The ape's bellow echoed through the broken forest. Alaric's body ached from every wound — slash marks, bruises, splinter cuts, and burns crisscrossed his arms and legs. Sweat and blood ran down his face, but his eyes were sharp, calculating every movement.
The beast hurled another massive tree toward him. Alaric raised his earth shield, but the sheer weight cracked the barrier. He felt the shock through his arms and legs, sending pain lancing up his spine. He leapt aside using Lightning Steps, but the impact left a shallow gash across his back. He spun midair, slashing with Sky Rendering Sword, flames dancing across its chest, igniting the blood element energy briefly.
The ape screamed, swinging its fists in wide arcs, tearing the ground apart. Each strike threatened to crush him. Alaric countered with Phantom Strike, phasing through a swing that would have splintered his ribcage, and struck the ape's leg. The creature staggered but recovered instantly, swinging a palm down to smash the ground — the shockwave threw Alaric backward, landing atop jagged rocks that cut through his boots and bruised his thighs.
Blood-element energy pulsed outward, attempting to siphon his vitality. Alaric gritted his teeth, channeling mana and qi simultaneously, balancing flame, earth, and sword energy. He manipulated the forest: roots erupted from the ground, trees shifted mid-strike, and he used the terrain as both weapon and shield. Each blow he landed on the ape caused it to stagger, but every attack it made forced him to react instantly, leaving no room for error.
The ape charged, swinging a massive fist that collided with a boulder, splitting it in half. Alaric rolled under the force, his body scraping against stone and dirt, leaving cuts and bruises. He immediately struck with a lava-infused Sky Rendering Sword, igniting the ape's shoulder. The beast roared, blood mixing with flame, and hurled a massive tree trunk. Alaric phased through it using Phantom Strike, emerging directly behind the ape and slashing its chest once more.
The king-tier blood ape was weakening, but it was far from defeated. With a roar, it leapt toward Alaric, aiming to crush him under both fists. He dodged narrowly, feeling the air pressure from the swing knock him off balance. Using a final burst of dual-path synergy, he channeled all his qi and mana into a coordinated Sky Rendering Sword and earth magic strike, piercing the ape's heart. The creature let out a deafening roar, crashing to the forest floor in a storm of red fur, blood, and elemental energy.
Alaric fell to his knees, body trembling, wounds burning, chest heaving. Slowly, he absorbed the king-tier core, blood-element essence, claws, teeth, and fur, integrating the raw power into his dual-path cultivation. The forest around him bore the marks of an epic battle — broken trees, scorched earth, and jagged rocks — yet he stood victorious.
Alaric closed his eyes, letting the energy stabilize. Every heartbeat pulsed with the new blood-element power coursing through him. This fight had pushed him beyond his previous limits: every near-death moment had been a lesson in timing, strategy, and dual-path mastery. He flexed his fingers, feeling the synergy of flame, earth, lightning, and blood-element energy.
Tomorrow, he would begin training to master the blood element fully — integrating it with his existing powers and refining his dual-path skills. For now, he allowed himself a brief rest, surveying the forest battlefield, a king-tier opponent finally defeated, but the knowledge that stronger threats awaited keeping his senses alert.