My Tribrid System: More than a Monster

Chapter 71

Right in front of Trisha, Chloe, Van, and Kai, a hulking creature stood exactly where the Aberrant had been looming just moments earlier.

Standing at a daunting three metres tall, the beast was covered in thick brown fur with streaks of shimmering silver coating its powerful body like a tight, protective blanket.

Its black eyes burned with a seething, primal rage, locked onto the Aberrant with predatory focus.

With every heavy huff of air, the creature exhaled a low growl that sounded like a monster awakening from the depths of hell.

Each vibration was as menacing and guttural as the roar of a lion from the ancient world.

The creature stood on two feet like a human, but the similarities ended there.

Its legs, specifically the massive thighs, were twice the width of a normal human’s torso, rippling with explosive potential.

Two thick hands ended in sharp, wicked-looking claws that appeared capable of splitting the very earth in two.

Jagged, clean rows of long teeth and a pair of prominent fangs lined the creature’s mouth, further adding to its sheer ferociousness.

It appeared athletically lean, its midsection lined with well-defined abdominal muscles that pushed forward against its fur.

A pronounced snout and a pair of alert, pointed ears gave it the appearance of an overgrown, monstrous wolf.

In short, this creature was the physical manifestation of a nightmare.

Kai and the others were paralyzed, not even knowing what to call this newcomer.

It was glaringly obvious that it wasn’t part of the goat-like beasts they had faced earlier, as it looked entirely alien to this gate.

They were at a loss for words for the entity that had seemingly packed enough raw power to send the Aberrant skipping across the ground like a discarded ragdoll.

But one person recognized the legend, and she didn’t hesitate to mouth her shock out loud.

”A-A werewolf?!” Chloe shouted in tremendous horror, her body suddenly shivering in fright at the impossible monstrosity standing before them.

Nearby, the Aberrant could be seen rising slowly from the dirt, shaking its head violently to clear away any lingering dizziness from the previous impact.

In a second, it stood back to its full, intimidating height while glaring at the werewolf.

The silver-streaked beast was snarling back, looking for all the world as if the Aberrant had done something to deeply offend its very existence.

”What are you?!” the Aberrant demanded, its voice a sharp, deathly hiss.

Kai, on the other hand, wasn’t about to let this miraculous opportunity slip through his fingers.

He clutched Van’s hand tightly while taking small, deliberate steps backwards—moving cautiously away from the two titans currently locked in a tense standoff.

”We need to escape through the gate now. Now that this new entity is distracting the Aberrant, it’s our only chance to get out alive,” he whispered urgently to the others huddled beside him.

”Wait,” Van whispered back, his gaze anchored to the werewolf’s broad back.

”What?” Kai asked, his brow furrowing in confusion. ”We need to leave this instant. Heaven knows what is happening in this place.

If that new creature manages to take down the Aberrant, we will just have another unstoppable problem on our hands.”

”I don’t think the newcomer is trying to harm us,” Van whispered back, his eyes narrowing as he studied the werewolf’s posture with intense curiosity. ”...I think, for some reason, it’s actually trying to save us.”

”Wh—?!”

Before Kai could finish his sentence, the werewolf threw its head back and howled loudly.

The sound was a physical force, vibrating the ground beneath their feet as the beast fixated its void-black eyes on the Aberrant.

’Wh—what is a werewolf doing here? Wait! How is there a mythical creature in a place like this? I thought they were all just legends and fantasy,’ Chloe thought, gulping loudly as she stared at the fur-covered back of their unexpected guardian.

”I repeat; what the hell are you and what do you wa—”

BANG—!

A deafening bang interrupted the Aberrant’s interrogation as the werewolf leaped from its position with all its might.

The sheer force of the take-off caused a deep, spider-webbing chasm to shatter the ground where it had stood only a microsecond before.

Thick plumes of dust wafted into the air behind the werewolf as it blurred through the atmosphere, appearing directly in front of the Aberrant within a mere matter of seconds.

The movement was far too fast for Van’s human eyes to even begin to follow.

The werewolf’s massive fist shot through the air, speeding towards the Aberrant’s face at a blazing velocity that nearly caught the monster off guard.

But the one-spined monstrosity wasn’t just there to act as a statue; it was a major, apex threat to humanity for a reason.

In a flash of dark reflex, the Aberrant ducked under the punch aimed at its skull, managing to pivot expertly around the werewolf’s frame and positioning itself directly behind the beast.

Within a single heartbeat, its jagged claws lashed out towards the werewolf’s exposed back, aiming to slice the silver-streaked skin wide open.

But the werewolf’s ears flared up in an instant, sensing the shift in the wind.

Kicking off the air itself, the beast spun around in a violent blur of movement and quickly swung its own talons to meet those of the Aberrant.

Clang—!

Brilliant sparks flew as the two sets of claws collided with each other, creating a shockwave that caused the ground beneath the duo to crack with sudden intensity, kicking up a localized cloud of dust and grit.

The werewolf just grinned.

All its sharp, predatory teeth were on full display as a dark, dangerous glint flashed past its eyes.

It quickly kicked the Aberrant with all its might, the force sending its own body rocketing backwards and allowing it to land safely on the earth, while the Aberrant was left staggering back from the sheer recoil.

The werewolf landed smoothly on the ground like a predatory cat, glaring intensely at the creature who was finally stabilizing its uneven movements.

Van’s eyes were darting frantically between the two clashing monsters.

’Why—why is the newcomer trying to support us? Why is it battling the Aberrant with such ferocity? Also, how is it even in this world? Is it the original occupant of this gate?’

”Screw this then!” The Aberrant roared in a fit of primal anger.

The ground beneath its feet cracked badly under the pressure of its stance, and with a loud, explosive bang, it shot forth once more.

In a heartbeat, it appeared directly in front of the werewolf.

Its claws descended toward the monster at a tremendous, life-ending speed.

But a jagged grin just flashed past the werewolf’s face as the muscles in the back of its thighs suddenly bulged incredibly hard.

With all its might, the beast sidestepped the incoming claws.

Wam—!

The Aberrant’s claws ripped through the hard ground easily, as if the soil were nothing more than mere paper.

Meanwhile, the werewolf leaped high into the air, its fangs on full display as it kicked forward, rocketing back down toward the earth like a lethal arrow.

In a twinkle of an eye, he was upon the Aberrant, his claws lashing out toward the vulnerable back of the creature’s neck.

But with surprisingly quick agility, the Aberrant lifted its hand, placing it around the nape of its neck just in time.

The move allowed the werewolf’s claws to slide harmlessly off the Aberrant’s tough, reinforced skin.

”Get away from me!” The Aberrant growled, and with breakneck speed, it swung its heavy hand backwards, smashing it directly into the werewolf’s jaws.

The air shifted as a loud, resonant bang echoed out.

The werewolf’s body cut through the air in a grey blur, crashing into the ground only a metre away from the huddled Aspirants and kicking up a massive, suffocating cloud of dust.