Ethan attacked without pause.
His sword slashed through the air again and again, each strike aimed with deadly intent. He did not give himself even a second to hesitate, because he knew that hesitation would only widen the gap between life and death. Every movement he made was driven by urgency, instinct, and the faint hope that relentless pressure might give him an opening.
Yet, despite his nonstop assault, the monster did not fall.
Instead, it continued to retreat.
Step by step, the monster moved backward, calmly evading Ethan's attacks with precise movements. It neither panicked nor lost its balance. Each dodge was controlled, deliberate, and efficient. The more Ethan attacked, the clearer it became that the monster was not merely reacting—it was calculating.
Ethan noticed this quickly.
He adjusted his strategy, pushing forward while attacking, deliberately closing the distance between them. He refused to allow the monster too much space. If the gap widened, the monster would have more room to unleash its strength, and Ethan would be crushed without mercy.
Still, even as he pressed forward, an unsettling feeling gnawed at his heart.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
This feeling was not born out of fear alone. It was a mixture of instinct, observation, and logic. Ethan had faced monsters before. He had fought beasts driven purely by instinct, rage, and hunger. He had also fought stronger creatures that relied on brute force rather than strategy.
But this monster was different.
It had already lost its tail.
Logically speaking, that alone should have pushed it into a berserk state.
Any living creature that lost a limb—especially one as important as a tail—should have been overwhelmed by pain. Rage should have clouded its mind. Its attacks should have become wild, desperate, and uncontrollable.
Yet this monster did none of that.
It did not scream in fury.
It did not charge recklessly.
It did not even counterattack.
Instead, it retreated calmly, dodging every attack with an eerie level of composure. Its blood-red eyes were devoid of madness. There was no hint of rage burning within them.
Only cold rationality.
It was thinking.
It was observing Ethan just as much as Ethan was observing it.
That realization sent a chill through Ethan's spine.
"This thing… is dangerous," Ethan thought grimly.
This was not a beast acting on instinct. This was a true opponent—one that understood combat, timing, and patience.
For the first time since entering the Soul God's palace, Ethan felt something close to genuine dread.
He knew he could not allow this battle to drag on.
If the monster was deliberately waiting for an opening, then prolonging the fight would only increase the risk of him making a fatal mistake.
At that moment, Ethan made a decisive choice.
"System!" he shouted inwardly, his tone firm and urgent. "The cost doesn't matter. Even if I don't have enough currency, I will purchase everything on credit. I want Strength Restoration Potions, Stamina Restoration Potions, Agility Restoration Potions, Health Restoration Potions, and Speed Restoration Potions."
He paused for only a fraction of a second before adding, "Each type—one hundred bottles. Do it immediately."
There was no hesitation in his command.
No doubt.
No regret.
[Command Accepted]
[Purchase under process]
[Process completed]
[100 bottles of Strength Restoration Potions acquired]
[100 bottles of Stamina Restoration Potions acquired]
[100 bottles of Agility Restoration Potions acquired]
[100 bottles of Health Restoration Potions acquired]
[100 bottles of Speed Restoration Potions acquired]
[Total Cost: 700,000 System Currency]
[User does not have sufficient System Currency]
[Adding the cost to credit]
…
The System's notifications appeared one after another, flooding Ethan's vision.
But Ethan barely glanced at them.
At this stage, numbers held no meaning.
Debt meant nothing.
Currency meant nothing.
As long as he was alive, everything else could be dealt with later.
His survival was the only priority.
However, what Ethan did not expect was the monster's perception.
The monster noticed the subtle shift in Ethan's focus—the brief moment when his attention flickered away from the battle. To an ordinary opponent, such a moment would have been insignificant.
To this monster, it was everything.
In the very instant Ethan completed his purchase, the monster stopped retreating.
Its feet dug into the ground.
Its posture changed.
The calm defence was gone.
And then—
It attacked.
Ethan's pupils shrank.
The sudden shift caught him off guard.
His body reacted instinctively, abandoning offence and shifting entirely into defence. His sword moved to block, his stance tightened, and his muscles tensed.
In that single moment, the momentum of the battle reversed completely.
Earlier, Ethan had been the one attacking relentlessly while the monster defended.
Now, the roles were switched.
The monster surged forward, its fists striking like falling meteors. Each punch carried terrifying power, enough to shatter stone and crush bones. Ethan barely managed to keep up, blocking and dodging as best as he could.
If any other cultivator at the Elementary Stage were in his place, they would have already been dead.
Crushed.
Obliterated.
But Ethan was not ordinary.
