The pull of the dark magic array grew stronger and stronger. Ryan gripped the tree trunk with all his strength, his knuckles turning white. The Leaf of the World Tree in his pocket flared brightly, its pale green barrier barely holding back the suction as it gradually became more transparent.
His eyes were fixed on the faint, unstable trace of Ayla's presence at the center of the array. Anxiety burned in his chest, but he knew all too well that forcing his way in with his current strength would only get him killed.
"I need backup—now," Ryan muttered through clenched teeth.
Using the barrier as cover, he slowly retreated until he was finally beyond the array's range. The moment he steadied himself, he pulled out his phone and tried calling Ayla again. The call still wouldn't connect.
Just as he hesitated, wondering whether to contact Old Gray, his phone suddenly vibrated.
A message from Ayla popped up:
"Temporarily escaped. The trap has a delayed activation mechanism—do NOT approach. Come to Old City Main Street immediately. Werewolf teenagers involved in a street fight, civilians affected. Needs peaceful resolution."
Ryan finally exhaled in relief. He quickly replied "On my way", turned the car around, and headed straight for Old City Main Street.
On the way, he opened the system interface and exchanged points for a Stamina Recovery Potion. Resisting the magic array had drained him more than he realized. After drinking it, warmth spread through his body, and the fatigue vanished almost instantly.
Old City Main Street was one of Newstar City's busiest historical commercial areas, especially at night. When Ryan arrived, the street entrance was already packed with onlookers, and police sirens echoed from deeper within the district.
He pushed through the crowd and immediately spotted Ayla standing at the edge of the scene. She had reverted to human form, dressed in her usual sharp black trench coat. Her brows were tightly furrowed as she stared ahead, with two uniformed Balance Council officers beside her.
"Ayla, what's the situation?" Ryan asked as he approached.
She turned to him, speaking quickly."Perfect timing. There are five werewolf teenagers fighting in the middle of the street. They're from nearby werewolf clans—runaways who broke away from tribal rules and formed a small gang. No one knows what triggered it, but they turned on each other tonight. Three shops have been wrecked, and two civilians were injured."
Ryan followed her gaze.
In the middle of the street, five teenagers dressed in punk-style clothing were brawling fiercely. None of them had transformed, but their movements were fast and brutal, their strength far beyond normal humans. Each punch landed with a dull thud. Tables, signs, and storefront fixtures lay scattered across the ground, glass shattered everywhere.
"The Council wants this handled peacefully?" Ryan asked.
"Yes," Ayla nodded."They're all minors and haven't fully mastered their powers. Civilians are already involved. If we suppress them by force, it risks exposing the supernatural world and causing mass panic. The Council wants the conflict stopped and the kids returned to their clan safely."
Ryan activated the Eye of Truth and scanned the five teens.
Under its gaze, faint werewolf energy radiated from each of them—unstable and chaotic, clearly driven by emotional overload. What reassured him was that the energy was pure, without any traces of dark magic. For now, manipulation by dark forces could be ruled out.
"I'll try talking first," Ryan said calmly."You stay nearby. If things spiral out of control, intimidate them—but don't hurt anyone."
Ayla nodded, fists clenched, ready for anything.
Ryan walked toward the fight. The moment he got close, a tall teenager shoved him hard.
"Get lost! Mind your own business!"
The force sent Ryan stumbling back two steps, though he quickly regained his footing.
"I'm not here to interfere," Ryan said firmly, raising his voice."I'm here to help you solve this. If you keep fighting, you'll only hurt each other—and drag your entire clan into trouble. The Balance Council is already here. If they step in by force, none of this ends well for you."
At the mention of the Balance Council, all five froze briefly. Unease flashed through their eyes—quickly swallowed by anger.
A blue-haired teen sneered."The Balance Council? We're not afraid anymore. Those old fools in the clan only care about tradition. They never listen to us. That's why we left—to decide our own future!"
"Exactly!" another teen in ripped jeans shouted."All the resources go to the elders and their favorites. We're stronger, we can contribute more—but we don't even get a say!"
