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- Herausgeber: Podium Publishing
- Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
- Serie: My Werewolf System
- Sprache: Englisch
A lycan-powered punk with a heart of gold finds himself under attack by a lethal new breed of enemy as this thrilling LitRPG fantasy series continues. Young Gary Dem has come a long way from the streets of Tier-3 Slough. With the ever-increasing power of his ill-gotten Werewolf System, he's risen from street slug to Howler gang leader to legit scrapper at the Altered Fighting Academy. Unfortunately, trouble follows him everywhere, bringing not only the usual battles, bloodshed, and general chaos but also the introduction of an all-new nemesis. Known for their brutality, the Scatterbugs are a gang from the Tier-2 town of Notsburg with an unpleasant reputation for doing whatever it takes to get what they want. Taking over the Howlers' territory seems to be at the top of their to-do list, but Gary isn't one to stand down easily. And when his best friend, Kai, is savagely maimed and mutilated, things get personal. With his friends, his gang, and what few other allies he can gather by his side, Gary sets out on a blood crusade for revenge. It should be a fight like any other, but the Scatterbugs have a surprise of their own. It seems a werewolf is among their ranks. And not enhanced or tech-driven either. Rather, a real, dyed-in-the-pelt, nightmarish werewolf. Now, facing off against an absolutely ruthless opponent more powerful than him, Gary will need to muster all his strength if he hopes to avoid being the creature's next prey . . . The sixth volume of the hit urban fantasy series—with more than five million views on WebNovel—now available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook! Tropes include: secret identity, gangster wars, unbridled ambition, and loyalty and friendship.
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Book 6 • Werewolf Standoff!
JKSMANGA
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without prior written permission from Podium Publishing.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living, dead, or undead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2026 by Kawin Jack Sherwin
Cover design by Husa
ISBN: 978-1-0394-8006-3
Published in 2026 by Podium Publishing
www.podiumentertainment.com
Contents
CHAPTER 1 THE TRIO ACTS!
CHAPTER 2 THE DEAL IS DONE
CHAPTER 3 THE ALLIANCE GATHERS
CHAPTER 4 THE GROUPS MEET
CHAPTER 5 PROTECT THE FACTORY (PART 1)
CHAPTER 6 PROTECT THE FACTORY (PART 2)
CHAPTER 7 THE HOWLERS JOIN
CHAPTER 8 SENDING A MESSAGE
CHAPTER 9 ANOTHER FACTORY
CHAPTER 10 THE COUNTERATTACK
CHAPTER 11 THE LAST ONE
CHAPTER 12 THE WOLF’S BREAK
CHAPTER 13 THREE ALTERED UNITE
CHAPTER 14 BETA VS. OMEGA
CHAPTER 15 A CALL FOR HELP
CHAPTER 16 SLOUGH GATHERS
CHAPTER 17 LEAVING A MESSAGE
CHAPTER 18 SAVE HIM!
CHAPTER 19 THE LEADER OF THE HOWLERS
CHAPTER 20 IT’S AN ORDER
CHAPTER 21 THE LEADER OF THE HOWLERS
CHAPTER 22 9:00 A.M.
CHAPTER 23 SLOUGH VS. NOTSBURG
CHAPTER 24 TAKE THE CASINO (PART 1)
CHAPTER 25 TAKE THE CASINO (PART 2)
CHAPTER 26 TAKE THE CASINO (PART 3)
CHAPTER 27 TAKE THE CASINO (PART 4)
CHAPTER 28 TAKE THE CASINO (PART 5)
CHAPTER 29 ALTERED-HUNTER HELPER
CHAPTER 30 THE ONE-STAR HUNTER
CHAPTER 31 FIND YOUR SUPPORT
CHAPTER 32 THE ALPHA TRAP
CHAPTER 33 WITH ALL MY POWER
CHAPTER 34 KILL AND EAT
CHAPTER 35 I’M THE ATTACKER
CHAPTER 36 SYSTEM OVERLOAD
CHAPTER 37 A HOTHEADED MISTAKE
CHAPTER 38 CRAZY TO FIGHT CRAZY
CHAPTER 39 THE STRONG OMEGA
CHAPTER 40 PERFECT LINEUP
CHAPTER 41 RED AXE
CHAPTER 42 CLASS UPGRADE
CHAPTER 43 HOLD HIM BACK!
CHAPTER 44 CHOOSING A PATH
CHAPTER 45 A DARK STRENGTH
CHAPTER 46 HOW TO FIGHT AS A DARK WOLF (PART 1)
CHAPTER 47 HOW TO FIGHT AS A DARK WOLF (PART 2)
CHAPTER 48 WHAT TO DO?
CHAPTER 49 A QUEST COMPLETE
CHAPTER 50 A WHOLE NEW WORLD
CHAPTER 51 A DIFFERENT WORLD
CHAPTER 52 RED-EYED HUNTER
CHAPTER 53 REACTION TO THE HOWLERS
CHAPTER 54 FINISHING WHAT I STARTED
CHAPTER 55 INNU’S PATH
CHAPTER 56 AN ALTERED HUNTER’S LIFE
CHAPTER 57 THE HUNTER SYSTEM
CHAPTER 58 A HUNTER’S STRUGGLE
CHAPTER 59 USE YOUR WEAPON!
CHAPTER 60 LEARNING A NEW POWER
CHAPTER 61 A DIFFERENT PATH
CHAPTER 62 MARIE’S PATH
CHAPTER 63 A NEW BETA
CHAPTER 64 KAI’S ANGER
CHAPTER 65 PICK ONE
CHAPTER 66 A NEW PERSON
CHAPTER 67 A NEW GARY
CHAPTER 68 CLASSIFIED INFORMATION
CHAPTER 69 A DEAL WITH THE PHOENIX
CHAPTER 70 TAKING IT SERIOUSLY
CHAPTER 71 FIGHT ME
CHAPTER 72 GARY, NOT THE LEADER
CHAPTER 73 A STRONG FAMILY
CHAPTER 74 BECAUSE OF YOU
CHAPTER 75 THE BEST CHOICE
CHAPTER 76 CAN YOU PROTECT?
