Is this really a Game?!

The battlefield was intensifying with each passing moment as the monsters of the horde advanced, the more powerful ones making their presence known and attacking without holding anything back. Each platform was currently being assaulted by creatures a lot more powerful and resilient than the creatures of the previous wave were.

The seemingly endless sea of weaker creatures had given way to the more elite abominations which were now locked in combat against Reign and the others, and the worst part was that there were many of them, thousands that were present in the army, with more powerful creatures coming from behind them, making their way toward them.

Reign, who was still riding the high of his breakthrough was still slicing through the horde as even the stronger creatures were no match for him. That was because right after breaking through a new realm in proficiency, the person would briefly get inspired and his attacks would hold sword aura in them.

Reign knew it wouldn't last much longer, perhaps only a couple of seconds, and then he would be forced to attack with a lot more mana, spending a lot more energy in each strike. Suddenly, however, the ground started shaking heavily, causing the creatures to stumble. Reign even stopped for a moment before glancing down as his sword aura was gone.

He sighed, and then grabbed his second sword before looking to the side, staring at the giant monsters that were approaching the fortress. Their size alone made them incredibly daunting, their gigantic bodies reaching the height of 40 meters, their auras immense.

With each step, the ground trembled beneath their massive frames, and the fortress itself seemed to quiver in their presence. Reign's instincts screamed at him to focus, to be ready for something far greater than what they had faced thus far.

He stood at the edge of his platform, watching the towering giants in the distance. Their thick, armored skin glistened in the dim light, each step crushing the bodies of their own forces beneath them. The aura of sheer power they exuded was enough to make the air feel heavy, pressing down on Reign and his team like an invisible weight.

'They're almost here,' Reign thought, gripping his sword tightly. 'We can't let them reach the walls.'

With newfound determination, Reign called out to the others. "Prepare yourselves! The real fight is about to begin!"

On the adjacent platforms, the others were also preparing for the impending clash. Mia, seeing the same armored behemoths approaching, began weaving an intricate web of ice around her platform. She knew her usual tactics wouldn't work on these creatures—they were too large and too resistant to the cold.

Frost crept across the platform and down the walls as Mia unleashed a blizzard. The snow and ice danced in the air, forming massive spears of ice that hovered above her, ready to be launched at the giant beasts. She took a deep breath, her frosty breath visible in the cold air, and steeled herself for what was to come.

"They're tough, but they'll break," she whispered to herself.

Wolf, too, was preparing. His fiery sword was still burning bright, but now he called upon the chaos energy within him. The flames around his sword shifted, turning darker, more violent. The chaotic energy infused his fire, causing it to swirl around him in a cyclone of destructive force.

His eyes glowed with fierce determination as he waited for the monsters to approach, a gigantic sword of flames appeared in his hands, its length being 25 meters.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

The others all got ready as well, the approaching monstrosities giving them some respite as the other monsters stopped charging and stood back, fully aware that they would be squashed by the monstrosities if they dared get close.

And then, as the giants got to about 60 meters away from the fortress, everybody attacked.

Reign, standing at the edge of his platform, took a deep breath. His hands tightened around the hilts of his swords, and his heart raced as he felt the storm within him start to rise. His breakthrough in swordsmanship had given him a boost, but now he needed more. He needed the raw power of his most devastating abilities if they were to survive the next onslaught.

Without a word, Reign called upon his Kirin, the mythical beast materializing from the lightning flickering around him. Black lightning began crackling around him, spiraling into the air as the sky above the fortress darkened further. The clouds swirled with energy, and with a loud crack, the Kirin materialized.

Its powerful form was composed entirely of black lightning, its eyes glowing with intensity as it roared, sending shockwaves of power across the battlefield. The ground itself seemed to vibrate in response to the sheer force of its presence.

The giant closest to Reign, a towering monstrosity with armored skin and jagged spikes protruding from its body, locked its glowing red eyes on him. Its steps quickened, as if eager to crush Reign underfoot. But Reign was already preparing his next move.

With the Kirin roaring above him, Reign raised his hand toward the sky, his lightning-infused aura flaring around him. His body crackled with energy as he focused all of his mana into a single, concentrated point. In his hand, a massive lance began to form—a lance of pure black lightning, pulsing with both destructive power and the energy of darkness.

"Take this down," Reign muttered as he gathered more power into the lance.

The Kirin roared again, and with a single, powerful leap, Reign mounted the beast. The creature's lightning-filled body surged forward, racing across the battlefield toward the towering giant. The air crackled as the Kirin sped toward its target, moving at a speed that belied its size. Lightning arced off the beast, striking nearby monsters and disintegrating them on contact.

Reign held the massive black lightning lance tightly, its energy vibrating through him as the Kirin closed the distance. The giant raised its enormous, spiked arm, preparing to swat the Kirin and Reign from the sky, but Reign was faster.

"Now!" Reign yelled as he raised the lance above his head, his aura flaring as he poured everything into this one strike.

With a loud, thunderous roar, Reign and the Kirin shot forward, the black lightning lance aimed directly at the giant's head. The giant's arm descended, but the Kirin dodged with supernatural agility, twisting its body around the massive limb. Reign thrust the lance forward, and with a deafening crack, the lance pierced the giant's armored skull.

The force of the impact sent a shockwave rippling through the battlefield. The black lightning spread from the lance, snaking through the giant's body and lighting up its veins with destructive energy. The giant let out a roar of agony, its eyes glowing brighter for a brief moment before the lightning exploded from within, ripping through its body.

The sheer force of the explosion shattered its spiked armor and tore apart its internal structure.

The giant swayed for a moment, its massive form teetering as if it were about to fall, but Reign wasn't done. With a final surge of power, the Kirin bit down on the giant's neck, sending one last blast of lightning through its body. The giant's head was torn from its body, and with a mighty crash, the enormous beast collapsed, shaking the ground and sending debris flying into the air.

Mia, watching the giant closest to her, narrowed her eyes. Her frost magic had been potent, but she knew that against these creatures, she needed something far more powerful. She raised her hands to the sky, summoning the full extent of her icy powers. The temperature around her plummeted as the air became thick with frost.

In an instant, a massive glacier began to form above her platform, the ice growing larger and larger as it gathered energy. The giant closest to her, a towering brute with molten red eyes and thick, plated armor, began charging toward her, its massive fists raised to crush her and her platform.

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But Mia was ready.

The spears she had previously created moved first, striking the arm, decimating and freezing it in place.

With a forceful shout, she brought her hands down, sending the glacier crashing toward the giant. The glacier, now infused with her mana, shot forward with incredible speed, turning the battlefield into a frozen wasteland as it flew. The giant tried to block the massive chunk of ice, but the glacier was too fast and too powerful.

It slammed into the giant's chest, shattering its armor and freezing its body in an instant.

Wolf's humongous sword slashed down, managing to cut deep into the body of the giant he attacked, the flames erupting and burning the giant alive as it roared in pain before Wolf let go of the sword and suddenly appeared on top of its head, his fist raised, covered in flames and mana as he struck down.

The punch caused the head of the giant to vibrate before flames erupted from all its orifices, painting a horrifying picture, especially since Wolf had a wide smile upon doing that.