Crimson Halo had already adjusted to the new line of battle. Instead of losing the rhythm, she shifted a step wider, preserved her support angle on Chaosgraphy, and let Martin hold the point for the single breath he had stolen. The movement was so natural that it made the sudden arrival feel less like an interruption and more like one more beat in the fight.

That single beat was all Chaosgraphy needed.

Her sash extended the reach of every dash and backstep as she slipped past Martin, carved through the narrow gap between the red and green maws, and burst to the rear. From there, the sash rewarded her position with heavier damage, and San Kumoe immediately bit the same marked spot again to refresh the timer before it could fall away.

The little pup’s left head kept the damage amplification on the boss, the middle head kept restoring the barrier wrapped around Chaosgraphy, and the third head barked again and doubled both.

[Sash of the Restless Hunt (Orange)]

[Type: Waist Armor]

[Requirement: Lv. 5]

[Defense: +14]

[Strength: +28]

[Agility: +32]

[Vitality: +18]

[Durability: 240/240]

[Appearance: A narrow black sash with hanging fang charms, a split crimson backcloth, and a polished wolf-bone clasp.]

[Effect: Dash and backstep distance increase by 20%. Attacks from the flank or rear deal 10% more damage. If a tamed companion or summon damages the same marked target, Pride Mark duration is refreshed by 1 second. This effect can occur once every 2 seconds.]

The boss roared and shook its mane, sending dozens of jagged splinters tearing free to hit the floor as snarling wooden wolflets. They lunged at once, but Crimson Halo was already moving.

She laid another barrier over Chaosgraphy and swept the same support over San Kumoe while pacing along Chaosgraphy’s rear-right side now, having rotated with the duel without ever breaking the invisible tether between them.

The support boosted both their movement for a moment, and even that small positional edge made the cleanup effortless.

[Steps of the Sacred Hunt (Orange)]

[Type: Foot Armor]

[Requirement: Lv. 5]

[Defense: +14]

[Intelligence: +22]

[Spirit: +26]

[Vitality: +18]

[Durability: 240/240]

[Appearance: Soft white-silver shoes with dark wooden inlays, moon-curve patterns, and faint crimson trails along the sides.]

[Effect: Casting a support skill increases Movement Speed by 10% for both the caster and the target for 3 seconds. The mana cost of the next support skill used within 5 seconds is reduced by 8%.]

San Kumoe pounced first, and one wolflet went down under three snapping mouths and a blur of tiny paws. Because Wolf Pride still clung to her, the kill pulsed back through Crimson Halo’s full set.

Recovery rolled over all three allies, and a fresh barrier formed around them while Chaosgraphy cut down the second and third summons without losing her rhythm.

"This is getting embarrassing," she said.

"For them, certainly," Crimson Halo replied.

[Moonlit Pack Oracle Set]

[2 Pieces: Healing and barrier strength on allies currently in combat increase by 12%.]

[4 Pieces: Wolf Pride is enhanced. Targets under Wolf Pride gain 8% Lifesteal, 10% Final Damage, and 20% Crowd Control Resistance.]

[6 Pieces: Major healing, barrier, and purification skills spread Wolf Pride to one nearby ally at 50% effectiveness. If an ally under Wolf Pride defeats an enemy, all party members recover HP equal to 6% of their Max HP and gain a barrier equal to 12% of the caster’s Spirit. Wolf Pride affects tamed companions and summons at 70% effectiveness.]

The main body of the boss tried one last time to reclaim the fight. The green head flooded its wounds with regeneration, the right head doubled the effect, and new bark swelled across the slashes racing over its frame while the black howl began to build again.

Crimson Halo’s expression cooled, and when she spoke, her voice carried calm certainty rather than strain. "No. You do not recover from her."

Purify flashed. The green surge broke apart, the doubled enhancement collapsed with it, and the backlash stripped away the lesser curse riding beneath the howl while returning a small wave of recovery and resistance to Chaosgraphy through Crimson Halo’s waist sash.

At the same time, the extra cleansing effect from her circlet made the removal even cleaner than before.

[Halo of the White Fang (Orange)]

[Type: Head Armor]

[Requirement: Lv. 5]

[Defense: +14]

[Intelligence: +34]

[Spirit: +30]

[Vitality: +16]

[Durability: 240/240]

[Appearance: A delicate white-silver circlet with crescent arcs above the forehead and tiny fang chains draped beside the temples.]

[Effect: Healing power increases by 10%. Purification skills remove one additional minor negative effect.]

[Sash of the Moon-Calling Rite (Orange)]

[Type: Waist Armor]

[Requirement: Lv. 5]

[Defense: +12]

[Intelligence: +26]

[Spirit: +28]

[Vitality: +16]

[Durability: 220/220]

[Appearance: A long white sash with pale gold threadwork, three crimson gemstone drops, and a polished clasp carved like a howling wolf.]

[Effect: Purified allies recover a small amount of HP and gain 25% Debuff Resistance for 5 seconds.]

The creature recoiled, and Chaosgraphy saw the opening at once. She dropped low and then launched. Lunge carried her straight under the red head and across the boss’s chest, and her twin blades flashed in a crisscross sequence that started as pressure and became execution.

The first cut reopened every marked wound. The second drove deeper with all the stacked force of her Pride Marks, San Kumoe’s amplification, Crimson Halo’s blessings, and the boss’s stripped defenses failing to keep up.

Its HP plunged below the threshold.

Chaosgraphy’s eyes lit. "Mine."

Alpha Rend activated.

She vanished through the center of the beast and reappeared on the far side in a spray of splintered wood and crimson light. The crossing slash consumed all five Pride Marks at once and ripped through the core of the wolf like judgment finally arriving.

For one breath, the giant beast remained standing.

Then the red head split. The green head cracked through the snout. The black head shattered last of all, bursting into lacquer-dark fragments that scattered across the throne room like broken glass.

The body collapsed with a thunderous crash, and silence followed.

Chaosgraphy straightened and flicked splinters from one blade while white barriers still shimmered over her in fading layers. San Kumoe trotted to her side with all three tails wagging hard enough to shake her whole body.

Crimson Halo closed her tome with a soft snap and came to a stop only a few steps behind Chaosgraphy, exactly where she had been for the entire fight.

"You looked lovely out there," she said.

Chaosgraphy glanced back over her shoulder and smiled like a satisfied predator. "You were enjoying that far too much every time I pushed in deeper."

Crimson Halo kept her expression poised, though the faint color in her cheeks spoiled the full effect. "And you were enjoying being indulged. Let us not pretend otherwise."

San Kumoe barked three times, one head after another, as if she had decided the exchange needed her approval as well.

Chaosgraphy laughed softly and bent to stroke her. "At least one of us is honest about having fun."

Then her attention shifted.

She slowly straightened and craned her neck to look up at Martin, her smile turning lazy and dangerous as her eyes traveled over him with open interest.