Epic Of Caterpillar

Chapter 2807 - 2808: Teamwork

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”GREAAARR!”

The Mole Bear roared in pain; its body riddled with small holes. What Frank had done was essentially compress a Domain and launch it as a projectile, harnessing its inherent gravitational pull. The ingredients? His ”Empty Mana” and a dose of ”Cosmic Energy”—though he wasnʼt entirely aware he was using the latter.

As the creature staggered, Erika and I leapt forward, clashing with it head-on while Matsuoʼs Shikigami gathered around him, forming a radiant sphere of sunlight.

”Keep it in place!” he shouted, continuing his prayer. ”Almost... there!”

”GRAAARR! GRYAARR!”

Erika and I fought in tandem. Though she didnʼt particularly like me, she moved with precision, allowing me to advance.

”Youʼre not half bad, Kireina! But watch this—Divine Wolf Claws: Maddening Tornado!”

Her claws, kicks, and punches radiated blinding light. She spun midair, transforming into a whirlwind of golden winds that hurled the monster backward.

BOOOM!

”Impressive, Erika! Youʼre truly worthy of the mighty Werewolf Tribe. Now, itʼs my turn!”

”Records of the Man Who Went Against the World!”

”First Form—Relentless Pursuit!”

CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!

Using her momentum, I pierced the monsterʼs body with my rapier, channeling energy into the blade.

”Second Form—Volcanic Rise!”

I released all the accumulated power in a single burst. A violent eruption tore through the Mole Bearʼs arm, crippling its movement.

BOOOM!

”GYYAAAAA!”

The beast shrieked, attempting to retreat underground. But Frank wasnʼt about to let it escape.

”Cursed Viper Venom Ninjutsu Arts!”

”Eight-Headed Cursed Viper!”

He performed a series of hand signs as his Soul erupted in purple fog. A massive eight-headed snake materialized, biting into the Mole Bear and holding it in place.

”SHAAAAH!”

The snake—an embodiment of Frankʼs Ninjutsu, or Japanese Ninja Magic—restrained the beast.

”Move aside!” Matsuo commanded.

Erika and I jumped clear as the sphere of sunlight slammed into the Mole Bearʼs back.

”{Divine Sun}!”

BOOOMMM!!!

The Mole Bear was incinerated instantly, its body reduced to ash. The blast left a massive mess across the surrounding terrain.

”Wow, these things are seriously destructive...” Erika muttered, surveying the damage. ”Damn, the meat smells delicious... Iʼm kind of hungry now.”

”Thanks, everyone. Iʼm sorry for dragging you into this fight out of nowhere,” Frank said. ”I had no idea one was lurking so close to where we landed.”

”Well, itʼs a job well done. Matsuo really came through with that final attack,” I said with a smile.

”Hey Kireina, you surprised me! You really know how to move. What kind of Martial Arts were you using?” Erika asked.

”Oh, itʼs a beginnerʼs style called [Records of the Man Who Went Against the World],” I explained. ”It recounts the story of an ancient Chinese martial artist who awakened to his true potential. Iʼve been studying it religiously. The techniques are flexible—you can use them with any weapon or even barehanded.”

”Huh, never heard of it!” Erika said. ”Then again, I only learned Werewolf Battle Stances and Claw Arts from my dad. He made up his own style after living so long and passed it down to me.”

”Honestly, Iʼve never seen a werewolf fight with such radiant divinity,” I said. ”You and your father must be truly unique.”

”Yeah, Dad ate a wolf god or something,” Erika said with a grin. ”He told me I inherited some of that power and that I can cultivate it by fighting and eating a lot.”

Such a simple doctrine. Werewolves seem to rely heavily on their innate abilities to grow stronger. Her martial arts are impossible for me to replicate without shapeshifting—they were designed exclusively for her kind.

”You move with grace, but I thought you were more of a magician,” Harumi said. ”Not bad. I guess youʼre a hybrid like me? We vampires tend to be good at both physical combat and magic.”

”Yeah, Iʼm dual-cultivating Martial Arts and the Arcane Path,” I replied. ”Iʼve learned to control Mana and intertwine it with my consciousness, but large-scale magic is still a bit out of reach.”

”Huh?” Frank tilted his head, completely lost. ”Arcane Path?”

”Frank, you taught me cultivation methods before,” Matsuo said. ”You donʼt know the distinctions between the Arcane Path, Martial Arts, Five Element Cultivation, Aura Cultivation, and so on?”

”Oh, right,” Frank nodded. ”I just didnʼt realize it went that deep. Thatʼs cool. So Iʼve mostly been learning the Arcane Path, huh?”

”Yeah. Weʼve been sparring, and Iʼve been teaching you Martial Arts, but youʼre still stuck at the basics. You rely too much on your game powers, so you havenʼt really learned anything properly,” Matsuo said. ”Sorry if that was blunt—I just wanted to be honest.”

”No, itʼs fine. I get it,” Frank said. ”Youʼre right. Iʼve been leveling up, but I think itʼs time I take things more seriously and put in real effort.”

”Well, you havenʼt even used your full power yet, right?” I asked. ”Even though it looked like you were struggling, I could tell with my Spirit Eyes that you were all holding back. Youʼve got plenty of power left.”

”Haha, well, if I donʼt hold back, itʼs no fun,” Erika said with a smile.

”The last time we had a serious fight, we had to use everything we had,” Harumi added. ”We survived, but we came out stronger. Weʼre still learning how to control all that power—itʼs not easy.”

”Thatʼs fascinating,” I nodded. ”Matsuo, your magic is incredible too!”

”A-Ahahah! You think so?” Matsuo scratched his head, clearly flustered by the compliment. ”Well, we Monks of Amaterasu call upon her divine grace to channel the power of the sun. Itʼs no small feat, but our strongest spells are ritualistic—they take time to prepare.”

”Thatʼs amazing,” I said. ”I wish I could learn those techniques, but I might not be compatible.”

”Aahaha, well, if youʼre following the Arcane Path, you could study Feng Shui and the Ritual Magic of the Onmyōji,” Matsuo said. ”Itʼs not exclusive to our clan. Thereʼs plenty of general knowledge you could find—or even purchase. Iʼll talk to my clan and see if I can sell you some of our books. Theyʼre expensive, though... but youʼre rich, right?”

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