Today...
...was the day I would kill the Cavetroll.
I checked my equipment one last time.
Enough Miracle Water.
A fresh pair of pants.
My old armor.
Shin guards.
Arm guards.
Boots.
My dagger.
The Flame Staff.
Even the sword I had salvaged.
Still...
Everything I had trained for was the Exploding Rock Fist.
Even after all those months, my punches had never exploded like the book's name suggested.
The only thing I had gained was a stronger body.
Well...
At least I still had my weapons.
I ate.
I drank.
Then I left my shelter.
Over the countless days I had spent in this cavern, I had learned the Cavetroll's routine.
I knew where it slept.
I knew when it hunted.
And just as expected...
It lumbered out of its nest.
I approached carefully.
Everything had already been prepared.
Dozens of massive boulders lay scattered around the battlefield.
I couldn't store all of them at once.
But I could absorb one whenever I needed and launch it from my Force Space.
When the Cavetroll stepped into position...
I raised my staff.
"Fire Blast!"
A stream of flames erupted from its tip and slammed directly into the monster's face.
The Cavetroll staggered backward with a furious roar.
But I wasn't finished.
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I jumped forward.
A massive boulder shot out of my Force Space like a cannonball.
A direct hit.
The impact knocked the giant onto its back.
"Yes!"
But before I could celebrate...
The Cavetroll stood back up.
"GRAAAAHHH!"
Its roar shook the cavern hard enough to make my ears ring.
Then it charged.
Stone club raised high.
BOOM!
I barely dodged the crushing blow.
The ground exploded beneath the club.
I couldn't lose focus.
I raised my staff again.
"Fire Blast!"
This time...
The Cavetroll opened its mouth.
The flames disappeared inside.
"What?"
I froze.
The monster grinned.
Purple light flickered deep within its throat.
Then—
WHOOSH!
The same stream of fire burst from its mouth.
I barely managed to summon a boulder as a shield.
The flames engulfed it instead.
"What..."
"It can store fire?"
Before I could process what had happened, the Cavetroll smashed the burning boulder apart.
The impact sent me flying.
My back slammed against the cavern wall.
Pain shot through my entire body.
"Plan B."
I immediately released another boulder from my Force Space.
The projectile flew toward the Cavetroll.
Just before impact...
A faint purple light covered the boulder.
It vanished.
My eyes widened.
A heartbeat later...
The same boulder came flying back toward me.
Faster.
Much faster.
I summoned another stone to intercept it.
The collision exploded into fragments.
But I had no time to breathe.
The Cavetroll was already charging again.
Club swinging.
Luckily...
It was slow.
Its body gave me enough time to dodge.
But the boulders...
Those were terrifying.
If it had fought using only flying rocks instead of that oversized club...
I would already be dead.
I continued dodging while my thoughts spiraled.
Everything I had prepared...
Was useless.
Fire?
It threw it back.
Boulders?
It threw them back even harder.
Focus...
Focus!
This is why you've been training all this time!
Training...
The Exploding Rock Fist.
What was the point?
I couldn't even make a rock crack.
That martial art was a complete fraud.
Still dodging, I clenched my fist.
"Whatever!"
I charged.
Closing the distance, I drove a punch straight into the Cavetroll's stomach.
The monster stopped.
It slowly looked down at me.
"..."
Then...
"Grrk..."
"Grrk..."
"Grrk..."
It was laughing.
"Damn it..."
Even the monster thought my punches were pathetic.
Then what was the point of all that training?
I kept moving.
Dodging.
Punching.
Dodging again.
Every now and then I tried launching another boulder.
Every single one came flying back.
Each one faster than the last.
"Damn it..."
"Damn it!"
"DAMN IT!"
There was no winning this.
I had to retreat.
Wait...
I still had one more weapon.
The sword.
I pulled it from my storage and rushed forward.
With all my strength...
I swung.
SHING!
The blade shattered the instant it struck the Cavetroll's rocky hide.
"..."
Time seemed to slow.
The broken pieces spun through the air.
My last hope...
Shattered before my eyes.
The broken sword slipped from my fingers.
I looked up.
The Cavetroll had already raised its massive club.
There wasn't enough time.
Too close.
Too slow.
I'm really going to die...
Instinct took over.
Without thinking...
I shifted into the third stance of the Exploding Rock Fist.
Both arms crossed before my face.
My feet planted firmly on the ground.
My waist lowered.
A defensive posture.
The club came crashing down.
BOOOOOOM!
The impact sent me flying like a ragdoll.