Chapter 53: Gate disaster (7)
The battlefield was chaos. Fire Ants swarmed the abominations, their clicking mandibles tearing into grotesque flesh. The cursed werewolves stood like sentinels of despair amidst the chaos, their growls a haunting melody of malice and predatory rage. Each of them oozed power, their forms radiating malevolence so tangible that the air itself felt heavier.
Terra—the Earth Dragon—let out a rumbling roar that shook the ground beneath us. Her claws, glowing faintly with earth mana, raked the volcanic soil, and she stormed ahead with an air of unstoppable ferocity.
Two of the cursed werewolves met her charge. They weren't ordinary beasts—these were apex predators, their massive forms rippling with muscle. Their eyes glowed crimson, and their fur seemed to shimmer unnaturally as if coated with living poison. They didn't hesitate, rushing Terra with inhuman speed.
Terra's growl was deep and guttural, a promise of destruction. She slammed her claws into the ground, sending massive shards of rock erupting upward in a jagged barrier. One werewolf leaped high, clearing the wall effortlessly, but the second smashed through it with brute force, debris raining around it.
"Stay close," I barked at Zainab as we moved to flank the remaining werewolf. "We've got our own problems to deal with."
She snorted, her primary head flashing me a sharp-toothed grin. "Don't slow me down, human."
I didn't bother replying. Nibbles, perched on my shoulder, squeaked in what might have been encouragement—or mockery. Either way, I gave his tiny head a quick pat and refocused on the task ahead.
I patted him again, Before we reached it, I felt the familiar pull deep in my chest—the one I'd come to rave. The possession state. I let it take hold, and the transformation began. My hair turned stark white, light energy sparking faintly at the ends. My eyes burned gold, and I felt the shift in my aura, like stepping into a storm.
***
Behind us, Terra's fight was a spectacle of pure power. The first werewolf lunged, claws coated in an eerie green glow. Poison magic. It struck with terrifying speed, but Terra wasn't just raw power—she was experience. She shifted her bulk, earth manipulation enhancing her movements, and swiped with her claws.
The werewolf barely avoided the strike, its poisoned claws grazing Terra's armored scales. A hiss filled the air as the poison sizzled harmlessly against her rocky hide.
The second werewolf closed the distance, its maw glowing faintly as it unleashed a shockwave of sound that shattered nearby rocks. Terra roared in pain, the sonic attack momentarily disorienting her. The two werewolves pressed the advantage, one going for her legs while the other leaped for her throat.
But Terra wasn't done. She slammed her tail into the ground, creating a shockwave that sent both werewolves skidding back. The earth beneath them shifted, spikes of jagged stone shooting upward. One werewolf dodged, but the other wasn't so lucky—the spikes pierced its hind leg, pinning it in place.
Terra didn't waste the opportunity. Her maw opened, and a torrent of dragonfire erupted, engulfing the trapped werewolf. Its agonized howls echoed across the battlefield, the smell of burnt flesh filling the air.
The remaining werewolf let out a furious snarl, its muscles bulging as its poison aura intensified. It lunged again, faster than before, claws slashing in a deadly arc. Terra met the attack head-on, her earth-enhanced claws clashing with the werewolf's poisoned ones. The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the ground.
For a moment, they were locked in a brutal stalemate, raw power meeting unrelenting fury. Then Terra roared, her claws tearing through the werewolf's defenses. She lunged forward, her maw closing around its torso. With a sickening crunch, she bit down, severing it in two.
***
While Terra dominated her fight, Zainab and I had our hands full with the remaining werewolf. This one wasn't just strong—it was smart. It moved with purpose, its crimson eyes locking onto us as it gauged our movements.
Zainab struck first. Her second head unleashed a torrent of water, the high-pressure stream slicing toward the werewolf's legs. The creature dodged with uncanny agility, its movements fluid and precise. Her third head followed up with an earth attack, a jagged pillar of stone erupting from the ground to intercept its leap.
The werewolf twisted mid-air, narrowly avoiding the strike. It landed with a snarl, its claws glowing as it swiped at Zainab's main head. She dodged, her heads weaving in a coordinated dance, and retaliated with her fourth head, releasing a cloud of dark poison.
The werewolf didn't flinch. Poison immunity. Figures.
I kept my distance, watching for openings. My spear hummed faintly with light magic, but I knew better than to get too close. This thing's claws weren't just sharp—they were coated in a venom that would kill me before I could even think to heal.
Zainab's attacks kept the werewolf on the defensive, but it wasn't enough. It was faster, stronger, and completely immune to her poison. When it lunged for her again, I saw my chance.
With a burst of mana, I projected a spear of light, aiming for its hind leg. The attack didn't pierce, but it staggered the creature just enough for Zainab to land a blow. Her second head's water stream sliced into its shoulder, drawing dark, ichorous blood.
The werewolf howled, spinning toward me with murderous intent. Its eyes locked onto mine, and for a brief moment, I felt the weight of its malice. It lunged, closing the distance faster than I anticipated.
I barely avoided its claws using my light energy to move faster, the venomous tips grazing the air inches from my face. A surge of adrenaline coursed through me as I retaliated, projecting a blinding light to flash-bang it back.
"Keep it busy!" I shouted to Zainab, my voice sharp.
She didn't need the reminder. Her four heads moved in perfect harmony, each one attacking with precision and purpose. The main head went for the werewolf's throat, while the second and third focused on its legs. The fourth continued to release poison, not to harm but to obscure its vision.
The werewolf fought back with savage ferocity. It used its claws to parry Zainab's strikes, its poison aura intensifying as it unleashed a flurry of swipes and bites.
"Damn it," I muttered, projecting another light spear. This one struck its flank, staggering it just enough for Zainab's main head to clamp down on its foreleg.
The werewolf howled in fury, its muscles bulging as it tried to break free. Zainab's other heads struck simultaneously—water slicing into its legs, earth manipulating the ground to trap its hindquarters, and her main head tearing at its flesh.
Finally, with a coordinated surge of power, Zainab ended the fight. Her four heads lunged as one, clamping down on the werewolf's torso. With a brutal twist, she tore it apart, ichor and flesh splattering the ground.
The beast collapsed in a mangled heap, its crimson eyes fading to dull black.
***
I exhaled slowly, the possession state fading as my hair darkened to its cyan color and my eyes returned to their usual pitch black. My muscles ached, and my mana reserves were nearly halfed, but the adrenaline still coursed through me.
"Well," I said, glancing at Zainab, "that wasn't so bad."
She snorted, her main head smirking while the others scanned the battlefield for additional threats. "You call that 'not so bad'? You barely did anything."
I grinned faintly, too tired to argue. Nibbles chittered from his perch on my shoulder, his tiny paws gesturing wildly at the carnage around us.
"Yeah, yeah," I muttered. "You were great, Zainab. Happy?"
She didn't dignify that with a response, her attention already shifting to Terra, who was making her way back toward us.
The Earth Dragon looked as imposing as ever, her claws and maw stained with the remains of her foes. She gave a low rumble of approval as she surveyed the mess we'd made.
"Efficient," she said simply.
"We aim to please," I replied, my tone dry. "Now let's get out of here before something worse shows up."
We retreated carefully, sticking to the edges of the battlefield where the Fire Ants wouldn't mistake us for enemies. The volcanic glow lit our path as we moved, the weight of the fight settling heavily on my shoulders.
Survival wasn't just about strength—it was about knowing when to fight and when to retreat. And right now, we needed to recover. This was just the beginning.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone