Chapter 233 — The Ironhide Bear

Several hours passed before Evan finally opened his eyes.

The mana circulating through his body had recovered to a level he considered acceptable. The aches left by his battle with the one-eyed Terra Bear had mostly faded, and the remaining injuries were no longer severe enough to hinder his movements.

He rose to his feet and stretched his stiff shoulders.

Then his gaze fell upon the remnants of his armour.

The bone plating that had once covered his body had crumbled into scattered fragments, while the layers of earth and ice reinforcement had long since broken apart. Even the final blow from the one-eyed Terra Bear had been enough to leave his defences on the verge of collapse.

Evan examined the ruined pieces for a moment before releasing a quiet sigh.

'That final impact was heavier than I expected. If the attack had landed cleanly on my torso, I might have suffered considerably more damage.'

He didn't waste time dwelling on it.

The armour had served its purpose. He could reconstruct it when necessary, but the same couldn't be said for a careless decision in the territory of another ruling beast.

The Ironhide Bear awaited him.

And this time, he intended to arrive prepared.

Evan stepped off the elevated pillar.

Lightning flickered around his legs as he landed, and in the next instant, his figure shot between the rocky formations. The wind swept across his face as he crossed the Southern Region, leaving the place where he had meditated behind.

The outer territory wasn't particularly large. After travelling approximately two kilometres, the rocky landscape began to change.

The scattered ridges became denser, and the ground grew increasingly uneven. Massive stone formations rose from the earth like the remains of ancient fortifications, their surfaces marked by deep claw scars and patches of dark metallic mineral.

Even the vegetation had changed.

The trees were fewer here, their roots twisted around exposed rocks, while the patches of grass growing between them had been crushed beneath countless heavy footsteps. Deep impressions scarred the ground, some large enough to swallow an ordinary human whole.

Evan slowed as he approached the boundary.

He had entered this region once before, but his earlier visit had been brief. He hadn't possessed the time to investigate its deeper reaches, nor had he been foolish enough to wander blindly through a territory controlled by one of the forest's ruling beings.

Now, however, the situation was different.

He had more than six hundred summons at his disposal.

Eighty-three of them were Terra Bears.

And one of those bears had once ruled over a portion of this very region.

Evan continued forward.

The rocky passages gradually opened into a broad valley surrounded by towering cliffs. At its centre stood the enormous cave he had noticed during his previous exploration, its dark entrance stretching across the cliff face like the open jaws of some ancient beast.

The moment he saw it, he knew he had reached the heart of the territory.

Then he noticed the movement.

Terra Bears.

They were everywhere.

A group of more than twenty roamed across the eastern side of the valley, ranging from smaller, smaller individuals to enormous adults whose shoulders nearly reached the lower branches of the surrounding trees. Several others rested beside the rocks, while another group moved along the northern slope.

Evan swept his gaze across the valley. Terra Bears occupied nearly every section, from the eastern flats to the northern slope, yet their movements followed loose patterns that left the approaches to the central cave unusually clear.

'So this is where the entire population gathers.'

The one-eyed Terra Bear had been powerful enough to command a large group through sheer strength, but these numbers suggested something beyond an ordinary gathering of dominant beasts.

They were living within the domain of a ruler.

And that ruler was almost certainly inside the cave.

Evan moved along the edge of the valley, keeping himself concealed behind the rocky formations. His plan was simple: observe the groups, identify their patrol patterns, and find a way to approach the cave without drawing attention.

The more he learned before the battle began, the fewer surprises he would have to deal with once it did.

But as he approached the cave's outer territory, a strange sensation brushed against him.

Evan stopped.

It wasn't a sound.

It wasn't a visible movement.

It felt more like a heavy pressure passing over his body, lingering for a brief instant before disappearing into the surrounding earth.

His expression changed.

He scanned the rocks ahead, then the slopes above him.

Nothing.

No movement among the bears. No obvious source of the pressure. Even the cave entrance remained silent.

Evan waited for several seconds.

Nothing happened.

He narrowed his eyes before continuing forward, although his pace had become noticeably slower.

