I feel someone tugging at me, their grip firm and insistent. My body protests, heavy with exhaustion.

  "One more minute…" I mumble, barely clinging to wakefulness.

  "Wake up, Mat… We're surrounded!" Kyu shouts, his voice laced with urgency.

  My eyes snap open, and a chill runs down my spine. The distant sound of low, guttural growls creeps into my ears. Shadows shift in the darkness, surrounding our camp like predators closing in on wounded prey.

  I push myself up, my heart pounding. There’s no time to rest—we’re already in danger.

  "Fuck, what the fuck—there are so many of them," I mutter, my pulse hammering in my ears.

  Jin doesn't hesitate. He tosses me my gauntlets, his expression sharp and focused. "Wear them."

  I barely catch them, my hands still sluggish from sleep. My fingers tremble as I slide them on, the familiar weight snapping me back to reality.

  Kyu grips his longsword tighter. "This isn't like earlier... There's way more of them."

  The growls grow louder. Dozens of glowing eyes pierce through the darkness, watching, waiting.

  I tighten my gauntlets, my heart pounding. "So, Jin? Any plans? What do we do?"

  Jin’s eyes scan the shifting shadows, calculating. The Lurkers aren’t rushing in yet—they’re waiting for something. That’s never a good sign.

  "We can’t outrun them. Fighting’s our only option." He draws his bow, nocking an arrow. "Kyu, you take the left flank. Mat, you stay with me and hold the center. We need to keep moving—don’t let them surround us."

  Kyu exhales sharply. "Easy for you to say. There's a damn army out there."

  A low snarl echoes through the ruins. The Lurkers are done waiting.

  Jin pulls back his bowstring, his voice steady. "Get ready."

  Jin’s arrows cut through the air, each shot precise and lethal. The first Stalker collapses mid-leap, its body twisting as it crashes onto the pavement. The second barely has time to react before an arrow pierces its skull, sending it spiraling down. The third lets out a guttural hiss before Jin's final arrow silences it for good.

  "Watch out! The corpse is falling right on us!" I yell, shoving Kyu aside as one of the bodies crashes into the ground, kicking up dust and debris.

  Kyu scrambles back to his feet, coughing. "Damn, Jin! At least give us a warning before you drop monsters on us!"

  Jin lowers his bow slightly, smirking. "I did. You just weren’t fast enough."

  Before I can respond, another growl rumbles in the distance. More of them.

  "No time to argue. Keep moving!"

  I skid to a stop, my heart hammering in my chest. Kyu stands at the edge of a crumbling overpass, staring down into the darkness below.

  "Shit! Mat, it's a drop. All the other exits are blocked!" he shouts, panic creeping into his voice.

  I spin around. Lurkers and Stalkers prowl forward, their glowing eyes cutting through the night. The way we came is swarmed. The only path left is down.

  Jin curses under his breath, knocking another arrow. "We either fight or jump. Pick fast."

  Kyu grits his teeth. "Are you insane?! We don’t even know what’s down there!"

  I clench my fists, my gauntlets humming softly in my grip. "Then we find out."

  The monsters screech, closing in. No time to hesitate.

  "Jump!"

  All three of us jump from the third floor, Kyu and I close together, Jin just ahead.

  Just as we’re about to reach the ground, a Lurker leaps from below, swinging its tail and whipping Jin across the street. Spikes fire in our direction.

  Kyu grabs me mid-air, twisting his body to shield me as the spikes tear into his back.

  We crash onto the pavement, rolling from the impact. Kyu groans, his body tense from taking the brunt of the spikes. I push myself up, heart pounding.

  "What the hell are you doing?!" I snap, grabbing his shoulder.

  He coughs, wincing. "Saving your ass, obviously."

  I glance at the spikes lodged in his side, crimson already staining his uniform. "Dumbass! You—"

  A deafening screech cuts me off. I whip my head up.

