The two adversaries collided in a fierce clash, the force of the impact sending Max tumbling backward to the ground. The fire-striped Tiger, a formidable level 2 monster, possessed superior strength and body weight, proving to be a formidable opponent.
Max, recovering from the initial clash, found himself on his back as the fire-striped Tiger wasted no time.
The creature leaped onto him, using its powerful front paws to pin down Max's arms and aiming to deliver a lethal bite to his head. Reacting swiftly, Max retracted his right leg and thrust it beneath the tiger's belly, leveraging all his strength to push the creature off him.
As the fire-striped Tiger recoiled, Max quickly rose to his feet, his hands bearing the marks of the creature's claws from the previous struggle. Undeterred, the tiger lunged again, attempting to claw Max down once more. However, this time, Max managed to seize the tiger's front feet, gripping them firmly by the wrists.
In that moment, an unexpected sensation coursed through Max's hands as he held the tiger's wrists, akin to the rush of water through a tube.
Before Max could comprehend this strange feeling, the fire-striped Tiger, relentless in its assault, opened its mouth to bite once more. Max instinctively released its right foot and thrust his arm in front of its jaws, resulting in the tiger's fangs piercing through his arm with a painful groan.
The tiger, now partially freed from Max's grasp, swiftly swiped its free foot across Max's belly, leaving three deep horizontal wounds from which blood began to gush.
It was the first time Max had found himself on the losing end since he began cultivating. Realizing that conventional physical blows might not be enough, Max retrieved a pair of snake fangs from his pockets, a resource he had refrained from using until now to discern his own capabilities.
The sight of the snake fangs seemed to trigger a realization in the fire-striped Tiger. Having been thwarted twice before by the fear of snakes, it now roared in anger and launched a more ferocious wave of attacks against Max. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, Max understood that employing the snake fangs was not just an option but a necessity if he hoped to survive this perilous encounter.
Engaged in a relentless battle, the monster and Max exchanged blows, leaving Max's body covered in numerous scratches, while the fire-striped Tiger bore wounds from Max's fang stabs. Both combatants, panting and consumed by mutual hatred, locked eyes, each harboring a determination to end the other's life.
In the final throes of their exhaustion, both readied themselves for a decisive attack.
The fire-striped Tiger, with a leap, sank its fangs into Max's left shoulder, prompting a pained roar from Max. Faced with the perilous situation, Max, in a desperate move, thrust the fang in his right hand into the fire-striped Tiger's left eye.
The pain from losing its eye caused the fire-striped Tiger to release Max's left shoulder. Seizing the opportunity, Max launched himself at the wounded creature, gripping the fang embedded in its eye.
Rather than extracting it, Max applied force with all his might, driving it deeper towards the creature's brain, aiming to secure a fatal blow.
Struggling with determination, Max persevered, preventing the fire-striped Tiger from escaping in its desperation. After a relentless half-hour struggle, Max succeeded in driving the entire fang into the creature's eye, reaching its brain and ultimately ending its life.
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Exhausted and heavily injured, Max recognized the perilous state of his wounds. Realizing the immediate danger, he decided to retreat to the safety of the hole. Without proper treatment, his injuries could lead to permanent disability or even death.
The absence of the fire-striped Tiger meant that other monsters would likely investigate the area. Despite his injuries, Max dragged the tiger's body with him toward the hole. However, the creature's width exceeded that of the hole, compelling Max to improvise. Using a vine rope he found, he secured the tiger's body to a tree, ensuring it remained his rightful spoils and warding off potential scavengers.
With the tiger hidden and secured, Max wasted no time in entering the hole to tend to his injuries. Faced with the severity of his wounds, he reluctantly resorted to consuming the peculiar blue grass, recalling his initial apprehension about its effects. However, with no other herbs or flowers in his possession capable of treating such severe injuries, Max had no alternative.
Max, left with only two stalks of the peculiar blue grass, decided to consume one. Surprisingly, the expected pain and substantial healing didn't manifest as before. Undeterred, he consumed the second stalk. Although his severe injuries healed, numerous superficial wounds lingered. In an effort to address them, Max sought out and consumed other exotic plants. After a day of recuperation in a hole, Max emerged.
Taking off the fire-stripe Tiger's body, Max began the process of skinning it.
His shirt was in tatters, and his pants had become shorts, necessitating the use of the fire-stripe Tiger's skin to fashion a new shirt. With success in removing the skin and cutting the flesh, Max brought the bounty into his shelter, where he proceeded to cook the meat.
After consumption, Max felt a surge of energy within him, yet he struggled to harness it, confined to the peak level 1 of the human monster realm.
Observing the untapped energy, Max reflected on his encounter with the fire-stripe Tiger. Memories flooded back of the water-like sensation when gripping the tiger's paws and the peculiar breathing rhythm during their confrontation. Recalling his week-long observation of the fire-stripe Tiger's habits, Max realized the breathing pattern was consistent even during the creature's apparent idleness.
Contemplating the connection between the tiger's breathing and the flow of blood, Max theorized that it held the key to advancing to level 2.
Determined, he attempted to replicate the fire-stripe Tiger's breathing, carefully adjusting his own breath to match. After several attempts, Max achieved synchronicity, causing his heart to race. Sensing the danger, he immediately ceased the replicated breathing, realizing the near-fatal consequences.
After a brief pause, Max resumed the practice, modifying the breathing pattern to a more sustainable rhythm, determined to unlock the secret to advancement.
To Max's astonishment, the method worked. As he continued to breathe in the newfound rhythm, he observed a fascinating integration of residual energies in his stomach with his blood. The circulation through his veins quickened, and any deviation or pause in his breathing disrupted the integration of energy.
"I must maintain this rhythm to continue integrating energy into my blood," Max concluded.
In a sudden realization, Max seized some remaining cooked meat, consumed it, and promptly resumed the rhythmic breathing. Surprisingly, the previously wasted energies now surged towards his heart, seamlessly integrating with his blood. Encouraged by this discovery, Max persisted in his breathing exercises, refining all the energy within his stomach. His strength had now tripled compared to before—he had successfully broken through to the next level.
"HAHAHHAHAHAHA," Max laughed joyfully.
He relished his achievement, having reached a level no mortal had ever attained—an early stage level 2 human monster.
"Now that I've broken through, what should be my next target? Tomorrow, I'll delve deep into the forest, seeking opportunities for further cultivation," Max declared with determination.
Contemplating the significance of his newfound breathing technique, Max decided to give it a fitting name. Inspired by the fire-stripe Tiger but recognizing a fundamental difference, he dismissed the idea of naming it "Tiger Breathing Technique."
"How about Human Breathing Technique? No, it's too vague," Max pondered.
Considering the connection to blood, Max settled on the name "Blood Breathing Technique." Satisfied with his choice, he envisioned the future cultivation manual beginning with this technique—acknowledging that it was a matter for the future, not the present.