The Vermilion Ape Leader moved with a deceptive grace, its punch cutting through the air toward Nathan. The attack was light and fluid, yet the strength it carried was anything but simple.

[Martial Art Mastery] level 2 had always helped Nathan sense the subtlest movements of air and energy when anyone or anything initiated an attack. At that moment, he could see it clearly. He just couldn't react in time because it was too fast, much like when Qingfeng shot arrows at point-blank range.

An explosion from Air Punch erupted just above the surface of his shield. The impact was stronger than any rock throw or attack before. He was blown backward, only stopping when he pushed his feet against a tree trunk. Looking at his shield grip, he noticed it was vibrating as if threatening to drop the shield entirely.

He knew Tier 2 monsters were powerful and had prepared accordingly. However, experiencing it firsthand made him realize that the descriptions didn't do them justice.

Gritting his teeth, Nathan raised his flask and took a swig of Thunder Embrace. Its invigorating energy coursed through him, easing his fatigue and bracing him for the battle ahead. While he used to be conservative with his passive skills, he now knew he couldn't afford to hold back anymore.

With superior speed, in the blink of an eye, he was within claw-swinging range. His strike missed by a hair's breadth as his opponent jumped upward. The Vermilion Ape Leader reacted instantly, leaping clear of his strike and retaliating with a downward slash of its spear. Nathan's shield intercepted the blow, but this wasn’t merely a defense. His counterattack triggered a cascade of abilities.

Triggered [Amplifying Strike]. One credit given.

Triggered [Flowing Strikes]. One credit given.

Triggered [Internal Trauma]. One credit given.

Triggered [Rebound]. One credit given.

A shockwave rippled outward, flattening the grass and blowing back the fur of the Vermilion Apes. A moment later, the recoil from [Rebound] knocked the leader's spear upward. Taking advantage of that moment of imbalance, Nathan pulled his foot out from where it had sunk into the ground and swung in an arc straight into the monster's chest.

The Vermilion Ape Leader flew back much like when it had attacked Nathan earlier. Mid-air, it threw a punch backward. A similar invisible force from before occurred, propelling it in the opposite direction. It landed with a thud, completely unharmed, snorting in contempt at its enemy.

Nathan smirked. If this wasn't all it had, then neither was he. Time to push each other to their limits.

Once again, they clashed. This time, the Vermilion Ape Leader raised its hand, arched its back, and thrust its spear forward. Nathan barely had time to raise his shield in defense. Not only was he pushed backward again, but he also heard a shattering sound. Before he could assess the damage, the monster had already leaped onto the wooden shaft still embedded in the shield and sprung upward. From above, it spun, bringing both hands high, striking downward.

Nathan once again raised his shield, followed by the spear piercing through the crystal layer.

The monster had been waiting for precisely this moment. Just as it was about to punch the shield, it channeled mana to use its Air Punch skill in two diagonal directions. This created a vertical force, allowing it to halt mid-air and float up slightly, just above the spear's tail. A distance just right for its two punches to strike down.

Nathan felt the spear pierce his shoulder before hearing his shield being punctured. He let out a cry of pain, dropping to one knee. The monster's feet landed with a thud above him. Using every ounce of strength he had, he pushed it away. His opponent seemed almost pleased to accept the suggestion, withdrawing its spear and falling lightly in front of him.

The silver lining was that the shield had absorbed most of the force, so the wound wasn't too deep thanks to his constitution. Throwing healing solution onto the wound, Nathan took a moment to admire his opponent. This talking monster had truly proven its intelligence. To apply such a simple technique as Air Punch to that level of sophistication was remarkable.

This was also a technique Nathan hoped to acquire upon reaching Tier 2, as it scaled with physical attributes. The stronger the constitution, the stronger the force projected—a technique that harmonized Spirit and Physical Cultivation.

Interesting as it was, it was time for him to counter-attack. Most of his preparation had been specifically for this Vermilion Ape Leader.

With a grunt, he pushed his limits higher.

Berserker, 11%.

The next Air Punch still pushed him back, but significantly less than before. The leader threw a punch at his shield while thrusting its spear through the hole.

