Tarzan had made his presence known through his mighty call, to give hope to his jungle friends but restoring the jungle to its former order won't be an easy mission, especially, when all kinds of vultures have descended. Stealthily Tarzan, scoured and observed the conditions of the jungle, carefully planning a strategy on how to best rid of the vermin which exploited the land.
There were many groups of poachers and treasure hunters who swarmed the jungle, but without a strong leader they were disorganized and scattered, Tarzan will have little problem in rounding them up. However, the group of diamond miners in the North Mountain might be a little troublesome Tarzan thought. They were headed by Bolshoi Medved who Tarzan recognized from the ranger's newspaper articles. He was a former world heavyweight Mixed Martial Arts champion specializing in powerful submission holds. Bolshoi abducted and forced a hundred tribesmen to serve as his slave miners, he treated them like dirt. Tarzan gritted his teeth as he observed their torment he would have to save them very soon. He would need all the allies he can get if wants to end the terrorism of the Blood Tribe who had strengthened their ranks in the wake of Tarzan's absence.
The jungle lord continued his reconnaissance, he observed a new facility almost in the middle of the jungle. He cautiously and covertly approached it and heard all sorts of animals inside. The animals were creating disturbing noises as if fearful of the things which were about to happen. Tarzan encircled the facility trying to see what was happening inside all of a sudden he heard an orangutan screeched and screamed sounding deranged, then silence descended. The orangutan, Tarzan sensed, had either died or went into shock. The jungle king could not stomach the maltreatment of his animal friends and so he decided to intervene. He waited for the midnight to pass and in around two o' clock in the morning he made his move. Silently and with great dexterity, he knocked out the facility's two guards and entered the back door and freed the animals caged within. The animals could not be more grateful and relieved in seeing their hero save them.
Morning came and Tarzan went to other side of the jungle. As he grabbed a vine to swing, he sensed a presence, skillfully Tarzan hid himself in the tree branches. He saw a medium-size man, lean and about 5'9" in height, looking around and searching the trees for something. Or someone Tarzan thought. By the man's appearance, Tarzan can tell he came from East Asia. The man having realized he lost his quarry moved on deeper into the jungle. Tarzan will have to deal with him as well. The man was dangerous, formidable and Tarzan sensed a ruthlessness in him when he saw the man's blood stained hands.
Having seen the jungles conditions, Tarzan started to devise his plan. His first target would be the poachers and hunters because they lack organization and hardly anyone of them can match Tarzan in a fight. Next, he would have to deal with Bolshoi and free his captives. While the freed tribesman is recuperating, he would confront the Asian mercenary then put an end to the facility in the middle of the jungle. Finally, Tarzan will face the Blood Tribe, he was not eager for the encounter, the Blood Tribe were one of the most brutal tribes in the jungle's history. Tarzan with his allies had barely defeated them in their last war.
The next day Tarzan put his strategy into action. Tarzan lived up to his title as the lord of the jungle, in a week, he was able to arrest all the petty poacher and hunter groups. The jungle king did not give them a chance, like lion on prowl and with the strength of a gorilla he purged the weak-willed evil-doers of the jungle. Tarzan's 6'3" and 240 lbs muscular frame intimated them and the sight of him generated shivers of agitation from his vermin foes. In everywhere of his triumphant battles, Tarzan resounded his great roar, raising the jungle's morale.
Now, ends the easy part thought Tarzan as he gave his last captives to the sheriff to be sent to Africa's island prison. His next target: Bolshoi Medved. Tarzan prepared himself mentally and physically for their duel.
Tarzan journeyed to the North Mountain to confront Bolshoi Medved and set his captives free. Upon arriving, Tarzan knocked out the mine's four guards with blows on the nape. The guards were professional MMA fighters but against the fighting ability of the jungle hero, they looked like college amateurs. Tarzan proceeded to the mine's jail where the tribesmen were imprisoned but in the jail's entrance he saw Bolshoi's bulky body, tensed and positioned in a low and compact stance, blocking the way.
Bolshoi Medved was a former world heavyweight Mixed Martial Arts champion. Though he was undefeated, he was stripped of his belt when he maniacally killed his last opponent. Bolshoi's frame was menacing, at 6'4" and 300 lbs, his body was built like a steel barrel: broad chest, broad waist and large legs. He was initially hired as a bodyguard of Romanov, the owner of the diamond mine, but he got greedy. He killed his employer and took control of the mine.
'This is the farthest you go, Tarzan. Stop this insolence now that I may let you live.' stated the Russian.
'Release your captives, Bolshoi. They have done you no wrong.' ordered Tarzan readying himself for the combat. His 6' 3" and 240 lbs. body showed confidence despite his opponent's larger built.
'Why don't you make me jungle man! You don't scare me.' bellowed Medved as he approached the jungle hunk. Slowly, both men encircled each other, gauging each other's strengths and weaknesses.
