Limitless: New Dawn

The first creature he encountered after that morning's fight with the velociraptor looking monsters was unlike anything he had seen before. It was a quadruped, roughly the size of a horse, with scales that shimmered like molten gold in the sunlight. 

Its elongated snout ended in a sharp beak, and a crown of spines flared around its head like a deadly mane. Its tail whipped back and forth, tipped with a sharp barb that dripped a viscous, green liquid.

Arthur crouched behind a thick bush, observing the creature as it rooted around in the undergrowth. Its movements were fluid and predatory, yet it seemed unaware of his presence. 

'Let's see what you've got.'

He grabbed a fist-sized rock and hurled it with all his might. The projectile struck the creature's flank, and it reared up with a piercing screech, its golden spines rattling like a venomous warning.

The fight began.

The beast charged, its barbed tail lashing out. Arthur sidestepped just in time, the tail slicing through the air where he had been standing. 

He retaliated with a powerful punch to the creature's side, sending it skidding several meters across the ground. The impact cracked some of its golden scales, exposing raw, pulsing flesh beneath.

The creature roared, shaking off the blow and charging again. This time, it aimed higher, attempting to impale him with its beak. 

Arthur ducked, grabbed the tail as it whipped toward him, and yanked hard. The beast let out a shriek, its balance thrown off as Arthur swung it in a half-circle and slammed it into a nearby tree.

The forest rang with the creature's cries as it tried to rise, but Arthur was already on it. 

He grabbed one of its flared spines and snapped it off, using it as a makeshift dagger to pierce the exposed flesh on its side. The creature shuddered violently, then collapsed in a heap, lifeless.

Arthur stood over the body, completely fine from the fight. 

"Not bad," he muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. "But I can do better."

…

The next encounter was even more bizarre. While exploring deeper into the forest, Arthur stumbled upon a six-legged creature with a body like a panther but covered in jet-black feathers. 

Its eyes glowed a sinister red, and its growl sounded like a chorus of low, rumbling thunder.

This time, Arthur didn't wait for it to attack. He charged first, his fists clenched. The panther-like beast leapt into the air, its claws outstretched, aiming for his throat. 

Arthur ducked and rolled, narrowly avoiding the attack. He came up behind the creature and delivered a bone-crunching kick to its hind leg.

The beast howled, a guttural sound that sent nearby birds scattering. It spun around, its claws raking across Arthur's chest. 

Sparks flew as its talons scraped against his skin, leaving nothing but faint white marks. Arthur grinned. 'Looks like I'm tougher than I thought.'

The creature circled him, growling, its feathers bristling. It lunged again, but this time, Arthur caught it mid-air. 

With a grunt, he slammed the beast to the ground, pinning it under his knee. The creature thrashed, its claws and teeth finding no purchase against his unyielding skin. 

Arthur grabbed its head with his left hand and started punching with his right, ending the fight with a sickening crack.

"Two down," he said, standing over the body. His strength was growing with every encounter, and he could feel it, his punches carried more force, his reactions were faster, and his stamina seemed limitless.

…

By midday, Arthur had fought and defeated three more creatures, each more challenging than the last. One had been a serpentine monster with wings like a bat, its venomous fangs glistening in the sunlight. Another was a towering, gorilla-like beast with fists the size of tree trunks.

…

The gorilla-like creature was unlike anything Arthur had faced. It stood over three meters tall, its muscles rippling beneath its dark, leathery skin. 

Its eyes were intelligent, almost calculating, as it pounded its chest and roared, a sound so deep it seemed to shake the ground.

Arthur took a deep breath. 'This is going to be tough.'

The beast charged, its massive fists slamming into the ground where Arthur had just been standing. Arthur rolled to the side and countered with a punch to the creature's ribs. 

The blow barely fazed it, and it retaliated with a backhand swipe that sent Arthur flying into a tree. He gasped as the wind was knocked out of him.

