Chapter 43 - 42

Taking advantage of the shocked Banobo, I bit the monster’s right leg in a flash. And as I intended, the Banobo’s bone broke from that attack and the monster easily lost its balance. Though of course, I didn’t let go of the monster’s leg, and instead I forcefully pulled it in the opposite direction. As a result, the monster wasn’t able to soften its fall and it crashed heavily into the ground.

Probably because the whole area was made out of wood, a loud bang reverberated when the monster fell at such speed. But despite pathetically tumbling face-first in the ground, the Banobo still immediately tried to get up with gritted teeth. Though naturally, I wasn’t about to let the monster recover so easily just like that.

Without wasting any second, I immediately leaped above the defenseless Banobo. My goal was simple; it was to immediately end the match by breaking the monster’s neck. But before I managed to sink my fangs into the monster’s neck, the Banobo managed to force its arm into my mouth. But as a result of that choice, the Banobo’s arm was broken.

Seeing that, I internally cursed because of the wasted opportunity. 'Lucky bastard!!' But upon realizing that the situation also provided another opportunity, I instantly took action and attempted to rip the flesh on Banobo’s arm.

It was then that heightened senses started tingling. Recognizing that it was a warning from an incoming attack, I hastily let go of the monster’s arm and bent my body backward. And as if confirming my prediction, the Banobo’s other arm brushed past my nose with a terrifying speed

'Yikes! That was close!!'

In hindsight, it looked like the Banobo had made full use of that opportunity to land a critical blow on my head. Fortunately, my senses had become a lot sharper than before probably as another result of the synchronization of my mind and body. On top of that, it was further enhanced by skills so as long as it wasn’t too fast, I could probably evade any attack.

Then, after dodging the Banobo’s punch, I once again bared my fangs towards the monster. Unfortunately, before I managed to injure the monster even further, the Banobo kicked away. As a result, I flew away backward and the Banobo used that chance to stand back up. Though because the Banobo’s leg was broken, the monster was only standing on its shaky legs.

Looking at the bloody monster, I could easily tell that the Banobo was just barely hanging on. But despite all its injuries, some fighting spirit was still burning in the monster’s eyes. Clearly, the Banobo still hasn’t given up. The way I saw it, this battle wouldn’t end unless one of us died. Even more so because the apers around us weren't showing any intent to stop this battle.

'Fine, let's end this!!'

In the middle of that storm of attacks, I leaped, slid, and dodged every single attack that had come my way. And probably because of newly sharpened senses, I easily figured out the timing of the monster’s attack. Furthermore, it also seemed like the Banobo was getting weaker each time it swung its arms. Most likely, it was the effect of losing too much blood while also forcing its injured body. Though of course, even though I fully respect the monster’s action, I wasn’t about to hold back just because of that.

In order to find the best opening to strike, I focused all my senses on the incoming attack. Then, just before the Banobo’s fist hit my face, I leaped above the monster’s arm. And with precise movements, I used that very same arm as a foothold to dash towards the Banobo’s head.

Probably fl.u.s.tered by my sudden movements, the Banobo tried to block me using its injured arm. Honestly, it was a pretty fast reaction. Especially because in just a mere instant, the Banobo managed to actually manage to cover both its neck and face. Unfortunately, I had already anticipated that reaction. And so, instead of sinking my fangs into its already injured arm, I just simply swiped my claw towards the monster’s left eye.

Blood gushed out of the monster’s eye. And as my feet landed on the ground, the Banobo let out a cry full of pain. But without paying heed to its cry, I proceeded to dash towards the Banobo’s back.

As a result, the combination of my momentum and weight, the Banobo fell face down on the ground. And probably recognizing the danger it was in, the monster desperately trashed its body around. Unfortunately, it was already too late.

Fully determined to end the Banobo’s suffering in an instant, I bared my fangs towards the monster’s nape. But right as I was about to sink my fangs in the Banobo’s neck, a wave of suffocating blood l.u.s.t assaulted me. Then, at that same moment, all my instinct and detection skills warned me of incoming danger.

Shocked by the sudden intervention, I instinctively leaped out from Banobo’s back. But at the same moment that I broke away from the Banobo, the intense and suffocating killing intent vanished into thin air. It was as if it wasn’t even there to begin with, as if it was all just a lie.

Filled with a sense of urgency, I looked around to find the source. But then, it didn’t take too long for me to figure out the culprit. After all, the moment our eyes met, the culprit just simply flashed a smug smile. And of course, the culprit in question was without a doubt the Gigarillon.

While its eyes were fixed on me, the Gigarillon made a gesture towards the Pronobo. Then probably following the command of its king, the Pronobo picked the defeated Banobo up and went somewhere. Following that, the Tronobo cautiously moved towards me.

'Looks like it's finished.' I concluded instantly.

And just like what I had expected, the Tronobo picked me up and brought me in front of the Gigarillon. But because I was too exhausted and was already nearing my limit, I didn’t dare to resist nor attack the still smiling Gigarillon. After all, I could clearly tell that the Gigarillon had no further intention to bring me harm. More than that, based on its actions, I could easily guess why the Gigarillon intervened in the fight.

'You really cared for your subjects huh?'

Most likely, the Gigarillon stopped the fight to save the life of that Banobo. And probably, this Gigarillon must have never intended to let the Banobo die in the first place. Though honestly, I think that was only fair given the fact that the Banobo only intended to make me obey his command. Well, at the last part of the battle, it seemed like the Banobo had forgotten his original purpose, probably out of desperation to survive. But of course, I knew for a fact that I was partly to blame for that.

'But seriously, it is wrong with this monster?'

To be perfectly honest, it was weird that the monster was acting like a benevolent ruler like this. I mean, I get it that this Gigarillon was strangely intelligent for a monster, but even then, a monster should still be a monster at its core. Meaning that no matter how intelligent he might be, the value of "survival of the fittest" should be still ingrained deep within its instinct. And normally, for a monster that had lived its life like that, there was no way that it would show some mercy and sympathy towards someone weak. That was why no matter how I looked at it, the Gigarillon’s decision to save Banobo was without a doubt strange. Because ironically, this Gigarillon’s behavior was more of a human than that of a monster.

'And despite behaving like this, it is still capable of releasing a terrifying blood l.u.s.t like that.'

Of course, given how strong this Gigarillon was, it was only normal that the monster could exert a killing intent like that. After all, there was no way that anyone could reach that level of power without going through some deadly and bloody battles. And at least in my memories from the other world, that fact was also true even for humans. But unlike the other monsters that I fought, what I felt earlier wasn’t the feral bloodl.u.s.t of a beast, instead, it was sharp and precise just like a spear. In simple terms, that was the same bloodl.u.s.t that I felt from the battle-hardened humans I fought back in the other world. And from what I could tell, this Gigarillon was also capable of controlling that just like me and those battle-hardened humans I knew.

Then, as if the monster had read my mind, the Gigarillon directed its killing intent towards me. But being that this time I knew it was coming from the monster, I simply answered back using my own bloodl.u.s.t. Probably feeling that, the Tronobo tried to subdue only to be stopped by the Gigarillon himself.

For a full minute, the Gigarillon and I made a standoff. But for some reason, after showing a satisfied smile, the Gigarillon backed down. As for me, of course, I wasn’t foolish enough to continue with it given that I was also exhausted. After that, the Gigarillon gestured towards the Banobo and I was brought back into my cell. Though for some reason, I couldn’t help but feel that I would once again meet that monster on the very next day.