  The Lurker that blindsided Jin is already repositioning, its tail curling like a whip, ready to strike again.

  Jin groans from the other side of the street, struggling to get up. His bow lies just out of reach.

  The Lurker shifts its attention toward him, muscles tensing. It's going to lunge.

  "Kyu, can you still move?" I ask, my voice sharp.

  He grits his teeth, forcing himself up. "Yeah. Don't worry about me."

  No time to argue.

  I sprint forward, my gloves tightening around my fists. I have to get there before the Lurker strikes.

  "SHIT!"

  The Lurker suddenly lunges forward, its massive frame hurtling straight toward me. Before I can react, its weight slams into my chest, sending me flying backward.

  The air rushes out of my lungs as I crash through a crumbling wall, debris raining around me. My back slams into solid concrete, pain flaring through my body.

  Dust fills my vision. My ears ring.

  I groan, forcing myself up. No time to stay down.

  I look at the sight in front of me. It’s like a nest—Lurkers crawling over broken concrete, their jagged limbs skittering in the darkness. But mixed among them, I spot Stalkers—their glowing eyes locked onto me, their movements eerily calculated.

  "What the fuck."

  I take a deep breath, pushing down the instinct to freeze. No time for hesitation. I jump down, landing with a heavy thud, my knees bending to absorb the impact.

  My chest tightens. Something’s wrong.

  I scan the area, heart pounding.

  "Where are they?" My voice is barely above a whisper. "Jin? Kyu?"

  I reach out, searching—but I can’t feel them.

  A chill creeps up my spine.

  Why can’t I sense their presence?

  ***

  Inside a dimly lit monitoring station, multiple screens flicker, casting an eerie glow over the tense faces of operators. The rhythmic hum of machinery is suddenly drowned out by a blaring alarm.

  DING! DING! DING!

  Red warning symbols flash across the monitors. Professor Raynor’s fingers tighten around the edge of his desk as his gaze locks onto the largest screen. His breath catches in his throat.

  "No… that’s impossible."

  The screen displays a swarming mass of movement—dozens of Lurkers, at least five Stalkers, and one massive red marker pulsing ominously in the center.

  A Full Monster.

  Professor Raynor’s hands tremble as he snatches his radio. "All units, emergency deployment!" His usually calm voice is now laced with urgency. "This is Professor Raynor! We have a Full Monster at coordinates -30 1255 -111! Repeat, a Full Monster! Get every D.K.F. operative on standby—NOW!"

  The room explodes into motion. Operators scramble to relay orders, their fingers flying across keyboards. A nearby soldier—a blonde-haired D.K.F. officer gripping a longsword at his side—grits his teeth, his knuckles turning white.

  "A Full Monster? In the middle of the trial?" He turns to his squad. "Move out! We’re clearing a path—if those kids are still breathing, we’re bringing them back!"

  Outside, the heavy doors of the D.K.F. headquarters slam open, and within moments, black-armored figures are sprinting toward waiting transport vehicles. The roar of engines fills the air.

  Time is against them.

  And the battlefield is already drowning in monsters.

  ***

  "Where are they?" My voice is barely above a whisper.

  I can’t stay out in the open for too long—there are too many of them.

  I hunch behind a rusted car, my breathing shallow, ears straining for any sign of movement. The distant snarls of Lurkers echo through the streets, their shadows flickering against the buildings under the dim, fractured light.

  Something tugs at my left side.

  I glance down.

  "Shit."

  Blood. A slow, steady trickle soaking into my clothes. How long have I been bleeding?

  "Found you… hehe."

  I snap my head up. A figure looms over me—no, not a person. But it looks like one.

  I don’t have time to think. Instinct kicks in. I throw a right hook with everything I have. My fist connects, sending the figure hurtling back down the street, crashing through debris.

  Silence. Then—

  "That isn’t nice."

  The voice comes from behind me.

  A chill runs down my spine. Slowly, I turn.