Tarzan did not for one moment underestimate the opponent in front of him. Tarzan deduced that Bolshoi would be a deadly short-range fighter. The jungle lord may be stronger, faster and more agile than the Russian but he must keep his distance. It would be fatal to be trapped in any of Bolshoi's arsenal of grappling holds, after all, the Russian snapped his last opponent's neck. Tarzan lowered himself and prepared his left hook and right uppercut combo.
The jungle hunk lunged to Medved catching the Russian unawares because of his uncanny speed. Tarzan's left hook connected but Medved's reflexes parried the right uppercut while simultaneously delivering an elbow strike of his own to the jungle king. With great dexterity, Tarzan backed away dodging the elbow aimed at his jaw by inches. Tarzan side-stepped to his left and attacked again, this time successfully dealing four quick blows on Bolshoi's kidneys. Tarzan continued this technique, he side-stepped in random directions to confuse the Russian, he delivered rapid blows then backed away to keep out of the Russian's arms length.
Bolshoi Medved tried to hide his frustration. While he was able to block half of Tarzan's punches, he could not get his hands on the jungle man. Bolshoi had not landed any of his counterattacks to the jungle hunk, 'The bastard's fucking dextrous.' muttered Bolshoi to himself. Fortunately for the Russian, Tarzan's hit-and-run tactic deduced the power of the jungle lord's punches, thus, only inflicting minor damages to Medved's sturdy body, furthermore, Bolshoi noticed that Tarzan backed away in always the same fixed distance barely out of his arm's reach. Bolshoi anticipated Tarzan's next attack. When Tarzan backed away and side-stepped, with all his strength the Russian delivered a hurricane kick finally landing a powerful blow. BINGO!
'Oompfh' grunted Tarzan. Bolshoi's kick solidly swiped Tarzan in his obliques generating a wave of pain. Tarzan backed away further and staggered a little, losing his momentum. Tarzan tried to regain his composure, but Bolshoi speared Tarzan in the midsection, knocking his breath out and sending both of them to the ground.
'You're in my turf now!' shouted Bolshoi as he turned the dazed Tarzan to a prone position. The Russian grabbed Tarzan's right leg and did an ankle lock, soliciting a sharp yell of pain from the jungle hunk. Bolshoi twisted Tarzan's ankle, hyperextending the ligaments and tendons but he was stopped short of a full rotation.
Tarzan managed to kick the Russian at the back of head with the heel of his free foot, pushing Bolshoi away and releasing Tarzan from the hold. Free from Medved, Tarzan immediately resumed his stance or tried to, Bolshoi's leglock sprained his ankle and created a handicap for him. The Russian had successfully eliminated his agility advantage and forced him to fight head-on. Tarzan sought to finish the match and executed a rear-naked choke hold on the still dumbfounded Russian. Tarzan clamped his muscular arms on Bolshoi's neck and added the pressure. After half a minute, Tarzan heard his captive laughed.
'Tarzan, you dared and tried to defeat me with a submission hold?! I made myself immune to such! I'm the fucking world champion!' roared Bolshoi as he squeezed Tarzan's elbow joints, making the jungle hunk released the hold. Bolshoi grabbed Tarzan's nape, and threw the jungle lord to his front, reversing their positions. 'I'll show you how it's done!' continued Bolshoi as he clamped his arms around Tarzan's neck and squeezed hard.
Tarzan's eyes bulged from the pressure and his mouth opened wide. He flexed his neck muscles but the pressure applied by Bolshoi was unmatchable. The jungle hunk tried to pry away the massive arms but was unsuccessful. Tarzan copied Bolshoi's trick and squeezed the elbows joints of Medved but it was useless, the Russian won't budge. Shit, thought Tarzan. The jungle hero's vision blurred and tunneled, his body stiffened as he found himself losing consciousness
Bolshoi executed a special choke hold on Tarzan, one he himself invented. Unlike the commoners' choke holds, the Bear Choke does not fully cut-off the the blood flow instead it limits the blood flow to 1/5 of normal, thereby, prolonging the suffering of his hapless victims from an unsatisfying 5 seconds in normal choke holds to a full minute. Bolshoi also particularly liked the sensation of the seizures his Bear Choke induces to his prey. Tarzan was no exception, Bolshoi was euphoric when he felt the convulsions in Tarzan's toned body. First it was weak and localized, then it started to gain traction and Tarzan's whole body spasm in different directions. Finally, the convulsions stopped and Tarzan's body stiffened signaling his lost of consciousness.
Chapter 3
When Bolshoi sensed the jungle hunk's body went rigid, he released the hold and let the Tarzan's body fall to the ground. Bolshoi mounted Tarzan's supine body and pinned the jungle man's arms with his legs. The Russian started slapping Tarzan with both hands alternately to wake him up. Slap. Slap. Slap. Slap. 'Wake-up Tarzan. I am not finished with you..' mocked Bolshoi Medved.
