Chapter 31.2: Personal System Trials - The Trials of Strength (Part 2)
Year 0008, Month XI-XIII: The Imperium
---
DAY 35: THE NORTHERN BORDERS
The journey to the northern border regions passed with remarkable speed. Flight offered advantages that ground travel could never match: no dense undergrowth to navigate, no treacherous terrain to slow progress, only the open sky and the wind currents that Aetherwing manipulated with casual mastery. What would have taken days or even weeks on foot required mere hours when riding a Guardian Beast through the winter air.
August had never visited this region before. The forest here felt fundamentally different from the territories surrounding Maya Village. Where the southern reaches of the Lonelywoods carried a sense of vital wilderness dangerous but alive with natural energy the northern borders felt oppressive. Sinister. The atmosphere itself seemed heavier, pressing down with almost physical weight. The contrast between the snow-covered ground and the skeletal trees, stripped bare by winter's assault, created a landscape that felt simultaneously sterile and menacing.
Even the air tasted different here. There was a metallic tang, like blood or fear, that August couldn't quite identify.
"An interesting place," Benethar observed, his rumbling voice carrying notes of genuine curiosity. The Prime Forged Soul had been remarkably quiet during the flight, absorbing everything with the focused attention of someone experiencing the world for the first time. "The atmospheric pressure differs from Maya Village. The ambient mana feels... corrupted? No, that's not quite accurate. Tainted, perhaps. As if something fundamental has been altered."
Aetherwing's mental voice carried grim agreement. *Indeed. It has been some time since I last patrolled the borders, nearly three months, I believe. The situation has deteriorated significantly in that period.* He adjusted his flight path, angling toward a clearing visible through the canopy. *Rex should be here. The Northern Forest Guardian Beast Lord oversees the entirety of this region. We should seek him first to obtain intelligence on current conditions.*
They descended through the cloud layer, and August got his first clear view of the border encampment. Dozens of beasts had gathered in a natural clearing, their forms creating a diverse array of shapes and sizes. Grimfangs members of packs that had once been enemies of Maya Village lounged near the clearing's edges, their alpha males maintaining careful distance from each other. Arborwyrms, massive serpentine creatures with bark-like scales, coiled around ancient trees. Several Great Peregrine Eagles perched on the highest branches, their keen eyes scanning the northern horizon.
And dominating the center of the clearing, impossible to miss, was Rex himself.
The Bone-Tyrant sometimes called the Armored-Tyrant depending on which aspect one emphasized was a creature from prehistoric nightmares given flesh and terrible purpose. Standing nearly 50 feet tall at the shoulder, his massive form combined the predatory efficiency of ancient tyrannosaurs with defensive capabilities that rivaled fortified walls. Thick bone plates covered his body in overlapping layers, each marked with scars that testified to centuries of combat. His eyes, despite their reptilian coldness, held undeniable intelligence.
Rex noticed Aetherwing's approach immediately, his massive head swiveling to track their descent. Aetherwing controlled the air currents with practiced precision, ensuring their landing disturbed the snow as little as possible. The displaced air still created small eddies, but nothing that would inconvenience the assembled beasts.
As they touched down, Rex's attention fixed on August and Benethar with evident curiosity. August could feel the weight of that gaze, the casual assessment of a predator evaluating potential prey or threat. The Forest Guardian Beast's mental voice, when it emerged, carried a deep resonance that seemed to vibrate in August's bones.
*Aetherwing, my friend. I am pleased you have chosen to join the defense of our lands.* Rex's mental tone shifted slightly, becoming more cautious. *But what manner of creature accompanies your ward? I recognize the human bond with him is well-known among the beast lords. But that other entity... It is neither human nor beast. I sense power within it, raw and unrefined. What is it? How did it come to travel with you?*
Benethar descended from Aetherwing's back with surprising grace for someone so newly created. His four arms moved in coordinated patterns that suggested emerging mastery of his unusual physiology. He looked around the clearing with evident interest, his glowing eyes cataloging everything with methodical attention. When his gaze settled on Rex, he showed no sign of fear despite the overwhelming size differential.
