Chapter 76: The EX-Rank Gate

Riku stood before the looming gate of the EX-Rank Rift Zone, his gaze unwavering. The air around the gate shimmered with raw energy, the very essence of the place crackling with dangerous anticipation. This was no ordinary zone—this was where the strongest essence warriors tested their limits. Where power was pushed to the edge, and only the most elite could survive.

As he stepped through the threshold, a cold gust of wind hit him, and the world around him seemed to shift into a darker, more dangerous landscape. The ground was cracked and barren, the sky overcast with swirling clouds of corrupted essence.

Three beastly silhouettes loomed in the distance—each one exuding an aura of destruction, each one a deadly challenge in its own right.

The first was a gargantuan, four-armed creature, covered in thick, black armor plates. It was as if it had evolved to fight warriors like Riku—its fists were large enough to crush buildings. Its massive, reptilian eyes glowed with a crimson fury.

The second beast was more agile, its sleek body resembling a monstrous, winged serpent. Its scales shimmered with an ethereal glow, and its eyes were filled with an unholy intelligence that only hinted at how dangerous it truly was.

The third beast was a giant, hulking wolf made of raw, swirling energy—its form constantly shifting and flickering in and out of existence. Its glowing eyes burned with a hunger that matched the chaos of the rift.

Riku cracked his knuckles, his blue eyes narrowing as he summoned his Essence. He didn't waste any time.

He unleashed Zephyr Ascendancy, and his body surged with energy. In the blink of an eye, he shot forward, moving with impossible speed and precision, dodging the massive fists of the four-armed creature. His own attacks were like lightning, each strike precise and powerful, each one landing with a force that would shatter mountains.

The creature roared in pain, but it quickly retaliated, swinging its massive arms in wide arcs. Riku ducked and rolled, using his agility to stay out of its range, landing on a nearby rock formation and leaping again with deadly intent.

The serpent-like beast took to the air, weaving through the sky in unpredictable patterns, its mouth opening to unleash streams of acidic venom. Riku's clones appeared to block the venom, while he charged at the beast from below. With a swift kick, he sent it crashing to the ground, his strikes causing its scales to crack.

The final beast, the energy wolf, was the most challenging. Its body shifted and flickered, becoming intangible, then solid again in a flash. It charged, using its energy to distort space around Riku. But Riku's aura burned with divine power as he activated Divine Avatar, a shimmering celestial blue flame enveloping his form.

With his body now enhanced to god-like proportions, Riku became an unstoppable force. He swung his fists, creating shockwaves that rumbled the very earth beneath them. The wolf growled, charging again, but Riku anticipated its moves, and with a devastating strike, he broke through its defenses, causing it to dissipate into pure essence.

Riku stood, breathing heavily, his body glowing with the remnants of his divine form. He'd defeated all three beasts in under ten minutes, leaving only the echo of their defeat hanging in the air.

"Too easy," he muttered to himself with a grin, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Guess I'm ready for whatever comes next."

As he stood alone in the silent aftermath, his mind wandered briefly to the EX-Rank title. With each victory, the pressure mounted. But he was ready. Riku had always been destined for greatness, and now it was just a matter of time before the world recognized it.

He turned and began to walk back to the gate, the rift behind him closing with a soft thrum, signaling the end of another battle.