CHAPTER 77 A GROWING LEADER
CHAPTER 78 SOME ENTERTAINMENT
CHAPTER 79 DANGER, DANGER!
CHAPTER 80 A TRICKY BEAST (PART 1)
CHAPTER 81 A TRICKY BEAST (PART 2)
CHAPTER 82 THINKING AHEAD
CHAPTER 83 EATING A CRYSTAL
CHAPTER 84 NIRV BLOCK
CHAPTER 85 A FRESH START
CHAPTER 86 TEACHER CROWLEY
CHAPTER 87 A GROWING GANG
CHAPTER 88 THE ONLY DEBUT STUDENT
CHAPTER 89 AJ ENTERTAINMENT
CHAPTER 90 GREEN HAIR ON TV (PART 1)
CHAPTER 91 GREEN HAIR ON TV (PART 2)
CHAPTER 92 A STAR IN THE MAKING
CHAPTER 93 A NEW CITY
CHAPTER 94 A NICE SUIT
CHAPTER 95 ROOKIE STARS
CHAPTER 96 STRUGGLES OF A POOR BOY
CHAPTER 97 POPULAR MAN
CHAPTER 98 GARY THE TOWN HERO
CHAPTER 99 A BUYOUT (PART 1)
CHAPTER 100 A BUYOUT (PART 2)
CHAPTER 101 HELLO, BOSS
CHAPTER 102 A SPECIAL GUEST
CHAPTER 103 WHO ARE YOU?
CHAPTER 104 PICKED A FIGHT WITH THE WRONG PERSON
CHAPTER 105 THE BIG MEET
CHAPTER 106 PURE SCUM
CHAPTER 107 MYSTERY HOWLERS
CHAPTER 108 AVOIDING THE PROBLEM
CHAPTER 109 REVENGE TASTES SWEET
CHAPTER 110 WHERE HAVE I SEEN THIS BEFORE?
CHAPTER 111 STOP THE PROJECT (PART 1)
CHAPTER 112 STOP THE PROJECT (PART 2)
CHAPTER 113 INTERRUPTED FIGHT
CHAPTER 114 WHO IS HE?
CHAPTER 115 THE FALL OF ASHEN (PART 1)
CHAPTER 116 THE FALL OF ASHEN (PART 2)
CHAPTER 117 NEVER AGAIN
CHAPTER 118 THE HOWLERS’ GROWTH
CHAPTER 119 A STRUGGLING MEMBER
CHAPTER 120 UPGRADING THE GROUP
CHAPTER 121 A TEAM UPGRADE
CHAPTER 122 THE ONE WITH ANSWERS
CHAPTER 123 THE REQUIREMENTS
CHAPTER 124 STARTING THE RITUAL?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chapter 1
The Trio Acts!
Numba was a student of the Altered Fighting Academy. Originally, he had gone into the academy planning to stay separate from everyone, wishing to do well to help his father progress even further in his business. He never thought he would make friends, nor did he ever imagine that the situation back home would take a sour turn.
Somehow, beaten, unsure what to do, he had pleaded with the one person he could trust in the academy: Gary Dem. He had asked him for help, and now he felt kind of stupid for doing so; after all, what could one person do, who was only a student?
Numba had been told that he was to stay in the hospital one more day. His wounds had mostly healed up, but they wanted to make sure that nothing else was wrong before he continued his regular activities. This was a fighting academy, so just being well enough to walk wasn’t good enough.
The others had eventually left: first Gary, and then Izzy and Ian left together. One would think that they were a couple based on how much time they spent together, but it was clear to Numba that Izzy had certain feelings for someone else, which was why he didn’t say who had actually stopped the students that had attacked him.
Why were they together? And both walking at the back of the academy? Suddenly, a few lewd thoughts entered Numba’s head, which caused his face to go slightly red.
Gary said they knew each other, but I wonder, could they possibly be dating?
While he was thinking this, there was a slight knock on the door. It was quite late, but he assumed one of the others had something that they had forgotten to say.
“Come in!” Numba called out.
A delicate, smooth-skinned hand pushed open the door, and he saw gray hair flowing down. One of the people he had been thinking about seconds ago now stood right in front of him.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Numba Cardenez. My name is Xin Clove; I believe we met during the debut match,” Xin said politely as she gave a little bow.
Immediately, Numba bowed back.
“Yes, I remember you, but please, there is no need to be so formal with me. You were the one who saved me back there. So please don’t bow,” Numba replied, bowing down several times.
Xin couldn’t help but giggle, and Numba’s heart started to throb.
“Well, I can see why you fell for this girl,” Numba said. “But I would never do anything to get in the way of the two of you. I wish the best for both of you.”
“I actually came to speak to you,” Xin said as she approached the bed. “About the students that attacked you. I have reported them to the teacher, who will have a review with the professors as to what to do with them.
“They will look into this matter further, but I wanted to just tell you that you will be safe. I have a bit of sway with the teachers, being the number one student, and I can safely say that you won’t be getting in trouble.” She smiled.
Numba had been worried about what would happen to him for fighting outside the school. Although the academy was the last of his problems, he was happy to know that at least this was off his mind.
“I have something else to tell you, something that the teachers don’t know,” Xin explained as she looked to her left and right. “The one who ordered the attack was a student named Sty. A student usually doesn’t have the power to force others to risk getting kicked out of the academy, which means someone else was involved, most likely. I thought you should at least know that much.”
This confirmed Numba’s suspicions: that the ones behind everything were the Scatterbugs. Beating up Sty or confronting him about it wouldn’t do anything, though, as this was a matter between their groups.
“Thank you, Xin, and thank you again for the help. I hope things go well for you,” Numba said, then whispered, “and I wish you good luck with Gary.”
After Xin left the room, there was a lot for him to think about: leaving the academy altogether and then heading back to help his dad.
Even though his father said it was pointless, sitting here doing nothing was also pointless.
When the next day arrived, Numba was still in his hospital bed; the lessons had come to an end, and Numba had been cleared to leave as well. As he left his room, he was surprised to see two people waiting for him.
“Look at you, you look as good as new!” Ian shouted, punching him in the arm.
As for Izzy, she was looking behind Numba into his room.
“It’s good to see you. Is Gary with you?” Izzy asked.