Slowly, Tarzan regained his consciousness as he felt a stinging pain in his cheeks. He couldn't move, he opened his eyes and saw Bolshoi's crooked smile. When Bolshoi gripped his biceps and restrained his arms, Tarzan in his confused state, thought the Russian was going for a handstand as he saw Medved's legs up in the air. Then in a blink of eye, both of Bolshoi's knees came crashing down into the supine jungle man's abdomen: crushing the muscles and internal organs, sending the hero's head and legs upward. The blow jerked Tarzan out of his stupor, His eyes widened and watered. His mouth formed an 'O' but no sound came out because of the shock and because all the wind was knocked out of him. For a moment, Tarzan couldn't breathe, his diaphragm was paralyzed because of the devastating impact of the Russian's knees, worsening his affliction.
Bolshoi Medved repeated the move over and over. He had not let the jungle hero breathe for over two minutes and Tarzan's jungle chest burned from agony: from the lack of oxygen and from the gastric juices forced to his throat. He stopped when he saw the jungle hunk rolled his eyes to the back of his head nearly losing his consciousness again. He stood up and relished at the sight of the humbled jungle legend squirming from the pain he has inflicted. From the corner of his eyes he saw the captive tribesmen watching their fight, it excited the Russian more. He wanted the natives to witness the humiliation of the their jungle hero from his hands. He would make Tarzan submit and beg for mercy in front of his people.
Tarzan gagged and coughed from the mixture of saliva, blood and digestive juices which were eating up his throat. He arched his body trying to minimized the pain in his guts. Bolshoi Medved grabbed Tarzan's hair and lifted the jungle lord to his unsteady feet and positioned him in full view of the gazing prisoners. The Russian stood behind Tarzan and placed the jungle hunk in an Abdominal Stretch!
'Aargh!' groaned Tarzan unable to contain the pain when Bolshoi's elbow kneaded his stretched muscular guts slowly and painfully, crushing them.
'Submit to me Tarzan and be my slave' cried Bolshoi as next he dug his iron-like fingers in ridges of Tarzan's midsection and leaned backwards to increase the pain.
'Never.' uttered Tarzan, he tried to shout his defiance but the abdominal stretch prevented him.
The reply angered Medved, so he pounded the jungle man's obliques, crushing the liver and rupturing the appendix.
'Uunngh! Uunngh!' moaned Tarzan as the pain signals from his guts circled his body. The jungle lord's legs buckled, but Bolshoi's solid grip kept him into position. The Russian kept his assault on Tarzan's sculpted abdomen as he waited for the jungle man's submission, although all he heard from his prey were grunts of pain.
The abdominal stretch combined with abdominal claws and elbow strikes exhausted Tarzan. Initially, he tried to overpower Bolshoi to escape the agonizing hold but he could not and so he tried to endure through and waited for the moment when the Russian would tire himself. Finally after stretching and abusing Tarzan's guts for half an hour, Bolshoi released the beaten Tarzan and let him slumped to the ground. Medved figured the pain from the Abdominal Stretch was not enough to make to proud jungle hero submit. To Bolshoi, making Tarzan submit to him is more rewarding than beating the hell of the jungle hunk. A submission from Tarzan would mean that he, Bolshoi Medved, was the better man.
Bolshoi approached the prone jungle here. The Russian rammed his knee at Tarzan's shoulder blades, grabbed a fist-full a hair and lifted the jungle man's head. Meved stated as-a-matter-of-factly to Tarzan. 'Tarzan, I am going to give you a Crossface Chicken Wing. I am going to sit on you spine. I will twist your right arm across your back and pull it until the nearly dislocates itself from its socket. I will crank your neck sideways to almost its breaking point. And finally, I would lean backwards as far as I can to put A LOT of pressure to your spine. You can try to whimper you submission, although, I don't think you can utter any understandable words from pain, but I will be completely satisfied with the tapping of your hands.'
'Fu-! HUNNGAARRGGHHH!!!' Tarzan tried to curse Bolshoi but failed as Bolshoi performed the Crossface Chicken Wing on Tarzan's body. Extreme pain exploded from all over Tarzan's body: His right arm socket felt it was being torn apart, his neck felt like snapping and his spine felt it was about to break. Tarzan eye's bulged and his vision blurried, his breathing laboured, his mouth tasted blood from his bruised internal organs, and his determination slowly crumbling from the agony inching inevitably towards submission. Luckily to Tarzan's relief, he lost his consciousness - the darkness once again overwhelmed him.
The captives were shocked to see their champion being brutally manhandled by their oppressor, they have never seen Tarzan being toyed like that except perhaps when the jungle king battled with the deposed Blood tribe chief two years ago.
Bolshoi Medved's temper was boiling now, he could not get what he wanted. He wanted Tarzan's submission but the jungle hunk would not yield.
'If you don't want to submit to me then I'll just break you!' roared the maddened Russian. He slapped and shooked Tarzan forcing the jungle hero to consciousness. 'I want you wide awake before I break you in two!'
