Chương 130: Chapter 126. Pit of flames

Rayne reacted the moment the claw came down at him, his body moving on instinct as he stepped to the left. The strike tore through the space he had just occupied, the force behind it strong enough to dig into the ground where he had stood. The moment he regained his footing, he let go of [War Pulse]. The skill had carried them through the swarm of lycans, turning chaos into something manageable, but it was no longer what he needed.

Against something like the alpha, he needed focus, and more importantly, he needed access to the rest of his abilities without his mind being stretched to its limits. As the constant stream of information faded, the pressure in his head lessened slightly, replaced by a sharper, more direct awareness of the fight in front of him. His gaze locked onto the alpha, and just by seeing it, anyone could tell how dangerous it was. Judging by its strength, it was at least level fifty, maybe even higher.

Rayne might have the advantage in levels, but monsters always had higher base stats, and an alpha in a frenzy was something else entirely. The crimson mana running through its claws was proof enough of that. He couldn't afford to play defensively. So he went on the offensive. Rayne pushed death mana into his blade, forcing it through his pathways. It hurt, a sharp discomfort spreading through his arm as his body struggled to adjust to shifting between different types of mana so quickly, but he ignored it.

While he did that, the alpha moved again. It lunged at him with terrifying speed, its claws cutting through the air as it aimed to tear him apart. Rayne stepped back, dodging the attack instead of blocking it, his movements tighter now, knowing the shield wouldn't last long against the crimson claws. So, as he moved, he loosened the strap of his shield, letting it hang for just a moment before pulling it free entirely. The next time the alpha lunged, he didn't raise it to defend. He threw it.

The shield spun through the air and slammed straight into the alpha's chest. The impact didn't stop it completely, but it was enough. The creature let out a low grunt as its momentum faltered, its body dropping right back on the ground. That was all Rayne needed. He stepped in and poured more death mana into his blade, the edge vibrating faintly as the energy gathered. Then he swung. The arc of dark energy cut across the alpha's upper chest.

It connected cleanly, carving through fur and flesh, leaving behind a deep gash as blood spilled out. The alpha staggered back a few steps, its body reacting to the force of the strike. But instead of weakening it, the attack only seemed to enrage it further as its eyes burned brighter. With a snarl, it lunged again, faster this time. Rayne didn't try to meet it head-on. He stepped back, staying just outside the reach of its claws, forcing it to extend further with each strike.

The creature's attacks were powerful, but they were also direct, relying on overwhelming force rather than precision. When it got too close, he raised his blade and blocked. The clash sent a jolt through his arms. Even with mana coating his sword, the force behind the alpha's strike was immense. The blade trembled under the impact, vibrating in a way that made his grip tighten instinctively.

For a split second, the memory of the dungeon flashed in his mind when his blade had broken, but he pushed the thought away immediately. This time, he wouldn't let that happen. Rayne shifted back again, widening the distance between them, refusing to get locked into a direct exchange where the alpha's strength would dominate. His breathing steadied slightly as he adjusted his stance, keeping his blade ready while watching every movement of the monster in front of him.

For a brief moment, Rayne's gaze shifted away from the alpha and moved across the battlefield. His party had recovered from the initial blow. Jason was already back on his feet, holding the line with brute force, while Kesh, Nate, and Heins regrouped around him, keeping the remaining lycans occupied. Behind them, Bran stood firm, arrows flying one after another, each shot forcing the monsters back or dropping them before they could press the attack further.

For a second, their eyes met, and he immediately gave a small nod which the old man understood immediately. But Rayne couldn't afford to look any longer. The alpha moved again. This time, it didn't charge straight at him. Instead, it let out a low growl and began to circle, its massive frame moving to the left before crossing in front of him, its glowing eyes never leaving his. It wasn't rushing in blindly anymore. It was watching, testing, almost as if it was playing with him like prey.

Rayne tightened his grip on his sword. For a moment, the thought of using [War Pulse] again crossed his mind, but he pushed it aside. He needed control, not overload. Instead, he focused on what he could manage. Death mana flowed steadily into his blade, the faint vibration returning as the energy gathered along its edge. At the same time, he pushed out mana threads around his shoulders, ready to disrupt any sudden attack aimed there.

Maintaining both wasn't easy, but it was far less taxing than using [War Pulse] with one of them. Still, keeping track of the alpha was another matter entirely. It moved too fast. Each leap forced Rayne to turn sharply, his eyes chasing its motion as it shifted positions again and again. The seconds it took to adjust were too many. The alpha was trying to confuse him, to force him into a mistake, to make him anxious enough to slip. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road.

Support the author by reading it there. But Rayne had been hardened by too many battles to let it affect him. He simply steadied his breathing and kept his eyes moving. Then, it finally happened. The alpha lunged. Rayne caught it from the corner of his eye, his body reacting instantly as he turned to the right. His blade moved with him in one smooth motion, cutting through the air as he swung with everything he had prepared. The arc of death mana streaked forward, aimed to meet the alpha head-on.

But his aim was off. It did not land cleanly where he wanted. Instead of cutting through the alpha's chest or neck, it struck its left arm. Even so, the force behind it was enough. The energy tore through fur and flesh, and the alpha let out a sharp, furious cry as its body dropped down beside him. The moment it hit the ground, he pushed himself back, widening the distance between them in quick steps.

