While falling to the ground and seeing the fight from above, it had become quite clear to Gary that the way he was right now, in the form he was in, he wasn’t strong enough to be of help to Edvard, that he would only slow him down.If there were only five situations where he could use the Dragon Ash Lycan Form, then this was one of them.[The transformation will consume all of your available energy. Your energy will be 0 once transformation ends.] [All skills will be unavailable for a period of time after transformation ends.] [The current form will only last a maximum of one minute. The user has unlimited energy to use in this time frame.]The system messages had appeared, giving Gary a warning. He knew using this transformation was a risk, which was why he needed to give it everything he had before attempting it. His fur started to change color, turning slightly golden.Wings started to appear from his back, but not like that of a dragon, as they were covered in fur. All of the pu

The van rumbled steadily down the open highway, one of the few vehicles daring enough to travel this early. The road ahead was nearly empty, and for good reason. News had already spread, Ruin City was locked down. Roads were barricaded, and communication had been cut off. No one was coming in or out.So it made sense that the highway was eerily quiet. With the hour still early, many hadn’t even left their homes, let alone thought about work. The van, however, was headed toward Slough, and it wasn’t just any group making the journey. Inside were the remaining Altered Hunters, silent survivors of a night they would never forget.They needed rest. Time to recover. Time to think.The metal shutter at the back of the van was closed, cloaking the cabin in a dim stillness. Each of them sat spaced apart, their bodies slouched with exhaustion, but their minds couldn’t help circling back to what they’d just endured. They had escaped death, barely, and even in their fatigue, conversation stirred

After Gary escaped the battlefield alongside Edvard, Lupus remained behind, still standing tall in his monstrous form. His broad chest rose and fell, each breath rippling the air around him like waves. Though blood dripped steadily from the corners of his mouth, it was difficult to gauge just how much strength he had left.Despite everything, Ylva had already moved behind him. She gently placed both her hands against his back.“They’re long gone now,” Ylva said softly. “You don’t need to stay in this form anymore.”Energy swirled from Lupus and into Ylva. Her eyebrows twitched, her face contorting slightly as she endured the pain. Both of their bodies began reverting to their human forms. As soon as the transformation was complete, Ylva slipped her shoulder beneath Lupus’s to help him walk.His body was bare, vulnerable for the first time, and Ylva could see the deep scars and markings carved into his skin.“Let me help the both of you,” Galark said, emerging from the wreckage that su

After making sure everyone else had managed to grab a room for the day, Gary stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the upper floors, where the private apartments were. This wasn’t exactly his main place of residence, but it was one of the locations he used frequently. Lately, he’d been bouncing around too much to really settle in anywhere.Still, this place made the most sense right now. It was convenient if anyone from the Altered Hunters needed to contact him, they’d know exactly where to find him. Plus, with the number of Howler members hanging around the hotel, he was certain more than a few already recognized him. If someone needed him, they wouldn’t have a hard time tracking him down.When he reached the door, he wasn’t alone. Edvard had followed him up and was now standing close behind.“Are you really sure about this?” Edvard asked, his brow furrowed. “Because I honestly don’t think it’s a good idea.”“What, letting you know where I live?” Gary replied with a ca

A few years ago, if someone had mentioned dragons out loud, people would’ve thought they were completely insane. But Gary had met one. He had fought against one back in Havor.So now, hearing talk of dragons didn’t seem so ridiculous. It made him wonder, how long did vampires actually live? In the stories, they were said to have long lifespans, but what did that really mean? Could Edvard have lived long enough to actually be there during the age of dragons?And this stuff about vampires gaining powers… what exactly did that mean?“A little history lesson for you,” Edvard said, leaning back as he cracked open another drink. “When the land was crawling with dragons, every single one of them had a unique ability. A power that was entirely their own. They varied in strength, sure, but each one had something special.“Well… except for one dragon. That one was considered truly different. Truly dangerous.”Edvard paused to take a drink before continuing.“Now, I don’t know whether the man wh