Too Stubborn to Die Chapter 34

Extra wasn’t even the start of it, Aaron thought as he bolted from the miners on all fours. Because being normal is just too fucking hard, isn’t it?

Foaming at the mouth, barking as they leap toward him, Aaron could only shake his head as he glanced back over his shoulder. Either the multiverse was a very strange place, or these trials really liked to collect weirdos.

However, there were advantages to having rather fast pursuers; they caught up quickly and followed him out of sight of the mining town. After all, Aaron wasn’t feeling particularly patient and didn’t want to have to sit around and wait for some ragged miners to slowly catch up.

Reading fate and selecting a path of attack, Aaron swung back around towards his attackers and got to work. But he didn’t intend to just lay down some mindless melee. No, this was about training first and foremost, and he kept that in mind when he fought his attackers.

Activating [ Thick Skinned ], [ Gorgon’s Time Dilation ], and [ Relentless Scourge], Aaron focused on the kind of warrior he saw himself as and how he delivered damage. The way he dispatched these foes was important. It needed to be an extension of his philosophy if he wanted to gain the most from his next Skill unlock.

Flowing through his movements as he dodged the first few attacks, Aaron focused on returning their energy and mediating his own. It was about balance and efficiency. When he did land an attack, he put no more power than was necessary into it and never allowed his footing to fully settle, quickly moving into evasive actions.

But unlike earlier fights, his strikes now contained stamina powering his arms and mana funneling through his anchors and blasting his foes with devastating results. It was easy to overdo it. To get carried away in search of killing blows to cull his outnumbering enemies, but that was breaking from the path he was forming. It was a sign of failed discipline. He needed to remain calm and in control. To only exert as much power as he needed to.

Somewhat surprisingly, Aaron found himself able to not just keep up, but outpace his rabid enemies. The trial was multiple stages above the one with the orcs, and yet, the minions felt far easier to fight than the common worker orcs.

Foaming mouths, clawed hands, and crude weapons swung at him from all directions, but Aaron weaved through the countless attacks with supreme accuracy and grace. Not long ago, it had taken him all of his concentration to do something similar against a single orc, and now he was achieving it against an entire gang of feral miners. Not only that, but it was easier. Sure, he could read fate now, but even back then, against the orcs, he read most of their movements. The bigger problem had been keeping up with their superior stats. It was a testament to his stamina veins. Cycling stamina through his body was game-changing, and it allowed Aaron to not just keep up but move faster against stronger opponents. He could only imagine the advantage he would have over somebody of equal level.

However, numbers still counted for something. And Aaron’s thoughts were far more concentrated on delivering powerful blows in controlled outbursts than they were on keeping out of harm's way. And soon, an attack or two landed, and soon after that, he was mauled to death.

But dying wasn’t what was important. A new insight had been revealed as he dodged the miners. His technique needed to come naturally. He couldn’t let down his defense as he was focusing on offense, regardless of how many enemies attacked him. This was as important as the powered strike itself.

Returning to the trial, he led the miners away from the town again. This time, as they attacked, he again focused on releasing power. It wasn’t that his dodging wasn’t important, but rather that it should come naturally. His focus could be stolen at any time during a fight, and he needed his body to weave and duck naturally, with little input.

Entering a trance-like state, he focused on his attacks and relied mostly on muscle memory to dodge the incoming attacks.

Learning to release powerful blasts and channel them into shockwaves had taught him how to summon all of his power into a single strike, but now he had to refine that into something more delicate. Something more fitting for the style he was developing.

Still, despite how much stronger he had gotten, he wasn’t quite at the level where he could take on such numbers at once with his limited mana pool. And Aaron was forced to kite the mad, pouncing villagers who attacked him with rusty tools and frothing mouths as he focused his thoughts on delivering counters.

Luckily, the rabid villagers were rather uncoordinated with their attacks, pouncing with speed but unhinged, wild strikes. This also allowed Aaron to avoid death, easily reading their fates and predicting their telegraphed attacks.

In fact, they were so sloppy that he actually deactivated [ Gorgon’s Time Dilation ] to conserve mana. However, in truth, they were still faster and maybe even more skilled than the orcs. He just didn’t need to be perfect against them, as he had against the orcs. That was how far he had come.

This carelessness resulted in another death shortly after, but Aaron didn’t change his plan. He didn’t need [ Gorgon’s Time Dilation ]. The Skill assisted when focusing on many targets, but that wasn’t where his focus was supposed to be. The entire point was to focus his mental energy on attacking so that he could unlock the perfect Skill when he leveled. Time dilation wasn’t required for this, and if anything, he ate at the mana he required for his powered punches.

Focus, be at one with your movement. They’re slower and more clumsy than you. If you need all of your attention to dodge these miners, then what chance do you have against Yendal?

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Returning to the trial, Aaron redoubled his focus and got back to work. His body was still too stiff and required too much conscious input.

Again, his thoughts drifted from his evasive movements and to the attacks he was preparing as he led the miners away from the town.

The uncontrolled nature of his mana bursts meant that he was depleting his reserves rather quickly when he attacked, and the battle moved too fast for even Aaron to eat. This was what he had to focus on—controlling his mana.

However, there were additional tricks he could employ from time to time. He could knock the miners away with shockwaves, create distance, and then get a little food stuffed down his mouth. Against weak foes like the miners, these strategies worked to some degree, though he knew they were far from perfect. These solutions were stopgaps, useful in prolonged fights, but not something he wanted to rely upon. He barely got a chance to eat against Yendal when she wasn’t even trying to fight back. What if she was? Aaron knew the answer to this question, and he also knew that the same would apply to true powers of the multiverse.

