E-Rank or SSS-Rank: I Awakened a Skill That Shouldn't Exist-Chapter 68: New Mode

Chapter 68

Back to Aiden’s Side

The monster boss stood motionless for a moment, stunned—genuinely stunned. In front of it was something even it could call a monster. Or more accurately... monsters, fused into one being. Aiden’s body radiated overwhelming power. He had activated his strongest form yet, merging over 30 different DNA samples with his Dark Essence Mode. This was his limit for now—but even that was enough to shake the battlefield.

Ron stood beside him, breathing heavily but ready for round two.

"Omega Beam!" Clara shouted, launching a golden beam of concentrated energy.

As expected, the boss responded instantly—raising its massive arm, summoning a wall of vines that layered together like armor. The Omega Beam ripped through them, layer by layer, but by the time it reached the core, its power had weakened. The boss caught the diminished blast with one hand, ready to crush it like the others before—

BOOM!

A hammer slammed into the ground near it, releasing a pulse of gravitational force. The boss staggered, its massive frame dropping to one knee. It fought to rise, trembling... but it stood.

Only for a fraction of a second—

Aiden struck. A heavy, dark punch lined with bony thorns smashed into the creature’s face, sending a spray of black blood flying as the beast was launched across the field, crashing into a massive boulder.

Aiden panted hard, the cost of this power starting to show. Using so many transformations while maintaining Dark Essence Mode was draining his energy at an alarming rate. But the boss wasn’t finished—it was already rising again.

"Clara, now!" Aiden roared as he charged.

Clara summoned all her power, firing two Omega Beams simultaneously. The boss reacted fast, swinging its massive arms in the air to create shockwaves that chipped away at the beams before they reached him.

By the time the beams faded, Aiden was already in front of the boss, his fist cloaked in dense, black energy. He punched—but the monster caught his fist.

Aiden smirked. Just as planned.

The boss sensed something wrong, but it was too late—Aiden’s other hand latched onto its neck. With a savage twist and a grunt of effort, Aiden yanked the beast off balance and slammed it hard into the ground.

"Ron! Now!"

From above, Ron descended like a meteor, his massive hammer glowing. With all his might, he brought it down on the boss’s lower torso.

CRACK!

The monster coughed up blood, but worse was yet to come—Ron activated Gravity Wrap. The air trembled as crushing force bound the monster to the ground. The trap was designed to affect only enemies—Aiden remained unaffected.

He mounted the creature’s chest and began pounding its head with everything he had. Over and over, fist after fist. Dark energy exploded with each blow, but the monster’s regenerative powers refused to give in. Still, Aiden didn’t stop.

"It’s adapting!" Ron shouted.

Aiden knew—but he couldn’t afford to hesitate. If the boss broke free, they were all dead. He punched harder, faster, black blood splattering everywhere. Ron and Clara watched, tense, as the monster slowly began to lift one hand—then another.

"Come on... come on..." Aiden whispered through clenched teeth, his knuckles bleeding. He saw the healing slow down—it was working.

But then—

SHLUNK!

A monstrous claw pierced Aiden’s back. Blood erupted from his mouth, but he didn’t stop. If he gave in now, everything would be lost.

The boss, shocked by Aiden’s madness, raised both hands toward his head—ready to crush him.

Clara turned her face, unable to watch. Ron screamed, "AIDEN!"

Then—

Silence.

Ron tapped Clara gently. "Look."

Clara slowly opened her eyes—and gasped. The monster’s hands dropped limply. Its head... was gone. Completely pulverized.

Aiden collapsed beside the corpse, eyes fluttering. His body stopped bleeding, but his energy was dangerously low.

Then—

System Notification:

Quest Completed.

Rewards: +8 Stat Points, Vine Crystal

Achievement: An Extremely Tough Opponent Has Been Defeated.

New Mode Unlocked: Emerald Bind Mode

Effect: Instantly heals minor injuries. Greatly increases vitality. Dramatically boosts defense.

Would you like to activate this mode?

Aiden didn’t hesitate. "Yes."

The moment Emerald Bind Mode activated, a soft green light wrapped around his body. Healing warmth surged through him—not instantly, but steady and strong. Within minutes, the pain dulled, his strength returning slowly but surely. Eventually, he stood—worn, but alive.

Ron and Clara approached, relief washing over their tired faces. They looked at Aiden, then at the monster’s body lying in a crater of ruin. The same thought crossed all their minds:

If even one of them hadn’t been there... they would have died.

Three of them. All at their limits. And still, it was barely enough.

A chilling silence fell between them as another question echoed:

If this is what it took to defeat one—what kind of battle is Han facing right now?

---

Meanwhile – Han’s Side

High above the scorched battlefield, the air crackled with flame and lightning.

Han and Thunderwrath stood levitating opposite one another, several meters apart. The battle had reached its peak. No longer one-sided—Han had fused with Ifrit, and everything had changed.

Thunderwrath’s human form was bruised and battered, lightning scars tracing his arms. He looked on the verge of collapse—if not for the crazed grin stretched across his face. Unbroken. Unyielding.

On the other side hovered Han—utterly transformed. His eyes glowed with red rings that extended into fiery tattoos flowing from his temples to his chin. Red lines blazed across his body, coiling down his limbs and forming radiant sun-like emblems in his palms. Behind him spun a blazing ring of fire—burning with such divine intensity it gave him the presence of a god.

Han stared at Thunderwrath with clear frustration. Fusing with Ifrit was supposed to tip the scales, to give him the edge he needed to end this. But Thunderwrath... simply wouldn’t fall. It was like he couldn’t die.

"Let’s put an end to this," Han growled.

He raised both hands. Small flame tornadoes sparked to life around him. Then they grew—larger, hotter, spinning violently—until the sky was filled with towering inferno vortexes.

The true power of Ifrit’s merge: All of Han’s flame techniques were now high S-Rank, their potency magnified to catastrophic levels.

For a fleeting second, Thunderwrath’s grin faltered. His heart skipped a beat.

But then—it widened again.

It had been so long since he felt this alive.

Han launched the vortexes. Thunderwrath responded with a barrage of lightning bolts, each one lashing through the sky, striking and dispersing the flames. He destroyed several—but not all. The remaining vortexes slammed into him, engulfing him in a swirling tower of fire that stretched to the heavens.

Han hovered, chest heaving, lungs burning. He had only survived this long thanks to Ifrit’s shared energy. Without it, he would have been drained long ago.

He turned toward the system screen, expecting the notification—

Victory. Spirit Tamed.

But nothing came.

A bolt of lightning screamed toward him. Han narrowly dodged, the attack grazing past his shoulder.

"You’ve got to be kidding," he muttered, eyes shifting to the smoke cloud below.

Thunderwrath emerged—hand raised in a firing stance, still wearing that maddening grin.

"To think you dodged my Lightning Bullet," he chuckled. "You’re something else, kid."

He flew upward again, stopping only a few meters in front of Han. Han’s brows furrowed. He sensed it. Something was coming.

"I could tell that last move was your strongest," Thunderwrath said. "Now, allow me to return the favor. This technique... is why I’m feared among other Elemental Spirits."

Lightning began to converge around him—massive, wild, chaotic energy dancing between his palms. Han’s heart dropped.

This wasn’t just power.

This was destruction.

"Lightning Force: THUNDERCLAP!"

Thunderwrath roared.

To be continued...