Bennet exhaled sharply. His eyes glinted with a cold fire. His aura roared as he tapped into his mana and charged forward. No more hanging back like before. This time, he'd take the fight head-on. This time, he'd go all out.
Runes along the center of his greatsword flared with ghostly light. Power surged through the blade, flooding into Bennet's body. His red armor reacted, glowing runes forming across his chest, arms, and legs.
His aura spiked. His stats broke past the 100-point mark. His presence turned wild, bloodthirsty.
Raw power coursed through him, untamed and fierce. It threatened to rip him apart. His body burned, steam curling from his lips into the wind. He felt bloated, a familiar sensation in this state. That was the problem with the armor, it flooded him with more power than he could handle.
Unlike a boost from the Spirit Record, which would strengthen his soul and give a clean, adaptable power surge, the [Stonecrusher and Berserker Armor Set] overwhelmed his body with raw force. Anyone else would've burst into a bloody mist.
But Bennet? He could just about handle it.
"[Lesser Gigantification]," he muttered.
His mana dipped slightly, but that was just the start. His bones thickened, absorbing the chaotic power like it belonged there all along. His body grew. From 6'5", he shot up past 7 feet. His arms bulged with new muscle. His chest swelled, straining his armor's chestplate. His thighs and legs thickened to match.
Soon, Bennet was a hulking giant. The [Stonecrusher], weighing over 800 kilograms, felt lighter than 100. He could swing the massive sword one-handed now.
His body thrummed with raw strength.
The Lurker's hair bristled. It couldn't grasp what it felt. One moment, it was untouchable, the apex of nature's predators. Now? It sensed danger.
From a human?
It hissed, outraged. How could this puny man make it feel fear? It would put him in his place. Nothing stood above it—especially not a human.
The Lurker's small eyes locked onto Bennet's reddening gaze. Murderous intent thickened the air, tinting the sky a faint red, like a blood rain was coming.
Bennet took a heavy step. The ground cracked under his foot. His thighs flexed, and he launched forward, the air exploding behind him.
The five-meter gap between him and the Lurker vanished in a blink. To the retreating evolvers, Bennet was a blur. He appeared before the Lurker, sword swinging with unstoppable force, yet it flowed through his limbs with perfect clarity, like his muscles were singing, finally unleashed.
The [Stonecrusher]'s blade radiated heat, steaming the air. Its runes ignited, flames arcing wildly.
"[Scattering of the Heavens]!"
BOOM!
Smoke and fire erupted. The air turned scorching. If Bennet had used this skill at the battle's start, he could've wiped out three lines of the beast horde, not just one.
And yet…
Something sharp shot from the smoke. Bennet's eyes narrowed. He raised his sword, using its thick blade as a shield. A split second later, a hooked, segmented leg slammed into it.
A deafening clang rang out.
The blow's force surged through Bennet's arm, rattling his bones. They creaked, but he held firm. Still, the impact sent him flying up into the air.
In the smoke, the Lurker crouched, legs bending, ready to strike. Its metal-hard chitin showed barely a scratch.
It leapt after Bennet, shattering the ground and clearing the smoke. It soared, reaching 3 meters and still climbing.
Bennet, now 9 meters up, started to fall.
"SKREE!" the Lurker shrieked, mouth wide, red clouds gathering in its throat for a deadly strike.
Bennet spun as he fell. He was in a bad spot, midair, no way to dodge or stop. So he used his descent.
Gripping the heavy sword, he swung sideways. With no ground to brace him, his body spun with it. His battle-honed instincts took over. He didn't fight the motion, letting momentum build as he dropped.
He became a spinning disc of death.
His world whirled, but he caught glimpses of the Lurker's open maw, green gas pooling inside. The beast was prepping something nasty.
Bennet should've been scared. But his grin only widened as he lost himself in the thrill.
"This danger, my blood pumping, my life on the line…" he thought. "THIS IS THE BEST!"
His shout startled the Lurker. Was this human laughing in the face of death?
No time to think.
Bennet and the Lurker collided.
One rising, the other falling like a meteor, laughing like a madman.