The shift happened in an instant.
Chloe's attention split for just a fraction of a second, drawn by that same unsettling presence lingering at the edge of his awareness.
That was all it took.
Both creatures attacked at once.
This time, he couldn't fully dodge.
Pain flared sharply across his side as claws tore through his shirt and skin. Not deep enough to cripple him, but enough to break his rhythm.
Chloe stumbled back, a thread snapping outward to force distance between them.
He steadied himself, breathing uneven now.
"…Alright," he muttered quietly.
No more holding back.
The threads changed.
They thickened, becoming denser, faintly visible even in the dark. They no longer looked delicate or subtle. They looked intentional.
Dangerous.
The creatures paused, sensing the shift.
Good.
Let them.
Chloe raised his hand, and multiple threads shot outward, anchoring themselves into the walls, the ground, the narrow spaces around the creatures.
Then he closed his fist.
The effect wasn't physical, not in the usual sense.
But their movement options shrank.
Paths closed.
Angles narrowed.
The space itself began to work against them.
The second creature lunged, but its trajectory subtly curved, forced into a predictable line.
Chloe stepped in and ended it in a single, clean motion.
"…Two."
Only one remained.
The smartest one.
It didn't rush him.
It didn't panic.
It watched.
Then—
It smiled.
Not like an animal.
Something else.
Something that understood.
Chloe's expression hardened slightly.
"…You're not done."
The creature tilted its head, as if acknowledging him.
Then it stepped back.
And disappeared into the darkness.
Chloe didn't chase.
"…That's a problem."
Because now there was one that had learned enough to survive.
And next time—
It wouldn't come blindly.
It would come prepared.
Chloe exhaled slowly, then pulled out his phone and made the call.
"Location."
"Alley behind 7th street. Three confirmed. One escaped."
A brief pause.
"…Understood."
The call ended.
Chloe lowered his hand, letting out a quiet sigh.
"…Great."
And then—
A voice drifted down from above, light and amused.
"You've gotten better."
Chloe closed his eyes for a brief moment before looking up.
"…You've always had bad timing."
End of Chapter 3