Hellbound: Rebirth Of The Strongest Slayer.-Chapter 71: What would it be.

Chapter 70

"So... what would it be?"

Rayden asked, a smile playing on his lips as he stared at the three four-meter-towering white gorillas ahead of him.

Everyone in this region knew one thing.

You do not look for trouble with the White Gorillas.

They weren’t feared by rumor.

They weren’t feared by exaggeration.

They were feared because they had survived.

For years.

Untouched.

No beast—whether intelligent or mindless—was stupid enough to provoke them. They were strong. Fast. Brutal.

And worst of all?

When they worked together, they could summon freezing chills that dampened the movements of their enemies, slowing them just enough to ensure death. That ability, combined with their insane speed, monstrous strength, terrifying agility, and frightening combat instincts, made them an absolute nightmare to face.

And yet...

Here Rayden stood.

Smiling.

Most would call it foolish.

But Rayden wasn’t a fool.

He had gathered every piece of information he could about the White Gorillas. He knew crossing them meant suicide.

Well—

It would have been suicide weeks ago.

Not now.

Now?

That was a different story.

He wasn’t just someone with ten skills anymore. He had pushed his fragile body through relentless trials, reforging it into something far more supportive, far more resilient.

And that wasn’t even counting his legion.

Three hundred plus beasts stood behind him.

The White Gorillas?

Barely over a hundred.

This wouldn’t be easy. It would be taxing.

But impossible?

No.

With his Infernal Instinct, he could roughly gauge the overall strength of his opponents. His gaze locked onto the scar-faced gorilla who clearly looked like the leader.

From instinct alone, Rayden could tell—

This one was only slightly above Raoth.

If he went all out, he could take him down.

And if Raoth and Grah joined him?

The scar-faced gorilla wouldn’t stand a chance.

Victory was already leaning in his direction.

Rayden’s smile widened.

"So tell me... what will it be?"

He sent the words through the mind link, letting Raoth translate.

Growls. Snarls. Heavy breaths.

Then—

Raoth’s voice echoed back, strange and hesitant.

"He says... he is not the leader."

Rayden blinked.

"Not the leader?"

His eyes narrowed.

"Then who is?"

Raoth slowly turned his massive head... pointing one red horn toward the side.

Rayden followed the direction—

—and his eyes twitched.

It was smaller.

Much smaller.

Half a meter tall at most.

Compared to the others, it looked less like a gorilla and more like a white monkey.

But what made Rayden’s instincts tighten wasn’t its size.

It was its calmness.

It radiated nothing.

No aura.

No pressure.

No energy fluctuation.

As if it had never absorbed energy at all.

The little white monkey’s tail lazily curled around the scar-faced gorilla’s neck.

Then it leaped.

Landing right on top of the giant’s head.

Casual.

Disrespectful.

Completely at ease.

The scar-faced gorilla didn’t resist.

Didn’t protest.

Didn’t even react.

The monkey spoke.

Soft. Few words.

Raoth translated through the mind link.

And as Rayden listened—

His eyebrow rose.

Interesting.

The monkey’s request was simple.

He would allow his tribe to join Rayden’s force...

On one condition.

Rayden must defeat him in a one-on-one fight.

Leader against leader.

If war broke out between their groups, both sides would suffer heavy losses.

So instead—

They would settle it properly.

No army.

No interference.

Just the two of them.

Rayden stared at the small white monkey perched arrogantly atop the giant’s head.

The calmness.

The lack of aura.

The confidence.

His smile slowly deepened.

A leader who hides in plain sight.

He liked that..

This monkey... at least he has some sense compared to the rest of them.

But facing me without releasing even a trace of energy?

Is he stupid?

Rayden had just thought that when Raoth started snarling, happily relaying every single word through the mind link.

The amused curve on the white monkey’s lips said it all.

Rayden’s thoughts had been delivered perfectly.

Raoth was feeling proud of himself. Useful. Important.

The next second his head was nearly smashed into the ground.

Rayden’s palm came down hard.

"You bitch of a helper. When will you wise up?"

Raoth lifted his head, stunned.

"Is the Lord angry? What have I done wrong?"

He genuinely did not understand why he got smacked instead of praised.

Rayden shook his head.

This red-horned wolf was hopeless.

With Raoth translating, the two sides began communicating properly. And the more Rayden listened to the white monkey speak, the more surprised he became.

Too calm.

Too composed.

Too... human.

Nothing like the other beasts he had met.

Soon, a large clearing was made in the center of the forest.

A crude arena.

On one side stood Rayden, Raoth, and Grah. Bodies coiled tight. Muscles primed to explode.

On the other side—

One small white monkey.

Calm.

Still.

Steady.

