The forest was dark and filled with tall trees, the night was the perfect cover for a cultivator like Noah.
He didn't think that the rank 4 creatures would have difficulties in the darkness but he wanted to be in a situation where he could escape whenever he wanted, hunting at night gave him that possibility.
Noah was jumping from branch to branch, looking for a pack of wolves that met his requirements.
He wanted to choose the weaker type of wolves and he wanted to study the terrain before fighting it, he wouldn't just barge in a pack of magical beasts without studying the environment.
'There is movement in that direction.'
Echo heard something moving at a few hundred meters from Noah's position, which made him change his course.
Forty or so Thunder wolves sat quietly in that area, Noah could discern their type by just giving a quick look at the beasts.
'They are quite problematic, the joint attack of the Thunder wolves is strong and, with the leader there, I'm afraid I'll be forced to escape before I have a chance of vanquishing the pack.'
Thunder wolves could make joint attacks, the population of their pack was part of their strength.
'I better find something easier to deal with.'
Noah could choose to slowly kill all the beasts in front of him but that would create a commotion in the forest, a protracted fight could only attract other magical beasts.
In another part of the forest, Noah found a pack of Four-eyed wolves.
'They are far weaker than the Thunder ones but I don't know if my mental sphere can withstand so many mind attacks. I should probably look for something else.'
Hours passed, Noah explored all the forest and found more than six packs of wolves.
'Six rank 4 wolves, this danger zone is quite populated.'
Noah was at the top of a tree, silently staring at a group of thirty or so beasts below him.
They were Three-headed wolves, their specialty was close-combat since they relied mostly on their bodies.
The leader of the pack was a rank 4 wolf five meters tall and its three heads exhaled a nauseous smell that could slow the mental faculties of its prey.
'They are the best target. As the weaker type of wolves in the forest, they have been isolated in this remote area, I should be able to act as I want here.'
Two white sabers appeared in his hands and a layer of mental energy covered his figure.
Then black flames covered his body, making him disappear on the spot.
The wolves were silently sitting on the ground.
The leader was at the center of the pack while all the weaker beasts were all around it for protection.
Life in the forest was rather peaceful for them, there wasn't much food in that area but they could at least avoid fights with the other packs.
Then, all of sudden, black flames appeared right over the head of the leader.
Noah came out of the flames and slashed immediately below him.
Thirty fuming slashes cut the air and crashed in a circular area all around the leader, killing all the weaker beasts in the impact.
A circle made of black smoke isolated the leader from the rest of its pack, the weaker beasts couldn't pass through the smoke or else they would die in a few instants.
Noah was alone with the rank 4 creature!
He didn't hesitate, the membrane around his heart poured "Breath" in his circulatory system and an armor made of black smoke covered his figure, transforming him in a fiend.
Full power right from the beginning of the fight!
The leader was still surprised by the sudden event and couldn't block the descending slash that Noah immediately performed.
Six sabers became one and crashed on one of the heads of the wolf.
Noah was using the Second Form of the Ashura together with the full power of his body and his strongest spell, coupled with the surprise effect, his assault was unstoppable.
The slash pierced the central head and stabbed Noah's sabers deep into the wolf's skull where they released a torrent of black smoke.
The wolf cried loudly and used its frontal paws together with its other two heads to fend off Noah.
Two pairs of wings came out of his back and his legs kicked the air to distance himself from the wolf's attack.
However, he couldn't match the speed of the leader, its fangs managed to land on Noah's body.
Noah was flung away, the sheer strength of a rank 4 beast was incredible but the protection of the Demonic form and the regeneration ability of his body prevented any serious wound.
In that short exchange, the wolf had lost one of its heads while Noah was still at its peak condition!
'My attacks are effective! I can kill it!'
Noah shot toward the leader and the beast did the same, its specialty was close-combat after all, it would never refuse to fight in that field.
However, Noah suddenly halted his charge and dispersed the Demonic form, revealing his face filled with bulging black veins.
'Warp!'
Black flames covered him right before the leader arrived in his position.
It was still confused by Noah's disappearance when it felt a piercing pain on its right head.
Noah had teleported again over it and transformed back in his fiendish form, inflicting another severe injury to the beast.
'Two heads are down, what will you do next?'
Noah stopped his assault and waited for a reaction from the leader.
The wolf had two of its heads hanging lifelessly from their necks, only its remaining one was staring at Noah with venomous anger.
'It has stopped mindlessly charging, it's waiting for its pack to arrive. Well, I can't allow it.'
Noah jumped ahead, creating more than ten ethereal sabers around him.
The leader looked in disdain at the First Form of the Ashura and used its paws and teeth to fend off most of Noah's attacks.
The effects of the First Form were less evident, Noah's attacks could only pierce the leader's skin and inflict some slight damage, they weren't attacks focused on power after all.
Yet, since he had managed to destroy two heads before the close combat began, he held an incredible advantage.