The Predator Of Black Valley

Chapter 117 — The Predator of the Black Valley

Morning arrived beneath a gray sky.

Aether remained on the cliff, watching the valley below.

He had spent the entire night studying the movements of the beasts.

The three Stage 8 creatures had separate territories. One was aggressive and constantly moving, another guarded a cluster of Origin Crystal deposits, while the third rarely left a particular section of the valley.

The Stage 8 peak beast was different.

It didn't patrol.

It hunted.

Every few hours, another creature would disappear from the valley.

Aether had never seen it clearly.

But he had sensed enough to understand one thing.

It was the dominant predator in the area.

"Blackfang."

The shadow wolf emerged from the darkness.

Aether pointed toward the western side of the valley.

"Follow the strongest Stage 8."

Blackfang vanished.

Ironhide appeared beside Aether.

"You stay with me."

Ironhide gave a low growl.

Aether looked toward the distant mountains.

He had already decided what to do.

Rather than attacking the strongest creature immediately, he would remove the other threats first.

One at a time.

The first target was a Stage 8 beast guarding an Origin Crystal deposit.

Aether descended from the cliff.

The moment he entered its territory, a roar shook the valley.

A huge beast emerged from a cave.

Its body was covered in thick gray fur, but its shoulders were protected by natural stone-like plates. Four massive arms hung from its torso, each ending in claws capable of tearing through reinforced armor.

Aether recognized the species.

A mountain titan.

It was considerably stronger than the ordinary Stage 8 beasts he had fought recently.

The mountain titan charged.

Aether didn't retreat.

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Ironhide moved first.

The shadow bear slammed into the creature from the side.

The collision created a shockwave that flattened several trees.

The titan recovered and swung all four arms.

Ironhide's body shattered under the barrage.

Black mist exploded across the ground.

The titan roared in victory.

Then Blackfang attacked its exposed neck.

The beast turned.

Too late.

Blackfang tore through its flesh.

The titan grabbed the shadow wolf and crushed its body.

Blackfang dispersed.

Aether watched carefully.

The black mist flowed across the ground and returned to his shadow.

A moment later, Blackfang reappeared.

No injury.

No hesitation.

The titan stared at the wolf in confusion.

Aether smiled faintly.

"That's the part you still haven't understood."

He stepped forward.

The titan charged again.

Aether met it head-on.

His fist struck the first arm.

CRACK!

The limb bent unnaturally.

The second arm came from the side.

Aether ducked beneath it and drove his elbow into the creature's ribs.

Origin Energy exploded outward.

The titan staggered.

Ironhide reappeared and locked both arms around its legs.

Blackfang attacked from behind.

The creature struggled violently.

But the battle had already been decided.

Aether moved between its attacks with precise steps.

He didn't waste energy.

Every strike targeted a weakness.

Every movement had a purpose.

Eventually, he gathered Origin Energy into his palm and drove it directly into the beast's chest.

The mountain titan froze.

Aether pulled his hand back.

The enormous body collapsed.

[Stage 8 Origin Beast defeated.]

[Origin Points +70.]

[Origin Points: 1,100 / 1,200.]

Aether looked at the corpse.

[Origin Imprint detected.]

[Compatibility: 84%.]

[Imprint stored.]

He glanced toward Ironhide.

The shadow bear stood beside him, perfectly intact.

Aether understood something important.

His shadows weren't merely extra fighters.

They changed how he could approach combat.

Normally, a cultivator had to consider injury.

Even powerful cultivators couldn't afford to exchange their bodies recklessly.

His shadows had no such limitation.

They could throw themselves into danger, learn from the battle, disperse, return, and fight again.

Their experience remained.

Their manifested bodies didn't.

Aether looked at his own shadow.

"An army that doesn't truly fear death..."

His eyes became sharper.

"...That's going to become troublesome for anyone who stands against me."

He didn't say it arrogantly.

It was simply an observation.

He turned toward the valley.

There was still one hundred Origin Points remaining.

But before he could move, Blackfang suddenly returned.

The shadow wolf emerged from the darkness beside him.

Aether immediately sensed something through their connection.

Danger.

He looked toward the western forest.

The Stage 8 peak predator had noticed them.

Aether's expression became serious.

"Already?"

The trees began shaking.

A deep growl rolled through the valley.

Then the predator emerged.

It was enormous.

Its body resembled a black-scaled tiger, but six long horns extended backward from its head. Dark Origin Energy covered its body like armor.

Its eyes were cold and intelligent.

Aether immediately understood why the other beasts avoided this territory.

Stage 8 peak.

And extremely close to breaking through.

The creature stared at Aether.

Then at Blackfang.

Then at Ironhide.

Its gaze lingered on the shadows.

Perhaps it recognized that they were not ordinary beasts.

Aether smiled.

"Come."

The predator roared.

The entire valley trembled.

It charged.

Ironhide met it first.

The collision was brutal.

Ironhide was thrown backward.

Blackfang attacked from the side.

The predator twisted and caught Blackfang between its jaws.

CRACK!

The shadow wolf's body shattered.

Black mist spread across the ground.

The predator released the empty darkness.

Aether's eyes narrowed.

Then Blackfang reappeared behind it.

The predator turned.

Aether was already there.

His fist struck its skull.

BOOM!

The beast was driven into the ground.

It rose almost immediately.

Aether's expression became excited.

Finally.

A worthy opponent.

The predator roared and released a massive wave of Origin Energy.

Aether crossed his arms.

The shockwave pushed him backward several meters.

Ironhide charged again.

Blackfang attacked from the opposite direction.

Aether followed.

Three figures surrounded the predator.

The battle had begun in earnest.

And somewhere deep within Aether's shadow, the Origin Shadow Authority quietly resonated.

49%.

50%.

51%.

Then it stopped.

The threshold had not been reached.

Not yet.

Aether didn't care.

He had already decided.

He would win.