NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 332: The Iron Gate
Though the vampires roared in response to the disturbance, they found nothing amiss. Confused, they began to move about in angry, erratic patterns. Two stealth patrols even collided mid-air.
The next second, they turned on each other—fangs bared—only to realize, belatedly, that they were of the same kind. They shoved off with irritated hisses, growling low in their throats. The confusion rippled outward, spreading through the castle ranks like a virus.
Ethan watched from the shadows, eyes narrowed, as if he'd just discovered a new exploit. The Moonfire flash—while initially used to draw attention—had also acted like a flashbang. These creatures, long adapted to pitch-black darkness, had been temporarily blinded by the sudden burst of light.
Then, amid the chaos, something massive emerged from the second-floor entrance.
A werewolf.
Even among monsters, this one stood out. Thick fur, snarling maw, glowing crimson eyes—it had clearly been drawn by the commotion. As it stepped into the open, Ethan immediately cast Advanced Analysis.
---
[Ralph]
Tier: Commander
Level: 55
Health: 825,000 / 825,000
Attack: 6,700
Defense: 5,700
Skills: Bloodlust, Bite, Claw Strike, Rend, Enrage, Life Steal
Special Skill: Frenzied Claw
Frenzied Claw: Rapidly circles the enemy, creating illusions. Each illusion deals 50% physical damage. Duration is infinite but can be interrupted by control skills.
Description: Ralph is the guardian of the first floor of Blood Castle, a loyal protector of the Blood King. As long as the King lives, Ralph can revive after a certain period.
---
This thing wasn't just stronger than the average Bloodthirsty Werewolf—it was a nightmare. Higher tier, higher stats, and that special skill… Frenzied Claw. Ethan's instincts screamed: 'Can't fight him. Not head-on. But maybe... I can get around him?'
Ralph moved to examine the corpse of a fallen bat creature. Ethan kept low, pressed against the wall, inching around the vampire guards with feline grace. He reached the stairwell leading to the second floor, heart pounding, and turned the corner—
Only to stop dead. An iron gate blocked the way.
He shoved against it.
---
[Ding… System Notification: Discovered Blood Castle second-floor entrance. It is locked. Requires Ralph's Key to open.]
---
"Damn it," Ethan muttered.
His stomach sank. Ralph wasn't just guarding the entrance—he was the keyholder. And with stats like that… There was no way to fight him directly. Maybe—maybe—if he didn't have Life Steal. But with a thirty percent drain?
Impossible.
He hesitated, then pulled a strange, blackened key from his backpack—the Demonic Universal Key. A gift from the Mad Engineer, unused until now. If this didn't work, he was out of options.
He inserted it into the lock.
Oh… oh… ah… it's in…
Ethan's eyes lit up as a progress bar appeared. His heart pounded.
One second… two… five…
The key shifted, grinding with eerie precision.
Ten seconds…
Fifteen…
At twenty seconds, the progress bar hovered at 99.9%.
Then—
---
[Ding… System Notification: Key level insufficient. Cannot open.]
---
"Damn it!" Ethan hissed.
Really? You let me get all the way to 99.9%? I've already got my hopes high you're telling me it's the insufficientl?!
Suddenly—click-clack.
The key made a soft double sound as it slipped loose from the lock. Ethan flinched. In this silent, haunted place, the sound felt deafening.
The key began to fall.
Without thinking, he lunged, catching it midair. Cold sweat trickled down his back. If it had clattered to the stone floor…
He shoved the key back into his inventory, exhaled slowly, and activated Stealth. Time to retreat.
Clearly, the only way through that gate… was to take down Ralph.
Step by step, he began to move back from the stairwell.
One step… Two steps… Three—
And then, turning the corner, he froze. A massive shadow blocked his path.
Ethan looked up—and locked eyes with Ralph.
The werewolf towered over him, head cocked slightly, as if curious what this little Panther was.
Ethan didn't hesitate.
Rake!
His front paw lashed out in one smooth motion. Just before his Stealth broke, his claws raked across Ralph's chest. The stun took hold instantly.
Ralph stiffened.
Bleeding numbers floated above him—600 damage per second. Ethan's eyes flickered.
'Not… as tanky as I expected.'
Circling behind, he struck again.
Shred. Shred!
—
-9449!
-16259!
—
Each hit landed clean. Shred at Level 17 dealt 217% base damage. With Divine Ability: Focus, the multiplier surged to 325.5%. The numbers were absurd—far higher than anticipated.
Ethan's breath caught for a second.
Then he grinned.
It wasn't a normal grin. It was the predatory curve of a panther's maw, fangs bared in bloodlust. The truth was, he hadn't gone toe-to-toe with a real boss in a while. Too many battles spent running, dodging, or gaming the system.
But now? He was all in.
Four Shreds, four Energy Stars. Add the one from Rake, and he was fully charged.
With a sudden leap, Ethan's Panther form pushed off Ralph's waist.
-985!
-695!
Even normal strikes landed damage now. Claws dug deep into fur and sinew. Using that momentum, Ethan flipped upright, placing his front paws on Ralph's shoulders.
Snick. His claws extended, digging in.
-564!
-7185! (A red crit—Fatal Strike triggered.)
They were eye-level now. Ralph, at over ten feet tall, loomed massive. But Ethan didn't waver.
Savage Bite.
His jaws closed around Ralph's throat with a brutal crunch.
---
[Ding… System Notification: Savage Bite, Perfect completion! Skill experience +10!]
[Ding… Savage Bite level increased to Lv.4!]
-507,078! (Red crit. Fatal Strike again.)
---
Ralph howled in agony.
Aoouuu…!
The five-second stun wore off. Claws swept toward Ethan, but he had already dropped to the ground with a smooth roll.
Close call! he thought, chest heaving.
But he couldn't help the wild gleam in his eyes. Over five hundred thousand damage… in one hit. Who the hell can top that?
Ralph's health: 251,458 / 825,000.
Only five seconds had passed.
---
Ethan's Panther Form:
Attack: 4647–6736
Savage Bite Lv.3: Finishing move. Consumes 1–5 Energy Stars. Each star increases damage between 13%–53%, scaling with completion. Perfect execution yields max damage. Critical hit = 1.5x. Fatal Strike = 5x.
—
It was a perfect storm of luck, stats, and ruthless timing.
The result?
Devastating.
But even as Ralph staggered, blood pouring from his throat, he activated Bloodlust and Enrage.
With a snarl, the werewolf's hulking form vanished—just a blur rushing toward Ethan. The air shimmered.
Frenzied Claw. He was about to be swarmed by illusions, but Ethan didn't flinch.
His grin widened.
As Ralph lunged, Ethan shifted.
Bear Form.
Suddenly, the corridor felt too small. Over six feet tall and thirteen feet long, Ethan's bear form filled the space like a boulder.
Ralph slammed into him—and bounced.
The bear reared on its hind legs. Two massive paws rose, then came down in one synchronized motion.
Swipe!
THUD.
---
Ralph's smaller frame was slammed flat into the stone. The werewolf groaned, dazed.
Swipe didn't deal damage—but it stunned for three seconds.
Ethan, looming above like a mountain of muscle and fur, let out a slow breath. The fight was almost over.