'Was that a detection ability?'

The one-eyed Terra Bear could locate enemies through vibrations in the ground. If the Ironhide Bear possessed a similar ability, stealth might prove difficult.

'I need to determine what it can actually detect.'

He approached the nearest group of Terra Bears, keeping low behind a fractured ridge. From there, he could observe several individuals without exposing himself.

The bears were resting.

Some scratched at the earth, others wandered between the rocks, and a few lay on their sides beneath the shade of a cliff. None appeared particularly concerned about their surroundings.

Evan studied them carefully.

Then he felt it again.

That invisible pressure swept through the valley.

This time, he recognised the direction from which it had come.

The cave.

His eyes sharpened.

Before he could investigate further, a roar erupted from the depths of the mountain.

ROOOOOOOOOOOOOARRRRRRR!

The sound rolled across the valley like thunder.

The ground beneath Evan's boots trembled. Loose stones tumbled from the higher ridges as the roar echoed between the rock walls.

Yet the attack he expected never came.

No massive beast emerged from the cave.

No earth spikes erupted beneath his feet.

Instead, every Terra Bear in sight abruptly stopped what it was doing.

The transformation was immediate.

Heads rose. Ears twitched. Muscles tightened beneath thick fur.

Then the bears began moving.

The groups that had been wandering lazily across the valley abandoned their previous activities and turned toward the central cave. Even the larger individuals obeyed, following the same direction without hesitation.

There was no confusion among them.

No argument over territory.

No hesitation.

They had received a command.

Evan watched the scene unfold, his expression gradually growing colder.

'It knows I'm here.'

The conclusion was difficult to avoid.

The pressure he had sensed earlier hadn't been an accidental brush against his presence. The Ironhide Bear had detected an intruder entering its domain and had deliberately called its forces back.

Whether it had sensed Evan directly, recognised the disturbance caused by his movements, or possessed some more sophisticated ability remained uncertain.

But the result was clear.

His approach had already been discovered.

Evan straightened.

For a moment, he considered withdrawing and searching for another entrance. Yet the sheer number of bears gathering around the cave made it clear that a prolonged attempt at stealth would accomplish little.

Besides, he hadn't come this far to retreat merely because his opponent had noticed him.

A faint smile touched his lips.

'Fine. If you already know I'm here, there's no reason to keep hiding.'

He raised his hand.

His shadow stretched across the ground.

Then it began to move.

Necrotic energy seeped from its depths, spreading over the rocky surface in dark waves. One by one, skeletal hands emerged from the earth, followed by skulls, rib cages, and the armoured remains of Goblin Warriors.

The ground seemed to exhale death.

Skeletons climbed from Evan's shadow in growing numbers, their empty eye sockets glowing with faint, unnatural light. Behind them emerged the undead Terra Bears, their massive bodies casting long shadows across the valley.

The sound of bones grinding together mixed with the heavy footsteps of the bears.

Evan continued summoning until the space behind him had transformed into an army.

Hundreds of undead stood beneath his command.

The air grew colder.

Necrotic energy drifted between the ranks like dark mist, coiling around limbs and weapons. The front line consisted of Terra Bears, their heavy bodies forming a formidable wall of undead flesh and bone, while the Skeletons assembled behind them in increasingly dense formations.

Evan surveyed his forces.

They weren't an army built through a single miraculous reward.

Every soldier had been acquired through battle. Every Terra Bear had once been an enemy. Every skeleton represented another encounter survived, another corpse claimed, and another small addition to the force he had spent the entire Southern Region preparing.

Now all that preparation stood behind him.

He took a step forward.

His army followed.

The valley trembled beneath the combined weight of hundreds of summons as they advanced toward the cave.

The Terra Bears gathered around the entrance noticed them almost immediately.

Several lowered their heads and growled. Others shifted their weight, digging their claws into the earth as they watched the approaching undead. The younger bears retreated behind the larger ones, while the strongest individuals moved toward the front.

For the first time, the rulers of the valley faced an army that did not belong to them.

