Chapter 80 - Forming Core

{Astrea's POV}

Astrea clicked her tongue in disapproval. She was angry that Ying Zhu didn't listen to her advice. But at the same time, she was surprised by the strength he showed during the fight.

She had just returned from the cave and saw the whole thing, starting from when Ying Zhu chased the dark wolf. At first, she thought she would scold him for going into the middle of the forest, where she had told him not to go.

However, Astrea knew that Ying Zhu only wanted to hunt the dark wolf and didn't mean to step into this area. Then, she saw the small bear already behind him, about to attack.

She was ready to step in and save him, but she stopped herself. She wanted to see what her new brother could do. Watching him fight, she realized her decision was right. Though the madness he showed shocked her, his power was strong. She was glad her Master had gained another strong Soulbound, like her and Sylvan.

Astrea still wanted to scold Ying Zhu, if only because his recklessness had almost cost him his life. She was angry at how careless he had been, charging into a fight he couldn't win.

Meanwhile, the mama bear, knowing her son's killer had escaped, searched the area, her eyes scanning for the culprit. It wasn't long before she spotted a humanoid figure in the distance. With a roar of fury, she charged, believing the figure to be her son's murderer.

"You almost killed yourself, rushing into a fight with an enemy you couldn't handle! Did your ego swell just because you beat a monster stronger than you? ls that it?"

Her cold gaze bore into her brother, while Ying Zhu could only hang his head in silence.

Roar!!

Before she could continue, the deafening roar of the mama bear interrupted her. Astrea's irritation flared as she turned her icy gaze toward the charging bear. The bear's momentum faltered under her predatory stare, but its grief-fueled rage pushed it forward, determined to avenge its son.

Astrea, however, didn't care about the bear's motivations. She had no idea the small bear Ying Zhu killed was its child. All she knew was that this bear had interrupted her and had almost taken her brother's life. A sinister idea sparked in her mind, and a devilish smile curled on her lips.

"Perfect! You're the perfect example for my brother."

Astrea turned to Ying Zhu, who started trembling as soon as she said his name.

"Listen here, Ying Zhu. The next time you disobey me, this is what will happen to you. Watch closely."

She placed Sylvan, who had been frozen in fear of her the entire time, down on the ground. Without waiting for Ying Zhu's response, Astrea began walking calmly toward the charging bear.

Ying Zhu looked up, confused, watching his sister's every move. Sylvan, too, stared wide-eyed, knowing what was about to unfold would leave a lasting mark on both of them. It was a scene they would never forget, etched deeply into their minds as a haunting memory.

The sight of the massive bear rushing toward the seemingly frail and beautiful Demi-Human Wolf might have resembled something from a dramatic tale, but what was about to happen was far from a drama.

The mama bear, filled with grief and rage, charged forward but then noticed that the one approaching her wasn't the killer of her son. However, this realization didn't stop her fury. Without hesitation, she lashed out at Astrea, her massive paw swinging with all its might toward the fearless figure before her.

Astrea, her expression cold and unbothered, watched the incoming attack with no sign of fear. She remained calm, her sharp eyes fixed on the bear, as if the beast's powerful strike was nothing more than a mild inconvenience. Her confidence never wavered as the enormous claw neared her.

Just as the bear's paw was about to make contact, a wormhole materialized in front of Astrea, swallowing the paw entirely. The mama bear blinked in confusion, unsure of what had just happened. The force of her attack seemed to have vanished into thin air.

Another wormhole instantly opened up behind the bear, and to its shock, its own paw emerged from it, now aimed directly at its unprotected back. The bear roared in confusion and pain as her own attack turned against her.

"Hmm, you are really a special class monster. This will be good as you can last longer."

Astrea muttered calmly as she watched the confused bear continue its assault. Despite her confusion, the mama bear pressed on, her rage blinding her judgment. She swung her other paw at Astrea, determined to land a blow, unaware that the same trick was about to be used against her.

Once again, a wormhole opened just in time to intercept the attack, but this time it sent the bear's paw through another wormhole, emerging at a different part of her body. The bear's claws ripped into her own side, adding yet another wound to her growing collection. Her confusion only deepened, but the pain and humiliation fueled her anger further.

As her frustration and rage grew, the bear's stats increased, making her stronger and faster, but even with this newfound power, she still couldn't touch Astrea. Unlike Ying Zhu's madness, which made him more dangerous, the mama bear's berserk state was not enough to close the gap between her and Astrea. No matter how hard she tried, her attacks continued to be redirected, harming her instead of her opponent.

The bear's power boost only served to quicken her downfall, as every strike she threw was turned back on her. Deep gashes appeared all over her body, blood pouring from the fresh wounds. Yet, with her sanity completely gone, she continued her relentless assault, driven only by instinct and rage, unaware that she was slowly killing herself.

Before long, the once mighty bear met her tragic end. Her body, covered in deep cuts and gouges, collapsed to the ground. Astrea had deliberately avoided hitting her vital spots, allowing the bear to suffer the full consequences of her own attacks. It was a slow, painful death, one wrought by her own fury and lack of control.

The bear's bloodied corpse lay lifeless on the ground, a grim sight. Her fur, once thick and powerful, was now matted with her own blood. Deep, jagged wounds covered her back, sides, and legs, the result of her own strikes. The beast's massive body was now a shell of its former self, beaten and bloodied by her own hands.

The deaths of the mama bear and her child were nothing short of tragic. The child, young and innocent, had fallen to Ying Zhu's madness, while the mother, in her grief and rage, had met an even worse fate. Blinded by her desire for revenge, she had unknowingly sealed her own doom, dying not at the hands of her enemies, but by her own strength. It was a bitter end for a creature who only sought to protect her young.

All this time, Astrea stood there calmly, watching the entire scene unfold without the slightest change in her expression. Her cold gaze followed the bear's every move, as if the tragic death was nothing more than an inevitable conclusion. There was no hint of pity in her eyes, only a calm acceptance of the outcome she had orchestrated.

Sylvan and Ying Zhu, however, felt quite differently. They had witnessed the bear's attacks land on its own body, and a chill ran down their spines. Astrea's earlier remark had painted a vivid picture in their minds, and they couldn't help but imagine themselves in the bear's place. The thought of facing such a fate at Astrea's hands terrified them. They trembled, not just from the sight of the carnage, but from the realization of what their sister was capable of.

Despite everything, they cast a sympathetic look at the lifeless bear. Though it had been an enemy moments ago, they couldn't help but feel a twinge of pity. The bear had died tragically, not from another's power, but by its own hand, driven to madness by grief and rage. The two couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that it could have been them under Astrea's cold gaze, meeting a similar end.

The two quickly realized that antagonizing their eldest sister was no longer an option. After witnessing the brutal display of power, both Sylvan and Ying Zhu silently vowed to stay in her good graces from now on. The sight of the bear's tragic death was enough to convince them that crossing Astrea was a mistake they would never make.

As they reflected on the situation, both couldn't help but feel a strange sense of relief. Compared to Astrea, their Master seemed much kinder, far more understanding. They both sighed in unison, thankful that their Master wasn't as terrifying as their eldest sister. In their eyes, he was a beacon of kindness, especially in contrast to the cold and merciless Astrea.

Astrea, however, remained unaware of the thoughts running through her brothers' minds. If she had known what they were thinking, their brief relief would have been short-lived, and they would've truly experienced what it meant to taste hell under her wrath.