Before the wolf in charge of distraction perished, two wolves in the center would use [Wolf's Howl] to boost the speed of those ahead, increasing their chance to reach the threshold.
The wolves who would be at the rear accepted that they might be sacrificed in the attempt.
#79 and #99 objected with dejection at first, but the majority agreed and the vote carried.
All of this was set in motion in less than a moment; mental communication is fast, though surprisingly harder to maintain than spoken words.
Aniki and #17 took the middle positions, chosen for their powerful howls.
The silent wolf volunteered to be the decoy.
Unwillingly, #79 and #99 agreed to take the dash for freedom.
"It was my fault we ended up in this mess," Aniki said aloud with a wry smile. "Allow me to apologize by doing this. Sorry to drag you into it, Specter Wolf #17."
"Heh. Do not apologize. We are brothers in the same war," #17 replied.
"If you are done with your lowly scheme, move." Onee-sama interrupted with a cold edge. "Haha-ue wishes to toy with your corpses as soon as possible."
Tamayō chuckled, cruel and amused. "Please, uh… Purple one. I do not want to toy with them. I want to pulverize them."
"Ah, my mistake, Haha-ue " Onee-sama bowed briefly. "You heard her. Now… run!"
They kept their eyes on the foxes for a beat longer, then launched themselves in a single, coordinated burst.
The grass beneath them burned and shaved away under their paws. In a moving line of darkness, they covered nearly half the distance in an instant, and by the time Tamayō and Onee-sama could react they were already a blur in the distance.
The wolves began to fall into formation and readied themselves to execute the plan.
But a dark orb suddenly struck #17's chest first. Then many came, gouging violent holes into his broad frame.
"Specter Wolf #17!" Aniki cried out as a great dome of darkness swallowed the wounded wolf and turned him into a pile of black ash.
The orbs began to rain in earnest, in arcs of aggression.
The wolves immediately zigzagged exactly as Onee-sama had earlier advised. So they managed, against all odds, to evade much of the impossible barrage while the spheres reduced swathes of ground to ash.
"Quickly! Initiate the plan!" Aniki yelled, one ear already gone.
The silent wolf slowed his pace, still dodging attacks. Now that #17 had fallen, the two wolves at the front closed ranks to receive the effect of one [Wolf's Howl].
Aniki inhaled deeply and unleashed a howl that hit like a shockwave, crushing the earth around them.
The two front runners were hurled even farther, landing much closer to the threshold.
The threshold marked the boundary of the Kitsunes' domain, beyond which lay only tall grass and rolling hills bathed in sunset.
They managed to make ground, but to cross without using Shadow Movement they needed to close more distance.
From afar, they could see Aniki. He raised his head to both of them, smiled and spread his fore-legs, then the dome of blackness swept over him.
"…A… niki..." #79 broke into soft, shocked tears.
However, the same dome loomed, closing in fast after them.
"...Hey. Let us just give up now," #79 whispered to #99, voice thin. "I think the Purple one intercepted our telepathic plan. We're done for..."
#99 still watched the spreading shadow as it approached with distant eyes, his thoughts unreadable on his face.
"I refuse…" he snarled, grit in his teeth. "I refuse to just let you die, #79!"
With his declaration, something strange happened.
It was a second occurrence for a Specter Wolf excluding—the Lords of the wolves' domain, The Phantom Fangs and one other female Specter Wolf lieutenant.
No other wolf had attained this so far…
#79's jaw dropped. "What... is this?" she breathed.
#99 began to change.
His fur receded and refitted, his joints shifted, his skull reshaped. When the transformation finished, he stood as a young man with wolf ears and a tail, human in form—save for the terrifying pale eyes and jagged fangs.
"Let's go!" he barked, scooping the large-as-himself #79 into his arms and racing off at a speed higher than before.
"Wai—! Don't just pick me up!" #79 shrieked, half embarrassed, half terrified.
He now moved at the speed of sound, tearing through the air. And soon enough, they reached…
As space around them blurred and warped, they glanced at each other and managed a brief, satisfied smile.
But suddenly, #99 sensed something wrong.
He looked back and saw the Kitsunes' sneering faces, visible from miles away.
#99 thought, 'They definitely are planning something—!!'
"...Shit!" he cried aloud, and twisted to check around his surroundings.
Their distance had been stretched again somehow. He spotted the ash of #17, and Aniki's ash lying some distance away.
"No way... no way, no way!" #79 clutched her head in horror as the tears flowed.
"Hey, calm down, #79. Please don't cry," #99 soothed, holding her tightly. "What did I tell you? I promised you that you will make it out, didn't I?"
"Now you're just being delusio—!" she began. But before she finished the sentence, #99 had pressed his lips on her muzzle and kissed her quietly.
#79 froze, eyes wide and stunned at what he had done.
"What is—" she murmured, paw to her mouth.
"I... I love you, Specter Wolf #79!" #99 shouted, his face flushed and raw, "I always have. So please… be alive for me. Live."
"But... but..." she cried harder as #99 gently brushed her tears away with his fingers.
"Now," he said softly, "let's get you out of here."
"Specter Wolf #99!!" she cried aloud.
Then #99 inhaled slowly, planting his feet firmly apart while drawing his shoulders back. And, with a sharp grunt, he hurled #79 forward with incredible strength.
She shot across the air with perfect precision, her body like a streak of light, and pierced through the trembling, warped space miles ahead.