The forest held its breath.

  The Colossal Shadow Direwolf stood like a living nightmare beneath the dim canopy, its golden eyes locked onto them. The black aura coiled faintly around its massive frame, distorting the air like heat waves rising from fire.

  Kaito stepped forward.

  Renna beside him.

  Serena slightly behind, staff glowing faintly.

  Behind them, Kael rested a hand on the horse’s neck. The trembling animal slowly calmed under his touch.

  Then—

  The Direwolf’s gaze shifted.

  It saw Kael.

  A deep, thunderous roar exploded from its throat, shaking the trees. Birds scattered into the sky. Leaves fell in trembling waves.

  The wolf began walking forward.

  Not rushing.

  Not hesitating.

  Just walking.

  As if nothing in front of it mattered.

  Kaito narrowed his eyes.

  “Titan Mountain Spike!”

  He slammed his palm against the ground.

  Massive earthen spikes erupted violently from below, towering pillars aiming to impale the Direwolf from every angle.

  The ground shattered.

  But the moment the spikes reached the wolf—

  Darkness swallowed every earth spike that block the way.

  The black aura around the beast expanded like liquid shadow. The stone pillars were devoured instantly, crumbling into nothing as if absorbed into a void.

  The Direwolf continued walking.

  Unharmed.

  Serena stepped forward, determination flashing in her eyes.

  “Ice Chain!”

  Dozens of freezing chains shot from the ground and sky, wrapping tightly around the Direwolf’s limbs and torso. Ice spread rapidly, encasing its massive body in layers of frost.

  For a moment—

  It stopped.

  The chains tightened.

  Cracking sounds echoed as ice hardened further.

  Then—

  The Direwolf took another step.

  The frozen earth shattered beneath its paw.

  The chains strained violently, frost splintering apart.

  It kept walking.

  Renna gritted her teeth.

  “Dragon Execution!”

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  Flames erupted behind her as a colossal crimson dragon manifested once more, roaring with blazing fury. The dragon soared forward and slammed directly into the Direwolf’s head.

  A fiery explosion rocked the forest.

  Smoke engulfed everything.

  The shockwave flattened grass and scattered debris.

  For a brief second—

  Silence.

  Then—

  A deep growl rumbled from within the smoke.

  The Direwolf emerged.

  Unshaken.

  Its fur slightly scorched.

  Its eyes glowing brighter than before.

  A thick black aura now seeped from its body, heavier, darker.

  The air felt suffocating.

  Suddenly—

  It vanished.

  No—

  It sprinted.

  So fast it seemed to teleport.

  “Frost Nova!” Kaito shouted.

  A wave of absolute cold burst outward from him. The forest floor froze instantly. Trees, mist, even the air crystallized in layers of ice.

  The Direwolf was frozen mid-charge, encased in solid frost.

  Cracks formed almost immediately.

  The ice trembled.

  Renna lifted her sword high.

  “Crimson Judgement!”

  A massive flaming sword materialized high above the sky, its blade enormous enough to split mountains. Fire rained down around it like embers from a falling star.

  Renna pointed downward.

  The sword descended like a meteor.

  The frozen wolf struggled violently.

  Cracks spread across the ice.

  Then—

  BOOM.

  The Shadow Direwolf swallowed everything.

  A violent eruption of shadow burst outward from its body, forming a spiraling vortex that clashed against the falling blade.

  Fire and darkness collided midair.

  The massive sword trembled—

  Then shattered into sparks.

  The shockwave blasted outward, forcing Kaito, Serena, and Renna to shield their faces.

  When the dust settled—

  The Direwolf stood there.

  Still.

  Breathing heavily.

  But alive.

  Renna’s voice trembled slightly. “That… that’s insane. Our skills are useless.”

  Kaito clenched his fists.

  “No choice but to use—”

  “Don’t do it.”

  The voice came from behind.

  They turned.

  Kael was no longer there.

  In his place stood the Inferno Chimera.

  Towering. Majestic. Terrifying.

  Three heads rose into the air—lion, dragon,serpent, and wolf—each radiating searing heat and ancient authority. Flames coiled around his massive frame like living serpents.

  The ground beneath him cracked from pressure alone.

  The Colossal Shadow Direwolf growled.

  But it did not retreat.

  Instead—

  It roared back.

  The sound split the sky.

  Kael stepped forward, placing himself in front of Kaito, Renna, and Serena.

  “Stay back,” his lion head growled.

  The dragon head exhaled smoke slowly.

  The Serpent head’s eyes locked onto the Direwolf’s crimson gaze.

  The Inferno Chimera released his aura.

  It exploded outward like a blazing storm.

  Flames erupted into the sky. The trees behind them bent violently from the force. The temperature surged instantly.

  The Direwolf responded.

  Its shadow aura intensified, swallowing light around it. The ground beneath it darkened unnaturally.

  Then—

  Both apex beasts charged.

  The collision was earth-shattering.

  Claws met fangs.

  Fire met shadow.

  The shockwave flattened trees in a wide circle.

  The Direwolf lunged, jaws snapping at Kael’s dragon head. Kael twisted and countered with blazing claws, slashing across the wolf’s shoulder.

  For the first time—

  Blood.

  Dark and smoking.

  The Direwolf retaliated instantly, shadow energy condensing into razor-like tendrils that lashed across Kael’s flank.

  Flames exploded outward in response.

  Kael’s dragon head inhaled deeply.

  “Infernal Breath!”

  A torrent of white-hot fire engulfed the Direwolf entirely.

  The forest ignited in a ring around them.

  But from within the flames—

  A shadow burst forward.

  The Direwolf leaped through the inferno and slammed its body against Kael, sending the massive Chimera skidding backward.

  The ground cracked under his weight.

  Kaito’s eyes widened.

  “They’re evenly matched…”

  Renna gripped her sword tightly. “That monster… is really this strong.”

  Serena’s staff trembled slightly in her hands. “Kael is actually fighting this monster without fear”

  The Direwolf’s shadow aura condensed around its claws.

  It leaped again—

  But this time Kael’s lion head roared.

  A sonic blast of pure flame pressure struck the Direwolf midair, disrupting its trajectory.

  The Chimera seized the opening.

  All three heads roared in unison.

  “Tri-Disaster Roar!”

  The three heads lifted.

  For a heartbeat, the battlefield fell silent.

  Then—

  ROOOOOOAAAAARRRRR!!!

  A crimson ring of annihilation exploded toward the colossal shadow direwolf.

  The earth craving tree destroy everything into ash.

  The world trembled as the infernal shockwave erased everything within two kilometers.

  When the dust settled, nothing remained but a circle of molten ruin.

  And at its center—

  The Inferno Chimera stood, unchallenged.

  Smoke rose.

  The forest was half-destroyed.

  For a moment—

  Everything was silent.

  Then—

  The Direwolf slowly stood up again.

  Burned shadow fur.

  Shadow Bleeding with black blood fall down from Shadow Direwolf.

  But still alive.

  Its golden eyes burned even brighter.

  Shadow energy now wrapped around its entire body like armor.

  Kael narrowed his eyes.

  “…So you’re that stubborn.”

  The Direwolf lowered its body once more and shadow aura release from the shadow fur on his body.

  The true battle between apex predators had only just begun.