Chapter 112: Predator’s Game

Chapter 112: Predator’s GameAs soon as Crystal felt the ripple of power in the air, she bolted down the city streets, her gaze locked on the distant forest where the surge was heading.

The other students called after her, voices filled with confusion and concern as they tried to keep up.

"Crystal, wait up! What are you doing?!" one boy yelled.

But Crystal didn't respond, her heart pounding with certainty.

He was out there.

She'd known Eratz wouldn't just spend his night resting.

No, he was as relentless as ever. Just like before, he would definitely go exploring the wild, like he used to do at Genova.

Ahead, the shadow of the Thunder Lycaon darted into the dense trees, a flash of lightning crackling from its body and leaving an energy trail in the air.

Crystal's chest tightened as she sensed the beast's power, unmistakable, terrifying, and strangely familiar.

It was the same energy she'd felt when they had faced the calamity birds together in the forest, it was Eratz's signature.

Reaching the forest edge, Crystal barely slowed as she plunged in, her friends still calling after her.

But their voices turned to murmurs of unease as they set foot inside.

A terrifying aura blanketed the trees, each step pressing down on them.

"What... what is that?" one student muttered, glancing nervously around.

Another shook his head, his eyes wide.

"I don't know, but whatever it is... we shouldn't be here."

A beast roared from somewhere deeper within the forest, the sound echoing through the trees, and more cries followed, forming a chorus of monstrous noises that filled the night.

The students shrank back, voices trembling.

"Crystal, this is insane! Let's get out of here!" one of the girls begged, her face pale with fear. But Crystal kept pushing forward, her resolve hardening with every step. She had failed too many times, lost too many opportunities.

Now, she was ready to take risks, to face fear head-on. His energy was there, so he was the origin of the noises.

It was her best opportunity, she couldn't hope to stand a chance against Mercury if she didn't act now.

"Crystal, stop!" one of her friends pleaded. "This isn't worth it!"

She ignored them, her focus locked on the path ahead. Suddenly, a loud explosion thundered nearby, the shockwave sending everyone tumbling backward.

Crystal gritted her teeth, forcing herself up, but before she could regain her balance, she turned and froze.

Towering above her, jaws bared, was the enormous, menacing face of the Thunder Lycaon.

The students behind her screamed, stumbling over each other in their panic, but Crystal was rooted in place, her eyes wide with terror as the creature's hot, electric breath blew across her face.

The Thunder Lycaon growled, its gaze piercing as it sized her up, seeming to savor the fear radiating from her.

As Crystal struggled to breathe, several of her friends rallied, their terror replaced with desperate courage as they fired weak elemental attacks, fireballs and lightning bolts, toward the creature, hoping to drive it off.

But the Thunder Lycaon barely reacted, flicking its gaze toward them as if they'd merely brushed against it.

With a low snarl, the beast slashed at the ground, unleashing a powerful shockwave that tore through the earth, scattering rocks and debris.

The students braced themselves, but then a loud voice cut through the chaos.

"Go, Aegiron!"

A massive, armored turtle-like beast emerged, standing firm in front of the group, its shell absorbing the Lycaon's attack with a resounding clang.

The students watched in stunned silence as the creature faced off against the Thunder Lycaon, holding the line.

Just then, someone sprinted toward Crystal, pulling her back from the brink. She turned, her shock giving way to surprise as she realized who it was.

"G... Gabriel?" she breathed, barely believing her eyes.

The other students stared, equally astonished. Gabriel was there, urging them all to move.

"Run! We can hold it back, just go!"

But before they could even take a step, a flash of lightning streaked toward them, and Gabriel's turtle beast was flung backward, landing heavily in front of the group.

It struggled, then fell still, a single, crackling wound across its body.

Gabriel turned, his jaw clenched as he faced the Thunder Lycaon.

The beast's menacing growl filled the air, and its eyes glinted with malice.

"Is this even a natural beast?" Gabriel muttered, genuinely stunned by its power. Taking a deep breath, he began humming a strange, low tune, a method of communication he used with beasts. Slowly, the Lycaon raised its head, seeming to recognize the sound.

Gabriel's lips curled into a hopeful smile, he turned to the students to tell them to relax, but his turtle beast moved suddenly, positioning itself between Gabriel and the Thunder Lycaon just as the creature launched a sneak attack. Aegiron took the blow, skidding back but standing firm.

Gabriel summoned a lion, joining the fray, and for a tense moment, it was Thunder Lycaon against both of Gabriel's beasts.

The battle raged with relentless ferocity. Each move the Lycaon made was like the strike of a lightning bolt, precise, fast, and devastating.

The lion and turtle, though fighting with courage and skill, were slowly being pushed to their limits. The Lycaon's movements grew more aggressive, more calculated, as it began toying with them, feinting attacks to create openings and then striking with brutal efficiency.

Gabriel could feel the tension rising, the danger pressing down like a heavy weight. It was no ordinary beast, it was way too powerful.

Then, with a powerful blow, it sent the lion sprawling, then pinned it under a massive paw, its tongue flicking out in a cruel smile, revealing rows of sharp, gleaming teeth as it locked eyes

with Gabriel.

