The sky was dark, and the air carried the scent of rain, but what truly filled the atmosphere was the smell of blood.
Rinzo and his friends stood face-to-face with the enraged pack, howls echoing from all directions. These were not ordinary beasts; they were skilled hunters, their glowing eyes moving in perfect harmony, as if they knew exactly what they were facing—a dangerous opponent.
"They're trying to surround us..." Kaiden whispered, gripping his sword cautiously.
At the front stood the pack leader, larger than the rest, its fangs dripping with saliva as it locked eyes with Rinzo, as if recognizing him as the greatest threat.
Rinzo did not back down. He twirled his dagger in his hand, his eyes shining with the same glow as the ring on his finger.
"Don't let fear take over... Remember our plan."
---
The First Strike: Battle Begins
In a swift motion, one of the wolves lunged at Arya. But she was ready. A single arrow flew, piercing through its eye, sending it collapsing to the ground with a pained whimper.
At the same moment, another wolf attacked Dairon, but he raised his massive shield, blocking the beast before smashing it down with his hammer.
Raven, however, had a different approach. Instead of direct combat, he unleashed his dark chains, wrapping them around a wolf's neck before pulling tight, snapping its bones with a sickening crack.
But it wasn't enough—the pack did not retreat. Instead, they grew even more ferocious.
"They're stronger than I expected!" Saira shouted as she narrowly dodged another wolf's claws.
Rinzo wasted no time. He dashed forward, using his newly gained speed. In an instant, he appeared behind one of the wolves, stabbing it in the back before kicking it into a nearby trap, where spears impaled its body.
Yet, the leader did not move. It merely watched in silence, waiting for the perfect moment.
---
The Deadly Trick
As the battle raged on, Saira appeared to be in trouble. A massive wolf had struck her with its claws, sending her crashing to the ground.
"Saira!" Leox shouted, trying to reach her, but another wolf leaped in his way.
Blood stained her clothes, her eyes dimming as if she were losing consciousness…
The leader saw its chance. With lightning speed, it charged at her, fangs bared, ready to end her!
But at the last moment…
She vanished.
No blood. No body. Just a faint shadow fading into the air.
"What...?!" The leader snarled, hesitating for a split second.
And in that moment, a dagger appeared behind its neck…
"You've been deceived."
With a cold whisper, Saira drove her dagger into the wolf leader's throat, twisting it before slicing clean through.
The beast collapsed, its body trembling before falling still.
That was all it took—the pack, which had relied on their leader, began retreating. They were not cowards, but they understood that they were no longer the strongest tonight.
---
After the Battle: A New Power
As the fight ended, Rinzo stood there, panting, gazing at the corpses around him.
Then, he felt something strange…
The ring on his finger was glowing more intensely than before.
It wasn't just absorbing the energy of the ordinary wolves… there was something different this time.
His friends noticed it too.
"What's happening?" Volk asked cautiously.
Rinzo closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them with a faint smile.
"I think… we're starting to understand how this ring truly works."
He distributed the points among his friends, as he had promised. He didn't want to be the strongest alone—he wanted them all to grow stronger together.
This wasn't just another battle…
It was the beginning of something far greater.