Chapter 401: The Price of Arrogance
The white tiger beneath Ethan’s feet was a silent witness to the scene unfolding in the distance.
Ormund’s voice rumbled low, breaking the quiet. "Ethan, I do believe we’re being ignored."
"As I can see!" Ethan’s displeasure was tangible. Was he judged to be a mere kitten or something?
Below, Uncle Jed gave the silver spear he’d been dragging a slight shake. He tucked the butt beneath his arm, the dragon-headed tip angled forward. It was a simple technique—Pathfinder’s Guidance—but in his hands, it became something else entirely. With a sudden thrust, the spear surged ahead, a silver gleam cutting through the dim light. It felt less like a weapon and more like a living extension of the man himself, hurtling toward the monster with terrifying speed.
The Pincer-tailed Sand Badger King wasn’t to be outdone. Its tail flicked sharply, a shimmer of purple light blooming at its tip. In the next instant, a vortex of wind erupted around it—the warning sign of a devastating strike. With a screech, it charged forward, its tail slicing through the air, shredding the very fabric of the void in its wake.
Ethan’s lips curled into a smirk. Powering up, are we?
"Ormund, hold steady!" he called, shifting from the tiger’s head to its broad back. As they accelerated, the shockwave shattered the sound barrier, leaving Uncle Jed a distant blur behind. From this vantage, Ethan saw the convergence of paths—Uncle Jed below, bracing for the inevitable clash. Both men had locked in, forces of nature poised to collide.
No taunts. No banter. No wasted movement. Just two auras pushed to their absolute limits—each fighter betting everything on a single, decisive blow.
Ethan’s pulse quickened, remembering uncle Jed’s bold words: "Then can you wield the spear as an extension of your will. Only then can each strike carry enough force to bring giants to their knees and split stone from the earth."
Grand words indeed, Ethan mused.
"I’ll show you what it means to be ignored," he muttered, voice low and grim. "Battle Embodiment... activate. Bear Form... Panther Form... activate. Spear, emerge."
Standing tall on Ormund’s back, Ethan called the Twilight War Spear to his hand. His body trembled with raw, untamed energy. The weapon hummed in response—an artifact attuned to destruction. Heavy Strike, Lacerate, Shred, Rake... each attack flowed into the next, a cyclone of violence building at the tip of the spear.