The enormous jaws of the hound swallowed Lani, who had just formed an energy shield.

Sensing the sudden disappearance of Lani's presence behind her, Freya broke into a cold sweat, knowing without looking back that Lani had met a tragic end.

“Lani!!! Lani Bennifin!!!” Rand's desperate shout echoed from ahead. He had abandoned his escape, his eyes bloodshot, and now retrieved two black vials from his waist as he ran towards her.

‘Pop’ ‘Pop’

The vials exploded in his hands, the gelatinous liquid within thrown forcefully towards the two-headed hound. A fierce crackling and hissing ensued as the liquid rapidly expanded, transforming into two immense, ice-blue wolves that fearlessly leaped at the hound.

Summoning the wolves took a severe toll on Rand; his hair turned pure white, his body emaciated, and his hands, which had held the vials, were severed at the wrists.

‘Thud!’

His weakened body collapsed to the ground, eyes fixed on the fierce battle between the beasts. The wolves, though formidable, could only delay the relentless hound.

The searing sense of danger gradually receded, but Freya dared not pause. Rand lay on the ground, barely alive, his eyes filled with deep hatred and despair. Yet, upon seeing Freya, a spark of hope ignited, and he shouted desperately, “Freya! Quickly! Throw this into the monster's mouth! I swear on my honor as the Bennifin family's eldest grandson! If you help me now, I will ensure you receive the best resources at the academy!”

His plea and the mention of his identity made Freya hesitate. In the distance, Rand's two friends had already vanished from the stone forest using some unknown method. Abandoning Rand now would surely mean death for him and possibly Lani.

"..."

Freya, running, glanced at the small orb Rand had pulled from his pocket and his pleading, tearful face. Though this man had been kept in the dark, it was because of him that she was entangled in this dangerous family affair.

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With a frown, she coldly assessed Rand, then reached out and took the orb from his hand, turning to sprint towards the two-headed hound.

In her vision, the three beasts fought fiercely, the hound still ferocious despite being outnumbered. One head chewed laboriously, while the other spewed fiery breath and clawed at the wolves.

The towering brown stone forest around them turned to frost and magma from the battle's impact. Freya, dwarfed like a child beside them, skillfully dodged the flying ice and flames, searching for an opportunity.

In this perilous environment, her senses heightened to an unprecedented level of concentration. If not for Rand's unexpected identity, she would not have taken this risk.

The death of the Bennifin siblings would inevitably lead to questions from their powerful family, who supported the Elgraine Academy. As a backgroundless individual, eliminating her to protect secrets would be easy for them.

But saving them might yield rich rewards. Understanding the stakes, Freya risked her life.

Moreover, Rand's summoned ice-blue wolves provided a crucial diversion.

"Roar!!!"

The hound's battle cry, like a lion's roar, erupted in fury at the wolves, its jaws unleashing a stream of molten yellow flame.

Freya felt a sudden darkness overhead and a wave of heat. The magic patterns on her armor, emitting cold, shattered under the intense heat.

A sense of imminent danger surged within her.

"Soraka!"

Reacting instinctively, she activated her full energy, shouting the activation spell. Fresh air enveloped her, ice-blue light from her earrings restored her strength, her energy condensing into silver ribbons swirling around her.

At the brink of becoming a grand knight, the augmentation from the earrings brought her a profound clarity, enhancing not only her strength but her mind as well.

Bathed in the azure glow, Freya's panic transformed into serene determination. The impending magma no longer seemed fearsome.

"Wind..." she whispered.

Responding to her call, the silver ribbons twisted, forming two enormous tassels on her back, resembling wings.

‘Boom!’

The thick layer of magma descended, engulfing one wolf and incinerating it instantly. The other, despite losing a foreleg, charged fearlessly at the hound.

Freya, like a breeze, appeared on a high rock, the silver tassels fluttering behind her. She watched the beasts' fierce struggle, noticing the hound's ice and fire splinters and the hidden round shield in one head's mouth.

Rand had fainted nearby.

Blinking, Freya realized the extent of her earrings' power. This was her second time using them, revealing their extraordinary potential.

"Is this the ultimate form of augmented energy?" she mused, contemplating the earrings' origins, "I must investigate their source further."