Chapter 77 – King Makak battleground
Peterson blinked.
For a moment the temple disappeared.
The throne room faded into darkness and a familiar translucent screen appeared in front of him.
[System Notification]
Level increased.
New level: 12
Stat points available: 20
Midnight King resonance: 38%
Peterson stared at the screen.
"So I leveled up…?"
The numbers glowed faintly.
His mind raced quickly through everything that happened in the forest.
The gorilla fights.
The path through the jungle.
The statue.
The temple.
"Right…"
He exhaled slowly.
"So that's why my body felt stronger."
Another panel appeared.
[Allocate Stat Points?]
Peterson glanced toward King Makak.
The six-horn gorilla stood at the bottom of the throne steps, staring at them calmly.
Waiting.
Peterson thought quickly.
Strength… endurance… agility…
He clenched his fist.
That thing is way stronger than me.
He didn't need charisma.
Luck wouldn't save him from the gorilla king either.
If I want to survive this…
He began assigning the points.
+10 Strength
+6 Endurance
+4 Agility
The system confirmed instantly.
[Stat Allocation Complete]
Strength: 42
Endurance: 13
Agility: 11
Peterson rolled his shoulders.
The difference was immediate.
His muscles tightened.
His breathing felt deeper.
His senses sharper.
He could feel power rushing through his body.
The system screen faded.
And The throne room returned to view.
And King Makak was staring directly at him.
Confused.
Peterson blinked.
"…Uh."
The gorilla king tilted his head.
"It looks like you're back."
His deep voice echoed across the temple.
"This usually happens when my enemies see death right in front of them."
Makak's grin widened.
"They freeze for a moment."
"They stare into nothing."
"They accept their fate."
Naëlle slowly turned her head toward Peterson.
Her eyebrows lowered.
"…Pete."
Peterson coughed awkwardly.
"Yeah?"
"Were you just standing there talking to air?"
"…Maybe."
Naëlle sighed.
"We are literally about to die you dummy."
"And you're daydreaming."
Makak chuckled.
"I must say… humans are strange creatures."
He stepped forward.
The ground trembled slightly beneath his weight.
"But enough talk."
The six horns on his head gleamed under the torchlight.
"Let's see how long you two last."
Makak vanished.
Peterson's instincts screamed.
"LEFT!"
Naëlle reacted instantly.
She raised her hands.
A shimmering sphere of water formed around them.
Aqua Barrier
Makak's fist crashed into it.
BOOM.
The entire barrier shook violently.
Cracks spread across its surface.
Peterson's eyes widened.
"That thing almost shattered the barrier!"
Naëlle gritted her teeth.
"And That, with just ONE punch!"
The barrier shattered.
Makak appeared in front of them again.
His grin grew wider.
Peterson lunged forward.
His fist slammed into Makak's ribs.
The impact echoed through the chamber.
Makak barely moved.
The gorilla looked down at him.
"…Cute."
Makak's elbow came down.
Peterson crossed his arms.
CRACK.
The force launched him across the room.
He crashed into the stone floor and rolled several meters.
Naëlle fired instantly multiple Water Bullets to stop the king from attack him again right away.
Three compressed water rounds slammed into Makak's chest.
The gorilla king finally stepped back once.
He looked down.
A faint scratch marked his skin.
Makak laughed.
"So you can hurt me, but it tickles tho, so keep them coming please."
Peterson stood up slowly.
His arms throbbed.
"That thing hits like a truck…"
Naëlle slid beside him.
"I'm glad that You're still alive."
"Just Barely."
Makak charged again.
Naëlle reacted immediately.
Aqua Burst
Water exploded outward from her hands.
The shockwave pushed Makak back several steps.
Peterson didn't waste the opening.
He sprinted forward and jumped.
His fist smashed into Makak's jaw.
This time the gorilla king's head turned slightly.
Makak's grin faded a little.
"…Interesting."
He swung again.
Peterson ducked.
Naëlle fired two more shots.
Water bullets slammed into Makak's shoulder.
Peterson followed with another punch to the ribs.
The attacks were starting to leave marks.
Small ones.
But marks can build up to serious injuries.
Makak's eyes narrowed.
"So you figured out a trick with your little toys."
He stepped forward slowly.
"You keep attacking from different angles."
Peterson wiped blood from his lip.
"Well… its called teamwork."
Makak laughed.
"Yes."
"Teamwork it is indeed."
Then his expression changed.
Annoyance replaced amusement.
"Unfortunately for you…"
Makak raised one arm.
"…that trick won't work anymore."
Naëlle rushed forward.
Peterson followed.
They attacked at the same time.
Water bullets.
Punches.
Strikes from both sides.
Makak stood still.
Waiting.
Then he moved.
Makak slammed his hands outward.
BOOOOM
A violent blast of wind erupted from his body.
Peterson and Naëlle were thrown backward like rag dolls.
They crashed into the temple floor.
The wind continued spinning around Makak's body.
Peterson struggled to stand.
"What… was that?"
Makak rolled his shoulders calmly.
"Oh."
"I forgot to mention something earlier."
He smirked.
"When I left the jungle to grow stronger…"
"I fought many different beasts."
He raised his hand.
White wind energy gathered around his claws.
"The first beast I defeated…"
"…was a giant eagle."
Makak sliced his arm through the air.
A blade of compressed wind shot forward.
The stone floor split apart where it passed.
Naëlle's eyes widened and cast water shields instantly.
"Wind magic?!"
Makak grinned.
"Yes."
"Wind Slash."
He raised his arms again.
The air around him started spinning violently.
"And this…"
"…is Wind Burst."
The invisible pressure forced the two humans backward.
Makak's grin widened as the wind circled around him like a storm.
"And if I really feel like it…"
"…I can create something even more devastating."
Peterson slowly stood up.
Blood ran down his forehead.
Naëlle wiped dust from her face.
They stared at the gorilla king.
The fight had just become much harder.
Makak spread his arms.
"Well then…"
"Shall we continue?"
The wind howled around him.
And Peterson realized something terrifying.
They hadn't even forced Makak to get serious yet.
End of Chapter 77