Before the attack kicked off.
Nic was laying out the final strategy.
"Wait, are you sure we're just gonna go full chaos mode? What's the actual goal here?" Felicia asked.
Bunny pinched her waist hard enough to make her flinch. "Stupid fox, just listen first!"
"Ugh, I was just asking a little!" Felicia pinched Bunny right back.
Fang immediately grabbed both their ears. "Shut up and pay attention."
Nic just laughed. "So you're wondering why I'm telling you to cause a ruckus instead of sneaking around? Before I answer, I wanna hear what you guys think."
He looked straight at Veyra.
Veyra felt the spotlight and answered as best she could. "Maybe… to create chaos and lure someone out? Then follow up with another layer of the plan."
"Veyra's sharp. Exactly—we're causing chaos to draw out the Predator faction. Once they show, we scatter them… like I said before: hit and run. And I've got something prepared for all of you." Nic pulled out several small vials of "potions."
What they didn't know: it was just plain water. Nic was straight-up lying, saying it would make them stronger.
Hermyra—who'd already "tried" one of Nic's potions before—bought it completely. "I've drunk this before… it's the real deal."
Fannar grabbed one and inspected it. "Hm, is this the same stuff you used to heal us? You got different kinds?"
Nic nodded. "Bottom line: drink this and you'll be able to fight the Predator faction head-on. Don't worry—it's safe."
They all took the vials. Nic continued with the last part of the strategy.
"We're not begging for their validation. We're playing with their egos," he said coldly.
Everyone nodded, downed the "potions," and right at that moment—Nic secretly activated Cupid Arsenal > Bomb. Boom.
Bunny, Hermyra, and Veyra were instantly added to Nic's lover list.
Fang and Aivar got hit with Cupid Loyalty—Nic instantly gained half their stats.
Nic made them believe their sudden "power boost" came from the potion… when really, it was all him.
---
Back to the Defense faction wreaking havoc in the high-caste district.
"WOHOOO!!" Fannar was leaping from rooftop to rooftop like it was a mountain range.
Down below, Aivar followed. "Hey, watch your step! Haha!"
"YOO, CHILL BROTHER! THERE'S BLOCKERS UP AHEAD! LET'S DO THIS LIKE OLD TIMES!" Fannar shouted. He pulled out his goat-horn weapon and stuck it on his head like real antlers.
"I got this one! Catch!" Aivar smashed a guard and kicked him upward.
Fannar caught him mid-air. "FEEL MY HORNS!"
BAM! The guard flipped and passed out cold.
Aivar and Fannar high-fived.
"Like old times," they said in unison.
Meanwhile, Veyra had boldly walked straight into the city center. She stood calmly, twin daggers in hand.
Civilians panicked, screaming about the "terrifying evil cult" attacking.
But Veyra stayed ice-cold—Nic had specifically told them: no harming civilians, even if it pisses them off. That wasn't the goal.
Guards rushed in to capture her, but Veyra moved like lightning—paralyzing them with her poisoned needles.
Then a bigger, stronger guard appeared—tall, bulky, wielding a massive hammer. He swung brutally, clearly aiming to kill.
"Brutal… but I can dodge this easily. I'm way faster now," Veyra muttered, weaving around every swing until she slashed his hand—hammer dropped.
Softly, she called, "Fang…"
Fang sprinted in, snatched the fallen hammer, and slammed it straight into the guard's stomach. Armor shattered. Guard down.
"I won't be late again," Fang said, eyes sharp like a tiger's.
On the other side, Bunny and Felicia were bickering nonstop about who was doing better—until they realized they'd wandered right into a swarm of dozens of guards at the enemy headquarters.
Felicia gritted her teeth. "This is your fault! Whoever dies first loses!"
She leaped, flipped a guard's gun back at him—shot himself.
Bunny snorted, dropped low, dashed forward, hurled a rock into a guard's face, snatched his weapon, and dodged bullets while firing back.
She nailed one guard in the leg and smirked at Felicia. "Phew, I never miss."
But suddenly a bullet grazed right past her head—Felicia shoved Bunny down just in time.
"Idiot, you almost died! You owe me your life now~" Felicia stood tall, smug.
But just as Felicia was arrogant, the bullet almost hit her.
Bunny yanked Felicia's leg, making her fall too. "Tch, owe you? We're even! Get serious!"
They finally got serious—trashed the guards and bolted.
The remaining guards hid, furious. "DAMN IT! WHERE THE HELL IS THE PREDATOR FACTION?! WHY ARE THEY TAKING SO LONG?!"
Behind them, an angry wolf howl echoed.
The guard shivered, turned—BAM! White Wolf kicked him square in the face.
"Useless trash. CAPTURE THEM ALL!" White Wolf ordered.
His pack of wolves immediately gave chase.
---
At the border, Hermyra—who'd been hiding—saw the Predators arrive. She quickly contacted the others and prepared to run.
White Wolf followed Bunny and Felicia's trail… but instead ran into Fannar and Aivar slaughtering guards.
"Haha, over here, brother!" Fannar called.
"Catch!" Aivar kicked another guard toward him.
They noticed they were being watched.
