The valley trembled as chaos unfolded. Lisa crouched behind the bushes, barely daring to breathe, as the surviving ape minions rushed toward her. Every instinct screamed to flee, but she knew she couldn't outrun them—only Rylan could save her. Her heart hammered, blood roaring in her ears, as she watched the Six-Armed Ape King step forward, eyes glowing red and black, arms cracking the earth with every step.
Rylan's face hardened. The man she had seen playfully teasing monsters before now looked like a living hurricane of killing intent. His hands flexed around the spear's shaft, and his eyes glittered with both anticipation and a lethal calm.
He didn't rush forward recklessly. He understood the rules of this battlefield—the physics of force, momentum, and magic. Each strike from the ape king carried gravitational energy amplified by the Gravity Rock Hammer, an artifact so dense and heavy it could crush a mountain if unleashed without caution. The ape king's other weapon, the Bone Sword, was forged from hundreds of bones, reshaped and combined to form a sliding, unpredictable blade that could slice through armor like butter. Together, the ape king's weapons made him the apex predator of the mountain—savage, cunning, and now fully enraged.
Rylan spoke aloud, muttering as if scolding a particularly naughty student.
"Well, my six-armed friend, you've finally revealed your true colors. Trying to fight me using your Savage Stage, huh? Must've cost you a lot of life force and blood. Even if you survive, you won't evolve further. Cute."
The ape king roared in response, the air vibrating under the sheer force of its lungs. Then, with terrifying speed, it swung the Gravity Rock Hammer. Lisa's hair whipped violently as the air pressure rolled over her like a small tornado. Rocks and debris flew in every direction, the force pushing her into the bushes.
Rylan's eyes narrowed.
"Ah… Gravity Rock Hammer, huh? You think crushing me with raw mass alone will work? Cute… but naive."
With a blur, he accelerated, dodging the crushing downward swing. The hammer slammed into the ground with an impact so heavy it sent a shockwave rolling across the valley, splitting boulders and uprooting trees. Dust clouded the area, reducing visibility, but Rylan remained perfectly centered in his control field, calculating trajectory, weight, and rebound angles like a master physicist predicting billiard balls on a cosmic table.
Lisa peeked from her hiding place. "That… that guy just dodged a mountain being dropped on him!" she whispered. "And with a smile… like it's a casual afternoon stroll!"
Rylan backflipped gracefully, landing behind a boulder and maintaining distance from the ape king. He assessed the battlefield quickly—every attack the ape king made would destabilize the ground. One misstep, and Lisa could be in danger. Every decision had to account for collateral damage. Calculating mass, velocity, trajectory, and magical energy expenditure, he planned several moves ahead.
The ape king charged simultaneously with both weapons: Gravity Rock Hammer in one hand, Bone Sword in the other. Its dual-weapon technique was top-tier, combining crushing gravity and unpredictable slicing angles. Rocks fractured, trees splintered, and the earth itself quaked under each strike. Lisa winced as branches flew over her, scraping leaves and tearing clothing. The noise was deafening, a symphony of destruction.
Rylan dodged with the agility of a lightning bolt, countering with precise, sharp attacks of his own. He used Hundred Spear Slash, launching spectral spear shadows, each calculated to intercept and destroy the ape king's attacks without wasting energy or overextending. The clash of magic and physical strikes created bursts of dust and fire, sending small stones into the air that rained down like lethal hail.
"Difficult to handle now…" Rylan muttered to himself, voice carrying a hint of sarcasm. "You really want to fight like this? Fine, let's take it up a notch."
He backflipped into the air, maintaining a safe distance. Gravity, momentum, and spatial awareness combined as he floated above the battlefield. The ape king below paused, sensing the shift, its six arms twitching in anticipation. Rylan closed his eyes briefly, centering himself with a deep connection to the earth. He could feel the flow of mana, the weight of stones, the life force within every boulder, every cliff, every particle of dirt.
"Alright… Mother Earth, lend me your strength," he whispered. Hands forming precise seals, his voice deep and commanding. "Ancient skill… Rock Storm Rain."
Immediately, the valley responded. Stones, boulders, and rock fragments of all sizes began levitating, controlled by his mastery over the Earth Totem. Even the air shifted around the debris, creating a turbulent, chaotic vortex. Dust swirled like miniature tornadoes, pebbles and jagged rocks spinning with calculated precision.
