《Beast Soul》


 Chapter 1 - The Chase Begins!

    Night.


    A group of cars storm across the New World City Highway. In front of them, a blue car could be seen charging forward, advancing maniacally as if the driver has no fear of death.


    "Slam it! Get that half breed!" Inside one of the pursuing cars, sat a half-human half-pig looking creature, shouting loudly as he stretched his left arm out, and his palm that had been replaced by a crossbow was now visible.


    Yelling and shrieking could be heard from the group of non-human pursuers, advancing through the highway as they closed in on the blue car.


    A young man sat inside the blue car, his blue eyes turbulent. He checked the rear view mirror, to figure out the extent of his lead over his pursuers.


    They were close.


    Butˇ­.


    The young man adjusted his seat, his eyes fierce and battle-hardened. He depressed the pedal instantly, shifted the gear and immediately spun the wheel as the car drifted into the curve in front of him.


    "He''s getting away!" said one of the pursuers, and two figures on motorbikes raced past him, towards the blue car.


    All of a sudden, the young man swung open the door and raised his hand, as his palm began glowing red.


    BOOM!


    A ball of magma shot out of his palm and onto one of the motorbikers. A terrible impact.


    THUD!


    The motorbiker was thrust back and as his body grinds under one of the pursuers'' cars, the motorbike, now without its rider, flipped sideways and collided with the second biker, rendering him immobile as well.


    Whoosh!


    One of the pursuit cars came alongside the blue cad, and inside it was a creature with a rodent head, smiling devilishly as he stared at the young man.


    "I''ve always wondered what the flesh of a half-breed tastes like!" He said as he licked his lips.


    He took out a rifle and positioned himself for a shot, but right before he fired, the young man slammed his foot on the brake and the blue car immediately moved back and positioned itself right behind the rodent head''s car.


    BOOM!


    The bullet completely missed its target, but before the rodent head could slow down to match up with his speed, the young man steadied himself and shot out another ball of magma, this time aiming at the car''s back tire.


    BAM!


    The rodent head''s car wobbled a bit.... and then flipped in the air, before crashing to the ground with a loud noise. Two of the pursuit cars who were following close behind were unprepared, and as a result, crashed into the rodent head''s car!


    WHAM!


    The two cars were done for.


    "Useless pigs! What the hell are you morons doing?" The half-man half-pig screamed in anger, his fist tightly clenched. He pressed the accelerator down with such force that the car bolted forward under the sudden burst of speed.


    "I want you dead, half-breed!" The pigman screamed, as he pointed his crossbow at the blue car in front of him.


    Whoosh!


    The arrow shot forward, and the young man responded by hitting the nitro and accelerating way out in front, causing the arrow to miss its mark.


    Wham!


    The young man immediately pulled the handbrake, executing a 180ˇă turn and put the car in reverse, as he lined up with the pigman.


    "You little... " The pigman grinded his teeth, as both him and the young man stretched their hands forward, aiming at each other.


    Zoom!


    The arrow shot forward, but it was no match for the magma ball fired by the young man. The moment it collided with the magma ball, the arrow disintegrated into nothing, and the magma ball shot forward, continuing its motion.


    The magma ball struck the pigman right on his face, causing his head to explode, spraying the car with blood and brain.


    BOOM!


    The pigman''s car, now driverless, swung left and right before flipping sideways and crashing. The young man did another 180ˇă and turned the car around, and continued driving without looking back.


    The young man wiped his forehead as beads of sweat began to trickle down. He was completely exhausted.


    He drove for hours until he reached in front of what looked like an old and abandoned office building, and stopped the car.


    The young man then got out of the car and walked towards the entrance of the building, moving his hands forward to open the door.


    BAM!


    But before he could do that, the door was pushed open from the inside as a figure leapt in his direction, and pushed him down to the ground, causing the young man to let out a short grunt.


    "GRRR!" The figure on top of him growled, revealing a dragon-like creature with a large body and two wings that was sitting on top of the young man, and slowly moved its face towards him.


    *Slurp!*


    The giant creature licked the young man''s face, and the man let out a soft chuckle as he nuzzled its face, causing the creature to wag its tail as if it was a puppy.


    "Alright, alright! Stop it, Wolfe!" The young man spoke out loud in the middle of the licking, which caused the creature to pause what it was doing and moved back, giving the man space to get back up on his feet.


    The creature, named Wolfe, watched curiously as the man wiped the dust and saliva off his face, then walked towards Wolfe and petted his head, and the creature let its tongue down.


    After petting the creature for a few seconds, the young man walked towards the door labelled stairs, and opened it. He then climbed up the stairs and up to the second floor, where only a bunch of empty cubicles and a single office room remained.


    The young man entered the office room that had its glass walls covered up with tables, cupboards and cardboard pieces and sat down on the one chair inside of the office, exhaling as he leaned back with a relaxing expression.


    "I can''t believe it''s been only six months..." He let out a sigh as he remembered how the world turned into such a terrifying place.


    [ SIX MONTHS AGO ]


    "Ugh, this is way too high..." Noah thought to himself, as he stood on the steel railing of the Baxdwell Bridge.


    His eyes, which were focused on the Ingerham River below him, slowly shifted to his sides, looking left and right to make sure that no one was present.


    ''Yeah, I guess that is to be expected.'' Noah sighed. It was already night time, and in a place like Astrid street, that meant not many people could disturb his late night activities.


    He then looked down once again, and after a few seconds of contemplation, Noah raised one of his legs forward, leaving the railing and letting it levitate in the air as he prepared himself for the next step.


    ''I can do this, I can do this.'' He said to himself repeatedly in an attempt to try and reduce his fear, but to no avail. ''It''ll all be over soon....''


    But even after five whole minutes had passed, Noah still remained on the railing, unable to let go. With a sigh, he pulled back his leg and crouched down on the railing.


    ''Forget it. Maybe I''ll try again tomorrow.'' He said to himself. But deep down, Noah knew that the result would still be the same no matter which day it is. This was his fourth attempt, after all.


    Splurt.. splurtˇ­


    SCREEEE!


    Noah was looking idly at the river below him when he heard soft and wet footsteps, followed by a short squeal from his side, which prompted him to turn his head in confusion.


    A few yards away from him, on the sidewalk, was a crab that was slowly moving in his direction.


    No, wait. Noah looked at the creature with confusion in his eyes.


    The creature, although similar to a crab, had small tentacles extending from its front and back, and its skin didn''t seem to be covered in a hard exoskeleton, like those of crabs, but rather seemed soft and squishy, like a fish.


    ''Is it some sort of an endangered amphibian or something?'' Noah stared at the creature, fascinated by its appearance. It wasn''t everyday that he could see a new and rare animal.


    Splurt..


    The creature stopped moving, and then moved its front part of the body, where Noah assumed the head was located to be, in his direction, as if it was peering in his direction.


    Noah, amused by its actions, raised his hand and waved at the creature.


    "What''s the matter?" Noah asked, as he pointed his finger at the river below. "Want to go in the water?"


    SHAAAA!


    All of a sudden, the creature leapt upward from the pavement and onto Noah''s face, and Noah could feel multiple sharp objects pinching the skin of her face, as the surprising weight of the creature''s body and the speed at which the creature collided with his face, pushed his body backwards.


    And then, losing his balance on the railing, Noah fell down from the bridge and into the river.


    ------------- BEAST SOUL -------------

 Chapter 2 - Out In The Open

    Rondur Rainforest.


    Raphael Hernandez sat on top of the hood of his truck and smoked a joint as he waited for his partner to arrive after relieving himself.


    Tap tap!


    The raindrops fell from the sky and landed on the tip of his hat, flicking it forward and onto his hands. Although the weather forecast had predicted a sunny afternoon, it seemed that nature had other plans.


    "Alright, I''m done." Alan Fischer emerged from the bushes, pulling his pants up as he walked towards the truck, and Raphael leapt off from the top of the hood and entered the driver''s seat, exhaling a puff of smoke as he did so. Alan pointed to the bushes and asked, "You want to take a piss? I can wait."


    Raphael shook his head, and Alan got in and shut the doors of the vehicle. The truck started off with a hum, and soon they were passing through the rainforest, riding on the dirt roads until they reached a gate, the sides of which were enveloped by double layered fences that were extremely high, with spirals of barbed wire at the top.


    "Hey," Alan tapped Raphael''s shoulder, who looked over to him curiously. Alan pointed his hand to the left of the gate and onto the fence, where a portion of it seemed as though it was pierced through by something sharp and powerful. That portion of the fence had been opened up from the inside, as if whatever pierced the fence was trying to get out from the restricted area.


    A uniformed man who was guarding the gate walked up to the truck and asked them for verification cards, and both Raphael and Alan held up their identity cards to the guard. After making sure that they were verified for entry, the guard opened the gate, and the truck started moving once again.


    "Just a few minutes now," Alam said, and Raphael nodded his head as he focused on the road, "And we should be reaching the facility soon."


    The truck climbed up a hill and reached the other side, and a few metres away, Raphael saw large white buildings, completely surrounded by trees and shrubs.


    "Ironhead facility," Alan said as he pointed north. "Apparently, the locals didn''t even know that there was a facility this deep in the jungle. They hid it from the public quite well." The truck headed straight towards the building.


    As they got closer to the building, both of them could see a bunch of vehicles parked next to it.


    "Local authorities," Alan said, "Probably the ones who alerted us. Let''s hope to god that none of them had the idea to call the press yet. We don''t want any eyes on this place."


    Raphael brought the truck close to the parking space and the sound of the motor died down as they stopped.


    Someone came walking up to the truck as both Raphael and Alan stepped out. The man who was wearing the local sheriff''s outfit with sunglasses on his face stretched out his hand and said cheerfully, "Hi, I''m Sheriff Roman Harrelson. You must be the guys whom I talked to?"


    Alan nodded his head and he accepted his handshake. "Special Agent Alan Fischer, Federal Investigation Department. This is Dr. Raphael Hernandez, an animal biologist. He''s here to help me out."


    "Mammalogist," Raphael corrected Alan, who shrugged his shoulders in response.


    "Well, whatever it is that you do, I just hope you can tell me what the hell happened here." Sheriff Roman said, and both Raphael and Alan glanced at each other for a second before nodding their heads.


    ------------ BEAST SOUL ------------


    "Noah, it''s time for school! Get up or you''ll be late!"


    "Ugh, just a little bit more.." His mother''s voice awoke Noah from his deep slumber, and he slowly opened his eyes, and as his gaze was fixed on the ceiling fan, his eyes widened in an instant and he shot up from his bed with a horrified expression on his face!


    "MONSTER!!" He yelled out loud, and almost immediately covered his mouth shut using his hands, afraid of making his mother angry.


    His eyes then wandered all around the room, and with a look of confusion in his eyes, he scratched his head. "Waitˇ­ how did I get home?"


    Strangely, Noah couldn''t remember walking back to his home.


    He then immediately shook his head, and muttered to himself,  "No, no, no... that''s not what''s important right now!" He touched his chest and head, making sure that everything was in its place. "How the hell am I still alive?"


    Noah didn''t remember much from last night, but he did very clearly remember the weird crab-like creature that lunged at his face, and he definitely remembered him falling into the river.


    Noah didn''t know how to swim either. So how on earth did an unconscious boy who had no idea how to swim get out of the freezing cold Ingerham river and walk himself back home?


    "Ahh! My head!" All of a sudden, Noah felt his head hurting, and he clutched his head tightly. The headache was so painful that it almost made him pass out. But after a few seconds, the pain was already long gone.


    "Ah! What was that?" Annoyed, Noah rubbed his forehead and his eyes as he got up and stood in front of the mirror in an attempt to see whether he had an injury on his head.


    "Wait, did I get taller?" As he looked at his reflection, Noah couldn''t help but notice that the clothes he was wearing had gotten shorter and were sticking close to his skin because of how tight they were.


    This was weird because just a day ago, the clothes fit him just fine. In fact, he even remembered them being a bit baggy on him.


    "Don''t tell me that the creature bit me and gave me superpowers or something?" Noah said sarcastically, as if to ease the situation for his own mind. However, now he couldn''t help but think; what if the creature did bite him? What if it''s poisonous? Was he going to die?


    "Noah! You better be getting ready, young man! Don''t make me come up there!"


    Noah wanted to know more, but right now, his curiosity had to wait.


    "Yeah mom, I''ll be there in a second," He said as he looked at his wall clock. He was running late for school.


    --------------------


    "Dear god," Raphael said. He was staring at the dead creature in front of him with awe.


    "I''m not so sure God is who you should be calling for this one, Raph." Alan said as he looked over Raphael''s shoulder at the dead animal, and took a puff from his cigarette. "What do you think it is?"


    "Are you asking me if I can identify the animal?" Raphael turned his head and asked. "Because if so, then I''m afraid I won''t be able to. I have studied countless animals, but I have never seen anything like this before in my life."


    "Are you sure? Because the head looks similar to that of a wolf to me," Alan said as he exhaled out the smoke, causing Sheriff Roman, who was standing next to him, cough repeatedly.


    "Most people would assume that," Raphael said, as he pulled open the dead creature''s mouth. "But check out the teeth and the jaws. It''s completely different to that of wolves. The teeth in the lower jaw fall along the edge or outside the upper jaw when the mouth is closed, which makes the teeth visible. Similar to that of crocodiles."


    "I thought you said were a mammalogist," Alan said with a smile as he bent over next to Raphael, who simply looked at him with annoyed expression.


    "So?" Sheriff Roman said and both Alan and Raphael turned their heads. "What do you guys think?"


    Alan looked at Raphael, and then back to Sheriff Roman and said, "Show us the bodies."


    ----------------


    "Hooˇ­ I can''t believe that I actually reached the school before the bell rang," Noah let out a sigh of relief as he stood in front of the school entrance, and a smile emerged on his face.


    For some reason, he was able to run quickly without getting tired, which made it easier for him to reach the school much earlier than he had hoped for.


    Perhaps he really had gained superpowers? Happy about his recent achievement, Noah entered the classroom, and suddenly.


    "Hey bookworm! Did you do my homework like I told you to?"


    Oh no! The previously happy expression on Noah''s face completely disappeared, replaced by an expression of fear, as his gaze shifted towards the large figure who was standing in front of him.


    Billy Becker. He was known to many as the rising star of the soccer club. However, to Noah, he was his worst nightmare.


    Because this guy was a bully.


    "A-Ah. N-No, Billy. I-I''m extremely sorry, but I..."


    Noah replied, stammering as he spoke, but he was screaming inside.


    Of course I couldn''t do your homework, you dumb f*ck! I was attacked by a motherf*cking crab while I was trying to jump off a bridge!


    "What did you say to me?"


    Noah closed his eyes after hearing his bully''s words, preparing his mind for what comes next.


    Zoom!


    The sound of Billy''s fist moving through the air waz heard, and Noah clenched his fists tightly.


    It wasn''t the first time he had gotten hit, but he certainly hadn''t gotten used to it.


    Here it comes, he reminded himself.


    This is going to hurt like ˇ­


    Pop!


    ˇ­. air?

 Chapter 3 - Touch

    Sheriff Roman whistled at two men and walked up to them, and in a few minutes, they carried a lifeless body toward Raphael and Alan, or at least what was left of it. Raphael knelt down in front of the body, examining it. "Is this the only body that you''ve found?" Alan asked Sheriff Roman as he followed the two men to them.


    "I''m afraid so, Mr. Fischer," he said while nodding his head, and Alan looked at Raphael, who simply shrugged his shoulders. The raindrops began falling from the leaves and onto Raphael''s hat, but he didn''t seem bothered by it. He looked at the body with a frown on his face. The corpse''s face looked like it was torn and ripped away by something very powerful. It had also torn away his eyelids, nose, jaw, lips, and most of his scalp and had also broken nearly all the bones of his facial structure. Whoever, or whatever the attacker was, it''d rendered the victim blind.


    "Do you have a doctor''s report, or something similar to that, Sheriff?" Raphael turned his head and asked.


    "Well, we haven''t the official report yet. But I did send the images to a doctor friend back in Brixley and she sent over a brief report of what she thought. If you want, I can get them for you," he said, and he walked back to his car, grabbed a folder, and handed it over to Raphael, who began carefully reading through it.


    "Tell me Sheriff Roman, did you happen to check any water bodies in the vicinity of this building for the remaining corpses?" Alan stood alongside the distressed Sheriff, who shifted his gaze towards him with confusion in his eyes. "Well, the only water body near this place is Minari lake. But that''s about four and a half miles away from here. Our search team is still in the middle of covering the three mile radius. Do you think we should be looking in the lake?"


    Alan waved his hands dismissively, not giving Sheriff Roman the answer he was looking for, which made him disappointed. But after a few seconds, a frown emerged on his face, and he looked at Alan and asked, "Agent Alan, may I ask what is really going on here?"


    "What are you talking about, Sheriff?" Alan looked at the Sheriff with a confused expression, and the Sheriff explained. "Well, you just mentioned water bodies. But none of the evidence that you two have looked through had a connection to water bodies, as of right now at least."


    "Well, you''re right. We do have more information than you might think." Alan said as he waved his finger in the air. "Although I can''t disclose that information to just anyone."


    "I just want to know what the hell is going on here." Sheriff Roman, who seemed overwhelmed by the incident, let out a sigh. "I just- I feel like I''ve seen too much. And the fact that I still have no clue about what''s really going on scares me. I mean, I don''t know what this facility is for. I don''t know what kind of a monster did these terrible things. And I don''t know why the Federal Investigation Department would feel the need to send their agents out into a remote jungle just four hours after calling. It- It''s just all a bit too much."


    Alan looked at the distressed Sheriff and let out a sigh as well. But before he could reply, Raphael interrupted their conversation. "The doctor''s report says that the wounds are most likely from a chimpanzee, or a similar creature."


    "Oh, does it now?" Alan turned his gaze over to Raphael, and Sheriff Roman tilted his head as well. "What do you think, Raph?"


    Instead of answering immediately, Raphael turned around and examined the body yet again. His left arm had been completely torn off, as if it was pulled with incredible force. Which would imply that it had to have opposable thumbs to grip the hand. So a chimpanzee isn''t necessarily out of the equation. But what intrigued Raphael the most was the wound on the victim''s cheat. He could see depressions of multiple rows of crescent shaped teeth marks on the chest. His chest bones were fractured. Probably because of the bite, Raphael assumed. Raphael also noticed a significant amount of abrasions on the victim''s body.


    "A chimpanzee and a shark," Raphael mumbled to himself under his breath, but Alan, who was able to catch his words, widened his eyes in surprise. "What''s that? A shark?" Sheriff Roman was surprised as well. "What? Did you say a shark did this?"


    "I''m not saying that a shark did all of this," Raphael said with an annoying expression, which caused the two to quiet down. He then mumbled to himself once again, "I''m saying that a shark and a chimpanzee did this together."


    Although extremely rare, Raphael had once seen a shark bite victim several years before and could remember the incident in detail. The injuries that he had seen on the victim then were extremely similar to the ones that the corpse in front of him had on his chest. There was a characteristic look to a shark attack.


    "A shark and a chimpanzee?" Alan said, and Raphael turned his gaze towards him, staring at him with a serious expression.


    Alan, who understood what Raphael''s expression meant, nodded his head and then shifted his gaze onto Sheriff Roman. "Sheriff, how far away are the shores?" Alan snapped his fingers as he spoke, acting worried all of a sudden, and Sherif Roman couldn''t help but wonder why. He asked, "From here?"


    "Yes, from here." Alan nodded his head as he rubbed his hands all over his mouth. "I don''t want an accurate number. I just need an estimate."


    "Well, I''d say the shores are more than fifty miles away. Why? Is there something wrong?" Sheriff Roman asked, but instead of answering his question, Alan turned to Raphael and said, "I''ll call my boss and ask for backup right away."


    ------------ BEAST SOUL ------------


    What the hell?


    Noah stared at the fist being retracted after hitting his stomach with confusion in his eyes. The punch that would''ve usually caused him to fall to his knees didn''t hurt at all?!


    No, he couldn''t even call it a punch. That was more like a flick to him. A simple poke, that''s how it felt!


    Maybe he didn''t put any power into his punch? Noah wondered to himself, although that wouldn''t make any sense. Who the hell would throw a punch and not put any power into it?


    "The hell, b*tchboy? How the hell are you still standing?" It seems that Billy was also surprised by what just happened, which meant that it most certainly wasn''t a mistake on his part.


    And because of Billy yelling every single word as loud as he could, it got everyone''s attention. As their classmates began looking at the two of them in confusion, Noah was still in a state of shock.


    ''Don''t tell me that I seriously became a superhuman or something?'' As he stared at his stomach in wonder, Noah couldn''t help but remember what happened the day before, at the bridge.


    Perhaps the mysterious creature really did something to him!


    "Trying to stand up to me? You bastard! You''re now dead meat!" Angered by the lack of fear on Noah''s face, Billy continued cursing at him and immediately threw another punch at him.


    Noah watched as his fist moved quickly through the air, approaching his chest, and he thought to himself, ''Should I try and catch it?''

 Chapter 4 - Beatdown

    "You can''t beat him hand to hand!" the artificial intelligence inside Ir*n man''s suit, Fr*day, yelled out as he was getting pummeled by C*ptain Am*rica.


    "Analyse his fight patterns," T*ny says in the middle of the fight, and Fr*day runs the test, immediately answering back, "Countermeasures ready!"


    BAM!


    Ir*on man lifts his hand and grabs C*ptain Am*Rica''s shield in an instant, catching him completely off guard, and in that brief moment of silence, exclaims. "Let''s kick his ass!"


    A young Noah could still remember the excitement he felt as he watched the scene play out for the first time on the big screen. He thought that Ir*n man''s dialogue and the build up to it was so on point and cool at the time.


    "Man, I really wish I could do something as cool as that!" He could remember him saying that, but unfortunately for Noah, such a situation would not arrive.


    Young Noah didn''t know at the time, but he would soon realise that real life was extremely different from the blockbuster movies, and such a situation would never be-


    "Ahh! Screw it!"


    BAM!


    Noah stretched out his hand in an instant, grabbing Billy''s fist effortlessly and totally catching the young athlete off guard!


    "Wha-What the hell? He actually caught the punch?" One of the classmates who was secretly observing them was so shocked that he accidentally yelled out, which made everyone else turn their attention towards the two.


    "You little b*tch! Trying to embarrass me? You must have a death wish!" Billy, who was so embarrassed by the situation, tried to threaten Noah angrily, but no matter what he did, he could not pull his fist back from Noah''s tight grip, much to his dismay.


    Noah stared at Billy''s fist for a few seconds in silence, and a wide smile appeared on his face as he whispered under his breath, "Let''s kick his ass!"


    ------------ BEAST SOUL ------------


    BOOM!


    He flung Billy''s hand back and kicked him right in the gut, causing him to fall backwards and onto the row of desks and chairs that were behind him.


    ''Sh*t! I really am a f*cking superhero!'' Amazed by what he has just done, Noah stared at his hands and laughed maniacally, not noticing Billy who rose up from the floor and dashed towards him with hatred in his eyes.


    "You b*tch! I''m going to kill you!" Billy roared loudly as he threw another punch straight at Noah''s face.


    "H-Huh? Oh f*ck!" By the time Noah noticed, it was already too late. The fist was moving so fast that it had already reached its target, striking Noah''s face like a-


    Poke!


    Noah, who had instinctively shut his eyes close, slowly opened it while letting out a sigh. "O-Oh yeah! I forgot, haha! Probably should stop doing that."


    BAM!


    He punched Billy right in the chest, pushing him back yet again, except this time, Noah dashed forward and pressed him down to the floor, preventing him from getting up.


    "Y-You little- What the hell do you think you''re doing?" There was a slight trembling in Billy''s voice as he said that last sentence, which just made Noah snicker in delight.


    "What do you think I''m doing?" Noah said as he pulled back his right hand into the air, winding up for a punch as Billy began to struggle under his grip. "I''m beating the crap out of you, idiot!"


    BAM!


    ------------------


    The Vice Principal''s Office.


    "Do you know what you''ve done, young man?!" Sitting in his leather chair, Vice Principal Henry King began berating Noah, who sat opposite to him.


    After beating up the star of the soccer club, Noah was instantly summoned to the Vice Principal''s office, even though they never called up Billy for beating him up regularly. Not even once.


    Of course, Noah knew the reason why.


    "Oh, he most definitely knew what he was doing, Vice Principal! Look at this kid, he probably wants to shoot up the school or something!" Standing behind Vice Principal King, leaning next to the wall, was soccer coach Donny Goldberg, who was glaring at Noah as if he was his mortal enemy. "He hurt the only chance we had of getting to the National games. I want him out of the school, Vice Principal! I want him expelled!"


    "W-What? Y-You can''t do that!" Noah widened his eyes and yelled out loudly. He was afraid of getting kicked out of school. "I was just defending myself! Your star player has been bullying me for over a year!"


    "Not only are you a delinquent, but you''re also a good liar, huh?!" Coach Donny sneered at him and slammed his hand on the table as he spoke. "Listen here you little twerp. Everyone knows that Billy Becker is a model student who has never even hurt a fly in his life. Even the teachers love him. You think a little twerp like you lying about him bullying you is going to get you out of this situation? Well you''re wrong!"


    "I am not lying!" Noah yelled out in anger. "I''m telling the truth!"


    "See, Vice Principal? He''s still lying. He hasn''t learned a single thing!" Coach Donny said with annoyance evident in his eyes, and Vice Principal King nodded his head. "I agree, coach. However, seeing as the Principal is on leave today, I cannot make any decisions about expulsion. We can continue this conversation once the Principal returns from his leave of absence tomorrow. What do you think?"


    "That''d be fine, Vice Principal!" Coach Donny nodded his head, satisfied by the Vice Principal''s decision, and Noah simply held his head tightly, horrified at what was going to happen to him.


    ''What the hell have I gotten myself into?!''


    -------------------


    After getting berated for a few more minutes, Noah was allowed to return to his classroom, but he couldn''t focus on his studies anymore. Not with the fear of expulsion looming on top of him.


    He immediately returned home after his classes, dashed to his room and locked it from the inside, after which, he laid down on his bed, and let out a sigh.


    ''Will I really get expelled tomorrow?'' Noah wondered. He knew that coach Donny had a big influence on the financial revenue and the reputation of the school. And Noah had just beaten up his star player. If he wanted, coach Donny could definitely get him expelled.


    ''Hah, what the hell?!'' Noah could feel his eyes getting misty, and he couldn''t help but laugh at his pitiful situation. ''Calling myself a superheroˇ­ what a load of crap!''


    He clenched his blanket tightly and rubbed his face in order to remove the tears that were flowing down onto his cheeks.


    ''I just want everything to be over with...'' He whispered weakly as he closed his eyes, wondering if everything will magically return back to normal once he opens his eyes again. Like a dream that never happened.


    ''I just wanted to be happy...'' He mumbled weakly as he slowly drifted into a deep sleep.


    --------------------


    ''Revengeˇ­it''s sweet, isn''t it?''


    "Hah!" Noah jumped up, awoken abruptly by a whisper. He began breathing in and out, as he gripped his forehead, his head hurting yet again for some unknown reason. "Ugh.. What the hell? It''s so painful!"


    He groaned as he rubbed his eyes, but his painful expression soon turned into that of shock and confusion once he realised that he was not inside his room like he had thought he was.


    "H-Huh? Where the hell am I?" Confused and unable to comprehend his situation, Noah looked around, trying to figure out where he was.


    Once he got a good look at the surroundings, Noah realized that he was near Howell street, which was about five and a half miles away from his home. He was sitting in the middle of the road, under a flickering street lamp, next to a bunch of trash cans.


    How the hell did he get here? Noah wanted to know.


    But right then, the pain inside his head began to increase, and he was forced to clutch his head as he groaned once again.


    "Ughˇ­ Why does my hand feel so wet?" As he was tightly gripping his head, Noah realized that his hand felt wet, and he slowly pulled it away from his forehead and brought it close to his face to inspect it.


    "AHHH!" But his expression turned to that of horror when he saw what was on his hand. "B-Blood!"

 Chapter 5 - Fear And Self Loathing

    "B-Blood!" Noah yelled out loudly as he looked at his hand, and we fell back on the ground, on his back with a loud ''thud''.


    But Noah''s eyes still didn''t leave his hand, which was now crimson in colour, as if he had dunked his hand into a bucket of red paint.


    "D-Did I hurt myself?!" Panicking, Noah began to search his body for any large wounds, but found nothing. He wasn''t feeling any pain except on the head, but Noah couldn''t find any wound on his head either.


    Noah let out a sigh of relief once he made sure that he was not injured, but his relief turned into worry as he realised that the situation was even worse now; his hand was covered in blood that was not his.


    Noah didn''t know much about blood, but he did know that the amount of blood that he had on his hand was simply too much to be just a small wound.


    "Don''t tell me-" Noah didn''t want to think of the worst case scenario in such a situation, but his mind couldn''t help itself.


    He couldn''t have killed someone, right? Noah wondered. He knew that he didn''t have the courage to commit such an act, but then again, he did somehow end up in the middle of the street at midnight with no recollection of how he reached there, so he wasn''t so sure anymore.


    God, I hope not. Noah hoped that he did not commit such an unspeakable sin. But with how everything was going downhill for him, he wouldn''t be surprised if he really did end up killing someone in his sleep.


    GRRRR!


    All of a sudden, Noah felt a chill, and he stopped moving. He could feel the presence of something near him, just a couple of metres away.


    He looked to his right, far away to the empty junction, where a single street lamp flickered, and Noah saw a large dog that was standing under the flickering light, its eyes glowing bright red.


    ------------ BEAST SOUL ------------


    "N-Nice doggy.." He stuttered as he slowly stood up from the ground, and began walking backwards, with his gaze still fixed on the large dog.


    BZZZ! BZZZ!


    The street light suddenly stopped flickering, illuminating the large dog''s body clearly for Noah to see, and his eyes widened as he realised that the creature standing a few metres away from him wasn''t a dog!


    Although it had the figure of a large dog, he could see that it had a thick body with a pebbled, grainy skin. Noah didn''t notice it because of the bad lighting before, but the creature had no fur on its body.


    Noah saw the huge head of the creature, with its sharp teeth protruding through its closed mouth. It seemed to stare right at him!


    And then he saw something else: two bat-like wings began protruding outwards from the creature''s shoulders, and as the lights began to flicker yet again, he could see the silhouette of the large black shape that resembled a small dragon.


    ''What the actual f*ck?'' Noah couldn''t believe his eyes! Was he staring at an actual dragon in front of him? Or was he still dreaming?


    Whatever nightmare he was in, Noah knew that he had to do something. He couldn''t just stand here and wait for the dragon to attack him!


    GRAAAAR!


    All of a sudden, the dragon roared, and Noah watched as it''s giant wings began flapping loudly, and the creature shot up into the sky like a rocket!


    "Oh sh*t!" Noah, who took a second to register what just happened, cursed out loud and just turned his head away from the dragon and ran in the opposite direction.


    Whoosh! Whoosh!


    The sound of the giant wings flapping in the air could be heard from behind him, but Noah didn''t have time to care about that. Noah dashed forward in horror as the dragon roared in the air and flew towards him.


    Whoosh!


    Noah moved through the small roads with speed, taking a different direction every few seconds in an attempt to trick the dragon who was following him, but every time he did that, it would only hold the creature back for a couple of milliseconds.


    "Damn it! Damn it!" He cursed loudly as he moved left and right through the short pathway. Just a day ago, he was a depressed and bullied young man who was about to end his life, but just one day later, he was being chased by a dragon after receiving superpowers from a crab!


    ''God, if you really wanted me dead, then you could''ve just let me die on the bridge. Why do I have to die at the hands of a f*cking dragon?'' Unfortunately for Noah, God wasn''t about to answer his question.


    WHAM!


    He turned a corner, and immediately jumped to hide behind one of the parked cars, holding his breath and trying to listen to the sound of the wings flapping. He knew that he couldn''t keep running forever, so decided to hide for now, hoping that the dragon would leave him alone once it lost sight of him.


    BAM!


    As he carefully listened, he heard a crashing sound a few metres away from him. Then silence. Nervous, Noah slightly raised his head and tried looking through the window of the car, but to his surprise, he couldn''t see the dragon.


    ''Did it leave?'' Even though he wasn''t sure he was out of danger, Noah desperately wanted to let out a sigh of relief. However, before he could do anything, a jolting impact rocked the parked car that was right in front of him, crushing the top of the vehicle downwards and causing Noah to flinch and gasp in horror as the dragon landed on the vehicle, it''s emotionless eyes glued to Noah.


    Frightened by the animal''s gaze and fear of dying, Noah began gasping and wheezing for air, as tears began to flow out of his eyes.


    GRRRˇ­


    The terrifying creature moved its head towards the crying Noah menacingly, which only increased his gasps for air. With its jaws open, the animal reached out its long tongue as itˇ­.


    *Slurp*


    ˇ­.. licked him?


    *Slurp* *Slurp*


    "H-Huh?" Noah stared at the dragon, who was licking his face eagerly, with a confused expression. He had thought that the monster was merely playing with its food by licking him first, and was expecting to be eaten by it soon. However, the moment he had been waiting for did not arrive.


    *Slurp* "What the actual fuck?" *Slurp*

 Chapter 6 - Youve Got A Friend In Me

    "Noah, wake up! It''s time to go to school!" The sound of his mother woke Noah up and he raised his head, his drool dripping from the corner of his mouth.


    "Ughˇ­ just let me sleep for a bit more!" Noah, who was still feeling sleepy, rubbed his forehead as he mumbled under his breath, and the voice of his mother only increased in volume. "You better get up fast, young man. Or I''ll come and get you myself!"


    TWIP!


    Noah had gotten up from his bed, clicking his tongue in frustration as he rubbed his eyes. But he had to do what his mother ordered him to do, or else he was going to incur her wrath! And that''s not good considering he''s living under her roof!


    After getting ready in a few minutes, Noah headed off to his school, letting out a yawn as he walked. It seemed as though he hadn''t slept properly.


    "It was this way, right?" All of a sudden, Noah stopped in his tracks and turned to his side. He was standing next to a forested area, and if you looked closely in the direction Noah was staring at, one could see a narrow pathway through the jungle.


    Plop! Plop!


    Noah looked around, making sure that no one was watching him, after which he quickly stepped into the forested area and began walking through the narrow pathway. As many bushes and tree branches were still sticking out and into the pathway, he had to be careful not to get injured.


    The pathway led Noah into a wider area in the middle of the forest, next to a giant sequoia tree, and the ground was completely covered with dead leaves. Noah stepped on the leaves, and they produced a crunching sound.


    GRRR!


    A small growling sound was heard from above the giant sequoia tree, and Noah immediately tilted his head up and stared at the branches, yelling loudly, "You can come down now, it''s just me!"


    BAM!


    Noah saw the silhouette of a large creature with giant wings up above the tree, before it jumped off from the top of the tree branch and landed right in front of him with a loud ''thud'' which shook the earth, knocking Noah flat to the ground.


    "Ouch!" He groaned and scrambled to his feet, and the creature stared curiously at Noah, seemingly perplexed by his reaction before backing away a few feet, allowing him to get back up from the ground.


    "Ow, my back..." Noah said with an annoyed look on his face, and the dragon, as though it had understood that he was annoyed, bent its head over and began licking Noah''s face, as if to calm him down.


    "Ah! Y-Yeah, no, I''m alright bud!" Noah, who was still not entirely comfortable with a giant dragon licking him in the face, backed away a bit, and the dragon continued to stare, but did not pursue him.


    Noah, who felt bad after backing away so abruptly, slowly walked back to the creature, and although a bit reluctant, raised his hand and touched its snout and face, and the dragon closed its eyes and began rubbing its nose on his hand affectionately.


    "H-Ha hahaha, g-good boy..." Noah let out a nervous laughter as he saw the giant creature wagging its tail like a puppy, and couldn''t help but wonder if he was still dreaming. He seemed to be thinking that a lot these days.


    ------------ BEAST SOUL ------------


    Last night, Noah was still in shock when the creature began licking him with its long tongue. At first, he only felt fear. He thought that it was just licking its food before getting ready to eat him. However, that was not the case.


    Minutes passed. However, the dragon only continued licking him, and wagging its tail like it was doing right now. Noah, who was at first perplexed by the bizarre actions of the creature, soon realised that it had no plans of devouring him.


    ''Does this mean that I can leave?'' He wondered if the creature would let him go. However, before he could do anything, the dragon suddenly grabbed him by the collar and spread its wings wide, as if it was about to take off.


    "H-Hey, Hey! W-Wait a minut-" Noah couldn''t even finish his words as the dragon shot up into the night sky, grabbing Noah along with it, who began to scream loudly, frightened by the fact that he was now high up in the air. "AHHHHH!"


    The creature paid no mind to his screams, and they soon landed under the giant sequoia tree that he was currently standing in front of. The dragon let go of Noah, who fell down onto his knees with a loud noise.


    "Wha- W-Where the hell am I..." Confused by where they had landed, Noah looked around and discovered the giant sequoia tree that he was familiar with. "H-Hey, I know that tree. It''s near my house."


    BRRRR!


    The creature made some kind of weird noise, which startled Noah. But when he realised that the creature wasn''t going to do anything with him, he relaxed.


    The creature stared at Noah for a few more seconds before it made that weird noise again, and flew up to the tree branches, much to the surprise of Noah.


    Noah waited under the tree for a few more minutes, unaware whether or not he was allowed to leave. After making sure that the dragon wasn''t coming down anytime soon, he slowly began backing away while keeping his eye on the tree branches, and stepped out of the forest, leaving the creature behind.


    "Why on earth did I come back..." Noah looked at the dragon that was now getting his chin rubbed by him, and couldn''t help but sigh.


    For some reason, he had returned to the spot where the dragon had left him, even though he was running from this terrifying creature just last night.


    "Now that I get a good look at him, he doesn''t look that big for a dragon..." As he was rubbing the creature''s chin, he began studying the dragon. Although the creature was definitely large, it wasn''t even close to the size of the dragons described in fantasy novels. "Perhaps he''s still a young dragon..." Noah surmised. After all, the dragon''s behaviour did remind him of puppies, so that could very well be the case.


    As he was tickling the dragon, he had another question pop up in his head. "It is a ''he''.... right?" Curious, Noah knelt down to look and nodded his head. "Yup, that''s a ''he''."


    After playing with the dragon pup for a few more minutes, Noah decided that it was time to leave for school. Normally, he would''ve been more anxious to get to school in time, but right now, he wasn''t exactly in the mood to get anxious about such trivial things.


    First of all, he was pretty sure that he was about to get expelled, so making sure that he wasn''t late wasn''t exactly his top priority anymore. And second, he had just befriended a dragon after receiving superpowers and abruptly waking up in the middle of the street with his hands covered in blood. Noah definitely had bigger things to worry about.


    "Alright, you dragon-" Noah scratched his head as he realised that he had not yet given his pet dragon a name. He looked at the large creature, who was staring at him curiously, and thought for a few seconds before replying, "....Wolfe! How''s that for a name?"


    RAWR!


    The dragon wagged its tail excitedly, as if it was proud of being named, and Noah nodded his head in satisfaction. "Now, Wolfe! I have to leave for school. So stay here, and don''t make any trouble. Do you understand?"


    Noah couldn''t help but feel like an idiot when he was talking to the dragon. But amazingly, the dragon seemed like it had understood his words and laid down on the ground with a pouting expression, which made Noah feel bad.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll come back in the evening, alright?" Noah said as he rubbed the creature''s snout, making it wag its tail yet again, before he left the forested area and headed for school.


    ---------------


    SLAM!


    Noah opened the door to his classroom, and everyone''s eyes turned to him.


    ''Shit! I guess it is to be expected since I beat Billy''s a**, but still...'' Noah wasn''t enjoying the attention that everyone was giving him, and he instantly walked to his desk and sat down without making eye contact with anyone.


    ''I just hope I don''t get expelled.'' Although Noah was praying for him not to be expelled, he definitely wasn''t confident about it.


    BAM!


    The homeroom teacher entered the classroom, and everyone stood up to pay their respects to her.


    "Good Morning, Ma''am!"


    "Morning, kids.." The teacher nodded her head and responded with a casual greeting, and the students sat down.


    "Kidsˇ­ I have a very unfortunate news today!" The teacher spoke after some time, and the students shifted their gazes at her curiously. Well, all except for Noah, who was getting anxious. ''Is this it?''


    However, what came out of the teacher''s mouth was something that he had not been expecting.. "Kidsˇ­ I am sorry to tell you that both your Vice Principal and your football coach Donny has tragically passed away."

 Chapter 7 - Dead And The Deadly

    "Passed away?" The students looked at the teacher with confusion in their eyes. "Both of them? Together?"


    The teacher nodded her head. "Yes. They both did."


    The students looked at the teacher suspiciously. They didn''t believe her. After all, both the Vice Principal and the football coach weren''t exactly old, nor did they seem unhealthy.


    The teacher paused. She squinted her eyes for a second and let out a sigh. "Alright, I am not supposed to tell you kids these. But I feel like this concerns you as well, so just listen to me. Do you understand?" she said, and the students, now curious as to why the teacher was acting all secretive, nodded their heads. After all, everyone loved secrets.


    "Alright! Now Listen closely," she said, and the students leaned forward, Noah included, as he too was now interested in what was going on.


    "I told you that both the Vice Principal and the football coach died on the same day. But that''s not the complete truth." the homeroom teacher said. "The truth is, they were both killed last night behind the alleyway of a pub!"


    ------------ BEAST SOUL ------------


    KILLED?!


    The entire classroom was dead silent. Most of them, who had a feeling that something fishy was going on by observing the way the homeroom teacher was speaking as well as the bizarre timing of the two deaths, had already guessed that this was the most likely outcome, but they had somehow never believed they would be proven right, and now, were all shocked into silence. After all, they had only heard of murder in movies and in the news.


    And now, to think that two people whom they all knew were murdered! This was obviously a shock.


    But after the initial shock settled down, then came the heavy influx of questions.


    If there was a murder, then there was a murderer!


    So, who on earth killed the Vice Principal and the football coach?


    As most of the students were so preoccupied with making up theories in their heads about the murderer''s identity, no one was able to see the color draining from Noah''s face when the homeroom teacher talked about murder!


    The moment the homeroom teacher said that both the Vice Principal and the football coach were killed, Noah instantly remembered the strange incident last night, when he abruptly woke up in the middle of the street with his hands covered in blood.


    He initially had no idea as to whose blood it was, but now that he heard both the Vice Principal and the football coach - both of whom wanted Noah to be expelled from the school - were murdered last night!


    ''What did I ever do to you, God?'' Noah sighed as he mumbled under his breath. It seemed that he was having the worst week of his life. First, he was attacked by a crab creature and pushed into the river. After somehow surviving being drowned to death, he was then threatened with expulsion. Then, he was attacked by a dragon in the middle of the night, and now, he was most probably going to be the prime suspect for a double homicide!


    ''Well, at least I know that God doesn''t want me dead yet. Because if he did, then I would most likely be dead on the first try.'' Noah sighed. Now, he just had to wait until the cops arrive and start interrogating him. Surely that''s the next step to the lifelong torture plan!


    "Alright kids. Calm down!" The homeroom teacher said as he clapped her hands, and the class''s attention shifted back to the teacher. "I know that you''re all excited thinking about the murder. However, that is not why I informed you of this news."


    She sighed. "My boyfr- Detective Harry Stone from the local precinct informed me that from what their team has figured out so far, they''re positive that the murder wasn''t actually committed by a human, but a wild animal!"


    In an instant, the classroom became noisy.


    "What did she say? A wild animal?"


    "So it''s not a human?"


    "Miss Cooper has a boyfriend?"


    "What kind of a wild animal is it?"


    Questions were posed, and the homeroom teacher did her best to answer the important ones, from the information that she knew. The local authorities believe that the creature is most likely a wild bear and it might be roaming around the streets, which was the main reason as to why the homeroom teacher decided to break the news to the students early, instead waiting for the police to release an official report.


    Noah let out a sigh of relief once he found out that the suspect wasn''t a human being, which meant that this time, he wasn''t caught up in another web of misfortune.


    "Wait a minuteˇ­ an animal?" His happiness was only temporary however, as he remembered the new pet that he had befriended just last night, and he sighed yet again. ''Don''t tell me...''


    When he recalled the happy and cute expression the dragon pup was making, he couldn''t help but doubt the possibility. ''No, he couldn''t have.'' He was certainly friendly to Noah. Wolfe certainly couldn''t have committed such an atrocity.


    ''There must be other creatures like him, roaming around...'' Noah nodded his head as if to make him agree with himself. Perhaps this might''ve been his way to force himself to believe his version of the story. But nevertheless, the thought did bring up a lot of questions in his head.


    Noah recalled his pet dragon, and the crab-like creature that attacked him, and he raised his eyebrows in suspicion.


    ''One strange creature might be just an anomaly, but finding two strange creatures separated by a single day?'' It was most definitely strange. And a highly unlikely scenario. However, it did happen, which meant that either Noah was extremely lucky - or unlucky - to find two such creatures, or there was something going on that he just doesn''t know about.


    ''That must be it! If I saw two, then there must be many more of these creatures hiding somewhere.'' Noah thought. But this did pose another problem; how many of these creatures might be friendly? And how many might be a threat to the lives of normal people?


    And more importantly, what was he going to do about it? Surely, no one was going to believe him, right?


    ''Maybe if I introduce them to Wolfeˇ­'' Noah immediately shook his head. That wouldn''t be such a good idea. A dangerous looking creature in the hands of a young teenager? They''d never let it happen. And who knows what Wolfe would do if anyone other than him tried to get close to him.


    ''Does this mean that I''d have to do something myself?'' Noah sighed. He did want to be a superhero, and he does apparently have superpowers, but now, he wasn''t so sure.


    "Alright students!"


    *Clap!* *Clap!*


    The homeroom teacher''s words interrupted his thoughts. She looked at her students and said, "So be careful while leaving the school, alright? I know that it would probably be best if I had announced it after an official report had come out, but if there really is a wild animal roaming around in the streets, I would want all of you to be knowledgeable about the danger and be careful on your way back home. If possible, walk in pairs."


    "Alright Ma''am!" The students replied.


    After the class was over, the entire classroom started discussing the murders of the Vice Principal and the football coach.


    BAM!


    A hand slammed down on Noah''s table, causing him to flinch in surprise. He immediately looked up and saw Billy, who had one of his hands in a cast and with bruises all over his face, standing in front of him with anger in his eyes. Behind him, stood a large, muscular and well built youth, who was staring down at Noah with a cold gaze.


    "Is this the guy who beat your a**?"

 Chapter 8 - School Rumble

    "Is this the guy who beat your a**?"


    The guy who spoke was almost a foot taller than any of the students and was evidently very strong. He wasn''t exactly handsome, like Billy, but he did have the body of a model. Maybe an athlete, Noah guessed. Since he''s with Billy, perhaps he''s a soccer player?


    And he wasn''t the best dressed of individuals either. He even had his shirt untucked and his tie loose, which was odd, considering the school was extremely strict when it comes to uniforms.


    ''So he''s most definitely an athlete.'' Noah furrowed his eyebrows. Only an athlete would have the courage to walk around the school while wearing his uniform in such an untidy manner.


    "Yeah, that''s him." Billy nodded his head as he pointed at Noah with his good hand, his gaze burning with fury as he stared at him.


    The giant and Noah locked eyes. ''Huh, that''s new.'' Noah was surprised that he was able to keep his head up and not look away. He hadn''t lowered his head when he locked eyes with the giant, which is what usually would''ve ended up happening.


    Perhaps it was because he had bigger things to worry about. Or maybe it has something to do with him being almost invincible.


    Either way, Noah was enjoying this newfound confidence that he was exuding.


    "Oh my god! Is that Adrian Nascimento?!" The students began murmuring to themselves, staring at the tall youth with curious eyes.


    ''Adrian Nascimento?'' Noah, who had overhead some of the students whispering the tall guy''s name, raised his eyebrows. He had never seen this person until today, but he was familiar with that name.


    Adrian was part of the school cycling team, and the reigning champion of the junior cycling tournament that was held last year. But he was famous across the school for a different reason.


    The reason he was so well known in the school was because of his former teammate named Ederson. Ederson, who was also part of the cycling team, had been jealous of Adrian and apparently tried to get him kicked off the team by hiring a group of local thugs and beating him up.


    But what Ederson didn''t know was that Adrian was extremely good at fighting dirty, and a few hours after he extracted the information of their employer from the thugs, Ederson had been admitted to the nearest hospital, unconscious. Both his knees were broken, and his face had been beaten until it was purple and unrecognizable.


    He never returned to the school, and no complaints were filed. That was how everyone, including Noah, came to know of Adrian.


    "Did you seriously get beaten by this little twerp?" After staring at Noah for a few more seconds, Adrian turned his gaze towards Billy and spoke in a rather blunt manner.


    "What? You think my eyes made a mistake or something?" Billy looked irritated. "He''s a lot stronger than he looks. I''d be a lot more careful if I were you."


    "No you wouldn''t," Adrian snorted. "You can never be me."


    "Ahem.." Noah coughed, and the two athletes shifted their gazes at him. "It''s wonderful to meet you, Adrian. But if you really want to fight me, then I suggest you wait until school ends. I do not want to get in trouble like last time."


    "Oho? And you think you have the authority to make the decisions here, little twerp?" Adrian said, smiling.


    "Yup." Noah said quietly, "And I''d think it''ll work out well for you as well. You definitely wouldn''t want your reputation to be ruined after publicly getting your a** beat by a ''little twerp'' like me. So I suggest you back off for now, and we''ll pick this up after school ends."


    ------------ BEAST SOUL ------------


    "...."


    The entire classroom fell completely silent.


    "No f*cking way! Did he seriously just say that?"


    "Holy sh*t! This is totally crazy. What the hell is going on?"


    "And he said that to Adrian, for f*ck''s sake!"


    After the brief silence, the crowd of students exploded into chatter. Everyone was surprised by the words that came out of Noah''s mouth. Even Noah himself was surprised by what he just said.


    ''Did I really just say that?'' He couldn''t believe it, but he had to. Just a few days ago, he was being bullied at school and was on the verge of ending his life. But just a couple of days later, Noah was standing up to someone who was infamous for sending another student to a hospital!


    Noah couldn''t be more proud of himself right now.


    Perhaps the unfortunate events that happened to him weren''t exactly unfortunate at all? Maybe they were blessings in disguise. Who knows? Noah didn''t really care. He felt like he could do anything.


    "Ha ha ha ha.. Congratulations you little twirp." The roaring laughter of Adrian Nascimento silenced the crowd, and as everyone''s eyes were glued to the sinister expression on his face, they couldn''t help but feel a chill run up their spine. Adrian stared down at Noah with a chilling smile and said, "You''ve just made me really angry!"


    Whoosh!


    Adrian''s fist moved. Ferocious acceleration. Tremendous force. Adrian knew how powerful his punches were. He had done this a thousand times. Even the strongest of men were knocked out by a single punch in the forehead. It was the same punch he had thrown when he ambushed Ederson. It had to work.


    BAM!


    Adrian''s fist hit Noah square on the forehead, resulting in a loud noise. A solid punch. Adrian could feel it. Any normal person would be out cold by now.


    However, Noah was anything but normal.


    "What the..." Adrian stared at the little twerp in front of him, standing straight even after receiving his punch. He couldn''t believe what he was seeing. No one could.


    "Not againˇ­" Billy looked horrified as he mumbled to himself.


    ''Woah, that was insanely fast!'' Noah thought to himself. He was planning to try and dodge the attack, but before he could even blink, the fist had already struck his forehead. Perhaps it was because he was just not used to fighting, or maybe it really was a fast punch. He wasn''t sure. But he was glad that he had superpowers. He knew that he would have been knocked out the moment the fist struck him.


    ''Now, I should probably fight back..'' Noah then turned his gaze towards Adrian, who looked like he was in shock.


    Adrian was caught so off guard that he froze for a full second, and Noah used the chance to whip his fist forward.


    BAM!


    Noah''s fist smashed against Adrian''s ribs, and all of a sudden, the world flipped for Adrian. He was flung backwards in the air, before he fell and smashed his head down on the floor.


    ''I did punch him lightly..'' Noah''s lips twitched as he watched Adrian squirm in pain. He didn''t wish to get called into the Principal''s office for another warning, which was why he had put minimum force in his punch, so as to not injure Adrian.


    But it looked like he had to focus more on controlling his strength.

 Chapter 9 - The Dead And The Cowards

    Lewis pulled up in his driveway, and as soon as he opened the door to his apartment, he pushed his chair and leaned back in it. He had been going through tons of paperwork back in the precinct because of the recent disappearance of the townsfolk, including the youngest son of the Mayor, and by the time he had finished all of them, it had already been night-time. So he figured he''d get a bit of shut eye. Except he couldn''t, because right when he was about to sleep, his phone rang and he groaned in annoyance.


    He figured it was one of his superiors asking for the paperwork to be sent in. He had heard that the Mayor has been bugging them about any updates on the case. But it wasn''t. It was detective Harry Stone asking for him to come down to the ''Red Deer'', a local pub near King Street because he had found two dead bodies in the alleyway behind the pub, and he needed some assistance. Apparently, he couldn''t find anyone else.


    With a long sigh, he clicked off, grabbed the keys of his dark blue convertible, and left his apartment for the Red Deer.


    He found the pub in less than thirty minutes. He parked his convertible in the parking lot of the pub and exited the vehicle and headed for the alleyway.


    He could see the silhouette of three men standing in the dark alleyway, one of whom raised his hand up in the air and waved at him, motioning him to come closer. It was, of course, detective Harry Stone. He didn''t know the other two.


    "Detective!" he said, as a greeting, and Harry nodded his head. He then pointed at the two men standing behind him. "These are Major Erwin Hammond and Sergeant Darius Emmanuel. Military Police. Friends of mine. They were hanging out in the pub when they heard the scream of a woman coming from behind the building. Turns out the scream was from a hooker who had gone out through the backdoor of the pub to light a smoke and accidentally came across the bodies. They immediately called me."


    Lewis nodded his head at them, and they waved their hands.


    "I''ve called the department for backup and the medical examiner, but they''ve apparently got problems of their own and it will take some time." Harry said, and Lewis tilted his head. "What problems?"


    Harry pointed at the bodies on the ground and said, "Same as ours."


    "They also found bodies?" Lewis looked surprised. Harry nodded his head. "It''s a busy night, unfortunately..."


    Lewis said nothing. "Let''s look at the bodies." Harry said to him, and he nodded.


    The two bodies were just a few metres away from their location. The two victims were both male. Both their bodies were mangled up and were completely covered in blood. Both of their intestines and their chest were torn open, and the flesh on their faces were torn off as though something had bit through them.


    "Jesus." Lewis whispered.


    "You can say that again." Harry said.


    Lewis knelt down next to the crime scene. He looked at the rib cages of both the victims. They were ripped open, like opening a briefcase. This was most definitely not the work of a human being. "What did this? A tiger?" He looked at Harry and asked.


    "No clue. We''ll know when we get a detailed report." He shrugged his shoulders. "I''m betting that it''s a bear attack."


    "Bears?" Lewis raised his eyebrows. "Are you sure?"


    "Well, we certainly don''t have tigers.." Harry replied.


    "Were you able to identify who these people were, Detective?" Lewis asked, and Harry pulled out two driver''s licenses from his pocket and held it in front of Lewis''s face. "Henry King and Donny Goldberg. One''s the Vice Principal of the New World High School. The other is a soccer coach. Same school."


    "Well, sh*t..." Lewis murmured. He knew that he was about to get a ton of paperwork to do afterwards.


    ------------ BEAST SOUL ------------


    "Uh, you okay man?" Noah stared down at the groaning Adrian and said with a bitter smile. "You aren''t hurt, are you?"


    He didn''t wish to do another visit to the Principal''s office. Noah did want to try fighting Adrian, but he did not wish to risk it for another warning of expulsion. He thought he had punched Adrian lightly, but from the looks of it, the punch wasn''t exactly ''light'' for Adrian.


    "Ugh, what the actual f*ck..." After a few seconds of groaning, Adrian got up from the floor, mumbling to himself.


    "I did warn youˇ­" Billy muttered under his breath, but when his eyes met Adrian''s sharp gaze, he immediately turned his head away.


    "Ughˇ­ oh god..." Adrian stared at Noah as he clenched his chest. He could still feel the pain in his chest. He didn''t want to believe it, but he had to. It was real.


    Was this guy secretly a martial artist or something? Adrian had no clue as to how someone as small and frail looking like him could land such a heavy punch. It didn''t make any sense.


    It wasn''t as if his punch was relying on speed either. In most cases, when a fighter has a comparatively weak build, they''ll most likely try to increase the speed of their punches in order to increase the impact. However, Adrian had gotten a good look at his attack. It certainly didn''t seem like it was that fast. It definitely wasn''t as fast as his punch. Which meant that he was relying purely on physical strength.


    But how can a frail guy like him pull off such a powerful punch? He could understand if he at least had a solid build, but this guy looked like he hadn''t exercised once in his life.


    ''Ugh, nevermind that...'' He said to himself as he bit down the pain he was feeling. ''More importantly, I don''t think I can''t continue fighting.''


    Noah''s attack had left him feeling sick and nauseous. He didn''t show it, but he certainly wasn''t capable of continuing the fight.


    "Look, like I said, I do not wish to fight you while we''re in schoolˇ­" Noah said, and Adrian''s ears twitched. Perhaps he was offering him a way out? As much as Adrian didn''t want to accept Noah''s request, right now, he had no other choice if he wanted to save face.