Nathan released his shield, leaping upward, responding to the monster in kind. He swung down with his claws.

The monster likewise released its weapon-wielding hand, throwing an uppercut that deflected the claw strike. Its other hand clashed with Nathan. A shockwave erupted. Nathan was blown backward. He somersaulted in mid-air, grabbed his shield, yanked it free from the spear, and slid backward.

Unlike with the High Vermilion Ape, in that pure test of strength, he had lost. Fortunately, he hadn't used [Rebound] on his own punch but on his opponent's instead, reflecting its own force back at it. Yet the monster appeared completely unfazed.

The Vermilion Ape Leader felt something strange. It could sense it had received three impacts on its arm. And the third one, coming immediately after the second, didn't seem to originate from the human. That force felt more like its own. Besides that, an peculiar force had invaded its mind. As a leader, it had trained itself to maintain constant composure. Even when its son died, it had maintained its bearing, befitting a leader. Yet now, while still holding the upper hand, its body felt restless, its mind dwelling on things it shouldn't—on hatred, on the fear of losing its position as leader, on being killed by other Vermilion Apes.

Nathan remained unaware that his [Internal Trauma] was having such a significant effect on the monster. This skill rarely showed immediate results when used on cultivators. But monsters, with their wild nature, proved more susceptible to its influence. Currently, he only knew that 11% wasn't enough. He took a moment to assess his current cultivation. Physical Cultivation Tier 1 Phase 7.9. He was on the verge of breakthrough. With abundant essence, he would face no obstacles. But for now, he gritted his teeth and directed the blood flow in his body, making everything heat up, his skin taking on a redder hue.

Berserker, 12%.

At this point, he could withstand an Air Punch while only leaving a foot-long groove in the ground.

He used the edge of his shield to attack forward.

The monster raised its weaponless hand to block. Its elbow bent upon impact. Its eyes blinked in disbelief. Just minutes ago, the human hadn't possessed enough strength to cause any notable pain, but now he could prevent it from straightening its arm against a pure strength attack?

Roaring, the Vermilion Ape Leader's biceps swelled, then pushed back.

Nathan stumbled backward, shield raised high in the air. He had to use his toes and passive skills to push himself back, dodging a dangerous slash from the leader. However, the spear's length still reached him, shattering the Blood Thirster plate protecting his chest. Rubbing his chest, he shook his head, lamenting the loss of an item that had been with him since his early days. Days when he had been closer to death than now. Yet now, encountering these mantis-like monsters again, he could beat them to pulp. This truly was hell training. He was certain Darkan had a hand in the events he'd encountered. But he held no grudge about it. Because of this, he had come very far. So far that he could hardly believe his own rocket-like speed.

Physical Cultivation, Tier 1 Phase 8.0.

Berserker, 13%.

The air around him was pushed away, the heat from his body creating a light mist.

The Vermilion Ape Leader frowned. Since the beginning, this was the first time it felt threatened. It had only thought the human was agile, which was why its subordinates had faced difficulties. Now, its perspective was being shattered once again. It reminded itself to adjust its mindset after this battle.

The monster jumped up, launching an Air Punch from mid-air.

This time, Nathan had enough strength to block without being pushed back. Letting out a joyful roar, he jumped up to engage the monster. Shield and fists clashed, pushing both back after leaving a thunderous explosion. He used his Swinging talent to swing onto a branch, then used the momentum to launch himself against the ape leader.

Their collisions were like two stars crashing together, both swift and mighty. The surrounding trees and branches swayed violently from the aftershocks. Leaves whirled skyward from the stirred air. The encircling Vermilion Apes howled and screamed, cheering for their leader.

After enduring two Air Punches, Nathan was forced to drop down. Being able to withstand one punch was already impressive. Two were still challenging. But this challenge could be solved by pushing his limits higher.

Berserker, 14%.

Around Nathan, the steam began taking on a reddish tinge. He downed the last gulp of Thunder Embrace. Inside his body, energy exploded like a drumbeat, pounding out thunderous booms. Lightning crackled across his head, sharpening his focus. With a harsh laugh, he charged forward.

