The boulder hurdled toward the ground in shocking fashion. As it did, it absorbed more and more of the surrounding energy to make itself stronger than before. The pressure from it increased rapidly, ensuring that none of the figures below could move to evade it.

This was the true Astral Obliteration. Not the illusory ones like before. This one was the physical manifestation of the rock and it brought along tremendous power to crush and annihilate anything and everything in its path. The true power brought along consequences for Akata but he could manage to hold on for a bit.

Boom!

It crashed down seeking the destruction of all things below it. The figures below were crushed to pieces and for those further out, the shock wave swept across them and shredded them into nothingness. This was an attack bent on complete and utter chaos for a wide area.

Out of the 89 figures, surprisingly, 11 managed to survive the attack. Although they weren’t in good shape, the fact that they managed to survive showed that either their protective techniques were good, the power of the attack was lacking, and/or they were in the right place at the right time.

Akata descended down rapidly and came down with a bang as he rushed out to finish the remaining figures. Now that the numbers had decreased rapidly, it was much easier to handle them all. Reverting back to his regular size, Akata brandished his scythe and sliced at the remaining red robed figures.

He looked at the battlefield and let out a long and deep breath. He didn’t have time to catch it however as a total of 144 figures dressed in white robes appeared. Their cultivation base level reaching the 9th Grade. Upon looking at them Akata started to laugh. It wasn’t a laugh out of despair but joy. It had been a long time since he could enjoy fighting to his heart's content.

All of these figures had a higher cultivation base than he did and they outnumbered him greatly, but who cared? He was able to handle regular 10th Grade beasts with ease let alone 9th Grade mortal cultivators. Although their numbers might be shocking they wouldn’t cause him to be hopeless.

He wanted to be considered a monster in the art of fighting. Only monsters created legends and were known throughout time and places.

“So… that’s my desire then. I want to become a monster. Normal people are too basic and I want more than that. I want to create legends of my own to that will exist throughout all time and spread through countless territories.” Akata smiled and then held his scythe in the air.

The white robed figures surrounded him on all sides. They carried different weapons and some of them already started to flash incantation gestures. Akata came to find that none of the figures in the trial were of average strength. Their attacks wouldn’t cause the air to shake and none of their energy would be wasted at all. It would be contained, saving the actual energy for their opponent.

Akata had continuously studied them while he was attacking and took note of this particular trait. Their movements were refined and didn’t do anything extra. It was as if everything in their zone would be under their control.

Suddenly, Akata came to a realization. He lowered his scythe down to his side and closed his eyes. With but an instant he spread his nature sense out to cover an area of 30 meters around him. He saw all of the movements of the white robed figures approaching him clearly. All of their movements were refined and didn’t waste much energy. Their level of control could be said to be near perfect.

“Let’s try it.” Akata willed it and his nature sense filled with power that crashed out like a tidal wave. It battered against everything it covered and made to crush it all. Akata frowned and furrowed his brows. The nature sense then began to calm down and become cool. The surprising part was that the crushing pressure from it began to increase. Not only that but a tingly sensation started to rise from it.

“I need more control of it. Like how I control my scythe the way I want I should be able to control my energy.” Not only was his nature sense becoming more calm by the second, the pressure from it became stronger and it also became sharper.

The white robed figures closed in on Akata but as soon as they stepped into the nature sense their movements were slowed drastically. Although it was powerful, it alone wasn’t able to cut them down just yet.

Akata raised his scythe once more and opened his eyes. “Control. Refinement. Zone.” Akata murmured some more words but they washed out under the barrage of magic techniques by the white robed figures.

Akata’s Bludhaven Scythe flashed with an intense black light that showed on everything. It created something like a dark field where Akata stood in the middle of. This field seemed to be under the control of Akata and it was mixed in with his sharp and pressuring nature sense.

“Fourth stance. Dark Intent Ring.” He muttered. He spun around in a circle with his scythe swinging out. The black light on the scythe followed the path and soon a ring of black scythe-light surrounded Akata’s body. This was his own domain. He could control what happened inside of this small ring of his and anything that got too close would be cut down instantly from the swirling scythe intent in it.

Akata stood there with gleaming eyes looking at the scythe in his hands. Right now, it was the most beloved thing he could think of at the moment. He strode forward and met with the first 9th Grade figure. The figure lurched out with its own scythe and attempted to strike Akata. But how could its scythe arts compare to the World Omen of Lord Dullahan?

Akata took a glance at the scythe and shook his head. “Too wide of a swing.” He raised his own scythe and slashed out. A black light enveloped the figure as it was cut in half from the head to the groin.

He turned his head to look at the next approaching figure before saying, “Too slow.” He struck out with immense speed and instantly cut apart the figure. He then turned around in a fast motion and swept across two more approaching figures. Their heads went flying in the next instant.

As soon as that was done however, three more figures flashed out and pounced toward Akata. He barely had time to dodge so he didn’t and let them come. Instantly, his Dark Intent Ring flashed with black light and the figures that came into contact with it was sliced apart.

It was a good thing that blood didn’t come out of these figures otherwise Akata would be completely drenched in it by now. He didn’t have the luxury to think about that as more and more figures came in to attack him. Their numbers were overwhelming and Akata was quickly put into a bind.

He had to constantly dodge attacks from foes that attacked from long distance and sometimes had to retreat from big crowded areas. He even suffered a few attacks that managed to break through his Dark Intent Ring. As the battle went on, Akata suffered more and more injuries but he kept on fighting with all he had.

He let out a roar as gold and crimson light sprang up from his body. The pressure from the fighting quickly intensified. But the number of figures gradually decreased with each swing of Akata’s scythe.

135. 134. 131. 129.

Slowly the number of figures decreased but it didn’t feel like that for Akata. To him it seemed never ending and without pause. He grew in size to become five meters as he put away his scythe and started smashing the ground repeatedly and causing runes to appear all over the field. Fire and water covered over the battlefield along with many other elements.

65. 61. 58.

The battle seemed to slow down with the decreasing amount of figures but Akata actually sped up his attacks. He was testing out the various insights he had came up with and was rapidly improving at a fast pace. It was a pace that would make talented individuals look like mere average people.

Soon there were only twenty something figures left then tens and finally in the single digits. Akata looked drained and his cloak was completely torn apart along with the rest of his clothes. His grass arm looked somewhat drained and wrinkled. He took a deep breath as he cut down the last figure.

As he did that he mused to himself, ‘Please let this be the last one.’ He had to admit that he was tired from all of the fighting. He felt almost completely drained of energy and desperately needed to rest.

But just as that happened. A flash of light appeared off in the distance. This was a signal showing that more figures were appearing. Akata nearly broke apart. But then he was surprised to find just a single figure appear.

This figure wore light silver armor that covered its whole body including its face and had a single greatsword in its hands. The tip of the greatsword laid dug in the ground as the figure looked at Akata without moving. The aura emanating from the figure caused Akata to be slightly taken aback. It was a 6th Grade aura and a very refined one at that.