Chapter 176: Is This The Limit To Your Intelligence?
[Mana Circulation] is activated.
[Stat Improvements Due to Application of Mana]
Strength: +20%
Stamina: +15%
Agility: +10%
Durability: +5%
...
The B ranks wasted no time as they immediately obeyed his commands and raced out into the city to try and get as many people out of the fight zone.
They were grateful that the anima was focusing all of its attention on Mark; at least that way, they wouldn't have to worry about becoming collateral damage in the fight, and if Mark could hold the anima back, then they would have enough time to get people out and escape!
The anima pulled itself out from the skyscraper that it was thrown into and Mark narrowed his eyes as he saw the Anima's muscles bulging and rippling like waves beneath its skin.
This was going to be a difficult fight for Mark. Most of Mark's battles up to now were against anima that were more focused on using other aspects of their abilities to fight, like the ant anima that used its dexterity, and the monkey that used its intelligence more than its strength. But this anima was different because it focused entirely on raw, uncontrollable power. Just like Mark.
Mark didn't know when a roguish grin slowly started to grow on his face.
[Achilles Heel] has been activated.
Mark's vision suddenly blurred into varying shades of grey, and he felt the strain on his eyes increase as he stared at the anima. There was hardly any red on its body at all, and the only part of its body that had a light red was its head. Does that mean Mark could win if he focused more on attacking the head? That was doable!
Mark deactivated the skill as he felt the strain on his eyes becoming more intense, and he blinked to get his bearings right again!
Boom!
Smash!
The anima wasted no time as it dashed across the distance separating it from Mark with its fist drawn back!
Mark flashed forward faster than the anima and met it in the sky! he tackled it out of the air and dragged it towards a different part of the area that had already been evacuated! The B ranks were still clearing out the civilians behind Mark, so Mark knew that fighting in that area would only cause more casualties!
SLAM!!
Boom!
Boom!
The two of them tore through buildings as Mark's momentum pulled them far away from the others! Once Mark was sure that they were far enough, Mark pulled back as they both crashed into a tall skyscraper! Mark flipped into an upright position and forced himself to a stop as he dug his feet into the ground and crouched!
"ROARRRR!!"
The anima rushed in for a strike, but Mark easily moved to the side to allow the punch to fly harmlessly past his face! He grabbed the anima's arm before tossing the anima up into the air! The anima roared in pain as it slammed into the ceiling!
Boom!
Mark flew into the air and slammed his fist into the anima's head! The punch was enough to send the anima through the ceiling and into the top floor and the anima felt its head ringing in pain from the impact, but it didn't even waste any time to get back on its feet as it charged for Mark again!
Mark appeared from the hole in the ground and electricity danced around his body as he activated the [Lightning Surge] skill
Bzzztt!
Mark dodged under the swipe from the anima and he planted his feet into the ground as he delivered an intense uppercut that was charged with massive torrents of electricity!
[Critical Strike]!
Boom!
The anima was flung back from the punch and crashed through one of the building pillars! It jumped to its feet almost immediately, and Mark was fully prepared for another one of its mad charges, but Mark was surprised as the anima suddenly began to run in the opposite direction. Mark narrowed his eyes as he wondered what the anima was about to do.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
The anima began to crash through the pillars that were holding the building up, and a nasty grin grew on Mark's face as he realized that the anima intended to bury them both under the debris! This was a first for Mark! He has never encountered an anima that was capable of holding back its instinct to attack so that it would make the environment more favorable for it to win!
If Mark was weaker, then the anima would have had the right idea!
But I guess that is the limit to its intelligence.
Does it think that it would win in a battle of attrition against me because I haven't been using my full strength!? Mark tilted his head to the side as he watched the anima crash through another pillar. The anima was smart enough to know that dropping a building on someone would impede them, but it was not smart enough to think about what would happen if its opponent was far stronger!
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Woosh!
Mark suddenly dashed towards the anima as he saw that it was almost finished destroying the pillars!! The anima didn't pay any attention to Mark as it charged at full force towards the last pillar and slammed into it with all its strength just before Mark suddenly appeared in front of it with a wide smile on his face!
He grabbed the Anima by its horn and pushed them both toward the center of the building!
"You want a test of strength, dung beetle!? Well, here we go! You better not die on me!"
Crack!
Crack!
Crumble!!
BOOM!
The entire building cracked right down the middle as it lost its support from the pillar, and a massive explosion of sand and dust echoed through the area as the building started to collapse under the force of its own weight! This building was a skyscraper with fifty stories.
There were tens of hundreds of tons weighing down on those pillars, and now that they were all gone, the entire building was coming down at once!
Ka-BOOM!!
Back on the outside, a massive dust cloud rose across the entire area as the people evacuating from the buildings around that skyscraper watched with bated breath as it came down! Those who were too close to the falling building doubled their efforts to get away, but not everyone was able to escape, and some of them ended up being crushed.
Crack!
Crack!
Boom!
"ROARRR!!"
The area was quiet for some time, but suddenly a cracking sound began to echo across the region before the rhinoceros burst out from the fallen debris and roared in victory as it emerged as the winner! The rhinoceros cheered for itself! It knew that the puny human would not stand a chance against it! Only its tough skeleton is capable of withstanding such –
Slam!
But its sense of victory was short-lived as a massive uppercut slammed into its jaw and made it shut up immediately! Its chin caved in comically as it was blown back with a massive shockwave!
BOOM!!
"You're too fucking loud!!"
Mark still had that massive grin on his face as he charged after the Rhinoceros and pummeled it into the wall. The Rhinoceros felt its chest cave in from the punch and Mark wasted no time as he continued the beatdown!
Bam!
Bam!
Bam!
Bam!
Punch after punch rained down on the Rhinoceros relentlessly! Mark never let up and he gave the anima no chance to retaliate at all! Mark grabbed its arm and tossed it over his shoulder before slamming it into the ground!
SLAM!
He slammed his foot into its face and grabbed its arm to pull it out! But he was shocked when the anima suddenly flipped around and got to its feet again in an impressive display of dexterity! It pulled its head back, and Mark did not expect the sudden headbutt that rattled his brain!
Slam!
Mark took a single step back in pain as he felt something ringing in his ear! He grunted as he struggled to keep his eyes open because he knew that one second without his vision would be the end of him! He saw the anima lower its head and charge forward to try and skewer Mark with its horn, but Mark easily wrapped his hands around the horn and caught it as his senses slowly returned to him!
Crack!
Mark was pushed back as his legs dug into the ground and he growled deep in his throat as he felt anger fill him!
"You fucking dung beetle!!"
Mark's eyes were bloodshot from anger as he used the horn to lift the anima into the air and slammed it into the ground!
Crash!