Why is it getting stronger? It's as if I'm facing a different monster entirely—one competing against me, one evolving right in front of my eyes."
His eyes narrowed, fixing on the wolf. The memory of its midair dodge burned in his mind. The way it avoided my strike… that's what annoys me even more than the bite. That wasn't instinct. That was thought.
The red wolf stood unnervingly still now, its glowing eyes locked on him, waiting. Not like a beast obeying orders—but like a predator biding its time for the kill, awaiting a single command from its master.
Doro clenched his bleeding wrist. No… this fight is different. She's not just summoning. She's turning them into something else.
"When did all that confidence you had earlier go, huh? You told me to come at you—but why are you shaking?" Cora taunted, her voice sharp with amusement.
"I may be shaking," Doro growled, clutching his injured arm, "but I don't care what kind of magic you're using. These beasts… you're making them stronger somehow, and it's annoying. But I already said it—I'm not going to lose!"
"You still dare to talk back to me? Do you even understand the situation you're in?" Cora smirked, raising her hand. "Move forward."
At her command, the three red wolves lunged toward him in unison. Doro leapt back, his focus sharp, eyes locked on their every movement. Each time he swung his fist, the wolves dodged with unnatural speed, weaving through his counters with almost human precision.
They're too fast… too smart. This fight isn't going anywhere.
He grit his teeth, determined to hold his ground, but in the midst of his focus on the wolves, a sharp crack exploded across his back. His spine jolted with pain as he cried out, "Ahhh!"
Doro stumbled forward, whipping his head around in shock. Behind him, Cora stood with her whip raised high, a cold grin on her face. She swung again, the air hissing as the weapon tore toward him.
Instinct kicked in. Doro rolled and leapt back just in time, landing in a crouch, his breaths ragged. He staggered to his feet, retreating further to put space between them.
"When… when did she get behind me?" he thought, sweat dripping down his brow. "I was so focused on the wolves—I didn't even realize… This is not good."
"Now… how do I overcome this predicament?" Doro muttered through clenched teeth, sweat dripping down his face. His chest rose and fell heavily, but his eyes burned with defiance. "I have to be watchful of both her and the wolves. Physical enhancement—ten times! There's no other way. I have to go all out. I have to survive this. Even if it costs me everything… I will not lose to a woman, especially one as arrogant as she is." This content belongs to novel·fire·net
A sudden flare of light burst around his body, his muscles tensing as his veins glowed faintly. The crowd gasped at the surge of raw power radiating from him.
The wolves rushed forward again, snarling, their eyes glowing with that same dark energy. At the same time, Cora dashed in, whip in hand, her expression cruel and confident.
"Finish him!" she hissed as her whip cracked through the air toward him.
But in the very last instant, Doro bent his knees and launched himself upward. The force of his leap sent a shockwave rippling across the arena floor.
"What?!" Cora's eyes widened. "How did he…?"
High above, the crowd saw him twist midair, his silhouette glowing. His claws extended, longer than ever before, shining with deadly intent.
"He's faster again!" someone shouted from the stands.
Below him, the wolves leapt, jaws snapping wide, ready to tear him apart the moment he landed. But Doro's reflexes, sharpened by his enhancement, were quicker than theirs.
With precise timing, he planted both his feet firmly on the heads of two wolves, pushing them down with crushing force. Using their skulls as platforms, he vaulted forward and spun in midair, his claws slicing past the third wolf as he landed gracefully on the ground.
The arena erupted in a thunderous roar of shock and admiration.
"He did it! He dodged them perfectly—while injured!" one spectator cried.
"Impossible… with wounds like that, he shouldn't even be able to move !" another shouted.
Cora's whip snapped against the stone in frustration, her smirk faltering.
Doro straightened, blood dripping from his arm, but his stance steady. His eyes locked on her.
"Like you said," he growled, "the moment I fall… will be your end."
Doro clenched his fists, blood still dripping from his wounds, but his eyes shone with unyielding fire.
"Now… I'll push this body beyond its limit. Physical Enhancement—times one hundred!" he roared.
The ground beneath his feet cracked under the sudden explosion of power, his aura blazing like a storm. His body blurred, almost vanishing from sight.
The wolves lunged at him together, jaws snapping with lethal precision. They leapt from three angles, closing in with no room to escape. The crowd held its breath.
Before anyone could register what happened, one of the wolves' jaws caved in under the force of Doro's claw. Another was thrown aside, ribs shattering, and the third staggered back, howling in agony.
Gasps filled the arena. Cora's eyes widened, disbelief flickering across her face.
"H-How…?" she muttered. "They attacked together, at the same time… How did he crush them all in one instant?"
The dark energy she had used to empower them still glimmered faintly around their bodies, but it was clear—her control was failing.
Grinding his teeth, Doro's body trembled under the immense strain of his enhancement, but he didn't falter. "Even if you revive them again with that cursed magic… I'll break them down every time."
He lowered his stance, claws glowing faintly, then charged straight at Cora with frightening speed.
"What is happening?! How did he defeat them so quickly?" one spectator shouted.
Cora snapped out of her shock, fury twisting her face. She raised her whip and began lashing it wildly, cracking the air in every direction, sparks of mana trailing behind each strike.