The moment they moved again, the ravine erupted.
The wolf struck first, its body cutting through the air with explosive speed. The ground cracked beneath its paws as it closed the distance, its claws aimed straight for Kael's upper body.
Kael didn't step back.
He stepped in.
The katana met the strike with a sharp metallic sound, the impact sending a jolt through his arms. His feet pressed into the ground as he absorbed the force, stone breaking beneath his boots.
It didn't stop. It twisted mid-motion, using the rebound to launch another attack from the side, faster and tighter than before.
Kael turned with it.
The blade moved in a clean arc, deflecting the second strike, then continued forward without pause. The edge sliced across Silvar's shoulder, drawing blood that scattered across the broken stone.
The wolf landed and slid, claws digging into the ground.
Then it pushed forward again without hesitation.
Kael's eyes sharpened.
'Faster than before…'
The thought passed through his mind as he adjusted his stance.
The wolf changed direction mid-charge, its body lowering as it aimed for his legs this time. The shift was quick, almost unreadable, but Kael caught the motion just as it happened.
He stepped back half a pace, just enough for the claws to miss, then brought the katana down in a controlled strike.
The wolf twisted again, barely avoiding a clean hit, but the blade still cut across its side, adding another line to the scars already there.
The wolf didn't react to the pain.
It pressed harder.
The next exchange came faster.
Claw clashing with blade, creating sparks upon impact.
The sound echoed sharply through the ravine as both of them moved at a pace that left no room for hesitation. Dust rose around their feet, carried by the force of their movements as the ground continued to crack under pressure.
Kael's breathing stayed even.
His grip remained steady.
But inside—
Something was rising.
A faint heat spread through his chest, not uncontrolled like before, but not completely calm either. It moved through his body slowly, like something waking up.
[Passive: Bottomless Hunger — Intensifying]
[Status: Stable]
The wolf attacked again.
This time, it didn't pull back after the first strike. It chained its movements together, one attack flowing into the next without pause. Each hit came from a different angle, forcing Kael to adjust continuously.
From the Left ,right from above .
Kael met each one with precise movement, the katana shifting in his hand as if it understood the rhythm of the fight. The blade no longer felt foreign. It moved with him, not after him.
Still—
The wolf was pushing him.
Its speed increased again, breaking the rhythm they had built.
Kael felt it.
The shift.
The moment where reacting wasn't enough anymore.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
Then stop reacting.
The wolf lunged then time aiming straight for his throat.
Kael didn't block.
He stepped forward.
The blade moved first.
A single, sharp draw that cut through the air with a faint sound that barely reached the ears.
The wolf twisted but it moved too late.
The katana carved across its chest, deeper than before.
Blood followed.
The wolf hit the ground hard, sliding back several meters before stopping.
Silence followed.
For a brief moment, nothing moved.
Kael stood still, the katana lowered slightly at his side. His breathing remained controlled, but the heat inside him hadn't faded.
It grew.
Silvar slowly rose to its feet.
Blood marked its fur, but its stance didn't weaken.
Its eyes met Kael's this time is was different more sharper.
Deeper.
Then—
The air changed.
A low pressure spread outward from Silvar, subtle at first, but heavy enough to be felt. The faint silver lines along its body began to glow brighter, running across its frame like veins carrying light.
Kael felt it immediately.
His grip tightened slightly.
'So you're not done either…'
The wolf moved.
Faster than before.
Its body blurred as it crossed the distance in an instant, its claws striking with enough force to split stone on impact.
Kael blocked—
But the force pushed him back.
His feet dragged across the ground, leaving deep marks behind.
The wolf didn't stop.
It pressed forward again, its attacks heavier now, each one carrying more weight than before.
Kael adjusted quickly, stepping with the pressure instead of resisting it, redirecting the force where he could, but it was clear
The wolf had reached another level.
A faint buzzing spread under Kael's skin.
Not pain.
Not fear.
Something sharper.
Something that demanded release.
[Warning: Internal Pressure Rising]
[Condition: Authority Response Detected]
Kael exhaled slowly.
The world around him seemed to narrow.
The sound of the ravine faded slightly.
The only thing that remained clear was the wolf .
The way its muscles tightened before each strike.
The shift in its shoulders.
The exact moment its claws would move.
I see it…
The wolf attacked again.
And Kael didn't move to block he meet it head on.
The moment their distance closed—
Something shifted.
A faint, invisible pressure spread outward from Kael.
Not wide.
Not complete.
But present.
The air around him grew heavy, like the space itself had thickened.
The wolf felt it.
Its movement slowed for just a fraction of a second.
That was enough.
Kael's blade moved.
One clean strike.
The katana cut across the wolf's side again, deeper than any strike before.
The force behind it sent the wolf crashing across the ground, stone breaking under its body before it came to a stop.
The pressure faded almost immediately.
Kael stood still.
His grip tightened slightly.
[New Phenomenon Detected]
[Partial Domain Manifestation: Unstable]
[Authority Synchronization Increased: 64% → 71%]
Kaels eyes flickered slightly.
He didn't fully understand what just happened.
But he felt it.
Clear.
Real.
The wolf didn't move for a moment.
Then slowly—
It pushed itself up again.
Its breathing was heavier now, but its stance remained firm.
It looked at Kael.
Not with anger but something deeper.
Recognition.
It took a step forward.
Then another.
Kael watched quietly, the katana still in his hand.
"…You can still fight," he said.
The wolf stopped in front of him.
Close.
Close enough that neither needed to move.
For a moment, the ravine was silent again.
Then—
Silvar lowered its head.
Not out of weakness.
But by choice.
Kael studied it for a second, then relaxed his grip slightly.
"…So that's your answer."
He turned the blade slightly and let it rest at his side.
"If you're done trying to kill me," he said calmly, "then don't get in my way."
The wind passed through the ravine again, carrying dust between them.
The wolf raised its head.
Then something changed.
The silver lines across its body flared suddenly, brighter than before. Light spread across its form, covering it completely as its shape began to shift.
Its body grew larger.
Bones adjusted.
Its posture changed.
The light intensified for a brief moment—
Then faded.
What stood there now was no longer just a beast.
Its form was taller, more defined, its presence heavier and sharper than before. The silver markings had become clearer, running across its body with controlled intensity.
Silvar stepped forward and stopped beside Kael.
Not behind him.
Beside him.
Kael glanced at it once, then looked ahead again.
"…Good."
At that moment, a cold voice echoed in the air.
[System Notification]
[Second Apostle has awakened]
Kael's eyes shifted slightly.
Far beyond the ravine, something had begun to move.