The transformation brought by the shimmering shamanic rune on his chest was complete, it was terrifying and exhilarating. Dai Yuan now stood a head taller than his previous height, his pulsed and his muscle moved with rhythmic order filled with a tide of surging power, he could feel the forest floor trembled beneath his feet with each heavy step he take moving away from the tree. The two black bears sensing the dramatic changed in their pray take a wary and fearful step back, each time dai yaun moved forward.
There predatory instinct warning them as primal fear washed over them facing the berserk strength from their once weak and easy prey, they felt something more dangerous from him, more dangerous than they have ever felt from and encountered withing this area of the wood. The two overlord beast of these area growled with uneasy rumbles.
But fear quickly gave way to the instinct as their eyes, become a crimson shade of red from furry and anger, they both roared furiously toward dai yaun, as the fear was pushed back recalling that this was still the pray they had just sent flying into the tree. With a synchronized roar, the two Rank 3 beasts lunged at dai yuan, their combined attack meant to overwhelm the human.
Dai yaun roared too, as he met them with a head on charge, his movements were no longer unskilled and plan, they had become explosive and imbued with a brutal and graceful feel.
Dai Yuan met them head-on. His movements were no longer merely skilled; they were explosive, imbued with a brutal grace. He sidestepped the male bear's charge with contemptuous ease, the massive beast's momentum carrying it past him. As it lumbered by, Dai Yuan's right fist shot out.
The battle intensified beyond all previous limits. Dai Yaun's newfound strength was staggering. His punches shattered the forest floor as if it were paper, and his strikes struck with the force of a wrecking boulder. The two black bears snarled and charged, their powerful bodies slamming into him in frenzy.
They clashed amidst broken branches and spilled leaves, a symphony of growls, cracks, and grunts. Sparks of energy flashed as Dai Yaun skillfully combined brute physical force with shamanic energies radiating from the rune. Each blow he landed sent one of the bears staggering.
But the price was steep. Dai Yaun's body bore the marks of vicious assault. Blood seeped from various wounds, and fatigue weighed heavily with each movement.
Yet, the tide turned irrevocably. Feeling the spirits of the black scale tiger flow through him, guiding his movements with calculated precision and overwhelming force. With a mighty roar, he delivered a ferocious uppercut to the female bear, sending her crashing against a tree. Before she could recover, he slammed the other bear's skull with a crushing blow.
CRACK!
This time, the sound was deafening and loud. The air compressed, then exploded, emitting a sharp, concussive clap that echoed through the forest. The blow landed squarely on the male bear's temple with a shock-wave that rippled through its skull. The bear let out a strangled yelp, its legs buckling, before hitting the ground with a sickening thud, the male black bear collapsed, it body twitching faintly before stilling.
But before Dai Yaun could fully process the raw power and relish in the surge of new found strength, the female bears charged back from where it had fallen, a whirlwind of attacks from it claws and teeth, she was faster more agile and nimble than her mate, now driven by fury the beast went berserk as it claws and paw come slashing and striking his body, it claws raked across his chest and should. Ripping out his remaining fabric and drawing thick vicious amount of blood, the skin beneath the shamanic rune pulsed with an ominous red light, attempting to heal the wounds, but the sheer force of her slashes were too great.
Dai yaun suddenly roared, not in pain as he released a war cry louder and more terrifying, the release send out shock wave and intimidating might cause the frenzied beast to stop in it wake of chaotic barrage. His enhanced strength allowed him to shrug off attacks that would have crippled him moments before. He seized the female bear by one of its powerful forelegs, ignoring the bite to his arm as her fangs sank into his flesh. With a grunt of effort that seemed to tear at his own throat, he twisted, lifting the enraged beast body high into the air.
He spun once, twice, gathering momentum, then slammed the struggling bear against a sturdy oak tree with all his might, resulting in a bone shattering force.
THWACK!
The tree shuddered, bark splintering before bursting into splinters as the female bear went through it slamming hard onto the ground across Dai Yuan. The female bear stood up in stagger, it looked sagged and dazed, its breath expelled in a ragged wheeze. The beast refuse to submit and surrounding, it roared again giving in a vibe of no retreat no surrender. With a surge of desperate energy, it pushed off the ground, snapping wildly at Dai Yuan's head.
This time, dai yuan was ready, as he planted his foot digging deep into the floor for a steady cushion and support. He pulled his fist back, his entire body coiling like a spring, muscles bulging and defined. Dai Yuan focused every ounce of his strength and will into this single devastating strike.
His fist launched forward, a blur of motion. It connected with the female bear's chest, directly over its heart.
KABOOOM!
The sound was less a crack and more of an explosion. A visible shock-wave emanated from the point of impact, momentarily rippling the air. The female bear's body contorted unnaturally, its ribs audibly cracking and collapsing inwards. It whimpered a pitiful and broken cry, before collapsing in a heap, its powerful life force extinguished in an instant.
Silence fell, thick and heavy broken only by Dai Yuan's ragged and occasional heaving breaths. He stood amidst the carnage, chest heaving up and down while his body radiates a terrifying heat. The two formidable Black Bears, Mortal Rank 3 beasts now lay dead, utterly smashed, both falling a victim of his sudden berserk and overwhelming might.
Dai Yaun breathed heavily, blood dripping from his torn lips, his vision slightly blurred. The battle was won, but the cost was evident in every ache and injury that pulsed throughout his body.
As he stood towering against the two dead beast, dai yaun body suddenly shuddered as the adrenaline brought by the berserk strength increase began to recede and with it the artificial strength provided by the shamanic rune went away.
As the power receded, so did the colour of the shamanic rune fade, seemingly have been over taxed, it look weak and unlike it usual sharp appearance, the rune now look dull and less intimidating, it seams it can not be used in the next few days or even weeks to come.
The searing heat in his chest intensified, but this time, it was a burning and a draining sensation. The red glow on his chest flickered, then began to fade, the intricate lines of the rune seeming to etch themselves deeper into his flesh, leaving behind a profound sense of exhaustion.
The borrowed power was gone, and the true cost slammed into him with brutal force.
Pain. Unimaginable pain. His chest felt like it had been ripped open, his shoulder screamed in agony, and his arm throbbed where the female bear had bitten him. He staggered, the strength draining from his limbs, his knees threatening to buckle. He looked down at his torso – his tunic was shredded, soaked with blood. Deep and large claw gashes running all over his body. Causing him to appear haggard and sorry.
He stumbled towards a nearby tree, collapsing heavily against its trunk. His head leaned back, hitting the rough bark with a dull thud. His vision swam, and a cold sweat broke out over his body, despite the lingering internal heat. The Shamanic Rune had granted him impossible strength, but it had exacted a terrible price, pushing his mortal body to its absolute breaking point.
As dai yaun take in deep breath to stabilize his thumping heart, it suddenly hit him hard as he shuddered with dread at how risky and dangerous it would have become had he make any slight mistake or without the help of the rune, looking down at his bloodied body.
Dai yaun closed his eyes to meditate against his recent encounter, few minute went by before snapping his eyes open as he seems to realize his short coming was his low cultivation level, if it had been without the help of his shamanic rune, he would have to escape the fight in sorry figure, that is if he could get away.
The forest had returned to silence, disturbed only by the distant chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves in the mild breeze.