Chapter 38, First Kill (Part 1)

Back to the fight,

Kevin seeing the Bear towering fist coming toward him from above, as Kevin is only 175cm while the beast was 4m tall, smiled even more excitedly because he found himself easily able to react to it and he can dodge the fist completely, but that is not what he is here for, so instead of dodging the fist coming toward him.

He curled his own fist and threw it toward the beast's fist that is closing on him.

Seeing the ant not running or dodging, the bear thought that it is fighting a retread, not a normal person, so the viciousness in the bear's eyes increased and he increased his speed more, then the two fists collided.

Looking at Kevin the bear smirked with its beastly face waiting for his scream of pain or Kevin exploding into a blood mist, but what happened next shocked the bear and its partner that was paying attention to the first clash.

After their fists collided, Kevin didn't feel anything at all, he thought that maybe there would be slight vibrations from his bones or some cracks, but he didn't feel anything.

But the bear standing opposite to Kevin felt something else entirely, it started hearing a cracking sound coming from the bones in its outstretched hand, and before the bear knew it, it was already sent flying from their single exchange.

Seeing the bear flying like that, Emilia who was heading to the other bear stopped in shock, while the other bear just stared at the place its partner was standing at.

As for Kevin himself, he didn't pursue the bear.

He just stared at his fist with disbelief, although he knew that physical strength was high for his level, he didn't think that he could contend with a bear who is proficient in physical strength as his forte, so although he knew he would win this round, he also thought that he at least would feel some small pain in his arms from the bear.

After the bear landed a few meters away, he was in disbelief that the person before him whom he thought was an ant managed to push him so far with just one punch, waking from his disbelief, he became enraged and roared with fury at Kevin for making him suffer such a humiliation.

Hearing the roar Emilia and the other bear woke up from their astonishment and started to fight, but Emilia fought cleverly instead of fighting head-on like Kevin as she doesn't have a terrifying physical strength like him, although Vampires usually have a strong physique that came as a perk from their bloodline, it was not something they excel at like the dragons and some clans from the demon race.

Hearing the roar woke Kevin from his astonishment also so he just threw away any thoughts about his physical strength might and kept them for later.

Feeling the excitement from the battle that he is going to have with the bear, he immediately launched himself at the roaring bear, not without notifying his system about something.

'System, keep an eye on Emilia, in case she encountered any misshape'

[Sure]

Keeping Emilia out of his mind now, Kevin focused on his battle, as he immediately clashed with the bear again, but this time he didn't use all his physical strength as he wants to learn how to control it.

Immediately the bear and Kevin started exchanging fists, Kevin didn't use any of the martial arts he learned from the 'Freedom Cultivation Manual', nor did he coat his body with his energy, he just kept using pure physical strength, until he started feeling his control over his body increasing slowly as they continued to battle with their fist.

After 30 minutes of continuous fighting,

The bear felt that Kevin was getting stronger as they fought.

Although it wasn't a correct assessment, it wasn't wrong either, as Kevin at the beginning of the fight was fighting without controlling his physical strength as this is his first fight with his body in this life, so as the fight progressed and time passed, Kevin's control over his body increased, so his power also increased.

The bear seeing this, roared again from rage, and its body started to have visible changes as its energy also started to rise. Its cultivation that was standing at Peak General Rank started rising as it neared Lord Rank but not quite there, it was half step into the Lord Rank.

Kevin finally knew why that bear was named Crimson One-Eyed Bear at this moment, now seeing the bear's energy raising, he saw that its originally sharp brown fur that coated its body started to change and it took a crimson color like its name in the description.

Feeling that the bear is entering its final stage, he thought it is time to end their battle as he knew that he won't gain anything more from the bear to increase his control over his strength, he turned his head slightly and saw that Emilia finished with her fight and she was just standing on the side quietly watching him fight.

He was startled a little because he didn't feel any vibrations from her battle with the other bear, and apparently the enraged crimson bear in front of him didn't notice that his partner also died.

Seeing Emilia safe, I decided to finish this bear quickly.

I started to stimulate the energy in my core and made it fill my body with energy to strengthen it more, I immediately felt the difference from before as I felt that my speed, strength, perception, and reflexes increase compared to before, and then I manifested the energy on my right hand to cover it.

After covering my hands with my energy, I made it take the properties of fire.

Although that took a while to explain, it didn't take in reality more than a few seconds while the bear has finished its power-up.

In stories, the Hero always waits for the villain or their opponent, in general, to power up and then they battle, and although I am not a hero anymore, I waited anyway as I wanted to see what my fire would do to a Half Lord Rank beast with terrifying physical strength and thick fur that protects the beast by covering its whole body.

The bear after turning all crimson started running in my direction with the intention of trampling me with its abnormal physical strength, seeing the bear coming, I steadied myself in one of the positions taught in the manual to exert all my strength in the next punch.

As the bear finally was very close to reaching me, it stretched its hands into a fist and aimed at my head, seeing the fist coming my way, instead of taking it head on like the last 30 minutes, I dodged the fist by advancing towards the bear closer to its body and unleashing a fist of my own in the direction of its stomach.