Gabriel stood, fists clenched. He turned to the other students.

"You need to go, now. I can't protect you if you stay."

The students looked to each other, hesitating before giving him nods of thanks and

retreating.

But Crystal remained, her gaze locked on Gabriel. Her knees shook as she looked between him

and the Thunder Lycaon, fear drowning her.

"Crystal!" one of the students called, extending a hand toward her.

But Crystal barely noticed them, her body frozen with fear. Her breath hitched, her eyes wide as the Lycaon's gaze settled on her.

The creature crouched low, the tension building to a breaking point.

Its eyes flicked back and forth between Gabriel and the students, as though calculating its

options, savoring the moment of terror it had created.

The energy around it crackled and intensified, lighting up the night as if a storm was about to

break.

Gabriel's fists clenched.

He knew the Lycaon was an intelligent predator, it was playing with them, using its power to

keep them cornered, to keep the fear simmering just below the surface, preventing him from

fighting back.

It was exactly the impression, the beast really seemed to understand who was the head of their group and how to keep him in check.

He held his breath, not daring to move, watching as the beast's claws dug into the ground, leaving deep, smoldering gashes.

Suddenly, the Lycaon's lips parted in a grotesque smile, its jaws snapping together with a dry, bone-chilling click that echoed through the forest.

It was a taunt, a signal that it was ready to strike, and there was no escaping it.

The students trembled, feeling the impending doom closing in on them. Gabriel knew they were moments away from disaster, the Lycaon was seconds from

unleashing its fury.

He reacted instantly, his body glowing with energy as he sprinted forward, bracing himself.

The Lycaon lunged, and Crystal screamed as the creature's massive jaws descended.

An explosion rocked the forest, a shockwave that seemed to freeze the world around them.

When the dust settled, Crystal opened her eyes, her heart pounding. Gabriel stood before her, hands gripping the Thunder Lycaon's jaws.

His body glowed with a warm, protective aura, and deep grooves in the ground marked where he'd been pushed back by the force of the attack.

Gabriel glanced at the Lycaon, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Your heart... it isn't as convinced as before, is it?"

The Thunder Lycaon hesitated, its fierce gaze changing just slightly. Slowly, it retracted its

jaws, stepping back, its posture less aggressive.

Gabriel straightened, his aura steady as he watched the beast with a calm intensity. "What's wrong?" Gabriel asked, his voice gentle but firm. "You're clever. So don't hesitate now."

The Lycaon growled, stepping back again. Gabriel kept his gaze on it, speaking softly.

"I don't enjoy fighting you... or any beast. I believe in befriending creatures, not battling them. But you..." He paused, his tone hardening. "You're different. You enjoy this. The fear, the pain, it's all a game to you. And if that's true... I'll go as far as I need to stop you." He let his aura flare, his body surrounded by a golden light.

The Lycaon flinched, its jaws parting, but just as it looked ready to attack again, the source of

his hesitation echoed through again.

'Let it go. We've seen enough.'

On the rooftop, Eratz stood with arms crossed, a faint smirk on his face as he looked out over

the horizon.

'Now we know we can have fun here, I don't want to see his abilities now. Let's give them this victory.' Eratz communicated telepathically to the Thunder Lycaon.

The Lycaon gave one last, defiant growl, but the malice in its gaze faded, replaced by a cold S~eaʀᴄh the NôvelFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

resolve.

It took a final, step back, lowering its head, its body tensing as if ready to pounce but stopping

short.

With a piercing glare, it leapt back onto a branch, its body melting into the darkness.

It gave a final, bone-chilling howl that echoed through the forest before disappearing in a burst of lightning, leaving the area shrouded in an eerie silence.

The students released their held breaths, gasping in relief as they realized the threat had

passed.

Gabriel remained where he was, watching the forest with a pensive expression. "I've never encountered a creature like that," he murmured to himself, shaken by the

encounter. "A beast that strong, so close to the city... it's dangerous. I might need to..." Before he could finish, he felt a soft hand gripping his wrist. He turned, surprised to find

Crystal standing there, her face pale and her body trembling.

She looked up at him, her expression filled with fear. "Please... stay with me," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Gabriel blinked, taken aback by the unexpected plea. Slowly, he returned to his normal form,

the glow fading from his skin.

Gently, he placed his hand over hers, offering a reassuring smile.

"You're safe now," he said softly. "But I need to make sure that creature doesn't come back.

It's too dangerous."

But Crystal tightened her grip, her eyes pleading as she leaned into him, wrapping her arms

around him in a trembling hug.

Gabriel hesitated, feeling her fear, and with a sigh, he gave in, patting her back gently.

"Alright," he murmured, his voice a quiet promise. "I'll stay."

Around them, the other students watched in awe, whispers passing through the group as they

processed everything that had happened.

The night slowly passed by, the group making their way back to the city with wary glances

over their shoulders.

The fear and tension of the encounter remained, but Gabriel's calm, heroic presence left them

with a small measure of hope.

Tomorrow, the Round of 16 would begin.