Chapter 138 — The Challenge

The next few days passed in a blur.

There was barely enough time between battles to recover, but Victor had become accustomed to the routine. His body had adapted to the constant punishment, and his mind had adapted to the constant pressure.

By the eleventh day, Victor had climbed all the way to Rank Eight in the Lava Rock Monkey rankings.

The journey from Rank 61 to Rank 8 had been brutal, but Victor had managed to tear through most of his opponents relatively quickly.

His Intermediate Flash Step gave him an advantage that very few of the other fighters could properly account for. Combined with his Intermediate Monkey Fist, it effectively placed him on relatively even ground with opponents who possessed Advanced Monkey Fist.

The fighters at the top of the ranking were monsters in their own right.

Most of them had already developed an understanding of Advanced Monkey Fist.

They weren't simply stronger than the fighters Victor had faced before.

They understood fighting differently.

Their timing was better.

Their reactions were sharper.

Their fundamentals were incredibly refined.

And most importantly, they understood that having a powerful technique meant nothing if they couldn't make it connect.

By the time he finally defeated Rank Eight the previous evening, Victor was exhausted beyond words.

Yet there was something else he felt.

Understanding.

Monkaster's training had taken him to a level he hadn't even realized was possible.

Victor had always possessed the tools to become powerful.

But having powerful tools meant nothing if he didn't know how to use them.

His fundamentals formed the foundation.

His instincts guided his reactions.

Flash Step controlled his positioning.

Monkey Fist became his finishing blow.

And all of them could flow into one another without hesitation.

Even though Victor was still only Rank Nine in cultivation, he had managed to defeat powerful opponents.

It was something that would have seemed impossible to him only a few weeks ago.

So, on the twelfth day, Victor made his way toward the dueling arena.

When he rounded the corner, he immediately spotted two familiar figures.

Monkasa stood beside the arena with his usual enormous grin, his large teeth on full display.

And beside him stood Monkaster.

The old monkey gave Victor a small nod.

"Good, Victor. You made it."

Victor smiled.

"Good morning, Teacher."

Monkaster looked toward the empty dueling platform.

Then he looked back at Victor.

"Your opponent couldn't make it."

Victor blinked.

"Couldn't make it?"

Monkaster nodded.

"Apparently not."

He paused.

"To be fair, if you ended up fighting anyone from Rank Two through Rank Seven, you'd probably defeat them at this point."

Victor raised an eyebrow.

"Probably?"

"The fights might take longer," Monkaster continued, "but with your current skill level, you've finally mastered everything I had to teach you."

Victor remained silent.

Monkaster then pointed toward Monkasa.

"If only this one had your level of discipline and understanding when it came to fundamentals."

Monkasa's grin immediately disappeared.

Monkaster sighed.

"If only."

Monkasa crossed his arms.

"Hey."

"You would have become the Prime Ape long ago."

Monkasa looked away.

"I don't like where this conversation is going."

Monkaster ignored him.

"But what can you do?"

He turned back toward Victor.

"At this point, there is really only one person left for you to fight."

Victor already knew the answer.

"The Prime Ape."

Monkaster nodded.

"Exactly."

Victor's expression became serious.

He had spent the last eleven days climbing toward this moment.

Now it was finally here.

"Teacher."

"Hm?"

"How does someone challenge the Prime Ape?"

Monkaster smiled.

"There are several ways."

Victor listened carefully.

"First, you can simply ask him."

Victor nodded.

"Second, you can make him notice your potential. If the Prime Ape believes you're worth fighting, he can challenge you himself."

Victor frowned.

"That sounds difficult."

"It is."

Monkaster shrugged.

"The Prime Ape spends most of his time in his cultivation chamber. He doesn't wander around looking for opponents."

Victor nodded slowly.

"So neither option is particularly easy."

"Correct."

Monkaster's eyes shifted toward Monkasa.

Victor noticed.

Monkasa suddenly became very interested in something on the ground.

Victor frowned slightly.

There was something strange about the interaction.

But before he could think much about it, Monkaster looked back at him.

"So, Victor."

He smiled.

"Do you want to fight the Prime Ape?"

Victor didn't hesitate.

"If you think I'm ready, Teacher…"

He clenched his fist.

"I think I could give it a shot."

Monkaster's smile widened.

"Okay then."

He turned toward the dueling platform.

"We'll make it happen."

He walked toward the platform.

Victor watched him curiously.

Monkaster climbed onto the platform.

Then he turned around.

He looked directly at Victor.

And waited.

Victor stared back.

For several seconds, neither of them said anything.

Victor's brow furrowed.

Then it clicked.

His eyes widened.

Monkaster chuckled.

"So, Victor…"

He straightened his posture.

"I, the Prime Ape, challenge you to a duel."

Victor froze.

His mind went completely blank.

For a moment, he simply stared at the old monkey standing on the platform.

Then he looked toward Monkasa.

Monkasa was already laughing.

He was practically doubled over, his shoulders shaking violently as he tried and failed to contain himself.

Eventually, he pointed directly at Victor.

Victor's mouth opened slightly.

"You…"

He looked back toward Monkaster.

"You're the Prime Ape?"

Monkaster smiled.

"Yes."

Victor stared at him.

All those days.

All those lessons.

All those brutal training sessions.

All those times Monkaster had spoken about the fighters at the top of the ranking.

The Prime Ape.

The strongest warrior in the Lava Rock Monkey community.

The fighter everyone respected.

The person Victor had assumed was somewhere hidden away in a cultivation chamber.

It had been Monkaster the entire time.

Victor slowly shook his head.

"I should have known."

Monkasa laughed even harder.

Victor continued staring at his teacher.

"Everyone always gives you respect no matter where we go. I just assumed it was because you were an elder."

He paused.

"Or because you're such a respected teacher."

Monkaster's smile widened.

"But who would have thought…"

Victor laughed softly.

"The Prime Ape himself was teaching me fundamentals."

He looked down at his hands.

"Teaching me how to actually fight."

Monkaster said nothing.

Victor smiled.

Then he stepped onto the platform.

He stopped several feet away from his teacher.

"It would be an honor to fight you, Teacher."

Victor's expression hardened.

"But just because you're my teacher…"

He lowered his stance.

"Don't expect me to hold back."

Monkaster's eyes sharpened.

"Likewise, student."

He lowered himself into his own stance.

"Just because you're my student doesn't mean I'll hold back either."

Victor felt the atmosphere change.

Monkaster's entire demeanor had changed.

The patient teacher who corrected Victor's stance was gone.

Standing across from Victor now was the strongest warrior in the entire community.

The Prime Ape.

Monkaster's eyes remained fixed on him.

"You'd better use everything you have."

Victor's heart began beating faster.

"Your current repertoire may be enough to challenge me…"

Monkaster's Spiritual Energy slowly began circulating through his body.

"…but it may not be enough to defeat me."

Victor's eyes narrowed.

Monkaster smiled.

"But that's what this fight is for."

Victor took a slow breath.

His Spiritual Energy began circulating through his body.

His muscles tightened.

His feet settled firmly against the stone platform.

Victor bowed.

"Then I'll give it everything I have, Teacher."

Monkaster returned the bow.

"Good."

They raised their heads.

Their eyes met.

The arena became completely silent.

Victor's battle against the prime ape was finally about to begin begin.