67. Observer

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the mountain peak was bathed in moonlight. Beneath the vast night sky, two figures stood in silence—a White Lion with majestic eagle wings and a silver-furred fox whose coat gleamed like polished metal beneath the crescent moon. 

The White Lion's fur sagged, its once-proud mane showing signs of age. Yet, its piercing gaze remained sharp, fixed on the distant battle below. The golden-furred wolf clashed fiercely with the Ice Wyvern, their spells illuminating the darkness with bursts of magic and fury. 

A quiet roar rumbled from the White Lion's throat, and without moving its mouth, a voice echoed into the mind of the Silver Spirit Fox. 

"Sarken, you called me here to protect the Earth Wolf from Raion?" 

The silver fox's mouth remained still, yet its reply resonated in the White Lion's mind. 

"Yes, Leon." 

Leon's gaze remained locked on the battle. 

"But they seem to be in the same realm. Even if the Earth Wolf is no match for Raion, it can still escape." 

Sarken's voice was calm. 

"Just watch." 

Below, the Earth Wolf's tactical mind was on full display. 

A well-timed trap sent a massive tree crashing down onto Raion, pinning the wyvern for a few crucial moments. Then, in an unrelenting assault, the wolf launched barrage after barrage of spells. 

Raion countered with Ice Breath, but the attack only served to shroud his vision in a freezing mist. That mistake proved costly. The Earth Wolf had anticipated it, setting yet another trap—obsidian spikes surged from the ground, piercing Raion's hind leg, the very limb he relied on to brace himself for battle. 

Leon let out a quiet huff. 

"Are all wolf beasts this crafty?" 

Sarken responded with a faint amusement in his tone. 

"It's called using wisdom." 

As they watched, Raion—realizing his disadvantage on the ground—took to the skies, summoning hundreds of Ice Arrows that rained down like a winter storm. The Earth Wolf fled, dashing toward the nearby forest. 

Leon's voice rang out again. 

"And now? Do you still want my help?" 

Sarken observed the wolf's movement. 

"It's heading for that small forest. If it can get inside, Raion's spell attacks will be much less effective." 

A deep "Hmmm" resonated in Sarken's mind as Leon pondered. 

They watched in silence as Raion circled above the forest, scanning for any sign of movement. Yet, the wolf had vanished into the dense foliage, leaving no trace. 

After a long pause, Leon finally spoke. 

"If I help the Earth Wolf, you owe me a favor." 

Sarken said nothing. 

Leon continued. 

"And in return, I want an Ice Spirit Fruit." 

Sarken let out a soft chuckle. 

"Still dreaming of reaching peak Bronze Rank?" 

Leon's reply was immediate. 

"Who doesn't dream of gaining more strength and extending their lifespan? If you refuse, then I'm going back to my mountain." 

This time, Sarken's voice carried an edge of intrigue. 

"Leon, listen carefully. If you help the Earth Wolf, I will not owe you a favor—but you will owe a favor." 

A flicker of curiosity passed through Leon's golden eyes. 

"Why?" 

Sarken's answer was cryptic. 

"You will understand soon enough. If I could have intervened in the affairs of the mountain's beasts directly, I wouldn't have called for your help." 

Leon studied Sarken for a moment, then shifted his gaze back to the battlefield below. 

The tension between them lingered in the cold mountain air. Leon furrowed his brow, his golden eyes narrowing in thought. He was confused, but he knew Sarken would not reveal his reason until after he had aided the Earth Wolf.

So, he simply watched.

Raion remained suspended in the sky, his eyes scanning the forest below, wary and alert. For several long moments, he made no move—just hovered in place, peering into the debris with keen, searching eyes.

Leon scoffed. "What's that stupid lizard doing? Just looking around?"

Sarken's voice, ever calm, resonated in his mind.

"He's looking for you and your pride members."

Leon's amusement faded. "Why?"

Before Sarken could answer, the realization dawned on him—an answer that sent a flicker of understanding through his sharp gaze.

"He knows what I've been doing for the past century."

