---
Zeyren stood victorious, his breath steady, his hands trembling with power. The battlefield lay silent. Fenrir, Nyx, and even Kael Darven had fallen before him. The air crackled with the remnants of his final attack, a testament to his overwhelming strength.
A smirk crept across his face. "So this was what true power feels like."
But then—
A whisper echoed through the battlefield.
A voice.
"WAKE UP, BRAT!"
Zeyren's eyes snapped open.
---
Nyx's voice rang in his ears. "Wake up! It's time for training. Now go quickly and finish in the washroom."
Groaning, Zeyren sat up, rubbing his eyes. His body still felt sore from yesterday's training, but there was no time to waste.
Dragging himself to the bathroom, he splashed cold water on his face, trying to shake off the remnants of the dream. He stared into the mirror, his mind replaying the illusionary battle over and over.
"One day... I'll make that power real."
After freshening up, he sat on the toilet, yawning, and pulled up the Daily Lottery Spin.
"Spin today's lottery," he muttered.
[System Notification]
Spinning...
The wheel spun rapidly, slowing down as Zeyren held his breath.
Congratulations! You have unlocked a new skill: Battle Instinct.
(Battle Instinct - Enhances reflexes and subconscious combat awareness, allowing you to react to danger more efficiently in battle.)
Zeyren's eyes widened. This... this was exactly the kind of skill he needed.
A slow grin spread across his face. "Now this... this will be useful."
Nyx's voice rang out again. "Hurry up, brat! Training waits for no one."
---
Training Ground - A New Challenge Begins
When Zeyren arrived, Fenrir was already waiting, arms crossed, his usual smirk in place. Nyx perched on a branch above, looking unusually excited.
Fenrir cracked his knuckles. "Today's training is going to be a little different from yesterday."
Zeyren raised an eyebrow. "Different how? You're finally going to take it easy on me?"
Nyx burst out laughing. "HA! Oh, that's rich. No, kid, today's training is going to make yesterday look like a nap."
Zeyren sighed. "Of course it is."
Fenrir pointed toward a fast-flowing river nearby. "First, you're going to balance on a rock in the middle of that river."
Zeyren blinked. "Wait, I did something similar yesterday, so this will be easy."
"It increases my footwork, stability, and keeps me from dying when someone tries to knock me off balance in a fight."
Fenrir smirked. "Oh, and Nyx will be throwing rocks at you."
Nyx grinned, already holding a large stone. "I've been waiting for this moment."
---
Challenge 1: River Balance Training
Zeyren cautiously stepped onto the slippery rock in the middle of the river. The water rushed around him, making it hard to stay upright.
"Alright, this isn't too bad—"
A rock whizzed past his face.
"HEY! YOU ALMOST TOOK MY HEAD OFF!"
Nyx cackled. "Almost? Guess I need to aim better."
More rocks came flying, forcing Zeyren to twist and duck while trying to maintain balance. The worst part? His Battle Instinct kept activating, making his body react faster than his brain could process.
"Gah! Stop moving on your own, legs!"
Fenrir chuckled from the shore. "If you have time to complain, you're not training hard enough."
---
Challenge 2: One-Legged Stance with Weight
After surviving the river training (barely), Zeyren was given a heavy stone and told to stand on one leg.
"This is dumb," he grumbled. "What am I, a flamingo?"
Fenrir smirked. "No, because a flamingo wouldn't be struggling this much."
Just when Zeyren thought it couldn't get worse, Fenrir added more weight.
"Are you trying to break me?!"
Nyx casually sharpened his claws. "Break you? Nah. Just seeing how much whining one human can do before passing out."
---
Challenge 3: Reaction Training with Falling Logs
"Okay, what's next? Let me guess—dodging random objects while blindfolded?" Zeyren asked sarcastically.
Fenrir smirked. "Exactly."
Zeyren: "…I hate you."
A massive log dropped from above, nearly crushing him. He barely rolled out of the way in time.
"WHAT KIND OF TRAINING IS THIS?!"
"One that makes sure you don't die in real combat," Fenrir said, already preparing to drop the next one.
Zeyren groaned. "I swear, one day I'm going to be strong enough to—"
Another log fell. Zeyren dodged without thinking.
He blinked. His body had moved on its own.
Fenrir's grin widened. "Looks like your instincts are kicking in. Keep it up."
Zeyren muttered under his breath. "…Still hate you."
---
After what felt like an eternity of suffering, Zeyren finally collapsed onto the ground.
Nyx perched beside him. "Congratulations, brat. You survived. Barely."
Fenrir walked up and nudged him with his foot. "Don't get comfortable. You still have a fight today."
Zeyren groaned. "Okay, let's fight again?"
A new voice suddenly spoke.
"No. You will be fighting me."
Zeyren's head snapped up. Standing before him was the young beast warrior—the one who had been waiting for a chance to test him.
A sharp grin spread across the warrior's face. "I hope you didn't waste all your strength."
Zeyren narrowed his eyes. "Wait... who are you?"
The young beast warrior smirked. "I am Ranger, son of Drakon and Sylph—Keal Darven's 8th and 9th beast companions."
Before Zeyren could respond, another voice chimed in from the sidelines. A smaller beast—no older than thirteen—trotted toward Fenrir, his tail wagging in excitement. His ears perked up, and his eyes sparkled with determination.
Little Beast: "Big brother Ranger! Can I fight him?"
Ranger: "You?"
Zeyren let out a chuckle, watching as the little beast puffed up his chest in an attempt to look more intimidating.
Little Beast: "I'm strong! I've been training! Let me fight him too!"
Ranger: "Okay, you can after I fight him."
Zeyren: "Now who are you?"
Little Beast: "I am Duskar, son of Umbra and Mira—Keal Darven's 10th and 11th beast companions."
