Path of the Berserker

I could barely pay attention to the entertainment on stage as the intermission played out, my mind still fixed on the idea that I would have to crush Gui Zu’s dreams to fulfill my own.

They had transformed the arena yet again, removing two of the rings to be replaced by a large metal cage that was at least twenty feet high and covered at the top. A group of three cultivators locked themselves inside, right before a trap door opened up in the floor to allow the rapling broodmother to join them.

The crowd went wild at the sight of the monster and I figured the cage must have been fitted with those same special Qi stones to block the effects of the barrier. The monster was riled up nonetheless, and the cultivators from the Silver Leaf Sect danced around it, throwing those same knitting club needles that Zu Tien had thrown at me.

With its thick hide, they seemed to be more irritating the monster than actually hurting it, which was the whole point, I guessed––a fun show and spectacle for the crowd. But it became a bit more than that as the announcer took to the loudspeaker again.

“Yes, you too can test your skill and strength against the mighty spirit beasts that only planet Terra can provide,” he said, turning the whole thing into a live advertisement. “Be you a fledgling Foundation cultivator or a Sacred Soul looking for that final catalysis for ascension, you can find all you need and more within the wilds. See an official for details.”

Damn that was cringey, I thought, but I supposed the empire didn’t have to worry about appealing to people’s sensibilities too often. They could brute force anything they wanted, but they could probably learn a thing or two about advertising from the old world if they wanted to drum up business properly.

“Is it true what they say?” Gui Zu asked, sitting next to me in the dugout.

I shrugged. “If you’re lucky, I guess. I’ve been with cultivators who’ve bagged a core once before.”

“You know….a monster core?”

“Sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean about that. I meant, is it true what they say about you?”

“Me?” It was my turn to give the odd look now. “Why? What do ‘they’ say?”

“That you’ve challenged Master Hein to a Trial by Might.”

I chuckled. “I guess word travels fast. Who told you? One of the residents?”

His eyes widened. “So, it is true then?”

I looked at him strangely. This wasn’t something he should be that surprised about. After all, he was there when I made my first promise to Hein when he jumped me with his crew, but then I remembered that by that time, Gui Zu was already splayed out on the ground out cold.

“Yeah, it’s true.”

A mixture of lemonade and fear bubbled up within him as Gui Zu continued to stare at me, no doubt trying to decipher if I was completely mad or just delusional. Even I wasn’t too sure sometimes. I chuckled and was just about to say more when a strange sensation filled the air.

It was familiar, yet strange, a dank pungent aroma to it.

Dark Frenzy.

I glanced around me to see where it was coming from, but I couldn’t pinpoint it exactly. It was radiating seemingly from everywhere, but more concentrated near the edges of the arena. Suddenly a cacophony of screams sounded from the crowd as a torrent of flames billowed from the broodmother within the cage.

The monster hissed and snarled aggressively, belching fire like that salamander I’d killed. The three cultivators seemed just as frightened by it and started yelling to one another as they went from toying with the monster to actively trying to flee from it. The creature seemed to almost grow in size, its skin darkening and reddening as the Dark Frenzy within the air increased.

What the hell is this?

I felt sick to my stomach, nausea permeating my soul as the dark energy pushed on me from all sides. I focused my mind to fight it off, but then as quickly as it came the sensation ceased. The broodmother stopped chasing the cultivators, who were by now clinging to the sides of the cage like monkeys. The monster’s skin reverted back to a normal green and yellow color and the beast switched from actively pursuing the cultivators to running away from them again.

The announcer came back onto the loudspeaker, his voice shaky with artificial cheer. “All part of the show, everyone. That was to demonstrate just how unpredictable these beasts can be. Remember, never attempt to venture beyond the barrier on your own. Not only is it an offense against the throne, but you could be throwing your very life away. Seek the services of our experienced handlers and they will most certainly guide you to the best experience in the wild.”

With that ad hoc public service announcement finished, the cultivators opened up the trap door again and forced the broodmother back inside. I was still trying to figure out what the hell just happened, but clearly no one else had sensed that wave of Dark Frenzy like I had. Where had it come from? I scanned through the crowd on the opposite side of the arena and there standing at the edge, was a cluster of red and orange robes.

