Chapter 23: A-rank Monster 2
The forest was nothing but ruins now and half of the mountain was now destroyed with Ank and earth spider fight .
Dust was thick in the air, and every step Ank took his body screamed with pain but his mind did not want to lose ,he came this far , he didn't want to lose.
Across from him, the Earth Spider loomed, its eight glowing swords circling in a deadly rhythm. Its upper body was cracked in several places, blood dripping onto the ground. Despite the wounds, its presence remained suffocating.watching Ank ,so he cannot miss any opportunity.
Ank's grip tightened on his sword. His fingers were covered with his own blood that made it difficult to hold his sword but he refused to let the blade slip.
It's still not enough, he thought, grinning through clenched teeth. If I want to win… I'll have to push myself more farther.
The spider cried and surged forward. All eight swords descended in unison, a storm of blades aimed to carve him apart.
Ank stepped in, not back. His sword sang through the air, meeting the onslaught.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Steel and energy collided again and again.
Every time swords want to come near ,Ank deflect it.
Each impact numbed his arms, yet he refused to yield. I will definitely win ,I am the first Emperor of the universe, I am the being that no one had the courage to face me .
Ank wanted to forget his memory but every time he came in a situation where he was about to die,his attitude of the first Emperor of the universe came and stopped him from running even if he was about to die.
But he didn't want to reject his title,he already gained his title before betraying his friends,but this title was the reason why Ank was in this condition now.
The spider raised one of its limbs high. Energy gathered beneath it, the ground trembling violently.
"Again?!" Ank hissed. "Earthquake Step!"
The creature stomped.
BOOOOM!
The battlefield split open, a shockwave hurling Ank off his feet. He slammed into the dirt, coughing blood. His ribs felt like they were on fire.
The spider rushed in, four swords stabbing downward to finish him.
But Ank rolled just in time, dirt exploding where he had lain a moment ago. He stand on his feet ,making his sword upward in front of earth spider
And then the spider glowed and summoned more swords and his body completely healed ,and pressure in the atmosphere increased so that Ank could also feel.
Ank was shocked and then he laughed , and his sound can be heard all over the mountain . "Heh… You're tough. But so am I."
.
"Come on!"
The spider obeyed.
The clash resumed, more vicious than ever. For every wound Ank inflicted, the spider returned one twice as deep. For every strike Ank blocked, another slipped past, leaving lines of blood across his skin.
Minutes turned into another hour. Ank's vision blurred, but he refused to fall.
Finally, with a roar, he gathered all his strength into one slash. His blade cut through two of the spider's arms, sending them crashing to the ground.
Red blood sprayed. The Earth Spider screeched in agony, staggering back.
Ank was on his knee, barely able to stand, but his grin widened. "Looks like I'm finally getting somewhere."
The spider glared at him with all its glowing eyes. Despite its pain, it raised its remaining swords, preparing for one last desperate assault.
Ank mirrored it, raising his blade high. His arms trembled, his body broken, but his spirit unbroken.
This is it. The last strike.
They charged.
Time slowed.
He could hear his own heartbeat, thunderous in his ears. His world narrowed to one simple truth: win or die.
Their blades met in a blinding flash.
BOOOOOOM!
The impact tore through the battlefield, throwing dust and debris into the sky.
When the cloud cleared, Ank stood in the center, his sword still raised.
The Earth Spider lay before him, its swords shattered, its massive body collapsed. It twitched weakly, its eyes closed and waiting for his death , he already accepted his loss.
Ank exhaled shakily, his knees nearly buckling. "It's… over
He approached slowly. The spider lifted its head, its eyes flickering with something strange—not hatred, but recognition.
Ank stared at it. Despite the countless wounds it had given him, despite the pain, he felt no desire to kill it.
"You fought well," he said softly. "Better than anyone I've faced since Horskey after i revive. You deserve to live."
He extended his hand, light gathering at his fingertips. He poured a healing potion into the broken creature. Slowly, its wounds closed, its shattered body knitting together.
The spider let out a faint scream, as if confused.
"Don't get the wrong idea," Ank muttered, turning away. "Next time… I expect you to be even stronger."
As he sheathed his sword, a familiar voice echoed in his ears.
Quest completed.
Reach level 30.
A new wave of energy surged through his body, washing away his exhaustion. His wounds began to knit, his strength returning. He clenched his fists, marveling at the raw power coursing through him.
Level 30.
Finally.
He turned back one last time. The Earth Spider was watching him, its eyes glowing faintly.
Ank smirked. "We'll fight again. That's a promise."
And with that, he stepped into the ruined forest, his journey far from over.