Chapter Eighty-Two: Shadowless and I, Bound by Fate!

"It's a Sakura Fire Dragon! Su Yi, let's retreat for now," Master Wild advised.

"But..." Su Yi knew in his heart that the situation was slipping out of control. Yet if he missed this chance to encounter the Swiftclaw again, who could say when—or even if—they would meet once more.

Above, the Sakura Fire Dragon drew a deep breath and unleashed a scorching fireball that plummeted from the heavens.

"Scatter!" Su Yi shouted, waving his hand.

The beasts flanking the Swiftclaw immediately broke formation and scattered.

Boom!

The fireball struck the Swiftclaw directly. Flames erupted, scorching its pelt black, but also freeing it from its paralyzed rigidity.

The Swiftclaw tumbled to the ground, flailing its limbs as it staggered upright. Raising its head, it glared at the Sakura Fire Dragon overhead and let out an enraged roar; clearly, the two had clashed before, both hunting within the same territory.

Yet, instead of landing, the Sakura Fire Dragon remained airborne, launching fireballs indiscriminately at every living thing below.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

In an instant, the plateau was ablaze in pillars of fire, illuminating the night.

"Zizi, blind that harpy for me!" Su Yi called out, shielding his eyes from the firelight.

"Waah!" Zizi the Dazzling Bird let out a cry, catching the Sakura Fire Dragon's attention. Its luminescent crest began to glow in preparation.

Zap!

A blinding white flash erupted, stabbing at the Sakura Fire Dragon's eyes and dazing it just long enough for the beast to plummet from the sky.

"Raaawr!" The Swiftclaw seized the opportunity, swinging its spiked, hammer-like tail in a wide arc at the fallen Sakura Fire Dragon.

Thud!

Struck hard, the Sakura Fire Dragon struggled to its feet, eyes still blinded. It opened its jaws, spewing fireballs wildly in every direction.

"Keep attacking the Swiftclaw!" Su Yi gritted his teeth, making his decision.

All four companion beasts charged at the Swiftclaw. Sensing their approach, the Swiftclaw lashed its tail, launching volleys of barbed spikes like a ninja's throwing daggers, pinning the ground before the beasts and blocking their path.

It followed with another vicious tail swipe, hammering down with its spiked weapon. The attack was too swift to dodge; the Dire Jackal tried to block with its claws but was overwhelmed, its body gashed and bloody. The Fierce Fang Drake fared even worse—less powerful, it was sent flying, torn and bleeding.

"Fall back for now!" Su Yi recalled the wounded Fierce Fang Drake, hurriedly loading his slinger and gripping the items he had prepared in his pack.

"Are you really going to challenge the Swiftclaw? Do you mean to capture it?" Master Wild saw through him—after all, Su Yi possessed what seemed to be beast-taming skills.

Turning, Su Yi's dirt-streaked face broke into a smile. "I made a promise with it back then—if I survived, I would make it mine!"

"There is a deep bond between Shadow and me!" He turned back to face the Swiftclaw.

"You reckless young hunter!" Master Wild couldn't help but laugh wryly. This boy was so like those from the First Expedition Team: willful, stubborn, and yet possessed of a wild, romantic spirit.

Roar!

The Sakura Fire Dragon shook its wings, regaining its sight. The Swiftclaw cast it a cold glance, issued a low, menacing growl, and darted off in another direction.

"Raaawr!" The Sakura Fire Dragon spotted the three companion beasts and charged at once.

"Madam! Let's meet another day!" Su Yi hurled his final flash bomb.

With a sharp crack, the Sakura Fire Dragon was blinded again. This time, though, it didn’t falter, merely shaking its head in fury as the white glare faded rapidly from its vision.

But all Su Yi needed was a little time. He produced a metal box, pressed it to the ground, and twisted the mechanism. Lightning flickered like a serpent—an electric shock trap, set and primed!

"Master, this is my adventure. I'll go on ahead!" Su Yi recalled the Dire Jackal and Zizi the Dazzling Bird, swung himself onto the Clawmaw Drake.

"Meow!" Dewleaf nimbly climbed onto Su Yi's back and waved at Master Wild.

"If you ever join the Research Commission, the Commander will have a headache for sure!" Master Wild sighed as he hurried into the shadowy coral forest.

The Sakura Fire Dragon, vision restored, spotted Su Yi's group fleeing and prepared to take flight. But it failed to notice the trap at its feet; instantly, its body convulsed in paralysis.

By the time it recovered, nothing living remained in sight. It soared into the sky, scanning the land, its furious roar echoing across the plateau.

...

The Clawmaw Drake moved swiftly yet cautiously among the layered coral rocks, nose twitching as it tracked the scent of blood from the Swiftclaw's wounded paw.

"This place seems familiar." Under the moonlight, Su Yi studied the terrain.

When he saw patches of soft coral ahead, realization dawned. "Isn't this near Zizi's old nest?"

The Clawmaw Drake halted and glanced at the overlapping coral terraces. The scoutflies darted ahead, highlighting scratched marks and black fur.

"It's up there. Looks like Zizi's abandoned nest has a new tenant," Su Yi observed.

