Chapter 12: The Trap

The night was dim... but the earth was ready for slaughter.

From between the branches, Ashen watched the Bear King crawl slowly toward the valley. His steps were heavy, but confident, as if nothing in the world could threaten him.

In contrast... dozens of eyes were lurking.

A pack of hyenas, driven by the scent of blood and leftover flesh, began to move toward the same valley. Their cries pierced the air, their fangs glinting under the moonlight.

The ritual began.

The bear appeared before them like a wall of fury.

He paused for a moment... then roared.

Blood Roar.

A red aura burst from his throat, a primal scream that froze the hyenas for seconds. The air trembled, the earth quaked... and some of the hyenas fled immediately.

But the hungry ones... advanced.

They charged like a flood, claws digging into the ground, fangs ready to tear.

But the king was no prey.

He was the executioner.

His fur began to glow... blood-colored, wrapping him like a liquid shield. The blood-furred armor, his natural defense, absorbed the first bites without a trace.

Then... he raised his fist.

Bear King's Fist.

A bloody aura erupted from his hands, as if flames of blood ignited around his wrists. The killing intent radiating from the blow made even some hyenas retreat without being touched.

One strike... and three hyenas were crushed at once.

Screams filled the air.

But the king did not stop. Every movement was a storm. Every roar was a tremor.

Hyena halves flew, their bones shattered, blood splattered like red rain.

Within minutes... what was meant as an ambush, became a massacre.

Hyenas torn apart. The ground stained. Trees shook.

In the end... the king remained standing.

Breathing heavily. One eye injured, shoulder bleeding. But his body still stood like a mountain.

"Now…" Ashen whispered from behind the rocks, "Now's my chance."

---

The first arrow flew. Poisoned.

It struck the bear's shoulder.

The second... hit his back.

The third... his neck.

The bear roared again, this time not in threat, but in pain.

Ashen saw him spin his angry eyes. Then he moved.

The hero fled... leading him to the traps.

The bear gave chase, moving fast despite his wounds. Blood flowed... but his body refused to fall.

The first trap: a pit.

He partially fell in, then pulled himself out, but lost much momentum.

The second: falling rocks.

They landed on his back, wounded him, shook him, but he kept running.

The third: a net.

It held him briefly. He tore through it violently, but his leg was cut.

Each trap... drained his strength, increased the poison's effect.

Until they reached the final trap.

A deep, camouflaged pit. As he leapt to catch Ashen... he fell.

The ground exploded beneath him.

He struck bone spikes. Blood gushed.

Ashen approached, holding his spear, staring at the bear still roaring through the pain.

But he wasn't dead.

On the contrary... he jumped from the pit.

Slowly, heavily, but he leapt.

---

The battle began.

Clash of flesh and blood, mind and instinct.

Ashen fired arrows, threw his spear, dodged, dived, lunged, using every technique he knew.

He activated Iron Skin to block a blow, thrust his spear into the shoulder, spun away to run, then returned like a shadow to stab from behind.

But the king was no ordinary beast.

He used Bear King's Fist again. It nearly knocked Ashen unconscious. The air itself seemed to become blades around the strike.

Devastating blows.

Kicks that could shatter hills.

His roar... still shaking the forest.

The fight lasted minutes that felt like hours.

Blood... painted the earth.

Ashen staggered, then rose. His poison began to take slow effect inside the bear. The blows weakened, but remained deadly.

Ashen nearly severed one of the bear's legs... and was slapped aside so hard he nearly blacked out.

He thrust his spear into the bear's chest... and the king bit off part of his shoulder.

A massacre.

A war between beast and shadow.

Between one born to rule... and one trying to reclaim what was stolen from his blood.

In the end...

At a moment when no breath could be heard, and no eyes could see...

Ashen stood.

Trembling. Bleeding. Barely standing.

And before his feet... the Bear King had fallen, a massive body unmoving, one eye still open, staring silently.

But no longer blazing.

The roar had ended.

---

Ashen didn't smile.

He didn't feel victorious.

Only the suspicion... that what had fallen before him wasn't just a bear.

But an ancient legacy... something he would now carry forever.

And he knew... what he did tonight would never be erased from his blood.

It would reshape him.

Drop by drop.