Fierce Rebirth

"And now, the final battle begins… or one of them," said that mysterious voice again, one that did not belong to the writer, who also served as the narrator of the story.

The narrator, annoyed by the interruption, exclaimed:

"Hey, you! Who are you?"

But the voice responded lightly, almost mockingly:

"I've got to go. See you later. I don't want to spoil anything for the readers and listeners. Bye, bye!"

The writer frowned, feeling his patience slip away.

"Who is this guy? I'll have to figure it out," he muttered to himself, irritated by the idea that someone else was interfering in the story he was telling—or narrating.

He took a deep breath, trying to regain control of the narrative.

"Oh well, let's return to the moment when everyone asked: And who are you?"

Suddenly, from the glow that had absorbed the energy unleashed by the powerful Zeus Ray, a figure began to emerge. It wasn't particularly large, but its features made it unmistakable. This being had pointed ears like those of a white wolf, gloves resembling wolf claws, adorned with vertical blue stripes—one for each finger. Its silvery, short, frosted hair shone with an inner light that seemed to adapt to the surroundings. It wore a kind of long white hooded coat, embroidered with golden engravings that resembled ancient letters. Its wide pants were a dark grayish color, and its boots mimicked wolf skin, also decorated with vertical blue stripes, though clearly designed as functional footwear rather than something organic.

Its eyes were the most striking feature: completely blue, radiating pure energy that obscured both the pupils and the sclera. Its youthful face, similar to that of a 13-year-old teenager, was marked by an elongated diamond on the forehead, surrounded by four crescent moons pointing toward the center. Additionally, it wore crescent-shaped earrings hooked to its ears.

It stopped before the group with a confident posture and said in a calm yet imposing voice:

"You missed me. I've come to save you."

Everyone heard its voice and recognized it immediately. Some exchanged surprised glances, convinced it was Agent B-12.

"No," the being replied, shaking its head as a calm but firm expression settled on its face.

Before anyone else could speak, Gat intervened, pointing to a nearby container where the motionless body of Agent B-12 lay, connected to several devices emitting faint blinking lights.

"If you ask me, I think the guy is right," Gat said, his tone pragmatic but filled with certainty. "Agent B-12 is over there."

The group turned their gazes toward the container, where they could indeed see the agent in a coma, surrounded by technology attempting to keep him alive. The confusion on their faces was evident: if it wasn't him speaking, then who was this mysterious being before them?

Others questioned, bewildered:

"But how is it possible to hear his voice in this being?"

The newcomer turned to them, removed his hood, and revealed his wolf-like ears and the distinctive marks on his forehead.

"It's Podbe," Leila said, recalling the similarities to the canine before his death at the hands of Zeus.

Some murmured in astonishment:

"Wow! It's the dog, and he has Agent B-12's voice!"

"Yeah, something like that is what my brother said," Drake commented, crossing his arms.

But Billy, unable to contain himself, exclaimed:

"Now you're a furry! Little dog!"

The being let out a brief but deep laugh, shaking his head.

"No! Nothing like that, boy. I'm something much better."

Then, adopting a serious expression, he looked upward, toward where Zeus floated high above the cave, observing them intently.

"First, I must take care of something," he said as his body began to radiate pure, celestial energy.

"How dare you interfere with my purification?" Zeus roared, his voice echoing like thunder that shook the walls of the cave. His gaze burned with divine fury as he pointed at the newly arrived Podbe. "This is the last time you meddle with my plans, cursed dog."

With a swift motion, Zeus descended and stood before the reborn Podbe. His imposing figure radiated power, and his eyes gleamed with celestial light. He looked at the being with disdain before asking:

"What are you? But it doesn't matter… I will destroy you, and then I'll finish off the rest. I've already killed you twice; doing it a third time won't be a problem with the new power I possess."

An evil smile crossed his face as he threw a punch directly at Podbe's face. However, to everyone's surprise, Podbe seemed to anticipate the attack and moved with superhuman agility. Zeus's fist grazed past his cheek, striking only empty air behind him.

"How is this possible?" the onlookers murmured, incredulous at what they were witnessing. No one had ever dodged an attack from Zeus, much less with such ease. Even the general, from his strategic position, watched in amazement as another blow from the false god completely missed, passing by as if Podbe were an evanescent shadow.

