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Kaipo and Archanos walked at the base of the towering mountain, its peak hidden somewhere beyond the clouds, a jagged reminder of the seemingly impossible task ahead. Archanos turned to Kaipo with a mischievous grin.
"This mountain is 290,320 feet tall," Archanos said casually, as if it were an everyday distance.
Kaipo’s jaw dropped. "What? You’re telling me I have to climb that? That’s insane!"
Archanos chuckled, crossing his arms. "Not climb, kid. You’re going to jog or run all the way to the top without stopping."
Kaipo’s shock quickly turned to frustration. "You’re crazy! No one can run up 290,000 feet without a break!"
Archanos's grin widened. "What I’ve planned for you requires a ton of endurance, and this will push you beyond your limits. Not only can you not stop, but you also can’t use any of your mage abilities. You’ll rely solely on your physical strength."
Kaipo rubbed his face, exasperated. "And if I stop?"
"You’ll start back at the bottom," Archanos replied matter-of-factly, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.
"And you’re just going to fly up there with your powers, huh?" Kaipo shot back, half-joking but also annoyed.
"Exactly," Archanos said, his voice full of amusement. "But there’s one more thing—you have to beat me to the top."
Kaipo groaned. "Why do I have to do this again?"
Archanos shrugged. "You’ll understand later. Now, get going."
With that, Archanos lifted off the ground, his body surrounded by a faint aura of magic. He shot into the sky, leaving Kaipo at the foot of the mountain, staring up at the impossible climb.
Kaipo took a deep breath and started jogging, his legs immediately protesting at the incline. The mountain loomed above him, its rocky terrain jagged and unforgiving. The first thousand feet weren’t too bad; the path was steep but manageable. However, as Kaipo progressed, the air grew thinner, the temperature dropped, and the wind became a howling force.
Each step felt heavier as the lack of oxygen made his lungs burn. Sweat dripped down his face, and his muscles ached. He kept his eyes focused on the path ahead, determined to keep moving despite the growing exhaustion.
Just as Kaipo was beginning to find a rhythm, the wind picked up, nearly knocking him off his feet. He glanced up to see massive clouds rolling in, dark and menacing. Within minutes, he was caught in a violent storm. Lightning cracked across the sky, and rain began to pour down in torrents, turning the rocky path into a slippery, treacherous obstacle.
Kaipo gritted his teeth and pressed on, his feet slipping with each step. The rain soaked through his clothes, chilling him to the bone. Every few feet, a gust of wind threatened to blow him off the path entirely, forcing him to dig his hands into the rock walls for stability.
A few hours into the ascent, Kaipo spotted movement ahead. His heart raced as three massive creatures emerged from the mist—hulking beasts covered in thick fur, their glowing eyes locked onto him. They were mountain guardians, each standing at least ten feet tall with claws that looked sharp enough to tear through steel.
"Great," Kaipo muttered to himself, raising his fists. "More obstacles."
The first guardian charged at him, its roar echoing through the storm. Kaipo dodged to the side, barely avoiding its claws. He countered with a swift punch to the creature’s side, but it felt like hitting solid rock. The second and third guardians closed in from either side, forcing Kaipo to roll between them to avoid being caught.
They were fast, their movements quick despite their size. Kaipo's muscles screamed in protest, fatigue weighing him down, but he had no choice. He ducked and weaved between their attacks, his body running on pure instinct. Each punch, each kick felt heavier than the last, but he knew he couldn’t stop. Not here.
The first guardian swiped at him again, and this time Kaipo wasn’t fast enough. Its claws raked across his shoulder, drawing blood. Kaipo gasped in pain but didn’t slow down. He had to finish this. Gathering his remaining strength, Kaipo launched himself into the air, delivering a powerful kick to the first guardian’s jaw. The creature stumbled backward, giving him just enough time to pivot and strike the second one with a spinning punch.
Kaipo’s vision blurred as the storm worsened, but he managed to evade the third guardian’s lunge, sending it crashing into the mountainside. The beasts roared in frustration, but Kaipo didn’t give them a chance to recover. With one final burst of energy, he charged forward, delivering rapid strikes to each creature until they collapsed, defeated.
Breathing heavily, Kaipo continued his climb. His body felt like it was on the verge of collapse. His legs burned, his lungs screamed for air, and his vision swam from exhaustion. He lost track of how long he had been climbing—hours? Days? Time seemed to blur into one long, endless struggle.
At one point, the path narrowed to a thin ridge, with sheer drops on either side. The wind howled mercilessly, pushing Kaipo dangerously close to the edge. His feet slipped on the wet stone, and for a terrifying moment, he thought he was going to fall. But somehow, he found the strength to keep going, his body running on pure willpower.
As Kaipo neared the peak, his legs gave out. He collapsed to the ground, panting and shivering in the cold. His mind screamed for him to get up, but his body refused to move. He had nothing left to give.
Suddenly, something deep within him stirred. A power, buried and dormant, surged to life. Kaipo’s body was enveloped in a crackling energy—his Blitzkrieg Ascendance Awakening. His eyes glowed with a fierce white light, and his muscles, once heavy and fatigued, were now filled with limitless power.
He stood up, the storm around him seeming to slow as his perception of time sharpened. His movements became a blur, faster than the eye could follow. With his newfound power, Kaipo sprinted up the remainder of the mountain, the wind and rain nothing but distant annoyances. His feet barely touched the ground as he flew up the path, each step propelling him closer to the top.
The final stretch came into view, and with one last burst of speed, Kaipo reached the summit. The storm faded away, leaving behind a calm, clear sky. Kaipo’s legs buckled, and he collapsed to the ground, utterly spent.
Before he hit the rocky surface, however, a hand caught him.
"Good job, kid," Archanos said, standing above him with a proud smile. "You made it."
The chapter ended there, with Kaipo having completed the impossible ascent, his new power awakened, and his journey far from over.30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQjn2FNvXf
