The night air hung heavy with the scent of blood and ozone as Kasper slumped against a nearby wall, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The adrenaline that had fueled him during the battle was fading fast, leaving behind a searing pain that radiated from his shoulder. Stacy was at his side in an instant, her nimble fingers already working to assess the damage.

  "Hold still," she murmured, her voice a mixture of concern and determination. "This is going to hurt, but I need to stop the bleeding."

  Kasper gritted his teeth as Stacy applied pressure to the wound. "How bad is it?" he managed to ask through clenched jaws.

  Stacy's brow furrowed as she examined the injury. "Deep, but it missed anything vital. You're lucky—a few inches to the left and we'd be having a very different conversation."

  As she worked, applying antiseptic and bandages from their field kit, Kasper's mind raced. The creature—a beast unlike anything he'd ever encountered—had vanished into the shadows, leaving behind only destruction and questions.

  "We can't let it get away," Kasper said, wincing as Stacy tightened the bandage. "Who knows what kind of havoc it could wreak if we don't stop it?"

  Stacy paused, her eyes meeting his with a mix of exasperation and fondness. "You're in no condition to chase after anything right now. We need to regroup, call for backup—"

  "No," Kasper interrupted, his voice firm despite the pain. "We're close, I can feel it. If we bring in more agents now, it will only waste their time."

  For a moment, silence stretched between them, filled only by the distant sounds of the city and their own labored breathing. Then Stacy's shoulders sagged slightly, a small smile tugging at her lips.

  "You're impossible, you know that?" she said, shaking her head. "Fine. But if you collapse on me, I'm dragging you back to HQ myself."

  With Stacy's help, Kasper managed to stand, testing his weight gingerly. The pain was there, a constant throb, but manageable. They shared a look of understanding—a silent acknowledgment of their partnership and the risks they were willing to take for each other and their mission.

  As they began to search the area for clues, Kasper's keen eyes spotted something glinting in the moonlight. "There," he said, pointing. "Is that...fur?"

  Stacy knelt down, carefully collecting the sample with a pair of tweezers. "Good eye. And look—there's some kind of residue here too."

  Kasper activated his Techno Ring, its soft blue glow illuminating the strange, viscous substance. As he scanned it, his brow furrowed in concentration. "I've never seen readings like this before. It's almost as if—"

  His words were cut off by the sudden chirp of their communication device. Cody's holographic image flickered to life, his expression a mixture of concern and curiosity.

  "Status report," he demanded without preamble. "What happened out there?"

  Kasper and Stacy exchanged glances before Kasper spoke. "We engaged the target, Cody. It's... it's unlike anything we've ever seen. Powerful, intelligent, and definitely not natural."

  Stacy leaned in, her eyes bright with realization. "Cody, I think we might be dealing with a manticore."

  The silence that followed was deafening. Cody's image flickered as he processed the information, his eyes widening in disbelief. "A manticore? That's... that's not something I was expecting. I didn't think they existed outside of mythology."

  "Neither are a lot of things we've encountered," Kasper countered, wincing as he shifted his weight. "But this fits the description—lion's body, human-like face, deadly tail. It's real, and it's here in Novaris."

  Cody's gaze sharpened as he took in Kasper's condition. "You're injured. I should recall you both, send in a fresh team—"

  "No!" Kasper interjected, perhaps too forcefully. He took a breath, steadying himself. "Give us one more chance, Cody. We're close to cracking this. If we pull out now, we might lose it forever."

  The tension was palpable as Cody deliberated, his holographic form flickering with static. Finally, he sighed. "One chance, Kasper. But if things go south, I'm calling the other sectors. Understood?"

  Kasper nodded, relief washing over him. "Understood. We won't let you down."

  As Cody's image faded, Kasper and Stacy turned their attention back to the evidence before them. The fur sample glinted eerily in the moonlight, and the residue seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy. Kasper's eyes narrowed as he scanned the area one last time to make sure they don’t miss anything.

  "Wait," he muttered, dropping to one knee despite the protest of his injured shoulder. His fingers brushed against something wet and warm on the ground. "Stacy, look at this."

  Stacy crouched beside him, her breath catching as she saw what he'd found. A small pool of dark liquid glistened on the pavement, barely visible in the dim light.

  "Blood," she whispered. "But is it yours or—"

  "The manticore's," Kasper finished, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes. "It could be a possibility. Won't hurt to try."

  With a swift motion, Kasper activated his Techno Ring. A soft blue light emanated from it as he spoke clearly, "Port: HemoScan X3." In a shimmer of light, a sleek, handheld device materialized in his palm.