    "So I''m asking again; how about we continue this after school ends?" Noah asked again, and Adrian''s gaze brightened. Screw it, he thought to himself. He knew that he would only look like an idiot if he stayed and continued fighting. He didn''t care if it looked cowardly. He wanted to leave.


    So he nodded his head. "Fine. We''ll continue after school ends." He then left the classroom, and Billy, who didn''t want to be left alone with Noah, immediately dashed out, following Adrian.


    The entire classroom became silent once again. Everyone''s eyes were on Noah.. And unlike last time, he wasn''t so afraid of their gazes anymore.

 Chapter 10 - Battle Of The Junkyard

    Tphoo!


    Adrian spit into the sink, and blood came out of his mouth. He looked at himself in the mirror of the boy''s restroom. It certainly didn''t look like he was hurt; at least not externally.


    Did he do that on purpose? Adrian wanted to know. After all, Noah was rambling on about not wanting to get in trouble. Perhaps he knew that injuries that are easily visible could definitely send him straight to the Principal''s office, so maybe he purposefully made sure that he didn''t cause any external injuries.


    If that''s really the case, then this kid certainly wasn''t a stranger to fighting.


    "What did I tell you, huh?" Billy said as he lit his cigarette. "I told you, didn''t I? That f*cker is no joke."


    "You can say that again," Adrian replied.


    "So?" Billy puffed on the cigarette. "What''s your plan?"


    "What?" Adrian, who was checking his teeth in the mirror, turned his gaze towards Billy. "What plan? What are you talking about?"


    "What do you think I''m talking about? The plan to take down this f*cker, Adrian. That''s the plan that I''m talking about!" Billy said impatiently. "You just got your a** beat by the little f*cker in less than half a minute. Don''t tell me you''re planning on facing him again without any backup?"


    "Really? Did you see the way he fought? And you thought the issue was you didn''t have enough people?" Adrian snorted, pulled out the cigarette from Billy''s mouth and stubbed it out. "The guy took my punch head-on, Billy. Ain''t no one out there who can take my punch, and yet that guy did. He''s not normal, Billy. Numbers aren''t going to help you win against him."


    Billy looked irritated. "So what the f*ck am I supposed to do? Do you have a better idea? Don''t tell me that you''re going to take him on all on your own, because that''s even worse than my idea!"


    Adrian sighed. "You think adding more people is going to solve the issue? I am planning on fighting him alone, but that''s not because I plan on winning. It''s because that''s what we agreed upon. And I don''t go back on my word. Even if I feel like I would lose."


    "What? So that''s it?" Billy said stiffly, "You''re planning on giving up? Just like that? Because he beat you once?"


    Adrian frowned. He didn''t want to continue this conversation. "It''s not because he beat me, Billy. But it''s because of how he beat me," he said, "Don''t you get it? It was absolute strength. Purely physical. And the guy''s built like a rock. You can''t win against that, so why on earth would you waste energy and time on it? I say we finish what we started, accept the loss and move on!"


    "So what are you saying? Are you asking me to just leave the bastard who broke my arm and move on like it never happened?" Billy gritted his teeth. He didn''t like this. Not one bit.


    "Pretty much, yeah." Adrian nodded his head. He then cleaned his face, and turned to leave. Before leaving, he patted Billy''s shoulder and whispered in his ear. "Leave it alone, Billy. Or you''ll end up regretting it."


    With that, Adrian left the restroom, leaving a frustrated Billy alone.


    ------------ BEAST SOUL ------------


    Four hours had passed since the incident in his classroom. It was already evening and the sun was setting.


    The last bell rang, and Noah left the classroom, mumbling to himself.


    "I''ve got to find Wolfe and figure out if he really was the one responsible for the murders or not..." He murmured under his breath. Of course, if Wolfe really wasn''t the one who committed the murders, then it posed another question; who, or what the hell is responsible for committing these atrocities?


    "Where are you going?" A familiar voice snapped Noah back to reality, and he glanced at the person who spoke. It was Billy, who was standing in front of Noah with a look of anger in his eyes. "Don''t tell me you forgot about the fight?"


    Behind him stood five guys, all of whom were tall, well built and unkempt. They all wore the school basketball club jerseys underneath their school uniforms.


    "Uhˇ­ no, I did not forget." Noah shook his head and lied. He then raised his hands and said, "Lead the way."


    Billy and his gang led Noah to the city junkyard, where he found Adrian waiting for them.


    "What the hell is this, Billy?" Adrian saw the five guys following Billy and said. He sounded angry. "What are you doing?"


    "You know, I thought really hard about what you said," Billy tilted his head as he spoke. "But in the end, I ended up listening to my gut."


    "You''re wasting everyone''s time, Billy." Adrian said, irritated by Billy''s reckless action. "All of this would''ve been over the moment this fight ended. You just had to drag it out."


    "If you''re worrying about wasting time, why don''t you just stop talking and start fighting?" Billy said as he pointed at Noah.


    Adrian shook his head. There was no point in arguing with an arrogant fool. He turned his gaze towards Noah and said, "Are you ready, man?"


    Noah raised both of his hands in response. "I am."


    Adrian nodded his head. "Alright then!"


    Whoosh!


    Adrain exploded forward, swarming through the air at him and within a split second, his fist had once again arrived right in front of Noah''s face. Noah wanted to try dodging it, but it was simply too fast for his poor reflexes.


    BAM!


    His fist crashed onto Noah''s face, and he immediately followed up with another colossal punch into his chest.


    No damage.


    Noah stood in front of him, showing no pain. Those were the hardest punches Adrian had even thrown in his entire life, but it was as though he hadn''t hit him at all.


    Noah then looked at Adrian and smiled.


    Whoosh!


    Noah came straight at Adrian and swung his right arm, aiming for his chest once again. He was quicker than last time, but Adrian was even quicker and was able to dodge the attack.


    Whoosh!


    Adrian tried landing another punch, and his fist struck Noah''s face once again. But just like last time, he showed no concern. Frustrated by the lack of results, Adrian pulled back his fist to try and land another hit, but before he could do that, he felt a hand grab his fist!


    "What the-" Adrian was completely taken aback. Noah had a wide grin on his face. He clutched Adrian''s fist tightly. He had been waiting for such a chance to arrive, and he wasn''t about to let him go so easily.


    Noah knew that he wouldn''t be able to land a strike on Adrian like last time. Last time, he had caught Adrian off guard. But it wouldn''t work twice, and Noah needed to land a hit in order to end the fight.


    Which was why he was waiting for Adrian to land a powerful punch on him. He knew that Adrian would try his best to land the most powerful punch that he could ever throw, and he was going to use it to his advantage. Adrian''s punches were not only extremely powerful, they were also quick, which meant they weren''t exactly easy to grab.


    However, the more he focuses on power, the less quick his punches will be, as it''ll take more time to wind up the punch and pull back. Noah knew that as long as he waited patiently, a chance would arrive. He didn''t expect a chance to come so soon, but he definitely didn''t mind!


    BAM!


    Noah pulled Adrian forward and landed a solid punch in the center of his chest, sending him flying backwards, landing on the ground with a loud noise. The punch itself was a bit weaker than the one he threw earlier in the morning, but it still hurt like hell!


    "Do we attack now?" One of the basketball players, seeing Adrian groaning on the ground in pain, leaned towards Billy and asked, but before Billy could answer his question, they were interrupted by a deafeningly loud howl.


    AWOOOOO!


    The howl was coming from the farthest edge of the junkyard.. However, when they listened carefully, they heard the howling once again, except this time it felt much closer than before.

 Chapter 11 - The Hunt

    Simmons Airport, New World City.


    "Not a large airport, huh..." Alan Fischer looked around as he was standing on the escalator. "That''s a surprise, considering the size of the city."


    "The airport was the first to be built as part of the futuristic remodelling process of the city." Raphael explained. "I''m guessing they never bothered to improve upon it."


    "Huh. Is that so?" Alan yawned. He''d been aboard the airplane for about ten hours, and he was only able to sleep for two hours. Plus he had a mild headache as well.


    They picked up their bags and headed outside, where Lewis was waiting for them, standing next to his convertible car.


    "Gentlemen." Lewis stretched his hand forward, and said. "You must be Special Agent Alan Fischer and Doctor Raphael Hernandez."


    "That''s us. And you must be detective Lewis." Alan pointed at themselves before shaking Lewis'' hand and said, "It''s a pleasure to meet you."


    "It''s a pleasure to meet you two as well." Lewis lied as naturally as he breathed. He was busy all night yesterday and was not able to get a good night''s sleep. And now, he was forced by his superiors to chauffeur around agents from the Federal Investigation Department. So unlike what he said, he certainly wasn''t feeling any pleasure. "So what do you want to do? Do you wish to go to your assigned hotel, or leave straight to the crime scene?" Lewis asked.


    "Well..." Alan turned to look at Raphael, who simply shrugged his shoulders. It would definitely be best if they were to head straight to the location of the murder. However, they had just completed a ten hour flight, and were exhausted. "Let''s head to the hotel first."


    ------------ BEAST SOUL ------------


    "Hey," Billy said, "What the hell was that? A wolf?"


    "How on earth am I supposed to know?" The basketball guy replied as he stared in the direction the noise had come from. He seemed uncomfortable. "Should we leave?" He turned around and asked the rest of his teammates. He was clearly tense.


    Billy looked at him blankly and said, "Hey! What the hell are you talking about? We have a deal, remember? I paid you, and now you''re talking about leaving?"


    "It could be a wolf," the basketball guy said, shrugging his shoulders. "You''ve heard the rumours about the murders, right?"


    Billy''s eyes flicked across the four teammates and came to rest on the main guy. "Are you being serious right now?" Billy gritted his teeth. He looked angry.


    As they were talking, Noah, who had also heard the loud howl, felt a chill.


    He was familiar with this feeling. He felt it before. Back when he abruptly woke up in the middle of the street at night. When he saw Wolfe for the first time.


    Except this was different. It was even more menacing and ominous. And it was moving right toward them.


    "We have to leave," Noah murmured under his breath. He could feel his heart pounding. It felt as though it wanted to burst out from his chest.


    "We have to leave!" He turned to Adrian, who was still lying on the ground, groaning. "Listen to me. We have to leave this place right now!"


    "Leave?" Billy, who heard his words, turned to face Noah. "You think you can just leave? You think I''ll let you leave so easily?"


    "Listen to me, Billy. We don''t have time to argue. We can do this another day. But right now, it''s best if you listen to me!" Noah walked up to Billy and spoke. His tone was urgent. The basketball players who were standing behind Billy looked at each other with an expression of uncertainty.


    "Oh, I don''t think so," Billy said coldly. He looked irritated that Noah wasn''t giving him any face. "I''m not going to let you walk out of here so easily. No one''s leaving this place unless I allow it, and I ain''t allowing it!" He stomped his foot on the ground.


    BAM!


    But before he could continue speaking, Billy heard the ear piercing loud howl once again, except this time, it sounded extremely close!


    And then, he saw it.


    On top of the pile of junks, stood a giant wolf-like creature, with its sharp teeth clearly visible even as its mouth was closed. Although it''s figure resembled that of a wolf, its flattened face reminded him of a crocodile. Except for the fact that it had fur. Its eyes glowed red, and it was looking straight at Billy.


    SHAAAAA!


    The attack came suddenly. The creature howled loudly before it shot forward, and then leapt onto Billy, who screamed at the top of his lungs. "AHHHH!"


    SLAM!


    Noah, who wasn''t able to identify the location of the creature, only saw a shadow descend from above and onto Billy, but it was enough for him to realize what had happened. He yelled out, "RUN!"


    The basketball players, who saw the creature jump onto Billy to attack him, immediately turned back around and ran. Noah then turned to look at Adrian, who had only gotten up from the ground right now. "Ughˇ­ wha- what the hell is that thing?" He clenched his head and pointed at the wolf-like creature that was on top of Billy.


    "We can think about that later. Right now, we have to go. Move!" Noah pushed Adrian, who although not in the best of condition, nodded his head and turned around to leave.


    Before he ran away, Noah turned his head back just for a second and looked at Billy.  He couldn''t get a good look because the creature''s body was blocking his view, but he was able to get a glimpse of Billy lying under the creature''s feet, eyes still open and blood dripping out of his nose and mouth as the creature continued devouring him. Billy''s head tilted, and for a brief second, he made eye contact with Noah. He was looking at him with pleading eyes, as if he was asking for Noah''s help, but Noah looked away, unable to maintain the eye contact, and dashed off.


    "I''m sorry, Billy." He whispered under his breath, but he didn''t stop running. He didn''t have time to contemplate whether or not he made the right decision by not choosing to save Billy. He just dashed as fast as she could, heading toward the exit of the junkyard.


    Whoosh!


    As he moved, he saw the figure of Adrian in front of him. Noah had caught up to him. Noah glanced at Adrian''s face. He seemed pale, and his nose was bleeding. He didn''t look too good.


    "What the hell is that thing?" Adrian, who saw Noah had caught up to him, asked. He pressed his hand against his forehead, squinting his eyes as he looked ahead.


    Noah shrugged his shoulders.  "I have no clue."


    Adrian nodded his head, as if he had already known his answer, and focused on his running. "It didn''t look like a normal animal...." He murmured softly, but Noah heard it. Perhaps it was meant for him to hear?


    "We can think about its origins after we escape from this junkyard in one piece." Noah replied. "Do you know of any safe location where we can hide?"


    "My dad''s old workshop is nearby." Adrian responded. "It''s a small shed, but the door is metal."


    Noah nodded his head. Adrian groaned, and he gripped his head once again.


    "I feel like I''m going to throw up." He said.


    "Me too." Noah whispered softly. He did feel sick, except for an entirely different reason.


    After a few more seconds of running, both of them reached the exit, and Adrian stopped in his tracks and called out to Noah. "Let''s close the gate."


    Noah stopped running and turned around, before running back to help Adrian close the gate to the junkyard.


    It was one of those giant chain link gates. Not exactly hard to break through, especially for a monstrous creature. But it could buy them some time.


    "Alright." Adrian nodded his head after making sure that the gate was locked, after which he turned back around to resume running. "The shed is just a couple of blocks from here. Let''s go." He said to Noah, who nodded his head and followed him.


    Back inside the junkyard, the wolf-like creature, who seemed satisfied with its hunt, raised its head high up in the air and let out another loud howl before yanking another piece of flesh from Billy''s corpse underneath its leg and hungryly devouring it.

 Chapter 12 - Hide And Seek

    They reached Adrian''s dad''s old workshop within two minutes of walking, left alone on the remnants of an old farm. The surrounding land was covered in tall and dry grass, obscuring the entrance of the workshop from view.


    Noah and Adrian walked to the front of the shed, which was just a plain stainless steel door, with a wide horizontal handle.


    Adrian took out a key from his pocket, and then inserted it into the keyhole. After jiggling his hands for a few seconds, the door opened with a loud creak, and the two of them rushed in. Noah turned around and slammed the door shut as Adrian inserted the key again in order to lock the door from the inside.


    Click! Closed!


    The sound of the door lock was heard, and both Noah and Adrian let out a heavy sigh.


    Noah, who had now calmed down, stepped back a few feet and began inspecting the shed. He could see a few car parts and engine pieces lying on a wooden table.


    Adrian walked towards one of the tables, and began rummaging through a large cardboard box that was placed on top of it.


    "Found it!" He smiled as he pulled out a packet of cigarettes from the box. He then flipped open the packet, took out a cigarette, patted his hands over his pockets until he found a pocket lighter and lit it.


    "Hah! Now that''s what I''m talking about!" He seemed relaxed as he took a puff, and then leaned back on one of the wooden chairs. The cigarette seemed to calm his nerves.


    His eyes then met Noah''s, and he stretched out his hand, waving the pack of cigarettes in the air. "You want one?"


    Noah shook his head. "I don''t smoke."


    Adrian snorted in response. "Yeah? Well, maybe you should consider it."


    He placed the packet back into his pocket, and then pulled out the cigarette from his lips and exhaled, as smoke filled the air.


    "That thing that attacked Billyˇ­." Adrian shifted his gaze towards Noah once again. He seemed nervous. "...That didn''t look like a normal animal."


    Noah stayed silent, but nodded his head.


    "What do you think it was, huh?" Adrian asked. Noah shrugged his shoulders. "I don''t know. All I know is that it''s extremely dangerous and we have to be careful."


    "Damn it!" Adrian stomped his foot on the ground. He was frustrated. He knew that he probably shouldn''t be losing his cool so easily, but he couldn''t help it. "Why the hell is this happening to me? What did I ever do to be hunted down by a f*cking monster?"


    "Calm down." Noah said, and Adrian looked at him with anger in his eyes. "Cal- Calm down? Calm down? Did you jus- Man, there''s a f*cking monster chasing after us, and you''re telling me to calm down?"


    "Well unless you don''t want to be eaten by that exact monster, then yes, I suggest you calm the f*ck down!" Noah said and Adrian waved his hands. "Man, f*ck you! How the f*ck are you so calm right now, huh? You didn''t even blink when that f*cking creature attacked Billy. What are you, some cold blooded monster?"


    "Oh, grow the fuck up!" Noah rushed forward and grabbed Adrian by the collar, and pushed him back to the wall, lifting him up in the air as he did so. He was nervous before, but he was especially edgy right now. "You think I''m not f*cking freaking out right now? You think I''m not scared for my life? Well f*ck you. Just because I have a firmer grip on the whole situation doesn''t mean that I ain''t scared, you dumb f*ck!"


    Adrian stared at Noah, who was enraged beyond belief with wide eyes. He was trying to pull away Noah''s hands that were grabbing his collar, but his grip was simply too strong. He didn''t even budge.


    Thud!


    Their fight was interrupted by a loud noise. It sounded like footsteps, followed by a loud howl. Both Noah and Adrian turned silent.


    "Did it find us?" Adrian whispered. Noah turned around to look at the door. "Apparently. Or we''re just incredibly unlucky."


    He crept forward to the metal door and knelt down. He lowered his head to look at the small space between the door and the ground, and saw a large shadow hovering in front of it.


    He turned his head towards Adrian and then pressed his finger to his lips, motioning him to be silent. Adrian nodded his head.


    They paused, listening to what was happening outside of the shed.


    They heard a low hissing sound that almost sounded like something breathing. The shadow that was moving back and forth, now stood still right in front of the door. Noah, who felt that something was about to happen, backed away from the door and stood next to Adrian, who grabbed a large metal pipe that was hanging from the wall and held it up.


    Noah found the silence to be chilling. And thenˇ­


    ''RAWR!''


    THUD! THUD! THUD!


    A terrifying loud sound erupted from behind the metal door, followed by repeated and hard poundings on the door.


    THUD! THUD! THUD!


    Noah and Adrian watched in horror as the metal door that seemed impenetrable was getting dented from the outside. With each impact, the heavy metal wall hinges creaked. The metal door was being bent!


    "What the actual f*ck?" Adrian whispered as he stared at the metallic door being forcibly pushed open, unable to believe his eyes.


    Noah stared at the door for a few seconds before looking around, trying to find a place to evade the monster should it enter the shed.


    BAM!


    The metal door that was being dented suddenly burst open and shot towards Adrian and Noah!


    "Look out!" Noah leapt towards Adrian and pushed him out of the way, and the metal door grazed by Noah''s legs before crashing onto the wall behind them with a loud noise. The two of them had barely managed to avoid death!


    Noah wanted to relax, but he knew that they weren''t out of danger. Not yet. He turned his head to look at the entrance of the shed, and found the large creature standing in front of the doorway licking its bloody face with its long tongue, directly looking at the two of them.


    ------------ BEAST SOUL ------------

 Chapter 13 - RUN

    The call had come in while Harry Stone was sitting at his desk early in the morning, waiting for Lewis to finish up the paperwork so that they could grab breakfast.


    "This is Detective Stone," he said after grabbing the phone.


    "Good Morning, Detective." The voice on the other side said. "This is Paul Allen. Deputy Director of the Special Activities Division, Federal Investigation Department. I''m calling you to talk about the double homicide case you''ve got in New World City."


    Harry was silent for a moment.


    The Federal Investigation Department? Why were they asking about the double homicide case? More importantly, how the hell did they get the information so quickly?


    He had a lot of questions in his mind, but in the end, he simply said, "Yes, sir. What do you wish to know about the case?"


    "No, no, no.. I''ve already read your report. You don''t need to explain anything about the case to me." Paul Allen said.


    "I don''t understand, sir." Harry seemed confused. But Paul Allen would clear up his confusion with a single sentence. "I''m simply calling you to inform you that the Federal Investigation Department will be working alongside you on this case."


    "I''m sorry?" Harry''s eyes widened. He was completely surprised. After all, the double homicide was clearly the work of a wild animal. Why was the Federal Investigation Department getting involved with a homicide case involving wild animals? "May I ask why, sir?"


    "I don''t know, Detective," Paul said. "And even if I did, I couldn''t tell you. Classified information. Only the higher ups have the authority on this one."


    "Higher than the Deputy Director of the Special Activities Division, sir?" Harry asked. Paul Allen nodded from the other side. The friendly tone had disappeared from his voice. "You shouldn''t be asking these questions, Detective. I''m simply a messenger. You''re the receiver. That is all. Two FID Special Agents have already been dispatched to your location and will arrive within a few hours. I''ll have my secretary email you their information in a few minutes. Work together with them, got it?"


    "Yes sir." Detective Harry Stone replied, and the Deputy Director hung up without a goodbye.


    Harry placed the phone back in the holder and looked at Lewis. "Be ready today, Lewis," he said.


    "Why?" Lewis tilted his head, and Harry replied, "Because we are about to have guests."


    -------------------


    Alan stood on the alleyway behind the Red Deer pub with a cigarette in his hand. They had strung the yellow tape across the walls on either side of the alley.


    "Did you say a hooker found the bodies?" He asked Detective Harry Stone, who was standing next to him.


    "A sex worker, yes," the Detective replied. "The Red Deer''s exit opens to the alleyway. The owners of the pub were extremely familiar with her, so they usually let her use the exit to smoke outside. The place is usually empty. Well, until now. She screamed when she discovered the bodies, and my old buddies from the military who were also inside the pub heard the scream and decided to check it out. They called me when they saw the bodies, and that''s that."


    Alan nodded and stepped closer to the bodies. His partner, Doctor Raphael Hernandez, was already on his knees and was in the middle of inspecting the bodies.


    "What do you think?" he asked.


    Doctor Hernandez turned to look at Alan. "It''s not looking good, Alan. We might be in big trouble."


    "That bad?"


    "That bad."


    Alan nodded his head and then pressed the cigarette on his lips.


    "Excuse me," Detective Harry Stone tapped his shoulder, prompting him to turn around. "I''m sorry for eavesdropping, but may I ask what you meant by ''big trouble''? Isn''t this just a bear attack?"


    Alan looked at Raphael, and then back to the Detective and said, "You might want to think about relocating, Detective."


    ------------ BEAST SOUL ------------


    "Ughˇ­ What?" Adrian, who was pushed away by Noah and crashed to the floor, groaned in pain.


    "Shhhˇ­ Shut up." Noah pressed his hand against his mouth, whispering under his breath as he pointed at the creature that was standing in the doorway, and Adrian immediately came to his senses.


    The creatureˇ­ it had found them!


    "Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t.." Adrian cursed, and Noah stretched out his hand to slowly pull him up without taking his eye off the man eating creature that was right in front of them. "What the hell? Why is it just standing there?" Adrian whispered as he stared at the creature with fear.


    "I don''t know," Noah replied, and took a few steps back. Adrian did the same. "Maybe it''s getting ready to attack? Like what a predator does to catch its prey?"


    "What do you think we should do?" Adrian asked. Noah shrugged his shoulders. "I-I don''t know."


    "Sh*t!" Adrian cursed again.


    GRRRRˇ­.


    The creature was tilting its head back and forth looking at Noah and Adrian, and eventually fixed its gaze onto Noah as it hissed at him, revealing its sharp teeth.


    "Oh, you have got to be kidding me." Noah clicked his tongue as he stared back at the terrifying creature with fear. What is it with him and monstrous creatures? Last time, it was Wolfe, and this time it''s a weird wolf-crocodile hybrid animal.


    And thenˇ­.


    GRRAAAAR!


    The wolf-like creature shrieked loudly before it leapt in the direction of Noah with frightening speed, its jaws wide open!


    "Oh f*ck!" Noah yelled as he tried to evade the sudden attack of the creature, but it was simply too fast.


    BAM!


    The creature crashed onto Noah, pushing him back and slammed against the wall, causing a loud noise.


    GRAAAA!


    The creature shrieked once again and lifted its clawed foot to kick Noah, pushing him down to the ground. The creature then jumped onto him and then slammed its heavy foot on Noah''s chest again, preventing him from trying to get up.


    "No, no, no, I don''t want to die!" Noah screamed. The creature snarled in rage and ducked his head with its jaws open, trying to bite Noah''s head.


    Noah raised his hands in a desperate attempt to protect himself, and the creature sank its teeth into his skin.


    "AHHH!" Noah began to scream. He could see the creature''s teeth biting down on his hand, and he instantly felt a searing sharp pain along his arm. However, much to the surprise of the creature, it wasn''t able to tear Noah''s skin no matter how hard it tried.


    SHAAAA!


    The baffled creature let out a loud shriek as it ducked its head down to try again, but before it could do so, a metal pipe struck its head with a loud bang, knocking the creature away as it slammed onto one of the cupboards, causing it to fall on top of it.


    BAM!


    "You okay?" Adrian lowered the metal pipe and immediately stretched out his hand to Noah, who was now free from the creature''s clutches. Although scared, Noah instantly grabbed Adrian''s hand and got up while keeping an eye on the creature.


    "This is our chance! We have to leave!" Noah said as soon as he got up, and Adrian nodded his head.


    Whoosh!


    They both darted out of the shed without wasting a single second.


    AWOOOO!


    They could hear the loud howling sound of the creature from behind them, but they didn''t stop running.


    "Let''s head over there!" Adrian pointed towards an abandoned textile factory a few metres away from them, and Noah nodded his head. There weren''t any other buildings nearby, and they knew that they wouldn''t be able to outrun the creature.. So they had to find someplace to hide.

 Chapter 14 - ATTACK

    Fred Hutchinson jerked the wheel and pulled into the parking lot of the Plummer Mansion. He glanced at the windows of the living room, and found Marcus Plummer sitting in his chair with a glass of whiskey in his hands.


    Fred then nodded his head, turned off the ignition and picked up a black folder from the briefcase next to him and then got out of the car. He headed for the entrance, where two armed men were standing guard. They stopped him in his tracks, and he pulled out an identification card from his jacket. "Can we not do this every single time, guys?" He said as his gaze shifted from one guard to another. Both looked at each other, but didn''t say anything. He sighed.


    I am not getting paid enough for this sh*t, he thought. The guards stepped aside and Fred opened the front door and entered the mansion and walked over to the living room, where Marcus Plummer was waiting.


    "Good evening, Mr. Plummer," he said as he bowed, and Marcus Plummer nodded his head and pointed his hand at the couch opposite to him. Fred sat down on the couch and placed the black folder on the table.


    "Be quick, Fred," Marcus Plummer took a sip from the glass of whiskey as he spoke. "We''re going to have a lot of problems if this information gets out to the public, so we have to be prepared."


    "Right! Of course, of course." Fred nodded his head. He then opened the folder and took out a few documents and placed it on the table. Marcus leaned forward and grabbed the documents, pulling it closer to his face in order to read.


    "Those are the ownership details of our Ironhead facility back in Rondur Rainforest." Fred explained, and Marcus nodded. "We''re currently in the middle of clearing all the details related to our company. It''ll take a few more hours but-"


    "Do it faster," Marcus placed the whiskey glass on the table and shifted his gaze towards Fred, who lowered his head in order to avoid making eye contact with him. "Ah, yes of course, sir. It''ll be done before midnight."


    Marcus then got up from his chair and walked to the cupboard where he kept a bottle of whiskey, and brought it back to his table. He then grabbed the glass, brought it close to the bottle and poured the whiskey until the glass was filled to the brim. He stared at the glass with an indifferent expression as he said, "You know Fred, the only reason I bought that sample from the International Space Department was because I was curious. Curious as to what life forms that existed beyond earth were capable of. But if anyone thinks that I''m going to let a simple case of curiosity ruin my empire..."


    Clank!


    He swatted the glass with his hand, and it tipped over the table and fell down, breaking into pieces as the whiskey spilled all over the floor. "Then they''re dead wrong."


    Fred didn''t reply. He simply sat there silently.


    "How''s the Federal Investigation Department doing?" Marcus sat down on his chair and asked.


    "They''re cooperating well." Fred replied. Marcus nodded his head. "They better be. I do not like to waste my money."


    He leaned back on his chair. "Make sure they contain the problem while keeping a low profile. I want you to make sure that they understand what our top priority is."


    "Yes sir." Fred nodded his head. He knew the day just got a hell of a lot longer for him.


    ------------ BEAST SOUL ------------


    AWOOOO!


    Noah and Adrian heard the howl once again, except this time, it sounded way closer than before.


    Noah turned his head as he ran. Far away, he could see the creature moving in their direction. It had found them once again.


    "Get in the building, fast!" Noah yelled. They were heading towards the door that was the entrance of the factory.


    Click!


    Hurriedly, they reached the door, and twisted the knob, opening it. They immediately rushed inside and slammed the door shut. Before the door closed, Noah saw the creature rush towards them with frightening speed, snarling loudly as it stared at his face, which sent a chill up his spine.


    BAM!


    As soon as the door closed shut, a loud thud was heard and the door shook rapidly. The creature was pounding on the door with its sharp clawed foot.


    The door won''t hold it back for too long, Noah thought to himself. He turned his head and looked around until he found a staircase that led up. He pointed to it and said, "There! We''ll use the staircase! Let''s go!"


    Whoosh!


    They both sprinted towards the staircase, and as they climbed it, they could hear the sound of the door being forcibly pushed open before a loud howl echoed throughout the building.


    "Run, run!" Noah screamed as they both leapt from the staircase and onto the second floor, and darted through the hallway of the factory building.


    GRRR!


    A terrifying roar, followed by a loud thumping on the stairs, forced Noah to turn around as he was running and found the creature right behind them, snarling as it shot towards both Noah and Adrian with frightening speed. It had already caught up to them!


    "Sh*t! Sh*t! Sh*t!" Adrian cursed as he ran, but the animal was simply too fast and it jumped onto his back, making him crash to the ground with a loud noise.


    "Adrian!" Noah, who realised that Adrian was pushed down by the creature, stopped running and turned back.


    "F*ck! Help me!" Adrian screamed as he tried desperately kicking his foot at the creature, but it simply snarled and then slammed its heavy claw footed leg right on his face with a tremendous force. The back of his head struck the floor and he felt the taste of blood in his mouth.


    GRRR!


    The creature roared and then ducked its head down to bite him, but Noah dashed straight at the creature and swung his fist right at the creature''s head with everything he had.


    BAM!


    It was a perfect blow, knocking the creature away, causing it to slam onto the wall behind it as it shrieked loudly, the sound echoing in the hallway.


    "Adrian! You okay?" Noah rushed to Adrian''s side and tried to pull him up, and he started to cough up blood.


    "Dang.. Damn it!" Adrian mumbled as he covered his mouth with his hands. He was frustrated and scared. He was too injured. He knew that Noah would have a better chance of surviving if he just left Adrian there. But he was too afraid to say it. He didn''t want to die.


    "Pull yourself together! We can get through this!" Noah said as he pulled Adrian''s arm over his shoulder and began retreating, with his eyes still on the creature. He saw that the creature had fallen on its side and was panting and snarling, trying to get up from the floor.


    Damn it! Noah gritted his teeth. They needed to get out there right now! He dragged the injured Adrian with him as he sprinted with all his might.


    GRRRRA!


    The creature, which had finally gotten up, roared loudly and moved towards Noah and Adrian with frightening speed.


    "Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t!" Noah cursed out loud when he saw that the creature was getting closer and closer.


    Was this the end? Were they about to die here? After all that, were they just going to get killed? As the figure of the monstrous creature approached them with incredible speed, Noah felt a chill run up his spine. The same feeling he had when he heard the loud howl for the first time.


    GRRRAR!


    All of a sudden, Noah heard a terrifying roar, followed by a loud flapping sound, and his gaze shifted towards the window, to the outside, where he saw an enormous dark shape gliding towards them with incredible speed.


    "Get down!" Noah shouted, and grabbed Adrian and ducked down, as the dark shadow swooped down and burst through the wall right as the wolf-like creature was passing by it, collapsing into it with a loud noise!

 Chapter 15 - A Deadly Match

    BOOM!


    Noah and Adrian watched as the wolf-like creature was knocked sideways through the air by the enormous dark shape that charged at the wall at full speed, crashing through the glass windows and the walls.


    The wolf-like creature let out a soft high-pitched squeak as it was flung away. The tremendous force that came with the attack forced the creature to slam against the wall on the opposite side, easily crashing through it before landing on another room with a loud noise.


    GRRRAR!


    "W-Whaˇ­ A dragon?" Adrian held his head and stared at the creature that had crashed into the building with fear and awe. Noah turned his head to look at the creature, and he saw its large head emerge from the back of the destroyed wall. It turned to look at Noah and then moved its gaze towards Adrian, who flinched as he met its gaze. It stepped forward, and its full body came into view. The creature raised its head, lifting its jaw and growled, and Adrian stared at it with fright.


    "Adrian, it''s alright," Noah patted him on the shoulder and whispered. "It saved us. It''s not our enemy."


    Adrian looked at Noah with confusion in his eyes. Clearly, he did not believe him.


    The dragon stared at the room the wolf-like creature was thrown into. It''s nostrils moved, as if it was smelling and it made a series of soft grunts, but it didn''t move. It seemed hesitant, waiting.


    ''Is he waiting for the creature to get back up?'' Noah thought.


    "N- Noah," Adrian turned to look at Noah and said. "This is our chance. We should probably get going before the creature gets up and a fight ensues."


    Noah nodded his head, but he didn''t turn his head away from the dragon. He said nothing. His face was blank, as if he was having difficulty processing such information. Finally, after a brief period of silence, Noah glanced at Adrian and said, "All right. Let''s leave."


    Adrian nodded, and Noah pulled him up and dragged him out of the hallway and towards the staircase on the other side.


    Before stepping down onto the stairs, Noah tilted his head and took a peek at the dragon. It was still not moving, and was simply waiting. Just then, it turned its head towards Noah and they both made eye contact. Noah nodded his head at the dragon, and it let out a strange noise using its nostrils.


    He then turned back and dragged Adrian down the stairs, and their figures disappeared from the hallway.


    ------------ BEAST SOUL ------------


    GRRRRA!


    A moment later, a loud and terrifying roar emerged from the other room, and the dragon immediately turned its head around, opened its jaws, and roared back in response.


    CLICK! CLICK!


    The wolf-like creature emerged from the darkness, hissing at the dragon, which roared loudly. The creature began moving slowly in a slow semicircle, its eyes fixated on the dragon, which just simply stood still.


    ZOOM!


    All of a sudden, the creature charged forward. It moved incredibly fast, shrieking loudly as it leapt into the air, aiming for the back of the dragon.


    It was fast. But the dragon was faster.


    SWOOSH!


    The dragon spun sideways in an instant and swung its tail straight at the creature.


    BAM!


    The tail struck the creature and knocked it back, landing a powerful blow on it as the creature was sent flying backwards, bursting through the walls yet again and crashing onto the floor.


    RRRRRAR!


    It immediately sprung back up right after it crashed onto the floor, hissing at the dragon in fury. The dragon roared again, and this time, it sprinted forward.


    Swoosh!


    The dragon swung its tail as it approached the creature, but right before the attack could land, the creature leapt up into the air and landed on top of the dragon.


    AWOOOO!


    The wolf-like creature howled loudly and immediately bit onto the dragon''s body, which made it shriek in pain. The dragon, now realizing that the creature was on top of it, immediately rushed back and slammed itself onto the wall behind it.


    BAM!


    The two creatures burst through the wall and crashed to the floor. The wolf-like creature was flung off from the top of the dragon and snarled in fury. But before it could get up from the floor, the dragon, which had recovered from the crash with an incredible speed, rushed forward and bit its neck as the creature howled in pain.


    Flap!


    The dragon stretched its enormous leathery wings and flapped it once, causing a burst of air as it floated up into the air, grabbing the wolf-like creature with it.


    The dragon flapped its wings again, this time repeatedly, and it shot upwards like a rocket, bursting through the roof of the factory building as if it was made out of paper.


    The wolf-like creature snarled angrily as it tried to squirm out of the dragon''s tight mouth, and as if it was finally granting the creature''s request, the dragon loosened its grip, causing the creature to fall out of its mouth.


    GRRRRRAR!


    The creature roared with fury at the dragon as it fell to its death, and the dragon replied with an equally terrifying roar before flapping its wings and flying away.


    ------------------


    Hershey''s Street.


    "Keep moving! You can do it!" Noah said as he dragged Adrian with him.


    "Aaargh..." Adrian screamed loudly as he tried his best to keep up with Noah''s pace. Because of his injuries, he was a bit slow. But he was persistent.


    They were walking for about five minutes. Now that they were in a much more populated part of the city, Noah could feel a bit more safe. They weren''t alone anymore.


    "Hey, are you alright, kid?" Hearing a concerned voice, Noah turned around and found a man dressed in a suit and wearing a fedora staring at the both of them.


    "Sh*t! What the hell, you''re badly injured..." Lewis was on the way to pick up coffee for Detective Harry Stone when he noticed two boys walking together with one hand over the shoulder of the other. He then noticed that one of the kids was limping, which made him suspicious. That was why he had approached them.


    But to think it was this bad.


    "Help!" Noah screamed at him. "He needs to get to a hospital!"


    "All right! Alright!" He immediately rushed to grab Adrian from the other side. "That''s my car over there! We can take him to the Hemingway Memorial Hospital. It''s much closer. We''ll get there in a jiffy."


    Noah nodded his head and the two helped Adrian get into the convertible car. Lewis then turned to Noah and showed him his badge. "By the way, I''m Detective Lewis Fitzgerald. I thought you might want to know since you''re getting into my car."


    "I''m Noah." Noah replied as he got into the back seat and then pointed at Adrian. "That''s Adrian." "Urgh..." Adrian groaned.


    Lewis nodded his head, signalling the end of the quick introduction, and instantly started the car and drove off.

 Chapter 16 - The Talk

    "Sorry, Special Agent Fischer," Detective Harry Stone said as he sat opposite Alan. "I don''t know what the hell is taking Lewis so long. Usually, it takes him about four or five minutes to grab the coffee and come back. I tried calling him but he''s not answering."


    "No, no, it''s all right," Alan shook his head as he spoke. "And you can just call me Alan, Detective."


    "Oh, okay then," Detective Stone said. "Then you can just call me Harry, Alan."


    "Good to know," Alan nodded his head with a smile. Harry smiled back. He then looked to the sides before he leaned forward and whispered, "Uh... so, Alan. You said that it''s probably best for me to relocate. What did you mean by that?"


    "It''s exactly as it sounds, Harry," Alan replied. He was going through the pile of documents on his table, which had all the information that the local precinct had collected regarding the double homicide. "Some powerful people tried to play God. It failed. And now, things have spiralled out of control. Soon, the Federal Investigation Department will send their special forces division to keep the entire city in quarantine. So yeah, when I said you''d better find a new place to relocate, I meant exactly that."


    "Uh, I''m sorry, Alan. I didn''t understand most of what you just said," Harry scratched his chin. "That''s alright," Alan nodded his head, his gaze still fixated on the documents in his hands. "Neither does the FID. They never do, until it''s way too late."


    "Sounds like you don''t really like where you work," Harry asked, curious about Alan openly hating his department. Alan shrugged his shoulders. "I don''t like the higher ups. Most of them really like the smell of money, so they make some really poor decisions. Of course, it''s normal people like us who suffer because of it."


    He then placed the documents back on the table and turned to look at Harry. "Harry, are you sure that these four are the only bodies you''ve found?"


    Other than the bodies found in the alleyway right behind the Red Deer pub, the police department had also found two other bodies in the backyard of an apartment complex on the same day, separated only by just a few hours. Apparently, one of the tenants heard some noise coming from the backyard and went to look, only to find two bodies lying in a pool of blood.


    "The ones that I found and the ones that Jeffrey and his team found on the other side of town are all that we know of. Murder is pretty rare here. Why?" Harry asked. Alan leaned back on his chair and began mumbling to himself. "Only four? Is it really just a late bloomer...."


    He then turned to Harry again. "Were there any missing cases just prior to these cases?"


    "There were a few missing cases just two weeks prior. Do you think there''s a connection?" Harry asked. "But weren''t these just bear attacks?"


    Alan was about to speak when Harry''s phone began to ring. He picked it up and said, "Hello?"


    Alan watched Harry''s facial expressions, which changed from bored to surprised to anxious in less than ten seconds. After finishing up his call, he placed the phone down and said to Alan, "One of our officers called. He said he found a few boys screaming about an animal attack or something. Apparently, there''s a body. We don''t know yet, but I''m about to leave to find out. Want to come?"


    "Yeah," Alan nodded his head. He turned around to look at Raphael, who was going through a pile of medical records and asked, "You want to come, Raph?"


    Raphael shook his head, "You can leave. I''ll be here."


    "Alright then," Alan turned back and walked towards Harry who looked at Raphael and asked, "Isn''t he a doctor? Isn''t he supposed to examine the bodies?"


    "He''s not that kind of doctor," Alan shook his head. "He tags along sometimes, but he usually stays inside."


    The two left the precinct and headed towards Harry''s car, which was located across the street.


    "Sh*t," Harry cursed as he looked at his phone. "Lewis still isn''t answering."


    "Maybe he got caught up in something," Alan said. Harry shrugged his shoulders and they both entered the black sedan.


    ------------ BEAST SOUL ------------


    Hemingway Memorial Hospital.


    "How''s he doing?" Noah turned to Lewis, who had just finished talking to the doctor and was walking towards him. "Is he going to be alright?"


    "Don''t worry about it, kid." Lewis said. He then leaned next to the vending machine, and inserted a coin into the slot. "The doctors say that he''s doing fine now. It''s not as bad as you think."


    Noah nodded his head, relieved. Lewis glanced at his face for a split second before crouching down next to the vending machine and pressing the button for a can of cold coffee.


    Click!


    The can dropped down to the empty space below, and Lewis grabbed it and held it up to Noah. "Here you go. Drink this," He said. "You''ll feel calm. And you look like you need a drink."


    Noah stared at the can of coffee for a few seconds before nodding his head and grabbing it. He opened the can and took a sip of the coffee. And then another sip. And then another one. And another.


    Slurp!


    Within seconds, he had finished the whole can of coffee. Lewis stared at him with shock. Noah did feel really thirsty. As if he hadn''t drank anything in a while. Even after finishing the whole can, he still felt that it wasn''t enough. However, he couldn''t ask Lewis for any more help.


    "Thanks for the coffee." Noah said as he threw the can in the recycle bin.


    "Uh, yeahˇ­ sure." Lewis nodded his head. He had done that for the purpose of calming Noah down so that he could question him about Adrian''s injuries. But he didn''t expect Noah to simply chug the whole can in one go.


    "So about those injuries..." Lewis looked at Noah. "You want to tell me what happened?"


    "Ah, right. Of course," Noah nodded his head. He seemed nervous. "Adrian and I were hanging out in the junkyard along with a few of my classmates..." Noah said, leaving out the part about the fight. "And all of a sudden, we heard a loud howl."


    "A howl?" Lewis raised his eyebrows and Noah nodded. "Like that of a wolf. Except it wasn''t a wolf. At least I don''t think it is."


    "What was it?" Lewis asked. Noah shook his head. "I really don''t know. I''ve never seen such a creature before. It looked like a crocodile, but it moved quickly, like a wolf. I-I really have no idea what that thing was."


    "But that''s what attacked your friend?" Lewis looked at him. Noah nodded. "It got Billy.."


    "Billy? Is he one of your classmates?" Lewis asked, but before Noah could answer, their conversation was interrupted by the loud ringing of Lewis'' phone.


    Lewis pulled it out of his pocket. The name on the screen said; Detective Stone.


    "Detective," Lewis answered the call.


    "What the hell Lewis?" Harry screamed into his phone as he drove his car. "I''ve been calling you for god knows how long. Why the hell did it take you so much time to answer?"


    "Apologies Detective Stone." Lewis glanced at Noah and said. "I was a bit busy. What''s the matter?"


    "Get your a** down to the junkyard fast," Harry said. "Some kids said they were attacked by some wild animal. And there''s a body. Apparently."


    "Junkyard?" Lewis exclaimed as he looked at Noah. "Billy..." Noah whispered under his breath.


    "Got it. I''ll be there in a few minutes," Lewis replied and hung up the phone. He then looked at Noah and said, "Hey kid, give me your full name and address before I leave. I''ll contact you if there''s anything I need to know."


    "Uh, sure." Noah grabbed a newspaper that was lying on the table, tore a piece and wrote down his name and address on the paper, along with his home telephone number and handed it over to Lewis. "Thanks. You can get back on your own, right kid?" He asked, and Noah nodded his head. "Uh, yeah. No, I can."


    "Good, good..." Lewis murmured as he jogged towards the elevator. "Get going before it gets dark, kid. You wouldn''t want to make your parents worry, do you?"


    "I will..." Noah nodded his head, and Lewis entered the elevator, waving his hands as it closed, leaving Noah alone in the hospital.


    Was this really alright? Noah thought to himself. He didn''t reveal everything to Lewis. Should he have? He didn''t know.


    ''I''ve got to thank Wolfe for his help,'' Noah said to himself as he thought about what happened at the factory. The dragon that helped them escape was, of course, Wolfe.


    ''It seemed like he had grown a bit more,'' Noah thought. The dragon did look a bit larger than he remembered. But more importantlyˇ­


    ''Did he win against the other creature?'' Noah was curious about the result of the fight. As they had left early, he didn''t know what the outcome was. But seeing Wolfe fling the other creature up in the air as if it was nothing, he had a feeling that the dragon won.


    ''I''ve got to meet up with him.'' Noah said to himself. For some reason, he felt connected to the dragon, even though it hasn''t been that long since he met Wolfe. It was strange, but Noah didn''t mind. He also has to figure out whether or not Wolfe was the one responsible for killing the Vice Principal and the soccer coach.


    ''It could''ve been the wolf-like creature,'' Noah nodded his head. Now that there were more than one creature roaming around the city, he wasn''t so sure if it really was Wolfe.


    ''But for now,'' He looked at his watch, and mumbled under his breath.. ''I''ve got to get home.''

 Chapter 17 - The Turning

    Lewis pulled up to the junkyard and a few metres away from where he parked, he could see the flashing red and blue lights of the cop cars, and among those was a black sedan, which was that of Detective Harry Stone.


    He looked at the sky. It was getting dark. Lewis sighed. He knew that it was going to be another sleepless night for him today. He got out and headed over.


    Yellow crime scene tape was strung across the entrance of the junkyard and were surrounded by multiple uniformed police officers.


    As Lewis approached, he could see Detective Harry and Special Agent Alan Fischer having a conversation inside of the junkyard, and he waved his hands at them.


    "Detective," Lewis said. Detective Harry Stone, who heard him, turned around and found Lewis, who was walking towards the entrance of the junkyard and waved his hand at him. "Get the f*ck over here Lewis!" Harry yelled at him with annoyance, waving his hand at him.


    One of the police officers pulled up the yellow tape for Lewis to pass through and he quickly slipped under it, giving the officer a nod before he continued walking.


    "Took you a while," Harry said as Lewis approached him. "What the f*ck were you doing? You better have a good enough reason for not answering my calls."


    "Well, fortunately, I do have a good enough reason." Lewis said with a smile. "In fact, it''s actually related to this case as well."


    "Oh really?" This time, it was Alan who spoke. He looked at Lewis with intrigue. "May I ask what you''ve discovered?"


    "Oh! Uh, sure." Lewis adjusted his fedora a bit. "Well, it''s not really a discovery or anything. But when I was going to get your coffee, I found two young boys who were walking on the sidewalk of the street, and one of them looked really injured. So I drove them to the hospital."


    "Oh wow," Harry''s eyes widened. "I''m surprised. You really do have a good enough reason."


    "And?" Alan asked, his attention still on Lewis. "How does this have to do with the current case?"


    "Well, you seeˇ­" Lewis cleared his throat. "The two boys said that they had been attacked by an unknown wild animal. They said that it didn''t look like anything they''ve seen or heard of."


    "Were they present in the junkyard as well?" Detective Stone interjected. Lewis nodded his head. "Uh huh. They definitely were. The injured kid''s condition seems stable, but his wounds definitely were made by a wild animal."


    "Well, I guess we can just inspect the injured kid''s wounds..." Alan turned to Detective Harry, who nodded his head.


    "What are you two talking about?" Lewis seemed confused. "What''s going on?"


    "Well, you see, Lewisˇ­" Detective Harry Stone scratched his chin as he spoke. "We didn''t find the body."


    ------------ BEAST SOUL ------------


    Thud!


    "W-Wha-ˇ­ huh?" Noah was woken up by a loud noise, and to his surprise, he found himself lying under the sequoia tree.


    "What the hell? Again?" Noah leapt up from the ground in an instant and inspected his surroundings.


    How the hell did he end up here? Noah thought. He remembered reaching his home late, getting scolded by his mother, and going to sleep just as his body hit the mattress.


    So why was he waking up in random places in the middle of the night?


    ''Wait! Last time this happened, I had blood all over my hands!'' Noah''s eyes widened, and he quickly shifted his gaze down.


    ''Oh thank god!'' He breathed a sigh of relief when he found that his hand was perfectly fine. He definitely didn''t want to experience that horrible feeling ever again.


    BRRR!


    A strange noise alerted Noah, who tilted his head up and stared at the branches of the sequoia tree and saw two shining eyes looking down at him from above.


    BAM!


    The creature leapt from the tree and landed right in front of Noah with a loud noise, which shook the ground so much that Noah lost his balance and fell down.


    GRRR!


    The creature growled as it lowered its head and lightly touched the frightened Noah, and he saw that it was the dragon, Wolfe.


    "Oh, it''s you Wolfeˇ­" Noah sighed, relieved by the fact that it wasn''t a dangerous beast. He lightly patted the dragon''s snout, and it tapped its feet on the ground rhythmically.


    "What happened to the other beast, Wolfe?" Noah said as he scratched the large creature''s chin, which forced the dragon to tilt his head upwards.


    GRRRR!


    The creature growled loudly in response to Noah''s question, and he nodded his head.


    "I guess you killed it, huh.." He murmured under his breath, as he continued tickling the large beast. "Good boyˇ­"


    The large dragon rolled over on the ground, making the earth shake, and showed off its belly.


    "What are you, a dog?" Noah chuckled as he stretched his hand over the large beast''s body and began rubbing its tummy, and the animal began making strange noises.


    "...Did you kill my teachers, Wolfe?" Noah asked as he was tickling the large dragon''s belly, and all of a sudden, it flipped over, pushing Noah back a few metres.


    "Ouch..." Noah, who was caught off guard by the dragon''s sudden push, lost his balance and fell down on the ground. Confused, he then tilted his head upwards, and saw the dragon looking to its left, it''s eyes cold and emotionless, which sent a chill up his spine.


    "What''s the matter, Wolfe?" Noah, who was frightened by the sudden change in behaviour of the dragon, tried to get closer to it, when all of a sudden, he heard a soft shriek echo in his ears.


    "What the hell was that?" Noah seemed confused. The sound wasn''t exactly loud. It was barely audible, but nevertheless, Noah''s ears picked it up. Noah turned his gaze towards the large dragon, and it seemed to be staring in the direction that the noise came from.


    GRRRR!


    The dragon growled, and Noah gulped down the saliva that was in his mouth. "W-What do you mean hunt..."


    Thud!


    All of a sudden, Noah felt a little lightheaded, and his knees felt weak, causing him to fall down to the ground onto his knees.


    "What is- What''s happeningˇ­." Noah clenched his chest tightly as he felt his vision weakening. His breathing began to get more erratic, and he was wheezing.


    "I have to- I have to find help..." With his last bit of energy remaining, he tried to call for help, but to his horror, found out that he could even scream. His voice was nothing but a whisper.


    Feeling tired and defeated, Noah looked at his hands, and the last thing he saw as he fainted was his hands transforming into somethingˇ­ beastly.

 Chapter 18 - Hungry

    Richard Edgerton checked his watch as the flight touched down at New World City ten minutes early. At five foot eleven, he was a pretty muscular man. One look at him, and anyone could tell that he worked out regularly.


    Dressed in a black suit, he definitely stood out in the airplane. However, he didn''t seem to mind the attention he was getting.


    ''What to eat today?'' He thought to himself as he got off the airplane. Baggage was on the carousel quickly enough, and soon he exited the airport, caught a cab and got in.


    "May I ask where to, sir?" the cab driver turned around and asked with a smile.


    "What''s the best restaurant in the city? You see, I''m not from around here and I thought I''d try out the cuisine first." Richard smiled back politely. "Do you know any good places?"


    "Oh dear. That''s a tough one." The cab driver tapped his chin and thought to himself. After a few seconds of awkward silence, the cab driver replied, "I have never been there, but I have heard a lot about this new restaurant that''s opened up downtown named ''The Pearlfisher''. Apparently, they serve the best seafood in the city."


    "Alright then." Roger nodded his head. "The Pearlfisher it is."


    Half an hour''s drive later, Roger was staring outside through the window, looking at the beautiful palm trees that were on either side of the road. His eyes then moved to the front, and he could see the two story building with the name ''The Pearlfisher'' written on top of it.


    "Wow," Roger murmured to himself. "I can already smell the food. I can already feel that this is going to be the perfect meal to start my day."


    ------------ BEAST SOUL ------------


    "Hello? Hello? Can you hear me?" Alan Fischer was talking loudly into his phone, as Lewis was staring at Harry with surprise in his eyes.


    "What the hell do you mean the body is gone, Harry?" Lewis asked, looking confused and Harry sighed.


    "It means exactly what you think it means, Lewis," Harry shrugged his shoulders. "It''s not that complicated."


    "Are you sure? Because it definitely sounds like we''re caught in a complicated situation," Lewis retorted and Harry pressed his palm against his face, letting out another sigh. "Look, what the hell were we supposed to do? The body was gone before we even got here. I''m guessing someone or something dragged it away while the boys ran off."


    "And you know that there was definitely a body?" Lewis asked and Harry nodded his head. "Forensics sweeped the whole place. There''s definitely parts of human flesh and blood scattered on the ground. At this point, we can''t exactly confirm if the boy in question is in fact dead or not, but if what those kids told us were true, then...."


    "Damn it! Where could the body have gone?" Lewis scratched his head.


    At that moment, Alan, who had been busy talking on the phone, turned around and spoke. "Oh, you don''t need to worry about finding the body. The FID has sent the perfect man for the job." He pointed his hand at the cab that had arrived right in front of the junkyard.


    Richard Edgerton emerged from the taxi, and waved his hand at Alan, who waved back.


    The man walked towards the entrance of the junkyard, when all of a sudden, he was stopped by the police officers who were guarding the gate.


    "Don''t worry. He''s with us," Detective Harry yelled at the police officers, who nodded their heads and moved out of the way for Richard to enter.


    He pulled up the yellow tape and walked towards the three men, smiling politely as he spoke, "It''s very nice to see you again, Alan." His eyes then turned to Harry and Lewis. "And you two must be Detective Harry Stone and Lewis Fitzgerald." He stretched out his hand. "I''m Special Agent Richard Edgerton. It''s a pleasure to meet you."


    Harry and Lewis nodded their heads and shook his hand.


    "I heard that the flight landed ten minutes early. Why''re you one hour late, Richard?" Alan asked. "Don''t tell me you stopped by to eat again."


    Eat? Harry and Lewis turned to look at Richard with confusion in their eyes.


    "Ha ha haˇ­ you''ve got me, Alan." Richard laughed with an embarrassed expression. "I apologize, but you know I can''t resist a good meal right before a job, right?"


    "Haˇ­ I guess it''s alright," Alan sighed and Richard let out a loud laugh once again.


    "Why would you have a meal and purposefully make yourself late?" Harry tilted his head and whispered. "If he wanted to try out the local cuisine, couldn''t he have eaten afterwards?"


    "Ha ha haˇ­ That''s what most people think when they meet me for the first time," Harry had whispered under his breath in order to not alert Richard, but surprisingly, Richard heard his words and let out a loud laughter, causing Harry to flinch. Richard didn''t seem to mind and responded, "But you see, when I am assigned to a job..."


    *Slurp*


    He licked his lips. "There usually isn''t a city remaining afterwards...."


    Richard finished speaking, and Lewis and Harry widened their eyes.


    "Don''t scare them like that, Richard," Alan slapped him on the shoulder, and Richard laughed again, "Ha ha ha! Sorry about that. I was kidding.."


    He then said with a grin. "...It only happened once."


    -------------------


    ''Little twerpˇ­.''


    Noah heard voices ringing in his ears. But he couldn''t see anything. It was pitch black.


    ''What a loserˇ­''


    ''Lick it from the floor, bookwormˇ­''


    ''Ha ha ha! Are you crying? Seriously?''


    The voices were familiar. Noah recognised them almost instantly. He knew them. He heard them everyday. He hated them. He endured them. And yet he didn''t do anything in response.


    Noah tried to speak, but found that he couldn''t open his mouth. Or maybe he could? It was too dark to tell.


    Thenˇ­


    ''Feel it, Noahˇ­''


    An unfamiliar voice.


