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The large magic circle slowly faded, revealing three figures standing before me. Loki, a commanding man whose blue hair shimmered under the moonlight. Beside him stood Linnie, his daughter, gazing at me softly with her enchanting orange eyes. And lastly, Fenrir, her long purple hair flowing gracefully in the night breeze.

A wave of gratitude surged through me, making it hard to hold back my emotions as I looked at them.

Fenrir waved enthusiastically, a wide grin on her face, before running toward me with a lively expression. "Yohooo~ we're here to get you, Yata!"

Loki and Linnie followed her at a slower pace.

I lowered my head to hide the foolish smile spreading across my face. Out of nowhere, a miracle like this had appeared just when I was at my lowest. It felt like fate was playing tricks on me.

"Apologies for the delay, Yatagarasu," Loki said in a firm voice, though there was an undertone of reassurance that I was safe now.

I turned to Linnie, who stood quietly with a stiff smile. Even so, I could clearly see the relief etched on her face. Without words, her expression betrayed the concern she tried to mask behind her innocent demeanor.

A broad smile brightened my face, dispelling the despair that had consumed me moments ago. I joked at their late arrival. "Took you long enough."

Without hesitation, Fenrir, already close enough, leaped toward me and wrapped me in a tight hug. Her embrace was so strong I could barely breathe. "I've missed you so much!" she said with raw emotion.

I winced from the pressure of her hug but couldn't help but chuckle. Half-jokingly, I said, "Fenrys… ease up a little… you'll crush me to death if you keep hugging me like this."

Her grip loosened, but she still clung to me, her tail swaying slowly—a clear sign of her joy. "She must have been so worried."

Though happy, my body couldn't lie. Pain coursed through me, forcing me to gently push her away. Gradually, she released her hold.

Our eyes met, and a sheepish smile formed on my face. I felt a little embarrassed showing my vulnerability to her. "Sorry… my body's still too weak right now."

Fenrir offered a soft smile, her gaze brimming with tenderness. "You're such a reckless little bird."

I chuckled, agreeing with her assessment.

But as our eyes lingered on each other, her gaze shifted, scanning my battered body. Her soft expression quickly darkened, her eyes widening with fury.

"Who did this to you?" she asked, her voice now cold and sharp.

I said nothing, offering only a faint smile.

Fenrir turned, her piercing gaze locking onto the three T-Rexes still frozen in place, as if their instincts warned them of the danger before them.

"So, it's them," she muttered darkly, her voice dripping with anger. Her eyes glowed with a menacing aura. The once-ferocious T-Rexes now hesitated, their confidence faltering.

Loki stepped forward, chuckling casually as he glanced at Fenrir. "Want me to help?"

Fenrir whipped her head toward him, her glare sharp. "No need!" she snapped, swatting away the hand he raised to offer her extra magic. "I'll deal with them myself."

Loki shrugged, surrendering his offer. "Suit yourself. Not like I doubted you could handle it anyway."

Fenrir smirked, a proud and predatory glint in her eyes, like a seasoned hunter finding her prey. "Good to see you understand."

Her gaze returned to the T-Rexes. She crouched low, her hands spreading to reveal razor-sharp claws glinting under the moonlight. Her feet dug into the ground, bracing for a powerful leap.

And then, with a burst of speed, she shot forward like a lightning bolt. Snow erupted in her wake, a long trail marking her path.

Fenrir lunged at the largest T-Rex, her movements swift and deadly, a blur to the naked eye. In one bound, she reached its neck. With a single swipe of her claws, she tore through its flesh as though slicing paper. Blood sprayed in all directions, staining the snow.

"One down," Fenrir declared, watching as the beast collapsed, its breaths raspy before finally falling silent within seconds.

Seeing their companion felled so effortlessly, the remaining two T-Rexes trembled in fear. They turned to flee, but Fenrir was faster. Before they could blink, she was already in front of them.

Behind her intimidating grin was a fiery rage. "You think you can escape after what you did to my little bird, huh?"

Her voice boomed as she launched herself at them, dispatching them one by one with brutal precision. Laughter echoed through the air, merging with the beauty of the full moonlit night.

Meanwhile, Linnie approached me, her gentle hand resting on my shoulder. Warmth spread through my body as her healing magic worked its way into my wounds. Pain subsided, and my injuries began to close.

"Let me heal you, Yata."

I nodded faintly, offering her a small smile. "Thank you, Linnie."

"You have to admit, though, it's impressive you managed to survive against three T-Rexes on your own," Loki remarked, stroking his chin. His eyes weren't on me but on the carnage Fenrir had unleashed.

"I'm flattered, Master," I replied with a smirk.

"You're lucky you didn't run into a Spinosaurus. That thing would've been tougher than these three. You'd have been done for if you tried."

I chuckled, turning my face away to hide a sly smile. I wondered how he'd react if I told him everything.

"Phew… all done."

Fenrir wiped her forehead in an exaggerated motion, acting as if she had been drenched in sweat. Her gaze then shifted back to me. Covered in blood, she sauntered over, her victorious smile tinged with a teasing glint.

