Reincarnated Avatar; I got 2 SSS-Rank Unique Skills
Chapter 132: Skill challenge [1]

Chapter 132: Skill challenge [1]

Noah didn’t just spend his skill points to learn new skills. To the ones he deemed relevant, following his calculations, he also spent more skill points to upgrade them to the appropriate mastery level.

And finally, he was done.

It was time to move on to the next step in his plan, which was taking on the 2nd trial of his Heavenly Domain Challenge..., the Skill Challenge.

...

***

[Trial 2: The Skill Challenge]

*Type: Individual skill test

*Objective: Overcome a unique combat trial tailored to your class and combat style.

*Difficulty: Scales to the challenger’s personal skill level.

***

A few minutes after completing his skillset upgrade, Noah stood before a towering golden gateway suspended in the sky.

Carved into its surface are shifting runes, each one pulsating with an ancient power. And then, a system notification flashed before his eyes.

[You have reached the second stage of the Heavenly Domain Challenge.]

[Welcome to the Skill Challenge- Only the worthy may ascend.]

The golden gate slowly creaked open, revealing a vast, empty coliseum bathed in the glow of a twilight sky.

Floating around the arena are mystical sigils, each representing different combat disciplines, ranging from swordsmanship and magic to reflexes, agility, and tactical awareness.

A deep, commanding voice cut through the space.

"Only those who have honed their skills to perfection may enter into the Heavenly Domain. Show your mastery, or be cast down".

The arena rumbled and suddenly, five ethereal trials manifested, each testing a different aspect of a player’s abilities.

Noah was already going at it, the Heavenly Domain challenge for a few days already. It was getting a bit exhausting but still, as soon as the new trials appeared, his heart raced.

Unlike those puzzles, this is the kind of challenge that he thrives in.

A notification briefly appeared in the sky.

[Phase 1: The Trial of Precision]

Before Noah could react, it already started.

From the sky, thousands of glowing projectiles materialized, hanging in midair like a deadly constellation. A timer also appeared.

And then, a voice reverberated through the space.

"Strike the precise targets while dodging false decoys".

Some of the projectiles shone in a brilliant gold, these were the true targets.

Others pulsed in a deceptive glow, designed to bait players into attacking the wrong ones. Noah managed to make the connection almost instantly.

If he missed too many true targets, he fails.

And if he strikes a decoy, they explode, increasing the difficulty.

This was a trial of precision.

The challenge began, and golden targets zipped through the air at unpredictable speeds, leaving a blur in their wake.

Noah gripped Aetherforge, and then he erupted into action.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Switching between thrusts, slashes, and mid-air maneuvers to land pinpoint hits while dodging the false ones, he exploded with speed.

His reaction time was pushed to the limit but Noah was up for it, refusing to miss even a single true target. With precise movements, he struck down all the golden targets, clearing the trial in record time.

Immediately after, a familiar notification lit up in the air.

[Phase 1 completed!]

[Phase 2: The Trial of Adaptability]

Bzzz!

The arena shifted, transforming into a battlefield filled with ever-changing opponents. A system prompt followed the transformation.

[Challenge: Defeat every enemy type using optimal counters.]

It was self-explanatory, Noah already knew what to expect and so he was not caught off-guard.

As soon as the system prompt appeared, it started. One by one, different monsters spawned in the battlefield, requiring a different combat approach to take them down each time.

At times, it was a towering Rhino with impenetrable defense, requiring true damage skills to penetrate their defense.

At other times, it was a Cheetah with blinding speed.

But each time, Noah was able to adapt and improvise, taking them down with maximum efficiency. And then, the challenge evolved, including humanoid monsters to increase the difficulty.

The first humanoid monster that Noah encountered was a swift, teleporting assassin. Facing this monster, Noah adjusted, using predictive counters and his spatial awareness to defeat it.

Another was a heavily armored Juggernaut, a Knight.

To combat this guy, Noah switched to Aetherforge’s heavy forms, switching between the shield and greatsword to chip at its health, breaking through its defenses and eventually killing it.

And then came a lying elemental mage. This time, Noah adapted, using mid-air maneuvers and deflection techniques to defeat it.

The challenge wasn’t about brute force. Rather, it was about knowing when to switch tactics, when to be aggressive, and when to bait out an enemy’s weakness. And Noah was good at all these.

After a series of rapid battles, he managed to exploit ever weakness flawlessly, passing the trial.

Immediately after, the coliseum shuddered as a familiar notification lit up in the air.

[Phase 2 passed!]

[Phase 3: Trial of Endurance]

As soon as the coliseum shuddered, a powerful spirit warrior emerged, wielding a glowing blade. Unlike the previous trials, this one had a single objective.

"Sometimes, it’s not the strongest who survive in war".

"It’s those who can endure most".

"Survive a prolonged duel against an unrelenting opponent".

Noah’s eyes narrowed.

Like the others, the objective this time was also straightforward. This wasn’t about winning instantly, it was about lasting against an opponent who never tires, never falters.

Noah grinned, switching Aetherforge to its shield form as he stared at the powerful spirit warrior. "Bring it on!" He taunted.

BOOM!

The Spirit Warrior aggressively exploded into action.

It constantly attacked, adjusting its style to punish Noah’s mistakes but with the shield and Noah’s control of it, Lord Doom stood undaunted.

Lord Doom’s stamina was capped though. If he recklessly burned through his energy, he would be left vulnerable.

Another thing was the longer the fight went on, the faster the Spirit Warrior became, forcing Noah to conserve energy, counter efficiently, and outlast his foe through sheer skill and cunning.

For ten excruciating minutes, Noah withstood the barrage, dodging by a hair’s breadth, managing his stamina with perfect timing.

As the final second ticked down, it finally opened up..., an opportunity!

’This is it!’

Without hesitation, Noah capitated on the opportunity, delivering a devastating counterstrike and shattering the spirit warrior’s form.

The trial was complete.