  "The latest in field blood analysis," he explained, noticing Stacy's raised eyebrow. "Cody insisted I carry one after that incident with the giant worm in Prague."

  Carefully, Kasper collected a sample of the blood and inserted it into the HemoScan. The device hummed to life, its screen flickering with rapid streams of data.

  "This'll take a few minutes to process," Kasper said, pocketing the device. "In the meantime, we need to track this thing."

  As they gathered the remaining evidence—fur, residue, and additional blood traces—the city around them seemed to hold its breath. The streets were eerily quiet, most residents having heeded the curfew warnings. In the distance, they could hear the rhythmic footsteps of security patrols, their flashlights cutting through the darkness like searching eyes.

  "Do you think they know?" Stacy whispered as they ducked into an alley to avoid a passing patrol. "About the manticore, I mean."

  Kasper shook his head, wincing slightly as the movement sent a jolt of pain through his shoulder. "Doubtful. If they did, we'd be seeing a lot more than just standard security sweeps. The higher ups likely see these guys as pawns. However, the higher ups may send troops to deal with it. We have to deal with it before and if that happens."

  They moved through the city like ghosts, following the faint trail left behind by the creature. Kasper could feel fatigue creeping into his bones, his injured shoulder a constant, throbbing reminder of their earlier encounter. But he pushed forward, gritting his teeth against the pain. This was too important to let a little discomfort slow him down.

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  As they neared the outskirts of Novaris, the urban landscape gave way to more desolate terrain. Abandoned buildings loomed like silent sentinels, their windows dark and accusing. The trail led them to a dilapidated complex, half-hidden by overgrown vegetation and piles of debris.

  "This has to be it," Kasper murmured, his eyes scanning the area. Even in the dim light, he could make out fresh claw marks scoring the nearby trees, the earth disturbed as if by a large, powerful creature.

  A faint, musky odor hung in the air, growing stronger as they approached what appeared to be the main entrance—a heavy metal door, partially ajar, its locking mechanism torn apart by brute force.

  Stacy placed a hand on Kasper's uninjured arm, her expression a mix of concern and determination. "Kasper, are you sure about this? You're hurt, and we don't know what we're walking into."

  Kasper met her gaze, his jaw set with resolve. "We've come too far to turn back now, Stacy. Besides," he added with a grim smile, "when have we ever known what we're walking into?"

  With a nod, Stacy watched as Kasper activated his Techno Ring. "Port: Scent Neutralizer," he commanded softly. A small, compact spray device materialized in his palm—sleek and metallic.

  Kasper handed the Scent Neutralizer to Stacy, who quickly applied it to herself. As the mist settled, an eerie silence enveloped them, broken only by the distant hum of the city and their own measured breaths.

  "Ready?" Kasper asked, his hand hovering over the torn metal door.

  Stacy nodded, her expression set with determination. "Let's see what kind of nightmare we're walking into this time."

  With a deep breath, Kasper pushed the door open. It groaned in protest, the sound echoing ominously through the abandoned complex. They stepped into a dark, foreboding corridor, the beam from Kasper's Techno Ring cutting through the gloom like a knife.

  The air inside was thick with dust and the lingering scent of chemicals, a testament to the facility's long abandonment. As they moved deeper, the walls seemed to close in around them, covered in a tangle of roots and vines that had forced their way through cracks in the concrete.

  "What is this place?" Stacy whispered, her voice barely audible.

  Kasper shook his head, his eyes scanning their surroundings. "Some kind of research facility, by the looks of it. But what were they researching?"

  They emerged into a large central chamber, and both agents stopped short, momentarily stunned by the scene before them. Broken equipment lay scattered across the floor, glass crunching beneath their feet with each step. Massive containers, now shattered, lined the walls, their contents long since spilled and evaporated.

  Stacy moved to examine a faded sign on the wall, its warning barely legible. "Biohazard... Genetic material... Kasper, what were they doing here?"

  Before Kasper could respond, a low growl echoed through the chamber, sending a chill down both their spines. They froze, eyes darting to the shadows, but the sound didn't repeat.

  "We should keep moving," Kasper said softly, his hand instinctively moving to his bandages.

  They pressed on, passing through what appeared to be living quarters. Personal effects lay strewn about—a family photo here, a half-finished letter there—silent testaments to lives abruptly interrupted.

  "They left in a hurry," Stacy observed, her voice tinged with sadness. "Whatever happened here, it wasn't planned."

  Kasper nodded grimly, his mind racing with possibilities, each more disturbing than the last.

  As they ventured deeper into the complex, the air grew thicker, heavy with a musky odor that made their eyes water. They turned a corner and found themselves face to face with a sight that made their blood run cold.

