The forest was trembling, its roots groaning as if the earth itself feared what was coming. Lily's eyes opened slowly, her breath shallow, and the first thing she saw was Brittany—bloodied, bruised, yet still standing in front of her like a wall against the storm. The sight was enough to pull Lily upright, though her body felt as fragile as glass.
The ground shook violently as Bungo surged forward. He was no ordinary beast—his size was colossal, his speed unnatural, his strength overwhelming.
Every step cracked the soil, every movement bent the trees as though the forest bowed to him. It was as if someone had written a cheat code into reality, and now it was walking toward them.
Far away in the mansion, Mrs. Hodgins traced a circle in the air with her hands. The glow was white, sharp, and cruel. She smirked, her voice dripping with venom. "Even if you are my unrelated dog, I still want you for some time." The circle pulsed, binding itself to the battlefield, and the contract threads began to twist.
Brittany screamed, her voice raw and desperate. "Get out! Get out!" She was fighting with nothing but her will, her body already broken. Bungo charged, his monstrous body bearing down on them. Lily swung her hand, trying to channel through her fragile contract.
For a moment, everything went silent. The beast froze, pinned to the ground, and Lily collapsed, her strength gone.
But the silence was not victory. The contract rebounded, snapping back into Mrs. Hodgins' grasp. Egry's crippled body twisted, recombining under Hodgins' command. Her eyes dulled, her spirit broken. At the end, she was still a slave—a slave to Hodgins, no matter how hard she had fought.
Lily felt it like a punch to the heart, a hollow ache that stole her breath. She fell, her body trembling, as Brittany turned to face the beast. Bungo's gaze shifted, slow and deliberate, and the Chancellor's voice echoed through its maw.
"Some people like to see the light die. But me? I like the face of disappointment before I end someone. A little less psychopathic, you know. It's like putting honey on meat… and then eating it."
Brittany smirked, blood dripping from her lip. "Well, you're one hundred percent a pornstar. Your meat, right?"
The Chancellor's voice faltered, rage boiling. His composure shattered. He roared, charging at her with full speed, fury blazing in his eyes. And as he came, Brittany's life flashed before her eyes—every scar, every laugh, every moment she had fought to protect Lily.
The forest held its breath.
To be continued…