13.Ashes of the Gorehorn
The forest was no longer a forest.
It was a battleground baptized in ash and flame, where silence only came when something had just died.
Jinwoo (Lv. 21) stood at the center of it all, arms crossed, steam hissing from his skin.
Opposite him towered the enemy.
[Boss: Gorehorn – Lv. 58]
A juggernaut of raw muscle, magical resistance, and battle-hardened instinct. Its snorts made the air shiver.
[System:
Analyzing opponent... 100,000+ HP, boss-grade skills, mood: homicidal...
And you're still smiling like a maniac. Confirmed: You're a battle junkie.
Medical recommendation: Seek therapy.
Oh wait. Therapy can't fix THIS.]
Jinwoo rolled his shoulders, cracked his knuckles, and grinned.
"Therapy's expensive. Explosions are free."
---
[Gorehorn Ability Activated: Stampede]
The monster moved like a living earthquake. Its hooves shattered the ground, trees splintered and exploded from the shockwaves.
Jinwoo vanished—Flame Burst Dash.
He reappeared to the left, hovering mid-air.
"Try again."
Tempest Kick launched, a flaming air blade curving at Gorehorn's shoulder. It hit, sizzled, burned—
[Stonehide – 50% damage reduction]
"Figures," Jinwoo muttered. "Guess I'll have to tenderize it first."
---
Bullet Barrage—a flurry of Armament-coated fists rained down, each one denting, cracking, scorching.
Gorehorn bellowed, eyes glowing.
[Roar of Ruin Activated]
A magical shockwave spread like a nuke of fear.
But Jinwoo didn't even flinch.
[Status Effect: Fear – Blocked by Iron Will]
[Status Effect: Defense Down – Blocked by Iron Will]
[System:
Fear resistance: 100%... because you're INSANE.]
---
Gorehorn snarled, triggering Cursed Blood, the air around it rippling with malice.
But Kandiaru's blessing simply batted the curse away like a bored god swatting a fly.
[Status Effect: Cursed Blood – Nullified]
[System:
Kandiaru flexed on your behalf. Again.]
Jinwoo raised his hand in mock salute. "Thanks, wizard grandpa."
---
[Ignition Aura activated.]
Flames roared off him like a second skin. His aura pulsed like a reactor.
Flame Spiral Dash.
A whirling fireball with legs.
He barreled into Gorehorn's side, the force sending it skidding back—a whole seven meters.
---
But Gorehorn wasn't done.
It surged forward and landed a wild charge, catching Jinwoo mid-dash.
CRACK.
He flew backward, crashing through three trees before flipping and landing with a skid.
His chest throbbed.
No blood No bruises.. Just his body Entering the exiting the Logia Mode..
And for a moment—he wasn't in the forest.
---
Flashback. Port of Delryn. Age 17.
He remembered the sting of metal. A sniper. A missed check. His arrogance.
Bang.
A bullet through the ribs.
Pain like drowning in fire.
Blood, sticky and warm, down his side.
His mentor, cursing while stitching him up, growling—
"You're not immortal, brat. Recklessness kills faster than bullets."
---
Back to present.
Jinwoo stood, flexing his shoulders.
"I may not be immortal," he muttered. "But I'll make death wait its damn turn."
---
30% HP Triggered.
[FRENZY MODE: ACTIVE]
Gorehorn's body swelled. Veins blackened. Eyes turned rabid.
+50% Attack. -70% Intelligence.
It roared, saliva flying, and launched itself like a berserker on fire.
The trees warped in its wake.
---
But Jinwoo was already mid-air.
Geppo. Rankyaku. Bullet Barrage. Spiral Dash.
Everything layered in beautiful, devastating chaos.
Then—he paused. Hovering above Gorehorn.
His arm shimmered with fire.
He concentrated—his haki pulsed.
No Ryou. That was locked.
But what if he created something else?
---
Jinwoo's thoughts:
["Heat. Pressure. Compression. What if I mimic a reaction? A pseudo-nuclear burst. Force from within."]
He clenched his fist—flame spun tighter.
Haki layered around it, pressure rising.
He imagined an unstable core of mana and heat fusing—just long enough to detonate.
Not destruction through external pressure, but inversion. Disruption from inside.
---
[System:
Warning: Unknown technique forming... Signature does NOT match existing move-sets. Improvised attack detected: Internal Flame Disruption.
Results: Probably awesome. Possibly suicidal. Good luck!]
---
[SEISMIC BLAZE ARTS – CUSTOM VARIANT: CORE IMPACT (Prototype)]
He dove like a comet.
Time slowed.
Gorehorn looked up.Its Eyes Caught Sight of Incoming Death.
For the first time in its existence, it felt a chill that fire could not explain.
The flames weren't on Jinwoo—they were inside him. Controlled. Condensed.
Its instincts screamed.
Its legs trembled.
This… was death.
No words. Just terror.
It braced.
---
CRASH.
The fist connected with Gorehorn's chest.
Then detonated.
Fire didn't explode outward—it imploded inward.
Flesh rippled. Bone cracked. Organs melted.
From the inside out, Gorehorn burned.A hole On its abdomen.
Its body twitched.
Its pupils shrank.
And then—
BOOOOOOOOOOM.
A massive blast crater opened, swallowing trees, earth, and silence.
---
[Boss Defeated – Gorehorn has fallen.]
Loot Generated.
Seismic Blaze Arts: Progress increased to 29%
New Prototype Move Registered: Core Impact (Locked until further refinement.)
---
Jinwoo landed, steam rising from his shoulders.
The ground smoldered around him.
The System whistled.
[System:
And THAT'S how you one-punch barbecue a monster with 100k HP. My guy… you scare ME.]
Jinwoo cracked his neck. "He died with honor."
Pause.
