But the monster kept advancing.
Its breath was heavy, like the roar of hellfire. Its fangs grated against each other, saliva dripping onto the still-smoldering ruins. The stench of blood and burnt flesh spread through the air, stabbing into the lungs of the three of them.
Elena stood in front of her younger siblings. Her body trembled violently, yet she stretched out her arms, forcing herself to become a living shield. Her face was pale, cold sweat sliding down her temples—but her eyes burned fiercely at the creature.
"What should I do… God…" Her voice cracked, like a prayer thrown into an empty void.
The monster raised its claw high. The shadow of death fell over them. The air grew unbearably heavy, as if the world itself was holding its breath, waiting for their end.
And when the claw came down—
SRASSHHH!!!
It smashed into the rubble. Massive stones shattered, dust exploding into the air. Elena reacted on instinct, grabbing Ryu and Evelyn and rolling away. Their hearts nearly stopped—death had brushed so close.
But the monster did not stop. It growled, eyes blazing red, and swung its claw again. Cold sweat drenched Elena's back as she forced her body to move.
"Run! We have to run!!" she screamed, her voice breaking as she dragged the crying Ryu and Evelyn with her.
Before their feet could truly carry them away, a massive shadow leapt from the ruins above. The monster soared through the air, jaws wide open, fangs ready to crush them.
Their bodies froze.
Then suddenly—
CLANNGG!!!
The monster's fangs were stopped mid-bite. A massive gleaming sword blocked the horrifying jaws. A burly man in a black cloak stood before them, veins bulging in his arms as he forced the creature's mouth back with his blade.
"Run! Save yourselves! I'll handle this damn monster!!" he roared, his voice fierce yet resolute.
Ryu, Evelyn, and Elena stared wide-eyed. They recognized him.
"Uncle…!" they cried in unison, tears falling in a mixture of relief and terror.
The man glanced back briefly, straining against the monster's bite, his eyes shimmering.
"Go… quickly!! Consider this… your uncle's debt to the Celestia family."
His voice cracked. His arms trembled, yet he continued to resist the monster's crushing force.
"If it weren't for your family… I wouldn't be standing here today… But I failed to protect your mother and father… I cannot fail again. Go! Don't worry about me!!"
Tears streamed down his dust- and blood-streaked face.
"Thank you, Uncle…" they whispered together, their voices hoarse with sobs.
He gave them a faint smile.
The next second—
KRAKKK!!!
The great sword shattered.
The monster lunged and bit into his neck, tearing him apart savagely.
"GYAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"
His scream echoed through the ruins. Blood sprayed wildly, splattering across Ryu's face as he turned back one last time.
Ryu's eyes widened. His heart pounded uncontrollably. Heat. Pain. Hatred. Everything ignited inside his chest.
No… his soul screamed, but no sound escaped his throat.
The monster ripped into their uncle's body, chewing with a sickening crunch.
Ryu ran with Elena and Evelyn, but his eyes kept looking back. Every bite felt like it was tearing into his own heart, carving wounds that would never heal.
As they fled through the ruins, more monsters arrived. Massive red-eyed shadows leapt across collapsed rooftops, watching hungrily. Panic seized Elena as she dragged them toward a narrow alley.
"Quick! In here!" she whispered urgently.
They crouched low, trying to move quietly.
Their breath caught.
Ahead, a monster was tearing apart a woman, her entrails spilling onto the ground, blood pooling beneath her. To the side, a small child screamed before being dragged away, his cries cut short by crunching jaws. Evelyn covered her mouth, holding back vomit as tears streamed down her face.
"What do we do, Sis?" Ryu whispered hoarsely.
"If this continues… we'll be caught," Evelyn answered, her voice trembling.
Elena peeked out of the alley, her eyes widening in horror at the monster-infested streets.
"There's only one way… We must leave the city. The western gate. The royal army of Indosvara should be stationed there. They'll hold the monsters back."
"Ryu, Evelyn—you know which way is west, right?"
They nodded quickly.
Elena grabbed wooden sticks from the rubble and handed them over.
"Take these. We must protect ourselves… and each other."
Their hands trembled as they gripped the wood.
Slowly, they crept through the alley.
Suddenly, one monster stopped chewing its prey. Its nose twitched, catching the scent of humans. Its head slowly turned—
Right toward them.
GROOOAARRRR!!!
It leapt onto the alley walls, lowering its head from above to stare hungrily at the three of them.
Elena froze. "Run!!!"
But it was faster.
It lunged toward Ryu and Evelyn. Elena screamed and swung her wooden stick with all her strength.
BRAKK!
The stick shattered.
The monster did not even flinch. It turned toward her with a horrifying growl.
It pounced, knocking Elena to the ground. Its claws pressed against her chest. Its jaws opened wide.
"Let go of my sister!!!" Ryu and Evelyn screamed, beating the monster desperately with their broken sticks.
It was useless.
"Ryu… Evelyn… this monster is immune…" Elena whispered softly.
They froze.
"Ryu, Evelyn… forgive me. I can't stay by your side anymore…"
"What are you saying…?" Ryu's voice was hollow. He knew. Those were farewell words.
"You're still such a troublemaker, Ryu… hahaha…" she forced a laugh through tears. "Forgive me… I can't be with you anymore…"
Her hands trembled.
"Forgive me for always scolding you. I love you both… like Mother did. I just… never knew how to love gently. Since we were young… I was taught to survive. So I loved you by scolding you… by protecting you stubbornly."
Tears mixed with blood on her face.
"Go! Run west… Live for me. For Mother. For Father. For everyone who fell today. Forgive me…"
"NO… NO!!!" Ryu screamed, striking the monster until his hands bled.
The monster opened its jaws wide.
Its fangs pierced Elena's body.
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
Her scream shattered the alley—and their souls.
"SIISSSSTEEERRR!!!"
Blood sprayed across their faces.
"Damn you!!! I'll kill you all! I'll destroy every last one of you!!!" Ryu roared, his voice like a vow forged in hell.
Monsters began surrounding the alley.
Then—
SWUSHHH!!!
A massive sword wrapped in blue aura pierced through the monster devouring Elena, splitting it apart.
From the darkness emerged another man in a black cloak, his face stern, eyes sharp.
"Kid… I'll save you."
He lowered his hood.
Evelyn sobbed. "Who… who are you…?"
"My name… is Jake Hill."
Without hesitation, he lifted Ryu and Evelyn and leapt onto the rooftops at lightning speed.
"LEON!!!" Ryu suddenly shouted.
"Leon? Your friend? He's safe. In Sena City," Jake replied.
But Ryu only grew angrier.
"Why didn't you come sooner?! Why did you let my sister die?!" he screamed, pounding Jake's chest.
Jake lowered his head. "Forgive me… There were too many to save… I failed."
Ryu howled in grief, remembering his mother, father, sister, uncle.
"I swear… I will kill every single one of these monsters! Not one will remain!!!"
Below them, monsters continued slaughtering civilians.
Jake's expression darkened.
This child… is consumed by vengeance. If he truly wishes to exterminate monsters… then I must train him.
Amid the ruins, a slender woman in a black cloak stood in the shadows. Her violet eyes glowed beautifully behind a half mask.
"Jake… Ryu… Evelyn…" she murmured with a faint smile.
"Isn't this… an interesting beginning?"
She chuckled softly before vanishing into the smoke.
Ryu and Evelyn caught a glimpse of her figure.
"Jake! There was someone—"
Jake turned, but she was gone. He assumed they were hallucinating.
Ryu and Evelyn exchanged breathless glances.
"What… did we just see…?" Ryu whispered hoarsely.
To be continued…