Two Air Punches met him head-on. With force pushing down on his legs and his arms bracing the shield, four forces working in concert helped him deflect the two powerful punches. Pausing for just a second, he continued his forward momentum. His shield knocked away the incoming spear thrust. His claws swept down in a dangerous arc. Finally, he had wounded his opponent.

The Vermilion Ape Leader staggered backward, looking down at the two claw marks from the index and middle fingers on its chest. It reached out toward the fallen bodies of its kind. Their blood was drawn up in thin tendrils, flying toward the wound. The blood strands wrapped around the claw marks, stopping the bleeding and accelerating healing.

It can even do that? Nathan's eyes widened at the sight.

The knowledge he'd received from PsiLink was about what the monster did next, not this healing ability. The blood was drawn up and formed into long, sharp pillars. More than ten Blood Bolts were created and shot straight at where Nathan stood.

Ducking down behind his shield for protection, he was shocked by the monster's skills. But the surprises didn't end there—the Vermilion Ape Leader wove the blood into ropes, whipping them forward like lashes. Four rope ends latched onto Nathan's shield. He immediately felt a force pulling him forward.

Peering through the hole in his shield, he grew more confused. The blood control skill wasn't unexpected data. What was unpredictable was its masterful execution. Controlling blood into small bolts was simple enough, though complex for monsters. But being able to use it for both healing and weaving into ropes put it on par with a cultivator.

While wondering if he had made a mistake, a blood rope wrapped around his ankle from behind. Without time to think further, he pushed his mind deeper into madness.

Berserker, 15%.

Yanking his leg, he snapped the rope binding him. When the blood bolts stopped firing, he engaged in a tug-of-war with the Vermilion Ape Leader. But this time was different. His state of releasing 15% power had made his strength surpass the monster's by a level.

The Vermilion Ape Leader, gripping the ropes tightly as it pulled forward, was surprised. Unable to accept this reality, it used more strength, wanting to prove to its opponent that it was stronger. Most importantly, it needed to inspire more fear in its watching kin. New blood strands formed to reinforce the ropes' stability.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

When the tug-of-war had reached the point where veins and blood vessels bulged on their faces, Nathan slammed his right foot into the ground, propelling him forward, at the same time, utilizing momentum from the tug.

Still absorbed in pulling, the monster fell backward, simultaneously dragging Nathan straight toward it. Nathan's shield crashed into the monster's body, sending both sliding forward until they hit a boulder. Nathan dodged to one side, driving his claws toward his enemy.

The Vermilion Ape Leader raised its hand to block, causing the entire claw set to pierce through its hand, drawing out a cry of pain.

Just as Nathan was about to use his strength to drive deeper through to the chest, the monster's push forced him back. The leader, enraged, twisted its hand, ignoring the blood flowing from it, and wrenched the claw weapon from Nathan's grip.

The monster stood up, raising its spear. The crystal at the spear's tip shifted from its shimmering rainbow hue to blood red as it absorbed the blood of surrounding creatures. A massive Blood Bolt formed, shooting straight toward the human.

Nathan knew dodging was his best option and leaped to the side. The Blood Bolt grazed past him, piercing through the tree trunk behind, only stopping when it hit another tree. Even then, it had embedded halfway into the trunk.

Another massive Blood Bolt launched toward him. Nathan twisted his center of gravity mid-air, letting the deadly projectile slide past just in front of his nose. Its wide surface still managed to cut a line across Nathan's chest. Upon landing, he felt as if his wound was on fire.

The mixture of Blood Moss and Blue Cap Mushroom struggled when applied to the cut. It neither stopped the bleeding immediately nor entered the healing state as quickly as before. The claw marks on his flank had healed thanks to his Titan bloodline constitution. But this new wound proved far more challenging.

Triggered [Tingling Sense]. One credit given.

Triggered [Adrenaline Boost]. One credit given.

Nathan leaned back as two overhead strikes from the monster created a small tremor in the ground. Staggering for a moment, even with the buff from [Adrenaline Boost], he barely managed to raise his shield.

In an instant, the monster coated its spear with a Blood Bolt, controlling it before jumping forward, piercing through both layers of the Ironbark shield. Its tip left a small cut on Nathan's forehead before stopping.

