-Midday. 3RD POV-

The sun rays shine vertically through dark clouds of smoke and water vapor forming above the battlefields blackening the landscape with Fire and Wind abilities creating craters and trenches as the day warms. The air stagnated in certain places while wind currents in others carry the burnt smells of Beast and grass along fumes, iron, and blood. Screams and yowls resound through wolf territory as the numbers of invaders decreased down to two-thirds of the original 140 fighters and continue plummeting even faster with their Magic resources running low.

A hundred meters South of the deathtrap fortress, two fox beasts rush at a pair of wolves tearing each other coat with razor sharp claws and fangs repeatedly.

""HUA-YARGH! YIP! HYAP! JYAN!"" The two pairs passed by each other accumulating dark red gashes trickling blood on their fur and separated a dozen meters to growled at each other. ""GRRAWR! GRRR!"" They confront their respective target measuring for a way to land a decisive attack and were about to rush once again.

"GRYAAAAAAHHHH!" An enraged roar shook the air with sorrow and rage alarming the beasts.

""WUOH!!!?"" The four magical beasts on the south perked their ears and looked north.

"Not good!" One of the wolves on the west noticed the dire situation and spoke worriedly as the other silently agreed.

"Is that ... Monsterification? His whole body is burning away and he's not even reacting..." A fox beast on the east closer to the north questioned.

"...It looks that way. I fear that Lalo left some magic inside his body to overpower the wolf and lost reason rampaging elementals..." A firefox on the left surmised.

"He'll turn on us! Let's get out of here and regroup with the others..." The red-coated beast on the right affirmed desperately.

"No, the wolves closer already caught his attention... He may be able to kill one or two before his mana drains completely and dies as well... We could disengage and use the chaos to finish the other wolves..." The left fox conjectured after scrutinizing.

"Attack...? How?! We'll become three times weaker after depleting the Magic left in our muscles, and the wolf Elder still hasn't even appeared..." The fox on the right pointed out.

"Ah... Right. We have done our best here. Let's go..." He asserted nodding and slowly moved south.

The wolves on the west noticed their enemies desire to run and separated moving north while exchanging gazes.

*Thu-rum! Thu-rum!...* The beasts sprinted in opposite directions simultaneously

"GRRR... How do I bite this thing?" Dechewy wondered pacing left and right as the other two wolves arrive on his sides.

Ohh... I'm dead... Deiyan shivered, being the target of intense hatred, and glanced at fortress entrance. I can lure him there! He asserted and whipped his neck, tossing the armored Foxman at the firefox approaching from the south-west.

*Swip! Swiiss~ Kra-Prash! Klarsh! WHOOSH! KSSHHH!* The beastly corpse landed on the grass rolling in the raging blue flames that incinerated the flesh and melted the metal while the black wolf inclined his body forward. *Srash! Whoosh! Thu-rum! Thu-rum!* The wolf leader sprinted northwest leaving stomped patches of grass and quickly closing the distance without looking back.

"GRYAA!" The rampaging beast shrieked and prepared to pounce.

*SHRiiiUUOSHH!* The towering blazes changed direction to the back of the beast inclining his body and locking onto the fleeting wolf. *BWUOOSSSHH! Shiu-roUSH! Shiu-roUSH!* The firefox charged explosively leaving charred craters and a trail of fires. *SwoooOOOOSHH!* The raging beast enveloped in a blue fireball quickly reached the wolf's left flank and lashed at the neck.

"GUA--!?" Deiyan sounded unable to react to the open maw.

*WHUAP! KRRKKSSSHHH!* Lalo bit down on the furry neck and slammed his paws on the grass field to slow down their momentum.

"HYARRGH!" The darkness beast yelped being overpowered by the mad creature and struggled to pull away.

"GRRR!" The firefox growled and twisted the wolf's neck before driving him to the ground.

*BAM! BANG! BANG! BRASH!* The rampaging fox repeatedly bashed the wolf's head on the ground deepening a crater and creating a cloud of dust and smoke while the fangs widen their wounds.

