'I guess this was it.'
Caleb thought as he brought down his Odachi towards the nape of the Apokalip. He didn't mindlessly decide to attack it. It was the result of his careful observation. He noticed that the damn bastard was always avoiding its nape from being exposed to the members.
Not to mention, it didn't escape Caleb's eyes as it tried to cover this part when Jin was about to attack it with his finger gun! What does it mean? It won't do such a thing without a reason. It was its weakness! The vulnerable part! After all, everyone or everything has its weaknesses. No one is perfect, and that's a rule. Of course, there's always an exception, but that's not the case for the Apokalip in front of him.
Such a small detail. Not anyone would notice it, but Caleb did. Sometimes, a small detail is what separates a victor from a loser. It's the difference between success and failure. In the heat of battle, where every move counts and milliseconds matter, Caleb's ability to notice and act upon small details became a crucial factor that separated him from the rest. While some might overlook these seemingly insignificant nuances, Caleb's keen eye and quick thinking allowed him to capitalize on these subtleties, ultimately determining the outcome of his fights in the past.
Just like that, the blade of Odachi infused with taboo energy went through the nape of the Apokalip, leaving a deep bloody gash. His blade then met a strong resistance, not allowing it to proceed further. Caleb just held the hilt of the Odachi buried onto the nape to avoid falling.
A high-pitched, ear-piercing screech reverberates through the air, causing discomfort and disorientation through hunting party members as the Apokalip madly wreaked havoc because of pain.
'It is its weakness.'
Caleb felt nauseous due to the intense movement as the Abomination tried to shake him off. He felt the taboo energy on his body drop to zero earlier as he infused all of it with the blade. 'Damn it. I'll be crushed to death if this continues.'
"What happened to it?" Jin glanced at the ten-meter monster thrashing wildly. Then it started to pound the area below the back of its neck as if it was trying to slap a mosquito.
Fushigiro looked at his members and pointed at Caleb, who was currently dangling atop his Odachi, the sole thing keeping him from falling.
Why is the Nape a Vital Point?
Caleb didn't know if it was a vital point for the Apokalip in front of him. However, since it had a humanoid body, it is safe to assume that it still has some similarities in terms of body structure.
Important blood vessels, including the carotid arteries, run through the neck and are relatively close to the surface near the nape. A well-placed strike in this area can disrupt blood flow to the brain, causing unconsciousness or even death if left untreated. However, since the damned bastard was still alive, it was safe to say that Caleb didn't luck out this time. The monster was resilient and had a powerful vitality to support itself, even with such injury.
'So this is the extent of the power of Tier 9 Apokalips. They can even defy biology? This is cheating!'
The spinal cord, which is an essential part of the central nervous system, runs through the vertebral column (spine). The nape is where the spinal cord connects to the brain. Any damage to this area can potentially harm the spinal cord, leading to paralysis or even death, depending on the severity of the injury.
The trachea (windpipe) and esophagus (food pipe) are located in the front of the neck, but a severe injury to the nape could indirectly affect these structures, potentially leading to difficulties in breathing or swallowing.
Caleb watched in glee as the Apokalip stared at him with bloodlust. However, its movement was a lot more sluggish than before, and it couldn't even take a proper step without getting out of balance.
Then, out of nowhere, Fushigiro Deku stepped in front of the monster, meeting it head-on. Fushigiro had his usual sunny smile as he side-stepped an incoming blow and Deku stepped again to appear on the side of the abomination with his fist emitting an illusory pressure.
"It's over," Jin concluded with a voice full of confidence.
Caleb couldn't help but raise his eyebrows at this.