Before he could breathe a sigh of relief from the terrifying stillness, both the Blood Bolt and spear tip shattered under pressure into tiny fragments, spraying across his face. Some grazed past, others embedded in his skin.

When he opened his eyes, he met two incoming punches from the monster. Gritting his teeth despite the pain, he raised his shield to block.

A loud crack rang out. His shield, from the groove pierced by the Blood Bolt, split in two, falling with a thud.

With nothing left to protect himself, Nathan raised both hands in defense, turning it into a test of strength like his fight with Roran Alastair.

Blood streamed down his face, but he still managed a grin at the leader.

"What's wrong, red-butt? Can't keep up with a human? Your followers must be dying of embarrassment!"

Triggered [Bad Mouth]. One credit given.

Never had Nathan been so pleased to have this troublesome skill activate as now. The damn monster deserved every insult he could throw.

The Vermilion Ape Leader narrowed its eyes dangerously, understanding the human was mocking it. It glanced around at its watching subordinates. Inexplicably, irrationally, it felt the human's words ring true. As if they were truly ashamed of it for being their leader yet only managing to fight evenly, rather than being stronger or crushing its opponent. It blinked once, its eyes gradually filling with blood. Its facial muscles contorted, fur bristling. Its pride wouldn't allow such contempt.

The monster let out a long roar, sound waves rippling through the forest. Nathan, standing at ground zero, felt his ears nearly going deaf. However, he had no time to worry about such trivial matters. He hadn't expected a single taunt to drive the monster into such a frenzy.

Because [Internal Trauma] rarely activated, Nathan hadn't paid attention to its effects. Monsters were creatures that lacked strong emotional control. [Internal Trauma] was a skill that could be both beneficial and harmful. It caused mental disturbance in Cultivators like Gideon, making them lose their rhythm and rationality—an extremely dangerous thing. Conversely, for monsters, it could create an unwanted scenario by accelerating their descent into uncontrolled bestiality.

The Vermilion Ape Leader had fallen into this state. It hadn't wanted to use its enraged state because it would be weakened afterward. According to its simple plan, it only needed to wear down its opponent and then coordinate with its kin.

[Internal Trauma] had changed everything. The Vermilion Ape Leader unleashed all of its power.

The monster's eyes shifted from amber-orange to red. Its fur rippled as if blown by wind. Around it, blood was absorbed and its own blood spread out, painting crimson arcs in the air. Its muscles grew larger. The muscles on its back rose like a small mountain. Fangs extended, long and sharp. It threw its head back, roaring like a lord.

The surrounding Vermilion Apes jumped about in a frenzy, excited and worshipful. After a moment, they dropped to their knees, displaying their fear and submission. The scene before them reminded them why they had chosen to live under the Vermilion Ape Leader's protection.

Nathan, standing right beside this display of power, felt fear. Yet part of him eagerly anticipated testing his limits. He had pushed himself far in the outer sect tournament. Now was the time to prove his chosen path.

His arms were forced back as strength gradually became overwhelming. The monster channeled mana into its chest and released it, blasting him backward. His back crashed into a boulder, shattering it. He only stopped after rolling several times on the ground. Rising to his knees and wiping blood from his mouth, he looked up at the monster. Ignoring the ache spreading throughout his body, he stood up, and like the monster, pushed his own limits higher.

Berserker, 16%.

He stomped one foot forward, his eyes streaked with blood.

Berserker, 17%.

His hands clenched tight, knuckles cracking.

Berserker, 18%.

He threw his head back and roared in response to the monster's display of intimidation.

Berserker, 19%.

Lowering his head to lock eyes with the monster, he charged forward, leaving only a blur in his wake.

Berserker, 20%.

Nathan's body transformed during his movement. His skin took on a pale gray hue, mixed with the primal red of Berserker. His mind now had no room left to maintain absorption, letting everything run automatically under [Titan's Descendant]'s guidance.

Their fists met. A massive explosion. The ground cracked open. Shockwaves rippled outward. The lower-tier Vermilion Apes all fell backward. Grass was uprooted. Earth and rocks rose like a tsunami. Trees threatened to topple.

While everything was still trying to settle, another punch occurred, making everything even more chaotic.