Aetherwing responded with careful diplomacy. *This is Benethar Solvorn, the Prime Forged Soul. You have met the human wizard Ben Flameswrath, yes? This is his creation, a genuinely fascinating achievement born from human ingenuity and magical innovation. Benethar is artificial, yes, but also genuinely alive. He was forged through a combination of mechanical components, organic materials, and... specialized power sources. He represents something entirely new in this world.*
Aetherwing deliberately avoided mentioning the Beast Lord mana cores that powered Benethar. Some of the Grimfangs present might recognize the scent or might not. Either way, revealing that Benethar was partially powered by the essence of defeated Beast Lords would create unnecessary complications. The Grimfangs might react with hostility, viewing it as desecration. Better to maintain strategic ambiguity.
Rex rumbled thoughtfully, a sound like distant thunder. *Humans truly create things we cannot,* he observed. *They require such innovations, being physically weak even by our standards. Yet that weakness also constitutes their greatest strength and they are consistently underestimated. We grow complacent, lulled into false belief that humans occupy the lowest tier of this world's hierarchy. And then suddenly we find ourselves defeated, brought low by creatures we dismissed as insignificant.*
*Indeed,* Aetherwing agreed. *Underestimating humanity has proven fatal for many who should have known better.*
August cleared his throat, drawing attention to himself. Speaking aloud rather than telepathically he still hadn't mastered broader mental communication beyond his bond with Aetherwing he addressed Rex with formal respect. "Great Beast, I am August Finn, ward of Master Aetherwing. I have come to assist in the border skirmishes and, if circumstances permit, to test my abilities against worthy opponents. Before we proceed, however, I wish to confirm the legal status of lethal force. Have the arbiters of both territories established legitimate grounds for self-defense?"
Rex's massive head tilted slightly, an almost human gesture of consideration. *You speak with unusual formality for one so young, human. But yes, the situation has progressed beyond diplomatic posturing. The arbiters have ruled that continued aggression from Shadowfen's forces constitutes valid casus belli. Lethal force in defense of our territory is not merely permitted but expected. Any beast crossing our borders with hostile intent forfeits the protections of neutral law.*
The Forest Guardian's attention sharpened, focusing on August with increased intensity. *But tell me, human are you truly confident in your ability to face Boss-rank beasts in single combat? Your previous victory over the Grimfang Beast Lords was achieved through ambush tactics and other advantages. But Boss-rank creatures from Shadowfen will not fall to such strategies. They are ancient, experienced, and individually more powerful than the Grimfang Lords you defeated. Do you still believe yourself ready?*
August felt the challenge implicit in Rex's question. This was a test of sorts not of combat ability, not yet, but of self-awareness and honest assessment. Overconfidence would mark him as foolish. Excessive caution would suggest weakness. He needed to strike a balance.
"I am confident," August said carefully, "though not reckless. I understand that Boss-rank beasts represent threats of a different magnitude than what I've previously encountered. I won't approach such fights carelessly. But I also believe I've reached a threshold where such battles are necessary for my continued growth. Staying safe, avoiding risk, fighting only battles I'm certain to win, that path leads to stagnation."
He paused, choosing his next words with care. "As for Forest Guardian Beasts, I acknowledge my current limitations. I cannot confidently claim I could defeat one in single combat. I would need more information about their capabilities, combat patterns, and weaknesses before attempting such a fight. Any intelligence you can provide about our enemies would be greatly appreciated."
Rex's rumbling shifted in tone what might have been laughter in a human became a series of low, resonant vibrations. *You speak with wisdom unusual for your age, human. Very well. If opportunities arise, I will permit you to engage the Beast Lords among our enemies. Your master Aetherwing vouches for your capabilities, and I trust his judgment.*
Aetherwing's mental voice carried satisfaction. *You'll see soon enough, Rex. My ward may surprise you.*
The Forest Guardian Beast accepted this with equanimity. *Then let us discuss our enemies in detail. Knowledge, after all, is its own form of power.*
---
Intelligence Briefing: The Enemy Forces
Rex settled his massive form into a more comfortable position, his bone-plated tail creating furrows in the snow. The assembled beasts drew closer, forming a loose council as their leader shared what he knew of the enemy.
