Reon's eyes narrowed as he studied the Ironclaw Direwolf, its every movement radiating lethal intent. His pulse quickened, matching the low hum of elemental energy crackling in the air around the beast.
His whispered question hung in the air, "Is this the guardian of the cave the system told me to defeat?"
The Direwolf loomed before him, far more menacing than the Shadow Claw Bear he had once struggled to defeat.
He had intended to complete his sect mission with a swift ambush, striking at the beast's weakness.
But now... it was clear he'd have to face it head-on.
Reon clenched his fists.
He knew he couldn't take this beast head-on with brute strength alone—not even with Cloudia by his side and his Sword Aura at the Refinement Stage could he easily prevail against it.
"It hasn't awakened Wind Aura yet," he thought, "but even basic Wind Mastery lets it harden its fur. That alone makes it more formidable than most opponents."
There was no path to retreat. No time to hesitate.
He had yet to truly explore the power of the fourth form of his Soulbound Beast Command Technique, a form he'd unlocked only recently after ascending to the Advanced Stage and his Instinctual Awareness.
It was time now.
Reon steadied himself and called out, "Cloudia, this one's going to be tougher—but we can win this."
The Direwolf stepped forward, its claws gouging deep grooves into the stone floor. Wind gathered around its frame, swirling like a living tempest.
Its eyes gleamed with cunning, its fangs bared in challenge.
Then—
SWOOSH!
A wind blast tore across the chamber, howling like a banshee as it barreled toward them. Reon's instincts flared—he raised his sword, dark flames igniting along its edge as his Sword Aura collided with the blast.
BOOM!
The shockwave cracked the cavern floor and sent clouds of dust spiraling into the air.
Reon lunged forward in that moment, blade flashing in a swift arc toward the creature's front leg.
CLANG!
His strike rebounded violently, the force jarring his arm.
It was as if he had struck another blade infused with Sword Aura at the Pinnacle Stage.
"Tch… tougher than metal," Reon muttered through clenched teeth.
"Sword Aura can easily slice through steel… yet it couldn't so much as damage its leg."
The Direwolf had reinforced its limbs with Wind Energy—his blade had barely left a mark.
Before he could strike again, a blur of movement—then pain.
BAM!
A heavy kick from the beast sent him flying. Reon crashed across the ground but twisted midair to land on his feet, coughing, blood on his lips.
"It's true... Elemental Energy trumps Spiritual Energy. My Sword Aura isn't enough."
Elemental Energy was fundamentally different from Primary Energies like Spiritual Energy, Mana, or even Dark Mana—it was far more potent.
It wasn't just power; it was the essence of the elements themselves—the True Energies of Heaven and Earth.
Unlike talismans that merely imitate elemental effects using Spiritual Energy, true Elemental Energy embodies the raw forces of nature: Wind, Fire, Wood, Water, Earth, and more.
Only cultivators who had reached the Elements Refining Realm, or those born with rare constitutions, could harness such power.
Cloudia growled low, sensing the moment, and sprang forward in a blur.
A dark shadow against the silver mist, she melted into the haze, weaving around the Direwolf with fluid grace.
Activating her Mist Illusion, the mist thickened, distorting into shifting afterimages. The Direwolf snarled, swiping at the illusions in confusion.
It snapped its head left, then right, searching for her through the fog.
Reon seized the moment, closing his eyes briefly, and whispered—
"Soulbound Beast Command Technique...
First Form—Echoed Command!"
A surge of light passed between them. Cloudia's body shimmered, her strength and speed multiplied in an instant. She pounced—
BOOM!
All four of her powerful limbs slammed into the Direwolf's face, driving it into the ground. The beast howled in pain, blood spewing from its mouth as its massive form crashed into the stone.
She reared back, ready to strike again—but the beast was far from finished.
Its head tilted slightly, eyes gleaming with rage, and with a sharp inhale—
SLASH!
A compressed blade of Wind Energy erupted from its maw, slicing through the mist and hurling Cloudia against the upper cavern wall.
BOOM!
The entire cave trembled.
As she descended, the wolf lashed out with its powerful leg, grounded and delivering a bone-crushing force.
CRACK!
Cloudia's body smashed into the side wall, leaving deep fissures as she hit the ground, coughing blood.
The chamber groaned.
This time chunks of stone rained down from above.
"Shit! What if the entire cave collapses? We'll all die. We need to strike carefully." Reon thought, his mind racing with anxiety.
Cloudia staggered, struggling to rise. The force of the Direwolf's leg was far greater than the Shadow Claw Bear's, amplified by Wind Energy, while the bear had relied solely on raw power.
Yet, despite the staggering impact, Cloudia managed to push herself up—she'd grown stronger.
Had she endured this blow in her previous state, she would have... died.
The wolf, too, rose to its feet, unwavering.
Cloudia limped back to Reon's side.
"No more solo attacks," he said, voice low and urgent. "We strike together. I'll empower you with everything I have."
Then, he quickly relayed the plan to Cloudia.
Cloudia nodded, growling softly in agreement.
Then, he whispered—
"Soulbound Beast Command Technique...
Fourth Form—Unleashed Fury."
The moment Reon activated the Fourth Form, a surge of power coursed between them.
Cloudia felt lighter—no, freer. She surged forward, her speed surpassing anything she'd displayed before.
SWOOSH!
SWOOSH!
Blurs of silver and shadow. In a blink, she struck the Direwolf again and again—each blow faster, fiercer, more precise.
Her attacks now carried a deadly sharpness that hadn't been there before.
Reon felt it too—her energy flowing into him, enhancing his movements. His body moved with renewed agility as he charged forward, his blade crackling with shadow-infused Sword Aura.
"I can't strike blindly," he thought, eyes locked on the beast. "Only one spot left…"
The Direwolf's lower jaw—where the fur was thin, too delicate to reinforce with Wind Energy. The only vulnerable point left.
Reon had discovered this weakness during his research at the Skyreach Mission Pavilion while investigating the details of his mission.
To land a decisive blow, he would have to strike there, aiming true with every ounce of strength he could summon.
"Now, Cloudia!" he roared.
Without hesitation, Cloudia leapt—fangs bared, aiming a feint at the beast's head. The Direwolf snarled, rearing its head back to unleash a wind blast—
But she never struck.
At the last second, Cloudia twisted in the air, soaring clean over its head in a graceful arc.
A flicker of shock gleamed in the Direwolf's eyes.
Reon's eyes narrowed.
"It's time."