The Monday afternoon sun dipped towards the horizon as Oppif and Leon returned to the VR WORLD. With a familiar shimmer, they materialized amidst the quaint village of Valley. Waiting for them, standing with an air of quiet authority, was Benamoth, accompanied by the ever-present Shimmon.
Benamoth's gaze swept over them. "To hone your skills," he announced, his voice carrying a hint of the power within, "I shall lead you to the vast and shadowy Baslor Dark Forest. There, you will undergo rigorous training, pushing your limits to their very edge."
The group set off, their footsteps crunching on the path until they stood before the imposing gates of an enormous forest. Colossal trees, their trunks like ancient titans, loomed overhead, casting long, eerie shadows. As they stepped within the forest's embrace, a gentle rain began to fall, its cool touch unnoticed by the focused Benamoth. He led the young warriors to a secluded clearing, ringed by the silent sentinels of wood.
"Your training," Benamoth declared, his eyes sharp and assessing, "will consist of facing me directly. Here and now, you will overcome your limitations. Only through this trial can you truly progress, bypassing the need for pointless quests. The first to test their mettle against me shall be Saland. Step forward."
With a determined glint in his eyes, Saland advanced, settling into a ready stance. As if conjured from the ether, a gleaming sword materialized in Benamoth's right hand, and he too adopted a combat posture. In a flash, Saland dashed behind Benamoth, his movements swift. Yet, Benamoth effortlessly parried the incoming strike. A surge of his aura erupted, a palpable wave of energy that momentarily staggered Saland. Following through, Benamoth unleashed a slash of pure energy. Reacting instinctively, Saland dodged at the last possible moment. Bringing his twin blades together, a sphere of brilliant light formed between them, which he promptly hurled towards Benamoth. The seasoned warrior met the attack with his sword.
"Focus more intently on your innate ability," Benamoth instructed, his voice calm amidst the rising tension. "Let it flow through your entire being."
Saland heeded the words. A revelation dawned upon him – this wasn't just about speed; it was a power that could amplify his entire being. A vibrant yellow mana now enveloped Saland's body, crackling with energy. He launched a series of lightning-fast strikes towards Benamoth, who, with a flicker of residual energy, sidestepped each attack and countered with a swift blow. Seizing the brief opening, Saland unleashed his signature "X Light" attack. However, Benamoth remained unfazed, retaliating with another blast of energy.
Pushing himself back to his feet, Saland felt the energy within him surge with increasing intensity. Benamoth's voice echoed in the clearing. "Now, try to give form to your energy. Make it your own."
With a deep breath, Saland focused his will, and a cry escaped his lips. "Elf Dive!"
Behind him, ethereal wings of luminous energy materialized, catching the dim forest light. His entire body, along with his twin blades, shimmered with the same vibrant yellow mana. The stellar core crystals embedded within his weapons pulsed with a brilliant golden hue. In an instant, Saland shot forward. Benamoth attempted to intercept him, but Saland nimbly evaded the strike and slammed a concentrated sphere of yellow energy into his opponent. Benamoth recoiled slightly, untouched but visibly impressed.
"That will suffice for now," Benamoth conceded, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "I believe that form represents your current peak. For now, focus on mastering it, and your strength will continue to grow."
The next challenger stepped forward – Haytham. He immediately assumed a fighting stance, the air around him crackling with anticipation. Activating his sword's unique ability, he moved with unnatural speed, a blur against the backdrop of the rain-streaked forest. He lunged, aiming a precise strike with his katana, but Benamoth's parry was swift and decisive. In a fluid motion, Haytham drew his pistol, unleashing a point-blank barrage of energy bolts at Benamoth. The force of the attack pushed the seasoned warrior backward.
Instantly, Benamoth employed his residual energy technique, his form flickering as he reappeared behind Haytham, delivering a solid punch that landed squarely. "You need to focus on channeling more magical energy into your pistol," Benamoth advised, his voice firm. "Stabilize the shot, and it will gain significant power and size."
Haytham complied, focusing his intent. A beam of intense blue energy erupted from his pistol, streaking towards Benamoth, who casually deflected it upwards. The energy detonated in the sky with a resounding boom. Surprise flickered across Haytham's face, but he quickly regained his composure, charging towards Benamoth once more. He attempted another close-range energy blast, but with another flicker of residual energy, Benamoth shifted, appearing beside Haytham and striking him with the hilt of his sword.
Haytham staggered back to his feet. Instead of firing at Benamoth, he aimed his pistol downwards, unleashing a massive energy blast into the earth. The ground erupted in a cloud of dust and debris. When the dust settled, Haytham was gone. Benamoth's eyes scanned the surroundings, his senses on high alert. From the dense foliage of a nearby tree, a sharp crack echoed, followed by a blue energy beam hurtling towards Benamoth, who expertly intercepted it.
