My Watch System

Mike and the monk launched an attack directly at the serpent, who swiftly defended herself with her massive tail. The monk concentrated all his gravitational power and attempted to lift the serpent, but she was far too large, and he failed miserably.

Confident, the serpent hissed, "You will never defeat me at this level. I am a superior being, and I will control this sanctuary!" However, in the same instant, she let out a pained groan. "Damn it, what's happening?" The power she had stolen from the monk returned to him, as the theft had expired. Despite this, the serpent quickly regained her composure, showing no sign of weakness.

Just then, Mike's watch beeped, displaying a notification:

(COUNT IS AT FIFTY PERCENT).

Mike flashed a sly smile, knowing that he only needed to hold off the fight for a little while longer. He glanced at the monk and said, "Forward!" With that, he created a water barrier above him, jumping up towards the serpent. In midair, he summoned his water dagger and shield in one hand.

The serpent thought, "Such a fool. I'll just dodge him again."

But the monk, ever sharp, had already understood Mike's plan. As the serpent was about to strike the young man, he used his gravitational powers to propel Mike behind the serpent. Surprised, the serpent tried to defend herself, but Mike managed to stab her left eye. Enraged, she screamed, "DAMN YOU! YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!" In retaliation, the serpent hurled spikes towards Mike, who quickly shouted:

"Aqua Obice!"

A high water barrier sprang up, deflecting all the spikes. With no other option, the serpent decided to take drastic measures and shouted, "RISE, MY WARRIOR!"

She summoned Waru, still unconscious, but now standing in a battle-ready position. The monk's eyes widened in disgust. "I never thought you would resort to something so low," he muttered. The serpent smirked. "I told you, I won't lose."

However, her size began to shrink gradually as her mana was running out. In a last-ditch effort to increase her power, the serpent shifted into her human form. Now in a more humanoid shape, she sought to control Waru's body more effectively. Waru began to float as the time around them began to compress. A loud wind roared as the surroundings grew tense. The monk acted quickly, using his gravitational powers to force Waru to the ground, but it had no effect.

Waru uttered a single word: "Turbo."

Suddenly, a massive tornado erupted from his body, growing larger and more destructive. The monk held onto the boy, but shouted to the serpent, "You're pushing him beyond his limits—he will die!"

The serpent seemed unconcerned, her only focus on the battle. Waru, still unconscious, had no idea of the pact that allowed full control to his ally, including the dangerous drain on his mana, leading to his eventual death.

Mike attempted to throw a large amount of water at the tornado, but it was immediately repelled. The monk, thinking quickly, turned to Mike and yelled, "Mike! I need you to do the impossible—create a dense concentration of water strong enough to weaken the tornado's pressure! We can't allow Waru to gain any more power!"

Mike, realizing the urgency of the situation, quickly formed a water bubble in his hands. With great effort, he threw it directly at the base of the tornado. The water collided with the wind, creating a conflict of forces that began to weaken the tornado's intensity. But the serpent noticed Mike's movement and began to increase her mana concentration, causing the tornado to grow even more violent.

The monk, seeing a flaw in their strategy, decided to use his last resort—an extreme gravity spell. He raised the terrain beneath the serpent, creating immense pressure. The battle escalated as the serpent, now more furious than ever, tried to retaliate with overwhelming force. The tornado, fueled by her mana, spun with devastating speed. Mike fought to maintain control, trying to keep the dense water bubble steady at the center of the storm. The clash of water and wind was intense, but to Mike's surprise, the tornado began to consume the water, diminishing its power.

The monk, observing the situation closely, knew that time was running out.

"Mike, we need more force! The serpent is recovering!" the monk shouted, his voice tense.

Determined, Mike braced himself to do the impossible. He closed his eyes and began to concentrate all the remaining water energy he had, expanding it around himself like a sphere. He soon realized that it wasn't about increasing the concentration of water—it was about increasing the pressure.

Using every ounce of strength, Mike amplified the water's pressure within the sphere. Suddenly, the tornado's forces began to unravel, and Waru, now almost completely drained of mana, was thrown far from the center. Mike was sent flying in the opposite direction. The monk cushioned Mike's fall and asked, "Are you okay, kid?"