"Yata, you're such a weakling," she said playfully. "I can't believe you lost to those scrubs."

I could only chuckle lightly. "Of course, I'm not as strong as you, Fenrys."

Loki, clearly enjoying the moment, chimed in. "If only you'd seen how much she whined at the palace, you wouldn't believe it."

Fenrir's cheeks flushed instantly. "Shut up, you ugly man!" she barked, grabbing at Loki's collar. "Take this!"

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Luckily, Loki had quick reflexes, having already conjured a barrier spell to avoid taking Fenrir's heavy blow.

"Oops, that was close."

"You... annoying man!"

A mocking smile played on Loki's lips. "Hey, I was just stating the truth, you grumpy wolf," he teased with a playful tone.

Fenrir growled softly, not accepting his words. "What did you say?! Are you picking a fight?!"

"Bring it on."

Loki's confident smile didn't waver, but Linnie swiftly stepped in to stop their unnecessary bickering.

"Both of you, stop it. Aren't you ashamed, fighting like children?"

"He started it!" Fenrir retorted, pointing accusingly at Loki.

Loki, unapologetic, replied with a slightly teasing tone, "What's wrong with telling the truth?"

"I said enough!"

Linnie's sharp voice finally put an end to their quarrel. She sighed, casting a scolding look at her father. "Father, you always like to stir up trouble at times like this."

Loki scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry about that."

Linnie then turned her gaze toward Fenrir, looking at her as sternly as a mother reprimanding her child. "Fenrys, you should know better than to let Father provoke you so easily."

"Sorry."

I blinked in disbelief at hearing Fenrir—or rather, Fenrys—apologize sincerely. I never imagined Linnie could make Fenrir back down like that. I couldn't even remember the last time she'd said sorry.

"Wow, Linnie, you've got some talent taming her."

"You... you wretched pet!"

Uh-oh. My mouth had accidentally uttered something dangerous. Fenrir stormed toward me, grabbing my collar and hoisting me up with ease.

"You want me to rough you up again, huh?"

"W-wait, Fenrys. My wounds just healed!"

"No problem! I'll just have Linnie heal you again later."

I swallowed nervously and glanced at Linnie with a pleading look. "Linnie..." I called softly, hoping she'd calm Fenrir down.

But the girl turned away, as if uninterested in my predicament. I was stunned, completely caught off guard.

What happened to them while I was gone? Why did everything seem so different? What on earth was going on?

"Hoh, looks like Linnie agrees with me."

Fenrir smirked, sending a shiver down my spine.

However, her expression softened as a small egg rolled to her feet. Her grip on me loosened as she crouched down to examine it with a curious gaze.

"What kind of egg is this? It looks tasty enough to eat."

I shook my head. "That's a Spino egg," I explained.

Loki perked up at my words, cutting in with curiosity. "You met Spino?"

"Yes, I came across him briefly."

"Incredible," Loki said enthusiastically. "Spinosaurus are rare monsters. Where is it now?"

"It died protecting its eggs," I said softly.

Loki froze, his expression solemn.

"I see. That's truly unfortunate."

"So... what are you going to do with these eggs?" Fenrir asked, running her fingers over one of them.

"I plan to hatch them. I think it would be nice to see them hatch."

"That's not a bad idea," Linnie chimed in after a moment of silence. "Besides, you could raise it as your familiar."

"Familiar?" I tilted my head, puzzled.

"Yeah... sort of like a companion that helps you in battle. Ugh, how do I explain it?"

Fenrir patted my shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll explain everything about familiars to you later once we're back."

"Alright, thank you, Fenrys."

This small interaction with Fenrir warmed my heart. Somehow, her smile eased the longing I'd felt during our time apart. The emptiness in my chest was replaced by a soothing warmth.

"We should head back," Loki suddenly reminded us, urging us to return to the comfort of the palace.

I nodded weakly. Fenrir helped me to my feet, supporting my still frail body. Meanwhile, Linnie carefully packed the Spino eggs into her storage bag.

With Loki's magic, a large magical circle formed once more. The bluish-purple light enveloped us, gradually whisking me away from this place. The cold night air, the scent of snow, and the forest disappeared in an instant, replaced by the soothing aroma of Utgard's palace.

******

[Third-Person POV]

After they departed, silence returned to the pine forest. From within the shadows, a massive creature slowly emerged—a gigantic Spinosaurus, its body covered in wounds and its eyes glowing red.

It lowered its head, sniffing the blood-stained snow left from Yatagarasu's fierce battle with the three T-Rexes.

"Grrrssh."

The creature growled softly, its voice low and hoarse. It lifted its head to gaze at the perfectly round full moon above. Then, with deliberate steps, it moved deeper into the forest, disappearing into the towering shadows of the trees.

Not far from the scene, a jet-black raven had seen it all. The bird spread its wings and flew, vanishing into the dense canopy of the pine forest.