He hoisted Tarzan into a Torture Rack, instantly, plunging Tarzan into waves of pain. The pain that coursed through Tarzan's body was unbearable, especially, when Bolshoi started jumping hard, making the jungle hero's body flop like a broken puppet. Tarzan in his part struggled wildly, fully aware despite of his suffering of the devastating effects of a prolonged exposure to a Torture Rack. The jungle hero used his elbows to strike the back of the rampaging Russian using the momentum of the jumps. Fortunately, Tarzan hit the jackpot as he struck the back of the head of Bolshoi. Bolshoi stopped slightly disoriented and dizzy but Tarzan continued his assault concentrating on the part. When Tarzan felt Bolshoi's hold loosen, he put Bolshoi into a head lock and used gravity to slam the Russian crown-first to ground, knocking his opponent. The jungle hero panted heavily and lied on the ground, too exhausted to move from the ordeal. Tarzan, king of the jungle, had won over Bolshoi Medved.
After a quarter of an hour, Tarzan slowly stood up amidst the cheers of his fellow jungle warriors and released them from their captivity. The tribesmen were very grateful to Tarzan and they assisted their jungle champion in securing and transporting Bolshoi Medved to the authorities.
Chapter 4
It took Tarzan two full days to fully recover from his injuries in his duel with Bolshoi. The tribesmen he had rescued assisted in his recovery and supplied him the medical herbs needed to treat his battered body. Later on before he left, Tarzan instructed the men to prepare themselves and to contact the other villages for their confrontation with the Blood Tribe in a month's time. The mere mention of the Blood Tribe's name sent shivers to the native's spine but they composed themselves and followed their champion's orders.
The news of Bolshoi Medved's defeat from the hands of Tarzan sent a strong message to the remaining enemies of the jungle and emboldened hope to the animals and natives of the land. Tarzan kept his clandestine actions against the jungle's abusers and he had not walked in the open yet as was before.The jungle lord bellowed his mighty call everywhere he went to inspire his allies however he clouded his presence afterwards. The jungle hero knew that the Blood Tribe had dispersed assassins to capture or possibly kill him and he will not give them the opportunity to corner him.
Tarzan's next target is the bounty hunter, Zhang Ji, who had been terrorizing the jungle in the past eight months searching for the jungle lord. He had killed hundreds of animals for the fun of it and had terrorized and slain peoples from different villages. With the help of his animal friends, Tarzan located the infamous hunter easily. From behind the covering of the tree branches, Tarzan scrutinized his opponent.
Zhang Ji had features common in the East Asian lands. He stood 5'9" and weighed 190 pounds of pure, lean, and compact muscle. Compared to Tarzan's musculature, the bounty hunter looked puny but the jungle champion did not underestimate Zhang, after all Tarzan had faced numerous smaller but tough opponents before. He remembered Rak, the dwarf warrior, whom he fought almost two years ago and his skin tingled because of the grueling fight Tarzan had with the dwarf. Tarzan's mind shifted back to the present when he saw Zhang kicked a rock. The rock ricocheted across the trees and found it's way to Tarzan's spot, barely missing the observing jungle man's head. The bounty hunter had been aware of the surveillance and Tarzan decided to confront Zhang face-to-face.
'I knew you'd come to me Tarzan. I am Zhang Ji, a bounty hunter, but for your case, I let the bounty hunt me.' said Zhang as he saw the jungle man's approach. 'You've been decommissioned for eight months and I got tired of searching so kept myself amused with these lowlifes' continued Zhang as he referred to the carnage he had sowed in the forest.
'There is no place for you here, Bounty Hunter! Surrender now so that justice may be served.' stated Tarzan. Tarzan's incredible 6'3" broad and muscle-bound body dwarfed Zhang as he got closer. 'Place your hands to the back of your head.' ordered the jungle king to Zhang.
Instead of obeying, Zhang Ji darted forward and implanted a open palm strike squarely to Tarzan's chest. The movement was so fast that the jungle champion failed to react on time. The blow had a peculiar effect on Tarzan: his chest muscles held from the impact but he was jarred as he felt his heart beat erratically in his rib cage. Tarzan stopped on his tracks and dropped to one of his knees because his chest exploded in pain. The jungle man clutched his pectorals and tried to control the involuntary heart muscle to beat normally. Zhang Ji stood unfazed in front of the fallen jungle warrior and waited for Tarzan to slightly recover from his first blow.
When Zhang saw Tarzan started to recover from his initial heart strike, he grabbed the jungle hunk's right arm and forced Tarzan to stand up. The bounty hunter then delivered a more powerful heart strike. The strike was so devastating that Tarzan's body arched backwards and lifted the jungle man's feet off the ground, sending him a few meters back. Tarzan landed hard on the ground but he had barely felt it, his chest pain occupied his whole attention.
Tarzan gritted his teeth and writhed in the ground, the pain had spread to his upper abdomen, shoulders, arms and neck. The jungle hero sweated profusely and breathed laboriously as he tried to compose himself, however against the suffering, the effort proved to be useless. Zhang had induced a heart attack on the jungle king! Tarzan had never experienced a heart attack before and now it was one the worst tortures in his life. Tarzan felt his chest was about to collapse because of an undefined heavy weight and the mounting pressure. Tarzan's body shuddered and shriveled. Finally after ten minutes of intense suffering, the pain started to subside and left Tarzan drained from the ordeal. He heard laughter from his bounty hunter nearby.
