Captain Wolfe looked like he was in deep trouble. His expression had gone completely grim.


He had tried to hack through the Xenobeast's arm bone, but his Warblade was wedged tight—clamped shut by the sheer density of the monster's muscles. He couldn't chop through, and now he couldn't even yank the weapon free.


The Crimson-Eyed Direwolf let out a nasty snarl and took a swipe at him with its free claw.


Seeing the death blow coming, Wolfe flared his Origin Force. The energy surged into the Warblade, blasting it free just in the nick of time. But he wasn't fast enough to dodge completely. The beast's paw clipped him, sending him flying like a ragdoll until he smashed into the ground way back.


"That Xenobeast... is seriously terrifying," Lucas Lane muttered, his eyes wide with shock.


In this Otherworld environment, Wolfe was moving sluggishly, like he was wading through water. The monster, on the other hand, didn't seem to care about physics. It sprinted forward, charging straight for the spot where Wolfe had landed.


Lucas hesitated for a split second, then grit his teeth and crept forward, his crossbow loaded and ready.


Suddenly, the ground shook. A massive boom echoed through the air, vibrating the floor beneath Lucas's feet.


What the—?


Wolfe had launched himself back into the fight. He was mid-air, blade raised high. As he swung down, the steel seemed to project a massive, translucent green phantom blade.


CRACK!


The energy blade smashed right into the Direwolf's skull. The force was so heavy it drove the monster's legs deep into the dirt.


"DIE!"


Wolfe roared, still airborne. As he slowly descended, he kept swinging. The giant green blade-shadow hammered against the Direwolf again and again. The beast howled, throwing its front paws up to shield its face from the onslaught.


"Is that... a Combat Art?" Lucas gripped his crossbow so hard his knuckles turned white.


"Channel Origin Force into your weapon! It amplifies the attack!" Wolfe shouted. He might have been talking to himself to keep his focus, or maybe he was giving Lucas a crash course in monster-slaying while fighting for his life.


Boom! Boom!


The phantom blade carved deep fissures into the earth. Lucas, with his enhanced eyesight, watched in awe. So this is the power of a Tier 3 Warrior?


But the move clearly drained a ton of energy. As Wolfe's boots hit the ground, the giant green avatar faded away.


The Direwolf shrieked again. Purple blood oozed from a crack in its skull and various cuts on its arms, but it was still standing. It looked messed up, sure, but nothing fatal. Wolfe, meanwhile, had blood trickling from the corner of his mouth—internal injuries from that earlier smackdown.


He didn't care. He charged again.


Steel met claw. Sparks flew. The sounds of impact were deafening, like a car crash on repeat.


The beast was built like a bull, but it moved with the speed of a cheetah. Wolfe was strong, but those claws were razor-sharp. In seconds, Wolfe's armor and skin were shredded, red blood painting him in grim streaks.


"RAAARGH!" Wolfe screamed, abandoning all defense to trade blows with the monster.


Lucas had crept closer now. The noise was so loud it felt like it was vibrating inside his skull. He realized the problem: The Xenobeast was just too tanky. The Warblade could hurt it, but couldn't deliver a killing blow.


If this kept up, Captain Wolfe was toast.


Lucas crept forward, getting as close as he dared.


He froze, knowing he couldn't take another step. A fight on this level? It was way out of his league. Charging in there would just be a fancy way of committing suicide.


But as he watched the Crimson-Eyed Direwolf, Lucas tightened his grip on his crossbow. He had an idea. He locked his gaze on the beast's one remaining good eye.


At this distance, a standard bolt wouldn't have enough punch. The Xenobeast's hide was tough, and its reflexes were insane—it could easily bat the arrow away.


He only had one shot.


If he could blow out that other eye, Wolfe's chances of winning would skyrocket.


Transmitting Origin Force into a weapon makes it stronger...


Wolfe's words from earlier echoed in Lucas's mind. He looked down at the weapon in his hands. If he channeled his Origin Force into the crossbow itself, would it amp up the firepower?


The thought made his hands tremble.


He took a deep breath, forcing his body to calm down. He raised the crossbow, aiming squarely at the Direwolf's eye as it tangled with Wolfe.


But the beast was a blur of motion, constantly shifting and snapping. Getting a clean shot was nearly impossible.


Suddenly, Wolfe let out a primal roar. Blood-soaked and desperate, he swung his Warblade with both hands, cleaving the Direwolf's right claw clean off!


The beast shrieked in agony.


But it wasn't done. Its remaining claw whipped around, aiming to take Wolfe's head off.


Now!


Lucas, who had been tracking the target for what felt like forever, saw his window. His pupils constricted.


He released every ounce of Origin Force he had, funneling it straight into the crossbow.


He squeezed the trigger.


Thwip!


The bolt screamed through the air, breaking the sound barrier.


The Direwolf, maddened by the loss of its limb, never saw it coming.


Wolfe, having used every last drop of strength to sever the claw, was helpless. He couldn't dodge. He was dead meat.


But in that split second, a cold glint of light flashed in his peripheral vision.


Splat!


The Xenobeast's remaining eye exploded.


The claw that was inches from Wolfe's face jerked back as the beast instinctively covered its ruined face.


What the...?