Sophia slid around the corner of a building and put her ear around it to listen, she heard nothing "what are you listening for?" A sickly slippery voice uttered from behind her, Sophia thought fast and ducked barely dodging a claw strike that smashed the wall. Sophia rolled and got her footing only to also barely dodge a tail stab "stand still you-" Sophia rushed and hit Skorpoxus in the head with a kick, he didn't budge. Sophia backed away and Skorpoxus rotated his neck, Skorpoxus roared and Sophia began to run. Skorpoxus laughed "ooooh, you're going to be a fun one!" Skorpoxus reeled his tail back but he was stopped by something, Skorpoxus looked to see a large teenager holding his tail by the base, he was wearing a letterman jacket, Sophia looked back "Mason?" Mason looked up "Now Arnold!" something whizzed past the trees and hit Skorpoxus, it was a tranquilizing dart. Arnold loaded another dart and fired again hitting Skorpoxus "hehehe, nice try but my armor's too thick!" Skorpoxus whipped his tail and launched Mason to the side "I'll start with you" Skorpoxus said while turning to Arnold.

Mason yelled to Arnold "run!" Arnold slung the rifle on his back and began to run but he was cornered by Skorpoxus "Arnold!" Mason cried out "now it's time to cut you into-" Skorpoxus stopped and slumped over "cut you- cut-" Skorpoxus fell over and began to drool "it appears his armor was not as thick as he thought" Arnold joined the others and they made their way to the exit. Sophia saw Nadia and Kaori "hey you two, where's Ben?" Sophia asked, Nadia greeted them "we don't know, he slipped away from us" Sophia looked around "we need to search for him" Nadia, Mason, and Arnold nodded with Kaori shaking her head "no way, I'm not risking my skin for him" Sophia was about to say something but was interrupted by Nadia "just shut up already! I don't care if you don't care, if soemthing happens to him and we could've done something about it then his blood will be on our hands!" Kaori made a "tch" sound "I'm only gonna help if you agree to do my homework for the rest of the school year" Nadia's face lit up "okay, now let's find Ben!"

Meanwhile, where Beowulf wasBeowulf and Panther stared eachother down, no one making a move, even the water they were standing in was also still. In one quick flash of movement Beowulf and Panther collided forearms, they started to push against eachother trying to overpower one another. Beowulf noticed destructive energy crackling in Panther's hand, Beowulf jumped back as Panther swiped his hand just missing Beowulf, Beowulf rushed back in and punched Panther in the gut pushing him into a rock. Panther caught his composure and lifted his staff, Beowulf jumped back and dodged a strike, Panther recovered "looks like I need to not hold back" Panther rushed and jabbed with his staff, Beowulf dodged but was hit when Panther flicked his staff to the side. Panther seized the opportunity and struck him again in the back of the leg making him kneel, Panther spun and hit Beowulf away hitting him against the enclosure's glass. Beowulf felt his head but he couldn't recover fast enough and was hit by Panther with a downward blow that caused the water to shoot up "heh, maybe I went a little too hard" the water began to ripple and Panther backed up. Beowulf erupted out of the water, his eyes glowed red and the water around him began to swirl "I'm gonna break you in half!" Beowulf disappeared from sight and Panther looked around trying to spot him, Panther looked down to see Beowulf, he didn't have time to react and Beowulf punched Panther in the stomach, Beowulf repeatedly punched Panther slowly lifting him up into the air. Beowulf then hit Panther with an uppercut that sent him into the air, Beowulf pulled out his flail and whipped it, it wrapped around Panther and Beowulf pulled yanking Panther down, Beowulf jumped up and punched Panther passing him on the way up. Beowulf yanked the chain pulling Panther back up and double axe handled Panther straight back into the water, Beowulf landed and aporoached Panther who was face down motionless. Panther suddenly lept up and rushed Beowulf, Beowulf dodged staff strikes but his maneuvering was hindered by Panther jabbing his staff near his joints and limbs, Beowulf couldn't keep his center of gravity and Panther hit him in the side with his staff and then spin kicked him sending him sliding through the water, Beowulf stood up, his posture looking more feral, he roared and rushed grabbing Panther's staff.