The other wolves chased up to ten meters from the entrance of the fortress and watched from a distance where the radiating heat made it difficult to stare should they be not using magic to absorb infrared.

"We need to do something! The Fox is going to kill him before running out of Mana." A canine barked panicking.

"We can't interrupt the fire coming out of his magic territory. And the Elder is... busy--What the heck is she doing with a fox!!!?" Another confirmed with a probe.

"I'll pick up speed and ram him, then you pull Deiyan out somehow...." Dechewy declared and trotted west.

"WAIT!" A darkness beast stopped him.

"What is it Darzo?" The beast stopped and looked back.

"Let's try combining our small Beams." He answered.

"We've never succeeded that!" The third wolf opposed.

"He's right. We haven't practiced enough. And I prefer to solve things with fand and claws." The snappy wolf affirmed.

"HYU--UU--UU--UU!" Deiyan wailed in pain and frustration getting weak as he was being bashed to death while other pack members watched.

"There's no time for that. HURRY!" Darzo insisted and moved his magic along elementals outside his left cheek.

"GRRAA! Alright..." Dechewy accepted and turned around before approaching. "And for the record, it's Declan who keeps messing up the frequency." He accused.

"Whaa!? I'm the lowest Rank... You two lower the frequency to match my most stable!" The beast in question protested and demanded.

The other two beasts nodded and lined up their magic in three compressed cylinders aiming at the ground between the maddened fox and the clutched wolf.

"Synchronize for sequenced emission of radiation... Ah, that's why it's called 'LASER.'" Darzo organized interlocking their magic energy before realizing.

"No, I think the words meant something else..." Declan interjected.

"Congratulations. You learned to name something. Now, FIRE!" Dechewy retorted and barked.

*Bzzzz...* Each darkness wolf generated an intense beam of infrared light a centimeter wide that oscillated until achieving coherence. *BZZZiUUMM!* The monochromatic invisible ray carved the ground and elevated towards the fox's neck. *FsssSSHH!* The laser pierced the blazes slicing the exposed hide and vaporizing the flesh while severing the arteries and muscles before stopping near the bones. *FWOossh! PSSHH! Dluurt! Blurp! Sloosh!* The blue flames vanished all over the firefox's body and the wolf's neck sizzling with copious amounts of smoke as the head of the crazed beast wobbled losing strength.

"GRA--ACK! GRUK!" Lalo gagged spurting blood and air out of the large cut in his neck.

*THOOM! Plop!* The rampaging beast struggled to maintain his composure and flopped along with the wolf in its hold. *Thu-rum! Thu-rum!... Wark! Gruan...* Two wolves dashed around the burnt corpse and pry the fox jaws open with their paws to release Deiyan when the half-severed head started compressing a fireball inside. *WooOONG!* A blue sphere of fire continued to grow emitting fumes between the blackened fangs.

"Die already! GWRAAWR!" Dechewy demanded and lashed.

*Whap! KRUAK!* He bit down the fox neck by the middle and twisted breaking the spinal cord before ripping the binding flesh. *Fwoo~ Shrrriarlk! Shrriiiiip--Pa!* The charred hide snapped leaving behind a headless corpse.

"GRRR!" The snappy wolf growled dragging the severed head away.

*Bwuosh~BOOM!* The firefox jaws opened and spew the fireball into the open field exploding before sending the remaining of his mana in a wave that confirmed his death.

""HEUUF~"" The darkness users heave sighs of relief.

"GRRRA-WRUF!" The snappy wolf snarls shaking the black head while moving around.

"HUUN... He's dead already..." Darzo interjected.

"GRR... Hesh shhtil muing..." Dechewy replied.

"It's moving because you are shaking it!" The other wolf retorted.

The three beasts argued near the unconscious wolf and started eating the burnt fox when a golden she-wolf painted with strokes of blood on her shiny fur approached.

"Heeey boys~" A Mid-Rank 7 Earth user greeted wagging her bloody tail.

""Greetings. 3rd female Alpha, Eluana."" The three saluted.

"No need for that boys~ I just became the mate of Dark 9." Eluana opposed. "But I do need you to come give me a paw near the hill. I got traps ready~" She ordered politely.