“No … why?” Numba raised an eyebrow.
Ian and Izzy looked at each other.
“Because Gary didn’t turn up to one lesson today. We thought he came to see you and maybe stayed with you the whole day,” Izzy explained.
The three of them went to Gary’s room, but after five minutes of knocking there was no answer.
“So he’s not in his room, and he didn’t turn up for lessons. Unless he’s taking a big dump, I don’t think he’s here, guys.” Ian shrugged, looking for an explanation.
Numba stormed off to Professor Humfree’s office, knocked once, and burst into the room, with Ian and Izzy close on his heels.
The room looked more like a library than a professor’s office, as the walls on each side of his desk were filled with books.
“Professor Humfree, we can’t find Gary Dem anywhere. Did he request time away from the academy?” Numba asked.
The professor was a little startled, but he knew who Numba was because of the special lessons he had been taking, and he also knew that Numba was close to Gary.
“Hmmm … yes,” Humfree answered, stroking his beard. “Last night, he requested time away from the academy. Although it is none of my business, I will say this. If he didn’t tell you why he was taking time off, then perhaps he had a reason?”
Numba already knew the reason. After what happened yesterday, it couldn’t be a coincidence.
“No way! Do you really think Gary left to help Numba’s situation? That’s crazy! I thought he was going to ask his gang for help, not go himself!” Ian said.
“Well, I mean if the gang said they wouldn’t get involved, you know what type of person Gary is,” Izzy replied. “Most likely he decided to take matters into his own hands. I know Gary is strong, but I think he might be underestimating their power a little bit.”
The professor was carefully listening in to the panicked students’ conversation. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the first time something like this had happened. In an academy where groups from all sorts of places converged, it was more common than one might think.
The worry was written all over Numba’s face, and he remembered Gary’s last words, talking about how they were an alliance and how they were going to help him.
He’s doing all this just because I helped him during that assessment. You idiot, you already paid off that debt a long time ago, there is no need for you to do anything! Numba thought.
“We … we are an alliance,” Numba finally said. “Professor, please may I ask for immediate leave from the academy? I don’t know when I will be back, but I have some family issues to take care of.”
“Numba!” Izzy said, grabbing his arm. “There is no need for you to get involved in this. If you stay in the academy, they won’t be able to touch you, but if you go outside, there are no rules out there.”
Numba shook Izzy’s hand off.
“I have to.”
“Then I’m coming with you!” Ian shouted. “Like you said, we’re an alliance so we need to do this together, and we can just talk Gary out of this crazy idea.”
Izzy shook her head, but in the end she gave in and smiled.
“You two are idiots, which is why you will need me to look after you.”
All three of them asked for leave from the professor, for the same reason.
“Okay, I will take note of that,” Professor Humfree said. “And I expect to see you all come back to the academy soon.”
Chapter 2
The Deal Is Done
In the Wolf’s Pool Club the air was heavy. Harry Cardenez, the owner of Cardenez Electronics, was still on his knees. He no longer had his head down, as he was waiting for the decision of the Howlers.
In the middle of it all, a phone call of all things delayed that decision. Will couldn’t believe the audacity of the guy in the fox mask, who didn’t seem much older than himself. To answer a phone call of all things, unaware who was on the other end!
Kai didn’t say much, other than a few nods here and there, as the other person appeared to be doing most of the talking.
“Don’t worry, that shouldn’t be a problem. In fact, it seems like this was something that was meant to be,” Kai said as he looked over to the kneeling adult. “See you soon.”
With that, the call ended and Kai set the phone on the desk. He placed his hands together and smiled. This time he wasn’t covering the bottom half of his face, which made Harry and the others wonder what news he had just received.
“Mr. Cardenez, it looks like you haven’t run out of luck just yet,” Kai revealed. “I like that, which means the momentum is on our side. The Howlers will agree to help you.”
When Harry heard this, his eyes lit up, but Will’s reaction wasn’t the same. Because even with the help of a Tier 3 gang, how much hope did they really have? There were already two Tier 3 gangs attacking them, with a Tier-2-gang wall behind it all. They would need to sacrifice a lot, and without convincing other gangs to come to their aid, there was no guarantee that they would be able to fend off these attacks. Will’s heart was hurting imagining just how much that would cost.
“However, as you are perfectly aware, the conditions have changed,” Kai added. “We will help you not only weather the storm but even get back at those guys, in exchange for … fifty-one percent. Not just of Cardenez Electronics, but of every venture you undertake in the future and in other cities. Fifty-one percent means that we will have a say about what cities you expand in and where the business is going.”
In a way, this was similar to the deal the Scatterbugs had proposed. Kai was asking for exclusivity by making sure they would have the majority vote for all future decisions, giving them final say in any business. However, it was a larger chunk compared to the Scatterbugs.
“You … you … you’re taking advantage of us in this desperate situation!” Will couldn’t hold his tongue any longer. Kai’s terms meant giving up control of the company. If they had to give up such a large piece of the pie, how were they supposed to rope in other gangs?
“So?” Kai said nonchalantly. “I think you should let your boss do the talking, as he seems to understand what my offer entails. Based on the gangs you are dealing with, the Howlers are taking a huge risk. This is essentially a gamble. After all, we will have to quite literally go to war for you to obtain fifty-one percent of the Cardenez company. Should we fail, the Howlers will be no more, and I’m talking about actual lives, not some company. Tell me, who do you think is taking the bigger risk here?”
In truth, Kai felt like he could have asked for a bigger percentage of the company. He could tell how desperate Harry was. No other gang would be crazy enough to accept such a deal. Even he was on the fence until Gary called.
That call just happened to be the nail in the coffin. In the end, Kai was making the best of the situation. He didn’t know how to run an electronics company, and he already had enough on his plate. As long as he could veto major decisions that might harm their interests, he was fine with it. Besides, demanding a larger chunk of the company would make the other side lose their drive.
Why would someone work hard for the company owning just ten percent of it, while someone else got ninety percent?
This was best for both of them in the end.
“You … have given us a very fair deal,” Harry said as he stood up from his kneeling position. “I’m thankful that you have considered our situation. I promise you that we will not just stand by and let you do the work. In this partnership we will also do our best to protect our interests. If I have to pick up a bat myself, I will get rid of the gangsters trying to take over my company!” he shouted fiercely, tensing his fist.