"That's impossible!" Zeus shouted, enraged. He increased the speed of his attacks, unleashing a flurry of punches that cut through the air with a thunderous roar. But not a single one touched Podbe. It was as if the being could read every move Zeus made before he executed it.

"How can this be? I have already killed you once, damn dog!" Zeus bellowed, his frustration growing with each failed attempt.

In response, Podbe simply yawned, displaying an unsettling calm.

"If that's all you've got, this is going to end faster than I thought," he said in a tranquil yet confident voice.

Without warning, Podbe clenched his fist, enveloped him in bluish energy, and began unleashing a series of devastating blows. Each impact resonated like thunder, striking Zeus in the face and chest with relentless precision. Finally, with one last powerful punch, he sent Zeus flying through the air, shattering several rock walls upon impact.

"That was incredible, Podbe!" Maria and Elena exclaimed, still processing what they had just witnessed. However, their expressions soon turned thoughtful. "But then, where is Aiden?"

The three, along with Leila, decided to investigate the spot where the body of the Galactic Wolf had previously lain. Upon arrival, they found only scattered remains of bones and organs, with no trace of Aiden. Using Leila's telekinetic powers, they began carefully moving the fragments, searching for any clues. But they found nothing.

"We should ask Podbe in his new form," Elena suggested, cautiously approaching the being. However, before she could speak, Zeus's deafening roar echoed once again through the cave.

The god emerged from where he had fallen, floating toward Podbe with wounds that were already beginning to heal rapidly.

"How dare you strike a god?" he bellowed, his voice vibrating with contained fury. "No one can harm me! I have already told you all, but it seems you don't understand, cursed animal, nature's experiment."

With lightning crackling around his fists, Zeus charged at Podbe, launching a direct attack toward his chest. Just before the blow connected, Podbe raised his arms to block it. Though the impact pushed him several meters back, he remained steadfast, showing no signs of weakness.

"Not bad," Podbe commented with a confident smile as he slowly lowered his arms. "But you're still weak. Your attacks lack sufficient strength."

With a fluid motion, Podbe sent Zeus flying through the air once more with overwhelming force, hurling him back to the spot where he had fallen earlier.

"Podbe, do you know where Aiden is?" Billy asked, approaching the canine curiously. Before he could respond, a bolt of electricity struck the ground in front of him, causing an explosion that illuminated the entire cave with a blinding flash.

As the smoke and dust began to clear, everyone watched in astonishment: Podbe stood motionless, without a single scratch on his body. His figure glowed with a bluish energy that seemed to protect him like an invisible shield.

"What… impossible?" Zeus murmured, his face contorted with disbelief and fury. "I think I'll need to increase my power a little more. Just enough to finish off this guy… I'll raise it to 25 percent," he said through gritted teeth, his voice heavy with determination. An energy enveloped his body, charging him once again.

With a deafening roar, Zeus lunged toward Podbe at the speed of lightning. The air vibrated in his wake as he ran, his fists crackling with electrical energy. But Podbe did not retreat; instead, he also charged at his opponent with supernatural agility.

The collision was brutal. Zeus threw a direct punch toward Podbe's head, an impact so powerful that it shook the entire area. The cave walls trembled, and those present felt the shockwave of the blow raise goosebumps on their skin.

"Did you hear that?" Megumi murmured, looking at Akira with wide eyes. "If that's 25 percent of Zeus, I don't even want to imagine what he'd be like at 100."

"Don't worry, Podbe won't lose," said a familiar voice that echoed from the shadows. Everyone turned in surprise to see who was speaking. It was Aiden, accompanied by Reia. Both looked serene, as if they already knew the outcome of the battle.

"Don't worry, he won't lose this time," Reia added, her tone firm yet calm as she exchanged a knowing glance with Aiden.

As they spoke, Podbe slowly rose to his feet, brushing off Zeus's fist with disconcerting ease. A confident smile spread across his face as he stared directly at his opponent. It was as if the blow had only fueled his inner energy.

"He won't lose because he's on another level," Aiden and Reia continued in unison, their voices resonating with an almost mystical conviction. "He is something beyond our understanding. He has become a Universal Wolf."