Chapter 1436: One on One Ice wasn’t sure if Apollo would actually listen to him or not. His words hadn’t been meant to convince him, instead, they were more like a final resolution. Something he needed to say out loud, for his own sake. Because Ice truly believed in what he said. He had witnessed Gary accomplish the impossible, breaking out of that prison when no one else could. And now, Gary faced a task even more daunting than that. If Ice could buy him some time, even at the cost of his own life, then that was a trade he was willing to make. He had spent enough time by Gary’s side to understand what kind of person he was. Helping Gary, protecting him and his people, wasn’t just loyalty. It was a choice. A choice to do something good. To make up for the debt and the mistakes Ice had carried with him from his past. “So you’ve fully transformed now,” Lupus said as he charged forward, his voice laced with disdain. “Does that mean you were holding back this whole time?” Ice met the attack head-on, swinging both of his massive clubs in a circular arc before slamming them down toward Lupus. But unlike before, Lupus didn’t try to grab or break them. Instead, he darted to the side, narrowly avoiding the strike, and slammed his fist hard against the side of Ice’s face. Without missing a beat, Lupus grabbed Ice’s arm, spun behind him, and with one of his large claw-like hands, tore into his back. A deep gash opened up. Although Ice’s body began to heal, it was slow, much slower than before. Then Lupus lifted his leg and delivered a brutal kick, sending Ice crashing backward into one of his own icebergs. “You’re brave to attempt to fight me one-on-one,” Lupus said. “Especially in close combat. That happens to be my specialty.” He cracked his knuckles, his red eyes gleaming. “A part of me wonders just how strong you’d become if I turned you. But unfortunately, I don’t have the privilege of taking that kind of risk.” Ice’s special form, that of a mythical Yeti, possessed powerful healing properties. But something was off. Whenever Lupus’s claws tore into him, those healing abilities slowed, as if something in Lupus’s attacks disrupted the regenerative process. Still, it didn’t matter to Ice. He had never expected to win this fight in the first place. ‘I just need to keep him here. Hold him off for as long as I can!’ Lupus rushed at him again, but two massive icebergs suddenly shifted, closing in from either side in an attempt to crush him. They moved fast, closing the gap with frightening speed, but Lupus braced himself, reaching out with both arms and stopping the enormous slabs in their tracks. His palms began to freeze the moment they touched the ice. Looking down, he saw Ice’s hands pressed against the ground, his fingers trembling with focus. He was drawing out every last bit of elemental energy he had left. With a grunt, Lupus tensed his muscles and shattered part of the iceberg, allowing himself to drop to the ground. “I get it now,” Lupus muttered. “You’re just stalling me… But for what? Is this whole fight nothing more than a waiting game for you?” Ice charged again, swinging one of his clubs straight at Lupus’s face. But when it connected, the figure shattered into wisps of energy, Lupus had used his Phantom Pounce to vanish. When Ice finally locked on to his opponent again, he saw Lupus reappear, clawed hands swirling with violent energy. The strike came from below, launching Ice into the air, and then a tornado of claw strikes burst forth, encircling his entire body. The attacks tore at him from every direction, left, right, up, and down, slicing through skin and fur as Ice spun helplessly in the air. He tried to counter, tried to protect himself. Drawing on every bit of power he had left, Ice attempted to encase himself in a thick barrier of ice. But nothing came. No elemental energy. No response. His fingers sparked, but his power had been drained. And then, Lupus was already above him, his fist raised high. With a devastating roar, Lupus slammed his fist down, crashing Ice into the ground with a bone-rattling impact. Dust and shards of frozen ground flew everywhere. Landing beside him, Lupus looked down. Ice was still moving, barely. His hands clawed at the ground, reaching up, trying to grab Lupus’s ankle even in his broken state. With an almost casual motion, Lupus lifted his foot and slammed it down, pinning Ice flat against the floor. Ice struggled underneath the weight, hands still twitching. As Lupus looked down at him, it seemed for a moment like he wanted to say something. His mouth opened slightly, but no words came. Instead, his eyes glowed brighter, and drool trickled from the corners of his snarling mouth. Meanwhile, Apollo was doing what Ice had told him to, running. Every step away from the battlefield tore at him. He wanted to turn back. To smash through the ice and join the fight. But he couldn’t. He knew exactly how much Ice had sacrificed to get him this far. If Apollo turned back now, it would make everything meaningless. He had already used his special trait, the one that let him heal rapidly, essentially giving him a second chance in battle. But that second chance was gone. He was running on borrowed time now. His elemental powers were weaker than Ice’s. And when it came to physical combat, even their combined strength had barely made a dent. ‘I have to reach the others… I have to find someone who can help Ice, before it’s too late!’ Apollo thought, racing through the snow-covered park. And then, a massive object slammed into the ground directly in front of him. The impact kicked up a cloud of dust and debris. Apollo shielded his face, coughing, and when the smoke cleared, he froze. Standing there… was Lupus. Still in his transformed state. Blood dripped from his fangs, his body radiating energy. “I’ve managed to get a new source of energy flowing through me,” Lupus growled, stepping forward. “So fighting against you should be much easier now.” **** **** **** For updates for MWS and future works, please follow me on my social media below. Instagram: Jksmanga P.a.t.r.e.o.n: jksmanga When news of MVS, MWS or any other series comes out, you will be able to see it there first, and you can reach out to me. If I’m not too busy, I tend to reply.