I can tell … this is it! Kai thought with excitement. This is the power of a leader. Bringing him to our side will help us grow! This is exactly what we need right now. If we allow him to proceed with his ambitions, we can get to the top together.
Kai stood up and held out his hand. “Olivia, call our lawyer and let’s sort out the contract right here and now.”
Olivia silently pulled out her phone while Kai and Harry exchanged a firm handshake. A deal had been struck, but they needed to make it official.
When the lawyer came, the documents for the deal were drafted up. Before the contract was officially signed by both parties, Will looked it over. He wasn’t just Harry’s personal assistant, but also a law school graduate in charge of negotiating terms for the company.
While the lawyers were talking things over, Harry and Kai sat face to face.
“I know it may be a bit late to say this now, but the Scatterbugs … they are a big group, it will be tough,” Harry said.
“Don’t worry, I did my research. They’ve come to us before, so we needed to know how bad it would be if we offended them by refusing. It’s funny, one might even call it fate, that you came back to us. After all, you didn’t know about the offer, you didn’t accept ours, and now we are back here.” Kai smiled.
“Is … this okay?” Harry asked. “I mean, you are doing this without your leader present. He was the person I met before. I’m sure you would need to ask him, and I would like to apologize for what I said last time.”
“You don’t have to worry about that. I can assure you he supports this. Perhaps you will be able to meet him sometime soon, and you can thank him in person then.”
Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of Will slamming down the thick contract against the table behind them.
“Look right here, what is this?” Will pointed.
“Is something wrong?” Harry asked.
“Yes, sir,” Will replied. “The contract. It states that forty-one percent of the company will go to the Howlers Limited corporation.”
At first Harry raised an eyebrow. Forty-one percent! Was Kai trying to see if he was willing to accept such terms? He would never be that nice.
“Then it says that ten percent will belong to the Gary Dem Foundation. Why would we give ten percent to a stranger? On top of that, if there was a major decision, then this person would be able to sway it to one side or the other.”
Again, Harry was confused. For one, why were the Howlers willing to give ten percent to a stranger? This was actually better for Harry. As long as the Cardenez company got him on their good side, they could either buy him out and take back control of their company at some point, or persuade him to make decisions that were in their favor rather than the Howlers’.
“Ah yes, you see, the Howlers have a lot to thank him for. He’s been a sort of … I guess you could call him an angel investor of sorts. A lot of improvements in Slough have been due to his money, and he supports the Howlers greatly. We owe him a lot, which is why we decided to repay him by including him in the deal.
“Either way, isn’t that better for you guys? This way we Howlers don’t have majority control,” Kai pointed out with a smile.
Will was perplexed because what Kai was saying was true, but judging from the smile it was as if he was hiding something. Why would they do this? Of course, they didn’t know that Gary Dem was also the leader of the Howlers.
This was the start of Kai’s grand plan of spreading the name of Gary Dem, hidden business tycoon who worked closely with the Howlers.
“Okay … if you are fine with it,” Will said.
The contract was brought to the desk, and the parties signed on the dotted line. It was now set in stone.
Kai stood up and clapped his hands.
“All right, the deal is done. Now that we own part of the Cardenez company, we need to protect what’s ours, right? Olivia, prepare everyone!”
Chapter 3
The Alliance Gathers
Three large black vehicles were heading out of the town of Slough, one more than what had entered. Their destination was Brighthum, the Tier 3 city where Cardenez Electronics resided.
The new addition was the car in the center, a long limo driven by none other than Tyler. He was nervous about the whole thing as he tightly gripped the steering wheel and looked into the camera on his dashboard.
The divider between the driver and the passengers had been closed to give those in the back their privacy. Nevertheless, Tyler was able to see what was going on through the screen on his dash, so he snuck a few glances from time to time.
Man oh man, every time we leave the city I get nervous. Especially when the others wear their masks, since it almost always means we are headed for a fight. It doesn’t help that there are strangers in the car, Tyler thought as he shifted his focus back to the road.
In the car were the core members of the Howlers, wearing their uniforms and masks: Marie, Austin, Innu, Olivia, and of course Kai. But they weren’t alone in the car; Harry and Will had decided to ride with them rather than take the cars they had arrived in.
“I have to admit that I’m quite surprised you’ve decided to come back with us,” Harry said.
“Well, your situation is quite dire. Besides, I’m only doing what we would do if we had signed the original deal. There’s no point in having a percentage of your company without the factories that you have built up,” Kai replied.
There was a lot of tension in Will’s hands, indicating that he had a lot he wanted to say at this moment.
“The Freaks … are an elite force that work for us,” he said. “They have the power to stop the other Tier 3 gangs from attacking. The problem is that we have two major factories and a few small ones as well. “Because of the constant attacks from the other cities, either the Freaks are spread too thin, or we fail to move quickly. I worry that the people you brought here are not enough.”
Will was sure that the Howlers had many members to keep control over Slough, yet they had only brought a handful.
Kai responded, “I can tell what you’re thinking. Our enemy has us outnumbered, so we have to be careful with how we use our members. Right now the Howlers are preparing. There is a chance that once they find out we have decided to side with you, they’ll attack us in retaliation, either directly or by sending proxies as in your case. So our members need to be prepared to defend our town as well.
“However, I feel like that is unlikely. Either way, they will be ready when the real war against Notsburg begins. For the time being, I can assure you that we will have enough fighters to deal with these Tier 3 gangs who are bothering your workers.”
Kai’s words sounded confident, but looking at the number of gang members, Will didn’t share his confidence. Judging by their bodies and the sound of their voices, they all seemed quite young. Only two seemed to be adults: the person they called Olivia, although he was unsure whether her name was real or fake, and the large man with the pompadour hairstyle.
Will was worried that Harry was putting too much hope into this group. During the entire drive, Kai’s attention remained glued to his phone as he was typing a text to someone.
“If I’m correct, one of the factories is in Whitley, while another is in Hightown?” Kai asked as he continued to type, not even looking at them.