Sarken confirmed it. "Besides me, a century ago, when you killed the Tyrant Bear, Gideon—Raion was the only other one who saw it happen. He watched from the sky."

Leon's ears twitched. "I killed many beasts in secret after that, yet no news of my actions ever spread. He must have feared me—feared that if he spoke, he'd be next."

Sarken shook his head slightly. "He isn't afraid of you."

Leon said nothing, his gaze returning to the battlefield.

Below, Raion launched another attack, this time with renewed aggression. A frigid wave of Ice Breath engulfed the entire forest, freezing everything in its path. Then, with relentless precision, Ice Arrows rained down, turning the once-dense woods into nothing but shattered debris.

When the ice settled, Leon's eyes sharpened, shifting into Eagle Vision to scan the wreckage. Nothing. No sign of the Earth Wolf.

Raion, growing impatient, began blasting random locations in the debris, his frustration evident.

Leon tilted his head. "Did the Earth Wolf awaken a magic ability that lets him hide underground? Or does he know some kind of spell?"

Sarken replied in his usual even tone. "How would I know? No one reveals their life-saving techniques to others."

Leon exhaled through his nose. "Looks like this battle will have no clear result."

But in the next instant, his killing intent surged like a tidal wave, his aura dark and suffocating.

Sarken's voice snapped into his mind like a whip.

"Withdraw your killing intent. If you release it now, they'll sense us—even through the illusion I've applied."

Leon clenched his jaw but obeyed, reigning in the bloodlust.

Down below, the battle took a sudden turn.

A howl of pain echoed through the night.

Leon's eyes widened slightly as Raion's wing was torn from his body.

"How?!" he muttered. "How did the Earth Wolf land an attack from Raion's blind spot?"

Sarken merely watched in silence.

Leon's narrowed eyes flicked between the combatants below, curiosity giving way to suspicion.

The Ice Wyvern's body shimmered beneath its Ice Armor, blocking blow after blow from the Earth Wolf's relentless attacks. Yet neither beast could land a decisive strike—their battle locked in a precarious stalemate.

Minutes passed, and the Earth Wolf began circling Raion in a golden blur, weaving illusions that clouded the wyvern's senses.

Leon's eyes glinted. "How can an Earth Wolf wield illusion magic?"

Sarken's steady voice echoed in his mind.

"Illusions stem from spirit power, not elemental affinity. Any creature can use them—though those without spirit-based bloodlines produce weaker effects."

Leon grunted but said nothing, his gaze fixed below.

They watched as Raion's Ice Armor cracked under the Earth Wolf's persistent strikes, failing to protect him from the smaller beast's cunning assaults. As the wyvern's injuries mounted, panic flickered in his reptilian eyes.

Finally, in desperation, Raion unleashed a blast of Ice Breath—catching the Earth Wolf off guard and sending him tumbling across the frozen ground.

But even as the wyvern turned to flee, the Earth Wolf rose once more, giving chase.

Leon's lips curled into a snarl. " Now, I want to kill that Earth Wolf."

Sarken's voice remained calm, yet a subtle edge lingered beneath the surface.

"If you do, I can guarantee your pride will be erased from existence."

Leon's ears flicked, but he said nothing.

What neither of them realized was that they were not the only ones watching.

High above the mountain peak—far beyond their vision—another observer lingered.

A three-eyed figure sat astride a green serpent with feathered wings, its scaled body gliding effortlessly through the night sky. The rider's cold, detached gaze never left the battlefield below.

Above them, a figure stood without mount or support—suspended in the air as if the heavens themselves obeyed her will.

Valerie.

She had arrived in the region a week ago, scouring the mountains for any trace of Lucaius. When she sensed the clash of magic fluctuations below, she dismissed it as the petty squabble of two lowly beasts—until her senses brushed against the Earth Wolf's aura.

At that moment, she knew.

A flicker of recognition danced in her crimson eyes.

Lucaius…

Even after centuries apart, she could still feel the remnants of his power—subtle, hidden, but unmistakable—woven into the very spirit of the beast below.

Valerie's lips curved into a smile.

"Found you."