The tropical sun rose over the vast green horizon as Lifeless finally managed to close his heavy eyelids. The bright light began to pierce through the thick canopy of the Amazon rainforest, painting the humid air in streaks of gold and green. Exactly five hours of sleep, that was the absolute maximum amount of rest Lifeless obtained before the demanding reality of the jungle reclaimed his consciousness. His body remained deeply exhausted, the physical strain of the previous night weighing heavily on his limbs.
"Wake up, it is time," Jarvis spoke, his firm voice slicing through the heavy morning air.
Jarvis stood at the entrance of the small shelter, his eyes scanning the surrounding foliage before resting on the young protagonist. Lifeless woke up slowly, his muscles groaning under the pressure of movement. He stretched his aching arms and legs, immediately feeling the sting of fresh injuries. Bruises and scratches covered almost every single inch of his face and hands, the dark purple marks and red welts telling the silent story of the brutal midnight duel.
"What happened to you, what did you fight," Jarvis asked, his tone shifting into genuine concern as he observed the battered state of the teenager.
"You will see in front of the tent," Lifeless responded, his voice sounding raspy and hollow.
Lifeless dressed up in his heavy tactical gear, moving with a calculated stiffness to minimize the sharp pain shooting through his torso. He stepped out of the dark tent alongside Jarvis, his eyes automatically dropping to the patch of mud where he had pinned the arrogant intruder the night before.
The spot remained completely empty. The man's body was gone, entirely vanished from the clearing. Lifeless scanned the immediate area, checking for signs of a struggle or drag marks. No animal ate it but it was gone without a trace. The realization hit Lifeless like a physical blow. The mysterious warrior had woken up from the unconscious state. Lifeless had failed to kill him, he just thought he had achieved a lethal victory.
"Where is it," Lifeless asked, his eyes widening as he stared at the empty mud.
"He escaped," Lifeless spoke with absolute disbelief and shock coloring his words.
He clenched his fists, his mind racing to understand how a man could recover from such a devastating beating so quickly. The forest seemed to mock his confusion, the silent trees offering no answers.
"He? Who fought you," Jarvis asked, his analytical mind immediately searching for data as he adjusted his glasses.
"A guy who appeared from nowhere," Lifeless answered, his gaze still fixed on the empty ground.
"He kept saying he is handsome and that a man's weakness is his thoughts. But I was not strong enough to do anything so I used that weapon. My sword was in the tent so I could not stab him, but I did use my words to break his mind."
Jarvis listened intently, his expression growing serious as he processed the information about this new, highly agile adversary who possessed the ability to bypass their security metrics.
"An interesting story but we need to wipe out a lot today because we are spending too long in this sector," Jarvis stated, turning his attention back to the primary mission objectives.
"As if you are doing anything to help," Lifeless thought to himself, a flash of irritation crossing his mind.
He kept the comment buried deep, knowing that internal friction would only waste their valuable time. Lifeless and Jarvis headed deeper into the dense forest, leaving the compromised campsite behind. They walked through the thick undergrowth for an hour until they saw a massive kapok tree rising majestic into the clouds. The immense trunk anchored the earth while the wide branches stretched out like protective arms over the valley.
Mother nature was truly beautiful. The sheer grandeur of the wild, untamed jungle carried a serene energy that seemed to soothe the raw edges of Lifeless's spirit. In that singular moment, all the times Lifeless suffered in were erased as if it was absolutely nothing. The pain of his past, the cold walls of the training facilities, and the constant isolation vanished beneath the overwhelming beauty of the living world.
"I did not have friends growing up," Jarvis said suddenly, breaking the long silence between them.
"What," Lifeless said, stopping in his tracks to look at the scientist in complete surprise.
"You know, sometimes I ask myself the same question," Jarvis continued, his voice dropping into a soft, reflective register.
"Why did it have to be a test. You were the best guy I have met yet I was completely heartless toward you."
Lifeless narrowed his eyes, his defensive instincts immediately kicking into high gear as he stared at the man who had overseen so much of his torment.
"This is a test again huh," Lifeless said, his posture stiffening. "I am not a brainless animal to fall in the same hole two times. I am not letting you ruin this moment of peace."
"I want to be friends again, this time it is not a test," Jarvis said, stepping forward with his hands open to show his complete sincerity.
"I solemnly swear that this is not a test for you."
"How do I tell you are not lying to me," Lifeless said, his heart tearing between the desire for real human connection and the bitter memory of past betrayals.
"Trust me," Jarvis said simply.
Lifeless looked at the man for several long seconds, searching for any sign of deceit in his eyes. Finding only honesty, Lifeless slowly raised his right fist up, waiting for a traditional fist bump to seal the pact. Jarvis smiled faintly and raised his own hand, fist bumping Lifeless in the middle of the quiet clearing.
A profound sense of relief washed over the young warrior. Now his life could not go any better than that. He had spent so long acting as an entity called Lifeless, a creature trying to survive and nothing more, but now he felt like a real human being. He felt like an earthborn soul rooted in the world, connected to someone else by choice rather than force. The dark clouds in his mind seemed to lift, replaced by a newfound sense of purpose.
