The silence after the battle was deafening. The Black Dragon den—once filled with chants of Ryuga's name—now lay in ruins. The air was thick with smoke, blood, and the metallic stench of death.
Ryuga, the dragon who had ruled this place like a god, was sprawled across the shattered floor. His chest rose and fell weakly, every breath rattling through broken teeth and blood. The fire in his eyes had dimmed, replaced with something Luv and Ayu had never thought they'd see—weakness.
His soldiers looked on in shock, fear etched into their faces. Some clenched their weapons, torn between loyalty and terror. Others slowly stepped back, unwilling to approach the two blood-soaked figures who had brought their king to his knees.
Ayu collapsed against the wall, her blades slipping from her hands. Her body was trembling, her breaths ragged. Every cut, every bruise screamed at her, but her eyes never left Luv.
He was on one knee, swaying, his fists dripping with blood that wasn't only Ryuga's. His chest rose and fell, his black eyes locked on the dragon still trying to rise.
Ryuga's lips curled into a broken grin, blood spilling over his chin. "Wolves… who dare to bare their fangs at the dragon. You've… done what no one else could." He coughed, blood spraying. "But mark my words… killing me will only bring fire down upon you. The underworld doesn't forgive."
Luv stood, barely, his body broken but his presence unshaken. He walked toward Ryuga, each step leaving bloody prints on the stone.
"You should've killed us when you had the chance." His voice was low, steady, but carried through the silent den like a blade.
Ryuga tried to laugh, but it came out as a wet, choking sound. "You think… you've won?" His eyes gleamed with twisted pride. "You've only awakened something far greater. Bigger monsters than me will come."
Luv crouched down, staring into his fading eyes. "Then we'll kill them too."
A hush fell. Even Ryuga's soldiers, hardened killers, felt their blood run cold at Luv's words.
Ayu forced herself upright, dragging her battered body to stand beside him. She didn't look at Ryuga—she looked at the army of men who had followed him. Her voice rang out, sharp and commanding despite her weakness.
"Tell the world… the Black Dragon king fell tonight. And it wasn't a dragon who ruled this den—it was two wolves."
The weight of her words shattered the silence. The soldiers exchanged uneasy looks. Some dropped their weapons. Others bowed their heads, unwilling to meet Luv and Ayu's eyes.
For the first time, fear—not of Ryuga, but of the two standing before him—spread through the underworld's ranks.
Luv turned away, blood dripping from his hands. "Ayu… let's go."
She nodded, stumbling to his side. Together, broken and barely standing, they walked out of the den. The surviving soldiers parted like a sea, no one daring to move against them.
Behind them, Ryuga's labored breathing faded. Whether he would die or crawl back from this defeat, no one knew.
But one truth was clear: the wolves had carved their mark into the underworld.