  A makeshift nest dominated the center of the room, constructed from shredded materials—some of which Kasper recognized as lab coats and bedding. But it was the scattered bones and fresh blood stains that truly drove home the danger they were in.

  "It's been here recently," Kasper whispered, his eyes darting around the room. Claw marks scored the walls, some appearing to be territorial markings, others the result of frenzied activity.

  Stacy's hand tightened on her weapon. "We need to find out what happened here, fast. Before it comes back."

  They backtracked, following signs to what they hoped was a control room. The space was dominated by banks of computers, most damaged beyond repair. But in the corner, a single terminal flickered with life.

  Kasper moved to it immediately, his fingers flying over the keyboard as he attempted to access any information that might shed light on their situation. Stacy kept watch, her nerves on edge as the HemoScan in Kasper's pocket continued its analysis.

  "Anything?" she asked, her voice tense.

  "Maybe," Kasper muttered, his brow furrowed in concentration. "There's something here about a Project Hybrid, but most of the files are corrupted."

  Suddenly, the HemoScan beeped loudly, causing both agents to jump. Kasper pulled it out, his eyes widening as he read the results.

  "Stacy," he breathed, "you're not going to believe this..."

  Before he could elaborate, a bone-chilling roar echoed through the facility, much closer this time. The sound of heavy footsteps and scraping claws grew louder, heading in their direction.

  Kasper and Stacy exchanged a look of mingled fear and determination. Whatever answers the HemoScan held, whatever secrets this facility guarded, they were about to come face to face with the terrifying reality of their investigation.

  As the bone-chilling roar reverberated through the facility, Kasper's fingers flew across the Techno Ring's holographic interface. "Sending the analysis to Hex now," he muttered, his voice tight with urgency.

  The ring pulsed, its usual blue glow intensifying as it transmitted the data. Just as the final packet sent, the device flickered and turned an ominous red. Kasper's heart sank.

  "Stacy, we've got a problem," he hissed, showing her the ring. "It's drained. We're cut off until it recharges."

  Stacy's eyes widened in realization. "The Scent Neutralizer—"

  "—is wearing off," Kasper finished grimly. "We need to move. Now."

  They bolted for the exit, Kasper's injured shoulder screaming in protest with every step. The sound of heavy footfalls and scraping claws grew louder, punctuated by guttural growls that seemed to come from everywhere at once.

  Suddenly, a deafening roar shook the very foundations of the facility. The manticore had caught their scent.

  "It knows we're here!" Stacy shouted, her electric baton crackling to life in her hand.

  They rounded a corner and came face to face with the beast. In the dim light, its eyes glowed with primal fury, muscles rippling beneath its mottled hide as it prepared to pounce.

  "Go!" Kasper yelled, pushing Stacy towards a narrow corridor. "I'll hold it off!"

  "Like hell you will," Stacy retorted, stepping in front of him. The baton hummed with energy as she faced down the creature. "You're in no condition to fight. Run!"

  The manticore lunged, its massive form filling the corridor. Stacy swung her baton, connecting with a sickening crack. Electricity arced across the creature's body, eliciting a howl of pain and rage.

  Kasper stumbled backward, his mind racing for a solution. His eyes fell on a control panel near the entrance. With a burst of desperate energy, he sprinted towards it.

  "Stacy, fall back!" he shouted, his fingers working frantically at the panel.

  Stacy retreated, narrowly avoiding a swipe from the manticore's razor-sharp claws. Just as the creature prepared for another lunge, Kasper slammed his fist down on the emergency lockdown button.

  A heavy blast door began to descend between them and the manticore. The beast roared in frustration, hurling itself at the closing gap. For a heart-stopping moment, it seemed like it might make it through—but then the door sealed with a resounding thud.

  Kasper and Stacy stood there, chests heaving, as the sound of the manticore's fury echoed from the other side of the door.

  "That... won't hold it for long," Kasper panted, clutching his injured shoulder.

  Stacy nodded, her face pale but determined. "Then let's not stick around to find out how long it does hold."

  Supporting each other, they made their way out of the facility and into the cool night air. As they stumbled towards safety, the distant sound of the manticore's roars followed them—a chilling reminder that their ordeal was far from over.

  The hunt had taken an unexpected turn, and now they were the ones being hunted. With Kasper injured and their options running out, they knew the real challenge was just beginning. Whatever secrets lay hidden in that facility, whatever the blood analysis revealed, one thing was clear: the nightmare they had uncovered in Novaris was far more terrifying than they could have ever imagined.