    ''Feel the rage.''


    ''Embrace it.''


    With every sentence, Noah could feel the voice getting closer and closer. He felt anxious, but he couldn''t feel his body. He couldn''t see. He couldn''t move. He could only hear.


    And then..


    He began to see the light. His vision was returning.


    "E- Eh..." Noah knelt down on his knees and clutched his head as he groaned. He rubbed his eyes as he regained his vision.


    "Wh-Where am I?" Everything was still too blurry for Noah, but from looking at the outlines of trees and leaves lying on the ground, he figured out that he was in the middle of a forest.


    Plop!


    As he moved his hands on the ground, he felt his hand become immersed in a liquid of some sort, and he immediately pulled back in response.


    "Wha-What the hell?" As his vision was gradually returning, Noah raised his hand up to his face and stared at it, only to find that it was now completely covered in crimson red.


    "B-Blood!" Noah screamed as he looked at his hand in horror.


    ''Don''t tell me I killed someoneˇ­'' Noah didn''t want to believe it, but this was the second time he woke up with his hands covered in blood.


    ''Wait a minuteˇ­'' Noah thought back to the last time he fainted, and he could faintly remember the moment right before he lost consciousness. He had felt his hands transforming into something different. He doesn''t remember what, but he did remember that it definitely wasn''t normal.


    ''Does this mean that I really killed the Vice Principal and the Soccer Coach?'' Noah had previously thought that he wasn''t responsible for their deaths as it was found to be an animal attack, but right now, he wasn''t so sure anymore.


    GRRRA!


    His thoughts were interrupted by a loud roar, which made Noah flinch in fear. Now that his vision was completely back, he looked around and discovered that he was in the Arayal Hills, which was a large forested area right outside of New World City.


    GRRRR!


    He heard the voice again, but this time it was different. "Wolfe?" Noah was already familiar with the dragon''s voice.


    Was he fighting something? Noah thought. Maybe another wild beast?


    Noah was silent. After contemplating for a few seconds, he bit his lip, and headed deeper into the interior of the jungle, where the voice was coming from.


    Noah moved quickly and carefully as he pushed through the tall grass, following the direction of the roar.


    He came to a wide, open field where only tall grass and shrubs were present, and Noah paused.


    Noah caught a glimpse of two creatures fighting with each other.


    He recognised the dragon, Wolfe, which was taking on a creature that was larger than him in size. The beast had thick, dark brown coloured fur covering its body and a giant elongated head that reminded him of a bird.


    GRRRRA!


    The creature roared loudly at Wolfe, and spread out both of its large wings, which, unlike those of Wolfe''s, were completely covered in feathers, similar to that of birds.


    ''What the hell is that thing?'' Noah thought to himself. He then turned his gaze towards Wolfe and he grunted in surprise.


    The dragon, which to Noah had seemed invincible, was now completely covered in bruises.


    Was Wolfe losing?

 Chapter 19 - Beastly Fight

    GRAAAAR!


    Wolfe, the dragon, roared loudly, its eyes glowing red from anger. Suddenly, it opened its jaws wide, showing its large white teeth, and leapt forward at the furry beast.


    Swoosh!


    The beast roared back in reply and it jumped to the side, dodging the attack of the dragon by a hair''s breadth. It then spun around swiftly and counterattacked, biting hard into the dragon''s neck with frightening speed, and Wolfe roared loudly in pain.


    "What the hell? He really is losing!" Noah stared at the two beasts fighting with disbelief. He couldn''t believe that the dragon was actually losing, but it was indeed real.


    "Sh*t!" Noah cursed. He wanted to do something to help Wolfe, but he didn''t know what to do. "I''ve got to do something..."


    GRRRAR!


    Wolfe screamed and he began twisting and twirling around, trying to make the furry beast lose its grip, but to no avail. The beast had sunk its fangs deep into the dragon''s neck, and it didn''t look like it would let go anytime soon.


    The dragon roared again, but this time, he swung his tail as hard as he could onto the furry beast. The sudden attack made the furry beast tense and it tried to quickly dodge, but by then it was already too late.


    BAM!


    The tail struck the furry beast in the face and it roared in fury as it was flung into the air before crashing down onto the ground with a loud noise.


    GRRRAR!


    The dragon, now free from the grip of the furry beast, roared loudly and immediately rushed towards the fallen beast, baring his fangs, with his wings spread open and fluttering.


    RRRRRAW!


    The furry beast made a strange noise before its large feathery wings popped up from behind it and flapped once, causing it to shoot into the sky in an instant before the dragon could approach it.


    GRRRAR!


    The roar of the furry beast was louder than all its previous ones, and with its eyes glowing red with uncontrolled anger and lust for murder, it opened its mouth wide and it spat fire, aiming towards the dragon.


    RAWWWR!


    The dragon roared loudly as he tried to escape, but the flames had already enveloped him. Noah could feel the heat of the flames even when he was so far away, and he gulped in fear at the terrifying sight. The dragon, Wolf screamed loudly as the flames formed burn marks on its flesh. His screams sounded almost human, and Noah bit his lips.


    Crying in pain, Wolfe flapped its wings furiously as he tried to take off from the ground, but before he could do so, the furry beast shot down from the sky and onto the dragon, thrusting him back down to the ground, and sank its claws into the dragon''s body.


    BAM!


    As the dragon had crash landed with such tremendous force, a burst of air shot out from the spot where he fell, which immediately extinguished the flames.


    GRRRAR!


    The dragon tried to land a bite onto the furry beasts'' foot, but the beast simply kicked his face and pressed down its clawed foot onto the dragon, which forced him to scream in pain.


    "Ah f*ck it..." Noah, who realized that he had to do something to save Wolfe from this terrifying creature, decided to risk it all and immediately ran towards the furry beast through the tall grass!


    "Please don''t notice me, please don''t notice me..." He mumbled to himself as he dashed forward. Fortunately for Noah, the dragon began to twist and turn at the same time, which forced the furry beast''s attention on its enemy under its feet.


    GRRRRA!


    The furry beast tilted its head upwards and roared into the sky before it ducked its head down and bit Wolfe right on his chest, which forced another scream from the dragon who was in pain.


    As this was happening, Noah darted forward through the tall grass and instantly reached near the back of the furry beast without it noticing. He then looked at the large tail of the beast right in front of him, gulping down saliva as he murmured, "What the hell am I doingˇ­"


    BAM!


    Mud kicked up from beneath his heels, as Noah leapt onto the giant creature''s tail and dashed upwards, heading towards the back of its head with speed.


    GRRRR!


    Wolfe roared once again as he tried to bite at the furry beast''s face, but the beast simply pressed its foot down onto the dragon''s mouth and slammed its head down to the ground with a loud noise. It then moved its opened mouth towards the dragon''s head, its sharp teeth waiting to dig into the flesh on Wolfe''s face.


    Whoosh!


    But before it could do so, Noah, who had finally reached the back of the furry beast''s neck, jumped down onto the creature''s head, swinging his fist as he yelled loudly, "LEAVE HIM ALONE!!!"


    Surprised by the voice, the furry beast turned its head, and Noah''s fist crashed into the creature''s right eye, piercing right through it as blood began flowing out!


    PUCHI!


    The furry beast screamed in pain and confusion, as Noah fell down onto the ground with a loud noise! "Ouch! That hurt.." He groaned in pain, but Noah quickly realised that he wasn''t out of danger just yet.


    GRRAR!


    The furry beast, which was now partially blind, stepped forward, and it''s feet were right above Noah, who cursed out loud. "Sh*t!" He rolled over as the clawed feet slammed down onto the ground, missing him by a hair''s breadth, and Noah let out a sigh of relief.


    "Everything is up to you now, Wolfe!" Noah turned his gaze towards Wolfe, who had successfully escaped the clutches of the furry beast and was staring at it with hatred and rage in his eyes! The dragon was craving revenge!


    RAAAAWR!


    The roar of the dragon was deafening as it grew even larger, and Wolfe charged at the beast which was still screaming in pain, and immediately sunk his teeth into the beast''s neck!


    The creature screamed in pain once again and twisted its body, but Wolfe swayed and bent backwards, and with a swing of his mighty tail that slammed right on the furry beast''s face, he knocked the beast off its legs, rolling the creature onto its back.


    The creature snarled; Noah could sense the sheer fury of the animal. However, Wolfe didn''t even seem to care and rushed towards the fallen beast.


    BAM!


    The dragon slammed its clawed foot right on top of the creature''s head, slamming it down on the ground, and then ducked its head down. Smoke began to rise between his teeth.


    The beast opened its mouth to let out another scream but right before it could make a sound, the dragon spat flames right into the beast''s open mouth, burning the creature from the inside!


    BOOM!


    The flames travelled through the beast''s body, causing its belly to be torn open as flames burst out from within its stomach.


    Noah watched as the dragon continued spitting out flames into the creature''s mouth even after it was long dead. "Wolfe!" he screamed. "Wolfe, that''s enough!" The dragon''s head turned. Noah stared at his face and repeated, "That''s enough, Wolfe. It''s already deadˇ­"


    The smouldering red eyes of the dragon stayed on Noah for a few more seconds, until he tilted his head up into the sky and opened his mouth, revealing bits and pieces of broken bone and flesh inside of it, and roared.. The sound filled the entire forest.

 Chapter 20 - FLESH

    "W-We did itˇ­." Noah stared at the furry beast''s dead body and mumbled under his breath. He then turned to look at Wolfe, who was standing victoriously in front of the creature''s corpse, one foot on top of the body with his head tilted up to the sky. He mumbled again, ".... I-I can''t believe we actually did it!"


    Noah then shifted his gaze towards his hands, unsure of what to think about himself. He could faintly remember his hands transforming into something different, so he could very well be the culprit behind the murders of the Vice Principal and the soccer coach. But right now, Noah couldn''t help but feel happy about his accomplishment.


    Some would say the last few days of his life have been the worst, and Noah wouldn''t necessarily disagree. It did indeed have its fair share of horrible moments. However, in spite of all that, Noah was happier than ever now. He couldn''t remember the last time he was this happy in his life.


    "Maybe the creature that attacked me on the bridge was all part of my destiny..." Noah murmured to himself. He didn''t know whether he was being delusional or not, but he didn''t care. For the first time in his life, Noah felt as though he had found his purpose in life.


    All of a suddenˇ­


    "Argh..." Noah felt a sharp pain in his head and the colour drained from his face, and he stumbled backward before he fell, crumpling down to the ground like a puppet suddenly released from its strings.


    "Ughˇ­ no, no, no..." Noah fell on his back, and felt his vision weakening, and began mumbling to himself. "Not this again.. not right now..."


    And then, suddenly, Noah started to shake violently, as though he was convulsing. His iris, which was black in colour, began to dissolve with the rest of his eye, forming a pure black void within his eye socket. His arms began to change as well, as scales began to develop over his whole arm and his nails began to stretch outwards, turning into claws. The veins in his face became visible through his skin, and from his mouth popped out two large fangs, each from the sides.


    BAM!


    Noah sprung up from the ground in an instant, kneeling down with both his hands on the grass as a loud growl escaped his lips. "Grrrr..." The sound of his bones breaking was heard as he growled, following which the skin on his back began to be torn open and two long bones with branches of short bones on each of them popped out from the inside.


    Noah screamed in pain as thin, delicate, translucent membranes of skin stretched over the bones, forming wings that were similar in structure to that of Wolfe''s.


    The dragon, Wolfe, who was watching the whole thing happening right in front of his eyes, tilted his head and let out a loud roar into the sky. He then moved his clawed foot from the corpse of the furry creature, and let out a strange sound.


    RRRRRRRAA!


    The transformed Noah roared loudly, as though he was responding to the dragon''s roar and he turned his head towards the creature''s lifeless body.


    BAM!


    Noah stomped his foot down on the ground and leapt onto the creature''s lifeless body, gripping onto its flesh tightly using his curved, dagger-like claws.


    He then plunged his claws into the corpse''s chest, piercing through its body and ripping open its rib cage as if it was nothing. Blood was flowing out of the corpse''s torn open chest as Noah''s clawed hands rummaged through the meat and bones, until his hands landed on a large mass of flesh and his eyes widened.


    Plop!


    He grabbed onto the large lump of flesh and pulled it out from the corpse''s chest, while roaring loudly into the sky. The fleshy mass detached from the interior of the creature''s chest, and Noah raised it high into the air as he roared again.


    In his hands was what appeared to be the heart of the furry beast. It was ten times larger than that of a human''s, although its structure was surprisingly quite similar.


    Noah lowered his hands and pulled the heart of the furry beast closer to his chest, his eyes gleaming, as if he was lusting for the giant mass of flesh.


    Splash!


    With a loud roar, Noah licked his lips and flashed his teeth as he began to tear the animal''s heart with rapacious intensity. He tugged at the flesh, as blood dribbled from his hands, down his clothes and onto the leaf-strewn ground.


    The dragon, Wolfe, turned his head away, as though he was afraid of what he was witnessing.


    Moments passed by, and Noah licked his hands clean. There was nothing left of the dead creature''s heart. He had devoured it all. Noah then raised his head and roared into the sky. An incredible, bellowing, air-shaking roar of satisfaction!


    All of a sudden-


    BAM!


    Noah heard it all with extreme clarity. Because of the speed of sound, and because of how much his senses had improved when he transformed. He heard the soft noise of something powerful hitting him right on the shoulder, and within a split second, he was flung back onto the ground with a loud noise.


    "Did I get it?" Richard Edgerton lowered his rifle and slowly began crouching forward through the tall grass while wearing camouflage clothing.


    RAWR!


    Wolfe, who saw Noah being flung into the air before falling down to the ground, roared loudly in rage, and opened his mouth as flames emerged.


    "Shit!" Richard, who noticed the flames heading in his direction, cursed before immediately rolling to the sides, narrowly avoiding being burned alive.


    Immediately after he finished rolling, he positioned himself, pulled the rifle close to his face and adjusted the scope right on his left eye, aiming at the dragon''s chest, and then pulled the trigger.


    BAM!


    Wolfe felt a sudden, sharp pain run up his chest to his skull, which made him roar loudly in pain before being pushed down to the ground.


    THUD!


    The large creature slammed down, wheezing and panting, as Richard Edgerton waited for confirmation. He had his rifle aimed at the creature. His finger still on the trigger. In case he needed to take a second shot.


    Whoosh!


    All of a sudden, Noah''s figure sprinted towards the fallen Wolfe, grabbing him by the tail as his giant wings sprung open and flapped down, resulting in a burst of air that pushed down to the ground, and both Noah and Wolfe shot up into the sky like a rocket!


    All of this happened in less than a second, and Richard Edgerton immediately readjusted his rifle and shot again, but by then, Noah was already way up in the air with Wolfe in his hands.


    Richard watched as the two creatures disappeared from his view and he couldn''t help but yell, "Motherf*cker!"

 Chapter 21 - Falling Down

    Pain.


    Noah felt searing pain on his shoulder, and a loud buzzing noise ringing in his ears, as he came slowly back to consciousness. He opened his eyes, and saw the branches of trees high up in the air, waving at him.


    "Wh-What happened...." Noah murmured to himself. He couldn''t remember why he was lying on the ground, and he didn''t have an answer for why he felt an excruciating, dizzying pain coming from his shoulders. The last thing he remembered was theˇ­


    "M-My hands...." Noah tilted his head and looked at his hands, and the sight made him gasp in horror. His hand, which was completely normal the last time he saw it, had now been transformed into something horrifying. His arms were completely covered in scales and his fingers looked as if they were stretched out in length, bearing sharp claws on every finger.


    Noah wanted to scream, but his voice wouldn''t come out of his mouth, which only terrified him even more.


    BAM!


    He heard a loud noise. It was similar to a gunshot, but not exactly the same. This was different from what he had seen in the movies.


    RAAAAWR!


    And then he heard Wolfe''s ear piercing roar, followed by a loud ''thud''!


    Noah turned his head, and saw the dragon lying on the ground, and he could feel the large creature''s hot breath hit the back of his neck. It was panting and wheezing.


    ''Is he injured?'' Noah scanned his body for any visible wounds, but found none. Relieved, he let out a heavy sigh. He then turned his gaze towards the tall grass, and narrowed his eyes. He had heard the sound of the object moving through the air before hitting the dragon, and he knew that it originated from somewhere in the tall grass.


    But he couldn''t pinpoint the exact location of the enemy, which made him frustrated and scared. He then stared at his shoulder. There weren''t any visible wounds on him. However, Noah could feel an excruciating amount of pain passing through his body every time he tried to move even an inch.


    WHEEEEEOO!


    The dragon began emitting strange sounds using its nostrils, and Noah shifted his gaze back to the creature.


    Then all of a sudden, it was as if something had changed within Noah. He could feel his surroundings become slow. He could feel the cold wind brushing against his face, the sweat dripping from his forehead, and he almost did not mind the sharp pain on his shoulder.


    Whoosh!


    Noah scrambled to his feet, immediately sprinting towards Wolfe, moving with incredible speed and agility as he emerged from behind the furry beast''s corpse, grabbing tightly onto the tail of the dragon.


    WHAM!


    His huge leathery wings sprung open from his back, stirring the cold air. He flapped his wings and a cloud of dust filled the air, as he took off with frightening speed, carrying Wolfe along with him.


    BAM!


    Behind him, he heard another loud noise, presumably the enemy shooting with his weapon again. Whatever it was, it didn''t hit him, and Noah and Wolfe flew away, vanishing from the view of Richard Edgerton, who cursed out loud. "Motherf*cker!"


    He then pulled out his phone from his pocket, dialled a number and held it up to his ears. "Yeah, it''s me. Keep an eye on the streets and in the air. I let two slip away. Both have been hit with the Harbinger rifle, so they won''t be up in the air for too long."


    Richard''s gaze then shifted to the body of the dead furry beast that was lying on the ground and said, "I''ll meet up with you at the precinct in one to two hours."


    He then hung up the call, looked at the corpse of the beast, and sighed.


    --- Right outside of Hallinger Street ---


    "Richard said that the two creatures took off from Arayal Hills." Special Agent Alan Fischer placed his phone back in his pocket and turned to Detective Harry Stone.


    "Alright, I''ll immediately call for backup." Detective Harry Stone nodded his head and leapt into his black sedan, grabbing hold of the police radio. "What are we searching for?"


    "They''ll know it when they see it." Special Agent Alan replied. He then snapped his fingers and said, "Increase the radius of the search area to one mile outside of the Arayal Hills. Apparently, these things have wings."


    "Wait, wings?" Detective Lewis tilted his head at Alan, who shrugged his shoulders before entering Harry''s black sedan. "Wings, tail, claws. They''ve got everything. Keep up, Lewis."


    "Easy for you to say." Lewis muttered to himself before jumping into his blue convertible and the two cars drove away into the night.


    ------------ BEAST SOUL ------------


    "Ugh...." Noah felt the searing sharp pain returning to his shoulder blades, and he clenched his head with one hand while gripping tightly onto Wolfe''s tail, gasping due to the intensity of it.


    He had been flying with the large dragon in his hands for quite a few minutes now, and the pain he felt was only increasing as time passed. He felt as though he could lose his consciousness at any time. And that wasn''t good, especially considering they were both high up in the air.


    Noah didn''t know if his newfound superhuman abilities would help him survive a 10,000 feet drop, but he certainly wasn''t willing to try and find out.


    "Ugh.... I have to land.. someplace soon..." He squinted his eyes and looked ahead. A few metres away from them, Noah could see the giant sequoia tree popping out from the dense jungle.


    "T-The sequoia treeˇ­ I can land there..." Noah mumbled under his breath. He was certainly finding it hard to speak now. His body was a mass of pain. Every flap of his wings was tiring. His balance was not good at all and he was very, very sleepy.


    He had to land. Fast.


    As Noah narrowed his eyes and aimed for the sequoia tree, he felt his consciousness slowly slipping away. His vision was becoming weaker, and his strength was dwindling. Noah said aloud, "Oh, sh*t..."


    And then blackness.


    BAM!


    A loud crashing sound, followed by the crack of branches. Noah had collided with the trunk of the large sequoia tree and crashed down through the various branches and landed on the ground with a loud noise, followed by Wolfe, crash landing right next to Noah!

 Chapter 22 - Failing To Comprehend

    BRRRRR!


    Noah was awakened by a strange noise followed by something nudging his head. The noise seemed to be coming from his side, and with great effort, Noah opened his eyes.


    Above him, Noah saw the wide and long branches of the sequoia tree and the beautiful green leaves that were covering the black night sky. He turned his head and saw a few broken branches lying next to him. They seemed to have fallen down.


    "Ugh..." He groaned as he looked around. He saw Wolfe, the dragon, nudging his face using its snout, and he patted the creature''s long face.


    He then slowly bent his head down and stared at his body. His previously clean clothes were now torn and covered in blood, but thankfully, the transformations seemed to have subsided, with his hands now looking normal. He then reached for his shoulder blades and found that the wings that had sprouted from his upper back were gone as well.


    "Thank god..." Noah breathed a sigh of relief. He was afraid that these transformations were permanent, but fortunately, his body had reverted back to its normal state. Although he had no idea how long his normal state would last, considering the transformation was completely random.


    "Just what the hell is happening to me?" He clutched his head tightly as he felt pain and a wave of dizziness. He didn''t know why he tried to fight against the furry beast. He didn''t know why he knew how to fly, even though he didn''t have any clue that he had sprouted actual wings on his back. And most importantly, he didn''t know why all of these bizzare events were happening to him.


    He took a deep breath and then got up from the ground, leaning onto the dragon''s body for support. The dragon, Wolfe, opened his mouth and licked Noah''s head.


    "What the hell was that thing attacking us?" Noah thought back to what happened a few hours ago. He didn''t get a good look at the enemy that was attacking Wolfe, but he could somehow feel that it was human. How on earth could he feel that? He had no idea. But if he had wings that could magically spring out from his back anytime, then he assumed that what he was feeling was also probably true.


    But what the hell did he shoot at us? Noah lightly touched his shoulders, where he was shot. It didn''t look like any normal bullet. And it definitely didn''t wound him like a bullet either. He had never seen or heard something like that before.


    Whatever it was, Noah knew that it was dangerous. Even though Noah considered himself to be superhuman, the attack certainly made him feel a tremendous amount of pain. He wasn''t even sure if he could''ve taken another shot.


    "What the hell do I do now?" Noah scratched his head. He didn''t know if he could go home anymore, considering there was someone dangerous trying to kill him. But now he has reverted back to his normal human self, perhaps it might be best if he just returned home.


    He considered not going back to his home for a few days, but given how paranoid his mother was, he knew that she would most definitely call the police and report him as missing if he even missed one night. And if the person who was after him finds his disappearance suspicious and decides to investigate him, then he might end up figuring out that Noah isn''t exactly human. And if this person isn''t exactly a good guy, then he could definitely use Noah''s identity to his advantage.


    "I guess the best thing to do right now is to go home and act normal, huh..." Noah sighed. This wasn''t what he wanted. He wanted answers. He wanted to understand what was happening. He wanted to feel safe.


    Instead, he had to act like everything was normal and fake feeling safe when that really wasn''t the case. And he hated that. But right now, he had no other choice.


    GRRR?


    The dragon, Wolfe, tilted his head and looked at Noah as if he was confused by his facial expression, and Noah patted his snout with a bitter smile on his face. "I''m sorry, Wolfe. But I have to leave you for now." He then shifted his gaze towards the dragon''s chest. "Is it still hurting, Wolfe?"


    He was asking about the attack from before. It had hit Wolfe right in the chest. Noah was concerned about Wolfe, but the dragon simply shook his head and let out a strange noise, as if showing him that he was fine.


    "Ha, you''re just doing that to not make me feel bad for leaving you, right?" Noah snickered as he petted the dragon. He then looked the dragon in the eyes and said, "Alright! Hide on top of the sequoia tree. And no matter what happens, do not come down unless I call for you. Do you understand?"


    GRAWR!


    The creature roared loudly in response, and Noah nodded his head. "Good!"


    After saying goodbye to the dragon, he walked out of the forested area and entered the main street, and walked towards his house.


    ------------ BEAST SOUL ------------


    Lewis was sitting inside of his blue convertible, which was parked on the opposite side of the Harrington Apartment Complex, and was staring at the parking garage right next to the building, wondering to himself whether he had just stumbled onto something important.


    He was driving past Hardy Street, which was five hundred meters away from the Arayal Hills, surveying the area, when he saw something cross the road right in front of him with frightening speed.


    Lewis was caught off guard and immediately turned his steering wheel and pressed the brake, which made the car swivel on the road before coming to a stop.


    After catching his breath and making sure he hadn''t hit anything, Lewis turned his car around and went back to the spot where the incident occurred, finding it to be near the apartment complex. So it was likely that whatever crossed the road either entered the apartment or the parking garage which was right next to it.


    Lewis parked his car opposite the apartment complex. He then reached in and grabbed the radio from the dashboard. "Harry."


    "Lewis," Harry said, over the radio. "What''s the matter? Did something happen?"


    Lewis remembered. Although it went by in a flash, he knew what he had seen. It wasn''t a human. And it wasn''t an animal that he knew of. It looked different.


    He pulled the radio close to his lips. "Harry, I think I found something."

 Chapter 23 - Stay Put

    While Lewis stayed inside his blue convertible car, waiting for his backup. He wasn''t planning on making any sudden decisions and risking his life. He didn''t know what the hell he was looking for. He knew that it would be best if he remained cautious.


    "AHHHH!" A loud scream was heard from within the parking garage. drawing Lewis'' attention. He stared at the parking garage, his eyebrows raised.


    "What the hell was that?" Lewis murmured under his breath.


    The voice was that of a female. It sounded young. Maybe early twenties. It sounded like a cry for help.


    Was there someone inside the parking lot? What should I do? Lewis thought to himself.


    "Harry? Are you there?" Lewis grabbed the police radio and pulled it close to his lips. "How long do you think you''ll take?"


    "I''m here, Lewis." The radio cackled, and Harry''s voice was heard. "It''ll take us about five minutes. Maybe even six or seven. What''s up? What''s the matter?"


    Lewis glanced at the parking garage for a brief second before replying, "I heard a voice. A scream, from the parking garage."


    "A scream?" Harry asked, his tone filled with surprise evident in his voice.


    "Yeah, a scream." Lewis nodded. "It sounded like a girl, Harry. It sounded like she''s in danger. Maybe it got to her, whatever that thing is."


    "If you''re thinking of going in there without any backup..." Harry''s voice sounded stern, and Lewis gulped. "... Then I suggest you stop thinking."


    "Someone might need help, Harry." Lewis sounded concerned.


    "Wait for the backup, Lewis." The radio cackled. "Don''t do anything reckless. We''ll be there soon. Don''t worry and just sit tight."


    Lewis gritted his teeth. He placed the radio down on top of the dashboard and then shifted his gaze towards the parking garage.


    He knew that staying put might be the best choice right now. He understood Harry''s words.


    But still..


    Lewis felt uncomfortable ignoring the cries of someone who sounded like they were in serious danger.


    ''Is this the right way, even if it was the best choice?'' Lewis thought to himself. He didn''t know.


    "AHHHH!" Another loud scream, and he tilted his head towards the parking garage. The voice sounded even more desperate than before. It sounded like they had lost all hope.


    Lewis looked at the police radio on the dashboard and then back to the parking garage, and he rubbed his forehead.


    "God f*cking damn it!" He punched his dashboard in anger and twisted the key. The convertible''s engine began revving, and its tires screamed as he drove it into the parking garage.


    ------------ BEAST SOUL ------------


    He entered through the basement and made his way into the car park.


    The headlights of the convertible illuminated the dark and mostly empty floor as he slowly drove through. Lewis nervously pulled out his pistol and rested it on top of the steering wheel, and was looking around through the windshield with the gaze of someone who had no idea what he had stepped into.


    "Hello? Ma''am? This is the police." He spoke nervously, adrenaline drawing his voice high and tight as the car came to a stop. "You can come out now. There''s nothing to be afraid of." Lewis tried to speak calmly.


    Then.


    "AHHH ˇŞ"


    Another scream. It was coming from the second floor. But this time, it was abruptly cut off. Did the wild animal get to her?


    "Oh Sh*t!" Lewis cursed out loud as he stepped on the accelerator and the car drifted forward up the interior ramp and onto the second floor of the car park in just a few seconds.


    "Ma''am? Are you alright?" He yelled out loud as he looked around, searching for any visible movement. The second floor of the parking garage was completely pitch black, with only the headlights of Lewis'' blue convertible acting as the source of light. There were multiple cars parked inside the floor, which made it harder for Lewis to search for the victim as well as the perpetrator. There were simply too many hiding spots.


    Shik! Shik!


    A rustling sound. Lewis became alert, and his grip on his pistol tightened a bit more. "Who''s there?" He said nervously.


    No answer.


    "AHHHH!"


    Another loud scream echoed throughout the floor causing Lewis to flinch in fear. The scream was ear piercingly loud, but it came from right above the convertible.


    Lewis leaned forward, and tried to get a good look at the ceiling, but right thenˇ­


    Splurt! Splurt!


    A repeated tapping sound on the hood of the car shifted his attention. Lewis looked down through the windshield and saw a glob of foam-like substance dripping down onto the hood of his vehicle.


    "What the hell?" Lewis leaned forward, staring curiously at the liquid through the windshield. "Is thatˇ­. spit?"


    BAM!


    All of a sudden, a large figure shot down from the ceiling and crashed against the hood of the convertible, and the jolting impact rocked the vehicle, shattering the windshield in the process as Lewis was flung forward and slammed his forehead on the steering wheel, causing the horn to go off.


    "Oh, what the f*ck!" Lewis immediately raised his head and groaned as he held his head. He then turned his gaze forward and saw that the front windshield had shattered completely, leaving nothing but an empty space in its place, and beyond, on the hood of the vehicle, he saw the figure of something that made his skin crawl. The impact of the crash had killed both of the headlights, and the entire floor was so dark it was almost a silhouette. However, Lewis knew what he was seeing.


    The creature had a thick and hairy body with eight long and equally hairy legs, with two smaller, muscular forelimbs on its upper body and a massive elongated head. It reminded him of something out of a horror movie.


    The animal lowered its head and looked through the empty space in front of the vehicle, staring right at Lewis.


    "Jesus f*cking Christ," He whispered softly.


    And then it opened its mouth and let out a terrifying roar!


    BAM!


    Lewis immediately put the convertible in  reverse gear and floored it. The sound of the engine echoed as the vehicle shot backwards, and the creature flung back onto the floor because of the sudden acceleration.


    "F*ck, f*ck, f*ck!" Lewis cursed out loud, peeking at both the rear-view mirror and the side-view mirror as he picked up speed. He was still in reverse, as there was no space nor time for him to turn the car around.


    Lewis then turned his attention towards the front, and saw the creature spring up from the floor, peering at him with its beady eyes before roaring loudly as it charged forward.

 Chapter 24 - Burst

    GRRRRRAR!


    The eight legged creature charged towards Lewis.


    "Damn it! Can''t this thing go any faster?"Lewis cursed as he pressed hard on the gas pedal. The convertible bounced precariously as it moved in reverse. Lewis headed for the corner, and in the rear view mirror, he saw the interior ramp that would lead him down to the basement.


    Whoosh!


    He turned the steering wheel and the convertible car drifted down the slope with speed!


    Lewis turned his gaze forward and saw the eight legged creature moving towards him down the slope.


    "F*ck! How is this thing so fast?" Lewis was terrified. He didn''t expect the creature to be able to keep up with the speed of his car, even if he was in reverse. But to think it was this fast!


    Flip!


    Using the momentum gained from the drifting, Lewis slowly began turning his car around as he moved down the slope. He knew that he could get a far better acceleration if he swung the car around, which would help him escape from the monster that was pursuing him.


    "AHHHH!" The creature opened its mouth and let out the familiar scream of the woman that he had heard, and Lewis gritted his teeth. He felt as though the creature was mocking him for falling for its tricks!


    "F*cking b*stard!" Lewis muttered under his breath as he swung the car left, flipping the car around right before he exited the ramp, shifting the gear in an instant and slamming his foot on the gas pedal.


    Behind him, the eight legged creature roared loudly and raced forward in pursuit, closing the distance with frightening speed.


    RAAAAWR!


    Just as Lewis stepped on the gas, the creature leapt high into the air and onto the back of the convertible. It landed with a loud noise, before slamming one of its forelimbs through the rear window of the convertible, completely tearing the clothing surrounding it.


    It tried to reach for Lewis'' head but right then, the car accelerated forward, and the creature bounced off of the back of the car, crashing down onto the ground while letting out a loud scream.


    ------------ BEAST SOUL ------------


    "Thank f*cking god!" Lewis screamed in joy as he drove back to the entrance of the parking garage. Directly ahead, parked right next to the entrance, Lewis saw a black sedan.


    His eyes then immediately shifted to the rear view mirror, and he could see the eight legged creature getting up from the ground, roaring loudly before continuing its pursuit.


    "Get out of the way, Harry! We have to leave! Now!" Lewis yelled out. He knew that the black sedan belonged to Detective Harry Stone. Lewis didn''t want Harry to barge in and put himself in life threatening danger because of him.


    "Lewis!" Detective Harry''s head popped out of the window and he waved his arms in Lewis''s direction. "Move out of the way! Quickly!"


    As he was speaking, the door on the passenger side opened, and Richard exited the vehicle with a large rifle in his hand.


    "Watch it!" Detective Harry was shouting. "Don''t hit him!"


    "He''ll be alright, Harry." Special Agent Alan patted his shoulder from the back seat. "Richard is a professional. You don''t need to worry."


    Lewis looked in front and saw the situation. He then shifted his gaze and turned to look in the rearview mirror. Behind him, he saw the monster was still in pursuit, roaring loudly as it charged forward, rapidly gaining speed, and Lewis knew that he could not slow down. Not now.


    Richard held the rifle in his hands with a calm expression on his face. Despite the appearance of the terrifying creature that was rapidly moving in their direction, he slowly and methodically raised the heavy rifle, placed his finger on the trigger and began to aim.


    The animal looked forward as it rapidly gained speed, and roared loudly when it made eye contact with Richard.


    Richard breathed in and out. And then he pulled the trigger.


    BOOM!


    Lewis saw a puff of smoke, followed by a bright white streak of light that passed by his car, and stuck the eight legged creature right in the chest.


    GRRRRRAR!


    The creature''s eyes popped wide as it flung backwards in the air, before smashing into the ground with a loud noise, and it roared loudly.


    Richard stared at the fallen creature with his intense gaze as Lewis raced past Detective Harry''s black sedan, stopping right outside of the parking garage, and multiple police vehicles came into his view.


    "I thought I told you not to do anything risky and wait for backup." Detective Harry yelled out from the driver''s seat of his car.


    "How about we discuss this after we''ve dealt with the monster?" Lewis voiced his opinion, and Harry shook his head. He then turned his gaze towards Richard. "What is the situation, Agent Edgerton?" He asked. "Is it dead?"


    Richard didn''t answer. His gaze was still fixed on the eight legged creature that was lying still on the ground. His cold and emotionless eyes scanned the creature''s body as he raised his rifle once again, aiming at the animal.


    "It looks dead, doesn''t it?" Harry turned around looked at Alan, who shrugged his shoulders.


    Richard stared at the motionless creature for a few more seconds, before he placed his hand on the trigger and pulled it.


    BOOM!


    An explosive sound rang out, followed by another bright streak of light that collided with the creature''s body, flinging it back yet again.


    "AHHHHH!" A loud ear piercing scream echoed throughout the basement floor of the parking garage sending a chill down Harry''s spine. It resembled the voice of a young woman, but it came from the mouth of the terrifying creature!


    BAM!


    The creature slammed against the back wall and struggled to find its footing, yet it could not get up.


    BOOM!


    Richard fired one more shot, this time hitting the creature right on the head, and the impact caused the back of his head to slam against the wall.


    Splurt!


    Blood splattered on the wall, and the creature growled weakly before the light in its eyes faded away. It was finally dead.


    "What the hellˇ­." Harry mumbled to himself as he watched Richard slowly approaching the dead creature, and breathed in and out.


    Alan looked at Harry and shook his head. That was how everyone reacted. He had seen the same scene play out multiple times before.


    He then opened the door and stepped out of the car. "What do you think?" Alan asked Richard as he began walking towards him.


    Richard knelt down in front of the dead creature and stared at its corpse. "I don''t think he''s your guy." He turned his head and faced Alan.


    "Are you sure?" Alan asked, his forehead wrinkled. He was not happy about the conclusion that Richard had come to.


    "I am sure, Alan." Richard licked his lips and nodded his head. "You don''t think they''ll send more hunters, huh?"


    "Well, you know how they are." Alan tapped his chin. "FID wants to do this as stealthily as possible. They want it tightly under wraps. I doubt they''ll send any reinforcements. Not until sh*t hits the fan."


    Richard turned his attention towards the dead creature and sighed, "..F*ck.."


    "... by the way," Alan pointed at the corpse of the creature and asked. "Is this the same creature that you found in the Arayal Hills?"


    "No. That was a different one," Richard shook his head. "It was smaller than most variants. Had a body structure that was similar to a human being."


    Alan''s eyes narrowed. "Don''t tell me..."


    Richard nodded.. "You might want to try persuading the superiors."

 Chapter 25 - Exposition

    Special Agent Alan Fischer got into the precinct a few minutes late. He was so completely occupied with work the previous night that by the time he had gotten back to his hotel, it was already four in the morning.


    By the time he entered and headed toward his temporary desk, a copy of the report on the case was waiting for him, placed neatly on top of the desk.


    He threw a casual glance toward Detective Harry, who just shook his head. He then shifted his gaze towards Lewis, who was walking out of the restroom, yawning as he approached his desk.


    Alan gave a thumbs up to the still sleepy Lewis, who just nodded his head in response.


    "The body?" Alan asked as he sat down in his seat.


    "Your partner is still hoarding it." Harry pointed at the door that led to the medical examiner''s room. "It''s been ten hours since he got hold of the corpse. I don''t even think he''s gone out to pee. Is he always like this?"


    "Raph?" Alan smiled as he opened the report and began reading through it. "If it''s interesting, then yeah."


    "Well, tell him to keep it together, would you?" Detective Harry shook his head as he drank his coffee. "He should probably eat something before he faints."


    Alan chuckled. He was about to respond to Harry''s words when the desk phone buzzed, and his attention shifted.


    "Alan here." He pulled up the phone and held it close to his ears.


    "Special Agent Alan Fischer. This is Calvin Hoover. I hope you remember me." The voice on the other side said. It was Calvin Hoover, the Director of National Intelligence.


    ------------ BEAST SOUL ------------


    "Oh, of course I remember, Director. How could I not?" Alan replied, and his eyes turned to look at Harry and Lewis, who were both staring at him the moment he said the words ''director''. They knew it was a big shot on the other line. Alan turned away from the two men and looked out through the window as he continued talking, "May I ask why you''re calling, sir?"


    "I heard that you still haven''t contained the situation yet." The Director said. His voice was cold and lifeless. "What''s going on, Special Agent Fischer? I thought you were familiar with the procedure? Shouldn''t this just be a walk in the park for you?"


    "Well, Director.." Alan Fischer scratched his cheek. "The situation might be a bit more complicated this time. Perhaps you might want to send in more-"


    "Let me stop you right there, Special Agent Fischer." Alan was interrupted by the Director before he could even finish his words. "Do not forget your position, Special Agent. This is a stealth operation. You''ve done this countless times before. Be happy that you''ve got Agent Edgerton to assist you. Utilise the local police unit. Get them to assist you. We can''t afford to make this incident any bigger than what it already is. Do you understand?"


    "Uh, yes, Director." Alan said as he rubbed his forehead. "I''ll email you the reports."


    Alan hung up and placed the phone back in its place, and then turned to Detective Harry and Detective Lewis, who looked at him with interest. Harry pointed his finger up, toward the ceiling, meaning it was a call from above.


    "Deputy Director?" Harry asked.


    Alan shook his head. "Higher."


    Harry widened his eyes, but he nodded his head after a few seconds. After last night''s incident, Harry understood why the Federal Investigation Department was involved in this case. This wasn''t your run-of-the-mill police case. This was something different. It made sense why the higher ups were involved.


    "They''re not sending any more reinforcements." Alan said.


    "What? Why?" Lewis asked. "Don''t they know how serious this issue is?"


    "Two reasons." Alan raised two fingers. "One. They don''t wish to bring any more attention to the situation. Two. This isn''t the first time this has happened and was dealt with."


    "You''ve dealt with creatures like this before?" Harry asked and Alan nodded. "Yes, I have."


    He folded his arms and leaned back on his chair. "But not such large creatures. These seem to be mature animals, as opposed to the ones we hunted, which were smaller and weaker in comparison. And not to mention, there''s more than one of these creatures roaming around."


    Harry and Lewis looked at each other.


    "Guys," A police officer came towards them. "The Commissioner is asking for you three."


    The three looked at each other.


    "Well then, what are we waiting for?" Alan stood up followed by Harry and Lewis, and walked towards the Commissioner''s office. "You think it''s about the case?" Lewis asked.


    "What else could it be?" Harry rolled his eyes.


    They entered the Commissioner''s Office, where both Commissioner Walter Bridge and Irvin Granger, the Chief of New World City Police waited.


    The office was larger than most rooms inside the precinct, with an expensive wooden table in the middle and a glass wall with a beautiful view.


    Seated at the head of the table was the Commissioner and sitting across from him was the Chief of police.


    Alan looked to his right as saw Raphael Hernandez standing in the corner, leaning next to the wall. His eyes were still buried in the documents that were in his hands.


    The Commissioner did the talking first.


    "All right, everybody''s here. I''m sure that we''ve all seen the body of the creature. I think most of us, except for Special Agent Fischer and Dr. Hernandez, are certainly surprised by the sudden turn that this case tookˇŞ"


    "I''d say we''re more than surprised, Walter." Chief cut in. He turned his gaze towards Alan and asked, "Special Agent Fischer, I want to know what on earth is that goddamn creature."


    "It''s a mutant." Before Alan could speak, Doctor Hernandez cut in, and everyone''s attention shifted to him.


    Raphael raised his head and stared at the Chief for a few seconds before continuing, "The creature that we''ve discovered is a mutated deer."


    "Did you say a deer?" The Chief widened his eyes. "The creature with eight legs, that''s a deer?"


    "That''s correct, yes." Raphael nodded. "The creature was infected by a submicroscopic infectious organism that has been codenamed BS-T."


    "Wait, it''s a virus?" The Commissioner asked. "You''re telling me that a virus made the deer turn into.. whatever that thing is?"


    "It''s not a virus, Commissioner." Alan shook his head. Raphael explained, "They do have a cell structure, and are a bit larger than viruses in size. We had assumed that it was a bacteria at first. However, it''s structure and its characteristics are unlike anything that we''ve seen."


    "And this BS-T, where did it come from?" The Chief asked.


    Raphael glanced at Alan for a brief second before answering, "That''s confidential information, Chief."


    "Tsk, of course it is." The Commissioner clicked his tongue.


    Raphael continued, "The BS-T mutates the infected host once it enters the digestive tract. Saliva is the preferred method for infection, although we''ve learned that infection through blood is also possible."


    "And?" The Chief asked.


    "One important thing to note is that the BS-T only has a lifespan of four weeks within a host. It doesn''t replicate within a host either, which means that unless the infected host comes into contact with another organism, the BS-T cannot multiply and spread. Which is most probably why the mutated creatures move and act differently than normal animals."


    "If their top priority is to infect other organisms, then why are these mutated creatures attacking and killing people?" Harry raised his question, and Raphael replied almost immediately. "It''s because the mutated creature that you found was already matured. The BS-T within the creature had already reached the end of their lifespan and perished, leaving only the mutated animal, which had no reason to search for hosts to infect anymore."


    "Doctor, is there any particular reason for some of these transformations?" Lewis asked. "We''ve heard descriptions of another one of these creatures, and it didn''t even remotely resemble the creature that we killed yesterday."


    "Actually," Doctor Hernandez snapped his fingers and responded. "This is the most important trait of the BS-T. In its four week lifespan, it tries to infect as many animals as it possibly can. And as it moves from its first host to its second, the BS-T that''s being produced in order to be transferred to the second host also mutates."


    "What do you mean by that?" The Commissioner asked, his expression signalling that of confusion.


    Raphael replied. "Simply put, the second generation BS-T is a mutated version of the first generation, which retains certain characteristics of the first host''s DNA. The second generation BS-T then mutates the second host, while also making changes to its DNA in order to give the host similar characteristics to the first host. And this cycle continues-"


    "-Until who knows what abomination is created..." Raphael''s words were interrupted by Harry, who began mumbling to himself. He then looked at Raphael and asked, "Does this BS-T mutate human beings as well?"


    "Human''s can also be affected, yes." Raphael nodded his head.


    "And can these mutated humans think normally?" Commissioner asked. "Couldn''t we make an army out of these mutated humans to protect us?".


    "I think you''ve watched too many Hollywood movies, Commissioner." Alan said with a bitter smile.. "The FID have come into contact with multiple mutated humans, and not one of them could think like a normal person."

 Chapter 26 - Understand

    "What?" Noah looked at his mother with surprise as he ate his breakfast. "There''s no school today?"


    "Yeah. Didn''t you hear?" His mother said while washing her hands. "A boy from your school, Billy Becker, has apparently gone missing. I think he''s in your class."


    "Yeah, I know him..." Noah murmured under his breath as he slowly ate his breakfast. He had never told his mother about the bullying he received from Billy while he was in school. Noah didn''t wish to make his mother worry. Moreover, he also felt ashamed of his situation. He also hadn''t told his mother about what happened in the junkyard. "He''s in my class." He replied.


    "Really?" She looked at him with concern. "Well, there''s been a lot of missing person cases lately and the Parent-Teacher committee got involved, which ultimately resulted in your school deciding to suspend classes for the time being until the issue gets solved."


    "Huh, is that so?" Noah drank his coffee and nodded.


    "To think it took them this long to shut down the school.." Noah''s mother shook her head. "It''s been two weeks since the disappearances began happening."


    "You should be glad that they even considered shutting down the school, mom." Noah sighed. "Though I''m sure they''ll immediately open it anyway."


    "Yeah, I guess you''re right." Noah''s mother nodded.


    ------------ BEAST SOUL ------------


    After finishing his breakfast, Noah left his home, but not before reassuring his mother that he would be careful while walking around the neighborhood. She was certain that the missing person cases were somehow related to human trafficking, and was afraid that someone would kidnap him and take him away. It took him a while, but Noah eventually convinced his mother to let him leave the house.


    ''Not that any human trafficker would ever succeed in kidnapping a superhuman like me.'' But Noah couldn''t reveal his secret to his mother.


    As he began to walk, Noah realized that there was quite a drop in the number of people who were roaming around the streets. He attributed that to the continued increase of the missing person cases. People were getting scared.


    ''I wonder how they''ll react if they know that man-eating monsters were roaming around the streets?'' Noah thought to himself. They''ll probably lose their minds.


    He walked in the direction of his school. As he reached the forested area with the narrow pathway, Noah stopped in his tracks. After looking around and making sure that there were no one in his vicinity, Noah stepped into the woods and made his way towards the sequoia tree.


    Clap! Clap!


    "Wolfe!" Noah looked up the giant sequoia tree and clapped his hands twice, trying to call the dragon.


    Whoosh!


    All of a sudden, an enormous shadow leapt down from one of the tree branches and landed right in front of Noah.


    BAM!


    Noah couldn''t help but flinch once again.


    ''I really should get used to that,'' Noah sighed. His gaze then shifted to the gigantic creature that was standing in front of him and smiled.


    "Hi, Wolfe!" Noah patted the creature''s head, and it made a strange sound before trying to lick Noah.


    BRRRR!


    "Alright, alright! Calm down..." Noah said, and the dragon growled once before sitting down on the ground, his eyes staring right at Noah.


    "Why can''t the rest of the creatures be friendly and docile like you?" Noah sighed as he rubbed the dragon''s back, making him repeatedly stomp his foot on the ground in a rhythmic manner.


    ''Wait, now that I think about itˇ­'' Noah''s eyes widened all of a sudden, and he stared at Wolfe.


    ''Why on earth did Wolfe become friendly with me?'' Noah scratched his chin as he thought.


    He recalled that the dragon was acting all friendly with him the moment he met Noah, which didn''t make much sense to him. After all, even normal pet animals like a cat or a dog wouldn''t immediately act all friendly to a stranger. It usually takes some time for such creatures to get accustomed to a person in order to become friendly.


    ''It could just mean that a dragon is different,'' Noah thought. After all, this was a creature that no one has ever seen before. It could just have a different behaviour and thought process when compared to something like a cat or a dog.


    ''But stillˇ­'' Noah was still suspicious. He couldn''t feel as though something was off. As though he was missing something.


    ''There''s a chance that Wolfe could''ve met me when I black outˇ­'' Noah thought back to when he saw his arms transforming right before he lost consciousness. He then remembered the time when he woke up in the middle of the street at midnight, and he knew that there was something going on with him.


    Noah knew that he didn''t go to sleep when he lost his consciousness. It was as if something was awakening inside of him, taking control of his body as he blacked out.


    ''What the hell am I?'' Noah stared at both his hands. He was afraid. Afraid of whatever was within him. Afraid of what he could become, if this being takes control of his body forever. Afraid of what he would do to the people around him if that happens.


    ''I need to know what the hell is happening.'' Noah knew that he had to do something. In just a week, Noah''s understanding of the world he inhabited had been turned upside down. And if he wants to survive in this world filled with beasts and beings that inhabit your body, then he must try to understand what the hell is actually going on.


    ''Now, how on earth do I figure out what''s happening?'' Noah thought to himself. After all, he was still a student. And the information that he was searching for probably cannot be found in libraries or online. As a teenager, he only had very limited resources that he could use; none of which would be helpful in this situation.


    Beep! Beep!


    As he was deep in thought, Noah''s phone started to vibrate in his pocket. He pulled the phone out of his pocket and glanced at the screen, and his eyes widened for a second, before a smile emerged on his face.


    "I guess this might be one way of finding things out," He mumbled to himself under his breath as he answered the call and placed it close to his ear.


    "Noah Pemberton?" The voice on the other side said. "This is Lewis Fitzgerald. The detective that helped you and your friend reach the hospital?"


    "I remember, detective." Noah replied. "May I ask why you''ve called me?"


    "Oh, it''s nothing serious." Lewis said, trying to sound casual. "We''re getting the statements of all the witnesses involved in the Billy Becker incident. So, can you head down to the precinct as quickly as you can? I promise that it''ll only take a few minutes."


    "Of course, of course." Noah responded nonchalantly. "I''ll be there in half an hour."


    He hung up the call and shoved the phone back into his pocket, and turned his gaze towards Wolfe, who tilted his head and looked at him, puzzled.


    "I''m sorry buddy.." Noah said.. "But I''m afraid I have to go now."

 Chapter 27 - The Talk

    "What the hell?" Mrs. Aniston clicked her tongue, dissatisfied as she slammed her hand on the remote control while pointing at the television in front of her, which was displaying a blue screen with a small grey box in the middle, inside of which the words ''No signal'' was written in white. "Max! The television isn''t working!"


    "Just hit the remote control a few times, mom!" A voice came from the second floor of the house, instructing Mrs. Aniston on what to do. She did as she was told, and slammed the remote control multiple times with her slim hands. But to no avail. The television still didn''t seem to work.


    "It''s not working, Max!" She yelled loudly.


    Thud! Thud!


    The sound of footsteps was heard, moving down on the stairs. A young boy with long blonde hair wearing a yellow flannel shirt came into the living room and stood next to Mrs. Aniston. His gaze fixed on the television for a few seconds, before turning to look at the middle aged woman who had her hands tightly gripped on the remote control. "It might be the problem with the broadcast. Just wait a few minutes. Maybe it''ll get fixed after a while."


    "Oh, I hope so." Mrs. Aniston sighed. She then turned to look at the young boy and asked, "Are you ready to go to school, Max?"


    "Yeah, mom. I''m about to leave." The boy, Max Aniston, replied with a smile. Mrs. Aniston nodded her head and then turned back to face the television.


    Max slowly retreated back to the kitchen and opened the back door. "Bye, mom!" He said as he exited through the door, and Mrs. Aniston waved her hands with her face still facing the television, not turning around.


    Max opened the gate to the fence that surrounded the backyard and stepped onto a small alleyway, where three boys were waiting.


    "Took you a while." A boy with red hair, wearing a black striped shirt said with a click of his tongue as Max walked up to them.


    "Sorry about that guys." Max replied with a bitter smile on his face. "You know how my mom is."


    "Wait, I thought she doesn''t let you out when there''s no school because of the missing cases." A boy with black curly hair and wearing a red shirt stepped forward. "They were broadcasting the news about having no classes today on television. How the hell did you escape?"


    "Easy. I just pulled the plug of the television." Max shrugged his shoulders. "My mom''s not too good with electronics. She won''t figure it out anytime soon."


    "Goddamn." The kid with the glasses and wearing an oversized blue hoodie whispered under his breath. "Yeah, you better hope to god that she won''t figure it out."


    "I''ll worry about that later." Max rolled his eyes. "We should probably leave now."


    The four boys then dashed towards the mouth of the alley and entered Melvin Street.


    ------------ BEAST SOUL ------------


    The New World police station was probably one of the oldest remnants of the city before it was remodeled. It was an old building that stood out in the middle of the modernised streets of the New World City.


    Noah stood in front of the police station, staring at the building for a few seconds before sighing and walked up to the front door.


    "Noah! Good to see you again, kid." Detective Lewis Fitzgerald, who was standing right next to the front desk and was talking to the receptionist, immediately noticed the teenager who entered the building and waved his hands at him.


    "Detective Fitzgerald," Noah waved his hands back and began walking towards the detective. "You wanted to ask me some questions?"


    "Ah, yes!" Lewis snapped his fingers. He then ended the conversation with the receptionist and motioned Noah to follow him as he headed towards his desk.


    "Sit down, kid." Lewis pointed at the chair right opposite to his desk as he sat down on his own chair.


    "You aren''t going to make me enter the interview room?" Noah asked as he sat down.


    "Ha ha.. no, no." Lewis chuckled as he took out a notepad and a pen from his pocket and held it close to his chest. "This is just a simple Q&A. I just want to ask you a few questions and then you can leave. It''s that simple."


    Noah narrowed his eyes. He didn''t believe Lewis'' words, but he nevertheless nodded his head.


    "Before we start, do you want something to drink?" Lewis asked, and he pointed at the coffee kettle that was placed right on top of the table beside him.


    "A coffee would be nice," Noah answered.


    "Alright. Coffee it is." Lewis got up from his chair and grabbed two cups.


    As he was doing that, Noah caught a glimpse of a document that was just lying on the table. Since it was a few metres away from him, Noah thought that he wouldn''t be able to read it. But to his surprise, Noah realized that he could clearly read what was written on the document even though it was far away from him.


    ''What the hell?'' Noah thought to himself. He then narrowed his eyes and began going through the document, which he finished reading almost instantly, surprising him yet again.


    The document contained details about the disappearance of Billy Becker''s body.


    ''I thought Wolfe had killed the beast though?'' Noah scratched his chin. Was there another creature in the vicinity as well?


    Right then.


    "Here you go!" Lewis had finished pouring the coffee and handed one over to Noah, interrupting his train of thought. "Thank you," Noah said with a smile as he received the cup. Lewis sat back down in his chair and placed his cup on the table.


    Noah took a big sip from the cup, and then got right to it.


    "Okay, Noah, we''ve talked to the kids who were present at the junkyard the day you saw the wild animal. And I''ve also spoken to the doctor who was in charge of treating your friend, Adrian Nascimento in the hospital." Lewis said, and he looked at Noah. "The kids say that you were fighting Adrian in the junkyard. And the doctor does confirm that there were injuries other than that made by an animal on Adrian''s body. Although Adrian did deny such claims when we tried to speak with him."


    ''Damn it. I should''ve told him the truth.'' Noah scratched his chin. He was afraid that the detective would suspect him and would think that he was making up the story about the wild animal if he had told him the entire truth, which was why he lied during their first interaction. However, it seems to have backfired. He really didn''t think that one through, and now, he would most definitely look like a liar to Lewis.


    "You want to tell me anything about it?" Lewis asked.


    "Yes, I was fighting Adrian at the junkyard." Noah sighed. He had decided to tell the truth this time.


    "Okay. Why were you fighting Adrian?" Lewis asked, and Noah began the story at his school, and took it from there. He mentioned the bullying he had gone through under Billy, him fighting back, the confrontation between him and Adrian in the classroom, the decision to take the fight to the junkyard in order to not get into any trouble, the sudden appearance of the creature and how quickly it chased them. He used as much detail as he could remember, and to his surprise, he realised that he could recall almost every second of those incidents.


    That''s weird, he thought to himself. His memory wasn''t all that bad before, but this was definitely something else. It was as though he was rewinding through a video file.


    Noah walked Lewis through the whole event, describing things in excruciating detail exactly as they had happened.


    This meant that he had to tell them about the appearance of Wolfe as well. From what Lewis had told him, Noah knew that they''d already questioned Adrian, who had also seen Wolfe. And although he wanted to shield Wolfe''s presence as much as he could, he was certain that lying would only make him look suspicious.


    Of course, he didn''t mention his very first interaction with Wolfe. Only the part Adrian has also seen. Noah decided to keep the rest to myself.


    "And that''s it," Noah said when he was done and turned his gaze towards Lewis, who had been jotting down notes occasionally on his notepad. He put the notepad down and looked at me. "You look like a good kid, Noah." He said. "I can understand why you choose to lie to me the first time. You''ve had it rough, kid."


