Ali had lost track of Zye, Sara, and Kaia after the battle. The wolves she had summoned had returned to her side, running alongside her as she navigated the underground byrinth. Forced to take random corridors in an attempt to escape, she focused on finding paths that led upward, toward the surface.

  After wandering through the dimly lit tunnels, she finally emerged from the underground, finding herself in a narrow alleyway. She had unknowingly exited through the celr of a house. Inside, frightened inhabitants huddled together, hiding from the chaos outside—where rioters and the kingdom’s authorities were still locked in combat.

  “What kind of hell is this…?”

  A shiver ran down Ali’s spine. There was no sign of Sara, Zye, or Kaia. As she cautiously observed the battlefield from her hiding spot, one of her wolves suddenly barked. A sharp whimper followed.

  Someone was behind her.

  She spun around to find a petite figure with elven ears and white hair. Dressed in light clothing, the girl gazed at Ali with an eerie calm. It was Amadee—the one who had just sin her wolf. The elf had moved so fast that Ali hadn’t even registered her presence until it was too te.

  Gritting her teeth, Ali jumped back, her knuckles tightening around her brass knuckles. Unlike Yuuka, whom she had struggled against earlier, this elf only wielded small bdes—not a katana. That alone made this fight feel far more manageable.

  Ali locked eyes with Amadee. Neither of them moved. One remaining wolf stood beside Ali, growling lowly at the elf. Ali still didn’t know how to summon more, so she would have to make do with just one ally.

  Then, Amadee suddenly dashed forward, moving at an inhuman speed. Ali barely managed to dodge and counter with a punch aimed at her stomach. But Amadee effortlessly sidestepped at the st second. In a fluid motion, she unsheathed a small dagger from her belt and hurled it toward Ali.

  The dagger whistled through the air, embedding itself just inches from Ali’s head.

  “You're lucky I wasn’t aiming for your head, human.”

  Ali took a shaky step back, her heart pounding in her chest. She could still feel the heat of the bde’s passage against her skin. Clenching her brass knuckles tighter, she steadied herself, her wolf bristling beside her, ready to lunge at the elf.

  “Why did you join the Martyrs?”

  Amadee’s expression remained unreadable, but a small smirk tugged at the corners of her lips.

  “I was exiled from my homend. I want revenge against those who cast me out. The Martyrs are the only ones who can help me achieve that.”

  Ali narrowed her eyes, trying to understand the elf’s twisted sense of justice.

  “And you think sughtering innocents will help you get that revenge?!”

  Her grip tightened, anger bubbling beneath her skin. Amadee merely shrugged, her smirk widening.

  “Revenge is a dish best served cold, human.”

  Ali snapped. She lunged at Amadee with all her strength, her wolf charging beside her. Amadee, with supernatural agility, evaded the attack, sidestepping and using Ali’s momentum against her. Before Ali could react, Amadee maneuvered behind her, dagger poised to strike.

  But the wolf leaped between them, taking the blow meant for Ali.

  “No!”

  Ali’s scream echoed through the alley as her loyal companion let out a pained whimper, colpsing onto the cold pavement. Blood pooled beneath its trembling body.

  Amadee withdrew her dagger, its bde now dripping red.

  “I warned you, human. You chose the wrong path.”

  Ali dropped to her knees beside the dying wolf, her fingers trembling as she pulled the dagger from its wound. Her grip tightened around the bloodied bde as her fury reached its peak.

  She lunged again, this time with deadly precision. But Amadee was too fast. She leaped into the air, spinning gracefully before nding with catlike reflexes. The moment her feet touched the ground, she struck—her fist smming into Ali’s jaw.

  The impact sent Ali stumbling backward, disoriented. She tasted blood in her mouth. For a brief moment, fear crept in—would she survive this fight?

  But then, she remembered Eliana.

  Taking a deep breath, Ali steadied herself. She had to think like Eliana. She had to outsmart her opponent.

  Slowly, she pushed herself back onto her feet, wiping the blood from her lips. Her gaze flickered to the wounded wolf, its body barely moving. Pain turned to determination. She gripped the dagger with renewed purpose.

  “It’s over for you, Amadee. I won’t go down so easily.”

  Then, pain surged through her body.