Ryan immediately understood the root of the conflict: unfair resource distribution. The younger generation had grown resentful, left the clan, and now the same issue had sparked infighting within their own group.
He seized the opening.
"I get why you're angry," Ryan said steadily."But violence won't fix anything. You formed this group to prove your worth—not to tear each other apart in public and become a joke to outsiders, right?"
The words hit home.
The fighting stopped completely. The five teens stood in place, conflicted expressions on their faces. The surrounding crowd grew quieter, watching Ryan intently.
Ryan pressed on.
"I know you think the clan rules are unfair. But running away and forming a gang won't change that. It only makes the elders trust you less and deepens the divide."He paused, voice sincere."Let me help you talk to them. I'll make sure your demands are taken seriously and push for fair resource distribution. For now, come with me. Don't let more innocent people get hurt."
The teens exchanged glances, hesitation written all over their faces.
The blue-haired teen frowned."Who are you? Why should we trust you?"
"My name is Ryan," he replied, pulling out his badge."I'm a Balance Council–certified trainee supernatural detective. I've worked with your clan's elders before. One of the Council's duties is mediating internal conflicts between supernatural groups. I can officially arrange negotiations and ensure your voices are heard."
Ayla stepped forward as well."He's telling the truth. I'm Ayla, a full investigator of the Balance Council—and a werewolf descendant. As long as you cooperate peacefully, the Council will protect your rights."
Hearing that Ayla was a werewolf immediately raised their trust.
After a moment of thought, the blue-haired teen nodded to the others."Fine. We'll trust you. But if you lie to us, we won't let this go—even if it costs us everything."
"I give you my word as a trainee detective," Ryan said solemnly.
Soon after, Ayla had the officers disperse the crowd and secure the area. Ryan led the five teens to a quiet park nearby. Once the scene was under control, Ayla contacted the werewolf clan elders and scheduled negotiations for the next morning.
"Thanks for believing us," said the blue-haired teen—Tyler, the group's leader."We never wanted trouble. But all the clan's resources are monopolized by the elders' inner circle. Kids from ordinary families like us don't stand a chance."
"I understand," Ryan nodded."I'll make sure the elders face this issue. But you must promise—no gangs, no conflicts until the talks are over."
They agreed.
Then Ryan sensed something wrong.
He activated the Eye of Truth again—and froze.
On Tyler's wrist was a silver bracelet identical to Li Mo's. The symbol engraved on it was simpler, but a trace of dark energy clung to it—eerily similar to the Shadow Devourer Rune.
"Tyler," Ryan asked sharply, pointing at the bracelet."Where did you get that?"
Tyler instinctively covered it, his eyes darting."I… bought it from someone online. A mysterious guy. He said it would make me stronger—give me more influence in the clan."
"Another mysterious seller," Ryan thought grimly.
Ayla's expression darkened."What did he look like? How did you contact him?"
"We met on a private supernatural forum," Tyler said quickly, intimidated by her presence."He always wore a black cloak. His voice was hoarse. Transactions were done through anonymous delivery. He said if I convinced others to buy his bracelets, I'd gain even more power."
Ryan and Ayla exchanged a heavy glance.
This wasn't random. The man was distributing dark-energy artifacts and deliberately targeting the younger generation of supernatural clans.
Before Ryan could ask more, Tyler suddenly cried out in pain and collapsed, clutching his wrist. The symbol on the bracelet glowed faint red. The other four teens followed, grimacing as their werewolf energy spiraled out of control.
Ryan activated the Eye of Truth in shock.
The dark energy on them surged violently, rapidly invading their bodies.
"Something's wrong with the bracelets!" Ryan shouted.
Before he could reach them, the teens snapped their heads up. Their eyes were hollow, pupils glowing red, as they lunged toward Ryan and Ayla.
Both of them retreated instantly, barely dodging the attack.
What should have been a resolved conflict had suddenly turned into something far more dangerous—and the shadowy figure behind the bracelets was finally beginning to reveal his true scheme.