"ROAR!!!"
Both man and beast roared simultaneously, without a moment's hesitation. The giant ape's massive fist shot toward Sora, while Sora's fist, wrapped in a blue energy aura, met it head-on.
This was a battle of immense disparity in weight class. The giant ape's fist alone was larger than Sora's entire body! It seemed inevitable that Sora would be sent flying by the punch, and indeed, that had happened countless times before.
BOOM!!!
Their fists collided, and a deafening shockwave spread in all directions, obliterating everything in its path.
The nearby small animals and dangerous creatures had already fled the moment the battle erupted. Over the past two years, they had suffered greatly at the hands of these two troublemakers. Neither Sora nor the giant ape were beings they could afford to provoke.
"Tch, damn monkey, after two years, your strength hasn't changed at all!"
Though the massive fist was right in front of him, it could no longer move an inch closer. This time, Sora had come with the determination to settle the score and win. There was no way he would let the ape dominate him as it had in the past.
"ROAR!!!"
The giant ape roared in frustration. The strength of each dangerous creature was tied to its bloodline. Once they reached adulthood, their power rarely increased. How could this monstrous human, who had gone from a mere insect to a being capable of standing against it in just two years, be explained?
Though not particularly intelligent, the giant ape wasn't stupid. A sense of impending crisis surged within it, and it resolved to kill this monstrous human before he could summon that tortoise-shell armor.
A smirk tugged at Sora's lips, as if he could read the giant ape's thoughts. He, too, was determined to kill this damn monkey this time.
BOOM!!! BOOM!!! BOOM!!!
The battle raged on, with no tricks or techniques. The giant ape excelled in brute force, and Sora relished this straightforward, no-holds-barred fight. The two stood their ground, exchanging punches like meteors.
The speed and power of their blows increased, and the ground began to collapse beneath them.
"333! 334! 335...998! 999! 1000!!!"
BOOM!!!
Finally, on the 1000th punch, the battle ended. Both man and beast collapsed to the ground, utterly spent.
Gasping for breath, Sora's face was pale, a clear sign of overexertion. Despite using his inner energy for protection, his fists were swollen larger than his head.
As for the giant ape opposite him, it lay foaming at the mouth, having been literally beaten to death.
"Haha, hahaha…"
Lying on the ground, Sora laughed maniacally at the sky. The frustration he had bottled up for two years was finally released.
If others on the continent knew that Sora had defeated a powerful super-dangerous creature using only his physical strength, without relying on any external tools, they would be utterly shocked!
Even the Empire's strongest general, Budo, wouldn't dare claim he could do such a thing without using an Teigu!
Though Sora's talent was extraordinary, he had only been training in this world for two years. His inner energy was nearly depleted, and he was utterly exhausted. Without a second thought, he fell asleep right where he lay.
Normally, even the giant ape wouldn't dare sleep unguarded in its territory, as it could easily be attacked by other dangerous creatures. However, the area within hundreds of meters had been completely devastated by the battle, and all nearby dangerous creatures had long since fled. This allowed Sora to rest and recover without worry.
…
"Chief, look, over here!"
"Incredible, it's a super-dangerous creature, the Titan Ape!"
"Hahaha, men, we've struck gold! Quickly, take the Titan Ape's body back!"
…
"Hmm?"
Frowning, Sora was awakened by the sound of human voices. Slowly, he opened his eyes.
Rubbing his eyes, he saw a group of humans dressed in strange clothing, wielding spears, jumping around the giant ape's body. These guys were trying to steal his prey!
"Foreign Tribe!"
The term flashed through Sora's mind. Though he hadn't left the forest in the past two years, he had occasionally encountered hunting humans. Combined with some knowledge from the original story, he immediately recognized these people.
"Chief, there's a human over there!"
As Sora noticed the foreign tribe, they also spotted him. The once jubilant group immediately tensed up.
"An Imperial? And just one?"
Looking at Sora, who was disheveled from the battle, the man referred to as the chief flashed a cold glint in his eyes, a bloodthirsty smile curling his lips.
"Kill him!"
Due to the Empire's oppression, almost all foreign tribes harbored deep hatred for Imperials. Naturally, they wouldn't let him go.
"Yes, Chief!"
Wielding their spears, a dozen strong young men from the foreign tribe surrounded Sora. In their eyes, dealing with one person was more than enough.
"This is my prey. Leave now, and I'll pretend nothing happened."
The foreign tribe numbered about a hundred, all strong and battle-hardened, clearly seasoned warriors. Sora wasn't afraid; after a nap, his strength had mostly recovered. Having spent two years in the forest, he rarely encountered fellow humans. If they were sensible, he wouldn't bother with them.
"Damn Imperial, you're already at death's door, yet still so arrogant! Everyone, kill him!"
The foreign tribe harbored deep prejudice and hatred for Imperials, just as Imperials did for them. The spear-wielding young men sneered, already seeing Sora as a dead man.
"Ha… really, I was going to let you go."
Sighing helplessly, Sora had felt a bit of sympathy when he saw Esdeath slaughtering tens of thousands of these foreign tribes in the original story. Now, he realized they were just a bunch of savage, brutal fools, no better than the corrupt Empire.
"Demon Armor!"
Since it was time to fight, Sora didn't hold back. He summoned the King's Sword and manifested the Demon Armor.
"Im… Teigu!!!"
Their mouths agape, the once-arrogant group now looked utterly horrified.
Teigu, the pinnacle of power in this world, were as renowned as nuclear weapons.
"Heh… though they're just savage foreign tribes, they still have some knowledge, huh!"
However, you're mistaken. It's not an Teigu, but a Divine Arm!
Beneath the armor, Sora's lips curled into a bloodthirsty smile as he raised the King's Sword in his hand. His figure turned into a blur as he lunged toward a group of people.
"Ahhh!!!"
Screams—continuous screams—filled the air. Without any surprise, in just a few moments, over a hundred members of the foreign tribe were slaughtered under Sora's blade.
Bang!
The man referred to as the leader was the last to fall, his eyes filled with endless fear and regret…
Sora glanced indifferently at the scattered limbs on the ground. Killing these people didn't weigh on his conscience in the slightest. This was a world of survival of the fittest, and everyone had to pay the price for their choices.
Moreover, since they had appeared here, it was unlikely they had come for tourism or hunting. Their purpose could only be one thing…
Sora stored the corpse of the super-dangerous beast, the Titan Ape, into the space of the King's Sword. This thing was a treasure trove, with every part of its body valuable. Although Sora hadn't yet figured out how to use it, it might come in handy in the future.
Having lived in this forest for nearly two years, Sora estimated that there were still about six years before the main plot would begin. He didn't plan to stay here much longer. It was time to start implementing his plan to conquer the world!
With a thought, the cape behind him disappeared, transforming into a pair of massive dragon-like wings. With a gentle flap, Sora's figure shot into the sky. After orienting himself, he turned into a streak of light, speeding toward the north…