His head muddled, Jake was intimidated by the strength of the ape, his limbs were sore and weary.
Focusing on the battle, he saw the ape uprooting trees from the forest, showcasing its terrifying strength….However, Jake did not focus on that, he was wondering what the ape planned to do with the trees...soon enough, he got his answer…
*Whoosh!!*
Jake frantically ducked as a tree went past him. Sweats rolled down his face. If he had not dodged on time, he might have died. The speed of the flying tree was too much for him.
*Whoosh!!*
He wasn't given time to think as multiple trees were thrown at him.
Trying to dodge all of them was almost impossible for Jake, as a few of them grazed him. The searing pain of the wounds tripped Jake as he was hit by a tree.
As he tried to get back up, he saw a tree, hitting him face flat. One might think the force of the tree was the worst he had to face, but as the direct victim, Jake begged to differ! The tree shards were the absolute worst. They pierced into his skin, like needles, and punctured his bones.
Jake survived the attack with a broken body. He had multiple skin cuts, broken bones, and he was losing blood.
"Crap!!"
With a lost focus, Jake got hit by another tree. Before he could adjust himself, he got hit by another. The attacks went on continuously...
After being hit for the umpteenth time, the ape saw that his prey didn't stand up. Wanting to check on him, it moved closer to Jake.
Immediately, Jake stood up and threw his two bone swords at the ape!
It was all part of his plan. Realizing that he could not escape the barrage of trees, Jake tried to bait the ape...and it worked as he planned!
"Hohoho," roared the ape.
The ape smirked at the foolish human. While it was caught by surprise, the attack was too slow for it to damage it. The ape bent its neck to the left, effectively dodging the amusing attack.
Seeing this, Jake knew he was done for! His body attributes were too weak to combat the ape. His only weapons were now gone, even if they weren't, they wouldn't deal fatal damage to the ape.
He tried to find a way out of this ill-favored situation. He thought and thought, yet he couldn't find any.
'Is this how I die?' Jake bitterly smiled.
The ape didn't give time to think. It brutally punched Jake.
Jake coughed blood as he sent far away.
'I might be able to--' His thoughts were cut off when he felt a grip on his leg. It was the ape.
*Boom!* *Boom!*
Grasping him, it proceeded to slam Jake multiple times on the terrains of the forest, leaving him with a bloody face. Jake could feel his body damaged. He felt it every time his body touched the ground. It was too painful, the feeling of your bones being grounded over and over again.
The ape kept playing with Jake like a toy until it was bored and threw him at a huge tree.
Hardly breathing, Jake felt it was a mystery that he was alive. He had multiple broken bones and a bruised face. Slowly, he felt his consciousness…
Willing it back, he shouted, "No! I will not die here."
He stood up from the mess he made on the tree. But even that did not save him as he received a punch in the face.
Falling flat, Jake couldn't muster any more energy. He couldn't pull any more shenanigans.
He glanced at the deep blue sky and clouds, wondering why it was like that, but his view was interrupted by a massive foot. He could see the foot rushing down until it hit his ribcage.
After the first stomp, the ape stomped again...and again...and again….and again…
Strangely Jake did not feel any pain, despite his ribcage breaking. All he saw a muted scene of the ape stomping him multiple times.
'Why?!,' he thought.
'Why am I still alive? I should have died. Strange. Looking back, I do not feel any regret. If I could rewind back time, I would still make the same decision. It's okay for me to die, but something about me dying to this beast ....ticks me off.'
The bored ape changed its target. It was about to smash Jake's bloody face when he madly shouted internally, 'I can't die. Not here, Not to this beast. I can't die. I can't...I can't….DIE!!'
*Kikk!!*
As if sensing his fierce determination, something awoke in Jake, breaking free from its deep slumber.
Jake found himself in a starry vast space. There was an eye at the center of the space. The eye was multi-colored just like the starry space. The iris contained a shade of lilac, bright whites and pink, and a black gassy pupil. It seemed to hold a universe in it. The eye was a true representation of the concept of infinity. If one looked at it, they would be deeply entranced by the never-ending qualities they find. It made one feel like they were floating in the cosmos, enchanted by the jaw-dropping wonders of the universe.
Jake looked straight at the eye...and the eye looked back at him. Instantly, he received a surge of information.
[
The Akashic One.
One who sleeps, but when awoken, sees through all.
Bearer of the Akashic Eye.
The eye which reveals countless mysteries and secrets. The eye that holds all truth.
The Eye of Perfection, wielded by the Prime Seeker.
]
These words caused a huge storm in Jake's mind. It was arrogant and demeaning, holding nothing in its sight. Jake felt connected to the huge eyeball, it pulsed like it had emotions.
Jake didn't dwell on the matter further. The word seemed to have filled Jake with abundant energy. His body seemed to have no limits.
Hot energy flowed through him as he broke through to the next stage, [Stage 2 Physique Modelling].
After the breakthrough, Jake was brought back to the outside scene….or rather, a peculiar scene.
His senses were tingling as everything moved slow. The flying birds. The falling leaves. The swaying trees. It was like a movie being played in slow motion.
'It is like time slowed. No! It is not time slowing down. It is me thinking faster. This is an accelerated thought process.'
Jake saw the ape's foot slowly edge towards his head, closer and closer.
Understanding his eminent death, Jake tried to move, but he realized his body couldn't move. His body was too slow. It moved slower than the ape's foot.
Jake discerned that he was too weak to freely move in this perceived time. Since he couldn't escape, he used all his energy to side-dodge the incoming attack.
*Boom!*
The destructive force held within the ape's foot left a crater in the terrain. Jake, still laid on the ground, could see the ape's feet up close.
He swiftly stood up and punched the ape's left leg. While it didn't harm it, the punch tripped the ape.
Jake wasn't foolish to think he could fight the ape after his breakthrough.
With his newfound power, he had a plan.
Under the accelerated thought process, Jake moved closer to the head of the fallen ape, who tried to get up.
Like an ant, he climbed on the skull. The ape roared and tried to stand, but it couldn't find a good balance.
He stood on the skull of the beast, coldly looking at its eyes. For the first time, the ape felt scared of the tiny human. It looked at Jake's blue and now purple eyes, sensing a freezing killing intent that seemed to have risen from hell.
Jake stood tall, ' Just like Master Luca said, the eye is one of the weakest parts of the body. I can't cut its skin, but I can kill it from here!'
He had no weapon, but what better weapon there was than his body.
As if sensing his intention, the ape swatted its hands at Jake….but it was too late.
Like a pile driver, Jake dug his hand into the eyes of the ape. Separating the eye from the brain, was a paper-thin bone, it served as the last defense of the brain, but such a weak bone couldn't deter Jake!!
Jake mercilessly broke through it. With his fingers, he grabbed at the brain, ruthlessly messing it up.
No creature could live without its brain…..That was also the case for the ape. Just before its hand could smash Jake, it fell down flat, and the proud ape lost its life.
With disgust, Jake looked at the dead ape and laughed.
"Hahahahahahaha," It was the laughter of a survivor.
But before he could think of anything, he felt a huge headache and collapsed, mentally drained from the battle.