**Chapter 60 – The Journey to the Academy (Part 2: Day 3 – The Magical Wolf and Unrestrained Madness)**
The third day dawned gray and cold, the deeper forest swallowing the sunlight as if it were an ancient secret. Tall trees formed a dark green ceiling, the air damp and heavy, smelling of wet moss, rotting earth, and something wild—as if the forest itself breathed ancient rage. Howls began in the distance, echoing like broken laughter, growing closer, making the magical horses snort nervously. Tomas, the merchant, gripped the reins tightly, cold sweat dripping down his face: "This isn't an ordinary wolf… it's magical. Big. Hungry. And too smart to attack head-on." Lysithea held the younger children's hands: "Stay together. Family protects family. Don't be afraid."
The wolf appeared at dusk, emerging from the shadows like a living nightmare. Dark gray fur like smoke, eyes red as fresh blood, fangs the size of arms, body the size of a small horse. Each step made the ground tremble, leaves falling like terror confetti. Its scent arrived first: wet fur, wild rage, acidic saliva dripping from its fangs, mixed with the stench of old death that turned the stomach. It didn't attack head-on—it circled the carriage slowly, growling low, testing, waiting for the right moment.
This time, Joker and Harley didn't wait—pure madness came first, without initial magical powers.
Harley leaped from the carriage like a loose beast, no hammer—just running with clenched fists and an insane smile showing teeth. She didn't go straight for the muzzle—she ran quick circles around the wolf, shouting taunts: "Hey, big guy! You're too slow to catch a clown like me!" The wolf spun, confused, trying to bite, but Harley dodged with mad agility, kicking its ribs from the side—sound of bone cracking, the wolf howling in pain. She rolled across the ground, laughing hysterically: "Come on, come on, you circus dog! Show your teeth to the audience!"
Joker followed right behind, no shadows—just a long knife he grabbed from storage. He didn't attack head-on—he climbed a nearby tree with insane speed, leaping from branch to branch like a mad monkey, shouting: "Up here, you big beast! Come get me!" The wolf leaped for the tree, claws digging into the bark, but Joker jumped at the perfect moment, landing on its back and plunging the knife into its shoulder with brute force. Hot blood sprayed, metallic scent filling the air. The wolf tried to roll to crush him, but Joker rolled aside, laughing: "Almost! Try again, big guy!"
Only then came the full madness—now with powers mixed with insane creativity.
Joker summoned shadows, but not as tentacles or clowns—he created **shadow mirrors** that reflected the wolf multiplied by ten, completely confusing it. The animal attacked reflections, biting air, while Joker slashed its front paws with the knife, blood spraying in hot arcs. The wolf howled, confused, shadows laughing like an insane audience.
Harley grabbed the pink hammer (now giant) and spun like a tornado—but not to crush directly. She slammed it into the ground, creating a **pink shockwave** that made the wolf stumble, earth trembling, then jumped onto its back and smashed the hammer into its skull with brute force—sound of bone cracking like thunder, pink brain slowly leaking. The wolf fell to the side, still alive, growling, blood dripping from its mouth.
The other children joined with total variety:
- Sylvara made **poisonous vines** grow from the ground, injecting paralysis into the wolf's veins, body trembling as the poison rose, scent of toxic plants mixed with blood.
- Lirien sang a quick prophecy: "Weakness in the spine!"—guiding Astrid, who leaped and buried orc claws in the back, tearing muscles with the sound of ripping flesh.
- Rina used fire tails to form a **crown of flames** around the wolf's neck, burning fur and skin, smell of charred flesh filling the air.
- Kuroe's chaos runes—the wolf began seeing illusions of itself dead, attacking its own body with bites, blood spraying as it self-destructed.
- Marina released **corrosive steam** directly into open wounds, making flesh bubble and melt, the wolf howling in pain as skin dissolved.
- Lysithea finished with "eternal hug"—hands enveloping the wolf's muzzle, bones imploding slowly with internal cracking sounds until complete silence, the body trembling one last time before falling inert.
The wolf died in total agony, body shaking on the ground, blood and steam mixed, smell of charred flesh, wet fur, and poison filling the air.
Tomas, pale as wax, fell to his knees: "You… are absolute monsters. I've never seen anything like it." Joker smiled, wiping blood from the knife on his clothes: "Good monsters. Family monsters." Harley laughed, spinning the hammer: "And the best part is we're just warming up!"
Instead of an immediate group hug, Joker and Harley climbed onto the carriage, raised their arms like ringmasters, and shouted together: "Applause for our special guest—the wolf that joined the show and left as a shooting star!" The children laughed loudly, clapping bloodstained hands, while the wolf's body still trembled on the ground. Lysithea approached slowly, gently touched the animal's muzzle, whispering: "Rest now, beast. You fought well." Then, everyone gathered in a circle around the body, hands joined, forming a star with their arms—a silent ritual of respect before continuing the journey.
(to be continued…)