The flickering flames cast shadows across the rubble-strewn battlefield, the air thick with smoke and the acrid scent of scorched earth. Before the collapsed mountain wall lay scenes of devastation.
The jackal leader staggered as it fled through the debris, its once-proud demeanor now shattered. The eyes that had once gazed down upon all with arrogance now brimmed with terror and panic.
It could no longer recall the last time it had felt fear. What remained was the primal instinct of a beast—when faced with a stronger foe, the only option was to flee. Its limbs were caked with mud and sand, its fur scorched black. It panted heavily as it ran, its beastly eyes filled with desperation.
The jackal sprinted on all fours, trying to escape the sharp, blade-like gaze that pursued it. But Rey merely smirked coldly.
"Isn't this your true form?" Rey stood on the cracked ground, his gaze icy.
"Once you lose your advantage, you so-called 'evolved beastmen' are reduced to nothing but wild animals clinging to survival."
His voice was quiet, yet it pierced through the chaotic air and reached everyone's ears with clarity.
Cain leaned against a broken wall, his face streaked with blood. Lorne was bandaging the wound on his arm. Talleo and Roddy supported each other nearby, their expressions grim.
"Uncle Rey… can he really win without relying on elemental power?" Talleo asked softly.
After confirming that Cain and the others were not in mortal danger, Rey strode forward without hesitation to continue the pursuit. Even without elemental power, his body, trained to the limits, moved like an unleashed tiger.
Boom!
A deep, resonant sound echoed. Rey's figure vanished like an arrow, instantly overtaking the jackal leader and blocking its path.
The jackal leader's pupils shrank—it had no time to react before a heavy fist, like a meteor crashing to earth, struck its chest.
"Get back here!"
Rey roared, his fist cutting through the air like a gale and landing squarely on the jackal's chest. The massive beast skidded across the ground, leaving behind a three-meter-long trail of blood. Dust rose, obscuring its face.
It coughed blood, howling in pain, as if its pride and body had been shattered simultaneously. Yet it refused to submit—it knew escape was no longer an option.
"Then let's go to hell together…"
Madness flickered in the jackal leader's eyes. An ancient, sinister chant spilled from its mouth, a language that sounded like whispers from hell.
In the next moment, black mist coiled around its body like venomous, blood-red serpents. The temperature plummeted, and the air seemed to freeze. The oppressive aura was suffocating, as if it were a curse from another realm.
"This is… a sacrificial incantation!" Rey's expression darkened.
The jackal leader's body began to swell violently. Muscles grew uncontrollably, tearing through its skin, and its bones cracked loudly. It let out a feral roar, its eyes glowing blood-red, and its body was covered in dark purple runes. Its original beastly form had completely twisted into something monstrous.
"It's burning its soul…" Roddy exclaimed in horror.
"This is insane! If it continues like this, it'll—" Talleo began, but his words were cut short as the beast charged toward Cain and the others like a storm.
The jackal leader had traded its soul for the power of shadow spirits. The price was eternal servitude.
Now devoid of reason, the beast had become a mindless killing machine, roaring as it lunged toward Cain and the group.
"Fall back!"
Rey roared, his figure blurring as he dashed to shield the others.
Boom!
The beast's claws slammed down with ferocity. Rey crossed his arms to block, the ground fracturing beneath him. A flurry of attacks followed, relentless as a torrential downpour. Steel fists clashed against bloodied claws, the collision of brute force and raw power echoing like thunder.
"This thing is completely insane!" Talleo shouted.
"No… it's no longer 'it'…" Cain gritted his teeth, sweat pouring down his brow.
The jackal leader struck with unbridled fury, each claw swipe carrying immense force, heedless of its own injuries. Rey's movements were precise, his defensive stance unwavering, his counterattacks sharp and rhythmic. His figure darted through the chaos, his fists striking like lightning.
"Watch closely, kids!"
Rey shouted as he fought, his tone heavy but resolute.
"When facing enemies larger than yourself, the key lies in rhythm and anticipation. Find the opening after their heavy strikes—that's your chance to counterattack!"
"Observe their breathing, watch how their muscles contract—that's the sign of an incoming attack!"
