Chapter 167:

Chapter 167:

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[David Lance POV]

[Day 3.]

I was in the middle of my morning run around the fucking planet, trying to keep up with Wioska, when I saw a blur flash by me. It was so fast that I couldn't even tell what it was, but I knew that it wasn't something human, not even remotely.

I turned to look at where it had come from, and I saw a large figure standing on top of a hill, looking down at me.

Whoever or whatever this individual was, it looked like some sort of anthropomorphic rhinoceros.

Instinctively, my ring started to glow as I readied myself for battle, but I stopped myself when I saw Wioska looking at me.

"Are you really so weak that you need the ring to defeat that insect?" Wioska asked, her voice dripping with disdain.

I grit my teeth in frustration. I was honestly getting tired of her constantly putting me down.

"I've seen Kalibak best insects like this with a single hand," Wioska said, walking past me.

I guess I will have to beat McHorn with my bare hands.

"So you are the one I have to crush under my hooves," The Rhino said in a voice that sounded like two rocks grinding against each other. "Good, I've been waiting for you. Rejoice in the fact you will be The Great Bakaara's one-thousandth kill!"

If his way of talking is anything to go by, this guy is a brawler. And a fault of all brawlers is that they rely heavily on their physical might, their whole style revolving around overpowering their enemy.

Taking that into account and the fact that everything with Wioska so far has been extremely difficult, I think it is safe to assume this beast is stronger than me.

"Perhaps I can still make a warrior out of you," Wioska said, looking at me with a small smile.

I gulped down large breaths of air as I tried to catch my breath, my throat burning. I had managed to push him back, I had done no apparent damage, but I had pushed him back.

I clenched my fists with newfound determination, realizing the fist I had used to attack Bakaara felt fine.

I had fully expected to break my hand after that strike. After all, I had broken a knuckle with the first hit, but somehow, my fist was completely fine, a bit sore perhaps, but fine.

"YESSS!" Bakaara roared to the skies before cracking his neck as he got back into his fighting stance. "The Great Bakaara is pleased to see you still have some fight in you! Good! Excellent! An easy fight brings no glory, no honor, no satisfaction!"

I got into my fighting stance as well, bracing myself for our battle to restart. No matter the cost, I would win.

"Replicate the feeling you had with that last punch, and you might just defeat this insect," Wioska said, her voice laced with a hint of amusement as she looked at Bakaara. "Your power remains the same, yet what changed during that last attack? Ask yourself that."

What changed, indeed?

I had been close to biting the dust for a moment there.

Hysterical strength, perhaps?

It could be, I mean, hysterical strength is a display of extreme physical strength some creatures show, giving results beyond what is believed to be normal, an evolutionary method of self-preservation that normally occurs when people perceive themselves to be in life-and-death situations.

This extra strength is commonly attributed to increased adrenaline production in the body.

That would fit what happened right now.

Bakaara had pushed me into a corner, and my body had reacted out of self-preservation.

However, as much as this fit what had happened, my state of being right now showed no signs of a massive increase in adrenaline, meaning that whatever I had done to muster more strength wasn't a result of a boost thanks to hysterical strength.

I guess I will have to find out what exactly was that I did differently that time.

Trial and error. But with the risk of losing my life, how charming.