CHAPTER 473: THE WOLF UNLEASHED

The room fell still.

Only the faint hum of the lights and the ragged breaths of Ryan and Anya cut through the silence. Sweat soaked their clothes, their weapons slick in trembling hands. Clara shifted nervously on the bench, her wings twitching faintly as she kept her gaze locked on Nikolai.

He stood tall at the centre, his black aura spilling across the floor like smoke. A faint crimson flicker around the edges of his eyes, veins bulging from his skin.

"You’ve barely tasted a scratch," Nikolai’s deep, raspy voice echoed as he cracked his shoulders and adjusted his stance. "Shall we attempt to make more progress?"

Anya’s chest rose and fell as she glared at him, fangs exposed. "You... you’re not even fighting us seriously!? When did you become so strong?"

Nikolai smiled at her but focused on the other, someone who impressed him. Ryan didn’t have any major enhancements, just his human body and skill with the spear. He survived until now with sheer willpower.

"Haa.....haaa...." Ryan’s sweat soaked the ground, his knuckles pure white as he gripped his spear. His gaze swept from Anya to Nikolai as he grunted. "Then please show us, Nikolai, I want to be stronger!"

Nikolai’s grin sharpened. "Don’t regret it."

He exhaled, and the aura around him thickened, pressing against them like an ocean tide.

***

The air split with a sharp crack.

Before Anya could blink, Nikolai’s figure blurred from sight. Her stomach lurched, muscles tightening as she braced for impact.

The world flipped sideways as a fist slammed into her ribs. The force threw her across the mat, crashing against the wall with a hollow thud.

"Anya!" Ryan yelled, only to feel the sudden chill of claws brushing his throat.

He froze.

"Ngh?!"

The edge of Nikolai’s claws flicked his jugular; with one twitch, his life would spill out.

"When fighting monsters, protect your throat and delicate areas. Ryan." Nikolai’s calm voice came before he pulled back while smiling. "You’re dead. Lower your guard for a heartbeat, and you’re gone."

"I understand!" Ryan’s knuckles whitened as he snarled and swung his spear in a wide arc.

A ripple of wind cut across the room, but Nikolai stepped into the strike, his hand snapping forward. Wood splintered beneath his grip. Ryan barely had time to let go before the shaft shattered in two, fragments scattering across the floor.

"Don’t shout, or make your attacks predictable, Ryan!" Nikolai’s claws shot forward, raking Ryan’s chest with shallow cuts, just enough to make him bleed. "Calm your mind and avoid fighting with emotions! The monsters have advantage in this aspect!"

Ryan staggered back, gasping through clenched teeth.

From the corner, Clara gripped the bench, watching with wide eyes. Her wings fluttered nervously as she eyed the wooden weapon rack.

Anya staggered to her feet, spitting a glob of blood, her fury growing with each blow and the increasing pain thrumming in her body. Her mismatched eyes glowed, blue and red, as blood aura surged to her palms. "I won’t be tossed aside!"

Like the previous Nikolai, Anya lacked the desire and will to grow. Her strength was lower than her siblings because she awakened later, much like Nikolai.

Anya darted forward like a wild beast using her werewolf bloodline.

Her fist snapped forward with a punch, releasing a streak of sharp, condensed frozen blood aimed at Nikolai’s chest. "Oh?" His eyes opened wide, as Anya used both Selene and Lunaria’s blood arts without pause... No, she fused them!? His mind raced with delight and thrill.

The attack hissed like a snake, lancing at him in a spear of crimson frost.

Nikolai caught it mid-air as his skin tore, his aura boiled around the frozen blood and melted it into a warm, delicious treat which he drank.

Red dripping from the corners of his lips, he looked back at her.

"Good attempt." His grin was cruel. "But a little too weak."

He flicked his wrist, and the backlash of his aura slammed into Anya like a tidal wave slamming her against the floor with a bang. Her dress glued to her with sweat, breath knocked from her lungs.

"Ha...haaah...."

"Pathetic!" Nikolai’s voice cut her once again, like a heartless blade. Sharp and merciless. "You want to walk beside me, but you can’t even withstand or accept my pressure without breaking under your own weight. What happens when it’s not me? But someone who wants to kill you, to crush you?"

