Chapter 132: The end of the mane
The Apex Mane's claws gleamed like burnished steel as they reached for his throat, but Ethan had learned from their previous encounter. His pattern recognition kicked in as he identified the subtle muscle tensing that preceded each devastating strike.
There. Left shoulder drops before he swipes his claw.
He twisted aside with millimetres to spare, the creature's talons carving air where his jugular had been heartbeats before. His counterattack came instantly—a concentrated fire blast that struck the beast's already damaged left side.
SNARL!
The Apex Mane's pain-filled growl echoed through the clearing as flames licked at partially healed wounds. But this time, Ethan pressed his advantage instead of allowing the Mane any recovery time.
Water manipulation created pressurised streams that hammered the creature's scarred face, forcing it to guard its remaining eye while he repositioned for better angles.
Learning its patterns. Every movement has tells.
The beast adapted quickly, feinting left before striking right.
But Ethan had catalogued that particular deception during their first battle—his crystal hardening activated precisely where claws would land, deflecting rather than absorbing the full impact.
Prediction versus raw power. Intelligence wins.
Wind blades followed his defensive success, invisible cutting edges that carved shallow wounds across the creature's flanks. Each strike weakened it incrementally while his own injuries remained minimal.
The Apex Mane's fury mounted as its attacks met increasingly effective counters. Enhanced speed carried it through complex assault patterns, but Ethan's analysis had reduced its seemingly random movements to somewhat predictable sequences.