Chapter 29: Rentap
"It won't be long now...both of them are out of mana. A kid trying to face off a warrior with decades of experience... it's too obvious who's going to win"
The fist from the earth shaker and Kim's full powered fist has caused a devastating impact. If Rentap didn't use his shield to make a barrier, the whole world inside the lair would be on the verge of a huge apocalyptic level of crisis.
Still, the barrier wasn't powerful enough to completely neglect all the oncoming impact since it was a powerful earth-shattering blow coming from two people at once. Cracks formed allowing some of the power to leak out. But, nature and Enggang has already put up another barrier to protect surrounding flourishing wildlife.
After clashing fist with Rentap, painstakingly sensation piercing through his bones like a thousand knife. Even lifting his finger would induce an immeasurable pain that could cause someone to writhe in pain, driving them to insanity. With his whole body immobilized, Kim could only lay on the ground looking at the clear blue sky.
'What a beautiful day. I want to take a stroll by the beach. Santubong seems nice. I should take Momo to see the sea. Or maybe an Island. I have never been to Langkawi before... I'm sure she'll be in awe. There's a lot of fish for her to catch as well... big fish... squid... some shrimp... some salt and pepper would be great. Food should be seasoned nicely before we cook right? Ahh, I'm hungry'
While Kim was lost in his thought the sky in his view suddenly trembled. Rather, it was actually the earth tremoring. Causing a vibration that shook Kim's body.
"Stop shaking the ground man! It's killing me here!"
The impact from the previous clashed has injured Kim exceedingly, but it's a different story for Rentap. He could still move. The fists were evenly matched, but Rentap body is made entirely from nature itself imbued with powerful mana. Different from Kim who was still human, Rentap couldn't feel any pain or even feel any exhaustion. He's a perfect warrior who could strike and never fall down during the entire fight. Not until he turned to dust.
However still, he wasn't immortal. He still sustained damage. Looking closer, there are cracks forming on his body, and his body was starting to crumble bits by bits. After exhausting that much mana, Rentap could not hold on to its form anymore. But that doesn't mean he was weaker than before. In fact, he is still as domineering as he was, causing the world to shake every single step he took.
Rentap walked toward Kim until there are several metres apart.
Kim gritted his teeth and push himself back up. He sweats profusely trying to endure the pain that overwhelmed his entire bones and nerves. Even the act of lifting his finger was crucifying, much less the act of standing up. Kim is pushing every single cell in his body beyond his limit that each movement would cause him to feel like nails are beaten into his body.
"Give it up boy, you won't be able to win. There's a limit to stubbornness Your act of bravery would do you nothing!"
"Shut up blackbird!" Kim's cold glare caused the feather of Enggang to stood up completely. It has lived for almost an eternity, and be worshipped as a sacred beast that governed the whole land. But today, not only it was looked down upon, but it also felt fear for the first time. Suddenly, it felt that with its current dying condition now, Kim could kill it anytime if he wanted to.
It gave a cold snort and continued to take a sip of tea. Somehow it looked like an angry uncle who just had a bad day. Trying to find a place to drink to clear its mind. Just before it could calm down, as if adding fuel to fire, Kim suddenly glare at it again.
"It's not about being stubborn or being brave. I would accept my lose completely. But shouldn't you be the one who understands him the most? This fight... is what he wanted. Giving up is only showing disrespect!"
"y-you..."
Feeling shocked, Enggang couldn't mutter even a single word. What Kim said, struck its heart completely. Kim was right. It's the one who observed Rentap every day since Rentap was a kid. After seeing how he acted today, it could feel a different yet familiar feeling from him. It was his spirit as a warrior. A man who born to fight. Fight until the end of his life. But sadly, he wasn't able to fulfil his long life wish to die in a battlefield due to old age.
But today... again, his battle spirit rekindled. Finding an opponent who could withstand his every single blow. He wasn't just finding a successor, but he was also longing an opponent who could finally fight him to death!
And the person who could match both of his intentions was Kim.
And Kim understood this as well. But to Kim, it was not only for him to show respect, or to fulfil the warrior desire. It was simply his desire to fight. To fight someone stronger and way above him. He's been using everything under his sleeves, squeezing his brains out to fight Rentap, but still...he was at a disadvantage.
"I can do more...I just need to think more and fight more!"
Unknowingly, Kim himself was enjoying the fight as much as Rentap was. This battle... is a battle between two men who were born to fight!
Both have sustained heavy damage to their body. Although Rentap was in a slightly better condition than Kim, he was still on the verge of crumbling down. Moreover, unlike Kim, he couldn't feel any pain or fear. He could only move forward to fight and fight!
But Kim, even with all the devastating pain on his entire, he felt worst when fighting the voice in his mental domain. Although everything was only his mind, it was still torturing since the pain sensation was close to real.
Kim and Rentap are now standing within each other reach. With their mana exhausted, this will be a battle of pure skill and prowess between a warrior, and his successor!
Rentap stomped the ground and vibrated everything within the barrier.
"Even without mana, your strength is monstrous. No wonder you are the hero of this land. Then let me show you what I learned!"
