Chapter 21: The Iron Body and the Jungle’s Hunt

The following days were a blur of training, testing, and fighting. Every sunrise marked another chance for Vulcan to push himself harder, faster, stronger. His mind was sharper than ever, and his body—though battered—was steadily recovering from the relentless pace he had set for himself.

The satisfaction of his recent victory still lingered, but Vulcan knew better than to grow complacent. The island had proven time and time again that its dangers lurked around every corner, and he could never let his guard down.

Soru was now second nature. He could move at high speed with ease, dodging attacks and closing distances in the blink of an eye. His legs, once weak and trembling from overuse, had grown stronger, more powerful. Each time he activated the technique, he felt the world slow around him as his body blurred through the air.

But Tekkai was still a challenge.

Though he had successfully used it in his last fight, it was far from perfect. His body could harden like iron, but the control was fleeting. If he didn't focus his energy properly, the technique would fail. And failure, on this island, meant death.

Vulcan stood in his familiar clearing, the sounds of the jungle around him fading into the background as he focused on his training. His fists clenched at his sides, his body tense with concentration.

Tekkai was about timing—using the moment before an attack to turn his muscles into a shield. The trick was balancing the tension with the right amount of energy, something Vulcan had struggled with.

He took a deep breath, resetting his stance. His muscles coiled with energy, prepared to harden.

"Let's see if I can hold it longer this time," Vulcan muttered to himself.

He braced for impact, pretending as though an attack was coming. His body tensed, and with a sharp exhale, he activated Tekkai. His muscles stiffened, hardening to the point of becoming impenetrable, just like iron.

The sensation was powerful—it felt as though nothing could break through. His fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white, but he could feel the control slipping. As soon as he let his concentration waver, the hardness of his body began to fade.

"Hold… hold…" Vulcan gritted his teeth, willing his body to maintain the form.

The technique held for a few more seconds before it collapsed. Vulcan let out a sharp breath, his muscles relaxing as the tension released from his body.

He had lasted longer this time, but it still wasn't enough.

The Jungle's Next Test

As the days passed, Vulcan's focus on Tekkai became an obsession. Every waking moment was spent trying to improve his control over the technique. He trained relentlessly, hardening his body over and over, using trees and stones as imaginary attackers, each impact teaching him more about the limits of his strength.

But the island wasn't about to let him train in peace.

One afternoon, as Vulcan was deep in practice, the jungle suddenly fell silent. The birds stopped chirping, and the usual rustling of leaves faded into an eerie stillness. Vulcan's senses immediately went on high alert.

Something was coming.

Vulcan wiped the sweat from his brow, his body tense as he scanned the tree line. The last time the jungle had gone quiet like this, he had faced one of the deadliest predators the island had to offer. He knew better than to ignore the warning signs.

The sound of heavy footfalls reached his ears—a low, rhythmic thud that shook the ground with each step. The trees rustled as something massive moved through the underbrush, heading straight for the clearing.

Vulcan's heart raced, but his body remained calm. He had been waiting for this—a new challenge, something that would push him even further. His muscles, still sore from days of training, tensed as he prepared for whatever was coming.

From the shadows emerged the largest beast Vulcan had seen yet. It was a hulking creature, its body covered in thick, armored scales. Its claws were as long as swords, and its teeth gleamed in the sunlight as it let out a deep, guttural roar that echoed through the jungle.

Vulcan's eyes narrowed. This wasn't just another predator—this was the apex of the island's food chain. The king of the jungle.

The creature locked eyes with Vulcan, its gaze filled with raw, animalistic hunger. It stalked forward, its massive frame shaking the earth with every step.

Vulcan didn't hesitate.

The Fight for Survival

The beast charged, its claws raised and ready to strike. But Vulcan's legs were already in motion. With a sharp burst of energy, he activated Soru, disappearing from the creature's line of sight in an instant.

His body blurred as he reappeared behind the beast, his fists raised. He knew the creature's armored scales would make it difficult to penetrate, but Soru gave him the speed advantage. If he could strike fast enough, he might be able to find a weak spot.

Vulcan aimed a powerful punch at the back of the creature's neck, but the beast's reflexes were faster than he expected. It whipped around, its massive tail swinging toward him with terrifying speed.

Vulcan barely had time to react. He activated Tekkai, his muscles hardening just as the tail slammed into his side.

The impact was brutal. Even with Tekkai activated, the force of the blow sent Vulcan flying across the clearing, his body crashing into a tree with a sickening thud. Pain shot through his ribs, and for a moment, his vision blurred.

But he had survived the hit. Tekkai had worked.

Gritting his teeth, Vulcan pushed himself to his feet, ignoring the sharp pain in his side. The creature was already charging at him again, its claws aimed directly at his chest.

Vulcan's legs burned with exhaustion, but he forced his body into motion. He activated Soru once more, dodging the creature's attack by a hair's breadth. His body reappeared on the other side of the clearing, his fists clenched as he prepared for another strike.

The fight continued in a deadly dance of speed and power. Vulcan used Soru to dodge the creature's attacks, moving faster than it could track. But the beast was relentless, its massive claws and tail striking with incredible force.

Each time Vulcan tried to counter, he activated Tekkai to absorb the impact, but the strain on his body was immense. His muscles ached from the repeated use of the technique, and he could feel his control slipping with each attack.

The creature lunged at him again, its claws aimed at his head. Vulcan dodged to the side, using Soru to escape the strike, but the beast's tail whipped around once more, aiming for his chest.

Vulcan's body tensed as he activated Tekkai, hardening his muscles just as the tail slammed into him again. The force of the impact was staggering, but he held firm. His body absorbed the blow, though the strain was almost unbearable.

The creature roared in frustration, its attacks growing more frantic as it realized that Vulcan was no easy prey.

This was his chance.

With one final burst of speed, Vulcan used Soru to close the distance, appearing directly in front of the beast's face. His muscles tensed as he activated Tekkai, hardening his fists as he aimed a powerful punch at the creature's exposed eye.

The impact was devastating. His fist connected with the beast's eye, shattering the armored scales and sending it reeling backward in pain.

The creature roared in agony, its body thrashing wildly as it tried to recover. But Vulcan didn't give it a chance. He used Soru again, moving faster than the creature could track, delivering blow after blow to its exposed weak spots.

Finally, with a deafening roar, the beast collapsed to the ground, defeated.

The Weight of Victory

Vulcan stood over the fallen predator, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. His body was drenched in sweat, his muscles trembling from the strain of using both Soru and Tekkai in rapid succession. Every inch of him ached, and the bruises from the fight would take days to heal.

But he had won.

The island had thrown its most dangerous predator at him, and he had survived. His mastery of Soru had given him the speed he needed to avoid the creature's attacks, while Tekkai had allowed him to absorb the hits he couldn't dodge.

But the victory felt heavy. Vulcan knew that this wasn't the end of his challenges. The island was unforgiving, and the beasts were only one part of what he would face in his journey to master the Rokushiki techniques.

As the sun began to set over the jungle, Vulcan sat at the edge of the clearing, his mind racing with thoughts of the future.

He had come far, but there was still so much more to learn.

"I'll master them all," Vulcan muttered to himself, his voice filled with determination.

And with that, he stood up, ready for whatever the island would throw at him next.