Now fully transformed into his shapeshifter form, Lonor was a blur of muscle and claws—his jaguar body moving faster than lightning. With a furious roar, he launched himself at Tornem, who found himself struck over and over like a punching bag in a boxing ring.
Every attack made Tornem grow stronger, his trait activating with every blow—but it didn't matter. The gap was too large.
With a savage cry, Lonor's claws pierced Tornem's chest, blood spurting as his body convulsed.
"This is the end," Lonor said coldly, fangs bared.
Tornem looked down at the gaping wound and then back at the beast before him. His grin didn't fade.
"To think… you were this strong in your true form. Incredible," he rasped. "I admit it—it's my defeat…"
"At least you know," Lonor muttered.
Tornem nodded, still grinning.
"Yes… it's my defeat… as Tornem the Grey."
Before Lonor could react, a dark crystal embedded in Tornem's discarded spear dislodged itself, glowing violently. It flew through the air and entered Tornem's mouth like a cursed seed taking root.
His body convulsed. His skin turned from grey to a deep, pitch-black. His armor melted into the shadows. His eyes turned completely black—even the pupils vanished.
The spear vanished into the ether.
"This… is my full power," he hissed. "And the power… that will kill you, Lonor the Beast."
Lonor stepped back instinctively, eyes narrowing.
"What is this…? His magic power just doubled. His claws—sharper. His body—changed. There's something wrong here. He's not the same."
"Let's end this," Tornem snarled.
He burst forward, a fist from the right, a claw from the left, followed by a devastating knee to Lonor's stomach.
BOOM.
Lonor crashed backward, coughing blood, skidding through shattered trees.
"I'm losing… in strength?" he realized, stunned. "That damn red crystal… it changed everything. On top of his trait to grow stronger from damage, he's now—overwhelming."
"If this goes on… I'll be done."
A snarl broke from Lonor's throat. He burst forward again, claws flashing like silver lightning.
Speed. That was his edge.
Tornem spun in confusion as Lonor began to circle around him—a blur in the air. Attacks came from every direction, like dozens of phantoms slashing with claws he couldn't see.
"Is that how you wanna play—!" Tornem growled.
"Skill: Purple Storm – Active!" he roared.
Suddenly, wind gathered violently around Tornem's body. A roaring purple tornado formed, repelling Lonor and forcing him back.
"What!?" Lonor gasped. "He… has skills!?"
"You're shocked?" Tornem said, smirking. "What are you—stupid? You think you're the only one with a gift?"
"You're… a superhuman!?"
Tornem laughed.
"Superhuman? Are you a beast in the head too?"
"We intelligent monsters don't need to awaken to gain skills. Our bodies are strong enough to handle them already. Humans only awaken so their fragile bodies don't collapse under the strain."
He stepped forward, eyes glowing black.
"Guess living with the elves made you rusty."
"Shut up!" Lonor snarled, launching again.
But Purple Storm surged again—a second mini-tornado burst from Tornem's hands, chasing Lonor down. Lonor leapt, dodging at the last second, then dashed sideways to put distance between them.
Too late.
Tornem intercepted him, dodging his grab with ease and slamming both fists into Lonor's jaguar abdomen—once, twice, three times—a brutal, relentless combo.
Lonor staggered, breathless, blood dripping from his fangs. His arms trembled.
"…Shit," he muttered. "He's too strong now…"
"You weren't bad, Lonor. Not at all," Tornem said. "I'll remember you."
Lonor raised both arms like hammers for one final strike.
But Tornem caught them, halting them mid-air with ease.
"It's meaningless. You can't win," Tornem said, grinning. "No matter how much you try."
Then Lonor spoke.
"Do you know why they call me the Beast... even when I walk in human skin and shift between forms?"
"Why do they call me 'The Beast' across the world—and not just… 'Jaguar'?"
Tornem's smirk faded.
Lonor's maw gaped like a gateway to death itself, lined with jagged fangs dripping blood and saliva, each breath reeking of rot and ruin.
"When I can't win with strategy… I stop thinking like a man."
His green eyes locked with Tornem's.
"I fight on instinct. Not the instincts of a man—but of a beast."
Tornem froze.
If he let go of Lonor's hands, he'd be caught and devoured.
If he didn't… he'd be eaten alive anyway.
"Shit—! Shit! You fucker! Even monsters don't fight like this—!"
