Prince had lost the exchange.
Their attacks had clashed for a moment, but the Water Arrow had won, shooting through his bicep and leaving a bloody cloud.
As Prince floated, the Fish King raised a hand.
As the Fish King was bringing it down, however, Prince activated his short's speed boost.
He zoomed past the Fish King, but the Fish King took hold of his cape and threw him back into the building.
Prince spun around. His right arm was unusable right now.
Prince finally came to crash against a pillar. He rested his head against it, sighing. He summoned his pills, opened the lid, and popped one.
He didn't think about whether or not the water would ruin the pills. Oh well.
Healing energy dispersed through him. Most of it concentrated on his arm, which was being mended with speed visible to the naked eye, but some of the energy just washed through his body.
It would take about a minute for his arm to heal, though. Meanwhile, the FIsh King stepped through the large hole in the wall, slowly floating toward Prince.
Prince pocketed his pills.
"Pathetic." The Fish King snorted. It raised its hand.
Prince felt the gathering of a titanic wave of Essence. This thing wasn't done.
"Fuck you." Prince spat. If he died here, then this would be his watery grave. Thankfully, he still had his cheat.
Prince felt the water above him suddenly have weight. The Fish King swiped its hand down.
Prince was crushed.
He broke through the floor, the pressure of the attack sending him slamming into the ground of the first floor. Prince grunted.
His speed boost was still running, though there were about five seconds left. He poured all his energy into his feet, shooting out of the building like a bullet just as the Fish King descended.
The Fish King darted after, throwing a claw strike.
Prince deflected it with his palm, spinning into a roundhouse kick. Prince leaped away, avoiding another dangerous attack.
The Fish King dashed after him. It was more masterful as it moved underwater, Blurring into a flash of scales. Prince struggled to keep up, bobbing and weaving until-
Firm fingers wrapped around his neck.
Prince was shorter than the Fish King, so his legs just dangled. His left arm tugged desperately at the Fish King's hold, but it was too firm and too slimy.
"Now you die!" The Fish King roared, beginning to squeeze.
This feels like the Goblin King all over again, Prince thought. He flexed his right arm.
It was useable.
A second hand joined the first in prying off the Fish King's fingers. With Warrior's Will still active, Prince pulled the fingers back just enough for him to send a surge of Water Essence below him and swim away.
Prince rubbed his neck. "Geez, dude."
The Fish King lunged again.
Prince slipped behind it, using its scales to his advantage. Then Prince wrapped his arms around its arms, squeezing them so it couldn't get away.
The Fish King struggled, shooting off into the water as a blur, Prince still on its back. It twisted every which way, spinning around, diving through small windows, everything in order to drive him off.
Prince held on tight with his left arm and let his right arm go, drawing back a fist.
The Fish King knew what was about to happen. It summoned a bubble of Water Essence around its head, a desperate last attempt-
Prince's Titan Fist fell downward.
Their swim stopped abruptly. The water around them recoiled. The Fish King dropped to the ground like a stone, and only then could Prince appreciate the damage he had done.
The Fish King's head was caved in, a gory mess of brain matter, blood, and bones.
Prince looked down at his arm. It seemed like Titan's Fist wouldn't remain a finisher move for long, because as he got stronger, his body could withstand more and more.
Then Prince realized he hadn't pushed Titan's Fist in a while. Right now, his hand was a little charred and shriveled, but that was it.
Level-up! You are now level 31.
Level-up! You are now level 32.
Level-up! You are now level 33.
Level-up! You are now level 34.
Level-up! You are now level 35.
Prince released a sigh. He turned over, lying on the Fish King's body. He deactivated Warrior's Will.
Immediately he felt the backlash. As he was now, any random monster could just... Kill him.
Prince summoned his status screen, deciding to allocate his points. This was tiring.
Attribute Screen - Prince Collins
Species: Human
Faction: Towering Peak (F)
Class: Martial Warrior
Subclass: Champion of Victorious Fighting
Titles: Planetary Frontrunner (1000), Planetary Dao Prodigy (100), Solo Leveler
Grade: F
Dao: Node of Martial Arts
Level: 35
Strength: 76
Endurance: 76
Dexterity: 76
Vitality: 58
Mental: 41
Wisdom: 39
Free Points: 25
Prince looked at his attribute screen for a moment. He brought his first three stats to 80, leaving him with 13. He then poured all of that into Vitality.
With how things were looking in this dungeon, he would need all the points in Vitality he could get.
He had already used one of his pills, and he only had ten.
Very likely, he would die here. Especially since that Fish King wasn't even at the peak of F-Grade but had given him a hard time.
What would an E-Grade monster look like? As he was now, it might very well one-shot him.
Prince felt energy enter into him from his point spending, but it was only enough for him to roll onto his feet.
Now that he thought about it, he was pretty sure he could sense the aura of the other boss.
One was monstrous, but the other...
That one was intense. Overwhelming, like it ruled over this whole domain.
Prince felt his flame fanning itself into the light again. He was itching for a fight.
Yes, he would go boss hunting. But the E-Grade would require some preparation.
He couldn't wait to get started.