The Rune Howler screamed.
Its body convulsed violently across the shattered floor.
Crimson light leaked from between its teeth.
Smoke poured from its nostrils.
Every muscle in its body spasmed.
Yet somehow—
It stood.
The beast rose shakily onto its feet.
Its orange fur had begun turning darker.
Blackened.
Scorched.
Veins of crimson light pulsed beneath its hide.
The pendant's power was tearing through it.
And making it stronger.
Mugen felt his stomach drop.
"Tamura..."
The dark elf wasn't listening.
His eyes remained locked on the creature.
On the thing that had swallowed the last gift Levi left him.
The only thing he had left.
The only proof his memories weren't a dream.
The heat around him intensified.
The stone beneath his feet softened.
Cracked.
Melted.
The Howler attacked first.
The floor exploded beneath its paws.
BOOM!
Tamura barely moved in time.
A claw ripped across his chest.
SHRRRK!
Blood sprayed.
Four deep wounds opened.
The beast followed with a bite.
Its jaws slammed shut around Tamura's shoulder.
CRUNCH.
Pain erupted through his body.
His vision flashed white.
The Howler shook him violently.
Trying to tear him apart.
Trying to finish him.
Instead—
Tamura grabbed the sides of its face.
And bit back.
His fangs sank into the beast's muzzle.
The Rune Howler screamed.
Tamura didn't let go.
He bit deeper.
Harder.
The taste of blood filled his mouth.
Hot.
Metallic.
The creature clawed at him desperately.
Chunks of flesh tore from his back.
His skin split open.
Yet he refused to release his grip.
His hands tightened.
The Howler's skull groaned.
CRACK.
A fracture appeared.
The beast's scream became panicked.
CRACK.
Another.
CRACK.
Another.
The predator finally realized—
It was prey.
Tamura roared.
Flames erupted from his body.
Not from his fists.
Not from his hands.
His entire body.
The Howler ignited.
Orange fur became a torch.
The smell of burning flesh filled the chamber.
The creature thrashed wildly.
Slammed itself against walls.
Against pillars.
Against the floor.
Trying to extinguish the flames.
Nothing worked.
Tamura stayed on it.
Burning.
Clawing.
Biting.
Like a rabid animal.
Like something born for destruction.
The Howler managed one final desperate attack.
Its tail whipped around.
CRAAACK!
The spikes struck Tamura's side.
Several ribs snapped.
His body flew through a pillar.
Stone exploded.
Dust filled the chamber.
For a moment—
Everything went still.
The Howler stumbled.
Burning.
Bleeding.
Dying.
It looked toward the hole in the wall.
Toward freedom.
Toward escape.
Then Tamura emerged.
Covered in blood.
Covered in burns.
One eye swollen shut.
Steam rising from every wound.
And smiling.
Not happily.
Not knowingly.
Just instinctively.
The sight alone made Mugen's blood run cold.
The Howler tried to run.
Tamura was faster.
He appeared in front of it.
His burning fist drove forward.
WHOOOM!
The punch sank deep into the creature's abdomen.
Past fur.
Past muscle.
Past flesh.
The entire room shook.
The Rune Howler's body folded around the impact.
Its eyes bulged.
Blood erupted from its mouth.
Then the force launched it across the chamber.
CRAAAAASH!
The beast smashed through two pillars before collapsing.
Motionless.
Broken.
Burning.
Dead.
Silence.
Heavy silence.
The fight was over.
The Howler had lost.
But Mugen wasn't relieved.
Because Tamura hadn't stopped.
The younger boy stood there.
Breathing heavily.
His flames growing hotter.
His eyes unfocused.
Looking for another target.
Then they landed on Mugen.
"...Tamura."
No response.
The heat surged.
The shadows beneath Mugen's feet erupted.
Darkness wrapped around Tamura's arms.
His legs.
His torso.
Trying to restrain him.
The shadows immediately began burning.
SSSSSSSS!
Smoke filled the room.
Mugen gritted his teeth.
More shadows.
More restraints.
More pressure.
Tamura broke the first layer instantly.
Then the second.
Then the third.
His flames spread up the darkness itself.
Traveling toward Mugen.
"Dammit!"
The shadows caught fire.
Pain shot through Mugen's arms.
Burns spread across his skin.
Yet he held on.
Again.
And again.
And again.
More shadows.
More restraints.
Until finally—
One wrapped around Tamura's neck.
Another around his jaw.
Another around his eyes.
The pressure increased.
Tamura struggled.
Roared.
Burned.
Fought.
The entire chamber shook.
Then—
Slowly—
His movements weakened.
The flames flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then vanished.
Tamura collapsed.
Face first.
Unconscious.
The room fell silent.
Mugen dropped to one knee.
His hands trembled.
Burns covered his arms.
His shoulder still bled heavily.
The corpse of the Rune Howler smoldered nearby.
And for the first time since the fight began—
Mugen allowed himself to breathe.
"...What the hell are you?"
He looked at Tamura.
At the child who had just killed an apex predator.
And for the first time—
Mugen wasn't wondering if Tamura was strong.
He was wondering if Tamura was even normal.