Both grimoires rose into the air, pages flipping furiously, humming with raw power.
Golden light and crackling thunder illuminated one side of the coliseum — while on the other, a cold silvery glow surrounded Nova, his mana pulsing in calm waves.
Arden Thorne was the first to move. His smirk deepened, his voice booming with sharp confidence.
"Beast Magic: Summon — Thunder Wolves!"
Seven pillars of lightning erupted around him, bursting with electricity that licked the ground. As the light dimmed, seven majestic wolves stood before him — their fur bristling with arcs of electricity, claws crackling with blue sparks. The ground beneath their paws smoked from the heat.
At the center of the pack stood the Alpha, larger and broader, its eyes burning like molten gold. The air itself seemed to bend under the pressure of its presence.
The crowd gasped.
The crowd gasped, a thousand voices overlapping.
"Are those… real?"
"That's Beast Magic from the Thorne family!"
"No way— actual magic beasts?!"
From the captains' section, Fuegoleon Vermillion adjusted his collar slightly, eyes narrowing.
"So this is the famous Beast Magic of House Thorne."
Beside him, Nozel Silva spoke without looking away from the field. His tone was cool, analytical.
" This Arden guy is really something. To form a pack, each beast must be tamed individually — subdued and forced to submit. It's a conquest of will as much as magic."
A third captain — Jack the Ripper, his grin sharp as ever — let out a low chuckle.
"Heh. And judging by that alpha's mana, it's got power on par with its master. The rest of the pack's just a tier below."
Asta leaned over the railing, eyes wide.
"Those things are from the Grand Magic Zone! No way— they actually caught 'em?!"
Even some nobles whispered in awe.
"He commands beasts from mana-saturated lands?"
"House Thorne truly lives up to its name…"
High above, Princess Sarphina remained poised and expressionless. Her hands rested lightly on her lap, her gaze steady — neither anxious nor pleased. She didn't move when the crowd reacted. Her eyes simply followed both men in silence, calm and judging.
Down below, Nova's expression didn't flicker. His fingers brushed lightly against the edge of his floating grimoire.
"Reality Script: Manifestation — Stone Golems."
Golden light burst across the ground beneath him. From glowing circles, six colossal figures of stone rose up — rune-lined golems with reinforced armor, their eyes glowing with pale mana. Each step they took made the arena tremble.
Dust rolled across the floor as both sides faced each other — ancient beasts versus sculpted giants.
Then, Arden gave the first command.
"Go."
The wolves howled as one, a thunderous chorus that sent shivers down spines. In the next instant, they lunged forward — streaks of lightning racing across the stone floor.
The first golem swung its arm like a hammer — but the nearest wolf leapt clean over the strike, claws slicing through the air. Sparks exploded as lightning tore chunks of stone from its shoulder.
Another wolf darted under a golem's leg, jaws snapping and shattering the rune marks beneath its knee. The golem staggered, but before it could fall, two more wolves crashed against its back — using raw strength and coordinated speed to drag the towering construct down.
The arena thundered with impacts.
From the stands, a ripple of gasps spread as lightning met stone.
Chunks of rock flew. Sparks danced. The sound of cracking stone echoed like cannonfire.
Nova watched quietly, eyes following the wolves' rhythm. His golems fought back with mechanical precision, fists pounding the ground, shaking the air with each blow. When they struck, thunder rippled through the arena; when they fell, the ground cracked.
The Alpha, Fenrath, led the pack with frightening awareness. It darted between its kin, giving sharp growls that sounded more like commands. When one wolf faltered, it was there — intercepting a blow or biting deep into a golem's leg to open a weak spot.
Its intelligence was uncanny — every move it made was coordinated, deliberate, like a commander on a battlefield.
"They're fighting like a unit…" one knight whispered under his breath.
Arden's grin widened. His eyes gleamed with pride as another golem fell, its chest crushed beneath a lightning-coated claw.
"Pathetic constructs. Wild power always devours artificial strength."
Rill, eyes wide, murmured to himself as if entranced.
"It's… beautiful."
Dorothy, half-dozing nearby, stirred faintly at the tremor.
"Mm. Loud dreams today…"
The remaining golems were slowing down — cracks spreading across their forms as static filled the air.
For the first time, dust and heat overwhelmed the arena. Spectators shielded their faces from the shockwaves.
Then— the last golem stumbled back, half its chest missing.
Arden laughed softly under his breath, teeth flashing in a proud grin.
"You see now, Ashbourne? This is real strength!"
