By focusing on the twist of muscles and the flow of movement, I could discern the genuine strikes, though there was always an element of chance.
In other words, a moment of distraction could mean death, and even without distraction, death was a possibility.
“Haha.”
This is it. It’s terrifying, and it feels good.
Horned Ape felt the same.
We grew bored with just using our hands and added forward and backward movements, leaping and clashing mid-air.
Introducing height added another layer of complexity. Holding a higher position was advantageous due to gravity, but staying airborne too long created vulnerabilities.
Like pendulums, we would clash, retreat, jump, and clash again.
It was the first of several leaps. Since neither of us could change direction, I could tell the advantage or disadvantage of this attack from the moment our feet came apart.
After several jumps, I realized I was slightly higher and faster.
Knowing when the collision would happen, I prepared a powerful strike. Arching my back like a crescent moon, I fully opened my shoulder blades and swung both machetes from my arms’ roots with all my might.
Then, I struck from both sides in a cross.
Horned Ape, having no choice but to counter from below, was blown backward.
It’s not over. Not yet. I saw him somersaulting in mid-air to land gracefully. A follow-up was necessary.
As I landed and closed the distance, Horned Ape suddenly retreated.
He didn’t seem to be escaping, but he was heading deep into the forest for a temporary retreat.
–A change of scenery, perhaps.
“Alright! I’ll go along!”
I dove into the dense jungle.
The duel continued. The trees were an obstacle compared to the open area, but the plentiful footholds allowed for more creative maneuvers.
The three-dimensional movement increased the mental burden.
While moving through unknown paths, I had to memorize every tree in my sight, predict Horned Ape’s trajectory, and plan my counterattacks.
Various chemicals surged in my brain. Each near miss with sharp claws or tree trunks sent a thrill down my spine.
“Take this!”
I aligned all my predictions. Horned Ape emerged from the shadows, growling.
We collided.
We exchanged blows until we exhausted our momentum and then propelled ourselves off tree trunks, preparing for the next clash.
The once erratic excitement became continuous. Each moment heightened the anticipation for the next.
Horned Ape’s movements began to separate from the background.
It wasn’t like time slowing down. It felt like only we were detached from the scenery, Horned Ape’s movements faintly shimmering.
What is this?
It doesn’t hinder the fight. Horned Ape shows no changes. So, it’s my problem? A side effect of the [Puppet Master]?
Horned Ape suddenly lowered his height and speed.
Then he gently kicked off a tree trunk and landed.
He seemed to have reached his destination. I landed cautiously, assessing the surroundings.
It was a completely untouched area.
Unlike the dense jungle, there were fewer types of plants.
The tree trunks were incredibly thick but sparsely spaced, their tall canopies spreading like a thin ceiling. Each tree exuded age and dignity, casting shadows that denied sunlight to the undergrowth.
This kind of vegetation was more typical of northern primeval forests than jungles. It’s probably pointless to ponder sunlight in a labyrinth, though.
There was an air of mystery here, imposing and overwhelming, evoking a sense of the supernatural, making one glance back frequently.
The silence was profound, despite the abundant life. It was clear we were alone.
A sanctuary, perhaps.
The pale tree bark stood like gods in the forest light.
Horned Ape seemed to belong here, blending with the landscape. The bark reminded me of his color.
“Is this your domain?”
Horned Ape bared his teeth and growled, a sound I’d never heard before.
He agreed.
A fight on flat ground was too simple. Fighting through the trees was too complex to unleash full power. Each battlefield had its merits but wasn’t ideal.
But here, it’s just right. The battlefield’s uniqueness allows us to give our all.
I was thrilled.
My body was fully warmed up, and my senses were sharpened. Beyond this was uncharted territory.
This is where the real fight begins.
Let’s unleash everything. Life is expendable. If there’s ever a time to use it, it’s now.
I pulled the mental plug completely.
An indescribable torrent engulfed me.
