Noctis nodded as if the speech was expected. "Your intelligence rose with the evolution. Your throat and jaw changed enough to support speech, and the bond is helping you shape meaning through language."
Rengar looked at his hands again and tightened them into fists. "This body is different."
"It should be," Noctis said. "You were not allowed to remain an ordinary frost lightning wolf after my blood entered the deepest layer of your structure. The first route was Stormfang Revenant, but that was average, and I did not go through this much trouble to obtain an average companion."
Rengar's ears shifted slightly at the word average, and Noctis could feel through the bond that the former wolf king understood the insult even if it was not directed at him personally.
Noctis raised his hand and pointed toward the markings across Rengar's chest and arms. "Your final route became Sanguifrost Voltari. The name contains the three forces now inside you. Sanguine blood authority, frost domain control, and volt-based lightning circulation. Your lycanthrope form gives you better combat options than your previous body. You can still use your instincts, but now you can add technique."
Rengar remained silent for several seconds as he absorbed the explanation. He looked toward the blood-red frost beneath his feet, then toward the red arcs crossing his fur, and finally back toward Noctis. "I am stronger than before."
"You are," Noctis replied. "But strength without control becomes waste. You have a new body, and you need to learn how to fight with it before you start relying on power alone."
Rengar lowered his head slightly, not kneeling this time but acknowledging the instruction. "I understand."
Noctis studied him for a moment, then added, "You also have a brother."
Rengar's eyes shifted, and Kaiser, who had remained near the edge of the transformed ground, moved his head slightly as Noctis turned toward him. The rune on Noctis's forehead glowed as he called the crimson serpent fully into manifestation, and Kaiser's large form condensed from a red orb that expanded in front of him before unfolding into scale, wing, claw, and horn. When Kaiser's body fully formed, he spread his wings to test the available space in the gorge, and the movement displaced loose frost across the ground. His feet pressed into the stone with enough weight to crack the thin ice beneath them, and after stabilizing his body, he lowered his head toward Noctis.
"Master, did you summon me?" Kaiser asked through the bond, his voice carrying clearly.
Noctis gestured toward Rengar. "Yes. I wanted you to meet him. This is your younger brother."
Kaiser turned his attention to the lycanthrope, and for several seconds the two companions studied one another without speaking. Kaiser's body was still serpentine and draconic, formed from the evolution of a captured serpent into a crimson dragonlike mount, while Rengar stood upright as a newly born lycanthropic demon beast carrying blood, frost, and lightning. Their forms were different, but the bond that connected each of them to Noctis was recognizable to both. Kaiser gave a slow nod.
"He carries your blood," Kaiser said.
"He does," Noctis replied.
Kaiser looked back toward Noctis. "Does he have a name?"
Noctis paused because the question exposed something he had not yet completed. He had classified the evolution, explained the bloodline, and recognized the new form, but he had not given the companion a proper name. He turned toward the lycanthrope and considered the matter carefully. Naming was not his strongest talent, and he knew that from experience. He had already named Kaiser by borrowing from a memory of another world, and now he needed a name that matched a predator reborn through blood and frost lightning, one that carried the feeling of a hunter rather than a passive beast.
The answer came after several moments.
"You were the wolf king," Noctis said. "Now you are a Sanguifrost Voltari, and your evolution path is that of a lycan. Your name will be Rengar."
The lycanthrope's eyes focused on him more deeply as the name entered the bond. It was not only sound. Through the taming rune, the name anchored itself to identity, separating the new companion from the defeated wolf king that had existed before. Rengar lowered himself to one knee, his armored body not yet formed but his posture already carrying the discipline of a warrior accepting a title.
"Thank you for giving me a name, Master."
Noctis raised his hand. "Stand up. You are my summon, but you are also my companion. You do not need to kneel every time I speak to you."
Rengar rose slowly, and the red arcs across his fur stabilized as he stood to his full height again.
Noctis looked between Rengar and Kaiser. "In battle, both of you will move with me. Kaiser gives me flight, pressure, and large-scale presence. You give me speed, close-range pressure, and pursuit. When we fight together, we become a storm."
Rengar nodded, and the bond carried his understanding. Kaiser also lowered his head slightly in agreement.
For a moment, the three remained in the gorge where the remains of the old pack had already been consumed, shattered, or buried beneath frost. The territory that had once belonged to the Ice Thunder Wolf King no longer held its old hierarchy. Kaiser stood as the first companion. Rengar stood as the second. Noctis stood between them as the origin of both.
Rengar shifted his weight after a short period of silence, and the hesitation in his posture drew Noctis's attention. The lycanthrope's fingers flexed, then stilled, and he lowered his head slightly before speaking.
"Master, I have a request."
Noctis looked at him. "Say it."
"I wish to test my new strength," Rengar said. "There is a target that is suitable."
Noctis's interest sharpened. "Who?"
Rengar turned his gaze toward one of the nearby mountain peaks beyond the gorge. "An Ice Giant Ape lives in the mountains near this territory. When I was still the wolf king, its domain bordered mine. There was friction between us many times."
