Chapter 80

  Apex Scavenger

  Ken knelt beside the cooling corpse of the great cat, the high-purity Acceleration chi still flowing through his pathways.

  Neck and back still weeping.

  I can get more blood.

  Every last drop was integrated into his Core, progressing his understanding of Acceleration by leaps and bounds.

  I can’t quite incorporate it yet... but with some practice and meditation…

  Someday.

  “The bleeding will stop soon, and what's a little pain? These clothes though..”

  Thick and dense, the cat’s fur was the color of shadows.

  Perfectly evolved to sit in silent ambush, killing its prey before it knew there was danger.

  Pussy.

  Calloused fingers ran through the pelt, feeling the velvety texture.

  Though the creature's internal structure was comparatively weak, built for speed, its skin and fur was undeniably tough, definitely superior to the mundane fabrics he “wore” now.

  “Shadow pelt clothing would be kind of dope,” Ken mumbled.

  With a piece of jagged slate from the nearby rockfall, the work began.

  At least Ken thought it had begun.

  The sun shifted, beaming on his sweat slicked back.

  I've cut about an inch.

  Theres no fucking way, it will end up in pieces.

  The stone slammed into the ground, shattering.

  A piece shot and lodged into exposed skin.

  Blood oozed out.

  “AWESOME. THAT WAS REALLY COOL.”

  Frustrated, Ken pulled the stone shard from his leg.

  Abandoning the pelt for now, he threw the cat over his shoulders, struggling to stand.

  The return journey to his den was slow, deliberate, and painful due to the heavy burden.

  Just like work.

  One plodding step after the next, the job got done.

  Just like work.

  “You fat bastard, how many things have you eaten?” Ken dropped the cat with relief.

  A generous portion of smoked buck meat supplemented his much needed healing.

  Channeling his senses outward, the slow signature of the Troll blared from the valley below.

  It seems like it's agitated… moving a lot more, anyway.

  Underlying that immense thud was a new flow of energy.

  Something is near the troll?

  Curiouser and curiouser…

  He glanced at the leopard.

  Good thing I'm not a cat.

  Ken accelerated down the ridge.

  The fighting signatures were clear: one was the slow, crushing Troll—large and overwhelmingly strong.

  The second was smaller, lighter, and incredibly quick.

  It moved with a chaotic, destructive speed.

  I need to know if that’s Ponytail.

  The internal dial turned up.

  Uncertainty of the Orc hanging over his head pulled him forwards.

  Reaching the edge of the deeper valley, he took cover behind a fractured boulder.

  The sight was startling.

  Troll a ten foot raging monolith.

  A giant gnarled orc with sweeping goat horns.

  Its gray hide was covered by a thin layer of white hair, a thick grayish mane surrounding its head.

  Hands ending in talons, spikes protruding from elbows and shoulders.

  It, thankfully, was decent with a tattered loin cloth.

  Slashing into its leg, a beast of disproportionate fury, roughly the size of a go-kart.

  A Badger.

  Fur thick and matted, claws the size of trowels, its thick body was a cyclone of focused aggression.

  Combat was brutal.

  The badger, surprisingly quick, dodged the troll’s massive, sweeping attacks.

  Countering constantly, tearing jagged wounds into the giant’s legs and belly.

  The troll roared, its horns goring the air, but its blood soaked the ground around it.

  A grueling brawl, it went back and forth.

  The badger proved impossibly resilient, growling through devastating blows, constantly pushing forward.

  Long limbs tore into fur and foliage alike, white hair stained red.

  I wish I had some popcorn.

  But in the end, as it normally does, size won out.

  The goblin murder spree flashed to the forefront.

  Thank you size.

  Giant hands managed to wrap around the badger’s torso, wringing it like a towel.

  With a soul haunting scream, its spine snapped, the battleground echoing with the crunch.

  The limp body was flung aside.

  It landed with a sickening thud, its violent movements reduced to weak, agonizing spasms.

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  The giant troll paused, heaving, its thick hide scored with dozens of deep gashes.

  It looked down at its half dead prey, lumbering towards it, ready to claim its hard-won chi.

  It's injured, winded, and focused entirely on the kill.

  As he watched, its jagged wounds started to creep together, bleeding slowing.

  Now or now.

  Liquid metal moved like a torrent through his pathways.

  The boulder shattered as he launched.

  A streak of pure velocity aimed directly at the side of the towering, distracted brute.

  Reacting to the closing threat surprisingly fast, it started a turn.

  Ken’s fist glanced off the side of its knee.

  The creature bellowed in surprise.

  Balls.

  Ken didn't want to waste any bit of advantage he still had.

  Before the monster could fully recover, the Pugilist launched upwards.

  Left elbow collided with its massive jaw, head snapping up.

  Its right eye shifts to look at him, in slow motion.

  Huh.

  It has square pupils.

  A right cross connected.

  Eye gave way with a wet, heavy pop.

  Kicking off its shoulder into a backflip, evading the retaliatory swipe, Ken landed in a crouch.

  It bellowed, grabbing at its ruined face.

  I really wish someone saw that.

  The twelve-foot terror was stomping, roaring, raising general pandemonium.

  It’s kind of being a baby about it, honestly.

  Leaping through the air, shin swung in a roundhouse kick.

  It cracked into the side of its left knee.

  Bellowing, the troll caught itself with its hands as the limb buckled.

  Its tire sized face turned to him, right eye gushing fluids.

