Chapter 92: Enraged Alpha
The fleeing jackals struck the barrier and recoiled as if they’d touched molten metal.
Holy fire burned their flesh wherever they made contact with Caelora’s judgment, driving them back toward the center of the clearing where Jack waited with blue lightning dancing around his fingers.
"Nowhere to run," Jack said with grim satisfaction. "Let’s finish this."
He began moving through the trapped jackals with methodical precision. Arc Blast after Arc Blast lit up the golden arena as he eliminated the survivors one by one.
The Final Edict’s continuous damage weakened them while its barrier prevented escape, turning what had been a pack of coordinated predators into helpless prey.
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
The last four jackals fell within seconds of each other, their screams echoing off the walls of divine light before fading into sudden silence.
[+10,000 EXP]
[+4 Dread Cores]
The arena held for a moment longer, its golden light gradually fading as Caelen’s spell reached its conclusion.
When the barrier finally disappeared, only Jack, Caelen, and Corvin remained standing in the clearing surrounded by the smoking remains of their enemies.
But before Jack could fully process their victory, movement in the deeper shadows caught his attention.
Something massive was approaching through the trees, its footsteps heavy enough to make the ground tremble with each impact.
The real alpha hadn’t been among the twenty-six they’d just slaughtered.
It had been watching. Waiting for them to exhaust themselves against its expendable pack.
Now it was ready to hunt.
The creature that emerged from the forest depths was twice the size of the largest jackal they’d faced. One large crack running down the center of its mask.
This wasn’t just an alpha Gravehowl Jackal. This was an enraged Gravehowl Jackal.
GRUHHHHHHHHH!
The sound that emerged from its throat was deeper than any howl.
The fear aura that emanated from its presence was exponentially more powerful than what the pack had generated, pressing down on their minds like a physical weight.
But Caelen’s Blessing of Courage still held, deflecting the worst of the supernatural terror even as sweat beaded on the priest’s forehead from the effort of maintaining his protective spell.
"Well," Jack said, blue lightning beginning to gather around both hands as he faced the true threat. "This should be interesting."
The alpha’s response was immediate and devastating. It moved with impossible speed for something its size, crossing the clearing in a single step that carried it directly toward Jack’s position.
Claws the size of greatswords swept through the air where Jack’s head had been a split second before, missing only because his agility allowed him to dodge at the last possible moment.
Jack rolled away from the follow-up strike and came up with Arc Blast already charging. "Static Field!"
The electrical web erupted outward, seeking to entangle the massive creature in the same manner that had trapped its smaller kin.
But the alpha was ready for such tactics. It leaped skyward, avoiding the ground-based electrical network entirely.
For a moment, the creature hung suspended in midair, silhouetted against the morning sky like a nightmare given wings.
Then it descended toward Jack with the force of a falling meteor.
The impact shook the entire clearing as the alpha landed where Jack had been standing moments before. Claws gouged deep furrows in the earth, throwing up clouds of dirt and shattered stone.
Jack rolled to his feet fifteen feet away, Arc Blast already charging in both hands. The creature’s speed was incredible. Even with his agility, he’d barely managed to avoid being crushed.
"Caelen!" Jack shouted as he unleashed twin bolts of blue lightning.
Both Arc Blasts struck the alpha’s flank, but instead of the devastating damage they’d dealt to the smaller jackals, the creature merely staggered slightly. Smoke rose from singed fur, but its bone mask showed only superficial cracks.
[Damage: 3,556]
[Enraged Alpha: 50% damage reduction]
[-1,778]
[HP: 3,222/5,000]
’Damn,’ Jack thought, already moving as the alpha whirled toward him with impossible speed. ’It’s tougher than I expected.’
The alpha’s response was immediate and brutal.
It lunged forward and Jack threw himself sideways, feeling claws whistle past his ear as he hit the ground hard.
But the alpha was already adjusting, its massive paw sweeping horizontally to catch him mid-roll. This time there was no escaping the attack entirely.
Pain exploded across Jack’s back as claws raked through leather and flesh, sending him tumbling across the forest floor. Blood soaked through his shirt as four deep gashes opened from shoulder blade to hip.
