The arrow hit the [Hellhound] square in the neck, then shattered. Cracks of pink energy splintered across the woman's figure before she, suddenly, exploded in a burst of pink light—a fsh bright enough to make Natalie wind look away.

  Blinking away the spots in her eyes, she quickly refocused, not willing to be caught by surprise. Her vision slowly came back.

  There, sitting ohrone, was a [Hellhound] transformed into a al Boss.

  Despite some suspis, Natalie hadn't known for certaiher the arrow would e with a physical transformation, hence her over which boss to use it on. It turned out that had been unnecessary. The already human-like [Hellhound] had ged.

  Into…

  Well.

  The [Hellhound] resembled its previous form, with thick, wild, long bck hair, glowing e eyes, paw-like hands a, and dark gray skin, but the harder, more monstrous edges had been sanded away. The animal-like eyes and general vicious physiognomy had been repced with something far more … patable. In terms of, well, human patibility.

  She'd gained a few curves, to put it lightly. Her breasts had swelled out, her hips had gotten wider, and her abs were now firmly on dispy—because even the bck armor she'd been wearing had ged to be more revealing.

  In short, where there had been a monstrous [Hellhound], only verging on humanlike, now stood a much more human, much more …

  Well, to be pin about it.

  Fuckable [Hellhound].

  Likely, that was how any use of the arrow would have worked. So Natalie aeam had wasted time trag dopropriate target.

  Unfortunately, too, Natalie noticed, the arrow had shattered upon tact. It was single-use. Though possibly not the st she saw of them. Natalie would have to see if Shara could replicate the item. Or perhaps more would e as future rewards.

  The stra part of everything, though, was the Hellhound's rea. Her newly acquired humanness was most visible through her expression: the way glowing e eyes widened in shock, and how she looked down at herself, then up at Natalie aeam, surprise etched onto her features. For a long moment, they simply had a staring match: both frozen in surprise, either party unsure of how to react.

  "Hmph," the Hellhound finally said, her surprise fading to be repced with … amusement, almost? She stood zily, hands going to her hips as she looked down at Natalie's party—Jordan in particur, perhaps because she had fired the arrow—with a nearly arrogant demeanor. "So. That's the sort of challenge I have in store, today?"

  Talking monsters weren't unheard of, but the words still sent a little jolt through Natalie. It was simply strange, hearing moalk.

  Hoiehese creatures, anyway? Even as a baseline, before a transformation like this? unig with the more intelligent dungeoures was all but an impossibility, as far as Natalie knew, with never more than a few sentences exged before it turned into a fight to the death.

  But bizarrely, this time, it almost seemed like the Hellhound was waiting for a response. Actually opening a dialogue with them, rather than a few poignant threats before ung into bat.

  Seeing how her e eyes had fallen on Jordan, Natalie took an instinctive step to the side, pg herself between the Hellhound and Jordan. The arrow's description said that only a single person could ehe al Boss, but it didn't say the person who fired the arrow had to be that person. Seeing how Natalie's aim was atrocious, she had left the task to Jordan. But Jordan wouldn't be the oually … well, engaging, whatever that meant.

  "Oh?" the Hellhound asked, eyes easily settling on Natalie. "You, instead?" She snorted. "It's not like it matters. It'll be a swift defeat no matter who you send."

  The tinued dialogue put Natalie further off guard. " you … uand us?" she asked slowly.

  "Uand you? What kind of stupid question is that, human?"

  Okay. Yeah. That was an actual response. Speaking monsters wereraordinarily rare—like the dryad—but ohat replied? That would hold a versation? It was definitely a first for Natalie. In her shoatalie failed to find a response.

  The Hellhound shen pointedly ran her eyes up and down Natalie—snagging briefly between her legs, at the etal there.

  "Fighting like that, though," the Hellhound said. "Hmph. A straask to be given. But I suppose I won't mind making you my mate. You're easy on the eyes. And have a few surprises, too, it seems." A wolfish grin spread across her lips. Natalie's heart beat faster, half at the truly sapient nature of the Hellhound, and half at … the words themselves. The implication of what was ing.

  There was a truly predatory look in her eyes, too. Whatever this enter was going to be, it was a level-two boss. It wouldn't be easy.

  "So, e py, won't you?" the Hellhound finished, a hand leaving her hip to point pyfully—yet menagly at the same time—at Natalie. "I'm excited to see what you do. Though, it certainly won't be enough to beat me."

  She curled the finger festuring 'e-hither'.

  And thus, the fight began.

  The entire cavern rumbled. Some ued force seized Natalie, yanking her forward with enormous strength—sending her flying in an untrolled stumble toward the Hellhound, and she barely kept a grip on her hammer. The moment Natalie was within a ten-fe of the boss, the earth split beh their feet, and a ptform fiftee wide started to raise in the ter of the cavern.

  Either of the enormous wolves to the boss's throne howled, raising onto their feet and—in a burst of speed—charged toward the rest of Natalie's team, whiatalie had been separated from.

  Pnned or not, Natalie's heart skipped in . But she had to trust her teammates could hahemselves. It shouldn't be too bad. The real boss, as Sofia had mentioned, Natalie had to deal with. The other four just had to hahe two add-ons.

  Stumbling to keep her footing, Natalie quickly got her bearings. The elevated ptform was well off the ground, at least teall, creating a private arena for her and the Hellhound. It afforded some privacy for whatever was ing—which was ued. Natalie had been ready to go at it in full view of everyone.

  Having steadied herself, the Hellhound walked toward Natalie with an exaggerated sway of her hips. Excitement gleamed in her e eyes, and Natalie wasn't sure whether it was lust or bloodlust.

  Maybe both.

  Stopping only a few feet away, the woman dropped suddenly into a bat stance, arms held up a spread. Her muscles tensed—and Natalie's did too. She gripped her hammer tight, readying herself—though she was also fused by the aggressive p. Wasn't this supposed to be, well, not a regur fight?

  By the woman's position, Natalie was suddenly doubting that. Natalie might have misread the situation, or at least assumed a few things incorrectly.

  "Just don't submit too fast," the Hellhound said. "That makes it b."

  The wolf-girl shot forward, bck hair streaming behind her, e eyes bzing maniacally.