    Noah simply nodded his head in response.


    "So, about these creatures," Lewis said. "You haven''t told anyone about them, have you?"


    "Uh, no, sir." Noah shook his head.


    "Good," Lewis nodded as he pulled open his drawer and placed his notepad inside.


    Before he closed the drawer, Noah caught a glimpse of a document inside, which had a sketch of a different creature on it. One that Noah had never seen before. Underneath the rough sketch was a three letter word; BS-T.


    "Keep it a secret for now, alright?" Lewis'' words brought Noah back to reality. "We don''t want to cause a panic." Lewis said. "You understand, right?" He looked at Noah, who nodded his head.


    "Alright then," Lewis stood up from his chair and walked over to Noah. "You''re good to go now, kid. I''ll call you if there''s anything more to discuss."


    He stretched out his hand. Noah stood up from his chair and accepted the handshake.


    "That''s a good grip you''ve got there, kid. You work out a lot?" Lewis said as he let go of his hand, and Noah scratched his head in embarrassment. "Kind of."


    Noah left after saying goodbye, and Lewis returned to his chair. He then grabbed the coffee cup, and took a sip.


    "Ouch!" He instantly pulled the cup away from his mouth, and bit his lips. The coffee was too hot to drink.


    "The hell?" As Lewis was rubbing his lips with his hand, he caught a glimpse of the cup he had given Noah.. To his surprise, the cup was completely empty.

 Chapter 28 - Superhero

    Max Aniston inhaled deep, and blew out a fast jet of smoke. He was lying on his back. Next to him sat three boys; Harold, Alphonso and Gerald. They were resting on the incredibly large boulders that popped out from the water right in the middle of the Ingerham River, a few metres away from the Baxdwell Bridge.


    "Sh*t!" Max whispered under his breath as he pulled out the blunt from his mouth. "This is pretty goodˇ­"


    "I know dude." Harold, the young man with the red hair and black striped shirt said as he rolled up his joint, placed it in his mouth and brought the lighter close to its tip, holding his hand over the flames to stop the wind from extinguishing it. "Sh*t''s real good..." He said right before he inhaled.


    "You guys heard about Madison?" Alphonso, the boy with the black curly hair said as he sat cross legged, holding his half-smoked blunt clumsily in his hand.


    The other boys turned to look at him, their gazes now turned curious.


    "What''re you talking about?" Gerald, the one with the glasses, raised his eyebrows.


    Alphonso leaned forward. "Apparently.." He said, and the rest of the group also leaned forward, curious as to what he was talking about. Alphonso opened his mouth. "... She gives people blowj*bs right behind the old storage room in the school."


    "...."


    A brief period of silence.


    "For free?" Max asked.


    "That I don''t know." Alphonso shook his head.


    The boys looked at each other.


    "Damn..." Max said as he lay back on the giant boulder, placing the blunt back in his mouth and inhaling.


    "Ha ha haˇ­" For some unknown reason, he felt the urge to laugh. And so he did. He laughed. Alphonso joined him. Soon both Gerald and Harold were laughing, too.


    "Goddamn blowj*bs!" Max shrieked loudly while laughing, which sent them off into another storm of hysterical laughter.


    "Hah.." Max slowly exhaled, after laughing for god knows how long, and tilted his head towards the side of the river, where the opening to an old but large drainage pipe could be seen.


    "What the?" Max furrowed his eyebrows. It was extremely faint, but he felt as though he could hear a thumping sound from inside the drainage pipe.


    "Do you guys hear that?" Max turned around to look at his friends, who all stared at him with confused gazes.


    "What?" Alphonso asked, and Max pointed at the drainage pipe that was a few metres away from them. "I heard a weird sound coming from inside the drainage pipe."


    The group turned their heads to look at where Max was pointing at. The old drainage pipe that led to the underground sewers. Part of the old sewer system that was abandoned after the remodeling of the city. They listened closely, but heard nothing.


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about, Max." Alphonso said. "I''m pretty sure you''re just high."


    "Maybe it''s the sound of Madison giving blowj*bs!" Harold said, which cracked up the whole group. All except for Max. He remained silent, staring at the large drainage pipe with a curious gaze.


    "Shhˇ­" He pressed his finger against his lips, and the three boys turned silent, their gaze stuck on Max. "Listen closely.." He said.


    Thump! Thump!


    It was faint, but they could hear it now. It was a stranger sound, similar to someone slamming on a metal door, and yet sounding like someone''s screaming at the same time.


    "Wait a minute, I can hear somethingˇ­" Harold said. Everyone''s expression turned serious. They had all heard it too. Then, their gazes shifted to the opening of the drainage pipe.


    All of a sudden, Max stood up and skipped over the smaller boulders over to the banks of the river, and began walking towards the spot where the opening of the drainage pipe was located.


    "Hey Max! The f*ck?" Alphonso yelled out. "Where the f*ck are you going?"


    "I''mma check out the sewers! See where the noise is coming from!" He yelled back, and continued walking towards the drainage pipe.


    "Sh*t! That f*cker!" Alphonso slapped his forehead. He turned to Harold. "What''re we gonna do?"


    "You''re not suggesting we go with him, are you?" Gerald asked. His face was troubled. "It''s the f*cking sewers. Who the f*ck knows what''s down there."


    Harold stared at Alphonso, and then turned his head to look at Max, who was walking towards the drainage pipe, and let out a sigh. "Fine," he said quietly as he got up from the boulder, followed by Alphonso.


    "Wait, guys.." Gerald watched as the two boys skipped over the boulders and onto the riverside. "... Ugh, for f*ck''s sake! Wait up!"


    Looking defeated, Gerald shrugged his shoulders and got up from the boulder before rushing towards the rest of the group.


    ------------ BEAST SOUL ------------


    "BS-T, huh.." Noah murmured to himself as he left the police station. He had seen the three letter word on one of the documents that was inside Detective Lewis'' drawers.


    He pulled out his smartphone and searched the word on his browser, but to no avail. "Yeah, I thought so.." Noah said with a bitter smile on his face. He knew that he most probably wouldn''t find anything on the internet, but nevertheless, he still wanted to try. After all, that was one of the only resources that he had access to.


    "But still.." Noah turned around and looked at the police station one last time from a distance. "I think I got a few interesting information out of that visit.." He said, as he walked away. Most people would''ve felt that the visit was pointless, as the only things he learned was a three letter word that he didn''t understand, a rough sketch of a creature that he had never seen before, and that they still haven''t found the body of Billy Becker.


    However, Noah thought the opposite. He thought that the information that he was able to retrieve from his visit to the police station was much more than what he was hoping for. Especially since this was such a bizarre situation, and him being a young boy made it even more difficult because of the lack of access to various resources.


    "I wonder where Billy Becker''s body wentˇ­" He thought to himself. He was almost certain that the wolf creature that had attacked and murdered Billy Becker was killed by Wolfe the dragon. If that''s the case, then who - or what - took Billy''s corpse?


    There was also the chance that the wolf creature escaped the clutches of the dragon and retrieved Billy''s body, but that seemed unlikely to Noah.


    "There''s definitely more creatures roaming around the city.." He mumbled under his breath.


    This is bad, he thought to himself. Even though two monsters were killed, and one was under the control of Noah, the number of creatures wasn''t decreasing, but instead they only seemed to be increasing.


    Noah was concerned. He was concerned for himself. He was concerned for his mother. He was concerned for the citizens.


    He stopped in front of the window of a clothing store and turned around to look at himself in the reflection.


    "I am a superheroˇ­" He whispered softly.


    Ever since he was young, Noah had always loved superhero movies. Even the incredibly cheesy ones. Being a superhero was his dream. And now, he finally could.


    "I am a superhero.." He clenched his fists tightly as he repeated the words over and over.


    If he wanted to fight against these creatures, then it meant that he had to learn how to fight. He had to learn how to best utilise his newfound abilities and strength. It would be difficult, but he was certain that he had the power to do so.


    "Hey, you f*cker!" All of a sudden, a voice echoed in his ears, and Noah turned around, searching for the whereabouts of the speaker.


    The voice had come from one of the alleyways nearby.


    Noah narrowed his eyes. After a few seconds, he began walking towards the alleyway, and the voices became a lot more clearer.


    "P-please.. this is all the money I have.."


    "Huh? This is nothing! You piece of sh*t! I told you to bring more money, didn''t I?"


    Noah frowned. He was familiar with this situation. A bit too familiar.


    "These f*ckersˇ­" Noah gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.


    That''s right, he was a superhero.


    He looked at the alleyway and scoffed, "I guess now is as good a time as any to be one!"

 Chapter 29 - Teaching A Lesson

    "P-Please, Jamieˇ­. I-I don''t have any more money. T-This is all I have.." Ken Bergman, a small and frail looking boy, knelt in front of three young men.


    "You little sh*tˇ­" One of the men clicked his tongue and kicked Ken right in the stomach, which flung him back a few steps, causing him to slam against the wall with a loud thud!


    Ken let out a shriek, gasping for air as he landed on the ground.


    "What a loserˇ­" A girl who was standing beside them with a lollipop in her mouth murmured under her breath, after which she took out her smartphone and started taking pictures of the kneeling Ken, giggling as she did so.


    "Come on Ella, don''t insult my piggy bank like that.." Jamie, the one who kicked Ken, said with a sarcastic tone in his voice as he dropped his hand over her shoulder and pulled her to his side, causing the girl to giggle with delight. "Oh Jamie, stop it.."


    "What should we do with him, Jamie?" Victor and Benny, who were Jamie''s pals, grabbed Ken by the collar and dragged him up.


    "He''s a piggy bank who doesn''t have any moneyˇ­" Jamie turned towards Ken, who had blood dripping out from his mouth, and his black eyes sparkled. "Of course, he needs a punishment."


    ------------ BEAST SOUL ------------


    "Three guys and one girl."


    Noah, who was standing next to the mouth of the alleyway, leaned over and counted. The three guys were all enormous, easily outweighing Noah. They all wore uniforms as well. Not the same school uniform as Noah''s, but a different one.


    Most probably athletes of some sort, he surmised. After all, regular highschoolers don''t have such large and muscular bodies.


    Not that they would pose any threat to Noah. He was someone who has fought against monsters before. A bunch of gangster wannabe highschoolers were nothing to him.


    ''Good, they''ll help me with my training,'' Noah thought to himself.


    Ever since he fought Adrian and the beasts, Noah had come to realize that he was severely lacking in technique, reflex, and strength. Although he had defeated Adrian easily, it was only possible because of his superhuman strength. He wasn''t able to defend properly against Adrian''s attacks, and could only overpower him using just his strength.


    That might work against a normal human being, but it definitely wasn''t going to be so easy when he''s fighting a wild beast.


    He had to improve.


    ''Before that,'' He turned to look at his reflection on the glass window of a store nearby. ''I have to disguise myself first.''


    Of course, he wanted to save this person who was being bullied by these scumbags. However, since he wasn''t exactly used to fighting with his superhuman strength, Noah felt that it would be better if he disguised himself, in case something goes wrong.


    ''But what do I use to disguise myself?'' He scratched his chin. He didn''t have a mask, and he definitely couldn''t go out and buy one right now.


    He searched his pockets and pulled out a handkerchief.


    ''This might do the job for now,'' He grabbed the handkerchief, folded it diagonally in order to form a triangular shape, and then wrapped it around his nose and his mouth.


    ''What else do I have?'' He thought to himself as he rummaged through his jacket, and found a pair of dark sunglasses.


    After pondering for a few seconds, he put on the sunglasses, and then turned towards the glass window to get a good look at his appearance.


    ''Goddamn it! I look like a pervert..'' Sure enough, the reflection showed a suspicious figure that would make almost anyone call the cops looking back at him.


    But he didn''t have anything else on him to change his disguise. ''Screw it, let''s just get this over with..'' In the end, he decided to just go with it for now and walked into the alleyway.


    "Hold him, you guys." Jamie let go of Ella''s shoulders and walked up to Ken as Victor and Benny seized his arms and pulled him up.


    "J-Jamieˇ­ P-Please don''t.." Ken said with a trembling voice.


    "Shut your mouth b*tch!" Jamie clicked his tongue and slapped Ken right on his cheek, resulting in a loud noise.


    The slap was so hard that for a second, the world stopped moving for Ken. He could see Jamie''s mouth moving. He was speaking, but Ken couldn''t tell what he was saying. But he could feel the sour taste of blood in his mouth.


    "Hold him straight for me, alright?" Jamie said with an evil smirk on his face. He grabbed Ken''s hair and pulled his face up, bringing it close to his own face, and Ken felt as though he was staring at the devil himself. "I have to teach him properly what it means to disobey my orders."


    Tears began to drip down, and Ken shut his eyes tightly.


    Right then.


    "Leave him alone, f*ckers."


    A young voice. The trio turned around and saw a figure standing at the mouth of the alley. The mysterious figure had their face covered with cloth and was wearing sunglasses, but they did have the body of a young boy.


    "Who is that?" Ella, the girl with the lollipop in her mouth, tilted her head towards the mysterious figure and raised her eyebrows. "Ew, is that guy a pervert?"


    Jamie stared at the figure with a frown on his face.


    From the looks of it, this guy just seems to be a highschooler, he thought. He didn''t look like an adult. And he definitely didn''t look like an athlete.


    ''Ha, does this kid want to die?'' A twisted smile appeared on Jamie''s face. He definitely didn''t mind getting another piggy bank, he thought to himself.


    He looked at Victor and Benny, and the two nodded their heads. They knew what they had to do.


    "You should''ve just walked away when you had the chance, kid!" He said, as he took a step towards the mysterious figure. Victor and Benny did the same, as they spread out wide, taking both sides of the alleyway.


    "Unfortunately for you, this is wh-"


    "Cut the cr*p, f*ckface," Before Jamie could finish his speech, the mysterious figure interrupted him with an indifferent tone, which caught him off guard.


    ''These f*ckersˇ­'' Noah stared at the four bullies with a cold expression on his face. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see a beaten and bruised Ken lying on the pavement, and Noah''s blood boiled with rage.


    He too, knew what it felt like to be bullied. But even Billy Becker wouldn''t beat him up so badly. This wasn''t bullying. This was torture.


    "This piece of cr*pˇ­" Jamie gritted his teeth, as he stared angrily at Noah. He didn''t like people getting in his way. He didn''t like people standing up to him. But he absolutely loathed people who interrupted his words.


    "Beat up this f*cker!" Jamie snarled, and both Victor and Benny rushed forward.


    ''Here they come,'' Noah, who saw the two bullies charging towards him, narrowed his eyes and raised both of his fists.


    "Take this!" Victor moved first. He charged forward in a straight line, appearing right in front of him. His right arm swung.


    ''Dodge, dodge, dodgeˇ­'' Noah''s mind told him repeatedly, and he tried to tilt his head and sidestep out of the way. He was faster than before, but he wasn''t talented enough.


    BAM!


    The punch landed right on his face, next to his nose and his right cheek. It should''ve broken his nose. Noah should''ve been bleeding.


    "Got you, you f*cker!" Victor yelled out loudly, and he pulled back his fist and looked at Noah''s face, expecting to see blood dripping out of his nose. But he didn''t. Noah stood in front of him without a single scratch on his face. It was as though he hadn''t landed the punch. He showed no pain and no concern.


    "My turn," Those were the last words Victor heard from the mysterious figure before a punch landed in the centre of his chest, which made him feel as though he had been hit by a train, right before rendering him unconscious.

 Chapter 30 - Training

    "The f*ck?" Jamie and Benny watched in surprise as the mysterious figure knocked out Victor with just one punch.


    ''Is this guy really an athlete?'' Jamie thought to himself. After all, Victor was a boxer. He had won the junior state boxing championship just last year, so he definitely was a good boxer. And he definitely knew how to take hits.


    And yet, this person had knocked him out with a single punch, as though he was nothing.


    ''F*ck, did we encounter a professional?'' Jamie frowned. This wasn''t how his day was supposed to go. He liked to fight, but he liked to fight when he knew he''s going to win. But fighting someone who was a professional? He definitely wasn''t ready for that.


    "Look, man.." Jamie raised both his hands and said with a forced smile on his face. "I feel like there has been a misunderstanding here."


    Noah tilted his head to the side. ''Is he seriously trying to talk his way out of this situation?'' He thought to himself.


    ''Was he really that spineless?'' Noah clicked his tongue. These pathetic losers, they only knew how to bully the weak, and yet cower when they face a real threat.


    ''I can''t believe I feared these kinds of peopleˇ­'' Noah clenched his fists. He was ashamed of bowing down to Billy so easily. He was ashamed of enduring all that humiliation for so long. He was ashamed of not standing up sooner.


    "Did you say that there''s been a misunderstanding?" Noah raised his head up and stared at Jamie, which sent chills down his spine.


    ''What the hell?'' Jamie thought. He couldn''t believe that he was afraid of someone''s glare. But he could feel it in his bones. The fear. It was as real as it could get. ''Who is this guy?''


    "Uh, yes.. I think you just jumped to conclusions without understanding the situation here." Jamie tried to speak calmly, attempting to reduce the tension in the air.


    Unfortunately for Jamie, his opponent was not so gullible. "So you''re telling me that young man is lying there, beaten and bruised, not because of your actions?" Noah spoke with a cold and emotionless voice as he pointed his fingers at the injured Ken on the ground.


    Jamie''s face turned ugly for a split second, before it returned to normal. A normal person wouldn''t have caught that small change. But Noah did. "I know that it looks badˇ­" Jamie stretched out both of his hands, standing in a defensive pose and continued speaking with a troubled smile on his face. "But you have to understand.." He pointed his fingers at Ken. ".. He stole our money."


    Bullsh*t, Noah thought to himself. He wanted to roll his eyes. He had heard the conversation between Jamie and Ken. There was no mention of money being stolen. Clearly, Jamie was lying.


    "Oh he did?" Noah, who obviously wasn''t buying his words, decided to play along with the farce that was being put on by these clowns.


    "Y-Yeah, yeah!" Hearing Noah''s interest in his story, Jamie furiously nodded his head, and then turned to look at Benny. "Isn''t that right, Benny?"


    "H-Huh? Oh.. oh! Y-Yeahˇ­" Benny, who was caught off guard by the sudden question, took a few seconds to reply, stammering as he tried to give a proper answer. "H-He''s telling the truth. I swear on my mother''s grave."


    ''Did they really think anyone would buy this?'' As he watched these two idiots try to wiggle their way out of this situation, Noah shook his head and let out a heavy sigh.


    ''They act all mighty and scary when they''re in front of weak and frail boys. But in reality, they''re fakers.." Noah clicked his tongue. He already knew this. But after seeing these two clowns act in front of him, he couldn''t help but be reminded of the true nature of these bullies.


    "Parasitesˇ­" Noah whispered under his breath. No one heard his words, except for him. "Parasites who feed off the fear of the weakˇ­"


    Noah clenched his fists, and he began walking towards Jamie and Benny, which made the two flinch in fear and take a few steps back.


    "What the hell, man?" Jamie raised his voice as he stared at the approaching mysterious figure. His voice was trembling. "Didn''t you hear what we just said?"


    "Oh I did." Noah replied as he continued walking.


    "W-Well then why are you coming towards us?" Jamie screamed, his voice getting louder and louder with every step Noah took.


    "Because..." Noah stopped moving, and stared at Jamie. "I don''t believe a single word that came out of your mouth."


    "Y-You f*cker!" Jamie, who felt as though he was being made fun of, was embarrassed by Noah''s words. But he was also afraid. Because of this, he could only yell at him, but was too scared to approach him.


    "What are you doing?" Ella''s annoyed voice came from behind the two. She stared at the back of Jamie and Benny, and pulled out the lollipop from her mouth, which was now half the original size. "Haven''t you taken care of this pervert yet?" She spoke with a slightly annoyed expression on her face. "Just beat him up. It''s not that hard. Geezˇ­"


    ''Shut the f*ck up b*tch!'' Jamie wanted to scream as loud as he could into the sky. What was she saying? Was this b*tch this dumb?


    ''Beat him up? It''s not that hard?'' Jamie felt the urge to strangle her. If it was so easy, then why doesn''t she do it herself?


    "Bro, I didn''t want to tell you this before.." Benny turned to Jamie and whispered. "But your girlfriend''s pretty dumb."


    "F*ck off!" Jamie clicked his tongue, but he didn''t leave his gaze from Noah.


    "Are you going to listen to your girlfriend?" Noah, who saw that Jamie was frustrated, tried to aggravate him even more. "Want to beat me up? Go ahead." Noah patted his chest with his fist.


    Tap! Tap!


    "Give it your best shot."


    "Y-You motherf*cker!" Jamie, who sounded like he had enough of Noah''s tauntings, balled up his fists and charged forward.


    Swoosh!


    He ran straight into Noah, who simply stood there, without moving.


    "Take this, you f*cker!" Jamie screamed out loud as he swung his left fist right at Noah''s face.


    ''Here it comes!'' Noah saw the fist approaching. It was quick, but Noah could see it clearly.


    ''Come on. Dodgeˇ­'' Noah tilted his head down, trying to evade the blow, but unfortunately for him, he was still too late to move, and the fist hit him right in the face.


    BAM!


    "Ha ha ha! How do you like that, motherf*cker!" Jamie let out a loud laughter as he waited for Noah to fall down onto the ground. But he never did.


    "Is that all you''ve got?" Noah said as he grabbed Jamie''s fist, and pulled it back from his face.


    "W-What the?" Jamie couldn''t believe what he was seeing. Jamie wasn''t exactly a great fighter, but he was confident that his punches were insanely powerful. Anyone who decided to take it head on, would most definitely be on the ground and knocked out.


    And yet, here this guy was, still standing after taking on his punch at full strength.


    "Weak," The mysterious figure said, and Jamie couldn''t help but flinch.


    He tried to pull his arm back, but to no avail. Noah had his fist gripped tightly in his hands.


    "Let him go!" Benny yelled out as he rushed towards Noah, swinging his fist at him.


    Noah, on the other hand, still had his gaze on Jamie, who was using all his strength to pull his hand back.


    ''Not yet,'' Noah thought. He wasn''t about to end this right now. Not so soon. He hadn''t learned how to fight properly. He still couldn''t dodge. "And most importantly," His gaze then shifted towards Ken, who was lying on the floor. "These f*ckers need to learn their lesson!"


    Whoosh!


    All of a sudden, Noah pushed Jamie backwards, causing his body to spin in the air due to the immense force and slam his back against the wall before falling down face first onto the ground as he screamed in pain.


    "AHHHHHHH!" Ignoring the horrified and ear piercing screams of Ella, who just watched her boyfriend get thrown into the air like a ragdoll, Noah turned around to face the fast approaching Benny, who was already in the middle of swinging his fist.


    ''He''s aiming for my chest..'' Noah predicted the direction of the attack. But by then, it was too late to evade the punch.


    ''If I can''t evade it, thenˇ­'' Noah narrowed his eyes. With his mind made up, Noah stretched out his right hand.


    Swoosh!


    Noah''s hand moved quickly, trying to catch Benny''s fist before it could connect with its intended target, his chest.


    ''Come on, come onˇ­'' Noah, who could see Benny''s fist getting closer and closer to his chest, was getting anxious. Would he make it?


    BAM!


    Right before Benny''s fist could collide with his chest, Noah''s right hand stretched forward and caught his wrist, stopping the attack in its tracks!


    Just as he caught Benny''s wrist, the anxious expression on Noah''s face was immediately replaced by a wide grin, and he whispered, "Bingo!"

 Chapter 31 - Round Two

    "Ew, this place stinks!" Alphonso said as he covered his face and nose with a disgusted expression. The group of boys were walking through the sewers, following Max, who was curiously searching for the source of the sound that he heard just a few minutes ago.


    "Yes, Alphonso. We''re inside the f*cking sewers. What did you think it''s going to smell like? Lavenders?" Gerald shook his head as he held his phone facing down, forcing the bright light to hit the green water below them.


    "You know what the smell reminds me of?" Harold said with a grin on his face, and Alphonso asked. "What?"


    "You''re mom''s p*ssy!" Harold immediately replied, as though he has been dying to day that, and the group erupted into laughter. Their loud voices echoed throughout the sewers, spreading everywhere.


    "F*ck off!" Alphonso clicked his tongue, clearly unhappy about the joke, and frustrated by the fact that he fell for such an obvious setup. He should''ve seen it coming the moment he caught a glimpse of a grin on Harold''s face.


    "It''s pretty hilarious, though," Max whispered under his breath, his eyes still looking forward.


    The three boys looked at Max, and then each other, and let out a sigh. They were walking for quite a while, and had yet to find anything intriguing other than the rats and the sh*t filled water that they were standing in. No sign of the source of the noise that they heard.


    "Hey Max!" Gerald called Max, who turned around to face him. "Yeah?" Max asked, his eyebrows raised.


    "Don''t you think we should leave now?" Gerald said as he stretched out both his hands. "We''ve been walking through this dirty water for god knows how long. There''s nothing in here except piss, sh*t and rats."


    "I just, I don''t knowˇ­" Max shrugged his shoulders, stammering as he spoke. He seemed unsure. He then breathed in, and said, "I just have a feeling."


    "A feeling?" Gerald shook his head. He walked up to Max and placed his hand on his shoulder as he responded, "Buddy, that''s just the weed."


    "No, I''m not talking about that!" Max clicked his tongue and pushed his hand away. "I just feel like there''s something here. And it''s calling for me. Like, uh, like an external force..."


    "An external force?" Harold interrupted him. "Man, are you talking about God?"


    "What? No!" Max shook his head. "I''m just saying that there''s something here that I''m supposed to see-"


    "Max," Gerald cut him off. He let out a sigh and stared at Max. "We have to leave. There''s nothing here."


    "B-But.." Max wanted to reply, but found himself lost for words. But right when he was about to give in and agree with Geraldˇ­


    Thump! Thump!


    The sound! There it was once again!


    Max, Gerald and the rest of the group turned silent, their eyes darting all over the sewers, trying to find the origin of the sound that they were hearing.


    Alphonso turned to look at the metallic pipes that were lined up to the walls of the sewers, and his eyebrows raised up. "The pipes?"


    The rest of the group shifted their gazes towards him, and he pointed at the metallic pipes on the wall. "It sounds like someone''s slamming on the pipes."


    Max and Gerald looked at each other.


    "Maybe it''s just a rat," Gerald said softly.


    Max didn''t reply. Instead, he turned around, and continued walking forward.


    "M-Max!" Gerald yelled out loudly. "What the hell are you doing? Come back!"


    "I need to find out what''s causing the loud sounds!" Max yelled back in reply, without turning around, and continued moving.


    "What the hell?" Alphonso whispered under his breath, and the three remaining boys looked at each other.


    "Hah.." Gerald let out a heavy sigh. With a frustrated expression on his face, he said. "F*ck it. Wait up!"


    ---------------


    "What the actual f*ck is happening?!" Those were the words that came out of a terrified Ella''s mouth, as she watched her boyfriend get thrown away like yesterday''s trash.


    BAM!


    She watched her boyfriend slam onto the wall behind him with a loud noise and fall down, and she couldn''t help but let out a loud scream.


    "AHHHHHH!" She screamed as loud as she possibly could, but immediately shut her mouth once she saw that the eyes of the masked figure were on her.


    The masked man had only glanced at her for a split second, but it was enough to send chills down her spine. His eyes were cold and emotionless, and she couldn''t handle his ruthless gaze even for a single second.


    ''Wha-What the hell..'' Ella wanted to speak, but she could only open her mouth. Her voice didn''t come out. It was as though she had suddenly turned mute.


    BAM!


    "Bingo!" The masked figure said with an enthusiastic voice as he gripped Benny''s fist tightly.


    ''Why the hell is he acting so excited about catching my fist?'' Benny was bewildered by the reaction of the masked figure, who seemed to be overly excited about grabbing his wrist.


    ''Don''t tell me that he''s just an extremely strong dude who''s never been in an actual fight?'' Benny raised his eyebrows. It could very well be the case. After all, an experienced fighter, or perhaps even an amateur one would''ve been able to avoid Jamie''s previous attack.


    It was not that hard to figure out, especially since Jamie didn''t have any strategy while punching. And he was extremely obvious on which hand he was going to be using as well. You just had to follow his hand, and it should''ve been an easy dodge. And yet, this guy couldn''t evade it.


    ''If that''s the case,'' Benny thought of something, and all of a sudden, he pulled his lower body up using the grip exerted by Noah on him, and his feet leapt up sideways.


    "Huh?" Noah, who had gotten distracted because of his achievement, was too late to realize what was happening.


    Whoosh!


    Benny''s lower body spun in the air as his legs swung from sideways, his ankle crashing right onto the side of Noah''s head with a loud noise.


    BAM!


    "Ha ha ha! Take that, you son of a b*tch!" Benny laughed maniacally and tried to pull away from Noah, thinking that he had finally taken down the masked figure.


    "Ugh.. What the hell?" To Benny''s surprise however, Noah''s grip didn''t loosen even a bit. "Why is this guy so freakishly strong?!"


    "I wonder why.." All of a sudden, the masked man spoke, which made Benny freeze in horror.


    ''How the hell is he still standing?'' Benny knew that his kick should''ve sent him crashing down onto the ground. And yet, he was still standing.


    "That was a good kick.." The mysterious man said as he wiped his face with his other hand, his gaze still stuck on Benny.


    Whoosh!


    The man then pulled back his other hand, raising it in the air, and Benny, who was terrified upon seeing his actions, screamed, "I-I''m sorry! I-It was my fault! I shouldn''t have tried to attack y-"


    POW!


    A powerful slap struck Benny''s cheek, sending him flying backwards.


    BAM!


    He slammed onto a pile of trash cans that were lying next to the wall, causing a loud ruckus as he crashed.


    "Ughˇ­" Benny groaned loudly. He was gasping for air, breathing in and out.


    ''I thought I had blacked out for a second thereˇ­'' With his breathing getting erratic, Benny raised his head and looked at his own body. He could see that his legs and his hands were still connected to his body, even though he couldn''t feel them right now.


    ''What kind of a monster throw was that?'' Benny was terrified. He thought that he had almost died right then and there.


    Ella was watching the groaning Benny trying his best to move his body with a horrified expression on her face.


    ''I need to get out of here,'' She knew that staying behind would not be a great idea, so she wanted to leave as soon as possible. But right when Ella turned her gaze towards the mouth of the alleyway, she felt a hand grab her shoulders, and she couldn''t help but scream loudly.


    "AHHHHHH-" The ear piercing scream was cut short by a hand covering her mouth and pulling her backwards, causing her to fall down onto the ground on her butt.


    "Ouch!" Ella groaned in pain, but soon realised that the mysterious figure who was assaulting Benny and her boyfriend was standing right in front of her, which made her legs go weak.


    The mysterious figure didn''t speak, but his presence was enough to terrify the young lady.


    "P-Please let me g-go.." Tears and snot began to stroll down uncontrollably from her face, as she stammered while speaking.


    "Do you know how to fight?" The mysterious figure asked.


    "W-What?" Ella, who was in the middle of crying and having a mental breakdown, didn''t clearly hear what the mysterious man said. She looked at the man with a confused and fearful expression on her face, and the man opened his mouth to speak, "I said, do you know how to fight?"


    "I-I do n-notˇ­" Ella tried to speak normally, but she was still stammering.


    "That''s a shameˇ­" The mysterious figure replied.


    ''Maybe he doesn''t attack people who don''t know how to fight!'' Ella, who was terrified out of her wits, now came to the conclusion that the mysterious man was asking if she could fight him. Perhaps she would be left alone because she doesn''t know how to fight?


    BAM!


    But her hope was shattered when the next moment, the mysterious man grabbed her hair and slammed her face down onto the pavement, causing her to faint.


    "I don''t like to hit women.." Noah said as he stepped over the unconscious body of Ella and walked towards the two injured young men, who were now on their knees and looking at each other. "But you aren''t worthy of being called one."


    "Ellaˇ­" Jamie, who had just gotten up from the floor, saw the body of his girlfriend, lying on the ground, unconscious. His eyes turned towards the mysterious figure, hoping to be fueled by anger, but all he could feel was pure terror.


    "You guys are up?" Noah stared at the two youths with his emotionless eyes, and two flinched.


    "Good," He said as he cracked his knuckles.. "Time for round two."

 Chapter 32 - Interesting Interruption

    The group of young boys wound their way through the dirty and damp sewers with Max leading the way, followed by Harold, who was right behind Max, Alphonso, and then finally Gerald, who was at the tail end of the group.


    The sewers were dark, which limited visibility to the path they had made through here. While the rest of the group were having trouble walking through the dirty water that was only getting thicker and more gooey the more they walked, making them feel disgusted, Max, who was in the lead, didn''t seem to have any sort of issues with it. He was moving with the same pace as before, and he walked with an expression as though he was possessed, which frightened the young boys.


    "Uh, Max?" Gerald, who was feeling quite uncomfortable because of him, called out to him from behind, which forced Max to stop moving and turn around, the light from his phone hitting Gerald in the face. "What''s the problem, Gerald?" He asked, looking annoyed.


    ''Why''re you the one who''s looking annoyed? I''m the one who should be annoyed.'' Gerald thought to himself. But of course, he didn''t say that.


    "What are we even doing?" Gerald said with a concerned expression on his face. Harold and Alphonso looked at each other. "What do you mean?" Max tilted his head and stared at Gerald with a confused look.


    "Why the hell are we following a suspicious noise that we heard coming out from inside an old sewer system that had probably never been used in a decade?" Gerald shook his head. "And why are you so obsessed with this noise? Something dangerous could be down here."


    "I''m not forcing you to follow me," Max shrugged his shoulders. "You know that, right?"


    "Yeah I know thatˇ­" Gerald said as he rolled his eyes. He then stopped speaking for a second, seemingly figuring out what to say, before continuing. "... But I wasn''t going to leave my friends alone.."


    Harold and Alphonso looked at each other once again, and then back to Gerald. Max didn''t reply immediately. He nodded his head, and after a brief period of silence, he opened his mouth to speak. "I heard something."


    "Yeah, you told us." Alphonso replied.


    "That''s not all," Max shook his head. "The noise. I heard something within it. Someone - or something - speaking."


    "Speaking?" Harold raised his eyebrows. "Like ''speaking'' speaking?"


    Max nodded his head. "Whatever it was, it was asking for my help." He shrugged. "It sounded like it was in pain."


    Gerald narrowed his eyes. He didn''t know what to say.


    Thump! Thump!


    The group looked around, now turned alert. There it was again. The sound!


    Thump! Thump!


    "It''s near," Max turned around and whispered, causing Gerald to look in the same direction. "What?"


    Whoosh!


    All of a sudden, Max began to run straight forward, catching the group completely off guard.


    Splash! Splash! Splash!


    "W-Wait up! Max!" After a moment of confusion, Gerald darted forward, yelling at Max as he moved past Alphonso and Harold, who immediately ran after the two.


    Max led them towards what seemed like the centre of the sewer system that connected all the pipes from various locations, meeting together in a very large circular space, which had a large single opening on the opposite side, through which the joined wastewater could exit out.


    The circular space had sand deposited in the middle of it, and as the sewer system had not been used in a very long time, there was little to no water in this specific spot.


    "Woahˇ­" Alphonso couldn''t help but mutter to himself as he stared at the large space. "What the hell is this place?" Gerald looked around, similarly in awe of the location.


    "Look," Harold, who had spotted something, called for the attention of others, and the rest of the group turned towards him. He pointed his finger at the centre of the large space, where they could see something underneath the pile of sand, it''s shape protruding outwards. "What is that?" He asked, looking uncomfortable.


    Gerald squinted his eyes, staring at the pile of sand in the middle of the space, trying to figure out what that was. All of a sudden, his eyes widened, and his lips quivered. "T-That looks like a.."


    "A person!" Max finished Gerald''s words for him, and the two turned to look at each other for a brief second before shifting their gazes back to the pile of sand in the middle of the large underground space.


    It was, indeed, a human body that was partially buried underneath the pile of sand. The group, who were still standing right on the edges of the circular space, stared at the centre of the chamber, but did not take a step forward.


    "Wha- What should we do?" Harold turned to look at the rest of the group, who couldn''t give a reply.


    "We should probably call the cops." Alphonso said as he pulled up the number pad in his phone, only for his eyes to widen with surprise. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me.."


    "What?" Gerald asked, and Alphonso turned his screen towards him. "No signal." He pointed at the notification bar. "We''re screwed."


    "Oh f*ck no.." Harold said as he began muttering under his breath. "This is just like those horror movies. We have to leave.."


    "Yeah, I know." Gerald nodded his head and turned around, only to see Max begin walking towards the pile of sand, and called out to him. "M-Max! Jesus Christ, what the hell are you doing?"


    "He''s calling for meˇ­" Max mumbled something, but Gerald couldn''t quite catch his words. He screamed, "Max! Come back here!"


    "Max! Please!" Harold joined in. "Listen to Gerald! We have to leave right now!"


    "God f*cking damn it!" Alphonso cursed under his breath, and he dashed towards Max.


    "Alphonso!" Gerald yelled out loud, and frustrated by the actions of the other two, he too leapt forward, followed by Harold.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    Max reached near the pile of sand, and stood next to the partially covered human body, staring at it with intrigue and fear in his eyes.


    "I''m here.." Max whispered softly, before he quickly began swatting away the sand that was covering the body using his hands.


    BAM!


    But before he could do so, he was tackled to the ground by Alphonso, and the two boys crashed down onto the muddy ground.


    "Max! Alphonso!" Gerald slowed down as he got closer to the two boys and tried to grab Max.


    "Let me go!" Max slapped his hand away and tried to rush over towards the body, but he was quickly restrained by Alphonso, who had used his tight grip to pin him down to the ground.


    "Max! Listen to us!" We have to leave right now!" Gerald tried to get Max''s attention, but right thenˇ­


    Thud! Thud! Thud!


    All of a sudden, the human body began to shake violently, which caused Harold, who was standing next to it, to fall down onto the ground, terrified by what was happening.


    "Wha- wha- What the f*ck!" Harold screamed loudly, and the group watched in horror as the stomach of the human body ripped open like paper, and from inside of it, shot out multiple fleshy vines with horrifying animal mouths on each of its tips!


    The vine monsters wiggled in the air, trembling furiously, before opening their mouths, revealing their sharp teeth and long, disgusting tongues, and shouting loudly!


    Screeeee!


    ---------------


    "Ugh!" Jamie fell down onto the ground with a loud noise, gasping for air. His face was now covered in injuries, dripping with blood, sweat and mucus. He tried to move his limbs, but he was simply too tired to move. His eyes then shifted towards Ella, who was still lying on the ground, unconscious.


    ''Why the hell is this happening to me?'' Jamie wanted to know. He wanted to understand why the mysterious figure was beating him up, and not letting the two of them go. The mysterious man had been fighting them (beating them up) for almost half an hour now, and from the looks of it, doesn''t plan on stopping anytime soon either.


    "P-Please, l-leave us aloneˇ­" Benny, who was still standing opposite the mysterious man, couldn''t handle it anymore.


    BAM!


    With a loud noise, he fell to his knees, and prostrated in front of the mysterious figure. His whole body was trembling, and his face was pale and covered with injuries. "P-Please let us goˇ­ p-pleaseˇ­" Benny''s voice was cracking as he spoke.


    The mysterious figure, Noah, simply stood in front of him without replying. His eyes were cold and emotionless. Although he wasn''t completely aware of it, his eyes were now partially black.


    Grab!


    Noah ignored Benny''s pleading and pulled him by his hair and raised him up, causing him to scream in pain.


    "Let you go?" Noah spoke softly. His voice, which was sounding normal just a few seconds ago, was now replaced by a harsh and sinister voice, which made the already fearful Benny tremble. Noah pulled Benny closer to his face, and whispered into his ear. "But I''m just getting started."


    Right thenˇ­


    "Hm?" Noah, whose gaze was on Benny, suddenly turned around and looked into the sky.


    "Interestingˇ­" Others couldn''t hear it, but he could. A cry. And not a normal one. Something different. Somethingˇ­ beastly.


    Wham!


    Noah suddenly pushed Benny away, causing him to be flung back and land right on top of Jamie, and the two young men groaned.


    "Wh-What the hell?" Jamie pushed Benny away and turned to look at the mysterious figure, only to find no one there.


    It was as if he had disappeared into thin air.

 Chapter 33 - Monster War

    "Wha- wha- What the f*ck!" Harold screamed loudly, and the group watched in horror as the stomach of the human body ripped open like paper, and from inside of it, shot out multiple fleshy vines with terrifying animal mouths on each of its tips!


    The vine monsters wiggled in the air, trembling furiously, before opening their mouths, revealing their sharp teeth and long, disgusting tongues, and shouting loudly!


    Screeeee!


    The monster - vine mouths let out an ear screeching noise, and at the same time, Gerald yelled out, "What the actual f*ck?!"


    "Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t!" Harold, who was on the ground, immediately leapt up and dashed towards the rest of the group, who were slowly backing away from the terrifying ''stomach monster''.


    BAM!


    However, just then, a loud noise came from behind them, and all of a sudden, their entire surroundings were covered by dust, which had burst out from the back as though an explosion had occurred.


    "What the hell?" Alphonso covered his eyes and mouth as he spoke, coughing loudly while he did so. "What was that? Where on earth did all that dust come from?"


    "AHHHHH!" Harold, who had immediately turned around to see what was happening, let out an ear piercing scream, which forced the rest of the group to turn around as well.


    "What the f*ck is that?!" Gerald shouted. His face had now turned completely pale, and so did the faces of the rest of the group. Standing behind them was a giant spider-like creature with a humanoid looking upper body on top, glaring at them with its crimson red eyes.


    "Oh you have got to be sh*tting me!" Harold cursed under his breath. "I knew I should''ve not come out of the house to smoke weed today.."


    "What the hell do we do now?" Alphonso screamed. He had raised both his hands up to his chest in an attempt to protect himself, but looking at the size of the spider-like creature that was standing menacingly in front of them, it didn''t give him any reassurance of his survival.


    Gerald turned his head and glanced at the vine-like stomach monster that was now behind them, and then back to the spider creature, and bit his lips. His hands were trembling in fear. He didn''t know what to do. Looking at the humongous figure of the creature in front of them, which was as tall as some of the school buses in their school, he definitely didn''t have any hope in actually making out of this situation alive.


    "Calm down," He whispered under his breath to the rest. "No sudden movements. It hasn''t attacked us yet." He said as he scanned the spider-like creature''s entire body. "From the looks of it, it''s probably studying us."


    "S- Studying us?" Harold asked with a soft voice, his gaze still on the monster in front of them.


    "At least, that''s what I think," Gerald replied. "It''s probably intrigued. Perhaps it''s waiting for us to make a move. Either way, it''s not attacking us right now. So whatever it is that we''re doing right now, it''s working."


    "Wh- How the f*ck are you so calm right now?!" Alphonso bit his lips as he looked at Gerald.


    "I have no clue, alright." Gerald replied, slightly shrugging his shoulders as he spoke. "I guess I was in the boy scouts when I was young."


    "Since when the f*ck did the boy scouts start training to fight monsters?" Alphonso stared at Gerald with a frustrated expression.


    "Look, I- I don''t know, okay?" Whispered Gerald. "I just- I just don''t want to die.." He said with a shaky voice.


    Alphonso shifted his gaze towards Gerald''s arm, and saw that he was trembling.


    ''Well, sh*tˇ­'' Alphonso said as he let out a heavy sigh. ''I guess he wasn''t so calm after all.''


    "For now, everyone just stay absolutely still." Gerald said.


    The rest of the group nodded their heads. Gerald breathed in and out in a rhythmic manner, trying to calm himself.


    ''I said all that, but we can''t stand here all day long.'' Gerald thought as his gaze shifted towards the sewage opening through which they entered this circular space. ''That opening might be our only way of getting out of here.''


    The question was, how on earth would they be able to make their way towards the opening without dying at the hands of these two monsters?


    Max, who was also surprised and afraid of the situation, turned to look at the vine-like monster that had burst out of the stomach of the human body, and all of a sudden, his eyes widened.


    "We need to move back!" Max said as soon as he turned back around, and the rest of the group looked at him with confused gazes.


    "Huh?"


    "I''m sorry, what?!" "


    Are you kidding me right now?"


    "It''s our only chance!" Max said with a straight face, his eyes fixed on their faces. He whispered, "Please! You need to trust me."


    "Are you really talking about trust right now!" Harold said with an angry, and yet soft voice. "Don''t forget that it''s your fault we''re in this mess!"


    "I know that, but you have to trust me once more," Max pleaded. "This is the only way that we can survive!"


    "No, the only way to survive is through that opening!" Alphonso shook his head and turned his gaze towards the sewage opening that they had entered through. "We just have to find out a way to distract that-"


    GRRRRR!


    Alphonso''s words were interrupted by the growling of the spider-like creature, and everyone turned silent and pale.


    GRRRR!


    The creature growled again, and silently took a step forward, standing right in front of Alphonso, who was scared out of his wits.


    Whoosh!


    The monster''s head reached forward, and the air burst out its nostrils and onto Alphonso, causing dust that surrounded them to fly all over the atmosphere.


    "Guys!" Max whispered under his breath. Gerald shifted his gaze towards Max without moving his head, and Max continued speaking, "In three seconds, I''m going to turn around and run towards the vine monster."


    "What? No!" Harold whispered. "Don''t do it Max!"


    "You''re going to have to trust me, guys.." Max said, and then began to count down. "Three.."


    "Max, don''t you dare.." Gerald said.


    "Twoˇ­"


    "Don''t do it!" Harold said. Alphonso, who still had the creature staring straight at him, couldn''t speak, but he certainly wouldn''t have agreed with Max either.


    "One!"


    Whoosh!


    As soon as he finished speaking, Max turned around and dashed towards the middle of the circular sewage space, and the creature, which had instantly shifted its gaze onto him, rushed forward as well, roaring loudly as it moved.


    GRRAAAAR!


    "Max!" Gerald yelled out as he watched the spider-like creature rush towards Max with incredible speed.


    Step! Step! Step!


    Max was running like crazy. He saw the vine monsters snarling at him, but nevertheless, he rushed forward and leapt over the human body, ignoring the vine monsters, and slid right behind the pile of sand that contained the corpse.


    GRRRAAA!


    The large spider creature growled loudly as it charged towards the spot where Max was, but right then, the vine monsters revealed their long and sharp teeth and shot out towards the spider creature, sinking their teeth onto its skin within seconds!


    GRRRRRAR!


    The creature roared loudly as it tried to pull the vine monsters and rip their heads off, but their long and slimy skin prevented it from grabbing hold of it.


    "Alphonso!" As this was going on, Gerald rushed over to Alphonso, who had now landed on his knees and was gasping for air. He knelt alongside him and asked, "Are you alright?"


    "Haa.. Ha.." Alphonso, who still had trouble speaking, breathed in and out. "I was almost eaten by a giant f*cking spider. Of course I''m not alright!" He said while breathing heavily.


    "Gerald!" Harold called over to him, which prompted Gerald to turn his gaze towards him. "Look!" Harold pointed at the sewer opening, which was now completely open, without any obstacles that could stop them from leaving. Harold said with a happy smile, "Our way out!"


    Right then!


    "Look out!" Gerald yelled out all of a sudden and pushed Harold down to the ground, falling along with him as the spider-like creature was flung back onto the opening with a loud noise.


    BAM!


    The creature had been pushed back by the vine monsters, and the impact caused the roof right above the sewer opening to collapse and fall down, covering the entire entrance with rocks and boulders.


    "Oh you have got to be f*cking kidding me!" Harold, who saw the entrance collapsing right in front of his eyes, cursed out in frustration.


    "We have to go, now!" Gerald, who had already leapt up from the ground, said as he pulled Harold up. He pointed at the spider creature, which although stuck under the boulders, was still trying to move. "Looks like that thing is not dead yet."


    Harold nodded, and the two reluctantly rushed towards the vine monsters, calling for Alphonso as they charged forward.


    "Come on Alphonso!" Gerald yelled, and Alphonso clicked his tongue before leaping up and following them.

 Chapter 34 - Communication

    "F*ck my life!" Alphonso''s loud scream echoed throughout the sewers as he dashed towards the pile of sand, running right behind Gerald and Harold.


    Screeee!


    The vine monsters screeched at the three boys who were rushing forward in their direction, but didn''t attack them.


    Whoosh!


    Within seconds, the three boys had leapt over the large pile of sand that contained the partially covered human body, landing right next to Max.


    BAM!


    "Ouch!" Harold yelled out loudly as he raised his head from the ground, rubbing his back as he crouched down next to Max. "That hurt like hell! Why on earth did I jump with such power?"


    "Probably shouldn''t have done that!" Max replied in a hushed tone.


    "Probably notˇ­" Harold nodded as he turned his gaze towards the other two, Gerald and Alphonso. Gerald had closed his eyes and was breathing in and out, while Alphonso was lying on the ground, gasping for air.


    "This is not how I imagined how my day was going to beˇ­" Alphonso whispered under his breath, before coughing continuously.


    "Yeah, you and me bothˇ­" Harold replied, and then he turned his head towards the sewer opening which was now blocked by countless boulders and the giant spider creature, which was lying right in front of the pathway.


    The rest of the group peeked their heads over the large pile of sand, their gazes fixated on the spider creature which was lying still on the ground.


    "Is it dead?" Alphonso whispered under his breath. He then turned to look at Gerald. "Do you think that thing is dead?" He repeated the question.


    "I-I don''t know, Alphonso.." Gerald replied, stuttering as he spoke, his gaze still stuck on the unmoving creature. He seemed afraid, as though the creature might suddenly come towards them as soon as he shifts his gaze. "I don''t know if you know this, but I''m not an expert when it comes to monsters from hell.." He said while letting out a long sigh. "... Or wherever the f*ck that thing is from.."


    "But maybe he does," Harold said, as he pointed his finger at Max, who was leaning backwards onto the large pile of sand, thinking to himself. "Don''t you, Max?" Harold said as he let out a snort. Max glanced at him for a split second with an indifferent expression on his face, but didn''t reply. This only angered Harold even more. "What''s the matter? I thought you could hear the thoughts of the f*cking vine monster. What happened to that ability?"


    "Haroldˇ­" Alphonso shook his head, but he didn''t know how to continue or what to say. "What are you looking at me for?" Harold said as he turned to Alphonso. He was clearly enraged. "It''s his fault that we''re stuck in this f*cking place!"


    "Harold, just stop." Gerald said. He didn''t even turn his head, but Harold couldn''t help but shut his mouth. His tone was sharp. Harold could tell that Gerald was angry. They all knew that he was angry. After all, they''ve been friends for a long time. They could tell easily, even if he didn''t show it externally.


    "Whatever happened happened." Gerald said, as he squinted both his eyes. He was trying to make sure that the spider creature wasn''t faking being knocked out. "It''s over. There''s nothing we can do to change the past." Finally convinced that the creature might really have fainted, he turned his gaze towards Harold, who still had an unsatisfied expression on his face. "Fighting with each other is not going to solve anything." Gerald said with an indifferent expression. Or at least, he was attempting to portray an indifferent expression. But nevertheless, the frustration was slightly visible on his face. "You know this already, right Harold?"


    ".... Hah.." Harold tilted his head upwards, closed his eyes and let out a sigh. "You''re right. I''m sorry." Harold glanced at Max for a split second right after he spoke, but didn''t say anything to him. "I shouldn''t have gotten heated. I let the frustration get to me. It was my fault."


    "It''s alright, man.." Alphonso nodded his head. Gerald nodded as well, and then turned his gaze towards Max, who although seemed reluctant, opened his mouth to speak.


    ".... I''m sorry too." He said while breathing out. "When I heard the voices, I- I don''t know what came over me." Max had his gaze fixed on the ground, as though he couldn''t look them in the eye. "I didn''t think about you guy''s safety. I should''ve been careful."


    Gerald, Alphonso and Harold nodded their heads. "Good, now that that''s settled.." Gerald said as he clapped. "Let''s try to figure out how to get out of this damn hellhole."


    "Well, it looks like the way we came isn''t a viable option for use anymore." Harold said as he pointed his finger towards the sewer opening that was now covered with boulders.


    "We might have to use the rest of the pipes to escape." Alphonso said. He motioned at the other large pipe openings.


    "Well, we could. But the issue isˇ­" Gerald bit his lips as he muttered. The remaining openings were right next to the spot where the spider creature was lying. "I don''t know if we can trust the f*cking spider to not attack us."


    "What do we do about these vines, though?" Harold said as he pointed at the vine monsters that were snarling and drooling all over the ground, moving around in the air right above the group, which was making them feel uneasy.


    "It doesn''t seem like they''re trying to hurt us," Gerald said while tilting his head up. "Although I can''t say for sure why.."


    "Maybe Max might know something about it," Harold said, and his gaze shifted towards Max as he continued, "After all, he''s the one who was supposedly hearing voices."


    Gerald turned to look at Max, who returned the gaze. "What do you think, Max?" He asked. "Do you have any ideas?"


    Max was about to open his mouth when all of a sudden..


    GRRRRRAR!


    The spider creature''s hand swung up from underneath the boulders, sending them flying into the air and towards the pile of sand where the group was hiding.


    "Look out!" Gerald yelled out loud and pushed away Alphonso, while both Max and Harold immediately leapt from their spots and rushed to find cover.


    BAM! BAM! BAM!


    Countless boulders began to drop down onto the ground and onto the pile of sand containing the human body, and the vine monsters growled loudly while showing their sharp teeth, as though they were angry at what was happening.


    GRRRRRAR!


    The spider creature roared loudly as it stared at the vine monsters with anger in its eyes.


    "Oh, you have got to be f*cking kidding me!" Harold, who got up from the ground and looked at his surroundings, couldn''t help but curse at their terribly unfortunate luck. "The f*cking monster is back up!"


    "Oh for f*ck''s sake!" Alphonso said as he rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue, clearly irritated.


    BAM! BAM! BAM!


    The boulders began pouring down like raindrops onto the vine monsters and the human body beneath them, piercing through its flesh and causing it to bleed.


    SCREEEEE!


    All of a sudden, the head of the human body, which hadn''t moved an inch all this time, burst open its eyes in an instant and let out an ear piercing scream, which caught the boys completely off guard!


    "Ahhhhh! F*ck! F*ck! F*ck!" Alphonso, who was standing right next to the body, was the one who was affected the most. The loud scream and the movement of its head send him flying back and causing him to land on his a** right on the ground.


    SCREEEEE!


    The boys watched in horror as the human body, which they had previously thought was dead, rose up from the pile of sand like a zombie rising up from the grave.


    "What the actual f*ck?" Harold mumbled under his breath.


    Twitch! Twitch!


    The corpse''s eyes began to twitch rapidly, which caused the boys to take a step back on instinct. Well, all except Max. Max stood right there, without moving a single muscle, his eyes fixed on the corpse.


    "What are you doing, Max?" Gerald called out to Max, who seemed to be stuck in some sort of trance, similar to how he was right after they heard the noises. "Get the hell away from it!" He screamed.


    But Max didn''t seem to care. All of a sudden, the corpse turned its head in a robotic manner, its enlarged bloody eyes staring at Max''s face.


    Zeeeeee!


    The corpse opened its mouth, and a weird noise that almost sounded like static began to emit, which made the boys feel uncomfortable.


    "It''s- It''s trying to speak to meˇ­" Max whispered under his breath. "What?" Gerald turned to Max and asked, confused at his words, and Max slowly nodded his head. "Yea- Yeah, it isˇ­" A smile appeared on his face as he spoke. "It- It saidˇ­"


    GRRRRRAAA!


    His words were interrupted by the loud roar of the spider creature which charged forward at them, arriving in front of the corpse in an instant and swinging its giant arm with a tremendous amount of force.


    "Look out!" Gerald screamed as he immediately rushed towards Max and pushed him down, both of them ducking for cover.

 Chapter 35 - A Way Out

    GRRRRRAAA!


    Max''s words were interrupted by the loud roar of the spider creature which charged forward at them, arriving in front of the corpse in an instant and swinging its giant arm with a tremendous amount of force.


    "Look out!" Gerald screamed as he immediately rushed towards Max and pushed him down, both of them ducking for cover, and the gigantic arm of the spider creature missing them by a hair''s breadth.


    "Sh*t! I don''t want to die!" Alphonso yelled out in horror as he jumped to the corners, and Harold did the same as well.


    Screeeee!


    The vine monsters which were protruding out from the stomach of the corpse snarled loudly as they shot forward, elongating as they moved towards the spider creature''s arm!


    TWIP! TWIP! TWIP!


    The vine monsters wrapped their bodies around the spider creature''s arms and pulled it down forcefully before it could collide with the corpse''s body, slamming it onto the ground and resulting in a loud noise!


    BAM!


    The ground shook for a few seconds because of the tremendous impact of the strike, and the spider creature, now even more angry at the vine monsters for stopping its attack, used its long and sharp legs to kick at the corpse.


    Whoosh!


    The vine monsters immediately released the spider creature''s arms and slammed their heads onto the ground in an instant, pushing the corpse, which was connected to the vine monsters from the other end, up into the air with incredible speed.


    WHAM!


    The spider creature''s legs crashed onto the walls that were directly behind the corpse, causing boulders to fall on top of the creature once again, which just made the monster even more agitated.


    GRRRRRAR!


    The spider creature roared loudly and shot upwards with a loud noise, trying to catch the vine monster and the corpse, but they were simply too fast for the creature to keep up with.


    "What the hell is happeningˇ­" Gerald said as he looked up at the ceiling, watching the two monsters fight each other with amazement and terror in his eyes. He didn''t know if he should be scared or in awe. He had never seen anything like this before.


