Welcome To (4)
Among all the foes I'd battled in bloody fights up to now, the one that had given me the most hell was hands-down the Sword Tooth Tiger. Its feral savagery unique to tigers. Its terrifying bulk. Its absurd regenerative power. Without Ppareumbo's timely intervention back then, I'd have died over and over. That ordeal had sparked my insane growth. If not for the Sword Tooth Tiger, I never would've taken down the Guardian either. After that, I'd faced all sorts of bizarre creatures, but I'd never lost. Even if something unbeatable showed up, I'd bolt fast—no fighting.
Whoosh! Cheonma's sword blazed with Aura flickering like flames. I stared blankly at the Leader Gorilla, who was pinching it between his fingers.
He'd swung with all his might, yet the Leader Gorilla had caught it effortlessly. If he'd grabbed it with his whole hand, I might've understood. But fingers? Just three fingers. My baseline strength boosted by eels, my muscle power from circulating internal energy—all of it, and still pinned by mere fingers.
"Urgh...!"
And it wouldn't budge. Even when I poured in more power, not a twitch. While I strained desperately, the Leader Gorilla looked utterly calm. The gap between us hit like silent pressure. No wonder he'd so confidently declared he'd take my arm.
Thud!
"Ugh!"
As I yanked at the sword with gritted teeth, he suddenly let go. The backlash nearly sent me tumbling ass-over-elbows. I barely recovered my balance and faced him. He'd crossed his massive arms.
"Heavy."
No time to log into the Gallery in this mess. But one thing was clear: he was underestimating me. That realization made me decide to attack more cautiously.
"Kyuu! Kwyu!"
Suddenly, Wonmo—who'd been sitting quiet till now—barreled in. She'd apparently pegged the Leader Gorilla as an enemy. I was about to tell her to fall back when someone beat me to it.
Thud—
"Kyuu?"
"..."
Ppareumbo had slipped down from my back. He blocked Wonmo's path and gestured for her to go back. Wonmo looked baffled at first, then turned to me.
"Wonmo. Listen to Ppareumbo."
"Kyuu..."
Only then did she retreat. Ppareumbo herded her all the way into the cave. Then, instead of climbing back on me, he hung back to watch. Easier to jump in from there than riding piggyback.
He's caught on to the situation.
The Leader Gorilla's elite guards were standing by, watching too. This was a duel between me and him. Ppareumbo got it. Or maybe he was just waiting to save me like always if things went south. I could trust him a bit.
I gripped my sword and shield, glaring at the Leader Gorilla. He stood there, arms still crossed, unflinching. Noseless, but cocky as hell.
"Hmph!"
Fine. Time to make him pay for dropping his guard. I kicked off and thrust.
The strike came in a blink. Not a slash—a stab. Maximizing the razor edge of Cheonma's sword. If he chose to block like before, he'd take serious damage.
Shuuuk!
My blade pierced the Leader Gorilla's gut. Or so it seemed.
What the—?
The feel was off. I'd definitely stabbed, but it felt like I hadn't. Like piercing empty air. The mismatch between sight and touch was unnervingly alien.
Shaaaa—
Moments later, the Leader Gorilla shimmered like a mirage and vanished.
I panicked, yanking my sword back and scanning around.
Where—!
Chill!
A prickling instinct from the back of my neck. I'd only been in the Four Seasons Forest two weeks, but I'd learned one thing: never ignore a bad vibe, your gut feeling.
I trusted it this time. Spinning, I slashed horizontally.
Shaaaak!
Aura flared like flames, whipping fiercely.
"Mm."
There he was behind me, arms uncrossed now. He'd tried to ambush and failed.
I seized the moment. He was still looking down on me.
"Haa!"
I slashed, thrust, slashed again with roars. Surprised by my momentum, the Leader Gorilla just dodged—no counter.
Shaaaak!
Again. I'd cut clean, but no feedback. His form faded like a mirage again.
What the hell was this technique? Could Ppareumbo do it too?