  Her tattoo burned.

  And suddenly—wolves.

  Not just one. Not two.

  But twenty.

  They appeared one by one, surrounding her, their growls filling the alleyway.

  “What?! That’s impossible!” Amadee’s eyes widened in disbelief.

  The wolves snarled and lunged toward her in unison. Ali staggered, the sheer force of the summoning draining her energy.

  Amadee fought back, her dagger fshing through the air, cutting down some of the beasts. But there were too many. She cursed under her breath, realizing she was outmatched. Desperately, she leaped onto the nearest wall, using it to propel herself upward. She jumped from surface to surface, retreating toward the rooftops.

  She clutched her bleeding shoulder, one of the wolves having managed to wound her.

  “Pathetic mutt!” she spat before vanishing into the night, leaping across the rooftops.

  The wolves remained, forming a protective barrier around Ali. As she caught her breath, she heard approaching footsteps.

  A blonde girl.

  And a red-haired nurse.

  The wolves bristled.

  “Sarah?”

  Ali’s voice was uncertain. But she recognized the girl immediately. They had only met briefly, but Mikki had shown her plenty of photos.

  Sarah exhaled in relief.

  “Finally, I found you… Where are the others?”

  Ali shrugged, exhaustion weighing on her.

  “I don’t know… I was with Sara, Kaia, and Zye, but we got separated. Taiwo should be at the pace… And Mikki and Eliana should be together.”

  Kety, the nurse, stepped forward, assessing Ali’s injuries.

  “We need to find them… As soon as possible.”

  Pov Eliana (B)

  Eliana is with Mikki, and both of them are fleeing the Martyrs' HQ. As they exit through the basement of one of the buildings, they set off the sleeping gas bombs and make it outside. Eliana stops against a wall, catching her breath.

  “Damn… I’m exhausted… Aren’t you?”

  Mikki shakes her head slightly. She’s sweating, but she doesn’t admit whether she’s tired or not.

  “We need to get back to the pace.”

  Mikki grabs Eliana’s hand, and she uses her wind-controlling powers to climb onto the roof of a building. They thought they would have a clear view, but they were wrong.

  The city was in chaos. Cshes between the police, the military, and civilians were raging. Parts of the city were on fire. Eliana looks at Mikki, panic rising in her eyes.

  “What the hell is going on?!”

  “The Martyrs must have made their move… We were too slow…”

  Mikki looks toward the pace and nods before grabbing Eliana’s hand. She takes off, flying with her towards the pace.

  However, as they soar through the sky, a bullet grazes Mikki’s hand. Startled, Eliana loses her grip on Mikki’s hand.

  Eliana plunges into a free fall toward the ground. Luckily, she nds in a dumpster, which slightly cushions her fall. She crawls out of the dumpster and looks up at the sky. She hopes Mikki has come back for her, but no one is there. She waits, but nothing.

  Fear starts to creep in—fear that something might have happened to Mikki. Eliana remains on high alert, clenching her fists. She prepares to leave the alley when something on the ground catches her eye—a piece of paper that looks familiar. She crouches down and picks it up, only to drop it in horror.

  On the paper is a photo of herself, a picture from when she joined the army. Above it, the words “Wanted for desertion and treason” are written. She had known for a long time that she was being hunted, but she thought only the Republicans were after her—not the whole world. She takes a step back and bumps into something.

  It’s not a wall.

  Turning around, she sees a person with white hair and red eyes, accompanied by a dog. Eliana immediately recognizes her—Anushka Huber, one of the Martyrs’ captains. And she’s not alone. On both sides of the street, humans wearing red bandanas begin to surround Eliana.

  “Eliana Sikora, wanted by the Republic for treason and desertion,” Anushka says. “I did some research on you… and you had the audacity to ally with your enemy.”

  “What do you want from me? Leave me alone!”

  “We’re here to capture you and return you to the Republic.”

  “Just because my friend is a wolf?! You’re insane!”

  Anushka suddenly shoves Eliana against the wall, pinning her there as she stares her down.

  “You betrayed your human homend.”

  The gang members close in, hurling insults at Eliana, bming her for her past actions and her friendship with Ali. She struggles, but it’s useless. She can see Anushka’s weaknesses, but without being able to fight, it’s pointless.

