Moon lay crumpled against debris ten meters away, his body burned and bleeding. Steam rose from his hands where he'd channeled the evolved skill. His cloak was shredded, his face and torso covered in blood from multiple wounds.

He looked more corpse than living person.

But the aura emanating from him told a different story.

Even unconscious and dying, power radiated from Moon's body.

Kael stood frozen, his crimson eyes wide with an emotion he rarely displayed.

'How did he do it? This power behind that fireball is even greater than my own.'

As the pyromancer prodigy of the Glassy family, Kael had received the best training from the most powerful awakeners with variants of the fire mage, the finest resources, and access to techniques most awakeners would never see. His talent was recognized across the First Sanctuary as exceptional, perhaps once in a generation.

And he'd just watched someone with a lower level—perhaps even younger—produce fire magic that exceeded his own. But that wasn't the only factor, Moon had the ability to use an intermediate element, lightning, which made him terrifying.

That wasn't just a skill level up. The mana compression, the heat... he achieved perfect execution on his first casting after evolution. That's...a rank evolution.

Who is this person? Kael wondered, unable to look away from Moon's unconscious form. What kind of talent allows someone to...

The aura intensified briefly, flickering like flame caught in wind, before subsiding as Moon's consciousness faded completely.

"Don't let the bear escape!" Marcus shouted, as he sprinted towards Moon's position by a direct command from Kael.

Marcus dropped to his knee, checking Moon's condition. After a quick, and brief assessment, Marcus called out, "He's alive, but barely! Someone get a healer! NOW!"

The spear-wielding woman was already running toward them, carrying healing potions from her spatial storage. Other awakeners began moving as well, shaking off their stupor and remembering their roles.

Marcus carefully lifted Moon, trying not to aggravate the burns covering his torso and arms. Moon's face was severely burned from the point-blank detonation, skin blistered and raw. His breathing was shallow, each breath a struggle.

"This crazy bastard," Marcus muttered, carrying Moon away from the still-smoldering crater. "Using such a powerful attack at point-blank range with no mana left. He's either the bravest or stupidest awakener I've ever seen. I would rather die than experience these wounds... they must hurt like hell."

Kael watched them retreat toward the healers, his expression returning to its usual aloof mask. But his eyes shifted and locked onto the severely injured Mountain Bear that was attempting to escape through the breach in the western wall.

An emotion he'd never felt before emerged.

Moon had wounded the beast badly. To achieve his goal, the beast needed to die…by his own hands. He couldn't let it escape, that was unacceptable.

Kael's mana began flowing with purpose. A small fireball formed above his staff, then slowly expanded and contracted. Its color shifted from orange-red to deep crimson, then to streaks of blue at the core as he poured everything he'd learned, everything he'd achieved during his breakthrough, into this single technique.

It took him five full seconds to complete the construction. Five seconds of absolute concentration while the Mountain Bear limped toward freedom.

Then he released it.

The fireball traversed through the air like a small sun, leaving a scorched trail in its wake as it streaked toward the injured beast.

ROARR!!

Sensing the danger approaching, the Mountain Bear sent out a desperate signal. Dozens of weaker beasts immediately threw themselves into the fireball's path, sacrificing their bodies in a final act of loyalty to their alpha. They formed a living shield, accepting certain death to protect their leader.

BOOM!

The explosion vaporized the sacrificial beasts instantly, their bodies reduced to ash and scattered fragments. Kael's attack had been stopped, but it had cost the lives of at least ten subordinate creatures.

Kael wasn't finished. His expression remained cold and determined as he began channeling mana again, forming another devastating technique.

The Mountain Bear tried to increase its pace, desperation clear in its movements. But with one eye destroyed, one arm useless, and massive burns covering its body, speed was beyond its capabilities.

BOOM!

The second blast broke through the remaining defensive beasts, detonating against the Mountain Bear's exposed flank. The creature roared in agony, stumbling forward as another section of flesh was burned away.

Kael cast again, and again.

BOOM!

BOOM!

After the fifth casting of his most powerful technique, the Mountain Bear finally succumbed to its accumulated injuries. Its massive body swayed for a brief moment, the remaining eye dimming as life fled. Then it crashed forward, slamming into the ground with enough force to crack the already damaged street beneath it.

The beast was down. Possibly dead, possibly clinging to its final breath.

Sensing the weakness of the creature, the awakeners who'd been observing from safer positions didn't hesitate. Contributing to the death of such a powerful beast would certainly provide them with substantial rewards.

They weren't going to miss this opportunity. Only fools would pass up a chance to claim even the tiniest credit for killing an S-rank beast.

Warriors charged forward with weapons raised. Mages launched their remaining spells. Archers sent arrows into the fallen creature's body. Everyone wanted their attacks to land, to be counted among those who participated in the kill.

The Mountain Bear's body was quickly overwhelmed by the coordinated assault, dozens of awakeners pouring everything they had into ensuring it would never rise again.

[You have killed a level 25 Three-Armed Mountain Bear.]

[You have gained 1000 Lives]

The notification appeared for everyone who'd contributed damage during the extended battle. The life reward was substantial but split among so many participants that individual gains were modest compared to the beast's true value.

Kael lowered his staff, breathing heavily from the mana expenditure. Five consecutive maximum-power techniques had drained his reserves dangerously low.

But he'd secured the kill. His contribution had been decisive, visible to everyone present.

Marcus, still carrying the unconscious Moon, glanced back at the fallen beast and then at Kael with newfound respect.

"The prodigy lives up to his reputation," he said quietly to the spear woman beside him.

She nodded. "Indeed."

She then glanced towards Moon who was getting healed whilst unconscious. "But he isn't to underestimate either. Between the two of them, they saved this entire base."

Two rising stars had demonstrated their greatness to hundreds of awakeners.

Kael's eyes drifted back toward where healers surrounded Moon's burned and broken body.

The war was over.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.