Regression: Reclaiming the End-Chapter 83: Into the 10th Floor Part XIII - Hopelessness

Korr’Thal stormed forward, stomping the stone beneath it, each step leaving molten craters. It drew back its fist — runes igniting across its forearm.

Incoming.

I surged forward too — flame encasing my entire right arm. Ember Recast fully active.

Precision Flame Form.

Our strikes collided.

Fist to claw.

Flames met corrupted mana.

The pressure imploded around us — the arena floor cracking like glass.

But this time, I didn’t flinch.

I twirled around its arm mid-clash and slammed my knee into its ribs, then my palm followed — fiery mana detonating point-blank.

[Burn Stack: 10]

[Target Resistance: Weakening]

[Defense Dropped - 12%]

It roared — wounded. But not broken.

It countered, grabbing my torso and slamming me into the ground.

Once.Twice.A third time.

Everything went blurry.

I summoned my last flame and blasted the ground below us to launch myself upward, leaving a trail of heat spiraling around my body.

Mid-air.

"Explosive Ember Form."

My whole body glowed crimson-white.

I spun. Flames wreathed my fist. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

I came down like a meteor — striking directly at the center of its corrupted soul cores.

WHAM.

A dome of flame exploded on impact — the shockwave vaporizing dust and scorched wind alike.

—

I hit the ground hard. Dropped to one knee.

Sweat and blood dripped into the stone.

Korr’Thal was still standing.

But barely.

Its shoulder was gone. One eye melted shut. Core cracked. Breathing — if it still breathed — ragged.

It hunched forward... as if in acknowledgment.

The air around us trembled as Korr’Thal charged once more, its corrupted core pulsing with renewed energy. I braced myself, flames igniting my fists in anticipation. Our collision was cataclysmic — fists and claws smashing, sending shockwaves rippling through the arena.

But then, a brutal, unexpected strike landed squarely on my side. The pain exploded through me like a lightning bolt, and I was sent flying backward, crashing against the jagged arena wall. Pain flared, breath wheezing from my lungs.

Korr’Thal’s guttural laughter echoed — deep, cruel, like the rumble of an ancient storm.

"You fight well, mortal. But it is futile."

In an instant, the wounds that had marred its armor began to glow, the corrupted energy knitting itself together with blinding speed. The cracks in its core sealed, the burned and shattered plates fused back seamlessly.

The regeneration was instantaneous, horrifying in its perfection.

A cold hopelessness flooded me.

I looked over to Noel and Astraia — their faces twisted in disbelief and fear.

Noel’s fists clenched, trembling. Astraia’s breath hitched, her grip tightening on her weapon.

The monstrous titan was no longer weakened — it was reborn, whole, and more terrifying than ever.

A crushing silence fell for a moment, heavy with dread.

Then I steeled myself.

"Not yet... not while I still breathe." My voice was low, resolute.

But inside, the crushing weight of hopelessness gnawed at the edges of my resolve.

—

I staggered to my feet, every muscle screaming in protest, but I forced myself to keep moving. The arena blurred around me, heat radiating from my burning core.

Then—my eyes flicked to the edge of my vision, where the system’s timer hovered, cruel and relentless.

[Astral Overdrive: 1:00 remaining]

Just one minute.

The amplification that had carried me this far—the surge of cosmic power—was bleeding away, slipping through my fingers like smoke.

I clenched my fists tighter, feeling the diminishing strength coursing through my veins.

—

"Is that all you’ve got?" it growled, mocking.

"Do not get cocky, you bastard!" I roared with defiance.

My vision blurred with pain and fatigue, but I clenched my teeth. I knew this was the final stretch. If Astral Overdrive faded now, I’d be vulnerable—maybe dead. But I couldn’t give in.

I gritted my teeth, flames flickering weakly around my fists. The heat felt like it was draining, my mana reserves teetering on empty. Sweat and blood mingled on my skin as I squared my shoulders, refusing to show the cracks in my armor.

The titan snarled, stepping closer, its every movement shaking the ground beneath us. Its breath was like a furnace blast — scorching, relentless.

’One minute.’

The timer blinked at me like a countdown to oblivion.

I gathered every shred of willpower, summoning the last vestiges of my Astral Overdrive. My fists flared with burning crimson energy once more, fiercer, more desperate.

The world slowed — the roar of the crowd, the pulse of the arena, even Korr’Thal’s monstrous growls — all faded to a dull hum.

This was it.

With a primal yell, I charged.

—

We clashed again — six massive arms crashing against my two, the force sending shockwaves rippling through the cracked arena floor. Each strike was a mountain of power, but I didn’t falter. I roared, raw determination blazing in my chest, and shoved forward, pushing against the titan’s overwhelming strength.

Korr’Thal’s lips curled into a cruel smile, its guttural laughter booming like thunder. "Such fire... such defiance," it sneered. "You think your will can stop me?"

I met its gaze, heat flaring in my eyes. "I don’t think. I know."

Every fiber of my being screamed with the need to survive — to win. I pressed on, burning fists colliding with colossal claws, refusing to yield an inch. The arena shook under our battle, but my resolve burned hotter than the molten craters beneath us.

Korr’Thal’s laughter echoed again, but this time there was a hint of respect beneath the mockery. "Impressive... but futile."

Korr’Thal’s fists came crashing down, smashing the air where I had been a heartbeat before. I rolled beneath a crushing strike, narrowly escaping the full force. My body ached; every muscle screamed in protest, but I pushed through the pain.

With a burst of speed, I drove my flaming fist into its exposed side, igniting a blaze that sizzled against its corrupted flesh.

The beast growled, but its massive form staggered back only slightly.

From the sidelines, the world watched breathlessly — millions of eyes locked on the live feed.

Whispers rippled through the crowd:

"Is he really holding his own?"

"Look at the strength... it’s like watching a storm."

"But how long can he keep this up?"