NOVEL NEXT Chapter 170: Initial Clash
Although affected by the wolf's intimidating aura, Anerias' Blackfire Hound inched forward with Nessa's Millipede staying half a step behind it to its side. The Butterfly hovered in the air behind them. The Hellcat disappeared into the underworld energy lingering right above the ground and circled into the trees. Julius and the Mannequin also faded from view as they hid in the underworld energy.
Violina's Ice Spirit and Frost Imp flew out next to the Midnight Butterfly and hovered in the air above and behind the frontline. The three of them threw down supporting effects to strengthen the familiars or weaken the wolf.
The Ice Spirit and the Frost Imp couldn't do anything to strengthen the Hound and the Millipede. But they could do something similar to enchanting their feet and paws so that they didn't sleep on the sheet of ice they spread out on the ground to disrupt the wolf's movements.
They also tried to grow trunks of ice around the wolf's legs, but the wolf was too strong and broke free without any visible signs of effort. It didn't work, but it was still more effective than the Butterfly's attempts at weakening the wolf. The glittery dust the Butterfly spread in the air bounced off the wolf's bristly, dark grey fur.
Since it would only waste energy doing that, the Butterfly prioritized covering the Hound and the Millipede in a layer of glowing dust that increased their strength and durability.
While the other familiars prepared, thanks to the wolf waiting for them, Dukiel's Sentinel and Transformation Cube also flew out. They were a step behind the three supporters but more to the side, taking one side each.
When it was in position, the Transformation Cube shone with a silvery light for a moment as it lived up to its name and transformed. When the light faded, the finishing touches of the quicksilver-like Cube's transformation were done.
Suddenly, there were two Sentinels on the battlefield, one dull grey and one the color of quicksilver. They held either flank of the frontline.
The wolf, seemingly satisfied with his prey's preparations, drew the corners of its lips even further back like it was grinning.
Violina couldn't even see its legs move as it sprung forward, tearing apart the ice beneath it with its sharp claws and throwing up a cloud of icy dust and shards. A moment later, it was already in front of Hound, nipping at its neck with its fangs.
Black flames rose from the Hound's four paws, climbing up its legs and covering its body in a cloud of fire. The bridge of the wolf's snout was covered with wrinkles as it growled and shied backward at the flames.
They hadn't burned it or even touched it since the wolf reacted so quickly, but they startled it.
Although it had adapted to the underworld energy, evolved, and grown a lot stronger. It couldn't escape the base instinct of fearing fire, especially when it was a fire from Hell. It was a fire used by a descendant of one of the mighty figures of Hell.
It was a fire that even the beings of Hell were made to suffer under. Living beings of the world, surface or Underworld, shouldn't touch the flames.
However, the flames weren't absolute. The Blackfire Hound was a distant relative. It was young. It was an A-rank. The fire was a weakened version of the original.
Most importantly, the wolf was strong.
As soon as it realized that the flames weren't dangerous, it attacked again. It ignored the fires that charred its teeth and gums and went for the Hound's neck again, happily letting it dig its own fangs into the wolf's shoulder.
Well, the Hound tried.
Like an old pillow, dark dust billowed out of the wolf's fur when the Hound bit it. Underworld energy flooded the Hound's mouth, and it had to let go and spit it out. Even if it had toughened it out, the wolf's fur and hide were too thick for a forced bite to be worth it.
At least the wolf hadn't been able to do much more after puncturing the hound's skin. It bit and let go. Before it could bite again or maul the Hound with any of its eight legs, the Millipede had wrapped around its two foremost legs, tying them together with its body like a rope.
When the wolf tried to move again, it almost stumbled. It looked down and saw the Millipede wrapped around its legs.
One of the downsides of being too strong and having too thick and dense fur was that it couldn't sense things that were too weak. It had sensed something, but the wolf assumed it was the Hound again.
The wolf had trouble putting its weight on its legs, and its head started dipping forward.
The Hound didn't miss that opportunity. It lunged forward, aiming for the wolf's nose. The eight-legged monster was too tall for the Hound to confidently aim for the neck, even if the Millipede brought it down.
The snout, however, was easier to reach and easier to bite since it was smaller. It also didn't have a bunch of fur and underworld energy protecting it. If it could just chomp down on the wolf's snout, the fight would be a lot easier.
There was no way it would be that easy.
The wolf whipped up its head, snapping the Hound's jaws shut with a cracking sound. It continued to rise until its front body was off the ground. It tore into the Millipede with its second pair of legs.
The Millipede tried its best to hold on, but much to Nessa's horror, the wolf's sharp claws dug into the Millipede's armor and tore it away from its legs. The Millipede had several deep furrows on its body as it was tossed to the ground.
But it had done its job. The wolf was baring its chest.
The Millipede was out of the way. The Hound, while slightly dazed from the blow to its head, sank down, opening the path.
As if on cue, several thick, red lasers burst through the air right above the Hound's flames, distorting the air.