The fist hadn't even reached Zayen yet, but the sheer force behind it generated a violent gust of wind. The pressure wave exploded outward, ripping trees from the ground and shattering boulders into fragments as it rushed toward him.
Zayen's pupils shrank.
The air around him screamed.
The cracked golden shield in front of him shattered completely, dispersing into particles of light. The wind pressure alone slammed into Zayen's body, forcing him backward as his clothes whipped wildly and his feet nearly left the ground.
"So fast…!"
There was no time to dodge normally.
In that split second, Zayen activated the Divine Manifestation skill once more.
Golden light erupted violently.
Three radiant golden shields materialized in rapid succession before him, stacking together as ancient runes flashed across their surfaces. Almost at the same time, Zayen twisted his waist and hurled the golden dagger in his hand with all his strength, the weapon transforming into a streak of blinding light as it shot straight toward the charging beast.
Zayen moved without hesitation—because he understood the danger far too well.
If that punch landed directly—
Even with his defenses, death would be the best outcome. At the very least, he would be left critically injured; his combat ability would be shattered in an instant.
BOOOOM—!
The Titanmaw Behemoth's punch collided with the golden shields. The first shield shattered immediately, the second cracked violently, and the third bent inward under the overwhelming force as a terrifying shockwave tore through the area.
At the same time, the golden dagger pierced through the storm of wind and dust, carrying Zayen's killing intent straight toward the Titanmaw Behemoth's massive head.
The Titanmaw Behemoth sensed the golden dagger slicing through the air toward it.
Its massive head jerked slightly to the side, muscles tensing as it tried to dodge the attack.
Even though the beast managed to evade the dagger's full strike, the weapon still grazed its flesh, leaving a deep, burning wound along its chest. Blood steamed where the golden energy had cut into it, sizzling against its thick hide.
A low, furious growl erupted from deep within the Titanmaw Behemoth's throat. Its glowing crimson eyes narrowed, fixating on Zayen as rage and shock surged through its massive body.
Feeling the sharp pain on its chin, the Titanmaw Behemoth filled with immense anger and shock. The human before its eyes was incredibly powerful and not to be underestimated!
ROAR!
The Titanmaw Behemoth let out a furious, earth-shaking roar that reverberated through the forest.
In the very next moment, it swung its massive arm, hurling another devastating punch straight at Zayen. The air around the blow whistled and warped under the force.
But before the punch could land, the beast's eyes widened in shock.
Zayen—who had been standing right in front of it—vanished into thin air, disappearing completely as if he had never been there.
Boom!
The Titanmaw Behemoth's fist smashed into the forest floor, crushing trees and carving deep craters into the earth. The impact sent up a cloud of dust, bark, and shattered rock.
Zayen reappeared a few meters behind the Titanmaw Behemoth, taking advantage of the beast still frozen in shock, its massive frame momentarily unresponsive.
With a swift motion, he drew the Crimson Eclipse Sword from his waist. The red blade glinted ominously in the fading light.
The blood-red bandages coiling violently around Zayen's right arm and wrapping it completely from wrist to shoulder.
"Divine Manifestation!"
Golden light is gathering around the blade of Crimson Eclipse. In the next second, the dark red sword suddenly turned golden.
Even the blood-red bandages wrapped around Zayen's right arm changed to a golden color.
Without hesitation, Zayen pushed off the ground, his body launching forward like a cannonball, each step cracking the forest floor beneath him as he surged toward the massive beast.
The Titanmaw Behemoth, finally sensing the danger directly behind it, spun its massive head around. Its blood-red eyes flared, veins bulging with fury.
"ROOOAR!"
The beast reared back, coiling its muscles like a living catapult. Its colossal arm swung forward, and it threw another devastating punch toward Zayen, the air itself screaming from the sheer force.
The moment the sharp blade met the massive fist—
Clang!
A metallic ring echoed through the forest, sharp and clear. The Titanmaw Behemoth's fur was incredibly tough, almost like living steel. Zayen's blade left only a faint white mark on the thick pelt, failing to pierce even an inch.
The tremendous recoil shot through Zayen's arms, sending him flying backward. Even with his speed and skill, the raw physical talent of the Titanmaw Behemoth made its defense incredible, a wall of flesh and power that few could ever hope to crack.
Before he could even land properly, the beast hurled itself forward, slamming the forest with a devastating pounce. A violent gust of wind roared around it, tearing at the trees and kicking up dust and debris.
Zayen had no time to dodge. With a grimace, he raised his blade just in time to absorb the impact.
BOOM!
The force of the strike slammed into him like a battering ram. Zayen's feet left the ground as he was thrown several meters back, rolling to absorb some of the impact. His body ached, but thankfully, no bones were broken.
The Titanmaw Behemoth barely swayed, its enormous form stabilizing with terrifying ease. Its paw—the thickest, toughest part of its body—left no mark at all. Its defense wasn't just high; it was near impenetrable.
ROAR!
Another deafening roar echoed across the mountains as the beast continued its relentless assault. Its eyes locked onto Zayen like a predator hungry for the kill.
"Damn it!" Zayen spat through gritted teeth, flipping back onto his feet with precise agility.
His heart was racing—but aside from that, he had suffered no injuries.
This defense…
The Titanmaw Behemoth's sheer resilience was staggering. If Zayen couldn't break through, he wouldn't be able to kill it.
It seemed like he had no other choice—he had to use that move.
Zayen's gaze fell on the dark ring on his finger. A faint pulse of shadow energy glimmered from its surface, as if it were alive.
Shadow Animation…
"Activate!" Zayen commanded.
Immediately, his own shadow peeled away from his body like liquid darkness. It twisted and warped, condensing into a perfect replica of himself, every detail identical—from the faint golden glow in his eyes to the way he gripped the Crimson Eclipse Sword.
The clone's body radiated a fraction of Zayen's power, but even at 50% of his stats, it was enough to rival most Level 4 beasts on its own.
The shadow clone leapt forward without hesitation, placing itself between Zayen and the Titanmaw Behemoth.
The massive beast roared, its blood-red eyes narrowing as it locked onto the two identical figures before it.
It was completely shocked.
"Go—"
But before the Titanmaw Behemoth could even finish processing what it was seeing, Zayen gave the command.
"Attack."
In that instant, the shadow clone moved.
It burst forward like a black-and-gold streak, feet shattering the ground beneath it as it closed the distance in a blink. The Titanmaw Behemoth reacted purely on instinct, swinging its massive arm down with overwhelming force.
Boom!
The punch landed squarely on the clone—
—and passed straight through.
The shadow body twisted apart like smoke, reforming a split second later behind the beast. At the same time, Zayen held the long blade horizontally before him, gently stroking the flat of the sword with his left hand as his breathing slowed.
His eyes turned cold.
In the next moment, the light element from the surroundings began to converge toward the blade under his controlled intent.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
The air trembled violently.
In just an instant, golden flames erupted around the blade, spiraling tightly as if alive. The light condensed further and further, no longer dispersing but compressing—layer upon layer—until the flames took on a solid, blade-like shape.
The Crimson Eclipse sword was completely engulfed.
What remained was a radiant golden edge, sharp enough to distort the air around it, as though space itself could not withstand its presence.
A terrifying pressure spread outward.
Even the Titanmaw Behemoth stiffened.
For the first time, fear flickered within its blood-red eyes.
At the same time, Zayen stepped forward, his voice calm, almost indifferent.
"Let's see if your defense can stop this."