"I'm... stay--ing her...e. I can't--... S-so much hurt..." Deiyan opened his eyes and whined.

"Eat the fox and rest then." Dechewy advice and walked to the fortress. "I'll wake Derimo up." He said walking towards the sleeping black wolf.

"The Darkness Elder is..." Eluana wondered and probed the fortress. "Oh, my... She's jointed with a fox... How'd that happened?" She detected and inquired.

"GUrgh! Don't ask... We lost an Elder to a Lizard, and now, another to a Fox... Why is this happening!? There are fewer high-ranking females available every day..." Declan complained with lowered ears in defeat.

"Yeah... You'll become a Divine before mating..." Darzo mocked the downcast wolfen and recalled the early explosion. "Ah! Any news on the Earth Elder?" He asked Eluana with concerned look staring at the hill.

"No... But She'll be fine." The golden wolf affirmed with conviction.

"Urgh... WUOH!? W-what happened?" Derimo barked looking around alarmed after being nudged.

"You slept through the fight. But the invasion isn't over. Let's go." The snappy wolf informed and ordered.

"...Didn't sleep long enough. Urgghh..." He grumbled and got up to fallow the group.

*Thu-rum! Thump! Thump!* The five wolves marched south passing by two fox beasts buried in the ground up to their bellies within shrubs.

On the east side of the battlefield taking place near the entrance to the nana vein in black wolf territory, the foxes from the first squad suffered 2 beast and 3 foxmen casualties but an equal number joined after seeing them take down 5 wolves. The two groups of beasts clash within a large fireball nearly 40 meters wide and 10 high passing each other before rushing again. The foxes employ their superior mobility to slip between the wolves clawing and biting while throwing explosions around, but both sides accumulated wounds from each clash and mana reserves get lower. The invaders coordinated attacks to bring down a Wind and Earthen wolves as well as 3 high ranking darkness wolves, but the remaining 15 showed no intentions of retreating as their very livelihood was at stake.

"HIEEE--!" The fourth high-rank darkness wolf wails his dying breath in the charred terrain riddled with craters as five foxes latch onto him.

*PLOP! Wuak!!* The beast corpse slumped and the five foxes latching on, separated after absorbing mana and elementals emanated.

The two groups stopped at 60 meters away from each other and turned around preparing magic to charge once again.

"Leader's dead!" A wind user announced staring at the corpses in the field.

"Waldo, you lead now..." Firdos appointed from behind the wind user.

"Ehhh...!? I don't want to be the leader..." Waldo sounded surprised and protested glancing back.

"The Dragon believes you can do it. Prove yourself!" The fire wolf encouraged. "Besides, we could use a change of tactics... This isn't working." He added gazing at the tired comrades in bad shapes.

"The foxes reignited the fireball... They're coming!" A wind user in front reported.

"URRGH--AH! Alright... I'll take charge." Walso accepted unwillingly and walked between the group to the front. "Stay... Earth users stop defending, create spikes in the front row and throw shards. Fire users throw explosions at their legs... Darkness move to the outsides of our formation, create a cloud to hide the spikes and fire Leiksers, then focus on dispersing the fires. Wind users produce infrasounds and shoot wind balls." He instructed.

"We're going full attack!?" A wolf blurted alarmed.

"Wum... Just intercept the attacks coming at you. Let's finish this and go rest. I'm tired." The green wolf lazily replied.

""..."" The beasts kept their skepticism to themselves and remained silent preparing for the inevitable clash.

""HOOO!! WOO!!!"" The fox riders and beasts shout with weapons in hand while their beasts gather Magic into spheres.

*Swisss~!!! BA-BOOM! BOOM! BWUARSH! Pe-shun! Shiuon! Psshh!* Fire and Wind balls fly across the sky in arcs leaving trails of smoke as the magical beasts exchange attacks that land on each side sending rocks flying and causing diverse injuries. *BZzziiiiuuumm! BZziioum!!! Wuwuwub~* The darkness wolves fire infrared beams causing burns or blindness to the foxes while the Wind users open their mouth producing infrasound in harmful frequencies.