Facing three enemies without the slightest tension in his posture.

It was insane.

Not even a flicker of fear.

"Are you ready?" the monkey asked.

Rayden nodded and leaped onto Raoth’s back.

His condition for accepting the duel had been simple.

He would fight.

But he would fight with his two generals.

Raoth and Grah.

The scar-faced gorilla might be strong, but Rayden was not foolish enough to assume this monkey had no tricks. Leaders did not get chosen for nothing.

"Alright," Rayden said, eyes narrowing. "Let the match begin."

Grah moved first.

A blur.

He charged head-on, zigzagging with terrifying speed. In seconds he was above the monkey, claws slicing down toward his face.

The monkey barely tilted aside.

Barely.

He shifted his weight, kicking off one foot to retreat.

But there was no escaping.

Because Raoth was already there.

The moment the monkey turned, another massive claw swept toward his ribs.

The monkey flipped.

His tail lashed out, wrapping around Raoth’s claw, using it as leverage to twist midair.

He barely avoided a fatal strike.

Barely.

But he was not safe.

A powerful kick slammed into his head.

Rayden.

The impact snapped the monkey’s face sideways.

Before he could recover, Rayden activated Hell Influence, subtly shifting the earth beneath the monkey’s landing point.

Just enough.

Just slightly.

Enough to redirect him.

Right toward the charging Grah.

Grah’s claw connected clean.

The monkey was smashed into the air.

He had not even regained his bearings when a figure appeared above him.

Midair.

Eyes blazing.

"The battle is over," Rayden muttered.

He curled into a tight sphere.

Hellskin Fortification.

Ultra Boost.

Activated.

He became a living cannonball and smashed directly into the monkey’s head.

The impact sent the small body crashing down like a meteor.

The ground trembled.

Before Rayden could hit the earth himself, Raoth was already beneath him, catching him by the legs and throwing him smoothly onto his back.

Clean execution.

Perfect coordination.

Dust rose.

Silence fell.

Rayden stood tall on Raoth’s back, staring at the crater.

Three against one.

Flawless combo.

Overwhelming pressure.

No room to breathe.

No room to counter.

No mercy.

Victory should have been sealed.

Rayden narrowed his eyes at the dust slowly settling.

And then....

There was silence

Perfect Silence.

The entire clearing went dead quiet.

Every beast present stared at the collapsed monkey lying in the crater. Then their eyes shifted to the three figures who had brought him down.

For a moment, it truly felt over.

Rayden and his group had won.

The combo had been flawless. The timing perfect. No wasted movement.

No mercy.

Dust still hung in the air when the monkey’s fingers twitched.

Then he stirred.

And slowly, calmly, he stood up.

No stiffness.

No groan of pain.

No hesitation.

He rose like someone who had simply tripped.

The gathered beasts froze.

The monkey brushed off the dirt clinging to his white fur. His tail moved lazily, wiping away the remaining dust as if he had all the time in the world.

Rayden watched.

Raoth watched.

Grah watched.

Their expressions shifted.

They had not expected him to stand.

Not after that barrage.

But the worst part was not that he stood.

The worst part was that he looked completely fine.

No broken bones.

No cracked skull.

No blood.

Nothing.

Just pure white fur and a swaying tail that almost looked... excited.

The monkey lifted his head.

His gaze swept across the three.

Then it stopped.

On Rayden.

Sitting atop Raoth’s back.

And then he smiled.

Not wide.

Not loud.

Just a small, amused grin that slowly stretched across his face.

It was maddening.

Cold.

Sharp.

Rayden felt a chill crawl up his spine.

Wait.

Why does this monkey remind me of myself?

Not the body.

Not the size.

The expression.

That look.

That unhinged expression on his face. And that is actually no good News, RAYDEN would knew that much.

Close by, the scar-faced gorilla muttered low guttural sounds under his breath. A rough whisper meant for his own kind.

Rayden could not understand the language.

But if he could, his instincts would have been confirmed.

The scar-faced gorilla was thinking something simple.

Those idiots have no idea who they are dealing with.

The Grandmaster did not remain leader because of size.

Not because of looks.

Not even because of raw strength.

He remained leader because of his mind.

Because of his cruelty.

Because he was a monster when he fought.

Anyone who faced him learned that the hard way.

And these newcomers?

They were about to learn.

In a very bad way.

The scar-faced gorilla’s eyes shifted to Rayden.

To the baby sitting calmly behind Raoth’s horns.

He slowly shook his head.

"I pity him the most," his eyes seemed to say.

"He will get the worst beating out of the bunch."

Back in the arena, the white monkey’s tail stopped swaying.

His eyes locked directly unto RAYDEN.

To be continued.