Chapter 2056 Challenge 3 Despite the odds, hope still lingered among the acolytes of Hall 120. With Damo and Dillion still in the lineup, there was a glimmer of optimism. However, as they surveyed their opponents, Dillion's gaze fell upon one particularly formidable adversary—a renowned top 100 acolyte whose reputation rivaled even his own. Seeing this, Damo said, "Brother, Dillion, you can handle that one. I'll take on a few others first." "Huh, you underestimate me?" said the next opponent who stepped into the arena. A female second-year acolyte with a relatively unknown reputation, she exuded an air of enthusiasm and determination. In contrast, Damo remained composed, his demeanor unruffled, as he offered a respectful bow before commencing his preparations. Chanting softly, he summoned forth multiple tendrils of light from the ground, each gleaming with a radiant energy. The female opponent wasted no time in preparing herself for combat. With a swift transformation, she enhanced both her arms and feet, imbuing them with an otherworldly agility while shaping her fingers into razor-sharp claws of metal. With lightning speed, she closed the distance between herself and Damo, her movements a blur of calculated strikes and evasions. Damo's light tendrils, though formidable, struggled to keep pace with her agility, and her powerful claws tore through them with ease. "These little playthings won't stop me!" she declared. But Damo remained unfazed, his focus unwavering as he continued to hold his ground against the relentless onslaught. Both combatants were seasoned rank 9 acolytes, boasting mastery over their respective spells with eight pillars formed. However, Damo's affinity for light and plant spells, nurtured through his deep connection with Gaia, granted him a distinct advantage. His nature-infused spells held an unparalleled potency, making his defensive maneuvers all the more formidable. In the midst of their intense exchange, Damo gradually asserted his dominance, his spells weaving a web of illumination and verdant protection around him. Despite the girl's valiant efforts, she soon found herself flagging under Damo's relentless onslaught. In a desperate bid to turn the tide, the girl unleashed a spell, enveloping the area in a thick veil of dark smoke. The obscurity not only troubled Damo's senses but also interfered with his spirit reading, disrupting his control over the tendrils that served as his defense. Seizing the opportunity, the girl swiftly closed the distance, penetrating Damo's barrier with her sharp claws. "Hahaha, I've got you now!" she crowed triumphantly, believing she had outmaneuvered Damo's long-range tactics. However, to her dismay, Damo was not merely a proficient spellcaster; he was also a skilled martial artist. With practiced precision, he unleashed his signature 18-palm strike, a flurry of blows that landed with pinpoint accuracy. BAM!! BAM!! BAMM!! The girl's confidence shattered as Damo's strikes found their mark, some deflecting her claws while others landed squarely on her body in rapid succession. By the time Damo had finished, the girl lay sprawled on the ground, defeated and helpless before him. "Yes!! Senior Damo win!!" The victory cries of the acolytes reverberated through the hall as Damo emerged triumphant. However, his elation was short-lived as he noticed a disturbing smile flicker across the defeated girl's face as she was escorted away by her companions. As the next battle commenced, Damo's initial discomfort escalated into searing pain as he realized the source of the girl's sinister grin. "Poison!!" Both of his palms swelled grotesquely, and his arm muscles throbbed with agony—a clear indication of poison coursing through his veins. With gritted teeth, Damo steeled himself for the ensuing confrontation, knowing he would have to fight through the debilitating effects of the poison. To his dismay, his opponent proved to be a formidable speedster, effortlessly dodging Damo's tendrils with lightning-fast reflexes. The combination of the poison's effects and the opponent's agility presented a daunting challenge, one that Damo was ill-prepared to face. Watching from the sidelines, Emery and the other seniors couldn't help but feel a sense of frustration. It became evident that their opponents had devised a strategic lineup designed to exploit their weaknesses: an unknown powerhouse to swiftly eliminate their initial contenders, followed by a poison specialist to weaken the next, and now a speedster to exploit Damo's impaired condition. "Haha, we've been preparing this strategy for Dillion, but you should consider yourself lucky to receive it instead," taunted the speedster. Damo strained against the effects of the poison, his focus divided between cleansing his body and fending off the relentless assaults of the speedster. Each attempt to purify the toxin was met with a swift counterattack, the speedster's mechanical crossbow firing bolts of lightning-charged arrows with unerring accuracy. The mere graze of one of these arrows sent electric currents coursing through Damo's body, disrupting his concentration and halting his efforts to neutralize the poison. As time wore on, the poison's insidious tendrils crept further up Damo's arm, spreading its paralyzing effects throughout his body. His movements grew sluggish, his muscles seizing up in protest against the invading toxin. Despite the mounting odds against him, Damo remained resolute, his unwavering determination shining through even in the face of adversity. The acolytes of Hall 120 watched with furrowed brows, some urging Damo to concede defeat and spare himself further agony. Yet, the monk refused to yield, drawing upon his years of disciplined meditation to maintain a calm focus amidst the chaos of battle. With each attack, he calculated his responses carefully, conserving his energy while patiently waiting for an opening. In a display of remarkable mental fortitude, Damo weathered the storm of his opponent's assaults until, at last, the speedster was the first to make a mistake. Sensing an opportunity, Damo seized it with precision, ensnaring the speedster in a web of light tendrils and forcing him into submission. Damo's sacrifice did not go unnoticed by his comrades, who showed their admiration as he successfully defeated two opponents. As he stepped back to tend to his wounds, Damo offered a humble apology to Dillion for his inability to continue the fight. "I am sorry, I could only take two of them," Damo confessed, his voice tinged with regret. Dillion, was deeply moved by the monk's words. Witnessing Damo's unwavering determination stirred something within Dillion, igniting a fierce determination to succeed in his place. The next opponent appeared more like a seasoned warrior than a mere student, towering over two meters with his imposing stature and thick, bushy beard. With a commanding presence, he unleashed his power, transforming himself into a massive brown bear that dwarfed Dillion in comparison. With a deafening roar, the bear charged forward, its massive body hurtling towards Dillion with formidable strength. But Dillion remained unfazed, his movements swift and precise as he expertly wielded his imposing sword. BAMMM!!! With a single well-timed swing, Dillion struck the bear with devastating force, sending it crashing to the ground headfirst. The impact created a resounding boom as the bear's massive form created a sizable crater upon impact, leaving the onlookers stunned into silence.