For a brief second, he checked his reserves, and like he expected, he only had little more than a quarter of it left. Between [War Pulse], [Death Strike], and the mana threads, he had burned through far more than he had intended. If he dragged this fight out any longer, he would run dry before the alpha slowed down. So when the alpha began to rise again, its muscles tensing as it prepared to lunge, Rayne made a decision. He turned and ran.

He pushed himself towards the forest and as he moved, he realised his party was already gone. But not all the lycans were down yet, and seeing him run, one of them immediately lunged at him. Its claws came for his neck, but Rayne caught it in time and twisted slightly. Instead of slashing with his blade, he threw out a punch and slammed his fist straight into the creature's face. Pain shot through his knuckles, but the impact sent the lycan crashing sideways into a nearby tree.

It hit hard and dropped, and no other lycan jumped at him as he escaped the clearing and stepped into the forests. Ten seconds into it, the howls came right behind him. They rose louder and louder, echoing through the forest as the pack gave chase. One of them stood above the rest, deeper and more furious than the others. He already knew who it belonged to. Rayne risked a glance over his shoulder, and confirmed what he expected.

The alpha led the chase, its massive frame cutting through the distance with terrifying speed, while the others followed behind, some leaping over fallen logs and others using the trees to move faster. They were gaining on him.

"Damn it," Rayne muttered under his breath, and pushed harder. Even without a speed-enhancing skill, his stats were high, and a rush of adrenaline was hell of a drug. His lungs burned slightly, but he ignored it, focusing only on putting distance between him and the pack. He didn't need to run far. A minute of running, and everything would— A grunt sounded behind him, and he immediately risked another glance, and what he saw made his eyes widen. The alpha had picked up a large stone.

For a split second, his mind blanked. Then he shifted direction sharply, his body twisting as he changed course just in time. The stone came crashing down where he had been a moment before, smashing into the ground and breaking apart into pieces that scattered across the forest floor. But dodging it only made things worse. The alpha growled louder, its fury rising as it continued the chase. Moments later, another stone came flying, then another.

For the next half a minute, Rayne was forced to weave through the forest, dodging not just the alpha but the barrage that followed. The other lycans also followed the alpha, grabbing whatever they could and throwing it at him as they ran. Some missed by inches. Others clipped branches or struck the ground around him, and more than a few hit its back and shoulders, but his armour protected him. Rather than getting hurt, he feared the barrage breaking his balance more.

One fall and the alpha would be on him in seconds, and that would turn everything into a desperate fight he didn't want. Because of that, Rayne forced himself to stay steady despite the chaos around him, using the trees as cover whenever he could. He weaved between trunks, letting them take the brunt of the stones and broken chunks of rock that came flying at him, only stepping out when he needed to adjust his path.

More than once, something struck close enough to shake the ground beneath his boots, and a few smaller pieces clipped his armour, but he didn't slow down. Losing balance here meant death, and that was something he refused to allow. Then, just as he pushed past another stretch of trees, he saw his party. They stood ahead in the distance, already in position. Jason, Heins, Nate, and Kesh were spread out, weapons drawn and ready, their eyes fixed on him as they waved him forward.

Bran wasn't visible, but Rayne didn't need to see him to know he was there, hidden somewhere with his bow ready. Relief flickered through him for a brief second. Then he pushed harder. The howls behind him grew closer, but Rayne didn't look back this time. He focused only on the distance ahead, his steps quickening as he closed in on his party. Just before reaching them, he planted his foot against a low boulder and pushed off, using it as a platform to launch himself forward.

He landed in the middle of his group, boots hitting the ground with a dull thud. Rayne didn't pause for even a breath and turned immediately, his eyes locking onto the charging pack as he pushed whatever mana he had left into his blade. The weapon trembled in his hand, but it would hold, he knew it. The alpha came into view soon, charging forward with the rest of the lycans, its massive form leading the charge, its eyes fixed on him now that he had stopped running.

It saw prey standing still, and it committed like he had expected, and jumped. Rayne only smiled, raising his blade, and the moment the alpha closed the distance, just a few meters away and mid-air, he swung. [Death Strike] tore through the space between them. The alpha reacted instantly, having seen the attack before. Its claws rose to meet the attack, crimson mana flaring as it tried to deflect the blow. But Rayne had never intended to harm it with that strike. The impact disrupted its momentum.

Its body faltered mid-air, and instead of crashing into them, it dropped short, hitting the ground right in front of their formation, and that was what they wanted. The ground beneath it gave way. The moment it landed, the hidden trap triggered, and the alpha fell straight into the concealed pit below. At the same time, arrows whistled through the air. Bran's shots struck true from somewhere unseen, cutting down the other lycans mid-leap and sending them tumbling into similar traps hidden across the area.

Nate and Kesh followed up, throwing knives with sharp precision, forcing others off balance and into the same fate. Those that managed to land on the safe ground didn't last long either. Jason and Heins moved, stepping in to meet them, their weapons rising and falling in heavy, practiced strikes that ended the few that slipped through. Rayne didn't look at them. He kept his gaze fixed on the main pit where the alpha had fallen.

A low, furious howl rose from within, echoing up from the darkness below, filled with rage. But the very next second, a deafening explosion tore through the pit. The ground shook as fire and force burst upward, and the howl twisted into a scream.

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