The gorilla advanced, its footsteps heavy and deliberate. Arthur scrambled to his feet, his mind racing. 

'I can't take this thing head-on, at least for now. I need to be smarter.'

He darted to the side, grabbing a sharp branch from the ground. The beast roared and swung its massive fist, but Arthur ducked under the blow and jabbed the branch into its side. 

The gorilla bellowed in pain, swatting at the makeshift weapon like it was an annoying insect.

Arthur seized the moment to land a flurry of punches to its exposed ribs. Each strike reverberated through his arms, the creature's dense muscles absorbing much of the impact. 

But with each hit, Arthur felt himself growing stronger, his punches gaining more force.

The gorilla roared again, this time more in frustration than pain. 

It grabbed a nearby boulder and hurled it at Arthur, who narrowly dodged the massive projectile. 

'It's not as dumb as the other monsters', he realized, his adrenaline spiking.

Arthur changed tactics. He feigned an attack, drawing the beast's attention to his right, then pivoted and struck from the left, aiming for its knees. 

The gorilla staggered, its balance momentarily thrown off. Arthur pressed the advantage, landing a devastating uppercut to its jaw that sent it reeling backward.

But the beast wasn't done. With a furious roar, it lunged at Arthur, its massive arms closing around him in a crushing embrace. 

Arthur gritted his teeth, feeling the immense pressure on his ribs. He struggled, his vision darkening at the edges, but then something clicked.

His muscles surged with newfound strength, his body adapting to the threat. With a guttural yell, he pried the beast's arms apart and delivered a headbutt that cracked the creature's skull. 

The gorilla stumbled, dazed, and started roaring crazily and Arthur seized the opportunity. He grabbed the sharp branch still lying some distance away and quickly grabbed it, piercing towards its open mouth.

The sharp branch went through its mouth and came out from its back, piercing through its brain instantly killing the beast.

The beast collapsed on its knees with a thud, and stayed down. Arthur stood over it, his chest heaving, his body battered but unbroken.

"Now that was a challenge," he muttered, wiping blood and sweat from his face.

…

By the time Arthur returned to his hammock, the sun had set, and the forest was bathed in moonlight. His body ached, but it was the satisfying ache of hard-won progress. 

He dropped the spoils of the day, a collection of claws, fangs, and spines, beside his hammock and sat down to catch his breath.

"Let's see how far I've come."

He stood and approached a nearby boulder, roughly a meter in diameter. Planting his feet, he bent down, wrapped his arms around the massive rock, and heaved. 

The boulder rose off the ground easily, his muscles straining a bit but holding firm. He grinned, the weight feeling almost insignificant.

"Definitely more than a ton," he said aloud, dropping the rock with a resounding thud. "Not bad."

Next, he tested his speed. Starting at one end of a clearing, he sprinted to the other, covering the approximately 100-meter distance in a matter of seconds. 

He repeated the run several times, each faster than the last. Though he lacked precise measurements, he estimated he could now run 100 meters in under six seconds.

Finally, he tested his durability. Taking one of the sharp talons he'd collected, he pressed it against his forearm and applied pressure. 

The talon didn't even leave a mark. He tried again, harder this time, but his skin remained unbroken.

Though there was nothing to be surprised about, he still couldn't fathom this kind of ability in the modern world. The world would go crazy and perform various experiments on him with or without his consent if anyone found out about it.

Satisfied with his progress,After plucking a handful of fruits from a few nearby trees, Arthur climbed into his hammock. The sweet juice trickled down his chin as he ate, filling his stomach after a long day of battles.

As he lay back, staring up at the stars through the canopy, his thoughts drifted. 

"Is there anyone else out there? Civilization? Humans?" 

The idea of encountering intelligent life, human or otherwise, both excited and terrified him. Integration into a society of alien creatures would be a challenge, but he was willing to face it.

With a deep breath, he closed his eyes, the sounds of the forest lulling him to sleep. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, new battles, and new opportunities to grow. And Arthur was ready for all of it.

***