Klaus left home in high spirits. His next challenge was a daunting one, but he felt more prepared than ever. If the heavens wanted his head, he was ready to show them he was no pushover.
After breezing through the checkpoint—one he didn't even need to pass at this point—Klaus boarded the shuttle and set off for the forest. This was his third battle against the heavens, and he was determined to make it count.
Upon arriving at the forest's edge, Klaus quickly vanished into the depths. He avoided the border area to stay cautious. The strongest monsters here were Tier 5, and they had no special classes. He was confident he could handle them if they crossed his path.
After thirty minutes of trekking deeper into the forest, Klaus stopped beneath a large tree. He scanned the surroundings, ensuring no one was nearby and that the monsters present posed no threat. Satisfied, he sat down and pulled out some monster cores.
He had already consumed enough cores that the experience points needed for his next breakthrough were just over ten thousand. As he settled in, he began to consume the cores one by one. It wasn't long before a message appeared:
[You have levelled up. Current Level: Level 12 Ascended. You have received 300 Stat Points.]
[Get Ready for your Tribulation. The Lightning descends in 5 Minutes.]
As Klaus prepared himself for the lightning storm, the senior inside his soul sea voice echoed in his head.
"Brat, are you ready?" the voice asked.
"I am, senior. At the very least, I'll die and reincarnate," Klaus replied with a hint of humour.
"Brat, are you joking with your life? This is the Master stage of tribulation. Considering your previous encounters, you should be concerned," the senior warned.
"What's there to be scared of? They're just lightning monsters. Killing them will be a breeze," Klaus said confidently.
"Don't underestimate this tribulation," the senior's voice warned. "The Master stage is a significant leap, and these lightning monsters won't be like ordinary foes They'll be more powerful and unpredictable."
Klaus smirked. "I appreciate the advice, but I've faced many challenges. I'm not going to let a few lightning monsters intimidate me."
"Fine," the senior replied with a hint of exasperation. "Just remember, keep your wits about you and don't let your guard down. Lightning can be both swift and deadly."
As the senior's voice faded, Klaus returned to the storm. The first wave of lightning monsters began to manifest from the lightning bolts. They crackled with electricity and floated menacingly in the air.
Klaus acknowledged the senior's warning with a nod. "I appreciate the heads-up, senior. I'll do my best to pass this trial."
Suddenly, the lightning ceased, and Klaus felt the connection severed. But he understood something significant: his Lotus bloom was responding to the tribulation of lightning, and he needed to explore why.
The heavens rumbled again, and the clouds swirled with renewed intensity. Thicker bolts of lightning began to rain down. Klaus stood resolute, letting the lightning strike him. This time, he felt a strange sensation, but there was no pain—just a powerful force touching his body.
"Time to test this out," Klaus decided, conjuring the Lotus flower. As soon as the flower appeared, it floated away from him and ascended toward the centre of the lightning storm. It bloomed, opening all nine petals, and began to spin.
The first petal, adorned with nine smaller stars started to glow brightly as more and more lightning struck it. Then, something extraordinary happened: two of the nine stars on the first petal turned golden. As this occurred, a massive wave of ice surged from the flower, obliterating the lightning in its path.
"Damn, that is OP," Klaus exclaimed, awestruck by the power of the Lotus flower. The combination of lightning and ice created a formidable force, and Klaus could hardly believe the magnitude of its effect.
The storm around him began to dissipate, leaving a calm, eerie silence in its wake. Klaus stood there, marvelling at the newfound synergy between his elements. The Ice element had reacted unexpectedly and powerfully, and he was eager to explore this new dimension of his abilities.
Suddenly, the heavens rumbled, and the clouds stirred. Darker, more ominous clouds began to form, and from within them, a large serpent head emerged. As soon as it appeared, a heavy pressure descended upon the forest. Yet, Klaus felt nothing. Instead, he focused on his Lotus flower, which was spinning silently.
"Why can't I control it?" Klaus muttered in frustration.
"Brat, this is a rare occurrence," the senior's voice echoed from his soul sea. "Your skill is activating on its own. Use this time to learn it well because, after today, you won't have another chance to master these new moves."
Shocked by the senior's warning, Klaus quickly redirected his attention to the flower. As he did, he sensed the first golden star on the petal glowing brightly. A powerful ice beam shot from the centre of the flower, striking the lightning serpent head-on.
The serpent froze instantly and then shattered into countless sparkles of runes that scattered and merged with Klaus. He noticed that 70% of the runes entered the lotus bloom, causing it to spin even faster for a moment.
"So that was it," Klaus murmured to himself, marvelling at the newfound power. "It has a beam skill. I'll call it Ice Beam."
The moment he named it, the Lotus flower shuddered, and a powerful burst of energy radiated outward.
"Good, Klaus. Now learn the second skill," the senior's voice echoed from his soul sea, making Klaus grin excitedly.
As Klaus basked in his success, the heavens rumbled once more. This time, a single lightning spear emerged from the dark clouds above instead of a serpent. The spear looked ominous, radiating danger. Klaus immediately felt a terrible sense of dread as it locked onto him, and at that moment, he knew he was in serious trouble.
The spear shot down at him with terrifying speed and precision. Klaus gripped his sword, preparing to strike back, but before he could act, the Lotus bloom descended and hovered over his head. The second of the nine stars on the first petal glowed golden, and in an instant, the area within a 400-meter radius froze over with a chilling cold.
Klaus watched in disbelief as the spear that had been racing toward him froze the moment it entered the frozen zone. It shattered into thousands of tiny sparkles of runes and entered his body, as did the lotus flower.
"What the... what the fuck?" Klaus shouted in shock.