But Arthur stepped in first.

Faster this time.

Intent moved before his thought.

His body hardened, a thin layer wrapping over him as wind gathered tight around his form.

He didn’t hesitate as he cut forward.

Shhk!

His dagger bit into the wolf’s hide.

Not deep.

But enough to change the attack.

The wolf’s claw shifted slightly mid-swing, grazing Arthur instead of landing fully.

Even then, the force behind it was heavy.

Arthur’s boots dug into the ground as he was pushed back a step.

But he didn’t fall or lose his balance.

He leaned into it.

And grinned.

"...Got you."

For a split second, the wolf’s eyes flickered.

Not confusion.

Just a delay.

That was enough.

Arthur moved again... faster.

The wind around him tightened as he pushed forward.

Ryn followed without needing a word.

Arthur went low.

Ryn came from above.

It was clean and simple... but ffective.

And for a moment, it looked like they had it as Arthur’s dagger aimed for its side, while Ryn’s blade dropped toward its neck.

There was no space left.

No way of escape.

Then..

The wolf shifted... barely.

But just enough as it was gone.

Again.

Both attacks cut through empty air.

Arthur clicked his tongue. "...Damn."

Ryn landed beside him, already turning.

"It’s not just speed."

Arthur nodded, eyes scanning. "Yeah. And It’s reading us too."

They stepped back together, rejoining the group.

No one broke formation.

The wolf stood at a distance again watching them like nothing had happened.

Like it was still in control.

And in a way.. it was.

Torren adjusted his stance, tightening his grip on his shield.

"...This thing’s annoying."

Selene let out a small breath. "I can’t track it properly."

Althea spoke next, her voice steady.

"It waits for openings. If there aren’t any... it creates them."

Nox added quietly, "It’s not just attacking. It’s testing us."

Arthur let that settle.

Then he let out a small breath and smiled.

"...Calm."

They all glanced at him.

Arthur rolled his shoulder once.

"If it’s thinking, we can beat it."

Ryn raised a brow slightly. "You sound sure."

Arthur shrugged. "Better than panicking."

Torren huffed. "Fair enough."

Arthur stepped forward just a little, eyes locking with the wolf’s again.

The wind around him stirred faintly, controlled, steady.

"...Come on then."

The wolf lowered its body.

Its gaze sharpened.

The space between them went quiet again.

No movement or sound.

Just both sides watching and waiting to strike again.

But unlike they thought, the fight didn’t slow down.

If anything, it got worse.

The wolf came again without warning, its body slipping out of sight and crashing back into them a second later. Torren met it head-on this time, shield raised, feet planted hard.

"Coming in!"

The impact rang out.

Torren held for a second, then slid back, boots dragging through the dirt.

"Still hits like hell!"

"Hold it!" Ryn snapped.

Althea’s mana flared behind him, stacking over Torren again. Strength. Defense. Another layer on top before the last one even settled.

"I’m on you," she said, voice tight.

"You’re doing too much," Torren muttered through his teeth.

"Then don’t die," she shot back.

That shut him up.

The wolf twisted away the moment it met resistance, vanishing again before anyone could fully punish it.

Selene didn’t waste the opening.

Her arrow flew the instant it reappeared at a distance.

A clean shot.

Buffed.

Focused.

The arrow struck.

As it sank in deeper than before, pushing through fur that had no right being that thick.

The wolf flinched.

It wasn’t much, but enough.

"Good hit," Arthur said, already moving.

He didn’t wait for it to recover. The moment it shifted again, he followed.

This time, he saw it clearer.

Not just disappearing.

There was a moment.

A flicker.

Like it sank into something before coming back out.

"Ryn," Arthur called, low but sharp. "It’s really not just speed."

"I see it," Ryn replied.

The wolf appeared again, aiming for Nox this time.

Arthur was already there.

He stepped in before it fully came out, dagger cutting across its path.

The blade met resistance.

Hard.

But it cut.

Wind wrapped tight around the edge, pushing through just enough.

The wolf recoiled, its claw missing Nox by inches.

Nox stumbled back anyway, heart racing.

"...I didn’t even see it."

"Don’t try to," Arthur said. "Just trust the call."

She nodded quickly.

Ryn moved in next, his blade flashing as he drove it toward the wolf’s foreleg. He didn’t aim for the body.

He aimed for the joint.

The strike landed.

Not deep, but precise.

The wolf pulled back immediately, vanishing again.

Ryn exhaled slowly.

"...It’s dipping into shadows. Not fully, but enough to break sight."

Nox frowned. "Like a phase?"

"Something like that."

Arthur added, "There’s a delay when it comes out. Small, but it’s there."

Ryn glanced at him. "You can read it?"

Arthur shrugged lightly. "Getting there."

That was enough.

"Then we punish it on entry," Ryn said.

The next few exchanges turned sharper.

Cleaner.

The wolf still moved fast, still appeared where it wanted, but now they were meeting it halfway.

Torren took the first hit.

Always.

Shield up. Body braced.

Althea right behind him, layering buffs so fast her breathing started to slip.

"Torren, left!"

He shifted just in time, catching the claw at an angle instead of straight on.

The force still pushed him back, but not as bad.

"Now!"

Selene’s arrow followed.

Another clean hit.

Ryn stepped in right after, blade cutting into the same leg he had marked earlier.

Arthur came last.

Fast.

Direct.

He didn’t hold back.

Intent wrapped around him, thin but sharp. Wind followed it, tightening along his dagger as he drove it forward.

Execution.

The blade struck the wolf’s side.

This time, it went deeper.

The wolf let out a low, angry sound and twisted away, vanishing again before they could chain more hits.

Arthur landed lightly, exhaling.

"...Yeah. That works."

Ryn didn’t smile, but there was approval in his voice.

"Keep that up."

They moved again.

And again.

The rhythm started to form.

Block. Buff. Counter.