Alonso locked eyes with the massive gorilla-like creature, its nostrils flaring as it sniffed the air. Its four powerful arms flexed, muscles rippling as it sniffed the air. Suddenly, the beast’s eyes found Alonso perched in the trees, and with a primal roar, it slammed its fists into the ground. The earth trembled violently beneath it, the ground buckling and cracking as jagged pillars of rock shot up from the forest floor, surging toward Alonso like a wave of spears.

Alonso’s instincts kicked in, and with swift precision, he leaped from branch to branch, narrowly avoiding the deadly assault. The rock spikes shattered through the trees, obliterating everything in their path as the creature's earth magic wreaked havoc on the landscape. The forest floor transformed into a jagged battlefield, trees uprooted, and debris flying in all directions.

But Alonso was unshaken, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Earth manipulation… the creature is employing geomancy," he thought, marveling at the display. But there was no time to dwell. He quickly assessed the creature’s power, the way it bent the very terrain to its will, and formulated his plan.

The beast, seeing its initial attack had failed, bellowed in rage and pounded the ground once more. This time, a massive slab of rock rose up beneath its feet, lifting the gorilla high into the air. It growled, hurling the entire rock platform toward Alonso like a colossal projectile. Alonso didn’t hesitate; with lightning reflexes, he vaulted into the air, somersaulting gracefully as the boulder crashed below him, splintering into massive chunks that littered the forest floor.

But Alonso remained unfazed. He was an Oni, and his instincts assured him of his superiority over this creature, even in the absence of physical proof.

Alonso evaded the oncoming debris, landing effortlessly on a branch above. His eyes tracked the ape’s movements with clinical detachment. "The creature's manipulation of the ground is crude yet effective," Alonso mused, not with fear, but with curiosity. He watched as the ape readied for another attack, this time, charging headfirst in a blind fury. The ground quaked under its steps, the forest echoing with the primal roars of the beast.

Instead of evading again, Alonso stood firm, his body prepared. The creature swung with immense force, but Alonso sidestepped the blow, his movements fluid and graceful. As he dodged, he lashed out with a powerful kick to the ape’s ribs. The shockwave from the impact rippled through the air, and the ape staggered back, howling in pain.

"Bone density... comparable to reinforced concrete," Alonso noted coldly as he analyzed the feedback from his strike. "Still, insufficient to pose a threat." His expression remained neutral, yet beneath that calm exterior, a spark of excitement grew. This was a test of his own strength—a test he relished.

The ape roared again, rushing at Alonso with even more ferocity, its four fists pounding the earth with every step. Each strike it threw created shockwaves that rattled the trees, but Alonso effortlessly danced between them, dodging each one with the precision of a master martial artist. His enhanced reflexes allowed him to predict every movement before it even occurred.

Alonso's eyes flickered with interest as he continued to test the ape, this time driving a punch into its abdomen. The beast’s massive body lurched from the impact, the sound of bones cracking beneath Alonso’s fist. He felt the force ripple through the ape’s internal structure, the reverberations confirming the superiority of his own physical power.

"Internal damage... substantial," he muttered, more to himself than to the ape. "But not enough. Let’s push further."

The gorilla, now enraged and desperate, charged again, its primal instincts driving it forward. The earth beneath its feet erupted as the creature summoned another wave of rocks with its magic, launching them at Alonso in a final, desperate attempt.

This time, Alonso moved with purpose. His body became a blur as he activated Light Steps, a martial arts technique from his previous life. In an instant, he disappeared from the ape’s line of sight, his speed far surpassing anything the creature could comprehend.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Reappearing directly in front of the beast, Alonso’s figure seemed to materialize out of thin air. Before the ape could react, Alonso unleashed a devastating punch squarely into its face. The impact was catastrophic. The ape’s massive frame was sent flying backward, crashing through trees and tearing up the ground as it tumbled, finally collapsing in a heap, motionless.

Alonso stood in place, watching as dust settled around him. His eyes narrowed, calculating the outcome of the strike. "Cranial fracture... Force distribution optimal." He flexed his fist, feeling the raw power coursing through his Oni body.

Alonso remained calm, satisfied with the result of his test. His superior strength had been proven beyond doubt.

The gorilla howled in agony, tumbling across the forest floor as it clutched its bruised cheek with one of its massive hands. The image might have been amusing in another context, but Alonso stayed vigilant, his senses sharp and his focus unwavering.

