Jimmy and Henry had been deployed into one of the more unusual parts of the dimension known as Ztheu. The moment they arrived, the difference in environment was clear. The ground beneath them was dark, almost black, like it had been scorched over and over again. Even then, faint heat still rose from the surface, seeping through cracks in the burnt soil and small stones scattered around.
This wasn't like the snowy plains, the thick forests, or the high mountains others had been placed in. This place was different.
It had structures.
Buildings stood around them, some tall, others small, spread across the area in uneven clusters. The walls were darkened, just like the ground, as if they had all been through the same fire. Parts of the structures were broken, but most of the frames still held. Roofs sagged, windows were gone, and doors hung loose, but the buildings were still standing.
It looked like a town.
Or what was left of one.
A burnt, silent town with no signs of life.
Jimmy and Henry were still dealing with the after-effect of the teleportation when they noticed each other. The dizziness hadn't fully gone, and their movements were slow as they tried to steady themselves.
"hell no…" Henry blurted out, his voice low but clear.
Jimmy turned his head toward him, confused. He pushed his large frame off the ground, using one hand for support as he stood upright.
"What?" he asked, frowning slightly.
Then he looked at Henry more closely.
"You don't like that I'm paired with you?" he added, his tone carrying a hint of irritation.
Henry shook his head lightly as he got up as well, brushing some of the dirt off his clothes before looking directly at Jimmy.
"This is unfair…" Henry said, pointing slightly as if trying to make the situation clearer.
"Me and you, being paired together while the other two are together," he continued, his voice carrying frustration more than anger.
Jimmy frowned, his face tightening as he tried to follow what Henry was getting at.
"They both have the ring… an enchanted ring. And both of us have none. They're together, which means they have the advantage, and we're here with nothing," Henry said, finally laying it out plainly.
That was when it clicked for Jimmy.
Lucius had given Gavalich and Clifford a magical ring before the tournament. Not something ordinary, but something that could boost their strength in a fight. It wasn't a small advantage. It mattered. And now, the two people who had those rings ended up together.
Meanwhile, he and Henry had nothing.
The plan back then had been simple. Even if they didn't get a ring, they would at least pair with someone who had one. That way, the strength would be balanced. But that didn't happen.
Now it was just the two of them.
No support.
No enhancement.
Just their base strength.
Jimmy exhaled slowly, his annoyance still there, but he didn't argue.
"Forget it," Henry said, shaking his head. "There's nothing we can do about it now. We just have to move and get out of this place."
Jimmy nodded once. That part, at least, made sense.
The place already felt wrong.
Too quiet.
Bang!
Thud!
A sudden crash came from one of the nearby buildings.
Both of them reacted instantly.
Their bodies stiffened, and they turned toward the direction of the sound without hesitation.
Jimmy's eyes narrowed as he stared at the building.
"What do you think that was?" he asked, his voice lower now.
Henry didn't take his eyes off the structure.
"Heck, I'm standing right here with you… how am I supposed to know?" he replied, his tone sharp but controlled.
They didn't move.
Didn't step forward.
Didn't step back.
They just watched.
Then—
A sound came from inside the building.
Low.
Rough. A growl.
It didn't sound human. It sounded like something else. And very much aware of them.
"That's surely a bea—" Henry didn't get to finish his words.
The roof of the building exploded outward.
Debris came crashing down in a violent burst, chunks of wood and stone flying in all directions. There was no warning, no pause. Just impact.
Henry and Jimmy reacted on instinct.
They moved at the same time.
Each of them pushed off the ground and jumped in opposite directions, their bodies cutting away from the center just as the debris slammed into where they had been standing. Dust kicked up immediately, spreading into the air in a thick cloud.
Even with his large frame, Jimmy moved fast enough. His landing was rough but controlled, his feet sliding slightly on the scorched ground before he steadied himself.
A second later—
Something dropped from above.
Hard.
It hit the ground right in the middle of their previous position with enough force to crack the surface beneath it.
For a moment, it stayed low.
Crouched.
Still.
The dust swirled around it, making it hard to see clearly.
Henry narrowed his eyes, trying to focus through the haze. Jimmy did the same, his muscles already tensed, ready to move again if needed.
Then the sound came.
Low at first.
Then clearer.
Chewing.
Tearing.
Wet.
The kind of sound that made the meaning obvious without needing to see it.
Something was eating.
Right there.
In front of them.
As the dust slowly began to settle, the shape became clearer.
A figure.
Dark-furred.
Large.
Its body hunched over something on the ground as it tore into it without restraint. Its snout was long, shaped like that of a wolf, and its claws dug deep into whatever it held beneath it. Blood covered its mouth, fresh and thick, staining the fur around its jaw as it fed.
Jimmy's eyes locked onto it.
Henry didn't speak.
For a brief moment, both of them stayed still, their bodies tense as they took in what they were seeing.
Then the creature stopped.
Its movements slowed.
And it lifted its head.
Slowly.
Its eyes shifted.
Locked onto Jimmy.
Its teeth showed as its lips pulled back slightly, blood still dripping from its mouth.
Now it wasn't just feeding.
Now it was aware.
And it had chosen its next target.
The creature suddenly rose to its full height, standing on two legs that looked nothing like a human's. They were thick, bent slightly backward, and covered in dark fur that ran across its entire body. Its frame was large, built for power, not balance, yet it held itself steady with ease. Then it lifted its snout toward the sky and let out a long, piercing howl, the sound echoing through the burnt town and bouncing off the hollow buildings.
'Is… is that… a werewolf?' Henry's mind raced, the thought forming fast but without certainty.
He didn't get the chance to confirm it.
The creature moved.
Without warning, it lunged at Jimmy. It started on two legs, fast and aggressive, then midway it dropped forward, its hands slamming into the ground as it shifted into a four-point stance, gaining even more speed as it closed the distance between them.
