Chapter 45 - Adventurer's Guild Test (Part Five)

Emilia and the Ape covered their distances quite quickly, and Emilia threw a jab to the chin. The Ape moved its head to the side, avoiding the blow quickly as it delivered a straight to Emilia. She saw the move and tilted her head, barely dodging the large fist that was coming to her face.

"Now this is why, never teach Boxing to someone extremely big", she thought as she jumped back a few steps, testing the waters with the Ape. "It's really good. I wonder who in the world taught it boxing?", she thought as she inched closer to the Ape. The Ape kept its head straight, and always had its guard up, making it hard for Emilia to hit it.

The Ape couldn't take it any longer and it rushed in with a 1-2 combo. Emilia dodged the first one, but the second one hit her square in the face. She was pushed a few meters back, but she wasn't fazed by it. Blood began to trickle down her nose, and she smiled.

"It's been a long time since someone has made me bleed", she said in a menacing tone. Chills were sent down Lucas's spine as he saw the look in her eyes. It was filled with murderous intent, and her Aura began to flail around wildly.

She launched a flurry of punches towards the Ape, and it began to move faster. "Jab, Cross, Jab, Lead Hook, Rear Hook. What is she trying to do?", he thought as he looked at the time. It was nearing three minutes, and Lucas was ready to signal the end of the first round.

He clashed his swords as soon as he saw the time go three minutes, and he intervened in between them, stopping it in the middle. "So, how are they? Can we take them both down?", he asked as they both walked away. "It will be tough, but it is doable. I only need to pierce its heart, and it will be over", she said casually.

She began to crack her knuckles as she walked back to fight again, and Lucas signaled the start of the second round. This time, she changed her tempo, and it was twice as fast as the Ape. She began to move from side to side, in the shape of an eight. "The Dempsey Roll", thought Lucas as he saw that.

Although he couldn't box, he knew some of the moves done by people. And the Dempsey Roll was one of them. The Dempsey Roll was a technique that was invented by Jack Dempsey, a boxer in the ancient days. He was well known throughout the world at that time, and his technique was later used by many other boxers. Some of them being Fuji Takeshi and Mike Tyson.

Although he knew the history, to do the Dempsey Roll was a whole other level. You have to be able to weave at a high speed, enough to make your opponent be confused about where you are. This move also has the advantage of adding momentum to your punches, making it harder and faster. The only drawback is that once you get caught, it will be the end of your streak.

"But why, to use such a dangerous move here?', he thought. "Ah yes, the weight difference", he remembered as he remembered the person they were fighting wasn't a human, but a Martial Ape. He had to throw logic out of the window for this one, as nothing logical would solve his dilemma in the mind at the moment.

Emilia delivered every blow to its body. and hitting the same spot over and over. The Ape tried to punch her downwards, but to his surprise, she weaved away quickly after she sensed that. The Ape was furious, and it began to swing wildly, trying everything in its arsenal.

Emilia didn't stop as the place she punched repeatedly began to bruise up. "Alright, a little more and it will break. I don't want to kill it in such a painful way. If only I had some other methods to kill it", she thought as she was about to punch, Lucas signaled the end of the round.

The Ape walked up to its counterpart, and it spat out some blood. The counterpart wanted to jump in, but the Ape held it back. "Sportsmanship and honor? But how? Aren't they just Apes?", thought Lucas as he watched Emilia take in deep breaths, gaining as much stamina as she could.

"Follow the technique I use. It will help you faster", said Lucas as he sat down beside her, showing her the technique. After the break time was over, he once again signaled the start of the match. But this time, instead of Emilia making the first move, The Ape made its move.

It came straight and threw a jab to her right shoulder, but she weaved at the last second, minimizing the damage caused to her. The Ape didn't stop as it repeated the same, alternating sides. Emilia, using her small stature in comparison with the Ape, weaved through all of them, and she was moving backward.

Lucas activated [Mana Vision], as he felt that something was going on. That's when he saw the Aura inside her. "Brilliant Indeed. To channel it to your feet and your fists", he smiled. After a few minutes, she executed her plan.

The Ape, which thought it was gaining an advantage over her, began to press on more. That was when she released the Aura in her feet, charging towards the Ape in a flash. The Ape was stunned by the development, and she concentrated her Aura around her fists, punching straight to the jaw, breaking it in the process.

The Ape couldn't roar out loud, but it held it quickly tore a vine, and tied it on its head, holding its jaw in place as it continued the fight. "Such tenacity. I wonder if I will fare well against that Ape", he thought. The second Ape jumped in the fray, ready to kill Emilia when the Boxing Ape gave a punch to its cheek, pushing it away from the fight.

"This is my fight. I have finally met a strong opponent. Let me fight to my heart's content", it said in sign language. The second Ape nodded its head and sat down. Lucas looked at Emilia. "Give it everything you've got. The Ape is bringing its A-game", he warned her.

Emilia's smile widened. "Now let's see who is the better among us", she said as she moved towards the Ape, which had now tied its jaw in place with a vine. "A truly intelligent and terrifying being", he thought as he saw the Ape move in slow and cautious steps. Emilia, on the other hand, released her Aura, making the Ape's skin tingle.

The Ape knew that this was a now or never fight. Emilia channeled her Aura towards her fists, and it was like a glove that covers the fist in a real boxing match. "Burnheart Style: First Stage. Aura Fist", she muttered with closed eyes. The air around her began to vibrate, and she punched the ribs of the Ape, breaking through.

The Ape roared out loud, and it moved back whimpering. Emilia continued her Aura Punch, and went into the other side, piercing through again. "So the reason she broke those ribs was for this moment?", he thought. And he wasn't the only one who thought that.

"Well, to fight a Martial Ape at its own game. Truly interesting indeed", smiled Steve as he continued watching. Jasmine wanted to run up to Steve, but she held back her curiosity and glee inside of her.

Emilia was still yet to finish her move. She then looked at the Ape in the eye and was about to punch through its heart, when something unexpected happened. The Ape held its hand up in the air in defeat, making her stop midway.

"As a Martial Ape, we pride ourselves in our ways of the Martial Arts. You have won today. I admit defeat. As our custom, we will offer our life to the person who defeated us. Just please kill me swiftly", it said in sign language.

Lucas translated that to her and she nodded her head. She concentrated her Aura around her fist more, making it look solid. She changed the shape to a piercing type, and she pierced it through the Ape's chest, and she fainted right after. "That was a good fight", said Lucas as he caught her before she fell to the ground.

He carried her to the side, and the second Ape came forward. It was cracking its knuckles, ready to look for a fight. It assumed a Muay Thai stance, and it was Lucas's turn to smile. "Only thirty-five minutes left on the clock to end the test", he smiled as he cracked his knuckles.

[Emperor Tier Beast - Muay Thai Ape]

[It has insane strength, and it moves like a Muay Thai fighter. It is rumored that this species, the 'Martial Apes', each have mastered a different technique of Marital Arts. Beware of fighting against them. Weak against Magic Attacks]

"I will honor the death of your companion, and not use any Magic attacks. Now, let's get this started, shall we?", smiled Lucas as he looked the Ape in the eye. The Ape roared out loud, kicking up dust.. And thus, signaling the start of another match.