But his smirk froze when Nova's left hand rose and has a bad feeling, "Reality Script: Transfiguration."
The broken rubble from the shattered golems glowed faintly — then began to float.
Shards hovered midair, turning, reshaping, hardening — until hundreds of sharp, glowing spikes surrounded the wolves from all sides.
Before anyone could react, Nova flicked his wrist.
The spikes rained down.
The sound that followed wasn't thunder — it was something else entirely. Stone meeting flesh. Lightning screaming as it met earth. The wolves yelped, snarling and twisting, but too late — four of them were impaled mid-leap.
The entire crowd froze.
Some nobles covered their mouths. Others simply stared — stunned silent.
Arden's eyes widened — shock giving way to fury.
The crowd's roar had turned into stunned silence.
"He turned the battlefield itself into a weapon…"
Julius exhaled softly, eyes gleaming.
" What a clever move…"
Princess Sarphina remained motionless. Her expression was calm — lips neutral, eyes unreadable — neither proud nor afraid. She simply watched as the tide of the battle turned, her mind hidden behind royal composure.
Down in the arena, Arden clenched his teeth, lightning flaring violently around him.
"You'll regret that…"
His grimoire flared open, pages whipping in the wind. The storm above darkened.
"Beast Magic: Summon — Skyfang!"
A bolt of white lightning struck the ground, blinding in its intensity. When it faded, a massive white wolf stood behind Arden — fur glowing silver, eyes like molten stars.
As it threw back its head and howled, thunder roared across the skies — and the storm answered.
Dark clouds swirled above the arena, lightning snaking across the heavens. With a loud crack of thunder and lightening, a huge beast appeared.
The beast was enormous — nearly twice the size of the alpha, its silver-white fur flashing like molten lightning under the stormlight. Its mane bristled with energy, every strand of fur carrying faint arcs that burned the ground it brushed against. Each exhale came out as a low growl mixed with static, deep enough to vibrate through bone.
The moment Skyfang appeared, the entire coliseum seemed to shudder. The shockwave from its landing cracked the arena floor, sending dust and static through the air.
A few commoners in the stands stumbled backward. Someone gasped loud enough to echo.
"That's… that's not just a wolf…"
"It's a full Apex Beast!"
The Magic Knights posted along the barriers tensed instinctively, ready to reinforce them if needed. The barrier itself flared faintly, responding to the beast's overwhelming mana.
Up in the captain's box, Fuegoleon's expression sharpened. "That's not a tamed wolf from the mana zones. That's… one rank above him."
Jack the Ripper's grin faltered for once. "So the rumors were true. House Thorne actually keeps beasts stronger than their own heirs."
Nozel Silva frowned, his tone clipped. "It's dangerous to bind with a creature that surpasses your own mana pool. A single slip in control, and it'll devour him instead."
From the side, Yami leaned on his sword, cigarette between his lips. "Heh… brave or stupid — can't tell yet."
The crowd's unease grew louder. The storm above rolled, flashes of light cutting through the clouds.
Thunder cracked again, closer this time, making the air tremble.
Down near the lower stands, Asta's jaw dropped open.
"Holy crap— it's bigger than a house!"
Beside him, Yuno's usual calm expression tightened. His eyes followed the beast's every movement.
"Its mana's dense… thicker than Arden's. It's actually stronger than him."
The nobles whispered quickly among themselves, their earlier confidence faltering.
"He summoned something above his level?"
"Can he even control that?"
"If he loses control, the beast might break the barrier!"
King Augustus, however, looked positively delighted. His laughter rang out across the balcony.
"Splendid! Absolutely splendid! Now this is a royal duel worth witnessing!"
Beside him, Julius Novachrono's expression was the opposite — composed, curious, but tinged with concern.
" Arden's mana flow isn't stable. He have already pushed his limits."
Meanwhile, Princess Sarphina sat quietly, expression neutral, eyes calm.
Back in the arena, Arden raised his arm, electricity crackling around him, his aura flaring in sync with the beast's.
"Now, Ashbourne," he shouted, voice crackling with thunder, "let's see your little stone tricks stand against this!"
Skyfang's eyes snapped open fully— two burning golden embers.
It crouched, claws digging into the stone, and in the next heartbeat, it vanished — leaving behind a shockwave that blasted dust across the arena.
Nova's coat whipped in the wind as the beast reappeared midair above him, lightning bursting from its fur like falling stars.
The storm had truly come alive.
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CHAPTER:- [137 - THE REAL PLAN (II)] IS AVAILABLE ON MY P@TREON