Chapter 47: An Even More Terrifying Presence (Part 2)

The source of Kong’s power was his rage. He existed in a state of perpetual fury, and now, after being beaten by an opponent clearly much weaker than himself and forced into such a humiliating posture, he was practically fuming with anger. His piercing roar sent the dust swirling in the air, but what drove him even madder was that the human who had ambushed him was already sprinting away at full speed without so much as a backward glance.

Kong felt deeply provoked and, not forgetting to pound his chest in frustration, took off in giant strides to chase after Lekai.

Every move Lekai made was precisely calculated. Just as his true energy was about to run out, he retreated without hesitation. If his opponent pursued relentlessly, he would risk everything to use his last reserve of energy for a proper “One-Step Return” technique; if his opponent wasn’t fast enough, he would simply flee using ordinary footwork.

While speed was not Kong’s forte, his massive frame gave his running a thunderous, earth-shaking force. As he ran, he bellowed, keeping pace with Lekai.

They raced all the way to the foot of the mountain, where Kong finally stopped, letting out a few unwilling roars as a warning before turning back.

Lekai watched Kong leave, his brows furrowing slightly. These exotic beasts were all wild and domineering, yet he sensed some kind of restriction holding them back, preventing them from crossing a certain line. Could there be something else within the volcano?

Choosing a safe spot, Lekai sat down to meditate and recover once more.

He had grown fond of the process of draining and replenishing his true energy. Every time he exhausted his reserve and then regained it, he could clearly sense a transformation—not just in the amount but also in the quality, which seemed to be improving with each cycle.

Through repeated use, he was becoming more and more familiar with the properties and subtleties of true energy.

Lekai’s talent for combat had always been praised by his teachers. To draw inferences from one instance is to be a genius; to move mountains from a single example is to be a true prodigy in battle.

Through constant practice, Lekai was gradually uncovering ways to achieve the best results with the least expenditure of energy. It was something he had done since he was a child, and with his special abilities aiding him, it seemed only natural. Even other prodigies, with the guidance of their elders, could never hope to reach Lekai’s current pace.

Lekai not only enjoyed the thrill of battle and the almost computer-like feeling of strategizing in real time but also relished analyzing and summarizing his experiences afterward. This was one of the true reasons for his rapid improvement.

Only by learning from failure and accumulating experience in the heat of battle could he continually refine and perfect himself, thus making constant progress.

Lekai had never cared about honor or disgrace. Since childhood, he had lived for one purpose—survival and strength.

Although his special ability gave him keen analytical skills, Lekai never relied solely on it. Post-battle analysis of the whole situation was key. Every fight was like a game of strategy—positioning, momentum, environment, strategy, mid-battle adaptation—every aspect was full of unpredictability.

Lekai termed this detailed analysis “Strategic Combat.”

At present, he had no idea that this budding art of “Strategic Combat” would one day shine brilliantly in the future.

Now, Lekai was immersed in a peculiar thought.

The “One-Step Return” technique currently had a range of one hundred meters. Within that range, his mind could perfectly mark nine points—like setting a chessboard, with himself moving freely across it as long as he had enough energy to sustain the movement. His “Strategic Combat” was also akin to treating a fight as a chess match, enacting a perfect battle within the board’s confines.

What if he used the range of the “One-Step Return” as his chessboard?

Lekai’s heart leapt with excitement, a sudden clarity dawning upon him.

He had always been using these two skills, consciously or not, and they had naturally begun to merge, but he had never thought to fully integrate them into one.

In that case, if he could duel an opponent within a chessboard where he controlled every variable, wouldn’t he be virtually undefeatable?

The thought thrilled him, and Lekai couldn’t help but let out a long howl.

In his mind, he began to simulate a “chessboard,” using his mental perception as the battle arena and setting every possible variable within it.

Three hours later, Lekai appeared at the foot of the volcano, wearing a broad grin. He whistled provocatively at Kong, who sat cross-legged halfway up the mountain.

In the next instant, Kong, as if ignited by a spark, leapt from midair, launching into a new round of explosive fury.

Kong was extremely vengeful. Having been toyed with by Lekai earlier, his rage had almost given him internal injuries from lack of release. Now, seeing his enemy, he was blinded by fury and immediately charged at Lekai.

“While battle demands great strength and courage, wisdom should never be underestimated. Controlling the field and mastering the tempo—that is the true path to victory,” Lekai mused with a confident smile. The situation before him was nearly identical to his mental rehearsal. Based on Kong’s temperament and instinctual patterns, he had perfectly predicted his opponent’s next move.

The outcome delighted Lekai—Kong was acting precisely as if following his direction. First, blinded by rage, he charged in recklessly, losing all composure and making repeated errors, which gave Lekai excellent opportunities for counterattack.

Facing Kong’s frenzied onslaught, Lekai chose to avoid direct confrontation, waiting for his opponent’s energy to run out—then it would be his time to strike.

Using the “One-Step Return” repeatedly, he narrowly dodged Kong’s lethal attacks. Although it wasn’t entirely effortless, truly life-threatening moments were few.

Yet for all his calculations, Lekai still underestimated Kong’s endurance. Not only was his fighting power astonishing, his stamina was equally extraordinary. This relentless assault would have exhausted any human long ago, but Kong showed no sign of fatigue; if anything, he grew fiercer with each passing moment. This frustrated Lekai greatly.

His own reserves of true energy were extremely limited, and even using it sparingly, he could not maintain it for long.

“You’re a tough one, I’ll give you that. Thanks for helping me practice my footwork. I’ll come back for you later!” Lekai laughed heartily, activated the “One-Step Return” once more, and vanished in an instant.

Kong, with nowhere to vent his anger, roared furiously and gave chase, but only as far as the boundary. There, he wreaked havoc on his surroundings before returning to the volcano.

Kong did not pursue further; Lekai stayed just outside the “safe zone,” taunting him repeatedly. Kong made several attempts to advance, but for some reason, always retreated in frustration.

This only deepened Lekai’s suspicion. Earlier, he had seen Kong appear to be listening intently and then roaring, as if in mysterious communication with someone. Could it be that Kong actually had a master?