Prestige Grinding : I Can Reset My Level

Kara stared at her opponent, her mind racing. 'A mountain of muscle... Just the type I hate facing the most. Another brute who'll force me to push my innate ability to its limits just to survive.'

Taking a deep breath, she began condensing her mana, splitting it into distinct streams as she activated one of her most refined skills:

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Through relentless training, Kara had mastered [Multi-Tasking] to an exceptional level. It was this skill that allowed her to achieve something even Sora had once envied: executing hundreds of complex actions flawlessly, all at the same time.

Calling upon [Life Source], Kara used her mana to create five clones, each controlled by a separate thread of her consciousness. These clones, powered by her life force, already possessed remarkable durability and vitality as a baseline.

'However, at this level, they're still too weak,' she thought, fully aware of the vast gap in power between her body level and Zodd's.

Determined to close that gap, she channeled even more life force into the clones, enhancing their strength and speed to the brink of their limits. It was a technique she'd painstakingly developed during her years of isolation in the [Time Space], one that demanded skill in controlling her life force.

The result? It allowed her clones to reach the requirements to use her swordsmanship to the limit.

But Kara didn't stop there. She infused the clones with an additional dose of mental power and mana. The mental power didn't grant them intelligence—they were completely under her control. Instead, the mental power was an additional layer of energy they could channel into their attacks. Mana, on the other hand, synergized with sword energy, further enhancing the destructive potential of the clone strikes.

As the countdown neared zero, Kara fully focused. Activating her innate ability, she prepared to unleash it the moment the battle began.

The instant the timer hit zero, Kara used [Time Acceleration] on herself, pushing her speed to a level where the world seemed frozen.

Kara's years of training lead her to understand how she could use it in combat.

Zodd hadn't even registered the start of the fight when Kara moved.

Using the first option, Kara created several time bubbles, placing them around her clones and even on her opponent who was moving and reacting extremely slowly.

Decelerating Zodd, she could feel his resistance, but no matter where he tried to go—even attempting to teleport—part of her consciousness remained locked on him, ensuring he was always slowed.

Kara's clones vanished from her side, appearing simultaneously around Zodd. Each one moved in perfect synergy with the others, directed through [Multi-Tasking].

The first clone charged head-on, its sword aiming directly at Zodd's chest, trying to pierce through his heart. However, the physical force barely made him flinch—his reinforced skin absorbed the blow with ease.

The second clone appeared behind him, focusing its attack on Zodd's neck, but met the same result.

Controlling all her clones, Kara felt the frustration of their attacks failing to inflict any meaningful physical damage. The fifth clone, instead of relying solely on physical force, charged its strike from above, focusing heavily on mental energy. As it struck Zodd's head and bounced off, a ripple seemed to pass through his body. For a moment, his expression darkened.

'Sora was right, his mental defense is his weakness.' Kara thought, sensing her opponent's mental state with her mental power. 'The damage dealt is weak, but there is hope.'

Feeling a path toward victory, she sent more mental power to her clones, replenishing their reserves.

The clones started harassing Zodd, slowly grinding at his mental defense . Each blow carried a heavy amount of mental power, hammering his mind consistently. Zodd's movements, despite being sluggish due to Kara's deceleration bubble, were showing signs of resistance, as he used all his power to resist Kara's manipulation.

Kara, feeling her mana reserves rapidly draining due to her ability, remained calm and focused. She wanted to end the battle, readying her ultimate skill.

But just as Kara prepared to unleash her final strike, a sudden change in Zodd's aura made her pause. His expression turned sharp, his massive frame vibrating with raw power.

'He's managed to activate his blood skill,' she realized, her instincts screaming a warning of impending danger.

Before she could act, Zodd roared, his distorted voice booming across the arena as his skill took effect. A crimson glow erupted from his body, and Kara's clones froze mid-air, their bodies trembling. Despite being countless times faster than Zodd, they were locked in place, unable to evade or flee.

Kara's eyes widened as she felt the connection to her clones weaken. 'He can control their blood despite being too slow to even track them with his eyes?' she thought, alarmed.

Zodd's control was absolute. The blood within each of her clones shook violently. One by one, they began to explode, bursting into red mist as Zodd condensed the blood into a dense sphere, using it to shield himself from future attacks.

Zodd's expression regained some of its confidence as the battlefield fell silent, leaving only the two of them standing. Despite his sluggish movements, the power he radiated in that moment was undeniable.

Kara's mind raced as she analyzed the situation. 'He's slower than me, but his skill is extraordinary... Emily mentioned using her own blood to fight, but this guy is different. He controls his enemies' blood. Was it a mistake to summon my clones? Does he need proximity to take control? Damn it, I can't risk summoning more clones.'

As Zodd fortified his defenses with the blood stolen from her clones, Kara retreated to a safer distance. She dismissed her distracting thoughts, keeping a part of her consciousness locked onto him, tracking his every move.

Focusing on her skill, she summoned all her remaining mana, channeling it into her sword. The blade began to glow with an eerie light, the air around it rippling with distortions that screamed danger.

Her focus stretched to its absolute limit, a faint tremor running through her body as she pushed herself beyond every threshold and limit she had. The skill demanded an absurd amount of energy, draining her mana, vitality, mental power, and even her harvested [Time].

[Time], the essence she had painstakingly harvested thanks to the fourth effect of her innate skill, allowed her to access a level of power far beyond her limits—strength she felt that she shouldn't wield yet.

But this force was no gift; it came at a cost. Kara could feel the toll it was taking on her body, clear signs of aging beginning to show. Her youth was slipping away with every second in this state, and each moment brought her closer to death.

Still, Kara didn't hesitate. Her resolve was written on her face. 'If I can't win in a battle of attrition, I'll break through him in an instant. One strike. That's all I need.'

Zodd, sensing the imminent threat to his life, pushed himself further. With a pained expression, he activated a skill that forcefully shattered the [Time Bubble] surrounding him.

Finally able to react to an opponent thousands of times faster than himself, Zodd silently felt thankful to the training that had pushed his body level to its peak. Though his speed still lagged behind hers, it had reached a level where he could at least defend himself.

Freeing himself left him panting, blood trickling from his mouth. He wiped it away with the back of his hand, his focus locked on Kara again.

Even as blood streamed from Kara's eyes, nose, ears, and mouth, Zodd's instincts screamed at him to retreat.

Unwilling to back down, he split the blood floating around him into two forces. Half condensed into a dense shield, forming a crimson barrier, while the other half surged forward with devastating force and precision.

Each shard cut through the air like a deadly missile, their trajectory changing unpredictably, visibly guided by Zodd. The force of the attack cause the ground to crack and tremble, and the air trembled as the bloody projectiles approached Kara.

Kara, her breathing heavy and her face pale, observed the incoming torrent of blood spears with indifference. Her once auburn hair turned white, strand by strand, as the energy she had poured into her sword drained her dry.

'[Sword Intent: Time], don't let me down...'