In the heat of battle, Nathan had understood both sides' strength. With this, everything could be managed. Using [Martial Art Mastery], he treated the monster like a martial artist. Once doing so, he could analyze its attacks thoroughly. After all, it didn't possess enough intelligence to have diverse techniques like Qingfeng or Xander. The Berserker state partially hindered his analytical mind, but just avoiding complete madness was enough in this situation.

The monster punched the ground, shaking an entire area. But Nathan had already jumped up, delivering an uppercut to its right jaw. The leader staggered briefly before recovering quickly, swinging horizontally. The wind-splitting attack hit nothing, and it took a kick to its lower abdomen. The human's strength was so great it forced it to stumble.

Nathan pressed his advantage relentlessly, advancing with continuous attacks. One-inch punches rang out against the monster's flesh like firecrackers. Combined with [Rebound], these punches dealt even more damage. From punches to kicks, he beat the monster until it was dizzy.

The Vermilion Ape Leader, seeing the situation turn dire, released a mana blast to break its opponent's rhythm. It raised both hands, and from the blood pools on the ground rose whips that lashed automatically at its enemy. Simultaneously, it jumped in to join the attack.

Nathan didn't flinch, his feet moving as they had against Qingfeng, requiring only subtle and light movements to dodge the blood whips. They were quite predictable to him. When the monster closed in, he transformed his body according to different fighting styles.

Though not in the Into the Zone state, his variations left the monster unable to counter effectively. He only needed to strike necessary points with each attack, and the monster would expose itself for continuous hits. He jumped and ducked each time the whips struck, using the momentum of each movement to channel force into his next punch or kick. At appropriate moments, he used mana to increase damage.

The Vermilion Ape Leader's arms grew numb, dropping limply as it stepped backward when its opponent paused from exhaustion. It hadn't completely lost ground in the recent exchange. Some of its punches enhanced with Air Punch had still landed on its opponent. But the expected consequences didn't materialize. The human felt pain from these punches, but they didn't cause enough damage. It was as if that grayish-red skin had greatly reduced its power.

What the monster suspected was indeed true. The skin Nathan had activated was part of the Titan's Berserker State. Since it wasn't fully activated yet, the system hadn't announced it.

The monster bared its teeth, its determination growing fiercer. It had never been humiliated like this, never been fought to a standstill like now. Even other Tier 2 monsters were cautious when facing it in this state. Yet in its perception, this human with weaker cultivation could resist until now. It couldn't accept this. Even if its next move would weaken it to the point where even the weakest monster could kill it, it didn't care.

Nathan saw the monster jump up, seemingly planning to attack from above, and only smiled. Such a move would only create more openings for him to exploit.

The Vermilion Ape Leader's two punches crashed down, creating a small crater beneath Nathan's feet. Nathan, having jumped to dodge earlier, was planning to spin and kick the monster's head when, in the next moment, he was sent flying backward. His back cracked against a tree trunk with a snap before he was thrown sideways. That tree trunk tilted and fell, hitting another tree before rolling once and stopping.

Nathan coughed blood, his mind a chaos as he struggled to stand. He lifted his blurry eyes to look at the monster and finally understood what had happened. From behind its back, just above its shoulders, had grown another pair of muscular, powerful arms. It was now punching its four hands together, creating popping sounds like firecrackers, snorting to express its irritation with Nathan.

Spitting out the blood caught in his throat, Nathan gritted his teeth.

Berserker, 21%.

Leaving a shockwave that sent dust flying, he threw a punch at the monster.

The Vermilion Ape Leader responded with two Air Punches. But Nathan twisted his body mid-air, dodging them. The sharp air from the two punches still managed to leave a gash on him. Once close, Nathan was confident he wouldn't let the monster act freely anymore.

Berserker, 22%.

He punched the forearms of the two descending strikes, making them bounce back. Then he jumped up to dodge the clapping attack from the monster's other pair of hands. He used his feet to kick down those hands while leaning forward, helping his punch connect straight with the opponent's nose.

The monster howled in pain, blood spraying from its broken nose. It shook its head to regain clarity, unable to believe it still couldn't achieve overwhelming victory.

