The Awakened beast galloped toward him despite the chain wrapped around its body— each footfall shaking the ground, trees swaying around them.
Riven did the only thing he could do, he manifested more chains around him. But this time the chains didn't immediately charge.
His eyes locked onto the back legs of the beast.
The Awakened Beast had used the claws of its front legs to destroy the first wave of the chains but it didn't even lift the back legs an inch from the ground
From what he could tell, the front legs drove the momentum — the back ones kept balance. He sent most of the chains toward the front legs, a few sweeping low for the back.
All of the chains directed to the front claws were utterly destroyed.
But while the Awakened beast remained focused on those chains, a few chains flipped past it and wrapped tightly around the two back legs.
The Awakened beast howled and glared at the chains, thrashed its back leg against the tree in an effort to break free.
But it was too late…
"Now…"
He seized the other end of the golden chains and pulled with everything he had.
He heard the sound of bone cracking and the Awakened Beast immediately slammed onto the ground with a loud thud.
Riven didn't waste a second. He manifested more golden chains and sent them hurling towards the Awakened Beast.
This time, the Awakened beast didn't use its claw to destroy the chain; instead, its tail began to grow longer and longer with every passing second.
Then it shot towards the approaching chains, slashing all of them in two. The chains fell to the ground with a loud thud and dissipated into countless glowing sparks.
Riven's eyes narrowed… He looked at the beast with a calculating gaze and stared at the ground for a heartbeat.
Dozens of the remains of the golden chains lay on the ground, dissipating into countless glowing sparks.
And then he stared back at the Awakened beast whose tail was now charging towards him after destroying all the chains.
Worse Riven felt the chains in his hand being pulled. He tilted his head and saw that the beast was trying to stand up.
With an expressionless face, he instantly pulled the chain backwards with all his might causing the Awakened beast to remain pinned to the ground.
But a major problem remained…
Its tail was still charging towards him… He could barely walk so dodging was not an option.
He closed his eyes for a heartbeat as his mind raced and then he opened his eyes with a look of clarity.
"I can only do one thing"
He channeled as much mana as his body allowed, his body began to glow as countless golden chains manifested all around him and charged towards the beast.
As expected, the tail went for the chains instead of him. He kept manifesting more to occupy it, all while pulling the end wrapped around the beast's back leg.
For now, he and the beast were in a stalemate.
But there was a problem…
Every time he manifested the golden chains, his mana reserve dwindled rapidly — to use the Cage he needed mana, and every living being had a finite mana reserve.
He was no different.
This way of combat was nothing short of a death sentence. So he diverted his attention to where the Archer was.
The Archer lay battered on the ground — left arm severed, whole sections of armor gone, golden dust pooling beneath it.
The Archer looked like it was dead but he saw its fingers moving.
It was alive so he issued a command to it that he didn't think would work. But he still did it since he had no other way
"Attack the beast."
Surprisingly, the Archer immediately stood up, took out its bow, and pointed it towards the Awakened beast with one hand. Using its mouth, it pulled the string, and then around five golden arrows began to manifest in its bow.
Riven's mana reserve dropped without warning but he kept his focus on the Archer's bow.
The Archer released its mouth and a barrage rained down on the beast. Before the beast could react, the arrows lodged themselves into its body.
The beast let out a howl, its tail abandoning the chains and whipping straight toward the Archer.
Chains after chains coiled around the Awakened beast. The Awakened beast clawed at it to destroy it but it was far from enough.
The Awakened beast had made grave mistakes…
But the Archer was a valuable combat asset. He didn't want it to die. He calculated how to save the Archer from demise.
That is when he remembered the description of the Domain of Seal. As far as he remembered, as long as he opens a door to it, he can store the Archer inside.
So Riven closed his eyes and willed an entrance to his domain to manifest near the Archer.
A hole in the fabric of reality was created. From the hole, a bright golden light illuminated the entire area. He stared at the battered Archer and said.
"Enter the Domain of Seal."
The Archer didn't react; instead, it moved its battered body towards it until it was swallowed up by the hole. He heard a silent whisper.
(Your subject has been stored in the Domain of Seal)
Then he turned his attention towards the Awakened beast as if nothing happened.
The Awakened beast's body was entirely wrapped in chains — its legs, head, and even its back.
It could no longer even move a single leg.
Riven knew it was time.
Not wanting to waste this opportunity, he manifested more chains and sent it charging towards the beast.
Chains after chains wrapped tightly around the body of the Awakened beast, each chain sinking deep into its flesh.
They dissolved into a golden aura that engulfed the beast from head to toe. A brilliant bright golden light exploded from the beast.
As the light cleared, the system whispered into his ears.
(You have gained a Subject)
Riven didn't react, he waited for the light to clear up, and when it did. He saw a Wolf covered in a golden aura, a chain wrapped around its neck.
Its eyes didn't look completely hollow. Riven sees a very small hint of bestial awareness.
But he frankly didn't care. He walked towards the wolf and as he approached the beast lowered its head in submission.
He looked and issued a command — not a request but a command.
"Lower yourself."
The wolf sat down without hesitation. He hopped on its back and signaled it to stand up.
It did so without any sort of resistance.
Just as he was about to get as far away from here as possible, he felt a presence similar to the one he felt when he was at the watchtower.
Cold sweat dripped from his back as he turned around towards its source. He saw a humanoid outline but the eyebrows made up of bones were a dead giveaway.
He stared at the wolf for a heartbeat — then he spoke.
"Run as fast as you can…"