. . . "GREAAARR!" The Mole Bear roared in pain; its body riddled with small holes. What Frank had done was essentially compress a Domain and launch it as a projectile, harnessing its inherent gravitational pull. The ingredients? His "Empty Mana" and a dose of "Cosmic Energy"—though he wasn't entirely aware he was using the latter. As the creature staggered, Erika and I leapt forward, clashing with it head-on while Matsuo's Shikigami gathered around him, forming a radiant sphere of sunlight. "Keep it in place!" he shouted, continuing his prayer. "Almost... there!" "GRAAARR! GRYAARR!" Erika and I fought in tandem. Though she didn't particularly like me, she moved with precision, allowing me to advance. "You're not half bad, Kireina! But watch this—Divine Wolf Claws: Maddening Tornado!" Her claws, kicks, and punches radiated blinding light. She spun midair, transforming into a whirlwind of golden winds that hurled the monster backward. BOOOM! "Impressive, Erika! You're truly worthy of the mighty Werewolf Tribe. Now, it's my turn!" "Records of the Man Who Went Against the World!" 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚 "First Form—Relentless Pursuit!" CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! Using her momentum, I pierced the monster's body with my rapier, channeling energy into the blade. "Second Form—Volcanic Rise!" I released all the accumulated power in a single burst. A violent eruption tore through the Mole Bear's arm, crippling its movement. BOOOM! "GYYAAAAA!" The beast shrieked, attempting to retreat underground. But Frank wasn't about to let it escape. "Cursed Viper Venom Ninjutsu Arts!" "Eight-Headed Cursed Viper!" He performed a series of hand signs as his Soul erupted in purple fog. A massive eight-headed snake materialized, biting into the Mole Bear and holding it in place. "SHAAAAH!" The snake—an embodiment of Frank's Ninjutsu, or Japanese Ninja Magic—restrained the beast. "Move aside!" Matsuo commanded. Erika and I jumped clear as the sphere of sunlight slammed into the Mole Bear's back. "{Divine Sun}!" BOOOMMM!!! The Mole Bear was incinerated instantly, its body reduced to ash. The blast left a massive mess across the surrounding terrain. "Wow, these things are seriously destructive..." Erika muttered, surveying the damage. "Damn, the meat smells delicious... I'm kind of hungry now." "Thanks, everyone. I'm sorry for dragging you into this fight out of nowhere," Frank said. "I had no idea one was lurking so close to where we landed." "Well, it's a job well done. Matsuo really came through with that final attack," I said with a smile. "Hey Kireina, you surprised me! You really know how to move. What kind of Martial Arts were you using?" Erika asked. "Oh, it's a beginner's style called [Records of the Man Who Went Against the World]," I explained. "It recounts the story of an ancient Chinese martial artist who awakened to his true potential. I've been studying it religiously. The techniques are flexible—you can use them with any weapon or even barehanded." "Huh, never heard of it!" Erika said. "Then again, I only learned Werewolf Battle Stances and Claw Arts from my dad. He made up his own style after living so long and passed it down to me." "Honestly, I've never seen a werewolf fight with such radiant divinity," I said. "You and your father must be truly unique." "Yeah, Dad ate a wolf god or something," Erika said with a grin. "He told me I inherited some of that power and that I can cultivate it by fighting and eating a lot." Such a simple doctrine. Werewolves seem to rely heavily on their innate abilities to grow stronger. Her martial arts are impossible for me to replicate without shapeshifting—they were designed exclusively for her kind. "You move with grace, but I thought you were more of a magician," Harumi said. "Not bad. I guess you're a hybrid like me? We vampires tend to be good at both physical combat and magic." "Yeah, I'm dual-cultivating Martial Arts and the Arcane Path," I replied. "I've learned to control Mana and intertwine it with my consciousness, but large-scale magic is still a bit out of reach." "Huh?" Frank tilted his head, completely lost. "Arcane Path?" "Frank, you taught me cultivation methods before," Matsuo said. "You don't know the distinctions between the Arcane Path, Martial Arts, Five Element Cultivation, Aura Cultivation, and so on?" "Oh, right," Frank nodded. "I just didn't realize it went that deep. That's cool. So I've mostly been learning the Arcane Path, huh?" "Yeah. We've been sparring, and I've been teaching you Martial Arts, but you're still stuck at the basics. You rely too much on your game powers, so you haven't really learned anything properly," Matsuo said. "Sorry if that was blunt—I just wanted to be honest." "No, it's fine. I get it," Frank said. "You're right. I've been leveling up, but I think it's time I take things more seriously and put in real effort." "Well, you haven't even used your full power yet, right?" I asked. "Even though it looked like you were struggling, I could tell with my Spirit Eyes that you were all holding back. You've got plenty of power left." "Haha, well, if I don't hold back, it's no fun," Erika said with a smile. "The last time we had a serious fight, we had to use everything we had," Harumi added. "We survived, but we came out stronger. We're still learning how to control all that power—it's not easy." "That's fascinating," I nodded. "Matsuo, your magic is incredible too!" "A-Ahahah! You think so?" Matsuo scratched his head, clearly flustered by the compliment. "Well, we Monks of Amaterasu call upon her divine grace to channel the power of the sun. It's no small feat, but our strongest spells are ritualistic—they take time to prepare." "That's amazing," I said. "I wish I could learn those techniques, but I might not be compatible." "Aahaha, well, if you're following the Arcane Path, you could study Feng Shui and the Ritual Magic of the Onmyōji," Matsuo said. "It's not exclusive to our clan. There's plenty of general knowledge you could find—or even purchase. I'll talk to my clan and see if I can sell you some of our books. They're expensive, though... but you're rich, right?" . . .