The sewer reeked of blood and sewage, a nauseating stench that permeated the air.
The ground and walls were smeared with scattered bits of flesh and gore.
Dim lighting faintly illuminated the narrow space, casting jagged shadows on the walls, while the air was thick with a suffocating sense of dread and endless despair.
Echoes of anguish reverberated through the confined sewer:
At times, the sound was deep and feral, like the roar of a wild beast.
Other times, it was filled with the wailing of human suffering, carrying an indescribable torment and struggle.
The sound was filled with the fierce collision between humanity and animalistic instincts, making Landon’s agony painfully evident.
Eli glanced down at the metal baseball bat in his hand. He wiped the blood off its surface and set it aside.
He clearly had no intention of using it against the beast before him.
It wasn’t because he was afraid of hurting Landon, but because he didn’t want to lose his only reliable weapon.
Although the baseball bat was heavily worn, it was hard to find a more practical weapon in the sewer.
Eli lifted his gaze, his eyes falling on Landon, and his thoughts grew conflicted.
Rationality told him that this fight wasn’t necessary.
Landon had nothing to do with him—they weren’t even friends, and just recently, they had been complete strangers.
If he chose to stand by and let Landon fend for himself, things would be much easier for him.
But deep down, Eli wasn’t willing to do that.
He wasn’t a cold-blooded person, nor was he ready to abandon Landon just because of his frenzy.
Perhaps it was just a bond formed from everything they had been through so far, or perhaps it was simply a misplaced sense of pity and compassion.
More importantly, his intuition told him that Landon shouldn’t be abandoned.
Landon could become a reliable ally, and in the future, that might be more valuable than any weapon.
Eli took a deep breath, his gaze growing resolute as he stepped forward, heading toward the berserk Landon.
The dim yellow light flickered on his shoulders, and each step he took landed in the sewage mixed with blood and flesh, but he no longer hesitated.
The berserk beast sensed Eli’s approach, and the pained sounds abruptly ceased.
It jerked its head up, locking its blood-red eyes onto Eli’s figure.
Those eyes were filled with bloodthirsty madness, yet behind them lay traces of struggle and agony.
Eli looked at him, as though he could hear the silent cry of Landon’s humanity:
"Go! Now! I can’t hold on much longer..."
Eli smiled, his expression carrying a hint of ease, as if the scene before him was nothing more than an ordinary day.
He spoke slowly, his voice very gentle: “If you''re tired, just sleep. Leave the rest to me. Don’t worry about me, I’m very powerful.”
Under the dim light, Eli’s figure became clearer in Landon’s crimson eyes.
In that moment, it felt as if something pierced through the madness of the beastly nature, reaching the humanity buried within.
Landon’s gaze softened, as if silently saying, “I’m sorry for holding you back…”
Eli smiled and said, "Don’t worry about it. We’re partners."
The last glimmer of humanity in Landon’s eyes slowly faded, replaced entirely by pure, bloodthirsty madness.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Suddenly, he threw his head back and unleashed a deafening roar aimed at Eli!
“ROAR——!”
The sound waves reverberated through the narrow sewer, as if tearing the very space apart.
Eli halted his steps at the sound of the roar, his expression unchanged as he took a slight breath.
His movements were unhurried and steady, his feet shifting lightly, flowing smoothly and rhythmically like water, with his center of gravity as solid as a rock.
His arms, neither fully relaxed nor tense, drew a smooth arc in front of him, as if encompassing everything around him within his control.
Facing the berserk Landon, Eli did not choose to recklessly charge into battle. Instead, he stood still, calmly awaiting the right moment.
Although he could subdue the ferocious beast before him through sheer brute force, he chose not to.
Pure violence would only provoke more madness within Landon, making the fight even harder.
The dream had imparted to Eli extensive combat knowledge, including a unique fighting technique.
This is a martial art that emphasizes overcoming strength with softness.
His instincts told him that this style of fighting was perfectly suited to subduing the berserk beast before him.
Landon’s beastly nature had been fully unleashed; his eyes now reflected nothing but madness and bloodlust.
In the next instant, Landon’s muscles tensed and bulged, and all the power within his body erupted in a single moment.
The ground beneath his feet shook violently as he launched himself toward Eli like a bullet.
His speed was incredible, and his heavy footsteps thundered across the ground in rapid succession.
