A Wolf's Howl, A Fairy's Wing

Chapter 433 - Erik vs mud [1/2]

The third rankers all reacted with varying levels of confusion to Erik's display of power. It wasn't just his ability to defend against a third ranker that surprised them, but also the fact that he was clearly a werewolf and, yet, had just used an Arcanist spell.

Aaron looked at his own hand with a strange frown. He was less concerned with Erik's ability to cast spells and more with the fact that he had just cast a powerful third-rank mud missile, yet failed to defeat a mere second ranker.

"What the…" Abigail muttered, equally confused but quick to place the blame on Aaron, pushing the Arcanist spell out of her mind.

"You really are useless, Aaron," she sneered condescendingly before conjuring a magic circle of her own and aiming it at Erik. "Let me show you how it's done."

Meanwhile, Naeku's uncle was similarly stunned and unsure what to think. Was this man an enemy who had kidnapped his niece, or was he the savior they needed to escape the situation? And how had he just cast a spell?

However, he wasn't allowed to ponder for long, as Erik quickly snapped him out of his thoughts when he noticed Abigail's intentions.

"Hey, old man! Wake up!" he growled over his shoulder to the werelion behind him. "I can't take them both on, especially because that bald bitch is stronger than this diarrhea man."

Erik's words shook the man out of his thoughts, allowing him to zero in on Abigail's attack before it was too late. Another sickle of grey metalwind flew at high speeds towards Erik, who was just about to be forced to defend himself, when the werelion jumped in front of it and destroyed the attack with swing of his club.

"There's a good man!" Erik grinned while focusing back on Aaron. "Like I said before, you take the bitch, I'll take the guy. Also, I suggest you stop overcharging, before it becomes the only way for you to go on."

Because the werelion's overcharging was rapidly causing his body to deteriorate, it would soon get to the point where he'd only be able to fight on by continuing the overcharge—because if he stopped, he'd simply faint instantly. And if he did continue, he'd eventually explode.

Meanwhile, Aaron was still looking at his hands in confusion, while Abigail scowled furiously and charged her next attack.

Since the werelion didn't react immediately, Erik taunted him with a grin, "Surely you don't need to overcharge, just to deal with one of them, old man? You don't want to be outperformed by a second ranker, do you?"

The werelion's brows twitched when he heard Erik's taunts, yet it did work. He closed his eyes, sighed, and quickly put his runes to rest. When it was done, he staggered a little and spat out some blood, but otherwise appeared fine.

Continue your journey with empire

His eyes gained new determination and hope as he wiped off the blood around his mouth and righted himself. "You're one annoying brat, you know that?" the man snarled without taking his eyes of Abigail. Clearly, he'd gotten Erik's number already.

"But fine," he continued while readying himself to engage with Abigail. "I'll follow your lead for now. But hear this! If you don't return Naeku when these two are dead, you'll be facing me next!"

With that said, scorch explosions occurred under his transformed feet, and he charged Abigail with a roar. Although he still had more than a few questions for Erik, he realized this wasn't the time. So long as it was understood that no amount of help could make him forget about Naeku, he was fine with worrying about the rest later.

Abigail scowled with frustration at the man's approach, and quickly began conjuring several magic circles in preparation for a tough fight. Meanwhile, Erik grinned slightly and nodded calmly, "Understood, old man."

He slipped his hammer from his shoulder down to a two-handed grip and grinned at Aaron. "So, diarrhea-man. You ready for this?" he taunted while his body sparked with the power of ice and lightning.

Finally, Aaron looked up from his hands and scowled at Erik. "You…! How dare you! It's mud, not filth!" Scowling, he raised his arms and conjured various light-brown magic circles. "Let me teach you the power of mud, and the dangers of facing a third ranker, you impudent little shit!"

Erik laughed loudly, with the bloodthirst dripping from his words. "Oh, I'm not the one dealing in shit here, you hunter trash! Now, let me show you the mistake you made!"

Erik howled with fury and excitement, before tensing his muscles and jumping into a sprint straight at Aaron. His hammer at the ready.

While he ran, his thundersnow armour appeared as an extra layer on top of his regular armour, protecting him, and enhancing his speed and reflexes. At the same time, a lightning blast began to charge on the flat edge of his hammer.

Despite actually feeling a little anxious at the mass of fur, hammer, teeth, and unknown abilities charging him, Aaron hid it all behind a dismissive scowl. "Know your place, mut!" he screamed and unleashed four missiles of mud at Erik's form.

But Erik wasn't deterred. He grinned widely and swung his hammer at the incoming attacks. Laughing wildly, he destroyed the first two by smashing them apart with his hammer, then deflected the last two by detonating the thunder blast.

Aaron's face became even more twisted in fury. He roared and conjured more attacks in a panic. Mud began to fly at Erik from all sides, but he continued to charge. Some missiles he deflected, others he destroyed, and some he blocked, but no matter what, he wouldn't be stopped.

Finally, Erik came far too close for comfort, and a panicked Aaron conjured a wave of mud to push the werewolf away. When he saw Erik become engulfed in his attack, Aaron finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Yet, it didn't last long.

Suddenly, the wave of mud began to freeze. Then it shattered.

A grinning, unharmed Erik stepped out from the other side. His ice was an extremely powerful counter to this Aaron's mud, and Aaron realized the same.

He cursed, before quickly using his third spell: mud slide. He instantly slid far away again, yet Erik was prepared. With a hint of glee, he activated lightning flash, and closed at least half the distance in Aaron's direction again.

Unfortunately, the range of his lightning flash wasn't enough to make it all the way, but it still helped a lot. Aaron was truly becoming pressured and frustrated now, because he'd used all three of his spells, yet wasn't getting anywhere.

He was already low on power due to his battle against the werelion earlier, and now a mere second ranker was matching him? He didn't understand anything anymore.

Yet, he had no time to rest, because a grinning Erik was on his way, and all he could see in this menacing werewolf's piercing amber eyes was his own death…