""JYAAAN!! GYAN!"" The beats yowled losing sight and feeling the sound effects getting stronger as they approach the wolves.

"Arrgh! W-wha-t is that noise!? It-it hurts my ears!" A sensitive fox woman was the first to complain about her hearing feeling the internal bleeding.

"Ugh... I-I don't ... feel well...either." A Foxman affirmed wobbling on top of his partner.

"GWUU! What is that sound!? M-my head...it's like...splitting apart!" A beast couldn't endure the resonance of several wind users and slow down.

"It's the wind users emitting that!" A high-rank Foxman asserted and launched a spear enveloped in fire.

*Friuush! Friuush! Swiss~* The affected foxes slowed down their speed but with the absence of a leader and unable to think clearly, they just pressed on throwing lances propelled with fire and explosive fireballs. *Ziiuk--BOOOM! BOOM! FwUOSH!* The explosions land with more accuracy and wreak havoc within both group groups but the charging foxes finally reached the wolves front line. *ThuRUruRUMm! Shu--RIAK! SHRAK! THU-RUOM! THOOM! WHAM!* The fox beasts crashed into 4-meter long stone spikes pointing at an angle inside a darkness cloud difficult to see and tumbled over the barricade breaking some pillars while the beasts behind collided with them.

""KYA-AN!! KYON!?!?"" Some firefoxes wailed impaled deeply by their own momentum as another roll on the ground in front of the wolves

*FWOOoooosh!* The darkness and fire wolves dispersed the fires and Wind users stop the infrasounds to take advantage of the close range. *Shuu--BOOM! BWUON! BU--GUON! ShiiiiUP-BANG!* The green wolves throw powerful vacuum balls that implode ripping patches of fur and spraying blood before coating their claws in compressed air and lash out. *Whiiiiiizzz!!! Swiooohh~ Shhhruruak! Krrrrrm!! Wha-raup!* The wind users silently coordinate attacks using vortex claws while Earth and Darkness wolves focus on holding down the enemy.

And so, the melee brawl started... The fox people were forced to leave their beasts and regroup in the center to attack one target at a time throwing everything they had into the fray.

""GRRUAA! GRARGH! GRAWR! RAWRR! WHAP!"" Growls, snaps, snarls, and whimpers dominate the battlefield billowing dark smoke skywards and emanating mana waves of dying foxes.

Around 5 Kilometers of the Eastern battlefield where the remaining members of the 1st squad of invaders fought, a green fox runs further away with their leader inside her mouth.

"HHM!!?" The Wind fox detected two high ranks and slammed her paws to stop without noticing the trap they just laid in her path.

*Chhh...Cha-PRUNK! THOOM! Srrrsh...* The ground beneath the vixen's paws crumbled and her legs entered trenches 2 meters deep that tightened soon after.

"HUOK!?" Ramika uttered and struggled to pull out her legs in panic as the two wolves calmly approach side by side.

"Hey, Wuenia, we caught food for our pack..." The male earth user on the left growled licking his lips while gazing at the trapped beast 15 meters away.

"GRRR!" The vixen noticed the ill intentions and growled with her hackles raised and gathered magic.

"No, Mate, the Dragon wants them alive." The wind user on the right reproved and turned to the fox. "Stop attack. You live." She transmitted in Stilus using magic after detecting the aggressive actions.

"..." The vixen remained quiet and gathered magic under her paws instead.

"GRRR... I didn't like that lizard already when he named you without my consent and now this... He sure knows how to increase his chances of dying..." The golden wolf grumbled looking at his pack mate.

"You don't have to like him, but his teachings is the real thing... I can't wait for this invasion to end! We must hurry and do our part to impress him..." The she-wolf said wagging her tail excitedly.

"GWRUFF! I'll have to see it to believe it." The golden wolf snorted and said with a hint of jealousy.

What should I do...? Push my paws up and scrape the hide to escape? I would weaken from blood loss before making it back to our territory... Ramika contemplated her options and looked at her captors. What are these two wolves thinking? Why is there's no... hostility? She wondered and probed them without resistance.

