’I have to do something...’ Novus thought to himself as he watched the azure slime bloat into its maximum size, the explosion that would follow something that would guarantee death, claiming him after avoiding its grasp time and time again.

No refined techniques, no sharp and concise movement, the young man immediately acted upon what his mind thought of first, forcing him to gather mana around himself once more in a desperate attempt to fend off the approaching blast of acidic slime, infusing fire attribute within the congealed ball before moving it away, not even coating it with a stabilizing mana shell to save time.

Within just a couple of meters after it was released by its caster, this unorthodox fireball collapsed under itself, exploding weaker than the usual, proving to the caster just how much tired he already is.

Still, his gamble paid off, the explosion meeting the approaching acidic sludge and evaporating them mid-air to tiny droplets that his body can bare recovering from.

Even then, the problem has yet to disappear, as one knocks after he solves another, his body, now fully recovered yet ever so exhausted as he expended Immortal Energy once again, already screaming for rest amidst the difficult battle in front of him.

He refuses the body’s plea, intending to survive for as long as he can before he is knocked out of the Evolution Domain for the third time.

He knows it; there’s no other way out here than death, his body crumbling under the weight of his own power, his mind getting torn apart by his own senses, and his senses getting duller as time continues to pile fatigue endlessly upon him.

But the young man keeps forging on, looking for the smallest of openings he can take advantage of to kill just one more enemy, to grow the resources he will use just a little bit more, to hone his skills just a small step closer towards the next stage.

He opted not to use Immortal Energy as he already has something planned to use those remaining feeble amounts for, forcing him to heavily rely on True Immortal Blood’s natural regeneration rate in order to keep his battle prowess up.

"Haahh... haahh... haahh..." without making a single stop to prevent himself from being caught in an unexpected attack, Novus destroys one slime after another, using mostly his fist while utilizing Mana Blade around his hand every once in a while, when fighting against Amber Slimes

Despite still efficiently taking care of enemies, only having slip-ups every here and there, each step is already taking a lot out of him, each motion forcing him to pant, and sometimes, occasionally gulp nothing as if he is craving hydration inside the Evolution Domain, the first time it has ever happened to him.

’This one cannot handle Mana Blade anymore...’ he thought to himself as he cleaves apart yet another Amber Slime, feeling the numbness, the loss of sensation on his right hand, he knew full well that he could not use it to swing anymore, the temptation to use Immortal Energy to boost regeneration creeping in his mind, but he refrained from doing so.

’Just a bit more... maybe I can survive just a bit more before I use it...’ he thought of something to himself as he thinks of his right hand too, wanting nothing more than to heal it a bit faster than his other parts so that it can return to combat once again.

The battle took his attention away from his body, so he didn’t realize it, but his hand truly regenerated faster than his other body parts. As a consequence of this, all regeneration begins slowing down just a little bit as well.

It all entirely relies on his instincts, the instinct that he once abandoned as his senses sharpened way beyond how it can, once again reveal itself, showing his body the right way to utilize his own talent, allowing him to retain his combat prowess just a little bit longer, just as he wished.

Fatigue will eventually catch up to him, though, as with another slash that pierces through the flesh of another Amber Slime, he felt his hand caught in its flesh that refuses to dissolve even after its core was hit, forcing a realization to dawn upon him.

’Not deep enough...’ he thought as he attempted to pull his hand back. Within just a moment of it not budging, he opted to go all out on it and willed mana onto his legs, exploding in speed as he pushed through, eventually piercing the core a little bit deeper, just enough for it to fall apart.

With that attack, he once again attempted to catch his own breath, his motion slowing down significantly as he no longer pants, he wheezes as he weaves through each attack coming for him.

He is not well aware if it is because of the constant fight or if it’s because he is just that tired, but thoughts gradually start forming within his mind, his own voice asking a single question every time he struggles to make just one more motion from his battered body.

’Why the hell do you even keep on going...’

The question rang as he felt pain for the hundredth, for the thousandth time, but this time, it was no longer from his enemy but from his own flesh and blood, screaming for rest and surrender as his will continued to push on, trying to find a path to victory.

’Why the hell do you even keep on going...’

The question rang as he pierces through yet another slime, the pain from its acidic body coming in contact with his skin, something that he is already so used to that he just endures it all, willing his own talent to pay a little more attention towards that part as he cuts the affected flesh.

’Why the hell do you even keep on going...’

The question rang as he defended from yet another attack, the acidic stream coming from the azure slimes, something that he still avoids all too carefully, even at the expense of his other body parts, this time opting him to choose loosing his arm for an uncountable number of times instead of choosing to receive that acidic jet stream of death.

’Why the hell do you even keep on going...’

The question rang in every single thing he does, every dodge, every parry, every block, every counter, and every attack, almost as if it were not a question, but rather a declaration for him to stop.

’Why the hell do you even keep on going...’

’Why the hell do you even keep on going...’

’WHY THE HELL DO YOU KEEP ON GOING???’

Eventually, the noises got so loud that he can barely focus on the opponent in front of him, but instead of surrendering to his subconscious, instead of asking the question himself, he smiles, the maniacal smile leaving his face as he opens his lips, a loud, confident, no, proud laughter resounding all across the ruined battlefield as he continues to kill enemies left and right.

Then his laughter calms down, that maniacal grin creeping back onto his face as mad, yet determined flame rages underneath his gaze.

"Why the hell would I not?"