*The probing attacks have intensified over the past month,* Rex began. *Shadowfen sends increasingly powerful forces, testing our defensive capabilities and seeking weaknesses to exploit. Two enemy types have proven particularly troublesome.*
The first enemy Rex described sent a chill down August's spine that had nothing to do with the winter cold. August recognized the creature from Erik, Betty, and Bren's terrified accounts years ago, the beast that had driven them fleeing toward the Lonelywoods in desperation.
*The Glistening Dread,* Rex intoned, his mental voice carrying disgust. *Aberrant creatures that should never venture beyond Shadowfen's deepest territories. They are fundamentally adapted to darkness and decay, thriving in environments where sunlight never reaches and death permeates everything.*
The description that followed painted a nightmarish picture. The Glistening Dread was an enormous centipede-like horror, measuring nearly thirty feet in length, five feet in width, and standing ten feet tall when fully raised. Its body glistened with sickly mucus-like secretions that corroded organic matter on contact. Hundreds of slimy, clawed appendages somewhere between legs and tentacles lined its grotesque form, allowing disturbing undulating locomotion that defied normal physics.
Its primary sensory organs were elongated feelers that constantly tasted the air, compensating for its dull-red eyes that struggled in daylight. The creature's massive mandibles, jagged and dripping with digestive fluids, could snap through ancient tree trunks with ease. Between those terrible jaws, rows upon rows of needle-like teeth designed for rending flesh and crushing bone.
"A single Glistening Dread of Commander-rank nearly killed my companions years ago," August claimed and Rex continued his explanation. *Now Shadowfen sends a Boss-rank specimen, the Queen of her species, ancient beyond measure and commanding dozens of her offspring. She leads an army of Glistening Dreads, each individually capable of devastating lesser forces.*
August absorbed this information with growing concern. Erik, Betty, and Bren had barely escaped a Commander-rank specimen. A Boss-rank creature magnified that threat by orders of magnitude.
The second primary enemy was more familiar. *The K'tharr, known commonly as Scythe Stalkers,* Rex said. *You may have encountered these before, I believe? Aetherwing here has told me so as he was there to witness it.*
August nodded. He remembered the terrifying mantis-like predator that Team One had barely survived fighting years ago. The K'tharr that haunted his memories from time to time had been a Soldier-rank specimen already formidable, with scythe-like forelimbs capable of cleaving through the hardest of the ancient trees, enormous mandibles designed to crush bones, and camouflage capabilities that made it nearly invisible in forest environments.
*The specimen now prowling our borders is Boss-rank,* Rex continued. *Classification: Mythical rarity, which represents the highest tier for Boss-rank creatures. Its exoskeleton has progressed beyond normal keratin into something approaching living metal reddish-black coloration that provides both camouflage and psychological intimidation. Its wood elemental magic has been refined through centuries of practice. And unlike lesser K'tharr, this one has learned to compensate for its weakness to bright light through enhanced sensory antennae that detect thermal signatures and air currents.*
The Forest Guardian Beast's mental tone grew grimmer. *This particular K'tharr Beast Lord has survived for over three centuries. It has killed countless challengers, including several Beast Lords who underestimated it. Do not be fooled by its insectoid nature; it is intelligent, cunning, and absolutely lethal.*
August listened with complete focus, committing every detail to memory. His Personal System would record this information, allowing him to review it later,but understanding it now was crucial. *Are there any other significant threats I should know about?* he asked mentally, finally managing to project his thoughts clearly through his bond with Aetherwing.
