Chapter 18 - Back To The Forest

The sun had barely risen when De stepped into the dense woodland beyond the village. Mist clung to the undergrowth, curling around his feet as he moved deeper into the trees.

The world outside the village had its own pulse. The chirp of insects, the distant call of unseen creatures, the way the wind whispered through the thick canopy. It was a living battleground, a place where only those who adapted thrived.

Solar padded silently beside him, her larger form effortlessly weaving between the trees. Though she still carried the sharp intelligence of her smaller self, there was something different about her now—more power, more presence.

De rolled his shoulders, feeling the weight of his decision settling onto his back. This wasn't the controlled environment of the village's training grounds. Here, there were no safety nets.

And so, he began.

e stripped down to his waist, his upper body exposed to the cold morning air. His muscles were still aching from the trials, but pain was merely the body's way of screaming for weakness.

He ignored it.

Dropping into a low stance, he began with the foundation—body refinement through raw endurance.

Push-ups.

Strikes.

Holding stances for hours.

Each movement controlled, deliberate, reinforcing his body like forging steel in fire. He layered qi into his limbs, tempering his muscles, forcing them to adapt.

When the weight of exhaustion threatened to drag him down, he increased the intensity.

Weighted rocks strapped to his arms and legs.

Tree trunks used as striking posts.

Dashes through uneven terrain.

The first day left him on the ground, chest heaving. His arms refused to move, his legs screamed, but he knew this was only the beginning.

Solar sat beside him, her eyes half-lidded. She let out a low huff—whether amusement or approval, he couldn't tell.

De wiped sweat from his brow and pushed himself back up.

Again.

As the days passed, De shifted his focus.

For years, he had relied on his fists. Back on Earth, in the underground fights, he had been undefeated. No one could match his raw instincts, the way he read opponents' movements, the way his body flowed between offense and defense.

But this was a different world. Qi existed. Techniques were refined over generations. A single mistake could be deadly.

He needed to evolve.

He planted his feet, lowering his stance. The trees around him bore the scars of his training—some cracked, others broken clean through where his fists had struck.

The Domineering Demon Fist Style.

That's what he called it.

A style born from raw strength and control, combining his Earth-honed instincts with the cultivation knowledge he had gained.

He practiced relentlessly.

Each strike carried force, but not wasted movement.

Each block absorbed impact while redirecting energy.

Each feint led into a devastating counter.

The overseer's battle had already taught him valuable lessons. Simply enduring wasn't enough. He had to create openings.

Solar circled him as he practiced, her golden-violet eyes glinting with silent approval.

The style wasn't perfect. Not yet. But with each day, with each strike that sent shockwaves through the air, it felt more natural.

Like something that had always been waiting inside him, just waiting to be awakened.

The moon hung high, its pale light breaking through the canopy in fractured beams. The forest was alive—not with the quiet serenity of the day, but with the lurking presence of predators that thrived in the dark.

De moved through the undergrowth with careful steps, his senses stretched thin. The air was heavy, carrying the scent of damp earth and something more pungent—blood.

He knew this place.

Last time, he had barely escaped with his life.

This time, he came prepared.

Solar moved beside him, silent as a shadow, her glowing violet eyes scanning the darkness.

Then—a shift.

A presence.

They were here.

A low growl sent a ripple through the air.

Then another.

De stilled. The pack was circling.

He counted the shifts in the shadows—five, maybe six. More than before. They had learned—they wouldn't strike head-on this time.

They were smarter.

But not smart enough.

A pair of glowing yellow eyes flashed in the dark, followed by another. Shapes moved between the trees, their low snarls merging into a quiet chorus of death.

A howl split the air—sharp, commanding.

Then they attacked.

The first wolf came from De's left—a blur of muscle and fur, its fangs bared, aiming straight for his throat.

De moved before he thought.

A shift of weight. A twist of his core.

His fist met fur and bone.

The impact cracked through the night, sending the wolf hurtling sideways into a tree with a sharp yelp.

The moment of impact sent a shockwave through De's arm, but he barely registered it. His body was already moving.

A second wolf lunged from the right, low and fast, trying to take his leg.

De pivoted, planting his foot and dropping his weight into a low stance.

The beast snapped at empty air.

Before it could recover, De's knee shot upward, catching the wolf's chest with enough force to lift it off the ground.

The animal hit the dirt hard, rolling several times before coming to a twitching stop.

Two down.

But there was no time to breathe.

Three more came at once.

One struck from behind.

De felt it before he saw it—a rush of air, the snap of teeth closing in.

Instinct took over. He threw himself forward, rolling just as jaws snapped where his shoulder had been a second before.

He barely regained his footing before the next wolf was upon him.

Its claws raked toward his chest—De raised his arm, catching the beast's forelimbs before they could tear into him.

Its fangs snapped inches from his face, breath hot and rancid.

Snarling, De tightened his grip and twisted, using the wolf's momentum against it.

The beast yelped as it was slammed into the ground, ribs cracking beneath the force.

But the third wolf didn't hesitate.

It lunged straight for his exposed back.

De threw himself sideways, barely avoiding a fatal bite—but the beast was fast.

Too fast.

Teeth closed around his forearm.

A burst of pain shot through him as fangs tore through flesh.

For a moment, the wolf had the advantage.

Then, Solar struck.

A blur of black and violet crashed into the beast, tearing it away from De in a violent tangle of limbs and flashing teeth. The air filling with snarls and yelps, Solar ripping through her opponent with terrifying ease.

De barely having time to process as the alpha began stepping forward.