Valerie's sharp eyes narrowed as she confirmed Lucaius's lingering aura within the Earth Wolf. Now, all she had to do was follow him—he would inevitably lead her to Lucaius's true location.
Below, the battle took a sudden, desperate turn.
The Ice Wyvern, sensing its imminent death, burned through its life source, forcing its cultivation to peak Bronze Rank in one last desperate gamble.
Just moments ago, the Earth Wolf had been pursuing the wyvern. Now, the situation reversed in an instant as a violent surge of energy erupted from the Ice Wyvern's body. With newfound power, the beast roared and charged straight toward the Earth Wolf.
Rather than face the crazed creature head-on, the Earth Wolf kept his distance, casting spells to slow the wyvern down.
The clash dragged on for five grueling minutes—until the effects of the Wyvern's reckless power surge ran out. Its life force, completely depleted, gave way to death.
The Ice Wyvern collapsed into the snow, taking deep, shuddering breaths as the last remnants of its strength faded.
High above, Valerie watched as the battle reached its conclusion.
Then, movement.
The Silver Spirit Wolf leaped from one mountain peak to another, sprinting toward the fallen wyvern and the Earth Wolf. Meanwhile, the Ice-Winged Lion flapped its massive wings, taking to the sky to follow.
But they were not the only ones drawn to the scene.
Another figure made its move.
Far above, the silver-ranked Flying Snake dived toward the battlefield at a terrifying speed, its rider perched atop its back. It was the first to reach the Earth Wolf.
Valerie, still lingering in the sky, chose to remain hidden and listen.
Gavin's clone took a deep breath, replenishing his magic energy after his grueling battle with the wyvern.
But before he could fully recover, his senses screamed in warning.
A powerful aura suddenly appeared in the sky, growing closer at an alarming pace.
Lifting his head, he saw it—a Flying Snake, exuding the aura of a Silver Rank beast, descending rapidly toward him.
Instinct screamed at him to run, but at the last moment, he hesitated.
There was a rider on the snake's back.
A man with an extra vertical eye on his forehead.
Gavin's clone relaxed slightly.
He had no chance of escaping a Silver Rank pursuer, but there was still one option left—revealing his identity as a beast of the Statue Tribe. Perhaps the three-eyed man would hesitate to harm him.
Before the stranger could speak, Gavin's clone took the initiative.
"Greetings, sir. Do you require anything?"
The three-eyed man's gaze was cold and indifferent.
"From you? Nothing."
The wolf's ears twitched. "Then—"
"I am from the Nine Lake Tribe," the man interrupted. "I carry a command from the Eyed Council for the Statue Tribe."
Gavin's clone stayed silent, his mind racing.
"I was heading toward the Statue of Liberty when I sensed powerful magic fluctuations nearby. I arrived to find a wolf battling an Ice Wyvern." The man's piercing gaze lingered on him.
"The Dark Panther Tribe mentioned that the Statue Tribe possesses an Earth Wolf. I assume that must be you."
Gavin's clone dipped his head in acknowledgment. "Yes, my lord. That is me."
The three-eyed man's attention shifted to the corpse of the wyvern, half-buried in the snow.
"You intend to bring that with you?"
Gavin nodded. "Yes, Lord. I wish to escort it."
The man's lips curled slightly. "You'll find it difficult to carry alone. Allow me to assist."
Turning toward the Flying Snake, the man called out a single name.
"Mael."
The snake hissed and, with a gust of wind-infused energy, prepared to lift the Wyvern's body into the air.
But then—
Mael suddenly froze, its slit-like pupils dilating.
It let out a sharp hiss, turning its gaze toward the mountain peak above.
Gavin's ears twitched. He followed the snake's gaze—
There, emerging from the mist, two figures became visible.
A Silver-Furred Wolf.
And beside it—
A White Lion with Eagle Wings loomed atop the mountain, its piercing gaze locked onto the scene below.
The Silver Spirit Wolf acted as if it didn't recognize the Earth Wolf, but a voice resonated in the minds of both the Earth Wolf and the three-eyed man.
"According to the contract, the three-eyed people are not permitted to set foot on the WinterMoon Mountains."
Gavin's mind churned.
The Ice Wyvern also attacked me nine days ago—no, ten- at sunrise because he broke the contract.
If their tribe hadn't had the protection of a Golden Rank beast, they would have been wiped out. This is according to the silver-spirit wolf, Sarken, who visited last night. He informed them of the Ice Wyvern at late bronze rank.
His gaze flickered toward the Ice Wyvern's corpse.
Was it only meant to teach me a lesson?
But then—he remembered.
I killed his son. That's why it turned into a battle to the death.
While the Silver-Furred Wolf and the three-eyed man continued their silent communication, Gavin focused his magic energy on his injured side.
The fur and skin on that side were destroyed, revealing muscle burned from frostbite. Slowly, he worked to heal the open wounds, stopping the bleeding without wasting excessive magic energy.
By the time he finished tending to himself, the Silver Spirit Wolf and the White Lion had ended their silent exchange. Without another word, they turned back and disappeared into the mountains.
The Flying Snake finally resumed its task. With a gust of wind magic, it lifted the Ice Wyvern's corpse, while the three-eyed man leaped effortlessly onto its back.
Gavin followed, his steps slow but steady.
As he neared the valley, distant voices reached his ears.
His tribe members.
Did they spend the entire night waiting for me?
Spring nights in the valley were harshly cold, made worse by the five snow-covered mountains surrounding them.
But before the tribe saw him—
They spotted the Flying Snake and the floating Ice Wyvern's corpse.
A wave of cheers erupted.
There was no fear of the unfamiliar beast.
After all, Gavin's main body had been connected to his clone the entire time. The moment the battle ended, his true self had already informed the elders of his victory. The news had spread, and the entire tribe had been awaiting his return.
As they reached the edge of the mountain, the Flying Snake suddenly froze.
A sharp hiss escaped its fanged mouth.
Fear.
Without warning, it dropped the Ice Wyvern's body and backed away, wings tensed as if sensing something ominous.
The Wyvern's corpse tumbled down the mountain, rolling into the valley below.
Then, before everyone's stunned eyes—
Blood began to seep out of the dead Wyvern's body.
It did not soak into the ground.
Instead, it gathered, condensed, and compressed—forming a blood gem.
The gem pulsed as if alive before shooting toward the center of the tribe.
There, standing motionless, was a stone statue.
A statue that held Gavin's true body, sealed away.
The three-eyed man frowned deeply.
He clearly understood what was happening.
But he didn't say a word.
Even though the beast was sealed, the three-eyed envoy had no intention of making an enemy of a Golden Rank existence.
The tribal elder stepped forward to converse with the envoy from the Nine-Lake Tribe while the hunters eagerly set to work, stripping scales from the Ice Wyvern's body.
Tonight would be a feast—a grand celebration with Ice Wyvern meat.
But Gavin's focus shifted inward.
A sensation—a faint touch against his statue.
Yet, when he extended his spiritual field, he found nothing.
A chill ran through him.
Without hesitation, Gavin, still residing in his spiritual world, forced his consciousness back into his sealed body.
In the darkness of the Sealed Space, something stirred.
A pair of blood-red eyes flickered open.
The Blood-Red Bat—Gavin's true form—awoke.
And standing before him—
A young woman.
She had fair skin, flowing black hair cascading down to her waist, and deep, piercing red eyes.
Dressed in a sleek black gown, she gazed at him with a small, knowing smile.
Her voice was calm, almost amused as she spoke—
"Lucaius."