Chapter 67: The Tanking Challenge ii

[Round 1: Next Attack]

[Berserker]

Aria’s eyes widened.

"Another profession?"

Liana’s expression turned serious. Two new figures began forming in the arena.

Unlike the Storm Lancers, these Berserkers carried heavy weapons. One held a massive greatsword, the other a huge battle axe. Both wore thick armor, but neither had a shield.

The moment their bodies fully appeared, they charged.

Boom!

Heavy footsteps shook the arena floor.

"They’re not even defending," Aria said.

"They don’t need to," Ethan replied.

The two Berserkers accelerated, weapons already raised.

Kael lifted his shield. Across from him, Gareth planted both feet firmly on the ground. At the same time, the earth around him rose up and formed a thick stone shield in front of his body.

The Berserker in front of Kael reached him first.

BOOM!

The greatsword smashed into Kael’s shield. His body was pushed backward hard. Before he could recover, the Berserker swung again.

BOOM!

The Spectral Guardian moved at the same time, its huge shield meeting the greatsword.

BOOM!

Another strike. Then another.

The Berserker kept attacking without stopping. Its attacks were slower than the Storm Lancer’s, but every blow carried much more force. Kael’s shield shook violently. The Spectral Guardian tried to help, but the difference in power was already clear.

On the other side, the second Berserker raised its battle axe and brought it down on Gareth.

BOOM!

The axe smashed into the stone shield.

Crack!

Half of the damage was transferred into the ground under Gareth’s feet. Several cracks spread across the arena. Gareth didn’t move. The stone shield only had a few cracks.

The Berserker attacked again.

BOOM!

Another heavy blow landed. More earth under Gareth shattered, but he remained standing, and his stone shield still held.

Aria looked between the two battles.

"Their attacks are much stronger than the Storm Lancers."

"They are," Ethan said. "But the Storm Lancers were harder to block."

Aria turned to him. "Why?"

"Because Berserkers don’t rely on speed to break through a defense. They just keep attacking until the defense can’t hold anymore."

As if proving his words, the Berserker facing Gareth raised its axe once more.

BOOM!

The impact forced Gareth’s body down slightly. The ground beneath his feet cracked open. Gareth gritted his teeth but still didn’t move. His stone shield was damaged, but it was still protecting him.

Meanwhile, Kael was having a much harder time.

BOOM!

The greatsword smashed against his shield again, sliding his feet backward. The Spectral Guardian stepped forward and blocked the next strike.

BOOM!

The Berserker roared and swung once more. This time, the Spectral Guardian’s shield shook violently and cracks appeared on its surface. Kael’s expression finally turned serious. He tightened his grip and tried to push forward, but the difference in strength was too big.

The Berserker suddenly roared louder and released another powerful swing.

Kael raised his shield. The Spectral Guardian raised its shield as well.

BOOM!

A powerful shockwave spread across the arena. Kael’s shield finally cracked. His body was forced several meters backward. He staggered and almost fell.

Liana’s expression changed.

"Kael!"

The Berserker immediately charged after him. Before Kael could fully stand up, the greatsword came down once more.

BOOM!

Kael’s shield broke completely. The Spectral Guardian tried to block the next attack, but the force was too strong. Both Kael and the guardian were pushed back hard.

Kael fell to one knee, breathing heavily, unable to block the attacks anymore.

The Berserker raised its greatsword for another attack.

A system notification suddenly appeared.

[Kael has failed the first round.]

[Gareth has passed.]

[Round 1 Winner: Gareth]

The Berserker stopped.

The simulated opponents and the entire arena disappeared.

Aria stared at the empty space where the battle had just taken place.

"Gareth won?"

Liana remained silent for a moment. She clearly didn’t expect that result.

Ethan calmly looked at the system interface.

[Round 2 Begins]

The moment the notification appeared, the dark training room disappeared replaced by the arena.

This time, Kael and Gareth were not alone.

Two more figures appeared behind them.

Both wore simple clothes and carried no weapons. They looked like ordinary Support professionals.

Aria became curious.

"What’s this?"

A new system notification appeared.

[Protection Trial]

[Objective: Protect the designated ally]

[Ally: Support Professional]

[Ally HP: 100]

[Failure Condition: Ally Dies]

Aria’s eyes widened.

"So now they have to protect someone?"

"Looks like it," Ethan replied.

Liana had already recovered from Gareth’s victory. She studied the new battlefield for a moment.

"This round is completely different."