I whipped around fast, slashing preemptively.
Shaaaak!
No gorilla behind me. Just empty air.
Then my nape stung. I'd been had. But spinning to slash again? Impossible without a 360-degree waist.
Second best: Shield up!
I twisted my torso back and raised it. Good call—the Leader Gorilla's fist flew straight at the shield.
How hard was that punch? The same fist that snagged my sword easy. Might send me flying, so I prepped my tumble...
Thud—
But it was anticlimactic. No impact on the shield. Just pressed against it.
That was it. I eyed his face questioningly. Utter calm.
Why?
Before the thought cleared—
Thoom!
A weird vibration from the shield.
Crack!
Like a branch snapping. The shield sagged.
I'd gripped it tight, but it drooped limp. What? I looked down.
Ah. My arm had snapped. Couldn't transmit will.
Dangle—
Dangle—
I stared dumbly at my lolling arm. Then adrenaline faded, pain crashed in.
"Gaaahhhh!!!"
Bone-shattering agony defies words. Ribs yesterday were nothing. I dropped my sword, clutching the arm. Like needles stabbing my brain.
How? He just touched the shield...!
The mirage body, this strike—none of it made sense. The Leader Gorilla's skill shattered my common sense.
"Kuh...! Hah...!"
"..."
As I clenched my teeth against the pain, he watched impassively. More?
I answered with action. Scooping up Cheonma's sword from the dirt.
One arm busted, but the other worked. I poured every scrap of mana into the blade.
Vmmm—
Sensing danger instinctively? His flaring Aura condensed.
Couldn't die here. Survival urge sharpened my focus to the brink.
As the flame-like Aura took shape, he moved. A subtle knee bend.
I reacted—but
Shuuuk!
He was in my face before I registered. Ppareumbo speed or better.
I looked up slowly at the towering Leader Gorilla. Ever been this overwhelmed?
A presence that crushed even defiance.
Swoosh—
He drew back his right arm. Not a fist—a palm strike, open-hand blow.
One hit and I'm dead. Had to move.
But my legs froze, overwhelmed. Like with the Sword Tooth Tiger, yet different.
Can't die like this...!
I thrashed desperately, even biting my tongue to force motion. It worked—legs twitched.
Now arms. Time crawled in delusion as I willed them.
Fwooo!
But that sliver applied to him too. His drawn arm rocketed like a bullet.
His gorilla palm filled my vision. This it? Resignation hit as—
Baaaang!!!
His palm grazed my face. Explosive wind deafened me, hair whipped wild.
Krummmble!!!
My good ear caught the carnage behind. Not crumbling—utter demolition. Prayed no cave there.
"..."
"..."
I froze solid. Eyes could move. Trembling, I shifted to him.
He was... smiling?
Thud—
Hand dropping from my face to shoulder. Heavy despite the gentleness.
Thud-thud—
A few pats. Like relax.
He'd take my arm, as said. Not my life.
Then he withdrew, speaking in Jungwon tongue.
"Welcome."
To the Four Seasons Forest.
"Rookie."
Felt like that's what he meant.
"Dismissed."
He turned, ordering his guards. They glanced at me, then followed.
I stood rooted till they vanished.
"...Hoo."
Finally exhaled. Ignored my dangling arm. Couldn't use it. Heart pounded to burst.
Like crushed by force. Sword Tooth Tiger was primal fear; this felt engineered.
Who the hell... trained him?
Who masters a gorilla like that?
I sorted my racing thoughts, snapping back. Fix the arm first. Ignore it, bad aftereffects.
Elixir should heal...
Cradling it straight—then I glanced back and froze.
His palm had whistled past my face. Something demolished.
Thought trees fell. Way off.
A path appeared.
Once dense woods. One palm strike: trees toppled, uprooted.
An unexpected road dazed me.
...Sun Wukong couldn't do that.
Wasn't he a monkey with tail, not gorilla? Whatever.
Can I survive here?
My resolve cracked a little. Same either way.