Swiftclaws preferred the shadows. By day, the coral plateau was sunlit and bright; usually, the Swiftclaw moved in the shade, resting during the heat and emerging at night.

Zizi's nest was well-shielded from sunlight—a perfect summer refuge, which the Swiftclaw had claimed.

"But the place is cramped—a disadvantage for both sides."

Su Yi took out several more shock traps, handing two to Dewleaf. "Dewleaf, wait for my signal to set them. Used poorly, these can hurt friend and foe alike. This isn't a game, and there's no friendly fire immunity."

"Understood, meow!" Dewleaf tucked them into her pouch.

Su Yi recalled the Clawmaw Drake and climbed carefully upward. At a strategic junction, he set a shock trap.

When not enraged, the Swiftclaw avoided pitfall traps, leaping out in time. The traps found during earlier expeditions were ideal for making shock traps.

Rustle, rustle...

Clinging to a vine, Su Yi climbed onto the platform until he spotted a shadowy cave.

Hoo... hoo...

Steady breaths echoed from the darkness within.

Su Yi crept closer, trap at the ready.

Tap!

A figure stirred in the darkness, crimson light flaring as a furious roar thundered out of the cave.

Click! Quick as lightning, Su Yi set the shock trap ahead.

A heartbeat later, red light blazed as the beast lunged from the shadows, claws and wing-blades slicing the air.

Crackle!

The trap triggered, the Swiftclaw convulsed violently and froze scarcely two meters before Su Yi, icy beastly eyes locking with Su Yi's own.

"Clawmaw Drake!" Su Yi hurled a capture sphere.

The Clawmaw Drake leapt, landing on the Swiftclaw's back. Its rending claws slashed again and again, spraying blood with each cut.

"Roar!" The Swiftclaw broke free from paralysis, twisting to slam the Clawmaw Drake against the cave wall.

Thud!

The Clawmaw Drake tumbled down, and the Swiftclaw lunged to bite. But with a bang, a flare shot struck by the Swiftclaw's eye, bursting into flame and forcing the beast back. The Clawmaw Drake counterattacked instantly, jaws agape as it snapped for the Swiftclaw's throat.

Clack!

The Swiftclaw's iron-hard wing-blade blocked the fangs. It lashed its tail, smashing the Clawmaw Drake away.

"Aibo! Throw it at the Swiftclaw!"

"Meow!" Dewleaf understood at once, hurling the shock trap with all her might.

"Raaawr!"

The Swiftclaw dodged nimbly, but missed its chance to pursue. The Clawmaw Drake scrambled up, its neck glowing red as it entered a berserk state and lunged again.

The two beasts clashed, Su Yi edging closer with his slinger, searching for an opening.

"Raaawr!"

Driven wild, the Swiftclaw pinned the Clawmaw Drake, wing-blades poised for the throat, but the Clawmaw Drake blocked with its own claws.

"Zizi!"

Zizi the Dazzling Bird bounded in, its crest glowing, then flashing in a burst of light!

Zap!

The cave blazed with light, which reflected off the smooth shells scattered throughout Zizi's old nest. The Swiftclaw, though facing away, was blinded by the light bouncing from the shells.

Its grip faltered, and the Clawmaw Drake seized the moment to break free, smashing the Swiftclaw with an iron tail strike.

Su Yi shot a stone at the trap beneath the Swiftclaw's feet, activating it with a crack.

Crackle!

The Swiftclaw was paralyzed yet again.

"Raaawr!" The Clawmaw Drake reared up, roaring as white vapor burst from its jaws, its neck blazing with violent red light. Its claws now wreathed in pale radiance, it struck down with wild fury.

Slash! Slash! Slash!

Blood and black fur flew as the Clawmaw Drake unleashed a relentless assault. The Swiftclaw broke free, uttering a pained moan.

"Dire Jackal! Tail Strike! Clawmaw Drake! Iron Tail!" Su Yi released the Dire Jackal, commanding loudly.

"Raaawr!" ×2

Both dragons roared, their energy-charged tails swinging with all their might.

Thud!

The Swiftclaw was battered, then crashed into the cave wall.

With a thunderous crack, the fragile coral wall split, then collapsed, burying the Swiftclaw in rubble.

Thud! The Swiftclaw burst free and fled down to a lower platform.

"After it!" Su Yi called, leaping after the beast.

Crackle!

Lightning flashed nearby—another trap Su Yi had set earlier, perfectly blocking the narrow bridge to the lower platform. The Swiftclaw, panicked, was caught unawares.

"Raaawr!" The Clawmaw Drake pounced from above, slamming the Swiftclaw down onto the coral below, jaws aglow as it bit into the beast's neck.

Crash!

Both fell heavily. The Clawmaw Drake rolled away, panting, while the Swiftclaw staggered up, lashing its tail at the Clawmaw Drake. At that moment, a black shockwave struck—the Dire Jackal above had unleashed a mighty roar in support.

"This is it! Rending Claws—now!" Spotting the Swiftclaw's exhaustion, Su Yi gave the final order.

Slash!

The Clawmaw Drake's claws tore again, deepening the Swiftclaw's wounds. Blood sprayed like blossoming red lotuses across the ground.

The Swiftclaw collapsed, utterly spent.

"Go! Capture sphere!"