Chaos rippled through the team as they crowded around Randoff, his face pale as blood seeped from the dagger wound.
"Don’t worry... It’s... just a scratch..." Randoff forced a weak chuckle, but his voice wavered.
"Shut up," Julian snapped, lowering him carefully. "Save your breath."
Selena knelt at Randoff’s side without hesitation, her hands glowing as her [Thorn Sanctuary] skill shifted, vines weaving tightly around the wound to stop the bleeding. "Stay still, Mr. Randoff. I’ll heal you."
Veronica’s eyes narrowed coldly as she looked at Cris. "How bold of you to betray us... do you really think you can defeat all of us alone?"
Luke’s voice trembled with shock. "Why did you betray us, Cris?!"
Cris let out a cold, disdainful laugh. "I don’t need a reason to kill insects like you."
Vivi stepped forward, eyes burning with anger. "You’ve always been a coward, Cris. Sneaking around, stabbing people in the back, that’s all you’re good at."
Cris smirked darkly, "I will be with Emma. And no one will stop me."
Julian’s voice cut through the room like a blade. "That will never happen."
Cris grinned, raising a small glass vial glinting under the moonlight. "I’ve been waiting for this moment, when you’d all be exhausted."
Julian’s eyes widened. "Everyone! Take him down, Now!"
But it was too late. Cris uncorked the vial in a single motion, gulping the shimmering liquid. His veins darkened and pulsed, muscles swelling unnaturally. His bones snapped and reformed as fur sprouted across his body, under the moonlight, his form twisted into a massive, snarling werewolf.
Rea’s eyes widened in horror. "That’s... that’s Brandon’s werewolf skill! How does Cris have it?!"
Rogan’s [Hunter’s Eye] flickered as he scanned Cris. "It must be the potion he just drank, something to grant him the same ability."
Clarissa’s expression darkened, floating her knives protectively around Julian. "The old myths say werewolves can infect others... is that really true?"
Luke shook his head in disbelief. "If that’s real, it’s too overpowered."
Cris’ eyes gleamed a feral yellow as he flexed his clawed hands. "Yes... I feel reborn!" His voice was now a guttural growl.
Julian clenched his jaw. The shelter must already be in chaos... He turned to his team. "We have to get back. Fast."
But Cris stepped forward, teeth bared in a sadistic grin. "Oh, you finally realize? Brandon should have taken over the shelter by now, I gave him that poison so Gabriel would fall easily."
Rea’s voice trembled as she glanced at their exhausted teammates. "Then... it’s over..."
Julian’s gaze hardened. "No. It’s not over, I can teleport straight to the shelter with my [Shadow] skill. But first, we finish this."
Cris’ mouth split in a hungry smile. "I won’t let you." He threw back his head and howled, the piercing cry echoing through the ruined city.
The non-skilled survivors looked at their body in horror. One of them clutched his arm, voice trembling. "Please... help me..."
Another broke into hysterical screams. "Ahhh! Get it off me!"
A third collapsed to his knees, sobbing uncontrollably. "I don’t want to die... I don’t want to die!"
Luke’s eyes darted around, face paling as he saw the spreading panic. He turned sharply to Selena. "Selena! Heal them, quickly!"
But Selena, still tending to Randoff’s injuries, looked up with an apologetic, stricken expression. "I’m sorry... this... this is a werewolf infection."
Luke’s breath caught in his throat. His voice came out hoarse, barely a whisper. "No... that can’t be..."
The seven non-skill warriors staggered, their bodies convulsing as their eyes rolled back. Horrified, they clutched at themselves, muscles bulging and bones cracking. Their screams were quickly replaced by guttural snarls as fur burst through their skin, they, too, transformed into werewolves, forming a pack around Cris.
Vivi cursed under her breath. "Damn it... this is a nightmare."
Julian’s voice cut through the panic, calm and unwavering. "I’m taking command. Everyone, positions! Brace yourselves!"
Weapons rose, skills flickered to life, and the night filled with the snarls of werewolves ready to charge.
Julian’s eyes scanned the battlefield as chaos erupted. His voice rang out sharp and commanding, "Rea! Use your [Mirage], confuse them! Veronica, keep everyone buffed! Clarissa, Rogan, support from the rear! Luke, Vivi, Veronica, with me! We’ll strike directly!"
Cris’ monstrous laugh rolled across the moonlit ruins. "Futile... all of it!" His fur bristled with dark, oily liquid his poison skill now infused into every hair on his werewolf form, giving off a sickly shimmer. "Kill them all!" he roared to the seven werewolves, who leapt forward in a coordinated, feral charge.