Jimmy saw it coming.
His eyes widened for a split second, but that was all the hesitation he allowed himself.
Then he moved.
Not backward.
Not to the side.
Forward.
He pushed off the ground hard, his body surging ahead to meet the attack head-on. The force of his charge built quickly, his weight and strength carrying him straight into the beast.
They collided.
Hard.
A dull impact echoed as Jimmy's body slammed into the werewolf, stopping its momentum mid-charge. The creature's feet dragged against the ground as it was pushed back, its claws scraping against the scorched surface.
For a moment, they struggled.
Then the difference showed.
Jimmy overpowered it.
In raw strength, he had the advantage. That was what he was built for. That was what his cultivation had always focused on. Power. Direct and overwhelming.
He didn't waste that advantage.
His fists came down immediately, driving into the creature's body with force. Each strike was heavy, pushing the werewolf back step by step as it tried to regain control. The blows landed one after another, simple but effective, forcing the beast to react instead of attack.
But the creature wasn't passive.
Not for long.
In the middle of the exchange, its claws moved.
Fast.
Sharp.
It slashed across Jimmy's arm, the impact cutting through his motion and forcing his hand open as the attack connected.
The werewolf didn't pull back.
Instead, it pushed forward.
Its jaws opened wide, stretching unnaturally as it lunged in and bit down hard on Jimmy's right shoulder. The sound was sickening, flesh giving way under pressure as its teeth sank deep.
"Arhh!!"
The cry tore out of Jimmy without control, loud and raw, echoing through the empty town. His body tensed, muscles locking as pain shot through him.
"Get away from him!" Henry shouted, his voice sharp as he raised his hand.
A ball of qi formed instantly in his palm. It was compact, dense, shaped like a small stone, but the energy inside it was unstable, vibrating slightly as he threw it forward.
The qi ball cut through the air and struck the werewolf squarely on its back.
For a split second, nothing happened.
Then—
"Boom!"
The impact triggered an explosion.
It wasn't large, but it was concentrated. The force spread directly across the creature's body, pushing against it with a sudden burst of power. The werewolf reacted immediately, its jaws loosening as the pain forced it to release its grip.
It let go of Jimmy.
A strained cry escaped it as it staggered slightly.
Jimmy stumbled backward at the same time, one hand flying to his shoulder. Blood flowed freely from the bite, soaking into his clothes as he tried to steady himself, his breathing uneven but controlled enough to stay on his feet.
The werewolf didn't stay down.
It turned.
Slow at first, then fully, its attention shifting from Jimmy to Henry. Its eyes locked onto him, filled with anger now, its body lowering slightly as it let out a deep, threatening growl.
Henry didn't hesitate.
Another qi ball formed in his hand, this one slightly larger. He swung his arm forward and released it, sending it straight toward the creature.
At the same time, his left hand lifted.
On his palm, a tattoo appeared.
An eye.
The moment it became visible, something changed.
A gust of wind burst outward from his palm, strong and sudden, pushing forward with force. It caught the qi ball mid-flight, accelerating it, guiding it with precision as it shot directly toward the werewolf.
The creature opened its mouth again, preparing to roar—
The qi ball went straight in.
Then—
BOOM!
The explosion came from inside.
The force tore through the werewolf's head, ripping it apart from within. Flesh and bone shattered outward, the impact violent and final. The creature's body remained upright for a brief moment, frozen in place, before it lost all strength.
Then it dropped.
Heavy.
Its body hit the ground with a dull thud, half of its head gone, motionless.
Henry rushed over to Jimmy the moment the creature dropped, his steps quick but controlled as he closed the distance between them. Jimmy was still on his feet, though barely steady, one hand pressed firmly against his shoulder where the bite had torn into him. Blood seeped through his fingers, thick and steady, but he wasn't collapsing, and more importantly, the wristband hadn't activated.
That alone told Henry enough.
Jimmy wasn't out yet.
He was still in the fight.
Henry grabbed his arm lightly, checking him in a glance.
"You're still good," he said quickly, his tone firm. "It didn't trigger the band."
Jimmy nodded once, his jaw tight from the pain, but he forced himself to stand straighter.
"I'm fine… just move," he muttered.
Henry didn't waste time.
"We have to get out of here," he said, his eyes already scanning the surroundings, the burnt buildings, the broken streets, the silence that had returned a little too quickly. "I have a bad feeling… that wasn't the only one."
Jimmy didn't argue.
This time, he didn't question it.
He simply followed.
They moved fast, cutting across the open space and heading straight into one of the nearby buildings. The structure looked unstable, but it was still standing, and right now, cover mattered more than comfort. They slipped inside, stepping over broken wood and scattered debris before stopping deeper within the building, where the shadows were thicker.
Henry slowed down, listening.
Nothing immediate followed.
But that didn't calm him.
"If we stay hidden for a while, maybe Clifford and the rest will be able to track us," he said, lowering his voice as he leaned slightly against the wall, still alert.
Jimmy adjusted his stance, keeping pressure on his wound.
"According to Sir Lucius, the rings can trace each other," he said.
He paused.
Then added, "But we don't have one."
Henry shook his head slightly.
"No… Clifford doesn't need the ring," he replied. "He can track people with his ability. That's what we're counting on now."
There was a brief silence between them.
Both of them understood the situation.
They weren't in control here.
They were waiting to be found.
And hoping nothing else found them first.
"I just hope we can stay lucky long enough…" Henry added quietly.
Boom!
The explosion came suddenly, not too far from where they were hiding.
The sound shook the building slightly, dust falling from the ceiling as both of them snapped their heads toward the direction it came from.
That silence they were relying on—
Was gone again.