Back where Sophia and the others wereSophia felt lost as she searched "he's not here either" Sophia happened upon a service elevator "woah, looks like this leads down to the maintainence tunnels" Sophia suddenly stopped in her tracks as she saw the large shadow of Skorpoxus looming over her "found you..." Sophia turned around, Skorpoxus' mouth was dripping with drool "you have caused me a lot of trouble girl, it's going to feel so good watching your blood run across the floor" Sophia backed into the closed elevator and pressed the button "it won't come fast enough to save you" Skorpoxus rushed. Sophia smiled "it's not for me, Sophia turned around and the door opened, Sophia then ran a bit up the wall and launched herself over Skorpoxus and broke her fall with a handstand. She was shocked to see Skorpoxus barely in the elevator, he backed up and snickered "you are clever, if you had a Miraculous then you might've been able to beat me, but for now, you'll have to settle with being my first victim in this massacre". Skorpoxus suddenly slacked and looked behind Sophia, Sophia heard a voice cry out "outta the way!" Sophia looked behind her and saw headlights coming toward her, Sophia dove out of the way and saw Nadia driving a golf cart. Skorpoxus couldn't dodge and just before the cart made impact Nadia dove out, Skorpoxus and the cart crashed into the open elevator. Sophia helped Nadia up "that was brave of you" Nadia caught her breath "not...my...idea" Nadia and Sophia looked over to see Kaori with a large wrench in her hand and on her shoulder "this 'Hero' thing is pretty cool" Skorpoxus tried to lift the cart but a tranq dart hit him in the neck, Arnold joined Kaori's side and Kaori approached the elevator "going down?" Kaori reeled back the wrench and struck the control panel "Mason!" She yelled out with Mason coming out and throwing a makeshift molotov into the top of the elevator causing the pulley system to weaken and snap sending the elevator and the monster straight down the shaft, they fell for awhile before a large boom was heard and smoke came up from the shaft.

Back to where Beowulf wasBeowulf grabbed Panther by the back of his costume and lifted him up, suddenly Panther hit him in the leg with his staff causing Beowulf to drop him. Panther jumped onto Beowulf's chest and springboarded off of him and into the air "your speed makes you dangerous, but what happens when the ground can't be walked on!?" Panther formed a ball of energy into above his hand and it seeped into his palm, Panther started to come down "Destruction Art: Erosion Bog!" Panther landed with his palm in the water, the pond began to turn black quickly, Beowulf tried to move but the water was more like sludge and it was difficult to move. Panther stepped out of the sludge and onto the top layer, he was walking on it "neat trick huh?" Panther rushed, Beowulf couldn't move fast enough and was struck over the head with the staff "without that speed you're a pushover!" Panther hit Beowulf in the stomach and then the face. Beowulf used all his strength and jumped out of the muck grabbing onto some railing at the top of the enclosure, Beowulf caught his breath and looked around, there wasn't a solid place to land. A sudden burning pain emerged in his ankles "that slop eats away at you" Beowulf looked around, he had lost track of Panther "what?" Beowulf looked up to see Panther falling upon him with staff raised above his head. Beowulf jumped off the enclosure wall and onto a rock in the center of the exhibit, he saw that there were spots in the water he could stand, most of the exhibit was covered in this shallow lagoon, Beowulf barely had time to look when Panther pounced again. Beowulf jumped up but was immediately confronted by Panther, in one quick, powerful strike Panther sent Beowulf into the water below, Beowulf felt dazed from the hit and his skin began to burn from the erosive liquid. Beowulf's head surface but it was shortlived as Panther threw his staff hitting Beowulf in the stomach and stomping his face back into the sludge "this is what you get for not taking me seriously!" Panther began to push Beowulf down further.

