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Chapter 378: A Primal Clash with the Beast!
🕑 Added 2024-11-11 11:00:06 +0000 UTCThe spiraling water spear collided with the wind lance descending from above, and the clash of rushing winds and surging waters created an explosion of force that rippled through the forest. Water droplets scattered, mixing with the wind, and a sudden storm seemed to engulf the area.
As everyone marveled at the high-level magic unleashed by Wood and Ryuzu, an approaching figure disregarded the fierce winds and rain, moving at an astonishing speed towards Wood.
Boom!
Another powerful shockwave burst through the air. The figure approaching Wood at high speed, undeterred by the storm, was none other than Garfiel Tinzel, who had previously been sent flying by Wood's punch.
While Wood and Ryuzu's spells had been colliding, Garfiel had taken the opportunity to close the distance, hoping to return the favor to Wood with a punch of his own.
However, Garfiel's punch was intercepted. Like before, Wood had already foreseen Garfiel's movements using Observation Haki, and he raised his left arm, now covered in Armament Haki, to block. The impact met with Wood's hardened arm, and Garfiel immediately realized this wasn't flesh and bone—it was akin to solid steel.
"You really don't learn, do you? Well, this just makes it easier for me. Once I knock both of you out, there'll be fewer obstacles if I need to deal with Roswaal later."
Garfiel's fierce eyes glared at Wood, as if he wanted to say something, but before he could utter a word, Wood's right fist smashed into his face.
With his left arm having blocked Garfiel's punch, Wood immediately followed up with a crushing right uppercut.
"Iron Fist Technique: Diamond Smash!"
The heavy uppercut not only silenced Garfiel but broke several of his sharp teeth. A spiderweb of cracks spread across the ground where Garfiel had been standing as the force drove him downwards.
Garfiel hadn't expected Wood to be so dishonorable as to punch him mid-sentence. The force of the punch dazed him, and before he could recover, Wood grabbed his head and threw him violently.
From the moment Wood first struck Garfiel, then clashed with Ryuzu's magic, to Garfiel being thrown again, everything had happened in under a minute. Subaru, Emilia, and the others barely had time to react before Garfiel and Ryuzu—the strongest defenders of the Sanctuary—were completely suppressed by Wood.
Seeing Garfiel completely outmatched in hand-to-hand combat, Ryuzu hesitated for a moment before deciding to intervene. However, before she could launch an attack against Wood, Ram suddenly appeared in front of her.
"Although I believe that Mr. Wood could handle this alone," Ram said, "it's not good manners to just stand back and watch. So, I'll be your opponent."
Seeing Ram step forward to face Ryuzu, Rem and Emilia also wanted to assist, but Puck stopped them before they could move.
"Ram has regained her full Oni powers," Puck explained. "She might even be stronger than I was at my peak. She doesn't need any help. As for Wood... honestly, I think even if the Witch of Greed, who created me, or the Witch of Envy herself faced him, Wood would still stand a chance."
Garfiel and Ryuzu were undoubtedly strong—the strongest within the Sanctuary and even formidable in the outside world. However, their opponent was not someone to be taken lightly. Ram was the most powerful of the Oni clan, named after the legendary continent Mitram, and Wood could fight on par with Reinhard, the Sword Saint, even while holding back. The so-called "Shield of the Sanctuary" stood little chance.
"As harsh as it sounds," Puck continued, "the best way we can support them right now is by not getting in their way. If we interfere, we could end up being a burden. We should focus on finding Roswaal. Once we find him, we'll have the answers we need."
Roswaal always dressed like a clown, but he was a powerful figure—even more so than Garfiel and Ryuzu. Yet Puck wasn't worried about Emilia facing Roswaal. As Wood had said before, if Roswaal intended to kill Emilia, he would have done so long ago.
As Emilia, Subaru, and the others headed deeper into the Sanctuary, Wood, who was still engaged in battle, paid them no mind. Instead, he looked with interest at Garfiel, who was now transforming into a massive beast.
After being knocked around twice, Garfiel realized that the Sanctuary had clearly encountered an opponent far beyond their expectations. Though Garfiel was unfamiliar with Wood's face, he knew the names of the strong people outside the Sanctuary, and Wood wasn't among them.
Garfiel was confident, but not arrogant. Despite giving his all, he had been easily overpowered by Wood. Realizing there was no point in holding back, Garfiel decided to use his trump card—his full beast transformation.
