Soul of Blades - Chapter 15: Apex Predator (Patreon)

Stood there, in front of the portal, were the last two survivors: the Wolf clan alpha and the Titanape leader.

Both looked as if they were hanging on by a thread, their once intimidating figures now reduced to wounded husks. But they were alive. And they were blocking his path.

Their bodies, both a mass of bruises and wounds, were only holding on by the sheer force of will and, perhaps, the remnants of their pride. The Titanape was missing an arm, riddled with cuts and burns, and the wolf Alpha seemed aged, emaciated.

The ground beneath them was scarred from their battle, and their lifeblood stained the terrain, all signs of their ferocious struggle with the juvenile phoenix.

With a thud that shook the ground, the Titanape drove his massive fist into the Wolf alpha, and with a retaliatory growl, the wolfman's claws raked across the ape's thick hide. The two primal leaders were locked in a deadly dance of survival, too consumed by their combat to notice Alex's approach.

"Guess we aren't done yet," Alex muttered to himself,

He looked down at the broken blade of his sword, contemplating.

The echoes of the Phoenix battle in his vision resonated within him, instilling him with newfound determination. He might not have possessed the celestial prowess he witnessed, but he could try to apply the lessons learned.

He began to draw from the connection to the greater truth infusing his being, attuning himself to the Dao around him. A subtle, warming sensation flowed through him, an energy akin to the life force he saw in Phoenix’s dance. His eyes narrowed, focusing on the duelling titans, sizing them up.

He took a step forward, then another.

As Alex neared the giants, the hum of his Dao grew stronger, more focused. He could almost see it, a shifting veil around him. It didn't make him stronger or faster, but it gave him an unexplainable feeling of purpose and clarity. It was not power, he realized, it was understanding.

He tried to move as the Phoenix did, reaching for the impermanence and fluidity he saw in its dance. Moving in a rhythmic pattern, his footsteps followed an unheard melody that only he could sense.

An errant swipe from the Titanape sent a shockwave his way. Instinctively, he moved with the energy, not against it, redirecting himself and continuing his dance. He wasn't there yet, but he could feel it, the potential within him, the promise of what he could become.

As he moved, he found himself increasingly in tune with his surroundings. He felt the life forces of the Alpha and Titanape, the vibrations of their battle, the energy of the land, even the faint echo of the Phoenix. His awareness extended out, blending with the world around him.

The beginnings of a soft, painful pounding began to ring in his mind, but he ignored it. He couldn't give in to pain, or distractions. Not now.

He closed his eyes and for a moment, he could almost feel it. The web of life, impermanence and changing nature of everything, and he was in the center, feeling both small and immense at the same time.

The pounding in his skull grew stronger, but he pushed through regardless.

The battle before him slowed, not in reality, but in his perception. Each move of the alpha and titanape, every flicker of their energy became a piece of the dance he was learning to master. He didn't seek to control it, but to understand it, to become one with it.

The howl of the Alpha shattered his meditation, and the sharp return to reality nearly took him off his feet. He opened his eyes to the sight of the two giants, locked in a fierce grip. Their struggle had come to a standstill, each waiting for the other to make a fatal mistake.

With a deep, steadying breath, Alex stepped forward. His dance was not yet complete, and he could feel the rhythm of his Dao calling him back to the fray. He no longer had just a sword, but he had something else, something just as sharp and unyielding.

He had his will.

Phoenix leap.

Gyaku Yokomen Uchi… Reverse Horizontal Slash.

Alex's sword cut through the air, swift and precise. The first slash sliced through both monstrous opponents simultaneously, cleaving them apart. Without missing a beat, he reversed the direction of his blade, executing a swift and unexpected second strike, carving a path in the opposite direction, and further rending their weakened bodies.

Weakened and injured, they were defenceless. Their bodies lay in fragmented pieces, shattered remnants of their former strength strewn before the portal.

Alex felt a wave of remorse wash over him as he looked upon the broken bodies of the weakened alphas. Their frail condition made him wonder about their true strength, having somehow survived the brief passing of the Phoenix, even in its juvenile form as a 'world spirit.' How powerful were they really? The question lingered, unanswered, filling the atmosphere with an unspoken heaviness, mixing with his own sense of regret.

[You defeated level 86 Apex Canid Alpha - additional experience points due to the level difference]

[You defeated level 79 Titanape Troop Alpha - additional experience points due to the level difference]

[Floor Quests: Wild Warrior, The Champion, Floor Destroyer, Completed - Floor cleared]

Reward: survivor feat, warrior feat, champion feat, Unique Skill Creation - Unknown grade]

[System Message: Level 23 > Level 27]

[45 unassigned stats - Speak or think ‘Status’ to allocate pending stats]

[2 Classed level stat boosts available]

[Class selection available]