Chapter 415 Chapter413-A Hard Encounter
Previously, when Ethan had clashed with the stone men and stone animals, he had already noticed that these creatures, fashioned from stone, were incredibly hardy.
Given the formidable strength of this Stone General, Ethan was uncertain about the outcome of a head-on collision of fists.
Despite this uncertainty, he was eager to experience a direct confrontation with the Stone General.
With these thoughts in mind, and seeing the Stone General's fist already hurtling towards him, Ethan decided not to dodge.
Instead, he faced the incoming fist head-on, countering with a punch of his own.
The moment Ethan's fist collided with that of the Stone General, a loud "bang" echoed through the air.
The sheer force of the impact sent Ethan staggering backward several steps before he managed to regain his footing.
This encounter had a significant impact on the Stone General as well.
Under the assault of Ethan's punch, the General's figure wobbled, almost toppling over.
Observing this outcome, Ethan couldn't help but shake his head.
His own body had been forced to retreat several steps by the Stone General's punch, yet when their fists met, the Stone General did not retreat an inch.
Instead, it merely swayed slightly.
This was a far cry from what Ethan had anticipated, even bordering on a stark contrast.
At this moment, Ethan was not entirely satisfied with the power of his punch.
However, it was unfair to blame Ethan for this.
After all, his opponent was not a flesh-and-blood human being but a Stone General - a being of substantial stony mass.
It made sense that even after taking such a powerful punch, the General could remain mostly unmoved.
It must be acknowledged: stone is indeed stone.
After exchanging a punch with Ethan, the Stone General showed almost no need for adjustment, swiftly launching another punch towards Ethan.
This took Ethan by surprise; he hadn't expected the Stone General to remain so unphased and ready to strike again without any pause for recovery.
In a typical scenario, had it been a real person or another creature receiving a full-force punch from Ethan.
Even if they didn't sustain severe injuries, they would likely need a moment to recover, at least making some adjustments before they could continue the attack.
But the Stone General required no such respite.
This made sense upon reflection.
The Stone General, being made of stone, felt no pain.
A collision of fists like this wouldn't significantly affect him.
However, the situation was different for Ethan.
His punch had landed squarely on the hard surface of the stone, naturally causing him pain.
Yet, this pain only fueled Ethan's desire to fight.
Facing another incoming attack from the Stone General, Ethan did not retreat.
Instead, he once again met the Stone General's fist with his own.
The result was much like before: Ethan's punch, striking the stone, caused him to be pushed back several steps by the Stone General's immense strength.
The General, too, staggered slightly but quickly regained his posture, ready to launch another punch towards Ethan.
Ethan hadn't expected such a rapid succession of attacks from the Stone General.
Engaging in combat with this adversary required more than brute force; it demanded strategy.
In the face of such a situation, Ethan realized that engaging in a head-to-head offensive with the Stone General was not a wise move.
After all, his opponent was made of stone, not flesh and blood, and was impervious to pain.
A direct exchange of blows would only result in pain for Ethan himself.
Thus, Ethan recognized that brute force alone wouldn't suffice against the Stone General.
A different approach was necessary.
So, this time, instead of meeting the Stone General's fist, Ethan swiftly dodged the incoming punch.
His evasion was incredibly quick.
Having dodged the attack, Ethan instantly leaped to the side of the Stone General, throwing a punch towards his adversary's body.
Ethan had anticipated that his punch would land on the Stone General's head, but what happened next took him by surprise.
The Stone General reacted with astonishing speed, nimbly sidestepping Ethan's strike.
This outcome was a genuine shock for Ethan.
He hadn't expected the Stone General to possess such rapid reflexes, effortlessly evading his punch.
Ethan remembered his previous encounters with stone animals and stone men, where he had noted their sluggish movements.
This had led him to instinctively assume that the Stone General wouldn't be much faster.
However, the speed displayed by the Stone General in this instance was startling, far exceeding Ethan's expectations.
It seemed that the Stone General's agility was much greater than Ethan had imagined.
At this very moment, Ethan bore witness to the astonishing reaction speed of this Stone General.
His heart was filled with both surprise and exhilaration.
It became abundantly clear to him that the Stone General was not only a formidable attacker but also possessed lightning-fast reflexes.
Such an opponent was indeed a rare find for Ethan, and he hoped that this encounter would provide a more satisfying challenge.
As Ethan pondered these thoughts, the Stone General lunged at him once again, delivering a swift punch.
Reacting swiftly, Ethan dodged the attack and seized the opportunity to roll forward, executing a graceful somersault that brought him behind the Stone General.
From this new vantage point, he launched an attack toward the Stone General's rear.
To Ethan's amazement, it seemed as if the Stone General's occiput possessed eyes of its own, as it appeared to anticipate Ethan's movements from behind.
The Stone General lowered its head just in time, effortlessly evading Ethan's incoming punch.
Ethan was taken aback by this unexpected maneuver.
He hadn't anticipated that the Stone General could evade attacks from behind, and he was further surprised by what he witnessed next.
In the moments that followed, the Stone General abruptly toppled backward.
It was crucial to note that Ethan was positioned directly behind the Stone General, so this sudden movement effectively bore down on Ethan.
The sight was startling and entirely unforeseen, leaving Ethan in a state of shock.
If the Stone General's descent were to continue, Ethan would undoubtedly be in dire straits.
Thinking quickly, Ethan swiftly sidestepped and narrowly escaped the descending Stone General.
It had to be said that the Stone General's mode of attack was truly unprecedented and unfamiliar to Ethan.
However, this unorthodox method of attack proved highly effective.
After all, the Stone General itself was a massive stone man, and the weight of the stone was considerable.
As the Stone General descended, it felt like a mountain pressing down on Ethan.
When the Stone General's body hit the ground, it produced a resounding "boom," and the deafening sound echoed within the stone chamber.
Although Ethan managed to evade the attack, he couldn't help but feel a bit disheveled.
He had never anticipated that the Stone General would employ such a direct and forceful approach.
Immediately after Ethan dodged, the Stone General unexpectedly stood up.
Its manner of rising was not human-like, but rather reminiscent of a large stone, shooting straight up and standing upright.
This turn of events left Ethan utterly astonished.
It appeared that the Stone General was even more formidable than he had initially imagined.
Ethan couldn't help but wonder if there were more secrets concealed within the Stone General's stony form.
However, in the face of such a powerful adversary, Ethan did not feel fear.
Instead, he felt an intense thrill of excitement.
The stronger the opponent, the more it ignited Ethan's desire for battle.
After all, the Stone General was unlike any living creature Ethan had encountered before.
There seemed to be hidden mysteries within the Stone General's stony body that Ethan was eager to uncover.
He hoped that the Stone General would unleash its full potential, as that would make the battle even more intriguing.
As these thoughts crossed his mind, the Stone General had already closed the gap between them.
Extending a fist, it launched a powerful punch aimed straight at Ethan's face.
Ethan, fully aware of the danger, could not afford to be careless.
He swiftly dodged, narrowly evading the Stone General's attack.
A direct hit from such a stony fist could cause serious harm to his head.
Fortunately, Ethan managed to avoid the attack with a hair's breadth to spare.
However, the Stone General's assault did not cease.
As soon as the first punch missed its mark, a second one followed swiftly in its wake.
Witnessing the Stone General's relentless and increasingly ferocious attacks, Ethan knew he could not afford to take any chances.
Visit freewe𝑏(n)ovel.𝘤ℴ𝑚 for the best novel reading exp𝒆rience