"Oops, trouble! That's the Predator faction! Run, brother!" Fannar leaped away. Aivar followed, sprinting into a narrow alley.
White Wolf growled, about to chase—when Snow Leopard flashed past him in a blur.
"I'll handle it," she said, already hunting Fannar and Aivar.
White Wolf headed straight for the city center.
He spotted Snow Falcon confronting Veyra. "Falcon's got her? Then my opponent is obvious."
He looked up ahead—Fang was standing there, waiting.
"It's been a while. See this cross scar on my chest? It's still here… a reminder of your filth," Fang said.
White Wolf stayed expressionless. He whistled—dozens of white wolves appeared around him.
"Who cares about your disgusting scar? You've been a thorn in my side nonstop… better if you just die," White Wolf replied flatly.
---
Cut to Felicia and Bunny—still being chased by wolves—until the wolves suddenly stopped at White Wolf's whistle and turned back.
"Phew… are we safe?" Felicia stopped.
"Idiot, why stop?! KEEP RUNNING!" Bunny was already far ahead.
As Felicia started again—White Bear dropped from a rooftop right in front of her.
"Hey there, cute little arctic fox… I'm gonna crush you."
White Bear cracked his knuckles, grinned wide, and charged.
Felicia braced herself, yelling, "GO HELP FANG INSTEAD!"
White Bear swung—Felicia blocked but got sent flying. He was insanely strong.
"Tch, gotta find better ground," Felicia muttered, jumping up and running.
Bunny had no choice—she headed toward Fang too.
---
Hermyra slipped out of hiding to help—but Snow Sniper suddenly appeared in front of her. Hermyra attacked on reflex.
Snow Sniper just blocked. "Wait—listen to me."
Hermyra paused, remembering Nic had brought her before.
"Why…? Back then, didn't Nic do anything to you? I was seriously gonna kill you!" Hermyra snapped.
"I'm not like I used to be… My name is Seraphine now—the name Nic gave me. But that doesn't mean I want peace. I want a rematch with you—round two. Not here. Somewhere quiet and fair," Seraphine said.
Hermyra was stunned—the cold, ruthless Snow Sniper acting like this?
"You're not trying to trick me, right…? I don't trust you," Hermyra said.
Seraphine swore she'd kill herself if she was lying. Hermyra, annoyed but cornered, agreed—they left for a secluded, rarely visited spot.
Meanwhile, at the high-caste harbor.
Fino stood holding one of their ship's heating engines.
"Mind if I borrow this? Looks super comfy to use," Fino said coldly and innocently.
The guards who'd tried to stop him were already down. Fino packed the engine into a waterproof box and stuffed it in his bag.
But as he turned to leave—a small boat appeared. Cold Orca was on it, sucking on a lollipop, staring sharply at Fino.
"I thought no idiot would dare mess with the harbor…" Cold Orca bit down—lollipop shattered.
Fino tried to escape forward—but more guards blocked him.
Only one way left: the sea behind him.
Luckily, Fino was an expert. Without hesitation, he dove in and swam like hell.
Cold Orca smiled, then laughed. He whistled—a signature sound. Fino recognized it instantly: the real call of an orca whale.
Suddenly—two massive orcas surfaced right behind him.
"My darlings… finally I called you. Look—there's a little prey ahead. KILL HIM AND PLAY WITH HIM!" Cold Orca said, psycho grin wide.
Fino froze. "What the hell?! Real orcas?! Damn it—I gotta go faster!"
He swam desperately, chased by two giant killer whales ready to kill, with Cold Orca himself following to watch the show.
---
Meanwhile, atop the highest mountain.
Galea stood gazing at the snow-covered view.
"Looks like things are getting way more interesting… finally something like this is happening. All because of that little raven… I want in on his game~" Galea said excitedly, cheeks flushing again.
But suddenly—without her sensing anything—Nic was right behind her, staring at one of her golden eagle feathers that had fallen earlier.
"You're right. It's getting more interesting… and you wanna join my game? Sure, why not," Nic said with a smile.
Galea jolted, turned—shocked she hadn't felt his aura at all. (Nic had his passive anti-aura reading on.)
"Since when…" Galea smiled, intrigued.
Then Nic unleashed everything: God of Intimidation, God of Fear, God of War, God of Martial Art, God of Animal, God of Cunning, God of Illusion, God of Assassin, God of Emotions, God of Psychology.
He wove a massive illusion combining all of them into his presence—making Galea completely frozen. She felt something bizarre, absurd, indescribable… but one thing was clear.
"Terrifying," Galea whispered, legs shaking, still smiling.
Nic stepped closer and deactivated everything. "Relax. I just wanted to tell you—my game isn't that scary. I've just been doing normal stuff since I got here. Honestly, it wasn't even my goal… but for some reason, fate keeps pushing me to help them."
His face was right below hers now—he looked up.
"Galea, the lady golden eagle… I'll be the one joining your game. Because it seems way more interesting, right?" Nic said with a sly smile.
Galea was confused, no longer her usual excited self—but she tried to stay calm. She cupped both of Nic's cheeks.
"Yeah… maybe that's how it should be. I'll make you feel true pleasure inside my game…"
Her eyes shifted—from normal to sharp, predatory.
To be continued…