Chapter 106
Chloe's POV
The two mutated brown bears slowly advanced, each step causing the ground to tremble slightly.
I could feel the fear permeating the air around us.
Jordan sat paralyzed on the ground with wide eyes, Derek staggered backward clutching his bleeding calf, and even the arrogance on Connor's face was replaced by a barely perceptible tension.
"Spread out!" Connor growled, forcing himself to regain composure. "Derek, you're with me on the left one. Ivan—" He paused, clearly reluctant to ask a rogue for help, but reality left him no room to hesitate. "You and Chloe hold off the other one."
Ivan didn't respond to Connor's command, instead turning to look at me.
I nodded.
No matter how much I detested Connor's attitude at this moment, staying alive was what mattered most.
Ivan shifted, preparing for battle, while I gripped my dagger tightly.
The next second, both bears attacked simultaneously.
Connor and Derek quickly separated, forcing one of the bears into an encirclement.
Connor's strength could barely match this behemoth—but only barely.
I watched him grit his teeth against the hammering blows of those massive paws, each impact forcing him back half a step.
Derek tried to attack from the flank, but his leg injury became increasingly obvious during the intense movement.
On the other side, Zeus faced the second bear head-on.
The black wolf form was majestic and powerful, but the size difference remained stark—the bear was nearly twice his size, covered in dark purple corruption patterns, its eyes filled with nothing but murderous madness.
Zeus lunged at it with a low growl, only to be swatted several meters away, rolling on the ground before barely stabilizing himself.
I gripped my dagger, circling the perimeter looking for an opening.
This short blade might work against a boar, but against the bear's thick fur and muscle, inflicting a fatal wound was nearly impossible.
I had to find a weakness—not to kill it, but to disable it.
My gaze traveled over the bear attacking Zeus, observing each of its movements.
Knees, elbows, ankles—the skin at these joints was relatively vulnerable. Repeated attacks on the same spot might break through its defenses.
I took a deep breath and darted out from the side as it lunged at Zeus, driving my dagger hard into its hind leg joint.
The bear roared and spun around, its massive paw sweeping toward me. I rolled away, the blade slashing across the inside of its other knee.
Blood seeped out, but it wasn't enough—this was merely a flesh wound to it.
I had to keep up the pressure.
Once, twice, three times.
I moved around it like a guerrilla fighter, each strike aimed at the same spots. The thick fur gradually gave way under my relentless attacks, the bloodstains becoming more and more visible.
Zeus coordinated with my rhythm, constantly drawing its attention and giving me chances to get close.
Finally, on my tenth-plus strike at its right leg joint, the bear let out a pained wail, its right leg buckling as it collapsed to the ground. It tried to stand, but the damaged joint could no longer support its massive body. It lay there panting, the madness in its eyes gradually fading, a hint of clarity returning.
I stepped back, my chest heaving.
It was no longer attacking—the Devil's Vine corruption seemed to lose its hold once it lost mobility.
I chose not to deliver a finishing blow. It too was just a victim.
But on the other side, the battle took a turn for the worse.
Connor's defense was becoming increasingly strained, sweat mixed with blood sliding down his forehead.
Derek tried to support him, but his leg injury left him vulnerable—the bear suddenly pounced, its massive paw pinning Derek's shoulder, sharp claws piercing flesh.
Derek let out a scream.
"Derek!" Connor roared and charged forward, ramming the bear with his body, only to be caught in its countergrip. The bear bellowed and dragged him closer, opening its gaping maw...
Time seemed to freeze in that moment.
Connor stared wide-eyed into the abyss before him, his eyes finally showing fear—that primal, undisguised fear in the face of death.
A deafening roar came from the thunderclouds.
A lightning bolt descended from the sky, striking the bear with precision. Electricity exploded across its body, hurling it back several meters until it crashed into a thick tree trunk.
The bark was scorched black by the current, and the dark purple patterns wrapping the bear's body gradually dissipated under the pure power of thunder.
I looked up to see Lightning diving down from the clouds, the wolf-shaped creature made entirely of thunder tracing a brilliant arc through the air.
It landed before us, electricity dancing across its body as if announcing its return.
"Lightning!" Zeus shifted back to human form and called out joyfully.
Jordan and Derek stood frozen, staring dumbfounded at this creature composed entirely of thunder.
Connor also stood stunned, the fear not yet completely faded from his face.
But the next second, Connor did something no one expected.
He charged toward the bear that Lightning had knocked against the tree—it had lost its aggression and was weakly leaning against the trunk, gasping for breath.
Connor pounced without hesitation, his claws slashing across its throat, blood fountaining out.
He grabbed the bear's head with one hand, wrenched it free with force, and raised the massive skull high above him.
Blood cascaded down, drenching Connor from head to toe.
He stood in the blood rain, holding his trophy aloft, throwing his head back in a howl.
Everyone was stunned.
Electricity coursed wildly across Lightning's body, expressing its fury.
I felt Zeus's rage through our mental link—that sense of betrayal, of desecration, nearly overwhelming me.
"Connor!" I rushed forward, my voice trembling with anger. "Why did you do that?! The bear had been purified!"
Connor turned around, his face covered in blood, his eyes burning with some kind of pathological fervor.
He grinned: "This is my trophy." His voice was hoarse and excited. "I am the greatest warrior Lightning Pack has ever seen or will ever see!"
I looked at him, a deep sorrow rising in my heart.
My brother had been crushed by the weight of expectations until he'd lost his basic humanity. He was no longer the boy who would help me up when I fell, but a monster consumed by honor and ambition.
The other bear let out a grief-stricken roar. It forced itself up on its remaining three legs despite the excruciating pain, its eyes filled with rage and sorrow over its companion's death.
It staggered toward Connor, seeking vengeance for its fallen comrade.
Connor sneered and met it head-on, severing one of its paws with a single swipe. The bear screamed and collapsed, blood staining the ground. Connor raised his claws again, preparing to end its life.
"Stop!"
I shouted and charged forward, Ivan right behind me.
Lightning also descended from above, landing beside us, electricity crackling across its body as it stared at Connor in warning.
"Move aside, Chloe," Connor said coldly. "This is my prey."
"It's already disabled!" I said through gritted teeth. "Killing it serves no purpose!"
"Purpose?" Connor scoffed. "The purpose is to prove my strength. Move, or don't blame me for dealing with you too."
I didn't move.
Ivan growled beside me, and Lightning emitted threatening electrical sounds.
After a moment of standoff, I took a deep breath and said to Ivan: "You lead Lightning to deal with those Devil's Vine remnants first. If we don't clear them quickly, more beasts will be corrupted."
Ivan hesitated, but finally nodded.
Lightning seemed to understand my meaning. It gave Connor one last long look, then took off into the sky with Ivan on its back.