『What……is that!?』
The roar of the Great Ape shattered the ice that covered the ground.
To shatter ice with just the impact of its voice.
What surprised Yuma more than anything was the “streaks of light” flowing through the Great Ape’s body. It was clearly different from the Bloodstained Ore.
Thicker, shining more intensely, and above all, a unique reddish-purple light.
What’s happening to the Great Ape’s body!?
As Yuma heightened his警戒心, the Great Ape’s figure suddenly disappeared.
『Eh?』
At the same moment as his surprise—a shock ran through his face.
He didn’t understand what had happened, but he caught a glimpse of the Great Ape’s afterimage in the corner of his eye. It was moving at an unbelievable speed.
He braced his feet, supporting his body that was about to fall.
He took a stance and looked forward. A humanoid monster emitting a reddish-purple light. Steam faintly billowed from its entire body, and the Great Ape’s shoulders rose and fell.
It was clearly in an abnormal state. Was that its trump card? Probably an upgraded version of the “Bloodstained Ore” ability.
He would be at a disadvantage if he fought it head-on.
Yuma took a step back, circulating “Wind Magical Power” throughout his body. The opponent couldn’t use magic.
That should be the breakthrough. Yuma struck with a fist clad in “Wind.”
A fist that stirred up a blast, blowing everything away. However, the Great Ape charged in without hesitation.
The giants collided violently, but the match was decided in an instant.
The Great Ape countered Yuma’s straight right punch. The Iron Giant’s head bounced, and he reluctantly stepped back.
The Great Ape unleashed a series of attacks: an elbow strike, a backhand, a low kick, and then a knee strike.
Yuma was blown away, slamming his back against the rock wall.
As he stopped moving from the sheer impact, he was struck with a front kick. His body bent into a “く” shape, but the Great Ape’s attack didn’t stop.
An uppercut to the jaw followed, and a left roundhouse kick exploded on his rebounding head.
No longer able to recognize what was happening, Yuma staggered and retreated.
The relentless pursuit continued mercilessly.
A barrage of punches with both fists struck his abdomen, and Yuma helplessly fell backward.
The Great Ape leaped into the air and delivered a kick from above.
Yuma twisted his body to avoid it, but the Great Ape’s foot sank into the ground, causing massive destruction around it. It was an absurd amount of power.
Staggering, he tried to stand, but the Great Ape kicked him up.
The Iron Giant’s body soared through the air, crashing into a rock wall fifty meters away. Yuma fell to the ground and stopped moving.
Rui and Akito, who were watching the scene, were speechless and frozen.
“What…what is that monster! It’s too strong!!”
Next to Akito, who was panicking, Rui also grimaced.
“For Yuma in his giant form to be unilaterally beaten…that monster, could it be stronger than the Yellow King?”
Rui and the others, swallowing hard, stared at Yuma, who was collapsed, twitching and trying to get up.
However, the Great Ape stomped on Yuma’s head. Cracks ran across the ground, but the Great Ape didn’t care and stomped repeatedly.
Finally, it grabbed Yuma by the scruff of his neck and threw him away with all its might.
Yuma, hitting the rock wall, slid down to the ground. The giant slumped, sitting on his rear.
Yuma sat there, quietly pondering.
–It’s so strong…I can’t even put up a fight.
Neither close combat nor magical attacks worked. The remaining attack methods are…
The Great Ape slowly walked over. Just as it stood in front of him and tried to grab his head, Yuma’s eyes gleamed.
“Spikes” like sea urchins extended from his entire body. There were hundreds of them, and they would surely pierce the opponent’s body if they hit.
It was Yuma’s signature attack, but the Great Ape leaped back at the last moment, avoiding the attack.
『Not yet!!』
Liquid Metal crawled across the ground, stretching out like a shadow. When it reached directly under the Great Ape, “Spikes” burst out from the shadow all at once.
Nearly a thousand of them. This time, he thought he had killed it—but at that moment, the Great Ape leaped high into the air, avoiding this as well.
『Damn…it, it didn’t work…』
Yuma grimaced and clicked his tongue. The opponent’s reaction speed was faster than he had expected.
Yuma staggered to his feet, glaring at the Great Ape. Normal strikes, magical attacks, attacks with spikes. None of them worked.
That meant there was no way to defeat the Great Ape. Overwhelming combat ability. Yuma had no choice but to admit it. This Great Ape was stronger than him.
As Yuma took a stance, the Great Ape’s body swayed.
Its movement speed was too fast to follow with the eye. The Great Ape created afterimages, raising its fist and attacking. Yuma braced himself, but it was useless against the other-dimensional onslaught.
His arms were deflected, and a powerful fist was slammed into his face. From there, it was one-sided. Hundreds of fists hammered into his face, chest, abdomen, and arms.
Yuma could only endure the storm-like violence.
This was a higher species of Varlin. A monster that could be called the “Ape King.”
Above all, the “Superpower” that far surpassed the “Bloodstained Ore” overwhelmed and crushed everything.
It was an abnormal power that could be called the “Royal Bloodline.”
Yuma was slammed against the rock wall and continued to be pummeled by the Great Ape’s rush. The impact cracked the rock wall, and the ground split. Even the ceiling crumbled.
The power that seemed to be collapsing the Dungeon made not only Yuma but also Rui and Akito pale.
◇◇◇
“That figure…”
What Akito was staring at was the back of the Great Ape, beating down Yuma.
The muscles on its back bulged, looking like the face of an “Oni.” Streaks of light ran across that face, making it look even more ominous.
Rui and Akito stood still, unable to move forward.
If they got caught up in the battle, they would surely die. Even if they attacked from a distance, they didn’t think they could hit that Great Ape.
Rui tightened his grip on the Katana.
–To be unable to do anything… If only I could draw the monster’s attention, even for a moment.
Just as Rui was about to move, Akito raised his hand and stopped him, saying, “Wait!”
“Akito! But, if we leave it like this…”
“I know! But recklessly going out there will only get us killed. That monster is not something we can handle!”
At Akito’s words, Rui bit his lip and took a step back.
Indeed, going to help would only result in their deaths. Rui felt an indescribable frustration at his own helplessness.
Akito glanced at Rui and returned his gaze to the battle.
“As far as I know, the strongest in close combat are Yuma or the Yellow King. But that Great Ape far surpasses them. The world is truly vast! To think there are such interesting monsters.”
“This is no time to be so carefree! At this rate, Yuma will be killed!”
In response to Rui, who was filled with a sense of tragedy, Akito grinned and turned his gaze.
“There’s no need to worry. Look at Yuma.”
Rui gasped and shifted his eyes to Yuma. He was being unilaterally beaten and unable to resist at all.
It should have been the worst situation—
Rui caught a glimpse of the Black Giant’s eyes and gasped.
Eyes of a beast that, far from despairing, was patiently waiting for an opportunity. For some reason, that’s how it appeared in Rui’s eyes.
“Yuma hasn’t…given up yet!”