Hello dear readers, another chapter for you, thank you for the stones, if possible drop some more :), this chapter will be a little shorter because it is just a preparation and a test for what is to come in the next chapter, and because I was called up in the army today so I didn't have much time to write, anyway until later!
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"Bwahahaha!"
In the middle of the dense tropical vegetation, on a deserted island in the East Blue, a battle was unfolding. A young Oni seemed to be having the best day of his life. His opponent, however—a giant tiger nearly 4 meters tall—wasn't sharing the same luck.
About two months ago, Goraku had begun a spree of battles against any creature that looked strong enough to provide a challenge. Exotic beasts of all kinds, species unlike anything on Earth, had become victims of this insane training.
"Your hide will make a fine bag, kitty." As the Oni ducked to avoid the tiger's massive claws, his entire body tensed, slipping into combat mode.
The Oni's pupils narrowed as Goraku locked eyes with the tiger's face. The fur on his body bristled, and the skin beneath became hypersensitive—something he had discovered to be a sensory mechanism of his new body, capable of detecting shifts in the wind when an enemy struck.
The muscles in his legs coiled, ready for an all-out assault. With a cheshire grin, his whole body entered an almost feral state, and he lunged forward with a strike that resembled an uppercut aimed at the tiger's jaw.
ROARrhg!
What sounded like a roar of pain from the tiger was abruptly cut short as Goraku pressed his attack, seizing the lower jaw of the beast and pulling on the bone with enough force to shatter it.
In a desperate attempt to break free, the tiger began thrashing its paws wildly. Sometimes it managed to hit the Oni, but even then Goraku refused to release his grip on the beast's jaw.
Until, with a precise strike, the tiger's claws sank deep into the Oni's ribs and back.
"Argh! Shit! I don't like piling up scars, you son of a bitch!"
"Fine! I'll let you go, you little shit!" As he released the tiger's jaw, the beast looked frantic to escape, retracting its claws and preparing to flee.
"Not a fucking chance, bastard!" With a precise arc, the Oni's fist collided with the tiger's face. For a moment, the lights went out in the beast's mind—only to flare back when Goraku yanked the fur on its face.
With one arm, the Oni blocked the tiger's immediate escape, dragging it closer. With the other, he seized full control of its head, almost immobilizing it despite being far smaller than his opponent.
The tiger then saw the Oni draw his head back. Realizing what was coming, it tried desperately to retreat, but it was in vain.
In a swift motion, the Oni delivered a devastating headbutt—horns against skull. The tiger felt the world collapse under the monstrous force, its cranium deforming from the impact.
Rwagh!
A mix of a pained roar and a guttural choke on its own blood were the last sounds that left the tiger's throat, before the Oni delivered the fatal strike.
"Just fucking die already, shithead!"
Exploiting the tiger's pain, Goraku locked his arms around the beast's neck in a sort of frontal chokehold—but he wasn't aiming to suffocate it.
CRACK!
With a loud snap, the tiger's neck broke. When Goraku released the body, a dull thud echoed through the post-battle clearing.
PUFF
"Huff, huff... Well? Honestly, I thought it would be harder."
The truth was that, aside from his ragged breathing and some cuts—some deeper than others—this had been a relatively easy fight compared to the struggles he used to face when hunting animals in the past.
"Strength... substantial, for sure." Staring at his calloused hands, he seemed to reach a decision. "It's time to start planning a way out... I may not be able to face a Sea Beast head-on in the open ocean, but..."
Looking toward the sea, the salty breeze seemed to revitalize him as he began forming a plan.
"But I'll find a way. I always do."
Hoisting the tiger onto his back, the Oni began carrying the carcass toward the beach, back to his camp.
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[Camp]
Some changes were clear compared to what the camp had been two months ago. What was once just a pile of leaves and a makeshift roof had undergone a complete transformation.
A cone-shaped tent now served as the Oni's dwelling, built from thin logs and interwoven leaves for better insulation.
The ground was packed earth, covered in some places with leaves that acted as storage piles. A suspended bed replaced the heap of leaves where he used to sleep.
"Home, sweet home."
Dropping the tiger's body outside the hut, Goraku decided the moment to face the monster wasn't far off—and preparation was essential.
"Weapons are out of the question... It's more effective to punch something than rely on some bullshit like wooden spears."
Running his hands through his hair—a habit when thinking—the Oni struggled to picture how he could kill such a creature.
"Going berserk isn't a good idea, especially in the open sea. I fight well underwater and I swim fast, thanks to months of fishing, but against that thing it's completely different... Even if my skin is tough and my bones harder than steel, it could just drag me down to the depths."
Until, in a moment of clarity, a few interesting ideas surfaced.
"I need to bring it somewhere I can trap it... Maybe a coral formation? Yeah, that'll work. Then I can fight without worrying about that bastard dragging me off to see the Titanic."
"Well..."
Stepping out of the hut, the Oni gazed at the sea stretching to the horizon. The scent of saltwater filled his nose, and the wind carried with it a sense of freedom.
"Time to face the monster under the bed, huh..."
With a nasal huff, a small smile slowly crept across his face as he spotted a crimson fin breaking the surface of the open sea.