Kale stopped in front of the ancient altar, and his heart was pounding like thunder, echoing in the empty valley. The outline of the huge stone altar loomed in the mist, as if it was something forgotten by time. Traces of the passage of years surrounded the altar. It was covered with moss and had scattered cracks, just like a giant beast that had been asleep for thousands of years. And he was standing in front of this ancient relic, ready to face the test that he had never imagined before.
Azure Claw's low growl broke the silence. The wolf pack nervously formed a circle, their ears perked up, and they scanned the surroundings vigilantly. There was an indescribable emotion flickering in the eyes of each wolf—they seemed to sense a certain threat, and an invisible pressure made it difficult for them to breathe.
"Kale, are you ready?" The old man's voice came from behind, full of some mysterious power. "This altar is not only the gateway to the Wolf Soul Mountains, but also the place where your destiny will be tested."
Kale slowly turned around and stared into the old man's eyes, which were as deep as an ancient well. He knew that there was no turning back for him. The altar in front of him was the key to unlocking the secrets of the wolf clan and the most difficult test in his life.
"I know," Kale nodded, his voice low and firm. "I'm ready."
The old man didn't say anything more. He just gave him a deep look, then turned around and disappeared into the thick fog, as if he had never been there. And Kale's gaze returned to the altar again. Countless questions and unease welled up in his heart, but what was more was the longing and determination from the depths of his heart. He knew that this was not only for the inheritance of the wolf clan, but also for finding his own answers.
He stepped towards the altar. The air around him seemed to become heavy, and the mist circled around him, gradually becoming thicker. With each step, he could feel an unprecedented sense of oppression, as if there were countless pairs of eyes watching him and probing the depths of his soul.
At the top of the altar, a huge wolf tooth stone was embedded in it, emitting a faint, eerie light. Kale walked up to the altar, knelt down, and touched the cold stone surface with his hands. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and prepared to face this unpredictable test.
Suddenly, the wolf tooth stone on the altar began to shake, and a strong light burst out from it, illuminating the entire valley. Kale suddenly opened his eyes, and a trace of surprise and determination flashed in his eyes.
Then, he felt an irresistible force swallow him up completely, as if he was instantly sucked into a certain extradimensional space. His body began to lose gravity, and the world around him became blurry, as if surrounded by countless black shadows and rays of light, and his soul and body began to gradually separate.
In this void, Kale could only hear the violent pounding of his own heart, which vibrated his chest like thunder. Then, a voice sounded, full of power and majesty.
"Welcome, inheritor. Are you ready to face your destiny?"
Kale suddenly raised his head. The surroundings suddenly became extremely bright, and an
endless expanse of the firmament appeared in front of him. Countless stars twinkled in the sky, as if quietly watching him. And the land under his feet was a desolate grassland, and there was no one around.
"Who are you?" Kale asked in a low voice. He felt a fear he had never felt before, but what was more was his longing for the unknown.
"It doesn't matter who I am." The voice still came from all directions, with an ethereal quality. "What matters is whether you can bear the power that belongs to the Wolf Soul Mountains."
As soon as the words fell, a gust of wind blew, and the grassland in front of Kale began to change. The ground cracked open, and surging black mist gushed out from the cracks, forming a huge wolf shadow that bared its teeth and claws and pounced on him. Kale felt a strong sense of oppression. This force not only came from the remnant soul of the wolf soul but also from the fear deep in his own heart.
He quickly drew out his long knife, gripped it tightly in his hand, and his figure evaded like a ghost. The blade cut through the air and slashed fiercely at the giant wolf.
However, the blade only passed through the wolf shadow and had no actual effect. Kale was stunned. The wolf shadow in front of him did not disappear but became even larger, almost swallowing up the entire world.
"This is not the way you should fight." The voice sounded again. "What you are facing is not just simple power, but the fear and desire in your heart."
Kale's heart sank suddenly. Was all of this just a reflection of his own heart? He couldn't help but recall all the things he had experienced, whether it was the loneliness in his childhood or the pain after becoming a werewolf. Those past events that he couldn't let go of were the deep fears and constraints in his heart.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and put down the knife in his hand. A glimmer of clarity flashed in his heart. He suddenly realized that if he had been constantly fighting against external enemies, the fear would only grow deeper. Only by overcoming the fear in his heart could he obtain true freedom.
Kale stood up straight and said in a low voice to the huge wolf shadow, "I'm not afraid of you, but I was once afraid of myself. Now, I'm willing to face all my fears, whether they are in my heart or from the outside world."
As soon as the words fell, the wolf shadow began to gradually dissipate, and then a warm light came, wrapping around Kale's whole body. He felt a huge force being injected into his body, and every inch of his blood and every bone in his body were filled with power. At this time, the wolf tooth stone on the altar also began to emit a dazzling light, as if responding to Kale's awakening.
Kale opened his eyes. The red color of the wolf blood was no longer the only thing in his eyes. Instead, there was a light of wisdom and determination flickering in his eyes. He knew that he had passed the test of the wolf soul and obtained the power related to the inheritance of the wolf clan.
Suddenly, he heard Azure Claw's low growl. Kale came back to his senses and found that he was still standing on the altar. The surrounding mist had already dissipated, and the dawn in the distance was quietly approaching.
"You've succeeded, Kale." The old man appeared behind him, and his eyes were full of relief. "You are no longer that lost child, but the true inheritor among the werewolves."
Kale turned around and nodded slightly towards the old man, his heart filled with an unprecedented sense of peace. He knew that all of this was just the beginning.