Ranger: "Alright then... let's fight."
---
THE FIGHT BEGINS.
The air was tense as Zeyren and Ranger stood across from each other. Dust and leaves swirled around them, carried by the faint breeze.
Duskar stood on the sidelines, his tail flicking excitedly. "I can't wait to fight next!" His claws dug into the ground, eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Fenrir lay on a nearby rock, watching lazily. "The brat's improved."
Nyx, perched beside him, tilted his head. "Hmm… But can he last?"
Fenrir chuckled. "Doubt it. But… there's something off."
Nyx's sharp eyes flicked toward Zeyren. "What do you mean?"
Fenrir's gaze darkened. "This brat… he's already broken through the first stage human body limit. Level 10."
Nyx's feathers ruffled slightly. "Hah. Looks like he's entering the league of real predators now."
Fenrir exhaled. "Maybe. But he's still reckless."
Ranger smirked. "Well? You making a move or not?"
Zeyren didn't waste time.
BOOM!
A red laser blasted from his palm, tearing through the air toward Ranger. The beast warrior sidestepped effortlessly, barely shifting his stance.
Zeyren fired again, again, again—each shot faster and sharper than the last. Ranger weaved through them with flawless precision, his movements fluid, relaxed.
"You call that an attack?" Ranger taunted, grinning.
Zeyren clenched his teeth. Damn it!
He switched tactics.
Instead of firing straight, he aimed at the ground near Ranger's feet.
BOOM!
The explosion sent dust and debris flying, temporarily blinding Ranger.
Zeyren used that split-second opening—
He dashed forward, appearing right in front of him.
Ranger's eyes widened slightly—too late.
CRACK!
Zeyren's fist smashed into Ranger's chest, sending him skidding back several meters.
Fenrir raised a brow. "Oh? He actually landed a solid hit."
Nyx smirked. "Ranger's still holding back."
Ranger, now crouched, let out a low chuckle. "Not bad."
Zeyren didn't wait. He surged forward, fists glowing with energy. He unleashed a barrage of punches, each one faster than the last. Ranger blocked most, deflecting blows with sharp reflexes, but some slipped through—striking his ribs, his shoulder, his jaw.
Ranger's grin never faded.
Zeyren leapt back and fired another laser, this time curving it midair. Ranger twisted his body, barely dodging as the beam seared past his ear. Before he could land, Zeyren was already above him, leg swinging down like an axe.
THWACK!
Ranger's arm shot up, catching the kick. The ground beneath him cracked from the impact. He grinned up at Zeyren, eyes gleaming.
"That all you got?"
Zeyren tensed.
They clashed again. The ground trembled beneath them as fists collided, each strike carrying enough force to send shockwaves rippling through the battlefield. Zeyren and Ranger moved at blinding speeds, exchanging powerful blows, neither giving an inch.
Ranger drove his knee toward Zeyren's ribs, but Zeyren twisted midair, countering with a spinning kick that sent Ranger skidding back. Before Ranger could recover, Zeyren was on him again, delivering a brutal uppercut to his jaw.
Ranger's eyes burned with excitement.
"Now we're talking!"
He surged forward, their movements becoming a blur of raw power. Each clash sent bursts of energy exploding outward, trees uprooted, the ground splitting apart beneath them. Zeyren landed a fierce punch to Ranger's side, sending him flying through a boulder. But before Zeyren could press forward—
BOOM!
Ranger shot out of the debris like a cannonball, his fist glowing with energy. He roared as he launched a devastating punch toward Zeyren, who barely managed to block.
The sheer force sent Zeyren sliding back, his arms trembling from the impact.
Zeyren gritted his teeth. He could feel it—Ranger was finally taking this seriously.
The intensity of the battle escalated. They exchanged brutal blows, their bodies enduring unimaginable strain. Both warriors were panting, their movements slightly slower now, but neither willing to back down.
Zeyren delivered a crushing elbow strike to Ranger's shoulder, making him stagger. Sensing an opening, he dashed in, aiming for a decisive strike.
But then—
CRACK!
Ranger's fist moved on instinct.
A single, devastating punch landed squarely against Zeyren's ribs.
A sickening crunch echoed.
Zeyren's eyes widened as blood erupted from his mouth. The sheer force of the hit lifted him off the ground, his body hurling backward like a ragdoll.
THUD!
He crashed hard, the impact sending tremors through the battlefield.
Silence.
Ranger froze in place, his fists still clenched. His breathing was heavy, his body still tensed for battle—but his eyes held shock.
"I… didn't mean to hit him that hard…"
Before he could react further—
"ENOUGH!"
Fenrir leapt between them, his massive shadow looming over Ranger. His deep, growling voice rumbled like thunder.
"You were told to hold back." His golden eyes glowed with quiet fury.
Ranger stiffened. His tail flicked behind him, uneasy. "I-I just… forgot. I got caught up in the fight."
Fenrir's growl deepened. "You nearly killed him, Ranger."
Ranger rubbed the back of his head, guilt creeping into his eyes. "I didn't mean to go that far…"
Duskar, still vibrating with excitement, pouted. "Big brother, what have you done?! I wanted to fight him too!" He crouched beside Zeyren's unconscious body and poked his cheek. "Hey, wake up! We still didn't fight!"
Nyx sighed. "Just let him sleep, Duskar."
Fenrir shot Ranger a final glare before kneeling beside Zeyren, checking his breathing.
"He'll be fine," Fenrir muttered, more to himself than anyone else. "But next time…" His sharp gaze flicked to Ranger. "Control yourself."
Ranger lowered his head. "Yeah… got it."
Nyx smirked. "Well, at least it was fun to watch."
Fenrir sighed, shaking his head. "Brat's growing fast… but he still has a long way to go."
---
||End of Chapter 8||
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