'I must admit, Tarzan, I'm impressed that you managed to stay conscious after two of my Heart Strikes.' praised and mocked Zhang at the same time. 'That is just a sample on what I will do to you if you do not come with me.' Zhang continued threateningly. 'Present your hands and I will tie them behind you back.' finished the bounty hunter
Tarzan stood up slowly, still clutching his massive chest. He approached Ji carefully and when the jungle lord was at an arms reach, Tarzan released his hook-and-uppercut combo. Zhang expertly and quickly dodged Tarzan's attack much to the shock of the jungle man. Tarzan unleashed a flurry of jabs, straights, hooks and uppercuts but none of them landed on Zhang. The bounty hunter was far more agile and faster than the jungle champion!
Tarzan did not even saw the move coming, until he felt both of his kidneys contracted fatally within his back. Zhang Ji had hit Tarzan with his open palm strike this time landing two simultaneous shots in both of the jungle lord's kidneys. The bounty hunter was not yet finished. With a dizzying display of agility and speed, Zhang struck the different parts of Tarzan's body with an open palm multiple times, toying the jungle champion. Tarzan, who initially tried an offensive counter was forced to be defensive and tried to protect what little part of his body he can protect. The strikes where everywhere and was delivered with forced and with pin-point accuracy. When Zhang Ji was finished with his assault, Tarzan let out a howl of pain, his whole body arched upward and contracted for a half a minute, his stomach and intestines twisted and his lungs almost caved in. The look of Tarzan's reaction to his beatings extremely satisfied the bounty hunter and he was able to support Tarzan by the neck before the latter fell to the ground.
The scenario would have puzzled passers-by, as a smaller and leaner Zhang held the slumped body of a much muscular Tarzan by the neck. Tarzan, with much effort grabbed and squeezed Zhang Ji's shoulder in an attempt break free. The action annoyed Zhang, so that the bounty hunter delivered a series of open palm strikes to Tarzan's midsection: lifting the jungle king off the ground and crushing his internal organs further. Tarzan coughed and choked on his own blood brought about by the internal injuries he has sustained.
Finally, Zhang Ji released the overwhelmed Tarzan and the jungle hero fell to his knees but managed to grab the bounty hunter's waist for support. Tarzan squeezed the waist from both sides as well similar to what Tarzan did to the hunter's shoulders. To Zhang's horror, he caught up with what the jungle lord was doing. He kicked Tarzan in the temples almost knocking the jungle hero out.
'Why you bastard!!!' Zhang managed to shout before the paralysis engulfed him. Tarzan laid on his back, breathed heavily, and basked in the sun to recover as much as he can from his fight. Although badly beaten, Tarzan was relieved that the move was effective. It would last an hour. He had performed on Zhang Ji the paralyzing procedure he had learned from one of his allied villages. He figured that the only way he can attack Zhang was when the latter would gloat to his face. Painfully after half an hour, Tarzan rose and struck the bounty hunter at the back of the head instantly knocking him out. He would take Zhang Ji to the authorities for his rightful punishment.
Tarzan started his journey but the jungle champion's exhaustion got the better of him that he failed to cover all of his tracks. Soon afterwards a tall and thin silhouette followed the trail.
Tarzan and his captive Zhang Ji, a bounty hunter, trudged through the jungle and headed towards the sheriff's outpost in the jungle borders. The jungle king secured Zhang's wrist to his back with durable vines as well as shackled the bounty hunter's feet. Grateful to his uncanny healing abilities and the supplied herbs of the tribesmen he had rescued, Tarzan's body recovered rapidly. His internal bleeding had stopped and he could feel his muscle fibers working hard to repair the damages inflicted by Zhang. The jungle lord soon realized that he had not covered his tracks well enough and made amends as their journey continued. However, the gesture was too late because a dark, 7-foot tall and lithe assassin from the Blood Tribe had locked on them as his prey.
'So, Tarzan. Where have you been? Did someone trash you so badly that you went missing for eight months?' questioned Zhang trying to make a conversation and thinking of a way to escape at the same time. 'Do you know why I'm here? You were given a 50-million dollar bounty by the African Trading Company. They want you, preferably alive, but dead can also be an option.' continued Zhang despite the fact that Tarzan did not respond to his questions.
Gif was one of the best assassin of the Blood Tribe. His height proved to be an enormous advantage as he towered over most people and combined with his long reach he was a deadly close combat opponent. Gif adapted a lean physique and trained more on the hardness of bones than in muscle development. He had spent many years in enhancing his bone density by kicking, punching, headbutting, and striking hundreds of Rattan trees. His training paid off as the quality of his bones had become solid and steal-like. He quickened his pace. Soon enough he saw his quarry and studied them. Tarzan had captured the bounty hunter, Zhang Ji, who had gained notoriety in the jungle for his sadistic killings. Gif will disposed of him immediately. Gif assessed that Tarzan had taken more damage than his captive hunter but had still won the fight. Gif felt dismayed that Tarzan was not in his best form when he confronts the jungle champion. Slowly and carefully Gif targeted Zhang and unloaded four consecutive poison darts.
