Chapter 404 The bridge of mastery

?The realization struck Raith - this creature had already mastered the very basics of Neofut to an instinctual level, though it had never shown the foundational forms themselves.

It simply operated on the fundamental principles that the steps and motions ingrained.

It was like a light of salvation had invaded Raith's mind. Raith covered his face, lowering his head with a soft giggling.

'If complexity confused it, unpredictability threw it off, perhaps simplicity could likewise fail it.'

To simply put it. The monster perhaps could not follow the simplicity of the form. Neofut was a technique learned by asuras.

Raith didn't know what exactly this creature was but the fact that it could even mirror the technique to this large extent placed it on a different stage from all the monsters he had faced even when he had the abyss.

The form cannot be copied. As to why? Raith guessed because of its simplicity. The figure was an entity that mirrored complexity.

It was the same thing with the easy jabs that Raith threw in between the complex ones. It completely overlooked them and responded with something even more complex.

Those moves inspired Raith maybe that was why he was so confused and didn't immediately notice this flaw.

The shadow lunged at him, oblivious of his thoughts.

Harnessing the momentum of a turn, Raith launched a basic front kick - but rather than withdraw, he threw all his strength into pushing forward off his planted foot, converting it into a powerful side kick.

The shadow reacted a fraction slow, taking the blow against its torso rather than deflecting it.

Raith pressed the opening, crashing a hook punch across its head. It staggered, form blurring at the edges.

Emboldened, Raith unleashed a barrage of simple direct attacks - chops, elbows, knee strikes. Without the complexity of forms, the shadow could not anticipate and counter every blow.

Raith poured on the pressure, wearing at the creature's defenses.

In a calculated gamble, he broke off his assault, using the moment of surprise to accentuate his next turn, putting his full weight into the pivot.

As expected, the shadow instantly seized the opening, claws scything in.

Raith rode the centrifugal force, corkscrewing his body out of the lethal path of those talons while lashing out his foot.

His heel smashed full force into the side of the shadow being's head with all the torque of his spinning motion behind it.

"FORMLESS STRIKE!"

Raith screamed. 'Take that you byatch!'

The devastating blow caved in the shadow's face, sending it flying backwards to crash in an indistinct heap.

Raith landed in a low crouch, ready to finish his enemy. But the dark figure simply melted away, dissolving into the blackness.

"Uh?"

Tension worn over his face and he frowned. This is what it does. Just goes back to the darkness anytime Raith is winning.

'Give me a break..'

Raith sighed and stumbled a few steps back to take a rest. It was a temptation he couldn't afford to fall into.

He knew the shadow wraith was lurking in the darkness and could come back out anytime.

He would appreciate it if the monster would just come out and fight him on the go so they can end this as soon as possible.

But he had to be thankful too.. he looked at his arms.

His body was battered, with blood and wire sweat. But he was improving. He had never felt this rapid change in his body ever before.

Moreso, it wasn't some reward dashed by the abyss. This was from his own sheer effort. His muscles begged to be allowed some rest, all his back ached as some sort of protest in every of his attempt to move.

Raith sank into a fighting stance, biting in all the pain. His eyes peering warily into the darkness. His recent insight still rang in his mind - simplicity over complexity. Unpredictability over rigid forms. The initial posting of this chapter occurred via N0v3l.B1jn.

He sensed it moments before the attack came - a ripple of disturbance in the shadowy void.

He pivoted aside as a spear of darkness lanced through the space he had occupied.

His enemy had returned for round two. Raith centered his breathing and cleared his mind, ready to adapt to whatever came next.

The shadow surged from the dark in a new style, movements economical and precise.

It was like a snake's form, all rapid coiling strikes from unexpected angles. He gave ground, turning aside venomous jabs with narrow twists of his body.

A heel kick slipped through his guard, numbing his shoulder.

Before Raith could mount a counteroffensive, the creature's style changed again, shifting to fitful, drifting motions that suddenly exploded into whirling tornado kicks.

One such kick smashed into Raith's guard, the force driving him back a step. It was then he realized.. two different fighting styles on a go?

Raith's brow furrowed. He had never actually given a deep thought to it. This was a monster that had been living in this dark depths for how long. Maybe decades? Or millions of decades.

Switching between two different style wasn't something an ordinary monster would have been able to do. Since it was a copy monster, one that took joy in mirroring very technical and uncommon techniques over simplicity.

There were chances that this sort of monster would have met more warriors. If it had met more warriors than even Raith had.

That meant it could have an arsenal of styles that even Raith could probably not think of.

Now, these styles.. because of the monster's copying nature would be uncommon, complex and difficult to deal with.

Raith sighed, his breath broke apart with air tremors of fear. The monster smelled it immediately. Grinning at Raith as it got ready, lowering itself in a stance, spreading legs apart.

Raith slowly understood what he was in for. Would his neofut be able to stand against the arsenal of fighting styles that thus copy monster had to offer?

A frown creased on his brows. Forget neofut, if he can't survive, he would die. But if he can, he would become incredibly strong. He would have mastered neofut to an impressive extent.

This chance gave him two options and to choose anyone he needed resolve.

To die he needed resolve. To live he needed an even stronger resolve. Because he'd have to outsmart this monster that has survived for millions of decades.

Now was that even possible for a mundane person like him.. without using his skills?