Arthur materialized in what had once been the Winter Beast's frozen domain, Aether perched comfortably on his shoulder with tiny claws gripping his robe. The spatial transition completed smoothly, reality settling around them as they arrived at their destination.

The transformation of the territory was immediately apparent. Where once an eternal winter had blanketed the landscape in perpetual ice and snow, now temperate forests stretched in all directions. The Winter Beast's death had broken the supernatural effect had maintained the frozen environment, allowing natural vegetation to reclaim the area with remarkable speed.

Aether took in the change with wide-eyed wonder, his small head swiveling around curiously.

Arthur also looked around, noting how the ecosystem had rapidly adapted to the absence of the Winter Beast's influence.

He had seen when the chnaged when the Winter Beast had died, but he had not stayed long enough to see the full change.

Trees that had been dormant under magical ice now flourished with vibrant leaves, and the air carried the scents of earth and growing things rather than the sharp bite of eternal frost.

Roarr! Snarl!

His observation was interrupted by the sounds of combat echoing through the forest. Snarls, roars, and the crash of bodies colliding drew his attention toward a clearing ahead where two distinct groups were engaged in fierce battle.

On one side, Arthur recognized the distinctive golden manes he knew very well. They were the same group of manes that Arthur had beat to a pulp before letting them go for the sake of his summon, the mane king.

Their superior-rank power was evident in every movement as they coordinated their attacks.

But their opponents were something entirely new to Arthur's experience.

The creatures resembled horses, but their proportions spoke of power that transcended normal equine anatomy. Muscles rippled beneath coats that seemed to shimmer with internal energy, and their movements carried grace combined with devastating force. Most striking were their eyes—intelligent, calculating, burning with the same fierce determination as their golden-maned adversaries.

"Ooh, these things fighting the shiny kitties!" Aether observed with enthusiasm. "The horse-things look strong too! They're not backing down at all!"

Arthur watched the battle with interest. The fact that these horse-like creatures could hold their own against superior-rank Golden Manes suggested they possessed comparable power levels. Their coordination indicated pack intelligence, and their willingness to engage rather than flee spoke to their confidence.

"Interesting," Arthur murmured, studying both groups with the eye of someone evaluating potential challenges and opportunities. "It seems this territory has attracted new residents since our Winter Beast friend vacated the premises."

The battle continued to rage, neither side showing signs of retreat.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

One of the Golden Manes, a battle-scarred veteran with distinctive notches in his left ear, caught sight of Arthur's unmistakable figure through the trees. The lion's golden eyes widened in recognition, and a primal terror that had nothing to do with the current battle flooded his system.

This was the human. The one who had single-handedly defeated their entire pride and taken their Golden Mane King—the most powerful among them—as if he were collecting a trophy.

The scarred lion's throat opened in a roar of pure panic, his voice carrying across the clearing with urgency.

He roared as if saying, "THE DEMON! THE DEMON HAS RETURNED!"

The effect of his roaring was instantaneous. As if struck by lightning, every Golden Mane in the battle froze mid-combat, their heads snapping toward Arthur's location with synchronized dread.

Their superior-rank senses confirmed what their packmate had announced—the nightmare that had shattered their pride and stolen their king stood watching them with interest.

Without a single coordinated signal or moment of hesitation, the entire Golden Mane pack abandoned their dispute. They scattered like leaves before a hurricane, their powerful forms disappearing into the forest with desperate speed.

Pride, territory, and the outcome of their current battle became meaningless in the face of the terror Arthur represented.

Their retreat was so sudden and complete that several of the horse-like creatures stumbled mid-charge, their attacks striking empty air where fierce lions had been fighting moments before.

The creatures stood in bewildered confusion, their eyes darting between the rapidly disappearing golden forms and the single human figure who had apparently caused this mass exodus. They had been locked in life-or-death combat with formidable predators, and now those same predators were fleeing as if death itself had arrived.

Slowly, their attention focused entirely on Arthur and the small creature perched on his shoulder. These were not ordinary horses—their builds spoke of power, their movements carried grace, and their eyes burned with the intelligence of apex predators who had never learned to fear him.

Unlike the Golden Manes, these creatures had no history with Arthur. They saw only potential prey.

The largest of the horse-like creatures, a magnificent stallion whose coat was majestic stepped forward with menace. His nostrils flared as he scented the air, and his lips pulled back to reveal teeth designed for tearing flesh rather than grazing grass.

The hunt for lion meat had been interrupted, but human flesh would make an acceptable substitute.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Arthur looked at the scene with a smile on his face, his eyes gleaming with anticipation rather than concern. The prey seemed to hand its experience to him on a silver platter, and he wasn't going to reject such a generous offering.

His vision focused on the lead stallion, and the familiar system interface materialized before him as he analyzed his new opponents.

[Gullfaxi]

[Rank: Superior-rank]

[Level: 24]

[Details: Ancient predators. These creatures were once the mounts of a powerful being, after the disappearance of that powerful being, the Gullfaxi was forced to retreat to the Greiving Hollows to take shelter from those that wanted to use them as mounts. Gullfaxi possess carnivorous appetites and supernatural speed that allows them to run across any surface—including water. Their hooves can shatter large boulders, and their bite carries enough force to crush rare armor. They hunt in coordinated packs, showcasing their intelligence.]

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