Since retreat was no longer an option, Zenkichi could only face his opponent head-on. There was no thought of sitting still and waiting for death. His instinct screamed the answer he already knew—attack was the best defense, and that was what he excelled at.
The Wolf God's massive hands sealed off the area, cutting away the flow of mana. Within this confined space, Zenkichi could not draw upon his energy at all.
This, too, was normal. Were it not for the restriction of this strange field, he would have already escaped in the space of a few breaths. Instead, he was forced into this clash.
So, if he could not rely on mana, then he would shatter the deadlock with raw strength.
His physical body was monstrous in its own right, a vessel honed to the very extreme. At its peak, his body carried a force that even surpassed the greatest of magical powers.
Legends whispered through history spoke of this truth: the mightiest of warriors were not those who wielded spells, but those who mastered the body itself. While many dismissed it as myth, the legend had survived for a reason. It was proof of the terror a body could wield when pushed beyond all limits.
Drawing upon a secret technique, Zenkichi's muscles tensed and swelled, multiplying his power fivefold. His veins burned with vitality, and his fists clenched with unstoppable determination.
His sixth sense warned him that the Wolf God's strike was dangerous—an attack that could obliterate him entirely if he faltered. But fear had no place within him.
"I've stood invincible for so long," Zenkichi thought, his eyes unwavering, "that I've almost forgotten what it means to stand on the edge of death. The system may have given me my abilities, but my battle-honed instincts are mine alone. Experience is forged in combat, and I'll sharpen mine here!"
He launched forward.
"Hahaha!"
The Wolf God's laughter shook the battlefield. To see his opponent respond to such overwhelming power with an attack instead of defense filled him with savage delight.
"So he chooses to clash with me head-on!" the Wolf God roared, excitement brimming in his voice. "Then he's seeking his own death!"
If Zenkichi had chosen defense, the Wolf God would not be certain of victory. After all, everything Zenkichi had displayed so far had proven him to be an extraordinary warrior, perhaps even one who might possess an unbreakable defense.
But now? Now Zenkichi had abandoned defense entirely, opting to challenge with brute force. To the Wolf God, this meant only one thing—victory was assured.
A ninety-percent chance of death hovered over Zenkichi's choice, and at their level of battle, ninety percent was no different from absolute certainty.
The Wolf God's aura swelled with bloodlust as he committed everything to the strike. "This time, you will die without question!"
"BOOM!"
The clash came like a thunderclap. Their fists met in mid-air, and the shockwave spread out like ripples across the sky, as though a massive stone had been dropped into the ocean of reality itself. The trembling space bore witness to the overwhelming strength of the collision.
This was no ordinary impact. This was power that forced the world itself to shudder.
The very realm they battled in, once ordinary, now trembled under the pressure. Long ago, it had been touched by the blessing of an Ancient One—an existence older than legends, one who had shaped countless worlds. That blessing had turned this realm into something extraordinary, able to withstand cataclysmic battles such as this.
Even so, the sky cracked.
"Die!"
The Wolf God bellowed as he seized Zenkichi's arms in a crushing grip. Between his brows, light burst forth once more, a concentrated beam of destructive energy aimed directly at Zenkichi's heart and head. The energy howled like a storm, ravenous in its hunger to erase life itself.
But Zenkichi did not flinch. His body strained against the Wolf God's grip, his muscles bulging with power, his eyes blazing with unshakable will.
If the Wolf God thought that raw force alone could crush him, then he was gravely mistaken.