Reon's eyes narrowed as he took in every movement of the Ironclaw Direwolf, feeling his heart pounding in time with the creature's intense, stormy presence.
His whispered question hung in the air, "Is this the guardian of the cave the system told me to defeat?"
The Ironclaw Direwolf's power was almost overwhelming, radiating a deadly, primal force even greater than the Shadow Claw Bear.
Reon knew he couldn't confront this beast directly with just brute strength, not even with Cloudia and his Sword Aura at full force.
But now, with no element of surprise and no room to retreat, he had no choice but to face it head-on.
He had yet to truly explore the power of the fourth form of his Soulbound Beast Command Technique, a form he'd unlocked only recently after ascending to the Advanced Stage and his Instinctual Awareness.
"Cloudia," he said, meeting his companion's piercing gaze, "this fight will be harder than previous one. We'll have to stay sharp."
As the Direwolf took a menacing step forward, Reon tightened his grip on his sword, feeling the familiar surge of dark flame flood into his blade, the aura swirling around him like flames of shadow.
A gust of cold wind tore through the chamber, and the creature cocked its massive head, studying him with a cold, almost calculating intelligence.
Then, without warning, the Direwolf unleashed a blast of wind energy in his direction, tearing through the air with a howl, like a tornado roaring toward him.
Reon's instincts kicked in, and he dived to the side, narrowly dodging the attack. Razor-sharp currents of wind sliced through the air just a breath away from him, one grazing his arm and leaving a shallow, stinging cut.
He gritted his teeth, ignoring the pain, he focused his gaze on the beast, the cut only deepening his resolve.
This was more than a simple fight—this was a test of his newfound strength and resilience.
Cloudia growled low, sensing his need, and sprang forward in a blur of movement. She was a dark shadow against the silver mist, her form almost melting into the haze as she lunged, weaving around the Direwolf with a fluid, practiced grace.
As she activated her Mist Illusion skill, the mist around her thickened, creating a distorted fog that cast ghostly, shifting afterimages of her figure around the Direwolf, causing it to snarl in confusion as it swiped at illusions.
Reon seized the opening, summoning his strength and calling on the new form of his Soulbound Beast Command Technique he'd unlocked:
"Fourth Form—Unleashed Fury."
The moment he activated the form, he felt a surge of energy from Cloudia, tapping into her latent power and pushing her into a heightened state.
Her speed and strength surged, her strikes becoming sharper, her movements faster and more ferocious.
He, too, felt her energy flow through him, his own speed heightened as he advanced on the Direwolf, fully channeling his Sword Aura until his blade pulsed with the shadowy energy.
"Now!" he shouted, signaling Cloudia to clear his path. She leapt aside, slipping back into the mist, her form blending perfectly with the illusions.
Reon's sword slashed through the air, his strike perfectly timed as the beast lunged forward, its claws tearing at the empty space where Cloudia's illusion had just vanished.
His sword connected with the Direwolf's side, the dark energy of his Sword Aura cutting into its dense, storm-gray fur, creating a brief flash of shadow as it met flesh.
The beast roared in fury, the chamber reverberating with the force of its cry. It staggered back, but the wound only seemed to enrage it further.
The Direwolf's winds intensified, swirling around it in a powerful vortex, its gleaming eyes fixed on Reon with a newfound bloodlust.
Despite his attack, the beast's thick, wiry fur had absorbed much of the blow, deflecting even the sharp edge of his Sword Aura—a blade sharper than the keenest steel Earth could forge.
Its coat was an impenetrable armor, denser than tempered metal, woven with nature's own unyielding strength. Not even his most focused strike could pierce it cleanly.
Only one vulnerability remained—the creature's neck, where the fur thinned ever so slightly.
Reon recalled this weakness from his research in the Skyreach Mission Pavilion. To land a decisive blow, he would have to strike there, aiming true with every ounce of strength he could summon.
Without wasting a second, the Direwolf reared back, its jaws parting as it summoned another blast of wind, this one even more powerful.
The force of the gale barreled toward Reon, tearing at his footing and threatening to send him hurtling backward.
"Cloudia, fall back! Aim for the neck when you see your chance!" he called, his voice barely audible over the roar of the wind.
Cloudia didn't hesitate; she darted around the beast, positioning herself behind it, her body low, her eyes gleaming as she prepared for a coordinated strike.
Reon braced himself, gripping his sword with both hands as he held it before him, feeling the Sword Aura wrapping around his sword to use it like a shield, anchoring him against the relentless force.