Zane lunged forward, his fingers flicking through the air like coiled springs.
The first blast of compressed force sliced toward Sebastian’s head.
Caught off guard, the shirtless Wolf King barely had ti to react—Eren Fox, ever dutiful, dashed in and pushed his master aside, taking the brunt of the attack. A shockwave cracked the earth behind them.
Zane didn’t wait.
Another flick. Then another. Each more precise, more vicious than the last. He pressed the assault, closing the distance in a heartbeat.
Sebastian ducked under one, twirled from another, and sidestepped the third with uncanny ease. His smirk faded as he began realizing—this wasn’t just so kid. The precision in those attacks, the timing—it was honed through pain and practice.
Eren joined him without needing a command.
Now it was two against one.
Still, Zane was the aggressor.
His fingers danced with deadly intent, the air cracking with every motion. These weren’t just flicks anymore. They were mini shock cannons, capable of shattering bones.
And yet—none connected again. But that was Zane’s plan.
He wasn’t using his real power. Not yet.
Back in the Gravity Trap, Shelby had warned him:
"Don’t use the weight. Learn to control it. Fight like a man, not a wrecking ball."
Zane listened.
Right now, he fought at his base weight—63 kg. Every flick was just his natural strength, no augntation. The fact that he was still holding his own was testant to how far he’d co.
He had beco so accustod to fighting with his fingers that he no longer relied on fists or palms. Even now, he knew—with a single punch, releasing the full 16 ton weight he carried—he could end both Sebastian and Eren instantly.
But that wasn’t the challenge.
anwhile, on a high branch within the woods, Shelby and Erlin sat side-by-side, watching the fight unfold below.
Shelby dipped his fingers into a wooden bowl filled with thick, dark paste. He licked them clean, savoring the bone marrow extract.
Beside him, Erlin followed suit. She had tasted it once before—and despite how gross it looked, it had a flavor that was oddly satisfying. She snuck a few licks, matching Shelby bite for bite.
Shelby chuckled. "Feels like watching a live-action flick with popcorn, eh?"
Erlin rolled her eyes. "If another girl saw right now, I’d lose my princess license."
"You’re different. That’s why he likes you," Shelby said without looking.
Her gaze dropped to the battleground. "I feel sothing dangerous coming from those two... especially that Sebastian."
She clenched her fist. "Should I go help him this ti?"
Shelby shook his head. "Little girl, have so faith. Keep watching and learn sothing while you’re at it."
"Hmph! I’m not talking to you anymore," she snapped.
"Oh please," Shelby said with a grin. Then he turned serious.
That boy... Zane.
He’s got that monster Zorro’s blood in him. But thank the stars, he didn’t inherit the man’s cruelty. And yet, the potential... anything I can master in a month, this kid does in days. It’s terrifying.
He’s no boy anymore. He’s a war machine.
Back by the lakeside, Zane’s flicks landed.
Five tis on Eren.
Two on Sebastian.
They weren’t bleeding, but the pain was unlike anything they’d felt. It wasn’t just brute force—it was precision. Calculated. Anatomical.
Each hit targeted nerves, tendons, and muscle seams.
They staggered. Glanced at each other.
Zane read their expressions. They were planning sothing.
"This isn’t going according to plan," Sebastian growled under his breath. "Eren—go get the princess. Now."
Eren didn’t budge.
"No. I can’t."
Sebastian’s eyes flared with rage.
"Eren, have you lost your mind? Go."
"I said no."
"You stupid fox! If you don’t follow my command, what good are you to ?" Sebastian’s voice turned venomous. "Don’t think I won’t punish you just because we’ve shared a bond. Don’t make repeat myself—go get her. I’ll deal with this brat!"
But Eren remained still.
"I’m not going."
"Why, Eren? Why? Don’t you understand? If we don’t get the princess, all our sacrifices—everything we’ve built—will be for nothing!"
Eren’s voice was low, but firm. "Sebastian, stop. Be serious for once. We’re struggling against this one human, and you want to divide our strength? You’ve seen it yourself—our entire force was wiped out by him alone. This plan of yours... it’s crumbling. Even reaching the princess is near impossible now. So listen to . You leave. I’ll hold him off."
Sebastian’s face twisted with fury. He appeared in front of Eren in an instant and slapped him hard, the sound echoing across the lakeside.
Eren stumbled but didn’t retaliate. He just t Sebastian’s gaze with unwavering eyes.
Zane clapped mockingly.
"Alright, enough with this drama, queens. Can we get serious now?"
Before either of them could respond, Zane flashed forward like a silver arrow, closing the distance with Sebastian in a blink.
Eren’s eyes widened. He sensed sothing terrible was about to happen to his master.
He acted on instinct.
"The Foxy Mirror of Laws!" he chanted, raising his palm.
A large, flat, glowing mirror materialized mid-air. With a wave, it released a brilliant beam of concentrated light, like a god’s judgnt lancing down from heaven.
Zane sensed the danger at the last mont. He twisted his body in midair, barely dodging.
The beam still caught him—just enough to slice a shallow gash across his forehead. Blood trickled down into his left eye.
Zane brushed it with his thumb, inspecting the crimson sar. His gaze flicked toward the mirror.
"That mirror..." he muttered. "It’s going to be a problem."
Sebastian raised his hand. With a pulse of red energy, a long blood-red spear materialized in his grip.
"No more gas," he growled. "Ti to see if you bleed like the rest."
He charged at Zane, spear slicing through the air with practiced precision.
Zane was forced to defend himself. With Eren’s Mirror of Laws firing beams from the side, the tide shifted fast.
Zane’s skin split in a dozen places—thin, precise cuts from near-misses and glancing blows. The tag-team coordination of Sebastian’s spear and Eren’s mirror magic was ruthless.
Still, no heavy wounds—Zane evaded the worst with desperate agility.
He grit his teeth. Enough playing around.
"Luminous Step!"
He activated the skill and unsheathed his blade from his back. A glimr of divine light wrapped around his legs as he blurred into motion.
He vanished and reappeared in the sa mont—a feint and strike combo that caught Sebastian off guard.
The blade slashed down hard.
It should’ve cleaved Sebastian’s right arm clean off.
But just before it landed, Eren chanted another spell—a desperate move.
"Damage Replacent!"
The magic took hold instantly. The blade passed through Sebastian’s arm... but it wasn’t his arm anymore.
Eren’s left arm tumbled to the ground instead.
He staggered, clutching the bleeding stump with clenched teeth.
Zane’s eyes widened slightly. "He took the hit for him..."
Sebastian let out a growl of pure rage. He looked down at Eren, whose breathing was shallow but steady.
Then Sebastian raised his face toward the three glowing moons above the lake and howled.
It was a long, guttural cry—sothing ancient that stirred the earth.
"LYCANTHROPY!" he roared.
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