"Pay attention to their footwork changes!" Rey called out as he dodged, "If their left shoulder moves first, the claw strike will come diagonally from the right!"
Boom! A heavy blow forced Rey back three steps, blood splattering from his shoulder. Yet he stood tall and firm.
"Remember! No matter how big your enemy is, if you can anticipate their moves, you can create openings!"
Cain and the others watched the battle intently.
Rey's words cut through the wind and the beast's roars, like a lecture delivered on the battlefield. His fists landed blow after blow, gradually suppressing the beast's ferocity.
Suddenly, Rey quickened his pace. His figure flashed as he dodged a claw swipe, maneuvering to the beast's side and delivering a powerful punch to its flank.
"If your reactions are slow—you'll die!" Rey growled.
Boom! The beast's body trembled, its attack frequency faltering.
Finally, after dodging another attack, Rey gritted his teeth, his entire body coiling like a drawn bow. His right fist struck with the force of a thunderbolt, piercing straight into the jackal leader's chest.
"It's over!"
His fist tore through the beast's chest, black blood splattering. Crack—the sound of bones breaking echoed. The black mist in the beast's eyes dimmed. Its massive body staggered a few steps before collapsing heavily to the ground, lifeless.
It was over.
The beast's body hit the earth, the impact reverberating through the mountain walls. The dark flames in its eyes extinguished completely. At last, the air returned to calm.
"…Is it over?" Talleo slumped to the ground, gasping for breath.
"It's dead…" Milena whispered, her expression complicated.
Cain and the others stared at the fallen leader, a heavy weight lifted from their hearts. The exhaustion and terror lingered, yet there was a sense of relief—like survivors escaping from hell.
Rey stood beside the corpse, his body drenched in blood but as steady as steel. He silently observed the lingering black mist, his brows furrowed.
"Cain, come here."
Cain quickly stepped forward. Rey's voice was low: "Try using your light element to purify its body."
Cain nodded, his palms pressed together as a gentle yet intense light emanated from them. He placed his hands on the beast's corpse.
A burst of white light emerged. The black mist shrieked like shadows pierced by sunlight, then gradually dissipated.
Rey watched in astonishment, unable to conceal the shock in his eyes.
"This power… it can purify shadows."
Turning to Cain, Rey's expression became more serious than ever.
"Cain, from today onward—you can no longer simply 'want to become stronger.'"
"The power within you is what they fear most—and what they want to destroy."
"You… might be our only hope."
In his heart, Rey vowed: no matter what, he would protect this boy's life. He suspected that Ivan's transformation might be connected to this dark force. Perhaps—only Cain could bring that man back.
But he also knew that such light would make Cain the primary target for their enemies.
Cain gazed at the lingering glow in his palms, his expression conflicted as he nodded.
The darkness within the beastman's body had completely dissipated.
Yet in the next moment, a rumbling sound echoed from deep within the cave.
"An explosion?" Talleo jumped to his feet.
"Are more enemies coming?" Roddy asked nervously.
"Wait! No movement—it's not a trap." Cain frowned. "This is bad—they're trying to destroy something!"
The group exchanged glances before Rey took the lead into the cave.
Inside, the air was filled with ash and crumbled stone. Roddy placed his hands on the ground, his earth element guiding the fissures to widen, creating a narrow path.
"Let's see what's inside."
Cautiously, they moved forward through the dust and scorched earth. Broken machinery came into view—corroded, rusted, and deformed, none of it intact.
"This is… human equipment?" Aina said in surprise.
Rey examined a piece of wreckage, running his fingers over the engraved markings. A trace of unease flickered in his eyes.
"This isn't beastman technology."
His tone was grim. "This is a communication module… but who was it transmitting to?"
He buried the question deep in his heart, choosing not to voice it aloud.
'If these devices were secretly provided by someone… then this war is far more complicated than we thought.'
Rey glanced back at Cain, the faint glow still lingering in his palm.
'You… might be the one to break through the darkness. But this darkness will try to consume you first.'
Clenching his fists, Rey made up his mind—no matter how many storms lay ahead, he would ensure this boy lived to see the end.