He paused, and the memories came through the bond in rough impressions: snowfields marked by claw marks, a massive white-furred ape striking the ground with fists large enough to break stone, the old wolf king circling and attacking with frost lightning only to withdraw when brute force and terrain advantage began turning against him.
Rengar continued aloud. "Each time we fought, I retreated first. I could not defeat it without losing too much of my pack or leaving my own territory exposed. Now I want to fight it again."
Noctis considered the request without dismissing it. This was not random bloodlust. It was a practical test against a known opponent that had previously exceeded Rengar's strength. It would allow him to measure the new body against a benchmark from before the evolution. If Rengar won, he would understand the value of what he had become. If he struggled, Noctis would learn what still needed refinement.
"That is fine," Noctis said.
Rengar began to lower his head in thanks, but Noctis was already in front of him before the motion completed. Rengar stopped, surprised by the speed, and Noctis placed his right hand against the center of Rengar's chest.
"But first," Noctis said, "you cannot go like this."
Rengar looked down at the hand on his chest, his instincts tightening for a moment because the last time Noctis had placed his hand on him, it had led to pain, taming, and forced evolution. Noctis felt that tension through the bond and spoke before it could become resistance.
"Relax. This is not another evolution."
Rengar's shoulders eased.
Noctis activated Crimson Arsenal through direct contact. Blood emerged from his palm and spread across Rengar's chest in a controlled layer, moving over the fur without soaking it, then hardening into a base structure as the skill began forming armor around the lycanthrope's body. The material did not develop as a single shell. It built itself in sections, each one adjusting to Rengar's measurements and energy flow as it formed.
The chest armor appeared first, shaped to cover the broad torso without blocking the expansion of the lungs or the rotation of the shoulders. Black plates formed over the upper chest and abdomen, and red decorations traced the seams where blood energy circulated beneath the surface. The armor was not flat. It followed muscle groups, reinforced the ribs, and left enough segmented flexibility for lunging, bending, and twisting.
Shoulder pauldrons formed next, rising over the widened shoulders in layered black plates with crimson rivets embedded along the edges. Noctis made them broad enough to deflect downward strikes but cut them short enough that Rengar could raise his arms without obstruction. Arm guards followed, wrapping around the forearms and extending over the back of the hands while leaving the fingers and claws free. The guards contained narrow red channels that aligned with the red lightning moving beneath Rengar's fur, allowing discharge to travel across the armor without damaging it.
The waist guard formed from overlapping plates that protected the lower torso and hips without interfering with the powerful rotation needed for leaps or claw strikes. A mantle then developed across the upper back, not made of cloth but of flexible blood-forged segments that hung and moved like layered armor. It matched Noctis's own aesthetic enough that the connection between master and companion became visible at once. Greaves formed around the legs, reinforcing the shins, knees, and lower joints while leaving the beastlike feet free to grip ice and stone.
The helmet formed last. Noctis shaped it carefully because Rengar's wolf head, ears, and muzzle required protection without interfering with sight, hearing, scent, or jaw movement. The helm grew from the sides and top rather than closing over the face completely. It reinforced the skull, temples, and jawline while leaving the eyes unobstructed and the muzzle free. Red rivets and dark crimson lines matched the armor beneath, and when the helmet completed, the entire set looked like a companion version of Noctis's own black and red war equipment.
Noctis withdrew his hand and stepped back to inspect the result. Rengar slowly moved his shoulders, lifted both arms, bent his knees, twisted at the waist, and tested the range of motion. The armor shifted with him without scraping or locking. He clenched his hands and allowed red lightning to travel across the arm guards. The armor accepted the current and guided it outward rather than resisting it.
"It does not restrict me," Rengar said.
"It was made from my arsenal through your body's structure," Noctis replied. "It is supposed to move with you."
Rengar looked down at the armor, then back at Noctis. "Thank you, Master."
Noctis nodded. "Do you want weapons?"
Rengar lifted one clawed hand. "My claws are enough."
Noctis shook his head. "They are not enough if you want to grow beyond instinct. Claws are part of your body, and you should use them, but weapons give reach and force discipline into your movements. A claw strike encourages you to close distance every time. A weapon teaches spacing, angle, restraint, and timing."
Rengar looked at his hand again, considering the explanation.
Noctis continued, "You are stronger now, but strength alone was what failed you against the Ice Giant Ape before. If you fight it the same way you fought as the wolf king, then the only thing that changed is the size of your body."
That landed clearly. Rengar's gaze hardened, and he lowered his hand.
"What weapon should I use?" he asked.
"That depends on how you intend to fight."
Rengar considered his new form. He flexed his fingers, rotated his shoulders, and shifted into a lower stance before straightening again. "Daggers," he said after a moment. "I can move close, strike quickly, and still use my claws when needed."
Noctis raised his right hand. "Good choice."
Crimson Arsenal activated again, and two weapons formed in the air between them. They began as condensed blood, then hardened into long single-edged daggers with black bodies and red veins along the spine of each blade. The edges were serrated near the inner portion for tearing and smooth near the tip for penetration. The handles formed to fit Rengar's larger hands, wrapped in dark material that would not slip under frost or blood. At the end of each handle, Noctis added a reinforced strap, flexible enough to move but strong enough to endure throwing force.
