"I don't understand, Will… what's the difference between your usual telekinetic arms and Ruler's Decree? As far as I know, it's still your telekinesis at work, but the effect is completely different." asked the girl with a tilt of her head and genuine curiosity in her voice.

It was one of those days after William had returned from a quest he completed with his usual party of four.

Before joining the academy, he often went on missions with his team members in order to gain real life experience.

The question caught the interest of the other two as well, and they turned to look at the thirteen-year-old William.

The blond one shrugged and explained, "I keep my telekinetic arms in a semi-dormant state at all times. Whenever someone attacks me or I sense hostile intent nearby, those arms wrap around me like a protective shell. Because of that, a portion of my mind is always occupied."

Pausing briefly, he added, "On the other hand, when I use Ruler's Decree, I completely let go of that primary protection for the sake of singular dominance."

His gaze sharpened as he continued, "Using Ruler's Decree means forcing all my strength onto a single entity. And when I, Delimore William, do that, consider that foe already dead."

….

DHAMMMM

An invisible yet astronomical force descended upon the monster, forcing it to its knees in an instant—the ground collapsing under its weight.

The terrain itself seemed to freeze as the monster was compelled to focus entirely on defense rather than attacking William.

With his palms pressed forward, a silvery-blue hue wrapped around them as William bore down on the dungeon boss.

With a snarl, William asked, "What happened to that laughable confidence you had just a moment ago?"

The monster growled, crushed beneath a weight it couldn't resist. It was trying, flailing but for a naught.

It felt as though an entire mountain had been dropped onto the region. The ground caved in, the monster's knees smashing into the surface as the elevated terrain it had raised to corner William shattered apart.

William stepped forward, the pressure increasing by the second.

His hands glowed brighter as he increased the force of pressure on the monster, killing it slowly.

The boss monster attempted to retaliate, sending jagged spikes surging toward him. However, the moment they began to form, they collapsed under the overwhelming weight of Ruler's Decree.

The skill doesn't just target a singular entity but an entire region. So, whatever was close to the being was under an immense pressure, as if the gravity has been amplified for them.

William shook his head and said, "You don't have any trump left. Now, just take a deep nap."

Raising both hands, he unleashed everything he had on the monster. The pressure multiplied severalfold, and the ground gave way instantly.

GHUOGH

A guttural roar tore from the monster's throat before its body shattered into countless fragments, scattering across the ground like a collapsing fortress.

William's breathing was slightly unsteady as he watched the boss monster fall apart.

Exhaling slowly, he stepped forward and picked up the creature's massive eyeball.

Drawing his knife, he carved out a chunk small enough to fit into his bag.

But first, he raised it high so the onlookers could clearly see the proof of the first floor's completion.

Just then,

KRIK

Something shifted to his left, like a rusted door being forced open with tremendous strength.

Stuffing the piece of the boss monster into his bag, William moved toward the source of the sound.

Through heaps of broken stone shards, he discovered a gaping hole in the ground, along with stairs leading deeper into the dungeon.

Cracking his knuckles, William said, "Cool," and marched toward the second floor.

….

[In the common hall]

"That… was quite impressive," one of the Great Hall members muttered as he wrote down several notes after the boss monster was destroyed.

On the screen, everyone watched William advance to the next floor without stopping to rest, a clear sign of how little fatigue he felt even after dealing with so many unexpectedly strong foes.

"His mental fortitude, decision-making, and retaliation when cornered are remarkable," another member commented.

The one standing beside Vitori said, "He's good, isn't he? Even a five-star veteran would've taken much longer to handle all that alone."

Vitori hummed, not denying praise where it was due. "You're right. He's far too composed for someone who hasn't graduated from the academy."

Emma, meanwhile, barely suppressed her smile as she watched her man dominate the floor as always.

Natalie and Dorothy could only stare in awe, while Gizel simply sighed and shook her head.

Just as she thought, there was no comparison at all.

….

Back in the dungeon, William carefully made his way down the stairs, advancing toward the second floor.

Thankfully, fire lamps lined both sides of the staircase, providing enough light to avoid any mishaps like the slime incident earlier.

He would rather conserve his energy by avoiding anything that wasn't part of the floor itself.

As he descended, his thoughts returned to the monsters he had just faced.

If the disorientation spell hadn't worked, what would he have done instead?

Was his only escape in every situation the Drop of Oblivion?

Explosive powers were tempting, but given the surroundings and potential consequences, William needed to be extremely cautious when using them.

Letting out a sigh, he muttered, "Well, I hope the next battle is against something less heavy."

His wish seemed to be answered. The moment his feet touched the second floor, something dashed through the shadows.

His senses expanded instantly, telekinetic arms wrapping around him as William didn't allow himself even a moment of rest and moved with full vigilance.

There was illumination on this floor as well, but he couldn't tell how wide or tall the space truly was.

'There's something lurking in the shadows… maybe multiple entities.' He sensed a single, unified thought, yet the buzzing presence was everywhere around him.

From the small figure he glimpsed earlier, it couldn't be a massive monster like the last one. Then what was it?

SLINK

Movement to the left. William reacted, raising his arms to block.

But nothing emerged from the shadows.

William frowned and lowered his physical arms. Just then, a green creature materialized before him, spinning sharply as it launched a kick aimed straight at his neck.

DHAK

The kick was blocked, his telekinetic arms never once loosening their guard.

William grinned as he stared into the dull yellow eyes of the grasshopper-like monster. "You little sneaky bastard."

°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading. This is a different approach I have adapted while writing a battle scene.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.