Suddenly, bursting through the swirling mist with a grace that defied his imposing size, a striking figure emerged—a white-furred wolf adorned with a vivid blue streak running down his back. Standing three and a half feet tall at the shoulders and six feet long, Snow, the Ice-Clawed Wolf, was a sight to behold. A legendary spirit beast known for his fierce loyalty and formidable powers, Snow moved with an elegance that commanded attention. As he leaped into the fray, cold mist billowed from his mouth, swirling around him like a spectral shroud and filling the air with a chilling aura.

  Snow had harnessed his icy abilities to their fullest, encasing his claws and fangs in a layer of frost that extended their length and sharpened their edges, transforming them into deadly weapons. With each powerful bound, he propelled himself through the air, a blur of white and blue against the backdrop of the misty forest. His presence was both majestic and terrifying, a force of nature unleashed.

  The white demonic snake, still reeling from its struggle with Igni, was caught off guard by Snow’s sudden appearance. Its glowing red eyes flicked toward the wolf, momentarily distracted from its battle with the Flame-Striped Tiger. In that split second of vulnerability, Snow seized the opportunity. With a fierce determination burning in his icy blue eyes, he aimed for the area where Igni had previously bitten the serpent—a spot where the creature’s scales were already weakened.

  With a powerful snap of his jaws, Snow clamped down on the serpent’s flesh, his ice-encrusted fangs piercing through the tough hide with surprising ease. The cold radiating from his mouth seeped into the wound, freezing the surrounding tissue and causing the serpent to hiss in pain and fury. Snow locked his jaw around the tough hide, refusing to let go, the wolf's icy grip strengthen by his resolve. The frost spread rapidly from the bite, encasing the area in a thin layer of ice and further weakening the serpent’s defenses.

  The serpent thrashed violently, its massive body coiling and uncoiling in a desperate attempt to shake off the unexpected attacker. Snow clung tenaciously to the creature, his icy claws digging deeper into the serpent’s flesh with each determined movement. But unlike Igni, who possessed the weight and bulk to effectively pin the snake down, Snow was at a disadvantage. The sheer size and strength of the serpent made it difficult for the wolf to maintain his grip.

  With a furious twist of its body, the snake whipped its head to the side with a speed that caught Snow off guard. In an instant, the wolf was dislodged, sent flying through the air like a ragdoll. He collided with a nearby tree, the sound of splintering wood echoing through the forest as the impact reverberated in Kai’s chest.

  “Snow!” Kai cried out, his voice laced with concern towards the fallen wolf. The sight of his friend being hurled through the air filled him with dread, and he felt a surge of panic rise within him. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing another ally in this fierce battle.

  As the dust from the impact began to settle, it revealed Snow struggling to regain his footing, his movements unsteady but resolute. The white wolf shook his head vigorously, shaking off the remnants of the collision, and in his mouth was a large chunk of the serpent's flesh, a testament to his fierce determination and tenacity.

  Turning his attention back to the serpent, Kai's gaze fell upon a gaping wound where Snow had bitten the creature. The white scales around the injury were slick with blood, and the serpent writhed in pain, its confidence visibly shaken.

  The serpent, now acutely aware of the damage it had sustained, hissed in fury, its red eyes narrowing as they locked onto Snow. The wolf, despite his fierce spirit, felt the toll of the battle weighing heavily on him. As he prepared to launch another attack, a whisper of pain escaped his lips, and he faltered. The impact from the earlier collision had injured his back legs, leaving him unable to move from where he stood.

  Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!

  Panic surged through Kai as he watched Snow struggle to maintain his balance, his body trembling under the strain. The wolf was defenseless now, vulnerable in the face of the relentless serpent. The realization struck Kai like a thunderbolt.

  Without warning, the serpent lunged forward, its massive body coiling with lethal speed as it aimed for the ice-clawd wolf.

  “Snow, no!” Kai cried out, his voice filled with desperation. Time seemed to slow as he watched the serpent close the distance, its fangs bared and ready to strike.

  In that moment, as if he had materialized from thin air, Igni suddenly appeared in front of Snow, a fierce guardian ready to protect his friend. Both the serpent and Kai were taken aback by this.

  Kai’s mind raced, trying to comprehend what had just happened. Igni didn’t possess the ability to teleport, so how had he managed to appear so suddenly? As he focused on the scene unfolding before him, he noticed something clinging to the tiger’s back—a small black fox with three elegant tails. It was Yinying, the shadow fox that Kai had taken care of.

  Realization dawned on Kai like a flash of lightning. Yinying had used her unique powers as a shadow fox to obscure things from view, rendering them effectively invisible. The cunning little creature had cloaked the tiger in shadows, allowing him to close the distance to the serpent undetected.

  With a swift and powerful motion, Igni raised his claw and brought it crashing down onto the serpent's head, halting its lunge mid-attack. The impact reverberated through the ground as Igni placed his full weight atop the massive creature, pinning it firmly to the earth. The tiger's muscles rippled with strength, and he locked his fierce gaze onto the serpent, determined to end the threat once and for all.

  As Igni held the serpent down, his maw began to glow with an intense heat. He opened his jaws wide, unleashing a torrent of fire that engulfed the open wound Snow had inflicted. The flames danced across the flesh, causing it to sizzle and smoke, the acrid scent of burning scales filling the air. The serpent hissed in agony, its body thrashing wildly beneath Igni's weight, desperate to escape the searing pain.

  In a frantic attempt to throw off the tiger, the serpent began to coil its powerful tail, aiming to wrap it around Igni once more. But Snow, having limped out from behind Igni, acted quickly. With a fierce determination, he sank his fangs into the serpent's tail, restraining it just enough to prevent the creature from completing its maneuver. The wolf's icy breath mingled with the heat of Igni's flames, creating a volatile mix of energy that crackled in the air.

  For a few agonizing seconds, Igni continued to breathe fire into the wound, the flames scorching the serpent's flesh and intensifying its cries of pain. The tiger's claws dug deeper into the ground, anchoring him as he prepared for the final strike. With a savage roar, Igni clamped down on the charred flesh, his powerful jaws closing around the serpent's neck.

  With a surge of strength, Igni ripped his head back, using his claws to maintain his grip as he tore the head of the serpent from its body. The forest echoed with the sound of the serpent's final, anguished hiss.

  The body of the serpent continued to thrash violently for several agonizing seconds, even in the absence of its head. Blood spewed forth in a gruesome fountain, painting the ground in dark crimson as the creature's life force ebbed away. The sight was both horrifying and mesmerizing.

  As the serpent's thrashing gradually slowed, the tension in the air began to dissipate, replaced by a heavy silence that enveloped the forest. The once-menacing presence of the demonic snake was now reduced to a lifeless form, its scales glistening ominously in the dim light. The spirit beasts had fought valiantly, and it seemed they had emerged victorious.

  Igni and Snow stood side by side, their bodies still tense and ready, but their eyes reflected a mixture of exhaustion and triumph. The adrenaline that had fueled their fight began to fade, replaced by the weight of what they had just accomplished. They had faced a formidable foe and, against all odds, had succeeded in protecting each other.

  Patreon. If you want to read up to 36 chapters early you can head over there.