*Those two represent the primary opponents,* Rex responded. *Other creatures participate in the probing attacks, but none at Boss-rank. Commander-rank and below dangerous certainly, but manageable for experienced combatants.*
The briefing concluded as night began to fall. The winter sun, already weak and distant, disappeared behind the mountains to the west. The temperature plummeted further, frost crystallizing on exposed surfaces within minutes. The assembled beasts began final preparations for the anticipated battle.
August checked his equipment one final time. His Guardian armor, reforged with Master Ben's Crystalline Flame techniques, fit perfectly and showed no signs of damage or wear. His weapons bow, broad sword, spear, daggers were all properly maintained and ready. Healing potions, emergency supplies, and tactical equipment filled his Magical Item Pouch in carefully organized sections.
Benethar moved through his own preparations, though as an artificial being he required no food, water, or conventional rest. Instead, he practiced movement patterns, familiarizing himself with his four-armed physiology and testing the limits of his strength and coordination.
As full darkness settled over the border region, Rex's massive form stirred. The Forest Guardian Beast raised his head, nostrils flaring as he tested the wind. *They are here,* he announced simply.
August moved to the edge of the clearing, positioning himself where he could observe the approaching enemy. Initially, only low-rank beasts appeared both Novice and Soldier classifications, creatures that would pose minimal threat to experienced combatants. But gradually, more powerful specimens emerged from the Shadowfen territories. Commander-rank beasts, their auras palpable even at distance. Elite-rank specimens, rare and formidable.
And then, unmistakable even in darkness, the Boss-rank creatures themselves.
The Grimfang packs on the Lonelywoods side responded with coordinated howls, their battle cries echoing through the frozen forest. Arborwyrms uncoiled from their trees, their massive serpentine bodies creating impacts that shook the ground. The Great Peregrine Eagles took flight, circling overhead in preparation for diving attacks.
Rex himself rose to his full height, an absolutely terrifying display of raw physical power. His roar shattered the night, a sound so loud and primal that August felt it reverberate in his chest cavity. It was a declaration of territory, a challenge to all enemies, and a rallying cry to his allies.
*Very well then, Master!* August projected toward Aetherwing. *We must move as well! Benethar, stay close to me!*
The battle began without speeches or formal declarations. The moment Shadowfen's forces crossed the established border markers, the conflict erupted into immediate violence.
---
The Battle of the Northern Border
The initial clash was pure chaos beasts tearing into each other with primal fury, magic erupting in chaotic bursts, blood soaking into snow and freezing almost instantly. August had experienced combat before, had fought in battles that seemed overwhelming at the time. But this was different. This was war on a scale that transcended anything he'd previously witnessed.
Rex charged into the enemy lines like a living avalanche, his massive form crushing everything in his path. His bone-plated head smashed through defensive formations, scattering enemies like toys. When magic struck his armored hide, it dissipated or deflected harmlessly. The Forest Guardian Beast was effectively invulnerable to anything below Elite-rank attacks.
Aetherwing took to the sky, joining other Great Peregrine Eagles in coordinated diving attacks. Where other eagles relied solely on wind magic, Aetherwing combined wind and lightning in devastating patterns. He would dive from altitude, building tremendous speed, then release concentrated lightning bolts that struck with pinpoint accuracy. Enemy beasts that survived the initial electrical assault were torn apart by razor-sharp talons moving at terminal velocity.
The three moons Thea, Arley, and Lunark hung overhead like silent witnesses, their combined light turning the battlefield into something almost surreal. Shadows stretched and twisted as beasts fought and died. Blood created abstract patterns in the snow, dark stains that spread and froze.
August entered the battle with calculated precision. He targeted Commander-rank beasts initially, creatures powerful enough to challenge him but not so overwhelming that he risked immediate death. His approach combined practiced technique with adaptive improvisation; no two enemies fought identically, requiring constant adjustment.
A K'tharr of Commander-rank (not the Boss-rank specimen Rex had described) emerged from the tree line, its scythe-like forelimbs gleaming in moonlight. August recognized its species immediately and responded with appropriate tactics. He used [Lightning Volt], a recently acquired Personal Skill rated CLASS V - GRANDMASTER (Low-Tier ★). The electrical discharge wasn't particularly powerful, certainly not lethal to a Commander-rank creature but it served its purpose perfectly.
