Chapter 17: Entangled with the Giant's Limit

After giving Ah Ming all his instructions, Sikong Xu strode directly toward the giant. Along the way, he casually unfastened the now-useless vertical maneuvering device from his waist.

Clang!

Leaving behind only the two necessary steel blades, Sikong Xu tossed the lightweight maneuvering gear aside. It slid down the rooftop and crashed onto the ground below, and with its absence, Sikong Xu felt much lighter—his steps grew quicker and easier.

"Xu! Careful!" Mikasa called out, worry in her voice as she watched Sikong Xu's actions. But she wasn't one for indecision. Since Sikong Xu had already charged ahead, and she herself could do nothing without the maneuvering device, Mikasa simply grabbed Jean, Ah Ming, and the others, retreating to find a safer spot to equip their gear.

"Come then, giant!" Sikong Xu felt every muscle in his body tense, his entire focus sharpening until he could sense even his own heartbeat and the rush of blood in his veins—his body flooded with adrenaline.

Without the maneuvering device, Sikong Xu did not panic like others might. Rather, it invigorated his fighting spirit. He was, after all, a spirited youth of fifteen or sixteen; until now, he'd simply tempered himself for the sake of his younger sister, Ye Xi.

Whoosh!

Running at full tilt, Sikong Xu reached the edge of the rooftop and pushed off with both feet, sending up a cloud of dust. He soared through the air like a bird, effortlessly clearing the three or four meters between two houses.

Such a leap could rival the champions of modern long jump!

The old Sikong Xu could never have managed such a difficult feat, but after gaining the ability called "Infinite Martial Refinement," his physical skills had been elevated to near-divine levels!

With this cheating skill, Sikong Xu possessed perfect control over his body. With a deft application of specialized force techniques, even his previously half-crippled physique could accomplish such feats without difficulty.

Bang!

Landing on the rooftop of the next house, Sikong Xu bent his knees, absorbing the immense shock of impact with ease.

"Next... let me see what my current limits are!" He grinned at the giant before him, its head towering above the rooftop. Sikong Xu wanted to know if he could slay a giant without relying on the maneuvering device.

When the giant saw this "little ant," barely one meter seventy-five, dare to smile at it in challenge, it felt a wave of mockery from deep within. Lacking intelligence, it abandoned its pursuit of Mikasa and the others, fixing its attention on Sikong Xu.

Wuu—

The giant swung its massive palm at Sikong Xu, compressing the air with its immense strength and producing a piercing, unnatural sound.

Standing directly beneath the descending palm, Sikong Xu felt the force even more acutely. The compressed wind from the giant's attack sliced against his skin, the faint sting and the roar of wind underscoring the power of that blow.

Even before the palm struck, Sikong Xu sensed a threat to his life in its momentum—a premonition granted by "Infinite Martial Refinement," an instinct for danger.

"Tch... I can't afford to take that hit... With such force, even this house beneath me will be half-destroyed," Sikong Xu murmured, feeling the oppressive aura above.

"Without the maneuvering device, dodging this will be tough... All right, let's try this method!"

He immediately put his plan into action.

Tap tap tap!

He dashed forward at a speed comparable to modern sprint champions—another benefit of "Infinite Martial Refinement."

Though the giant's palm descended swiftly, Sikong Xu reacted instantly. Its hand, the size of a truck, could still be outrun before it fully enveloped him.

He was not worried about the direct strike from the palm; what concerned him was the enormous shockwave it would generate upon impact. The shockwave would radiate outwards at once, posing a real threat to his life.

After a brief delay, the giant's mountainous palm finally struck, its immense power making Sikong Xu pause in awe. With such strength, it's no wonder giants devoured humans as easily as playthings. But today, facing Sikong Xu, it might just meet its end...

Boom!

The giant force exploded the moment the palm hit, shattering the pointed rooftop beneath and sending shards and debris flying in all directions. The building was ruined.

"Xu!" Mikasa and the others cried out as they watched the giant's palm crash down with tremendous force, their hearts nearly leaping from their chests.

"I'll kill you!" As expected, Mikasa lost control.

She snatched the maneuvering device from Ah Ming and equipped it in a flash, her face shadowed and her eyes flashing coldly.

No one believed that Sikong Xu, an ordinary person, could emerge unscathed from such a desperate situation. Even if he survived by some miracle, he would surely be crippled—after all, he was just human...

But—

In the next instant, they witnessed Sikong Xu, this supposed ordinary human, perform an act that would shatter anyone's nerves!

At the exact moment the giant's palm struck, Sikong Xu leapt high, perfectly avoiding the shockwave from the blow. Using this leap, he landed directly atop the giant's hand!

Thanks to "Infinite Martial Refinement," his combat skills and awareness had been fully unlocked, enabling him to achieve what could only be called an extreme feat.

Thud thud thud!

After landing on the giant's hand, Sikong Xu adjusted his posture and wasted no time, racing up the giant's massive arm—so thick that three people holding hands couldn't encircle it. His target: the giant's nape!

Though the giant was not very intelligent, it sensed the "little thing" climbing its arm and instinctively tried to shake him off.

"Tch, so it's not completely stupid after all..."

At Sikong Xu's current speed, another second would get him to the giant's shoulder, where he could deliver a killing blow. Yet the giant blocked his path with its other hand.

Without the maneuvering device and lacking agility, Sikong Xu had to abandon the perfect opportunity for safety's sake, flipping off the giant's arm with several graceful backflips—if he pressed forward, he couldn't have avoided the giant's sweeping hand.

"Xu!" At that moment, Mikasa, now equipped with the device Ah Ming had given her, arrived at Sikong Xu's side.

"Mikasa, let's get away from here."

"Mm."

With a word, Mikasa wrapped her arm around Sikong Xu's waist, fired the steel cable, released gas, and retreated from the scene—leaving behind the giant Sikong Xu had nearly slain.

But then—

Something unexpected happened!

From out of nowhere, a massive fist, carrying fierce wind and compressed air, smashed down on the giant Sikong Xu had been fighting!

Boom!

In an instant, the giant that had just been swaggering before Sikong Xu had its head obliterated!

Blood sprayed like rain, splattering houses and streets, painting everything crimson—a scene of grisly violence.

Yet what shocked everyone was not the bloodshed, but the true assailant—a different giant!

Yes, a giant had attacked another giant!