“That is correct,” Will replied. “We don’t know when the attacks will come, but those two gangs have proven quite capable in coordinating their attacks to launch at the same time. On top of that, their numbers are getting larger with each attack, and they have switched to a hit-and-run tactic. Because of it, the Freaks are tired and are accumulating injuries. It’s only a matter of time until they destroy everything in the factory.”
“Okay, that makes things simpler, then. We will head to Whitley right now,” Kai said. “We will focus on protecting Whitley; don’t worry about the other factory.”
Now Harry was concerned. “If they attack the other factory with no support, the Freaks there will not be able to hold. Are you trying to say one is better than none?”
“You should trust him a bit more,” Olivia blurted out. She was the first person other than Kai to speak to them. “If you want to save your company, anyway. That’s all I’m going to say.”
The three cars finally entered Brightum. Because it was a city rather than a town, it was around twice the size of Slough with many districts and quite a few cars on the road. Kai was already looking at the structures, which weren’t well built.
Because of the way the highways and roads were laid out a long time ago, transport was lacking and they were stuck in traffic even now. It made sense, with the size of the city and this level of traffic, why it would take them so long to get from one factory to the other.
With all the overdeveloped buildings in small areas, there weren’t many places for them to build large factories. Ideally the city could do with an underground subway system to allow faster travel and less traffic, but that wasn’t a luxury that a Tier 3 city could afford.
Eventually, after going through the city, they came out on an open road, where they could see the large factory up ahead. It was so large that to walk around the whole thing would take at least an hour.
Kai could see why the factory was so hard for them to protect. However, he saw some clever play at work. Surrounding the factory were broken abandoned cars, which acted as a sort of makeshift wall. Standing on top, as well as in front of the cars, were hired guards, gang members, and assorted Freaks.
The wall of cars was a good hundred yards away from the factory itself. As they approached, everyone started to stretch, and it was safe to say that the strange appearance of the Howlers had caught the eyes of the guards around the factory.
“Why are they looking at us so weirdly?” Innu asked as he locked eyes with one of the guards. “I mean, they have the Freaks that are dressed up as clowns, right?”
“Yeah, I’m just thankful that I never made us wear something like those clown suits. I understand that it’s like a symbol, a uniform that people remember and that strikes fear into the enemy, but why clowns of all things?” Kai said.
“That should be obvious,” Austin said seriously, folding his arms. “Clowns are scary.”
He spoke in such a deadly tone that no one knew whether it was a joke, and they were too scared to comment.
“Speaking of,” Tyler called out as he leaned on the car. The three cars were parked within the hundred-yard circle, between the factory and the wall of cars. “Shouldn’t I wear a mask? You know, to hide my identity.”
“What for?” Olivia said. “What benefit would someone possibly have from targeting our driver?”
This made Tyler sulk somewhat, because he felt like his position in the gang was replaceable.
“Tyler,” Marie called out, smiling underneath her mask. “You’re a great driver. Usually I get carsick in cars, but with you driving I never do! I wouldn’t want anyone else.”
Tears of joy nearly leaked from Tyler’s eyes. He had never met anyone so sweet, and Marie looked like an angel to him at that moment. If she weren’t in the gang, Tyler might have quit a while ago.
Right now, the group was waiting patiently for something to happen: an attack or some type of messenger to appear. After about twenty minutes, the gates opened for another car. Harry and Will looked at each other in confusion, as they weren’t expecting any guests.
When the car stopped, three young students emerged.
“Numba!” Harry called out.
Chapter 4
The Groups Meet
The Howlers were baffled at the sight of the three new arrivals. They were sure that the whole city should know by now that this was a dangerous area; a person would only come here if they knew their life was on the line.
“What are a bunch of students doing in a place like this?” Innu blurted out.
“Should we really be the ones saying this?” Marie whispered at his side.
Although it hadn’t been long since all of them had dropped out of school, the teenagers sometimes forgot that without the gang they too would be regular students. It was quite clear from Harry’s reaction that these three weren’t just brave passersby.
“Numba,” Harry said softly at first, but then his eyebrows started to furrow so much that it looked like they were touching each other. “What are you doing here? Did you decide to disobey your own father?”
He rushed toward Numba, startling Izzy and Ian, who stood beside him.
“Hey, if the old man attacks us, we can at least defend ourselves, right?” Ian asked his childhood friend.
“No, you doofus! Remember, this is Numba’s father, and he’s an ordinary human whereas you’re an Altered!” Izzy replied back.
“I told you to stay at the academy! I told you to live your life there! Do you think your father can’t handle things on his own?” Harry shouted at his son.
“I’m involved in all of this, Father!” Numba shouted back. “I’ve been a part of this ever since the day you took me into your family. How am I supposed to live a life in the academy when I know all of this is happening? I could … I would never forgive myself!”
The old man stopped about three yards away. Izzy and Ian were hiding behind Numba, who was surprisingly standing his ground.
“Father, it’s not just you … they have already targeted me back at the academy. And not just me, but my friends as well. I have personal issues with them. Let me help you!” Numba locked eyes with his father.
Neither one looked away. It was as if they were the only two people on the concrete.
After a good minute or so, Harry smirked as he pondered out loud, “Just where did I go wrong in raising you?”
“You didn’t,” Numba replied. “You gave me the perfect life and I just want to repay you for it.”
“You have grown a lot since the academy. It looks like you’ve gone through more things than I can imagine.” Harry sighed. “I’m assuming the two behind you are your friends from the academy? All right, since you’re already here, I’ll place you under Gib in the Freaks; you are to support him and follow his lead!”
One of the men dressed as clowns with large red noses came over. Gib had two bats on his back, but rather than being made out of wood or metal, they were gray with black handles. They were Anti-Altered weapons, albeit a basic one with a slight electrifying power.
The Howlers were too far away from the students to hear much of what was said apart from a few angry words here and there. Only Kai and Olivia, with their enhanced hearing, heard it all.
“That person’s name … I see why you took a liking to him, Gary; in some ways he is like you. A new business and loyalty from three Altered. I would say if things go well here, we’re well on our way to the top.”
While the others followed Gib, Harry and Will were talking to the managers of the factory. They were trying to get a handle on the situation with employees leaving. They needed to come up with a plan to reinstate confidence and also discuss how much production was behind.