Beowulf's conciousness began to fade, Panther scoffed and waved his staff causing the sludge to move aside and unveil Beowulf who was lying there motionless "Cataclysm" Panther said as Destructive energy formed around his hand. Panther knelt down and was about to touch Beowulf's chest when it was stopped by Beowulf grabbing his wrist, Beowulf suddenly began to rise from his position pushing Panther up aswell, Panther attempted to get away but Beowulf's grip was too strong "leggo of me!" Beowulf opened his eyes, his eyes now glowing red. Beowulf reeled back and punched Panther in the mask sending him flying through the sludge, Panther caught his balance on the surface of his sludge, the bottom left piece of his mask broke off, he looked at Beowulf. Beowulf's posture was hunched and a mysterious force repelled the sludge, Panther waved his staff and the sludge forced its way to Beowulf wrapping around his legs. Beowulf looked around and growled, a mass of transparent blue energy seeped out of Beowulf and he stepped out of the muck and onto the surface, the sludge steamed where he stepped and it was clear, the energy was shielding him. Beowulf got onto all fours and the steam began to thicken, with his muzzle cracked he shook it off and it sank into the muck, his teeth were sharp and gnarled, he was snarling like an animal and his mouth dripped with saliva, Beowulf let out a mangled howl that sounded like a sick amalgamation of his voice and a wolf's howl.

Panther readied himself, he put his staff forward in a defensive position and braced for a frontal assault. As if the wind carried him, Beowulf was gone "what? No, he's a head on fighter, there's no way-" Panther caught a glimpse of motion in the corner of his eye and turned to see Beowulf already upon him, Panther dodged a claw swipe and two kicks but couldn't dodge the overhead claw swipe that knocked him into a nearby boulder. Panther attempted to catch his breath but Beowulf continued the assault, Panther dove out of the way just barely dodging a punch that obliterated the boulder, as if time had slowed Panther looked at Beowulf who already had him in his sights again. In a flash of movement Panther caught a kick to the abdomen that sent him flying into a small islet where the animals would rest after swimming "okay, this is going South, fast, I need to call the others" Panther was about to talk into his staff only to look up and see Beowulf diving toward him. Panther jumped away but the impact of Beowulf hitting the ground blew him away, Beowulf pursued and punched Panther sending him further away. Beowulf took out hsi flail and launched it wrapping it around Panther, Beowulf yanked the chain and pulled Panther to him where Beowulf dropkicked Panther sending him sliding through the ground.

Panther got up, visibly shaken by the barrage of attacks "okay, if the Bog is useless now, it's time to play the ranged game" Panther conjured a ball of Destruction energy in his hand "Destruction Art: Machine Gun Rust!" Panther pointed the ball at Beowulf and a storm of smaller energy spheres launched out of the larger one. Beowulf disappeared from sight, the kicked up dirt from his movement was the only telling thing about where he was, Beowulf was on all fours dodging the spheres and closing the distance "oh no you don't" Panther said before jumping into the air and manifesting a ball in his hand, the ball began to grow until it was so big Beowulf couldn't see the sun "Destruction Art: Mega Cataclysm!" Panther tossed the ball and Beowulf wrapped his hand with the chain of his flail.

Beowulf jumped at the orb of destruction and tossed his chain and spinning his hand creating a shield if chain, the shield intercepted the ball and both the chain and ball disappeared, having cancelled themselves out. Panther landed, stunned at what happened "how is he finding this much power?! No matter, he no longer has a way to get to me, so if I keep my distance I can outlast him" Beowulf looked at his left hand, the energt surrounding him began to bubble and form something around his hand. The energy maifested into a snarling and rabid-looking wolf head, it barked and snarled and Beowulf looked at Panther who was waiting for something to happen "Devour Art: Tether Fang!" Beowulf threw his hand forward and the wolf head launched forward with a tether behind it. Panther jumped up dodging it, Beowulf lifted his arm and the wolf changed directions and went straight for Panther, the wolf bit into Panther's left arm drawing blood, the bite was relentless and Panther was not getting it off. Beowulf waved his arm and the tether wrapped around Panther, Beowulf threw his hand down and pulled Panther straight into the ground creating a crater, Beowulf then swung his arm to the left and sent Panther into the enclosure wall, Beowulf then yanked Panther to him reeling back and delivering a punch with such impact that it shattered the enclosure making the very ground shake and lanching Panther cleanly out of the exhibit and across the zoo into a courtyard.