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  He’s smiling.

  At first glance, he looks human—his posture, his face, even the way he grins. But the longer I stare, the more the details unravel. His skin is too pale, stretched too tightly over his sharp features. His fingers are long and twisted, claws scraping against the pavement. His body is a grotesque fusion of flesh, scale, and exposed bone, his ribs pressing against his thin frame like something barely held together. Spines jut out along his back, shifting with every movement.

  Despite his skeletal build, he moves with an unsettling grace—controlled, deliberate. He wasn’t caught off guard.

  He was playing with me.

  He raises his hand with a fluid motion, so fast and effortless that I barely register it. Before I can even react—

  BOOM!

  A single swing of his arm sends me hurtling through the air like a ragdoll. My body crashes through two buildings, shattering glass and concrete before slamming into a third with bone-rattling force. Pain explodes through my back as I crumble to the ground, gasping for breath.

  I grit my teeth and try to push myself up, but a sharp, burning sensation shoots through my side. I glance down—blood. Deep claw marks carve through my torso, fresh and searing.

  I open my eyes…

  "I can’t see… I CAN’T SE—"

  COUGH

  A sharp, wet pain tears through my chest. Something warm dribbles from my lips. Blood.

  Fuck.

  I can’t see. I can’t move. My body feels like it's sinking into the ground, the weight of my own limbs unbearable. Every breath is a struggle, every heartbeat a dull thud in my ears.

  Is this it?

  "Hahaha, giving up already~?"

  His voice is sickly sweet, almost playful. Footsteps echo through the ruined street, slow and deliberate.

  I try to move—anything—but my body won’t respond. My vision is still gone, darkness swallowing everything.

  "It was fun while it lasted," he continues, his tone laced with amusement, "but now... I have to take you."

  A clawed hand grips my arm. Cold. Unnatural.

  I gasp, my chest tightening as a sudden wave of heat surges through me. My skin feels like it's boiling, my insides churning like molten metal.

  "HooooooooTTTT!" The scream rips from my throat.

  I can’t see. I can’t move. But I can feel everything—too much. My breath is ragged, each inhale scorching my lungs.

  The monster steps back, its previous amusement fading.

  "Hm." It exhales, studying me like a curious predator. "Interesting..."

  I feel hot... I feel stronger… Is this a gift?

  I won’t let it go to waste.

  Gritting my teeth, I push myself up. My muscles scream in protest, but the heat surging through me drowns out the pain. My vision is still hazy, but I don’t need my eyes to know where he is—I can feel him.

  I activate Foresight.

  In an instant, the full monster’s movements become clear in my mind, like a puzzle falling into place. Every twitch of its elongated fingers, every shift of its hunched form—I see it all before it happens.

  I tighten my fists.

  This time, I won’t be the one getting thrown.

  I lunge forward, the heat inside me roaring like an unchained wildfire. My body moves before I can even think, instincts sharper than ever. The Full Monster barely has time to react before my fists collide with its grotesque form.

  A sickening crack echoes through the street as my first punch lands, sending a ripple through its disfigured body. It stumbles, but I don’t stop. I won’t stop. I slam my other fist into its ribcage, feeling something snap beneath my knuckles.

  The creature screeches—a guttural, distorted sound that makes my skin crawl—but I press forward, my fists blurring as I unleash everything I have. Blow after blow, each strike stronger than the last, fueled by this newfound energy coursing through my veins.

  It swings its elongated claws at me in a desperate attempt to retaliate, but I weave past it effortlessly, my body lighter, faster. Without thinking, I drive my knee into its stomach, forcing it backward. The ground cracks beneath us as I launch a brutal uppercut, sending its hunched body skidding across the pavement.

  I stand there, chest rising and falling, fists clenched so tight my nails dig into my skin. For the first time, I’m not the one getting tossed around.

  For the first time, I’m the one doing the damage.