The brief moment of peace shattered into absolute fragments as a new problem shifted into something terrifying. A figure stepped out from the shadow of the massive kapok tree. It was Norris.
Lifeless went completely rigid, his breath catching in his throat as a wave of genuine shock washed over him. He froze the second he saw the familiar face of his fallen guide. His mind refused to accept the visual data, trembling between the grief of the past and the reality of the present.
"Norris," Lifeless whispered, his voice trembling.
Before his brain could analyze the impossibility of the situation, his emotions took control. Lifeless ran forward to hug him, his arms wide open as he sought the comfort of the mentor he had mourned so deeply. He closed the distance in a fraction of a second, but instead of a warm embrace, a brutal force struck his chest. Norris raised a cold hand and threw him backward into a tree with an immense, unyielding power.
Lifeless hit the bark hard, sliding down into the dirt as his ribs vibrated from the impact. He looked up, his eyes wide with a mixture of physical pain and deep emotional betrayal.
"What happened to you," Lifeless said, his voice cracking as he stared at the lifeless, empty expression on the face of the old man.
"Okay let us make a deal," Norris said, his voice sounding entirely devoid of the warmth it once possessed. "You win against me, I kill every animal in this forest and kill myself, but if I win, I will kill you."
The cold terms of the wager echoed through the clearing, chilling Lifeless to the absolute core of his being.
"You betrayed me," Lifeless said, his heart breaking as the reality of the situation settled into his mind.
"It doesn't look like you deserve anything else," Norris said, his words delivering a psychological blow that felt far more painful than the physical strike.
"You do not get to talk about him you unintelligent piece of shit," Jarvis shouted, stepping forward to defend Lifeless as he pointed an angry finger at the resurrected guide.
Lifeless felt a single tear slide down his bruised cheek. The sorrow rapidly transformed into a burning, suffocating rage. He understood that he had no choice left. He had to do it, he had to kill the man who had taught him how to fight.
"YOU FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT,"
Lifeless bellowed, his voice shaking the leaves above.
Lifeless launched at Norris with an explosive burst of speed, red current sparking all over his right arm like a violent storm. He channeled every ounce of his fury into a devastating punch aimed directly at the face of the traitor. Norris did not move his feet. He effortlessly manifested a thick shield composed of white kinetic energy right in front of the incoming strike.
The red current slammed into the white barrier, creating a thunderous explosion that sent a massive electrical shock back into Lifeless's body. The feedback threw Lifeless backward, his boots sliding through the mud as he struggled to maintain his balance.
"Give me my sword,"
Lifeless bellowed, his voice filled with an absolute command.
Jarvis did not hesitate. He reached into his gear, pulled the obsidian blade free, and throwed the sword directly to Lifeless. Lifeless catched the hilt midair, the familiar weight of the weapon bringing a sharp focus back to his eyes. He took a deep, steadying breath, his mind clearing of all distractions as he locked his gaze onto his former master.
"You are a fail of society," Lifeless said, using the exact words that had wounded the intruder the night before.
"Is this supposed to hurt me," Norris said, his face remaining completely reactionless to Lifeless's words.
"I admit it, I am one of the most disgusting people on this planet. But yet I will kill you to be the most disgusting."
Lifeless analyzed the posture of his opponent. He knew from experience that this guy once killed an enemy in a single punch, meaning Norris possessed a tier of strength that could easily shatter human bone. Lifeless recognized that he was not as strong as him at this current moment, and he could not beat him at pure speed nor raw power. Therefore, he needed gravity to do the job for him. He needed strategy.
He clinched his hand tightly around the leather hilt of his sword and clinched his teeth until his jaw ached. He surged forward, launching a lethal thrust directly at the neck of Norris, ready to stab him through the throat. Norris remained perfectly calm and manifested another shield of white kinetic energy to block the path of the blade.
Lifeless anticipated the defensive move. He aborted the thrust mid-execution, dropping his weight instantly to the ground. He delivered a sweeping kick directly into Norris's ankle, sweeping him off the ground and disrupting his center of gravity. As Norris tumbled through the air, Lifeless tried to stab for real this time, driving the obsidian point downward with maximum force.
Norris proved too fast. He rolled back across the dirt effortlessly, avoiding the lethal tip by an inch, and immediately figured out what Lifeless was trying to achieve. He regained his footing and began to move in a highly specific manner. Norris moved the exact same way as the mysterious man from the night before, shifting like a fluid shadow across the forest floor.
Lifeless watched the movement, a sudden realization dawning in his mind. He figured that if they used that exact same technique, he could observe the mechanics and learn how they did it. He dodges a heavy left hook from Norris, using the momentum to jump exactly five meters away from his opponent.
Norris fell directly into the trap.
He accelerated, using the shadow technique to close the distance instantly. Lifeless kept his eyes glued to the lower body of the guide. He dodged the next strike and jumped five meters away again, creating the exact same distance. Norris moved the same way a third time, his body blurring across the gap.
