Nix feinted left with a swirling [Ice Breath] skill, forcing the first bear to brace behind its bark plating. Meanwhile, Little White activated his [Silver Eclipse] skill, lunging across the gap with a radiant burst of speed.
At that moment, the second wooden bear tried to intercept him with a cluster of thorny vines. But Nix quickly stepped in, intercepting the vines using [Mirror Ice]. The reflection-based skill deflected most of the vine-laden assault back, tangling the beast in its own barrage.
Sparks of synergy pulsed between Nix and Little White, each movement echoing the other's intentions.
As the second bear stumbled, Little White took the chance to slash it across its exposed hindquarters with [Silver Fang], leaving a glimmering silver wound that spilled more of the sticky green sap. The creature yowled, thrashing wildly.
At the same time, the first wooden bear let out a desperate roar, unleashing a final flurry of roots at Nix. He battered them aside with a savage blow of his tail, exhaling shards of ice to forcibly slow the beast's approach.
Nix then slashed downward with [Ice Claw], each strike biting through bark to reveal the beast's quivering core.
High above them, however, the Peak-level Wooden Bear roared even louder, enraged by the plight of its allies.
With a massive swipe, it knocked Ashvara backward for a brief second, sending the Infernal Sun Crow careening through the air. The giant bear seized the moment, trampling forward to intervene in the battle below.
But Ashvara was no novice. Wings flaring, he launched himself in a blazing arc that slammed into the bear's shoulder with a violent collision of flame and bark.
The shockwave rumbled through the clearing, briefly stopping Nix and Little White in their tracks. Cain's clone watched tensely, ready to intervene if needed, but trusting Ashvara's confidence to handle the monstrous foe.
Crack!
The bark on the giant bear's torso splintered as Ashvara's flames bored into it, searing deeper than before. The beast howled, vines flailing blindly in a vain attempt to trap the crow's wings.
But Ashvara twisted gracefully, unleashing a wave of molten feathers that rained a hail of incendiary projectiles upon the bear's neck and back.
In a final, enraged surge, the colossal wooden bear poured its life force into one last assault, summoning an avalanche of vines and thorn-laden roots from the earth. The ground erupted in a tangle that soared skyward, threatening to snare Ashvara entirely.
Unfazed, the Infernal Sun Crow dove straight into the swirling mass of bark and vine, his entire body blazing like a newborn sun. Bark and vines crackled, snapping under the intense heat.
With an echoing caw, Ashvara blasted them apart from the inside out, emerging behind the giant wooden bear. Before it could turn, Ashvara's talons pierced through its bark plating, digging into the beast's core.
Fire and cinders spewed from the wound as the crow channeled all his flame into a concentrated burst.
A terrible groan shook the air as the bear realized it was doomed. Thorns drooped, vines shriveled, and bark that once formed an impregnable shell blackened to ash. A final, trembling roar escaped its maw, then it collapsed in on itself, unable to sustain the damage.
From their vantage, the two lesser wooden bears saw their mighty leader fall, an inferno claiming his body. Horror flashed in their eyes, but they couldn't save him. Instead, they found themselves pinned by Nix and Little White's unrelenting attacks.
A savage, vengeful anger seized the remaining beasts. Their roars harmonized, and a surging wave of wood-based energy flared around them, merging into a final, combined skill meant for vengeance.
However, as battered and exhausted as they were, Nix and Little White had no intention of surrendering the upper hand they had fought so hard to gain.
Ashvara, still trailing coils of embers from his crow-like silhouette, leveled his regal stance over the fallen wooden titan. His molten-gold eyes scanned the battlefield, ensuring no external interference would disrupt the final moments of Nix and Little White's fight.
A short distance away, the two remaining Wooden Bears were now fully aware that their strongest ally lay dead at Ashvara's talons. They began to quiver with mixed rage and desperation.
Massive wooden plates formed tight whorls around their broad shoulders, evidence of their primal instincts driving them into a frenzied last stand. Faint lines of sap dripped from fractures in their bark-like hides. Their once-dull eyes blazed with furious resolve, locked onto Nix and Little White.