Panther struggled to stand, he had been knocked for a loop and his head didn't know where it was. Beowulf followed him leaping all the way to where he launched him, Panther got to his feet and felt his head but prepped himself when Tengu arrived "good, you're here, I need some assistance" Tengu responded "actually, I'm here to get you, Skorpoxus fell down an elevator shaft chasing that girl" Beowulf heard this and relief entered his body, which was enough to shake him out of his rage, his body subsequently caught up and gave out. Beowulf fell to the floor, unconcious "you wanna finish him off?" Tengu asked with Panther spitting blood onto the floor then looking to see authorities had arrived "no, let's get Skorpoxus and get out of here" Panther saw a single security camera that was inactive and destroyed it with a strike of his staff "I'm doing you a favor here Beowulf, but next time we meet, you will not be so lucky next time". Panther and Tengu left to get Skorpoxus and Beowulf reverted back to Ben, someone aporoached Ben's unconcious body and examined him "pushed yourself too far again, huh kid" the person picked Ben up and carried him to the entrance of the zoo placing him infront right as the authorities arrived and disappeared, but not before slipping something into his jacket.

Sophia and the others searched frantically through the crowd for Ben meeting up with his father who was also panicked "Mr. Williams" Sophia said with Ben's father approaching them "you guys haven't found Ben yet?" He asked, everyone shook their heads, Nadia looked around just barely catching Ben being loaded into an ambulance "there! He's there!" She shouted, the others looked where she was pointing and they rushed over. The paramedics were taking Ben's vitals "are you guys his family?" One of them asked, Ben's father stepped forward "I'm his father" one of the paramedics looked at Ben's father and said "your son is very injured, he needs to get tk the hospital, would one of you guys like to ride with us?" Sophia raised her hand "I vote Nadia, she was one of the ones that was with Ben when he was last seen by any of us?" Nadia nodded and got into the ambulance. The paramedics closed the doors and they took off to the hospital, Kaori looked at Sophia "why'd you do that? She's your competition?" Sophia responded "that doesn't matter right now, at this very moment, all we care about is Ben's well being" Ben's dad pulles out his keys "c'mon kids, let's get to the hospital" Kaori pulled out her phone "I'll text my sister and tell her where we're going".

Nadia held Ben's hand as they rode, an intubation tube was on Ben's face and the paramedics were keeping an eye on his vitals, Nadia overheard them talking about Ben's injuries "fractured jaw, multiple broken ribs, and the joints in his ankles are fractured along with a broken arm" Nadia squeezed his hand slightly "oh Benji, what happened to you?" Ben's father floored it to the hospital, all while making a panicked phone call to his wife "honey, it's me...uhm, no it's serious, Ben's on his way to the hospital, please stay calm, they're going to do all they can, I'll keep you updated and I'll pick you up as soon as I can". Sophia could tell Ben's dad was frightened for his son's life, Sophia opened messenger and texted Nadia

Is Ben OK?

We just arrived, they're rushing him to Emergency and they're trying to stabilize him

Okay, we'll be there soon

Sophia put her arm infront of her eyes and held her tears back. From atop a building, Adrien watched on as Ben was unloaded from the ambulance and taken into the hospital "Adrien, we need to move" Adrien turned around and Alix was standing there "I know, I just needed to help the kid" Alix crossed her arms "we need to hurry, we only have one shot at this" Adrien transformed and stepped into a portal Alix created which she closed behind him "come back alive Adrien, Marinette still needs to tell you something".