His physical body had been enhanced repeatedly by the System. His Strength, Speed, Endurance, and Agility were far beyond what an Elementary Stage cultivator should possess.
Even so, he was struggling.
Each block numbed his arms.
Each dodge strained his muscles.
The pressure mounted relentlessly.
And then—
The monster's fist slipped past his defence.
Bang!
The punch landed squarely on Ethan's chest.
The impact was devastating.
For a brief moment, Ethan felt as though his chest was about to tear apart. His ribs screamed in protest, and his lungs struggled to draw breath.
If not for his enhanced Strength Attribute, his chest would have collapsed completely.
Even so, the damage was severe.
A System notification appeared before his eyes.
HP: -40
Ethan's mind reeled.
He had started with 150 HP.
The previous attacks had already drained 100 HP.
Now, another 40 HP was gone.
That left him with only 10 HP remaining.
Ten.
One more solid hit, and he would die.
Without a second thought, Ethan acted.
He reached into his inventory and pulled out three Health Restoration Potions, gulping them down in rapid succession.
[User consumed an Instant Health Restoration Potion]
[HP: +30]
…
[User consumed an Instant Health Restoration Potion]
[HP: +30]
…
[User consumed an Instant Health Restoration Potion]
[HP: +30]
…
His HP climbed rapidly.
From 10…
To 40…
To 70…
To 100.
Yet, even at 100 HP, Ethan did not feel safe.
He remembered vividly how the monster's tail had once caused nearly 100 HP worth of damage in a single casual strike.
Without hesitation, he swallowed two more Health Restoration Potions.
His HP surged back to its maximum.
HP: 150/150
Only then did Ethan feel slightly reassured.
He wanted to consume potions to restore his Stamina, Strength, Speed, and Agility as well.
But he didn't get the chance.
The monster moved again.
Ethan's attention snapped back instantly. Despite drinking potions, he had never stopped watching the monster. Nearly ninety percent of his focus had remained locked on his opponent, while only a small portion was devoted to restoring himself.
He tightened his grip on the sword and stood firm.
The monster lunged forward, throwing another punch.
This time, Ethan did not retreat.
He attacked.
With all his remaining strength, Ethan swung his sword, the blade flashing through the air and colliding with the monster's body.
The monster's physique was terrifyingly tough.
The blade pierced its flesh, but only shallowly. The damage was minor—far from fatal.
Still, it hurt.
The monster flinched.
Just for a moment.
And that moment was enough.
Ethan had learned something crucial through his previous battles.
Even the smallest opening could decide life and death.
He clenched his right fist, channelling all of his Strength Attribute into it. His Speed Attribute surged as he launched himself forward.
He punched.
The blow landed squarely on the monster's chest—right where its heart was located.
BOOM!
The impact was explosive.
The monster was sent flying backwards, its massive body crashing heavily into the ground. Blood spilt from its mouth as it struggled to rise.
The damage was real.
Severe.
Ethan breathed heavily, his entire body trembling.
He knew better than to relax.
This fall would only be temporary.
If he were in peak condition, he might have pressed the advantage and finished the monster right then and there.
But he wasn't.
His injuries were serious.
His muscles screamed.
His breathing was ragged.
Moving even a step felt difficult.
At that moment, a realization surfaced in his mind.
"It's time…"
He narrowed his eyes.
"…to test the technique Mother Nature gave me."
When he received Mother Nature's Blessing, it had not come alone. Along with it, he had received several rewards—one of which was Nature's Punch.
He had always wanted to test it.
But he never found a suitable opponent.
Until now.
This monster was strong.
Extremely strong.
Strong enough to serve as the perfect test subject.
Ethan recalled the method of using Nature's Punch, steadying his breathing as he prepared.
Meanwhile, the monster began to rise.
It wiped the blood from its mouth, its expression no longer calm.
Ethan could see it clearly now.
The monster was furious.
It had finally been wounded seriously by an Elementary Stage cultivator.
That humiliation burned deeply.
"GRRAAAWWWWHHHH!!!"
A deafening roar erupted from the monster's throat, shaking the surrounding area. The roar was filled with pure rage and killing intent.
It was a Physique Strengthening Stage expert.
And it had been pushed this far by an ant.
That was unacceptable.
With a thunderous step, the monster charged at Ethan, abandoning all restraint.
Its next attack would be nothing short of lethal.
And Ethan knew it.
This was it.
A true battle.
A battle against a genuinely strong opponent.
For the first time, Ethan felt that familiar surge in his blood.
Excitement.
Tension.
And an unshakable resolve.
This fight would decide everything.