I'm too tired for this...

   Both monsters towered before us, their presence suffocating the courtyard air. The Hydra writhed, its many heads snapping and hissing, venom dripping in sizzling droplets onto the marble floor. Beside it, the Fenrir threw back its head and howled—a long, bone-shaking cry that shattered the windows, reverberated in our bones, and froze the breath in our throats.

   Without warning, the Fenrir lunged, jumping through the window and leaping out outside.

   “Laura! Wait—!” I shouted, as she bolted instinctively toward the shattered frame.

   But before she could even reach it—FWOOSH! One of Hydra’s heads lashed out, spewing a torrent of black-green poison.

   Laura flinched, but before the acid could reach her, Zephyra slammed her palms to the ground. A wall of steel burst upward, glowing faintly from the sheer heat of the venom as it splashed and hissed, eating away at the surface.

   “You okay?” Zephyra asked, her eyes sharp as she glanced back at Laura.

   Laura nodded, her voice firm. “Y-Yes!”

   I turned sharply toward them, raising my voice above the chaos. “We’ll go after her!”

   Zephyra’s steel dissolved back into the floor as she gave a small nod. “Fine. We'll handle this one. I leave her to you.”

   I spun around, already moving. “Luna, Bel—let’s go!”

   But before we could reach the door, two more figures blocked our path.

   “I’m coming too!” Liam’s voice rang out. He stepped forward, his fists trembling with determination. Beside him, Laura mirrored his stance, her expression equally resolute.

   “We don’t have time for this!” I snapped. “Stay back—”

   "Please!" Laura shouted. "It is also our problem. We can't just go, knowing that they might hurt someone else."

   I saw their eyes. Clear. Unyielding. They wouldn’t retreat, no matter what I said.

   “…Tch. Fine. But quickly!”

* * *

   The courtyard spread wide under the sun, and in the center, the Fenrir crouched low, fur bristling, eyes glowing golden.

   “Now!” I shouted.

   I hurled an Arcana card, shattering it mid-air. A blinding flare burst outward like a miniature sun, and for the briefest moment, the Fenrir got blinded. We used that moment to surround it, all of us wearing sunglasses to protect from a flash.

   We threw metal balls onto the ground, those formed a perfect circle around the beast.

   BZZZZZZZZZZZT!

   Lightning erupted as arcs of electricity chained themselves between the spheres, creating a blazing electric cage. The Fenrir snarled, throwing itself against the barrier, but the crackling prison held.

   “Good job, everyone,” I said.

   Laura let out a shaky breath, shoulders lowering. “For a second, I was worried how this would go. But this cage is… incredible.”

   “Of course it’s incredible,” I replied with a small smirk, reaching over to ruffle Bel’s hair. “It was made by my younger brother after all.”

   Bel’s cheeks flushed with pride, his grin stretching wide.

   We needed her alive. Only then could we understand what had been done to her. But there was a problem—Laura as a healer type and Luna as an attacker type didn’t have capture-type abilities, and Liam and I had already drained most of our mana during yesterday’s duel. That left only Bel. With his magic, he created the perfect trap to hold the Fenrir.

   “Hah,” Liam exhaled in relief, his lips quirking upward. “That went much easier than I expected.”

   My blood froze. My head snapped toward him. “You… IDIOT! Don’t say that—!”

   CRACK!

   The Fenrir’s jaws clamped down on the barrier, teeth sparking. In the next instant, the beast bit straight through, sucking the electric current into itself. Its fur bristled like a stormcloud, arcs of lightning crawling across its body.

   “…Of course she’s absorbing electricity,” I muttered dryly.

   A pulse of raw energy erupted from the Fenrir, exploding outward in a violent wave. I yanked a card from my belt, shattering it at my feet. A wall of dirt surged upward, shielding us from the blast. But only for a moment.

   CRASH!

   The Fenrir’s claws tore through the wall like paper. Its jaws lunged straight toward me, rows of gleaming fangs ready to eat me in one bite.

   As life was flashing through my eyes, only one thought crossed my mind.

   ...I truly am unlucky, aren't I?

   But before those teeth could reach me—

   WHAM!

   The Fenrir’s body was kicked clean across the yard, skidding and tumbling before slamming into a tree.

   I blinked. “…Thanks, Luna. You saved me there.”

   "..."

   But she didn’t answer.

   The aura around her shifted.

   “Luna?” I asked, frowning.

   She stood tall, her eyes locked on the Fenrir. Her voice was calm, but laced with venom. “This mutt… really has the guts to try to eat my Master.”

   Her lips curled into a smile, a soft laugh spilling from her throat. “She deserves… a slight punishment.”

   I felt a cold shiver crawl down my spine. “…Luna?”

   At last, she turned her head toward me, her smile genuine yet unsettling, her eyes glowing with a predator’s hunger.

   “Please don’t worry, Master. It will be over soon.”

   That smile. That gaze. I had seen it before. And as I stared at her, my chest tightened.

   This scene reminded me of something that had happened…

   …over a month ago.