“Hey you alright?” Gui Zu asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

“Yeah,” I said absently, still focused on the Fire Birds. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Well, I suppose this is it,” Gui Zu said. “Our match is next. I’ve never been so nervous.”

I barely heard him as he went on about his nerves, a million questions still running through my mind, but I couldn’t focus on any of that now. As Gui Zu said, we had a match about to start. The arena staff began dismantling the cage and clearing the area for us to fight. It was going to be much larger than a normal ring, played out on the hard clay surface of the arena itself instead of one of the mats.

Gui Zu suddenly stood and then looked out at the arena for a moment before turning back to me and dropping to one knee.

“Brother Chun,” he said, lowering his head. “I know I am no match for you. Especially if you intend to fight the likes of Master Hein with no reservations at all. I clearly am not worthy to fight with someone of that courage and strength. In fact, I believe I would only embarrass myself further by even attempting to fight you. Please, allow me to withdraw from this match. I can always try again next year.”

I looked down at Gui Zu and couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

Part of me wanted to just agree and take the easy win, but there was more at stake here than just winning and not only for him.

“Hey look,” I said. “I joined this bracket for a reason. I need to hone my skills and when it comes to straight-up fighting, you might have more of a chance against me than you think.”

That wasn’t bullshit either. I’d seen Gui Zu in action and he was as good as anyone in the ring I’d seen thus far.

He looked up at me quizzically. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, when I fight you, I’m not going to use my Qi. Pure fighting skill. That’s it. A fair match, man to man.”

My Flame surged with a renewed sense of challenge. I made a promise I wasn’t going to steamroll through this thing and I had to stick to it, no matter what.

Gui Zu beamed as he gave me a smile full of jacked-up teeth and lemonade. “Y-you’d really do that for me?”

I chuckled. “Not just for you, if I’m being honest. But yeah, if it gives you a chance to showcase your skills to a potential sect, then why not?”

“Oh, thank you! Thank you!” he said, bowing his forehead to the ground in a kowtow. “Thank you, brother Chun!”

“Hey, stop all that,” I said and helped him to his feet. “That shit’s embarrassing, man.”

“Oh… sorry.”

“Look…this is how we show respect in my culture,” I said and extended my hand to him.

He cautiously did the same and I grasped it in a firm shake.

“Good luck to you, Gui Zu. May the best man win.”

* * *

Actual nerves flittered through my stomach as I made my way to the center of the arena.

I knew I was doing the right thing both for myself and Gui Zu, but I had to acknowledge what I was putting on the line as well. Not winning would mean having to find five spirit stones to enter the next bracket. And while I still had that chunk of lightning core to sell, at the rate I was advancing, I could end up needing to sew the whole damn thing into my stomach soon.

But be that as it may, I couldn’t afford to lose this match.

[Odds Against Me] started to kick in the more I thought about the skill difference between us, but I refused to channel any of the surging Frenzy into my abilities. I tucked it away into my Dantian instead, passively cultivating while waiting for the match to start.

Just stay focused, I told myself again as I stared across the distance at Gui Zu.

He opted to wear no mask and what I’d quickly come to know as his normally placid face had shifted to an expression of extreme concentration. He wasn’t looking to pull any punches either. We both needed this win and would have to fight earnestly to achieve it.

“Competitors to your starting positions,” the loudspeaker boomed. “A time limit of twenty minutes will be set for the final match of the Wooden Bracket Tournament. Active scoring will mark the winner in the case the time limit is exceeded. Prepare for combat!”

I held my hatchet in a low stance, matching Gui Zu’s own as he flipped his staff behind his back. Long seconds passed as the crowd silenced to the pin drop level, the thud of my quickening heartbeat the only sound in my ears.

“Commence!”

Gui Zu came at me like a bull, staff swinging.

I used all of my restraint to not simply leap away or charge back at him. I shifted to the side with my forms instead and then forced him to retreat with the [Twin Axe Cleave] technique, cutting the air twice with my hatchet.

Gui Zu responded with a powerful parry, nearly slapping my weapon out of my hands, and then drove the technique home with a solid strike to my chest. The force would have been enough to knock me down if I were mortal, or winded me at the very least.

I gave a point to Gui Zu in my mind and the official monitoring the match did the same, raising a white flag in his hand in Gui Zu’s direction. Above us the score board tallied the decision as well.

