Alaric ventured deeper into the dense, humid forest. The air hung thick with the scent of moss and damp earth, and every snap of a twig underfoot made his senses spike. He had been tracking unusual fluctuations of mana and qi in the forest for hours, and now the source was finally visible.
From the shadows emerged a creature of terrifying stature: a six-meter-tall ape, its crimson fur glowing faintly as if it pulsed with life. Muscles rippled under its coat, and its eyes blazed like molten blood. Even from a distance, Alaric could feel the sheer presence of blood-element energy radiating from it, warping the life force around.
The ape swung a massive palm into the ground. Trees shook violently, roots tore free, and debris shot toward him. Alaric barely activated Lightning Steps, vanishing into a blur, but a chunk of splintered wood grazed his leg, slicing deep. Pain flared, and his mana instincts screamed a warning: this was no ordinary beast.
He retaliated immediately, channeling both mana and qi into his sword. Flames coiled along its edge as he slashed upward with Sky Rendering Sword, carving a deep gash into the ape's forearm. The beast roared, swiping again. Alaric rolled under the swing, narrowly avoiding a palm that would have crushed him. The impact sent splintered bark flying, and a nearby tree snapped, hitting his back and leaving a deep bruise.
The blood-element energy twisted the very flow of his life force. Each cut seemed to bleed longer than it should; the ape's aura was siphoning vitality. Alaric gritted his teeth, summoning earth magic, shaping a small shield beneath him to absorb a falling boulder hurled by the ape. Rocks cracked and splintered, but his legs barely withstood the shock. He leapt to higher ground, slashing with Phantom Strike, leaving arcs of energy that cut across the creature's chest.
The ape lunged again, swinging a fallen tree. Alaric dove beneath the massive trunk as it smashed into the forest floor, sending splinters and shards of wood into the air. The force threw him several meters, but he landed, rolling, barely avoiding another crushing swipe. His sword connected again, igniting the blood-red fur with flames, but every movement drained him. His breathing grew ragged, muscles trembling under the strain.
The ape was relentless, throwing trees, swinging fists that could crush mountains, and slamming its body into the ground to generate shockwaves. Alaric countered with lava-infused earth spikes, forcing the creature to stagger and change angles, but each maneuver required careful calculation. The forest around them was being reshaped into a battlefield of broken trees, scorched soil, and shattered roots.
At one point, the ape leapt from a cliff, aiming to land directly on him. Alaric barely dodged, rolling to the side, feeling a searing pain along his arm where the claws grazed him. With a surge of dual-path energy, he infused his sword with both qi and mana, slashing through its massive shoulder and staggering it long enough to create some breathing room.
By the end of the day, Alaric had evaded near-fatal attacks multiple times — smashed by falling trees, impaled by roots, struck by colossal fists — and still stood, sword glowing, aura flickering with flame and earth energy. The ape, heavily wounded and bleeding, bellowed, shaking the forest with sheer fury. Alaric backed away, planning his final approach while keeping his stamina from collapsing under the relentless pressure.