With muscle and veins bulging, Kim roared and also stomped the ground which caused a tremor that was comparable to Rentap earth-shaking stomp! Rentap looked at Kim feeling astonished. Although he had a cold expression on his face, somehow his eyes show slight happiness and excitement.
Kim smiled and nodded. He then gave a lighting-jab that was too quick for ordinary people to see. But Rentap reacted fast enough to push Kim's arm away and instantly used the same arm to give a counter blow!
Kim gritted his teeth, and manage to move his face sideways which causes Rentap fist to slightly graze his cheek. But in Kim's current condition right now, even a slight touch would be torturous for him. Even more when he was the one who is attacking. Every movement would damage him considerable. But he didn't care. The adrenaline that pumping through his head made him forget all those feeling and pushed himself forward, enjoying what one call, a true battle!
Kim then grabbed Rentap's arm and gave a powerful front kick, straight to Rentap's solar plexus! The kick caused a vibration that was as powerful as the tremor that shook the ground just now. With his body crumbling down faster, Rentap stood on his ground and give a hammer fist straight to Kim's head, vibrating his whole body. Underneath Kim, a crater was formed due to the powerful impact.
Kim felt a shocking sensation flowing through his veins and bones. The blow to the head almost left him unconscious, but he gritted his teeth and coughed a few drops of blood. He then lowered his body and delivered an uppercut toward the chin. But... Rentap didn't even budge!
"This time you are going down!"
Kim roared again, sending vibrations to his punch. Rentap didn't falter and tried to take Kim's fist head on.
"Don't you look down on me!"
Kim took back his arm and gave another uppercut. Finally, Rentap was slightly lifted from the ground by the uppercut. With gleaming eyes, Kim took this chance to turn his body around and jump at the same time. Giving a spinning hook-kick at Rentap's chin. Sending Rentap tens of metres away.
Rentap rolled several times on the ground and then jumped to stand strong again as he was before. Dust flew about around him covering his entire body.
"Shoot"
Kim took a deep breath and spat some blood. He pushed himself forward, leaving a blurring image behind. A second later he's already within reach to deliver a punch. The shockwave from the punch blew the dust away revealing Rentap who had both his arms up to guard Kim's punch. He then pushed Kim away by force.
'So, now you are blocking me?' Kim grinned feeling a sense of accomplishment.
"Making the warrior to block his attack, this Kim strength must be monstrous. However, looking at how it goes, he will only sustain more damage while the warrior will continue... what?!!"
Enggang couldn't believe its eyes and had to look again to believe what it saw.
"This... can't be... the warrior..."
After the dust covering his entire body was blown away, one could see that his face... was half gone. He looked like he came out straight from a horror movie with half of his chin has crumbled to dust.
"He managed to damage the warrior!"
Momo stood up with gleaming eyes. She couldn't hold herself back from feeling happy. The animals surrounding her were looking at the battle feeling astonished. To them, Rentap was the invisible hero who could trample anyone on his path. A warrior who can only instil fear in the enemies heart, but put hope to his allies. Today, they had viewed everything from the first clashed between Kim and Rentap. Every single moment has caused them to awe. Now that Kim has managed to even damage Rentap, they even thought that Rentap might lose.
All of the animals produce different sounds as if they were trying to cheer on their mighty hero. Even the leaves of the forest were swaying about, producing an intensifying melody. Momo then poured some more tea, and everyone took a sip at the same time... including Enggang.
"I'm really am fighting in away battle right now. At least Momo is here"
Rentap looked silently at the cheering animals. Kim didn't attack and just waited for Rentap. Then after a while Rentap looked back at Kim with a cold expression. But somehow, Kim could feel a subtle warmness emanating from the warrior.
The warrior suddenly roared, and an explosion of mana surging through his body!
"Damn it, you still have this much mana left in you? The way he is seems similar to those undead...but... while those undead monsters are stench with death, this guy is brimmming with life. Maybe if I understand this, I could fight against those undead monsters!"
Kim took a deep breath and spat some more blood then suddenly, a figure similar to him appeared behind him. Although he was exhausted of mana just now, Kim already learned how to recover his mana while fighting when he was against King Hydra. After he received mana memory from the voice and trained inside his mental domain, he mastered the skill five years ago. Now he could bring forth more mana to go against Rentap. Furthermore, Kim's body is special than any mana users. As he absorbed mana, his body will be tempered permanently. Although he sustained more damage than his body could take, he's actually stronger than he was before.
"It's time to end this!"
Kim and Rentap roared and released their mana pressure towards one another. The pressure was so powerful that more cracks formed at the barrier. Both of them will have another clash of fists and this time... will be the final one.
Kim gritted his teeth and blood oozed from the corner of his mouth. He threw explosions of Hellfire first toward Rentap, but the warrior punched through it, causing a part of his shoulder to crumbled to pieces. Kim enveloped himself with his mana spirit to enhanced his entire body. With gleaming eyes and brilliant white light emanating, Kim shouted
"Fist of the Heaven and Earth!"