Chapter 128: Scales and Claws

The battlefield had shifted, the drained pond leaving a cracked and barren basin. At the center, the enormous Burrowfang Terra Wyrm stood coiled, its heavy presence dominating the area. Beyond it, the 3rd Grade Shardfang had retreated slightly, its hisses sharp and tail lashing violently at the larger beast.

The third stage Burrowfang Terra Wyrm towered like a living fortress, its fifteen-meter long body clad in jagged, rust-colored scales streaked with iron ore. Its massive claws, shaped like shovels, glinted with a sharp edge, perfectly suited for tearing through stone and soil. The creature’s elongated head housed powerful jaws lined with stone-like teeth, capable of crushing rock with ease.

Trailing behind it, the wyrm’s tail ended in a living snakehead, its fangs dripping venom that glowed like molten ore. The tail swayed with precision, striking independently of the beast's main body.

Each movement of the creature caused the ground to tremble. With every detail—from its rugged scales to its serpentine tail—the Burrowfang Terra Wyrm embodied the raw, unyielding force of the earth element.

'Those scales are gonna be a problem,' Haku stepped back to gain some distance, his eyes darting between the two mana-beasts. 'Let’s see what they do first.'

The Burrowfang Terra Wyrm reared up from it's midsection, towering at an imposing eight meters. Its eyes locked onto the smaller Shardfang, emitting low, guttural clicks and growls.

The Cthonian Shardfang swayed nervously beneath the Wyrm's gaze, its crystalline tail whipping erratically. The panicked glow from its crystals pulsed with unease as it hissed, its body shifting from side to side. Then, with one final hiss, the Shardfang stilled. Bowing its head low, it tucked its tail under its belly in submission.

"This is bad," Haku’s fur bristled as a cold tension crawled up his spine. Watching the two beasts silently align, a sinking realization dawned. "This just went from a free-for-all to two on one." Flames flickering around his claws, crouching low, his aura surged as he prepared for the inevitable.

As if on cue, a barrage of sharp crystals screamed toward him, forcing him to leap aside just as the Burrowfang charged with the force of an avalanche. The enormous creature closed the distance in an instant, its claws carving deep furrows into the earth. Dodging both the crystals and the Wyrm’s crushing bulk, Haku twisted mid-air, a faint grin breaking through the tension as a shrill cry erupted across the battlefield.

One of Haku’s phantoms, having broken from its ghost-form, clamped its flaming jaws around the back of the Shardfang’s neck. The smaller beast thrashed violently, its tail whipping as it tried to retaliate. But the blue phantom was relentless, shaking its head side to side like a rabid predator, slamming the Shardfang’s body into the ground repeatedly.

The Burrowfang roared in fury, pivoting to charge the phantom. Haku intercepted with a blur of speed, dashing across the Wyrm’s massive face and clawing one of its amber eyes. The beast reared back with a deafening bellow, the force of its pain-induced movements shaking the ground violently. Rocks tumbled as the tremors knocked both the phantom and Shardfang off balance, giving the latter the opportunity to escape.

Haku landed lightly next to the retreating phantom, both of them standing side by side. Their glowing blue flames flickered against the quaking terrain as they squared off against the wounded beasts, ready for the next round.

"Now this is a battle." Haku’s grin stretched wide, his excitement burning as hot as his mana.

Surging forward, his claws tore at the ground, only to skid to a halt as a stream of liquid shot toward him. He twisted on instinct, dodging just in time to watch the acid strike a boulder, dissolving it almost instantly into sizzling rubble.

Dodging another stream, he followed the attack back to the snake-headed tail of the Burrowfang. Its hood flared wide as it hissed, spitting another jet of poison. Leaping aside, his ears twitched at the sharp whistle of another threat—a crystal shard flying towards him. He grunted as it grazed his shoulder, the searing pain fleeting as his body instantly began to heal.

"Bastard." Growling, his flames intensified, his glowing blue eyes narrowing on the Shardfang. "Gotta kill that one first."

Sending a mental command to his phantom, which was fiercely harassing the Burrowfang, he felt its acknowledgment through their link. The phantom redoubled its efforts, its attacks becoming frenzied and relentless, forcing the larger beast and it's tail to keep their attention focused on it's attacks.

Seizing the moment as the Shardfang prepared another volley of crystals, Haku drew deeply on his mana, the flames on his body igniting into a blazing sun. The sudden eruption of heat distorted the air, creating a shield of scorching vapor that deflected the projectiles. With a roar, his body became blur of black fur and blue fire as he closed the distance.

The Shardfang hissed and curled defensively, its crystal-spiked tail lashing in a desperate attempt to protect itself. But there was no escape. Haku’s jaws clamped down with crushing force, shattering its skull in a single, brutal motion.

A sickening crunch echoed through the battlefield, catching the Burrowfang’s attention. The massive beast reared back, amber eyes locking onto the twitching form of its ally as Haku stood over it, fangs buried deep in its neck.

Crunch.

Crunch.

Crunch.

Swallowing hard, Haku turned his blood-soaked snout toward the remaining opponent. "Your turn."

