The Greatest Fight [progression cultivation isekai]

Shrink to the Size of a Mole

The next morning, as usual, the felines went up for food, and the two friends put their plan into action. They ate the mushrooms, then began climbing the tree, hoping to catch the cats off guard. However, the effects of the mushrooms kicked in much faster than expected. About ten minutes into their climb, they started to feel something strange—a strange rumble in their stomachs. Their clothes seemed to grow looser, and the tree grew as large as a mountain. As they looked around in bewilderment, everything around them appeared to be swelling, growing more immense with every passing second. The ground, the branches, even the leaves—everything seemed to be expanding, warping their sense of scale.

They were now almost the size of lizards. Roa, now struggling to free himself from his oversized garments, watched as his friend flailed under his own underwear—now a parachute adorned with yellow, smiling rubber ducks. Despite the situation, they both managed to laugh, staring at each other standing naked on the giant tree. Then, gathering their courage they pushed onward. Using the Gift of Haste, they leaped from branch to branch, moving faster than their fears. The climb was perilous, but retreat wasn't an option. They had to continue. They saved each other various times, both from falling into the abyss and from being swallowed by the holes in the wood, and the hungry insects that hissed inside of them. They moved with desperate urgency, unsure how long the effects would last, their tiny hands and feet scrambling for holds on what were once mere ridges.

"Wait—" Roa said, freezing on the spot.

His eyes narrowed as he heard clanking sounds grow louder. He placed his index finger on his mouth. A monstrous rhino beetle emerged from behind a branch. The two naked climbers stood immobile. Its antennae twitched, sensing their presence, before its mandibles snapped with a sharp, echoing clack.

"It's coming at us!" Rosso shouted, his voice high-pitched and raw.

The creature lunged, as they threw themselves upward just as its head smashed into the bark beneath them. Rosso's grip faltered but the boy grabbed his arm, hauling him up with adrenaline-fueled strength. The tiny climbers scrambled higher, but the sticky resin on the bark slowed them down. Their feet struggled with each step.

"We can't outrun it!" Rosso panted, glancing back to see the creature's mandibles snapping behind, inching closer with each second.

Roa's mind raced. Then he spotted it—a gnarled knot in the bark ahead, oozing a dark amber sap. An idea clicked.

"Over here—trust me," he shouted, veering toward the knot.

Timing their movements with desperate precision, they leapt over the sap just as the bug lunged. Grabbing a sapling, they cleared the pool of resin, while the creature's momentum carried it directly into the sticky trap. Its jaws clamped and writhed, legs flailing wildly as it sank deeper. The plan worked. It's wriggling body now stuck into the glue of the tree as it hissed. The climbers didn't wait around to see if the beetle would free itself—they climbed as fast as their trembling limbs allowed, leaving the furious bug to struggle below as the wind howled through the branches.

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When evening finally fell, they reached the mobile home at the tree's peak. Panting heavily, they paused to catch their breath, exchanging determined glances, ready to set their plan into motion. Peeking through the entrance, they saw the familiar sight of the cats—sitting comfortably, sipping tea, and chatting as usual. Quietly, they crept toward the corner of the doorway, staying out of sight as much as possible, preparing for their next move.

"We have the advantage now—the element of surprise. Plus, they are huge—easier to catch," whispered Roa with a grin on his face.

His friend nodded, his wide-open eyes scanning the immense interior. They tiptoed the whole perimeter of the room until they were underneath the coffee table. On the count of three, they used Haste, each one leaping onto a cat at impressive speed. To their dismay, however, they caught nothing but air, landing face down, naked on the floor. The cats had moved.

"Great attempt, but we can sense your auras, even if we do not see you with our eyes," said the felines with a thundering voice.

The two friends scrambled with all their might—leaping, running, and hiding—each attempt to catch the cats more desperate than the last; eventually, old man Vesper walked in for his bedtime, and kicked everyone out. The plan had failed. Slouching as they sat outside of the giant mobile home in the darkness of the night, Roa said to his traveling companion: "let's spend the night on the tree tonight—I have an idea."

They weren't sure how much longer the mushrooms' effects would last before they returned to their normal size, so they decided to try one last attempt, a final measure of desperation. They had no choice but to wait.

The sun attached to the chandelier turned on again in the painted sky of the giant room. They had barely slept an hour on the uncomfortable wooden ground, occasionally disturbed by a passing ant or termite. Naked, cold, and tired, they braced themselves for the morning ritual, knowing Vesper would soon make his way down the tree to begin his daily routine.

"This is our chance."

They snuck in and climbed into the cats' bowls, submerging themselves into the gooey, sticky, food that smelled like fish. The felines rushed in. Before they could take their first bite, however, the tiny students leaped out at great speed, causing the food to fly in all directions.

"Caught you," screamed Roa, smiling as gelatinous goo covered him.

The two clung to the snouts of the bewildered pets, their high-pitched laughter echoing in the air as they exchanged victorious grins. The felines' enormous eyes widened in disbelief, their pupils narrowing as they crossed their gaze, trying to focus on the tiny tricksters stuck to their noses. The cats froze for a moment, their expressions a mix of confusion and surprise, before shaking their heads to dislodge the daring climbers.

"Well done, students. Looks like you found a way to catch us after all, albeit using some of the most unorthodox of ways," the felines said.

"I can't believe that worked. Good thinking betting on them being distracted with the food," said Rosso as his friend danced in circles.

They took a warm bath in a cereal bowl in the sink of the mobile home. The water fell from the faucet like a waterfall as it washed the smell of fish off their skins, warming their cold, stiff bodies.

"Washing in the sink is even better than going to the bathhouse," joked Rosso.

They eventually returned to their normal size, as the effects of the minishing mushrooms wore off at last.

"You have learned the Gift, although you are still not as fast as we are. You can keep improving your speed by growing your auras. The more aura you have, the more powerful your Gifts become," said one cat.

"Now, we are going to go have some tea and take a much-deserved nap," explained the other feline as she yawned.

"Thanks Orzo and Couscous!" said Roa.

Vesper barged into the conversation, yanking on his zipper, as if he had just gone to the bathroom.

"Lessons, anyone?" he said, struggling to close it.

"Outsmart your opponent if you can't outdo them at their own game," said Roa as the teacher nodded.

"The Old Order will not play by the rules—because they write all the rules—in their favor. You will have to make your own as you go. Be resourceful, find a way—figure it out," explained the teacher with a groan, finally managing to zip up his shorts.