In the morning trial grounds, a heavy atmosphere loomed. Instructors stood solemnly on the high platform as the massive trial monolith slowly rose. The glowing patterns on its surface flickered, emitting strange energy waves.
Rein surveyed his team. Shadow Wolf stood by his side, its silver eyes brimming with indifference and disdain. Ava clutched Wind Fox, her brows furrowed in concern. Meanwhile, Rayke stood to the side, murmuring to his Titan Beast, whose massive armor gleamed menacingly in the morning light.
"For this trial, we'll need to give it everything we've got," Rein said calmly, though his clenched fists betrayed his unease.
"Everything we've got? Is your Shadow Wolf even going to cooperate?" Rayke asked icily.
Shadow Wolf scoffed, muttering disdainfully, "Listen to you? What a joke."
Rein didn't respond but turned to Ava, who nodded and said gravely, "The Nether Pact's influence has infiltrated this trial. Their goal isn't just the trial itself."
As the glowing patterns pulsed, the ground shook violently. A Nether Pact-controlled lord-class beast—the Flameclaw Earth Dragon—burst from beneath the earth. Its scales were covered with blood-red runes, and its eyes burned with madness.
"Its power… isn't natural!" Ava said, sensing the anomaly through Wind Fox.
"This is the Nether Pact's doing," Rein muttered, narrowing his eyes. He felt Shadow Wolf's unease through their soul link—a primal reaction to the danger ahead.
The instructor's voice boomed from the high platform: "The only way to pass this trial is to defeat the lord-class beast! Prepare for battle!"
The lord-class beast roared, and its blood-red runes unleashed a massive energy surge. The ground cracked open as flames erupted from the fissures.
"Ava, use Wind Barrier to protect the rear!" Rein commanded decisively.
Ava sprang into action. Wind Fox summoned a shimmering green barrier, deflecting the incoming flames. Meanwhile, Rayke and Titan Beast held the frontline, enduring the Earth Dragon's ferocious bites.
"Its power's been boosted! Our normal tactics won't work!" Rayke bellowed.
Rein frowned, hearing Shadow Wolf's deep voice through their soul link: "Let me handle this."
"Can you control your power?" Rein asked quietly.
Shadow Wolf chuckled darkly. "I can't guarantee I won't hit someone else."
Gritting his teeth, Rein finally gave the order: "Do it!"
Shadow Wolf vanished in a flash, reappearing atop the Earth Dragon's back. Its claws dug deep into the blood-red runes, aiming to destroy the control core.
But just as it was about to shatter the runes, the Earth Dragon let out a frenzied roar. Its blood-red energy surged, flinging Shadow Wolf off. The powerful shockwave knocked everyone back.
"It's amplifying itself!" Ava cried out.
The Earth Dragon's power suddenly surged. Its claws raked through the air, striking Titan Beast directly and sending Rayke crashing to the ground, coughing up blood.
"Ava, can you disrupt its movements?" Rein asked urgently.
Ava took a deep breath and issued commands to Wind Fox in beast-speak. Wind Fox unleashed a series of sharp wind blades, temporarily slowing the Earth Dragon's movements, but the effect was fleeting.
Shadow Wolf rose from the ground, its body enveloped in dark energy. Its eyes gleamed dangerously, and its voice resonated through the soul link: "I'll deal with it, but don't think I'm doing it for you."
Shadow Wolf leapt toward the Earth Dragon, unleashing a powerful soul shock mid-air that struck the runic core directly. The blood-red energy began to disintegrate, and the Earth Dragon's movements slowed visibly.
"It's almost done!" Rayke shouted.
Rein remained vigilant, leading the team in a decisive final assault. Titan Beast's charges, Wind Fox's wind blades, and Shadow Wolf's claws combined to bring the Earth Dragon down.
As the trial concluded, the Flameclaw Earth Dragon's body gradually vanished. But Shadow Wolf collapsed to the ground, emitting a strange black glow. Rein felt intense, unfamiliar pain through their soul link—something Shadow Wolf had never shown before.
"Shadow Wolf, what's wrong?" Rein asked softly.
Shadow Wolf struggled to lift its head, muttering, "Its power… was passed to me."
Ava stepped forward, her gaze complicated as she looked at Shadow Wolf. "Its soul was under control, and you absorbed part of its power."
"Is that going to be dangerous?" Rayke asked coldly.
"Danger? This is my evolution," Shadow Wolf sneered, though Rein could sense a faint unease in its tone.
In the distance, a blood-red pillar of light pierced the sky above the trial grounds, bearing the mark of the Nether Pact—a harbinger of an even greater conspiracy.
Rein clenched his fists, his gaze firm. "Whatever their plan is, we have to stop it."
Shadow Wolf murmured, "This is only the beginning."