Takeshi led the way, silent and composed as ever, his katana sheathed but always within reach. Behind him, Sven, Nadya, Kai, Isaac, and Amina followed - each step heavier than the last.

None of them spoke.

Not because they didn't have words, but because none had the energy left to waste them. Even breathing felt like a chore.

And ironically, the one who struggled the least… was Amina.

Despite being the most frail and least combat-capable among them, she trudged forward with quiet resilience. Her limbs were uninjured. Her mind, while shaken, hadn't been strained to its limit like the others. She wasn't bleeding, burned, or bruised. And that alone put her in better shape than the rest of them combined.

Kai glanced at her momentarily, then returned his gaze to the dirt beneath his feet.

They eventually reached the outskirts of Wolfsgrave Woods, the dense, shadow-laced forest that stretched into the horizon like a sea of gnarled limbs and ancient bark. It looked ominous, but it was the only path forward.

Before stepping in, the group paused.

They turned back one last time to look at the wasteland they'd barely escaped from.

The air still shimmered with lingering heat. The ruins they'd fought in were now just craters, smoke, and rubble. And in the distance, on the far side, they could just make out a cluster of slow-moving figures.

The remaining townsfolk.

Scattered, trembling, some injured… and all of them glaring in their direction.

Blame lingered in their eyes.

Even from this far away, it was clear they saw the mutants not as heroes, but as monsters who had brought the chaos upon them.

And further beyond that group, a series of steadily approaching lights.

A convoy of vehicles was approaching from the south. Authority transports. Medical, military, or maybe both.

"Guess they're showing up already," Nadya muttered under her breath, her voice dry.

She wanted to be angry. Maybe she was. But mixed with the bitterness was a faint sense of relief. 'At least someone would be there to help the survivors. Hopefully,' she thought.

Still, their arrival lit a fire under the team, and the Association would likely follow. As such, they turned back to the forest and stepped into its embrace without hesitation.

No one wanted to stick around for questioning, especially since they would all be considered criminal rogue mutants.

Kai's gaze swept across the trees as he followed the group. Shadows danced between branches. Wind whispered through leaves. The forest was quieter than expected… too quiet.

'Hopefully that beast doesn't show up again,' he thought grimly.

But luck wasn't something Kai believed in anymore.

And sure enough… it showed up, as if summoned by his thoughts.

From between the trees, emerging from the underbrush like a nightmare revisited, came the massive wolf-like creature he had fought what felt like a lifetime ago, but had only been the day before.

Its slitted eyes locked onto them immediately.

And it wasn't alone.

Flanking it were more wolves, their forms sleek and hungry, their eyes glowing faintly in the dark. Dozens. Maybe more. Silent, obedient, and waiting to pounce.

As the name implied, the Wolfsgrave Woods were teeming with wolves, and all of them bowed to this one beast's command.

Even after the carnage Kai had inflicted on its pack the last time, the alpha had plenty more to assemble.

The creature stood still, regarding the group with calm, measured intent. It didn't attack or growl.

It simply observed them.

Its eyes scanned each of them, lingering especially on Kai. Saliva dripped from its jaws - thick, acidic drool that sizzled when it hit the leaves. Scars from their last battle still decorated its body, glowing faintly under the moonlight.

Despite its wounds, its recovery had been incredible.

But not fast enough.

Kai's body had healed even faster.

Though now it was even worse than it had been after fighting the beast.

He could barely stand. His legs ached. His muscles screamed. His blood reserves were dangerously low.

And the beast knew it.

A low rumble rolled from its chest as it took a step forward, testing them.

Sven subtly reached for his side. Nadya's palm began to glow dimly. Takeshi, already ahead of the rest, didn't flinch.

The forest held its breath.

Neither side moved.

It was a tense stand-off between prey and predator, unsure which was which.

Had any of them been in fighting shape, the beast wouldn't have stood a chance. Kai had already assessed it the first time they'd clashed - its raw power and dominance over its pack put it at the upper tier of a Raging Threat. Maybe just on the cusp of Howling Threat, but not quite destructive enough to be B-Rank.

Still, against a fully operational squad of elite mutants like them?

It would've been a joke.

Takeshi alone could've diced it apart in seconds. Even Nadya or Sven could've overwhelmed it with ease.

But now? In their battered state?

It felt like a genuine threat.

And worse, if they tried to run, it would almost certainly give chase.

Kai glanced at Amina. Then at Isaac.

If anyone fell behind, it would be them, as well as himself.

'So we're screwed either way.'

The wolf beast took another step... then paused.

Its gaze flicked to Takeshi.

Something about the swordsman gave it pause. It seemed to be a mix of recognition and caution.

And then, slowly, it backed away.

It didn't bare its fangs or order its minions to attack.

It simply turned, eyes briefly returning to Kai, and stepped back into the woods.

The rest of its pack followed, vanishing into the darkness like ghosts.

Kai exhaled shakily, not realising he'd been holding his breath.

'Yeah. Fuck off, mutt. Don't think I've forgotten the trouble you gave me last time.'

He couldn't deny that he was relieved… but he swore they'd have a rematch. One where he wasn't half-dead and running on fumes.

However, that was for another time.

They didn't waste a single second. No one dared say a word. The group simply moved forward, deeper into the forest.

None of them had the strength left to worry about ambushes. They trusted the beast had chosen to let them pass, if only for now.

Perhaps it recognised that they were still dangerous, even wounded. Or perhaps it wasn't willing to gamble another fight so soon with its injuries.

Either way, the woods gave them safe passage.

They saw no more wolves. No monsters. Just trees. Darkness. And the sound of their own laboured footsteps.

Time blurred.

Hours passed, at least it felt like it. None of them could be sure. The canopy above was thick, letting through only slivers of sunlight. Every step felt heavier than the last.

And finally… the trees began to thin.

The oppressive silence of the forest faded.

They were almost out.

And none of them looked back...

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