As he fought, he focused on his mana. Aiming to further control it as weapons and claws sailed past his ever-elusive form. Mentally, he was picturing his style and using similar techniques as he had when forming his anchors. He had to thin his mana with each attack and further improve the efficiency with which he used it. This was the meaning of control, and when he released an attack, it crippled or killed his enemies, but no more.

Jaws cracked, guts imploded, livers exploded, and chins shook as he twirled through the battle, landing mana-infused and stamina-powered strikes to the body, kicks, crosses, and uppercuts.

“Power, control, scalability,” he repeated as he weaved through the battle, striking his opponents whenever they offered an opening.

His opponents dropped around him, their bones shattered and bodies bruised. But more took their places, leaping for Aaron but always a step behind.

Although even now, he wasn’t quite perfect. Wounds continued to build up as the occasional attack landed. But unlike before, his growing Vitality allowed him to survive a few attacks. Still, direct hits quickly ended fatally. The fact was that he was still underleveled, and as such, still had to be very careful when it came to taking direct hits.

But this was what his perfect style required. The miners, despite being relatively weak, were a great training prop for this. His body moved more naturally with every death, and he continued his training, thoughts entirely focused on offense as he allowed his body to move almost entirely on its own.

As the battle dragged on, Aaron continued to kite the mindless miners across the landscape, only standing to trade with them for mere seconds before setting flight once more. This was a part of his defense. Even if muscle memory was sailing him through the dance of battle as he focused his attention on attacking, it didn’t mean that he used no tactics or strategy. No, they were always present. It was a part of his style, from the foundation upward.

Whatever advantages he held couldn’t be taken for granted, and if he were going to come out on top against such numbers, he needed to remain ever elusive, always in motion. Never allowing his enemies to get the upper hand and figure out a plan, which the miners, who stalked and circled him like a pack of wolves, were no doubt attempting.

If they wanted him, they would have to come and get him, and the moment the bulk of their numbers caught up, and again began circling as the front row attacked, he took flight once more. Only ever remaining in place long enough for a handful of miners to engage him at once.

And with each engagement, fewer of his attackers remained, and his control over his mana strengthened. Not only that, but with fewer attackers, he had more time to top up his reserves and eat if necessary. It seemed the odds had tipped, and Aaron was on the verge of defeating this foe. Though perhaps he could have done so earlier if that had been his only goal.

He had taken a few deaths to get to where he was, but it had been worth it. Now, he required almost no conscious thought to dodge and kite the miners as he focused on attacks.

You’ve been good training partners, but I’m done here.

That thought was hastily ripped from his mind as a blast rang out through the air. He had missed it, failing to see the thread of fate that had sent the bullet his way. He had been focused on the fight taking place around him. The gunner hadn’t cared for the circumstances of the fight, and the musket ball they had fired blasted a hole straight through one of the miners.

My awareness still needs improvement, Aaron thought as his gaze lifted from the surrounding miners toward where the musket had been fired.

Six musketeers lined up, taking aim, and Aaron tilted his head at the display. Their aim didn’t appear to be great, but still, dodging bullets was a little different from dodging claws and crude weapons.

However, there were still several mouth-foaming miners around him, and Aaron weaved through them as the muskets fired, resulting in several miners dropping down.

After having taken on all of the miners at once, this was, quite frankly, easy. The musketeers were rather mediocre ranged combatants, and there was little more to be gained here.

Now’s my chance!

Cycling stamina, and shot toward the musketeers before they could load another round. He wasn’t about to let them get off another shot and closed the distance between them in seconds.

But moments before he reached them, a figure leaped out from behind the line of riflemen and landed between them, a wide, creepy smirk on its face.

“Ohohoh, look at this mess, my little lovelies. All battered and broken. I suppose it is my turn, then,” laughed the creepy man as he raised his head. His hands were equipped with bladed fingers, and he slowly straightened and then casually walked toward Aaron. “That pretty flesh of yours will look so dashing on me.”

Aaron’s face scrunched up as he eyed the wicked gaze of the cackling madman. He was covered in patchwork skin sewn together. But at least the six musketeers behind him lowered their rifles. It seemed that while they were willing to kill the miners to take out Aaron, their boss wasn’t on the menu.

“Oh, so, you’re even weirder close up.”

Well, at least this clarifies that he’s a bad guy. Good to know, Aaron thought, not that it made much difference. He still had every intention to beat this trial, one way or another.

“Ohohoh, weirder? Did you hear that, my pretties? Our guest thinks that I’m weird?” The creepy man frowned. “And just when I thought we were getting to know each other.”

“Keep it in your pants, mate. The only thing you’re getting to know is my fists.”

“Ohoh, delightful,” he licked his lips.

“Well, at least this should be interesting,” Aaron cracked his fingers and threw some food down his throat in preparation as he limbered up.

“Ohoho, it’ll definitely be interesting,” the man said, smacking his oversized tongue against his lips. “I can assure you of that, my pretty.”

Why? Why the fuck does he have to make everything so freaking uncomfortable?

A shiver traced Aaron's spine. He really, really hoped this weirdo wasn’t about to enjoy the beating he was about to lay down.

Feral Pit Boss [ ??? ]