Roaring in fury, the Burrowfang's massive body twisted, the metallic hood of the snake wrapping protectively around its head as the gigantic beast escaped into the ground at impressive speed.

'Follow it! Don’t—'

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Haku’s command to the phantom was cut short as the ground beneath them quaked and shattered. Large chunks of earth exploded upwards, grinding and smashing against each other. Leaping from an oncoming boulder, Haku strained to focus as the deafening noise consumed his senses.

Watching the chaos around him, his mind raced. Shrinking back to his animal form, his agility soared. Darting through the destruction, he bounded from stone to stone, weaving through the debris with ease. Clearing the Burrowfang’s attack, he landed on a granite shelf high above. The enormous phantom followed, landing gently beside him.

Both stood still, their eyes locked on the scene below as the ground continued to churn, the echo of grinding rock rumbling like thunder. After a few tense moments, the destruction subsided, leaving only the sound of shifting earth and crumbling stone.

"Let’s see what you do now."

The air thickened, the tension palpable. Sniffing wildly, Haku froze mid-breath as his flames erupted, his body swelling as his lava-filled horns ignited.

Both him and the phantom bolted in opposite directions as the shelf beneath exploded, shards of rock scattering as the Burrowfang burst from the ground.

Bounding off a rock, Haku shot directly back toward the wyrm, the phantom mirroring him. Together, they instantly closed the distance, both attacking the beast's exposed areas as they passed.

To his surprise, his claws scraped against the beast’s armor, sparks flying with their strikes. 'I forgot it can shift its scales,' landing and skidding to face the creature again, he began to scan its body.

Their coordinated strike had targeted the beast’s armpits, but the Burrowfang’s scales shifted just in time to deflect the attacks. Haku noticed the movement of its front limbs faltered when the scales shifted, only regaining freedom as the armor slid back into place.

"Keep it pinned!" The command rang out just as the wyrm began to pull the rest of its massive body out of the ground. "Let’s see what you do without your tail!"

Charging again, Haku and the phantom turned into streaks of fire, their speed increasing as they zig-zagged around the Burrowfang. Each relentless strike forced the mana-beast into a defensive stance, its scales shifting rapidly to shield its weak points.

With their attack speed synchronizing perfectly, Haku and his Phantom landed crouched side by side on a jagged boulder. Flames flickered across their bodies as they tensed.

“Now!”

The boulder shattered beneath them as they launched. The Burrowfang’s glowing scales shifted instantly, covering their target, its vulnerable throat. Anticipating this, the Phantom twisted mid-air, pushing Haku slightly off course. The adjustment sent his claws raking across the beast’s exposed chest.

The wyrm’s roar erupted through the ravine, a mixture of fury and agony. Steaming blood sprayed across the rocks, sizzling and putting off a noxious smell. 'It worked!' he smiled, his heart pounding with adrenaline.

Due to it's incredibly thick skin, the wound wasn't deep, but it exposed torn flesh beneath the creature’s shifting armor. Thrashing violently, the Burrowfang tried to pull more of its massive body from the ground, its desperation clear.

“No, you don’t!”

Haku snarled, charging again with the Phantom in sync. Exploiting the beast’s desperate attempt, he tore a chunk of flesh from its armpit while the Phantom seared a gash into its neck.

After dozens of repeated successfull attacks, the Burrowfang eventually let out an almost pitiful, begging roar, its cry like a plea for help. But Haku and his Phantom pressed their assault. Timing their attacks carefully, they continued to target the exposed sections of the beast’s hide, its shifting scales struggling to keep pace.

To an outsider stumbling upon the scene, the battle might have seemed one-sided, almost cruel. The mighty wyrm, so imposing mere moments ago, now appeared helpless, forced to defend against two tireless predators. Haku’s lack of a decisive killing technique left him with no choice but to chip away at the creature’s life force piece by agonizing piece, his flames and claws whittling it down with bloody precision.

Even Labrys, watching from his perch high above, felt a twinge of pity for the Burrowfang.

"That wyrm must be centuries old. To fall to a beast barely two decades..." His voice trailed off as he absentmindedly chewed on one of Siaer’s soul fruits, his molten eyes locked on the scene below.

“So young but this strong already,” he muttered, shaking his massive horns, “yet his inexperience is obvious, and that beast is suffering because of it.”

Down in the ravine, Haku and his Phantom hung onto the Burrowfang's thick hide, their fangs digging deep into its flesh. Haku clung to its neck while the Phantom latched onto one of its arms. Blood sprayed across Haku’s face as the massive wyrm thrashed violently, its cries echoing throughout the canyon. For a fleeting moment, even Haku hesitated, feeling a pang of guilt.

With his jaws still clamped on the beast, he snarled through gritted teeth, "Just die already!"

He braced himself, flexing his side to counter the beast’s expected flailing. Instead, there was an abrupt stillness, followed immediately by a sudden slicing sound and an immense force that sent him flying. His Phantom shattered instantly, vanishing in a burst of blue flames.

