Sitting at a distance from the battlefield, Via raised her hand.
With a mere gesture, vines burst from the frozen ground, coiling around a Snow Ape's limbs.
The beast thrashed, but the vines tightened mercilessly, stretching its limbs apart. A moment later, a sickening rip echoed across the battlefield as the Snow Ape's limbs tore away from its body.
The creature collapsed onto the blood-stained snow, twitching weakly as life drained from its form.
Via continued her slaughter with methodical precision.
Some Snow Apes were impaled by sharp wooden spears that shot up from the ground.
Others had vines constricting their throats, choking the life out of them.
Some were ripped apart limb by limb, their agonized shrieks swallowed by the raging blizzard.
She didn't need to rush. She didn't need to move. Her magic did all the work.
The Snow Apes' Fighting Style
As Gavin observed the battle, he noticed something strange.
All the Snow Apes—whether weak or strong—relied solely on their fists.
Even the Bronze Rank Snow Ape attacking his clone used its fists rather than claws or weapons.
Curious, Gavin analyzed their movements.
After collecting their battle techniques, he sorted through them and identified eleven distinct boxing moves.
This was an unexpected discovery.
If refined, these moves could serve as the foundation of a new combat style.
A Three-on-One Battle Begins
Gavin's thoughts were interrupted as the last two Snow Apes descended into the valley.
Both were Bronze Initial Rank, and they immediately attacked his clone.
Now, his clone was facing three Bronze Rank Snow Apes at once—a truly difficult battle.
To level the playing field, Gavin activated his spiritual field, suppressing the Snow Apes' ability to control spiritual energy outside their bodies.
This forced them into pure physical combat against his clone.
But his clone held an advantage—it had memorized all the Snow Apes' boxing moves.
Using its superior speed, the clone weaved between their attacks, always staying just out of reach.
At the same time, it used earth magic to forge weapons mid-battle—a spear, a sword, even jagged stone claws—inflicting devastating wounds on the apes.
The battle raged on.
And Gavin watched closely.
His clone faced the three Snow Apes, their breath steaming in the frigid air. Though Gavin had suppressed their ability to manipulate spiritual energy, their physical strength remained formidable. The ground trembled under their weight as they advanced, their massive fists clenched in anticipation of a brutal clash.
The first Snow Ape lunged forward, throwing a punch so powerful that it sent shockwaves rippling through the air. The clone twisted his body at the last moment, dodging with ease, his enhanced speed allowing him to maneuver between the apes like a phantom. He countered with a sharp claw strike to the ape's ribs, drawing a pained roar as deep gashes appeared in its thick fur.
The second Snow Ape seized the opening, swinging a hammer-like fist at the clone's head. He ducked just in time, feeling the rush of wind as the attack barely missed. Instead of retreating, the clone darted in, slashing upward in a spiraling motion. His claws traced deep into the ape's arm, slicing through muscle and exposing bone. The ape howled but refused to falter.
The third Snow Ape attempted to corner him from behind. Sensing the movement, the clone pivoted on his heel, channeling the newly refined energy from the claw technique. He swiped his hand forward, forming a dark yellow phantom claw that lashed out on its own, slamming into the Snow Ape's chest. The force sent the beast skidding back several meters, its body leaving a trail of blood across the snow.
The fight had only begun.
And Gavin watched closely.
His clone moved like a shadow, weaving between the three Bronze Rank Snow Apes as they lunged at him. They were powerful, their massive bodies clad in thick, ice-covered fur, their fists smashing into the frozen ground with enough force to shatter stone. But despite their strength, they were slow compared to him.
The wolf, a blur of yellow, leaped into the fray, its claws ripping across an ape's chest before darting away. The wounded beast roared, swiping its massive fist at the wolf, but the agile creature twisted in the air, narrowly avoiding the crushing blow.
Gavin's clone exploited that moment of distraction.
He formed a stone spear from the earth beneath his feet and hurled it at the nearest Snow Ape. The weapon streaked through the air like lightning, piercing the ape's shoulder. It bellowed in pain, but instead of retreating, it charged forward with raw fury. The clone sidestepped at the last second, spinning as he formed another weapon—this time, a stone sword—and slashed at the ape's exposed ribs.
Blood sprayed across the snow.