  Fuck... I'm losing consciousness.

  My vision flickers, darkness creeping in at the edges. My body feels like it’s burning from the inside out, but I grit my teeth. I can’t stop now. If I do, I’m dead.

  I force my legs to move, pushing past the pain. The ground cracks beneath my feet as I launch myself forward, faster than before. The Full Monster is already recovering, its twisted form hunched over, those clawed fingers twitching.

  No. I won’t give it the chance.

  I twist my body mid-air, driving my fist straight into its jaw. The impact is deafening. The monster’s head snaps back, a spray of black ichor bursting from its mouth. But I don’t stop. I can’t stop.

  I spin, delivering a crushing kick to its ribs, sending it hurtling into a nearby building. The walls shatter on impact, debris raining down around us. I land, barely keeping my balance, my breaths ragged. My vision blurs again, but I push forward, stumbling toward the wreckage.

  I need to finish this.

  The pavement cracks beneath my feet as I push forward. Every muscle in my body screams, but the fire inside me roars louder. My vision blurs at the edges, but my focus remains locked on the creature in front of me.

  It stands there, watching, as if daring me to come closer.

  Then it moves.

  The Full Monster surges forward, its elongated arms snapping toward me like whips. I duck beneath the first swipe, feeling the air shatter above me from the force. My instincts scream—left!—I twist just in time to dodge another claw aiming for my throat.

  Now!

  I throw a punch straight into its ribs, putting everything I have into it. The impact sends a shockwave through my arm, but the monster barely flinches.

  Shit.

  Its arm whips around—too fast!—I barely bring my gauntlet up before the claws rake across my chest. Sparks fly as metal screeches against bone. The force sends me skidding backward, boots dragging against the concrete.

  I plant my feet and lunge again, twisting mid-stride. Foresight. I see the next attack before it happens—a clawed hand reaching for my leg.

  I leap, vaulting over the monster, twisting in the air to bring my fist crashing down onto its head.

  BOOM!

  The creature's skull slams into the pavement, cracks forming beneath it. But before I can follow up, its tail whips around—

  Too late.

  The spikes hit. Burning pain erupts in my side as I’m flung backward, tumbling across the street. My breath leaves me in a choked gasp as I roll to a stop, the world spinning.

  Move!

  I force myself up, blinking away the haze. The monster is already standing again, hunched, those human-like eyes gleaming with something I can’t place.

  Amusement?

  Mockery?

  It licks the blood off its claws. My blood.

  "You’re still standing?" it rasps, tilting its head. "That’s new."

  I wipe my mouth, tasting copper. My arms shake. My body feels like it’s being held together by sheer will. But that fire inside me—it won’t go out. If anything, it's getting stronger.

  I crack my neck, spitting blood onto the pavement.

  "Yeah," I growl, rolling my shoulders. "And you’re still ugly."

  The monster's grin widens, and then we both move at the same time—

  One last round.

  My body trembles, muscles screaming, lungs burning. I can barely hold myself up. Every breath feels like shards of glass scraping against my throat.

  FUCK! One more… please…

  I grit my teeth, but my body refuses to move. My arms feel like lead, my legs shaking under their own weight. The fire that once kept me going—it's gone.

  The heat fades.

  Now, it's just cold.

  A deep, bone-chilling cold that seeps into every fiber of my being.

  Is this it? Is this how I go?

  Is this thing going to kill me?

  I stare at the Full Monster as it lumbers toward me, its grotesque body still knitting itself back together. Flesh twists, bones realign, and the wounds I fought so hard to inflict vanish like they were never there.

  "You did well—"

  BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

  A deafening roar of gunfire drowns out the silence. The monster flinches, its regenerating flesh blasted apart by the relentless barrage.

  Huh? Guns?

  I exhale, a shaky laugh escaping my lips.

  "I'm saved… hah… D.K.F, is it?"