He grinned. "And the smell of medium-rare steak."
----------
Jinwoo stood in the aftermath. Flames rippled off his shoulders like an ethereal cloak. His body was unscratched, outfit torn, but his grin?
Sharp. Satisfied. Alive.
Then—
DING!
---
[LEVEL UP!]
[LEVEL UP!]
[LEVEL UP!]
[LEVEL UP!]
[LEVEL UP!]
Current Level: 26
Stat Points Earned: +30 (6 x 5 levels)
Boss Bonus: +5 Stat Points
Total Unspent Stat Points: +95 (60 old + 35 new)
---
[Skill Proficiency Increase!]
> Iron Fist: Bullet Barrage → Lvl 1: 91%
Observation Haki → Lvl 1: 98%
Armament Haki → Lvl 2: 19%
Soru (Flash Step) → Lvl 2: 39%
Geppo (Moonwalk) → Lvl 1: 83%
Rankyaku (Tempest Kick) → Lvl 2: 31%
Flame Impact → Lvl 2: 41%
Flame Spiral Dash → Lvl 1: 57%
Flame Burst Dash → Lvl 1: 71%
Flame Tempest Kick → Lvl 1: 84%
Flame Tiger Lariat → Lvl 1: 49%
Seismic Blaze Arts → Progress 21%
System:
Congratulations! You have now become your own natural disaster.
Your skills are leveling faster than my sarcasm generator can keep up.
---
[Quest Complete!]
Quest 1: Survive for 4 Hours – SUCCESS
Reward: +5 Stat Points & Rare Loot Box
Quest 2: Kill Monster Hordes – SUCCESS
Reward: Gacha Ticket x1, Skill Appraisal Ticket x1
Quest 3:Kill The Boss monster - SUCCESS
[Boss Defeated: Gorehorn the Mauler – Level 58]
[Gorehorn has been reduced from boss monster to spicy barbecue. Absolute annihilation confirmed.]
---
[Rewards Earned:]
Cursed Loot Box (x1)
Gacha Tickets (x3)
Skill Upgrade Card (x1)
---
[Titles Earned:]
Beast Blender:
You didn't just kill a monster—you turned it into an exhibit on kinetic trauma.
Effect: +10% damage to beast-type enemies, +20% chance of rare monster drops.
Monsters now fear the sound of your footsteps.
The Mad Theorist:
You tried to recreate forbidden martial arts with pure brainpower and anime logic. It worked.
Effect: +8% skill execution speed. Unlocks "Tactical Insight": briefly exposes enemy weak points in battle.
Einstein just rolled in his grave. From respect.
---
[System Notification:]
Sweet flaming hellfire, what are you made of?
You took a charging wall of rock and rage and used SCIENCE to commit war crimes.
You're not a battle junkie—you're a tactical nuke with style points.
Jinwoo:
"Hah. Guess I do look good on fire.
"Hey system, Allot my unspent Points..40% of em' into Intelligence and the remaining points equally into all other stats"
"Kay' Mr. BattleFreak"
[Final Status After Allocation]
Name: Sung Jinwoo
Level: 26
Template Fusion: Peak Garp (25%)
Race: Human
Title(s): Beast Blender, The Mad Theorist(New)
HP: 73,056 MP: 167,354
---
Stats:
Strength: 258
Agility: 249
Stamina: 263
Intelligence: 383
Sense: 287
Unspent Stat Points: 0
[All points used like a responsible battle maniac.]
---
[System Message:
Stat Allocation Complete. You've officially upgraded from "Flame Boy Wonder" to "The Punchline of Armageddon."]
Jinwoo (smirking at his fists):
"Fireballs are flashy... but fists? Fists leave echoes."
Ding!!
[Template Integration Update Detected…]
Peak Garp Template – Fusion Rate: 25%
[ The ghost of an old marine just raised a brow and grunted in approval. You're not just carrying his strength now—you're starting to understand it.]
---
[New Skill Unlocked –Fist of the Sea King (Lvl 1: 0%)]
Description:
Channel the full weight of monstrous power and haki into a single punch. Upon impact, your fist unleashes a sonic shockwave—an AOE blast capable of sending multiple enemies flying, rupturing terrain, and breaking morale.
[ It's like a fireball, but manlier.]
Effect:
Supersonic Haki Shockwave.
Causes wide-area concussive damage.
Knocks back enemies within a 15-meter radius.
Ignores 30% of enemy defense.
Scaling with Strength and Spirit.
Jinwoo (grinning):
"Now that's what I'm talking about… Who needs fireballs when I can punch the air and erase the room?"
[System:
Congratulations, you're now legally classified as an earthquake with abs.]
---------
Author's Note:
HOLY FLAMING CRATERS, BATMAN!
What did we just witness?! Our boy Jinwoo didn't just fight a boss—he cooked it. Like, literally. Gorehorn went from "I am death incarnate" to "medium rare with a side of trauma." And let's be real—Core Impact? That was less of a punch and more of a love letter to physics-based war crimes.
The System is traumatized. The forest needs therapy. Gorehorn's soul probably rage-quit existence. Meanwhile, Jinwoo's out here unlocking "Fist of the Sea King" like it's just another Tuesday.
Seriously, shoutout to all of you who stuck with this flaming rollercoaster of fists, fire, and absolutely illegal physics. You're the real MVPs. If you laughed, gasped, or shouted "PUNCH HIM HARDER," drop a comment below. I live off feedback like Jinwoo lives off sarcasm.
Next chapter? Who knows. Maybe Jinwoo punches the concept of peace. Maybe he sues gravity. One thing's for sure—there will be fire. And fists.
Until next time: Stay chaotic. Stay awesome. And remember—therapy is expensive, but explosions are free.
—The Unqualified Narrator