In his transformed state, Garfiel's skin was covered in black-and-yellow fur, his head became that of a tiger, and his body grew to over ten meters in height. His strength, speed, and endurance were all enhanced, and because of his increased contact with the ground, his "Blessing of the Earth Spirit" became even more potent. For minor injuries, Garfiel could now heal within seconds just by touching the earth.
Though powerful, Garfiel disliked using his beast transformation because it caused him to lose his sanity. While partial transformation was manageable, full transformation made him almost indistinguishable from a wild beast.
Yet given the current situation, Garfiel had no choice. Without using his beast form, he knew he had no hope of defeating Wood. And so, he fully transformed, sacrificing his rationality.
Roar!
Completely transformed, Garfiel roared, his massive tiger form fixing its gaze on Wood before swiping a claw at him.
Although Garfiel had lost his sanity, he still retained some instincts from his humanoid form, such as standing upright on his hind legs.
His huge tiger claw cut through the air, creating a deafening sound. Yet despite the speed of the attack, Garfiel's strike missed—Wood had already disappeared from his original position.
When Wood reappeared, he was airborne, ready to bring down his heel on Garfiel's massive head.
"Even though you've grown larger and stronger, I don't see how dealing with a mere beast could be harder than fighting a skilled warrior."
To Wood, Garfiel's beast form was nothing extraordinary. It was similar to an Animal-Type Devil Fruit user from his own world—a transformation that greatly enhanced physical abilities without the user losing their mind. By comparison, Garfiel's beast form seemed unimpressive.
Descending from above, Wood aimed a powerful axe kick at Garfiel's head, intending to knock him out and end the fight. However, to his surprise, just before the kick connected, Garfiel's beast instincts reacted, and he swung a massive paw upward to meet Wood's attack.
Boom!
The collision of Garfiel's claw and Wood's Haki-covered foot unleashed a shockwave that swept across the area. The sheer force lifted rocks from the ground, uprooted small trees, and even made the tallest ones sway.
After the clash, both Wood and the beast-like Garfiel were sent flying by the impact, each forced back by more than a hundred meters.
Landing firmly, Wood looked at Garfiel in the distance, a hint of excitement appearing on his face.
"I thought you'd lose yourself entirely and become a mindless beast, but it looks like I underestimated you," Wood said. "You've retained your combat instincts, even gaining a beast's keen sense. Interesting. Subaru and the others will need some time to find Roswaal, so I'll play with you for a while."
Wood casually tore off his shirt, revealing his well-defined muscles, and looked at Garfiel with an expression that hadn't been seen for a while—battle intent.
Back in the Navy Academy, Wood had trained extensively in martial arts. But as he became more proficient with swordsmanship and magic, he found fewer opportunities to engage in pure hand-to-hand combat. Now, facing Garfiel, he wanted to revisit that feeling.
As for why he removed his shirt, it was simple. In any good shonen battle, showing off muscles was both cool and a way to show increased power. Garfiel had gone beast mode and ripped through his clothes, so it was only fair for Wood to flex as well.
Roar!
Garfiel's beastly roar seemed to be a signal, and the fight resumed!
In the next instant, Wood and Garfiel moved simultaneously, shattering the ground beneath them with the force of their leaps. Each left a deep crater as they shot towards each other, fists ready.
Their vastly different-sized fists collided mid-air, yet they felt evenly matched. After that initial strike, they both moved at lightning speed, engaging in an intense hand-to-hand clash.
"Ora ora ora ora ora!"
"Daiku daiku daiku daiku daiku!"
At first, they dodged each other's strikes, but as the battle heated up, they started trading blows without restraint. Their fists fell like rain on each other's bodies, neither side backing down despite the injuries. Both had fully committed to this primal contest.
Garfiel's massive body meant that he took more hits, but his larger fists covered far more area with each punch, equivalent to dozens of Wood's hits.
Wood stubbornly refused to use either Armament Haki or Iron Body techniques, believing that this was a true battle between men. Using those techniques would be akin to defending, and though it wasn't explicitly stated, the unspoken rule was clear: the first one to dodge or defend wasn't a real man.
Both had ways to recover—Wood had healing magic etched into his body, and Garfiel had his "Blessing of the Earth Spirit." But avoiding or blocking was out of the question.
Blackened fists pounded Garfiel's enormous frame, each hit leaving a dent, while Garfiel's colossal fists made Wood's bones groan under the impact.
This was no longer about skill—it was now a matter of willpower and endurance. Who would outlast the other in this brutal, primal exchange?
