"Too fast..." Malik exclaimed as he ducked backward, his head almost touching the ground as he dodged the attack that was supposed to pluck out his eyes by just a few inches.
The Alpha Feral Horned Wolf retracted his arm as Malik sprang back upright, but this time, Malik was ready. His arms, already tightened into fists, launched straight at the Alpha Feral Horned Wolf.
"Interesting..." the Alpha Feral Horned Wolf muttered, blocking the two blows from Malik with his elbow.
Crack!
The sharp sound of bone cracking echoed through the cave as he was forced three steps backward, with -100 floating above his head.
"A casual punch from this human caused this?" The silver light in the eyes of the Alpha Horned Wolf shone even brighter as he threw out his own punch. This time around, Malik didn't evade but decided to block it, the same way the Alpha Feral Horned Wolf had blocked his.
The Alpha's fist connected with Malik's arms with a thunderous bang, sending Malik flying five feet back with -50HP flashing above his head, causing the Alpha Feral Horned Wolf's silver eyes to flicker with excitement.
While Malik was still assessing that he was clearly inferior in strength, the Alpha Feral was inwardly elated by Malik's high level of defense, because he knew exactly what that punch had entailed.
The two of them stared at each other, taking their stances, and with a slight nod, they both launched forward at the same time.
Gbo! Gbo! Gbo! Gbo!
The sounds of fists colliding tore through the air as they clashed. The two were moving at near-invisible speeds, sparing no expense to throw punches at each other. Their HP was steadily decreasing, but it was at a painfully slow rate since neither gave the other any real opening.
This was a high-level fight between a Level 3 player wielding a physique above the divine rank and an Alpha Feral Horned Wolf cursed into a humanoid form. The clash was so intense that only flashes of blurred motion and rippling shockwaves could be seen, moving from one part of the cave to another like wild beasts on a rampage.
Malik's speed was slightly inferior to that of the Alpha Feral Horned Wolf, but with the aid of his Primordial Chaos Physique, he was slowly closing the gap. His blows carried more weight, like iron slamming against stone, but the Alpha Feral had a faster recovery rate, balancing out the battle.
They had been dragging this ferocious brawl for over an hour now, yet neither seemed tired when Malik suddenly heard the mechanical sound of a notification.
Ping!
<
<
"Opening..."
The Alpha Feral Horned Wolf saw Malik's slight distraction and immediately took advantage. He feinted a punch, which Malik instinctively blocked with both fists, exposing his back. Seizing the moment, the Alpha spun and lashed out with a fierce right-legged kick towards Malik's spine.
"Feint!" Malik realized too late, gritting his teeth as he hardened his back muscles. The Alpha's kick crashed into him with a deafening boom, sending Malik slamming into the ground, a deep crater erupting beneath him as dust and gravel burst skyward.
Malik's HP dropped sharply, pain flaring across his back, but he gritted his teeth and sprang to his feet. His silhouette flashed away just in time, as the Alpha Feral Horned Wolf's foot crashed down where he had just been, splintering the ground even further.
Appearing behind the Alpha Feral Horned Wolf, Malik launched a powerful side kick. The Alpha Feral spun on instinct, countering with his own sweeping kick.
Bang!
The impact of their legs meeting was like the clashing of hammers against steel, sending out a shockwave that dug a fresh crater beneath their feet. They stared at each other, acknowledging the other's strength with a silent nod, before launching again.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
It was like an endless drumbeat, the sound of flesh and bone striking with brutal force. Each missed kick gouged chunks from the cave walls or cracked the floor. The entire cave was descending into ruins from their merciless battle.
Despite everything, Malik remained on the passive side. His kicks lacked the weight and ferocity of the Alpha Feral Horned Wolf's, and he focused on either countering or evading.
Ping!
<
<
Malik caught the notification but didn't let it distract him this time. A small smile played at the corner of his lips—he was getting stronger through this fight.
The Alpha Feral Horned Wolf noticed the subtle change in Malik's aura. His silver eyes gleamed as he jumped into the air, bringing down an overhead kick aimed directly at Malik's crown.
Malik crossed his legs upward to block it, and Bang! another shockwave exploded outward.
At this point, Malik's HP was down to 380, despite his incredibly high defense. Meanwhile, the Alpha Feral Horned Wolf still had over 2000 HP remaining.
Bang... Bang... Bang...
Disregarding the damage, Malik took every kick the Alpha Feral Horned Wolf threw at him, refusing to fall. The Alpha Feral Horned Wolf couldn't help but marvel at Malik's stubbornness—he could have dodged some of those kicks, but he chose to endure.
"Is he going to die by my hands too? Will I kill him like the others? But if he dies, who will put me out of my misery? If I don't fight with all my might, I still won't be freed..." The Alpha Feral Horned Wolf's mind was filled with turmoil.
As he pondered, Malik heard another series of notifications.
Ping!
<
<
<
The Alpha Feral Horned Wolf, seizing another slight lapse, raised his leg to deliver a devastating straight kick aimed at Malik's chin. However, this time, Malik reacted fluidly. He slapped the Alpha's leg aside with both hands and leapt into the air.
While airborne, Malik spun like a whirlwind and unleashed a devastating overhead kick that smashed into the Alpha Feral Horned Wolf's head with an explosive BOOM!
The Alpha Feral Horned Wolf was sent hurtling into the cave wall, stone and debris scattering everywhere, with -600HP floating above him.
Malik landed lightly on his feet, his eyes gleaming like twin stars, dancing on the balls of his feet, his body now honed and razor-sharp.
From the debris, the Alpha Feral Horned Wolf dragged himself out, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. His HP had finally dropped below 2000, now at 1800.
He stared at Malik, his silver eyes gleaming with admiration and wildness. Folding his fists, the Alpha began to gather power into his legs, the air around him crackling with tension.
"Your aura is growing sharper, and your movements feel more natural. You seem to be growing stronger with every breath... So I won't hold back anymore," the Alpha Feral Horned Wolf said solemnly, before rushing toward Malik, who stood firm, his mind recording every tiny movement, every minute shift in the Alpha's posture.