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"BOOM!!"
Like the toll of a great bell, the impact echoed across the area.
The figure in the sky plummeted like a shooting star, slamming into the ground with the force of a cannonball. The impact sent up a massive cloud of dust, splitting the earth violently and hurling chunks of mud in every direction.
"What happened?"
The golden-haired boy stepped back two paces to avoid the splattering mud, frowning in displeasure.
"Be careful, Beo."
A calm but unusually serious warning came from his Master behind him.
"Eh, a strong one's here. Is that what this means?"
Hearing that, Beo didn't look disappointed. Instead, his mood brightened.
"So this is happening, huh."
As the dust cleared, a boy emerged from it.
He scanned the scene, letting out a sigh that carried no emotion at all.
"Oh! What a beautiful Elder Brother!"
The golden-haired boy's eyes sparkled as he suddenly lavished praise on the newcomer.
"Elder Brother, what brings you here? You seemed to fall from the sky just now... amazing, Iya!"
He spoke with extreme enthusiasm, trying to engage Ryoji in conversation.
But Ryoji ignored him completely. Pulling his legs out of the mud, he shifted his gaze to Aozaki Aoko behind Beo.
Her body was barely intact... only a deep gash along her side revealed the white of her ribs.
"Can… you move?"
"This… level of injury… is nothing… don't hurt at all!"
Aoko's expression was stiff, a forced smile barely pulling at her lips.
It was obvious she was pretending to be fine.
Her left hand was pressed against the bleeding wound along her side... a serious injury by any measure.
"Elder Brother, don't ignore me! Could it be that this human woman is your companion?" The golden-haired boy pouted in displeasure but remained eager to talk to Ryoji.
"Move back. Leave this to me."
Ryoji still didn't acknowledge him and instead turned his attention to warning Aoko.
After being ignored twice in a row, Beo's expression darkened slightly.
"…Tch."
Aoko felt frustrated.
Here she was, on what could very well be the battlefield of the final showdown, yet all she could do was stand aside and watch.
Still unwilling, she had no choice but to slowly retreat.
"Be careful. This kid's off."
"Noted."
Ryoji cast his cold gaze toward the enemy.
His eyes were sharp and indifferent, but the golden-haired boy barely reacted. Seeing that Ryoji had finally noticed him, the slight displeasure on his face quickly melted away, replaced by excitement.
"Aiya, Elder Brother, you finally paid attention to me!"
"You're annoying."
"…Huh?"
The golden-haired boy's smile faltered slightly.
"I said you're annoying."
Ryoji repeated calmly, his expression icy.
"Don't you see I'm busy? You keep bothering me... again and again. Could it be that you're a dog?"
Dog? Who? Me?
"Ha ha… don't joke around, Elder Brother…"
Beo's eyes narrowed sharply, his smile twisting into something dangerous. An imposing aura radiated from him, making one's heart shiver.
"Pissing me off isn't something you can laugh off!"
Golden flames surged from his body.
The white down jacket vanished from his frame, his gloomy face obscured by the flames... and when it reappeared, it was the striking visage of a Vanargand.
It was a golden wolf.
Every strand of fur shimmered with a divine golden glow. Even while lying still, its posture was as graceful and noble as a spirit or elf born of the world itself.
Divine. Noble.
Untouchable, beyond profanation.
From his entire body, an aura of awe-inspiring will radiated, one that could move the soul itself.
"…Is this for real?"
Aozaki Aoko leaned against a tree trunk, eyes wide, staring at the golden wolf.
"A werewolf… and a golden one at that… This shouldn't even exist in the modern world!"
"Be careful, Ryoji! That's a legendary fantasy-class werewolf! A golden werewolf, on the same level as monsters from mythology!"
She urgently shouted a warning to Ryoji.
Werewolves were creatures of legend.
Even an ordinary werewolf is already a Devil Beast that surpasses normal beasts. In modern times, they almost never appear in the human world. Only a very few powerful Magecraft practitioners could possibly raise one.
Silver-furred werewolves already belong to the realm of fantasy species... a class above Devil Beasts. They are extremely rare, even for Magecraft masters.
A golden-furred werewolf, however, completely surpasses human comprehension.
Such beings are far beyond human understanding. Even in ancient times, they were incredibly rare. In the modern era, they are practically extinct.
According to legend, the chief of a werewolf village would rarely exceed a silver wolf. A golden wolf might not appear even once in hundreds or thousands of years.
"You've gained a bit of insight, huh."
Aozaki Touko appeared about ten meters beside her.
She didn't look like she intended to engage in combat... merely standing there, arms crossed, with a tone of faint admiration.
"Beo is a mutant, essentially a fleeting echo of mystery itself. But because of that, his strength cannot be underestimated."
Aoko gritted her teeth.
She knew exactly how dangerous this was.
Even Alice facing this golden wolf would almost certainly end in instant death... not because of lack of skill, but because the level of mystery was far too different.
After all, Magecraft practitioners merely manipulate mystery, whereas a fantasy-class creature is a direct embodiment of mystery itself. Facing such a being is like trying to fight with the opponent's own power... it's utterly foolish!
Low-grade mystery colliding with high-grade mystery would only be crushed like cream.
"But his opponent this time isn't very compatible with him!"
Aozaki Aoko's face turned cold as she glared at her.
Thinking that brought her some comfort.
"…Perhaps."
Touko lowered her head.
Aoko's words sounded like bravado, but Touko knew they weren't... they were fact.
On the field:
"So, not a dog after all."
Beo lay there calmly.
He lifted his head, expecting to receive the awed praise overflowing from those around him.
Any Magecraft practitioner would treat him with a reverence akin to worship, regarding him as the original and supreme embodiment of mystery... without exception.
"It's a husky."
You had to admit... it was true.
The golden wolf's resting posture strongly resembled a husky.
Once that thought crossed Ryoji's mind, no matter how noble Beo was supposed to be, he suddenly didn't seem lofty at all.
Beo nearly ground his teeth in frustration.
A husky? His noble werewolf self... legendary, a fantasy-class being, an incarnation of mystery itself... reduced to being compared to some clumsy, timid, lowly dog?
"I think I'm starting to dislike Elder Brother!"
The golden wolf's gaze turned feral. The gentle demeanor had vanished entirely, replaced by a fierce, murderous intent brewing in his eyes.
"If you piss me off, Elder Brother, you'll see what happens!"
In an instant... It was like a burst of streaming light!
(End of Chapter)