Chapter 298: Confrontation

I spread my massive wings and took to the air, leaving the soldiers behind. As I flew higher, the battlefield grew smaller, and I could see the entire area with clarity. The Shades kept coming from beyond the destroyed western mountain, but my focus was on the eastern one as I flew toward it.

The humans did not understand what was going on and only saw me retreat. They must have thought I was injured or something as I sensed the panic spread amidst their ranks. The generals and leaders did their best to maintain the army's morale as they pushed back against the Shades in a clash of steel and claws.

I, on the other hand, had no time to care for them. The bastard behind the scenes immediately sensed that something was off, and I could feel his aura blinking away. He was trying to run, but I was not going to let that happen.

My speed doubled as I soared through the air with purpose. I crossed over the eastern mountain, passing by the somewhat still green plains, all the way to the edge of the land, where massive tall cliffs awaited, leading straight to the ocean below.

As I approached the edge, my keen senses detected a disturbance in the air, a subtle distortion that betrayed the presence of my target. I could sense the fear emanating from him, and it only spurred me on, making me more determined to catch him.

With a burst of speed, I dived towards the cliffs, using my wings to slow down just before crashing into them. I landed on the ground and scanned the area, searching for any signs of the culprit.

The area was desolate, with nothing but rocks and sea below me. It didn't take me long, however, before I noticed a small cave opening hidden behind a pile of boulders. The opening was small, barely big enough to fit a human, but I could sense the presence of that disgusting aura emanating from within.

Without hesitation, I strode towards the cave, using my powerful claws to move the boulders aside and carve through the cliff. The darkness within the cave was thick, but my eyes could see through it. The second the entrance appeared, my senses were instantly assaulted by a noxious smell, causing me to wrinkle my snout.

My suspicions were confirmed as I caught a glimpse of a small group of Shades, huddled around a figure cloaked in black robes. His face was obscured, but I could sense the malevolence emanating from him.

"Found you, you little shit," my grin widened as my eye approached the cave entrance to scan its inside.

A low growl escaped my throat, causing the Shades to immediately sprang into action, charging towards me with their brandished claws, and teeth. Alas, the little pests were no match for my speed and strength. In a matter of seconds, they lay scattered on the ground, lifeless before their corpses scattered with the wind.

I turned my attention to the figure in the black robes, who was still hiding deep inside the cave and had been watching the skirmish with a twisted grin on his face. He now appeared more terrified than amused as he realized the magnitude of his mistake.

"Are you going to come out, or will I have to make you?" I asked, my voice rumbling like thunder and my blood thirst rising by the second.

The figure then emerged from the depths of the cave like a nightmare-given life. His body was a writhing mass of shadows, undulating and shifting with otherworldly grace. His form was humanoid but twisted, with elongated limbs that seemed to stretch and contract like tendrils of smoke.

His face seemed to have been weaved from darkness itself as if the very essence of shadow had been given shape. An eerie grin etched across his features. His eyes glowed with a ghostly light, a cold, unfeeling gaze that seemed to pierce the soul. Perhaps his appearance would have made the bravest mortal warriors tremble with fear, alas I was no mortal. If anything, It was he that should fear me, something that I could sense clearly under his emotionless facade.

"So you can feel emotions, that's great!" My grin widened as I waited for the bastard to approach. My massive size was a hindrance in situations such as this.

I could flatten the cliffs along with him in it, but that came with the risk of the bastard getting away. For now, he continued to slowly move toward me, the air around him grew colder, and the very ground seemed to wither and die beneath his feet. His entire body radiated an aura of pure malevolence, that repulsed me.

Just then, the Shade suddenly moved with an unnatural speed, darting in and out of the shadows like a ghost. His attacks were swift and merciless, striking with deadly precision as he aimed for my eye.

I had already anticipated something like that might happen, and instantly raised an earth barrier from the ground to protect myself. To my surprise, however, the slippery bastard used that moment to slip past me and out of the cave. Shadowy wings extended out of his back. It was like watching a meteor fly toward the ocean as the figure soared across the sky. The sound of his wings flapping echoed in my ears as I narrowed my eyes and took off after him.

"Not very smart it seems, the ocean is my domain," I grinned in amusement at his lack of intelligence, as I followed behind.

My wings beat against the air as I closed in on the shade, my powerful muscles propelling me forward with incredible speed. It was clear that the bastard was desperate to escape, but I was not about to let him get away so easily.

Not giving him any time to react, the ocean churned beneath us as a massive water wall rose to block his path. The Shade was momentarily shocked as it hastily flapped his wings to stop himself from crashing into the water. Unluckily for him, I was right behind.

"Got you!"

My jaw opened wide as I aimed for the pest. To my surprise, however, the Shade suddenly unleashed an enraged roar, his body began to morph and twist and quickly grew in size. By the time I reached him, he was almost the same size as me, and his transformation was still going. I wasn't going to sit and wait for his power-up, with renewed determination, my sharp teeth aimed for what looked like his neck.

The enraged beast sensed the danger and twisted his body last second causing me to bite his torso. His roar of pain and rage was like music to my ear. The momentum of my attack carried us straight to the giant water wall behind.

'You're mine now!' I inwardly grinned as I tightened my bite.