A foul stench filled the air.
The abyssal wolf at the very front opened its blood-red maw and lunged straight for Kane's throat.
The nauseating stench made Kane almost vomit.
He instinctively raised his arms to block.
"Snap!"
A sickening cracking sound rang out.
The wolf's sharp fangs easily pierced Kane's forearm, and blood instantly stained the muddy water.
Intense pain surged through him like a tidal wave, and Kane let out a scream as he was thrown into the swamp by the immense impact.
"roar!"
Two other dire wolves pounced on him, one biting his thigh and the other biting his shoulder.
Tearing, gnawing.
Blood gushed out.
In just a few seconds, Kane was covered in blood.
Too weak.
Even though his injuries were healed by the Gluttonous Beast, he was still just a knight apprentice without any systematic training. In the face of the abyssal monsters, he was as fragile as paper.
"It's really ugly."
The mocking voice of the Taotie echoed in my mind, as if I were watching a farcical drama.
"Want power, little guy?"
"Get out..." Kane roared inwardly, the excruciating pain almost driving him mad.
"Stop being stubborn. In ten seconds, they'll rip your internal organs out. At that point, even I won't be able to save you."
The Taotie's voice suddenly became incredibly alluring.
"Just offer up a tiny bit more. Just a tiny, insignificant thing."
"How about exchanging it for your 'feeling of pain'?"
"Without pain, you will be fearless. You will become the perfect warrior."
The wolf's sharp teeth had already reached the leg bone.
The shadow of death looms once again.
The flames of revenge burned wildly in his chest, consuming his reason.
"I... will switch!"
"The contract is renewed."
boom!
The black iron breastplate attached to Kane's chest suddenly burst forth with a dazzling dark red light.
The light traveled along the blood vessels and instantly spread throughout the body.
The wolf that had been biting Kane seemed to be scorched by flames, letting out a shrill scream before releasing its grip.
Kane slowly stood up.
His forearm was almost bitten off, and his thigh was covered in blood and flesh, with the white bones clearly visible.
but.
He no longer felt pain.
I felt absolutely no pain.
He looked at his broken body as if it were a tool that had nothing to do with him.
A chilling sense of calm washed over me.
"Is this... power?"
Kane raised his hand.
He could clearly feel a violent black current coursing through his muscles. The wounds, where the flesh had torn open, hadn't healed, but the bleeding had miraculously stopped.
This is the basic application of the [Primal Black Iron] form – power enhancement and functional lock-up.
The three-headed wolves seemed to sense the change in their prey. They pawed at the ground uneasily, then growled again and pounced.
This time, Kane did not back down.
He stared intently at the largest wolf.
Just as it pounced in front of him.
Kane suddenly stretched out his almost broken right hand.
Pfft!
Its five fingers, like sharp claws forged from refined steel, pierced deep into the alpha wolf's eyes, reaching all the way to its brain.
Without the constraint of pain, he unleashed power far exceeding his own limits.
"Awooo—"
The alpha wolf let out a mournful howl, its massive body crashed to the ground, twitched a few times, and then fell silent.
Upon seeing this, the other two demonic wolves took a half-step back in fear.
Their simple intelligence cannot comprehend why this seemingly weak human has suddenly become so terrifying.
"You're scared already?"
Kane grinned.
That smile was precise and cold, devoid of any warmth.
He strode forward, grabbed the chin of another wolf, and gripped its upper jaw tightly with his other hand.
"Snap!"
Use both arms to exert force.
It tore the wolf's mouth in two.
Hot wolf blood splattered all over his face.
He casually tossed the corpse aside and looked at the last demon wolf.
The demonic wolf let out a whimper, tucked its tail between its legs, turned and ran, instantly disappearing into the mist.
Kane did not give chase.
He looked down at his blood-stained hands.
Strength is a wonderful thing.
"Not bad, barely passable appetizer." Taotie yawned. "Now, you can go and take your revenge."
...
Three days later.
On the edge of the glorious holy city, in a slum.
Kane wore a tattered cloak, concealing his entire body in the shadows.
His wounds had scabbed over under the slow nourishment of the gluttonous beast, but the aftereffects of losing the sense of pain remained—he had become extremely insensitive to external stimuli.
At this moment, the central square not far away was bustling with noise.
Countless commoners and knights gathered there.
On the high platform, there was an exquisite empty coffin.
Wright, clad in radiant paladin armor, stood before the stage, his voice passionate and stirring, tinged with a moving sorrow.
"Kane, my most prized disciple. To cover our retreat, he fought a desperate battle against the abyssal monsters and ultimately sacrificed himself heroically..."
"He is not only the pride of the Knights of Light, but also a hero of the Holy Kingdom!"
Countless people in the audience were moved to tears.
"Commander Wright is truly a kind and loyal person."
"Kane died a worthy death."
Kane stood in the shadows, watching this scene, feeling no anger, only a chilling coldness.
He was like an outsider, watching others perform at his own funeral.
Suddenly, his gaze froze.
At the very front of the crowd.
Lilia was wearing a plain white dress, her eyes were red and swollen, and her delicate body was trembling slightly.
Beside her, Wright's son, the usually arrogant and spoiled young master, was "concerned" as he put his arm around her shoulder.
"Lilia, don't be too sad. Even though Kane is gone, I will take care of you in his place..."
As he spoke, his hand slid down naturally.
Kane's pupils suddenly contracted.