The second Snow Ape seized the opportunity to strike. It smashed its fists together, creating an ice shockwave that rushed toward the clone and the wolf.
The wolf howled, summoning a gust of wind to counteract the icy blast, but it wasn't enough. Frost coated the clone's arms and legs, slowing his movements.
The third Snow Ape saw an opening and lunged, its fist encased in crystalline ice, aiming straight for the clone's chest.
Gavin's clone gritted his teeth and willed the earth beneath him to shift, forming a jagged stone wall between himself and the attack. The ape's fist obliterated the stone barrier, sending shards flying in all directions, but the split second of defense gave the clone enough time to dodge to the side.
The wolf took advantage of the opening, leaping onto the back of the third ape and sinking its fangs into its neck. The ape screamed, reaching behind to grab the beast, but the wolf twisted its head savagely, tearing flesh away. The ape staggered, blood pouring from its wound, but it wasn't finished yet.
Gavin's clone was growing stronger with every exchange.
As he fought, his mastery over the Claw Technique deepened. The first part of the technique allowed him to form a phantom claw, a spectral manifestation of his attack. But as he fought these powerful beasts, something changed.
He could feel it.
He was beginning to fully master the technique.
His next attack would prove it.
The first Snow Ape, the one with the wounded shoulder, roared and slammed both fists into the ground, sending a wave of jagged ice spikes toward the clone.
Gavin's clone reacted instantly.
He executed the first move of the claw technique, and a phantom claw materialized in front of him. But unlike before, when it appeared as a singular attack, something new happened—
Every single claw attack now summoned a phantom claw.
With a feral grin, the clone slashed forward, his physical attack merging with the spectral energy. The phantom claw ripped through the ice spikes, shattering them in an instant, and continued forward—
Straight into the chest of the first Snow Ape.
The spectral claws pierced deep, rending flesh and bone as if they were paper. The Snow Ape let out a guttural scream, its eyes wide with shock as blood gushed from its wounds.
A second later, it collapsed into the snow, lifeless.
One down.
The second Snow Ape, enraged by the death of its companion, roared and charged.
Gavin's clone didn't hesitate.
He extended his hand, channeling his earth magic. The ground beneath the ape trembled before black stone spikes erupted upward—
Impaling the beast mid-charge.
The ape let out a pained howl, its massive body convulsing as the spikes pierced through its torso. Its momentum carried it forward a few more steps before it finally slumped forward, blood dripping onto the snow.
Two down.
The third Snow Ape, wounded by the wolf's bite, knew it was outmatched. Its beastly instincts screamed for it to run.
But there was nowhere to go.
Gavin's clone moved in a blur, appearing behind the ape in an instant.
Before it could react, the clone's clawed hand lashed out.
This time, there was no phantom claw.
Just pure, unfiltered brutality.
His fingers dug into the ape's throat, ripping out its windpipe with a single, savage motion.
The Snow Ape gargled, clawing weakly at its own throat as blood spilled from its mouth.
Then, it collapsed into the snow, joining the corpses of its kin.
Three down.
Gavin watched through his clone's eyes as the battlefield fell into silence.
The wolf stood beside him, its bright yellow fur stained with blood, its eyes gleaming with primal satisfaction.
The battle was over.
And in its wake, Gavin had mastered the Claw Technique completely.
He exhaled slowly, feeling the power thrumming through his clone's body. This was only the beginning.
Through his clone's vision, Gavin gazed up the mountain, where a lone figure stood illuminated by the pale light. A wolf, its fur as white as the untouched snow, stared down at the battle below. Its eyes, gleaming like twin full moons, locked onto his clone's form.
The wolf gave a slow, deliberate nod before turning away, and vanishing into the swirling snow.
Gavin's mind raced. A WinterMoon Wolf. And not just any—this one had reached Silver Rank.
Recognition settled over him, yet it brought only deeper confusion. From the start of this battle, he had already suspected the WinterMoon Wolf Clan was behind the snow ape pack's attack. The unnatural way the apes had leaped into his valley, their desperation—it all pointed to something more than mere instinct.
But now, with his guess confirmed, he found himself even more perplexed.
If the WinterMoon Wolves were truly behind this, why was there no hostility in the wolf's gaze? No challenge, no warning—only that silent nod.
What did it mean?