Kai's grip tightened around the jagged piece of metal as the faint glow of eyes in the darkness grew brighter, slowly emerging from the shadow like a predator stalking its prey. The room, once cold and lifeless, now hummed with a dangerous energy. Every instinct screamed at him to run, but the door had already sealed shut behind him. There was no escape.
The glowing eyes blinked once, then twice, before the creature's form became clearer in the near-complete darkness. It was tall—taller than Kai by at least two feet—with a long, hunched back and grotesque, twisted limbs that seemed unnatural. Its body was covered in patchy, dark fur, the matted texture almost giving off an oily sheen as it moved, its claws scraping against the concrete floor in long, deliberate drags.
Kai's breath quickened, and he backed up slowly, careful not to make a sound. His heart raced. This wasn't just any scavenger. No, this was something more dangerous—something that had been abandoned here in the depths of the subgrid, forgotten by everyone, including the system itself.
[Warning: Hostile Entity Detected – Level: Omega][System Update: Threat Analysis Required]
The message blinked in his vision, but it was of little comfort. His health was still dangerously low, and his stamina was practically nonexistent. He couldn't afford to face this thing head-on. The creature's jaws parted in a low growl, and the stench of decay filled the air. It was hungry. And judging by the way it was eyeing him, he was the meal.
It lunged.
Kai didn't think. He didn't have time. He sidestepped instinctively, rolling to the side, just as the creature's claws swiped through the air, narrowly missing his face. The sheer force of the swipe sent a gust of air that almost knocked him off balance, and Kai's stomach lurched.
"Shit!" he hissed under his breath. He scrambled to his feet, barely able to stand, but the creature wasn't done. It was quick—too quick for something so massive. It rounded on him again, its glowing eyes locking onto him with predatory intent.
Kai darted to the left, narrowly avoiding another strike, but this time, his foot caught on a piece of debris, and he stumbled, hitting the ground with a painful thud. His mind raced, trying to think of an escape route, but the creature was already bearing down on him. Its low growl rumbled through the air like a warning, and it took another swipe, this time catching his jacket. The fabric tore easily, the sharp claws ripping through the material like paper.
His body instinctively jerked back, and he barely avoided the full impact of the blow, but the creature's claws caught the edge of his arm, leaving a deep gash. Pain flared through him as blood trickled down his forearm.
[Health: 18/120][Stamina: Critical][Warning: Wound Detected – Immediate Medical Attention Required]
Kai cursed under his breath, clutching his arm, but there was no time for medical attention. He couldn't afford to waste any more precious seconds. If the creature didn't kill him, the blood loss would.
He staggered to his feet, breathing heavily, his vision flickering. His body was telling him to stop, to fall into the darkness and wait for the inevitable, but he wasn't about to give up just yet. Not when he still had a chance to survive.
The creature let out a horrific screech, the sound deafening as it lunged at him once more. This time, Kai didn't run. Instead, he ducked low, pivoting on his heel as he narrowly avoided the strike. The creature's claws scraped against the metal floor, sparks flying as it lost its footing and skidded to the far side of the room.
Kai used the brief window of opportunity to assess his surroundings. The room was cluttered with debris—old machinery, rusted pipes, and dead wires. But there, just beside him, was a large piece of metal, long enough to use as a makeshift weapon. He grabbed it quickly, swinging it in the air to get a feel for its weight. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.
The creature was still recovering, growling as it straightened itself, eyes fixed on Kai. Its movements were predatory, methodical. It knew what it was doing. And it was getting smarter.
But so was Kai.
He lunged forward, holding the metal bar out in front of him like a spear. The creature's glowing eyes widened, and it made a sharp turn, attempting to sidestep. But Kai anticipated the move, adjusting his swing and landing a clean hit to the creature's side.
The blow made a sickening thud as it struck the creature's ribs, and the beast staggered back, its screech of pain echoing in the confines of the chamber. Kai's breath hitched, his pulse roaring in his ears. He had done it—he had landed a hit. But the creature wasn't done. It snarled, its hackles raised, eyes burning with fury. It wasn't going to let him go that easily.
Kai didn't wait for it to attack again. He pressed forward, adrenaline surging as he swung the metal rod at the creature's face. This time, the blow was more precise, striking the beast squarely in the jaw. The creature let out another furious cry, disoriented by the hit, but it didn't fall. Instead, it reared back, its claws slashing through the air in a frenzy.
Kai backed away, breathing heavily, his mind working frantically to stay ahead of the beast. The fight was far from over.
The creature lunged again, but this time, Kai was ready. He sidestepped, allowing the creature to pass him, and in a swift motion, he swung the metal rod down onto the back of its skull.
There was a sickening crack as the creature stumbled forward, collapsing to the ground in a heap. Kai's heart raced as he stood over the creature, watching carefully. His arm ached, his side screamed in pain, but he couldn't stop now. He had to make sure the beast was down for good.
The creature's breathing was ragged, shallow. It was still alive, but barely.
Kai took a deep breath and swung the metal rod one last time, smashing it into the creature's head. This time, it didn't move. It was dead.
For a moment, everything was silent. The room was eerily still, the only sound coming from Kai's ragged breathing. He stood there for a long moment, the weight of what had just happened sinking in.
He had survived.
But at what cost?
[Health: 12/120][Stamina: Critical][Warning: Multiple Wounds Detected]
Kai collapsed against the wall, the exhaustion finally catching up with him. His vision swam, and his body was on the verge of shutting down. He had to find help. Fast.
But in the distance, he heard something—a sound that made his blood run cold.
Footsteps.
And they weren't his.
[End of Chapter 6]