CHOMP.
Tornem's head vanished.
Blood sprayed everywhere, splashing the trees, coating the earth in a crimson pool.
Lonor stood over the headless corpse, blood dripping from his jagged teeth, his beast form breathing hard.
He looked at the twitching body and growled softly.
"But beasts do."
Completely drained, Lonor collapsed onto his back, his jaguar form slowly vanishing as his body shrank back into his regular shape. His breath came out in short, ragged bursts.
"I couldn't lose here. Not now. Not after I left someone like me behind… without ever learning about him." He said his mind at Icariel
"I… I need to move. I need to warn the others…" he muttered, trying to sit up.
He placed a hand on his bleeding side and winced.
"That red crystal… it was embedded in his weapon… If more of them have it, and they can get stronger from it…"
His vision blurred.
"Damn it… I have to… I have to tell them to be cautious…"
He groaned, trying to stand.
"Ahh… ahhh… I'm so tired…"
Meanwhile, in a forest clearing lit by the clash of steel and spells, Eldrin was exchanging savage blow after blow with Ginis, their battle a blur of blades, fire, and raw power.
For a moment, Ginis hesitated, her sharp eyes flickering in the direction of the distant forest.
"That bastard Tornem…" she thought. "He lost. Even powered by the crystal… he still lost. What a disappointment."
Elsewhere not far from the castle, Aelar faced off against a dark-haired, brown-eyed member of the Godless Abyss, their swords clashing with sparks as trees trembled under the pressure.
Aelar's blade suddenly cut forward, catching the man off guard and slicing a shallow line across his cheek before he managed to leap back.
"Something's on your mind," Aelar said, his voice calm and deadly. "Did something happen to your companions?"
The man's eye twitched, but he kept his composure.
"Tornem… you idiot. Losing that quickly, even with the crystal? Pathetic. Good thing we planned ahead. If we didn't have that in place, we'd be done for."
"And this damn warleader… something's wrong. The more I wound him, the faster he heals… and he doesn't stop attacking. So this is the elf I was told to be most cautious of…"
"Oh, nothing," he said, grinning. "Just one pest died. No big loss. You'll be joining him soon anyway."
Aelar smirked. "It's good to dream. I like that."
BAM.
They burst forward, blades flashing once more, their duel exploding into its next deadly phase.
Far from the frontlines, one of the Four Pillars, Tessara, finally arrived at the elven village.
What greeted her was a scene of carnage—bodies of elves sprawled across the ground, many dead, others barely clinging to life. Crogs prowled among the ruins. One more Godless Abyss member stood in the center, a dark presence radiating off them.
Then—a laugh.
A chilling, shrill laugh that sent shivers through the leaves.
Tessara stealthed herself instantly, leaping through the wreckage toward the sound.
There, standing on a broken stone platform, was a blue-haired woman in dark armor, the same twisted emblem of the Abyss etched into her chestplate. Her armor was provocatively cut, her legs and chest exposed, and her dark, shining eyes glittered with madness.
She held an elven child by the throat, dangling the girl in the air.
"I love this part," she cooed. "That look on your face—so much fear, so much hate. Ahaha… Tell me, little one, do you hate me? I killed your family. Do you despise me?"
Her grip tightened.
"Say it! Say it! Don't be a coward—SAY IT!!"
FWOOM.
A knife whistled through the air.
The woman dodged just before it could slit her throat, but it sliced into her shoulder, making her drop the elven child with a hiss of pain.
She spun, eyes locking onto the shadow where the blade had come from.
"Ohhh?" she grinned. "Look, look, look… Some bitch just ruined my fun."
She caught the thrown knife and licked her own blood from the blade.
"You'll pay for that," she growled.
From the smoke stepped Tessara, mask covering her face—but her silver eyes burned with fury.
"I'll kill you," Tessara said, her voice cold as ice. "And I'll make you pay."
Meanwhile, deep within the castle's underground safe room—its white stone walls glowing gently from the enchantments that sealed it—Icariel sat quietly on one of the beds. Elena and Elif rested at the other bed, the tension of battle far from them for the moment.
Then—
The voice returned.
"Get ready. Right now."
Icariel froze.
"It's time."
His heart began to race.
"You need to awaken… as a superhuman."
The air grew colder.
"It's time to obtain your second power. And you need to obtain it now."
Icariel's eyes widened.