As they followed Gib, Ian and the others noticed a group of people standing by a high-end car, all wearing strange masks and dressed in black and gold.
“Man, what is with your family?” Ian asked Numba. “I mean, I thought the clowns were strange, but now we’ve got these Freaks in masks as well.”
Izzy kicked Ian’s shin, causing him to jump up and down, rubbing his leg, even though she was freaked out as well.
“Those guys aren’t part of my family. I don’t know who they are. Did the gang get some help, Gib?” Numba asked.
“Yes, young master,” Gib answered. “Your father managed to receive help from a neighboring town called Slough. These people are a gang who call themselves the Howlers.”
They stopped in their tracks and looked at each other. Gib wondered what he had said that was so confusing.
Immediately, Ian put his arms around the other two and made them huddle up into a circle.
“Hey, I’m not going crazy, right? That clown just called them the Howlers, from Slough? Isn’t that the same group that Gary told us he was from?” Ian asked.
“You’re right, but I had no clue that my father was going to ask them for help. I guess this must have happened while we were in the academy,” Numba replied.
“From what you told us, though, the ones responsible are the Tier 2 gang the Scatterbugs. Any gang would be crazy to help you out. Sorry … I know that was a bit rude, but you know what I mean. Does this mean Gary actually managed to convince them to help?” Izzy asked.
They all looked over at the Howlers again. None of them had the same hairstyle or hair color as Gary, nor did their body types match. At the same time, they realized that the number of people from the Howlers was incredibly low.
“If Gary did ask them, then where is he? I mean he left before us, so he should be with them,” Ian said.
“I hate to say this, but it looks like the Howlers sent a token force because Gary asked them. They want to keep Gary on their good side because he’s talented,” Izzy guessed. “So they say they sent help, but really it isn’t much. I think it’s a good thing that we came in the end.”
They broke their huddle and continued to follow Gib with a smile, but Numba couldn’t help looking at the people in the masks. For a group that Izzy thought had been sent to be cannon fodder, they looked quite brave.
At the same time, was it true that Gary had been kept back by his gang, told that he wasn’t allowed to come to help out?
Thank you, Gary, for at least trying. I bet you did whatever you could to help us … so I will do the same, Numba thought.
They eventually reached their post, at a small gap in the wall of cars. These small gaps appeared throughout the wall, to allow their members in and out, a few at a time.
The numbers did not appear to be in their favor. As they waited, Numba had a few more words to say.
“We came here to stop Gary from doing something stupid … but I have decided that I will be staying here, even if Gary isn’t here,” Numba explained. “I have to help my family no matter what, but for you guys it isn’t the same. This isn’t your family. If any of you are in danger at any point in time, then please just get out of here.”
Izzy and Ian did not reply; instead, Ian went to Gib and whispered something in his ear, and Gib called out to one of the other members of the Freaks.
“What did you ask for?” Izzy asked.
“You’ll see.”
A short while later, the Freaks had come back, with some clothes, makeup, and red squidgy noses for the two of them.
“With these disguises, our parents will never know we were involved,” Ian explained. “Let me know if you need any help.”
After they had changed into their costumes Ian couldn’t stop laughing at how ridiculous Izzy looked, but his laughter was cut short by an announcement.
“They’re coming, everyone get ready!”
Chapter 5
Protect the Factory (Part 1)
Harry’s factory was currently well guarded, at least more so than the others, for several reasons. For one, a couple of his Freak group members always stayed with him.
Since he was at this location, about eight members of the Freaks were nearby. At the same time, it was the larger factory of the two. In all honesty, if Harry had to save one of the two factories, he would choose this one simply based on its size.
However, the problem was that both factories were getting hit with the same amount of force by two different gangs.
I can’t be thinking about the other factory right now. We have to put all our efforts into protecting this one! Harry had made up his mind, and he knew he couldn’t afford to distract himself right now.
“Give me a report on the enemy numbers!” Harry demanded.
“I have received messages stating that this time, the number of attackers appears to be in the hundreds. Several cars and motorbikes have been spotted at the scene. This is the biggest attack from them up until now,” Will said, his hand trembling nervously.
Along with the eight Freaks, about twenty guards were stationed around half of the building, having moved toward the direction where the attackers were coming from.
Since the factory was outside the central part of the city, there were only really two directions they could attack from: from the main city roads or, more likely, from over the hill, where they could approach from the countryside.
There was more land on that side, and it was harder for the guards to spot the enemy if they came from that way.
Harry thought, Even if we have the Howlers on our side, their numbers are more than double compared to ours. Not to mention, our people are tired from the constant fighting as well, including the Freaks. Is this their final push to finish us off?
“Stop the advance, do whatever you have to stop the advance, and somebody get me a damn weapon. We will fight and take care of these guys until we meet the Scatterbugs ourselves!” Harry shouted, rolling up his sleeves.
“Wow, your dad really is a scary man,” Ian gulped, seeing Harry’s enthusiasm.
“He’s not scary,” Numba replied matter-of-factly, “he’s just passionate about these things.”
The Freaks moved out of the small gaps between the doors of the cars, while the regular guards stayed behind the wall, waiting for the enemy to come in. Gib, the leader of the Freaks, turned around to all the others.
“Let us take out as much as possible, and then we will leave the rest to you.” Gib looked at the three students, indicating that those words were meant for them as well.
The sound of revving motorbikes braking as they screeched to a halt echoed in the air. Multiple cars and motorbikes had driven over the grassy fields and were now congregating on the gray concrete.
They had stopped, not wishing to collide with the barrier and the guards in front of them. Just as the reports had indicated, there appeared to be about a hundred thugs, carrying all sorts of weapons.
One large man with a tank top, black pants and a golden tooth stood in front of the others. They hadn’t rushed forward to attack just yet.
“Today is the day we finish the job!” the man clamored, raising a hand on which he wore a set of brass knuckles. The others cheered loudly, and the sound of a hundred people enrapturing was quite deafening.
There was no breather for them as they all charged in, with those on the motorbikes leading the pack. One of them went straight toward Gib, brandishing a crowbar.
