Chapter 65: The Dredfang Lycan!
Chapter 65
"The trouble is that we have detected a surge of energy just outside the clan base. According to our detection, a B ranked portal break is about to occur." The man declared, and everybody’s eyes widened in horror as they stared at him with their hearts all collectively thumping loudly.
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"A, B what?!" Ryker exclaimed as he shot up from the couch in fear, his lazy expression instantly replaced with one of pure panic.
"Yes. A B ranked portal break is about to appear right in front of the clan base, which means you all have a tough fight on your hands." The man added with a shaky gulp, beads of sweat still clinging to his face.
"We? Why us? If it’s a B ranked, then send the higher ranked Reavers down here. Why dump it on us?" Kael asked in fright, his voice trembling as he remembered freshly the horror he faced against the B ranked boss in the last gate raid.
"We are sending you down because there are no higher ranked Reavers on standby. The B rankers were sent on a raid together, the A ranked are out trying to contain a double A ranked portal break in one of the nearby towns.
The AA ranked are... no one even knows where they are. And the S ranked Reaver is also nowhere to be found. So you all are our best bet right now." The man explained firmly, and only then did the full horror of the situation dawn on them all.
"If it’s that urgent," a calm, sharp voice echoed as an individual descended the stairs, a gleaming katana in hand, his deep blue eyes scanning across the entire hall.
"Then we will do it. I will do it, with or without anyone’s help. We can’t always rely on the higher ranked. How do we expect to ascend the ranks and become stronger if we keep running from threats?" Jace asked as he stopped beside the white coat man, his presence commanding immediate attention.
"Who is running away?" Vynn asked with a wide grin, his eyes glinting as sparks of electricity began to crackle around his fingers. "I’m all pumped up and ready to destroy."
"Ah, yeah. Another battle again." Kael sighed as he got to his feet.
"Kael! Your clothes!" One of the females beside him shouted, causing Kael to glance down and realize his shirt had vanished again.
"Oh. How did it happen this time?" He blinked rapidly, earning a round of exasperated stares.
"Whether C ranked, B ranked or A ranked quests, whatever threatens the clan, I’m ready." Renzo declared boldly, his voice steady like steel.
"Yeah, I’m happy about all your sentiments." The man in the white coat said sarcastically as he clapped once. "But sentiments don’t help solve a portal break. Hurry up, all of you, before they spill into the clan."
"Yeah. That’s right." Jace muttered with a sigh before turning and walking towards the exit. The others capable of fighting quickly followed, their footsteps echoing across the stone floor.
Those who stepped outside were mostly D and C rank Reavers, each gripping their weapons tightly. The moment the fresh air hit their faces, the realization of the situation sank in deeper. A low, unsettling crackling sound filled the atmosphere, the kind that made one’s skin crawl.
Slowly, the air ahead of them twisted unnaturally. Two jagged tears appeared, widening and expanding as if the world itself was being ripped apart.
And then...
WOOSH!
BOOM!
Two swirling portals tore violently through the air, glowing with chaotic energy that pulsed like a heartbeat.
All the Reavers stood warily, their weapons held firm, their eyes fixed on the glowing rifts. Jace was slightly ahead of the others, his katana drawn and dripping with condensed droplets of water that shimmered under the portal’s light.
"Remind me." Vynn said as he tore his shirt off, revealing a lean, toned body. His hand rested on the hilt of the sword strapped to his waist, his grin stretching even wider. "What rank of beasts are we facing?"
"A B ranked break means we’ll be up against mostly C rank beasts, and then a B ranked boss. Depending on how strong that boss is, it’ll be a real hassle—especially with the fact that it’ll have a Veil." Jace replied without hesitation, his gaze locked on the growing vortexes.
The air grew colder. The ground trembled lightly beneath their feet.
And they didn’t have to wait long for the nightmare to begin.
Within a minute of the portals fully stabilizing, guttural growls rumbled out from their depths. Shadows began moving inside, and the silhouettes of beasts slowly emerged, their bloodthirsty eyes glowing as they stepped into the world.
The beasts that emerged from the portal resembled monstrous wolves walking upright. Towering at around two and a half meters tall, each beast carried the sheer presence of a predator bred for war.
And these beasts were called the Dreadfang Lycans.
Their bodies were sheathed in dense, coarse brown fur streaked with pale gray lines that glistened faintly under the light, resembling scars or claw marks etched into their hides from countless battles.
Their muscular frames flexed with each movement, thick limbs ending in elongated arms tipped with claws sharp enough to carve through steel. Those claws, a dark metallic silver, gleamed ominously as they twitched in anticipation of tearing into flesh.
Their faces were an unsettling mix of wolf and demon—elongated muzzles filled with jagged, mismatched teeth that jutted in unnatural angles.
From beneath shadowed brows, glowing amber eyes flickered like embers in a furnace, locking onto targets with unnerving focus. Their gaze alone carried the weight of killers who knew no fear.
Each breath they exhaled carried a low, rumbling growl, accompanied by a visible mist as if the air around them was perpetually cold, an unnatural chill spilling from their very bodies.
Despite their bulk, their movements defied logic. They were swift, smooth, eerily silent—when they sprinted, it was like watching a black blur slash through the air. Their padded feet barely touched the ground, covering distance in seconds with terrifying precision.
The Dreadfang Lycans moved with chilling synchronicity, trickling out of the portals like a dark tide. They snarled at the humans before them, flanking outward as if commanded by a single hive mind.
Their collective howls tore through the air like war horns, the sound sharp enough to make even the bravest warrior’s heart skip a beat.
"We are faced with these?" Aria gulped loudly as she gripped her bow tighter, her knuckles pale as she stared at the beasts that were steadily multiplying, their numbers swelling to more than a hundred.
"Whatever." Vynn said with a grin stretching across his face, his excitement shining instead of fear. He dropped into a stance, right leg sliding behind him while his weight pressed firmly onto his left foot. His gaze was razor-sharp, but the ever-present smile never faded.
His hand remained on the hilt of his sword, and the air around him began to hum as the sound of crackling electricity filled the space. His blue hair lifted faintly, strands dancing as if caught in an invisible storm.
The ground beneath him trembled in response to his growing aura. Blue electricity wrapped around his legs, hands, and sheath, sparking violently as if eager to be unleashed. The scent of ozone spread through the clearing, sharp and metallic, warning everyone nearby of what was about to come.
"Lightning Veil: Thunder Flash." Vynn whispered, his tone low and dangerous, and then...
BANG!
BOOM!
The sound barrier shattered, a violent explosion of thunder splitting the battlefield.