  Eliana tries to push Anushka away, but her strength is far superior. She looks Anushka in the eyes and, in defiance, spits in her face.

  “I am not a traitor! This war between the Republicans and the Confederation should have never happened!”

  Anushka looks down at Eliana, judging her, before letting a smirk slip onto her face.

  “Oh really? The demi-humans should have never existed… But you know, I can still spare you—if you betray your friends. They’re all demi-humans who don’t deserve to live.”

  Eliana exhales sharply. She couldn’t give in. She couldn’t abandon Ali. She wouldn’t allow herself to.

  “Never! I will never abandon Ali!”

  Anushka sighs and releases Eliana. One of the soldiers approaches with zip ties in hand.

  “Fine. Then we’ll send you back to the Republic, where you’ll be judged for your crimes.”

  The zip ties are fastened around Eliana’s wrists. She can’t resist. She’s confused and has no idea what to do. She just hopes someone will come to save her. She closes her eyes as she’s forced to stand up, but then, suddenly, she hears a distant shout:

  “Attack!”

  Out of nowhere, a dozen wolves charge in, attacking the gang members. At the end of the alley stands Ali, accompanied by Sarah and the nurse, Kety.

  “Ali!”

  Eliana calls out, relieved to see the one she loves coming to her rescue.

  “Grrr… This doesn’t look good…”

  Anushka takes a few steps back, barking orders at her gang members.

  “Get rid of those Firebirds!”

  The battle is brutal. The wolves tear into the gang members, but the gang retaliates, sshing and shooting at them. However, the wolves quickly gain the upper hand, and soon, only Anushka and her dog remain.

  Sarah, having circled around, now stands behind Anushka, aiming a pistol at her.

  “Surrender!”

  Anushka doesn’t want to die, so she raises her hands and kneels, pcing them behind her head. Sarah steps closer, secures the zip ties around Anushka’s wrists, and tightens them. Meanwhile, Kety frees Eliana and checks her for injuries.

  “We’re three… Where’s Mikki?”

  Eliana stands up and looks at the group.

  “I don’t know. We were flying together, and then something separated us… and she never came back.”

  Ali’s expression darkens, worry creeping into his features.

  “This is really bad.”

  Sarah pces a hand over her heart, anxiety clear in her voice.

  “Mikki…”

  Pov Mikki (A)

  Mikki was with Eliana, and both were fleeing the Martyrs' headquarters. As they exited through the basement of one of the buildings, they set off the sleeping gas bombs before finally reaching the outside. Eliana stopped against a wall, catching her breath.

  “Damn… I’m exhausted… aren’t you?”

  Mikki shook her head slightly. She was sweating, but she didn't admit whether she was tired or not.

  “We need to get back to the pace.”

  Mikki grabbed Eliana’s hand and used her wind-controlling powers to lift them onto the rooftop of a nearby building. They had hoped for a clear view, but instead, they were met with chaos.

  The city was in turmoil. Cshes between police, the military, and civilians raged on, and part of the city was engulfed in fmes. Eliana turned to Mikki, panic in her eyes.

  “What the hell is going on?!”

  “The Martyrs must have made their move… We were too slow…”

  Mikki looked toward the pace and nodded. She took Eliana’s hand and began to fly with her toward their destination.

  However, as they soared through the sky, a bullet grazed Mikki’s hand. Startled, Eliana let go of Mikki’s hand.

  “Eliana!”

  Mikki shouted and rushed toward her, but suddenly, someone darted in front of her at an incredible speed, cutting off her trajectory. A powerful kick nded in her stomach, sending her flying backward. She quickly got back on her feet, only to find herself face-to-face with Oni Yuuka, wielding her katana.

  Mikki unsheathed her own katana, locking eyes with Yuuka.

  “Finally, someone who fights on equal ground. I’ve always wanted to challenge an Oni.”

  She took a combat stance, and Yuuka did the same without saying a word. In an instant, Yuuka charged.

  She moved with inhuman speed, her katana tracing a deadly arc through the air. Mikki barely dodged in time, the bde whistling past her ear. Yuuka didn’t stop—she unleashed a relentless flurry of attacks, each stroke swift and precise. Mikki stepped back, blocking each strike, feeling the immense force behind every blow.

