Chapter 410: Ramping Up

Ethan moved with Wolfy’s instincts, constantly shifting his weight and attacking from different angles. Mark struggled to keep up with his speed, but his body continued adapting to every attack.

When Ethan targeted his ribs, metallic plating reinforced them. When Ethan aimed higher, the coating shifted toward Mark’s neck and jaw. When Ethan attacked his legs, Mark’s muscles tightened and adjusted his stance.

His body was becoming a living countermeasure, and Mark was retaining control.

’He always was a strong-minded dude.’

Ethan pushed harder.

His attacks came faster as he used Predator’s Frenzy, each consecutive strike increasing the pressure. Mark blocked one attack, then another, but Ethan suddenly crossed his claws.

"Cross Slash."

Two condensed strikes tore through the air.

Mark raised his arms.

BOOM!

The force sent him several metres backwards, leaving shallow cuts across his metallic forearms.

Mark stared at the damage.

Then he smiled.

"Okay."

The dark-green aura around him thickened.

"That hurt."

Ethan lowered himself.

"Good."

Mark charged.

This time, he wasn’t simply reacting.

He was learning.

The next exchange became far more even.

Mark began anticipating Ethan’s movements instead of merely responding to them. His enhanced instincts worked alongside his changing body, allowing him to counter Ethan’s enhanced speed.

Ethan landed several strikes, but Mark adapted to each one.

Eventually, a metallic fist slammed into Ethan’s stomach and forced him backwards.

’This bastard.’

Despite himself, Ethan smiled.

’He’s getting stronger.’

Mark suddenly shifted his stance, and Ethan recognised the movement immediately.

’Kaela.’

Mark had seen Kaela fight and experienced her combat style firsthand multiple times. Now he was reproducing pieces of it. His footwork was rough, his timing was inconsistent, and his technique lacked the refinement that made Kaela so dangerous.

But he didn’t need perfection.

His monster instincts filled the gaps.

Mark ducked beneath Ethan’s next strike and pivoted around him, catching Ethan with an elbow before following with a knee.

Ethan jumped backwards.

"You’re copying Kaela."

Mark grinned.

Kaela crossed her arms proudly.

"I am the strongest here."

Mark glanced at her.

"So I figured I might as well steal some of your moves."

Kaela laughed.

"Don’t let it get to your head. You’re still nowhere near my level."

Mark’s smile faded into something more determined.

"Not yet."

Kaela’s eyes gleamed.

Ethan shook his head, not wanting his opponent to get stolen by the Riot Valkyrie.

"Can we focus?"

Mark charged again.

Ethan met him.

Their collision shook the training area.

Ethan pushed himself harder, pouring more and more mana into Predator’s Frenzy. His consecutive attacks became faster and heavier as he fought with Wolfy’s enhanced strength, speed, balance, and predatory instincts.

He landed several strikes, eventually cracking sections of Mark’s metallic coating.

’I’ve got him.’

Ethan lunged.

Mark suddenly planted his feet.

The dark-green aura exploded outward.

Ethan’s eyes widened.

The metallic coating shifted across Mark’s entire body instead of concentrating around individual points.

His frame became heavier, denser, and stronger.

Ethan’s next punch struck Mark directly in the chest.

Mark didn’t move.

Ethan’s grin disappeared.

’What the fuck?’

Mark grabbed his wrist.

Then he punched.

The blow slammed into Ethan’s stomach and folded him around the impact. He was thrown backward, rolling across the floor before coming up on one knee.

Ethan coughed.

"Fuck."

Mark stood in front of him, the dark-green aura swirling around his body.

He slowly stood.

’He just brute-forced through my brute force.’

While assimilated with Wolfy and using Predator’s Frenzy, Ethan had the base physical stats of an A Rank and was using that to overpower Mark. Yet Mark had not only managed to defend, but suppressed him through sheer strength.

Ethan clenched his fists.

"Alright."

Mark raised an eyebrow.

"Alright what?"

"I’m done playing around."

Ethan lowered his body.

His muscles tightened, his claws extended, and his posture shifted into something more predatory.

Mark smiled.

"Good."

Ethan moved, and so did Mark.

From there, the fight became a blur.

Ethan attacked from different angles, darting in and out of Mark’s reach while relying on Wolfy’s instincts to keep his movements unpredictable. Mark blocked, redirected, and countered, but the most frightening part wasn’t his strength.

