"I can’t use the skills of the weapon here... but this creature isn’t giving me enough experience to make its growth useless," Terry furrowed his eyebrows. "In a way, it is like facing myself and my crazy ability to evolve thanks to my trait."

Terry couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that these confrontations were far from random. It dawned on him that these encounters had been meticulously planned and set in motion long before he arrived in this strange city. The escalating difficulty of each battle seemed to be part of a deliberate and calculated progression, as if a malevolent intelligence were orchestrating these challenges with a purpose.

The realization that he was caught in a meticulously crafted series of trials only intensified Terry’s determination to uncover the truth behind this bizarre city.

erry’s mind raced as he contemplated the enigmatic forces at play behind these orchestrated trials. It was becoming increasingly evident that powerful entities with knowledge of Louis were pulling the strings from the shadows. This revelation brought him closer to the truth in a most unexpected and unsettling manner.

Terry’s keen intuition guided him as he leaped away from the area, causing the mysterious creature to fade into obscurity. Yet, as he cautiously approached from another direction, the same enigmatic being reemerged. It became abundantly clear to Terry that his mere presence was triggering some sort of self-defense mechanism within this colossal, city-like entity.

"I get what you are now..." Terry muttered.

With growing trepidation, Terry began to piece together the unsettling truth: this sprawling metropolis was not just an architectural marvel; it possessed a form of sentience and advanced technology that rendered it a formidable adversary. The task ahead seemed insurmountable; he would either need to annihilate everything or deplete the entity’s reserves of mana to prevail.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Terry made a resolute decision. Although the rate at which he was accumulating mana and experience didn’t seem to be increasing significantly, he knew that there was always room for improvisation and creativity in the face of adversity.

As the next monster materialized before him, Terry swiftly adapted to the situation. He transformed his weapon into a massive hammer, bringing it down with unrelenting force to crush the creature.

When the subsequent adversary emerged, he coiled it with his trusty whip, rendering it powerless. And as the third foe appeared, Terry made his weapon take the form of a flail, using its weighted chain to deliver a devastating blow that left the monster smashed like a potato.

As Terry ventured further into the metallic city, his path was repeatedly obstructed by the strange, liquid-metal creatures that emerged from the ground. Each encounter saw him deploying a variety of methods to swiftly eliminate these bothersome entities. He fought with relentless determination, devising new strategies to deal with them more efficiently.

Terry left no stone unturned in his quest to eradicate the liquid-metal intruders. The battles were repetitive and vexing, but his perseverance paid off as he gradually approached the colossal cylinder that had caught his attention.

As Terry continued to battle the liquid-metal creatures, his prowess and determination led to a peculiar development. One of the replicas that emerged from the ground had grown to an impressive ten-meter height, towering over him. It wielded a colossal sword, which it swung with incredible force.

When the gargantuan metallic replica launched its attack, Terry braced himself, raising his weapon to defend against the mighty blow. However, the sheer power behind the strike was overwhelming. The impact sent Terry hurtling through the air, pushing him several meters away before he managed to regain his balance.

"I guess it is about time," Terry thought.

As the colossal metallic replica morphed its weapon into a massive hammer and swung it down with earth-shaking force, Terry reacted swiftly. He equipped his own weapon, preparing for the impending clash.

With a resounding collision, the two titanic weapons clashed in mid-air. The shockwaves rippled through the surrounding area, shaking the very ground beneath them. Terry gritted his teeth, pushing back against the monstrous force of the hammer with all his might, determined not to yield an inch.

With a thunderous clash, the colossal weapons collided, sending shockwaves rippling through the vicinity. The ground quaked beneath them as the sheer force of their clash reverberated through the area.

As the metallic enemy staggered, momentarily thrown off balance by the impact, Terry seized the opportunity. He lunged forward, delivering a powerful punch to the monster’s stomach, causing it to stagger backward, struggling to regain its footing.

