Lord Of Beasts

The battle had become something entirely different.

What had begun as an attempt to restrain Mark had turned into a full-scale clash between three titans. Two were A Rank Titled, while the third was rapidly becoming something that ordinary human standards could no longer measure.

The remains of the compound had become their battlefield.

There was barely anything left of the massive facility that had once stood there. The Gate-farming operation, the watchtowers, and the countless warehouses had all been swallowed by fire and destruction.

Flames crawled across mountains of rubble while thick smoke twisted into the night sky. Twisted beams jutted from the wreckage, and weakened sections of the compound continued collapsing under their own weight.

Boom!

A burning wall crashed into the ruins, scattering sparks and chunks of concrete.

Kaela didn’t even look at it.

Her attention was fixed entirely on the enormous figure standing several dozen metres away.

Mark.

Or whatever the man was becoming.

His body had expanded yet again.

He was no longer simply a large man. His frame had stretched upward until he towered several times over an ordinary human, his shoulders broad enough to make the surrounding ruins seem smaller by comparison.

Yet despite his monstrous size, his basic shape remained human: two arms, two legs, a head, and a torso.

That was where the similarities ended.

Massive muscles bulged beneath his skin, packed so densely that they looked more like natural armour than flesh. A silver metallic sheen covered his shoulders, arms, chest, and legs, merging with his body instead of sitting on top of it.

The strange metal moved whenever he did, flexing with his muscles as though it were another layer of skin.

And Mark was still growing.

Kaela wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and stared upward.

"He’s still getting bigger."

Elara blinked to her side, her crimson armour still perfectly intact.

"I noticed."

Mark suddenly moved.

The enormous fist came sweeping toward them, and despite its size, the speed behind it was terrifying. Kaela’s eyes lit up, jumping out of the way. The fist passed beneath her feet, and the displaced air detonated against the ruins.

BOOM!

She twisted in midair and brought her heel down on his head.

WHAM!

Mark didn’t so much as flinch.

Kaela’s grin faded slightly.

"Okay."

She landed among the rubble, impressed.

"That should have hurt more."

Elara then appeared above Mark with crimson mana condensed around her fist.

"Move."

She drove her fist downwards, following up Kaela’s attack.

BOOOOOOM!

Mark was hammered into the ground.

The impact ripped open a crater beneath his enormous body and sent rubble flying across the battlefield.

Kaela whistled.

"Damn."

High above them, Ethan hovered with flames flickering unevenly from exhaustion. He had been pushed far beyond his limits already, yet his sights remained fixed on the exchange below.

"You two trying to give him brain damage?"

Kaela looked up.

"Why don’t you try to deal with this freak?"

Even Elara was on her side.

"Nothing we’re hitting him with is working."

They had tried subduing him to no avail, while striking him only seemed to make him stronger.

What else could they do?

Before the conversation could continue, the rubble shifted as a massive hand broke through the debris. Ethan’s expression tightened, but he was also relieved as Mark rose for what felt like the hundredth time.

Dust slid from his shoulders, and once again, the attack made him stronger.

His shoulders were broader. His arms had thickened. The metallic layer across his body had become more pronounced, and his already enormous frame had gained another fraction of height.

Kaela grinned despite facing what felt like an unbeatable foe.

"I guess he really is Big Mark now."

Ethan glanced at her.

"Aren’t you supposed to be an A Rank? Just knock him out already."

Kaela didn’t even have a chance to retort.

"Here he comes!"

She burst out of the way as Mark’s fist smashed into the rubble where she had stood.

BOOM!

Kaela reappeared behind him and drove her elbow into the back of his knee.

Crack!

His leg buckled.

Elara immediately appeared above him and drove a crimson-coated kick into his back.

BOOM!

Mark stumbled forward.

Kaela flashed in front of him and slammed her fist into his chest.

WHAM!

The giant was hurled backwards.

He crashed through the remains of a concrete wall, bringing the weakened structure down around himself.

Ethan watched from above.

"It’s still not enough."

A deep rumble came from beneath the wreckage as Mark emerged again.

His gaze settled on Kaela, whom he seemed to have decided to aim for first. Ethan remained just out of reach, and Elara had her Instant Displacement, which made the Riot Valkyrie the most feasible target.

Kaela’s smile sharpened.

"Oh, you picked the wrong one."

Mark swung.

Kaela slipped beneath the enormous fist and drove her own punch just beneath his ribs.

BAM!

Mark barely moved.

"I thought that liver shot would work."

His giant arm came straight down in response.

She raised both arms.

BOOOOOOM!

The impact sent her flying.

She tore through a pile of rubble before disappearing beneath it.

Elara’s expression tightened.

"Kaela!"

She appeared beside Mark.

Her crimson-coated fist slammed into his cheek.

BOOM!

His head snapped sideways.

Elara attacked again.

Then again.

And again.

BOOM!

WHAM!

BAM!

Every strike was controlled, not wanting to kill the giant mutated man. She was deliberately limiting her strength, aiming for joints, muscles, and pressure points instead of anything vital.

But Mark’s body was learning faster than she could damage it.

His neck had thickened, his jaw hardened, and the metallic layer had spread across his entire body.

Another strike landed, which the giant barely reacted to.

Elara froze.

"He’s like a strong B Rank now."

That was a fair estimation, one that Ethan agreed with, yet Mark’s power only seemed to be expanding.

He swung at the Blood Demon.

She vanished.

His fist missed her completely and smashed into another section of rubble instead.

Elara reappeared behind him.

Then Kaela burst from the wreckage.

"I’m back!"

She immediately charged, her purple aura flaring wildly.

"Incoming!"

Elara disappeared.

Kaela reached Mark and seized his enormous arm.

She twisted with his momentum, forcing his massive body off balance before planting her foot into the ground.

"Up you go!"

She drove a devastating kick into his centre.

Mark’s enormous body, which easily weighed over a ton, was launched into the air. He rose above the burning compound, his massive silhouette briefly blocking the sky.

Ethan burst out of the way, recognising the joint attack.

But this time, just as Mark began to fall and Elara blinked into position, Kaela barged her out of the way.

"You were too gentle last time."

The Riot Valkyrie intercepted Mark herself, interlocking her hands before slamming down with all her strength.

Mark became a blur.

BOOOOOOM!

He hit the ground so hard it caused a miniature earthquake, one even felt by Darren and others miles away.

Ethan stared.

"That’s one way to do it."

Kaela landed heavily, flexing her muscles.

"Pretty neat, right?"

Elara blinked beside her.

"Were you trying to kill him just now?"

Using her full strength on most was practically a death sentence, especially when she was in a hated battle that excited her.

Kaela pointed toward the wreckage.

"He’s fine."

A low rumble answered her.

Ethan rubbed his forehead, not exactly pleased by how fine his transformed friend was. The smoke began to clear as Mark stood once more, his giant figure impossible to miss amidst the destruction.

"This is really starting to get old."