then, it was gone.
Rael clenched his fists. **There was still more to uncover.**
But first—he had to return to the guild.
Lyra lay on the cold stone floor of the underground chamber, her body **barely breathing.**
She had broken the limits of human magic. **She had chosen to wield all four elements.**
But something else had awakened inside her.
Her **body trembled as dark energy pulsed through her veins.**
Her hair—once a deep brown—began to **shift colors, turning into a strange mix of black and crimson.**
Her eyes—**now glowing with power—changed from human to something else.**
A whisper echoed in her mind. **"You are no longer human."**
She forced herself to her feet, panting.
Her magic felt **wild, limitless.**
The wind itself bowed to her will. Fire, water, earth—all obeyed her commands.
And deep inside her, something darker stirred.
She looked at her reflection in the polished floor.
She was **different. More powerful.**
And finally—**she was closer to Rael.**
With new determination, she **ascended from the underground chamber.**
The entire guild would soon witness her transformation.
Rael returned to the guild, his **clothing torn, his aura heavier than ever.**
The moment he walked in, silence fell.
The guild members had **expected him to die.**
The receptionist gasped. **"No way. You killed that thing?"**
Without a word, Rael placed **the core of the mutant beast** on the counter.
Silence turned into **shock.**
Rael didn't care for their awe. **"Give me my payment."**
The woman quickly handed him a heavy bag of gold.
As he turned to leave, **the doors swung open violently.**
Everyone turned—**and saw Lyra.**
The moment she stepped inside, the guild members froze.
Her **new form radiated power.**
Her hair, now black and crimson, **floated slightly from the sheer force of her magic.**
Her eyes, no longer human, **shone with unnatural brilliance.**
**"She survived…?"** someone whispered.
The receptionist took a step back. **"What happened to her…?"**
Lyra met Rael's gaze.
For the first time, **he truly looked at her.**
A single word left his lips. **"You're stronger now."**
Lyra's heart pounded. **For him, those words meant everything.**
She had fought, suffered, and changed for this moment.
And now, **she was truly standing beside him.**
But before she could say anything, a voice interrupted.
**"You two. Let's check your ranks again."**
It was the same receptionist who had evaluated them before.
Rael and Lyra looked at each other.
Then, in unison, they spoke. **"Okay."**
And so, their **true rankings** would finally be revealed.