[-342 HP]
[HP: 164]
Jack gasped, the world spinning as shock and blood loss threatened to overwhelm him.
That single attack had nearly killed him outright. If he didn’t upgrade his stats, he’d already be dead.
"Sentence of Flame!" Caelen’s voice boomed across the clearing.
Divine fire blazed around the alpha as the priest’s marking spell took hold. The creature’s form became outlined in golden flames.
[Sentence of Flame Applied]
[All damage increased by 25% for 30 seconds]
"Radiant Heal!" Caelen followed immediately, golden light washing over Jack’s mangled form.
Warmth flowed through Jack’s body as divine magic worked to knit torn flesh and restore lost blood. The healing wasn’t complete - the wounds were too severe for that - but it was enough to keep him fighting.
[+267 HP]
[HP: 431]
Jack struggled to his feet, blue lightning crackling around his bloodied form with renewed intensity. The pain sharpened his focus, turning fear into cold calculation.
The alpha was already moving toward him again, but this time Jack was ready. Instead of trying to dodge, he planted his feet and raised both hands.
"Static Field!"
The electrical web erupted outward. The alpha found itself caught in the center of a crackling cage of blue lightning.
[Static Field Activated]
[Movement speed reduced by 75%]
The massive creature’s charge slowed to a crawl as thousands of volts coursed through its nervous system.
Its roar of fury became a strangled growl as the Static Field disrupted its coordination.
Jack didn’t waste a single second.
’Switch class to Lightning Mage now!!’
CRACK!
CRACK!
CRACK!
Blast after blast, Jack repeatedly used Thundershock!
[-2,779 HP]
[-2,779 HP]
[-2,779 HP]
[Enraged Alpha: 50% damage reduction]
[-4,168 HP]
The creature’s bone mask began to show serious cracks.
Smoke rose from multiple impact points while the Static Field continued to burn at its nervous system.
[Congratulations, you have slain an enraged beast!]
Slowly, the alpha’s bone mask exploded into fragments as lightning tore through its skull and into the brain beneath. The creature convulsed once, its massive form shuddering as electrical death coursed through its nervous system.
Then it collapsed, smoke rising from the blackened crater that had been its head.
Silence fell over the clearing. Only the sound of heavy breathing and the distant crackle of dissipating electrical energy broke the sudden quiet.
Jack swayed on his feet, exhaustion and blood loss finally catching up with him. The fight had pushed him.
Corvin landed on his shoulder with a satisfied croak, dark blood staining his midnight feathers but his eyes bright with triumph.
Caelen approached slowly, divine energy still radiating from his staff as he maintained readiness for any additional threats.
But no further enemies emerged from the forest depths. The pack was finished, their alpha dead, their territory claimed by those who had proven themselves stronger.
[All Enemies Defeated.]
[Total EXP Gained: +67,500.]
[Level Up!]
[You are now level 20 (29,910/35,000).]
[Reward: 26 Dread Cores.]
[Reward: 1 Enraged Dread Core.]
[Quest Complete: Aid the Refugees.]
[Rewards: +20 Stat Points, +10 Strength.]
[Hidden Quest Complete: Cull the Pack.]
[New Title Earned: Pack Hunter | Effect: +20% damage vs. pack monsters.]
[Congratulations you have reached level 20.]
[Milestone reached!]
[Reward: Dual Class System Unlocked]
[You may now equip and maintain two active classes simultaneously]
Jack’s eyes widened so much, his eyes would have fallen out of their sockets if they could!
Dual classing meant he could access both Arc Mage and Lightning Mage abilities at the same time. Or he could keep Spearman on just to keep his spear work up.
"This changes everything," Jack muttered, already planning how to optimize his new feature.
But before he could fully process the milestone reward, another notification materialized with urgent priority.
[ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS COMPLETE]
[Territorial displacement detected in the local ecosystem]
[Gravehowl Jackals are not native to this region]
[Assessment: Pack was driven from their primary habitat by a superior predator]
[WARNING: Unknown apex threat remains in the region]
[New Quest Available: Territorial Investigation]
[Objective: Discover what drove the Gravehowl pack from their natural habitat]
[Reward: ???, +10 Stat Points, One Rare Skill Tome]
[Accept Quest?]
[YES] or [NO]