"Intentions?" The vixen asked in Stilus.

"Hm? You prisoner. End invasion." The green wolf declared in the human language she had been learning.

Huuhh?! ...The wolves never took prisoners... Miss Ayumi was right...maybe surrendering is the best way out of this situation... The wind fox asserted and retracted her magic before accepting.

The Alpha pair released the green fox and shackled the four legs with thick iron chains before escorting her to the valley that leads to the mana vein.

-Erina's POV-

After walking injured through a dark tunnel big enough to fit two of me, the sound of battle became loud enough to discern the fight outside had continued smoothly. I managed to recover enough magic resources while deliberating on my mistakes fighting alone and devised how to end the fight against the high-ranked fox leaders. The light at the end of the tunnel brightened with the figure of a Dual-colored wolfen wearing a shiny aluminum collar on his neck.

"ELDER! You're alright!" The healer turned around after noticing me and greeted wagging his tail.

"Yes, Aidan..." I greeted back with a quick lick and moved to the entrance. "But I am in pain and tired with low Mana reserves. Guff! I haven't felt this weak in a long time!" I commented feeling my muscles tremble slightly.

"I see... The Elder took quite a bit of damage..." Aidan said inspecting my wounds and moved to my right flank before started treatment.

"Yes... I started removing the metal woven on my fur, and my hide became much weaker than it should be naturally, so their magic-imbued attacks easily impaired my movements." I replied recalling the fight.

"Why would you remove your defense before a battle?!? It was so difficult to make... All that mana wasted for nothing..." The healer reproached as the one who helped with the process.

"Huum... To snuggle with Nefiru, of course! He promised to mate with me after the battle..." The she-wolf replied with a smug look turning my head right.

"..." The healer stared with half-opened eyes that conveyed his criticism.

"But... buuuut I-I also thought our traps would weaken the foxes enough to fight them outnumbered. We're pack creatures that aren't used to fight alone, but sometimes there's no choice. Honestly, it felt like a good chance to gain the experience and test new methods of attacks..." I described my reasoning and lowered my eyes. "The reality, however, was frustrating... Simple mind tactics and simultaneous attacks overwhelmed me, robbing my ability to think what I needed to think and do what Nefiru did in his fight with the humans... I have let you all down..." She explained apologetically.

"N-no... Elder fought well. I would've died in your place." The healer meekly correctly. "But it was just for the wrong reasons... Everything is the Dragon's fault!" He refuted and blamed.

"No. Nefiru doesn't carry all the blame since power transitions always have consequences." I shook my head saying. "Usually a death toll follows during or after which is another reason why we endured so long, but it was bound to happen eventually. Unfortunately, the foxes found out..." I explained and realized.

A little too coincidental... Is it possible that we actually have a traitor? I wondered suspiciously.

"True... But it doesn't change the fact that many of us are being sacrificed to keep the Dragon in our Tribe. A different creature that is already unacceptable as a leader, AND a Pet of humans..." The healer continued protesting.

"Hum... I find it amusing that being a pet is a hobby just like other means to ends for him while you lot are troubled about something Nefiru considers trivial." I said with a smirk.

"..." The dual colored beast threw an un-amused stare.

"Yes, yes... A ruler must behave with dignity...or so Wind 8 keeps reminding me... Huuuf..." I acknowledged and sighed. "I did try to eliminate the humans binding him to their society for that very reason, but it was naive of me..." I recounted thinking back a few days.

"The Elder did...!!? And what happened?" Aidan asked with curiosity showing in his eyes.

"Nefiru splendidly saw through me~ Huhu..." I announced and briefly laughed. "I thought he'd be furious, you know?" I emphasized my expectations.

"That sounds like him and his trust complex." He asserted and rolled his eyes.

"Yet, he was glad, and proud..." I revealed the contrary.

"Ooof... Nothing about him makes sense." The healer grunted and spoke confusedly.

"That's right! He actually introduced the humans for me to judge them and revealed some secrets that changed my mind. Everything made sense after that." I affirmed, then narrated the events.

