Just as they were escaping, Aya abruptly stopped Ficky in his tracks. "Wait! Where is Yuda? Wasn't he with you?"
Ficky snapped back in irritation, "How should I know?!"
"Fine, you don't have to shout!" Aya retorted.
But their bickering was cut short. Disaster struck as the guests from both the ballroom and the second floor converged, surrounding them for a second time. This time, the crowd was a chaotic mob of nocturnal predators hungry for rare fox fur.
"Bastards!" Ficky roared.
A guest wearing a mask identical to Ficky's grabbed his collar and hurled him backward. Ficky slammed into the staircase railing, the impact echoing through the hall. Rage, hotter than the artificial warmth of the palace, ignited within him. His aura flared, making even the half-beast guests hesitate.
"The Phantom is so lively tonight! See the wolf dance with the fox!" the MC, still wearing his fox mask, mocked from a distance.
CRASH!
Ficky grabbed a nearby guest and threw him like a projectile at the MC, knocking them both to the floor. Meanwhile, Aya leaned against the railing, trembling. He's terrifying, she thought. I never knew Ficky could be just as savage as the monsters he fights.
Aya began to edge along the wall, unnoticed for a moment. Her mind was a whirlwind of confusion.
Why am I worrying about Yuda? He did terrible things to me, but... he also saved me. His kindness was just as real as his cruelty.
Ficky's rampage was clearing a path toward the exit. Aya reached out, wanting to call to him, but she choked back the sound, fearing she would draw the hunters' eyes again.
"Hey, Little Fox Lady?" A hand tapped her shoulder.
Aya froze, her legs turning to lead. She prepared to bolt, screaming hysterically as she turned around. "WHO ARE YOU?!"
"Calm down," the man said, removing his mask to reveal a human face. "I'm a human. I have no interest in hunting a rare fox like you. My name is Teo, a swordsman from the TAINROS squad."
Aya blinked, confused. "Eh?"
"I heard another adventurer was here dealing with the 'Murderer.' My team is scattered throughout the building to help. Don't worry."
Suddenly, Ficky launched himself through the air like a stone from a catapult, claws bared. His lethal strike was intercepted in a heartbeat by Teo's blade. The clash was so fast Aya's eyes could barely follow.
"Don't touch her," Ficky growled, his eyes murderous behind his sunglasses.
"I didn't," Teo replied calmly. "I was merely inviting her to cooperate. We need to handle the 'Murderer' situation."
"The Murderer? You mean those guys?" Ficky pointed behind him. The real murderers were pinned to the floor by some invisible force. "Your movement is fast. Now get out of my way."
Ficky scooped Aya up again, shattering the massive palace doors with a single, devastating kick.
"Wait! Ficky, wait!" Aya cried out.
"What is it now?!"
Aya's eyes were locked on a guest in a hideous mask. From the hair and the posture, she knew—it was Yuda. "Yuda... he looks like he needs help!"
"Are you kidding me? He tried to kidnap you! Why do you care?!"
"Yuda is in trouble!"
Ficky ignored her and kept running, but Aya reached out her hand toward the distant crowd. "YUDA!"
In that moment of pure empathy, Aya's three fox tails erupted in a brilliant golden light. A fourth tail sprouted instantly, tearing through her borrowed dress. This wasn't just light—it was raw, ancient power. Ficky stopped, stunned.
The golden glow extended from her tails like silk threads, weaving through the air at blinding speed. The threads bypassed the murderers and the guests, wrapping around Yuda and yanking him forcefully from the mob. The threads were so strong they even ripped the mask off his face.
She's getting stronger because she's afraid for someone else? Ficky thought, bewildered.
"KYAA!" Aya screamed as she pulled Yuda to safety.
The surge of power was too much for her human form to contain. In a flash of golden radiance, Aya transformed—not into a human with ears, but into a True Fox. A medium-sized, majestic fox, leaving her shredded clothes behind in the snow.