    "Gerald!" Harold''s voice snapped Gerald out of his trance, and he turned to look at Harold, who was hiding behind one of the pillars near the corner.


    "Come over here!" Harold called out to them, waving his hands towards them, motioning them to come over to his side. "Come on," Gerald said as he knelt down and tapped the shoulders of Max, who got up almost immediately. The two headed towards the spot where Harold was standing, and Alphonso also rushed towards them from the other side.


    "The creatures don''t seem to be going for the corners." Harold said with a hushed tone as Gerald, Max and Alphonso arrived.


    "Doesn''t mean it''s too reliable.." Alphonso muttered under his breath as he looked around the pillar. "That is true.." Harold said as he nodded his head. "So what do we do?"


    "The only option is to head for the other openingsˇ­" Gerald said as he pointed his finger at the pipes. Just then, the spider creature slammed next to the opening that Gerald was pointing at, crashing right in front of it, and covering it with boulders.


    "Okay, maybe not that one.." Gerald waved his hands dismissively and turned around to face the rest of the group. "But those sewer openings are our only shot at escape."


    "Do any of those openings even lead to the outside?" Alphonso asked with his eyebrows raised. "The city didn''t do a good job with the removal of the old sewer system, and just remodeled it all without proper supervision. For all we know, any one of these openings could lead to a dead end."


    "You''re rightˇ­" Gerald nodded, agreeing with Alphonso''s words. "However, like I saidˇ­ It''s our only shot."


    "F*ck this sh*t manˇ­" Alphonso seemed to be in denial. "I don''t want to pick whether I''ll live or die.." He said while breathing in and out loudly, and sat down on the ground. "I don''t think I can do thisˇ­"


    "Get a hold of yourself!" Gerald knelt down and grabbed Alphonso''s shoulders and shook them furiously, forcing him to look Gerald in the eye. "We''ll be out of this situation in a short time, alright? Until then, you have to keep it together."


    Tap! Tap!


    He lightly patted Alphonso on his back as he spoke, and Alphonso, although reluctant, nodded his head.


    "F*cking hell, man.." Harold placed his hand on his forehead and leaned back on the pillar, letting out a long sigh.


    "How long do you think this place would hold up?" Max asked all of a sudden, and both Gerald and Harold turned to look at him.


    "What do you mean?" Harold asked, and Max pointed at the two monsters fighting. "These two creatures are insanely powerful. I doubt they''re going to care about wrecking this entire space just for keeping us safe." He continued. "If they continue fighting like this, I doubt this place will survive."


    "F*ck, he''s right!" Harold said and he slammed his hand on his head.


    Gerald nodded his head. "We''ll wait for the creatures to move out of the way of the openings." He said as he pointed at one of the openings. "We''ll choose the one that''s the furthest."


    "How do we know when to head for the opening?" Harold asked, his gaze now on Gerald. "I''ll yell it out loud." He said. "I don''t think there''s any need for safe words, especially when everyone''s anxious and nervous."


    He turned his gaze towards Alphonso, and continued. "It could make it confusing and too complicated."


    "Alright," Harold nodded his head, agreeing with Gerald''s idea. Max nodded his head as well, but his gaze was still on the corpse that was fighting the spider creature.


    "Are you alright now?" Gerald asked as he stepped over towards Max, who replied without turning his head. "What do you mean?"


    "I''m talking about you being able to communicate with the corpse," Gerald said as he let out a sigh. "You''ve been different from the moment you heard that noise."


    "Have I?" Max whispered under his breath, and Gerald nodded.


    "Maybe I really did changeˇ­" Max responded after a few seconds of silence. "I don''t know anymore." He then turned his head towards Gerald, and continued. "But I do wish for my friends to be safe. That part has not changed."


    "I hope you believe me," Max said with a soft voice.


    Gerald wanted to say something, but in the end, he simply nodded his head.


    GRRRRA!


    The spider creature roared loudly. It was getting frustrated. No matter how hard it tried, the creature couldn''t get hold of the corpse, which was swinging in the air, using the vines to stick onto the roof as it moved with incredible speed.


    SCREEEEE!


    One of the vine monsters snarled at the spider creature that was keeping up with it, and sprang towards it, showing its sharp teeth!


    The spider creature immediately shifted its head, evading the attack of the vine monster, and then stretched out his hand to grab the monster.


    Grab!


    The spider creature had successfully caught the vine monster this time. The vine monster tried to wiggle out of the creature''s hands, but the spider creature opened its mouth, revealing its long, tubular throat that was lined with small teeth-like objects, and from its throat shot out a sticky substance that landed right on top of the spider creature''s hands, causing the vine monster to be glued to its palms.


    WHAM!


    The spider creature grunted loudly as he pulled the vine monster with intense force, causing the corpse that it was connected to, to be pulled back along with it!


    The spider creature whipped the vine monster down to the ground while applying tremendous force, and the corpse, along with the rest of the vine monsters that were floating in the air, came crashing down onto the ground with a loud noise as dust and debris flew everywhere.


    "Oh f*ck!" Harold said as he closed his eyes and covered his mouth.


    "*Cough* *cough*... What the hell?" Alphonso coughed loudly as he turned around and looked over the pillar, trying to get a good look at what was going on.


    "This might be our chance!" Gerald said, and he tapped Harold by his shoulders.


    "Wait, right now!" Harold couldn''t believe his words. "Ar- Are you being serious, Gerald?!"


    "Listen, Harold!" Gerald said as pulled Alphonso up from the ground and tried to move away from behind the pillar. "We don''t have much time. If that creature defeats the corpse monster, then who do you think it''ll come after next?"


    "Thatˇ­ b- but.." Harold wanted to respond, but couldn''t find the right words to say.


    "He''s right!" Max interrupted their conversation, and their attention turned to him.


    Max stepped forward and pointed at the opening, and said, "If the outcome of the fight is declared right now, and the spider creature comes out on top, then our deaths will be inevitable."


    "Alphonso, are you ready?" Gerald said as he tapped Alphonso on his shoulder. "I- I''m fine.." Alphonso replied.


    "Good," Gerald said, and after taking a long breath, he yelled, "LET''S GO!"


    As soon as he finished speaking, the boys dashed forward through the dust storm, heading towards the sewer opening, running like crazy.

 Chapter 36 - Unexpected Arrival

    "This might be our chance!" Gerald said, and he tapped Harold by his shoulders. "He''s right!" Max stepped forward and pointed at the opening, and said, "If the outcome of the fight is declared right now, and the spider creature comes out on top, then our deaths will be inevitable."


    "Alphonso, are you ready?" Gerald said as he tapped Alphonso on his shoulder. "I- I''m fine.." Alphonso replied.


    "Good," Gerald said, and after taking a long breath, he yelled, "LET''S GO!" As soon as he finished speaking, the boys dashed forward through the dust storm, heading towards the sewer opening, running like crazy.


    "Sh*t! Let''s f*cking go!" Alphonso yelled out loudly, as though he was trying to motivate himself, as he rushed towards the opening.


    "F*ck! F*ck! F*ck!" Harold screamed along with him, and the group passed by the spot where the two monsters had landed.


    GRRRAAA!


    The spider creature roared loudly, as though proclaiming its victory, and it slammed its foot on top of the corpse, which made the vine monsters let out an ear piercing noise as they wiggled furiously in the air.


    Snap!


    The spider creature slammed its hands on one of the vine monsters and splattering it on the ground, spreading green liquid all over its face and on the walls.


    Splat!


    The spider creature licked the green liquid that covered its mouth, and then its head turned and its gaze shifted to the group of boys who were rushing towards the opening.


    GRAAAAR!


    The creature roared loudly, and Alphonso instinctively turned his head towards the spot where the creature was, causing them to lock eyes.


    "Oh f*ck!" Alphonso was terrified by the red eyes of the spider creature, which were locked on to him as though it had chosen him as its first target.


    Swoosh!


    The creature leapt up from on top of the corpse and charged towards the boys, and as soon as it did, Alphonso yelled out, "The monster''s coming!"


    The group, who were already running as fast as they could, now increased their speed even more, but the creature, which was obviously quicker than a group of young boys, arrived behind them in almost no time.


    "F*ck!" Alphonso cursed out loud as the monster that was right behind him, jumped up with a loud roar, aiming for him!


    Right then...


    BAM!


    All of a sudden, the surroundings began to shake violently, and before the monster could grab Alphonso, the roof of the circular space exploded with a loud noise, causing dust and boulders to fly all over the place, as a giant shadow burst through the roof and collided with the spider creature, slamming it onto the floor with a loud noise!


    BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!


    The sudden attack contained a tremendous amount of force that the boys were pushed sideways because of the impact, as boulders began to rain heavily.


    GRRR- GRAAAAR!


    The spider monster that was slammed down on the ground screamed loudly in anger, but right then, a hand burst out of the dust storm grabbed the spider creature''s legs and whipped it away, causing it to slam against the wall on the other side, resulting in a loud noise.


    The mysterious figure stepped forward, and his footsteps caused the dust surrounding him to push away, revealing this person''s features and face.


    "GRRR!" The figure growled. His iris as well as his entire eye was completely black, and scales were present all over the man''s body. His hands had claws protruding outwards, and he had sharp canine teeth that were clearly visible.


    It was, of course, Noah.


    ---------- Beast Soul ---------


    A few minutes earlierˇ­


    "Gah!" Noah landed on top of one of the buildings nearby with a loud noise. Fortunately for him, the building was extremely tall, and no one could see him standing there.


    "Wha- what the hellˇ­" Noah whispered under his breath as he covered his face using his hands, breathing in and out.


    The black colour that now filled the entirety of his eyes, were slowly fading away and returning the iris back to its original form.


    "I- What the hell did I do?" Noah thought back to the events that transpired just a few minutes ago, and he couldn''t help but squint his eyes and make a grunting noise.


    "I- I went too far.. too farˇ­" He kept repeating what he said over and over, and he knelt down on the floor.


    Noah had lost control of himself once again, this time while he was back in the alleyway, in the middle of beating up those bullies.


    "I wasn''t planning on stoppingˇ­" He mumbled softly. He could feel it in his bones. That murderous impulse. That thirst for blood.


    Noah tilted his head up and looked at the sky as he breathed in and out, trying to calm himself down.


    ''This is bad..'' He thought to himself. "I can''t walk around the neighborhood if I can''t properly control myself. People might get seriously hurt. Or even worse, they might get killed."


    Noah didn''t know exactly when he had lost total control of his body, but he was definitely sure that he did. This time, it wasn''t as though he had blacked out or anything. He did remember trying to beat up those three bullies, and he did remember him knocking out the first bully within the first few seconds of the fight. That was all him. But after that..


    "It just kept slowly escalatingˇ­" Noah murmured to himself, as he bit his lips. That''s right, it wasn''t a sudden shift, switch that had been flicked on. No, this was a slow and gradual change that invaded Noah''s mind, like a parasite.


    At first, he wanted to beat them up simply to teach them a lesson. But after a few punches, his anger towards the bullies began to grow larger and larger, and before he knew it, he had completely lost control of himself, taken over by something sinister.


    He had thought that he would be able to control it, but if he can''t even tell when the change is happening, then can he really put an end to this madness?


    "I have no other choice but to control it myselfˇ­" He said to himself, but before he could do any thinking, he heard the loud screeching noise once again, and suddenly, he felt his head spinning, and his vision darkening.


    "No, no, no, noˇ­" Noah began repeating over and over as he clutched his head, afraid that he''ll lose control of himself once again.


    "Leaveˇ­ itˇ­ to meˇ­" A sinister sounding voice exited from Noah''s mouth. The voice didn''t even sound remotely similar to Noah''s normal voice. This voice was more rusty and harsh. Noah spoke as though he was having trouble speaking, but in just a few seconds, he bent his upper body backwards, his head slamming down onto the ground as he let out a loud scream.


    "AHHHHHHH!"


    The scream sounded more like a growl than a scream, and right when it ended, he leapt up from the ground with an indifferent expression on his face, as though nothing was wrong. His iris had now completely expanded, the blackness covering his entire eyes.


    "Sleep, for nowˇ­" The transformed Noah said in a hushed tone, before leaping up into the sky.


    --------------


    Present Time.


    BAM!


    The giant spider creature slammed onto the wall with a loud noise, sending dust and debris flying once again.


    "GRRRR!" Transformed Noah, who seemed to have lost all control of his mind yet again, growled loudly while showing his teeth, his gaze now fixated on the spider creature that was stuck to the wall.


    Whoosh!


    Noah slammed his foot onto the ground with a tremendous amount of force and shot forward, targeting the spider creature, who growled back and swung its sharp clawed palm.


    WHAM!


    Right before the spider creature''s hand landed on Noah, he opened his mouth, and all of a sudden, flames began bursting out from inside of his throat and shooting down onto the ground, propelling him upwards and causing the clawed hands of the spider creature to miss its target.


    Swoosh!


    Noah shot down from above the spider creature, swinging his leg downwards and slamming his foot onto the spider creature''s head.


    Whoosh!


    The spider creature immediately raised its head, and from its mouth shot out the glue-like substance, which stuck onto Noah''s face, causing him to lose his perception.


    BAM!


    Noah missed his target and slammed down onto the ground, and the spider creature instantly attacked with its sharp legs, flinging Noah backwards and onto the rubble that was right behind him with a loud noise.


    BOOM!


    "Ughˇ­" Gerald groaned softly under his breath as he opened his eyes. "What the hell happened?" He mumbled to himself as he placed his hand on his head. His head was hurting.


    He then started looking around the ruined sewer space, which was now covered in dust, debris and boulders.. "Where are the rest?" Gerald said to himself as he tried to find his friends, and his eyes landed on the corpse monster, which was lying under a large boulder, unable to move.

 Chapter 37 - Caught In Between

    "Ughˇ­" Gerald groaned softly under his breath as he opened his eyes. "What the hell happened?" He mumbled to himself as he placed his hand on his head. His head was hurting.


    He then started looking around the ruined sewer space, which was now covered in dust, debris and boulders. "Where are the rest?" Gerald said to himself as he tried to find his friends, and his eyes landed on the corpse monster, which was lying under a large boulder, unable to move.


    "Max!" Gerald then shifted his gaze to the right and found Max, who was getting up from the floor while coughing furiously. He was completely covered in dust, and had closed his eyes.


    "Max, are you alright?" Gerald said as he immediately got up and walked towards Max, knelt down in front of him, grabbed his hand and pulled him up from the ground.


    "G-Gerald?" Max said while still coughing, as he began patting his body and trying to remove the dust materials that were covering him. "What the hellˇ­ what just happened?"


    "I don''t know.. I''m not sure," Gerald replied as he pointed at the spider creature and the transformed Noah, who were fighting with each other and wrecking everything that stood in their way. "That thing.. it just came crashing down through the roof and crash landed on top of the spider creature."


    "What is that thing?" Max squinted his eyes as Noah was flung backwards through the air, slamming onto the wall behind him with a loud noise. "Itˇ­ it kind of looks like a human being.." Max whispered under his breath, and Gerald bit his lips.


    "Well, whatever that thing is, it certainly doesn''t seem to be that friendly." Gerald said as he started looking around once again. "Now come one, we have to find the others."


    Max nodded his head and the two turned to look for their friends.


    Screeeee!


    The corpse that was lying underneath the boulders let out a screeching noise, which forced Max to stop in his tracks for a brief second, and then turn around to look at it.


    His eyes were locked onto the corpse''s face, squinting at it, as though he was trying to understand something.


    "Harold?" Gerald whispered softly before immediately rushing towards Harold, who was lying next to one of the broken pillars, a piece of which had fallen right next to his hand. Gerald approached Harold and found his eyes closed. He seemed to be unconscious.


    "Harold! Harold!" Gerald called out to him and pulled his collars, vigorously shaking him back and forth until a groan escaped from his lips. "Ughˇ­ wh- what in the?"


    Harold opened his eyes and rubbed them as he stared at the relieved face of Gerald in front of him. "Gerald? What the hellˇ­ wait, did we get out? Where''s the monster?" Harold began to ask questions as he slowly started to remember the situation that he was caught in. "Was I unconscious till now? When did I faint?"


    "Let''s worry about all that later, alright?" Gerald said as he stretched out his hand, and Harold grabbed onto it and pulled himself up from the ground. "For now, we have to get out of this place immediately. It isn''t safe here."


    "Uh, I don''t know if that''s possible now, Gerald.." Harold said with a frustrated expression on his face as he pointed at the spot where the sewer openings were located, only to find that they had all collapsed and were covered under boulders. "Oh, you have got to be f*cking kidding me." Gerald covered his face with his hands and let out a sigh as he spoke. "Why does this keep happening to us?"


    "I don''t know, Gerald.." Harold sighed as well. "Did you find Alphonso?"


    "Gerald!" Right when Gerald was about to answer, he was interrupted by the loud voice of Max, which came from behind him, and the two boys turned around to see where he was.


    "Max?" Gerald and Harold walked towards the spot where his voice had come from, and found Max kneeling in front of a large piece of the pillar that was lying on the ground after its collapse. "Gerald, Harold.." Max saw the two boys arriving, and got up on his feet. "Alphonso isˇ­"


    Gerald and Harold turned their attention towards the pillar before Max could finish, and found Alphonso lying on the ground, groaning in pain. His leg was caught underneath one of the large pieces of the pillar, which meant that he couldn''t move.


    "Sh*t! Alphonso!" Harold rushed over to his side and kneeled down, his hand clutching Alphonso''s. "F*cking hell.."


    "Guys, help meˇ­" Alphonso spoke in a hushed tone. It sounded like he was unable to increase his voice, because of the pain he was feeling.


    "We need to move the pillar to rescue him.." Max walked up to Gerald''s side and whispered into his ear.


    "Just us?" Gerald turned to look at Max and asked with his eyes widened. "Is that even possible?"


    "If I''m being honestˇ­" Max turned around and looked at the piece of the pillar and then shifted his gaze towards Alphonso, and continued. "I don''t think we can.." He paused for a second, bit his lips and continued, "But we won''t know until we try."


    "Hahˇ­" Gerald let out another sigh. He realized that he had sighed a lot today. Probably more than he would in a whole week. "Well then, what are we waiting for?" He said as he rolled up his sleeves. "Harold, get up." Gerald turned to Harold, who was standing by Alphonso''s side. "Help us out here." He said as he pointed at the pillar.


    "Oh, okay.." Harold, who was surprised for a brief second, nodded his head and then got to his feet, but only before reassuring Alphonso that he was going to be alright.


    The three boys stood next to the pillar, with Gerald and Harold on one side and Max on the other side.


    "Ready?" Gerald said as he placed his hand under the pillar, and the two followed suit.


    "Three, two, one, GO!" The three boys tried to pull up the pillar with all their strength.


    "AHHHH!" Alphonso screamed loudly, and Gerald could see that the pillar had lifted up a few inches up from the ground. It wasn''t much, but it did give Alphonso enough space to pull out his leg.


    "Harold!" Gerald called over to Harold, who turned to look at him. "I''ll count to three, and right afterwards, I want you to go and grab Alphonso and pull him out, okay?"


    His eyes then shifted to Max. "Max and I will try our best to keep this pillar up, but you won''t have a lot of time." Max nodded his head, and Harold did the same.


    "Alright then," Gerald took a deep breath, and began counting down. "Three, two, one, GO!"


    Whoosh!


    Harold rushed over to Alphonso as Gerald and Max kept the pillar up, the two grunting as they held it up in the air.


    "Arghˇ­" Harold grabbed Alphonso by his hands and pulled him back, which made Alphonso groan due to the intense pain that he was feeling.


    "I got him out!" Harold yelled out as soon as Alphonso''s legs were completely pulled out. "Andˇ­ DROP!" Gerald said, and the two let go of the pillar and immediately took a step back, causing it to fall down with a loud noise.


    BOOM!


    "Hahˇ­ hah.." Gerald and Max breathed in and out as they sat down, panting heavily, while Harold knelt next to Alphonso and inspected his injured leg.


    GRRRRRAR!


    As this was happening, the spider creature and Noah were still fighting with each other.


    The spider creature roared loudly, clearly annoyed by the fact that Noah still hadn''t lost to it, even after all this time.


    Whoosh!


    Noah snarled at the creature as he dashed towards it with incredible speed.


    "GRRRR!" The spider creature opened its mouth wide and spat out countless of the glue-like substance, aiming for Noah.


    However, Noah moved quickly in a zigzag manner, avoiding almost all the attacks except for a few shots that he had no choice but to face directly, for which he spit out balls of flames and disintegrated them.


    Swoosh!


    Within seconds, he had arrived in front of the spider creature, and swung his claws, aiming for the creature''s face.


    BAM!


    His claws slashed through the thick skin of the spider creature and carved its face, causing a transparent substance to burst out of the creature''s wounds, causing it to scream loudly in pain.


    Noah wanted to kill the spider creature with that attack, but unfortunately for him, the creature had moved back to avoid the attack, and Noah could only land a weak strike.


    "Those things are really going at it, huhˇ­" Gerald said as he watched the two monsters fight with each other, destroying anything that stood in their way.


    "What do we do now, Gerald?" Harold asked, glancing at Alphonso for a second before shifting his focus back to Gerald. "Alphonso can''t move. I''m not a doctor, but I''m pretty sure that he needs medical treatment."


    "What to do indeed," Gerald placed his hand under his chin and thought to himself. The sewer openings were now not accessible, and the only remaining way out isˇ­


    He turned his gaze at the collapsed roof, which was, although covered in boulders, still provided a small opening to the outside world.

 Chapter 38 - Gassed

    "What do we do now, Gerald?" Harold asked, glancing at Alphonso for a second before shifting his focus back to Gerald. "Alphonso can''t move. I''m not a doctor, but I''m pretty sure that he needs medical treatment."


    "What to do indeed," Gerald placed his hand under his chin and thought to himself. The sewer openings were now not accessible, and the only remaining way out isˇ­


    "That." Gerald said as he pointed at the collapsed roof, and everyone''s attention turned to there.


    "Well, isn''t that great.." Harold said in a sarcastic tone, but he also felt frustrated because he couldn''t think of any other method to escape.


    The collapsed roof, although still covered in boulders, provided a small opening to the outside world.


    "Isn''t it too high for any of us to reach?" Harold asked, concern evident in his voice.


    "You''re right, it is.." Gerald nodded his head and he pointed at the centre of the circular space, where the pile of sand was originally present. In its place now laid a giant boulder that seemed to have been a part of the roof. "But not if we get to that rock right in the middle."


    Both Max and Harold squinted their eyes, trying to get a good look at the boulder, and like Gerald said, the boulder was indeed really tall in size. So much tall that perhaps a person could grab onto the broken roof if he jumped from the top of the boulder.


    "Maybe it could work, but ˇ­" Harold stopped speaking and turned to look at Alphonso, who was lying on the ground with his back leaning towards the wall. The others did the same as well.


    They knew. Alphonso was too injured to even stand up properly. He wouldn''t be able to jump.


    "You don''t have to look at me like that you as*holes.." Alphonso said while he was gasping for air. "I''m not dead yet ˇ­" He said with a smile.


    Gerald bit his lips. He knew that Alphonso was just trying to calm down everyone. He could see that Alphonso''s face was pale, and even though he tried to hide it, he could tell that his hands were shaking.


    GRRRRA!


    The spider monster growled as it darted towards Noah, who was leaping backwards with such incredible speed that the creature was having trouble keeping up with him.


    All of a sudden, the creature opened its mouth in the middle of moving, shooting the glue-like substance once again, except this time, in a string-like structure, similar to that of a spider web string.


    Splat!


    The spider web got attached to Noah''s chest, and before he could use his flame breath to destroy it, the spider creature instantly pulled him to its side and swung its leg right at him.


    BAM!


    Noah got knocked back a few steps because of the attack, and before he could get back up, the spider creature had already gotten near him and issued another strike, this time using a headbutt, which send Noah flying upwards and slamming against the broken roof, causing a few boulders to fall down onto him.


    BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!


    The countless boulders began falling on top of Noah, which just made it even harder for him to get back on his feet.


    "Ugh!" An aggravated Noah screamed loudly before he raised his head and in an instant, shot out flames from his mouth, causing a loud explosion right above him as the boulders were completely destroyed.


    Whoosh!


    He headed towards the spider creature once again, and the spider creature responded by shooting out its spider web at the broken roof and using it to swing away while still facing the fast approaching Noah.


    Tfoo! Tfoo! Tfoo!


    The spider creature continued shooting the glue-like substance all over Noah, but he kept on dodging it and continued reducing the distance between them.


    WHAM!


    The spider creature, now irritated by Noah''s constant dodging, cut the web that it was using to swing in an instant and rushed towards Noah, swinging its sharp legs right at his chest.


    Zoom!


    Noah could see the sharp leg approaching him. His eyes sparkled as though he was waiting for the attack. His eyes followed the movement of the creature''s long leg, and right before it could collide with Noah''s chest, he bent his upper body backwards, causing the creature''s leg to miss its target by a hair''s breadth!


    "Bingo!" Although his voice was completely different right now, Noah spoke with an excited expression on his face. For a second, it looked like his eyes were beginning to return to normal, but right then, they returned to how they were a few seconds ago; completely black.


    "GRA!" The spider creature seemed confused. It looked like it was confident about landing that hit, and yet its prey was still alive, which seemed to have made it confusing for the creature.


    Noah, of course, saw the distracted creature as a chance for him to attack, and so he burst forward, immediately arriving in front of the spider creature within a split second and grabbing hold of its head.


    BAM!


    Noah pulled down the spider creature''s face before it could do anything and rammed it''s head right onto his knee with a tremendous amount of force, causing the creature to be flung back onto the wall with such incredible speed that it resulted in a crack on the wall.


    "Weakˇ­ preyˇ­ not goodˇ­ enough.." The transformed Noah, although speaking with some difficulty, was capable of completing the sentence.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    He began walking towards the spider creature which had now fallen down onto the ground.


    "What happened?" Harold, who was looking at ways to help Alphonso reach the top, turned to look at the fight between the two creatures, curious as to what the result was. "Is it finally over?"


    The rest of the group turned their heads as well, and saw the spider creature on the ground, groaning as it tried getting up.


    "GRRRRRAR!" Right when they all thought that the spider creature had given up, the creature growled loudly, which forced the group of boys to cover their ears in response.


    Clack! Clack! Clack!


    The sound of flesh being ripped apart was heard, and it came from the direction of the spider creature. The group of boys watched in horror as the spider creature''s face opened up like flower petals, revealing the wide and fleshy interior of the creature''s mouth and the long tract which was lined with multiple rows of sharp teeth.


    "Oh dear godˇ­ That is terrifying!" Gerald exclaimed in horror, and Harold could only nod his head in response. Even Alphonso, who was in pain, was terrified by the creature''s hideous face.


    Max on the other hand, had his gaze fixated on the corpse which was still lying under the boulders. It was moving its mouth, as though it was trying to say something. But there was no sound coming out of its mouth.


    SHWAAAA!


    The spider creature tilted its head upwards and from its now opened hideous mouth burst out a green coloured gas, which filled the atmosphere inside the circular space within seconds.


    "GRRRR.. Wh- Whatˇ­" Noah, who seemed to be perfectly fine up until a few seconds ago, was forced to kneel down on the ground as soon as he came into contact with the gas, and his eyes slowly began returning to normal.


    "God- God Dammit!!" Noah, who seemed to be frustrated, screamed as loud as he could and immediately rushed towards the spider creature.


    SHUAAAA!


    The green gas spread towards the group of boys, and before they could realize what was going on, they began to feel lightheaded all of a sudden.


    "Sh- Sh*tˇ­ what the hell is.." Harold said while squinting his eyes and massaging his forehead. He was sweating and looked extremely tired.


    "It''s the gas!" Gerald, who had quickly figured out the problem, yelled out loudly as he covered his mouth with a handkerchief.


    "Sh*t!" Harold immediately took out his handkerchief, and although Alphonso was far weaker than the rest, he too took out his handkerchief and placed it over his mouth.


    ''What the hell do we do now?'' Gerald had a grim expression on his face as he thought to himself. After all, they can''t just hold their breaths forever. It was simply not plausible.


    "Wait! Where the hell is Max going?" Harold yelled out all of a sudden before he realized his mistake and immediately covered his mouth once again. His loud voice got Gerald and Alphonso''s attention, and they turned around only to see Max heading towards the corpse.


    ''Shit! He''s not covering his mouth!'' Gerald said to himself as he dashed towards Max.


    Max, who seemed to be near losing consciousness, stumbled in front of the corpse as Gerald arrived right next to him and pulled him by his shoulders.


    ''What the hell are you doing Max!'' Is what Gerald wanted to say. But Max simply didn''t say anything and held the corpse''s cold hand.


    Screeeee!


    The vine monsters, which were lying still until now, opened their mouths and began to snarl loudly, which made Gerald flinch and move back.


    The vine monsters, however, didn''t attack them, and instead, they slowly opened their mouths, and spat out multiple green eggs which were covered with spikes.

 Chapter 39 - Rebirth

    "Wait! Gerald, where is Max going?" Harold suddenly yelled out before realizing his mistake and immediately covered his mouth once again. His loud voice got the attention of Gerald and Alphonso, and they turned around to see Max walking off from their group and heading towards the corpse.


    ''Oh no! He''s not covering his mouth!'' Gerald said to himself as he dashed towards Max, who seemed to be near losing consciousness because of inhaling the green gas. He arrived while stumbling in front of the corpse and held the corpse''s cold hand.


    Screeeee!


    The vine monsters, which were lying still until now, opened their mouths and began to snarl loudly, which made Gerald flinch and move back. The monsters, however, didn''t attack them, and instead, they slowly opened their mouths, and spat out multiple green eggs which were covered with spikes.


    ''Max! What are you doing!'' An angry Gerald continued pulling Max by his shoulders, trying to bring him back to where the group was, but he simply didn''t budge.


    "Geraldˇ­" Max turned his head around and looked at Gerald as he spoke. Gerald saw that his face was now pale, and his lips were blue. His eyes were now nearly closed. It was obvious that the toxic gas was affecting him. But Max didn''t seem to be concerned about his deteriorating health and pointed at the eggs that the vine monsters spit out. "T-That.. that is why it called me.." He said with a weak tone, and Gerald raised his eyebrows in confusion.


    "This eggˇ­" Max walked up to one of the green eggs as he continued speaking. His legs were shaking and his body was swaying left and right. But nevertheless, he arrived near one of the eggs, knelt down right in front of it, and pressed both his hands onto its outer shell, which was completely covered in spikes.


    Spalt! Splat! Splat!


    Gerald watched in horror as Max''s palms were brutally impaled on the countless thorns that were on the periphery of the eggs. Blood was flowing out from his hands and onto the egg, running along the outer shell before dripping down onto the ground.


    ''I should do something!'' Gerald wanted to stop Max''s crazy actions before he could do something even more dangerous, but found that he simply couldn''t move from his spot. It was as though he was completely captivated by the events that were happening right in front of him!


    "AHHHHH!" Max screamed loudly, but before Gerald could make the decision to pull him back, he turned around and looked at Gerald, shaking his head, urging him not to interfere.


    "Thisˇ­ this is the wayˇ­" Max said with a trembling voice, a bitter smile now forming on his face as he spoke. "This is th- the only way to surviveˇ­" He said while looking at the confused Gerald, and right then!


    Crack! Crack! Crack!


    The giant green coloured egg began to shake violently, as the tip started to crack open!


    Crack! Crack! Crack!


    "What- What the hellˇ­." Gerald couldn''t believe what he was seeing. It was already unbelievable what was happening right now, but it seemed like the surprises weren''t planning on stopping anytime soon.


    Max and Gerald watched as the monster egg began to slowly crack open and reveal a long green vine within it, which had a red flower bud on the tip of it.


    ''What is that thing?'' Gerald thought to himself as he looked at the vine with the flower bud tip, which was swaying left and right. It definitely was alive, he was sure of it.


    ''Is it similar to the vine monsters?'' Gerald turned his gaze towards the vine monsters which were right next to them, and the creatures snarled at him.


    "Geraldˇ­" Max''s weak voice entered into his ears, which made him turn his head towards him once again. "ˇ­. I''m going to need you to trust me on this oneˇ­" His face was even paler as he spoke.


    Gerald said nothing. He simply squinted his eyebrows.


    "I know it''s going to look badˇ­" Max said, as he stared at the flower bud. "But it''s the only way to stay alive."


    SWUAAAA!


    The flower bud suddenly opened on it''s own, revealing the sharp toothed interior of the monster.


    ''Jesus F*cking Christ!'' Gerald wanted to curse out loud so badly, but he held his breath in.


    Whoosh!


    The flower monster slammed its face right onto Max''s, which made Gerald let out a gasp of terror. The flower monster had attached itself onto Max''s face, and the vine part of the flower monster split itself from the head, and Max''s body fell down onto the floor with the flower monster still stuck to his face.


    Thud!


    Gerald landed on the ground right next to him with a terrified expression on his face.


    ''Maxˇ­'' He said to himself as he stared at the seemingly lifeless body of Max. ''What on earth do you want us to do?''


    "Cough! Cough! Cough!" Before he could think it through, Gerald began to cough uncontrollably, and he was forced to cover his mouth with his hands.


    He pulled back his hands and looked at it, and saw blood that was dripping from his nose.


    ''F*ck meˇ­.'' Gerald said to himself. He was ignoring it all this time, but now, he could certainly feel that he was getting weaker and weaker as time went on. There was no hiding from it.


    ''Is this really the only way?'' Gerald shifted his gaze towards Max, and bit his lips.


    ''Screw it!'' He clicked his tongue as he leapt up from the ground and waved his hands at Harold and Alphonso.


    ''Is he calling us over?'' Harold thought to himself. He then looked at Alphonso, who was now extremely pale. ''He can''t be serious, right? How on earth is Alphonso going to make it there?''


    Harold pointed at Alphonso in reply, but Gerald simply shook his head and continued waving his hands, signalling them to head towards them.


    ''Sh*t! He''s really serious.'' Harold clicked his tongue. He knew that he could make it there on his own, but he wasn''t sure about Alphonso, and he certainly wasn''t planning on leaving him alone.


    "Hey, Haroldˇ­" Alphonso''s voice interrupted his thoughts and Harold turned around to see him on his feet with a weak smile on his face. "I''m not dead yet, b*tchˇ­ I can do this."


    Harold wanted to reply. However, in the end he decided to just nod with a smile. ''I guess we are walking, then!''


    ˇŞˇŞˇŞˇŞˇŞˇŞˇŞ


    "GRRRR.. Wh- Whatˇ­" Noah, who seemed to be perfectly fine up until a few seconds ago, was forced to kneel down on the ground as soon as he came into contact with the gas, and his eyes slowly began returning to normal.


    "God- God Dammit!!" Noah, who seemed to be frustrated, screamed as loud as he could and immediately rushed towards the spider creature.


    GRRRRA!


    The spider creature roared loudly and used the spider web to swing upwards, causing an aggravated Noah to slam onto the wall that was right behind it with a loud noise.


    BAM!


    Before Noah could think straight and strategise properly, the spider creature shot out the spider web once again, which attached itself onto the back of Noah, and pulled him back with a tremendous amount of force.


    "Kuaghˇ­.." Noah groaned loudly as he was flung backwards, right in the direction of the spider creature, which stretched out one of its sharp legs in an attempt to stab Noah.


    "Oh, no you don''t!" Noah, whose voice had now partially returned to normal, shouted loudly as he spat out flames from his mouth in an instant, which propelled him up into the air, evading the attack before slamming his leg down onto the creature.


    However!


    BAM!


    The creature, which seemed to have already anticipated this attack from before, raised its hand up and grabbed Noah''s leg, and the cancellation of the attack sent a powerful gust of wind in every direction, signalling how much force Noah''s attack contained.


    "Wha-" Noah couldn''t even finish his words as he was slammed onto the ground by the spider monster, which screamed loudly into the air right before slamming him down for a second time.


    "Gah!" Noah felt as though he had been hit by a truck, and blood spilled out of his mouth, spraying all over his face.


    Whoosh!


    The monster didn''t let go of its grip on Noah''s leg, and instead pulled him up from the ground, raising him up to slam him down again for a third time.


    "AHHHHH!" Before he could do so however, Noah screamed loudly as he pulled his upper body up and opened his mouth, and a gigantic ball of flames burst out from his mouth and struck the spider creature by its head right before it came crashing down, resulting in an explosion that shook the whole place!


    The spider creature was pushed backwards and crashed onto the wall, while Noah let out a groan and coughed up blood while lying on the ground.

 Chapter 40 - Back Again

    "Hah.." Detective Lewis let out a long and heavy sigh as he leaned next to his car, raising his head up to look at the sky as he started sipping the cup of coffee in his hands.


    "Monsters and mutantsˇ­" He mumbled under his breath, afraid of sounding like a lunatic to the passers-by. If only they knew, he thought to himself.


    He desperately wanted to tell someone. Anyone. He wanted to get this off his chest, just so that he doesn''t feel anxious anymore. But he knew. He knew that he couldn''t tell anyone. He knew that what he knows is purely confidential, and spilling this news would only result in widespread panic.


    "I definitely did not sign up for this," He clutched his forehead, and his hands felt wet. He looked at his palms only to see that they were completely covered in sweat. He was sweating like crazy.


    "Jesus Christ, it''s not even a hot day." He clicked his tongue and shook his head.


    He closed his eyes, and he could still remember the conversation that they had in the Commissioner''s office. The memory was still fresh in his mind.


    "So, what''s the plan of action here?" Harry posed the question, and both Special Agent Fischer and Doctor Hernandez looked at each other for a second before replying, "Containment."


    "Wait a minute, containment?" Lewis interrupted the conversation and blurted out all of a sudden, causing all the attention to turn to him. He immediately realised his mistake, but it was already too late.


    "Detective Lewis is asking the right question." Harry decided to back Lewis up by providing his own opinion. His gaze shifted to Special Agent Fischer, and said. "Are you absolutely sure that the FID won''t provide us support? Do they expect us to take care of this otherworldly mess all by ourselves?"


    Special Agent Fischer didn''t immediately respond. Instead, he turned his attention towards Commissioner Walter Bridge and Irvin Granger, the Chief of New World City Police.


    "We''ve already received orders from the FID." The Chief, Irvin Granger, said after a brief period of silence. He continued, "We''re to provide any kind of support to Special Agents Alan Fischer and Richard Edgerton. That''s the order."


    The Commissioner, albeit a bit reluctant, nevertheless nodded his head.


    "You do know what you''re asking us to do here, right?" Detective Harry said as he squinted his eyebrows. The special agents didn''t say anything, but both the Commissioner and the Chief of Police looked away, not making eye contact with the detective.


    "You''re asking untrained people who are extremely lacking in the weaponry and protective gear department to risk their lives and try to take down monsters with unimaginable powers." Harry continued speaking, and he slammed his hands on the Commissioner''s table, causing it to shake softly. "We''re not trained for this sort of mission. People are going to die."


    "Detective Harry," Chief Irvin Granger leaned forward and said with a strict tone. "Mind your tone. You are speaking to your superior right now. Keep that in mind."


    Detective Harry stepped back and bowed his head as he said, "I apologize, Commissioner. I got a bit too heated during the argument which led to me momentarily forgetting my position. I hope you''ll forgive me."


    ''Wow. Well, isn''t that the most insincere and fake apology that I''ve ever seen,'' Thought Special Agent Fischer, but he didn''t say it out loud, for he knew that everyone in the room was thinking the same thing.


    "Hah," The Commisioner let out a heavy sigh as he leaned back into his chair, tilting his head up and stare at the ceiling.


    "I''m also not in support of this mission being handed over to you, Harry." He said as his attention shifted to the detective. "But if we don''t do anything, then there won''t be anyone who''ll protect the people from these monsters."


    The Commissioner had a serious expression on his face as he spoke. "We''re the last line, Harry. I don''t know what else to tell you."


    "Last line, huh.." Detective Lewis Fitzgerald murmured under his breath as he took a bite of his donut, and opened the door to his car, entering into the driver''s seat as he rubbed his hands on the tissue paper.


    "I''m not sure anyone actually wishes to be the last line of defenceˇ­" Lewis couldn''t help but remember the horrifying eight legged creature that attacked him, and a chill went up his spine, making him tremble for a second.


    He didn''t know about the rest of the cops, but he definitely didn''t want to encounter another one of these monsters on his own ever again.


    "I sure do hope they just go awayˇ­" He said to himself as he turned the keys and started the car, and right then..


    "Detective Lewis," The voice of Special Agent Alan Fischer was heard from within the police radio, and Lewis immediately grabbed it and brought to his mouth. "Lewis here."


    "There''s been an explosion inside the abandoned Marley market district. You''re close to the location, right?" Agent Fischer asked.


    "I am, yes." Detective Lewis replied. He then paused for a second, gulped down his saliva and continued, "Agent Fischer, is this an incident related to the monsters?"


    "We don''t know yet, detective." Fischer''s voice responded through the radio. "But do be careful."


    "Copy that," He said, and the conversation ended.


    Detective Lewis looked at his rear view mirror, and saw his reflection. "Looks like my bad luck hasn''t ended yet, huhˇ­"


    He sighed before adjusting his mirrors and drove off.


    -------------------


    "Gah!" Noah felt as though he had been hit by a truck, and blood spilled out of his mouth, spraying all over his face. The monster didn''t let go of its grip on Noah''s leg, and instead pulled him up from the ground, raising him up to slam him down again for a third time.


    "AHHHHH!" Before he could do so however, Noah screamed loudly as he pulled his upper body up and opened his mouth, and a gigantic ball of flames burst out from his mouth and struck the spider creature by its head right before it came crashing down, resulting in an explosion that shook the whole place!


    The spider creature was pushed backwards and crashed onto the wall, while Noah let out a groan and coughed up blood while lying on the ground.


    "..Fu- F*ckˇ­" Noah coughed once again as he pressed his hand onto the ground in an attempt to push himself up.


    "Wh- Where the f*ck am I?" Noah looked around, confused. His voice had now returned to its usual voice, and his body had reverted back to normal.


    "Huh?" Confused and dizzy, Noah clutched his head as he tried to figure out what the hell was going on, but before he could fully grasp the whole situation, a loud roar interrupted his thinking process, as the spider creature leapt up from the floor, showing its sharp teeth as it snarled at Noah.


    "Oh, for f*ck''s sake.." Noah cursed out loud as the spider beast dashed towards him, swinging its arms and trying to strike him down.


    Flip!


    Noah turned around in an instant and without wasting any time, he sprinted away from the spider beast, afraid of confronting the creature head-on.


    Step! Step! Step!


    Noah could hear the spider beast''s footsteps getting closer and closer, and he was screaming as loud as he could internally.


    Swish!


    With a loud growl, the spider creature stretched out its long, muscular, clawed arms and swung straight at Noah, but right in that instant, Noah ducked his head down, grabbed onto one of the pillars that had still, miraculously, stayed up, and used pillar as a slingshot in order to whip him one eighty degrees in the other direction, making an L- shaped turn.


    Whoosh!


    "F*ck, that was close," Noah mumbled under his breath, but he definitely wasn''t feeling safe. Not yet. This monstrous creature was still alive, and although he may have avoided it once, it didn''t mean that he would be able to avoid its attack once again.


    "Of all the times he could''ve regained consciousness, and it couldn''t have picked a worse timeˇ­" Noah was both fearful and angry at whatever it was inside of him, which chose to back out and give him control once again during the worst time possible.


    Meanwhile near Gerald and the gangˇ­


    "What the hell are you telling me?" Harold knew that he shouldn''t have spoken as it would mean inhaling the green gas, but he felt like he had to.


    "I don''t want to waste any more of my breath, Harold." Gerald said as he pointed at the green eggs, and Harold couldn''t help but widen his eyes in surprise! Gerald really was telling both him and Alphonso to grab the green eggs and let the monster attach itself onto him.


    He then turned his gaze towards the unconscious body of Max, who had a flower-like creature tightly hugging his face!

 Chapter 41 - Battle Of The Minds

    "What the hell are you telling me?" Harold knew that he shouldn''t have spoken as it would mean inhaling the green gas, but he felt like he had to.


    "I don''t want to waste any more of my breath, Harold." Gerald said as he pointed at the green eggs, and Harold couldn''t help but widen his eyes in surprise! Gerald really was telling both him and Alphonso to grab the green eggs and let the monster attach itself onto him.


    He then turned his gaze towards the unconscious body of Max, who had a flower-like creature tightly hugging his face.


    ''You let Max get attached to that monster?!'' Harold raised his eyebrows, questioning Gerald using his facial expressions.


    ''He was too fast, alright?'' Gerald shrugged his shoulders with a bitter expression. ''I couldn''t have stopped him even if I wanted to.''


    He then looked at Max''s unmoving body and bit his lips. ''And besidesˇ­ this might be our only shot at leaving this place alive..'' He said to himself, but Harold, who was looking at him, could read what he was thinking.


    Harold pointed his finger at the roof. ''There''s still the broken roof!'' He widened his eyes in desperation. ''We can make it up there if we try.''


    ''With Alphonso?'' Gerald waved his hands at Alphonso, who was groaning with his eyes closed. His whole face was completely pale and covered in sweat. ''He''s injured. He won''t be able to make it up there! We''re not even sure that we''ll make it up there!''


    ''Well, we haven''t tried yet, have we?'' Harold gritted his teeth. He was angry, but he couldn''t scream. He knew that he had to keep his mouth shut, but this whole situation was making him lose his patience.


    "Oh for f*ck''s sakeˇ­." The staring contest of the two boys were interrupted by the weak and frail voice of Alphonso, and both Harold and Gerald turned their heads to find him lying close to one of the green monster eggs.


    It looked like he had crawled over to the egg while the two of them were fighting.


    "Since when did you guys become so worried about me?" Alphonso said as he let out a weak chuckle, before coughing immediately. "It''s making me sickˇ­ *cough*.. *cough*.."


    "Alphonso!" Harold couldn''t help but shout out loud. ''What the hell are you doing? It''s dangerous to be near that thing!'' Is what he wanted to say, but he held it back and instead used his arms to signal his thoughts.


    "Oh, let''s be realistic, Harold!" Alphonso rolled his eyes and chuckled once again as he turned towards the egg and grabbed it, causing the sharp thorns on the outer shell of the egg to pierce into his hands. "You and I both know that I won''t be able to make it to the rooftop." He said with a weak smile as blood began to drip out from his hands and onto the ground. "This is the only way I haveˇ­"


    Crack! Crack! Crack!


    Harold watched in horror as the giant green coloured egg began to shake violently, and the tip of the egg started to crack open!


    Crack! Crack! Crack!


    "What in god''s name..." Harold watched as the monster egg slowly cracked open and revealed a long green vine which had a red flower bud on the very top of it.


    SHUAAAA!


    Both Gerald and Harold watched as the flower bud suddenly opened on it''s own and revealed the sharp toothed interior of the monster.


    "God damn!" Alphonso couldn''t help but whisper softly under his breath as he stared at the flower monster. "That is one ugly motherf*cker!" He said with a weak voice right before the monster slammed its face onto Alphonso''s, attaching itself onto his entire face, as the vine part of the flower monster split itself from the head.


    The vine and the monster split into two and Alphonso''s body fell down onto the floor with the flower monster stuck to his face.


    ''...'' Harold, who saw the whole thing happen right in front of him, just stood there, speechless.


    ''Holy fuck!'' He wanted to scream so badly, but for some reason, his voice wouldn''t exit from his throat. It was as though he had lost the ability to speak and became mute.


    Step! Step! Step!


    Ignoring the terrified Harold who was frozen from fear, Gerald walked up to another one of the green eggs and knelt in front of it, squinting both his eyes as he examined the otherworldly egg.


    "Gerald?" Harold turned his head around and looked at Gerald, whispering softly. "Don''t tell meˇ­"


    "Hahˇ­" Gerald closed his eyes, tilted his head up, and let out a long sigh. "There''s no other way, Harold..." He said with a bitter expression on his face as he grabbed the egg, and the thorns pierced into his palms which made him flinch and groan.


    "This is- this is just crazy.." Harold mumbled under his breath as the egg in Gerald''s hands cracked open, revealing another one of the flower bud monsters.


    "Look around, Haroldˇ­" Gerald shifted his gaze towards Harold, and at the same time, the flower bud opened its mouth, revealing the monster''s sharp teeth.


    "The world has already gone crazy." He said, right before being attacked by the flower monster as the terrifying creature attached itself to Gerald''s face, causing him to fall down onto the ground, unconscious.


    "This is.. this.." Harold, who was now the only one remaining, wanted to speak, but as soon as he was about to, he began to cough uncontrollably, causing him to kneel down onto the ground while covering his face and mouth.


    "Oh godˇ­" He mumbled under his breath as he clutched his head. He was feeling extremely dizzy and unwell. He touched his nose and found that he was bleeding out of his nostrils.


    "Well, isn''t that perfect ˇ­" He said in a sarcastic tone as his gaze turned towards the remaining green egg, and he narrowed his eyebrows.


    "I guess this really is the only wayˇ­" Letting out a long and heavy sigh, Harold touched the green egg.


    "I sure hope this works, Gerald.." He said, as the sharp thorns pierced into his flesh and caused it to bleed. "Because if it doesn''t, I''m going to kill you in the afterlife.."


    SHUAAAA!


    As soon as he finished speaking, the flower monster that had burst out from inside of the egg, snarled loudly and attached onto Harold''s head, pushing him down onto the ground and causing him to faint.


    "F*ck, f*ck, f*ck!" Noah cursed out loud as he continued running away from the spider creature, which had gotten up once again and was charging right after him while snarling and growling.


    Swoosh!


    The spider beast swung one of its long and sharp claws at Noah''s back, which sent him flying up forwards into the air and slamming onto the wall in front of him upside down.


    "Gah!" The impact caused the walls to shake and Noah gasped for air as blood began to drip out from his mouth.


    However, he had no time to catch his breath, as the spider creature, which wasn''t planning on stopping its attacks until it killed him, screamed loudly and swung its claws for another strike!


    "God damn you!" Noah screamed loudly in desperation, and right before the spider beast''s sharp claw could strike him, his throat began to get hot and all of a sudden, flames began to erupt out from his mouth and shot down to the ground, propelling him up and narrowly avoiding the clawed attack of the spider beast, which collided with the wall behind him.


    BOOM!


    The wall shook violently because of the force and at the same time, Noah, who after being propelled into the air, had landed down to the ground right behind the spider beast.


    "Now''s the time!" Noah realized that this might be the best time for him to attack the spider beast, when it''s back was turned away from him.


    Swoosh!


    Without wasting any more time, Noah swung his fist right towards the spider creature, aiming for the back of its head.


    BAM!


    "AHHHH! Take this!" Noah screamed loudly as his fist smashed against the back of the spider beast''s head, resulting in a loud noise and flinging the beast forwards and crashing onto the wall.


    BAM! BAM! BAM!


    Noah continued to strike the creature as it desperately tried to get back up, punching it multiple times on its back and not giving it enough time to steady itself.


    "Like hell I''ll give you a chance to counter attack!" Noah, who seemed to be growing confident, began taunting the creature as he landed one strike after another.


    GRAAAAR!


    The spider creature, which was getting annoyed after repeatedly being attacked, growled loudly and swung its legs down in a sweeping motion, striking Noah''s legs and causing him to slam down onto the ground, landing with a loud noise.


    "Oh sh*t!" Noah, who realized that he had f*cked up, cursed out loud as he saw the spider beast turn around, roaring loudly as it swung its claws, aiming straight for Noah''s neck!

 Chapter 42 - A New Participant

    "Detective Lewis," The voice of Special Agent Alan Fischer was heard from within the police radio, and Lewis immediately grabbed it and brought it to his mouth. "Lewis here."


    "There''s been an explosion inside the abandoned Marley market district. You''re close to the location, right?" Agent Fischer asked. "I am, yes." Detective Lewis replied. He then paused for a second, gulped down his saliva and continued, "Agent Fischer, is this an incident related to the monsters?"


    "We don''t know yet, detective." Fischer''s voice responded through the radio. "But do be careful." "Copy that," He said, and the conversation ended.


    Lewis didn''t waste any time, and within seconds, his blue sedan was already on the road, driving towards the abandoned Marley market district, which was just a few miles away from his location.


    "The Marley market district, huhˇ­" Lewis whispered under his breath as he focused his gaze on the road.


    The Marley market district was part of the old World city, before the whole reconstruction process took place. It was a marketplace that had been bustling with people all over from the country, and was well known amongst merchant forums and groups for providing opportunities to the sellers, often making them compete for vacant spots in the district.


    But now, it was just another abandoned district that was swept aside during the renaissance period of the city. The only people who live around there are dumpster divers who make a living by finding junk parts and selling them for a profit.


    "It''s been a long time since I''ve gone to the Marley market district.." Detective Lewis couldn''t help but remember his childhood days when he visited the district with his parents. He was only a little boy back then, but he could still remember the illuminated district that was filled with people during the night. It was truly a magnificent sight, something that he''d never forget.


    "It''s a shame that these old buildings were abandoned.." Lewis didn''t know why, but he felt pity for those abandoned buildings. They were the defining features of the city before the whole reformation process. And now, they were just unwanted structures, now infested by these monstrous creatures.


    Lewis'' hand drifted to the right seat, where a small M81A Pulse blaster was lying.


    ''I really hope I don''t encounter another monsterˇ­'' He said to himself as he gently brushed his fingers over the blaster.


    Lewis wasn''t someone who had experience in combat. He knew the basics, and he did train for sometime in the shooting grounds and had practiced jujitsu a while ago, but he never had been in a real life threatening fight before, except for the eight legged creature attack.


    Luckily, he survived that. But Detective Lewis never wanted to experience that feeling of terror ever again in his life.


    "What the hell is happening?" Detective Lewis mumbled under his breath as he squinted his eyebrows. Through the front window of his car, Lewis could see the backs of multiple vehicles, not a single one of them moving from the road.


    ''Oh, for f*ck''s sake,'' Detective Lewis let out an exasperated sigh and covered his face with his palm. It was a traffic jam. And a long one at that. The line of vehicles seemed to stretch on forever.


    ''What the f*ck is this sh*t?'' Lewis pulled up behind the very last vehicle on the queue and tried to look over to see what the hell was causing this traffic jam, but his gaze was partially covered by two large trucks which blocked the view.


    "What on earth do I do now?" Lewis bit his lips as he tapped his steering wheel, trying to find a way out of this situation. He slipped his head out of the window and looked over. There wasn''t much distance to the Marley market district from where he was standing.


    ''Do I just walk now?'' He thought hard about what his plan was going to be. Lewis then turned his head and shifted his gaze towards his back, and saw a few vehicles which were heading his way, and he immediately put his car in reverse.


    Whoosh!


    He reversed his car and pulled over to the side of the road before turning the vehicle off.


    He then looked over to his blaster, and after a moment of reluctance, grabbed it and got out of the vehicle, locking it right after exiting it.


    ''Looks like I''m walkingˇ­Lewis said after a long and heavy sigh, and he began walking through the traffic, trying to get to the other end of the blockage of vehicles.


    After walking for a few minutes, he began to see a small puff of smoke that was emitting a few metres away from him, and he squinted his eyebrows.


    It seemed like there was an accident.


    ''But the emitted smoke is too faint,'' Lewis said to himself in his mind. Of course, not enough smoke doesn''t necessarily mean that the accident might not be all that serious.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    Lewis tapped on the window of a van that was to his right, and the window slowly rolled down to reveal a middle aged blonde woman with a ponytail and a cigarette in her mouth.


    "What?" The woman asked annoyingly. It seemed like she wasn''t too happy about Lewis'' interruption.


    "Ma''am, I''m Detective Lewis." Lewis said as he took out his badge and showed it to the lady, which caused the eyes of the woman to widen, and her annoyed expression instantly shifted to that of a scared and anxious one.


    Perhaps she was doing something suspicious?


    Who cares, Lewis thought to himself. There are much more important things to worry about, he thought.


    "Ma''am, do you have any idea what caused this traffic jam?" Lewis asked the lady.


    "Well, uh, detective.." The woman opened her mouth, stuttering while speaking. "Uh, so- some guy apparently crashed his van onto the back of a car."


    "I see," Lewis nodded while scratching his head. "Is that all there is? Is anyone hurt?"


    "No, uh, no one is hurt.. I think.." The lady shook her head, even though her expression told him she was uncertain. "But, uh, it seems as though the guy who crashed is a conspiracy theorist, and he''s blocking the road."


    "A conspiracy theorist?" Lewis raised his eyebrows. Was that the reason behind this traffic jam? A crazy person?


    "Yeah, uh, he was saying stuff like, uh, seeing a dragon fly by his van.." The lady tapped her chin, trying to remember what the man said, but right then..


    "Did you say he saw a dragon?!" Her words were interrupted by the loud voice of Lewis, who leaned forward into the van, causing the woman to flinch.


    "What? Uh, ye- yeahˇ­" The woman looked confused and scared.


    "And?" Lewis said as his voice grew louder, urging the woman to continue. "What did the man say?"


    "He said, uh, that the dragon flew in that directionˇ­" The woman pointed her finger to her right as she spoke, and Lewis''s eyes widened.


    "F*ck! F*ck! F*ck!" He cursed out loud as he pulled back from the van and rushed through the blockage of vehicles, dashing over to the other side of the road and jumped over the rail. He then continued running into the woods, disappearing from the view of the woman, who was watching him with a confused expression.


    "Don''t tell me he was a conspiracy theorist as well?" The woman mumbled to herself before closing the window.


    Swoosh!


