Chapter 137: Ninja’s Plan

“Oh? Is that what you call a bite?” he asked. “I’ll show you what one really costs. Then you’ll learn how to do it properly, with the jaws of a wolf like me.”

His eyes began to glow with a sinister light.

Robin backed away, her heart pounding. She had never seen Barry look quite like that. The cruelty in his expression was familiar, but something else was emerging beneath it, something that made the hairs on the back of her neck rise.

Barry gritted his teeth.

He was accustomed to seeing Robin become quiet and frightened whenever he approached her. She usually avoided his gaze, apologised even when she had done nothing wrong, and tried to escape without attracting more attention. Her sudden resistance had challenged the image he had built of her in his mind.

For the first time that day, Robin looked directly at him.

“You don’t own me,” she said, her voice trembling but audible.

Barry’s eyebrows rose.

“What did you say?”

Robin’s fear had not vanished. She was still terrified of what he might do, and her knees felt weak beneath her. But she had already taken one step against him, and she could not bring herself to pretend that it had meant nothing.

“I said you don’t own me.”

A furious growl escaped Barry’s throat.

Robin quickly brought her fingers to her lips and blew a melodious whistle.

The sound rang through the street, clear and sweet above the noise of the ongoing fight. It was not an ordinary whistle. The note carried a strange quality that seemed to awaken the surrounding environment. Birds resting on nearby rooftops lifted their heads, while others fluttered down from ledges and branches.

Their calls answered hers.

One bird became several, then many. Wings beat through the air as the gathering flock turned toward Robin. Their chirping grew louder, and their movement filled the space around her with a sudden flurry of feathers.

Barry stared at the gathering birds.

“What is this supposed to be?”

Robin took another step away from him.

“Nature Seek!”

Her innate technique allowed her to communicate and interact with certain friendly creatures nearby, particularly those whose nature and behaviour resonated with her own. The ability reflected the gentler, storybook-like qualities associated with her identity. It was not designed to overpower every opponent through brute force, but it gave her a way to call for help when she needed it most.

The birds responded to her distress. They swooped toward Barry, surrounding him with a flurry of wings and angry calls. Their sudden arrival disrupted his advance and forced him to pay attention to the creatures crowding his space.

Barry raised his arms and turned away from the closest birds, visibly offended by the unexpected interruption.

“Birds? You’re attacking me with birds?”

Their cries grew louder.

He tried to wave them away, but more of them circled above him. There were no large birds of prey among them, only the ordinary birds that had answered Robin’s call. Yet their numbers and determination were enough to frustrate him.

Robin watched with wide eyes. Even she had not expected such a response.

“Please, just keep him away from me,” she whispered.

The birds continued their noisy assault, giving her a little breathing room. For the first time since Barry had appeared, she was no longer entirely at his mercy.

Barry’s face twisted with anger.

“This is ridiculous!”

He glanced toward his companions. The fight with Derek had not gone as smoothly as he had expected, and the sight of Robin resisting him only made his temper worse. His five teammates were still trying to overcome Derek’s defence, while the birds had turned his own confrontation into an embarrassing spectacle.

He could no longer tolerate it.

“Fine,” he growled. “If you want to see a real monster, I’ll show you one!”

A dark energy gathered around him as he activated the Echo of his dreadful summon.

His arms began to lengthen, and thick hair spread across them. His fingers grew into powerful hands tipped with sharp claws. His body changed rapidly, taking on a more imposing shape as the features of a werewolf emerged.

This was no ordinary wolf-like transformation. The creature’s appearance carried the frightening grandeur of the werewolves described in old fairy tales and folklore, a monster whose existence had once belonged to the realm of stories.

Barry’s shoulders broadened, his posture changed, and his face began to push forward into a long snout. His mouth opened to reveal rows of sharp fangs, while his glowing eyes remained fixed on Robin.

The birds scattered away from the sudden transformation, their wings beating frantically as they fled to safer distances.

Robin stood motionless.

Her eyes widened as she watched the familiar bully become something far more terrifying. The boy who had tormented her for so long was now wrapped in the dreadful image of the Big Bad Wolf himself.

Barry lowered his head, baring his fangs.

“Now,” he growled, his voice roughened by the transformation, “let’s see how brave you really are, little Red.”

Robin’s heart hammered against her chest.

And as the shadow of the werewolf fell across her red cloak, she realised that the confrontation had only just begun.

Elsewhere, four figures raced across the rooftops of buildings in the MinGrove District.

They moved with unusual agility, their dark outfits blending into the night as they crossed from one rooftop to another. Each wore a concealed outfit resembling the attire of a ninja assassin, with protective coverings that hid much of their faces and left their identities difficult to distinguish. Their clothing was designed to give them a unified appearance, though the details of their equipment differed.

Weapons and specialised gear were secured to their outfits, while coloured armbands marked each member’s place within the group. The red, green, yellow, and blue bands were easy to distinguish even in the dim light, allowing the four to recognise one another without needing to call out their names.