The clash was immediate. Julian, his katana drawn and shadows swirling around him, met Cris head-on. Their blades and claws blurred in a deadly dance. Cris’ voice thundered through the clash, "This is our rematch, Julian!"
Julian’s eyes narrowed, his voice calm despite the fury around him. "And you’ll lose. Again."
But Cris roared, moving with terrifying speed and power, his claws slamming into Julian’s defense and sending him skidding across the cracked pavement. Clarissa gasped. "Julian!"
"Stay focused on support!" Julian barked, vaulting back to his feet. Shadows whipped around him as he charged again.
Nearby, Rea faced three snarling werewolves charging straight at his illusions. Sweat dripped from his brow as he strained to maintain his [Mirage]. "I need backup!" he yelled.
Luke parried a werewolf’s claw with his mirror-like shield, cursing. "We need backup everywhere! Don’t whine!"
Vivi darted through the melee with flickering speed, slicing a werewolf’s side with her blades, but another beast slammed into her, hurling her across the street. Luke’s eyes widened. "Vivi! Are you okay?!"
She spat blood, glaring up. "Do I look okay to you?!"
The werewolf lunged at her again, claws gleaming. But Rogan’s rifle thundered from the rear, a bullet piercing the beast’s shoulder with pinpoint precision, slowing it. Clarissa’s telekinesis yanked the creature’s limbs, holding it still as Veronica, surrounded by a pulsing aura, rushed in and smashed a glowing dagger into its chest. The werewolf howled and collapsed.
Veronica wiped blood from her cheek, breathing hard. "We can’t keep this up... there’s too many!"
But Julian’s voice cut through the chaos once more. "Hold the line! We end this!"
The night rang with gunshots, snarls, and the clash of steel and claw as the battle raged on.
Julian launched forward, his katana slicing the air, but Cris twisted aside effortlessly, sneering. "So slow!" he mocked, then slammed his claws across Julian’s chest, sending a spray of blood across the broken ground.
Julian staggered, crimson blooming through his shirt. For a moment, he stood silent, his breathing ragged. His mind raced with a dozen thoughts at once. Focus.
’I need to focus.’
Cris saw his hesitation and grinned, fangs glinting in the moonlight. "What’s wrong? Have you given up? Or are you just afraid of me?"
Julian closed his eyes, drawing a long, slow breath. He sheathed his katana with a quiet click, then pulled a metal knuckle-duster from his [inventory], slipping it onto his hand with deliberate precision. His stance shifted, compact, sharp, ready to strike. His eyes, once clouded, now blazed with determination.
Cris scoffed, baring his teeth. "That toy won’t save you. You’ll fall, just like before!" He lunged, claws slashing forward.
But Julian exploded into motion, his fist crashing into Cris’ snout with brutal force. The werewolf reeled back with a roar of pain and surprise as Julian pressed his advantage, fists a blur of iron and shadow. Their savage melee crackled with each blow, steel knuckles cracking against fur and bone.
Meanwhile, chaos raged elsewhere. The others were being pushed to their limits, exhaustion dragging at every limb, breath coming in ragged gasps.
The six werewolves lunged forward, claws bared, aiming straight for Clarissa and Rogan. But before they could reach them, Luke stepped in, his eyes glowing as he activated his skill. "[Mirror]!"
A shimmering barrier erupted in front of him, reflecting the first wave of attacks back at the werewolves, forcing them to stagger.
Vivi shot forward like a bullet, her movements a blur as she activated her [Acceleration] skill. "You won’t lay a finger on them!" she shouted, slamming her foot into one of the werewolves with a powerful kick that sent it crashing into a nearby wall.
At the same time, Rea appeared behind another werewolf, his form splitting into shifting illusions. "[Mirage]!" he hissed, slashing through the creature’s back with deadly precision, his attacks landing from multiple directions at once.
The six werewolves attacked relentlessly, claws and teeth flashing in the darkness. Veronica stumbled, her buffs flickering as she fell to one knee, a werewolf leaping for her exposed throat.
But a shimmering shield slammed between them, stopping the beast inches from Veronica. Selena stepped forward, eyes blazing. "Randoff is stable," she declared.
Her Sanctuary skill pulsed outward, a golden dome forming over the battlefield. Energy rippled through their bodies, filling them with renewed strength. Her voice rang out like a bell, "Now, finish them!"
Vivi staggered to her feet, her eyes fierce. "You’re the best, Selena!" she shouted, then vanished in a blur of speed, blades flashing as she tore into the nearest werewolf. All around, their battered team rallied, eyes burning with fresh resolve as they launched back into the fray with explosive force.