Chapter 74: Eden and his adventurous struggle in fighting Opponents that aim for his ribs

The cavern exploded in a violent shockwave.

Eden and the guardian collided in the center of the ruined chamber, and the sheer force of their clash sent a shockwave in every direction.

The floor buckled.

The walls cracked.

The ceiling groaned.

For several seconds, the entire cavern seemed to hold its breath.

Until eventually a section of the ceiling collapsed.

Boulders the size of houses came crashing down.

Obsidian immediately stepped forward.

His massive frame moved between Sylvia and the falling debris.

A boulder slammed into his raised arm and shattered.

Another crashed down.

Then another.

Obsidian remained completely still.

Sylvia stared at the destruction around them.

"...Perhaps I underestimated how destructive this would become."

Obsidian glanced toward Eden.

Another explosion rocked the cavern.

Sylvia sighed.

"Yes. I see."

A gigantic slab of stone came tumbling toward them.

Obsidian raised one hand.

Dark Matter surged.

The slab shattered against his palm.

Sylvia brushed a few pieces of rubble from her hair.

"Thank you."

Obsidian nodded.

Then another enormous chunk of rock flew past them.

Sylvia watched it disappear into the darkness.

"...Master really is going all out."

Obsidian nodded again.

This time, his expression carried something almost resembling pride.

Eden didn’t hear them.

He couldn’t.

Not anymore.

His entire world had narrowed down to one thing.

The guardian.

The black blade in his hand moved.

The guardian’s spear moved.

Eden twisted his wrist.

The Dark Matter blade slid along the shaft of the spear, redirecting it rather than stopping it.

His body followed the movement naturally.

He stepped forward.

One slash.

The guardian blocked with its second spear.

Eden immediately rotated.

His first strike flowed into a second.

Then a third.

Then a fourth.

There was no pause between them.

No deliberate reset.

No moment where he had to think about what came next.

His body simply moved.

The guardian’s four arms responded without halt.

One spear blocked.

Another countered.

A fist came from the side.

Eden ducked.

A second fist followed.

He twisted.

A knee came toward his stomach.

[Burst-Step]

He vanished.

Reappeared behind the guardian.

Dark Matter blade swung toward its neck.

The guardian turned.

One of its rear arms caught the attack with its spear.

Eden’s blade scraped against the weapon.

Sparks erupted.

Neither moved.

Then Eden smiled.

"You’ve taught me something."

The guardian’s eyes narrowed.

"Have I?"

Eden’s foot shifted.

"My thoughts and my body have to become one."

[Burst-Step.]

He vanished.

The guardian immediately turned.

Eden appeared to its right.

Slash.

The guardian blocked.

Eden rotated.

Kick.

The guardian dodged.

Eden’s blade was already coming from the opposite side.

Block.

Eden stepped forward.

Elbow.

The guardian tilted its head.

Eden’s fist passed by.

The guardian attempted to counter.

Eden was already moving.

His body flowed around the attack.

He ducked beneath the spear.

Twisted.

His blade swept upward.

The guardian blocked.

Eden didn’t stop.

He pushed off the ground.

His body rotated through the air.

Dark Matter blade descended.

The guardian crossed both spears.

The ground beneath them collapsed.

Both fighters dropped several meters.

Eden landed first.

The guardian followed.

Neither paused.

They attacked simultaneously.

The impact sent another shockwave through the underground chamber.

The walls cracked from floor to ceiling.

A section of stone hundreds of meters away split apart.

Then collapsed.

Sylvia stared.

She had watched Eden fight during the Tryouts.

She had watched him effortlessly defeat several lower ranked Awakeneds.

She had even watched him defeat Obsidian during his trial.

But this was different.

"This..."

Her scarlet eyes followed Eden’s movements.

"He’s changing."

Obsidian nodded.

Sylvia glanced at him.

"You see it too?"

He nodded again.

"He isn’t copying the guardian anymore."

Obsidian’s gaze remained fixed on their Master.

Sylvia smiled.

"He’s Adapting."

Another explosion shook the cavern.

"And he’s doing it very quickly."

Eden ducked.

A spear passed over his head.

He stepped forward.

His shoulder slammed into the guardian’s chest.

The guardian stumbled.

Eden followed immediately, swinging his Dark Matter blade.

A Horizontal slash.

The guardian blocked.

Eden twisted the blade.

The edge slid along the spear.

His other hand grabbed the shaft.

For half a second, the guardian’s weapon was pinned.

Eden’s knee drove into its stomach.

The guardian’s body bent.

Eden attempted to follow with a strike to its head.

But one of its rear arms caught his wrist.

Another fist struck him in the ribs.

Eden’s body flew sideways.

He smashed into a wall.

Pain exploded through his side.

He landed among broken stone.

For the first time during the battle, he didn’t manage to immediately get up.

He coughed violently as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

His ribs hurt.

Badly.

’Why is it always my god damn ribs?’

Eden slowly pushed himself upright.

His breathing was heavier now.

The guardian emerged from the dust.

It didn’t pursue immediately.

It waited.

Eden laughed quietly.

"You really are wasting your own opportunities, you know that?"

The guardian’s expression remained neutral.

"So what if I am?"

Eden wiped the blood from his mouth.

"You’ll find yourself regretting it pretty damn soon."

He straightened.

Then vanished.

[Burst-Step]

The next exchange was even faster.

Eden appeared in front of the guardian.

The blade came down.

Block.

He rotated and used the momentum for a slash.

Right as it was blocked, Eden used Burst-Step to appear behind the guardian.

The guardian turned.

Eden kicked the ground.

A shockwave erupted beneath his feet.

He launched himself forward.

His blade pierced toward the guardian’s shoulder.

The guardian moved just enough.

The blade grazed it.

A thin line appeared across its stone-like flesh.

Eden’s eyes widened.

’I actually cut it!’

The guardian looked at the wound.

Then at Eden.

"You’re starting to finally get there."

Eden grinned.

"Would be embarrassing if I’d fail, with such a rough teacher."

The guardian lowered it’s stance.

"Don’t call me that.’

The guardian attacked.

Eden blocked.

Its spear pushed him backward.

Eden let it.

One step.

Two.

Three.

Then he suddenly changed direction.

[Burst-Step]

He appeared on the guardian’s flank.

The guardian’s spear followed.

Eden ducked.

The spear passed over him.

Eden’s Dark Matter blade swept upward.

The guardian blocked with its second Spear.

Eden immediately released the blade.

The guardian’s eyes shifted.

Eden stepped inside its guard and hit it with an Essence fueled punch.

The guardian’s head snapped backward.

"Hah! You fell for it again!"