Lisa's jaw dropped. "It's… it's like… the world itself is attacking him! How can one man control all that?!"
The system chimed nervously:
[Host, the amount of mass being controlled exceeds standard limits. Potential danger…]
Lisa glared. "Shut up before I throw you into one of those rocks!"
Rylan remained focused, eyes still closed. He began flinging hundreds of boulders, each controlled mid-flight with precise angles, velocity, and force. The rocks formed a storm wall, a deadly grid aimed directly at the ape king. The Six-Armed Monster tried to dodge, swinging both weapons, but even its speed was no match for the coordinated barrage. Each rock hit with calculated impact, some exploding on contact, sending splinters and shards into the air, slicing the earth further into chaos.
The ape king, enraged, released a dark roar, sending out bursts of black fire to counter the incoming boulders. Many rocks melted or exploded, but Rylan's calculations were meticulous. Enough rocks found gaps, exploiting angles and timing, striking vital areas. The monster screeched, its corrupted flames reacting violently to the stone, cracking armor and chipping bone-like formations across its body.
Lisa swallowed hard. "Oh no… he's getting hit! But… somehow… he's still standing!"
Rylan's voice carried over the roar of battle, dripping with sarcasm:
"Really? Trying to fight a storm of my own making? Bold… but I hope you like a headache because I'm giving you a migraine."
The ape king lunged, swinging Gravity Rock Hammer in a crushing arc. Rylan anticipated, dodging with perfect timing. The ground split violently where the hammer struck, creating trenches that would swallow an entire horse. Rylan countered immediately with a thrown rock, imbued with Earth Totem energy, creating a secondary explosion upon impact. The ape king roared, black flames surging uncontrollably as it tried to maintain its attack rhythm.
Rylan summoned a sandstorm, kicking up dirt, dust, and smaller rocks. The cloud blocked the ape king's vision momentarily, blinding its six arms. He grinned, eyes glinting with deadly amusement.
"Ah, blind as a bat now, aren't you? Perfect."
He launched the remaining controlled rocks, sending them flying at impossible speeds, flinging the ape king hundreds of meters back. It slammed into the ground with a shockwave so powerful the earth cracked in concentric circles. Trees splintered, rocks shattered, and the very valley seemed to bend under the violence.
Rylan laughed, low and sinister. "Prepare for your funeral! Let's see how you like the Mountain Palm!"
He raised both hands. The rocks beneath him began to merge, forming a gigantic hand, each finger made of jagged stone and compressed earth. The colossal appendage descended with unstoppable force. The ground quaked, sending boulders rolling and dust clouds erupting. The ape king scrambled, flames erupting from its hands, trying to counter. Its energy clashed with the Mountain Palm, but the sheer mass and weight pressed it to the ground. Its feet sank into the dirt as though the earth itself sought vengeance.
Lisa covered her eyes, peeking through her fingers. "Oh gods… oh gods… he's going to crush it like… like a bug!"
Rylan's voice carried through the storm, dripping with lethal glee:
"Don't worry, buddy. I'm only warming up. Next time, try not to breathe too loudly."
The ape king struggled, black flames flickering across its body, its breathing labored. One eye was destroyed from previous attacks, the other glowing red with unrestrained fury. It thrashed, hurling rocks and debris with six arms, but Rylan's control of the battlefield was absolute. Every motion, every attack, every retreat was countered with a precise calculation of physics, magic, and brute force.
Lisa's heart thudded violently in her chest.
"This… this is insane… one man… controlling the battlefield like he's a god…"
Rylan's Mountain Palm continued to descend, shaking the ground and flattening nearby rocks. Dust and pebbles rained over Lisa, yet she couldn't look away. The ape king let out a guttural roar of pain and fury, its claws scratching the air helplessly, black fire sputtering uncontrollably.
Finally, Rylan stepped back slightly, readying himself, eyes scanning the battlefield. He knew he needed to check on Lisa—she was his primary concern—but the ape king was still alive, a wounded but dangerous force.
And then… it shifted.
The ape king's gaze locked onto Lisa's hiding place. Its wounded pride and fury now sought vengeance. It barked a guttural command, and the remaining ape minions prepared to rush toward her.
Rylan's eyes narrowed, teeth gritted. "Don't even think about it. Not on my watch."
The wind carried dust and fallen rock as he prepared to make his next move.