The K'tharr's multifaceted eyes, extraordinarily sensitive to sudden bright light, were temporarily blinded. The creature screeched in pain and disorientation, its antennae twitching frantically as it tried to compensate for lost vision. August didn't waste the opportunity. He drew his broad sword and closed the distance in two powerful strides, his enhanced strength and speed allowing movements that would seem superhuman to ordinary observers.
His blade found the junction between the K'tharr's head and thorax one of the few vulnerable points in its otherwise impenetrable exoskeleton. The broad sword, enhanced with fire, wind and lightning element reinforcement, cut through chitinous armor that would deflect normal weapons. The K'tharr's head separated from its body with a sickening crunch, its massive form collapsing as neural pathways severed.
August didn't pause to celebrate. He was already moving toward the next target, his enhanced perception identifying threats and opportunities with ruthless efficiency.
He fought with the precision of an apex predator, each movement purposeful and economical. No wasted motion, no excess energy expenditure, no unnecessary flourishes. His All-Rounder class designation meant he had mastered multiple combat disciplines rather than specializing in one. This versatility proved invaluable in the chaotic battlefield environment where threats could emerge from any direction.
When enemies clustered too closely, he used an area-effect elemental magic skill controlled bursts that incinerated weaker creatures without risking friendly fire. When ranged enemies tried to keep distance, he switched to his bow, his arrows enhanced with lightning element properties that turned them into explosive projectiles. When surrounded, he employed his spear's reach advantage, creating a protective perimeter that enemies struggled to penetrate.
Benethar Solvorn fought nearby, his four arms wielding weapons with increasing confidence. The Prime Forged Soul was still learning combat fundamentals, but his raw power compensated for inexperience. Each strike from his fists or weapons carried devastating force, his Beast Lord mana cores providing essentially unlimited stamina. Enemies that tried to swarm him discovered that his unusual physiology made traditional tactics ineffective; attacking from multiple angles mattered little when your opponent had four arms and could defend in all directions simultaneously.
August maintained awareness of Benethar's position, ready to intervene if the artificial being encountered something beyond his capabilities. But increasingly, such intervention proved unnecessary. Benethar was learning with remarkable speed, each engagement refining his technique and expanding his tactical understanding.
Then the Boss-rank creatures entered the battle proper.
August felt the shift immediately: a change in atmospheric pressure, a surge in ambient mana, an instinctive recognition that apex predators had arrived. The lesser beasts on both sides created space unconsciously, survival instincts warning them away from conflicts beyond their capacity to influence.
The Boss-rank K'tharr emerged from the northern tree line with disturbing grace. Even in moonlight, its reddish-black exoskeleton provided remarkable camouflage, making it difficult to track visually. It stood perhaps fourteen feet tall, its scythe-like forelimbs gleaming like worked metal. Its multifaceted eyes, adapted to nocturnal hunting, tracked multiple targets simultaneously.
This creature was ancient centuries old, with the accumulated experience and refined technique that only prolonged survival could provide. It had killed countless opponents, including several Beast Lords who had underestimated it. Its wood elemental magic was sophisticated beyond anything August had previously encountered, allowing manipulation of the environment itself as a weapon.
Most creatures on the battlefield gave it a wide berth, recognizing a threat they could not overcome. But August, instead of retreating, moved forward deliberately. This was what he had come for. This was the Trial of Strength made manifest.
The Boss-rank K'tharr noticed his approach and turned its attention fully toward him. August could feel its assessment of casual contempt for a mere human who dared challenge a Beast Lord. That contempt was predictable, even useful. Underestimation created openings.
The creature's mental voice emerged, cold and alien: *You are either brave or foolish, human. Which shall I carve upon your tombstone?*
August drew his broad sword, his expression calm despite his racing heartbeat. "Neither. It is unnecessary. And you're in my way."
