075 THE RAVENOUS HOUNDS/ HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY 2025

075 THE RAVENOUS HOUNDS/ HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY 2025

The Amara women looked to Leo, begging him to do something. But what could they do? Yun-Yun's summoned dog was too weak, and altering its code was beyond his knowledge.

Leo stared at his control panel, overwhelmed.

Changing codes in magic wasn't the same as replicating or isolating it—he didn't understand the deeper programming language yet. He glanced at Yun-Yun, who met his gaze with a weary, apologetic look.

"This is the best I can do, Leo."

Suddenly, Yun-Yun's altered spell took shape.

Instead of summoning a single house dog, the magic split, giving rise to an entire pack of hounds. Dozens, perhaps hundreds, of barking dogs materialized on the jetty, their forms glowing faintly with ethereal energy.

The pack moved as one, circling the Nightprowler with precision and purpose. Each hound's bark was sharp and relentless, a cacophony that echoed across the battlefield.

The demon cat hesitated, its predatory confidence wavering as it sized up the new threat.

"Prrrrrrr," the Nightprowler purred, its glowing eyes narrowing as it assessed the pack.

These summoned dogs were nothing like the previous one. They were disciplined, their coordinated movements unsettling. Their fierce barking disrupted her focus, keeping her off balance.

The distraction gave the Amara warriors the opening they desperately needed. With renewed determination, they regrouped, their formation tightening. Their energy reignited, they surged forward to intercept the fleeing mages.

"Spears!" one of the Amara women shouted, her voice ringing out like a battle cry.

In unison, powerful spears arced through the air, aimed with deadly precision at the retreating mages. The coordinated strike cut off their escape, forcing them into disarray.

The tide of the battle was beginning to turn.

Although the mages were much stronger than the Amara women, in their current conditions and under the effects of poison, they were not much stronger than the women. On the other hand, the mages were faced with an army of Amara warriors.

"Arggghhh", a mage screamed as his thigh was pierced by a warrior riding on magic surfboard.

Then another mage fell until all the mages were defeated and captured.

Realizing that her summoners were captured, the Nightprowler let out a furious snarl before melting back into the shadows, disappearing as suddenly as she had come.

"What should we do with these mages?" Shaman asked.

Leo looked at the group of defeated mages and replied, "We'll secure them in our special cages, then bind them with the magic-sealing leashes we bought from the Assassin Guild."

With the plan set, the Amara women quickly caged and restrained each mage, making sure they had no chance of escape.

-----

As the Amara warriors secured the mages, Yun-Yun approached Leo with curiosity, "What exactly did you do to my summoned dog spell?"

Leo shrugged.

"Honestly, I was desperate. I just applied the giant raven summoning spell you taught me on top of the dog's spell, and merged them… well, instead of ravens, we got a whole pack of barking dogs. Individually the dogs are not comparable to the Nightprowler but in a pack their barking scared the cat."

Yun-Yun laughed softly, "And here I thought I knew all about summoning's limits. You've somehow made two different spells work together seamlessly. Like a completely new spell. There are flaws obviously but those are things we can work out slowly."

"Desperation is the mother of invention," Leo replied.

Yun-Yun surprised him by hugging him from behind. "Now, show me this hybrid spell of yours again. I'm intrigued. I want to learn it."

Leo grinned and cast the modified summoning spell, letting her watch closely as it unfolded. Yun-Yun observed each layer of magic that was cast and smiled with growing admiration.

"This is fascinating. You're merging spells so effortlessly—something that would normally take years to master."

Without missing a beat, Yun-Yun began refining her spell as she formed it, remedying the flaws introduced by Leo's altered codes. Her hands moved with practiced precision, weaving adjustments into the fabric of the magic.

"Did you learn anything new from this?" Leo asked, his tone curious.

"Oh, absolutely," she replied, a spark of excitement lighting her eyes. "Watch this."

With a deft adjustment to the spell, Yun-Yun unleashed her own variation.

A swarm of ravenous hounds materialized, each beast larger and more fearsome than before. Their eyes burned with an intense hunger, their powerful forms radiating an aura of raw magic. They were not just summoned creatures; they were formidable allies, ready to attack any threat that dared to challenge them.

"Summon Ravenous Hounds"

"These will be powerful magic allies," she said, a proud smile spreading across her face. "Especially when your magic grows stronger."

Leo studied the pack, a thoughtful expression crossing his face.

"I think there's a lot we can teach each other," he said. "If you can show me, step-by-step, how you modified the spell and explain the process, I can translate that knowledge into my own coding. Over time, I could develop a translator and might even figure out how to create spells of my own."

"And in return," Yun-Yun added, her smile widening, "you can inspire me with your creativity, helping me discover new spells I'd never have thought of on my own."

She paused, her gaze softening as she looked at Leo with a newfound sense of admiration. "You may be right. Forcing you to learn magic my way may not be the best approach. We should find a way to master our magic by combining your skills and my knowledge."

"Perhaps that is the correct path," Leo said, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips.

Together, they could forge something entirely new, a synthesis of magic and innovation that neither could achieve alone.

With the acknowledgment of their mutual dependence, Leo suddenly leaned on Yun-Yun his lips pressing to hers. She wasn't a shy kisser and under the moonlight of the Sodom sky, they celebrated their first Valentine together.

"Happy Valentine's Day."

-----

"What do we do with these relic stones now?" Leo asked, glancing at the heavy stones.

"You can take them," the Shaman replied, sighing. "Our clan lost so many warriors over them—they're cursed for us."

"But isn't it your task to send them back to the Koresh Empire? No penalties?" Leo questioned.