Their movements reflected extensive training. They landed with controlled steps, maintained their balance across uneven rooftop surfaces, and continued without allowing the height or distance to distract them. Their experience with parkour and other demanding physical activities was apparent, although even they occasionally exchanged glances when a jump required more effort than expected.

The member wearing the yellow armband landed behind the others and let out a weary groan.

“Of course,” she muttered. “This is always how an operation starts. Running around on rooftops like we’re in some ridiculous action movie. So typical.”

The green-banded member gave her an amused look while checking his equipment.

“You complain every time, but you’re still here.”

“Because someone has to make sure you don’t get too impressed with yourselves.”

He chuckled. “Admit it. You enjoy the excitement.”

“I enjoy getting paid. The excitement is an unfortunate side effect.”

The fourth member, wearing blue, gave a quiet laugh. “Can both of you save the argument until we’re finished?”

“Tell him that,” the yellow-banded woman replied.

The green-banded man raised his hands in mock surrender.

“Fine, fine. No more complaints. Let’s get to the party.”

Their leader, identifiable by the red armband, remained silent for a moment. He stood near the edge of the rooftop and looked toward the large conference building ahead. Its upper floors rose above the surrounding structures, and the lights from its windows cast pale reflections across the nearby streets.

The building was guarded, with security personnel stationed around its entrances and other areas. On the rooftop, eight men wearing black suits and glasses waited with specialised equipment of their own. They appeared prepared for trouble, and their presence made it clear that the group would not simply be welcomed inside.

The red-banded leader drew his katana, its polished surface catching a thin line of light. He held it with the confidence of someone who had spent a great deal of time training, though his attention remained fixed on the men ahead.

“These are probably just a bunch of ordinary personnel,” he said. “The sort who are used to guarding a building and handling small disturbances. They’ll soon learn who they’re dealing with when they witness our NINJA POWER!”

The green-banded man gave him a sideways glance.

“You practised that line, didn’t you?”

“No.”

“You definitely practised it.”

The leader turned toward him. “Would you rather I said something boring?”

“I’d rather you stopped shouting the name of our group every time we arrive somewhere.”

“It’s called building morale.”

“It’s called embarrassing the rest of us,” the yellow-banded woman replied.

The blue-banded member shook his head. “Can we please focus? We have a job to finish.”

The humour faded from their expressions as they looked back at the conference building.

Their mission had been assigned by their master, who considered a particular businessman a potential antagonist. The target owned shares in the Snackco brand and had gained a reputation, according to the information given to the group, for greed and an obsession with increasing his wealth. Rumours connected him to frequent casino visits and questionable business relationships, though the four had not independently confirmed every allegation.

Their orders were severe. They were expected to locate the businessman, determine whether the information about him was accurate, and carry out their master’s intention of eliminating him. The assignment was presented to them as a necessary move against someone who might threaten their master’s interests.

For the four ninjas, the mission represented another test of loyalty. Each had been trained to follow orders, and each understood that refusing an assignment could carry consequences. Still, they had different feelings about the work ahead.

The yellow-banded woman folded her arms.

“So, just to be clear, we’re risking our necks because our master doesn’t like a businessman who enjoys casinos?”

“That’s one way to describe it,” the green-banded man replied.

“Is there another way?”

“The official version probably sounds more impressive.”

“Naturally.”

The blue-banded member glanced between them. “We don’t know the whole story. We should at least understand what we’re getting involved in.”

Their leader’s grip tightened around his katana.

“Our master gave us the assignment. We carry it out.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” the yellow-banded woman answered. “You’re the one who gets to deliver the dramatic speeches.”

The leader ignored the remark and studied the men waiting on the rooftop. They seemed organised and alert, and none of them appeared particularly impressed by the arrival of the four strangers.

One of the suited men stepped forward.

“You’re not authorised to be here,” he called. “Identify yourselves and explain what you’re doing on this building.”

The red-banded leader raised his chin.

“You’re asking a great many questions for someone who hasn’t even introduced himself.”

The security man did not look amused.

“This is a restricted area. Leave now, and there won’t be a problem.”

The green-banded ninja leaned toward his companions.

“Well, that was polite. We should take notes.”

“Not now,” the blue-banded member murmured.

The yellow-banded woman sighed. “I knew this would be a long night.”

The leader stepped forward, his red armband catching the light. His confidence remained undiminished, and his eyes moved from one suited guard to the next.

“You have no idea who you’re dealing with,” he declared. “We are the ninjas of our order, and we have come to complete an important mission!”

The security personnel exchanged wary looks. A few shifted their attention toward the newcomers, while others remained where they were. None appeared willing to accept the declaration as a reason to stand aside.

The green-banded man let out a quiet breath.

“Here comes the difficult part.”

The blue-banded ninja adjusted his stance, watching the growing tension with concern. The yellow-banded woman muttered something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like a complaint about unpaid overtime.

Their leader lifted his katana, its edge reflecting the lights from the building.

“Prepare yourselves,” he announced. “You’ll soon understand the true meaning of NINJA POWER!”

The four ninjas stood together before the waiting security personnel, their coloured armbands marking them against the dark rooftop.

For a moment, neither side moved.

Then the security men began to advance, and the four ninjas prepared to meet them.