Chapter 197 Final Showdown

Chapter 197 Final Showdown
The living room was electric with tension, so palpable in fact that it could be grabbed with bare hands. The first thing I did was take a glance behind. After confirming that the area had been cleared out, leaving just myself, Cassian and the old man in the room, I finally answered.

“What do I mean by that?” A soft chuckle escaped my lips. “Oh, nothing much, just the fact that those evil powers of yours will not be accessible tonight.”

My father tilted his head to the side. He raised one hand, perhaps trying to summon the sinister magic I saw him wield that night at the abandoned warehouse. 

But I had already prepared against that, on the off chance that he was indeed the mastermind behind the creation of the virus. I had asked Zara to bring along any artifact that could dampen magical essence to a degree. Weakening him just a bit would have sufficed, but as fate would have it, the artifact Zara brought along completely negated his vile powers.

All that remained was to overwhelm him physically.

“Do you really think that can be done?” My father suddenly spoke, amusement written all over his face like a scripture. “Do you think you and that subpar right hand man of yours can take me down? Do not be fooled by my appearance, child. You might think I'm nothing like the man I once was, but the truth is that I'm not too far off.”

“Sure,” I shrugged my shoulders, readying myself for an intense battle. “However, I must also tell you that I am way more frightening than you think I am. So, I have absolutely no doubt that you will go down tonight. And you will pay for all your crimes!”

“The only crime I'm guilty of is curbing the weak!” My father snarled and suddenly lunged at me. 

He was fast— abnormally so. I was barely able to react in time, raising both my hands to block the strike that he aimed at my face. But then, he suddenly shifted his stance and drove a fist into my abdomen instead.

My eyes bulged, air instantly leaving my lungs. I was thrown backwards like a ragdoll, crashing into a sofa and tumbling over.

Damn… I coughed multiple times. 

That bastard still packs such a brutal punch!

Gritting my teeth, I rose to my feet and wiped the blood that trickled down the edge of my mouth.

“Not bad,” I rolled my shoulders, then signaled to Cassian. Without needing a single word, both of us rapidly assumed our full transformation. Our bodies swelled in response to our rage as we channeled the full power of the moon. We held nothing back. We couldn't afford to. Not in a battle against this monster.

“Imbeciles!” My father growled, his claws glinting dangerously under the lights. “All you had to do was just remain quiet and be good little pups. I would've brought glory to our family. To you, Caligo!”

“I don't care about whatever glory you have to offer,” I answered in a guttural tone. “I'll bring glory to our pack my own way. The right way.”

My father paused in his tracks, before bursting into laughter. 

He actually laughed. What the hell was so funny about what I said? I narrowed my eyes, feeling a wave of anger rise within me.

“Really?” He regarded me with an amused smile. “You really think you can do things the right way? You're cursed, Caligo. Just like me. You inherited my abominable wolf, after all. The same blood courses within us, and so, you are just like me.”

“I'm nothing like you!” I spat angrily. “I'm not a murderous maniac with an unquenchable thirst for blood and chaos.”

“Maybe not yet.” He shrugged his shoulders. “But it will happen. Someday.”

I was starting to get really pissed, so I bared my fangs and hissed, “Enough talk. I'd rather rip that throat straight out of your mouth.”

And so, we clashed. All three of us, in a two versus one battle. 

The weight of our clash was calamitous, to say the least. Our huge frames were covered in dark tufts of fur, leaking vicious amounts of pressure. Cassian attacked from the left, while I launched a barrage of blows from the man's right.

My father, after assuming his full transformation, looked nothing like the thin, reticent man. He was full of boisterous strength, strangely overwhelming both Cassian and I at the same time. 

How the hell is this bastard so damn strong? 

I blocked a blow that would've cleaved my face in half, the sheer weight pushing me back a few feet. 

It would've been impossible to fight him if he still had his magic.

Still, we did not give up. Not after coming this far. Not when our end goal was just in sight. This man was the only thing standing in between the wonderful life I wished to have with Rose, so I sure as hell was fighting with every fiber of my being.

So when he shoved me away, I came rushing right back. When he struck me, I swallowed the pain and attacked right back. Having Cassian by my side made things vastly easier. Even though he was the weakest in that room, his timely attacks allowed me to have multiple openings. 

And so, my claw met the man's skin, digging through and rendering flesh apart.

I threw my weight into him, tackling him to the floor. He growled fiercely and shoved me to the side with a knee strike straight to my gut. I coughed violently, rolling across the floor in a fit of pain. 

Cassian jumped straight in, swinging his foot in the direction of my father's face. The attack landed, and I was immensely pleased to hear the crunching sound of skull cracking.

Yes! That'll take some time to heal! 

I jumped to my feet and tackled him once more. 

“There is no way out for you! This is where you fall!” I yelled loudly as I pressed my hands around his neck, trying to strangle him.

My father tried desperately to shove me away once more, slashing my body with his terribly sharp claws. But I did not let up. 

It was now or never.