Tarzan was stunned as he saw four poison darts hit Zhang's chest, but he quickly recovered and hid himself in the vegetation and observed his surroundings. He saw Zhang double over. The bounty hunter's body lied on his back his eyes wide with terror as the poison started its effects. Tarzan recognized the symptoms immediately when he saw Zhang lied still and his breathing stopped. The dart was tipped with curare, a poison not found in Africa, it is used mainly to paralyze but death will result if the asphyxiation of the victim is not remedied immediately. Tarzan wondered how the Blood Tribe procured such a poison. Tarzan searched the perimeter and looked for a subtle movement or an out-of-place object. He found none, Blood Tribe assassins are the best in jungle stealth and the one he was facing now is on a different level. From his back, Tarzan heard a voice.
'Behind you.' called Gif as Tarzan turned to face the Blood Tribe warrior instantly. Despite the jungle hero's legendary agility, he was unable to defend his ears as Gif's cupped hands executed a set of ear slaps. The slaps disoriented the jungle champion but to Gif it was not enough. Gif hit Tarzan with four more sets of ear slaps and sent Tarzan's head from left to right directions alternately. After the series of ear slaps, all that Tarzan could do was to hold a tree trunk to keep him standing. Tarzan's ear stung from pain, his eyes bulged and rolled from the pressure of the blows and from the disorientation he was experiencing. The jungle champion became nauseated and felt sick to his stomach.
Tarzan blinked his eyes and tried to sweep the cobwebs from his mind. He had not even recovered when he saw Gif's large hands clamped his head through the sides. With a force of rhinoceros, Gif headbutted Tarzan straight in the forehead. The blow rocked and addled Tarzan's brains. Gif continued his headbutting on Tarzan until he saw Tarzan's jaw slackened and the jungle hero's forehead bruised and bled. Gif licked the trail of blood from Tarzan's forehead and released the jungle king. Tarzan landed on his butt. The jungle lord's mind was spinning and his vision was filled with bright flashing lights. The jungle champion tried to stand several times only to momentarily sway and fall back to the ground again.
Gif was satisfied from his work as he saw Tarzan struggled to compose himself. The jungle king was a joke! He do not stand a chance against the elite Blood Tribe! he thought. Gif bid his time, he let Tarzan recover and prepared for his next plan. When the Blood Tribe warrior felt Tarzan had reclaimed some of his balance, Gif approached and extended his right arm upwards to his front, Gif challenged the jungle man to a duel of strength!
'Tarzan of the Apes! I, Gif of the Blood Tribe, challenge you to a test of strength!' goaded the Blood Tribe warrior.
Tarzan inhaled a couple of deep breaths and focused to regain his bearing. The jungle hero looked at the giant that stood in front of him and made a quick assessment.It puzzled the king of the jungle that Gif did not continue his assault when he had the advantage but had now challenged him in a test of strength. Strength-wise Tarzan is stronger than Gif but not by a huge margin. Although, Tarzan had acknowledged the advantage of Gif's height in such a duel. Tarzan prepared his stance as he lifted his arms and gripped the opposing warrior's hands. Both warriors grunted and tried to overpower each other.
From a distance, it looked to be lopsided match given Gif's height but Tarzan's raw muscle power made up from the handicap. The jungle champion's biceps bulged, his legs pumped, his stomach contracted and his back arched. Every fiber of Tarzan's well-sculpted body exuded power. Soon, the jungle hero started to slowly overwhelm the Blood Tribe assassin, bearing Gif down. Gif was shocked, he had thought of toying the jungle hunk but he had underestimated Tarzan's strength! The Blood Tribe warrior's mind quickly raced for a diversion. Gif unleashed a knee strike to Tarzan's groin!
'Ungh!' yelped Tarzan as his knees buckled from the pain. Tarzan tried to free himself but Gif's grip tightened further. Gif took advantage of Tarzan's distraction and swung their hands downward until they were positioned waist-level to their front. Gif dug his fingers deep into the jungle hero's knuckles crushing the joints. Tarzan's arms writhed with agony as the Blood Tribe warrior's buried his fingers further and produced a cracking sound. Gif heightened the pain by twisting the jungle champion's arms and lifting him from the ground. Tarzan howled in agony! His whole weight was now supported by his twisted arms and crushed hands. Gif maintained this position for a quarter of an hour. He relished Tarzan's suffering from the pain he had inflicted.
Suddenly, Gif released his grip on Tarzan and hoisted the jungle hero into a bearhug! The Blood Tribe warrior squeezed the life out of the apeman. Tarzan strained to free himself from the painful hold. The jungle lord pounded Gif, however, his ruined arms and fists hardly affected the assassin. Gif continued to slowly and tortuously tightened his hold, it was his bony musculature versus Tarzan's famed hard muscles. Gif inhaled deeply and rattled Tarzan from time to time to add pressure to the jungle hero's chest and midsection. The Blood Tribe warrior's bearhug was so vicious, Tarzan yelled in agony unable to contain his suffering to himself. The bearhug tightened to a point that it bruised and penetrated Tarzan taut muscles grinding the them and turning them to mush. Moreover, several of Tarzan's ribs cracked loudly and sent shockwaves of pain throughout the jungle man's body. Gradually, Tarzan's struggles waned until it had stopped. The limp and half-conscious jungle king hung in the arms of Gif, drained of power and vitality.