Suddenly, the surrounding trees seemed to come alive with energy discharges. A barrage of light rays rained down upon Benamoth. From behind, Haytham materialized, attempting a surprise attack. But Benamoth anticipated the move, sidestepping the strike and vanishing from sight once more. Benamoth settled into a ready stance, his eyes narrowing as he noticed his beloved sword was no longer in his grasp. As if summoned by his thoughts, Haytham reappeared, his hand gripping Benamoth's blade, aiming for a strike. However, Benamoth unleashed an overwhelming surge of his aura, a potent wave of energy that destabilized Haytham, causing him to drop the stolen sword. Benamoth swiftly retrieved his weapon as Haytham retreated.
"Let us cease here," Benamoth declared, sheathing his sword. "I believe this is sufficient for you. How did you realize you could utilize invisibility?"
Haytham explained, a hint of wonder in his voice, "I felt a tingling sensation throughout my body, and then, by focusing intently, I managed to unlock this new ability."
Now, it was Shimmon's turn. He stepped forward, his expression serious. Immediately, a dense vortex of mana began to swirl around his arms, coiling like visible energy. Benamoth prepared himself for the raw power Shimmon exuded. With a guttural shout, Shimmon launched himself forward, a blur of motion aimed at Benamoth. But the seasoned warrior effortlessly sidestepped the punch using his residual energy technique, and countered with a powerful blow that landed squarely on Shimmon's chest, sending him staggering backward.
Benamoth pressed his advantage, not allowing Shimmon a moment to recover. He aimed a swift kick towards Shimmon's face, but the younger warrior reacted quickly, blocking the attack and retaliating by flinging Benamoth into the air. Shimmon attempted to follow up with a strike, but Benamoth once again evaded, unleashing a sharp energy blade towards Shimmon, who met the attack head-on, catching the energy with his bare hands. The force of the impact caused the energy to explode directly in his face.
From the dissipating smoke, Shimmon launched another rapid attack, aiming a powerful punch at Benamoth. But the experienced fighter easily parried the blow. "You channel your aura around your arms, focusing solely on enhancing their strength," Benamoth observed, his voice carrying a note of instruction. "But if you concentrate more effectively, you can amplify your entire body."
Shimmon heeded the advice. The aura surrounding him began to swirl and coalesce, enveloping his entire being. An immediate surge of power coursed through him. He attacked Benamoth with a powerful punch, but Benamoth dodged, and Shimmon's fist slammed into a nearby tree, shattering a significant portion of its trunk and causing it to crash to the ground. Benamoth, in a swift movement, attempted to strike Shimmon, but the younger warrior blocked with his arm, recoiling slightly from the impact.
Instantly, Shimmon's aura expanded exponentially, his focus intensifying, causing the energy around him to become visibly purer and more potent. Benamoth, in response, also unleashed an immense wave of his own aura, causing the very ground beneath their feet to tremble. With simultaneous roars, the two warriors charged, their fists colliding with earth-shattering force, creating a shockwave that rippled through the clearing.
They stood locked in a silent confrontation, their gazes intense. Benamoth showed no visible signs of damage, his posture unwavering. Shimmon, however, was visibly fatigued, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He deactivated his surrounding aura and collapsed onto the damp earth.
"Well done," Benamoth said, his voice carrying a note of satisfaction. "And with that, the three of you have completed your initial training. Now, it is the ladies' turn. For you, there will be a special kind of training."
Marty and Christa approached the group. Christa spoke first, her voice a blend of gratitude and curiosity. "First, Marty and I want to thank you for saving us. And second, what did you call us here for?"
Benamoth's gaze softened slightly. "You two possess the unique characteristics necessary to learn a special technique for defeating Bruhsuperdoom. This technique is called Quantum Unlock, and it is specifically designed to counter any glitch. To utilize it, a significant affinity for magical abilities is required, and your connection makes you even more predisposed to this skill. Now, I will demonstrate how it works."
Benamoth grasped his sword with both hands, raising it slowly towards the sky until the tip pointed directly overhead. "Quantum Unlock!" he intoned, his voice resonating with power. A vibrant green aura began to emanate from him, swirling around his body and his sword, which now glowed with an eerie phosphorescent green light.
"With this technique," Benamoth explained, his voice clear and instructive, "a single successful strike against a glitch will negate its core-granted instantaneous regeneration. This will give you a chance to eliminate a glitch by destroying its core, which is typically heart-shaped. The color of the core varies from glitch to glitch, and the higher the glitch's rank, the more resilient the core will be."
Following Benamoth's example, Marty and Christa attempted to replicate the technique. They strained with effort, their brows furrowed in concentration, but at most, they managed to coax a faint green mana to circulate around their bodies.
"That is sufficient for now," Benamoth said, his tone encouraging. "For your first attempt at utilizing this ability, you have done well. One final point: the ranks of glitches are as follows: Incomplete Glitch, Low-Class Glitch, Mid-Class Glitch, High-Class Glitch, and Demon-Level Glitch, which is the highest known rank. Of course, there can be exceptions, such as Upper-Mid Class or Basic Incomplete Glitches, which are relatively rare but dangerous intermediate stages. Each glitch also possesses a unique singularity granted at its birth. We do not yet know Bruhsuperdoom's singularity, but discovering it will be crucial."
Following the intense training session, Benamoth advised the group to undertake some quests to test their newly acquired abilities in real-world scenarios. They readily agreed, eager to put their honed skills to the test.