Chapter 75 - Full Combat Mode (1/2)

The surprise attack was successful, and they managed to separate the enemies as they had planned. However, even if they caught them by surprise, the two men with their spirit beasts were still able to unleash their spirit power.

Having experienced a significant number of battles, their bodies were able to react automatically to the slightest sign of danger.

Without wasting time, Hei rushed against the owner of the Arctic Wolf. He was a man of average height and build, but athletic enough to dodge Hei's lance with a leap backward.

Meanwhile, Lian had managed to wrap her ribbon around the ankle of the Saltwater Crocodile's owner, who had a bigger size than his companion. However, despite his size, he was being dragged to the ground by Lian. In the end, he got separated from his spirit beast.

The Saltwater Crocodile, noticing the difficulty its master was experiencing, tried to rescue him. But Ye, who had assumed her real size, had wrapped herself around its body, gripping him in a vice. The two, therefore, began a furious fight on the ground as they rolled wildly, trying to tear the flesh of the other.

The other spirit beast, the Arctic Wolf, was instead under difficult conditions. Shui's power wasn't something it could handle alone and was, therefore, trying to get closer to its master for help. However, Shui did nothing but attack him, finally ramming it against a tree.

The Arctic Wolf almost fainted on the spot, but still tried to react. Its sharp blade-like claws clawed like a raging storm on Shui's face. But the albino buffalo didn't flinch but responded with a series of hoof attacks, trampling the wolf until it sank deep into the ground. But even so, Shui didn't stop and continued to act cruelly at the enemy until it died.

On the other hand, the battle of Xing was less brutal but just as intense. The Royal Eagle, noticing the critical situation, was undecided whether to help fighting or warn the other two men left at the camp. And this indecision allowed Xing to approach it.

Although the young spider failed to bind the eagle with her spider web, one of her spider webs was tied to the foot of the flying spirit beast. Suspended in the air, Xing was using her own body as a counterweight to prevent the eagle from flying, pulling the spider web down that was keeping her tied to the eagle, and throwing more webs up high. As long as she was connected to her enemy through her spider webs, the winner would eventually be her.

The owner of the Arctic Wolf meanwhile had a grim expression on his face. No one of them had imagined that a couple of kids would attack the same night they had captured their fifth brother. It was impossible unless the fifth brother had spilled the beans in no time.

When one of his brothers' eyes fell on him angrily, the tied man shook his head as he tried to explain his version of the facts. But the poison inside him made it difficult to talk, and he could only mumble indiscernible words amid all that confusion.

At this juncture of distraction, however, Hei's spear arrived silent, taking advantage of the small opening to hit the left shoulder of his enemy. Had it not been for the protection of spirit power that covered the body, the spear would have dug a deep hole in the body of the Arctic Wolf owner.

Hei's purple spear, covered with his spirit power, was like a snake that swayed silently in the air. His attacks were instead as heavy as the legs of a spider that stuck in the prey.

The man brought back to reality by Hei's attack, responded with his sword. Despite the ambush that caught them off guard, he was able to react quickly enough to every strike. The only time he was injured was when he lost his concentration a moment ago. Furthermore, during the exchange of blows, he noticed that his opponent was a fifth stage spirit apprentice.

Although it was surprising that such a young boy had already reached the fifth stage, victory wasn't impossible. He too was a fifth stage and, although as a beast tamer, he was less proficient in one vs. one fights than other martial artists, his opponent was a beast tamer as well. So they were equal. No, having more experience in fighting and killing, it was he who was ahead.

'Yet why am I so defensive? Who is this brat? Usually, the sects' brats are presumptuous people. Any other of them would have commented that one should not look away in combat before attacking. Instead, he remained silent all the time, attacking relentlessly, focusing only on me. How can such a young boy have such a fighting sense?'

The man's thoughts were flowing at high speed in his head. He couldn't understand how it was possible that he was losing to one of those hated younger generation disciples belonging to a sect. But the total whirl of thoughts was only making his situation worse.

At one point, however, Hei stopped his attacks and stepped back, leaving his opponent completely stunned.

'As I thought, this won't do. I am not able to do it. In this case, then... '

Hei stuck the spear on the ground and, with the left leg, took off the boot of the right foot. Afterward, with his right foot, he removed his left boot. All this without using your hands.

During these months, Hei had practiced improving the mobility of his toes. Although not at the same level of his hands, his feet had become prehensile enough to grab objects that weren't too heavy even without using his hands.

The owner of the Arctic Wolf was looking at the scene before him with wide eyes. Usually, he would have attacked without overthinking. It wasn't his problem if the opponent wanted to commit suicide, and he wasn't dumb enough to give him time to do whatever he wanted. But for some reason, he couldn't move.

He wanted to understand. To understand why the brat, who was getting an increasingly crushing advantage over him, had stopped his attack and was taking off his boots.

And his question got the answer he was looking for.

He stood before him, barefoot on the ground and with his arms outstretched. The spear stuck to the ground was now hanging in the air, grabbed by his hair.

'Snake Hair. Full Combat Mode.'

The reason Hei had done all this was that during these months, he had noticed something important. Although he understood the intent of the spear, he was unable to exhibit the full power of his weapon. It wasn't a matter of skill, but rather a mental limitation within him.

From an early age, he had lived with the desire to have a body comparable to spirit beasts. The spear in his eyes was like a spider's leg. But since he had learned moves that imitated spiders and snakes using his own body, he had somehow entered an inner conflict - using the techniques learned from his mother or the spear?

In the continent trial, in particular, this problem had manifested itself conspicuously. Therefore, he had to decide which path to take - relying on his body or concentrating his efforts on the spear? But he wasn't willing to give up either of them.

So, in the end, he came up with this solution.

Using Snake Hair, he would fill the flaw in attacking with this technique, using his hair instead of his arms to grab his spear. Thus, he could now move his hair like a defensive shield and attack with his spear at the same time. However, it also meant having his arms and legs free to attack with the spider and snake styles' moves.

When he finished his preparations, Hei again lashed out at his opponent.

With Snake Run, he approached in a zigzag pattern, the owner of the Arctic Wolf, who couldn't distinguish Hei's movements. It wasn't just because of that strange movement technique; his attention was entirely focused on the spear that was being held in the air by the boy's hair in front of him.