There were several core groups of the Howlers scattered throughout the park, each battling with strong Altered members in different sections.
Due to the variety of terrains the park offered, the Howlers had to adapt their strategies. One group found themselves near one of the more forested regions, a location that was both an advantage and a curse.
It was a double-edged sword.
The werewolves excelled in wooded environments. They could climb trees swiftly, leap from branch to branch, and attack from angles where they couldn't be seen. There was almost no hiding from them either, not with their noses able to track scent through layers of foliage.
But would regular humans fare any better if they fought werewolves out in the open?
That was the dilemma. So the best way the Howlers could use the forest to their advantage was by staying high up in the trees, launching what attacks they could from above, and never remaining in one place for too long.
Beneath the forest floor, traps were hidden, camouflaged by leaves, buried shallowly in the earth, waiting for careless feet to trigger them.
Just outside the forest, a deadly team stood watch: Kanu, Elijah, and two bird-type Altered positioned above in the trees. They wore headsets, allowing Elijah and Kanu on the ground to communicate clearly with those providing aerial coverage.
As the werewolves approached their location, feathers rained down like bullets from above. Bolts, arrows, and more shot out from the treeline, striking wolves that attempted to charge across the clearing.
And when any of them got too close, too fast, Elijah and Kanu were waiting to handle it.
"There's a lot more of them than I thought…" Elijah muttered, swallowing hard as he saw several shapes darting between the trees.
"Hit, move, then fall back into the forest!" Kanu barked, his voice sharp and commanding.
One of the werewolves had leapt into the air, its mouth wide open, fangs gleaming.
Kanu responded by transforming his arm into a giant orange claw and jamming it into the werewolf's mouth mid-flight.
"Yeah? Not so easy to bite into that, huh?!" Kanu shouted, slamming his other claw down hard onto the wolf's skull, smashing it into the dirt.
"Remember, the goal isn't to win this battle, it's to buy time!"
That might have been true, but with six hours of nonstop fighting ahead of them… even surviving that long sounded near impossible.
Elsewhere in the park, there wasn't just one entertainment venue. One of the largest was a two-story coffee shop, nestled quietly within a more scenic corner of the area.
Attached to its side was a private garden, featuring shallow pools of water and long bamboo shoots that gave the location a uniquely serene, almost spiritual, aesthetic.
Unfortunately, that tranquility was long gone.
This peaceful area had attracted a large number of werewolves, and for good reason. The scent of Altered was thickest here.
At the top of the coffee shop stood Crawley, surrounded by a handful of Altered. From their vantage point, they spotted werewolves climbing across the rocks of the garden, eyes glowing, claws digging into stone.
One of the Altered quickly shot a burst of special green goo, striking a werewolf mid-charge and freezing it in place for a moment.
That moment was all Crawley needed.
He raised his hand and summoned a swirling tornado of black feathers. The attack slammed into the stunned werewolf, slicing into its flesh over and over until it collapsed to the ground.
Still, the werewolves were too many. They were too fast. Even with the high ground and ranged assaults, eventually, several broke through, crashing into the coffee shop itself.
But the Altered inside were ready.
Each used their unique body traits and elemental abilities. Flames burst outward, igniting werewolves that crashed through the windows. Spikes and bristles launched from their skin, some paired with wind powers to enhance the damage and range.
Those with hardened bodies or enhanced defenses stood firm, shielding the more vulnerable allies from direct hits. It was like watching a coordinated military unit, not random Altered, but something much more trained.
"Although Altereds haven't existed for long, the academies were built to train each one to the max of their capabilities," Crawley said as he watched the chaos unfold below.
"But as an instructor, I lost that role for a time. I joined a group instead. It took time to change how Altereds trained and fought. No longer just individuals, we built a system for them to fight together."
He looked down with satisfaction.
"This… this is not going to be like going up against any other Altered group."
Nearly all of the Altered from the Howlers had trained under Crawley. It was no exaggeration to say that the outcome of this war with Lupus' side might rest entirely on them.
Walking slowly through the chaos, a shadow emerged.
A werewolf observed the situation from a distance, watching carefully.
"I knew this place would be troublesome," Ylva said, eyeing the battlefield from the edge of the garden. "But I'm surprised there's no sign of Gary."
There was one section of the park that was completely silent. No Howler members. No swarming werewolves. No shouting. Just two people.
It was the lakeside, the smallest lake in the park, and Apollo and Ice were standing calmly on the banks.
The area around them was littered with bodies, werewolves frozen in ice or thrown aside like ragdolls. Thick ice spears pierced through some, pinning them in place like statues of warning. A clear message: do not approach.
Both Apollo and Ice looked proud, almost bored. Their powers had grown significantly. In many ways, it was like the two of them had been reborn, now more powerful than ever before. And what was more, their ability to fight together only amplified their strength.
If more werewolves came, it wouldn't matter. They could lower their numbers easily, unless an Ironfang arrived... or someone worse.
"Hey…" Apollo said, narrowing his eyes. "Looks like we might have the hardest job after all."
Up ahead, emerging from the treeline, was a werewolf with glowing red eyes.
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