    Detective Lewis was dashing through the woods, trying to get to the Marley market district. He pulled out his phone and called Detective Harry.


    "Hello?" Harry answered, and Lewis screamed into the phone. "It''s a dragon! It''s a f*cking dragon!"


    --------------


    Noah continued to strike the creature as it desperately tried to get back up, punching it multiple times on its back and not giving it enough time to steady itself.


    "Like hell I''ll give you a chance to counter attack!" Noah, who seemed to be growing confident, began taunting the creature as he landed one strike after another.


    GRAAAAR!


    The spider creature, which was getting annoyed after repeatedly being attacked, growled loudly and swung its legs down in a sweeping motion, striking Noah''s legs and causing him to slam down onto the ground, landing with a loud noise.


    "Oh sh*t!" Noah, who realized that he had f*cked up, cursed out loud as he saw the spider beast turn around, roaring loudly as it swung its claws, aiming straight for Noah''s neck!


    Swoosh!


    Right then, the ground began to shake violently, and before the clawed hands of the spider beast could slash Noah''s throat, a large shadow broke through the already broken roof and slammed onto the spider creature, pushing it to the side with a tremendous amount of force!


    BAM!


    The spider creature was flung backwards into the air and crashed onto the wall with a loud noise, and Noah, who had survived the beast''s attack, got up from the floor, and with a relieved expression, yelled out, "Wolfe!"

 Chapter 43 - One Shall Fall

    "Oh, Jason! To think you were married! How could you lie to me?" Victoria Hutchinson screamed at the top of her lungs as he grabbed the ancient chinese vase and threw it at Jason Vargas, who ducked his head in order to avoid the fast approaching projectile.


    BAM!


    The vase narrowly missed Jason''s forehead and collided with the wall behind him, causing it to shatter into a million pieces.


    "Jesus, Victoria! Do you know how much that vase cost?" Jason screamed in anger and frustration as he pointed at the broken pieces of the vase that was lying on the floor.


    "Did it cost more than my broken heart, Jason?" Victoria whispered softly as a single drop of tear slid down from her eyes, causing Jason to bite his lips in response, unable to respond.


    "Oh, this is getting spicy!" Max''s mother, Mrs. Aniston said as he stretched her hand onto the table and grabbed the bag of chips, opened it and shoved a handful of chips into her mouth, munching it down without removing his gaze from the television.


    She was watching her favourite soap opera, ''Devilish Love'', of which she was an enormous fan.


    "I cannot believe that Jason was hiding such a secret! Oh, the twists in this series are insane." Mrs. Aniston said as she grabbed another chip and downed it. She then tilted her head and yelled loudly, "Polly! Come here, quickly! You''re missing the best part!"


    "I''m coming, I''m coming!" Polly Baker said as she rushed to the sofa, carrying two cups of carbonated drinks in her hands as he arrived, and placed them on the table. "I really can''t believe that your television is not working anymore. I mean, it was working fine when I came to your house three days ago."


    "Yeah, I have no idea either." Mrs. Aniston shook her head, her gaze still stuck on the television in front of her. "I would''ve asked Max to take a look at it, but I didn''t want to make him late for school." She said as she shrugged her shoulders. "And I definitely wasn''t going to miss this week''s episode of ''Devilish Love''."


    "Wait, did you just say that Max went to school?" Polly turned to look at Mrs. Aniston, who nodded her head right before pointing at the television. "Oh, oh, oh! I think they''re going to break up! Oh my god!"


    "Um, Laura?" Polly whispered softly, and Mrs. Aniston replied, "Yeah?"


    "There''s no school today," She said in a weak and flustered voice, and Mrs. Aniston, who was watching the soap opera with interest, immediately turned her head towards Polly, her happy and excited expression now replaced with that of a serious and anxious one. "What did you say, Polly?"


    "There''s no school today, Laura," Polly repeated her words. "It was all over the news today. Didn''t you hear?"


    Mrs. Aniston didn''t answer. Her eyes were now wider than ever, and her gaze was on the hardwood floor below her feet.


    "How on earth could you betray me?!" The loud and angry voice of Victoria Hutchinson echoed throughout the silent room.


    --------------------


    "F*ck! F*ck! F*ck!" Detective Lewis Fitzgerald cursed out loud as he pulled back and rushed through the blockage of vehicles, dashing over to the other side of the road and jumping over the rail. He then continued running into the woods, disappearing from the view of the woman in the van, who was watching him with a confused expression.


    Swoosh!


    Detective Lewis was dashing through the woods, trying to get to the Marley market district. He pulled out his phone and called Detective Harry.


    "Do you come across these kinds of monsters often, Agent Edgerton?" Detective Harry asked. He had been assigned by the Commissioner to help out Special Agent Richard Edgerton in whatever way he could.


    "Often enough, I guess." Agent Edgerton said as he shrugged his shoulders. His face remained motionless except for opening his mouth to speak, with even his expressions remaining the same. It was as though he was a robot.


    The two men drove through Rudyard Street, making their way towards the Marley market district.


    "You seem pretty nonchalant and calm about it." Detective Harry raised his eyebrows as he spoke. His eyes were still on the road.


    "I guess I do." Agent Edgerton replied almost instantly. "Most people, the people who don''t know me, tell me that all the time."


    "Well, in their defence, your job is to defeat and terminate what are essentially extraterrestrial mutants." Detective Harry let out a short chuckle as he peeked a glance at the indifferent Edgerton. "So I''d say that their worries are understandable."


    ".... I guess you''re right," Agent Edgerton nodded his head, but he still remained emotionless. Harry couldn''t get a read on him no matter how hard he tried.


    "But still, don''t you feel even a tiny bit scared when you''re fighting these creatures?" Detective Harry wanted to continue his talk, and so he posed another question to Agent Edgerton. "I mean, these aren''t normal living beings. They''re things that you''re supposed to only see in your dreams, and you''re telling me that you are not scared of fighting those terrifying demonic creatures?"


    "... I was initially scared, to be honest." After a few seconds of silence, Agent Edgerton responded. "The first time I fought a monster, I was deathly pale. In fact, I can still remember my hands trembling like crazy." He said as he stared at his palms.


    Detective Harry squinted his eyes, but he didn''t interrupt Edgerton''s words.


    "But nevertheless, I fought with the creature. After all, I had to. And to my surprise, I actually won." He breathed out, and turned his gaze towards the detective. "It was only after I finished fighting did I realize that although these creatures were terrifying, they were just animals in the end. They might have a few tricks up their sleeves, but that is it."


    He suddenly snapped his fingers, which almost made Detective Harry flinch.


    "In my opinion, humans are far tougher opponents." Edgerton leaned back. "Of course, that is unless these creatures start to think."


    Ring! Ring!


    Harry''s phone began to ring. He picked it up and brought it close to his face."Detective Lewis," He said to Edgerton, who squinted his eyes.


    "Hello?" Harry answered, and Lewis screamed into the phone. "It''s a dragon! It''s a f*cking dragon!"


    "Lewis? What did you say?" Harry said loudly into the phone, and before Lewis could respond, Agent Edgerton leaned forward and said, "A dragon." He looked at Harry. "He said there''s a dragon." Edgerton then leaned back and looked at the backseat, where his equipment was kept, and grabbed what looked like a giant futuristic rifle.


    "Lewis, where are you right now?" Harry yelled loudly into the phone, and Lewis replied, "I''m heading towards the Marley market district. I''m pretty sure that the dragon went towards the district. How long will it take for you to get here?"


    "We''re taking the Gargeran route, so we''ll be there in ten to five minutes." Harry responded and he immediately stepped on the gas pedal, making his car go even faster.


    "Got it," said Detective Lewis. "I''ll wait near the district to keep an eye on what the hell is actually happening."


    "Alright," Detective Harry replied. "And be careful, Lewis."


    With that, he hung up the phone, and looked over to Agent Edgerton, who had the giant rifle strapped on to his back.


    "I have a score to settle with the dragon," He said as he patted his rifle.


    ------------------


    "Wolfe!" Noah, who had survived the beast''s attack, got up from the floor and yelled out with a relieved expression.


    GRRRRR!


    The dragonoid creature growled at the spider beast, which was lying on the ground and trying to get up from the floor.


    Swoosh!


    With a loud roar, Wolfe swung his wings and shot towards the spider beast, slamming straight onto the creature before it could get up from the rubble and causing it to crash down onto the ground once again.


    BOOM!


    The impact of the attack was so tremendous that the spider beast was flung back up into the air right after striking the ground, and Wolfe immediately leapt up once again and swung his sharp claws at the spider beast, striking it''s chest.


    GRRRRRAR!


    The spider beast roared in pain, but Wolfe struck down onto the creature''s chest once again using his powerful paws, and slammed it down to the ground with a loud noise.


    BAM!


    The spider beast tried to escape by moving erratically, but Wolfe had pressed his foot down onto the spider beast''s chest, making it unable to make any large movements.


    GRRRR!


    Wolfe roared loudly before opening his mouth, revealing his sharp tooth to the creature to see, before biting down onto the spider beast''s neck and pulling on it with a tremendous amount of force.


    Splat! Splat! Splat!


    The spider beast''s neck began to rip open like paper and a green mucus-like substance began to leak out right before it''s head was completely ripped away from its body!

 Chapter 44 - Finishing Touches

    "Hah, hahˇ­ Jesus Christˇ­" Detective Lewis Fitzgerald was panting heavily as he dashed through the woods in an attempt to get to the Marley market district.


    "I probably shouldn''t have skipped going to the gymˇ­" The detective let out a sigh before immediately panting, and continued running towards the market district.


    "What the hell do I even plan on doing once I get there?" Lewis didn''t know the answer to that question yet, but he believed that he would eventually find the answer once he reached his destination.


    Within a few minutes, Lewis reached the abandoned district, and as soon as he stepped foot into the district, a giant tremor shook the ground, followed by a loud and ear piercing roar, which made Lewis lose his balance and fall down onto the ground.


    "What the hell?" Lewis groaned as he got up on his knees and rubbed his back, wondering what the hell had caused the explosion, but the answer soon came to his mind and he nodded his head. "Rightˇ­ a dragon. I keep forgetting that there''s a mothef*cking dragon.."


    Lewis mumbled to himself as he got up to his feet and dashed in the direction where the roar originated from.


    As Lewis passed by the old and abandoned apartment buildings, he couldn''t help but peek a glance at them.


    BAM!


    His attention was soon shifted when another loud roar was heard echoing throughout the surroundings, and Lewis squinted his eyes and increased his speed.


    Lewis turned a corner and came across a large and unused plot which seemed to stretch on for multiple acres. It seemed like the plot was bought to build a giant mall or something similar. However, the restructuring and reforming of the city might''ve changed the owner''s mind during the last second, abandoning the project midway through the making.


    "What''s that over there?" Lewis murmured under his breath as he squinted his eyes. Far away from where he was standing, Lewis could see what seemed to be a dust cloud forming above a certain section of the plot.


    "Wait a minute, that''s not a dust cloudˇ­" Lewis'' eyes widened. The dust was actually a lot closer to the ground. In fact, the dust that had formed above the plot was actually dust that seemed to be coming out from the ground.


    "Holy sh*t," Lewis couldn''t believe his eyes. As he moved forward, he could faintly see that the ground underneath the dust clouds had sunken down into what appeared to be a section of the underground sewer system that was located directly below it.


    BAM!


    Right before he could take another step, another loud roar erupted from underneath the ground, causing Lewis to lose his balance again.


    Except this time, he got hold of himself before he fell down, and his gaze was now fixed on the giant hole that was present on the ground a few metres away from him.


    "Don''t tell me the dragon is in there?" Lewis gulped down the saliva in his mouth, and he slowly began to back away.


    Swish!


    Lewis immediately turned around and dashed sideways, and hid behind a large tree, poking his head over to where the collapsed ground was in order to make sure that the dragon hadn''t spotted him yet.


    "Where the hell are they?" Lewis pulled up his phone and tried to call Detective Harry once again, but he didn''t pick up his call, which just made him frustrated.


    ---------------------


    The spider beast tried to escape by moving erratically, but Wolfe had pressed his foot down onto the spider beast''s chest, making it unable to make any large movements.


    Wolfe roared loudly before opening his mouth, revealing his sharp tooth to the creature to see, before biting down onto the spider beast''s neck and pulling on it with a tremendous amount of force.


    Splat! The spider beast''s neck began to rip open like paper and a green mucus-like substance began to leak out right before it''s head was completely ripped away from its body!


    Splat!


    "You did it, Wolfe!" Noah screamed in joy as Wolfe the dragon pulled up the decapitated head of the spider creature using his sharp teeth and shook it violently left and right before throwing it over to the side with a tremendous amount of force.


    BOOM!


    The head flew over to the walls and slammed against it, causing the green mucus-like substance to splatter all over the wall.


    "Great job, Wolfe!" Noah, who was relieved by the fact that the spider creature, which was so close to murdering him multiple times, was now finally dead. He walked up to the enormous dragon and patted him on the back, and the dragon let out a cute noise.


    GHUAAU!


    "Thanks for saving me again, Wolfe!" Noah said with a smile on his face. Wolfe did save him at the right time. Noah was sure that if Wolfe had been even a second late, then he most likely would''ve ended up being killed at the hands of the spider beast. Noah couldn''t help but feel a chill run up his spine as he thought about what the outcome could''ve been.


    The dragon continued making strange and cute noises until Noah stopped rubbing his body, after which Wofle lowered his head and began sniffing the spider beast''s dead body.


    "What are you doing, Wolfe?" Noah asked, curious as to why the dragon was sniffing the corpse of the spider beast, but before he could find out the reason behind Wolfe''s actions, a weird screeching noise entered into his ears, and his attention turned towards the direction from where the noise came from.


    "That''s the voice," Noah whispered under his breath and his eyes widened. He could remember it faintly. It was the same voice that he had heard a few minutes ago, back in the alleyway.


    Unbeknownst to Noah, his eyes were slowly turning black. His iris was beginning to expand and spread all over his eye, but Noah was too fixated on the voice to even notice this.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    Noah began walking towards the direction where the voice was coming from. He looked like he was in a daze, as though he had no control over his body anymore.


    "This isˇ­" Before he knew it, Noah was standing right in front of the corpse which was still stuck under the massive boulder. The vine monsters, which were usually very springy and energetic, were now lying on the floor like deflated balloons, seemingly all out of energy.


    "SHUAAAA!" The corpse opened its mouth, and it began to emit a bunch of weird and unintelligible noises.


    "You are dyingˇ­" Noah whispered softly. His voice had changed now. His normal voice was gone, and in its place was something different. Something a bit more harsh and rough.


    Noah stretched out his hand and began lightly patting the corpse on its head, which made it continue to emit the weird noises.


    "I''m afraid there is no hope for you," Noah said as he nodded his head. It seemed like he was capable of communicating with the corpse creature.


    "SHUAAAA!" The corpse made another ear screeching noise and began shaking its head violently, and Noah, as though in response, began looking around, until his eyes landed on the four young boys who were lying a few metres away from the corpse.


    "Thoseˇ­ children?" Noah asked as he pointed his finger at the group of unconscious boys, and the corpse suddenly stopped shaking its head.


    "SHUAAAA!" The corpse continued making the same strange noises again and again, repeating them as though to make Noah remember it.


    "I understandˇ­" Noah, who seemed to have understood what the corpse was trying to say, nodded his head as he spoke, and the corpse immediately shut its mouth in response. It then leaned its head back onto the floor, and Noah stretched out his thumb and lightly pressed on the corpse''s head while keeping his eyes closed, staying in the same position for one whole second.


    Noah then stepped back, and from the corpse''s mouth burst out its long and slimy tongue, which had spikes surrounding it.


    Swoosh!


    Noah watched as the spiked tongue wrapped around the corpse''s neck with incredible speed, and within seconds, decapitated its head clean off, causing it to fall to the ground.


    SHRRAAAA!


    The vine monsters suddenly raised their heads and let out a short snarl before they too slammed down onto the ground, seemingly lifeless.


    Noah watched the corpse monster, which had finally died, for a few more seconds. He then walked towards the group of unconscious boys, his eyes now squinted, and his expression serious.


    "Detective Lewis!" The voice of Detective Harry Stone entered into Lewis'' ears and he turned around to see both Detective Harry and Special Agent Edgerton walking towards him, waving their hands at him.


    "Detective Harry! Agent Edgerton!" Lewis, who was both happy and relieved to see the two men, waved his hands at them in response, but their meeting was interrupted by a loud roar followed by a powerful gust of wind that shot right at the three men, causing them to be flung back a few steps!

 Chapter 45 - Eye Of The Storm

    The vine monsters suddenly raised their heads and let out a short snarl before they too slammed down onto the ground, seemingly lifeless.


    Noah watched the corpse monster, which had finally died, for a few more seconds. He then walked towards the group of unconscious boys, his eyes now squinted, and his expression serious.


    "Detective Lewis!" The voice of Detective Harry Stone entered into Lewis'' ears and he turned around to see both Detective Harry and Special Agent Edgerton walking towards him, waving their hands at him.


    "Detective Harry! Agent Edgerton!" Lewis, who was both happy and relieved to see the two men, waved his hands at them in response, but their meeting was interrupted by a loud roar followed by a powerful gust of wind that shot right at the three men, causing them to be flung back a few steps!


    GRAAAAR!


    The loud roar of the dragon continued to echo throughout the large plot of land, and the powerful gust of wind had caused the dust and the sand that had been flying above the collapsed ground to fly in the direction of Lewis and the rest.


    "F*ck! Cover your eyes!" Detective Harry yelled out as he lowered his head and covered it with his hands, ducking down, and the other two did the same.


    TRRR! TRRR! TRRR!


    The sand and dust continued to flow through the air with incredible speed, continuously striking the bodies of Harry, Lewis and Edgerton as the particles flew past them.


    "What the hell is happening?" Lewis screamed loudly, lightly turning his head in the direction of Harry and Edgerton. "What on earth is causing this?"


    "It''s the dragon!" Agent Edgerton raised his head lightly and spoke in a loud voice as he stretched his hand back to his pockets, taking out a pair of goggles and a handkerchief. "The dragon''s loud roar and the enormous speed at which the dragon flaps its wings is what''s causing the dust storm!"


    He then carefully put on the goggles on his face and then wrapped the handkerchief around his nose and mouth as he tried to get up on his feet. He then raised his hand and used it to block the dust particles from hitting his face, squinting his eyes in order to get a good look at the spot where the dragon is supposedly coming out of.


    "Additionally, it seems that the spot has already been covered in dust and sand that had accumulated from a long time ago, which only makes the whole situation even worse!" Agent Edgerton said as he pointed at the collapsed ground, and both Detective Harry and Lewis slightly raised their heads in order to get a look at what he was talking about.


    "Special Agent Edgerton," Detective Lewis, who saw that Agent Edgerton was carrying a large rifle in his hands and was staring at the spot where the dragon supposedly was, asked loudly. "Excuse me, but may I ask what you plan on doing right now?"


    "What else?" Agent Edgerton said with an indifferent expression on his face as he pulled up his rifle right to his chest, patting it lightly. "I''m going to kill the dragon."


    Whoosh!


    As soon as Agent Edgerton spoke, the large silhouette of the dragon appeared from under the collapsed ground and shot up into the air with incredible speed.


    "Speak of the devil!" Agent Edgerton said without changing his expression, causing both Detective Harry and Detective Lewis to look up at the enormous creature that was high up in the air with fear and awe.


    Agent Edgerton pulled the scope of the rifle close to his right eye and without wasting any time, he pulled the trigger.


    BOOM!


    A loud noise echoed throughout the atmosphere as a long and quick moving projectile shot out from inside of the gun with incredible speed, following which bright green light and smoke burst out from the barrel.


    WHAM!


    The fast moving projectile quickly moved through the air and towards its target, striking it without any mistakes and causing a loud noise, followed by an ear screeching and painful roar from the dragon.


    GRAAAAR!


    The dragon''s cry echoed in the air, and both Detective Harry and Detective Lewis looked at each other before glancing at Agent Edgerton, who was back to aiming at the dragon once again.


    The dust storm, the intensity of which seemed to have been lowering as time went on, had suddenly increased in speed which made the two detectives cover their face and head for a second time.


    GRRRAAA!


    The dragon roared again, and Agent Edgerton squinted his eyes, finding his target through the massive sandstorm, and pulled the trigger, launching another projectile right at the monstrous creature.


    SHUAAAA!


    This time, the projectile only managed to lightly graze the dragon, which made Agent Edgerton click his tongue in dissatisfaction.


    "I missed..." He whispered under his breath as he tried to hit the dragon once again, but the sandstorm made it hard for him to get a clear shot at the creature.


    "Come on, come onˇ­" He repeated to himself as the rifle followed the silhouette of the dragon, but right as he was about to get a good shot at the creature, the sandstorm sped up its intensity once again, affecting the visibility of the air, which made Agent Edgerton lose sight of the dragon.


    "Goddammit!" He cursed loudly, but his facial expression didn''t change much. He then continued to look through the scope, trying to find where the dragon was, and began taking a few steps forward.


    Step! Step! Step!


    The intensity of the sandstorm was increasing bit by bit as he moved forward, and Agent Edgerton could feel its rise.


    "It''s circling meˇ­" Agent Edgerton mumbled to himself. He could feel the creature fast approaching him, but he didn''t know from where.


    "Where the hell are you?" He whispered softly as he searched for the creature''s location, trying to find where it was. The sandstorm continued to get more and more intense, which just made Agent Edgerton more alert of his surroundings.


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    The loud noise of something fast moving around was heard, which made Edgerton squint his eyes. The sound seemed to echo all around him, and the sandstorm only amplified it, only making it all the more confusing for the agent.


    "Come on you son of a b*tch!" Edgerton yelled annoyingly. It seemed that he too could get pissed in certain situations. "Don''t be a p*ssy! I''m right here!" He screamed loudly in an attempt to lure the wild creature towards him, but to no avail.


    "F*ck meˇ­" He let out a sigh, and continued searching for the creature through the sandstorm. His right eye was still stuck to the scope of the rifle, hunting for his target, but no matter how hard he looked, he couldn''t find out the location of the dragon.


    GRRRAAR!


    Edgerton heard the voice once again. This time, it was even closer. The sandstorm continued to increase in intensity, and right then!


    Whoosh!


    Through the dust and sand particles appeared the large silhouette of the dragon, which was right behind Edgerton.


    "Oh no you don''t!" Edgerton, who realized that his prey had finally decided to show itself to him, immediately turned around and pointed his rifle at the creature.


    BAM!


    Edgerton was fast, but the dragon was faster. Before Edgerton could aim properly, it flew in his direction and used the force of its wings to fling him backwards violently, causing him to be pushed back multiple metres and crash land on the ground with a loud noise.


    GRRRAAR!


    The dragon roared loudly, this time in a more triumphant manner, before flapping its wings hard and shooting straight up into the clouds, disappearing within an instant and easily dispersing the sandstorm.


    "Ughˇ­. What the hell just happened? Is it finally over?" Detective Lewis, who was now completely covered in sand and dust, groaned loudly as he slowly raised his head up from the ground, trying to get a good look at the situation, and saw Agent Edgerton lying on the ground.


    "Agent Edgerton!" He yelled out, and then turned to look at Detective Harry, who was also trying to get up from underneath the sand. "We have to help him!" He said in a concerned tone.


    "I kn- I knowˇ­" Detective Harry said as he shook his whole body in an attempt to remove the dust and sand that was on him, and immediately got up onto his feet. Detective Lewis did the same, and the two men instantly rushed towards the spot where Agent Edgerton was lying.


    "Agent Edgerton!" Detective Harry whispered as he knelt near him and placed his fingers under the agent''s nose.


    "Is he alright?" Detective Lewis, who was kneeling beside him, asked. Detective Harry raised his hand, telling him not to interrupt him.


    "He''s still breathing," Detective Harry said after a few more seconds of inspecting Edgerton''s body, and Lewis let out a relieved sigh.


    Detective Harry''s gaze shifted to the sky, trying to find the monster responsible for doing this, but the dragon was already long gone.

 Chapter 46 - Other Side

    Few minutes earlier.


    "Argh!" Noah groaned as he raised up the unconscious body of Gerald and gently threw it onto Wolfe''s back, where the rest of the boy''s bodies were.


    "I guess that''s all of them," Noah said as he patted his body to remove the dust from his clothes, and then walked up to the corpse monster, which was now finally dead.


    Whip!


    He grabbed one of the vine monsters by its head and pulled it with a tremendous amount of force, and the monster''s long and elastic body was ripped out from the corpse''s intestines, which resulted in blood to burst out from the corpse''s stomach.


    Splurt! Splurt! Splurt!


    Blood began to splash all over the ground like a water fountain, but Noah stepped over the pool of blood that was forming, ignoring it and moving onto the other vine monsters.


    Whip!


    He grabbed onto another one of the vine monsters and continued doing the exact same thing, and after a few more tries, he now had a large amount of long and sturdy vines in his hands.


    WHAM!


    He then walked towards Wolfe and pressed his foot on the ground with power, which pushed him up into the air and helped him land on the dragon''s back, which resulted in a small snarl from Wolfe''s mouth, seemingly dissatisfied with his imperfect landing.


    BRRRR!


    "I know, I knowˇ­" Noah mumbled under his breath and let out a short chuckle as he knelt next to the unconscious boys. "You seem to like the other guy much more than me, huhˇ­" He said softly to Wolfe, but the dragon didn''t respond to him.


    "Fair enoughˇ­" Noah murmured to himself as he used the bodies of the vine monsters to bind the group of boys to Wolfe''s back.


    "But don''t worryˇ­" Noah said as he stared at his own hands, and his eyes were still entirely black. "Sooner or later, the two sides will have to merge together."


    Wrap! Wrap!


    Within seconds, the unconscious boys were all neatly wrapped on the back of the dragon, and Noah climbed on top of Wolfe as well.


    "Well, thenˇ­" He said as he slapped the back of the dragon''s head. "Let''s go!"


    GRRRRRAR!


    All of a sudden, the dragon roared loudly, and pushed his head back a bit, which made Noah move back in response.


    "What''s the matter? Don''t tell me my words hurt you? I didn''t know you were that sensitiveˇ­" Noah squinted his eyes and patted the body of Wolfe, urging him to calm down.


    GRRRRRAR!


    The dragon roared again, except this time, Noah also could feel it. A disturbance in the surroundings. An intruder.


    "There''s someone else," Noah whispered softly as he narrowed his eyes, his expression now turned completely serious.


    The dragon snarled in a low tone, as though he was agreeing with Noah, and he immediately began flapping his wings as quickly as possible.


    Whoosh!


    As soon as Wolfe began flapping his wings, the dust and sand particles that were surrounding them as well as the ones on the broken roof began to rise up into the atmosphere and began spreading outwards, forming a massive sandstorm that only widened as seconds passed.


    Noah grabbed onto the back of the dragon as tightly as he could, and as soon as he did so, Wolfe flapped his wings one more time and shot out from underneath the ground and upwards into the air instantly.


    "What else? I''m going to kill the dragon."


    Whoosh!


    As soon as Agent Edgerton spoke, Wolfe emerged from underneath the collapsed ground and shot up into the air with incredible speed.


    "Speak of the devil!" Agent Edgerton said with an excited tone, and yet for some reason, his facial expression remained exactly the same as before.


    Swoosh!


    He pulled the scope of the rifle close to his right eye and pulled the trigger without wasting any more time.


    "Can you see the enemy?" Noah asked the dragon. Because of the sandstorm blocking his vision, Noah couldn''t properly see what was happening.


    GRRRRRAR!


    The dragon roared loudly as he began to fly higher and higher, when all of a sudden...


    BOOM!


    A loud noise echoed throughout the atmosphere, which reached the ears of both Noah and Wolfe, and the two of them became alert.


    "What the hell was that?" Noah spoke softly as he looked around, his eyes searching for the source of the noise that he heard.


    "There!" All of a sudden, Noah''s eyes widened and he pointed straight forward, and the dragon''s eyes caught a glimpse of a long and quick moving projectile that was moving towards them with incredible speed.


    "Look out!" Noah yelled out loudly and opened his mouth as a ball of flames shot out of his throat and flew straight at the projectile.


    BAM!


    The fireball collided with the projectile. However, the projectile, which was simply too quick and contained an enormous amount of force, easily pierced through the fireball and struck Wolfe right in the chest, causing him to be flung back a few metres, resulting in an ear screeching and painful roar from the dragon.


    GRAAAAR!


    "Sh*t! I didn''t have enough time to produce a powerful fireball!" Noah cursed at his inability to defend against the surprise attack.


    "Fortunately, my attack was able to reduce the impact of the projectile," Noah stared at Wolfe''s chest, which now had a small cut, and let out a relieved sigh. "But the threat hasn''t been terminated." His expression soon returned to a serious one as he spoke.


    He moved closer to Wolfe''s head and knelt down right next to the dragon''s ears. "Continue increasing the intensity of the sandstorm. That will temporarily mask your presence." He pointed at the centre of the sandstorm. "And most importantly; don''t stop moving."


    GRRRRR!


    The dragon, Wolfe, let out a furious roar as he flew around the sandstorm, merging with it and masking his presence as well as increasing the intensity of the storm.


    "Ughˇ­" Noah suddenly grabbed his head, and leaned back on the dragon''s back as it flew with incredible speed. The inside of Noah''s eyes were now returning to normal, and the iris was slowly forming back once again, with the white colour appearing once again.


    "It''s time huhˇ­" Noah whispered softly and closed his eyes as he laid down on the dragon''s black.


    "Noah, I hope that the merge is successful," Noah said to himself in a hushed tone. "For the safety of both of usˇ­"


    --------------------


    Present time.


    "Agent Edgerton!" Detective Harry whispered as he knelt near him and placed his fingers under the agent''s nose.


    "Is he alright?" Detective Lewis knelt down right beside him and asked with an anxious expression on his face, and Detective Harry raised his hand, motioning him to stay silent. "He''s still breathing," Harry said after a few more seconds of inspecting Edgerton''s body, and Lewis let out a relieved sigh.


    Detective Harry''s gaze shifted to the sky, trying to find the monster responsible for doing this, but the dragon was already long gone.


    "... A humanˇ­" He whispered softly. He didn''t intend for anyone else to hear his words, but Detective Lewis, who was proud of his supposedly ''amazing'' hearing abilities, was able to hear his words. "What did you say, Harry?"


    "I caught a glimpse of a human, Lewis.." He said after a brief period of silence. He turned to look at Lewis, who was staring at him with a confused expression, and continued, "At least, that''s what I think.."


    "A human? What do you mean?" Lewis couldn''t understand what Detective Harry was talking about.


    "On the back of the dragon." Detective Harry clarified. "I was able to catch a glimpse of the dragon moving through the sandstorm as it passed by us, and I think I saw a human shaped silhouette stuck to its back."


    "Wh- What?!" Lewis finally understood what Harry was talking about, and his eyes widened with surprise. "A- Are you sure, Harry?"


    "To be honest, I have no clue," Harry replied as he scratched his head. "But what if it really is true?" His eyes narrowed. "What if there really was a human on the back of the dragon? What does it mean?"


    "Maybe that person is controlling the dragon?" Lewis said under his breath, and Harry shifted his gaze towards him, looking at him with a confused expression.


    "I''m- I''m just saying there''s a chance that it could be the caseˇ­. You know, like mechsˇ­ " Lewis became flustered and embarrassed because of his words, as it did sound childish. He waved his hands aggressively and continued, "I understand that it sounds dumb, but can you give a reason that doesn''t sound dumb enough to justify a man strapping onto the back of a motherf*cking dragon?"


    "Well, you are right about thatˇ­'''' Harry let out a soft and weak laugh, and scratched his head once again.


    "Man on a dragon, huhˇ­." Although it was blurry and hard to tell, Harry was sure of what he saw.. It had to be a human.

 Chapter 47 - Mind Games

    "Ughˇ­" Noah suddenly grabbed his head, and leaned back on the dragon''s back as it flew with incredible speed. The inside of Noah''s eyes were now returning to normal, and the iris was slowly forming back once again, with the white colour appearing once again.


    "It''s time huhˇ­" Noah whispered softly and closed his eyes as he laid down on the dragon''s black.


    "Noah, I hope that the merge is successful," Noah said to himself in a hushed tone. "For the safety of both of usˇ­"


    And as soon as he finished his words, Noah felt as though the world around him began to dissolve into liquid and mix together amongst themselves, as though it were made up of paint.


    ------------


    ''... paint?'' Noah thought to himself. He remembered saying the word ''paint'' inside his mind.


    But for some reason, it feltˇ­. different. As though it wasn''t actually him that said it.


    ''Waitˇ­'' Noah tried squinting his eyes as he turned his head left and right. ''Why can''t I see anything?''


    Noah had initially thought that he had his eyes closed, which was the reason why everything was pitch black. But the darkness didn''t leave even after he tried opening his eyes, which made him confused and anxious.


    ''Wh- Where the hell am I?!'' Noah, who was now anxious and afraid, couldn''t tell where he was staying.


    Had someone kidnapped him? Was he currently blindfolded? Or did the kidnapper make his eyes go blind? He didn''t know anything.


    In fact, he had no recollection of what he was doing right before either.


    ''Was I passed out all this time?'' Noah thought. But that didn''t make any sense. After all, he didn''t remember waking up.


    ''Wait a minute..'' Noah thought. ''I''m not actually talking right now!''


    Noah realized to his horror that he couldn''t actually speak. His voice wasn''t coming out of his mouth. He tried speaking multiple times, but failed every single time.


    ''Did someone sew my mouth shut?'' Noah was horrified at the thought that he had. But sewing your mouth shut doesn''t make one completely unable to make any sort of noise. Even after having your mouth sewn together, a person could still make noises using their throat and their tongue, but Noah couldn''t even feel his tongue. In fact, he wasn''t even sure that he had a mouth right now.


    ''Why- Why the f*ck can''t I feel my handsˇ­ and my le- legs?!'' Noah was now completely terrified of what was happening to him. He couldn''t feel his hands. He couldn''t feel his legs. He couldn''t feel a single one of his body parts. It was as though he was justˇ­


    "airˇ­" All of a sudden, a familiar voice entered his supposedly non-existent ears, which made Noah alert. He wanted to look around to find the source of the voice, but it was simply too dark for anyone to see anything. He had no clue if he was even turning his head.


    BAM!


    However, it seemed that he didn''t need to look for the source after all, because just when Noah was about to give up searching for the source, a bright light shot down from above and in front of him appeared a silhouette.


    ''AHHHH!'' Noah screamed loudly, although since his voice was inside of his mind, no one could hear it but himself.


    The figure was so close to Noah, and although he couldn''t see himself, he could definitely view the silhouette and the bright light that shone down from above, which assured him that his eyesight was still working, and he let out a sigh of relief (in his head, of course).


    "Happy to find out that you''re not blind?" The silhouette opened its mouth to speak, which made Noah turn his attention towards it.


    ''What the actual f*ckˇ­'' Noah''s eyes widened as soon as he saw the face of the silhouette. He wanted to scream loudly, but he knew that his voice wouldn''t be heard out loud.


    "I''m surprised by your reaction," The silhouette said with an amused expression on its face. It seemed like it was intrigued by Noah. "After all, you''ve seen dragons, monsters and people who have the ability to transform into supernatural beings. I thought you''d be quite used to these situations by now."


    ''....'' Noah couldn''t even think straight, and so he had no clue on how to respond to the unknown figure standing in front of him. The only thing he could say in response was, ''No f*cking wayˇ­''


    "Well, given that I''m standing in front of you, I''d say, ''yes f*cking way''!" The unknown figure replied almost instantly.


    The figure standing in front of Noah looked identical in appearance to him. It was as though someone had cloned him. Of course, there were some slight differences between them. Not in appearance, but in speech, mannerisms, and personality. This version of Noah seemed to be confident and calm, giving the real Noah the impression of a more perfect version of himself.


    ''Wh- What the hell are you? What did you do to me? And why the f*ck do you look like me?!'' Noah wanted to yell out loud, but given that he was unable to even whisper, he could only think about screaming.


    "I am you, Noah.." The doppelganger said with a calm voice, as though he was trying his best not to make Noah angry. "And you are me. We are both a single being. At least, right now."


    ''What the f*ck does that even mean?'' The soothing tone of the doppelganger seemed to have the reverse effect on Noah, as he only became more agitated after hearing the calm voice of his clone.


    "That''s strange," The doppelganger was confused, almost as if he did not expect that to happen. "I thought the soothing voice was supposed to calm people downˇ­"


    He seemed as though he was genuinely bothered by it.


    "Oh wellˇ­" The doppelganger shrugged his shoulders and continued, "What I mean is that ever since you''ve been infected, I''ve been growing inside of your mind."


    ''Wh- What?'' Noah looked confused and distraught, unable to comprehend what this doppelganger of his was saying.


    "I''m a part of you, Noah." The doppelganger said. "I''ve been inside of you, ever since that night you fell into the river. And I''ve been growing, faster than you can ever imagine."


    ''Yo- You''re inside my headˇ­'' Noah tried to grasp what the doppelganger was talking about. He then came to a realization. ''You- You''re the one who takes control of me when I black out!''


    "Ah, you see, now you''re getting it!" The doppelganger waved his finger with a smile, as though he was impressed by Noah''s findings. "Yes, that was in fact me. Well, an infant me, but me nevertheless."


    ''Why- Why the hell are you taking control of me?!'' Noah wanted to know.


    "Well, why do you breathe everyday?" The doppelganger replied, as though he was stating the obvious. "I told you. I''m also a part of you. I''m simply controlling myself."


    ''You''re not me!'' Noah wanted to scream. He wanted to yell at the doppelganger. He wanted to tell him to stop talking. ''Stop saying that you''re me! You''re not! I am me!''


    "Well, not anymore, I''m afraid.." The doppelganger said while letting out a sigh. "But this is not as horrifying of a situation as what you''re imagining, Noah. I assure you."


    ''F*ck you!'' Noah was angry. ''Get me the f*ck out of here!''


    "Now, Noahˇ­" The doppelganger''s tone turned serious and he waved his finger at him. "I understand that might all be a bit too much to take in for a normal human being, but you have to understand-"


    ''Take me out!'' Noah didn''t wait for the doppelganger to finish speaking and instead yelled loudly in his mind, causing the surroundings to get all blurry.


    "Noah, pleaseˇ­" The doppelganger''s voice also seemed to be affected by the whole situation, as it was also a bit shaky and was filled with vibrations. The doppelganger continued, "You have to understand that if you want to survive, then we''re going to have to work together."


    ''Leave me alone!'' Noah didn''t seem to be listening to his words. ''Leave me-''


    "Alone!" Noah screamed as loudly as he could, but to his surprise, he could finally hear his own voice this time.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    Noah heard the sound of footsteps backing away from him, followed by unfamiliar voices.


    "Jesus Christ!"


    "What the hell? That scared the sh*t out of me!"


    "That almost gave me a heart attack!"


    Confused, Noah opened his eyes, only to find four young boys who seemed to be about the same age as him, staring at him with a bit of fear in their eyes.


    "What the hellˇ­" Noah whispered softly and rubbed his eyes, before immediately coming to the realization that he could move his hands.


    "I- I''m back!" Noah yelled excitedly, which made the group of boys flinch and move back a few steps, but right then!


    GRRRRRAR!


    The loud roar interrupted their motion, and Noah saw Wolfe standing right behind the four boys, staring at him with his adorable eyes.


    "Wolfe!" He said excitedly as he gave a thumbs up to the dragon. "I''m back!"

 Chapter 48 - A Discussion

    "Is he alive?" Harold leaned forward and stared at the unconscious body of Noah. His gaze contained a mixture of fear and confusion.


    "I think soˇ­" Gerald, who was sitting next to the sequoia tree, replied, and Harold turned to look at him. "I checked on him a few minutes ago, before you woke up." Gerald decided to clarify. "He''s breathing, and it seems like he has no injuries. Well, at least nothing visible. So I guess he''s just unconscious."


    "... I see," Harold nodded his head. He then awkwardly scratched his chin and walked up to Gerald, who tilted his head up from the ground in order to look at Harold. "And who exactly is that?" Harold asked the question that had been bugging him all this time.


    "I''m not sure either," Gerald shrugged his shoulders, unable to give a satisfying answer to Harold''s question. He glanced at Noah''s unconscious body for a split second before continuing, "But I think he''s the monster that fought the spider creature down in the sewers."


    "Wh- What?!" Harold''s eyes widened with surprise. He then looked around before kneeling down next to Gerald, and began to whisper. "Are you being serious right now?" He asked, and Gerald raised his eyebrows. Harold continued, "You''re not messing with me right? How sure are you?"


    "Why the hell would I lie about that?" Gerald said as he rolled his eyes. "And like I said, I''m not exactly sure. Maybe like sixty percentˇ­"


    "Sixty percent?!" Harold almost screamed out loud, but Gerald immediately leapt forward and covered his mouth with his hands. "Are you crazy?" Gerald pointed his finger upwards onto the branches, where the shadowy figure of the dragon could be seen. "That thing is still there. We don''t want to make that thing angry now, do we?"


    "It''s been lying there for like fifteen minutes now. I don''t think it plans on killing us. I''m sure it could''ve easily done it if it really wanted to," Harold explained. "But forget about that for now. Did you say there''s a sixty percent chance that he could be a monster?!"


    "Isn''t that pretty low of a chance?" Gerald questioned, and Harold shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe in most cases. But when it''s about dealing with a powerful monster that could kill you within seconds without wasting any effort, I''d say that sixty is a pretty concerning number."


    "I guess that''s true," Gerald thought about it for a few seconds before reluctantly nodding his head. "But what the hell are we even supposed to do?"


    "What do you mean?" Harold asked, his face was now filled with tension and anxiety. "Of course, we have to try and escape from these monsters.." He said as he pointed at both Noah and Wolfe, who was up in the branches.


    "Keep your f*cking voice down!" Gerald gritted his teeth and pushed his hand onto Harold''s mouth once again as he reminded him to calm down. After giving Harold a few seconds to breathe, Gerald continued, "Are you f*cking crazy?! I''m here trying to get to keep your voice down just in case the f*cking dragon doesn''t get annoyed and decides to eat us, and you''re talking about escaping?"


    "Of course I''m talking about escaping, Gerald." Harold said and looked at Gerald as though he was the crazy one here. "Oh, don''t give me that look," Gerald rolled his eyes in response. "I''m not the crazy one here. That''s all you. I''m the one who''s being logical here."


    "What the hell is your plan? Trying to make friends with a dragon and a werewolf in hopes that they leave us alone? Well isn''t that a cute plan." Harold spoke with a sarcastic tone, and Gerald clicked his tongue in response. "At least that''s better than yours, which is just to run away! Do you actually think you can outrun a f*cking dragon?"


    "Ughˇ­ What the hell are you guys fighting about?" Alphonso groaned softly as he got up from the ground, and both their attention instantly turned to him.


    "Alphonso!" Harold yelled out loud as he rushed over to where Alphonso was lying down, and Gerald followed him close behind with a sour expression on his face. "How many times do I have to tell you to not yell so loud.."


    "Alphonso, you should rest." Harold said as he patted Alphonso on the back. He had a concerned expression on his face, and Alphonso let out a sigh before nodding his head. "What are you, my mom?"


    "Look at you, making jokes.." Gerald let out a chuckle as he lightly slapped Alphonso on his back, which made him cough. "You know we were worried about you, right?"


    *Cough* *Cough*


    "Yeah, yeahˇ­" Alphonso said with a wry smile on his face and he reached his hand back in order to massage him back.


    "Now, we just need to wait for Max to wake up," Harold whispered softly under his breath as he glanced at Max''s unconscious body, and Gerald squinted his eyes. "We''re not running away-"


    "I didn''t say anything about running away, alright.." Harold interrupted Gerald before he could finish his sentence, and the two locked eyes for a few more seconds before Gerald clicked his tongue and looked away. "Tsk.. whatever."


    "Why do you guys sound like an old married couple?" Max''s voice was suddenly heard, which made everyone turn their heads to look at him.


    "What''s the matter?" Max was still lying on the ground, but his eyes were partially opened, and he seemed drowsy. "Haven''t seen anyone as handsome as me?"


    "F*ck off, you c*unt!" Alphonso shook his head and let out a chuckle, which made everyone else chuckle as well. The whole group laughed for almost half a minute, and then stopped to catch their breaths.


    "F*ck, so we are aliveˇ­" Max said in a hushed tone, and Gerald nodded his head. "We are indeed. So I guess your plan really did work, Max."


    "Although it was because of you that we were in that horrible situation in the first place, soˇ­" Harold murmured to himself, which made Alphonso knee him in the ribs, making him groan in pain. "Ouch! What was that for? I was just saying that we were even now."


    "Yeah, that was a really bad idea." Max nodded his head, his expression now turned grim. "I- I don''t know what came over me." He said as he tried to explain his reason for going into the sewers. "It- It''s just the voice, it- it made me.. uh, different, I guess."


    "Yeah, we saw.." Gerald nodded his head. "But you''re alright now, right?"


    "Ye- Yeah, yeah, yeahˇ­ I- I think I am," Max replied while scratching his head. He then glanced at the three boys'' faces one by one, and although he initially seemed reluctant, he eventually opened his mouth to speak. "I- I''m.. I''m sorry." Max''s lips were trembling when he spoke those words. "I''m sorry, guysˇ­"


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    Gerald walked over to the spot where Max was sitting, knelt down in front of him, and hugged him, which caught Max by surprise.


    "It''s alright," Gerald whispered as he let out a long and heavy sigh. He patted Max on the back and continued, "You were under the influence of the monster and you couldn''t do anything. It wasn''t your fault."


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    Harold also walked over and hugged the two boys from behind. "H- Harold?" Max asked while stammering.


    "I don''t forgive you yet." Harold clarified. "But I do intend to. Sometime later."


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    The sound of footsteps were heard again, and another pair of hands wrapped around the three boys, which made everyone''s eyes widen.


    "Well, you can''t leave me out of this." Alphonso said as he hugged the group with a wide smile on his face.


    "Al- Alphonso?!" Harold yelled out, his eyes stuck on his legs. "What the f*ck? How are you able to walk?"


    "Huh? Oh, you mean after the boulder crashed onto my leg?" Alphonso tapped his knees with his fist and said with a smile. "I don''t know how, but I was already healed when I woke up. It was like nothing ever happened."


    The group of boys looked at each other, confused by Alphonso''s words. But before they could discuss it any further, a loud noise made them flinch in fear.


    "Alone!"


    "Jesus Christ!" "What the hell? That scared the sh*t out of me!" "That almost gave me a heart attack!"


    Confused, Noah opened his eyes, only to find four young boys who seemed to be about the same age as him, staring at him with a bit of fear in their eyes. "What the hellˇ­" Noah whispered softly and rubbed his eyes, before immediately coming to the realization that he could move his hands. "I- I''m back!" Noah yelled excitedly, which made the group of boys flinch and move back a few steps, but right then!


    GRRRRRAR!


    The loud roar interrupted their motion, and Noah saw Wolfe standing right behind the four boys, staring at him with his adorable eyes.. "Wolfe!" He said excitedly as he gave a thumbs up to the dragon. "I''m back!"

 Chapter 49 - A Series Of Conversations

    "Wh-What happenedˇ­" Special Agent Richard Edgerton said weakly when he finally gained consciousness, looking around as he spoke.


    From what the interior of the vehicle looked like, Agent Edgerton surmised that he was inside an ambulance, and his gaze soon shifted to the person who was sitting right next to him.


    "I see you''ve woken up, Special Agent Edgerton.." Agent Alan Fischer, who was the one sitting beside him, said in a hushed tone right before glancing away from his face and onto his phone.


    "Agent Fischerˇ­" Edgerton blinked multiple times as he tried to get his eyes to regain focus. Although he had woken up, his eyes were still a bit blurry. "Can you fill me in on what happened to me?"


    "What else? You got knocked out by the dragonoid creature and it flew away." Agent Fischer shrugged his shoulders as he spoke. He continued typing rapidly on his phone as he continued, "It seems that even an experienced hunter such as yourself cannot handle this situation properly. And if that''s the case, then the FID and the secret forces will have no choice but to take this situation seriously."


    "It was my fault. I was a bit too cocky." Agent Edgerton shook his head, disagreeing with Agent Fischer. He was not about to give up so easily. Most people would, but not him. He turned his gaze towards Alan and spoke with the same indifferent expression that he always has on his face. "I underestimated the enemy. But I am confident that I can handle this mission. The FID made the right decision."


    Tap! Tap!


    Agent Fischer stopped typing as soon as Agent Edgerton finished his words, and slowly narrowed his eyes. "You know, I''ve heard people say that you don''t show any emotions, and it''s different to understand what you''re thinking..." Agent Fischer said as he looked at Edgerton''s face.


    "But I''ve always thought that it was the opposite." Fischer continued, and Edgerton squinted his eyes. "You''re controlled by your emotions, and that makes you impulsive and stubborn. Even though you don''t show it on your face."


    "Is this your attempt at trying to make me agree to your request for backup?" Agent Edgerton let out a short chuckle in response.


    "No," Agent Fischer shook his head. "It''s my attempt to tell you to get your head out of your a** and take a good look at the situation we''re in right now."


    "With all due respect, Agent Fischer.." Agent Edgerton let out a long and heavy sigh before leaning forward from his bed and moving closer to Alan. "I don''t think that you''re right. I just don''t believe you."


    "Richard," Alan clicked his tongue as he spoke. "This is different from all the containment missions that we''ve been given so far. You know that, right?"


    "Yeah, I know." Agent Edgerton nodded his head. "But we said the same thing about the containment zone in Nicaragua last year, and look how that turned out?"


    "The mutants in Nicaragua were still in their infant stages." Alan sounded frustrated. "And we were barely able to contain it. This is different. We''re simply not equipped to handle this situation. These people are not ready for such a challenge."


    "You''re worrying too much, Alan." Agent Edgerton said as he waved his hands in the air. "I made a mistake by underestimating the opponent. But that''s all there is to it. Nothing more, nothing less."


    "Youˇ­" Alan seemed like he was desperately holding in the urge to choke Agent Edgerton. But he clenched his fists and breathed in and out, before looking at Richard once again and said, "Your stubbornness will be the death of you. I hope you know that."


    "And your unwillingness to not let your fears take control of your life will always make you weak, Alan." Richard responded almost immediately, and Agent Fischer snorted.


    "What do you think will happen to Agent Edgerton?" Detective Lewis turned to look at Detective Harry, who had his eyes stuck on the road. The two men were following the ambulance, which was heading towards the hospital.


    "I don''t know, Lewis." Detective Harry shook his head in response. "I''m not a doctor, am I?"


    "Yeah, yeah.." Lewis said with a short chuckle. "But still, to think he couldn''t take down the dragonˇ­" Lewis mumbled under his breath as he leaned towards the window. "... Do you think we''ll be able to do anything if he can''t?"


    "You shouldn''t think about unnecessary things like that, Lewis. You know this.." Harry replied while letting out a sigh, and Lewis rolled his eyes. "Yeah, of course I know. But I- I just can''t help it, alright?"


    He pointed at the back of the ambulance. "You saw it too, right?" He continued. "That man was experienced. And he too, found it extremely difficult to fight these creatures." Lewis said while waving his hands in the air. "I mean, it''s not like I can just ignore what I just saw, right? I''m not a motherf*cking robot!"


    ".... I know, Lewis.." Harry let out a long and heavy sigh. He too was not too hopeful about the fact of their city anymore.


    "You know, I came here to this city in order to escape a boring life in my hometown.." Harry spoke after a brief period of silence, and Lewis glanced at him. He continued, "And now, I think I''m going to have to run away againˇ­"


    "Maybe a boring life isn''t so bad after all," Lewis murmured under his breath, and Harry nodded his head.


    -------------------


    "I thought I''d never see you again, Wolfe!" Noah said happily as he rubbed Wolfe''s belly, and the dragon immediately let out a loud roar, as though it was expressing its happiness on seeing Noah awake again.


    The four boys watched Noah and the dragon interact with fear and awe in their eyes.


    Harold leaned over to Gerald and whispered into his ear while still keeping his gaze on Noah. "Are you sure he''s the monster that we saw?"


    "Didn''t I already tell you what I thought?" Gerald whispered back, his eyes squinted. He sounded annoyed.


    "Yeah I know." Harold said as he shrugged his shoulders. "I was just asking whether or not your guess changed after watchingˇ­ Well, whatever this is."


    Gerald slowly tilted his head and took a glance at Harold, before shifting his gaze back to Noah and the dragon. "Not yet, I guess." He replied. "But I am tempted to."


    "Do you think he''ll let us live?" Alphonso whispered softly, and the two boys turned their attention towards him. "What?" Alphonso asked while shrugging his shoulders. "Too dark for you guys? It''s a pretty valid question to ask, don''t you think?"


    "Only if we know the answer to it. Which we don''t." Gerald whispered back.


    "You don''t have any good ideas on how to escape, do you?" Max, who was on the farthest end, asked quietly, and both Harold and Gerald looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders.


    "The best I have is to run as fast as we can." Harold said.


    "That''s a good boy! Good boy, Wolfe!" Noah, meanwhile, continued to pet Wolfe on his head, and the dragon began tapping his feet rapidly on the ground making it shake.


    The four boys tried to stabilize themselves so that they don''t lose their balance and fall down.


    "So I guess running away isn''t a great option," Max said in a hushed tone as he looked at the dragon, and the other three boys nodded their heads.


    "Alright boy," Noah finally stopped petting Wolfe''s head, and the dragon finally stopped tapping its foot on the ground.


    Swoosh!


    Noah then turned around and looked at the group of boys, which made them flinch in fear.


    They stared at each other for quite a while without speaking, which only made the boys tense and anxious.


    Why the hell is he looking at so seriously? The boys thought to themselves. Although they didn''t want to imagine it, their minds began being filled by the worst case scenarios, and their worries began to grow.


    ''These guys are the ones I saw lying unconscious on the ground back in the sewers, right?'' Noah thought to himself as he placed his hand under his chin and squinted his eyes.


    ''Wait a minute.. Was that really me who saw them?'' Noah scratched his head in frustration. He was confused as to whether or not it was really his own memories.


    ''Damn it!'' He snapped his fingers in frustration and gritted his teeth. ''That doppelganger of mineˇ­ He''s making my head hurt.''


    He couldn''t even tell if what he remembers was what he really experienced.


    ''Alright Noah, calm down,'' Noah said to himself. ''I shouldn''t think about things I have no clue about. It''ll only end up driving me mad.''


    His eyes then moved to Gerald, and then shifted to Harold, Alphonso and then Max, carefully scanning each and every one of them.


    ''Well, well, wellˇ­'' Noah raised eyebrows. It seemed as though he had come to an interesting realization. ''I guess I have to thank my doppelganger for this information...''

 Chapter 50 - Secrets

    "Hahˇ­ and he''s gone," Noah''s doppelganger said as he stared at the empty space in front of him and let out a heavy sigh.


    Noah had just yelled out to let him go and vanished right in front of his eyes. In the end, he couldn''t explain anything to Noah.


    "Well, to be fair, it wasn''t like there was all that much to tell him.." Noah''s doppelganger murmured softly in an attempt to comfort himself.


    "I wonder why all of this is so complicated," The doppelganger said as he tilted his head up and looked at the bright light that was shining down from above.


    "Oh well," The doppelganger ke tout a short chuckle as a faint smile appeared on his face. "He''ll have to come to terms with it sooner or later."


    ----------------


    "Are you sure there''s no other way?" Commissioner Walter Bridge leaned forward onto the driver''s seat and asked his chauffeur, who helplessly shrugged his shoulders in response. "I don''t know what to say, Mr. Bridge." He replied with a nervous smile. "This is the only way to get to the police station. I''m afraid you''d end up meeting them sooner or later."


    Commissioner Bridge squinted his eyes. He had an annoyed expression on his face as he turned to look through the front window of his car. The Commissioner''s vehicle was parked a few metres away from the front of the precinct, where one could see a crowd of reporters swarming around, desperately searching for someone to interview.


    "Oh heavens!" The Commissioner whispered softly with a frustrated tone as he pulled out his handkerchief and rubbed it all over his face which was completely covered in sweat. "The last thing I want to deal with are those blood sucking parasites.."


    Commissioner Bridge groaned for a few more seconds.


    "Wish me luck, Benny!" The Commissioner said to his chauffeur, Benny, as he opened the door and walked out into the street, and Benny yelled back, "Good luck, sir!"


    "Commissioner Bridge! Commissioner Bridge!" The swarm of media reporters, who saw the Commissioner walking towards them, immediately turned their attention towards him and rushed in his direction, surrounding him within seconds.


    "What? What do you people want to know?!" Commissioner Bridge said with a dissatisfied face, and one of the reporters asked, "Are there any new leads concerning the death of the Mayor''s son, Commissioner Bridge?"


    "Alright, first of all, the kid is missing, not dead! Make sure you get that right!" The Commissioner said with a frustrated expression. He certainly wasn''t fond of the reporters. He still remembered his senior telling him that he''d get used to it, but it''s been twenty five years since then, and he still gets frustrated every time he sees a reporter. "And secondly, this is a very important and delicate case for our department, and we''re looking into it as carefully as possible. We''ll update the public if we have anything important to report, but for now, I have to ask every single one of you to be patient."


    "Are you sure that your department is capable of handling such a difficult case, Commissioner Bridge?" Another question came straight at him as soon as he finished speaking. This one sounded like the speaker wanted to get a reaction out of him as quickly as possible.


