Thunder and lightning flickered across the ground, sending bright sparks in every direction. The air turned heavy, and a faint mist spread around the area. As the mist slowly cleared, Reigns’ eyes widened as if they were about to jump out of their sockets.

Tundra Wolf Lv9

"FAuckkkkkk!"

He cursed out loud, and he was not the only one. Everyone who saw that level felt their legs go weak. The pressure coming from the beast was overwhelming, and its presence alone made it hard to breathe.

Without wasting a single moment, Reigns shouted at the top of his lungs,

"RUNN!"

Trying to fight a Level 9 at Level 7.

Sorry, he was not that insane.

Reigns turned instantly and started running at full speed. Arvin followed right beside him without hesitation. Kellar also turned to run, but he suddenly froze for a second when he saw Lira and Mira lagging behind.

He gritted his teeth and ran toward them instead.

"Leave Lira to me.I will carry her."

Kellar grabbed Mira firmly, lifting her up without waiting for a reply. Mira gasped slightly but held onto him tightly.

At the same time...

Swoosh!

Reigns accelerated and reached Lira in a flash. Without slowing down, he grabbed her by the waist and lifted her over his shoulder.

"Ah!" Lira let out a short shriek, her hands instinctively gripping onto him.

Reigns did not stop.

He adjusted his hold slightly to keep her steady and then pushed forward with even more speed, his legs moving with urgency.

"Everyone run."

SWISHHH!

The entire squad broke into a desperate sprint, running for their lives.

Around them, the other awakeners who had witnessed the scene also reacted.

"What the hell is that?!"

"Level 9?!"

"RUN! RUN!"

Panic spread instantly.

Some dropped their weapons and turned to flee without looking back. Others stumbled as they tried to keep up, their faces filled with fear.

Behind them,the Tundra Wolf raised its head and let out a deep, terrifying howl.

The sound echoed across the forest, shaking the air itself.

It slammed its limbs into the ground.

BOOM!

The impact caused the surrounding air to churn violently.

Above them, the sky darkened slightly, and a small cloud began to form. Sparks of lightning flickered within it.

In the next moment a rain of lightning descended.

Bolts struck down one after another, dancing wildly across the battlefield.

"AHHHHH!"

"HELP!"

"NOOO!"

Screams and cries of agony filled the air as lightning struck the fleeing awakeners. Some were hit directly and collapsed instantly leaving their bodies twitching before going still. Others were thrown off their feet by the shockwaves.

The ground cracked in several places as the lightning continued to fall.

Reigns kept running while putting Lira over her shoulder.

Suddenly, he heard her voice near his ear, strained with fear."One is coming our way."

"Shit.." Reigns muttered as he turned his head slightly.

Before he could react fully, a bolt of lightning descended toward him.

His body reacted instantly and he activated Phantom Steps.

In the next moment, his movement shifted sharply. His figure blurred as he changed direction mid-run, narrowly escaping the lightning strike that hit the ground just behind him with a loud explosion.

The force pushed against his back, but he kept moving.

Inwardly, he screamed cursing at the damned vile beast.

"Ahhhhh!"

"That damned lightning again.. Just what did I do to offend it so much."

His jaw tightened as he continued running, his body strained while carrying Lira, but he did not slow down even for a second.

The Tundra Wolf did not give them any time.

One moment it was standing still, and the next moment it disappeared into a blur of white and blue. Lightning crackled around its body as it dashed forward, leaving streaks of energy behind that lit up the ground.

Then a scream echoed.

"AHHH!"

A group of awakeners who were still running suddenly froze as the wolf appeared right in front of them. Their eyes widened in fear, and their bodies locked up for a split second.

Before they could react, its claws moved.

SWISH!

One was torn apart instantly.His body was torn apart as blood sprayed across the ground.

Another tried to turn and run only to stumble in panic when a bolt of lightning struck down from above and hit him directly ending his nightmare. His body collapsed and twitched on the ground before going still.

The Tundra Wolf did not stop.

It moved again.

Its speed was terrifying, almost unreal. Each step it took left behind sparks of lightning that crackled across the forest floor.

It hunted them one after another, like a predator picking off helpless prey.

"RUN! RUN!"

"Don’t stop!"

"HELP!"

Cries filled the forest, but they were cut off quickly, one after another.

Some tried to fight back. A few turned around and threw out skills or swung their weapons, but nothing worked. Their attacks barely touched the beast, and the moment they faced it, they were already dead.

Reigns kept running.

His expression turned darker with each passing second, and his breathing grew heavier as he pushed forward while carrying Lira.

He could feel it.The distance was closing.

The Tundra Wolf was coming straight toward them.

His grip tightened instinctively.Without stopping, he waved his hand behind him.

Several Splash Shooters appeared along the path.Thier bodies rose quickly from the ground with a low rumbling sound.

"Delay it!" he muttered under his breath.

The shooters immediately reacted.

POPPPPP!

SWISH!

Dozens of shots blasted forward at once, cutting through the air and heading straight toward the incoming beast.

For a brief moment, Reigns felt a flicker of hope.

But in the next instant it vanished.

The Tundra Wolf appeared right in the middle of the barrage as if the attacks meant nothing.

Its claws moved.

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

Reigns’ eyes widened in shock.

His Splash Shooters were torn apart instantly.

Their bodies shattered into pieces, breaking apart before they could even fire another round. Fragments scattered across the ground, and the connection he felt with them snapped one after another.

The attacks had barely done anything.

"That..."

Reigns’ heart sank.

He had dropped several of them, but they were destroyed like they were nothing.

At that moment another scream erupted from behind.

"NOoo!"

"It reached Lv10."

"Whatttt!" Reigns turned his head sharply, his eyes widening in disbelief.

He quickly activated Inspect again.

What he saw next made his body tremble.

The number had changed.

Lv10.

A cold chill spread through his entire body.

"Shitt.. My shooters..."

His voice came out strained and uneven.

He could feel a burning sensation in his chest as the loss hit him. Five of his Splash Shooters were gone at once, destroyed without dealing any real damage.

They had become nothing more than food for it.

As soon as the Tundra Wolf’s level changed from Level 9 to Level 10 a deep, shaking roar spread across the entire area.

The sound vibrated through the ground and into their bodies.

The earth trembled beneath their feet, and small cracks formed in places as the pressure increased.

The air itself felt heavier, making it harder to breathe.

Lightning surged more violently around the beast, spreading outward in arcs that struck the ground randomly. The light flashed again and again, and the entire area was filled with dangerous energy.

"It is undergoing Tier 1 transformation."

The words came from one of the fleeing awakeners whose voice shook with fear and disbelief.

That single sentence was enough.

It crushed whatever little hope remained.