Six shadows appeared out of nowhere, forming a circle around Zinnia.
The ground cracked beneath their feet, and a faint red mist rose with their arrival.
They were Aksai's freshly made variant of Sentient Bloodfiends — summoned directly from the Everwood Farm. Their eyes glowed with a faint crimson light, and their bodies were covered in runes made of living vines and blood veins pulsing beneath their skin.
Three of them rushed forward without hesitation, meeting Jin, Wen, and Lin's attacks head-on. The sound of impact echoed across the battlefield. The other three stood firmly behind Zinnia, forming a protective triangle around her.
Zinnia's breath caught in her throat as she finally saw their faces clearly.
Her heart sank.
They weren't just sentient zombies — they were people she knew. Argent Artists from her own school, instructors who had once guided her, her disciples.