Finally, Gif threw Tarzan to a tree near the dead Zhang Ji. Tarzan slammed to the tree trunk and was jerked back to his consciousness. His back screamed in pain but the jungle hero struggled to get up. His arms and knuckles ached but they were not dislocated. Furthermore, his chest hurt like hell, a few of his ribs were fractured. The sides of his pecs and obliques were bruised and oozed with blood from the pressure of Gif's bearhug. Tarzan looked at Zhang Ji corpse and had an idea. He secretly took the poison darts embedded in the bounty hunter chest and waited for the Blood Tribe warrior.
Gif reached out, grabbed a fistful of Tarzan's hair and pulled him closer. 'It's over Tarzan. Your dominion in the jungle had ended. Soon, we will display your battered and dead body to all the villages then the Blood Tribe will seal it kingship of this land!' stated Gif triumphantly. Tarzan took the opportunity of Gif's lack of focus and pierced his opponent's nape with the four poison darts. The effects were instantaneous, Gif released his grip on Tarzan and both warriors crumpled to the ground. Tarzan blacked out from the ordeal Gif had put him through but Gif remained conscious. The curare had paralyzed the Blood Tribe warrior's body and prevented him in breathing which led to his demise.
Chapter 6 (Final Chapter)
It was night time when Tarzan woke up. His whole body was sore but he gathered strength and buried his fallen opponents, everyone deserves a burial even if they were enemies. Tarzan secured a safe location and rested for a whole day. Finally on the next morning just when the first rays of the sun shone in the forest canopies, Tarzan stood up and stretched. His body glistened in the sun's rays: broad shoulders, tapered waist, chiseled abdomen, well-defined chest, muscular back and strong thighs. The jungle champion breathed the fresh morning air, relieved that he had recuperated most of his strength and fighting form. His next plan was to check the preparations of his jungle allies for their war with the Blood Tribe and then confront Dr. Johnson to cease the operations of the animal-testing facility in the middle of the jungle.
Tarzan howled his signature jungle call and started his journey. The jungle king traversed the jungle through the vines, it was quicker and less strenuous. Halfway to the jungle allies' camp, just when Tarzan was about to swing to the next tree, the jungle hero saw a figure waiting for him in the tree branches. Tarzan was astonished to see a black man dressed in a gray suit and leather shoes confidently standing high in the tree tops. The jungle lord's instincts kicked in and braised himself for a possible confrontation. When the jungle man stopped on his tracks, the black man grabbed a vine and swung to Tarzan's tree. He landed on the same branch as Tarzan only a few feet away.
'Bravo, Tarzan. You are quite a hero. A very resilient one. To be able to defeat all the hunters and poachers, the former world Mixed Martial Arts Champion Bolshoi Medved, the bounty hunter Zhang Ji and Gif one of the best assassin of the Blood Tribe, you have indeed proven yourself worthy to be called FORMER King of the Jungle.' said the black man perfectly unfazed by the jungle man.
'Who are you? What is your business here?' asked Tarzan as he narrowed his eyes on the man that stood before him. The man was built like the jungle champion, 6'3" in height and around 240 pounds as Tarzan had assessed. The jungle hero felt uneasy to the peculiar man. Despite the fact that Tarzan thoroughly scouted the whole jungle for possible threats, it was the first time that Tarzan had seen such a person. And it alarmed the jungle lord that the man was knowledgeable about his recent battles, even the one with Gif which happened just a couple of days ago.
'Who am I? I am the NEW King of the Jungle. I am Africa Trading Company. In my native language, I am Vloek!' barked the gray-suited man. 'You see Tarzan, everything that happened to you and to the jungle had been part of my machinations. It was I who gave the 50 million bounty to Zhang to hunt you down. It was I who sent the Treasure Raiders to seize your treasure and annihilate you but you managed to defeat them. I watched as your animals dragged your broken body out from the collapsed Treasure Cave. It was I who spread the news of you absence. It was I who funded the hunters, poachers and Dr. Johnson's facility. It was I who planted Bolshoi in the diamond mines. It was I who re-formed the scattered Blood Tribe and gave them the curare poison. It was all part of my plan to rule this land. No one can stand against me, not even you.' finished Vloek.