Mike gave a small nod, signaling that he was fine. Together, they began searching for the serpent, but the end of the tornado had created a thick mist of dust, making it difficult to see more than a few feet ahead. Suddenly, they were ambushed by more spikes. Both Mike and the monk managed to dodge, but were caught off guard by the serpent's tail as it swung toward them.

Mike, drenched in sweat, watched in horror as the serpent approached him. In his mind, only one thought raced: "What now? What can I do?"

But despite the fear, there was no panic. He thought only of strategies, how to turn the tide of battle. Desperately, Mike tried to dodge backward, but the serpent was fast, and as she closed in to strike, the monk leaped in front of Mike, taking the blow meant for him.

The monk collapsed in Mike's arms, his form shifting and reverting to his turtle-like appearance. Mike, wide-eyed and confused, stared down at his mentor.

"Why?" Mike asked, unable to comprehend why the monk had sacrificed himself for him.

The monk, with no strength left to answer, collapsed in Mike's arms, unconscious. Mike's mind was a whirlwind of emotions, overwhelmed by the weight of what had just happened. His emotions surged—he could no longer suppress them. His friend had given his life to save him.

Then, in the background, a voice echoed:

(EVERYTHING IS READY, COUNTING FINISHED).

Mike looked at his wrist and saw a new message flashing on his wrist device:

(Mana Expansion: Yes or No).

Without hesitation, Mike pressed "Yes." Instantly, a surge of energy coursed through him. A purple aura surrounded his body, his eyes began to glow, and his power grew rapidly. Mike, now transformed, strode forward like a true protagonist.

The serpent, sensing the enormous increase in Mike's power, froze. "How can he have gained so much power?" she thought, glancing nervously at her own hand. "I... I'm afraid."

Shaking with fear, the serpent's primal instincts of fight or flight kicked in. Knowing Mike had surpassed her in strength, she attempted to create a distraction to escape. She launched a barrage of spikes at him, but Mike dodged them effortlessly in the blink of an eye.

With a cold gaze, Mike looked at the serpent and taunted, "Is that all you've got? Now I see you clearly for what you are—a weakling."

The serpent dropped her tail to the ground and began fleeing in a desperate panic. But in an instant, Mike appeared in front of her, delivering a powerful punch that sent her flying several meters away.

She staggered to her feet, disoriented, questioning herself. "Did he teleport? I didn't even see him get that close."

But the truth was, Mike had simply moved so fast that the serpent couldn't track him.

Realizing she could not outrun Mike, the serpent quickly concocted another plan. "I'll steal his power. Then, I'll easily win and take everything!"

She rushed toward Mike, hoping to steal his power. But Mike, standing still and watching her approach, remained calm. The serpent tried to siphon his power, but nothing happened.

Smirking, Mike grabbed the serpent by the throat and slammed her into the ground, creating a crater.

"You can't steal the power from this watch," Mike said, his voice cold and unwavering. "And even if you did, you would never survive it. You'd be crushed."

The power granted to Mike was far stronger within him than in any mimic, due to his high purity of mana and the assistance of Naru, his mentor. Mike's mind was empty now, fully attuned to nature. There were no emotions—only calm focus.

The serpent, realizing her defeat, tried to bargain for her life.

"'I-I can give you everything, young one—money, wealth, women—just spare my life!'" The serpent pleaded desperately, her voice trembling.

Mike's face twisted into one of disgust as he looked at the creature before him. Without a word, he grabbed her and coldly said, "Get up."

The serpent, filled with a false sense of hope, rose shakily, thinking she had been spared. But in an instant, Mike's fist slammed through her chest with devastating force.

"I would never waste my time on you, weak creature," he muttered, his voice calm and unyielding.

The serpent's eyes widened in shock, her body crumbling. With her final breaths, she thought to herself, "This wasn't a fight... it was a massacre. I never imagined this boy could be so... strong..."

And just like that, the serpent was no more.

Mike withdrew his hand from her chest and tossed her lifeless body to the ground with indifference. The battle was over, but the toll it had taken on him was evident. Exhausted, Mike stumbled and collapsed, the weight of the victory and the loss of his mentor's sacrifice heavy on his mind.

As he lay there, trying to regain his strength, a familiar voice spoke from the shadows.

"It seems you did a good job," Naru said, his tone filled with pride.