  Relief washes over me, but my body refuses to hold on any longer. The weight of exhaustion crashes down like a collapsing building. My vision blurs, the world spinning as the last remnants of adrenaline fade.

  Everything fades into darkness.

  No pain. No sound. Just an empty void, pulling me deeper.

  Then—something. A distant, rhythmic beeping. Soft at first, like an echo in a dream. Then louder. Steady. Persistent. My fingers twitch, but my body feels heavy, like I’m sinking into the bed. My limbs are sluggish, weighed down by exhaustion.

  A sharp, sterile scent fills my nose. Antiseptic. Disinfectant. Hospitals.

  I’m… alive?

  The realization seeps in slowly, like water filling a cracked vessel. My mind is sluggish, but memories flicker—flashes of battle, the Full Monster regenerating, the gunfire. D.K.F.

  What happened?

  My eyelids feel like they’re made of stone, but I force them open. White ceiling. Fluorescent lights hum overhead, casting a dull glow. The faint whir of machines fills the silence.

  I shift slightly, and a sharp sting spreads through my body. Every muscle protests, aching in ways I didn’t even know were possible. My throat is dry, sandpaper scraping against raw flesh.

  I try to speak, but only a hoarse croak escapes.

  Where am I?

  The rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor keeps me grounded. I turn my head slowly, my vision still adjusting. An IV line is taped to my arm, clear liquid dripping steadily into my veins. Bandages wrap around my chest, my arms—probably my legs too.

  D.K.F. saved me. They must have brought me here.

  But then a chilling thought creeps into my mind.

  What happened to the Full Monster?

  I hear the door creak open and instinctively turn my head. Standing in the doorway is Professor Raynor.

  "I'm not gonna drag this any longer. Good news—you’re alive, and we managed to kill another Full Monster. Bad news—Jin and Kyu are missing."

  Professor Raynor’s voice was steady, but the weight behind his words hit like a sledgehammer. My body ached, the lingering pain from battle making every breath feel like a chore, but that didn’t matter. The second I registered what he said, my mind snapped into focus.

  I pushed myself up, my muscles protesting every movement. "What do you mean missing?" My voice came out rough, my throat dry, but I didn't care.

  Raynor sighed, crossing his arms. "I mean exactly that. No one has seen them since the attack. We searched the entire area, but there was no sign of them. No bodies, no trails—nothing."

  Nothing.

  The word sent a chill down my spine. My last memory before blacking out was the chaos of battle—the roar of the Full Monster, the ground shaking beneath me, the desperate struggle just to stay alive. Jin and Kyu had been there, fighting alongside us. I remembered Jin shouting something, Kyu darting past me, and then—blackness.

  I clenched my fists, my heartbeat hammering against my ribs. "How long have I been out?"

  "Almost a full day," Raynor said. "We’ve been searching since the fight ended, but it’s like they vanished."

  A day. A whole day where Jin and Kyu could’ve been injured, trapped, or worse—dragged off by something lurking in the ruins.

  I swung my legs off the cot, wincing as pain shot through me. "Then we need to keep looking."

  Raynor’s expression darkened. "We’ve already sent out scouting teams. Right now, you need to rest."

  "Rest?" I shot him a glare. "Jin and Kyu could be—"

  "I know," Raynor interrupted, his voice firm. "But running off without a plan won’t help anyone. We don't even know if they were taken, if they ran, or if something else happened." He exhaled, rubbing his temples. "I understand how you feel, Mat. But if we go in blind, we’ll just be adding more bodies to the list."

  I gritted my teeth, frustration boiling in my chest. Sitting around waiting wasn’t an option. Not when my friends were missing.

  Raynor studied me for a moment before sighing. "We move at dawn. Until then, get your strength back."

  Dawn. It wasn’t soon enough, but it was better than nothing.

  Still, as I lay back, my mind refused to settle.

  Jin and Kyu were out there, somewhere.

  And I was going to find them.