The K'tharr's mandibles clicked together in what might have been laughter. *Then die necessari *
August didn't wait for it to finish. He launched forward with explosive speed, closing the distance before the creature could fully react. His blade, wreathed in fire element enhancement, struck the K'tharr's left scythe-limb at the joint where chitin met muscle. The impact sent sparks flying, the clash of enhanced blades against organic metal producing a sound like ringing steel.
The fight had begun.
---
Trial by Combat: August Vs. the K'tharr Beast Lord
The Boss-rank K'tharr recovered from surprise quickly, its centuries of experience overriding momentary shock. Its scythe-limbs moved with blinding speed, creating deadly arcs that would bisect August if they connected. But August's enhanced perception, honed through years of brutal training and real combat, allowed him to track the attacks. He deflected the first strike with his broad sword, rolled under the second, and created distance with a controlled backflip.
The creature pursued immediately, its spring-loaded legs propelling it forward with frightening acceleration. August responded with [Lightning Volt], the electrical discharge catching the K'tharr's eyes at close range. The creature screeched in pain, its vision temporarily compromised.
But unlike the Commander-rank specimens August had fought earlier, this Boss-rank creature had developed countermeasures. Its antennae, extraordinarily sensitive even by K'tharr standards, tracked August's movements through air currents and thermal signatures. The creature's scythe-limbs swept in a horizontal arc, forcing August into a defensive crouch.
*You use tricks a child might employ,* the K'tharr mocked telepathically. *Did you truly believe such basic tactics would defeat me?*
August didn't waste breath responding. Instead, he activated [Flame Burst], another new skill CLASS V - GRANDMASTER (Mid-Tier ★★). It was fire element skill that created a spherical explosion of heat centered on his position. The K'tharr recoiled instinctively, its thermal sensors overwhelmed by the sudden temperature spike. August used the momentary reprieve to switch weapons, drawing his spear while keeping his broad sword and shield ready for defense.
The spear offered a reach advantage that his sword couldn't match. August thrust toward the K'tharr's thorax, aiming for the vulnerable spots where segments connected. The creature deflected with one scythe-limb while attacking with the other, forcing August into constant motion. They circled each other, each seeking an opening while denying the opponent any advantage.
The K'tharr activated its wood elemental magic, and the battlefield itself became a weapon. Roots erupted from beneath the snow, grasping toward August's legs. Tree branches bent unnaturally, sweeping toward him from unexpected angles. The creature was transforming the environment itself into an extension of its body.
August responded with fire magic, burning through the grasping roots before they could entangle him. He dodged the sweeping branches through enhanced agility, his movements almost dance-like in their fluid precision. The K'tharr snarled in frustration its wood element, normally devastating against opponents, was naturally countered by August's primary fire affinity.
*You possess some skill,* the creature admitted grudgingly. *More than I anticipated from a mere human. But skill alone will not save you.*
The K'tharr changed tactics, abandoning wood magic in favor of pure physical assault. Its scythe-limbs became blurs of motion, attacking from multiple angles simultaneously. Its mandibles snapped toward August's head whenever he closed distance. Its spring-loaded legs allowed sudden leaps that created unpredictable attack vectors.
August found himself genuinely challenged for the first time in months. The K'tharr's combat experience was evident in every movement: no wasted energy, no telegraphed attacks, no exploitable patterns. The creature had refined its fighting style over centuries, eliminating weaknesses through countless battles.
But August had something the K'tharr lacked: adaptability born from his All-Rounder class and systematic training across multiple disciplines. He wasn't locked into a single combat style. When the K'tharr's aggressive assault forced him into purely defensive mode, he switched to his bow mid-combat, creating distance and peppering the creature with lightning-enhanced arrows that forced it to defend rather than attack.
When the K'tharr adjusted and closed distance again, August switched to his daggers, using their shorter reach for precise strikes targeting joints and sensory organs. When the creature tried to grab him with its grasping forelimbs, he used his spear's reach to keep it at bay while channeling fire element magic through the weapon itself.
