Chapter 1617: A Tough Werewolf The three of them weren’t exactly expecting a fight, especially not here, in the hallway on their way to meet Bluebird. None of them had brought the weapons they’d been training with. They had left their blades, shields, and tools behind, thinking they were heading straight into a meeting, not a battlefield. So now, with a transformed Werewolf glaring them down, they had no choice but to rely fully on everything else: their bare fists, their Qi control, their instincts, and the skills they had been working so hard to master. Almost immediately, because of their heightened Qi sensitivity, they felt the overwhelming energy pouring off the opponent in front of them. It was heavy, dense, like standing too close to a storm about to break. There was no time to hesitate. They had no choice but to transform. Gary and Kai started to dash from side to side. With each step, they kicked off the floor using Qi, their bodies blurring with newfound speed. Their powers were still suppressed in this time period, but their Qi control had breathed new life into them. Their movements were sharper, cleaner, faster than anything they had before. Coordinating their timing, both Gary and Kai charged forward from opposite sides. Gary came in with a fist aimed squarely for Galdark’s ribs, while Kai swept in with a powerful kick meant to strike the side of his head. But before either attack could land, Galdark reacted with frightening ease. In one smooth motion, he grabbed both of their limbs, Gary’s arm and Kai’s leg, his grip tightening like steel. Then he swung them outward and slammed the two of them into the walls beside him. The impact cracked the stone. Both Gary and Kai crashed hard, but they recovered quickly, pushing themselves up and leaping back into position, bruised but still ready. “Even with us using our Qi, he was able to grab us like that,” Kai said, his voice tight. “Who is this guy?!” They knew they were far stronger than before. Back when they had left Steve’s camp, even without Qi, there were only a handful of people who could have stood against them. Steve himself. A couple of his strongest fighters. But now, after learning Qi, they believed they had advanced even further. Maybe only Steve could truly stop them now. They believed the same would hold true here, at least until today. Yet the first Werewolf they had run into who had to be part of the Red Wing Pack was incredibly strong, stronger than anyone they predicted. ‘It’s clear he knows how to use Qi as well,’ Kai thought. ‘That’s how he wasn’t even affected by Lupus’s strike from before. But how is he this strong? Is it the armor he’s wearing too? Is that beast-tier armor?’ Before they could think further, both Gary and Kai saw something blur past them. A charging, fully transformed Lupus. His steps thundered across the ground, each one leaving a deep imprint of his foot on the stone. Qi flowed around him like a swirling force, reinforcing every part of his massive body. Right now, Lupus wasn’t just a Werewolf, he was a living shield, a wall of power barreling forward. He threw a heavy punch. And so did Galdark. Their fists collided, echoing like a drum throughout the hall. Lupus managed to land a hit, but Galdark didn’t budge. Instead, Lupus was the one pushed back, sliding across the floor, claws scraping against stone as he fought to regain his balance. Blood dripped from his cheek as he wiped it away with the back of his hand. Kai swallowed hard. He didn’t want to say it aloud, but the truth was clear. From that single exchange alone, he could tell, they had met an opponent they couldn’t beat. Not like this. Not unless they could unlock the suppression on their bodies. But maybe... with the three of them together, with everything they had trained for... maybe they could still push through. Before they had a chance to attack again, someone shouted from behind. “GALDARK!” The voice was loud enough to stop the fight instantly. Even Galdark froze mid-motion. They all turned toward the source. “I came over here wondering what all the commotion is about, and here I see you fighting. What are you doing?” the voice continued. It was Bluebird, standing there with a deep frown, his expression somewhere between confusion and irritation. “Bluebird!” Galdark said, turning his head. “You don’t understand! These three Werewolves, they were in the castle, and they aren’t members of the Red Wing Pack. They can only be here to spy. Jack warned me that there might be those with bad intentions in the city, even those who looked like us!” His voice trembled slightly, not with fear, but with conviction. Bluebird didn’t shout back. He didn’t hesitate either. “Did you think I couldn’t tell if they were Werewolves or not, even though they were right under my nose?” Bluebird snapped. “All of you, de-transform. Now.” His tone was sharp, authoritative, leaving no room for argument. And just like students being scolded by a strict instructor, all three of them dropped their transformations immediately. Their fur receded, muscles shifted back, and their bodies shrank down again. Within seconds, they were back to their human forms. But their clothes were not prepared for that. Gary, Kai, and Lupus’s outfits were now hanging loosely off them, stretched out from the sudden shift. They didn’t have armor that expanded with their transformations. They didn’t have the flexible clothing they used in the present. This was the first time they had fully transformed in a long while, and their clothes had paid the price. Bluebird let out a controlled breath, eyes still narrowed. “These three... I know they aren’t from your pack,” Bluebird began. “There’s a lot of explaining to do, but I actually wanted to talk to you about them. I was hoping they could join you.” He paused, staring firmly at Galdark. “But before that... you need to explain what you meant by what you said earlier. Why would Jack say those words?” *** For updates on MWS and future works, follow me on my social media below. Instagram: jksmanga P.a.t.r.e.o.n: jksmanga When news drops about My Vampire System, My Werewolf System, or any other series, you’ll hear it there first. Feel free to reach out, if I’m not too busy, I tend to reply.