Chapter 26: Fierce Battle! The Terrestrial Lightning Ape

"Earth-Light Thunder Ape!"

Michen's eyes burned with boundless fighting spirit. Finally, he had encountered an opponent worthy of a battle!

The Earth-Light Thunder Ape, a Tier 3 monster, possessed jet-black fur that flickered with electric arcs. Its arms were as thick and sturdy as bedrock, corded with knotty, powerful muscles. Its eyes, like two burning flames, radiated a wild and untamed ferocity. It was the absolute king of this region. Any other monster facing it would be reduced to nothing more than prey to be crushed and devoured.

The Thunder Ape gazed down at Michen from its towering height. From the magical power radiating from Michen, it sensed a genuine threat. Feeling its authority challenged, the beast let out a low, rumbling growl. Golden electric currents danced continuously across its fur. Suddenly, it unleashed a terrifying roar. The deafening howl was so powerful that even the dark clouds in the sky trembled in response.

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

It slammed its chest like a war drum, evoking a resonant, thundering echo. Michen tightened his grip on the Godly Abyss. He was eager to see if a Tier 3 monster could withstand the might of his blade.

The air solidified. The wind stirred, lightning flashed, but the sound had yet to arrive.

The Earth-Light Thunder Ape launched the first strike. With a sudden leap, it transformed into a bolt of lightning, lunging toward Michen. Its massive form was like a thundering chariot, unstoppable and overwhelming.

Michen did not flinch. He stood his ground, meeting the charge head-on.

The Godly Abyss descended, carving a brilliant arc of light. The blade's radiance intertwined with the crackling electricity, creating a blinding glare. The power of the Thunder Ape was such that simply swinging its fist compressed the air, producing a shrill, piercing whistle. Michen channeled his magical power into the Godly Abyss, skillfully parrying the crushing force of the ape’s blow.

"Roar!"

Suddenly, the Thunder Ape lashed out with a palm. A massive hand descended from the heavens. Michen immediately braced himself to block.

*Boom!*

The two forces of magic collided with an explosive roar. The ground beneath Michen’s feet caved in, forming a deep crater from the sheer impact of the palm’s pressure. Yet, Michen stood as firm as a pine, clutching the Godly Abyss without a hint of fatigue.

"Is this all you’ve got?" he asked, his eyes filled with disdain as he looked up at the colossal beast.

Suddenly, the Thunder Ape sensed a flicker of danger.

*Squelch!*

Blood splattered everywhere. A deep gash had opened on the ape's palm, blood pouring out like a fountain. Stung by the pain, the monster recoiled. Immediately following, it threw another punch that tore through the air. The speed was so immense, accompanied by the booming sound of thunder, that it actually split the earth itself.

*Blood-Shed Fury!*

Crimson magical power surged into the sky. Having anticipated this, Michen moved like a phantom, dodging the attack and charging straight toward the beast's head.

The Thunder Ape’s pupils contracted. In its eyes, the scarlet figure grew rapidly. Michen’s target was the creature's eyes! Against a monster of this size, a blade could not penetrate its hide; only the eyes were vulnerable.

"Got you!"

Just as the Godly Abyss was about to pierce the ape's eye, a sudden, earth-shattering crack of thunder erupted in the sky. The rolling sound pierced the clouds, shaking the very heavens and the earth. A violent shockwave followed.

Only then did Michen realize—that wasn't thunder. It was the Thunder Ape’s roar.

The scream, filled with infinite rage, shattered the ground and sent boulders rising into the air. The soul-trembling sound waves blasted Michen, throwing him dozens of meters away. Michen struggled to regain his balance, landing on a jagged rock. Blood trickled from his ears. His mind was filled with nothing but a sharp, agonizing ringing.

He clutched his forehead in pain, shaking his head in an attempt to drive the sound out, but the damage was purely physical. Before he could recover, the Thunder Ape in front of him vanished. Michen forced himself to focus, ignoring the ringing. The sky seemed to darken.