The battle stretched from minutes into what felt like hours. Both combatants showed signs of exhaustion, K'tharr's movements becoming fractionally slower, August's breathing growing labored despite his enhanced stamina. Blood stained the snow around them, though mostly from minor wounds rather than critical injuries.
The K'tharr attempted one final gambit, unfurling its translucent wings, a rare action that exposed one of its primary vulnerabilities but allowed for devastating aerial assault. It launched itself skyward, building altitude rapidly, then dove toward August with its scythe-limbs extended like spears.
August recognized the maneuver from his training with Aetherwing. A diving attack built tremendous kinetic energy, making it nearly impossible to deflect or block directly. The only viable defense was evasion or turning the attacker's momentum against them.
He chose the latter.
As the K'tharr dove, August activated multiple buffs simultaneously [Lightning's Edge] for enhanced speed,and another 2 new active skill buffs [Flame Armor]CLASS V - GRANDMASTER (Mid-Tier ★★) for defensive reinforcement and a bit of counterattack damage, and [Flight of the Wind] CLASS V - GRANDMASTER (Mid-Tier ★★) for enhanced evasion. He waited until the last possible moment, until the creature's scythe-limbs were mere feet from his body, then rolled forward rather than backward.
The K'tharr's attack passed over him harmlessly, the creature's momentum carrying it forward. But August had positioned his spear perfectly, its point angled upward at a precise trajectory. As the K'tharr passed overhead, its own velocity drove it onto the spear's blade. The weapon, enhanced with fire element and reinforced with August's full strength, punched through the exoskeleton's vulnerable underside and pierced deep into the creature's thorax.
The K'tharr shrieked in agony, its flight path disrupted. It crashed into the snow twenty feet beyond August's position, the spear still embedded in its body. The creature thrashed violently, trying to dislodge the weapon, but the damage was catastrophic. Internal organs had been ruptured, mana pathways severed.
August didn't celebrate. He drew his broad sword and approached methodically, his weapon wreathed in flames, lightning and wind that turned it into something approaching a lightsaber. The K'tharr tried to defend itself, but its strength was fading rapidly. Its scythe-limbs moved sluggishly, easily deflected.
August found his target at the junction between the creature's head and thorax, the same vulnerable point he had exploited against lesser K'tharr. He struck with everything he had remaining, his enhanced strength driving the flaming blade through the exoskeleton that had withstood centuries of combat.
The K'tharr's head separated from its body with a final, wet crunch. Its massive form convulsed once, twice, then went still.
August stood over the corpse, breathing heavily, covered in minor wounds and enemy blood. His entire body ached, fatigue making every movement difficult. But he was alive. And victorious.
A familiar chime resonated in his mind:
[SYSTEM: TRIAL OF STRENGTH PROGRESS UPDATE]
[1/10 BEAST LORDS DEFEATED]
[ALTERNATIVE: 0/1 FOREST GUARDIAN BEAST]
[HUMAN TARGETS: 0/10 MASTER-RANK OR 0/1 GRANDMASTER-RANK]
August allowed himself a small smile. One down. Nine to go.
Around him, the broader battle continued. But the death of a Boss-rank creature sent ripples through both sides. Shadowfen's forces, recognizing that one of their apex predators had fallen, began withdrawing. The Lonelywoods defenders pursued briefly but didn't overextend, maintaining defensive positioning rather than risking counterattack.
As dawn began breaking over the eastern mountains, the battlefield grew quiet. Bodies of fallen beasts from both sides littered the snow-covered ground. The Lonelywood's forces had suffered losses, but nothing compared to Shadowfen's casualties.
Rex approached August's position, his massive form somehow moving silently despite his size. The Forest Guardian Beast studied the fallen K'tharr, then shifted his attention to August with something approaching respect.
*Well fought, human,* Rex said simply. *You have earned your place on this battlefield.*
August nodded wearily, too exhausted for a complex response. But inside, satisfaction warmed him despite the winter cold.
The Trial of Strength had truly begun.