**Shadows Hearts by Joseph King**
**Chapter 66: Accuracy Over Power**
From a distance, the atmosphere was thick with tension as students and teachers were herded together, their faces etched with fear, by the imposing figures of mercenaries wielding heavy weaponry. The metallic glint of guns reflected the dim light, casting a shadow of dread over the gathered crowd.
As the mercenaries observed their compliance, they retreated slightly, positioning themselves as sentinels outside the makeshift enclosure. Felix, caught in the throng, felt a pang of nostalgia as he recalled Thora’s teachings. She had always emphasized that true strength lay not merely in brute force but in the wisdom to know when to retreat. In this moment, he grappled with frustration, aware that acting impulsively could jeopardize their chances of survival.
His heart raced, but he remained still, his eyes glued to his phone, which stubbornly displayed a lack of signal. Anxiety gnawed at him with each passing second. **Where was his sister? What kind of peril was she facing?** The uncertainty clawed at his insides, a relentless reminder of the stakes at hand.
Meanwhile, in the depths of another basement, the principal, the academy’s leadership, and a handful of students from various classes were huddled together, their expressions a mixture of concern and determination. After receiving Thora’s urgent instructions, Harvey had dashed to Class S, intent on finding Felix, but he had arrived just moments too late. The students had already dispersed, leaving him with no choice but to rally the Class F students to bring the principal and other leaders to safety.
Following the principal’s guidance, they had retreated to a specially designed basement, constructed to withstand the most formidable threats. This sanctuary was crafted to anti-terrorism standards, capable of withstanding everything from conventional weapons to the devastating force of an S-rank wolf spirit or even a small nuclear device.
At that very moment, Thora was in the electrical room, her hands deftly dismantling a bomb with the precision of a seasoned expert. Shirley, ever vigilant, shadowed her closely, her eyes wide with a mix of admiration and anxiety.
“Someone’s coming,” Shirley whispered, her voice barely above a murmur as she lightened her steps, instinctively falling into a more cautious rhythm.
Thora, without missing a beat, removed a bracelet from her wrist, her movements fluid and practiced. In a matter of seconds, the piece transformed into a sleek handgun, which she gripped firmly in her hand. The sight left Shirley momentarily speechless, her mind racing with questions. **Was this some kind of advanced technology? What sort of covert operations had Thora been involved in?**
Thora’s keen senses picked up on distant sounds, growing closer, accompanied by a subtle rustling from a more concealed corner. She knew their sniper was in position.
“I heard you’re a sniper,” Thora said, her voice steady as she mentally counted down the seconds.
A flicker of surprise crossed Shirley’s features, but rather than retreating, she felt a thrill at being recognized. “Yeah, but I didn’t bring a gun to school. Plus, my wolf power is temporarily sealed,” she admitted, a hint of disappointment lacing her words.
Thora’s grip on the trigger tightened, her brow furrowing in concentration. “Sniping relies on accuracy, not wolf power. And don’t worry about the gun; you’ll have one soon enough.”
Just as she finished her sentence, her mental countdown reached its conclusion. With a swift sidestep, she fired a shot around the corner in a calculated movement.
A mercenary clad in camouflage suddenly crumpled to the ground, the silence of the shot amplified by the suppressor Thora had fitted.
Yet, in that instant, her position was compromised.
Shirley instinctively ducked for cover, her heart pounding in her chest.


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