Declan's form flickered, and he once again became a streak of black shadow. The Dark Magic Power inside him erupted at full force, and he instantly burrowed deep underground, concealing even his presence. At that moment, the Night Veil Profound Mystery's ability to hide his presence reached its peak. Only a faint ripple of Dark Magic Power could be sensed deep beneath the ground, as he waited for the perfect moment to launch a sneak attack.
Meanwhile, as an earthen-yellow glow completely enveloped the Earth Violent Bear, the wounds on its forepaws healed at a visible speed.
It roused its formidable spiritual power and forcibly resonated with the earth beneath its feet. More and more Earth Element gathered from below, continuously pouring into its body to replenish the energy it expended in battle.
As the strongest Sanctuary Beast in the area, the Earth Violent Bear was only one step away from Godlevel. Its understanding of the Earth Pulse Profound Mystery had already reached its peak. Combined with its formidable spiritual power, it could sustain this level of high-intensity combat for a full day and night.
In a place as resource-poor and perilous as Gobada, few Sanctuary beings could endure such a prolonged, continuous battle. This was one reason the Earth Violent Bear could hold its ground in the region, with no one daring to provoke it lightly.
However, Barn's strength had also become vastly different from before.
Although he had only just begun to grasp the Water Element's Circle Softness and Water Body Technique Profound Mysteries, the boost they gave his combat strength was very real. With his original strength as a Tiger-pattern Warrior as a foundation, even the slightest improvement brought a qualitative leap.
After all, although a Tiger-pattern Warrior's body was not as strong as a Dragon Blood Warrior's or an Undead Warrior's, it was by no means weaker than that of an ordinary Sanctuary Beast. Now, after transforming, Barn's physical strength was only a little weaker than Declan's.
A white figure darted through the cave, seeming to split into countless shadows. With the aid of the Round Soft Profound Mystery, Barn pushed his speed to the limit, constantly circling the Earth Violent Bear without engaging it head-on. He focused on wearing it down with hit-and-run tactics.
The spear in his hand, Mist Hidden, quivered lightly from time to time. Every thrust was perfectly timed: after piercing the Pulse Armor, he immediately pulled back, giving the Earth Violent Bear no chance to retaliate. Little by little, he drained the energy protecting it and added more tiny wounds to its body.
The Earth Violent Bear was gradually losing its temper.
It clearly remembered their first fight. Back then, whenever the Tiger-person tried to hurt it, he had to trade injuries and give everything he had. But now, the other side could briefly withstand its Pulse Impact without being hurt, and could easily keep moving around it, constantly causing trouble and leaving tiny wounds. The disparity filled its heart with growing fury, and its roars grew more and more savage.
Just as the Earth Violent Bear was about to unleash all its strength and use a large-scale Pulse Impact to finish off Barn once and for all, the ground suddenly shook. A black shadow burst up from below, moving as fast as lightning—it was Declan, who had been lying in wait for a long time!
Declan seized the instant the Earth Violent Bear's attention wavered. His sharp Dragon Claw, wreathed in dense Dark Magic Power, stabbed viciously toward its abdomen—the area where its Pulse Armor was relatively weak, and one of its vital points.
With a ripping sound, the Dragon Claw pierced through its Pulsing Defense and sank deep into the Earth Violent Bear's abdomen, leaving a gaping wound. Blood gushed out and stained the ground.
But Declan paid a price as well. Though the Pulse Armor on the Earth Violent Bear's abdomen had been pierced, the lingering vibrations traveled along the Dragon Claw to his wrist. His dragon scales split in an instant, blood burst from his wrist, and bone showed faintly beneath the wound. A sharp pain shot through him.
Having landed his blow, Declan did not linger. He knew full well that the Earth Violent Bear's counterattack was coming.
He endured the pain in his wrist, turned, and quickly retreated.
The Earth Violent Bear whirled and swung its paw. Three enormous boulders appeared out of nowhere and hurtled toward Declan.
But Declan's form suddenly blurred. Then, he shifted sideways three meters, narrowly dodging the attack before diving underground.
The Earth Violent Bear roared in pain and fury, its deafening cry shaking the cave. It stamped its massive foot, sending a powerful Earth Element tremor spreading underground in an attempt to attack Declan through the earth.
But Barn had already seized the opening. He thrust his spear forward, and icy-blue magic power gathered into a sharp spear-light aimed straight at the Earth Violent Bear's eyes—its only weakness. The bear had no choice but to abandon its attempt to attack Declan and hurriedly raise its paw to block the lethal strike.
Barn took the opportunity to retreat, putting some distance between himself and the Earth Violent Bear. He stared gravely at the powerful foe before him, deep in thought.
The creature had clashed with him and Declan again and again. Clearly, it saw them as thorns in its side. If they did not deal with it for good, they would surely face even more trouble in the future.
Barn was no pushover either. By now, he was considering killing the beast to eliminate the threat once and for all.
But the situation left no room for reckless action. Even though both he and Declan had made considerable breakthroughs, and together they could hold their own against the Earth Violent Bear, they still had no certainty of killing it.
The Earth Violent Bear's recovery and stamina were terrifying. The longer the fight dragged on, the worse things would become for them.
Of course, Barn had one other option: use the Water Element Forbidden Curse, "Absolute Zero."
The Forbidden Curse's terrifying power could freeze the Earth Violent Bear's body in an instant, temporarily disabling its Pulse Armor. Then, Barn and Declan could seize the chance to attack together, giving them a strong chance of killing it and ending their feud once and for all.
But this option carried enormous risks. They were in Gobada, where the Water Element in the air was dead and sparse, far weaker than on the Yulan Continent. To cast the Forbidden Curse, Barn would need much more time to prepare. In that time, the Earth Violent Bear could seize the opportunity to inflict a crippling injury on him.
Besides, casting the Forbidden Curse would consume vast amounts of magic power and spiritual power. Even if they succeeded in killing the Earth Violent Bear, he and Declan would be left utterly weakened. If other Sanctuary beings drawn by the noise of the battle then set their sights on them, all their efforts would be wasted—and they might even lose their lives.
Gobada was no place for a feud driven by pride. Survival was the only rule.
In the end, Barn quickly shared his thoughts with Declan through Soul Transmission. They had fought side by side for a long time and were already perfectly in sync. In just an instant, they reached an agreement: retreat for now and abandon the idea of killing the Earth Violent Bear. They would return and settle the score once they were stronger and had absolute confidence of victory.
Once their decision was made, Declan was the first to flee underground, using the Night Veil Profound Mystery to conceal his presence and deny the Earth Violent Bear any chance to track him. Barn, meanwhile, flickered and flew upward. His Tiger-pattern Warrior speed surged to its limit as he broke through the rock above the cave and reached the surface. He then flew close to the ground, using obstacles for cover as he made a swift escape. He and Declan fled in different directions to split the Earth Violent Bear's attention.
But just as the two were about to leave the Earth Violent Bear's range of perception, thinking they could escape safely, an overwhelmingly powerful force suddenly descended from above and instantly enveloped both the man and the dragon.
The force was cold and overwhelming, brimming with a powerful restraining effect. Their bodies went rigid at once. Both their magic power and their movements became exceptionally difficult, as if invisible shackles had bound them tight. Even breathing became hard.
Then a clear, melodious woman's voice, carrying a hint of authority that brooked no refusal, rang directly in their minds, breaking the silence around them. "Don't leave yet. Let's be friends."
Before you continue