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Chapitre 28: 28. Beast Martial Magic
Chapter 28: Beast Martial Magic
The ground was slick with blood and water, the air thick with the iron tang of death. Two wolves lay dead, their massive bodies heaving their last breaths before falling still. Their blood seeped into the dirt, dark and almost black, staining the battlefield.
I tightened my grip on my black sword, sweat dripping down my brow. My chest heaved as I tried to steady my breathing, the adrenaline still coursing through my veins. Four wolves remained, their red eyes glowing like embers in the darkness, circling us with predatory patience.
Then I felt it.
A shift in the air, subtle at first but unmistakable. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as a low growl resonated through the trees, deeper and more guttural than anything we'd heard so far.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me," I muttered, turning toward the sound.
Five more wolves emerged from the shadows, their massive forms even more terrifying under the pale sunlight. Their fur was as black as midnight, their eyes glowing with an ominous, otherworldly light.
The nine wolves formed a loose semi-circle around us, their growls harmonizing into a bone-chilling symphony.
"Where the hell did *they* come from?" I spat, trying to suppress the rising panic in my chest.
Lashley's face paled, his sword shaking slightly in his grip. "It's a pack," he said grimly. "They must've been nearby and joined the fight when they heard the alpha's howl."
I groaned internally. "Oh, great. Reinforcements. Exactly what we needed."
The wolves began to glow, their dark red auras intensifying until it seemed like their bodies were wrapped in a sinister flame.
"Why are they glowing?" I demanded, my voice sharper than I intended.
"They're activating their magic!" Lashley barked, his own stone runes flaring to life.
I blinked at him. "Their *what* now?"
"Magic beasts," Neralia said quickly, her voice trembling slightly but steady enough to explain. "They're animals that have absorbed wild or dark mana over time. It mutates their bodies, makes them stronger, and—"
"And gives them fucking magic," I finished for her, my grip on my sword tightening. "This world is shit."
The alpha wolf, larger and more menacing than the rest, let out a deafening roar. Its red aura pulsed, growing brighter as it locked its glowing eyes on me.
"Shit, shit, shit," I muttered, shifting into a defensive stance.
Before I could blink, the alpha closed the 20-meter gap between us in an instant, its massive claws swiping at my head. I barely managed to raise my sword in time, the impact reverberating through my arms like I'd just caught a freight train.
"Fast fucker!" I grunted, bracing against its weight.
The alpha growled, its claws pressing down harder against my blade. My knees buckled under the sheer force, the ground beneath me cracking as I struggled to hold it back.
"Why is this thing so goddamn *strong*?" I snarled, sweat pouring down my face.
"Martial magic!" Lashley shouted, his voice tinged with panic. "It's using Martial Magic!"
"Of course it is!" I spat. "Because normal overgrown wolves just wouldn't be enough, would they?!"
The pressure Intensified as the alpha's red aura flared again, sending a wave of heat and malice crashing over me. The creature growled, its glowing eyes narrowing as it pressed harder.
I gritted my teeth, my muscles screaming in protest as I held my sword against its claws. I could feel the edge of the blade biting into its paw, but it wasn't enough to stop it.
"Come on, you bastard," I growled, forcing all my strength into pushing back.
The wolf let out another guttural snarl, its claws shifting slightly, and I realized too late what it was doing.
Its paw slid down my blade, its claws scraping past my defenses and slashing across my chest.
The pain was instant, white-hot and searing. I stumbled back, gasping as the wolf's claws tore through my black leather armor like it was paper. Blood poured from the fresh gashes across my chest, staining my clothes and dripping onto the dirt.
"Kaizen!" Neralia shouted, her voice laced with panic.
"I'm fine!" I snapped, even though I wasn't. My chest burned like hell, and my breaths came in short, ragged gasps.
The alpha snarled, licking the blood from its claws as if mocking me.
"Oh, fuck you," I muttered, gripping my sword tightly despite the pain.
The other wolves began closing in, their glowing auras flaring brighter as they prepared to attack.
"Stay focused!" Lashley shouted, summoning another magic circle beneath one of the wolves. The single-layer circle glowed faintly before a spike of earth erupted from the ground, forcing the beast to leap back.
Neralia followed up with her own spell, a two-layered circle forming near another wolf. A torrent of water shot out, slamming into its side and throwing it off balance.
"Keep them off me!" I barked, tightening my grip on my sword.
The wolves snarled, their glowing red eyes filled with bloodlust. I swore under my breath, my mind racing as I prepared for the next wave.
This fight wasn't over. Not by a long shot.
