douluo dalu: Dark Phoenix

Chapter 13: The Titan Wolf's Howl

The dense canopy of Star Dou Forest hung heavy above them, filtering the morning light into soft green shadows.

The group moved cautiously, their battle with the Snake and Dragon couple still fresh in their minds.

They were deeper in the forest than they had intended.

Too deep.

And though no one said it aloud, they all felt it — something was watching.

Waiting.

---

A Silent Unease

Xiao Wu walked beside Tang San, her usual cheerful energy subdued, as though the forest itself was pressing down on her.

Even Dai Mubai, usually bold and confident, kept glancing around uneasily.

Ayanokoji, as always, walked at the rear of the group — silent, watchful, calculating.

His golden Spirit Eyes scanned the forest, picking up every flicker of movement, every subtle shift in the air.

But something was off.

The forest was… too quiet.

And that was never a good sign.

---

The First Howl

It came suddenly — a deep, bone-rattling howl that seemed to shake the forest itself.

Low. Primal. Predatory.

The group froze.

"That's… not a normal spirit beast," Tang San whispered, his Blue Silver Grass already beginning to stir around him.

"Titan Wolf," Grandmaster said, his voice tight. "A rare beast. Strong. Territorial. We need to move."

But it was too late.

The forest erupted.

---

The Ambush

They came from all sides — smaller wolves, fast and coordinated, their fur black as night, their eyes burning with cold, predatory hunger.

"Formation!" Dai Mubai roared, activating his White Tiger transformation as the wolves closed in.

Zhu Zhuqing vanished into the shadows, her cat-like agility making her a blur of black and silver.

Ning Rongrong summoned her Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda, support beams of light pouring into the group.

Tang San's Blue Silver Grass lashed out, forming a defensive ring.

Ayanokoji… didn't move.

He stood there, watching.

Waiting.

Because he knew…

This wasn't the real threat.

---

The Titan Appears

The ground trembled.

A low growl, deeper than the others, rolled through the trees like thunder.

And then, it appeared.

The Titan Wolf.

Massive — at least four meters tall at the shoulder — its silver-gray fur seemed to shimmer with spirit energy, its eyes cold and intelligent.

A 5,000-year-old beast.

Far stronger than what they should have been facing.

And it wasn't just hunting.

It was calculating.

It wanted something.

And Ayanokoji knew what.

---

The Strike

The Titan Wolf didn't attack immediately.

It stalked forward slowly, its massive paws silent on the forest floor, its gaze locked… on Xiao Wu.

Ayanokoji saw it.

The subtle tilt of the beast's head. The focused intensity of its stare.

It wasn't interested in the fight.

It wanted her.

"Xiao Wu!" Ayanokoji's voice cut through the chaos, sharp and commanding. "Get back!"

But the warning came a heartbeat too late.

The Titan Wolf moved — impossibly fast for its size — closing the distance between them in a single bound.

And before anyone could react…

It seized Xiao Wu in its jaws.

---

The Kidnapping

"No!" Tang San's scream was raw, filled with panic as Xiao Wu was lifted off her feet, the Titan Wolf's fangs holding her with terrifying ease.

Xiao Wu struggled, her spirit energy flaring, but the wolf's grip was unyielding.

In one fluid motion, the Titan Wolf turned and vanished into the forest, moving with unnatural speed, Xiao Wu still in its grasp.

The smaller wolves broke off their attack instantly, following their alpha, disappearing into the shadows like ghosts.

And just like that…

Xiao Wu was gone.

---

The Aftermath

The forest was silent again.

Too silent.

Tang San stood frozen, his face pale, his hands trembling with barely contained rage and fear.

"We… we have to go after her!" he finally choked out, his voice desperate.

Grandmaster hesitated, his analytical mind calculating the risk, the odds…

But Ayanokoji was already moving.

Without a word, he turned and followed the trail, his golden eyes burning, his steps fast and purposeful.

"Ayanokoji!" Flender called after him. "Wait—"

But Ayanokoji didn't stop.

Because he knew one thing with absolute certainty:

If they hesitated… Xiao Wu would die.

---

The Hunt Begins

The forest seemed darker now, the air thick with tension and the scent of the Titan Wolf's territory.

Ayanokoji moved swiftly, following the faint traces of spirit energy, the crushed leaves and disturbed earth.

He didn't speak.

He didn't look back.

He just calculated.

Because that was what he did.

He didn't fear the Titan Wolf.

He feared losing control.

Losing… her.

---

The Lair of the Beast

It took less than an hour to find the Titan Wolf's den — a massive, cave-like hollow at the base of a mountain, surrounded by thick mist and jagged rocks.

The others caught up, Tang San breathing hard, his face set with grim determination.

"She's in there," Ayanokoji said quietly, his voice cold and certain.

Tang San looked at him, his eyes filled with both fear and hope.

"We're getting her back," Tang San whispered.

Ayanokoji nodded once.

And then… they went in.

---

The Final Confrontation

The den was dark and cold, the air thick with the scent of earth and blood.

The Titan Wolf stood in the center, its massive form blocking their path, its eyes gleaming with primal intelligence.

Xiao Wu lay unconscious behind it, her breathing shallow but steady.

The wolf wasn't going to let them take her back.

It wasn't hunting for food.

It was hunting… for revenge.

---

A Calculated Risk

Ayanokoji stepped forward, his Spirit Eyes burning gold, meeting the Titan Wolf's gaze head-on.

The beast growled, low and threatening, but Ayanokoji didn't flinch.

He saw it — the patterns in its movements, the openings in its defenses.

"Stay behind me," Ayanokoji said softly, his voice calm but unyielding.

Tang San hesitated… but then nodded.

The Titan Wolf attacked.

---

The Dance of Shadows

It was fast.

Faster than anything they had faced before.

But Ayanokoji was faster.

His third spirit ability — Shadow Serpent's Prediction — activated instantly, showing him the wolf's attacks before they happened.

He moved with surgical precision, evading the beast's fangs and claws with inhuman grace, his counterattacks striking where the wolf was weakest.

But it wasn't enough to kill it.

And Ayanokoji knew that.

So he did something else.

Something… colder.

---

The Breaking Point

He didn't aim to kill.

He aimed to break.

Strike after strike, he overwhelmed the Titan Wolf's senses, crushing its will to fight, forcing it into submission.

Until…

The beast collapsed, exhausted, defeated.

It lay there, panting, eyes dull with pain and confusion.

And Ayanokoji… just stood there.

Silent.

Breathing slowly.

Controlling the storm inside him.

---

Xiao Wu Returns

Tang San rushed to Xiao Wu's side, lifting her gently, his relief palpable as she stirred, slowly regaining consciousness.

"Ayanokoji…" Tang San whispered, looking at him with something like awe… and fear.

But Ayanokoji wasn't looking at Tang San.

He was watching the Titan Wolf.

Because in that moment, as the forest grew silent again, he knew…

This wasn't over.

Not yet.