Chapter 27: Testing My Strength

Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Testing My Strength

The Alpha growled and the wolves slowly advanced.

Freya’s tails stood upright as silver Lightning danced around her body.

The excitement coming from their bond became impossible to ignore.

She wanted to fight.

Very badly.

Damon pointed toward the other wolves.

"You take those."

Freya looked at him.

Then at the Alpha.

Then back at him.

As if asking whether he was serious.

Damon laughed as he understood her fear.

"What?"

"You think I can’t handle one wolf?"

Freya tilted her head.

Clearly doubtful.

Damon placed a hand over his chest.

"I’m hurt."

"Not helpless."

The fox stared for another second.

Then finally nodded.

The agreement was made.

The wolves continued closing in, while the Alpha lowered its body preparing to pounce.

Damon stepped forward.

Silver lightning flickered briefly around his fingers.

His grip tightened around his knife.

The winds of the Tempest Hollow howled around him.

Behind him, Freya’s lightning began to surge.

Ahead of him, the Alpha’s killing intent locked onto its prey.

Neither side backed down. Neither side looked away.

Then Damon smiled.

A wild smile.

The kind that only appeared when he saw an opportunity.

"Let’s see what I can do now."

And with that... he shot forward.

Straight at the Alpha.

While behind him, silver lightning exploded across the battlefield.

In few seconds, the distance between Damon and the Alpha vanished in seconds.

The Alpha understood immediately.

This was no longer a hunt. This was a duel.

A human against a pack leader.

And the wolf arrived first. Its claw tore through the air with frightening force.

Damon’s pupils narrowed slightly, then he moved.

Whoosh!

The claw missed by a hair’s breadth.

Damon felt the wind pressure brush against his cheek as he slipped past it.

His eyes widened slightly.

Fast.

Far faster than before.

No.

Not just faster.

Sharper.

His body reacted before he consciously thought about it.

The world felt clearer.

The wolf’s movement. Its muscles. Its intent.

Everything seemed easier to read.

Freya’s contract had changed him more than he expected.

His legs pushed against the ground.

Aether surged through his muscles.

He twisted from an awkward position and immediately counterattacked.

The knife descended with both hands.

But the Alpha casually shifted aside as the blade struck empty air.

Boom!

Tiny cracks spread across the ground where Damon landed.

The wolf looked at him.

Damon stared back.

For a brief moment neither moved.

A silent standoff.

A test.

Both measuring the other.

Then a loud cry echoed from the side.

Damon glanced over and almost laughed.

Freya was having far too much fun.

The remaining wolves looked miserable.

Burn marks covered their bodies.

Their fur was charred. Their eyes carried the hopelessness of beasts questioning every life decision that brought them here.

Meanwhile Freya stood proudly in front of them.

Perfectly clean.

Perfectly unharmed.

The tiny fox even looked bored.

One wolf finally lunged at her desperately.

But Freya only yawned, but three silver flashes followed the yawn.

The familiar afterimages appeared as the three foxes rushed forward, and immediately the battlefield exploded into motion.

One wolf was slammed into the ground by crackling claws.

Another had its throat torn open before lightning flooded its body.

The last was struck by a silver bolt that punched straight through its chest.

Three breaths later.

Silence.

The afterimages shattered into particles of light.

Freya stretched lazily.

As if she had merely finished a warm up.

The real fox hadn’t even joined the fight.

Damon almost felt bad for the wolves.

Almost.

A furious growl suddenly shook the area.

The Alpha had seen everything.

Its followers. Its pack.

Dead.

And not just dead. Humiliated.

Wind Aether erupted around its body.

The atmosphere immediately changed.

Leaves rose from the ground.

Dust spiraled around its feet.

The wolf’s eyes turned colder.

More dangerous.

Now it was serious.

The Alpha suddenly vanished.

Its target wasn’t Damon anymore. It was Freya.

The fox blinked as she noticed the movement, but Damon also moved instantly too.

Crackle!

Silver lightning burst around his legs.

His body shot forward. Faster than ever before.

The wolf barely managed to stop itself as Damon appeared directly in its path.

Even the Alpha looked shocked.

Damon himself was surprised.

The speed boost was ridiculous.

Silver sparks danced across his skin.

His heartbeat thundered in his ears.

The wolf backed away slightly.

Damon grinned.

"Hey."

"Your opponent is me."

The Alpha growled.

Damon rolled his shoulders, and his grin only widened.

"Pay attention."

The wolf attacked again.

This time Damon welcomed it.

He wanted to know exactly how much stronger he had become.

The Alpha’s claws swept forward.

Damon stepped inside the attack.

His body moved smoothly.

Lightning crackled beneath his feet.

He felt lighter.

Faster.

The knife in his hand flashed.

Slash!

The wolf twisted away.

But not completely.

A line of blood appeared across its shoulder.

The wound wasn’t deep.

Yet the wolf immediately recoiled.

Silver lightning danced across the injury.

Burning.

Tearing.

Refusing to disappear.

The Alpha let out a painful howl.

Damon’s eyes lit up.

"It works."

Now he understood.

Lightning wasn’t just speed. It carried destructive power too.

The wolf understood as well as it’s expression changed.

The prey it had looked down upon moments ago was now hurting it.

Damon moved again.

The wolf responded with its own Art as wind exploded around its body.

Several crescent blades shot forward.

Wind Arts.

Sharp enough to tear through flesh.

Damon narrowly avoided the first.

The second sliced his sleeve.

The third cut across his arm.

Blood appeared.

But Damon only laughed.

"Now we’re talking."

The wolf became visibly confused. Why was this human smiling?

But Damon rushed forward again, as the distance vanished.

His knife and the wolf’s claws collided repeatedly.

Sparks.

Wind.

Lightning.

Everything mixed together.

The battlefield became chaos.

The Alpha was strong. Very strong.

Its experience showed.

Several times it nearly landed fatal attacks.

Several times Damon narrowly escaped.

Yet the wolf slowly realized something.

The longer the fight continued... The more dangerous Damon became.

Every movement became smoother.

Every dodge became cleaner.

Every attack became more precise.

He was adapting. Learning and growing right in front of it.