  The reflection of Ken’s fist grew in the remaining square pupil.

  It shifted, flailing a panicked swipe, catching the pugilist with its pinkie.

  Ken rolled with the force of the blow.

  Almost tore my arm off.

  Thud. Thud. THUD. THUD

  It barreled right at him, hunched over, gnarled hands spread wide.

  Wait for it… wait for it…

  With the functional eye squarely in his sights, he darted frowards.

  Giant dirty hands snapped together impossibly fast.

  Abort!

  Legs flexed, launching him over its head, massive jaws snapping at his heels.

  Was this fucker sand bagging against the badger!?

  It spun, sending out a long arm, barely giving him a moment to recover.

  An uppercut caught the grasping hand, audible snaps rang from its bottom two fingers.

  It snatched back with a shriek, swiping down with its left.

  Ken swept his left leg up into a high kick to its wrist, and with a solid crack, the giant hand spasmed.

  The pugilist was sent tumbling, rolling through the dirt.

  This is becoming a pattern.

  The troll reeled back, looking at its damaged hands.

  Ken scrambled to his feet.

  Its legs are almost fully healed now.

  Fuck.

  Momentum flowed.

  Just feet away, the sneaky monster kicked the soft ground.

  Ken spun, shielding his face from the wave of dirt, when he felt giant fingers wrap around his chest.

  It lifted him in its damaged right fist, smiling a grisly scene as it brought him up to take a taste.

  As the troll closed its eyes, preparing to savor its tasty treat, a fist planted in the descending soft palate.

  It roared loudly and rudely, sticking him out at arms length.

  Square pupil studied him, then it started to squeeze.

  Its compromised grip–and Ken’s increasingly durable body–was the only thing saving his precious torso.

  Ribs creaked like wet wood, his vision narrowing.

  The sound of his own pulse thundered in his eardrums.

  Don't have a lot of time here!

  Gritting his teeth, he chopped down on anything he could.

  In a poor position, he couldn't bring too much force to bear.

  The grip weakened slightly, but just when he thought he may squirm out, he heard a wrenching pop.

  The grip tightened.

  Its fingers must be snapping back together.

  Light was fading out.

  No…

  DUH-DADA-DUH, DADA-DUH, DADA-DUH, DA-DA-DA-DUUMMM!

  Ken felt a percussive vibration rattling through the bones in the gigantic hand, transferring into his skull.

  The giant screamed, throwing its snack to the ground in a rage.

  Ground has surprisingly little give.

  A couple ribs cracked.

  Shoulder popped out of place.

  Vision swirling, he saw a dissipating cloud hanging over the dead badger.

  Thank you buddy.

  Desperately drawing in the chi and oxygen, he stumbled over to a tree, and smashed into it.

  The popping of his joint blended in harmony with the thudding rhythm filling the clearing.

  Chi started cycling to any broken bones, trying to stem the damage, he turned to take in the scene.

  Ponytail.

  The orc, hair whipping in graceful spins, drummed out a furious beat upon the gray hide.

  Though hurt, the troll still should have been able to get the smooth operator.

  Time and again though, the orc swayed or pivoted just out of reach.

  The troll getting a slap on the hand for its insolence.

  Well, I’m not actively dying…

  “Good enough to join the fun.”

  Ken charged into the fray.

  Finally getting to line up a nice shot, he accelerated like a bullet, slamming his right elbow into lower spine.

  Legs cut out from under it, sending it to hands and knees.

  THUMP-THUD-DUM, THUMP-THUD-DUM, BOOM!

  From behind it, Ken saw its head twerk back and forth under the barrage, snapping back and collapsing on the finale.

  It fell back over its legs, landing in an impressive reclined hero pose.

  Its yoga teacher would be proud.

  Ken stepped up and brought a fully empowered hammer strike down onto its forehead, showing him what was inside a troll’s skull.

  Answer?

  It wasn't great.

  Looking up, he met Ponytail's hesitant stare.

  Ken nodded.

  Orc nodded back.

  Bro Code transcending race, they both walked up and absorbed half of the monstrous cloud of chi oozing pure power with hints of regeneration.

  That being done they were back to the stare down.

  “Uh, Hello,” Ken scratched the back of his head.

  What the hell do orcs speak? Do they even have a language?

  Ponytail’s chi reverbed through his body, but clubs slid home through belt loops.

  His mouth opened, emitting a deep bass voice.

  “Ki nak ruke tark kun.”

  Yup.

  Definitely have a language.

  Obviously gibberish to him, he felt the orc’s chi vibrate with the sentence.

  I can…

  Feel their meaning? A little?

  Ken’s face twisted in concentration.

  Definitely not hostile.

  They stared at each other for another moment yet, at an impasse.

  Their heads snapped to the east, as a bellow and a crash of a tree rang in the distance.

  Another soon followed, seemingly closer.

  Ken looked at the orc.

  Cycling up his Momentum, he attempted to propel it out with his voice, mimicking what the orc had done.

  “COME WITH ME IF YOU WANT TO LIVE.”

  Ken, if he may say so himself, said with a reserved gravitas.

  Others may say it was just loud.

  Ponytail flinched slightly, then nodded, face tense with thought.

  Pale eyes watched Ken's back on the way to the hideout.

  Garuke shook his head, looking to the sky.

  “Verkturakana, gurk ruke ki goonta?”

  Following his new, battered, weirdly colored ally.

  Questioning all of his life decisions.

  finally entered the chat!