The room trembled.
Cracks raced across the stone beneath Tamura's feet.
The air itself felt wrong.
Too hot.
Too heavy.
The Rune Howler slowly released Mugen from its jaws and dropped him to the ground with a sickening thud.
Mugen hit the stone hard.
"AGH—!"
Pain shot through his body.
His shoulder was mangled.
Blood poured from the wound.
His vision blurred as he forced himself onto one knee.
"T-Tamura..."
The dark elf didn't answer.
He wasn't sure Tamura could hear him anymore.
The boy's head hung low.
Steam rose from his skin.
The tips of his hair glowed crimson.
His fists shook violently.
Not from fear.
Not from weakness.
From rage.
Pure rage.
The Rune Howler growled.
Deep.
Cautious.
For the first time since the fight began, the beast hesitated.
Then it lunged.
The Howler exploded forward.
Tamura exploded forward.
Neither dodged.
Neither cared.
The two collided in the center of the room.
BOOM!
The impact shook the chamber.
Tamura's fist smashed into the creature's muzzle.
The Howler's jaws snapped shut around Tamura's shoulder at the exact same moment.
CRACK!
Both attacks landed.
Tamura felt teeth punch through flesh.
Pain erupted through his body.
White-hot agony.
The force nearly spun him off his feet.
The beast's bite tore into muscle.
Blood sprayed across the floor.
Yet Tamura didn't scream.
Didn't retreat.
Didn't even try to escape.
Instead—
He grabbed the creature's upper jaw with both hands.
The Howler's eyes widened.
Smoke erupted from its mouth.
A horrible sizzling sound filled the room.
SSSSSSSSSS!
The flesh around Tamura's shoulder glowed orange.
The beast immediately released him.
A pained yelp escaped its throat.
The smell of burned meat flooded the chamber.
The Rune Howler staggered backward.
Its lips curled.
Its gums were blackened.
Parts of its tongue looked cooked.
Tamura's shoulder looked even worse.
Chunks of flesh hung loose.
Blood streamed down his arm.
The wound was horrific.
Then Mugen watched something terrifying happen.
The bleeding slowed.
The torn flesh twitched.
Muscle fibers visibly pulled themselves together.
Not instantly.
Not perfectly.
But enough.
Far too quickly.
"...What the hell..." Mugen whispered.
Tamura rolled his shoulder.
A wet popping noise echoed.
Then he charged again.
The Howler met him halfway.
CLANG!
Its spiked tail whipped through the air.
Tamura crossed his arms.
The impact launched him across the room.
His body smashed through a stone pillar.
CRASH!
Stone exploded.
Dust filled the air.
For a moment, everything went quiet.
Then Tamura emerged from the rubble.
Bleeding.
Bruised.
One eye swollen.
His left forearm bent slightly wrong.
The Rune Howler growled.
Tamura growled back.
A low sound escaped his throat.
Almost animal.
Almost feral.
The creature charged.
Tamura charged.
Again.
The Howler's claws tore across Tamura's chest.
SHRRRK!
Four bloody lines opened instantly.
Tamura's fist buried itself in the creature's throat.
WHUMP!
The beast choked.
Tamura grabbed a handful of orange fur and slammed his forehead forward.
CRACK!
His skull collided with the creature's nose.
The effect was immediate.
The Howler recoiled.
Its eyes watered.
It sneezed violently.
Blood sprayed from its nostrils.
Animals hated nose injuries.
This one was no exception.
The creature thrashed in pain.
Tamura followed.
Punch.
Punch.
Punch.
Each strike drove the Howler backward.
His knuckles split open.
Blood mixed with flame.
The beast finally recovered and swung a massive claw.
Tamura failed to dodge.
The strike connected directly with his face.
THOOM!
His head snapped sideways.
Something cracked.
His vision exploded into stars.
For a second he couldn't see.
Couldn't hear.
Couldn't think.
Then the pain arrived.
His nose was shattered.
Blood poured down his lips.
His eyes watered uncontrollably.
Every breath felt like knives.
He stumbled.
The Howler didn't.
It pounced.
The beast slammed him into the floor.
Stone shattered beneath them.
The Rune Howler bit down.
Tamura shoved both arms into its jaws.
Its teeth sank deep into flesh.
CRUNCH.
Tamura screamed.
"AAAGHHHH!"
Blood poured from his forearms.
The pressure was immense.
His bones creaked.
Threatened to snap.
The Howler pushed harder.
Tamura pushed back.
Steam rose between them.
The creature whimpered.
Smoke curled from its mouth.
The inside of its jaws were burning again.
Tamura roared.
The flames around his body surged.
The Howler screamed.
Its gums blistered.
Its lips split.
The smell of cooked flesh intensified.
Finally the beast released him.
Both combatants rolled apart.
Both bleeding.
Both injured.
Neither willing to stop.
Mugen watched in horror.
This wasn't a fight anymore.
It was two monsters trying to kill each other.
Tamura wasn't thinking.
The Howler wasn't thinking.
They were simply attacking.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Each time one fell.
They stood back up.
Mugen tried to rise.
Pain shot through his shoulder.
He collapsed immediately.
"Damn it..."
His shadows flickered weakly.
Not enough.
Not even close.
He looked back toward Tamura.
The younger boy was breathing heavily now.
Blood covered him.
Burns covered him.
Claw marks covered him.
Yet somehow—
He was still standing.
Mugen had never seen anything like it.
And honestly?
It scared him.
The Howler lowered its body.
Its red eyes locked onto Tamura.
Tamura wiped blood from his face.
The blood immediately began to boil away.
Steam rose from his skin.
The room grew hotter.
Much hotter.
The stone beneath his feet glowed faintly.
Cracks spread outward.
The creature noticed.
So did Mugen.
Something was changing.
The heat wasn't fading anymore.
It was growing.
Fast.
Too fast.
Tamura clenched his fists.
The flames around his arms deepened.
From bright orange—
To something darker.
Something heavier.
The air distorted violently around him.
The Rune Howler took an uncertain step backward.
Its instincts screamed danger.
Mugen felt it too.
His eyes widened.
"...Tamura?"
The boy didn't answer.
The flames continued growing.
The chamber shook.
The walls groaned.
And for the first time—
The Rune Howler looked afraid.