The attacker swung the crowbar, but Gib ducked under it, hitting the man in the stomach; his motorbike continued forward without him before it skidded across the ground and crashed into the wall of cars.
It was an explosive start to the fight. The men surrounded the Freaks, but their reputation preceded them and they held off their attackers even though they were outnumbered.
Swinging their weapons, they began the counterattack. They had great stamina; whenever they hit someone, it knocked them out or took them out of the fight. However, in the end, they weren’t invincible.
Gib was struck in the ribs by a chain, and as he flinched, the man with the brass knuckles delivered a powerful uppercut to his chin. It was a blow that would have knocked out most adult men, but somehow, Gib was able to hold on.
With the Freaks slowing down, the other gang members were able to run around them and get to the gap in the cars.
“No wonder my boys couldn’t finish you off last time.” The man smiled, showing his gold tooth. “Well, it’s a good thing I personally decided to come this time. I have to say that after this, we will never have to worry about a day in our lives again, and you can rest in peace as well, ha ha!”
The man lifted Gib by the top of his curly head of hair and readied his knuckleduster once more.
But before he could swing, an explosive bang resounded as if a heavy weight had hit the ground. Then, as the gold-toothed man turned his head, he took a heavy hit right in his stomach. Intense pain instantly clutched him as his ribs cracked from the impact, and he was sent crashing into his own men, then landed unmoving on the ground.
“Is that a … clown with horns?” The man lifted his head before passing out.
Gib looked up, and standing in his attacker’s place was none other than the young master of the company. In a clown outfit, of all things, with horns sticking out of his head.
“You have done what you can; head back to the factory and recover yourself. Leave the rest to us. If you don’t follow this order, you’re fired,” Numba said.
Gib nodded while trying his best to remain calm.
“You’re getting a bit ahead of yourself; you’re not in a position to make those decisions yet.”
Chapter 6
Protect the Factory (Part 2)
Everyone, including the guards working for the Cardenez group, saw the Freaks take on the attackers. This was not the first time the gang had attacked them. The Freaks had always seemed so strong, able to stop them before they could do too much damage to the factory.
However, today was the first time that they witnessed the Freaks on the short end of the stick, struggling to prolong the battle. Not only had a considerably larger number of gang members come to attack them, but they also seemed to be a cut above the thugs that had come last time. All the Freaks understood the gravity behind the battle, and thus they were giving it their everything.
Unfortunately, courage alone couldn’t decide a fight. The guards watched the Freaks get beaten, hit, and kicked over and over again, but despite their worsening wounds, the clown-dressed gang members continued to fight. At this moment the guards asked themselves how they could just stand behind the walls and do nothing.
It wasn’t right, which was why they decided to act. The guards abandoned their orders to wait and deal with the leftovers as they had done previously; instead they rushed out through the barrier they had built and attacked the gang members who surrounded the Freaks on their last legs.
Fortunately, they weren’t on their own, as a few others dressed similarly to the Freaks had arrived on the scene. Two gang members had swung their bats toward the guards, only to have them be wrapped by a strange extended appendage and held in its grasp. Before they could react, another large tentacle-like vine, the same kind that had wrapped around their weapons, hit them in the stomach and sent them flying through the air.
Then another one wrapped around a Freak’s waist and lifted him up. “I’ll take him back to the factory! Don’t fight here, you guys; get back behind the barrier as soon as you can!” Izzy shouted, ordering around the guards. While she appreciated the gesture, it was obvious at a glance that they were more of a liability than actual help in this gang fight.
Izzy was using her unique Altered form to fight, and as she headed back to the others, she immobilized a few more attackers on the way, protecting the barrier.
At the same time, not too far away, another Freak was being protected by a person dressed as a clown. Several gang members were on the floor bleeding from their hands, and others had even dropped to their knees out of fear.
Meanwhile, Ian in his clown getup had several spikes sticking out from his body. They were more like the small bristles of a hedgehog, and several holes had already formed in his clothes as they retracted back into his body.
“I’m sorry, my fellow clown friend, but it looks like I ruined this set of clothes.”
The Freak, who looked to have a broken leg, couldn’t help but laugh.
“Just get me out of here, and I’ll make sure the boss won’t chew you out for it,” the clown replied. Ian was happy to hear that and gave his ally a hand and shoulder to lean on, before he headed back to the barrier just like the rest, followed by Numba and Gib.
Inside the factory, the medical staff was already busy treating the incoming patients. Unfortunately, there were only a handful of them. Money could only go so far in convincing someone to risk their own life, especially since it was guaranteed that the factory would turn into a dangerous area.
After making sure that the injured Freaks were taken care of, the three Altered students quickly returned to the fray, but the situation had changed. The rival gang members had entered through the gaps in the cars, and although the initial plan of attacking them as they came through had worked at first, eventually they were overpowered.
Seeing this, Numba exploded from his position, striking a man so hard that he flew back and hit a car.
“Get the fuck away from our company property!” Numba roared. With the three Altered fighting within a hundred-yard radius of the factory, they were able to hold off the gangs pretty well.
Harry, seeing all this, had to blink twice, placing his hand on his chest. “You … I can’t believe it. This factory is being saved right now … and it’s all thanks to you. I don’t know what I did to have someone like you in my life,” Harry said.
These were strong words coming from the president, and it was the first time Will had heard him compliment his son in such a way.
Far back from where the gang members were attacking, a middle-aged man with long hair was leaning up against the car with his arms folded.
Three Altered? Now that is a surprise. Did the Cardenez family hire them? I didn’t think anyone would support them in this situation. Surely they should know the Scatterbugs are behind this. Maybe this is something I should report, the man wondered to himself as his hand went toward his phone.
The man wasn’t the only one watching everything from the back. Kai and the other members of the Howlers had yet to join the fight. So far, they had stayed in the shadows, he to observe, the rest waiting for him to give them the go-ahead.
Kai thought, Those Freaks are more impressive than I thought. They might be on the same level as the Underdogs’Cheetah Squad. The Scatterbugs must have never expected that a simple company would be so hard to take over, but that just shows Harry’s strong mindset. He is definitely someone we want on our side.
