Third-person POV: Thora gripped her pistol tighter. The cold metal pressed against her palm, but there was no catch of a bullet chambering—the gun was empty. Frustration surged through her. So this was what people meant by bad luck piling on. Damn Darius Blackwood. When he designed this gun, why didn't he leave room for a few extra rounds? Still, cursing wouldn't help. She flipped her wrist and tucked the empty weapon back into her waistband. Her fists came up to guard her chest. Feet braced apart, spine taut like a drawn bowstring—she knew the next fight would come down to bare strength. Julio's lips curved into a cold, thin smile. His voice carried the rot of black magic. "Execute.""Yes!" A dozen howls erupted at once. The transformed wolves scraped deep grooves into the floor with their claws. A heartbeat later, they lunged like arrows from a bowstring. The air reeked of blood and feral heat as the violent wind of their charge filled the room. Thora's pupils shrank. She twisted aside, dodging a gray wolf's bite, and drove her elbow hard into its side. Its hide was like armor. The dull thud that followed numbed her arm. Before she could recover, another giant wolf came at her from the right, tail whipping, claws slicing toward her stomach. Thora leapt back just in time—but a third wolf snagged her coat from behind. The fabric ripped, and its claw opened a burning gash across her waist. Pain flared hot and sharp. These mercenaries weren't as powerful as Lance's elites, but they were killers hardened by battle. In wolf form, their strikes were ruthless and precise. Thora's speed and strength far surpassed any normal human's, yet against a pack of wolves, she was like a leaf caught in a storm. And Julio made things worse. He moved along the edges, twin blades spinning with a gray black mist of death. Every time Thora barely dodged a claw, those cursed knives darted for her weak points—each aimed to kill. A sharp hiss cut the air. Thora didn't fully escape his side slash. The blade tore deep into her left arm, the wound gaping to the bone. Black gray energy seeped in, draining all strength from her limb. She stumbled back—and a giant wolf slammed into her chest. The impact sent her flying like a broken kite. She hit the wall hard and spat out blood. Her body was at its limit.Then a familiar, desperate voice echoed in her mind. "Thora, give me the body!" It was Amie. Shock and relief flashed through her. Without hesitation, Thora let go and handed over control. Her limp hand clenched suddenly. The soulstone within her burst into blinding blue light. Wolf power surged through her like a wave. Her bones cracked, her body stretching and reshaping in the glow. A massive snow-white wolf with glowing ice-blue eyes appeared among the pack. The moment Amie took over, those blue eyes sharpened with fierce intent. She swung her tail, blasting two wolves off their feet with one sweep. Her claws hit the ground, and she vanished in a blur—then reappeared in front of the gray wolf that had slammed Thora earlier. Her fangs sank deep, snapping its neck clean.Blood filled the air. The rest of the wolves hesitated, fear flashing in their eyes, but Julio's glare sent them charging again. Amie darted through the pack, each strike of her claws leaving deep gashes in fur and flesh. Her snow-white coat was soon soaked in red. But she wasn't fully healed. Forcing herself awake had already drained her strength. After ten minutes of brutal fighting, her movements slowed, and exhaustion clouded her icy gaze. Julio saw it. Cruelty flickered in his eyes. Time to end it. His twin blades spun faster, the deathly mist thickening until it looked solid. A faint red gleam crept along the edges—black magic sharpened for the kill. With a sharp whistle, both knives flew toward Amie, then split into four midair. Each one carried a micro-explosive carved with black runes—deadly magic waiting to ignite. Amie's pupils shrank. She tried to move, but she had just exposed herself finishing the last wolf. Boom. The explosion tore through the floor, shaking the entire level to its core.