"Above me!"

Michen looked up. The next second, the Thunder Ape descended like a falling mountain, a giant boulder plummeting from the sky with a force that promised absolute destruction.

*CRASH!*

The entire ground collapsed instantly. Countless shards of rock exploded outward, the resulting shockwave powerful enough to level the surrounding hills. The tremors continued for several seconds. When the dust finally cleared, the silhouette of the Thunder Ape was revealed.

It showed no sign of a victor’s joy. Instead, it looked behind itself. There, Michen was half-crouched, gasping for air, his hand still gripped tightly on the Godly Abyss. Aside from looking disheveled, he had sustained little damage.

The Earth-Light Thunder Ape was stunned that Michen was still alive. Never had any creature survived this technique. It turned slightly, its massive arms supporting its body. Its eyes, burning like torches, flickered with an unprecedented sense of focus and resolve. At this moment, in the eyes of the beast, Michen was no longer a mere challenger, but a long-awaited, true opponent.

The Thunder Ape took a deep breath. Its muscles tightened, swelling rapidly as its fur stood on end. Golden electricity pulsed violently, dyeing its black fur a dazzling gold. The light within its eyes intensified.

"Heh, I see. So you're finally willing to use your full strength..." Michen smiled. He wiped the blood from his ears and used his sleeve to clean the dust off the Godly Abyss. "Come on!"

The Thunder Ape plunged its hands into the earth, and countless stone fragments levitated, swirling around its wrists. It adjusted its stance, then lunged with explosive force. Unlike the violent, restless attacks before, this movement was purely about speed—a speed devoid of sound.

There was only the *zapping* sound of flowing electricity.

It was magnetism! The true ability of the Earth-Light Thunder Ape. By using magnetism to continuously accelerate, it pushed its physical limits to the absolute breaking point. The ape held nothing back. As it swung its massive arms, the full might of a Tier 3 monster was finally unveiled.

If the Sickle-Insect, with its ability to traverse dimensions, represented trickery, then the Earth-Light Thunder Ape was the perfect fusion of raw power and speed.

Accelerate, accelerate, accelerate!

The Thunder Ape’s figure gradually transformed into rings of golden light. Imagine the effect of a ten-meter-tall giant moving at such velocity: all the air in the center was sucked away. Michen felt suffocated. The violent wind threatened to tear his body apart, while all the surrounding air, magical power, and magnetic force converged into a single point—the ape’s arm. The terrifying electricity even swirled into the dark clouds above.

Finally, the wind ceased. A bolt of lightning shot toward the sky.

"It's time!" Michen’s gaze sharpened.

He stared straight ahead. The Thunder Ape, enveloped in lightning, charged toward him at a speed the human eye could barely track. It was a speed that surpassed human reaction time.

*Thunder God Fist!*

This punch contained the power of a mountain collapse and a tidal wave, the flickering lightning concentrated into an instantaneous burst. As the shockwave of the punch arrived, the magnetic force rising from the ground locked Michen firmly in place.

However, Michen had no intention of dodging. Since they were both going all out, why not risk everything? When it came to madness, Michen was even worse.

*Holy Blood Slaughter Blade!*

In an instant, brilliant silver light coated the blade. The Godly Abyss combined with the Holy Blood Slaughter Blade.

At the exact same moment—fist met blade!

In that instant, the entire battlefield fell silent. A blinding light engulfed everything; nothing could be seen. Finally, as the radiance faded, a massive chunk of flesh fell to the ground. Blood stained the earth a deep crimson.

"A pity. If you had been just a bit faster, the outcome might have been different."

Michen turned around. The head of the Earth-Light Thunder Ape rolled to the ground.

[Monster Hunted]
[Obtained Magic Power: 50]
[Current Magic Power: 597]
[Obtained Skill: Lightning Draw]
[Effect: Infuse lightning into the blade and draw it in an instant to slaughter all enemies in the vicinity. Can be charged to increase attack range and damage.]