"Wait, Grey! What colour of coffin do you li... never mind, he’s gone." Liam clicked his tongue.
That deafening sound drew the Lycan’s attention as it spun around, its yellow eyes blazing. Yet, no one was in sight. Its expression twisted into confusion, shock evident in its predatory glare. But then...
A mocking voice called from above, causing the beast to whip its head upward just in time to see...
Grey’s sword smashed into its claws with terrifying force. Every ounce of Ki he had swirled violently around his hands, merging with his weapon and granting him a devastating boost of strength. The collision thundered across the battlefield.
"He actually hit it." Noelle gasped in disbelief. Her eyes darted across the ground until they landed on her whip lying a few metres away, far from where the brutal fight unfolded.
Meanwhile, Mada staggered as he rose to his feet. Blood streamed down his forehead, dripping into his eyes, but he didn’t even flinch. His gaze locked firmly onto Rivock, who, against all odds, was still spasming uncontrollably on the ground.
"Ri... Rivock." Mada’s voice cracked as he tried to move closer. Just as his foot shifted, the young direct descendant weakly raised his trembling hand, halting him. Mada froze, confusion etched across his battered face.
The beast’s snarl ripped through the air, yanking his attention back. Its massive claws swung viciously at Grey, the deadly arcs cutting through the wind with a whistle.
"Whoops! Too slow." Grey whispered. The wind howled louder, wrapping around his body. In one smooth motion, he flipped forward, narrowly avoiding the claws as they shredded the air.
He reappeared behind the beast, his eyes sharp. Without hesitation, Ki and wind magic spiraled together in his hands.
He thrust forward, his attack landing squarely against the Lycan’s back. The impact blasted the creature a few metres away, its body crashing violently against the rocky ground.
"Ouch. That hurt." Grey muttered, flexing his aching hand with a pained smile.
’Ho... how is this possible?’ Ray thought, stunned. ’How is he keeping up with the beast’s overwhelming speed? To react like that, his reflexes should rival Rivock’s—yet he isn’t even close to Rivock’s level.’
The Lycan howled, its guttural cry sending shivers across the battlefield. Grey’s eyes narrowed as he caught the twitch of its muscles, the subtle coil in its legs.
’It’s about to move. Get ready.’ His grip tightened on his sword, and his heart raced with anticipation. He was right.
In an instant, the beast bolted forward with explosive speed. Its hulking body blurred, appearing beside him almost instantly. Without hesitation, it swung its claws.
’No point blocking. My limbs would shatter under that pressure. Just dodge!’
The wind whipped violently around him, aiding his leap backward. Grey narrowly avoided the strike, the claws slashing through empty air where his chest had been a second earlier.
But before his boots could even touch the ground, the Lycan vanished again. This time its speed was monstrous—faster than Grey’s eyes could track. In the blink of an eye, it materialized in front of him.
"Fuck it." Mada growled. His hand tightened around his sword. Ki flared at his feet, and with a thunderous burst, he shot forward like a blazing arrow.
Mada appeared in front of Grey just in time, his blade intercepting the beast’s incoming claws. Sparks exploded as metal and bone clashed violently, the raw force rattling his arms.
"Ev... even though I hate you, as the future head of the Aetherian faction, I can’t let you die on my watch." Mada muttered through clenched teeth, straining against the overwhelming strength of the beast.
"And who says you’re going to be the leader of this faction? There’s a reason I’m here." Grey clapped back with a devilish grin. His taunt hit harder than his sword, and he smirked wider when he noticed a vein bulge dangerously across the descendant’s temple.
"Fuck you!" Mada roared, his voice echoing with unrestrained fury.
The frustration and pure hatred he held for Grey fueled his every motion. His Ki surged violently, wrapping around his arms and sword like a blazing storm.
With a forceful push, he swatted the beast’s claws aside and, without missing a beat, exploded forward. His blade twisted mid-air, gleaming with deadly intent as it thrust straight for the Lycan’s throat.
"Look out! It’s about to move!" Grey shouted after catching the subtle twitch in its muscles. His warning came sharp, but it was too late.
The beast blinked out of its spot, vanishing from Mada’s strike range. The descendant’s sword cut through nothing but air, and the force of his motion sent him skidding across the rocky ground, sparks trailing from his boots.
The Lycan reappeared behind him, its hulking body towering like a nightmare. Without hesitation, it swung its massive foot forward, aiming to crush Mada into the dirt.
"Wind magic: Aerius." Grey whispered coldly as he stretched out his palm.
The wind instantly obeyed.
A violent gust exploded outward, slamming into the beast’s leg with such power that its kick was thrown completely off course. The force of the wind created a booming shockwave, dust erupting across the battlefield.
The intervention bought Mada just enough time to spin on his heel. His Ki flared madly along his blade, and with a savage cry, he swung with all the strength left in his battered body.
His sword connected. The strike carved a brutal gash across the Lycan’s chest, ripping through its thick fur and drawing a spray of crimson. The beast staggered backward, skidding across the dirt as blood dripped steadily from the wound.
"Breathing Technique: Second Formation." Grey’s voice dropped low as he leaned forward, his eyes narrowing into sharp, predator-like slits. Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs N(o)vᴇl(F)ire.nᴇt
Steam seeped from his nostrils and lips, curling invisibly in the air. His breathing steadied into an unnatural calm, his aura shifting as his focus tunneled entirely onto the beast.
’I can only use this once. If I do, my Ki and mana will be completely drained. This better work.’ Grey thought grimly, twisting his blade until a clicking sound reverberated from its hilt.
Without another second wasted, he drew back his sword and swung with ferocity.
The world itself seemed to scream. The wind howled louder than a storm, condensing into a colossal wheel of cutting air that spun forward at blistering speed. The Lycan barely blinked before it was struck.
The wheel of wind smashed into its chest, right across the wound Mada had left. The gash tore wider, blood spraying violently as the beast’s body was hurled backward like a ragdoll. It bounced and tumbled across the ground, gouging deep trenches in the earth as it crashed.
Everyone watching froze, their mouths wide open, stunned at the overwhelming power. The battlefield grew eerily silent, save for the sound of the beast’s heavy body skidding to a stop in a trail of dust and blood.