A heavy silence hung in the air. The trees stood still, as if the entire forest held its breath.
Then—BOOM.
The ground shook violently as something enormous landed in front of them. The fire dimmed under the weight of its presence.
A towering shadow emerged, its figure growing clearer in the firelight. The Berserker Ape, a true Level 5 beast, stood over four meters tall. Its muscles rippled beneath thick black fur. Red eyes locked onto Yor—not with animal instinct, but with cold, brutal focus.
Yor's body froze.
His instincts screamed at him. Run. Now.
"Wh-what is that?" Fren stammered, trembling.
Yor didn't respond.
The Luolo Tiger's core—still glowing in his pouch—began pulsing faster, as if warning him. But it was too late.
The Berserker Ape roared.
The pressure hit them like a hammer. Trees cracked. The campfire blew out. Fren dropped to his knees, coughing blood from the force alone.
Yor gritted his teeth and stood his ground, drawing his sword.
The ape charged.
Faster than it should've been.
Yor barely dodged, rolling aside as the beast smashed down a massive arm, crushing a boulder into dust. He slashed at its exposed leg—his blade bounced off. Not a scratch.
Impossible, Yor thought. My blade couldn't even pierce the skin?
He leapt back, breathing heavily. "Fren! Run! Now!"
Fren scrambled to his feet, limping into the forest.
The ape didn't even look at him.
It only wanted Yor.
Yor tried everything. Precise strikes. Shadow steps. Mana-infused swings. Nothing worked. Each blow felt like hitting an iron wall.
Then—the ape struck back.
A brutal swipe slammed into Yor's side. He flew through three trees, coughing blood midair before crashing into the dirt.
Pain exploded in his ribs.
He couldn't move.
This thing… It's a monster beyond monsters…
The Berserker Ape slowly walked toward him. Step by step. Its eyes never blinking.
Yor reached into his pouch with shaking hands and pulled out the Luolo Tiger's core.
The ape paused.
It stared at the core… and growled.
A terrifying, deep rumble that made Yor's heart nearly stop.
But it didn't attack.
It simply turned—and let out a roar so loud the sky seemed to shake.
Then, without a word, the ape vanished into the trees with a single leap, the ground cracking beneath it.
Yor collapsed.
Blood pooled beneath him. His vision blurred. Fren ran back, screaming his name, dragging him through the forest.
They escaped—but only barely.
The last thing Yor saw before blacking out…
…was the Luolo core still glowing faintly in his hand.
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