It was how quickly he adapted.

Ethan changed targets.

Mark adjusted.

Ethan increased his speed.

Mark’s body responded.

Ethan used one of his beast’s powerful skills.

Metallic plating reinforced the target before the blow could fully land.

’This is actually insane.’

Mark was very similar to Kaela in the way that he was just a freak of nature without many flashy abilities, but was very difficult to fight against. He had also stopped waiting for Ethan’s attacks, rather anticipating them.

His fighting was changing along with his body.

A feint became a sudden step.

A punch became an elbow.

A blocked strike became a knee.

Ethan avoided the attacks, but Mark’s monster instincts compensated whenever his technique failed. He wasn’t nearly as skilled as Kaela, but he was getting closer and closer to her combat prowess.

’I guess he’s letting out all the pent-up energy after suppressing them for the past couple of days.’

Ethan gritted his teeth as the clash continued.

"You’re getting annoying."

Mark grinned.

"That’s the nicest thing you’ve said to me all week."

Ethan lunged.

Mark slipped aside and grabbed his arm, but Ethan twisted with the movement and used the momentum to spin. His heel slammed into Mark’s jaw, snapping his head sideways.

Ethan landed and immediately turned to face him.

Mark remained standing.

He slowly turned his head back and wiped the blood from his mouth.

"That hurt."

Despite saying that, he seemed entirely unfazed.

The dark-green aura intensified.

Ethan narrowed his eyes.

’He’s ramping up.’

Mark charged.

Ethan activated Predator’s Frenzy again just to be able to keep up with his speed.

The two collided.

This time, Ethan gained the advantage, fighting more seriously.

He was a literal beast in human form.

Ethan’s consecutive attacks became faster and heavier, forcing Mark backwards. He stayed low, moving with Wolfy’s predatory instincts as his claws tore across Mark’s shoulder.

Another strike slammed into his ribs.

Then another.

The metallic coating cracked.

’I’ve got him.’

Ethan chained his attacks, slashing dozens of times in the blink of an eye.

Then he crossed his arms to land a substantial blow on his juggernaut of an opponent.

But that was exactly what Mark was over.

He smiled as he grabbed Ethan’s wrists and pulled him forward.

Their foreheads collided.

CRACK!

Ethan staggered.

Mark followed with a punch, but Ethan twisted aside.

The blow missed his face, though Mark’s elbow still caught his shoulder.

Ethan spun.

Mark kicked.

Ethan blocked, but the impact sent him sliding across the floor.

Mark stared at him.

The dark-green aura surrounding his body was considerably thicker now.

His breathing remained steady.

Ethan’s was not.

’This fucker.’

Yet he couldn’t stop himself from smiling.

’He’s still getting stronger.’

Mark charged again.

Ethan met him head-on.

Their collision sent another tremor through the training area, but Ethan immediately felt the difference. Mark’s movements were becoming smoother, his adaptations were becoming more deliberate, and his combat instincts were improving with every exchange.

Ethan landed several strikes.

Mark absorbed them and answered with heavy blows of his own.

One caught Ethan across the ribs.

Another slammed into his shoulder.

Ethan pushed through the pain and attacked again.

Mark adapted.

He would recover and learn from everything he threw his way.

And while his stamina and mana appeared infinite, Ethan’s definitely wasn’t. His breathing became heavier, and his mana was waning after maintaining Partial Assimilation for so long and using Wolfy’s skills.

Mark, however, kept coming.

His dark-green aura surrounded him like living smoke, his body expanding and contracting at will.

’He’s actually controlling it.’

Ethan couldn’t help but be impressed.

’I’ve got some competition on my hands.’

Mark charged.

Ethan blocked a strike, only for Mark to immediately follow from another angle, forcing him backwards. He planted his feet and pushed forward again, but Mark met him with another combination.

Ethan’s claws tore across Mark’s chest.

But Mark didn’t so much as suffer a scratch, responding with a devastating hook to the jaw.

Ethan staggered, dazed momentarily.

It was a miracle his jaw wasn’t broken by the blow, but before he could recover, a knee to the stomach launched him tumbling backwards.

Ethan caught himself.

His breathing was ragged now, and his arms felt like lead, yet Mark showed no signs of slowing.

And that’s when a realisation started to sink in...