Out of Control Again

Ash lunged forward with a swipe of his wolf claws—only to grasp at thin air. The white-clad specter had no physical body, making his attack useless. Realizing this, Ash swiftly retreated, but the ghost was fast, floating after him with its wide, tooth-filled maw aimed at his shoulder.

There was no physical pain from the bite, but Ash's mind immediately felt hazy, as though his consciousness was being split in two. The ghost was attacking his mind! Each bite tore at his very sense of self, a terrifying assault on his sanity.

With a defiant roar, Ash unleashed his Brainwashing Howl, the shockwave of sound forcing the specter back by several meters. His fractured thoughts slowly knit themselves back together, but the reprieve was short-lived. The ghost quickly shook off the effects and resumed its pursuit, floating swiftly towards Ash.

Ash had no choice but to rely on his incredible speed to evade the ghost's relentless bites. It was a bizarre sight—a ferocious werewolf being chased through the streets by a spectral creature.

Watching from a distance, Jack Chase sighed in relief. "I thought this werewolf would be tougher. Looks like I'll be able to deliver him to Lady Rowan after all," he muttered to himself, growing more confident.

The situation was dire for Ash. The white ghost was gaining ground, its ethereal form slipping through walls and obstacles as it chased him, its gnashing teeth inches away from his hide.

"Finish him off!" Jack commanded, his voice cold. The specter surged forward with a burst of speed, latching onto Ash's back and sinking its spectral teeth into his flesh.

"Not again…" Ash thought as a wave of dizziness swept over him. His vision blurred, and the familiar disorienting sensation of his mind fracturing returned. One part of his brain screamed for him to run, while another roared for him to turn and tear Jack apart. The two instincts clashed in a chaotic mental battle, leaving him vulnerable.

"I'm so tired of this... How about both parts of me just disappear?!" Ash's entire body trembled violently as he let out a bloodcurdling howl. When he lowered his head, his eyes were no longer filled with humanity—only the savage bloodlust of a beast.

He had lost control once again. The primal, animalistic side of his mind had taken over, turning him into a feral monster.

Sensing the change, the ghost released its hold and floated back, shaking its head at Jack in a silent gesture. It couldn't do anything more—its mental attacks were only effective against intelligent creatures.

Jack's confidence evaporated. The werewolf had escaped the ghost's grip by abandoning his own intelligence, becoming nothing more than a ravenous predator. Now Jack was faced with a bloodthirsty beast.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, Ash leaped at him, jaws wide, ready to bite off his head. The werewolf's maw stretched impossibly wide as it lunged toward him.

Jack dropped to the ground, rolling out of the way just in time. As he scrambled to his feet, he pulled out a small flashlight, aiming it at the werewolf. A beam of light engulfed Ash, immediately slowing his movements.

This was no ordinary flashlight—it was an enchanted object, a cursed tool that made any creature caught in its beam move as if trapped in molasses. Ash's once swift attacks were now sluggish, each swipe of his claws moving as if underwater.

"Ha! You're not so tough after all!" Jack laughed heartily, watching with amusement as the werewolf's movements became laughably slow. Every bite and claw swipe was easy to avoid, as Ash struggled to close the distance.

But then a loud, piercing howl shattered the night.

The flashlight's beam could slow physical movement, but it couldn't affect sound. The Brainwashing Howl roared across the empty streets, and Jack's smug grin disappeared as blood poured from his ears. The sound hit him with the force of a truck, sending him tumbling backward. The flashlight flew from his hand, clattering uselessly to the ground.

Ash wasted no time. He leapt over to the flashlight, crushing it beneath his paw. In the darkness, unseen by anyone, a wisp of black smoke rose from the shattered object, slipping unnoticed into Ash's back.

"You… you can't kill me!" Jack screamed, staggering to his feet. His arrogance was gone, replaced by sheer terror. "If you kill me, the Bullheaded Monster will spread across the city! The Exorcists will hunt you down!"

But Ash, driven by his animal instincts, was beyond reason. He didn't care about threats. He only saw prey.

Jack's voice cracked as he tried to bargain with the creature. "They'll… they'll come after you! You'll be hunted! You'll—"

The werewolf closed in, jaws snapping with a sickening crunch. Jack screamed as Ash bit off his arm at the elbow, the severed limb falling to the ground in a bloody mess. Ash spat it out immediately, as if the taste disgusted him.

Jack's terrified cries echoed through the night. But the beast didn't stop. It was still hungry.