  “Impressive, but it’s not enough to take me down.”

  Mikki sent a gust of wind toward Yuuka to push her back. The Oni staggered for a moment but quickly regained her stance, a sly smirk on her lips.

  "Nice try, kitten. But you’ll need to do better than that."

  Yuuka lunged again, her katana cutting through the air with deadly precision. Mikki dodged and parried, her arms straining under the sheer power of the Oni’s attacks. Gritting her teeth, she focused all her strength into repelling Yuuka’s assault. Their bdes cshed in a shower of sparks, metal grinding against metal. Surprised by Mikki’s resilience, Yuuka took a few steps back, her red eyes gleaming with a mix of respect and challenge.

  “I thought Onis were stronger than this.”

  Mikki gave her a teasing grin. Yuuka let out a sharp ugh, her fanged smile glinting under the light.

  "Oh, little kitten. You have no idea what you’re talking about. I haven’t even shown you my true strength."

  Yuuka’s eyes fshed with a supernatural glow as she suddenly vanished in a blur of bck light. Mikki’s breath hitched—she scanned her surroundings, gripping her katana tightly, waiting for the demon to reappear.

  Without warning, Yuuka materialized right in front of Mikki, her bde slicing toward her torso. Mikki barely managed to block in time, the impact making her arms tremble. They both stepped back, panting, their weapons still poised for battle. Yuuka smiled, clearly thrilled by the duel.

  "Good, very good, Mikki."

  “I won’t give up… Your group hurt my sisters, and I will never forgive that.”

  Mikki surged forward, her speed enhanced by her wind powers. Yuuka barely evaded, the rushing air whistling past her. She rolled to the side and immediately repositioned herself, smirking.

  The two warriors faced off once more, their katanas poised for the next exchange.

  “I know… but unfortunately, this will be our final csh.”

  Yuuka held her bde in front of her, preparing to strike. Mikki, her determination unwavering, charged at full force.

  Their swords cshed violently, sparks flying as their skills were put to the ultimate test. But in a swift, precise movement, Yuuka managed to nd a deep ssh across Mikki’s abdomen. Blood seeped through her shirt, but she remained standing, unwavering.

  "You’re tough, Mikki."

  Yuuka’s crimson eyes gleamed with new intensity.

  “This won’t work on me twice.”

  Mikki grinned, determination shining in her eyes. She knew she had to end this.

  Mikki took a deep breath, channeling all her strength into a decisive final strike.

  With a fierce cry, she swung her katana with everything she had. Yuuka met the attack head-on, their bdes locking in an ear-splitting csh.

  “My sister taught me something long ago… No matter how strong your opponent is, the smartest one will always win.”

  Yuuka smirked but quickly realized she had been tricked.

  "Oh? You’re clever, too. Interesting."

  She blocked the attack, but Mikki’s maneuver forced her to step back.

  "Alright then, if that’s how you want to py."

  Mikki didn’t lower her guard. She firmly gripped her katana, her stance unwavering.

  Yuuka smiled coldly, her katana twirling slightly in the air. Her red eyes locked onto Mikki, glowing with an eerie intensity.

  Mikki remained still, fingers tightening around her bde.

  She counted the seconds in her head. One, two, three… She could feel the energy around her, the faint breeze caressing her skin, ready to heed her command. Four, five, six… Every muscle in her body was tense, prepared for the next move.

  Finally, Yuuka unched her attack. She vanished once again, only to reappear right in front of Mikki, aiming for a lethal strike.

  But Mikki had been waiting.

  At the exact moment Yuuka reappeared, Mikki unleashed her power—she had subtly gathered wind beneath the structure, and now, with one swift motion, she colpsed the ceiling beneath them.

  Yuuka plummeted as debris rained down, while Mikki remained afloat, held aloft by her wind manipution.

  Hovering above the wreckage, Mikki watched as Yuuka disappeared beneath the rubble. Victory surged through her, yet unease gnawed at her—this victory had been brutal.

  As the dust settled, Mikki’s body gave out. She dropped to her knees, her katana slipping from her grasp. Reaching for her pistol, she steadied herself, just in case she needed to fight again.