Determined to further test his capabilities, Alonso closed his eyes, shutting out the chaotic world around him. He drew a deep breath, focusing intently on the strange energy he felt in his abdomen Alonso thought that maybe it's his ice power he had wielded in his previous life. The memories of glacial winds and shimmering frost danced at the edges of his consciousness, but as he concentrated, he felt it was something else .

Instead of the familiar icy sensation, he sensed a different energy swirling deep within his being. It felt potent and alive, distinct from the cold power he expected. Alonso's brow furrowed in concentration as he probed this unfamiliar force, analyzing its qualities with the keen intellect he had honed over countless lifetimes.

“What is this?” he murmured, his voice steady. “This isn’t ice...”

As Alonso delved further, his analytical mind dissected the nature of the energy. This was mana—the fundamental essence of magic, a ubiquitous force woven into the fabric of the world itself. He recognized it as the lifeblood of the realm, an energy source that could be harnessed and manipulated for an array of applications.

He recalled the teachings of certain religious sects in his old world, those who spoke of mana as the "lifeblood of the universe." At the time, he had dismissed their words as mystical exaggeration. "Fascinating," he murmured, a glimmer of curiosity in his gaze. "It appears they weren’t entirely misguided after all."

His mind raced, connecting the dots—this world was steeped in magic, and he had unwittingly tapped into its wellspring.

Fingers tingling with anticipation, Alonso thrust his hand forward, channeling the swirling mana within him. As he focused on the vibrant energy, a thought crossed his mind—he envisioned ice, the glacial beauty of his past powers, and the fundamental laws governing its creation.

To his astonishment, as soon as the thought of ice solidified in his mind, the mana responded. The ethereal energy transformed before his eyes, morphing into shimmering frost that coalesced around his fingertips.

"But this is so difficult compared to when I had superpowers," Alonso thought, his analytical mind processing the challenge. "Manipulating the ice feels as if my energy is being depleted. This never occurred when I wielded ice previously."

In his previous life, mana was not needed to control ice; it was pure science. The drawback of having his mana depleted was non-existent. Yet Alonso had a thought.

"That's it," he said. "I will perform the Imperium Gene procedure on myself."

The Imperium Gene operation, a groundbreaking scientific discovery by Alonso, was designed to grant humans superpowers. Unbeknownst to him, Alonso was now about to undergo this very transformation with an unusual twist, unlocking its potential without even realizing it.

With renewed focus, Alonso directed his thoughts inward, channeling the ice that had once been second nature to him. As he concentrated, the mana within his body began to stir, swirling and coalescing as though responding to his will. The energy surged through him, vibrant and alive, igniting his senses with a strange intensity. He could feel it—something deep within him awakening.

The mana in his veins started to crystallize, shimmering like diamonds under the dappled light of the forest canopy. His body responded instinctively, fusing the icy energy into his very cells, pushing the limits of an experimental process. Alonso, unaware of the nuances of magic, let his scientific curiosity guide him.

This was evolution in real-time—a bold attempt to perform the Imperium Gene manipulation on himself, infusing his DNA with ice. To his surprise, the mana and ice created an unexpected synergy. Though different in nature, the mana that had transformed into ice remained intrinsically connected to its source, weaving a deeper bond within him.

In that moment, Alonso was not merely merging ice with his cells; he was blending his essence with mana itself.

The results surpassed even Alonso's wildest expectations. Unbeknownst to him, he had effectively transformed his entire being into a conduit for unlimited mana production. The mana he now produced was unlike anything from his previous life; it was chillingly cold, a stark contrast to the warm vitality of life.

Had he been more versed in magic, he would have known how dangerous his experiment truly was. Injecting ice directly into his bloodstream and even into his cells should have been catastrophic, freezing his body from the inside out and turning him into a massive icicle. But, driven by his scientific curiosity and unconventional methods, he fused the ice and mana with his very cells, achieving a nearly effortless integration. Mana, as the essence of all things, was readily accepted by his body at the cellular level, allowing him to accomplish the impossible without significant resistance.

Here, in this new realm, mana revealed itself as a remarkably versatile and mysterious energy. It was alive, pulsating with an essence that seemed almost sentient. The mana harmoniously melded with the ice, integrating perfectly with Alonso's cells as if it were a part of h

is very biology, though it felt unlike anything organic he had known