Wooden Bracket Finals

Time - 19:48

Number 82

Number 93

1

0

There was no way that Gui Zu could disable me due to my Body Refinement level, but too many hits like that and he could win on a technical basis when the time ran out. I had to stay on my toes to ensure that didn’t happen.

He came at me again and I performed a backflip to gain some distance before charging right back in with a low chop at his legs using [Reaper’s Revenge]. Gui Zu was quick enough to avoid it and followed through with a downward swing at my exposed collar.

I lifted my axe just in time to deflect it with a [6th Form] parry and then performed a roll to get under his guard and stung him on the leg with a chop at his calf. I pulled my strength but even so, it was enough to make him wince in pain and momentarily retreat.

The official lifted his flag in my direction and the score went even.

Wooden Bracket Finals

Time - 19:17

Number 82

Number 93

1

1

We reset and got back to our starting positions before facing off again.

I took an aggressive posture and charged at him this time. It was a mistake. Gui Zu danced around me like I was standing still and cracked me hard across the back for another point. I cursed as I tried to regain focus, throwing a couple of sloppy techniques at him that didn’t land and was punished with a few more hits.

I looked at the board again.

Wooden Bracket Finals

Time - 18:23

Number 82

Number 93

5

1

Shit! Was I really about to screw this up?

A true sense of dread started to build within me as I realized just how good Gui Zu was. He may have only been an initiate when I met him, but he was an initiate within the Silver Leaf Sect and with over three years of experience at that. And while he lacked the internal strength and agility of Qi, his movements were sharp and precise, at least on par with Zu Tien.

The thought made me focus as we went through another reset.

This was it.

If I couldn’t defeat Gui Zu with skill alone, then I couldn’t hope to defeat that one-handed bitch, much less Hein. Ire built within my gut the more I thought about it. To hell with that. This was just one more hurdle along my path.

I needed to dig deep to overcome it.

But this wasn’t a battle of strength.

I needed to use my head.

In that moment I rethought my whole game plan. I’d been so focused on the forms and techniques that I was losing focus on the battle itself. I breathed deeply as the seconds ticked by. I had natural fighting instinct. I knew that. I had proven it by killing hundreds of monsters and even slaying a damn B-class salamander well before I was ready to take on something like that.

I’d been trying to use these forms and techniques instead of my instincts. But now I understood that that was where I was going wrong. The forms were not supposed to replace my fighting instinct, but to enhance it—like a bare hand lengthened by a weapon, the forms were merely an extension of me.

Something opened up inside of me as the revelation hit, like I’d just reached a new level of understanding. Suddenly all those hours I’d spent training my muscle memory seemed to become imprinted into my soul and my Flame burned a shade brighter. I viewed the battle totally different now. I was no longer just armed with newfound skills; I could now apply those skills to my battle experience.

I leapt at Gui Zu like I would have any monster in the wild, throwing my techniques at him as easily as I would have a single chop in the past. The effect was instant, Gui Zu’s eyes widening with shock as he tried desperately to block.

I stuck him twice before he knew what was happening and suddenly, he seemed to take his game up a notch as well. His staff became a flurry of movement, the weapon whistling through the air like a whip. I watched it all in seemingly slow motion as I dodged and weaved with my forms, executing well-timed parries and quick strikes. Above it all the roar of the crowd filled the arena as the throng of spectators came alive, the people standing to their feet as the action went into high gear.

The intense back and forth between us went on for what seemed like ages, the stress and strain of executing my forms in high-speed making me break out in a sweat. For every hit he landed I made sure to pressure him until I could land one of my own. I got into a zone. Even the roar of the crowd I couldn’t hear anymore as I simply focused on fighting…surviving.

When I finally remembered to look at the board again, I couldn’t believe the score and the time.

Wooden Bracket Finals

Time - 02:37

Number 82

Number 93

157

155

Holy shit, I thought.

My white uniform was stained beige with sweat and across from me Gui Zu looked much the same. The big man was breathing heavily, swaying on his feet like he’d just run a marathon.

“I think you lied to me,” he said. “You are much better than you let on.”

I cracked a smile and couldn’t help but use [Struggler’s Resolve]. “You’re not so bad yourself, Gui Zu.”

