--
The fox lady stepped toward the carnage, a heavy stillness settling around her. She swept her gaze over the bodies with a quick, practiced scan.
"Their essential organs are missing," she murmured.
I didn't respond right away. My eyes traveled across the walkway—bullet casings scattered everywhere, rifles dropped mid-reload, some still locked in the stiff grip of lifeless hands.
"Their guns weren't useful against whatever did this," I said finally, gesturing toward the discarded weapons with a subtle tilt of my chin.
She studied the weapons for a moment, then paused, her attention snagging on something ahead. Following her line of sight, I caught it too: a faint, rhythmic glow coming from the pocket of a corpse farther along the path.
She moved toward it, crouched, and pushed her hand through the gore-soaked fabric. A moment later, she pulled out a vibrating phone, its back flash flickering with each incoming call.
"Vi…per," she whispered, reading the blood-smeared name on the screen before lifting her gaze to me.
I held her stare in silence as she looked down again and slid her finger across the cracked display, answering the call.
With a soft beep, a harsh whisper burst through the speakers, every word tightened with raw panic.
[I don't care what's happening on your side, just get those ores and evacuate. Get back here NOW!]
"…"
[Hello?]
"…"
[Who's there?]
"…"
CLANG.
A metallic slam echoed through the warehouse, and in the next instant the entire building went black.
"…!!!"
My eyes widened as I leaped back immediately, instinct kicking in.
The fox lady mirrored my movement, drawing a dagger in one fluid motion.
We closed the distance between us, backs nearly touching as we surveyed the suffocating darkness.
[What's happeni—]
The fox lady cut the call instantly, powered the phone off, and shoved it into her bag. Then she drew her second curved blade, settling into a low, steady stance.
The warehouse fell into a silence so deep it felt physical as the faint hum of the ventilators died completely.
Then, we heard it.
Heavy. Slow. Uneven footsteps… coming from the front.
The temperature seemed to drop as a wave of goosebumps crawled up my skin
"We are at a disadvantage," the fox lady whispered, her tone tightening with seriousness.
I said nothing, my mind spinning—racing through possibilities.
'What to do… what to do…'
The footsteps grew louder. Heavier.
Then they stopped.
…
BOOM!!!
The crate stack beside us exploded in a spray of splinters as something tore straight through it, crashing into the spot where we'd just been standing.
Or rather—where I had been. Because I was already airborne.
'What the fuc—'
The thought shattered as I slammed into the concrete with a gut-punching thud, skidding across the floor until a wall of crates finally stopped me.
A pained groan slipped out as I forced myself upright.
{'It appears the fox lady pushed you out of the way, sir.'}
Nox's voice buzzed faintly in my ringing head.
"Yeah… but that doesn't change the fact that it still hurts," I muttered, wincing as I got to my feet.
A violent crash tore through the space. My head snapped up just as a blur of green slammed into another stack of crates, sending splinters flying everywhere.
"Maxwell, what the fuck is this?!" the fox lady screamed from somewhere deeper in the shadows.
It was the first time I'd ever heard her raise her voice—let alone curse.
I narrowed my eyes at the shape dragging itself from the rubble. A twisted silhouette rose unsteadily, its entire form outlined by the web of glowing green veins pulsing beneath its skin.
It let out a low, guttural rumble that made the air vibrate.
Then—without warning—it lunged, its glowing form blurring as it shot toward the fox lady's direction.
My eyes widened. Fast… it was fast.
Another crash followed, and I sprinted toward the sound and faint glow.
{'Sir, based on analysis, it appears to be a Level 3 Riftclaw,'} Nox reported calmly.
"A Riftclaw… you've got to be kidding me," I hissed, nearly stumbling as I dodged a fallen crate. "Nox, is she okay? And tell me there's at least one skill I can use in this darkness."
{'The fox lady is still alive. But negative—all system skills remain locked until level One, sir.'}
"shit" I cursed.
I was almost on them when a sharp whoosh ripped through the air. Four long, curved claws—glowing a sickly green—slashed downward in a brutal arc.
For a heartbeat, I watched as those claws carved through the dark like sickle-shaped comets, their glow spilling just enough light to reveal the fox lady's outline. The brief flash slid across her features, catching on the shattered mask—broken clean from the nose down—and exposing her bloodied lips pressed into a hard, focused line.
She moved.
CLANG!
Her blade caught the creature's strike in a burst of sparks, glowing claws screeching against metal. She gritted her teeth as the force slammed into her—overpowering her instantly. The blow launched her backward, flinging her into a cluster of barrels with a bone-rattling crash.
The creature screeched, saliva spilling from its jagged maw as it dropped to all fours. Bones and muscles shifted beneath its skin, coiling for another leap.
BANG!
A flash of orange lit the darkness as the creature jerked off balance.
Click. Click.
BANG!!
Another shot cracked through the warehouse.
Click. Click.
BANG!!!
A pained shriek followed the last blast as the Riftclaw was thrown backward, crashing into the heap of corpses along the main walkway. I lowered the shotgun, the barrel still smoking. The mutant twitched violently, green blood pouring from the gaping wound in its chest.
{'Sir, given the Riftclaw's regenerative capabilities, I suggest you do not linger,'} Nox warned.
"Yeah, you don't need to tell me twice," I muttered, already sprinting toward the fox lady.
I reached the smashed barrels just as she was struggling to pull herself free. "Hey," I said, grabbing her arm and helping her up. She staggered, but I steadied her until she found her footing. She looked around, dagger raised in caution.
"Where is it?" she breathed, her voice tight and uneven.
"Down for now," I said grimly. "But it'll be back any second. We need to move… now."