The living bears radiated Earth Elemental energy, their powerful bodies reinforced by natural vitality. Evan's army carried something entirely different.

Death.

Necrotic energy clung to every summon, shrouding the formation in a cold, oppressive presence. Several bears at the front hesitated, one stepping backwards while another growled uncertainly at its neighbour.

Evan didn't mistake their hesitation for fear of defeat. These creatures were powerful enough to tear apart ordinary undead, but they had never faced an army like his.

Then a second roar erupted from the cave.

ROOOOOOOOOOOOOARRRRRRRR!

The valley shook.

This time, the sound carried a force that seemed to press directly against Evan's mind.

A heavy sensation descended upon his shoulders. His muscles tightened, and for a fraction of a second, his instincts urged him to lower his head before the overwhelming presence.

The undead behind him faltered.

Several Skeletons dropped to one knee as the oppressive force swept across the battlefield. Even the undead Terra Bears slowed, their movements becoming heavier beneath the invisible pressure.

The living bears reacted differently.

Their hesitation vanished.

The moment the roar reached them, their bodies surged with renewed strength. Earth Elemental energy flared beneath their fur, and their claws scraped against the rocky ground as they prepared to charge.

The roar wasn't merely a display of strength. It was a declaration of dominance that reached every creature in the valley.

Evan felt the pressure tighten around him, but his Death Monarch Physique stirred beneath his skin. The oppressive force pressing against his mind weakened sharply, leaving behind only a faint resistance.

His expression remained unchanged.

'So this is what I sensed earlier. A dominance-based ability, but not yet the authority of a true Lord.'

A genuine Lord could impose its authority upon lesser beings, turning the difference in rank into something tangible. The pressure radiating from the Ironhide Bear, however, seemed incomplete, as though it had approached that threshold without fully crossing it.

'A partial Lord?'

It might be developing a Lord-class authority, or its roar might simply be a racial ability strengthened by its position as ruler.

Evan couldn't determine the truth without seeing the beast directly.

He didn't need to.

Whatever the source of its power, one thing was certain.

This would not be another hunt.

This would be a war.

Evan's gaze shifted toward the rear of the gathered Terra Bear army.

Movement had begun at the cave entrance.

The bears nearest the opening immediately moved aside, creating a broad path through their ranks. Even the largest among them lowered their heads as a massive silhouette emerged from the darkness.

THUD!

A heavy footstep struck the ground.

The entire valley seemed to answer.

THUD!

Another followed.

The figure advanced slowly, its body concealed by the shadows within the cave. Each step carried enough weight to send faint tremors through the rocky surface, and the Terra Bears around it instinctively widened the space in front of the entrance.

Then the creature stepped into the light.

Evan's eyes narrowed.

The Ironhide Bear was enormous, its body at least twice the size of an ordinary Terra Bear. Thick muscles shifted beneath dense fur, while metallic-grey hair covered its shoulders, flanks, and forelimbs.

Fragments of stone were embedded in its hide, forming dense, compact armour with a dull metallic sheen. Two curved spikes projected from its shoulders, their thick bases tapering into sharp points streaked with faint mineral veins.

Its massive forelimbs ended in broad paws armed with dark, curved claws. Even standing still, the beast's weight left deep impressions in the rocky ground.

The Ironhide Bear simply emerged from the cave, crossed the final stretch of rocky ground, and lowered its massive body near the entrance.

Then it sat.

The casual movement somehow made the creature more intimidating.

It looked at Evan as though the necromancer and his army were nothing more than an unexpected disturbance in its territory.

A low growl escaped its throat.

Grrrr...

The sound was quiet compared with its earlier roars, yet several Terra Bears nearby immediately lowered their heads.

Evan studied the beast from a distance.

Its body was larger than the one-eyed Terra Bear's, its armour appeared considerably denser, and the pressure surrounding it was far more oppressive. Even without engaging in combat, the creature gave off the impression of a beast that had spent years crushing challengers beneath its claws.

'So you're the one ruling this place.'

Evan's fingers tightened slightly.

The Ironhide Bear tilted its head.