Nix exhaled slowly, the chill from his breath crystallizing in the air. He kept a wary eye on the pair, expecting a far more violent retaliation than usual. Sensing the shift, he communicated with Little White via their shared mental link, which they had honed over many battles.
Nix's voice rang out, "They look like they're about to do something drastic. Be prepared."
Little White replied with a quiet bark, stepping into a stance that allowed his silver fur to bristle beneath the slanting sunlight. His tail swayed, eyes locked onto the two wounded but unbroken Wooden Bears.
Despite their injuries from the earlier skirmish, the bears now glowed with an uncanny aura, their bark layering into new, thicker segments. It was as though the forest itself was rallying to their cause.
"Urrrgh…!" One of the Wooden Bears let out a resonant growl, gradually standing on its hind legs. Branch-like antlers sprouted from its shoulders, thickening with gnarled knots of wood and forming a new crest along its spine.
The other bear answered with a grunt, adopting a similarly upright posture. Together, they roared in unison, unleashing a sound that reverberated across the mountain peaks.
In response, thick vines erupted from the ground near their feet. Each vine was layered with spines and whorls of bark, coiling around the bears' limbs.
As if possessed by a higher force, the vines fused into their bodies, forging living armor over their arms and flanks. The glow in the bears' eyes transformed into an intense green, flickering like flames.
"Looks like their ultimate," Nix noted grimly. He braced himself by lowering his center of gravity, letting arcs of frost swirl across his blue-white scales. The battered plates of the bears began to realign, forming shapes reminiscent of massive wooden fists that crackled with viridian energy.
Little White took a measured breath, and faint moonlit glimmers danced across his silver fur. He was physically tired, but adrenaline and sheer will pressed him onward. A quick bark told Nix he was ready to attack at the next opening.
In that heartbeat, the two bears unleashed their final skill–[Forest Titan's Ascension]. The first Wooden Bear roared in a low, thunderous voice.
Its bark hardened into a near-metallic consistency, shaped into jagged plating that extended across its chest, arms, and thighs. Branchy spikes pushed out from its elbows and shoulders. Bark splinters whirled around it like a rising cyclone of chipped wood.
Simultaneously, the second Wooden Bear bellowed as it used its skill–[Life Sap Regrowth] sending a wave of greenish energy surging across its companion, partially closing the fresh wounds they'd sustained.
Moss and vine matter coalesced at broken bark edges, sealing leaks of sap and bridging cracks. This second bear's own hide took on a faint green luminescence, weaving healing energies between them.
Nix inhaled sharply. A swirling chill gathered in his throat, readying a potential [Ice Breath] if an opportunity arose.
Meanwhile, Little White advanced from another angle, letting lunar energy trickle into his limbs. Flickers of silver danced around his claws. He was preparing [Silver Fang] or possibly [Lunar Slash].
Coordinating seamlessly, the wolf and dragon circled the pair, hoping to keep the bears from launching a direct combined assault.
But the Wooden Bears were cunning too, having adapted from the earlier portion of the battle. With new synergy courtesy of their ultimate powers, each one guarded the other's flank.
The first bear, heavily armored with spines and bark plates, took the front approach. The second bear stood behind, channeling healing or disruptive vines to support its partner's attacks.
Suddenly, the spined Wooden Bear lunged at Nix, vines bulging around its fists as it used its [verdant quake] skill. Slamming its wooden fists into the earth, it created a shockwave of razor-sharp splinters that shot outward in a radial pattern.
Nix recognized the threat and hastily used [Mirror Ice], conjuring a reflective wall of frosty crystal. Many splinters bounced off the mirrored surface, some rebounding to strike the bear itself. Yet a few shards lanced around the edges, nicking Nix's side with stinging cuts.
Roaring in annoyance, Nix retaliated with an [Ice Claw] lunge, swiping at the bear's chest. Wooden bark squealed in protest as the claws tore into it, leaving fresh fissures in the swirling grains.
Despite the damage, the bear refused to yield, hammering Nix's flank with a meaty paw. The blow rattled him, forcing a grunt of pain as he skidded sideways.
While Nix occupied the first bear, the second bear advanced on Little White, tangling the wolf's legs with creeping vines.