As for those three, they are all highly skilled Altered. I guess that’s what I should expect from AFA students, but they are particularly talented, and that girl seems to have a good head on her shoulders. Without any major changes in this fight, the Cardenez group might actually make it out of this without the need for us to intervene.
Well, we can’t just let things end like this, not without letting them know what we’re capable of as their allies. I wouldn’t want to give them a reason to weasel out of our deal.
Kai turned around to the others, who all seemed restless. It was taking everything they had to hold back from joining the fight.
“I know that all of you are eager to get involved, but it was important that you saw what those guys are capable of. They are nothing like us, and the group behind them is even worse. You’ve seen it for yourselves, these people hurt others without a second thought.
“Some of them have taken lives just for fun. If these people find out who we are, or if we give them the chance, they will pay us back tenfold. I want you to imagine not what they would do to you but what they would do to those you care about, what they would do if they manage to get a hold of your family! Do you understand?” Kai shouted.
Numba was busy fighting, but he could hear Kai’s voice. The Altered was doing well, but fighting like this had exhausted him and he wondered if the Howlers would ever do something. At that moment, a man on a motorbike drove through the gap, heading straight for the Howlers.
“I want you to all fight without holding back!” Kai ordered.
As the man on the bike came closer, Austin accelerated and clashed with him. The man swung down his crowbar on the bull-masked teenager’s shoulder. Surprisingly, it did nothing, leaving no injury. At the same time, the bike crashed right into Austin and stopped in its tracks.
“I understand!” Austin replied as he lifted the front of the bike into the air with ease, causing the man to fall off, and hurled it into the incoming rival gang members.
Numba was ready to deal with a group of attackers in front of him when a bike came flying from the side. It hit a group of six of them, knocking them off their feet and crushing their bones.
He turned to see the masked figures walking their way.
“You’ve done enough, now it’s our turn. I promise we’ll get rid of all of them for you!” Kai said as he ran forward, his hands transforming with a tuft of gray fur.
Chapter 7
The Howlers Join
The Howlers finally decided to join in, and the first act of one of their members had caused nearly the entire group to stop fighting. The tall guy in the bull mask had not only performed a superhuman feat by lifting a heavy, large vehicle, but he had furthermore chucked it a far distance at an incredible speed.
Harry and Will rubbed their eyes to make sure they were seeing right, and while all attention was on Austin, Kai lifted his transformed hand in the air. “This factory and the Cardenez group as a whole belong to the Howlers! An attack on them is an attack against us!”
Kai rushed to the closest rival gang member, grabbing him by the head and slamming him down on the concrete. This act of violence ended the momentary peace, and his fellow gang members rushed at the fox-masked aggressor with their weapons drawn.
One swung a bat toward Kai’s head, but was met with the swing of an axe that sliced the weapon in half.
Before the person could act, a kick to his head spun his body before he landed on the ground.
Innu continued his attack, avoiding swings and hits from the invaders. One of his axes buried itself in a gang member’s shin causing him to scream in pain.
Remember Kai’s words: we can’t let these guys go. Letting them off easy is also out of the question, else they won’t just come for us. I care about Kevin and Suzan too! Innu thought, as his weapons supplied him with another boost of energy.
More members were running through the gaps, but before they could make it through, they were hit by a bolt that electrified them on the spot. Marie had become quite the decent archer as she continued to fire at spots that would disrupt more of them coming in.
“Oh, I thought … you were like me,” Tyler said.
“I used to be, but when you hang around these guys, you inexplicably tend to find yourself in situations like this. I know that I’m not as good as them in a head-on fight, so I try to keep up with them in my own way, though I’m told that I’m too shabby with my pair of daggers these days,” Marie smiled.
All Tyler could do was smile, as he wasn’t sure whether she was joking. Suddenly everyone heard a loud scream, because the most brutal member of the Howlers wasn’t holding back at all. Olivia had wrapped her whip around one of the large man’s hands. Using her werewolf strength, she lifted the man in the air, causing his shoulder to pop.
Unfortunately for him, that wasn’t the end of it. His body swung toward her, and she slammed a transformed werewolf fist deep into the man’s stomach, causing him to cough out blood all over her, tainting her mask, which revealed her shiny blue eyes.
The fight continued, but the invading gang members were ignoring Numba and the others, forced to focus on the biggest threat in front of them. The Howlers, however, were proving capable of dealing with everyone coming their way.
A chain swung right at Kai, and he used his claws to rip right through it. The injured Freaks had come back out after being partially treated, thinking that they might be needed to help out in the fight. All they could see were several unconscious gang members bleeding on the ground, many of them either dead or not far from it.
“I think we were wrong about the Howlers, sir,” Will said. “Rather than too few, I would say they sent out far more than were needed to deal with our problem. How can a Tier 3 city have … I don’t even know how many of them are Altered at this point.”
It was a hard thing to determine because the only ones who had visibly transformed were Kai and Olivia. The others were displaying powers that seemed beyond what a normal human was capable of, but not necessarily enough to identify them as Altered.
“I think we all underestimated them,” Harry concluded.
The AFA students stood there watching, like the Howlers had done in the beginning. They were looking for ways to help out, but eventually the area became mostly clear. There were still gang members on the other side, but they were having trouble getting in.
“This is the gang Gary belongs to?” Ian blinked a few times, still finding it hard to believe. “He told us he was from a Tier 3 town, right? How is it possible for any town to have so many Altered and not be known far and wide?”
“I know,” Izzy agreed. “Any one of them should easily be able to secure a place in the AFA and do well, so what’s stopping them? Why did they decide to sponsor someone like Gary and send him as their sole representative?”
Numba was focusing on something else. Gary managed to secure us help from some strong people. He really is a great friend.
Like Ian and Izzy, he had assumed that the few members of the Howlers had just been sent here as a show of solidarity. However, the fact that a gang had sent out more than one Altered meant the other side was treating this seriously.
A Tier 3 gang shouldn’t have many Altered to begin with. It just showed how much importance his gang must place on him, and it made their enemies all the more intrigued to find out just what type of group the Howlers were.
Two gang members swung their bats toward Kai, who transformed his arms, growing more gray fur as his forearms bulged. He swung them out, breaking both of the bats and, a second later, swiped his claws right toward their necks, causing them to spurt blood and killing them on the spot.