Rengar took the daggers and immediately tested their weight. He rotated one in his hand, reversed the grip, extended it forward, then held both in a crossed guard. The blades were longer than human daggers but proportionate to his size, giving him enough reach to strike outside claw range without turning them into short swords. He looked at the straps attached to the handles.
"What are these for?"
"Short throws," Noctis said. "You can release the dagger without losing it. The strap lets you pull it back immediately."
Rengar lifted one dagger slightly, studying the strap.
"You can also use them as flexible weapons," Noctis continued. "A thrown dagger can become a hook, a whipping blade, or a method to change your opponent's guard. If the ape is larger than you, cutting from only one distance will be predictable. Use the straps to change range without changing weapons."
Rengar's fingers tightened around the handles as he processed the idea. "Versatility."
"Yes," Noctis said. "Think about the fight before it begins. If the ape has reach, attack the joints and retreat. If it guards its head, cut the wrists, knees, and tendons. If it charges, step aside and punish the exposed side. Do not fight like a beast trying to prove strength. Fight like a predator choosing where the prey loses function."
Rengar bowed his head slightly, not kneeling, but acknowledging the lesson. "I will use them properly."
"You will learn by using them," Noctis said. "Go and take care of your rival."
Rengar turned toward the distant mountain, then hesitated again.
Noctis noticed. "What is it?"
"Master," Rengar said, "do you not want to tame the Ice Giant Ape as well?"
Noctis looked at him for several seconds, then shook his head. "No. My current limit is two companions. Kaiser is the first, and you are the second. A third companion is not an option right now."
Rengar accepted this, though the bond carried a trace of understanding mixed with pride. If the ape could not be tamed, then defeating it would be entirely his task.
"I will return victorious," Rengar said.
"I expect you to return alive first," Noctis replied. "Victory comes after that."
Rengar's expression shifted slightly, and Noctis could tell the correction had registered.
Noctis added, "I will head toward your location after I finish what I need to handle here. Do not die before I arrive."
"I will not die," Rengar said.
"Good. Go."
Rengar stepped back, and this time his aura expanded in a controlled manner rather than the unstable pressure of his evolution. Blood-red frost formed beneath his feet. Red lightning traveled from his shoulders down through his legs. The first step he took did not push into the snow like an ordinary movement. The frost hardened beneath him, the lightning compressed through his muscles, and he created a momentary foothold in the air by freezing moisture and reinforcing it with blood energy. His second step rose above the ground. His third carried him forward, and once he found the rhythm, his body accelerated horizontally toward the nearby peak, not flying with wings, but moving across the air through successive generated footholds that collapsed behind him once his weight left them.
Noctis watched the movement carefully. Rengar's body adapted quickly. Each step left a brief red frost print in the air before it broke apart into particles and vanished. The daggers remained in his hands, the mantle of his armor trailing behind him, and the red lightning around his body increased as he gained speed. He moved toward the mountain where the Ice Giant Ape resided, leaving the gorge with a directness that belonged to a hunter going to settle an old defeat.
When Rengar disappeared into the distance, Noctis turned toward Kaiser.
Kaiser had watched everything without interrupting, but the serpent's posture had changed slightly during the armor and weapon creation. His head was lowered, his eyes focused on Noctis, and the bond between them carried a cautious awareness that had not been present earlier. Kaiser had seen what happened to the wolf king. He had seen pain, forced evolution, body restructuring, and rebirth. He understood the benefit, but instinct still recognized the process as dangerous.
Noctis looked at him for a moment, then slowly smiled.
"Now," he said, "let's see if I can evolve you as well."
He licked his lips lightly as he considered the possibility, not out of hunger alone but because the experiment with Rengar had opened a path he had not fully considered before. If his blood could force a frost lightning wolf king into the Sanguifrost Voltari Clan, then Kaiser, who already carried his bloodline and had evolved from serpent into crimson dragon, might possess an even greater route hidden beneath his current form.
Kaiser's body stiffened.
One of his claws shifted backward against the stone, and the movement was small but visible. His wings drew in slightly, and his tail tightened around part of the ground near him as if his body had prepared to anchor itself before Noctis even touched him.
Noctis noticed and raised an eyebrow. "You are stepping back?"
Kaiser's head lowered a little further. "Master, I witnessed what happened to my younger brother."
"That was successful."
"It was painful."
Noctis did not deny it. "It was."
Kaiser remained still.
Noctis stepped closer, but not enough to force contact. "I am not going to start immediately. I need to examine your current state first. Rengar was a wild beast that had to be tamed and then pushed through a route. You are different. You have already lived inside my mark, fed from my blood, and stabilized as my mount."
Kaiser's tension reduced slightly, though not completely.
Noctis continued, "That means your evolution may be safer, or it may be more complicated. I need to see which one it is."
Kaiser looked at him for several seconds before lowering his head in acceptance. "If it is your will, Master, I will endure it."
Noctis placed his hand against Kaiser's scaled snout, not yet feeding blood, only establishing contact through the bond and preparing Omni Eyes to inspect the structure beneath. "Good," he said. "Then let's find out what you can become."