Most Powerful Punch

[As it is nearing nightfall, you hear a few small noises. When you look, you see a tyrant sloth high up in a tree, eating the foliage. The beast is a distance away, and you feel somewhat confident in your [Nine Bull Fist], but you are still unnerved.]

Seeing the tyrant sloth only provoked a feeling of interest in Lem, as he wondered whether he would be able to kill it.

He had to stop and reconsider his manner of thinking.

After encountering the evil flower, his threshold for fearing an opponent had been raised. Lem had also experienced his own death many times, and had come to expect it in every simulation.

With his already detached perspective, it was difficult to care as much when his simulated self encountered dangers he considered ordinary.

[You continue walking…

Night falls, but you keep walking, as you want to put distance between you and the tyrant sloth…

When you feel you have walked for long enough, you stop…

You eat from your rations and fall asleep…]

[Day 6: You feel slightly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality…

As you are walking you see claw marks on the ground. You grow slightly wary, but you keep walking…

You hear a distant beast howl…

You come across a clearing with many broken trees scattered on the ground. You wonder if there was a battle between beasts, and you consider turning around. However, you remember the reminder that the guard gave you. Since there are signs of beasts, you wonder if there is also a spiritual treasure nearby.

You decide to continue walking forward…

As night falls, you still have not seen either a beast or a treasure. You eat from your rations and fall asleep…]

[Day 7: You feel slightly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality…

As you are walking, you come across another clearing with broken trees. You maintain your attitude from the previous day, and continue moving forward…

You see many small signs of beast activity…

You eat from your rations and fall asleep…]

[Day 8: You feel slightly weaker due to the evil power consuming your vitality…

Early in the morning, as you are walking, you come across a juvenile tyrant sloth. The beast gives a low warning growl, and you see that it is reluctant to move forward.]

Lem's suspicions were raised when he saw the behavior of the sloth.

Typically, he was either ignored by beasts or attacked immediately.

The type of warning that was being given to him felt unusual.

In addition, its growl was much softer than expected, as though it was afraid of alerting anything else in the area.

What was it hiding? 

Suddenly, there was an explosion of movement.

The sloth took off on all fours towards Lem's simulated self.

At the same time, he threw his spear. It was an instinctive response, with no thought behind it.

The sloth leapt to the side, clearing the danger with ease, and Lem's simulated self attacked again, this time with his bare fist.

The movements of the [Nine Bull Fist] were cemented in his mind.

He had thrown thousands upon thousands of punches at the vines of the evil flower.

Arm pulled back, shoulder locked.

Legs tighten.

Hand closed.

Punch!

Lem felt the elation radiating from his body as the small adjustments to his movements all came together perfectly. 

They unified to produce the otherworldly force. The vibration emanated from his knuckles.

The fist moved through the air at an impossible speed.

The tyrant sloth had no time to react.

His knuckles made contact with the upper part of its furry arm.

It felt as though he had come into contact with a wall of solid iron.

At the same time, the energy emanating from his body gave him an indescribable feeling. It was undoubtedly the most powerful punch he had ever thrown.

CRACK-BOOM!