The fractured domain crumbled around them, the once impenetrable void now riddled with cracks of searing light. The pressure in the air grew unbearable, as if the dungeon itself struggled to contain the sheer force of their battle. Ethan tightened his fists, his knuckles turning white as he faced Aldric, who radiated pure, unfiltered rage.
Aldric's aura had grown monstrously thick, seething black tendrils twisting around him, crackling with destructive energy. His once refined expression was now twisted in hatred, his veins bulging with the weight of his own power. "You dare break my domain?" he snarled, his voice carrying a demonic resonance.
Ethan exhaled sharply, shaking the numbness from his limbs. His body screamed in protest from the relentless blows he had endured, but he couldn't stop now. Titan's Ascent: 78%. Crimson Resolve: 59%. Iron Stride (Phantom Step): Fully Mastered. His passive abilities had adapted throughout the fight, his resilience pushing him past limits he hadn't even realized existed.
Aldric lunged forward, darkness trailing behind him like a cloak of death. His fists crashed down, each strike a shockwave of devastation. Ethan barely managed to weave through the barrage, using Phantom Step to flicker out of range just in time. But Aldric's reach was relentless. A blackened clawed hand grazed Ethan's shoulder, ripping through his tunic and leaving a deep gash.
"Tch," Ethan gritted his teeth, ignoring the pain. Crimson Resolve activated, dulling the burning sensation as his blood coagulated almost instantly. His eyes gleamed with newfound clarity. He wasn't just surviving—he was adapting. He had spent his whole life being pushed down, being told he was nothing. But here he was, standing against an opponent who had years of experience, power, and status. And Ethan was still standing.
He wouldn't fall here.
Aldric roared and unleashed a spiraling black vortex, warping space around them. Ethan braced himself as the force threatened to pull him in. He anchored his stance, using Iron Stride to dig into the fractured ground, but Aldric wasn't done. In the blink of an eye, he appeared before Ethan, his hand encased in pure destruction.
"You're nothing but an insect in my path!" Aldric spat, slamming his hand towards Ethan's chest, aiming to crush his very core.
Boom!
A shockwave exploded outward, the force of Aldric's attack colliding with Ethan's counter. Iron Grip engaged at full force, locking their arms together in an unyielding clash. The impact sent cracks running along the already crumbling dungeon, chunks of debris falling like meteors around them.
Ethan's muscles screamed as he pushed against Aldric's overwhelming force, but he didn't give in. His passive abilities surged, enhancing his physicality beyond its limits. He gritted his teeth, his vision narrowing on his enemy's exposed ribs.
Now!
With a burst of explosive movement, Ethan twisted his body, using Aldric's momentum against him. He slammed his knee into Aldric's ribs, a sickening crack echoing through the battlefield. Aldric gasped, his body jerking backward as pain rippled through his frame.
Ethan didn't let up. He followed with a rapid barrage—each punch a testament to his relentless will. His fists blurred, the impact of each strike growing heavier as Titan's Ascent surged beyond 80%. Every muscle in his body burned, but he relished in it. This was proof of his growth.
Aldric coughed blood, his stance faltering. "You… You insignificant—"
Ethan didn't let him finish.
His hand shot out, gripping Aldric's face with Iron Grip, fingers sinking into his skin like unyielding steel. He lifted the vice president off his feet, staring into his wide, rage-filled eyes. "You lost the moment you underestimated me."
Aldric thrashed, his power raging, but Ethan didn't give him a chance. He slammed him into the ground with bone-shattering force.
The entire dungeon trembled.
Aldric coughed violently, his limbs twitching as the strength left his body. He tried to summon his dark energy, but Ethan stepped on his wrist, pinning him down.
"This is impossible… I'm stronger than you… I have more mana… More experience…" Aldric gasped, disbelief clouding his voice.
Ethan wiped the blood from his lip and exhaled. "You had all of that. But you never had the will to push past your own limits."
Aldric's eyes widened as Ethan's fist descended one last time, aimed directly at his heart.
Crack!
Aldric's body jerked, his eyes losing their light as the final blow shattered his core. His body convulsed before slumping lifelessly to the ground.
Silence.
Ethan stood over his fallen opponent, his breath heavy, his body aching. The dungeon groaned one last time before the dark energy dissipated completely, leaving behind a vast, broken chamber.
It was over.
The vice president of the academy—Aldric, the man who had schemed against him, who had threatened his life, who had tried to crush him—was dead.
Ethan took one last breath, letting the weight of the battle settle in. Titan's Ascent: 85%. Crimson Resolve: 62%. His progress was undeniable. But he wasn't done growing yet.
He turned away from Aldric's corpse, his gaze firm as he walked towards the exit.
There were still more challenges ahead.
And he would face them all.
To be continued…