My Talent's Name Is Generator Chapter 968 Trial Commences

The instant my fingertips grazed the fractured stone of the throne, my surroundings imploded without preamble. The clearing, the crater, the trees... all folded into an absolute hush before fading into nothingness. There was no discernible transition, no sensation of movement, simply an abrupt alteration as the ground underfoot solidified into something cold and smooth. The very air seemed to constrict, as if I were enclosed within unseen barriers.

I found myself within a circular chamber.

The space was expansive yet confined, its walls fashioned from obsidian-like stone that absorbed all light, ascending to a height where the ceiling vanished into abyssal shadow. The floor beneath me bore the imprint of faint lines, reminiscent of an arena, scarred and worn from innumerable conflicts that predated my arrival. No exit was visible.

Only the center. A disturbance shimmered ahead.

The system responded.

[Designation: Defier confirmed]

[Trial Initiated]

[Defeat all opponents]

The ripple expanded, and from its heart emerged a Minotaur.

It stood immense, easily eclipsing my height, its colossal frame packed with dense muscle, its form clad in thick, dark fur. Its head was that of a bull, potent horns curving outward and forward. Its eyes emanated a faint crimson glow, fixed upon me with immediate predatory intent. In its grasp was a solitary axe, weighty and brutal, its edge nicked but formidable.

[Minotaur – Level 50]

It showed no hesitation.

The very moment it materialized, it charged.

The ground shuddered beneath its thunderous steps as it rapidly closed the distance. The axe arced high above its head before descending in a devastating vertical cleave. I sidestepped, the blade impacting the ground where I had stood moments before, the sheer force fracturing the stone. I moved instantly, my own axe rising in a clean sweep, striking across its flank.

The blow landed with conviction.

The Minotaur reacted with surprising alacrity for its bulk, pivoting as its free hand swung towards me. I ducked beneath the clumsy grasp and advanced, driving another strike into its midsection before disengaging.

It bellowed and swung anew.

This time, a horizontal sweep.

I blocked.

The impact surged through my arms, yet failed to break my foundation. I twisted into the momentum, slipping within its reach and bringing my axe upward towards its neck. The blade bit deeply, severing flesh and sinew as I propelled myself forward, driving it deeper until the resistance yielded.

Its head separated cleanly.

The corpulent body collapsed.

The subsequent ripple formed before the first had even fully dissipated.

[Minotaur – Level 53]

This iteration stepped forth already in motion, its axe emitting a faint luminescence along the edge as it advanced. Its stance was more compact, and the surrounding aura pulsed with a fiercer intensity.

The strike arrived with increased velocity. I met it head-on.

The collision was more violent this time, the force driving me back a pace as the glow along its blade flared brightly upon impact. It followed instantaneously with another assault, then another, each blow seamlessly chaining into the next without respite, compelling me into a defensive posture, precluding any counterattack.

I adjusted my footing, allowing one swing to pass harmlessly, then lunged in to strike, my axe colliding with its side. Yet, the creature barely registered the hit, turning into the blow as it brought its weapon down once more.

I retreated a single step.

Then activated "Impact Burst."

A surge of power coursed through my legs, propelling me forward with explosive speed. The distance vanished before it could fully react. My knee slammed into its chest, the impact lifting its mass slightly as I followed through, my axe already in motion.

The blade descended with crushing force.

It cleaved straight through, the strike penetrating deeply, the momentum carrying through its torso. It buckled under the impact, and its form dissolved into motes of light.

The third adversary appeared immediately.

[Minotaur – Level 56]

This one emerged with less haste, its hooves grinding against the stone floor as it lowered its head slightly. A deep growl rumbled from its chest, echoing through the chamber before escalating into a full-throated roar that vibrated the very air. Its grip tightened on the axe, veins bulging along its arms as a faint energy coalesced around the blade, coiling inward like contained pressure awaiting release.

It did not charge immediately.

It took a single step forward, then slammed the axe into the ground.

"GRRAAAHH!"

The instant the blade made contact, a compressed wave erupted outward from the impact point, tearing across the arena floor in an expanding arc. The stone fractured as the force surged towards me. I launched myself upward and backward, the wave grazing my position, but the concussive pressure latched onto my legs, diminishing my speed just enough for it to close the gap.

It was already advancing. Moving with a speed incongruous for its massive frame. The axe came from the side, low and powerful.

I raised my own weapon to intercept.

The clash resounded sharply, the force driving directly through my arms as my feet skidded backward across the stone. Before I could re-establish my footing, it twisted its grip and brought the axe upward again, this time from below, the maneuver chaining seamlessly into the subsequent strike.

My stance was adjusted, the block angled, yet the blow still forced me back a single step.

It showed no signs of stopping.

A third assault descended from above, its weight dwart the previous two combined, the aura along its weapon blazing at the very moment of impact.

I let it pass, sidestepping as the axe plunged into the ground, the tremor fracturing the surface beneath my feet. I moved to counter, my blade slicing across its flank.

The strike connected. Yet, it hardly seemed to decelerate.

The Minotaur turned into the blow, a snarl erupting from its throat as it thrust its shoulder forward, creating separation between us. It then wrenched the axe free, commencing another swing in a wide arc, clearly aimed at decapitating me.

I ducked beneath the sweep, the wind of its passage grazing me as I retreated beyond its reach.

This adversary would not be felled by a mere exchange of blows.

It bellowed once more, the sound amplified, now carrying an undeniable force. The energy along its weapon intensified, its stance lowered, preparing for its next charge.

I took a step backward.

"Radiant Slash."

The execution was flawless. The axe cleaved the air, and the energy followed suit, instantly coalescing into a brilliant arc that shot forward across the arena. Heat trailed in its wake as it traversed the distance in an instant.

The Minotaur perceived the incoming attack and reacted. It raised its axe before its body, planting its hooves firmly and bracing itself. The glow along its blade surged, meeting the incoming strike head-on.

For a fleeting moment, the defense held.

Then, it shattered.

The radiant arc pierced its guard, cleaving the energy coating its weapon before continuing its trajectory across the creature's body. The force persisted, unimpeded, as the impact sliced cleanly through.

The roar abruptly ceased.

Its form bifurcated along the line of the strike, the two halves separating as the energy continued its path, dissipating harmlessly behind it.