Crashing hard into a boulder, Haku bounced off it with a crunch and rolled to a stop. Groaning, he shook his head, dazed. "Wh—What in Gaia was that?!" His dazed eyes darted back to the wyrm, its massive upper body lay split cleanly in two, blood pooling beneath its two halves.

Following the trail of gore, his gaze locked onto the shaft of a stone axe protruding from the Burrowfang’s back, its surface slick with blood.

Fury immediately ignited in his chest. Leaping to his feet, he roared, "Why’d you do that?! That was my kill!" His voice echoed through the ravine as he scanned the cliffs above. Spotting Labrys, his eyes narrowed. "I told you to stay out of this!"

The guardian huffed, his disdain palpable even from afar. Without a word, the massive bull stepped off the ledge, his body dropping like a comet. The impact of his landing sent a shockwave through the ground, cracks splintering outward as his hooves sank into the stone.

Standing tall, he extended his hand. The axe wrenched free from the Burrowfang’s corpse and shot into his grasp, spraying Haku with fresh blood as it flew past.

“What you were doing wasn’t killing—it was torture,” he said, his deep voice cutting and angry. “At the rate you were going, it would’ve taken another hour to kill it. That beast fought well, and it deserved a swift end. Something you should have given it.”

Opening his mouth to retort, Haku found no words. Clamping his jaw shut, his eyes drifted to the Burrowfang’s mangled body, the wounds crisscrossing its hide like a map of suffering. A wave of shame washed over him, but he shook it off with a growl. “So what am I supposed to do, huh? Only fight weaker opponents? There are beasts ten times this thing’s size! Should I just run unless I can kill them in one hit?”

Labrys snorted, his molten eyes unwavering. “Why didn’t you use your explosion magic? Like you did on me?”

Caught off guard, Haku stammered. “That—that was different! This is training, okay? I’m trying not to rely on that. I want to fight honorably.”

Labrys burst into laughter, the sound echoing mockingly through the ravine. “Honorably?” The bull repeated, his tone dripping with disdain. He gestured toward the fallen Burrowfang with his axe. “Was that honorable?”

The old guardian’s eyes burned as he continued. “You honor your opponent by fighting without holding back. This isn’t some sparring match, kit. This is life and death. Save your ‘training’ for that farm of yours—out here, it’s kill or be killed.”

Clearing his throat, Labrys glanced around as if making sure no one else could hear. “And another thing,” he said, his tone sharp, “don’t you have two of those ghosts? You didn’t even bother to use them both to help you.” He shook his head in exasperation. “Follow me.”

Labrys crouched low, his enormous leg muscles coiling before he effortlessly leaped to the top of the ravine. Haku’s jaw clenched as he watched, sneering slightly. “Show off,” he muttered under his breath.

Tensing his legs, Haku launched himself upward, claws digging into the stone wall as he bolted to the top. Cresting the edge, he landed beside Labrys with a scowl. “Where are we—?”

His question died in his throat as his eyes locked onto the scene ahead. “Is that a golem?!”

Labrys sighed as Haku jumped forward, sniffing excitedly around the remains. “Yes, one that was drawn here by the sounds of your fight. If I hadn’t been here, you’d be in serious trouble right now.”

The remnants of the golem glowed in the light, its body a massive heap of ruby-red quartz. It lay sprawled for six meters in a humanoid shape, its chest punctured by a massive hole that went clean through its core.

“It was an old one,” Labrys continued, his voice grave. “You wouldn’t have stood a chance if it had joined the fight.”

Haku’s initial excitement faded as Labrys’s words sank in. A chill crawled up his spine as he turned back to face the guardian. “I get it,” he said quietly. “And thank you. I’ll make sure Darius knows you saved my life.”

Caught off guard by the straightforward gratitude, Labrys turned away, coughing into his fist. “Nonsense,” he grumbled. “I told you I’d deal with it, and that’s what I’ll do. But remember this: the faster you kill, the less attention you draw. Explosions may be loud, but if they end a fight quickly, they’re worth it. Fear the sound of hesitation more than the noise of power.”

Haku hid his grin, sensing an opportunity to press the moment. “Trust me, I’ll remember that. I just… wanted to impress you, y’know? For my first real fight.” He gestured at the shattered golem with a swipe of his paw. “If I could do something amazing like that, I wouldn’t have to rely so much on my phantoms. Right now, all I’ve got are my teeth and claws.”

Labrys didn’t miss a beat. “Even more reason to use them."

Instantly disappointed, Haku sighed inwardly, unwilling to show it. ‘why won't anyone teach me anything?! I want to know some ancient spells or powerful techniques,’ he thought. Shaking off his frustration, he nodded firmly. “I’ll make sure to do that. Excuse me, I'll be right back, I need to finish what I started.”

Before Labrys could respond, Haku leapt back into the ravine, his flames trailing behind him.

Labrys tilted his head, his expression puzzled. “Finish? They’re already dead.” Pausing for a moment, he strolled to the edge of the ravine when his ears suddenly pricked. Just as he leaned forward to look, the sound of tearing flesh and crunching bones rose from below.

His face twisting in disgust, he stepped back with a grimace, “Shardfangs taste horrible."