Chapter 1371: Too Much Time The concrete training area, located a short distance away from the manor, had been completely transformed. Massive craters now littered the ground, cracks splintering out in every direction. Towering blocks of jagged ice, like frozen spires or insect-like icebergs, jutted up from the floor, the aftermath of an intense, uncontrolled battle. At the center of all the destruction were the ones responsible for it: Ice and Apollo, both doubled over, huffing and panting from exhaustion. Then, without warning, Ice lifted his massive club and swung it through the air with force, But the swing hit nothing. Because in that exact moment, something had leapt straight onto his chest, knocking the wind out of him and sending him flying backward. Ice crashed right into Apollo, who stumbled from the sudden impact. “What the hell are you doing?!” Apollo snapped, turning to glare, Only to stop mid-sentence. Standing in front of him was Kai. Transformed. In his beast form, Kai struck fast, two lightning-quick punches landed square in Apollo’s stomach. Even though Apollo was normally able to take hits without flinching, this one hurt. He was already drained, and the speed and timing caught him completely off guard. When Apollo readied himself to retaliate, Kai was already gone. Back in his human form, crouched a few feet away, breathing evenly. “I think we should stop there,” Kai said, brushing ice dust off his sleeves. “You two… have some of the worst teamwork I’ve ever seen.” Both Apollo and Ice stared at him, wide-eyed and too tired to argue. “I mean it,” Kai continued. “Individually, you’re powerful, more than impressive. But together? You get in each other’s way more than you help. Your movements, your attacks… they completely disrupt one another.” “We can’t help it,” Apollo grumbled. “You’re too fast. And with your powers messing with the terrain, we don’t get proper footing. Even we can’t keep up with that.” Kai nodded in agreement. “Yeah… I get that. But I thought fighting both of you at the same time would push me to my limit, force me to dig deep and unlock more of my elemental power.” He let out a long sigh and ran a hand through his hair. “But honestly? Fighting you one by one might’ve been more beneficial.” He looked at the shattered floor and frost-covered craters around them. “I’m starting to wonder if this was training for me, or if I just gave the two of you a lesson instead.” Both Ice and Apollo stood there for a moment, breathing heavily. Then, like clockwork, they turned toward each other, And the arguing began. “You were the one who charged in without warning!” Apollo shouted. “Yeah? And you were the one who kept blocking my attacks with your own body!” Ice shot back. It was strange, even unnerving, to see Ice like this. Normally calm and composed, now just as caught up in the heat as Apollo. But maybe that was just it. The two of them brought out the worst in each other. Kai crossed his arms, watching their bickering escalate with mild irritation. “I suggest you two figure this out,” he said sharply. “Because right now, it looks like you actually see each other as enemies instead of teammates. And that constant fighting of yours? It’s probably the reason you can’t work together.” Apollo let out a huff and finally backed off, standing up straight and brushing ice off his clothes. In his mind, he’d always seen Ice’s Altered form as slightly stronger than his own. But Apollo had something Ice didn’t, experience. He’d fought in real environments, in brutal matches, during his time at the AFC. He knew how to dig deep. He knew if they ever faced off for real, he could win. But because of Kai’s orders, they’d never pushed it far enough to test that theory. “Stop thinking about all that,” Kai said, reading the frustration in Apollo’s eyes. “Focus. Work together.” “Is there even a point though?” Apollo muttered. “You said it yourself, we’re stronger individually. When are we ever gonna be in a situation where the two of us actually need to fight side by side?” Kai narrowed his eyes. “That situation might come sooner than you think,” he said. “And if you won’t do it for me… then do it for Gary.” The moment Gary’s name left Kai’s mouth, everything shifted. The tension between Apollo and Ice seemed to drop instantly. No more arguing, no more chest-thumping. Just silence… and then subtle nods of understanding. Without another word, they started again, but this time, not to fight. Instead, they focused on figuring each other out. They began pointing out subtle cues, tiny physical habits the other showed before using a particular ability. A quick shift in weight, a glance to the side, the flex of a muscle just before launching an attack. The little things. The details that could allow them to build off one another’s movements instead of disrupting them. As the training continued, Kai stood quietly to the side, watching. Waiting. He’d fight them again soon, once their teamwork had improved. But then he noticed something, The sky above had darkened. Night had fallen. Kai turned to glance back toward the manor and the rest of the field beyond it, his mind already shifting to the next phase of what was coming. “Looks like everyone already headed inside,” Kai said, his voice low as he scanned the empty training field. “I guess we’re the last ones out here.” He let out a breath, feeling the wear from the long session finally catch up with him. “We stayed out way longer than I expected. Guess we’ll just have to put a pin in this… and sort it out tomorrow.” Ice and Apollo nodded and moved to start clearing the field. The damage left behind from their battle wasn’t small, chunks of frozen terrain, jagged ice formations, and craters scattered across the concrete. They worked together this time, using their powers to melt down or move the larger blocks. Thanks to the outdoor floodlights mounted high on the poles surrounding the area, they could still see well enough to navigate and clean up. Kai, meanwhile, had turned toward the manor, ready to head back, Until something sharp hit his nose. A scent. Instantly, every hair on the back of his neck stood up. He stopped in his tracks. His eyes widened. “What is that smell…?” he muttered, slowly turning back toward the field. The moment he faced the others, CRACK! The floodlights exploded one after the other. In an instant, the entire training area was swallowed in complete darkness. “Was that you?!” Apollo shouted, his voice echoing through the sudden void. “Oh, so now everything that goes wrong is automatically my fault?” Ice replied, sounding more annoyed than alarmed. “You two, get back! Now!” Kai shouted, his voice laced with urgency. Because he could see it. Even through the shadows, he could see it. Two glowing red eyes, cutting through the dark like hot coals. A chilling voice followed. “I’ve waited long enough.” The words rumbled across the field, heavy and deep, shaking the very air around them. Unzoku had arrived. And in that moment… Kai’s body refused to move. Frozen. Paralyzed. Helpless. **** For updates on My Werewolf System and future works, follow me here: Instagram: @jksmanga * P.a.t.r.e.o.n: jksmanga News about My Vampire System, My Werewolf System, or any other series drops there first. Feel free to message me, if I’m not too busy, I usually reply!