  Wait… how can I see?

  The thought lingered, creeping in like a shadow at the edge of my mind. I remembered the fight—how the Full Monster’s attack had landed, the burning pain that followed, and then... darkness. The last thing I saw was the distorted blur of movement before everything went black. I was sure I had lost my sight.

  But now, I could see clearly.

  I blinked, my breath hitching as I raised a trembling hand in front of my face. My vision wasn’t just back—it was sharp, clearer than before. Every detail stood out, from the fine cracks in the ceiling to the faint scars on Raynor’s knuckles.

  I swallowed hard.

  "I… I was blind," I muttered, more to myself than to Raynor

  "You said something?"

  Raynor's voice pulled me back.

  "No… hahaha." I forced out a laugh, shaking my head. "Just talking to myself."

  He gave me a look, the kind that told me he wasn’t buying it but wasn’t going to push. Fine by me—I needed time to process this.

  Healing magic could mend wounds, stop bleeding, even restore broken bones. But sight? I had never heard of anyone regaining their vision after losing it.

  And yet, here I was.

  I flexed my fingers, staring at them like they held the answer. This wasn’t normal. Something had changed. Something was different.

  But right now, Jin and Kyu were still missing. That had to come first.

  I pushed the thought to the back of my mind and looked up at Raynor. "So, what’s the plan?"

  "What plan?"

  "To save Jin and Kyu?"

  "Ah that.. Sorry mat but we cant do anything about that only the D.K.F can"

  "Call my dad."

  Raynor's expression didn't change, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—understanding, maybe. He gave a small nod.

  "That, I can do," he said simply.

  I exhaled, barely realizing I'd been holding my breath. My father wasn't just some random soldier—he had connections, influence. If the D.K.F were the only ones allowed to act, then I needed someone who could make them move.

  As Raynor stepped away, I clenched my fists, my mind racing. I wasn’t going to just sit here and wait.

  Jin and Kyu were out there.

  And I was going to bring them back.

  "Son."

  Before I could react, my father pulled me into a crushing hug.

  "Agh—It hurts! It hurts! Let go!" I wheezed, feeling like my ribs were about to crack all over again.

  He immediately loosened his grip but kept his hands firmly on my shoulders, scanning me with sharp eyes. "You look like hell," he muttered.

  "Thanks, Dad. Really needed to hear that," I groaned, rubbing my sore arms.

  His expression softened, but only slightly. "Raynor filled me in. Jin and Kyu are missing?"

  I nodded, my jaw tightening. "And no one’s doing anything about it. They’re just waiting for the D.K.F to decide if it’s ‘worth it.’"

  His face darkened, and I knew that was all he needed to hear.

  "Then we’re not waiting," he said. "I’ll handle this."

  "Really? Thank you, Dad…" My voice came out quieter than I expected, the weight of everything catching up to me.

  "You're welcome," he said, his grip on my shoulders firm. But then his expression hardened. "But I can't make promises that they'll be back alive."

  His words hit like a cold knife to the gut. I knew he was just being honest, but hearing it out loud made it feel more real.

  "I know," I muttered, clenching my fists. "But if there's even a chance, we have to try."

  He nodded. "We will."

  For the first time since waking up, I felt a flicker of hope.

  I watched him leave the room, his footsteps fading down the hall.

  Then—silence.

  The kind that weighed heavy, pressing down on my chest. The kind that made my thoughts louder.

  "What can I even do?" I sighed, leaning back against the cot. "I'm injured… I can only hope that my dad finds them."

  The words tasted bitter. I hated feeling powerless. Sitting here, waiting—it wasn’t me. But no matter how much I wanted to move, to act, my body reminded me of my limits. Every ache, every dull throb was a painful reminder that I wasn’t in any condition to fight.

  Frustration boiled in my chest, but I forced myself to take a slow breath. Right now, all I could do was wait.

  And I hated it.