I barely had time to catch my breath as the wolves closed in, their glowing red eyes drilling into me like a hundred burning needles.
"Stay sharp!" Lashley barked, his sword starting to glow with a faint rocky hue as its runes lit up.
"I'll take the lead!"
"Go!" I shouted, stepping back into a defensive stance as Neralia raised her hands. A shimmering, two-layered magic circle appeared before her, spinning slowly. The air around it rippled with energy that made my hair stand on end.
"Water Magjc: Cascade!!" she yelled. A wave of glowing water surged forward, slamming into three wolves. The force sent them sprawling, their glowing auras flickering, but the rest of the pack pushed through like demons from a nightmare.
Lashley charged forward, his weapon transforming as he bellowed, "Stone Bastion!" His sword took on a jagged, rocky texture, and his whole body seemed heavier, sturdier, like he'd turned into a walking wall of stone.
One of the wolves lunged at him, claws outstretched, but Lashley didn't flinch. He braced himself, gripping his sword with both hands as the wolf's claws slammed into the blade. Sparks flew, and the impact cracked the ground beneath him, but he didn't budge.
"Nice try, mutt!" he snarled. With a shout, he twisted his blade, catching the wolf's momentum and sending it flying.
"Kaizen, incoming!"
I didn't hesitate. With a grunt, I stepped forward, my black sword humming with dark energy in my hands. The creature was mid-air, its body twisting helplessly as I lined up my strike.
"I've got it!" I growled, swinging with all my strength.
But just as my blade was about to connect, the damn thing vanished. One second it was there, and the next, it was gone—leaving only a trail of black mist.
"What the—?" My voice caught in my throat as something slammed into my side like a runaway cart. I barely had time to register what was happening before I was airborne, hurtling toward a tree.
The impact knocked the air out of me, and pain exploded through my body as I crumpled to the ground like a sack of potatoes. My black sword slipped from my fingers, and I gasped for breath, trying to push myself up.
"Kaizen!" Neralia's voice pierced through the fog in my head, panic lacing every word.
I groaned, my chest burning as I forced my eyes open. My vision swam, but I could just make out the alpha wolf looming above me, its red aura blazing like a bonfire.
Not done yet, I thought, gritting my teeth and reaching for my sword. My fingers curled around the hilt as the creature's glowing eyes locked onto mine, promising death.
I clenched my teeth, forcing myself to move even as every muscle in my body screamed in protest. Slowly, I staggered to my feet, leaning heavily on my sword for balance. My vision blurred for a moment, but I locked my gaze on the alpha wolf, its blood-red eyes burning into mine like molten coals.
Its growl deepened, reverberating through my chest, but I didn't look away. If I was going to die here, I was damn well going to face this thing head-on.
Then, a thought pierced through the haze of pain and exhaustion.
*Focus.*
I closed my eyes, shutting out the snarls, the scent of blood, and even the dull ache in my chest. Instead, I turned my attention inward, diving deep into the core of my being.
The pain didn't disappear. No, I held onto it, used it like a whetstone to sharpen my focus. And there, deep inside, I felt it—the tiny seed of energy that I'd relied on so many times before. It was faint, flickering like a dying ember, but it was there.
*Ki.*
I gritted my teeth and pushed. Slowly at first, then harder, forcing the energy to spread. It resisted, stubborn like roots tangled in stone, but I didn't stop. The seedling began to grow, its tendrils snaking outward like vines of a tree.
Faster. Stronger.
The energy surged, flooding through me in a torrent. My eyes snapped open as the power burst outward, enveloping me in a fiery aura of red and black. It burned, fierce and untamed, wrapping around my body like a living thing.
I glanced down as the aura began to shift, flowing toward my sword and the torn black leather armor across my chest. The moment it touched the leather, the material absorbed the energy like a sponge, glowing faintly as it began to repair itself.
The jagged claw marks knitted back together, the armor reforming as if the damage had never happened. At the same time, I felt a warm, soothing sensation wash over me, mending minor injuries and easing the ache in my muscles.
My breathing steadied. My grip on the black sword tightened as I flexed my fingers, testing the newfound strength surging through me.
Satisfied, I turned my attention back to the massive wolf, still growling low in its throat as it crouched, ready to pounce.
I smiled. It wasn't forced or hollow this time. No, it was the kind of smile that promised pain.
"You shitheads," I said, my voice low and even, "are about to feel it."
[A/N: Can't wait to see what happens next? Get exclusive early access on patreon.com/saiyanprincenovels. If you enjoyed this chapter and want to see more, don't forget to drop a power stone! Your support helps this story reach more readers!]