Published at 2nd of January 2026 7:34 am

Chapter 1664: The First Duel

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The fighting was to take place right there and then, directly in front of the two camps that stood facing each other. Kai had originally thought the duel might be moved elsewhere, perhaps to the fighting grounds higher up the mountain where battles were often held, but the moment he looked around, he realized why that wasn’t an option.

Neither side was willing to give the other even the slightest advantage.

The tension in the air was thick enough that it felt as if a single wrong movement could cause the entire situation to explode. The werewolves stood with sharpened senses, eyes glowing faintly, muscles coiled and ready. There was no room for ceremony here. Whatever was about to happen needed to happen now.

Kai stood still, his eyes fixed on the opponent directly across from him.

Steeler.

Jack’s pack clearly had confidence in this matchup. From their point of view, this was supposed to be an easy fight. Steeler was fast, terrifyingly so, and those who had trained alongside Kai had seen him get hit time and time again. Most of them had already decided how this would end.

“Alright,” Steeler said, rolling his shoulders as he stepped forward. His voice was loud and full of confidence. “Let’s get this sorted, and get it done!”

As he stretched his arms, thick fur began to spread across his hands, racing up his arms and over his head. Three darker streaks formed along his fur as his transformation completed. Without waiting for any signal, Steeler bent his knees and launched himself forward.

Fast.

The ground cracked beneath his feet as he charged straight at Kai.

But instead of bracing himself or transforming immediately, Kai moved.

He shifted to the side at the last possible moment.

Steeler shot past him, missing by inches.

“He dodged that?” someone from Jack’s pack muttered.

“He wasn’t even transformed yet!”

Others quickly chimed in.

“Didn’t Steeler hit him every single time during training?”

“Yeah, every time.”

“Well... maybe that’s exactly why he dodged it,” another said. “Even an idiot learns a pattern if it happens enough.”

Kai didn’t stop moving. As he twisted away from the charge, his body began to transform mid-motion. Fur spread across his skin, his muscles tightening as his werewolf form took shape.

Steeler skidded to a halt and turned sharply, claws flashing as he swung again. This time, the attacks came fast, one after another, aimed to overwhelm Kai before he could react.

Kai lifted his arms, blocking at the forearms while shifting his weight with every strike. He didn’t counter. He didn’t rush. He ducked, twisted, and stepped away from every serious hit.

To Steve’s pack, it looked like Kai was barely hanging on.

But to Jack’s pack, something felt... wrong.

They had never seen Kai fight like this before.

Normally, Steeler would have landed a clean hit by now. Normally, Kai would already be on the ground. Yet here he was, still standing, still moving, still avoiding everything.

That was because during training, Kai had been holding back the entire time.

The group had agreed early on that drawing attention was dangerous. None of them showed their full strength. None of them pushed beyond what was expected. And under Bluebird’s guidance, they had learned something far more important than brute force.

Qi control.

Kai had practiced it relentlessly, refining it to the point where he could even channel it through his eyes. It wasn’t something Bluebird had explicitly taught him, it was something Kai had figured out on his own.

The world around him didn’t slow down, not truly. But everything felt clearer. Sharper. He could see the intent behind Steeler’s movements before they fully happened.

That was why he stayed just out of reach.

Then, at the right moment, Kai struck.

Qi surged through his fist as he stepped in and drove it straight into Steeler’s stomach.

The impact was heavy.

Steeler’s eyes widened as the air was knocked from his lungs. His feet scraped across the ground as he skidded backward, teeth grinding as he struggled to stay upright.

“You hit hard,” Steeler growled. “But all I need is one clean hit to take you out!”

He slammed his foot down, cracking the earth beneath him, and launched forward again, faster than before.

A straight charge.

Exactly what Kai was waiting for.

At the perfect moment, Kai jumped.

He flipped over Steeler as the charge passed beneath him, landing lightly behind his opponent. Steeler barely had time to register what had happened before he felt arms wrap around him from behind.

Kai locked one arm around Steeler’s neck and grabbed his forearm with the other, pulling back with everything he had.

A choke.

Strength alone wouldn’t win this fight. The system limited them both. That meant technique mattered more than raw power.

Kai tightened his grip, planting his feet and leaning back, just like he had seen Gary do countless times. Steeler struggled, clawing at Kai’s arm, but the position was wrong. His strength meant nothing here.

Seconds passed.

Then Steeler’s movements slowed.

Finally, his body went limp.

Kai released him, stepping back as Steeler collapsed unconscious onto the ground.

Silence.

Jack’s pack stared in disbelief. Steeler, someone most of them couldn’t defeat, had lost. Cleanly. Completely.

Kai stood there, breathing steadily, before turning and walking back toward the others.

Steve’s pack erupted into cheers. They had never expected Kai to win, although they knew his strength, they also knew how strong the Red Wing pack was.

As Kai reached Gary and Lupus, he let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

“Go on, Gary,” Kai said, a small smile forming. “Your turn. Shut them up with the next one.”

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