**Chapter 2: The First Test of Sovereignty**
The world of Eryndral had always been a land of wonders and dangers, but now, with the echoes of the awakening reverberating through the skies, the boundaries between the two blurred. Erythion slowly rose to his feet, still trembling from the raw energy coursing through him. His palm, where the mark had appeared, was warm to the touch, glowing faintly.
The Void Serpent lay before him, its massive form still trembling with the remnants of its defeat. Its once glowing eyes were now dull, reflecting the oppressive atmosphere that seemed to descend upon the plains.
Stormfang stood beside him, its silver and gold fur crackling with electricity as it growled lowly, watching the serpent warily. The bond between them was still new, still fragile, but the connection was undeniable. It was a bond forged in the heat of battle, a bond that would see them through whatever came next.
"What now?" Erythion muttered to himself, still trying to comprehend the flood of information from the Beast Sovereign System. He had tamed the Void Serpent, an S-rank beast, but he didn't feel victorious—he felt like he had just stepped into a much larger storm, one he wasn't sure he was prepared for.
The dark figures that had emerged from the portal were still lurking at the edges of his vision, but they hadn't moved. They were waiting. For what, exactly, Erythion didn't know, but his instincts screamed that they were no allies.
The voice in his mind, cold and unyielding, interrupted his thoughts.
**"Alert: Unidentified hostile forces in the vicinity. Preparing for enemy engagement."**
**"Sovereign, your power is now recognized. Enemies will seek to test you."**
Erythion's heart skipped a beat. "Test me? Who the hell are they?"
**"They are the Harbingers. Servants of the Dark Gods."** The voice responded, the words heavy with foreboding. **"They are here to challenge your sovereignty. You must be prepared."**
A surge of power crackled in the air, and Erythion turned toward the group of shadowy figures. They moved now, gliding forward with unnatural grace, their glowing eyes fixed on him. Their presence was suffocating, as if they were beings not bound by the laws of this world.
One of the figures stepped forward, taller than the others, its form cloaked in black armor that shimmered with dark energy. The others flanked it, their eyes burning with malice. This one—the leader—spoke in a voice that seemed to scrape the very air.
"**Sovereign of Beasts**, you are no match for the coming storm." The voice was deep, resonant, and filled with an ancient power. "We are the Harbingers of the End, and you shall fall before the might of the Dark Gods."
Erythion's eyes narrowed. He didn't know what these "Harbingers" were, but the weight of their presence was undeniable. He clenched his fists, the mark on his palm burning once more. His mind raced, the Beast Sovereign System offering him no comfort.
**"System Alert: Enemy forces are high-tier, currently beyond your capabilities. Recommended action: Retreat."**
Retreat? No, he wasn't running. Not after all of this. Not when he had the power of the Void Serpent at his command.
"Stormfang," Erythion muttered, looking down at his beast, which stood by his side with a fierce growl. "Let's show them what we've got."
The wolf growled lowly in response, its fur crackling with electricity as it stepped forward, its eyes locked onto the Harbingers. The Void Serpent stirred, but its form remained inert, awaiting further command.
The Harbinger leader chuckled, a low, ominous sound. "You dare resist?"
With a flick of his wrist, a dark energy shot forward, cracking the ground beneath them and sending debris flying in every direction. Stormfang leapt to intercept, but the dark blast collided with its body, sending it skidding back. The wolf's fur flared with lightning, but it struggled to regain its footing, clearly injured.
"No…" Erythion's voice faltered. He hadn't anticipated the sheer power of these enemies. His mark burned brighter, the energy within him flickering in time with his desperation.
**"Taming Skill: Overload. Beast Synchronization at 30%."**
Erythion's vision blurred as his mind was filled with an overwhelming rush of images. His connection with Stormfang, the Void Serpent, and his own inner power was suddenly amplified, stretching the limits of his consciousness. He felt as though he was being torn apart and remade in the same instant. But he didn't have time to panic. He could feel it—his beast's spirit, his own, struggling together against the Harbingers' force.
"Stormfang! Focus!" he shouted.
The wolf's eyes flashed. It was battered, but not broken. The connection between them surged. Stormfang pushed itself forward, its form becoming a blur of silver and gold as it dashed toward the Harbinger leader.
The leader raised his hand, preparing to unleash another burst of dark energy, but before he could act, the Void Serpent stirred, its form dissolving into a mist of darkness. It reappeared behind the Harbinger leader, its fangs glinting in the moonlight. With a bone-shattering roar, it lunged, striking with a power that seemed to crack the very air.
The Harbinger leader staggered back, but not fast enough. The Void Serpent's jaws clamped down on his arm, the dark energy dissipating with a loud crack. Stormfang, too, was relentless, its claws crackling with lightning as it lunged, slashing through the shadows.
Erythion stood frozen for a moment, staring in disbelief at the chaos unfolding before him. The Harbingers were powerful—far more powerful than he had anticipated. Yet, in the chaos of battle, something inside him clicked. He was *the Sovereign*. The one destined to lead beasts, to control the chaos that threatened the world.
And this battle, this test, was his to win.
"*Focus*," Erythion whispered to himself. "I am the Sovereign. This is my fight."
He raised his hand again, the mark on his palm flaring with energy. His connection with Stormfang deepened, and his will was echoed in the beast's growl. Together, they launched a final, coordinated attack.
The Void Serpent, summoned once again, shot forward with a roar that shattered the night. The Harbinger leader raised his hand in defense, but the combined force of Stormfang's lightning and the Void Serpent's overwhelming power was too much. The dark energy shattered around him, and the leader was sent sprawling to the ground, his armor cracked and his body twitching with the remnants of the beasts' fury.
The other Harbingers recoiled, their eyes filled with fear. They hadn't anticipated this. They had underestimated the power of the Sovereign.
Erythion stood tall, his chest heaving, his mind reeling. The mark on his palm dimmed, but the echo of its power resonated through him, a reminder of the path he had chosen.
For the first time, Erythion realized something: this battle was just the beginning. There would be many more tests ahead. The Harbingers were only a glimpse of the darkness that sought to consume this world.
And he, the Sovereign of Infinite Beast, was the only one who could stop it.
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*End of Chapter 2.*