CHAPTER 148: POWER OF A CHTHONIX (2)

The Winter Wolf stood like a ghost made flesh—majestic, silent, and radiating cold so intense it seemed to crack the very air. Frost curled from her breath as she padded forward, every step leaving behind jagged blooms of ice. Her blue-lined fur shimmered under the bruised twilight sky, and her eyes... piercing, glacial orbs, locked onto the Chthonix with primal fury.

Jayden grinned, his lips curling up into a wicked smile. He knew the Winter wolf would appear sooner or later, he just didn’t know when.

She had been in the area ever since Jayden’s battle with the first Chthonix. But she didn’t intervene, she just watched.

Jayden had also sensed her presence after taking down the E-Rank Chthonix. At first, he was surprised to see her all the way in Ruby city. But then he noticed that the beasts in the forest all surrounded her in a respectful manner, and then he understood... She had claimed the title of Alphq once again. But in a different forest.

It was clear that the beasts of this forest saw her as queen and submitted to her. But the way she looked at the Chthonix, it was as if she had a grudge with it.

Jayden’s deduction was that the Chthonix didn’t submit to the Winter wolf, and she, being C-Rank demanded submission from all weaker beasts.

And right now, she was there to make it submit... or make it sorry it didn’t.

The Chthonix roared, wrenching against its frozen prison. The earth cracked beneath its bulk, but the frost held strong. With a final wrench, it shattered the ice around one leg, preparing to lunge. But the Winter wolf was already in motion.

A blur of white and wind slammed into the Chthonix with chilling force.

BOOM.

The impact knocked the beast sideways, sending a cascade of frozen shards flying in every direction. Jayden barely shielded his face as the blast wave rolled over him, the temperature dropping like a stone. The Winter Wolf lunged again, her claws coated in glacial energy, slashing across the beast’s flank and leaving deep, freezing gashes in its rocky hide.

The Chthonix howled, steam rising as its molten blood met the freezing cuts. It swung its tail, but the Wolf danced back, weightless and fluid, frost trailing behind her like a comet’s tail.

Jayden forced himself to sit up, ignoring the stabbing pain in his ribs. The Winter wolf glared at him, telling him to stay back.

He coughed. "No shit..."

Still, watching the Wolf work was like witnessing poetry written in battle... efficient, savage, beautiful. But even Jayden could see the truth: the Wolf wasn’t here to make the beast submit. She was there to eliminate it for good.

Having witnessing it’s extraordinary abilities, she knew if the Chthonix were to reach C-Rank, it would cause problems for her. She couldn’t let that happen.

The Chthonix’s eyes blazed red-hot, burning through the frost. It bellowed, shaking off chunks of ice and stone, and charged the Wolf. They collided in a blur of fang and claw, horn and frostbite.

Jayden saw the two beasts battle it out in the clearing. The Chthonix couldn’t shrink anymore due to the Winter Wolf’s freezing aura. And it’s body matter manipulation wouldn’t work for some time due to exertion.

The Winter wolf could take it down on her own, no need for him to get involved.. yet. He still planned to take the finishing blow for himself so as not to miss out on the exp gain.

The Winter wolf was busy dealing with the Chthonix, freezing and slashing it’s skin as it roared in endless pain. She was simply toying with it. Even the beast knew... this was no ordinary predator. This was an Alpha. A C-Rank queen that commanded the forest’s respect.

It was terrified.

But it still wouldn’t submit. It refused to.

Chthonixes were beasts of great power, said to command respect and hold pride of their own. It was why they never moved in hordes or packs... they were too prideful to submit to one another.

And the Chthonix here was no different. It had pride. But here, a puny wolf was trying to make submit to her. How dare she?

It couldn’t accept that. It wouldn’t.

Fueled by rage, pride and the determination to survive, the Chthonix let out a loud roar, one that shook the entire forest.

And then... it began to change.

Jayden watched as the Chthonix’s stony hide began to quiver, cracks spiderwebbing across its body. Molten light seeped through the fractures, pulsing like a heartbeat.

"Oh, you’ve gotta be kidding me," Jayden muttered. He’d read about this in the articles. The Chthonix was a beast of mystery and great power. And unlike other beasts that had physical and physiological resemblance to the basic animals of earth, the Chthonix was different.

It was why Jayden wanted the ability of a Chthonix. So he’d be able to display multiple abilities without been questioned. Because even the scientists haven’t fully discovered the true power of the beast.

Their kind was rumoured to have originated from the earth’s core. Which explains their earthly attributes and their ability to adapt to matter and size. But the scientists argued that the Chthonix still had one more attribute. Magma.

Since the earth core was full of lava, it only made sense that Chthonixes would have a body texture similar to that of volcanoes. And this proposed a new evolution term for the Chthonix. The beast experts called it... their True form.

The transformation was grotesque. The Chthonix’s front limbs splintered, reshaping into massive, clawed arms. Its hind legs thickened, its stance shifting as it rose onto two legs, towering over them like a demonic golem forged from volcanic rock. Its once-brown hide turned black, veins of magma glowing beneath its skin, its maw splitting wider, jagged teeth dripping molten saliva.

The Winter Wolf snarled, her frost-laden breath curling in the suddenly superheated air. Even she hesitated... this wasn’t just a desperate beast anymore.

This was a monster fighting for its pride. For it’s life.

Jayden exhaled sharply. The Chthonix had assumed it’s true form. It had now become more powerful and dangerous. The Winter wolf might be able to go toe to toe with it but... it would take a lot of strength and endurance to bring it down.

Jayden knew he had to do something. He couldn’t let the Winter wolf fight the Chthonix alone.

Without hesitation, he whispered. "Activate Partial Lupine form."

For a split second... he felt pain, fire. Then the shift.

His body convulsed as the transformation surged through him. Bones cracked and reshaped. Muscle tore and regrew. His flesh rippled as fur burst from skin, his fangs elongating, his vision sharpening, his heartbeat syncing with something ancient and wild.

His partial lupine form stood tall, his hybrid frame darker, leaner, more vicious. His wounds healed instantly, his golden eyes glowing like molten gold in a storm.

"Alright, you defective dinosaur. Time for round two," he growled, voice guttural and hungry.

The Chthonix had overpowered him once. But now it had two predators to contend with.

And Jayden was done holding back.