Chapter 1372: Easier Than I Thought
In the distance, Kai could see them, two large, glowing red eyes piercing through the darkness like twin embers in a sea of black. The shadows cloaked the rest of the figure, making it impossible to see the full form, but that didn’t matter.
His instincts screamed louder than his eyes could ever see. His heart pounded. His breath hitched. His body reacted on its own, tensing up, warning him. Deep down, Kai already knew.
Kai tried to transform. He reached inward, calling out to the beast within, begging his body to shift. But nothing was working. No claws. No fangs. No surge of energy.
It felt like his body had turned against him, like it wasn’t listening anymore.
A strange, heavy pit formed deep in his stomach, twisting and pulling, weighing him down like an anchor being dragged through stone.
The red eyes grew larger. They were getting closer.
‘No, he’s here, he’s really here! And I… I can’t move at all!’
Kai’s mind raced as panic clawed at his chest. Gary had warned him about this, about the strange pressure Unzoku gave off, about the feeling of being smothered, helpless. But Gary had been the one to face it head-on last time.
Kai always thought, even if it happened to others, he would be able to resist it. That he’d be able to move the second he saw Unzoku. That he’d be able to run back and warn the others, warn them that the nightmare had returned.
He gritted his teeth and focused all his strength just to lift his hand. Slowly, it started to rise… but it shook violently, barely moving at all.
It was nothing. Less than nothing.
He understood why Gary had to fully transform just to break free from this strange grip, this suffocating force that wrapped around the mind and soul.
‘I had no idea… I didn’t realize Unzoku had this kind of power over us. This level of control… it’s terrifying. He’s far more dangerous than I ever imagined.’
Thoughts spiraled in Kai’s mind, tangled and frantic. Regret crept in fast.
Regret for not acting sooner.
Regret for thinking he had it all figured out.
‘I really believed… I thought Unzoku would leave us alone. I convinced myself he’d go after Lupus instead. That Gary wasn’t the target this time.’
He had laid out every trap, every defense, all in preparation, just in case. Just in case the unthinkable happened. Just in case Unzoku came for them.
‘I messed up. I messed up big time.’
Although the area was cloaked in darkness, Kai’s enhanced night vision still worked, just barely enough to make out the hideous, towering figure now standing in front of them.
And even if the shadows masked most of the details, the overwhelming pressure that radiated from the creature was unmistakable.
Now, both Ice and Apollo could feel it too.
They didn’t need words. Their bodies reacted instinctively.
Apollo’s muscles bulged and rippled as white fur exploded from his skin, his transformation completing in seconds until he stood as a hulking white bear, eyes narrowed and claws ready.
Beside him, Ice’s body was rapidly encased in a thick layer of frosty fur. He conjured his massive ice club in one hand and summoned an equally large ice shield in the other, ready to meet whatever came next.
They can still move just fine?
‘Wait… I’m the only one affected by this?’ he realized in a cold wave of dread.
‘Unzoku… can he only project this terrifying influence onto werewolves? Is that it? That’s why they’re not frozen, because they’re not like me!’
A surge of panic hit him like a crashing tide. He had to warn them. He had to speak before it was too late.
“Get away!” Kai shouted, forcing the words out through clenched teeth. “Head back to the manor! Tell everyone! Tell them now!”
But his warning came too late.
Unzoku had stepped forward, just a single step, and now stood within striking distance. Barely five meters away.
Both Ice and Apollo could feel the gravity of the moment. They exchanged a glance, one that said everything:
If they turned their backs now, things would only end faster. And not in their favor.
“It’s too late for that,” Ice muttered, lifting his weapon. “Looks like we’re teaming up a little sooner than expected.”
A chilling wind whipped around them as Ice raised his club high into the air. Elemental energy swirled wildly around it, an icy storm coiling and spiraling like wind laced with frost, building in power.
Meanwhile, Apollo’s hands moved quickly, rubbing together with immense speed.
The air around him dropped several degrees in an instant. Cold enough to sting the lungs. Small arcs of lightning sparked between his thick paws, crackling louder with every second.
“Let’s end this in one strike!” Ice shouted.
With a roar, he swung his enormous club downward.
At the same time, Apollo leaped high into the air, then came crashing down with both fists aimed at the ground, releasing all the built-up power.
Both of them struck at the exact same time.
The force of their combined attacks surged outward, racing along the ground in a wave of energy.
There was a tremendous crash, like the sky itself had shattered. And then, a bright blue light engulfed the battlefield. It burst forth in all directions, lighting up the entire area as if the night had been turned to day, just for a moment.
It lasted only a few seconds.
But in those seconds, the light cut through the fear. Through the darkness. Through Unzoku.
As the aftershock settled and the glow faded, Apollo turned his head, breathing heavily.
“…Did we do it?” he asked, his voice laced with hope.
“We should be cautious about it,” Ice warned, his voice steady but alert.
The blinding energy began to fade, and the chill in the air started to settle. Slowly, the battlefield returned to silence, until they saw it.
Unzoku’s massive body stood encased in a giant block of glistening ice. It looked like an iceberg had erupted straight from the ground, completely swallowing him. Frozen over from head to toe, his monstrous form was locked in a prison of frost.
For a moment, it felt like victory.
Both Ice and Apollo had grown stronger, especially in their elemental abilities. Their coordination, their power… it was something they could finally be proud of.
But just as their breathing began to steady, a voice cut through the air.
“No!” Kai screamed, panic lacing every syllable. “Don’t let your guard down! I still can’t move! He still has his power!”
The words sent a fresh wave of fear through them.
They turned back to the frozen figure, only to see a pair of red eyes glowing deep within the ice, glaring down at them.
A loud crack echoed through the night.
A jagged fracture appeared on the surface of the ice, running diagonally across the block like a lightning bolt in slow motion.
“H-how?” Ice stammered, taking a step back. “He shouldn’t be able to move at all…”
But it was already too late.
With a thunderous roar, the entire iceberg shattered. Giant shards of ice exploded outward, crashing into the ground like frozen meteors, sending chunks scattering in all directions.
And standing there, now free, was Unzoku.
Unscathed. Unbothered. Unstoppable.
A wicked grin spread across his face as he stepped forward.
“This,” Unzoku said, his voice low and filled with amusement, “is going to be easier than I thought.”
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