"Ah... The rumors of being an Ancient's offspring or lying about being a pet for hundreds of years?" He sought an explanation.

"No, no... It's more complicated than that. "I shook my head saying and continued. "Even I wouldn't be able to guess those terrifying and wondrous secrets in a thousand years! But our perspective is simply too narrow to fully comprehend the things he kept out..." I elaborated.

"If the Elder says so..." The healer accepted, but his gaze remained skeptical, and disappointed.

"I know, I know... It was a submitting approach. But Nefiru won't be the leader any of us want him to be. We can only do what we can, and now, that is crushing this invasion to get back to learning things. So, I'm gonna need some Mana crystals." I reaffirmed the decisions we four took and requested.

"AH! Here... It slipped my mind." The healer said and sent his magic into a cavity of his collar.

*Srrrk! Swoo~* He froze a dozen Mana crystals and tossed the ice ball my way. *Shluak!* I opened my mouth catching the floating shards and began molding Magic.

"I see the collar that Nefiru made you wear is proving useful..." I commended.

"Wuuu... I hate it! It's humiliating..." Aidan stopped and disgruntled looking my way. "Aker endured it... but we do NOT want to look like Pets." He complained.

"Really?! But the convenience to store Mana crystals without Spirit making them unstable is undeniable. There is a lot of preconception about Collars, but all I see are practical uses. And don't even think I didn't wear one because it's HUmiliATing. Looking like this tops that, and even the foxes mocked me when their Beasts have saddles!" I lectured.

"F-forgive me... We'll re-attach your body parts as soon as possible..." The healer apologized lowering his ears and looking down.

"Yes... Hopefully, Lightwater 6 arrives soon to help... I want my tail and ears back..." I muttered lamenting and turned serious again. "But that's not even important compared to running low on Mana before my fight ended... Pride doesn't win battles. You know what does? Mana crystals. I didn't wear THAT Collar so that you could supply our forces and Heal more comfortably, but YOU were afraid to be seen with a METAL LOOP around your neck!" I rebuked severely glaring at the smaller beast.

"M-my-my sincere apologies! It-it won't happen again." He stammered and assured submitting with the tail between the legs.

"Good. Now hurry up and fix my muscles... I have a fight to finish." I declared ordering the healer.

"Wait... Are you going back out there in THIS condition?" Aidan looked up and inquired with concern.

"Yes, I can't let the enemy recover... Why?" I tilted my head asking.

"The fox leaders haven't moved from the position where you disappeared. They are either injured or saving their mana for your return..." He reported the enemy's preparations.

"Oh? I better don't disappoint them!" I declared grinning. "Just you wait, Foxes!" I sneered with anticipation.

The healer finished mending the wounds impeeding my mobility and left the tunnel along with me before going separate paths without extending my magic to remain undetected.

*Swrrooorosh~* I created an inconspicuous dust cloud around my body and headed uphill hearing the sound of distant battle and smelling burning flesh in the hot wind. *Kruash! Kruruash! C-crack! Prakkk!* I advanced stealthy past the large holes tens of meters deep where foxes were still trying to escape and before long reached the scorched ground around a large crater where the high ranking foxes were grouped.

Okay, new plan... Let's get as close as possible to fire, then rush in and kill everything... I decided and resumed construction of the metal frame in my mouth.

*Krrriiigh!* I completed a hollow steel bridge between the left and right fangs to serve as a base. *Srrrrsghh!* I began creating six half-meter long and as wide as human fingers steel tubes slightly spread while pointing in front. *Sssrriekkk!!!* I added layers of titanium-zinc alloy to reinforce the tubes and sealed the back before making spiral grooves. *Krrriekk!* I made copper cylinders with a conical tip in each metal tube while leaving an empty compartment and recalled a particular composition. *Shirgh!* I partially filled the cavity with a highly reactive substance that consumed a large portion of the mana left.

It's ready... I need to improve the formula, but this will do for now... I reviewed after finishing assembling the strange device and felt a probe from the group of foxes.