Chapter 76
Kane's POV
I charged toward the tent.
Inside, the shadow witch Uma was using thorn chains to control three beings simultaneously—Black Claw, White Claw, and the gigantic Seraphina.
She sat at the center of a complex magical circle, both hands manipulating three thorn chains, each extending in a different direction.
A sickly smile played across her face, growing even more twisted when she saw me.
"Perfect timing," she said in that sharp, grating voice. "One more dog won't matter—"
Blaze tried to rush forward to destroy the circle, but a wisp of Uma's shadow suddenly materialized, blocking our path.
It was a humanoid form condensed from black mist—no physical body, yet capable of attacking.
We clashed with the shadow.
My claws tore through the black mist, but each time felt like striking empty air. The mist would instantly disperse, then reform.
Yet her attacks were all too real—thorns pierced my shoulder, blood flowing freely.
Damn it! Blaze cursed in our consciousness. This thing can't be hit!
The fierce battle tore down the entire tent.
Fabric ripped, support poles collapsed, and we tumbled out onto the snow.
Just then, I saw dark clouds gathering overhead.
I looked up—Sage was conjuring a massive ice block in the sky, while Ignis's pillar of fire scorched it, steam rising and condensing into falling droplets.
Through the cooperation of ice and fire, Julian and Ella seemed to be bringing rain to the battlefield.
The clouds gathered thicker, thunder beginning to rumble within.
Lightning flashed.
I suddenly had an idea.
"Blaze!" I shouted in my consciousness. "I know what to do!"
What?
"Let her chain hit us deliberately!"
Are you insane? Blaze was incredulous.
"Trust me!"
I stopped dodging, allowing Uma's thorn chain to pierce my body. Excruciating pain struck, but I endured it.
"Blaze!" I shouted. "Higher! Find the highest point!"
Blaze immediately understood my intent.
Dragging the chain, he ran toward the highest point—the Blood River army's battle flag platform.
Uma tried to pull the chain, restricting our movement, but how could a witch's strength compare to a desperate werewolf?
We struggled to climb the platform.
Now at the highest point, the roiling thunderclouds churned directly above us.
"Come!" I called inwardly. "Come!"
The thundercloud seemed to hear my summons, releasing an angry roar.
A lightning bolt descended from the heavens, striking me.
In that instant, I felt my entire body being torn apart.
Electricity coursed from my head through my entire body, every nerve screaming. But I gritted my teeth, forcing the lightning's power to conduct through the thorn chain back to Uma.
Uma's shadow released a shriek, completely destroyed in the lightning.
The control ritual was forcibly interrupted, and the three chains controlling Black Claw, White Claw, and Seraphina immediately retracted.
I reverted to human form, kneeling on the platform.
My body was covered in scorched brown marks from the lightning strike, skin split open, flesh mangled. I gasped for breath, feeling like I might pass out at any moment.
But just then, rain began to fall.
This wasn't ordinary rain—when the droplets touched my body, I felt a strange cooling sensation. It was as if someone were gently soothing my wounds, smoothing away my inner pain.
The burning sensation from long-term dark flame erosion was gradually receding.
I lifted my head, letting the rain fall on my face.
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Ella's POV
The warm rain began extinguishing the dark flames on Seraphina's body.
In an instant, the thorn chains controlling Seraphina, Black Claw, and White Claw began trembling violently, as if losing their grip.
Seraphina's body began shrinking continuously, returning to its original size. Black Claw and White Claw also fell limply to the ground like puppets with cut strings, no longer moving.
Brian, Gregory, and Zachary seized the opportunity to counterattack Nicholas. The three-against-one situation left Nicholas struggling to cope, his movements growing frantic.
"Uma!" Nicholas roared. "What the hell are you doing?"
Uma drifted sheepishly from the tent to the edge of the battlefield, shame written across her face.
"It's Kane," she said quietly. "That bastard interrupted the control ritual."
"Useless fool!" Nicholas cursed. "Retreat!"
He fled swiftly. Seraphina transformed back into Stella's weakened human form, collapsed on the ground gasping. Victoria shifted into wolf form, hoisting her mother onto her back to escape.
Ignis and Sage gave chase.
"Where do you think you're going!"