Ethan nodded.

"It’s no longer about who can take more damage. They have to keep their teammate alive."

Aria smiled.

"Then Kael should have the advantage, right? His Spectral Guardian can protect his teammate."

"Maybe."

Aria turned toward Ethan.

"Maybe?"

"Gareth has a strong defense as long as both of his feet remain connected to the ground."

Ethan paused briefly.

"But this time, he can’t just stand in one place."

Aria understood.

"If he has to move around to protect his teammate, he won’t be able to use his talent properly."

"Exactly."

Liana finally spoke.

"But Kael has his Spectral Guardian. It can protect his teammate while Kael handles the enemies himself."

"It can."

Ethan continued calmly.

"But Kael has another problem."

Aria’s curiosity returned.

"What problem?"

"The Guardian has already been active for most of its duration."

Aria’s eyes widened.

"So he only has a little time left?"

"About eight minutes."

Ethan’s answer was simple.

"After that, it will disappear."

Liana’s expression changed.

"But Gareth only needs to survive until then."

"Not exactly."

Ethan shook his head.

"Kael’s Guardian won’t last forever, but Gareth can’t simply wait for it to disappear either. He still has to protect his teammate, and doing that may force him to move."

Aria understood immediately.

"So in the end, it depends on who can hold out longer, Gareth while protecting his teammate, or Kael until his Guardian disappears."

A system notification appeared.

[Protection Trial Begins]

[Enemy Group Approaching]

Two Storm Lancers appeared at the far end of the arena.

Kael tightened his grip on his shield.

Gareth steadied himself.

Behind each of them, the allies stood motionless like training dummies.

The Storm Lancers didn’t even glance at Kael or Gareth.

The moment they appeared, thier bodies exploded forward.

Lightning crackled around its spear as it shot straight toward the ally behind Kael.

Whoosh!

Kael’s eyes sharpened. He immediately stepped into its path and raised his shield.

BOOM!

The spear slammed into the shield with terrifying force. Sparks of electricity exploded outward. Kael’s feet slid across the ground, but he held on.

The Storm Lancer continued, twisting its body mid-air and thrust again, aiming past Kael toward his ally.

Kael gritted his teeth and swung his shield sideways.

Clang!

He barely deflected the spear. The tip scraped past the Support Mage’s shoulder, missing by less than a finger’s length.

On the other side of the arena, the second Storm Lancer did the same.

It completely ignored Gareth and charged straight toward his ally.

Gareth’s expression hardened.

The earth beneath him surged upward. A thick stone wall rose in front of the Support Mage just as the Storm Lancer arrived.

BOOM!

The spear stabbed deep into the stone wall. Cracks spread across its surface.

The Storm Lancer pulled its spear out and thrust again.

BOOM!

The wall shook violently. Pieces of rock fell off.

More earth rose up, reinforcing the wall as fast as it was being destroyed.

But the Storm Lancer didn’t stop.

It kept attacking.

Faster.

Harder.

Every lightning-enhanced thrust made the stone wall crack even further.

Meanwhile, Kael was being pushed back step by step.

The Storm Lancer in front of him was relentless. It never defended. It never retreated. It only attacked, trying to get past Kael and reach his ally.

Thrust.

Thrust.

Thrust.

Kael blocked one attack. The Spectral Guardian blocked another. But the attacks kept coming without pause.

Aria clenched her fists as she watched.

"They’re not even trying to fight them..."

"That’s the point," Ethan said. "They’re trying to get past the Tanks and kill the targets behind them."

The Storm Lancer in front of Kael suddenly lowered its body. Lightning gathered around its legs.

Whoosh!

It vanished for a split second and reappeared on Kael’s left side, its spear already heading toward the Support professional.

Kael’s eyes widened.

He twisted his body and slammed his shield into the spear’s path at the last moment.

BOOM!

The impact forced him to one knee. His arms went numb from the force.

Behind him, the Support Mage still stood motionless, completely unaware of how close it had come to dying.

Across the arena, Gareth’s stone wall finally shattered under the continuous assault.

The Storm Lancer’s spear broke through and shot straight toward the Support Mage.

Gareth’s eyes sharpened.

He stomped his foot hard.

The ground exploded upward.

A thick stone pillar shot up between the Storm Lancer and the Support Mage, forcing the spear into solid rock.

The Storm Lancer didn’t pause.

It pulled its spear free and charged again.

Lightning exploded around its body.

The protection trial had only just begun.