This time Lifeless successfully analyzed the leg movement. The fighter raises his legs slightly, kicks the compressed air to create a kinetic anchor, then swings his leg back to generate an immense forward jump, while red and white current comes flashing from the feet to eliminate air resistance.
The mechanics of the lower body were completely clear now. He needed to learn the torso movement next to master the entire form.
He repeated the process deliberately. Norris pursued him with an aggressive focus, acting like the brainless animal falling into the same hole twice all along. He trusted his superior speed completely, entirely unaware that his movements were being systematically dissected by a genius. On the next iteration, Lifeless noticed that the torso does not move at all, remaining perfectly rigid and centered to maintain absolute balance while the legs executed the kinetic cuts.
Now he knew how to use it. The blueprint of the technique existed inside his mind. He repeated the process one more time to confirm the timing.
Norris used the same technique again, blurring forward with terrifying velocity. Lifeless tried to time his own execution when Norris was closer to punching him, but his initial attempt failed. The technique didn't work on the first try because his rhythm stayed slightly off.
The error cost him dearly. Norris's fist connected squarely with his chest, and Lifeless got punched into a massive tree trunk. The impact cracked the bark and sent a jolt of pure agony down his spine. He hit the ground hard, his nose bleeding profusely, his eyes watering from the intense pain, and his right arm shaking violently from the physical trauma.
Above all of that suffering, Lifeless stood back up. He refused to let the darkness take him. He wiped the blood from his mouth and stared at the traitor.
"I refuse to let go, even if gravity is not on my side, God is," Lifeless declared, his voice ringing with an unyielding conviction.
He reached deep into his soul and tried to use the shadow technique again. This time it worked perfectly. The world around him seemed to slow down to an absolute crawl. He saw the trees moving in a slow blur, and he saw Norris coming at him like a statue moving through water. While nothing else was moving at normal speed, Lifeless was. He accelerated past the threshold of normal human sight.
He surged forward and punched Norris squarely in his face, the sound of the impact echoing like a thunderclap. Without losing a single millisecond of momentum, Lifeless executed the technique a second time, blurring directly to Norris's back. He delivered a massive strike to the spine of the guide, his fist coated in aggressive red current that hissed and popped against the clothing of the man.
He then slid effortlessly into the front of Norris, locking his opponent in place. He started punching him repeatedly with an absolute, terrifying ferocity, using the exact same way he punched the silverback gorilla the day before.
Both arms moved like pistons, a blur of muscle and crimson energy that left no room for escape or defense. His fists connected with Norris's jaw over and over and over, fracturing the bone and drawing a spray of dark blood with every single impact.
The brutal assault continued until Norris managed to raise both arms, catching Lifeless's right fist in a desperate, vice-like grip. With a final surge of his remaining strength, Norris throwed him away, sending the boy tumbling across the clearing.
Norris gasped for air, his chest heaving violently as he spat a broken tooth into the mud.
His face was a mask of blood and swelling, his confidence entirely shattered by the sudden evolution of the boy. He guarded himself immediately, locking his feet into the earth and focusing his remaining energy into a defensive stance.
Lifeless did the exact same thing, standing thirty feet away. He closed his eyes and focused on the deep reservoir of power within his chest. Manifestation, the third pillar that a current user could learn. The technique allows a warrior to utilize the statistical electricity present in the humid air to create a physical object out of thin air.
Due to Lifeless's current level of power and the restrictive weight of the Muzzle, he typically remained unable to manifest an object at any given point. But he did.
A massive electric whip, measuring over eighteen meters into the sky, materialized out of the heavy atmosphere. The brilliant cord of crimson energy was tied firmly to the sharp tip of Lifeless's obsidian sword, crackling with an intense, blinding light that illuminated the entire forest.
Lifeless swung his arm forward with a decisive movement, sending the massive electric whip hurtling toward Norris.
The traitor looked up at the towering streak of red lightning and tried to run away, his face turning completely terrified as he realized he could not block a weapon of this magnitude.
That desperate escape did not work. The trajectory of the whip stayed true. Lifeless cleaved Norris cleanly in half with the immense energy of the whip, the strike cutting through flesh, bone, and armor in a single, devastating pass. The two sections of the body hit the mud with a heavy thud, the white kinetic energy around the guide vanishing instantly.
Lifeless was still completely filled with an absolute anger, his heart hammering against his ribs as the adrenaline refused to subside. He ran toward Norris's upper half, his boots splashing through the blood-soaked dirt. He raised his obsidian sword and sliced his head off with a single, brutal stroke, ensuring that the brainless creature was absolutely dead so he was sure he can't heal from the wounds.
The silence of the Amazon returned to the clearing, heavy and absolute.
Lifeless stood over the remains of his former mentor, his chest heaving as the massive electric whip dissipated into the humid air. He lowered his sword, the red current slowly fading from his trembling hands. He looked back toward Jarvis, who stood near the kapok tree with a look of profound shock on his face. The test was over, the ghost of the past had been put to rest, and the true journey through the green hell was finally ready to begin.