    ''F*cking idiots! The least you could do is to make the questions a bit more subtle. It''s going to take more than that to get me angry,'' Although that was what the Commissioner wanted to say, in reality, he was fuming with anger. Luckily, he calmed down within a few seconds and spoke with an indifferent expression. "I am extremely proud of the talented detectives in my department. I am confident that they''re skilled enough to take on this case. I know that it''s tiring and you''re all impatient, but I trust my people, and I know that they''ll bring about the desired results."


    "Commissioner Bridge! Do you have any information about the earthquake in the Marley market district, a place which was known for having absolutely no record of earthquakes until now?" Another question came at him, and Commissioner Bridge raised his eyebrows.


    ''I thought I had told them to sweep the Marley market incident under the rug for now.'' Commissioner Bridge wasn''t exactly enthusiastic about the question he received. ''Where on earth are these reporters getting their information from?''


    "Uh, no. I''m afraid it was just a normal earthquake. And besides, it''s not something that''s related to our department." Commissioner Bridge shrugged his shoulders and continued, "That''s all I have time to answer. Now, if you''ll excuse me.."


    He waved his hands and entered the precinct, leaving the group of reporters behind.


    "Commissioner," Said Inspector Garry MacDonald, who saw him enter. "How''d you get through those vampires? Surely you didn''t use a cross? I thought you weren''t catholicˇ­"


    "Given how crazy the whole town is getting these days, I''m considering becoming a catholic.." Commissioner Bridge shook his head as he walked forward, with Inspector MacDonald following him close behind. "Because I''m pretty sure the devil is the only one who could come up with these horrible scenarios."


    The two men walked through the main hall of the police department, and headed through the small corridor which led them towards the door to the basement, where the forensic medical examiner''s room was located.


    "So, how''s the body?" The Commissioner asked quietly, and Inspector MacDonald gave a bitter and helpless smile in response.


    "Is it that bad?" The Commissioner raised his eyebrows, intrigued by the response. He was now extremely curious.


    The two men stepped into the Medical examiner''s office, and the figure of Doctor Hernandez came into view. He was standing next to Chief Medical Examiner Koichiro Sekino, and the two were staring at the dead body in front of them.


    "What in the worldˇ­" The Commissioner couldn''t believe what he was seeing. The stomach of the dead body had been ripped open, and spread out from inside of it were multiple snake-like creatures. They seemed to be connected to the insides of the corpse, as though they were living inside of this person all this time.


    "It''s something else, huh.." Inspector MacDonald said as he scratched his chin, and Commissioner Bridge slowly nodded his head, his eyes still fixated on the corpse in front of him.


    "No one has informed the Mayor yet, right?" Commissioner Bridge raised his head and looked at the two doctors, who both nodded their heads in unison.


    "I thought we''d ask you first, Commissioner." Doctor Sekino said, and the Commissioner pressed his glasses back onto his nose. "Very good."


    He then leaned back and let out a sigh. "Examine it as much as possible. Find out everything you can from the corpse. I want a detailed report submitted on my table tomorrow morning." He paused for a second before glancing at the dead body and said, "We''ll keep this a secret for now. I''m sure the Mayor wouldn''t want to see his son like this. Not right now, at least."


    ----------------


    ''Damn it!'' He snapped his fingers in frustration and gritted his teeth. ''That doppelganger of mineˇ­ He''s making my head hurt.'' He couldn''t even tell if what he remembers was what he really experienced.


    ''Alright Noah, calm down,'' Noah said to himself. ''I shouldn''t think about things I have no clue about. It''ll only end up driving me mad.'' His eyes then moved to Gerald, and then shifted to Harold, Alphonso and then Max, carefully scanning each and every one of them.


    ''Well, well, wellˇ­'' Noah raised eyebrows. It seemed as though he had come to an interesting realization. ''I guess I have to thank my doppelganger for this information..''


    "You four!" Noah yelled out, and the group of boys flinched in surprise.


    "Shit!" Harold accidentally blurted out before immediately covering his mouth with his hands.


    "Wh- What?" Gerald, although nervous, decided to answer Noah''s call. He was afraid that he would get angry if they didn''t respond, which might not be the mood they''d want a transforming monster-man to be in.


    "If I remember correctly, you all had your faces covered by those flower creatures, right?" Noah asked, his hand on his chin and his eyebrows raised up.


    "Uh, yes?" Gerald, who was confused by the man''s question, replied almost a second later. He didn''t know why the man was asking about the flower monsters.


    ''Could the flower monster be a rival monster race to his people?'' Harold couldn''t help but think.


    "Well, I guess it can''t be helped now," Noah scratched his head as he took a step towards them, and the group of young boys immediately became nervous.


    ''I knew it! We''re going to get killed!'' Alphonso couldn''t help but imagine the worst case scenario, and his legs began trembling.


    "You all," Noah, who had no idea what these boys were thinking about, opened his mouth to speak, and the group turned their attention to him. "All similar to me now."


    "ˇ­... I''m sorry, what?"

 Chapter 51 - Storylines

    "Marty! Marty!" Clarice Gordon yelled out loudly as she repeatedly knocked on Marty Macgregor''s apartment door.


    "Marty! Why the f*ck aren''t you opening the door Marty?" Clarice was angry and frustrated. She clicked her tongue and stomped her heels onto the floor, which made a loud ''thud'' noise.


    "Hey!" The voice of an old woman was heard from below the floor, and Clarice stopped slamming her fist on the door.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    The sound of footsteps heading up the stairs was heard, and Clarice turned her head and shifted her gaze towards the stairway, where the figure of an old lady climbing up the steps could be seen.


    "Why the hell are you being so goddamn loud, young lady?" The old lady said in a frustrated tone, which made Clarice flinch. "You''re making the other tenants annoyed with your behaviour! Now, I consider myself to be a good enough landlord, but even I have my limits. And you''re dangerously close to crossing that line, young lady!"


    "I-I''m sorryˇ­" Clarice seemed to have been intimidated by the old lady''s words and replied quietly, with her head down and her hand clasped together, rubbing her fingers. "It''s just- It''s just a guy I know lives here, and for some reason, he''s not opening the door today." She replied, and right after speaking, pointed at Marty''s door.


    "Oh, is that right?" The old lady tilted her head and glanced at the door in question, and then squinted her eyes. She then turned to look at Clarice once again, who was desperately trying to avoid making eye contact with the old lady.


    "Is he perhapsˇ­" The old lady scratched her chin, and Clarice began to sweat. "Is he perhaps your boyfriend?" The old lady said, and her eyes sparkled.


    "....Ye- Yes," Clarice decided to lie this time. She couldn''t tell the old lady that Marty was her dealer, and she hasn''t had her fix for two days. "Yeah, Marty''s my boyfriendˇ­" She replied, even acting embarrassed when she finished speaking, in order to sell the role. "Do you know where he is? He''s not answering his phone either."


    "I can''t believe a beauty like you is dating a guy like him!" The old lady said with a sigh and waved her hands in the air. "You could do so much betterˇ­"


    "Ha- ha, haˇ­" Clarice laughed nervously in response, unsure of how to reply to the old lady''s words. "He- He might not look like it, but he''s really a nice guy." She said while nervously tapping her feet on the floor in a rhythmic manner.


    "Well, whatever you say I guessˇ­" The old lady replied as she rolled her eyes, which just made Clarice even more angry, but she didn''t show her unhappiness outside. "I don''t know where he went, but .." The old lady continued after a few seconds of contemplation, and Clarice raised her eyebrows and leaned forward, curious to know the answer. "I do know that he''s been gone for almost a whole week."


    "Wait? Really?" Clarice replied, looking confused. Had Marty gone somewhere? Did he get in trouble with the authorities? Clarice didn''t know what he was doing, and could only think of various scenarios.


    "Yes, really.." The old woman walked back towards the stairs, and Clarice stood in front of Marty''s door for a few more seconds, before walking away.


    "This has got to be the worst day of my life." Clarice mumbled under breath as he took out a cigarette stick and placed it between her lips, then took out a lighter and lit it while breathing in. She stood right outside Marty''s apartment building, which was located in a fairly empty and shady neighborhood. Perfect for dealers like Mary.


    "Damn you, Marty!" Clarice was frustrated, and teeth bit into the cigarette. Marty was the only dealer she knew, so she was in a bit of a pickle, given that he''s not in town.


    All of a sudden, Clarice''s eyes widened, as though she had thought of an idea. She turned around to look at the apartment building, and squinted her eyes towards the alleyway that was right next to it.


    "Marty''s a pretty reliable dealer.." She murmured softly and her gaze slowly moved up towards Marty''s window. "Maybe he has some hidden away.. for backup.."


    She wasn''t sure of it. It was just a guess. But right now, a guess was all she had.


    -----------------


    "My son! Oh, my son!" The loud and ear piercing voice of Bill Remus, the Mayor of New World City, echoed throughout the interior of the police station, and the Commissioner let out a heavy sigh as he rubbed his sweat covered face with his handkerchief.


    "Oh godˇ­" The Commissioner couldn''t help but call God for help right before walking out of his office and into the main hall, where the large and chubby figure of a middle-aged man could be seen screaming and crying, being held back by multiple police officers.


    "How on earth do these people get information so quickly?" Commissioner Bridge couldn''t help but wonder. At this point, he was simply impressed with how quickly and accurately the Mayor received the news of his dead son. The Commissioner had specifically asked the department to keep the information a secret, and yet, here the Mayor was in front of them, within hours of them confirming that the corpse was indeed the Mayor''s son.


    "Mayor Remus!" Commissioner Bridge stepped forward and waved his hands at the Mayor, who saw him and yelled out, "Walter! Walter, you have to tell these buffoons to unhand me immediately. I have to see my son! Please!" The Mayor pleaded.


    "Hahˇ­" Commissioner Bridge let out a sigh. He then turned to look at the police officers who were holding him back and waved his hand at them, motioning them to take their hands off the Mayor. "Leave him."


    "Yes, sir!" The men immediately followed the Commissioner''s orders and took a step back, and Mayor Remus adjusted his tie and clothes before walking towards the Commissioner, but not before giving the police officers who held him back a sharp glare.


    "Walter!" The Mayor called the Commissioner loudly as he approached him. He grabbed the Commissioner''s hands once he reached close to him, and continued, "Walter, you have to let me see my son! I know that you have his body, so don''t bother lying to me! You have to understand. I need to see him! Please!" The Mayor pleaded.


    "May- Bill," Commissioner Bridge let out a long sigh and placed his hand on the Mayor''s shoulder. "You have to understand that nothing good will come out of seeing his body. Trust me. You don''t want to see this."


    "Walter!" Mayor Remus grabbed the Commissioner by his collar and shook him violently. "I don''t care. I just need to see him one last time. Pleaseˇ­"


    "... Alright." The Commissioner nodded his head, relenting to the Mayor''s wishes. "I hope you don''t regret this decision."


    ---------------------


    The four young boys sat in a circle, their arms crossed and their eyes closed. They seemed to be in deep thought, and their facial expressions seemed to imply that what they were thinking about wasn''t exactly positive.


    "Ah... F*ck me!" Harold screamed loudly and scratched his head as he leaned back onto the ground, letting out a long and heavy sigh.


    "Are you sure that we can trust him?" Alphonso leaned forward and whispered softly, glancing at Noah secretly as he spoke.


    ''I can hear you, you knowˇ­'' Noah, who was standing next to Wolfe the dragon and petting him, rolled his eyes and pretended not to hear the boy''s discussion. Ever since his senses were enhanced, they only continued expanding and improving. His hearing ability in particular, has gotten incredibly better. Although sometimes, he wished he had normal hearing abilities.


    "Well, he is letting us live. And it''s not like he would have any ulterior motives from lying about us being.. well.. like him, I guess." Max said as he scratched his chin. He didn''t seem so sure about his words.


    "Yeah well, we don''t know what kind of ulterior motives a monster like him would have now, do we?" Harold said with an aggressive tone while waving his hands around frantically. "For all we know, this could be his kink!"


    Noah, who heard his words, almost threw up. ''I just can''t stop getting called a pervert, huh..'' He wanted to cry.


    "But if what he said was true, then it would explain how Alphonso''s legs magically healed.." Gerald said as he pointed at Alphonso, and the whole group turned to look at him.


    "That is true..." Harold bit his lips.


    "What would it mean, though?" Max whispered softly, and the rest of the group turned to him. "Us, turning into monsters." He began to clarify. "What would it mean to our lives, if it was, in fact, the truth?"


    "I wouldn''t worry about it," Noah''s words entered everyone''s ears, and the whole group leapt up from the ground and turned to look at him, their eyes filled with fear.


    "Given what''s happening in the city.." Noah said with a serious expression. ".... I''d say that you just found yourself a way to survive."

 Chapter 52 - Time To Think

    "Yeah well, we don''t know what kind of ulterior motives a monster like him would have now, do we?" Harold said with an aggressive tone while waving his hands around frantically. "But if what he said was true, then it would explain how Alphonso''s legs magically healed.." Gerald said as he pointed at Alphonso, and the whole group turned to look at him.


    "That is true..." Harold bit his lips. "What would it mean, though?" Max whispered softly, and the rest of the group turned to him. "Us, turning into monsters." He began to clarify. "What would it mean to our lives, if it was, in fact, the truth?"


    "I wouldn''t worry about it," Noah''s words entered everyone''s ears, and the whole group leapt up from the ground and turned to look at him, their eyes filled with fear. "Given what''s happening in the city.." Noah said with a serious expression. "... I''d say that you just found yourself a way to survive."


    "Wh-What do you mean by that?" Gerald, who although nervous and fearful of the young man standing in front of him, decided to ask, and Noah let out a sigh. "Do you honestly think that those monsters you saw in the sewers today are the only ones roaming around the city?"


    "Th- Thatˇ­ " Harold looked like he wanted to say something, but right before he did, he squinted his eyes and placed his hand on his chin, as though he was thinking of something.


    The rest of the group were also intrigued about Noah''s answer, and began to think about the meaning behind his reply.


    Of course, they had now seen monsters, which they only thought were present in stories and movies. In fact, they would argue that they''d seen too many monsters, or at least way more than one should expect to see in their lifetime.


    But given that they saw three- no, four beastly creatures in one single day, it wouldn''t be that big of a stretch to imagine there being more monsters that are hiding away in abandoned buildings and dense forests.


    "Hold on a minute.." Max''s eyes widened in surprise as he slammed his fist onto his other hand, making a small ''thud'' sound, attracting the attention of the rest of the group. "The disappearances that have been all over the news lately.. " Max said with a surprised expression on his face.


    "No wayˇ­" Gerald mumbled to himself without even waiting for Max to finish explaining his words. He knew what he was trying to say. In fact, all of them knew what he meant.


    Harold looked at Noah, who felt his gaze and glanced back in his direction. "Are you sure that it wasn''t just the monster that we saw today that was responsible for the disappearances?" He asked Noah.


    "It definitely could''ve had a hand in that, yesˇ­" Noah decided to explain what he thought. "But it''s definitely not just that creature. I''ve seen more. Many more."


    "Well, sh*tˇ­" Alphonso said softly as he slowly sat down onto the ground, his hands covering his head. The rest of the group didn''t have the best of expressions either, with all of them looking dour and gloomy.


    "Well what the f*ck are we supposed to do now?" Harold asked, and everyone turned to look at Noah, who simply shrugged his shoulders in response. "Depends. You''re not normal humans anymore. Sooner or later, your superpowers will show, and when it does, make your choice."


    "And that choice is?" Gerald narrowed his eyes as he spoke, questioning Noah''s intentions. The rest of the group were also a bit skeptical about the whole situation, which was understandable, considering the young man in front of him literally transformed into a monster and fought another supernatural being just a few hours ago.


    "Use your powers to help and protect people, or just don''t risk showing it and continue living a normal life," Noah decided to explain what he meant by the word ''choice'', and the group nodded their heads in unison, understanding his words.


    "Choose wisely," Noah repeated his words once again, this time as a form of warning, and the group could feel the intensity of his words.


    The whole group then sat down on the ground once again, and Noah walked back to sit beside Wolfe.


    "Hahˇ­" Gerald let out a long and heavy sigh after a few seconds of silence. He raised his hand and stared at it for a bit before continuing, "So, superpowersˇ­"


    "That''s only if you''re putting a positive spin on it," Harold said with a snort and a frustrated expression on his face. "The correct explanation is; we''re a bunch of freaks!"


    "Harold!" Gerald looked at him with intensity, and Harold simply shrugged his shoulders. "What? You know I''m right! You all know I''m right! It''s the truth!"


    "Yeah, we know.." Alphonso shook his head as he leaned backwards onto the large sequoia tree that was right behind him. "But you do know that you don''t have to actually say that out loud, right?"


    "Well, I don''t know about you guys, but after being almost killed by a giant f*cking spider and almost poisoned to death, I don''t think I have any energy left to be positive," Harold replied with a snort. He certainly wasn''t feeling too relieved. He looked stressed and exhausted.


    "Whatever it is, be it a superpower or a f*cking curse, the fact is that we can use it however we want. And that''s the point." Max decided to interject into the conversation.


    "Says the guy who brought us into this mess in the first place.." Harold whispered softly, but everyone heard his words clearly.


    "Harold!" Gerald seemed infuriated. "Did you forget that we decided to call it quits on the blame game?"


    "Yeah, well that was before I realised that I had been permanently turned into a freak!" Harold also couldn''t take it anymore and yelled out loudly, looking frustrated and angry.


    "Harold, just leave it aloneˇ­" Alphonso didn''t want to interfere, but he did anyway.


    "Why are you all being so quiet and accepting about it?" Harold grit his teeth and waved his hands around. "Am I the only one who''s not fine being turned into a f*cking monster? What the f*ck is wrong with you guys?!"


    "Enough!" Noah, who was listening to them fighting with each other, finally decided to interfere.


    BAM!


    He slammed his hands together and clapped as loud as he could, making the group flinch once again.


    ''How long are they going to continue flinching?'' Noah shook his head, and then began walking towards the group of boys, who seemed to have finally shut up.


    "Listen, I know that you''re all a bit too.. uh, new, to this businessˇ­" Noah began speaking in a calm and soothing tone, which made the boys calm down a bit. "But you don''t want to antagonise the only people who actually know what you''re going through."


    Harold glanced at Gerald for a split second, and Gerald glanced back, making eye contact for less than a second before immediately looking away.


    "I hope you guys understand what I''m saying," Noah nodded his head, and began backing away. He didn''t want to deal with their situation, as he already had enough problems to deal with.


    "Harold," Gerald didn''t want to waste any more of their time, and decided to get straight to the point. "I''m sorry for getting angry at you, but I am not going to apologise for what I said."


    "Yeah, me too.." Harold, although reluctant, nodded his head.


    "Have you decided?" Noah asked, and the boys turned their heads, glancing at each other and nodding nervously.


    "Uhm, this is all a bit too much to process for us in one go.ˇ­" Gerald decided to speak for the group once again. "Can we have a few days to think about it?"


    "Oh? Yeah, yeah.. of course," Noah was caught off guard for a second, but he quickly recovered.


    ''Why did I think that they''d give an answer so quickly?'' Noah thought to himself. ''This is a big decision. Of course they''ll need more time to think about it.''


    "Take all the time you need," Noah waved his hands in the air, and then pulled out his phone. "Oh yeah, I''m going to need all of your numbers, in case any one of you loses control of your powers." He looked at the boys and smiled. "After all, we''re only going to have each other to help out."


    "That can happen?" Harold asked, and Noah nodded his head. "Not always, but sometimes."


    The group nodded their heads and took out their phones.


    ----------------------


    New World City Police Station.


    "Bleughˇ­.!"


    The sound of someone throwing up could be heard inside the washroom.


    "Are you done now, Bill?" Commissioner Bridge, who was waiting outside the bathroom stall, asked out loud.


    "Ughˇ­ ughˇ­" Mayor Remus, who was inside the bathroom stall and clutching the toilet seat, began to breathe heavily, groaning loudly as he closed his eyes.


    "...What the hell happened to my son?" He asked in a hushed tone, and the Commissioner had a bitter smile on his face.


    ''How can he explain this?''

 Chapter 53 - Adapt & Adjust

    "Owˇ­" Jamie groaned in pain, as he pressed his hand on his head, which was hurting like hell from all the beating he took.


    "Where the hell did that guy go?" Frustrated and angry, Jamie looked around for the person responsible for this mess, only to find nothing. There was no sight of the guy.


    "Ugh.. Wh- Where''d that guy go?" Benny, who also groaned in pain, rubbed his chest as he slowly got up from the floor.


    "Jamieˇ­" The soft and weak voice of Ella shifted his focus, and he immediately walked up towards her without answering Benny''s question. "Ellaˇ­" He whispered softly as he inspected her body for any serious external injuries, which he found none.


    "Be- Benny!" He then turned to Benny, calling and waving at him. "We need to get her to the hospitalˇ­" He said weakly, and Benny slowly walked up to them, and helped Jamie pull Ella up.


    "Where''s Ken?" Benny asked, and Jamie looked around and saw no one.


    "He probably ran away," Jamie said as he clicked his tongue. He would deal with him later.


    "The other guy didn''t steal anything, did he?" Benny said as he looked for his wallet, which he immediately found, and Jamie did the same.


    ''I can''t seem to find my student ID cardˇ­'' Jamie thought that he had lost it during the fight, and decided not to think about it anymore.


    -----------------


    New World City Police Station.


    Commissioner Walter Bridge walked out of the Medical Examiner''s room and sat down on the seat which was just outside of the office.


    "Are you feeling alright, Commissioner?" Inspector Garry MacDonald, who was heading down and on his way to the Medical Examiner''s room, stopped in his tracks upon seeing the Commissioner sitting outside, which piqued his interest.


    "Hahˇ­" Commissioner Bridge let out a long and heavy sigh as he rubbed his forehead, which was covered in sweat. "Not really, Garry, noˇ­" He replied, and he sounded exhausted as he spoke.


    "Did you see the dead corpse again?" Inspector MacDonald pointed at the door of the Examiner''s room as he spoke. "I accidentally looked at the corpse once again when I entered. Couldn''t eat my lunch. Just dumped it all in the trash can."


    "Uh, yeah, no.. it''s not that," Commissioner Bridge clarified. "The Mayor came."


    "Oh boy," Inspector MacDonald had a shocked expression on his face as he spoke, and the Commissioner nodded his head. "Yeah, I know."


    Garry MacDonald glanced at the tired and exhausted looking Commissioner, and then sat down on the seat that was right next to him. "What happened?"


    "Huh?" The Commissioner asked with a confused expression, and Garry clarified, "The Mayor. What happened with the Mayor?"


    "Oh! Well it went just about how you''d expect, I guessˇ­" Commissioner Bridge tilted his head and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly as he spoke, and a light smile appeared on the Inspector''s face. "Didn''t take it too well, huh?"


    "That''s an understatement." Commissioner Bridge scoffed, and he leaned his head back onto the wall behind him. "Probably shouldn''t have had the discussion in the washroom either. That was a bad idea."


    "Well, lesson learned, right?" Inspector Garry asked, and the Commissioner nodded while repeating his words. "Lesson learned."


    "So, is that it?" Inspector McDonald asked after a brief period of silence, and the Commissioner looked at him confused. "What do you mean?"


    The inspector pointed at the Commissioner''s hands. "You''re shaking."


    "Oh yeah, that!" Commissioner said with a shaky voice as he looked at his own hands, and realized that they were in fact, trembling. He then took out his handkerchief and rubbed it all over his face. He had been doing that quite a number of times in the past few days. "It''s just, I guess I''m a bit overwhelmed by everything that''s happening, you know?"


    "Oh yeah. I understand." Inspector MacDonald nodded his head. "This is some crazy sh*t that''s going on right now. I mean, crazy corpse vines and dragons? I feel like I''m in a freaking monster novel or something!"


    "Yeah, I guess that''s what I''m talking about.." The Commissioner didn''t know how to respond to the inspector''s words, so he simply decided to agree to what he was saying, hoping that he was right. "I- I don''t knowˇ­ It''s just not what I envisioned when I thought about becoming a Commissioner."


    "I assume most people don''t imagine themselves fighting supernatural beings and mythological creatures when they think of being the Commissioner of police." Inspector Garry MacDonald interjected, and the Commissioner let out a short chuckle.


    "But now, it''s like, this is how it is," Commissioner placed his hand under his chin. "And I don''t know if I''m ready for that. I don''t know if I''m ready to be the Commissioner of Police, when my job involves fighting literal monsters."


    "It''s not what you signed up forˇ­ I get it." Inspector MacDonald nodded his head. He then inserted his hand into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a can of iced coffee.


    Click!


    He cracked open the can and took a sip out of it, and continued, "I guess we all have no choice but to adjust and adapt to the new life, huh.."


    "I guess that''s really all we can do," Commissioner Bridge nodded.


    --------------------


    "God.. help meˇ­ ugh!" Clarice grunted as she climbed over the garbage bins that were behind the apartment complex, and tried to reach over to the railings that lined the balcony of Marty''s room.


    "F*ck!" She cursed loudly, but immediately clutched her mouth shut after realizing that she had to be extremely quiet.


    "Did anyone hear me?" Clarice looked around with a nervous expression. Fortunately for her, there was absolutely no sign of anyone. The streets were completely empty, as though they had been abandoned for ages. Clarice breathed a sigh of relief, and continued trying to reach for the railings to grab onto.


    "Justˇ­ just a little bit more.." She said to herself, as though she was motivating her to keep trying, and right then..


    Grab!


    Her hand wrapped around one of the railings, and her nervous expression was immediately replaced with that of a happy and excited one.


    "F*ck yes! I''m the f*cking best!" She said enthusiastically in a hushed tone, and she raised her other hand up and grabbed the other railing, pulling her up onto the balcony.


    "Ugh!" She groaned loudly as she raised one of her legs up and placed it on the balcony floor, and pulled herself up.


    ''That yoga classes I took really came in handy,'' She thought to herself, as she had finally reached the balcony of Marty''s apartment, breathing in and out, gasping like crazy.


    "F*ck me, I ain''t doing that ever againˇ­" She whispered under her breath as she laid down on the floor. Her eyes then darted towards the sliding glass door that separated the balcony from the interior of the apartment.


    "Now, I have to figure this sh*t out.." She stood up from the floor after catching her breath and walked up to the door.


    ''What to use here? Bobby pins? Needles? Or just breaking the glass?'' Clarice had a variety of ideas lined up that she could use, but fortunately for her, the door opened without needing any of that.


    Swoosh!


    The door wasn''t locked, and Clarice carefully entered the apartment, moving forward on her toes and being cautious as she looked around the place, trying to find out the ''package'' that she desperately wanted.


    "For a dealer, Marty sure does keep his apartment clean.." Clarice couldn''t help but admit that Marty''s apartment was kept neat and tidy.


    "Wait! Focus, Clarice! That''s not what you''re here for," Realizing that she was losing her focus, Clarice immediately reminded herself of why she was doing this, and began looking around the apartment.


    "Sh*t! Where the hell could Marty have kept it?" Clarice began looking around the apartment, rummaging through bookshelves and cupboards in order to find what she wanted.


    But alas, she couldn''t find it anywhere. "You''ve got to be sh*tting me!" Frustrated and enraged by the situation that she''s found herself in, Clarice clicked her tongue and slammed her foot on the floor, which made a loud ''thud'' sound.


    THUD!


    Although the noise wasn''t exactly too loud, it did echo all over the room, which made Clarice flinch and stand still in one place.


    "...f*ck! Was I too loud?" Clarice was afraid. She was also frustrated with herself. She had to learn to control her emotions, or else she might end up getting caught.


    THUD! THUD! THUD!


    Just when she had hoped that no one could''ve heard that, a set of noises which resembled something being bashed open was heard from inside the apartment, making Clarice almost scream out loudly in fear.


    "....What the f*ck was that?" Clarice mumbled to herself as she looked in the direction from where the noise had come from, which was what appeared to be a small storage room of sorts, present in the corner of the apartment.

 Chapter 54 - Hidden Details

    "...F*ck! Was I too loud?" Clarice was afraid. She was also frustrated with herself. She had to learn to control her emotions, or else she might end up getting caught.


    THUD! THUD! THUD!


    Just when she had hoped that no one could''ve heard that, a set of noises which resembled something being bashed open was heard from inside the apartment, making Clarice almost scream out loudly in fear. "...What the f*ck was that?" Clarice mumbled to herself as she looked in the direction from where the noise had come from, which was what appeared to be a small storage room of sorts, present in the corner of the apartment.


    "Weird," Clarice whispered softly under her breath and narrowed her eyes as she slowly moved towards the storage room.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    She took short steps, in order to make sure that she wasn''t being too loud, and reached the entrance of the storage room, and began inspecting it''s exterior.


    "What''s that weird smell?" Clarice''s nose started twitching and her facial expression immediately turned from surprise to disgust within seconds. She didn''t know what was inside of the room, but she did know that it smelled like something rotten.


    "Oh godˇ­" Clarice couldn''t handle the awful smell and immediately moved away from the door, heading over to the kitchen in order to continue looking for the ''package''.


    ---------------------


    "Ughˇ­" Noah sat down on his bed, and immediately leaned back and fell onto the bed while letting out a long and heavy sigh.


    It had been an extremely exhausting day for him, especially after fighting the bullies, taking on the spider monster and then finally dealing with the group of boys afterwards. All while losing control of his body every now and then.


    "This is all draining a lot of my energy." Noah couldn''t help but sigh and rub his eyes. He was extremely tired from everything.


    But at the end of the day, he really was proud of what he achieved. He did, in fact, beat the bullies, defeat the spider creature, albeit with a little help from Wolfe the dragon, and he did instruct the group of boys on what to expect after being ''transformed''.


    "I can''t believe I was able to instruct them in such a calm mannerˇ­." Even Noah himself couldn''t believe how he conducted himself in front of the group of boys. He was way too calm and collected when he stood in front of them, and sounded extremely confident.


    In fact, he sounded a bit too confident. More confident than Noah could ever be, or so he thought.


    "It is strange how easily I was able to achieve the level of confidence that I portrayed in front of those boys.." Noah narrowed his eyes as he thought to himself.


    Ever since he was attacked by that squid creature and was transformed into the mutant that he was now, he couldn''t help but feel like he was changing a bit too quickly. On one hand, he was happy that his overall skills were quickly improving, but on the other hand, he felt as though the changes were too quick.


    He felt as though the improvement rate was way too quick to be called human, and was giving him the feeling of losing his own identity. As though he was gradually becoming someone else.


    "Someone else, huh.." Noah immediately remembered the doppelganger Noah, and the conversation that he had with him inside the void. He remembered that the doppelganger did say something about a merge, which made him worry.


    What if this wasn''t a case of him receiving superpowers like in movies and comic books? What if this whole process was his mind slowly being taken by the creature that attacked him?


    "I still have to do something about me blacking out all the damn time..." Noah wanted to find a solution to him losing consciousness and letting the other Noah take control of his body, but even after thinking hard and long, he couldn''t find a good solution.


    "Maybe I should go to a hypnotist or somethingˇ­" Noah furrowed his eyebrows. He didn''t know if that would really work, but he was definitely willing to try. At this point, he really had no other choice but to try anything and everything.


    "I really wouldn''t recommend doing that." All of a sudden, a voice echoed in his eyes, which caught Noah off guard, and in a panic, he jumped up from the bed and slammed his head on the wall by accident.


    BAM!


    "What the- Ouch!'' Noah rubbed the back of his head, and the voice continued to speak, "You really should be careful with your body. Remember, you''re not the same Noah anymore. Your senses and your muscles have been enhanced."


    "Who the f*ck!" Noah looked around, only to immediately realize that the voice sounded identical to his own, and it was coming from inside his head. He widened his eyes in surprise, and replied in his mind, ''How the hell are you able to talk with me? I thought you couldn''t come out when I''m awake?''


    ''That was when I was still in the infant stage,'' The doppelganger''s voice replied, sounding a bit too clinical and cold, which made Noah flinch in fear. The voice ignored the fearful Noah and continued, ''It''s different now. Although I do not think I can maintain talking like this for too long.''


    ''Well then don''t do it.'' Noah replied. He was really being honest. He really didn''t want to have a conversation with his doppelganger who was inside his mind. ''It''s as simple as that.''


    ''I''m afraid I can''t do that, Noah,'' The doppelganger responded, the coldness in his voice still present as he spoke. ''You have to understand that the merge is inevitable. You and I are destined to become the same.''


    ''If a merge is inevitable, then why even bother talking to me?'' Noah snorted in response. He wasn''t planning on believing a single word that his doppelganger was saying.


    ''I am only trying to make you understand that there is no need to fight the change.'' The doppelganger''s voice was now sounding weaker. It seemed that he was at his limit. ''Fighting the inevitable will only prolong it, which will hurt both you and me. The present you is not ready for the changes that are going to happen to this world.''


    Noah couldn''t help but gulp down his saliva as he listened to the doppelganger''s voice. He waited for him to continue, but the doppelganger didn''t respond, which made Noah think that he had reached his limit.


    ''Prolonging the inevitable?'' Noah raised his hand up to his face and stared at his palms. The doppelganger did fight better than him, Noah thought to himself.


    ''Maybe he really can help people more than I ever could,'' Noah thought for a brief second, before shaking his head almost instantly.


    ''No, no, no. He''s not me. He''s not even human.'' Noah reminded himself of what the doppelganger was. A monster. ''There''s no telling what he''ll do once he gets control of my body.''


    He clenched his fist tightly. ''I have to do everything in my power to make sure that he doesn''t win.'' He said to himself.


    -------------------


    "Sh*t! Sh*t! Sh*t!" Clarice muttered under her breath, trying her very best to not say anything loud as she tried to contain her anger.


    She had searched every nook and cranny of Marty''s apartment. She was sure of it. And yet there was no sign of any ''packages''.


    "For f*ck''s sake Marty, where the hell do you hide your sh*t?" Clarice said in a sarcastic tone. She wasn''t happy in the least.


    Thud!


    As she was moving around, her hands touched a plastic jar which was right next to her and pushed it down onto the floor, making a loud noise and causing her to flinch.


    "F*ck!" She cursed under her breath. Luckily the jar was plastic, so it didn''t break, and the noise wasn''t too loud either. Clarice looked at her hands and realized that they were trembling.


    She needed her fix, and she needed it now.


    "Where else could he have kept it?" Clarice ran her fingers through her hair and then rubbed her runny nose as her gaze slowly shifted to the storage room once again.


    "He couldn''t have kept it inside there, right?" She said to herself, but her eyes were still glued to the door.


    After all, she had searched through the entire room and still came up completely empty. If there were any ''packages'' that Marty had hidden inside the room, then that was the only place where it had to be hidden.


    "F*ckˇ­ I guess I''m going inside that stinking place.." Clarice said with a disgusted expression.


    She used his fingers to clinch her nose and headed over to the storage room.


    Before turning the knob, Clarice stopped and took a deep breath.. She decided to hold her breath and opened the door, entering the dark and dusty room.

 Chapter 55 - Thinking Out Loud

    Ring! Ring!


    The loud ringing of his phone woke up Gerald from his sleep.


    "Ughˇ­ who..." Gerald rubbed his eyes and began mumbling to himself as he reached for his phone.


    He had lied on his bed as soon as he got home, but for some reason, he just couldn''t sleep. He didn''t know what was bugging him - Perhaps it might''ve been the bizarre encounter he had with the two monsters, or maybe the realization that he now had superpowers finally got to him. Either way, he was only able to sleep just a few minutes ago. And he wasn''t even able to sleep properly because he just got interrupted.


    "Who the f*ck is calling me?" Gerald groaned as he unlocked his phone and brought the display close to his face, and it read ''conference call''.


    "Really? They couldn''t have picked a better time?" Gerald let out a heavy sigh and rubbed his eyes once again. He wanted to scream loudly, but he resisted the urge and got up from his bed, immediately grabbing his earpods and joining the call.


    "What''s up? What''s the matter?" Gerald asked, frustration evident in his voice.


    "What the hell, man? What''s up with you?" Harold replied with a question of his own, instantly identifying the frustration in Gerald''s voice.


    "Maybe he was in the middle of beating his meat," Alphonso responded with a chuckle, and Gerald rolled his eyes. "Go on then, Jerry boy!" Alphonso continued, "Don''t let us interrupt you!"


    "F*ck off!" Gerald snorted in response, and the other two began laughing hysterically.


    "Just tell me the reason why you''re calling," Gerald asked annoyingly.


    "Yeah yeah, sorry about thatˇ­" Alphonso said as he caught his breath. "We were just calling to find out what your thoughts are about the ''superpower'' decision."


    "Yeah, I haven''t even started thinking about that yet," Gerald said while scratching his head, and both Alphonso and Harold let out a surprised ''oh''.


    "Oh really?" The two asked in unison, and Gerald replied with a yawn. "Really. I''ve been a bit too tired from everything, and so I just immediately went to sleep." He clarified.


    ''Well, tried to sleep.'' Gerald thought in his mind. ''But they didn''t need to know that part.''


    "What happened to Max?" Gerald asked. He couldn''t hear Max''s voice in the conference call.


    "Well, you know how his mom is.." Harold explained with a light cough. "Apparently, she found out about the fact that there was no school today, and Max is getting grounded for lying to her."


    "Which means no phone, no television and no N*tflix," Alphonso interjected and spoke while chuckling. "He''s not doing too well today."


    "Yeah, no sh*tˇ­" Gerald let out another yawn and he covered his mouth and waited for it to pass. "So, did you guys think about it?" He asked. "I''m asking about the superpowers, obviously."


    "Yeah, we actually did..." Harold replied, and his tone had turned completely serious now.


    "You guys want to become superheroes huhˇ­" Even though they didn''t tell him anything yet, Gerald could already tell what they were about to say.


    "I guess us being comic book nerds was kind of a giveaway, huhˇ­" Alphonso let out a short chuckle, causing the other two to laugh as well.


    "Only a little bit.." Gerald said with a smile. His eyes were now cleared up. "But did you really think this through?" He asked, concern evident in his voice. "You don''t even know what powers you''re even going to get. And you have no clue whether you''re going to be strong enough to do anything."


    "I know what you mean, Gerald." Harold immediately replied. "And yes, we did think about all that. Like, what if we get the ability to make plants grow fruits? That wouldn''t be helpful in a fight at all."


    "But then, I realized something," Alphonso joined in, continuing the conversation in Harold''s place. "You guys were able to find a way to get me out of that terrible situation in the sewers. You didn''t leave me alone because I couldn''t move properly. You guys helped me, and you did that without having any powers."


    Gerald didn''t respond. But he knew what Alphonso meant by his words.


    "Honestly, I actually thought that you''d just leave me alone," Alphonso said with a soft chuckle. "But you didn''t. And I don''t want anyone else to feel like that ever again."


    ".... I understand," Gerald nodded his head. He then asked Harold. "Harold, is this also your decision?"


    "It is," Harold said as he let out a long sigh. "I''m already a monster, so might as well do some good sh*t to make up for it. What do you plan to do?"


    "Iˇ­ I''ll think about it," Gerald scratched his chin as he spoke, and then looked out of his window, up at the sky.


    ''Yeah, I''ll think about it.''


    --------------------


    "How''re you doing, Raph?" Special Agent Alan Fischer said immediately as he entered the medical examiner''s room, where Doctor Raphael Hernandez was present, along with Chief Medical Examiner Koichiro Sekino, who was sitting down in his chair and jotting down something on his tablet.


    "Neutral, Alan.." Doctor Hernandez replied to Alan while half murmuring to himself, and Alan widened his eyes in surprise. "Not even looking at me while replying. You must be in a really good mood, huh?"


    "Take a look at this, and you''ll be in a good mood as well," Doctor Hernandez turned his tablet around as soon as he spoke and handed it over to Special Agent Alan, who took it from him and looked at it with intrigue in his eyes.


    "What''s this?" Alan asked Doctor Hernandez as he gazed at the tablet screen, trying to read through it as fast as he could.


    "It contains the details of all the internal organs of this vine monster guy over here." Doctor Hernandez tapped his finger on the corpse''s chest as he spoke, and Agent Alan raised his eyebrows.


    "This isˇ­ different," Alan looked at the charts and information given on the tablet, and his eyes widened.


    "The internal organs haven''t completed their mutations," Doctor Hernandez said as he took back the tablet from Agent Alan, who scratched his chin confusedly, his expression implying that he was still thinking about what this could mean.


    "Is that even possible? How does that happen?" Agent Alan asked. "Why on earth did the BS-T just stop mutating?"


    "It didn''t stop mutating. It was most probably forced to stop mutating." Doctor Hernandez clarified. "This also meant that the brain was also comparatively less affected from the mutation."


    "The boy was conscious?" Alan looked shocked by the doctor''s words. "Partially, yes," Doctor Hernandez nodded. "Although I don''t know how much of his consciousness was retained."


    "Jesus Christ.." Alan rubbed his face with his hands, and his gaze then shifted to the corpse of the Mayor''s son. "What the hell happened to you, kid?"


    -----------------


    "He couldn''t have kept it inside there, right?" She said to herself, but her eyes were still glued to the door. After all, she had searched through the entire room and still came up completely empty. If there were any ''packages'' that Marty had hidden inside the room, then that was the only place where it had to be hidden.


    "F*ckˇ­ I guess I''m going inside that stinking place.." Clarice said with a disgusted expression. She used his fingers to clinch her nose and headed over to the storage room.


    Before turning the knob, Clarice stopped and took a deep breath. She decided to hold her breath and opened the door, entering the dark and dusty room.


    "Oh f*ckˇ­" Clarice couldn''t help but be vocal about her disgust for this room. "It smells even worse inside."


    Although she felt the urge to throw up, Clarice tried to hold it in, and began looking around in the dark for the light switch.


    Plop! Plop! Plop!


    The sound of water droplets dripping onto the floor could be heard, but Clarice paid it no mind, and began walking with her back next to the wall, running her hands all over the wall, desperately searching for the switch to turn on the lights.


    "Got it!" She said in a happy tone as she found the light switch, and immediately switched on the lights.


    The lights turned on, and the interior of the storage room came into view. The room was filled with cobwebs and dust particles, and there was an old computer near the corner of the room, which didn''t look like it was in a working condition.


    But it was the thing that was in the middle of the room that caught Clarice''s attention the most.


    "What the actual f*ck?" Clarice couldn''t help but shout as she looked at the giant egg shaped objects that were right in the centre of the room.


    Although the strange objects had similar appearances to that of eggs, they all had dark brown colours and the outer shell of it seemed to have been made out a fleshy material, as it looked glossy and glistening.


    "What the hell is going on here?" Clarice asked to herself, unable to understand what the hell she had just walked into.

 Chapter 56 - Progeny

    The lights turned on, and the interior of the storage room came into view. The room was filled with cobwebs and dust particles, and there was an old computer near the corner of the room, which didn''t look like it was in a working condition. But it was the thing that was in the middle of the room that caught Clarice''s attention the most.


    "What the actual f*ck?" Clarice couldn''t help but shout as she looked at the giant egg shaped objects that were right in the centre of the room. Although the strange objects had similar appearances to that of eggs, they all had dark brown colours and the outer shell of it seemed to have been made out a fleshy material, as it looked glossy and glistening.


    "What the hell is going on here?" Clarice asked herself, unable to understand what the hell she had just walked into.


    Although disgusted and grossed out by what was in front of her, Clarice couldn''t help but take a step forward, moving towards the group of enormous eggs with intrigue and mystery evident in her eyes.


    "What in the world..?" Clarice walked up to one of the giant eggs, and extended her finger over to it, attempting to lightly poke the outer shell of the object.


    Pluck! Pluck!


    As soon as her finger touched the outer shell of the egg, a soft and squishy feeling entered into her body, which made her pull her arms back immediately, sending a chill down her spine.


    The dark brown coloured outer shell of the egg, although it seemed strong and sturdy, was actually pretty soft and squishy, as though it was a pillow or a beanbag.


    "Don''t tell me this is a boiled egg or somethingˇ­" Clarice let out an awkward chuckle as she mumbled to herself. But right afterwards, her expression changed to that of complete seriousness.


    "I don''t think I should be here anymoreˇ­" She whispered softly under her breath, realizing the weird situation that she has found herself in, and decided to head out of the apartment.


    Plop! Plop! Plop!


    The sound of water droplets were heard once again, and right as Clarice was stepping back out of the storage room, she suddenly felt as though she had stepped on something slippery, and within seconds, her whole body was up in the air and crashed down onto the floor on her back.


    BAM!


    The noise was so loud that it felt as though the whole floor had shook from the impact.


    "F*CK!" Clarice cursed out loudly due to the pain that she was feeling. Her head had slammed down hard against the floor. She didn''t know if it was bleeding or not.


    "What the f*ck was that?" Clarice was furious. She clenched her fists tightly as she tried to get up from the floor. She placed both her hands on the floor in order to push her up into the air, and she instantly felt her hands getting slimy.


    Pluck!


    "Ew, what the actual f*ck is this sh*t?" Clarice said in disgust as she raised her hand up to her face and looked at her palms which were covered in some sort of translucent sticky substance.


    "Oh my god, I''m going to pukeˇ­" Clarice held her forehead and tried her very best to resist throwing up, although it didn''t seem to be working all that well. "Don''t tell me that this is what I think it isˇ­"


    Plop! Plop!


    As soon as she finished her sentence, she felt something slimy and wet hit the top of her head, and began dripping down, sliding from her hair down to her raised hands.


    SHHHH...


    Clarice suddenly felt a coldness spread through her entire body, as though the temperature of the room had suddenly dropped.


    Her hands began to tremble, and with a terrified expression on her face, she slowly tilted her head and looked up at the roof, and as soon as she did, her eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open.


    "Wha- what in god''s nameˇ­" She whispered softly. She didn''t intend to whisper, but her voice couldn''t even exit out of her throat properly, simply because of the sheer terror that she was currently feeling.


    Stuck on top of the roof and hanging upside down was a dark and fleshy skinned creature with large translucent wings enveloping it from the sides, acting as though they were its shields.


    The creature was bigger than a normal human being. It looked like it was the size of two Clarices, and she was already considered by many of the guys she dated to be ''too tall for a girl''.


    The ears of the creature were anatomically completely different from that of a human ear, with the fleshy outer protrusion being extremely long, similar to the ears of a dog, albeit without the fur.


    "Sh*tˇ­ sh*tˇ­ sh*tˇ­" Clarice cursed repeatedly in a hushed tone. Although she desperately wanted to stop trembling, her body didn''t listen to her mind.


    She didn''t know what that creature was nor did she care. She didn''t want the ''package'' anymore. She only wanted to get the f*ck out of this apartment as fast as she could.


    "Did it not notice me yet?" Clarice stared at the terrifying creature and asked herself, raising her eyebrows. The creature''s head was turned away from her direction, so she wasn''t sure whether or not it was awake and aware of her presence.


    ''From the looks of it, it doesn''t seem to have noticed me..'' Clarice thought to herself. It looked like after the initial burst of pure horror wore off, she was able to think a bit more clearly.


    The creature didn''t make any sort of large movements. And it certainly didn''t look like it was aware of her presence. Although, Clarice told herself, looks can be deceiving.


    ''For all I know, it could just not have a normal human face at all, there''s a chance that it might be looking at me right now,'' She said in her mind, reminding her to be cautious.


    ''Why on earth is this happening to me?'' Clarice couldn''t help but think to herself as she slowly got up from the floor carefully, making sure that she wasn''t making any sort of noise.


    But she had no answer.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    While keeping an eye on the monster that was stuck to the roof, Clarice began slowly walking out of the room, taking one step at a time, careful to not make any noise as she moved.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    ''Please, don''t be awake..'' Clarice prayed in her mind as she took a few more steps. She was now one step away from heading out of the room, and yet she couldn''t help but feel as though that step was quite far from her reach.


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    While Clarice''s back was turned away from the room, the monster that was stuck to the wall began to shake violently, as its wings that enveloped it from both sides slowly began to spread out.


    "Ssssshˇ­"


    A small rumbling voice was heard, as the monster tilted his head down, revealing a red eyed, long fanged creature with two large slits in place of a visible nose.


    Drip! Drip! Drip!


    The monster slightly opened its mouth, revealing a long and slimy tongue, which had a split in the middle. The monster''s red eyes were fixed on Clarice''s back, studying her every move.


    Clarice, who didn''t know that the monster was - contrary to her belief - actually awake, was simply trying to think of what she should do after taking the last step out of the room. Does she continue walking on tippy toes, or does she simply make a run for the balcony?


    "Oh god, what''s the right answer?" Clarice groaned softly with a frustrated expression on her face. She didn''t want to be the one to make this important decision. But alas, there was no one else to do it for her.


    As she was in the middle of thinking all of this, the monster that was hanging from the roof shifted its position of being upside down by using the clawed hands that were at the tip of its wings to clutch at the roof, and then removed its clawed feet off assuming a normal position. It then slightly moved its head forward, as though it was preparing to leap towards Clarice.


    Right thenˇ­


    Ding Dong!


    The doorbell rang all of a sudden, catching Clarice off guard.


    ''No, no, noˇ­ '' Clarice''s face became pale. ''Who the hell is at the door now?''


    The


    "Marty! Is that you in there?" The landlord yelled out loudly from outside of the door. She seemed to have heard the loud noises from before, and came to check what was happening.


    Clarice slowly turned her head back, and her eyes met with that of the monster, who was now a step closer to her.


    They made eye contact with each other, and neither of them made a single movement.


    "Marty?" The landlord yelled out once again, and then began banging on the door.


    BAM! BAM! BAM!


    Whoosh!


    As soon as the banging began, the monster shot forward with incredible speed, and Clarice immediately ducked down, her eyes closed and her hands covering her head.

 Chapter 57 - Deadly

    "Marty! Is that you in there?" The landlord yelled out loudly from outside of the door. She seemed to have heard the loud noises from before, and came to check what was happening. Clarice slowly turned her head back, and her eyes met with that of the monster, who was now a step closer to her.


    They made eye contact with each other, and neither of them made a single movement. "Marty?" The landlord yelled out once again, and then began banging on the door.


    BAM! BAM! BAM!


    As soon as the banging began, the monster shot forward with incredible speed, and Clarice immediately ducked down, her eyes closed and her hands covering her head.


    ''Sh*t! Sh*t! Sh*t!'' Clarice cursed her bad fortune as she laid on the floor, but the monster didn''t go straight for her.


    Instead, the monster ignored Clarice, who was right next to it, and went straight for the door, where the old landlord lady was still banging.


    "SCREEEE!" The monster let out a strange and ear screeching snarl as it spread out both its arms forward, slamming against the door with such force that caused it to burst open.


    BAM!


    "AHHHHH!" The impact of the strike was so powerful that it flung the old lady backwards, who was screaming in fear until she crashed onto the wall behind her, causing the back of head to bleed out before her lifeless body fell down onto the ground.


    "Oh my god!" Clarice, who raised her head from the floor, confused as to why on earth she was still alive, was horrified by what she had just witnessed.


    BAM! BAM! BAM!


    The monster began walking up to the old lady, picked her dead body up from the floor and held her horizontally, and then pulled her from both sides, breaking her entire body into two pieces with ease, and causing blood and organs to spill all over the floor and the walls.


    "What the-" Clarice held her mouth and resisted the urge to throw up. She looked away from the horrifying sight, unable to watch it any longer.


    ''I can''t stay here any longer, or I''ll end up like that as well..'' The little voice in her mind said to her, and she decided to listen.


    She slowly got up from the floor without making any noise, and then took a step in the direction of the balcony.


    Tap!


    "GRRRR?" The monster turned its head around as soon as she took a step, and Clarice immediately stopped moving.


    ''F*ck!'' Clarice bit her lips, but she didn''t move an inch of her body. The monster stared at her once again, and Clarice could see the blood that was dripping out from its mouth. ''Why the f*ck is this b*tch so cautious now?'' She didn''t know how on earth the monster suddenly became so agile and quick.


    However, to Clarice''s surprise, the monster didn''t attack her once again. Instead, it simply chose to stare at her cautiously, tilting its head to the side as it did so.


    ''Why is it not attacking me?'' Clarice was weirded out by this once again and raised her eyebrows. She thought to herself, ''Can it not see me?''


    "Hey, what the f*ck? Can''t you guys be less noisy?" As she was thinking that, another voice suddenly echoed throughout the hallway, which shifted the focus of the monster from Clarice to the room beside Marty''s.


    BAM!


    The monster watched as the door opened with a long noise, and a young girl with black lipstick, face tattoos and nose piercing walked out of the room with a beer bottle and an annoyed expression on her face.


    "I don''t know what you guys think, but you better shut the f*ck up!" The girl yelled out loudly as soon as she exited her room, which made even Clarice want to yell out in surprise.


    ''What the f*ck is wrong with her?'' Clarice couldn''t see the girl as she was still inside the room, but she could definitely hear her. She didn''t know that the girl had just walked out of the room, and hadn''t seen the monster yet.


    "I''m trying to.." The girl couldn''t finish her sentence, as she had finally gazed upon the hideous monster that was standing a few feet away from her. At first, it was as though she had frozen in place, with almost no change in her body movements nor facial expressions.


    But then, her facial expressions gradually began to change as a horrified expression appeared on her face. She could see the bloody walls behind the monster, as well as the ripped apart and mangled dead body that was lying on the floor, and the blood drained from her face.


    "Wha- whaˇ­" The girl began to mumble gibberish as she couldn''t form proper sentences, and her whole body began to shake rapidly. The monster''s eyes narrowed down on the girl, and it stretched out its wings, assuming a predatory stance, which only made the girl tremble more violently.


    "Hey, babe?" As the girl was attempting to regain control of her body in order to escape the monster, the voice of a tired guy was heard from inside of the room, which made the ears of the monster perk up.


    "What''s up?" The guy, who sounded like he was the boyfriend of the girl, asked, and as soon as he did, the girl screamed loudly. "AHHHH!"


    "GRAAAAR!" The monster let out an ear screeching roar in response to loud cry of the girl, and immediately dashed forward with incredible speed, heading straight for the girl.


    "AHHH!" The girl continued screaming as she rushed inside her room and tried closing the door on her way in.


    BAM!


    But before she could do so, the monster had already caught up to her, and slammed against the door with a tremendous amount of force, which pushed the girl backwards and into the room, crashing onto a bookshelf with a loud noise.


    "Wha- what the f*ck?!" The boyfriend of the girl, who was sitting in front of the computer, was caught off guard by seeing his girlfriend get pushed back and slammed onto his bookshelf, and immediately stood up from his chair in order to see who was behind this incident.


    "Who the f*ck did this to myˇ­" The guy couldn''t even finish his sentence as his face immediately turned pale once he got a good look at the person behind this act.


    "GRAAAAR!" The monster stood in front of the doorway, growling loudly as it stared at the girl''s boyfriend with its bloodshot eyes.


    "I- Iˇ­ sh*t.." The boyfriend immediately turned sideways and tried to run away, heading towards one of the bedrooms and trying to lock the door from behind, but the monster was quicker than he could ever imagine, and within seconds, it had caught up to the guy.


    Slash!


    The monster slashed the boyfriend''s back with its sharp winged claws, and the boyfriend wanted to scream in pain.


    Glop!


    But before the boyfriend could even utter a single word, the monster opened its wide mouth and bit down on the boyfriend''s head, biting through his neck and head with a small crunchy noise.


    Puchi!


    "Ughˇ­" The girl, who was still alive, groaned on the floor as blood began to drip out of the monster''s mouth, and the boyfriend''s body finally went limb.


    "Is that thing inside the other room?" Meanwhile in the other room, Clarice was still standing still without moving an inch. She couldn''t see the monster anymore, but she could definitely hear the loud noises that were coming from inside the other room, which made her assume that the monster had found another target.


    "This is my chance," Although she felt guilty for letting other innocent people be the monster''s bait, she wasn''t about to sacrifice her life for a stranger either.


    Swoosh!


    She dashed out of the living room of Marty''s apartment and headed towards the balcony.


    "F*ck! How do I make it out of this room now?" She placed her hands on the railing and looked down, only to realize that there was no easy way of getting down.


    She looked back at the hallway and shook her head. She couldn''t go through there. There''s the monster there, she said to herself.


    This was the only way out.


    "F*ck! I guess I have to try and get down the same way I got up.." She mumbled under her breath as she leapt over the railing and stood at the tip of the balcony, her hands still clutching the railings that were now behind her.


    "Oh godˇ­" She then began to slowly drop one of her legs down from the balcony floor and onto the garbage bin that was straight down, attempting to get a perfect landing.


    "Come on, come onˇ­" She said to herself as she let her other leg free as well, which meant that she was now dangling from the balcony, and her legs were waving in the air, trying to find the top of the garbage bin.

 Chapter 58 - Inner Turmoil

    "Well, that couldn''t have gone any worseˇ­" Max let out a heavy sigh as he lay down on his bed, his eyes glancing at the roof of his room.


    After returning from underneath the sequoia tree, Max was met with the rage of his mother right in front of his house, who had figured out that he had lied to her about schools being open today.


    If this had been the usual Max, there''d have been a lot more yelling and shouting from him, and the two of them would have had a literal screaming contest for god knows how long.


    But the Max of today was completely exhausted from everything that had happened just a few hours prior, and he simply stood there, listening to his mother''s anger filled scoldings, waiting until she eventually sent him to his room, grounding him for a whole week.


    "It does suck that I don''t get to use my phone or my computer.." Max clicked his tongue and rolled over to his side, facing the wall as he let out another long sigh.


    He clutched his face, and then immediately began twisting and turning on the bed, burying his face deep inside his pillow by the end of the long tussle.


    "Why the hell did I do that?" Max thought to himself, as he remembered how easily he moved towards the sewers as soon as he heard the loud noises.


