Ape

"Feels good, doesn't it?"

Caine turned his gaze to the left.

The once-lush forest that had filled the lands was now gone, reduced to nothingness by his battle, yet one grand tree remained untouched.

At its base, a wooden throne pulsed with emerald veins of Qi, and seated upon it was a figure.

The figure was a perfect blend of human and ape, crowned with black fire that swirled above its head. Golden flames wrapped around its wrists and ankles like living bracelets, radiating raw power.

The ape's scarlet pupils locked onto Caine's as it grinned, speaking again.

"Don't take too much pride in this act. The tribulations of the world scale based on your actions and your state of being. Considering that your only action here was existing, and your state was still mortal, understand this—though you may have faced one of the most powerful tribulations a mortal has ever endured…"

The ape slowly rose from its throne.

"It's still nothing compared to what the world is truly capable of. You're still just a little bastard of an ant."

A heavy staff appeared in its hands, while the final stages of Caine's refinements completed, signaling the end of his awakening.

'Hm.' Caine's eyes narrowed as he studied the ape. He could sense that this creature was within the realms of blood. Despite this, his expression darkened.

Although Caine's high innate circle grade allowed him to easily bridge realms—and this ability would only grow more absurd as time passed—there were always exceptions.

Some beings were anomalies, defying the natural order. While Caine himself was an anomaly, he was still young, still nascent. The ape, on the other hand, was a mature anomaly.

Suddenly, golden fumes of Qi began to rise from the ape's body. Its presence loomed, and its aura exploded with force.

[Toseh, Ape King.]

'It's time.'

Qi gathered around Caine, solidifying into pristine white battle robes. In his hand, a simple spear manifested.

His gaze sharpened, and atop his head, a crown appeared.

Caine's first wish had been a simple one:

[I want to keep my memories and the power I've cultivated here—everything.]

The reason he hadn't used this power until now was equally simple—his body and mind had not been ready to contain it. The power he'd cultivated in Samsara was purely spiritual, meaning his physical form needed to be strong enough to wield it, and his mind sharp enough to process and control it.

Though he was still far from his full potential, thanks to his gifts, his awakened inner circle, and the support of his crown, he could now tap into his full strength for a brief period. His body had been empowered, and his mind refined, allowing him to manage—but if he exceeded his limits, there would be a heavy backlash. 

Caine didn't mind. He was confident.

The momentum of Toseh's aura was fiercely matched by Caine's, the golden energy of the ape crashing against the silver radiance of the man. 

Their gazes locked once more, and Toseh's eyes widened as his vision blurred.

In an instant, a deep gash tore across the ape's chest. Before Toseh could react, he sensed a distortion of Qi behind him.

Instead of turning like most would, he rolled forward, dodging a precise slice followed by a powerful stomp. As he rose to his feet, a frown of irritation twisted his features—Caine was already upon him, a spell circle of flames blooming behind him, pinning the Ape King in a tight spot.

Toseh sneered. His crown spun rapidly, and his body shifted into an elemental form, flickering away. But as he did, Caine followed, his movements as fast as his falling blade.

Another gash appeared on Toseh's chest. Before he could devise a solution, his vision blurred again, and a third cut slashed across the previous two, completely overwhelming him.

'How is he doing this?' Toseh thought as he retreated, forming a protective bubble of Qi around himself. 'Is he using a special type of Qi to blur my senses? But how? At this stage, he should only be able to manipulate atmospheric Qi...'

His thoughts were cut off by a cold chuckle. Hearing it, Toseh froze, remembering the spell circle Caine had cast earlier.

"Damn it—"

A torrent of flames erupted, engulfing the Ape King. But as Toseh laughed at Caine's supposed folly, his laughter stopped cold.

Toseh couldn't understand. His crown and elemental affinity should have granted him complete immunity to fire. And yet…

"ARGHH!"

He burned.

BOOOM!

An explosion of Qi followed as Toseh shattered the flames, gasping for breath, his Qi surging through his veins to heal his charred body.

In the distance, Caine's eyes narrowed.

'Interesting. His Qi is purely supportive, enhancing his offensive abilities without issue. His resilience is remarkable, and his healing factor even more exaggerated.'

'Wearing him down won't work. I'll need to finish this in one decisive strike.'

Despite his body still smoldering from the flames, the wounds on Toseh's chest had closed. His gaze steadied as he gripped his staff tightly.

His Qi flared, the ground splintering beneath his feet as his aura soared higher. Runes manifested in the depths of his bestial eyes, and a low growl rumbled from his throat.

Toseh took a single step forward.

But the moment his foot touched the ground, his heart leaped into his throat. Somehow, without him realizing, a blade had appeared inches from his face, descending in a vicious arc.

Toseh jerked his head back, cursing inwardly. Caine swept his legs out from under him, breaking his balance and forcing him to the ground, his back slamming against the earth.

His gaze locked on the sun above.

'I'm dead.'

BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!