Berserker, 23%.

Nathan felt his mind teetering on the edge of collapse, memories fueling anger flooding into his consciousness. Only through [Self-Emotional Support] could he maintain his train of thought.

The complete Berserker state was incredibly powerful, enough for him to instantly knock out the Vermilion Ape, but the consequences would be severe. He would pass out like last time. Though it wouldn't last a day, even a few hours would be enough to end him.

23% is good enough, he told himself.

He shot forward, stretching his body like a straight needle, weaving between four Air Punches. Air pressure slid past his head, back, and legs, leaving bloody trails across his body. Using his legs and arms to kick and parry the monster's four punches, the aftershocks left him floating in mid-air for a few moments.

He used his body to slide along the Vermilion Ape Leader's stance, ducking low, sweeping the monster's legs out from under it. When it lay sprawled, he jumped up, pressing his knee down on one pair of its arms. Then, he began punching its face while dodging counterattacks from its remaining two arms.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The watching Vermilion Apes had stopped their cheering. They had never seen their leader struggle like this. And now it was lying there taking hits. Its usual dominance had vanished. Its image was crumbling. To the red-orange eyes of the monster audience, that one no longer seemed worthy of leadership.

The Vermilion Ape Leader thrashed to break free, but the human's strength matched its own, leaving it helpless. Its mana had depleted from using Air Punches, Blood Whips, and Blood Bolts earlier. Now in desperation, it could only blast away its remaining reserves to force the enemy back.

Nathan skidded on his knees, snorting out the accumulated blood. He was exhausted too, but not to the point of collapse like in the final moments against Xander. So, he advanced again proudly. He might have been smaller than the monster, but his gait and bearing belonged to a giant.

The Vermilion Ape Leader, having lost its mind, attacked without restraint. It had been unfortunate to face an enemy who also specialized in physical combat. But it would be more unfortunate to stop here. What awaited it in defeat was too terrifying. Too bloody to stop.

Between Nathan and the Vermilion Ape Leader, thunderous sounds continuously rang out. The surroundings fell silent to watch. Two beings fought amid ground soaked with the blood of monster corpses that had been blown away. The space belonged solely to two frenzied creatures with blood-red eyes, bodies covered in wounds and flowing blood.

The battle only ended when the sunlight tilted toward evening, signaling a day's end.

Unlike the monster who only attacked by instinct, Nathan left calculations behind each punch or kick. He had precisely targeted the same spot just below the monster's left chest. With each contact, he could assess the situation there. Initially firm with protective skin and muscle, then gradually softening, progressing to bone contact, leading to bone fracture.

And then came the final strike. With speed from [Quick Feet] and [Adrenaline Boost]. With power from [Amplifying Strike], [Flowing Strikes], and [Rebound]. The battle-ending punch was thrown.

CRACK!

The monster's ribs bent backward, piercing its burning heart.

The Vermilion Ape Leader froze, its breath catching. It emerged from its frenzied state to regain a bit of rationality. Its stopped heart caused all energy in its body to halt. It stepped backward, eyes looking at its left chest, then blinked in disbelief at the human. He was so small, with thin limbs not even close to its size. Yet it had lost?

The leader turned to look at its kin, its eyes blinking wide. Its mouth trembled, words stumbling out.

"He...Hel...Help...me!"

But none moved, none acted. They only tilted their heads in confusion at the four-armed monster.

The tallest monster here crashed to the ground, trying to breathe in and out as if hoping that would help it continue living. Its eyes, losing their red color, looked up at the sky with its golden-tinged clouds. Its face seemed to gain more wrinkles, the consequence of excessive power use. When it realized strength was increasingly slipping away, it accepted its fate.

"My...son..." it whispered.

Finally, it curled its lips as if smiling. Like the ape monsters before it who had moments of enlightenment just before falling, it too had such a moment. It wondered what meaning there was in everything it had done.

No one provided an answer to the dying. With a final groan, it bid farewell to the world.

A large amount of essence poured toward Nathan. He took a deep breath, threw back his head and roared in satisfaction and authority.

The remaining Vermilion Apes heard and howled, then knelt to show their submission.

To them, Nathan was now their new Leader.