The roar tore through the clearing like a physical force.
Air rippled outward from the wolf monster's open jaws, flattening grass and rattling the broken branches scattered across the battlefield.
Birds exploded from distant treetops in frightened flocks.
For a moment, the forest itself seemed to recoil.
Behind John, several elves flinched despite themselves.
The sound was deep.
Violent.
Full of primal authority.
It was the roar of a creature that ruled these woods.
Or believed it did.
The wolf's massive chest rose and fell slowly as the echo faded.
Amber eyes burned with predatory focus as they remained locked on the black dragon standing across the clearing.
John didn't move.
Not a single scale shifted.
He simply watched.
The wind drifted quietly through the clearing again, carrying the scent of blood and crushed bark.
Between the two monsters stretched nearly thirty meters of broken ground.
The wolf took a step forward.
The earth cracked beneath its weight.