Anya forced herself onto her chest, crushing her breasts flat, nails dug into the mat. She glared up at him with tears blurring her vision, stubbornness flowing through her veins.

She forced herself onto her knees. "Then... I’ll stand up, I’l fight!"

Nikolai’s lips twitched, his expression flickered for an instant, then hardened. He raised his hand, gathering aura, ready to crush her once more.

However, Ryan moved first.

Despite his bloody chest, he lunged between them, broken spear in hand, thrusting towards Nikolai with a desperate strike, meant to buy time. The wood cracked against Nikolai’s palm. His claws closed, crushing the shaft like chalk. Then his knee drove into Ryan’s stomach, folding him in half with a wheeze.

Ryan flung in an arc, hitting the ground and coughing blood, but he achieved his goal.

Anya’s fists shot towards Nikolai’s exposed waist from below, her mismatched eyes glowing with raw aura.

For the first time, his stance faltered.

The blow connected with a dull, wet thud, her blood-forged knuckles digging into his ribs. Black aura hissed against her power, but not fast enough—the strike left a shallow bruise that made Nikolai’s lips curl in surprise.

"Not bad."

Anya’s chest heaved, sweat dripping down her cheek, but the fire in her gaze didn’t waver.

"I told you... I’ll fight until I collapse!"

Nikolai’s grin sharpened.

Before he could counter, Ryan staggered upright, blood smeared down his chin. His broken spear haft spun in his hands, and with a wheeze, he stabbed again. This time, his movements weren’t wild. His eyes stayed locked on Nikolai’s chest, shoulders steady, his thrust carrying the weight of everything he had left.

The jagged tip grazed Nikolai’s shoulder.

It didn’t go deep because the aura stopped most of it—but it drew blood. A bead rolled down his arm, crimson against the black flames.

The room became silent while Nikolai watched the pair with a smile. Clara gasped from the bench, her wings fluttering frantically. Anya blinked in disbelief. Even Ryan seemed stunned at what he had managed.

"..." Nikolai threw back his head and laughed.

A genuine raw guttural laugh that echoed through the training hall like thunder.

"Good... finally, you really did it. I’m truly impressed." His excitement and joy stunned the two fighters. He yanked the splintered spear from his flesh, tossing it aside. Blood dripped freely, sizzling as it hit the mat. "That’s what I wanted from you two!"

Ryan collapsed to one knee, panting, but his eyes burned brighter than before. To be acknowledged by Nikolai left him stunned, but overjoyed. Anya was no better, forcing herself upright, despite her trembling legs and the heat spreading through her body at seeing Nikolai so happy.

Nikolai’s grin faded into a wolfish smirk, his aura pressing harder until the air itself quivered. "But don’t fool yourselves. If this were real—"

He rushed forward, faster than either could track. His claw hovered inches from Ryan’s heart, his knee poised beneath Anya’s jaw. "—you’d both still be corpses."

Neither moved as sweat dripped down their cheeks.

Anya bit her lip hard enough to bleed as Nikolai pulled back, straightening himself and retracting his aura, but his eyes glowed with the same excitement.

Anya wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, glaring up at him with tears streaking her face. "You... bastard—Mmnph!?"

Before she could finish speaking, Nikolai lifted her off the ground and kissed her deeply, his tongue spreading her pearly white teeth, coiling around her tongue as she groaned into his mouth, the sweet taste of her breath intoxicating.

She resisted for less than a second, until her hands gripped his head, and she sucked on his lips, nibbling them affectionately.

Ryan coughed, clutching his chest, but he managed a ragged smile.

"I have to visit her tonight..." He thought of the woman who stole his heart. She wasn’t human, meant to be his enemy, but he understood why Nikolai insisted he grow stronger and for him to stay at her side; he needed this power.

So even though his body hurt like hell, he wasn’t mad or upset.

"Thanks brother." He was genuinely grateful, turning to leave as Nikolai slammed Anya on the floor, their kiss becoming more intense.

Like two beasts eager to copulate...

And from the sidelines, Clara’s lips parted in awe.

As she watched, her emotions switched from shock, worry, anger and now jealousy. Clara could breathe easily under his aura, like something in her body swallowed it happily, making her body energetic and full of power.

However, seeing the two kissing so passionately... Clara wanted to fight for the first time.

"That spot... I want it."