The Emerald Behemoth's colossal fist crashed toward the earth.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The impact shattered the battlefield.
A shockwave tore through the Emerald Wildlands, uprooting ancient trees and hurling boulders through the air.
Soldiers from both sides were forced backward.
Dust swallowed everything.
"...Commander!"
Ben gripped his shield.
Even from hundreds of meters away, he could feel the force of the blow.
---
Inside the cloud of dust...
Silence.
Then...
A calm voice echoed.
"You'll have to do better than that."
The dust exploded outward.
WHOOM!!
Sam stood atop a shattered boulder, completely unharmed.
His black cloak fluttered in the wind.
The Emerald Behemoth looked up.
"You avoided it."
Sam smiled.
"Shadow Step."
---
Without another word...
He vanished.
WHOOSH!
The Behemoth's ancient eyes narrowed.
It couldn't see him.
Then—
A slash of black light appeared across its shoulder.
"Vertical Instant Slash!"
SHRAAAAAAK!!
Soul Reaver carved a deep line through the Behemoth's crystal armor.
Emerald crystal fragments scattered across the battlefield.
The monster took a single step backward.
For the first time...
It had been wounded.
---
A cheer erupted from Base 101.
"He cut it!"
"The Commander actually injured it!"
Kael laughed.
"That's our King!"
Runa watched silently from the wall.
Her newly awakened Hawk Eye Dominion tracked every movement.
"...He's not using his full strength yet."
---
The Emerald Behemoth touched the wound on its shoulder.
It looked at the emerald blood flowing from the cut.
Then...
It smiled.
"It has been..."
"...a very long time."
Its fist clenched.
Ancient emerald mana erupted from every crystal embedded in its body.
The surrounding forest trembled.
---
Inside Sam's mind...
Rex spoke.
Commander.
Enemy mana output increasing rapidly.
Recommendation: Increase combat intensity.
Sam nodded.
"I was thinking the same thing."
He raised his left hand.
Black magic circles appeared around him.
"Fire Missiles."
Hundreds of flaming projectiles filled the sky.
WHOOSH!!
They rained down upon the Behemoth.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions engulfed the giant.
Smoke rose high into the heavens.
For a brief moment...
The Regional Boss disappeared from sight.
---
Then...
A massive arm burst through the smoke.
BOOOOOOOM!!
The Behemoth punched straight through the explosions.
Its enormous fist raced toward Sam.
Sam's eyes widened.
"So fast!"
Shadow Step!
He vanished just before the punch landed.
The fist struck the mountainside behind him.
Half the cliff collapsed.
---
Leon watched from the shadows.
"...He's adapting."
Zora tightened her grip on her staff.
"The Commander can't let that fight drag on."
Mira silently prayed.
---
Sam reappeared behind the Behemoth.
"Your turn."
He swung Soul Reaver with everything he had.
SHRAAAAAAAK!!
The blade collided with the Behemoth's crystal-covered back.
Instead of cutting cleanly...
CRAAAAACK!!
A tiny fracture appeared along Soul Reaver's edge.
Sam immediately jumped back.
His eyes narrowed.
"...What?"
He looked down at his sword.
A thin crack ran through the black blade.
Inside his mind...
Rex's usually calm voice carried an unfamiliar urgency.
Commander...
Warning.
Soul Reaver has sustained structural damage.
Another clash at its current condition may cause the weapon to shatter.
Sam gripped the sword tighter.
"This sword has survived every battle..."
"How is it cracking now?"
The Emerald Behemoth looked at the blade.
Its ancient eyes softened with recognition.
"...So."
"It has finally reached its limit."
Then the giant smiled.
"No..."
"It has reached..."
"...its beginning."
At that very moment...
The emerald blood coating Soul Reaver began to glow.
Black mana and emerald mana intertwined along the cracked blade.
Inside his mind, Rex spoke once more.
Commander...
Unknown reaction detected.
Soul Reaver is absorbing the Emerald Behemoth's ancient mana.
Weapon Evolution Protocol... Initializing.
Sam's eyes widened.
"...During the battle?"
The crack along the blade pulsed with emerald light.
The Behemoth slowly raised both fists.
"Show me..."
"...whether your weapon is worthy to evolve."