For a moment, its gaze shifted toward the army behind him. It examined the undead Terra Bears, then the Skeletons, before returning its attention to Evan.

Its expression was difficult to interpret.

But the next roar made its intentions unmistakable.

RRRROOOOOOOOOAAAAARRRRRR!

The valley shook beneath the force of its voice.

Earth Elemental energy surged through the ground, spreading outward from the cave in a wide wave. Stones rattled, dust lifted from the rocky surface, and cracks formed along several exposed ridges.

The living Terra Bears answered with a chorus of roars.

Their voices merged into a thunderous wall of sound that rolled across the valley, carrying the weight of hundreds of powerful beasts preparing for battle.

Evan's undead army responded with silence.

They did not need to roar.

They needed only to obey.

His gaze swept across the enemy formation, measuring the distance between groups and the narrow approaches that could restrict his summons' movements.

More than one hundred and fifty Terra Bears stood in the valley, possibly exceeding two hundred. His army had the numerical advantage, but the living beasts possessed greater individual strength, natural vitality, and familiarity with the terrain.

At their centre stood a ruler whose full abilities remained unknown.

'I built this army for a reason.'

Every battle in the Southern Region had prepared him for this confrontation. Now it was time to put that preparation to the test.

He lifted one hand.

The necrotic mist around his army thickened.

A faint pulse travelled through the ranks as his summons received the command. The undead Terra Bears lowered their heads, their claws grinding against the stone. Skeletons raised their weapons, forming dense lines behind the larger creatures.

The Ironhide Bear remained seated.

Its gaze never left Evan.

Neither did Evan look away.

For several seconds, the two armies faced each other across the valley, separated by a stretch of broken earth that would soon become a battlefield.

Then Evan spoke.

"Charge."

The command was quiet.

The response was not.

Hundreds of undead surged forward.

The ground shook beneath the advancing Terra Bears, while the Skeletons followed in tightly packed ranks. Necrotic energy swept across the valley behind them, turning the army's advance into a dark tide pouring toward the living beasts.

At the same moment, the Terra Bears roared and charged to meet them.

BOOOOOOOOOOM!

The two front lines collided.

The impact shook the valley.

Undead claws met living claws. Bone weapons struck armoured hides. Earth Elemental energy erupted from the ground as the first ranks of Terra Bears smashed into Evan's army, sending skeletons flying and tearing through the weaker summons.

But the undead did not retreat.

Those that fell were trampled beneath the advancing ranks, while the surviving summons pushed forward to fill the gaps. The undead Terra Bears absorbed the enemy's first attacks with their heavier bodies, creating openings for the Skeletons to strike at exposed limbs and vulnerable joints.

The living bears answered with overwhelming physical strength.

One swept its forelimb through a cluster of Skeletons, scattering bones across the battlefield. Another drove its shoulder into an undead Terra Bear and forced it backwards several metres. A third slammed both paws into the ground, raising a wall of earth that split the advancing undead formation apart.

The valley erupted into chaos. Dust clouds rose above the battlefield as rocks shattered beneath charging beasts, while the grinding of claws and cracking of bones merged into a continuous roar.

Evan watched from behind the first wave, tracking enemy movements, searching for openings, and measuring how quickly his front line was being pushed back.

His army could match the Terra Bears in numbers, but the living beasts were individually stronger than most of his Skeletons. If the enemy concentrated its attacks on isolated groups, his undead would be torn apart before they could exploit their numerical advantage.

He needed to control the battlefield before the Ironhide Bear joined the fight.

As though responding to the thought, the enormous beast finally rose from its position near the cave.

Its forelimbs pressed against the ground.

The rocky surface cracked beneath its weight.

Slowly, the Ironhide Bear lifted its head and looked across the battlefield, where hundreds of its subjects were locked in combat with Evan's undead army.

Then its gaze settled on the necromancer standing behind the advancing ranks.

A deep rumble emerged from its chest.

The earth beneath its paws began to tremble.

Evan felt the change immediately.

The Ironhide Bear was no longer content to watch.

The first clash had only been the opening exchange.

The real battle was about to begin.