Chapter 29: Chapter 29: The Predator in the Ruins
The ruined battlefield had fallen into an eerie silence.
Broken walls cast long shadows across the ground, and shattered stone structures created narrow corridors that twisted unpredictably through the arena. From the outside, students watching the fight could only see occasional flashes of movent between the rubble.
But inside the battlefield, the tension had grown significantly.
Aether stood calmly near one of the half-collapsed pillars while the Fire Pup moved slowly around him, flas spreading across the ground in thin lines like glowing veins.
These were not attacks.
They were signals.
A system.
Aether had turned the battlefield into sothing much more dangerous than Kael expected.
High above the arena, Instructor Dren was watching closely.
"Interesting," he said quietly. "He’s mapping the battlefield."
Another instructor nodded.
"Most students would chase the enemy."
Dren shook his head.
"But not him."
---
anwhile, sowhere within the ruins, Kael observed the situation carefully.
He stood on top of a broken structure while the Steelfang Panther crouched beside him.
Kael’s expression had changed slightly.
At first, he had expected a fast victory.
But now he realized sothing important.
Aether wasn’t reacting.
He was controlling.
Kael whispered to his beast,
"Stay in motion."
The panther’s eyes glowed faintly.
Then it vanished again into the shadows.
---
Back near the center of the battlefield, the Fire Pup suddenly stopped moving.
Its ears twitched slightly.
Aether noticed imdiately.
"Left corridor," he said quietly.
The Fire Pup released a small burst of fla toward a collapsed wall.
A shadow moved instantly.
The Steelfang Panther leapt out, claws striking the stone as it dodged the flas.
Students watching from outside gasped.
"He found it again!"
But Kael’s voice echoed through the ruins.
"Not bad."
The panther circled around the battlefield with incredible speed, using broken structures as cover.
However, the ground continued glowing faintly with fire markings left by the Fire Pup.
Each movent created a ripple in the pattern.
And Aether was watching every change.
Liora, observing from the stands, crossed her arms.
"He’s turning Kael’s speed against him."
Another student nearby asked,
"How?"
Liora replied,
"Because now every movent reveals a position."
---
Inside the battlefield, Kael noticed the problem as well.
The more his panther moved, the more information Aether gained.
Kael smirked slightly.
"Fine."
He jumped down from the broken structure.
"If you want to control the battlefield..."
His eyes sharpened.
"Let’s break it."
The Steelfang Panther roared and slamd its claws into the ground.
Suddenly, several walls collapsed, sending debris crashing across the arena floor.
The terrain began changing rapidly.
Students reacted with surprise.
"He’s destroying the battlefield!"
Aether watched calmly.
"Yes," he said softly.
"Good move."
Because Kael had just done sothing important.
He had disrupted the detection grid.
But in doing so—
He had also revealed himself.
---
Aether raised his hand slightly.
The Fire Pup understood instantly.
Flas intensified.
Not wildly.
But with precision.
The small beast dashed forward, weaving between the collapsing structures while releasing controlled bursts of fire.
Each attack forced the Steelfang Panther to adjust its movent.
Kael moved quickly as well, coordinating perfectly with his beast.
The panther launched from the shadows again, aiming directly for Aether this ti.
Fast.
Extrely fast.
Students watching the battle held their breath.
But at the exact mont the panther struck—
Aether stepped aside calmly.
The Fire Pup intercepted with a spiral of fla that forced the panther to retreat again.
Kael landed nearby.
This was the first ti both tars had stood face-to-face in the battlefield.
The ruined structures around them were now partially destroyed.
Dust filled the air.
Kael smiled.
"So you’re not just hiding behind strategy."
Aether replied calmly,
"I never was."
---
The two beasts circled each other.
Flas flickered.
tal claws scraped against stone.
Kael spoke again.
"You know, most people in this academy think you’re already stronger than everyone else."
Aether looked at him.
"Do you?"
Kael shook his head.
"No."
His expression beca more serious.
"I think you’re hiding sothing."
Aether did not respond.
Because Kael was right.
But that didn’t change anything.
The Steelfang Panther suddenly lunged forward again.
This ti, Kael attacked as well, moving alongside his beast.
A coordinated strike.
The speed shocked the audience.
"They’re attacking together!"
But Aether had expected it.
"Step three," he said quietly.
The Fire Pup moved instantly.
Flas surged upward, forcing the panther to twist mid-air.
At the sa ti, Aether moved into a position that avoided Kael’s direct attack.
The battlefield erupted into motion.
Claws, fire, and shattered stone collided.
---
High above the arena, Instructor Dren nodded slowly.
"This is no longer a training match."
Another instructor asked,
"Should we stop it?"
Dren shook his head.
"No."
His eyes remained focused on the battlefield.
"This is exactly what they need."
---
Back in the ruins, Kael landed on a broken wall while the Steelfang Panther crouched beside him again.
He laughed slightly.
"You’re definitely interesting."
Aether replied calmly,
"So are you."
For a brief mont, the battlefield beca quiet again.
But this ti, both sides understood sothing important.
The real fight had just begun.
And neither of them planned to hold back anymore.
The Fire Pup’s flas slowly grew brighter.
The Steelfang Panther’s tallic scales began reflecting a dark energy glow.
Students watching from the stands felt the tension rise even further.
Because now—
Both tars were preparing their next move.
And this battle was far from over. As it just warm up for them.
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