Lunar Legacy: Rise Of The Beastlord-Chapter 69: Change of rules

The air buzzed with tension. Silence hung like a blade before the drop. Jayden’s breath came out in controlled exhales, his heart steady despite the atmosphere thick with anticipation. Every beast in the clearing—scores of them, from lean E-Rank to bulky D-Rank, stood still in a crescent around the stone-scarred battleground, encircling the open space like spectators in a gladiator ring.

The Winter Wolf also remained unmoving, she didn’t attack or.. do anything.

She just stood, poised, her glowing blue markings pulsing faintly with restrained energy. The cold wind tousled her snow-white fur as her sapphire eyes glared down at Jayden, unreadable.

Jayden, flanked by the tension of a hundred stares, raised an eyebrow as she suddenly turned around and walked away.

"What...?" he muttered, watching her stride back toward her icy perch flanked by the two enormous D-Rank Howlers.

"Is the fight cancelled or something?" he whispered.

[I don’t think so] Luna echoed faintly. And just Immediately, the two Howlers beside the Winter wolf moved.

They stepped forward, muscles rippling beneath thick, shadowy fur. Their jaws carried an unfriendly malice, and their eyes burned with focused hate.

Jayden’s brow furrowed; this wasn’t the one-on-one duel he had anticipated. "Guess she’s not gonna fight fair."

Luna’s voice echoed in his mind, calm yet tinged with concern. [She’s testing you, Jayden. Gauging your strength before committing herself. And perhaps, in her eyes, this is retribution for your earlier actions against her pack]

Jayden’s jaw tightened. He had no choice but to face the challenge head-on.

Drawing upon his inner reserves, he used the partial lycan transformation to morph only his arm. His hands shifted, fingers elongating into razor-sharp claws, brown fur sprouting along his forearms, muscles bulging with newfound strength. His Beastlord Aura flared as well, a shimmering haze of dominance and power.

Around the clearing, lesser beasts whimpered and cowered, sensing the formidable presence. Yet, the two Howlers remained unfazed, their focus unwavering.

They moved like shadows—fast, like black bolts fired from twin crossbows. Their claws gouged deep into the ice as they charged down the slope, teeth bared, eyes glowing with icy wrath. Snow kicked up behind them in streaking flurries, and their roars shattered the hush like war drums.

Jayden didn’t flinch. He exhaled, steam curling from his lips.

Then... he bolted.

His feet cracked the frost beneath him, launching forward like a missile wrapped in flesh and fury. Muscles surged, claws gleaming in the twin moonlight. The first Howler pounced high, a swirling arc of death with frost-tipped fangs leading the charge—

Jayden met it midair.

Their bodies collided like freight trains. Bones cracked. Ice exploded. Jayden twisted mid-flight and elbowed the Howler in the ribs, sending it careening into a tree with a thunderous...

THUMP—

Branches split, bark shattered, and the beast crashed into the snow in a stunned heap.

Jayden landed, only for the second Howler to appear out of nowhere and slam into his side like a battering ram. The impact launched him across the clearing.

CRASH!

He bounced once, twice, finally skidding to a halt, tearing a trench in the frost-bitten ground. Blood dripped from his lip.

He spat.

"Okay... that hurt."

The second Howler charged again, maw wide. It roared, and this time—a blast of freezing air erupted from its mouth. It was going to use the frostbite howl.

Jayden’s eyes widened. He tried to evade, but he was too late.

The shockwave hit like a winter storm, laced with pure cryokinetic force. Jayden raised his arms to block, but the air sliced across his skin like frozen razors. His breath hitched as the cold pierced straight through his muscles, trying to lock his joints, trying to freeze his blood.

He roared back.

And in that instant, his claws ignited. His Beastlord Aura flared.

With a savage snarl, Jayden lunged through the howl—and struck.

Claws met fur. Blood arced in midair like crimson ribbons. He slashed across the Howler’s face, then ducked a wild swipe and countered with a brutal uppercut that sent the beast flying skyward.

But at that moment, the first Howler, now recovered, leapt in from behind.

Jayden twisted mid-spin, but not fast enough. The beast’s claws raked across his back, tearing into skin and muscle. He hissed, his feet staggering back.

His arms trembled. Blood soaked into the frost. He was already taking hits—brutal ones.

Luna’s voice burned in his mind. [Jayden. You need to transform again or you’ll get overwhelmed]

He gritted his teeth. "No... I want to try and win this without any boost."

The two Howlers growled, circling like wolves sensing blood.

Jayden cracked his neck. "I can still handle this... I should be able to."

He dropped low—his body humming with power. His pupils thinned. Instinct sharpened like a blade.

And then—he vanished.

The Howlers blinked.

Too slow.

Jayden reappeared above them. He came down like a meteor.

KRAK-THOOM!

He drove his knee into the skull of one, slamming it into the ground so hard the earth shattered beneath the impact. Frost cracked. A crater formed. The other tried to leap onto his back—too predictable.

Jayden flipped backward mid-air, grabbed its leg and swung it in a brutal arc—slamming it into its brother’s downed body.

The ground shook.

Both D-Rank Howlers groaned.

Jayden stood over them, chest heaving, claws steaming in the cold air.

But they didn’t stay down.

Growling... the Howlers began to rise again, their wounds frosting over rapidly, regenerating.

Jayden was shocked, he knew that the Howlers were Betas to the Winter wolf. But he didn’t expect them to develop some of her characteristics.

First their usual sonic howl was modified into a frostbite howl... and now they were healing using cryo-force. That wasn’t a normal feat.

[They’re syncing with her cryo-aura!] Luna explained. [As long as they’re in her presence, their abilities are amplified and their bodies stay supercharged] freeweɓnovel.cѳm

Jayden scoffed. "And here i was.. holding back from using a boost of my own."

The Howlers were now fully recovered and ready to strike, they moved in a coordinated motion, circling Jayden like vultures.

Then... they charged.