Water and blood splashed into the air with every step, scattering in all directions.
His force was as unstoppable as a flood, accompanied by an overwhelming pressure that bore down directly on Eli.
In that instant, the air was thick with suffocating intensity, as if all currents had shifted in response to Landon’s charge.
Eli stood still, his gaze calm and fixed on Landon’s movements.
He could see every shift in Landon’s muscles and track each step he took.
Landon’s breathing, the rhythm of his pounding blood—everything seemed to be within Eli’s grasp.
To Eli, Landon’s massive figure was far from invincible; instead, it resembled a raging beast.
Landon’s fist suddenly swung toward Eli, carrying a force that seemed capable of pulverizing everything in its path.
Eli slightly turned his body, his hands moving with the flow, his arms gently guiding Landon’s force.
Immediately after, with a slight motion of Eli''s wrist, Langdon''s powerful fist was guided to the side.
Like water flowing around a stone, the massive impact was deflected to the side.
Landon’s body tilted slightly, and much of his charging momentum was instantly neutralized.
Using the motion, Eli deftly moved to Landon’s side, his movements fluid and precise.
He did not counterattack immediately but instead gently pushed his hands on Landon’s shoulders again, further disrupting his balance.
Momentum carried Landon forward, his footing unsteady as he stumbled a few steps.
Eli quickly adjusted his stance, planting his feet firmly on the ground and sinking his center of gravity.
He raised his arms again, but this time with a distinct rhythm and grace.
In that moment, the sewer seemed to transform into a stage for two opposing forces:
One side was violent and ferocious impact, while the other was gentle and flexible guidance.
Langdon''s roar echoed once more, filled with anger and unwillingness, as he charged at Eli with overwhelming power.
The first punch came crashing down like a thunderbolt, its force whipping up dirty water that splashed into the air.
Eli slightly shifted his body, and Langdon''s fierce fist brushed past the hem of his clothes.
Langdon flowed with the momentum, his elbow surging forward with immense force, attempting to drive Eli into the corner.
Eli stepped lightly, his figure sliding to the side with the fluid grace of flowing water.
It seemed as though he was completely unaffected by Landon’s wild power, as if he had found a calm trajectory amidst a raging storm.
Landon let out a deep growl, lunging forward, his right fist raised high and crashing down with overwhelming, destructive force.
Eli raised his right hand with the flow, guiding Langdon''s fist off its trajectory with a delicate arc.
At the same time, his left hand shot forward, his palm landing lightly on Landon’s chest.
The strike appeared gentle but landed precisely on Landon’s center of gravity.
Landon’s balance was instantly disrupted, and he staggered back several steps.
His anger burned like flames, and he forcefully drove his legs, attempting to charge at Eli again.
However, Eli moved like a feather, effortlessly dodging Landon’s attack.
At the same time, Eli placed both hands lightly on Landon’s back and gave a small push, causing Landon to crash heavily into the wall.
The moment Landon’s body struck the wall, fragments of concrete burst apart, scattering in all directions, as dust swirled through the dim yellow light.
Eli gave him no chance to catch his breath.
His feet lightly tapped the ground, and his entire body closed in on Langdon like a gentle breeze.
At this moment, Eli’s movements were entirely different—no longer defensive and guiding, but charged with an aggressive intent.
His arms traced an arc, his hands striking out along smooth circular trajectories, creating a deep resonance in the air.
The first strike landed swiftly and forcefully on Landon’s shoulder.
Though it appeared gentle, it pressed down with the weight of a mountain, pinning Landon’s body firmly in place, rendering him immobile.
Next, Eli’s right hand rotated, his wrist turning as he delivered a precise strike to Landon’s abdomen.
This blow was not merely a display of raw strength but a fusion of soft energy and explosive power.
The layered forces rippled through Landon’s body, instantly reverberating within him.
Landon’s body jerked violently, his chest feeling as if it had been struck by a sledgehammer. The immense impact drove him deep into the wall.
Eli didn’t stop there—his body moved closer to Landon again.
His left hand traced a soft arc across Landon’s side before transforming into a sudden, powerful palm strike, hitting Landon squarely in the ribs.
The force of this blow embedded Landon even further into the wall, causing the entire surface to crack rapidly.
Eli withdrew his hands and stepped back lightly, his posture as graceful as a falling leaf drifting to the ground.