The jungle trembled with the echoes of a beast's roar, a sound so deep and guttural that it sent waves of fear rippling through the land. The evening sky burned crimson and gold, the dying sun casting long, jagged shadows over the battlefield.
Amidst the carnage, standing alone in bloodstained armor, was the Silver King.
A warrior feared by men. A legend whispered in dread.
But today, he wasn't fighting men.
He was fighting a monster.
A Deadfire Lion—a colossal beast, its fur like smoldering embers, its eyes molten gold. Heat radiated from its body, distorting the air around it. Every exhale carried a lingering ember, as if the beast itself was breathing fire into the world.
Around the Silver King, the battlefield was littered with the charred remains of his fallen warriors. Their armor had melted onto their bodies, their faces twisted in agony, their flesh burned to the bone.
The battle had raged for hours.
One by one, his men had fallen.
Now, he stood alone.
Behind him, only two of his strongest warriors remained—both Sixth Chakra cultivators, their bodies battered, their breaths ragged. They were some of the best. But against the Deadfire Lion, they were nothing more than prey.
The Last Warriors Fall
One of them, a towering man wielding twin chakram-infused swords, was the first to strike. His silver aura flared as he lunged, moving with unnatural speed. His blades cut through the air in a deadly arc—
CRACK!
The lion's tail lashed out like a whip of fire, striking with bone-shattering force. The warrior was flung backward, his ribs breaking on impact. Blood sprayed from his mouth, but he forced himself up, his aura burning bright.
With sheer will, he roared and charged again—
But the lion was faster.
SHING!
Its claws ripped through his chest, slicing through armor, flesh, and bone as if they were paper.
He gasped. Staggered.
For a moment, he tried to raise his sword—
CRUNCH!
The beast's jaws clamped down.
His skull shattered.
He was gone.
His comrade, the fastest among them, had no time to grieve. His instincts took over. He vanished in a blur, striking at the lion's weak points—its hind legs, its ribs.
SHING! SHING!
His blade found flesh. Molten blood sprayed into the air.
The lion howled in rage. For a moment, it seemed as if he had the upper hand.
Then—
The beast opened its mouth.
A deep glow surged within its throat—
BOOM!
A pillar of white-hot fire exploded outward.
The warrior barely had time to react. He raised his sword in defense—
It was useless.
The flames swallowed him whole.
He screamed.
His flesh melted in an instant. His armor liquefied. His chakra shattered under the sheer heat.
In mere seconds, he was reduced to nothing but ash.
The Final Battle Begins
The Silver King did not flinch.
His men were dead. His body was battered. He was outmatched.
But none of that mattered.
Only the battle mattered.
With a thunderous roar, the Deadfire Lion lunged forward.
BOOM!
The Silver King barely had time to react. He raised his greatsword, blocking the crushing swipe—but the sheer force sent him skidding back, carving deep trenches into the earth.
His arms trembled from the impact.
Too strong.
But he gritted his teeth and counterattacked.
He spun on his heel, swinging his greatsword in a wide arc—
SHING!
A deep wound tore open along the beast's flank, molten blood spilling like lava.
The lion roared in pain.
Yet, almost instantly, its wounds began to seal with fire, cauterizing before they could weaken it.
The Silver King's gaze darkened.
He had expected this.
The Deadfire Lion's regeneration was its deadliest weapon.
Which meant…
He had to end this. Quickly.
A Warrior's Desperation
The lion reared back, opening its jaws—
A deep glow surged in its throat—
BOOM!
A torrent of fire engulfed the Silver King.
"AGHH—!"
The heat seared through his armor, melting steel, burning flesh. He staggered, gasping for air, his vision swimming.
His armor was ruined. His sword arm trembled.
But he didn't stop.
With sheer force of will, he roared and charged forward.
The lion lunged to meet him.
But this time, the Silver King did something unexpected.
He threw his sword away.
The lion hesitated.
Just for a fraction of a second.
But that hesitation cost it everything.
BANG!
The Silver King's fist slammed into the lion's jaw with devastating force. The bones snapped. The beast staggered, disoriented.
Before it could recover, he grabbed its mane, swinging himself onto its back.
With one final, battle-hardened roar—
He wrapped his arms around the beast's throat… and squeezed.
The lion thrashed. Its claws ripped into his flesh. Its tail whipped violently.
Yet, even as his own strength faded—
He laughed.
SNAP!
The lion collapsed.
The great beast was dead.
The Silver King, his body barely holding together, fell to his knees beside it.
His breath was shallow. His vision blurred.
But he had won.