The monstrous adversary came to a brief halt, clearly caught off guard by Terry’s unexpected tactics. It hadn’t anticipated that Terry would employ his spiked bracers in combat, and this element of surprise temporarily left it vulnerable.

"Are you taking your time to adjust your strategy and add this occurrence to your database?" Terry said while smiling.

The atmosphere around the metallic monster began to shift, subtly but unmistakably. Terry sensed a growing intensity in the air, as if the creature was preparing for something significant. While it remained silent, the palpable change in the environment indicated that the battle was far from over, and the enemy was gearing up for its next move.

Terry, with his keen intuition, couldn’t help but feel that the metallic monster, despite its mechanical appearance, was being operated by someone with a purpose. It seemed more like a pawn, an instrument used for surveillance or perhaps even an observer sent to monitor Terry’s actions.

Terry, growing weary of this mechanical foe, decided to bring a swift end to their encounter. He transformed his weapon into a whip and lashed out at the enemy and the creature did the same since it lacked any sense of creativity.

Their weapons clashed, but Terry infused his whip with a surge of mana, allowing it to slice through the enemy’s defenses. He severed the creature’s arm and then deftly pulled it toward him.

Terry watched the severed arm as it slowly turned into liquid, dripping down to the ground. Anticipating some sort of retaliation, he was ready for anything. However, to his surprise, the arm simply melted away and transformed into a thick layer of iron, encased within his own creation.

Using his earth manipulation skills, Terry mixed the iron from the monster’s arm with the materials he had obtained. In doing so, he fashioned a breastplate for himself. However, due to the limited materials, the armor turned out to be rather thin. It would offer some protection, but he knew it wouldn’t withstand a direct hit from a powerful foe. Nevertheless, it was better than nothing,

"I see... since I cut the connection with the mana, it became a random material that lost a lot of its mass," Terry thought.

The humanoid monster remained still, observing Terry’s actions with an almost analytical curiosity. It seemed to be studying Terry’s movements, perhaps attempting to comprehend how he had forged the armor. However, despite its mimicry, the creature was unable to replicate Terry’s abilities, only the physical skills.

As Terry watched the creature, he noticed it shrinking slightly to reform its left arm. This observation led him to a realization: the monster seemed to be unable to call for more metal liquid unless it was completely destroyed. It was a valuable piece of information, one that might give Terry an edge in their ongoing encounter.

Terry couldn’t help but smirk as he recognized this newfound weakness in his metallic adversary. It was a chink in the armor he could exploit to his advantage.

Terry charged forward with determination, his whip cracking through the air. However, the elusive metallic monster evaded his strikes with agile leaps and sidesteps. It became evident that the creature was resolute in preventing Terry from reaching the core of the city. However, that was the wrong approach.

Undeterred by the monster’s attempts to halt him, Terry sprinted toward the core of the city. The creature transformed its weapon into a crossbow and began to fire a barrage of bolts at him, each bolt whizzing through the air with deadly accuracy. Terry knew he couldn’t afford to slow down or take cover, but that wasn’t what he wanted, anyway.

Terry’s smirk widened as he expertly deflected the incoming metal bolts with his weapon. With a swift and precise maneuver, he sealed the liquid metal from the bolts into small iron balls. In a matter of moments, he manipulated these balls into sturdy joints, seamlessly connecting his spiked bracers and his chestplate. Now, he had a more fortified armor, and the enemy’s attacks only seemed to have fueled his advantage.

Mixed Armor - Lv 0 (09/10 EXP) (Magic)

Attack Power: 10 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Defense: 20

Durability: 50/50

"I guess the materials aren’t good enough," Terry thought. "Anyway, you are running out of time, buddy..."

The enemy, realizing that Terry had not only discovered its weakness but had also grown stronger by exploiting it, stood momentarily paralyzed. It understood that Terry had gained the upper hand in this relentless battle of wits and strength, and the once-confident automaton now faced an increasingly challenging adversary.