“Argh… ah…”
Signals clashed at every neural junction, popping and snapping. My body twitched uncontrollably, making it hard to stay upright.
My facial muscles contorted. My vocal cords wouldn’t obey. The unexpressed pain and discomfort swelled, resisting my control.
Memories reversed. Vital information seeped in.
Horned Ape’s movements, my sensations, predictions, plans, the combination of enhancement codes, all experiences were reviewed and connected.
What was flowing out?
Bright, fragmented scenes surfaced.
Was this a meal? There was a mansion. The mood seemed bright, I think? There were happy times. And the opposite, which was much bigger.
“Heehee… heeheehee.”
My throat involuntarily inhaled, producing an unknown sound.
Scenes flowed like pages turning in a book, then faded.
Am I doing this? Of course. Accelerating brain processing, so it must be me.
–Hmm? Something’s snagged.
What is this? It’s a cluster of something.
A group of people eating and chatting. What is this?
It’s asking for permission, unable to proceed with this in the way. It seems important, but should I? I’ll boldly discard it.
Just throw it away…
Oh, there’s resistance.
Is it that important? Should I scrutinize it?
No. I came here for this.
The book’s spine broke, scattering all pages.
“…Alright.”
I calmed down.
There was still a sense of impending explosion, but I could maintain stability.
Horned Ape had waited for me.
Or perhaps not much time had passed. Either way, he was considerate. I’d do the same.
My vision changed clearly.
This was the “next realm.”
The scenery overlapped in layers.
It was a strange sensation. My body felt like it was layered and blurry, yet there was no discomfort. I knew exactly what I could do.
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[Instantaneous Power Boost – 1000-Fold]
My output skyrocketed.
At this point, regardless of how efficient I am, a short-term battle is inevitable.
Since this battlefield was specially prepared for me, I decided to make use of it first.
I jumped back.
Landing? More like gripping the tree. Instead of bouncing off, I stuck to the trunk like glue, feeling it bend under my weight.
This could work. I could bend the tree like a bowstring, launching myself like an arrow.
Before charging, I threw my left-hand blade at the horned ape.
In the next instant, I gripped the other blade with both hands, thrusting forward from a low stance. My right leg was already fully extended to counter the recoil.
The blade I threw hit the horned ape at the same moment I collided with it.
The ape didn’t expect this at all. It could only defend against the blade I was holding. The thrown blade was deeply embedded in its shoulder.
“GRAAAHHH!”
The horned ape roared for the first time.
Its pained reaction created an opening. I applied moderate force to the blade I held, then grabbed the hilt of the embedded one and twisted it out.
I planned to follow up, but the ape retreated, putting distance between us and climbing up the giant tree.
Blood dripped down from above. I looked up and shouted.
“Hey, you’re not done yet, right?!”
The horned ape’s bloodshot eyes grew even fiercer. Its muscles tensed, becoming unnaturally pronounced.
The eerie aura unique to a floor boss became even more intense.
Its thick parts grew thicker, its thin parts thinner. A strange, geometric shadow devoid of any excess fell to the ground.
The horned ape began to move, kicking off the tree and visually disorienting me.
It grew faster with each move.
Previously, I would’ve lost sight of it in a blink and gotten my head chopped off from behind.
However, my overlapping vision moved strangely.
The horned ape split into multiple shadows, approaching me from several paths, only to merge into one shadow again, repeatedly.
Once I got used to it, I could see clearly. It was unexpectedly vivid and detailed.
It chose the most unavoidable path for me. And it collided with overwhelming force, putting me at a significant disadvantage.
I decided to counterattack. A mass of power assaulted me. Based on its mass and acceleration, blocking it was theoretically impossible.
My strategy was to disperse its force with rapid strikes. I countered its single swing with two of my own, intercepting each of its attacks with both hands, just slightly off in timing.
“Haha! Hahaha!”
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What “Until the Chore Granting Sorcerer Realized His Strongest”? This is “Magic swordman’s decent to madness”. Although it sounds like too much of a spoiler.