He gave me a grin full of broken teeth, his soul filling with lemonade. “Whatever the outcome, you truly are an honorable man, Brother Chun. Whoever the winner is today, I will always be in your debt.”

“We’ll see what happens when the final score comes.” I gave him a grin. “Now come on! I’ve still got two minutes left to beat your ass. Let’s do it!”

I released a warcry as we re-engaged, attacking with a desperate savagery. I had a hundred and twenty seconds to land three hits and take none myself. We went back and forth for over a minute, neither of us giving ground, both of us refusing to give up. I finally managed to slip behind his guard with a feint, knocking his staff to the side with a parry and then landed two taps on his chest with [Chipping Cleave].

Wooden Bracket Finals

Time - 00:34

Number 82

Number 93

157

157

The score was even. The stress of landing just one more hit to win in less than thirty seconds had my stomach swimming in knots.

Focus damn it! I told myself as I shifted back and forth across the arena.

Don’t screw this up!

I had the disadvantage of shorter range, but the advantage of unpredictability and speed. I had to use that now.

20 seconds left.

If I rushed in for a quick hit it came with the risk of another hit to myself. And this close to the bell I couldn’t afford that. But I couldn’t afford to do nothing either. But neither could Gui Zu.

The battle couldn’t end in a draw.

15 seconds.

I had to attack. And I had to do it now!

Diving forward, I threw out a [Triple-Chop Cleave] and as expected, Gui Zu fended it off with a series of quick pokes of his staff, our wooden weapons clacking. I then put it all on the line and paused briefly, feigning being thrown off balance by the counterattack.

Gui Zu took the bait for the easy win and committed to a downward strike. I shifted blindly at the last moment, more sensing his attack than seeing it, the swing of the staff cutting a breeze across my ear. I spun behind him and hit the back of his heel with [Reaper’s Revenge], throwing him off his feet with the sweeping cleave.

The bell sounded just as Gui Zu’s back hit the floor and the final score lit up the board.

Wooden Bracket Finals

Time - 00:00

Number 82

Number 93

157

158

Relief and elation filled me as I fell to my knees, throwing my arms up in victory. The crowd screamed with cheers as lemonade flowed like a river, the masses chanting ‘Bull Man’ over and over again.

“What a spectacular and entertaining fight!” the announcer shouted over the loudspeaker. “All congratulate the winner of the Wooden Bracket, number 93… your Bull Man!”

I got to my feet and acknowledged the crowd and then offered a hand to Gui Zu.

“Good fight, man,” I said with [Struggler’s Resolve] and Gui Zu took my hand with a smile, laughing as I helped him up.

“I’ve never been so glad for a fight to be over in all my life,” he said. “My congratulations to you, Brother Chun. That was some match. You fight like a demon!”

He cupped his fist and gave me a low bow, recognizing my victory.

I returned it in kind. “Thanks. You’re pretty damn good yourself, bro.”

He gave me one last busted-up smile, before turning to walk out of the arena. I was about to follow after him, but decided to pause to soak up some of the praise and free lemonade in the air. It tasted like victory twice over, a reward of free Frenzy for winning the battle without using any of it at all. As I lapped it up, I tasted a hint of something bitter. The taste grew stronger as all around me that same dark pressure came again.

Oh shit....

A couple dozen feet from Gui Zu, a patch of ground lifted into the air with a tremendous bang before falling flat again. The bang sounded again, accompanied by a horrid screech as the broodmother suddenly erupted from the ground, the trap door flying off its hinges and soaring high into the air.

The giant beast moved erratically as it landed on the arena floor, flipping onto its back and squirming like an insect dying from bug spray. The effects of the barrier was driving it mad, but the Dark Frenzy was driving it as well. The beast belched fire indiscriminately as it battled between the two opposing forces before finally flipping onto its feet again.

Officials and Imperial Guards rushed onto the field as the announcer called for everyone to remain calm. The beast finally seemed to focus on the closest thing to it…Gui Zu.

“Gui Zu!” I shouted to him as the beast began to charge in his direction. “Gui Zu, run!”

But it was too late.

The monster was moving too fast and the guards too far away.

The last thing I saw was the blank expression on Gui Zu’s face as he turned in despair towards me…the jaws of the broodmother opening up behind him.

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