'I cannot forgive you for what you have done.' said Tarzan through gritted teeth, his blood boiled and his rage flared. 'Your manipulations had killed many innocent lives, both human and animals alike. I will not permit your presence to roam this land. This ends now!' shouted Tarzan as he launched his attack. Tarzan unleashed a right hook and a left uppercut successively, followed by four punches in the stomach of Vloek. All of them connected because Vloek did nothing to block nor dodge the aggressive jungle lord but the blows hardly affected Vloek. Tarzan continued his barrage of punches and tried hard to knock Vloek over but the man remained solid on the tree branch. Finally after fifteen minutes of non-stop pounding, Tarzan recoiled and panted. His knuckles hurt but he tried to hide it
'Do not tell me that is all you've got, Tarzan. Is it?' mocked Vloek
'No!' countered Tarzan as he charged again this time with a different tactic. The jungle champion did a leg sweep to knock Vloek off balance but Vloek had anticipated the move. The suited man timed his jump so that he landed with forced on Tarzan's leg almost breaking the bone. The jungle hero grimaced in pain. Vloek followed with a flying kick to Tarzan's throat sending him to tree trunk. The jungle man's nape slammed to the trunk and he nearly fell, fortunately, he grabbed on the tree branch for support. Tarzan coughed, his throat almost caved in due to Vloek's kick.
'Come on, Tarzan. Show me more.' Vloek advanced towards the jungle king completely oblivious of their altitude.
Tarzan stood up and released a battery of elbow and knee strikes but Vloek parried every blow it looked like he was training the jungle lord instead of fighting him. In the split second that Tarzan slowed his pace, Vloek grabbed Tarzan by the jaw and banged him to the tree. The tree shook from the force and several leaves fell. Vloek then kicked and planted his foot to Tarzan's chest keeping the jungle man in a standing position. Tarzan gasped for air, he grabbed his opponent's heel and ankle then twisted it or tried to, Vloek's ankle, no, his whole body seemed to made up of steel! Vloek laughed at Tarzan's failed maneuver. With lightning speed, he released the jungle warrior but kicked him to the side using the same foot. Tarzan was sent falling to the ground 100 feet below! The ape man managed to snatched a vine and swung to a lower tree branch. Tarzan grasped his side and collapsed when he reached the branch. The pain from Vloek's kick prevented him from standing up and he was not thrilled when he saw Vloek pair of shoes landed in front of him.
'So that is it? Is that all you can dish? A couple of punches, elbow and knee strikes?' goaded Vloek as he lifted Tarzan by the hair. 'Tarzan, do you remember the sensation of the Zhang Ji's heart strike? I saw your reaction to it, you looked you were about to die. Do you know how it feels when done with a closed fist?' Vloek struck Tarzan's left chest with his balled fist denting the area five inches. Tarzan's eyes widened, his mouth opened and his breathing stopped in shock. The strike induced a major heart attack and the agony was ten times worse than the heart attack triggered by Zhang's heart strike. Tarzan clutched his chest and his handsome face contorted in pain if it weren't from Vloek's grip the jungle hero would have fallen off the branch. The jungle champion's heart beat erratically for a full minute and Vloek savored every second that his opponent suffered. 'And now you die.' stated Vloek grimly. Tarzan's heart stopped beating, a couple of seconds later the jungle lord blacked out and his body sagged. The jungle champion was clinically dead!
Vloek waited for another minute, he recoiled his hand and delivered another closed fist Heart Strike on the same spot in the jungle man's chest. The blow contracted Tarzan's chest and jumpstarted his heart! At first the beats were irregular, but they soon gained a steady rhythm. Vloek was satisfied. He shook and slapped Tarzan to rouse him back to consciousness. Tarzan wheezed loudly as his awareness returned.
'You died Tarzan. I killed you and brought you back to life again.' said Vloek like killing was a trivial matter. He hoisted Tarzan into a Gorilla Press to show the jungle hero of his superiority and hurled the disoriented hunk to the ground. Tarzan desperately tried to grab vines or branches but his grip was weak and his strength failed him. The jungle king plummeted to the ground, fortunately the thick lower branches was able to stop his momentum and cushioned his fall. The jungle warrior lied on his back, eyes closed, panted heavily and unable to move a muscle.
Vloek called Tarzan's attention and just when Tarzan opened his eyes, the jungle hero saw Vloek descending like a missile - his body straight, his arm crossed in his chest and his feet together. Vloek landed heel-first on helpless jungles hero's midsection with all his weight combined with the acceleration of gravity and then some. The force of the landing was so terrible that is buried Tarzan's body six inches to the ground. The jungle champion's body convulsed, his eyes bulged, the air was knocked out of chest and his once-proud abdomen crumbled. The jungle king spat, coughed, choked and puked blood from his internal organs. He was on the brink of losing his consciousness but Vloek prevented it. Vloek stood at the side, gripped Tarzan's neck and lifted the fallen jungle champion until they were face-to-face.
'Tarzan, I want you to listen and listen well. I want you to try to put a stop to Dr. Johnson's facility and to defeat the Blood Tribe. I want you to restore the jungle in order, back to what it was before. I want to see you do it. When you have put everything to its proper places, I will come back and take everything away from you. Your jungle, your allies, your animals, your body and your mind. Remember that.' uttered Vloek calmly. He released the bloodied and spasmodic Tarzan and retreated stealthily. The jungle hero landed on his knees and slumped face-first to the ground made muddy by his own blood, unconscious.
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