Moments before she could even plunge the fan into his neck, Azel turned sharply and deflected the attack.

CLANG!

Sparks scattered at the point of impact as steel met bone. The shockwave rippled through the air, forcing Selene to leap backward and put distance between them.

Her fan glinted under the crimson light as she adjusted her footing, with her eyes narrowing at the human who dared stand against her.

"You will regret this," she hissed.

Her calm tone barely concealed her frustration.

He had defeated eight werewolves and then taken down Vargan… the strongest Alpha in Lycas.

Even for a human, that should have drained every last drop of his energy so he was probably pushing himself to win… She would just need to take advantage of that.

The werewolf exhaled softly, masking her anxiety behind an indifferent expression.

She couldn't beat him head-on, that much she knew now but she could wear him down.

That was all she needed.

"Make me regret it then," Azel said. "Or are you afraid?"

He swung his sword downward casually, as if he was saying he wouldn't need his sword for her.

The taunt made Selene's claws dig into her fan's handle. Her teeth clenched, and her golden eyes flashed with raw anger.

"You insolent—!"

She opened her fan wide and swung it upward. A surge of air erupted around her, twisting and turning, forming into a spiraling vortex that began sucking in debris from the arena floor.

The tornado grew rapidly, winds howling like wolves as it expanded.

The spectators backed away from the edges, shielding their faces as the sheer force of the magic whipped sand and stone into the air.

Azel just stood there, watching it rise.

'Werewolves are really susceptible to ragebait,' he thought with a small smile as the roaring winds swallowed him.

Selene smirked as they were consumed by the wall of wind. "Fool. You should've taken the offer."

She dove in, her body surrounded by rushing air as she shot toward him at blinding speed.

Her claws glowed with a faint blue hue as she slashed… expecting to find him flailing inside the storm.

But instead…

He was standing still.

Azel's hair whipped violently in the chaotic winds and his cloak fluttered like a banner.

His gaze was calm though as if the raging tornado around him were nothing more than a breeze.

The clash came in a burst of sparks as her fan met his sword again.

He parried effortlessly.

"Is this all you can do?" Azel asked, his voice lowered by the wind yet still loud enough for her to hear.

Selene's eyes widened in disbelief.

'He's not even struggling.'

Gritting her teeth, she poured more mana into her spell. The tornado thickened, spinning faster, the winds compressing until the pressure distorted the very air.

The force lifted both of them higher into the sky.

Selene twisted her hands, controlling the flow of wind to push her upward faster.

Azel glanced down at the ground, which was rapidly disappearing below him, and sighed.

'I have a spell for this,' he thought.

The holy grimoire appeared in his left hand. Golden energy flared from his body, and in an instant, two radiant wings burst from his back… each feather glowing with divine light.

The wings stretched outward, stabilizing him midair.

'Flying actually feels nice,' he thought as the winds brushed against his face.

But the cost was heavy. He could already feel his mana draining rapidly… It was even more than what he usually spent in healing!

Still, it would do for now.

He flapped once, the golden wings igniting a trail of light behind him as he soared upward.

Selene's head snapped toward the glow.

Her eyes widened.

'Flying? A human can fly?'

She thrust her fan toward him and the wind around her sharpened.

Hundreds of blades of air materialized and shot toward Azel, slicing through the sky with deadly precision.

Azel twisted his body midair. One wind cutter whizzed past his cheek; another sliced the edge of his cloak.

He spun through the first gap, dodged the second, slowed slightly to let the third pass, then dove through the fourth.

The rest missed completely, scattering harmlessly in the distance.

'I'm getting used to this.' He thought, he would need to fly more often…

Before she could react, he was already upon her.

Azel's fist glowed with holy mana compressed into his knuckles and with a sharp exhale, he swung.

CRACK!

His right hook connected perfectly with Selene's cheek. The blow was strong enough to distort the air itself, sending shockwaves through the sky.

Selene's body spun out of control, crashing down toward the arena like a silver comet.

She hit the ground with explosive force, the impact cracking the stone and leaving a crater beside the unconscious Vargan.

The tornado above them dissipated instantly, the violent winds fading into silence.

Azel hovered for a moment longer before descending.

His golden wings folded inward, dissolving into motes of light that faded behind him.

He landed gracefully on the cracked arena floor, taking in a slow breath.

'Well… that was eventful,' he thought, brushing dust off his coat.

His eyes flicked to the two bodies lying before him.

Both were strong, powerful, and uniquely skilled. They'd been enemies a moment ago, but he could already see their potential as Lycas's greatest warriors.

The noise of the crowd gradually rose again… at first, there were hesitant murmurs then the crowd erupted into cheers.

From the side of the arena, the announcer werewolf landed with a dramatic howl that echoed across the sky.

"Victory!" he shouted, his voice booming through the air.

Every other werewolf in the stands howled in response, the sound blending into one thunderous chorus that shook the entire coliseum.

The announcer stepped forward, holding something in his claws… a crown. But it wasn't gold or jeweled.

It was made of black bones, carved intricately and polished.

The bones were from different beasts, fused together in an old Lycan tradition… a symbol of dominance.

He knelt before Azel and bowed his head low, then raised the crown in offering.

"Congratulations on your win… my lord."

Azel blinked, slightly taken aback.

'This was… really easy,' he thought. He half-expected another ambush or some twist… maybe the crowd turning hostile, maybe another "final boss" showing up.

But instead, all he saw were kneeling werewolves, bowing their heads to him in acceptance.

He glanced around.

Every seat in the arena was filled with wolves all lowering their heads, acknowledging him as the new Alpha.

Even Ravik, who stood at the far edge of the arena, was bowing proudly.

Erblim fluttered down from above, landing on his shoulder with a puff of air.

He reached forward and took the bone crown.

The surface was smooth and surprisingly heavy.

"Thank you," he said simply, placing it atop his head.

The moment it settled, the air began to vibrate.

Every werewolf in the arena howled in unison, a single unified sound that made the very earth tremble.

A soft chime echoed in Azel's ears.

Then, a translucent blue screen appeared before his eyes.

[Congratulations on becoming the Lord of Lycas!]

[You have been recognized as the rightful ruler of the Lycan Territory.]

[Your reputation among the Werewolf Clans has greatly increased.]

[A new tab has been unlocked: ]

[You have received two new Territory Quests.]

[Rewards are being distributed…]

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