    It was as though his mind was controlled by something else. He felt like he was being guided by someoneˇ­


    "And I even dragged my friends into it as well," Max clenched his fists. That was the part that he was most ashamed and angry about. That he actually allowed his friends to follow him as well. And in the end, they too, were turned into freaks, along with him.


    ''Why did I bring them? Why couldn''t I have just stopped them from following me?'' Max scratched head as he tried to figure out why he did all that.


    ''Rightˇ­ that corpseˇ­'' Max''s eyes widened as he remembered the dead body that was covered in sand, and he rubbed his chin, his face now having a very serious and complex expression.


    "It was the monster that guided me towards the sewers," He whispered softly under his breath, and clicked his tongue as soon as he finished speaking.


    "Right, the monster spoke to meˇ­" Although faint, Max could still remember the fact that the monster had communicated with him. It didn''t speak like how a normal human being would communicate, and yet the noises it made was, for some unknown reason, understandable to Max.


    He turned his head and shifted his gaze towards the small bonsai tree that was sitting on top of his study table. "It hurtsˇ­" He mumbled to himself as he moved a few inches towards the bonsai tree and lightly stroked its branches, which made it wave left and right.


    "That''s what the monster said," He continued his words after pulling back his hand, and then closed his eyes as he lay down on his bed once again.


    For some reason, Max couldn''t help but feel sad for the monster. Even though it was responsible for bringing him and his friends into this mess, he couldn''t help but feel sorry for the creature.


    "But then, why give this power to us?" Max couldn''t understand. If the mutant power that the monster had was hurting it, then why on earth was it so insistent on handing it over to a bunch of teenagers?


    "Don''t tell me it''s so that we can become superheroesˇ­" Max couldn''t help but roll his eyes as he completed his sentence. He didn''t do it before when Noah was around as he was afraid of getting on his bad side, but Max wasn''t exactly keen on becoming a superhero. At least, not after everything that happened today.


    "I don''t want to encounter another monster againˇ­" Max said to himself. He really wanted to say it out loud back when they were all discussing it, but he couldn''t find the courage to say it. After all, he was the one who was responsible for getting them into this mess. And now he wanted to stop them from using their powers to do good things?


    He was afraid. Max feared that he would be hated by his friends, and so he didn''t say a single word. And he intended on continuing to do so, even if that''s not what he personally wanted to do.


    "Why on earth did the monster choose me?" Max sounded frustrated. He didn''t know why the monster picked him, as in his eyes, he certainly wasn''t someone who can be considered worthy to wield such powers. He considered himself cowardly and fearful. Not exactly someone whom you''d call a hero. Although he doesn''t look or act like a coward, he knew that deep inside, he really was one. He liked to act as though he wasn''t, and he''d lie within a heartbeat if it meant that he wouldn''t look like a coward, but Max knew the truth about himself.


    Swish! Swish! Swish!


    As Max was lying on his bed and sulking, a gust of wind flew off a small leaf from the mango tree that was right outside his window, and the leaf glided through the air and landed right on his pillow, which made him get up and stare at the window with intrigue.


    Max then looked back at the leaf that was lying on his pillow, and picked it up after a few seconds of deliberation.


    The leaf was small and wrinkly. Although it had just fallen off from the branch, it looked like it was already near death before it got severed from the tree.


    "Why''d this land on my pillow.." He mumbled under his breath as he picked up the leaf, curious and intrigued as to how the leaf accurately landed right next to his head.


    Shoosh!


    All of a sudden, as though it was magic, the small and wrinkly leaf in Max''s hand began to vibrate furiously, and it''s color slowly began to change from brown to green.


    "What the f*ck?!" Max, who was caught off guard by the strange incident, freaked out and dropped the leaf onto the bed and leapt back, and the leaf reverted back to its original color and structure within mere seconds.


    Max took a few seconds to breathe in and out, as his mind processed what just happened.


    "No f*cking wayˇ­. What the f*ck was that?" Max murmured under his breath as he stared at the leaf on his bed, not able to believe what just happened in front of his eyes. He had seen some crazy stuff today, and yet he couldn''t help but be surprised yet again.


    He picked up the leaf and looked at it with his still widened eyes, and whispered softly, "Is thisˇ­ am I the one who''s doing this?"


    Shoosh!


    As he thought about the incident, the leaf in his hands began shaking furiously once again, and it began to straighten itself and return to the green coloured leaf that it once was.


    "Come onˇ­" Max whispered once again, as he watched the leaf lose its wrinkles and stretch out as though it had regained its youth.


    BAM!


    All of a sudden, a loud noise entered into his ears, which made Max groan in pain as he tilted his head sideways, and the leaf fell from his hands once again, losing its green colour and reverting back to its original form.


    "What the hell was that?" Max said with an annoyed expression on his face as he rubbed his ears with his fingers, and his gaze shifted to the outside, where the noise had come from.


    It didn''t sound like it was from anywhere nearby. And it definitely didn''t sound like a normal noise.


    Noah, who was also lying on his bed, immediately leapt up as soon as he heard the strange noise, his eyes narrowed as he whispered softly, "Another oneˇ­"


    --------------


    Clarice dashed out of the living room of Marty''s apartment and headed towards the balcony, placed her hands on the railing and leapt over the railing. She stood at the tip of the balcony, her hands still clutching the railings that were now behind her.


    "Oh godˇ­" She then began to slowly drop one of her legs down from the balcony floor and onto the garbage bin that was straight down, attempting to get a perfect landing.


    "Come on, come onˇ­" She said to herself as she let her other leg free as well, which meant that she was now dangling from the balcony, and her legs were waving in the air, trying to find the top of the garbage bin.


    WHAM!


    As she was trying to place her feet on the garbage bin, she accidentally knocked it over onto the ground, which made her groan in pain, and out of instinct, she stretched out her legs even more in an attempt to catch the bin.


    BAM!


    All of a sudden, Clarice''s grip on the railing slipped, and she fell down onto the garage bin with a loud noise.

 Chapter 59 - Mutual Understanding

    The leaf in his hands began shaking furiously once again, and it began to straighten itself and return to the green coloured leaf that it once was. "Come onˇ­" Max whispered once again, as he watched the leaf lose its wrinkles and stretch out as though it had regained its youth.


    BAM!


    All of a sudden, a loud noise entered into his ears, which made Max groan in pain as he tilted his head sideways, and the leaf fell from his hands once again, losing its green colour and reverting back to its original form.


    "What the hell was that?" Max said with an annoyed expression on his face as he rubbed his ears with his fingers, and his gaze shifted to the outside, where the noise had come from. It didn''t sound like it was from anywhere nearby. And it definitely didn''t sound like a normal noise.


    Whoosh!


    He immediately got out of the window and walked towards the window, and then popped his head out, looking around whether or not he could see anything unusual that was going on.


    "There doesn''t seem to be anything happeningˇ­" Max whispered to himself while squinting his eyebrows, confused at what just happened.


    On the other side of the neighbourhoodˇ­.


    "Did you guys hear that?" Gerald yelled into his phone, which made his mother explode into anger. "Gerald! How many times have I told you to keep your voice down? Do you want to get grounded again?"


    "Sorry mom!" Gerald pulled his phone back from his ears and said to his mother. He then put his phone back to his ears and repeated his words, this time whispering it. "Did you guys hear that?"


    "What? You mean your mom getting angry at you and threatening to whoop your a**? Oh yeah, we definitely heard that!" Alphonso replied cheekily, and Harold let out a chuckle.


    "Ha, ha, very funny you guysˇ­" Gerald rolled his eyes and responded in an annoyed tone. "But for real.. Did you guys hear that? That weird noise..?"


    "Yeah, the ear screeching noise, right?" Harold was the one who responded first. "I did hear that. Although I don''t think my mom did. She hates loud noises, especially the ones that make your hairs stand up." Harold said in a serious tone. He was definitely not joking.


    "Yeah, I heard it tooˇ­" Alphonso replied as well, agreeing with Harold. "My parents are still asleep right now, which is weird because that sound should''ve definitely woken them up, given how loud it was."


    "You guys thinking what I''m thinking?" Gerald asked, his eyes narrowed and his hands clenched tightly. He had a guess about what that sound was, but he didn''t know if he was right or not.


    "A sound that was probably only detected by us who have all been coincidentally turned into freaks?" Harold said with a cheeky tone. "Yeah, I''m pretty sure it has something to do with the monsters that are supposedly on the loose all over the city."


    "Well, thenˇ­" Gerald asked as he stood up from his bed, walked up to the door and looked through the peephole in order to make sure that no one was standing behind his door. He then continued, "What the hell is the plan here?"


    "What do you think Harold?" Alphonso turned the question to Harold, who widened his eyes in surprise. "Well, why are you suddenly evading the question and passing it onto me?"


    "Why are both so reluctant about this?" Gerald said as he was about to raise his voice at the two boys, but then quieted down once he remembered what his mother had told him just a few seconds ago. He aggressively whispered into his phone, "Weren''t the two of you the ones who were raving about becoming superheroes and saving people?"


    "Yeah, I know, I know.." Harold replied in a nervous tone, his voice getting louder and louder as he continued. "It''s just.. Now that it really is happening, we''re a bit overwhelmed by everything."


    "Wha- Don''t tell me you guys are planning on backing away?!" Gerald placed his palms on his forehead and leaned next to the door, surprise and concern evident in his voice as he spoke.


    "No! No, no, oh god no.." Alphonso responded almost immediately. He shook his head furiously, even though the others couldn''t see him, and said, "We''re definitely on board with the whole superhero plan. It''s just a lot to take in at the moment. But don''t worry, we''ll be ready in no time."


    "Yeah, of course.." Harold replied, his voice still sounding nervous as he spoke.


    "Yeah, well, it appears the time to get ready has come sooner than expected." Gerald replied. He walked up to the old wooden cabinet that he had in his room. It was where he had kept his collection of shoes. He pulled out a pair of sneakers from the cabinet, and dropped them next to his feet, before continuing, "What''s it going to be guys?"


    ".... Ah, screw it!" Harold said after breathing in and out, and he got up from his bed and opened his window. "We said we''d be superheroes and help people, and that''s what we''re going to do." He said, and he leapt out of his room and onto the roof of his house without making any noise.


    "You know what, you''re absolutely right!" Alphonso responded, and in his voice, one could identify passion hidden deep inside. "We''re going to be superheroes, and superheroes don''t sit around and try to figure out whether or not they should stop monsters and save people. They have their existential problems after they save the day."


    "I''m going to take that as a yes from you, Alphonso," Gerald said as he put on his shoes. "So here''s the plan. We''ll meet up in front of the children''s park in five minutes. We''ll then head to Max''s house. I''m sure he must''ve heard the noise as well." He slowly opened his door without making any noise, looked around in order to make sure that there wasn''t anyone in the hallway, and then got out and headed downstairs. "Find a way to get out of the house without arousing any suspicions." He said as he rushed to the kitchen and headed out of the house through the backdoor.


    Harold used the wooden bars that were attached to the side of his house to climb down onto the ground and replied, "Already on it." He then shifted his gaze to the road, and continued, "I''m heading out. I''ll meet you guys there."


    "So am I," Said Gerald. "We''ll continue when we meet up."


    "Alright guys. Give me a few minutes," Alphonso said and he hung up his phone. He then walked to the kitchen, where his mother was watching a metube video on her laptop, and asked, "Mom, can I go and hang out with my friends?"


    "Alright, Phonzy.." His mom replied with a smile, before turning her attention back to the metube video. "But don''t be too late."


    "Alright, mom. I won''t," Alphonso waved his hands and exited out of his house.


    ---------------


    "Another oneˇ­" Noah, who was lying on his bed, immediately leapt up as soon as he heard the strange noise and his eyes narrowed. Right then, his gaze returned to normal, and he couldn''t help but feel confused.


    "Why on earth did I know that?" He looked at his hands and whispered to himself. He didn''t know why or how he was able to conclude that the noise was from another monster within seconds. This wasn''t just something as simple as a guess. It was as if he was already aware of this sort of noise. Like it was already ingrained in his mind.


    "Mergingˇ­" He whispered softly to himself, and then immediately shook his head.


    ''No, no. You can''t let him get to you,'' Noah said to himself. He was still him, he thought in his mind. He knew who he was. The doppelganger is simply getting under his skin.


    ''Now,'' He then turned his attention towards the window, and narrowed his eyes. If his intuition really is right, then that means that there was a monster roaming around nearby. He knew he had to deal with that.


    "Let''s try and focus my energy on something a bit more productive," He mumbled under his breath as he walked towards his window.


    --------------


    "Ugh.." The girl who had crashed onto the bookshelf groaned, and the monster slowly walked up towards her, stretching its clawed wings wide.


    The clawed wings slowly began to approach the half conscious girl, as though it was taking its time, but right before the monster grabbed the girl by her head...


    BAM!


    A loud noise of something striking the ground, followed by a crashing sound, made the monster stop in its tracks, and look to the window.


    "Gah!" Clarice gasped, and from her mouth burst out blood and saliva, which dripped down onto her eyes and nose, causing her to cough continuously.


    ''Shit!'' She cursed. She knew that there was a chance that the monster could''ve heard that noise, and so she tried to get up from the ground.


    ''Wha- What the...'' All of a sudden, Clarice''s eyes widened in surprise and horror, as she came to the realization that she couldn''t move her body!

 Chapter 60 - A Way To Fight

    BAM!


    A loud noise of something striking the ground, followed by a crashing sound, made the monster stop in its tracks, and look to the window. "Gah!" Clarice gasped, and from her mouth burst out blood and saliva, which dripped down onto her eyes and nose, causing her to cough continuously.


    ''Shit!'' She cursed. She knew that there was a chance that the monster could''ve heard that noise, and so she tried to get up from the ground. ''Wha- What the..'' All of a sudden, Clarice''s eyes widened in surprise and horror, as she came to the realization that she couldn''t move her body!


    ''Oh noˇ­'' Clarice''s face immediately became pale as soon as she realized her current situation. She couldn''t move, and was also near the vicinity of a flesh hungry monster who kills everything that it meets.


    This was not at all a favourable situation for her!


    ''Shit! Why won''t my body move?'' Clarice tried to move her body once again, but to no avail. Her body wasn''t listening to her mind, as though her control over it had been suddenly lost.


    ''Ah!'' Clarice let out a short yelp as her vision began to get weaker and weaker, and she realised that she was slowly losing her consciousness.


    ''F*ck! F*ck! F*ck!'' Clarice cursed in her mind. All of a sudden, she could feel the back of her head getting wet and Clarice wanted to roll her eyes in order to express how she felt. The back of her head was bleeding due to the impact on the ground just a few seconds ago. ''Why the f*ck is this happening to me right now?''


    Clarice wanted to cry about her misfortune, but she couldn''t even properly do that, as she couldn''t move her facial muscles all that well. The most she could do is twitch her eyelids, as the teardrops began to drip out of her eye and run down her cheeks until they hit the ground.


    At this point, she had completely given up on life, and was waiting for the monster to arrive quickly so that it could kill her instantly and end her seemingly never ending misery.


    -------------------


    Harold was standing in front of the park, anxiously waiting for both Gerald and Alphonso to arrive.


    "Where the hell are those twoˇ­" Harold murmured to himself as he pulled up his wrist and checked the time once again. He had been doing that for a while now.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    The sound of footsteps emerging could be heard, and the ears of Harold twitched, as he turned his head to the side and saw the two boys running towards him. Harold waved his hands at them, urging them to hurry up, and the two young men picked up their pace.


    "Where the f*ck were you two?" Harold asked angrily as both Alphonso and Gerald arrived near him. "I''ve been waiting here for five minutes now." He said as he showed his watch, and Gerald waved his hands submissively. "Hey, don''t ask me. I was just waiting for Alphonso to pick upˇ­ well, whatever it is that he''s carrying..." He pointed at Alphonso, who had a couple of kitchen knives strapped to his waist and a large machete in his hand.


    "What the f*ck did you buy?!" Harold almost screamed at him, with the way his voice gained power, but he immediately resisted the urge to yell.


    "What? You think this is all a bit too much?" Alphonso asked as he waved his machete in the air, and both Gerald Nd Harold took a step back, afraid of getting accidentally struck by the sharp blade of the weapon.


    "Yes!" Harold said with an annoyed expression on his face, his eyes still stuck on the machete in the air, as though he was afraid that the blade might fall on his neck if he wasn''t careful. "Look at you!" He said while pointing at Alphonso, and continued, "You look ridiculous while wearing all that. Do you want to get caught by the police or something?"


    "Oh, I''m sorry for trying to bring some weapons to protect myself," Alphonso replied with a sarcastic tone, as he rolled his eyes at the two boys who seemed disapproving of his actions. "At least I am aware of the dangerous situation that I''m getting into!"


    He then pointed at the two of them and continued, "Don''t tell me that you don''t remember our situation back in the dungeon!" He roared loudly, which made even Harold flinch in surprise. "Because I remember damn well how helpless we all looked! I don''t want to feel like that ever again in my life." He then patted the machete and the kitchen knives on his waist and said proudly, "I don''t care how stupid this all looks, because with this, I''ll at least have a chance at surviving.."


    "We are mutants, you knowˇ­" Harold replied, and Alphonso shrugged his shoulders. "So? We don''t even know what kind of superpowers we have. For all I know I could just have gotten the ability to pee at a greater distance."


    Harold and Gerald stared at the proud Alphonso for a few more seconds, after which they turned to glance at each other. Silence reigned the surroundings.


    "Well damn, manˇ­" Gerald whispered nervously, trying to break the silence. Harold walked up to Alphonso, placed his hand on his shoulder and whispered softly, "Do you think you can let me borrow one of your kitchen knives?"


    -------------------


    "God damn it!" Max cursed as he looked out of the window for the sixth consecutive time. He still couldn''t see anything unusual, but for some reason, he couldn''t shake the feeling that something bad was happening.


    He didn''t know what, but he knew that he had to get out of his house. His body and mind were both urging him to leave, but he couldn''t do it. He couldn''t take the next step. Partly because his mother would get angry once again and would ground him for eternity. And partly because he was afraid.


    "F*ck! I don''t know!" He slapped his hand angrily on the wall, which made his mother yell at him loudly from the kitchen. "Max! Don''t make noise! You don''t want me to come up there now, do you?"


    "No, mom! Sorry about that!" He yelled back in response, and his mother didn''t reply back, which meant that the issue was over. At least for now. He clicked his tongue and leaned back on his wall, his hands crossed back on his head, and let out a long yawn.


    His gaze then shifted to his bed. The leaf that he was experimenting with just a few seconds before was still on his bed, now back to its original shape and colour.


    "I guess neither of us can change even if we desperately want to, huh?" Max said as he let out a sigh, but right then!


    Tap!


    A small tap on his window made Max turn his head in its direction. A tiny pebble had struck the windowside, and Max, now intrigued, walked up to the window once again, and looked down only to find Harold, Gerald and Alphonso waving at him from outside of the fence.


    "What are you guys doing here?" He whispered softly and articulated his mouth to properly imply the words that he was saying.


    "We''re here to get you out!" Harold whispered back, moving his mouth with exaggerated movements, imitating Max.


    "We know you heard the weird noise from before!" Gerald added, and Max''s eyes widened. "You guys heard it as well?" He asked, curious, and the rest nodded their heads in unison.


    "The monsters might be loose once again." This time, it was Alphonso who replied. "We need to stop them before they hurt innocent people."


    ''F*ck, I can''t say no to themˇ­'' Max gritted his teeth as he covered his mouth. He knew that since he was the one who was responsible for getting them into this sticky and complicated situation, he had to listen to their conditions of how to use their powers.


    "Yeah, alright.." Max nodded his head reluctantly, and he looked at his door for a split second before slowly opening the window, not to make his mother alert of his disappearance. "I''m coming," Max jumped onto the drain pipe that lined the wall outside and used it to slide down onto the ground.


    "Here you goˇ­" Alphonso said as he handed Max a kitchen knife, and Max, albeit being totally confused, took the knife from him and then stared back and forth at the knife and Alphonso.


    "What''s going on?" Max raised his eyebrows and asked, his gaze alternating between the kitchen knives strapped onto Alphonso''s waist and the large machete in his hands.


    "... It''s a long story," Harold and Gerald shrugged their shoulders as they let out a sigh in response.


    "Well, what are we waiting for?" Alphonso waved his hands as he walked forward, motioning them to follow him. "Come on.. We''ve got a monster to take care of."

 Chapter 61 - Savior

    "Ughˇ­" The girl, who was still alive, groaned on the floor as blood began to drip out of the monster''s mouth, and the boyfriend''s body finally went limb.


    Crunch! Crunch!


    The sound of bones and meat getting crushed within the monster''s enormous mouth was heard ringing all across the room.


    Crunch! Crunch!


    The monster chomped on the boyfriend''s body for a few more seconds before turning around and heading towards the body of the young girl, who was lying right next to the bookshelf, half awake and with no clear idea of what was going on.


    "Ja- Jacob?" The girl asked nervously as she clutched her head. It seemed like she couldn''t see or hear properly because of the impact of the attack, and the monster quickened its steps and dashed towards the girl, its mouth wide open and ready to devour.


    BAM!


    Right then, a loud crashing noise reverberated all around the building, which made the monster suddenly stop moving and halt its steps.


    "GRRRRˇ­" It turned around and began looking at its surroundings, trying to identify the source of the noise that it just heard. Its gaze then stuck onto the window that was right behind the bookshelf, and within seconds, the monster had already dashed towards it, aiming for its potential next target.


    TAP! TAP! TAP!


    The monster moved inside the room with incredible speed and crashed right through the window, exiting out the building and on to the ground, where Clarice was lying, completely immobilised.


    Whoosh!


    The monster stretched out its wings and flung it backwards, its head pointed at the direction of the ground as it shot down with the speed of lightning, striking the ground with a loud noise.


    BAM!


    The impact was so powerful that it broke the concrete below its feet, causing bits and pieces to fly all over the place.


    A few particles even rained down on Clarice''s body. She could see the projectiles that were moving in her direction, but unfortunately, she couldn''t do anything to protect herself.


    Clarice, whose vision was now almost completely gone, could still see the projectiles that flung across her body, striking her hands and her legs, and even scratching her face.


    BAM! BAM! BAM!


    The projectiles were small in size, so it wasn''t that serious. However, they did make small wounds on Clarice''s body, which made her feel pain everywhere.


    However, she had no time to think about her wounds. What she was more worried about was the terrifying monster that had landed just a few metres away from her.


    ''Ah, I guess this is it, huh..'' Although she hadn''t seen the monster that had arrived next to her, she certainly heard the loud impact on the ground and the subsequent shaking of the earth.


    She had accepted her death, which she considered to be inevitable. After all, who was going to help her escape from the hands of a literal monster?


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    The monster stretched out its winged claws and began walking towards the still immobilised Clarice, who had no hope of living anymore.


    "GRRRRˇ­" The monster growled as it reached near the body of Clarice, and stared at her face. Her eyes were fixed on the monster''s terrifying expression, and the two of them made eye contact for the second time.


    Sniff! Sniff!


    All of a sudden, the monster lowered its head and began to sniff Clarice''s body, as though it wasn''t sure if she was actually his prey.


    Right then!


    "Leave innocent people alone!" A loud shout distracted the monster from Clarice, and the creature, now alert, raised its head up and looked in the direction of the voice, and was met with a fist, which struck right at the monster''s nose!


    BAM!


    The strike sounded so powerful that one could see the ripples of the sound waves in the air as the punch connected perfectly with its target.


    Whoosh!


    With a loud roar, the monster was flung backwards and collided into the building that was right behind it.


    ''Wha- what the hell?'' Clarice, who couldn''t see properly, saw only the monster get thrown backwards like garbage, which shocked her as she didn''t think that was even possible. ''Who the hell did that?'' She was intrigued as to who - or what - was behind the sudden attack. Was it a friend or a foe?


    "I actually landed a good strike this time," Clarice watched as a masked figure appeared into her view, and her eyes widened with surprise.


    ''Tha- That''s a human?!'' She was flabbergasted. She didn''t expect the thing that flung the terrifying monster back multiple steps was another human.


    Was this person a superhero? She wondered. He had punched and sent the monster with such ease that it almost seemed too good to be true. And yet, it happened right in front of her eyes.


    "Whew! I didn''t expect my punch to actually work so well.." Noah, who was wearing a proper mask this time around, was relieved. Since he didn''t have another blackout and was still in control, he was afraid that he wouldn''t be able to fight properly against another monster, but it seemed as though he had gotten stronger than last time.


    "Maybe the merging stuff that my doppelganger was talking about isn''t all that badˇ­" He said to himself in a joking manner and playfully waved his fist around before noticing the sharp gaze of Clarice staring straight at his face, and he immediately stopped moving.


    ''Ah, sh*t!'' He cursed in his mind. He had thought that the girl was unconscious. After all, she didn''t move even an inch when the monster approached her. But to his surprise, she was still conscious. ''That was embarrassingˇ­'' He squinted his eyebrows as he kneeled down in front of the girl.


    "Miss, are you alright?" He asked with a serious expression. Clarice stared at his face, but she couldn''t move any muscles on her body, which meant that she couldn''t speak a single word.


    "Mmghˇ­" Soft groans began to escape from her mouth, which made Noah squint his eyebrows and rubbed his chin with a questioning expression.


    "Don''t tell me you can''t moveˇ­" Noah murmured softly to himself and was about to check her body in order to find out what the problem was, when all of a sudden, his senses began to tingle rapidly, as though it was altering him of something dangerous.


    "F*ck!" Noah cursed loudly as he immediately stood up and swung his fist straight up as a large shadowy figure appeared in front of him with the speed of lightning, and the following impact sent them both in the opposite directions, and the air between them shook violently.


    Whoosh!


    Noah, who was flung backwards, tumbled on the ground multiple times before striking against a large tree which helped him to stop moving.


    Tak! Tak! Tak!


    On the other hand, the monster, which was the shadowy figure that attacked him right now, was only pushed back a couple of metres, landing with perfection, it''s gaze stuck on Noah.


    "Alright, alrightˇ­ I''ll admit, I underestimated youˇ­" Noah murmured under his breath as he slowly got up from the ground, his eyes now gleaming with anger and excitement, which also surprised him a little bit.


    After all, he didn''t remember being capable of feeling as well as projecting such an intense amount of anger in his life.


    "GRRRRRAR!" The monster screeched loudly as it tapped its feet on the ground, making it shake lightly. It then stretched out its clawed wings, making the translucent wings completely visible to its opponent, and flapped it with full power, causing wind to burst out from underneath its wings as it shot forward with incredible speed.


    "Bring it on, you dumb bird!" Noah screamed loudly in response as he grinned and stretched forward both his hands.


    Whoosh!


    He too, shot forward, and the two supernatural beings collided with each other once again, causing another loud explosion before the two were flung up into the air, with the monster slightly overpowering Noah as the tussle went on.


    As this was going on, the group of young boys had appeared right next to the apartment complex, their eyes staring right at the sky, which was now completely enveloped in rain clouds.


    Max, Gerald, Harold and Alphonso all looked at the fight that was happening in the sky with wonder and awe in their eyes. They couldn''t believe what they were seeing, even though they had seen some crazy things happening only recently.


    "Well, I don''t know about you guys, but I think he''ll be handling the monster problem for us.." Alphonso whispered softly and the rest of the group nodded their heads in unison.


    "We should probably try to help the innocent peopleˇ­" Max said in a hushed tone as he pointed at the immobilised Clarice who was lying on the ground, and the group of boys cautiously moved forward, heading towards her.


    Clarice watched as a group of young boys surrounded her, all with curious expressions, and one of them asked, "Are you alright, miss?"

 Chapter 62 - Not So Heroic

    Max, Gerald, Harold and Alphonso all looked at the fight that was happening in the sky with wonder and awe in their eyes. They couldn''t believe what they were seeing, even though they had seen some crazy things happening only recently.


    "Well, I don''t know about you guys, but I think he''ll be handling the monster problem for us.." Alphonso whispered softly and the rest of the group nodded their heads in unison. "We should probably try to help the innocent peopleˇ­" Max said in a hushed tone as he pointed at the immobilised Clarice who was lying on the ground, and the group of boys cautiously moved forward, heading towards her.


    Clarice watched as a group of young boys surrounded her, all with curious expressions, and one of them asked, "Are you alright, miss?"


    Clarice, who had no idea who these young men were, nevertheless immediately tried blinking her eyes rapidly.


    "It looks like she can''t move her body.." Gerald said with a frown after examining Clarice, and rubbed his chin with his hands.


    Clarice blinked her eyes once again, agreeing to Gerald''s words.


    "Look, she''s blinking her eyelids." Alphonso was the first to notice the strange behaviour of the helpless woman who was lying on the ground, and the rest turned their attention towards her face.


    "Sh*t!" Max cursed out loud as he pulled back his feet from near Clarice''s head, which were now covered in blood. Max kneeled down next to Clarice''s head and touched her hair, and immediately realized that it was wet. "She''s bleeding," He said, as he turned around to the rest and raised his palm forward, which had turned bloody.


    "Alright, someone needs to call an ambulance." Gerald snapped his fingers after a few seconds of thinking and slammed his fist into his palm. He then turned to look at Alphonso, placed his hand on his shoulder and said, "Alphonso, you have to call the ambulance. Tell them our location. Don''t give too much information about the situation. We don''t want them to think that this is a prank call, alright?"


    "Keep the talk only to the severity of her situation. Got it.." Alphonso nodded his head. He glanced at the helpless woman lying on the ground for a split second before walking back next to the apartment complex and pulled out his phone from his pocket.


    "Guys," Gerald then turned to Harold and Max, who was staring back at him with anxious expressions on their faces, nervous but ready to accept orders on what to do.


    Plop!


    He slammed his two palms together and made a clapping sound as he said, "Well then, what are we waiting for?" He pointed at the helpless Clarice, who was making a low groaning noise and continued, "Let''s pick her up and try to move her to a safer location."


    ---------------


    Whoosh!


    The monster and Noah were fighting with each other as they flew in the air with incredible speed.


    "Take this!" Noah yelled out with a loud groan as he rolled up his fists and slammed it right into the monster''s stomach, which caused it to be flung down onto the ground with intense force.


    BAM!


    The monster''s body bounced back after the powerful impact on the floor, and Noah, who had landed right next to the creature, raised his leg up as soon as the monster had flung back up, and kicked it on its back, causing it to be flung into the air again, this time to the sides.


    GRRRRRAR!


    The monster screeched loudly with anger, and its bright red eyes began to glow brightly. It was clearly angry at the treatment it was getting at the hands of Noah.


    Flap! Flap! Flap!


    The monster flapped its translucent wings rapidly as it was being flung back, causing the air around it to strike onto the floor and propel the creature upwards, changing the direction of the creature, and saving it from the path that it was forced to use.


    "Damn it!" Noah saw that the monster had quickly manoeuvred out of the sticky situation that it was caught up in, and gritted his teeth.


    Consecutive attacks at incredible speeds and with no time to counter was what Noah was hoping to utilise this time around. However, now that the monster had successfully freed itself from the chain reaction, this meant that he now had to rethink his strategy.


    "GRRRAAA!" The monster screamed, as though it was saying to Noah that it wasn''t about to give him any more chances to attack.


    Whoosh!


    Right afterwards, the monster flapped its wings with high intensity, and it burst forward, heading straight for Noah.


    "Oh for f*ck''s sake.." Noah cursed his bad luck and he rolled forward, as the monster slammed down onto the ground, sending dirt and debris flying all over the place, even causing a slight earthquake as a result of the impact.


    "Careful, carefulˇ­" Gerald said as he held Clarice''s head a bit more tightly and carefully, and Max and Harold, who were both at the other end, nodded their heads.


    The small earthquake had made their steps a bit wobbly, but they slowed down according to the situation, and were now successfully heading towards the another apartment complex that was situated just a few metres away from them.


    "Ah, you''ve got to be f*cking kidding me.." Gerald said with a frown as he continued walking, his eyes keeping a lookout for any obstacles in their way.


    "Why? What''s the problem?" Max asked, as he slightly tilted his head in order to get a good look at the way they were heading.


    "There''s a crowd of people standing in the middle of the road.." Gerald said, and as soon as he spoke, he tilted his head a bit in order for the other two to get a look at what the problem was.


    Both Max and Harold looked at the road with confused expressions on their faces, and saw a large group of people who were blocking the way right in front of them. They had expressions of worry on their faces.


    "I''m guessing they''re people who are living in the apartment complexes nearby," Max said as he pointed at the multiple apartment complexes that were in their vicinity. Of course, they didn''t Look expensive at all. In fact, they looked extremely cheap and old, as though they were in need of renovations.


    "Hello, can you hear me? Hello?"


    "No, you don''t understand! I need you to come back home. Please! There''s something terrible going on here!"


    "No, I''m not hurt. Yeah no, I really am not. Don''t worry about me too much. I''ll be fine. I''m a big girl now."


    Many people were talking on their phones, trying to call their loved ones and they desperately tried to escape this location.


    The group of boys didn''t know whether or not the people here were aware of what really was happening, or whether they were running because of the loud earthquake. But they didn''t have time to ask anyone as they had a person in need of emergency treatment with them.


    "Injured person coming through! Injured person coming through!" Gerald began to yell as loudly as he could as the crowd began to close in, and the people in front of him turned around and raised their eyebrows, their gazes then turning to the unmoving women that were in the hands of the group of boys.


    "Hey! There''s an injured person here!" A few people moved to the sides in order to give the group of boys a bit of space, but it was still a tight pathway.


    "It''s too tight! We might hurt her if we continue to move forward!" Gerald yelled out with a frustrated look on his face, and both Max and Gerald nodded their heads.


    "Let''s set her down for now," Max pointed at the entrance of one of the apartment complexes which were completely empty and was a good distance away from the fight. "We can wait for the ambulance to arrive." Max clarified.


    "Alright, let''s do that.." Gerald nodded his head and the group placed the injured Clarice, who was still groaning, right in front of the apartment complex. The boys surrounded her and sat down on the steps, tired from carrying the lady around.


    "I called an ambulance!" Alphonso yelled out loudly as he rushed towards the three boys, and they turned to look at him.


    "Great!" Gerald gave a thumbs up, and Alphonso scratched his head with a silly smile on his face.


    "What do we do now?" Alphonso asked, curious as to what their plan was, seeing as they were now a short distance away from both the monster and Noah.


    "I guess we''ll wait.." Gerald said as he stared at the group of people, who were getting anxious and their voices getting louder and louder.


    "Doesn''t seem like a heroic thing to do.." Alphonso replied with a frown, and Gerald shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe.. But then again, we really haven''t manifested any superpowers either, so it''s probably for the best."

 Chapter 63 - Exit

    "I called an ambulance!" Alphonso yelled out loudly as he rushed towards the three boys, and they turned to look at him. "Great!" Gerald gave a thumbs up, and Alphonso scratched his head with a silly smile on his face.


    "What do we do now?" Alphonso asked, curious as to what their plan was, seeing as they were now a short distance away from both the monster and Noah. "I guess we''ll wait.." Gerald said as he stared at the group of people, who were getting anxious and their voices getting louder and louder.


    "Doesn''t seem like a heroic thing to do.." Alphonso replied with a frown, and Gerald shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe. But then again, we really haven''t manifested any superpowers either, so it''s probably for the best."


    -----------------


    "What the hellˇ­." Back in the wrecked apartment complex, the girl who had been knocked out by the monster''s attack raised her head and let out a groan as she got up from the floor, shaking her head furiously as though she was trying to get something out of her ear.


    "Ow, my earsˇ­" She said with a frown on her face. Her ears were ringing due to the impact of the monster''s attack. She slapped her ears a few more times and then began walking towards the door, but right then..


    "Oh my god!" Her gaze accidentally shifted towards the side of the apartment room, and her eyes widened in surprise and horror. She clutched her mouth with her hands and her knees began to shake furiously.


    The corner side of the apartment room was completely wrecked, with the bookshelves and desk all knocked over, and the floor was entirely drenched in blood.


    The girl, whose hands were shaking furiously, slowly turned her gaze towards the bookshelf, she could see a human foot that was popping out from underneath the wreckage and she let out a gasp as she fell down onto the floor, her breathing getting more and more intense.


    "Oh my godˇ­ oh my godˇ­" She began to murmur under breath repeatedly, as her breathing continued to get more and more erratic. She then began looking around, her eyes filled with fear and caution.


    "I''veˇ­ I''ve got to get out of hereˇ­" She whispered under her breath softly, as though she was ordering herself and trying to give her some confidence.


    BAM!


    "AHH!" A loud noise that shook the whole apartment made the girl scream out loudly in surprise, but she immediately pressed her hand against her mouth and suppressed her screams, afraid that whatever killed her boyfriend might come after her next if it heard her voice.


    "Come on, you can do it," She repeated words of encouragement to herself, and after a few seconds, she got up from the floor and began slowly walking out towards the front door.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    The girl stopped right as she was in front of the door. She then stretched out her hand in order to grab the doorknob, and saw that her hand was shaking uncontrollably. Nevertheless, she continued stretching it forward, and grabbed hold of the doorknob.


    She then twisted it slowly and then popped her head out of the small opening of the doorway and then looked out towards the hallway, trying to figure out whether or not it was fine to head out of the room.


    "It doesn''t seem like there''s anyone hereˇ­" She tilted her head towards both sides as she finished speaking, and found nothing. The hallway seemed to be completely empty.


    Squeak!


    She then pulled the door open wide, and the door opened with a small squeaky noise, which made the girl''s eyes widen with terror. She looked out into the hallway once again, this time out of fear of getting noticed by the thing that had killed her boyfriend.


    Whoosh!


    There was no sign of the monster, which made her let out a long sigh of relief. Fortunately for her, she hadn''t been found out.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    She stepped out of her room and then, with a large intake of air and then breathing out, the girl began slowly walking towards the stairs. She wanted to escape from this cursed apartment complex as soon as possible.


    But right then!


    Whoosh!


    The girl didn''t notice it as it was simply too fast for her eye to process, but outside of the window, a dark shadow was approaching the apartment complex with incredible speed.


    WHAM!


    Right as the girl was moving forward through the hallway, the wall that was right in front of her, exploded with a loud noise and sent her flying backwards. A large object had crashed through the wall of the hallway, shooting through the layers of metal and concrete as though it was just paper. It had even broken through another layer of wall, and landed inside one of the apartment rooms.


    "GAH!" The girl coughed out loud as she got up from the floor, and found out that the wall had been completely wrecked, with a view of the exterior clearly visible to her.


    The floor in front of her had also been completely demolished, with the large pieces of metal and concrete blocking the pathway to the stairs.


    "Oh no, no, noˇ­" The girl kept repeating the same thing as she clutched her hair and gritted her teeth. It seemed like the unfortunate circumstances that she had been caught up in had finally made her snap and break down.


    Thud! Thud! Thud!


    As the girl was having a mental breakdown, the floor began to bounce all of a sudden, and her attention immediately turned towards the opening that was made by the wreckage of the wall, which was where the noise was coming from.


    Thud! Thud! Thud!


    The girl watched in horror as the large figure of the monster with wings appeared through the opening on the wall, it''s clawed and translucent wings stretched forward, and its eyes staring straight at the room inside of which the dark shadow had just crashed into.


    "GRRRRRAR!" The monster growled loudly. It didn''t sound like a loud growl, and it was definitely not the loudest growl that the creature has emitted, and yet the noise it made sent a chill down the girl''s spine, making the hair on her arms stand up.


    "God damn itˇ­" Noah, who was the dark figure that had just been flung into the apartment complex by the monster, gritted his teeth as he slowly got up and shook his head, causing dust and small concrete particles to fall down from his hair and onto the floor. "I can''t believe that even after all this time, I''m still getting my a** kicked by these creatures..." He said with an annoyed expression on his face.


    He then looked at where he had landed and realised that he was inside of an apartment. He had crashed through the bed of whoever lived here, which gave him a soft cushioning for his landing, but the crash ended up completely destroying the bed, which was now in pieces.


    "I sure hope no one is planning to continue living hereˇ­" Noah said with a bitter chuckle, and then focused his gaze on the monster, which was staring back at him with its bright red eyes.


    "Well, then.." Noah said as he cracked his knuckles and began walking forward. "What the f*ck are you even waiting for? Come at me!" He said as he began running towards the monster, which growled loudly in response.


    "Kyaaa!" However, Noah''s feelings of excitement was cut short when a loud feminine shriek interrupted his thought process, and his gaze then turned to his side, where the voice had come from.


    "Ah, sh*t!" Noah cursed out loudly, as a nervous look appeared on his face. "Don''t tell there are still people in this buildingˇ­" He whispered softly as his gaze then slowly shifted towards the monster, which had also turned its head, looking in the same direction as he was.


    "F*ck, f*ck, f*ck..." Noah bit his lips and stomped hard on the ground, as a gust of air burst out from underneath his feet, pushing him forward.


    "Kyaaa!" The girl screamed once again as she saw the monster looking straight at her, and then immediately pressed her hand against her mouth, realizing her mistake.


    "GRRAAAAR!" The monster roared loudly as soon as the girl finished screaming, but right thenˇ­


    BAM!


    Noah''s figure appeared from the side. Moving with incredible speed, Noah immediately grabbed hold of the monster''s waist, gripped on it tightly, and pushed it along with him and out of the building within a split second, leaving only a burst of air behind.


    BAM!


    Both Noah and the creature crashed down on the road with a loud noise.


    "AHHH!" The girl, who realized that this was her chance to escape, immediately got up from the floor.. She knew that her exit was now blocked, and so she rushed to the nearest room, which had its door broken from the inside.

 Chapter 64 - Death And Life

    "GRRAAAAR!" The monster roared loudly as soon as the girl finished screaming, but right thenˇ­


    Noah''s figure appeared from the side. Moving with incredible speed, Noah immediately grabbed hold of the monster''s waist, gripped on it tightly, and pushed it along with him and out of the building within a split second, leaving only a burst of air behind.


    BAM!


    Both Noah and the creature crashed down on the road with a loud noise. "AHHH!" The girl, who realized that this was her chance to escape, immediately got up from the floor. She knew that her exit was now blocked, and so she rushed to the nearest room, which had its door broken from the inside.


    GRAAAAR!


    The monster snarled loudly before raising its sharp clawed legs and slamming it right onto Noah''s face, which made him fly backwards and crash right onto the wall of the apartment building that was right behind them.


    BOOM!


    "Ugh!" Noah groaned loudly as his body crashed through the wall of the apartment and caused him to roll into one of the rooms, landing on his back with a loud noise.


    Whoosh!


    Before Noah could get up from the floor, the monster had already spread its wings and flapped down hard, pushing it forward, and it appeared in front of Noah with incredible speed.


    GRRRRRAR!


    The creature slammed its clawed wings down onto the face of Noah, who was lying on the floor.


    WHAM!


    The clawed wing shot through the air with incredible speed, aiming straight for Noah''s forehead.


    "Oh, no you don''t!" Noah immediately whipped his body and rolled upwards within seconds, and the clawed wings slammed onto the concrete below, sending dust and dirt flying all over the place.


    Noah immediately kicked the monster right in the face, and his foot slammed onto the cheek of the monster with such intensity that the creature slammed onto the wall beside it.


    "GRRRAAA!" However, it didn''t look like the attack made any big difference, as a split second later, the monster had already raised its head out of the hole in the wall and flew back towards Noah within seconds.


    Crack! Crack! Crack!


    The monster''s body was simply too big for the room, and yet the creature didn''t even seem to care. It had raised its clawed wings up in the air and spread it wide, which caused the clawed part to break through the roof, and as the creature moved forward, the claw tore through the roof along with it, creating a long continuous opening on the roof of the room.


    Whoosh!


    Noah immediately turned around and headed for the kitchen of the apartment room, and the monster followed him without even a second of questioning.


    WHAM!


    The creature growled as it showed its sharp teeth, which were aiming for Noah''s neck, but right then, Noah immediately grabbed onto the cupboard and flipped upwards, evading the monster''s attack yet again as it crashed through the utensils and the wall behind the sink, which resulted in the water tap to be broken, sending the water bursting out and onto the monster right before crashed down onto the ground.


    Noah landed on his feet and immediately dashed towards the fallen monster, which had its translucent wings completely covered in water, which made it wet.


    "GRRRAAA!" The monster attempted to position itself properly and try to fly up into the sky, but it''s now moist wings made it unable for the monster to fly properly, and Noah immediately grabbed hold of its head from behind as it was distracted.


    "I got you, you son of a b*tchˇ­" Noah yelled out as he stretched his hand outwards and wrapped it around the monster''s head, grabbing its wide open nostrils, dropping his fingers into it and pulling it up as hard as he could, which made the monster screech loudly, presumably from the pain it was feeling.


    "GRRRAAA! GRAAAAR!" The creature''s screams didn''t seem like it''d stop, and it slowly began to drift in the air left and right, like some remote control drone which had lost its connection with the controller.


    "Shut the hell up you piece of sh*t!" Noah roared loudly, and his eyes were now completely black. His grip on the monster''s nostrils increased as he continued pulling, and within seconds, the creature''s flesh began to get ripped open, causing blue coloured liquid to burst out of through the opening like a waterfall.


    "AHHHHH!" Noah then used his other hand to grab onto the creature''s mouth as he roared loudly again. His voice now resembled that of an animal, and his sharp transformed hands sunk into the interior of the animal''s flesh, causing the blue liquid to drip out of the creature''s mouth, filling it completely as the creature slammed itself against the wall.


    BAM!


    The monster had flew backwards and slammed its back against the wall, in a desperate and possibly final attempt to push Noah off of its back, but right before the creature made contact with the wall, Noah had immediately flipped up and used his legs to push back against the wall, protecting himself as the creature was the only one who slammed against the concrete, causing it to break through the wall onto the inside of the building.


    Whoosh!


    Noah flipped down onto the room and immediately rushed towards the monster before it could get back up on its feet and slammed his foot onto the monster''s chest with full force!


    BOOM!


    The powerful stomp caused the monster to slam back onto the ground with a loud noise and a groan, as the dust surrounding the creature flew back and filled the atmosphere.


    "Goodbye!" Noah whispered softly as an evil grin appeared on his face, and he stretched out his hands and wrapped it around the monster''s head, pulling it as hard as he could.


    "UAGHHH!" He groaned loudly as he pulled the monster''s head with all the power that he could muster, and the ripped apart flesh on the monster''s face that Noah had previously did began to rip even wider, and the blue liquid continued to squirt out.


    Spurt!


    The monster tried to move, but it was all too late as Noah pulled back with intense force, which caused the top part of the monster''s head to be ripped out, causing the flesh particles to spread all over the floor and the walls and the blue liquid splashed all over Noah''s body.


    The monster''s headless body began to shake violently for a few seconds before it slammed onto the ground with a loud noise and stopped moving, finally turning lifeless.


    Noah looked at the monster''s head that was in his hands for a few seconds before dropping it on the ground, and the head bounced off the floor a few times before it stopped rolling.


    He then walked towards the lifeless body of the monster and knelt down right in front of it, still keeping an eye on it. He then stretched out his hand, moving it towards the monster''s chestˇ­


    ----------------


    "HAAAH!" The girl ran through the living room of the apartment room and then towards the kitchen, and she hid behind the kitchen table as she breathed in and out, gasping for air.


    "What the hell was that thing?!" She whispered under her breath as she tried to remember the figure of the creature that she had just seen, and the hair on her hands stood up, giving her chills all over her body.


    She remembered seeing the creature before, when she had opened the door to her apartment, but this was the first time she caught a good look at the figure of the monster.


    "Was that thing really what killedˇ­" She couldn''t even complete her sentence as she broke down into tears and she covered her mouth with her hands, trying to suppress her cries. She wanted to forget the horrible incident that took the life of her boyfriend, but whatever she did, she couldn''t help but remember the horrific sight that she witnessed.


    Right then!


    Crack! Crack!


    The sound of something slowly cracking could be heard, which made the girl stop crying and turn completely alert. The hair on her hands stood up, and her eyes widened with fear.


    "What the hell was that noiseˇ­" The girl''s inside voice was shaking. She could feel that something dangerous was near her, in this very room, which made her feel afraid.


    Inside the apartment, and within the storage room, one of the large eggs began to shake violently, as slime and its fleshy outer coverings began to drip down from its exterior and onto the floor.


    Crack!


    All of a sudden, the sound of something cracking was heard once again, and the egg began to shake even more violently. Right thenˇ­


    BAM!


    A large piece of the outer shell of the egg shot out and slammed against the wall, as a small hand covered in scales and a weird sticky substance emerged from inside of the egg.


    GRRRRRAR!

 Chapter 65 - Control

    "What the hell was that noiseˇ­" The girl''s inside voice was shaking. She could feel that something dangerous was near her, in this very room, which made her feel afraid. Inside the apartment, and within the storage room, one of the large eggs began to shake violently, as slime and its fleshy outer coverings began to drip down from its exterior and onto the floor.


    Crack!


    All of a sudden, the sound of something cracking was heard once again, and the egg began to shake even more violently. Right then, a large piece of the outer shell of the egg shot out and slammed against the wall, as a small hand covered in scales and a weird sticky substance emerged from inside of the egg.


    GRRRRRAR!


    "Oh no, oh no, oh noˇ­" The girl clutched her mouth tightly as her face began to get red, getting Increasingly nervous as the cracking noises continued without stopping.


    Crack! Crack! Crack!


    The small hand that emerged from within the egg was now waving around the room, trying to slam it''s fist onto the outer shell of the egg, attempting to break it.


    WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!


    The slimy and scaly fist began to repeatedly slam on the shell of the egg, causing multiple cracks to form on it, and the translucent sticky substance began to be whipped all across the room, staining the walls and the roof.


    WHAM!


    The hand grabbed hold of one of the openings on the eggs that had been made by the repeated slamming, and then violently ripped open a portion of the egg shell and threw it away with such intense force that it flew into the living room and slammed it onto the television screen that was stuck to the wall, causing it to fall down onto the floor with a loud noise.


    BAM!


    "Eeh!" The girl was caught off guard by the sudden loud noise, which made her yell out in fear.


    The monster within the egg suddenly turned silent, and its eyes, which were now visible through the opening of the egg shell, was looking through the hole and breathing in and out with a curious expression.


    Back in the kitchen, the girl had gone back to covering her mouth, and her face had now completely turned red and was covered in sweat.


    ''Did I reveal my location?'' That was the question that was running through the girl''s mind, but unfortunately for her, she didn''t have the answer. All she could do was pray that whatever was making that noise hadn''t heard her cry.


    She then slowly popped her head out from behind the kitchen table and looked at the living room. She could see that the door to the storage room, which was where the noise was coming from, was open. But she couldn''t see anything suspicious within it, or anywhere near the entrance of the storage room for that matter.


    She then turned her gaze towards the hallway, and gulped down the saliva that was in her mouth.


    ''Should I just make a run for it?'' She thought nervously, as she looked at the storage room and then back at the hallway, moving her head back and forth as she did so.


    She wasn''t sure about what her decision should be. She was nervous and afraid, and this was affecting her ability to make a decision.


    GRRRRRAR!


    All of a sudden, a soft yet deadly growl entered into the ears of the girl, which made her eyes widen and her the hair on her hands stand straight up. A sudden chill went up her spine, and her body began to shake.


    The growl sounded close. Extremely close. She slowly raised her head and looked above the table, where a slime covered creature that was about the size of a rottweiler dog was sitting, staring at the girl with its glowing red eyes.


    "Oh godˇ­" The girl couldn''t help but whisper softly as she slowly began to crawl backwards, her gaze still on the creature, not even moving an inch.


    The creature, on the other hand, continued staring at the girl without looking away, intrigue and interest evident in its gaze.


    ''Is it not planning to attack me?'' The girl, who was confused as to why the creature wasn''t trying to attack her, tilted her head and looked at the monster with confusion.


    The girl tilted her head left and right, and the monster still didn''t make a move.


    Maybe it wasn''t a carnivorous monster? The girl couldn''t help but think. After all, it did look like an animal, even though it was something entirely new. Perhaps it had similar features to that of herbivorous animals?


    ''Either way, I have to get out of hereˇ­'' The girl finally made her decision. She knew that staying with this monster was not the wisest choice.


    With this in mind, she slowly got up from the floor, still keeping an eye on the monster, which continued staring back at her with an intrigued gaze.


    ''Please don''t attack me.'' She said in her mind, but was not courageous enough to say it out loud.


    She silently got up on her feet, and her gaze then slightly shifted to the hallway for a split second before turning back to look at the monster, afraid that the creature might jump at her if she looked away.


    But the monster stood in its spot, without making any movements, and continued to stare at her.


    ''Alright then,'' The girl said to herself as she clenched her fists tightly and bit her lips, and she immediately bolted towards the doorway.


    Twak!


    As soon as the girl pressed her foot on the floor hard and sprinted, the monster, which had made no unnecessary movements all this time, suddenly darted forward as well, growling Koul as it charged towards the girl.


    BAM!


    The girl desperately wanted to believe that she could outrun the monster. But unfortunately, the supernatural creature was simply too quick for her, and it slammed onto the girl''s back, causing her to lose her balance and fall down onto the floor with a loud noise.


    "AHHH!" The girl screamed loudly in fear, afraid that she''ll lose her life, but the monster immediately grabbed her by the hair and slammed her head down onto the floor, breaking her teeth and causing blood to splatter on the walls near them.


    "Ugh.. gh.." The girl groaned weakly, blood dripping out from her mouth as the monster raised her up and threw her body onto the wall with ease.


    BOOM!


    The girl''s back slammed onto the wall, and the monster jumped in her direction as well, grabbing her face and pulling it up as it opened its own mouth.


    Glick! Glick!


    The monster''s mouth opened wider than any other creature''s mouth did, and from its throat came out countless tentacles, which entered into the girl''s mouth.


    -------------------


    "Ughˇ­" Noah blinked his eyes and scratched his head as he regained his vision.


    "Sh*t!" He cursed out loud as he looked at his hands, which were completely covered in blood. "Did I lose control of myself yet again?"


    He did remember fighting the giant bat-like creature, but the rest of the fight was a complete blur to him. He did have memories of the fight, but it was faint and not understandable, similar to an out of focus video.


    "F*ck, did I even win?" Noah held his head as he mumbled under his breath, and his gaze then went to the decapitated head of the monster, which was right next to his hand, and it made him flinch for a second.


    "... I guess I did end up winning the fight!" Noah nodded his head after a brief period of shock. Right then!


    Noah''s eyes narrowed down, and a frown appeared on his face. He then turned around and faced the apartment building that the monster had previously made him crash into, and his frown deepened even further.


    -------------


    "How many more minutes do we have to wait?" Alphonso said, concern evident in his voice as he spoke. He didn''t look like he could handle another minute of sitting down.


    "Calm down, Alphonso," Max said as he placed his hand on Alphonso''s shoulder. "It''s only been a few minutes. You have to be patient."


    "Ghˇ­" Clarice groaned from the floor. Her skin was slowly turning pale.


    "We have to do something about her!" Alphonso said loudly as he pointed his finger at Clarice, and continued. "She needs emergency medical treatment!"


    "Hemingway Memorial Hospital is about 40 minutes away." Gerald said while letting out a sigh, and Alphonso turned his gaze towards him. He continued, "It''s better to wait for an ambulance. They''ll know the right procedure."


    Beep! Beep!


    As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of horns echoed throughout the atmosphere, which made the boys turn their gaze in the direction of the noise.


    "It''s the ambulance!" Harold yelled out, and a smile appeared on Alphonso''s face.


    An ambulance had appeared in front of the apartment complex gateway, and was surrounded by the crowd of people.


    Right then, Max''s face turned serious, and he turned around to look at the sky.


    He could sense something sinister approaching....

 Chapter 66 - Resurrection

    "Ughˇ­" The girl groaned loudly as she tried to get up from the floor. She was completely exhausted, and her head was spinning.


    "What the hellˇ­ what the hell just happened?" She began to mumble under her breath as she held her head and bit her lips.


    She knew that she had been lying unconscious until now, but she couldn''t immediately remember how she fainted, as her memory was a bit blurry in her head. It wasn''t easy to recall things, especially when there''s a loud ringing noise echoing in her ears.


    "Ugh.. my headˇ­" She groaned once again and massaged her head with a frown on her face. "It still hurtsˇ­"


    As she was massaging her head, her eyes suddenly widened, and she let out a loud scream.


    "AHHHHH!" Her hands were trembling uncontrollably as she screamed, and her eyes were now full of terror and anxiousness.


    "The monster.. the monster.." Her words were slowly turning incomprehensible as she continued muttering. The speed at which she was speaking was slowly increasing.


    "It- It went into my.. my.." She stopped mumbling under her breath, stretched out her hand and inserted her finger into her throat, which after a while made her cough out loud and throw up onto the floor.


    "Guah!" The girl continued throwing up, as though she wasn''t intending on stopping until everything in her stomach was emptied, and her eyes began to get all teary.


    "Oh godˇ­ oh god.." She continued muttering even after finishing throwing up, and she wiped her mouth with a terrified look on her face.


    She had remembered what had happened right before she fainted. Her memory was finally becoming clearer to her, and now, she wished that she had remained ignorant.


    "Oh god.. it went into my bodyˇ­" She said with a horrified expression as she tightly gripped her stomach, unaware and filled with terror thinking about what''s going to happen to her.


    The monster had opened its mouth, which caused the tentacles to exit out from its throat and enter into her own mouth. Although faint and blurry, she could still remember what was happening to her.


    "Where.. where did the monster go?" She looked around, afraid of the creature still being present near her, but to her relief, she couldn''t see the monster''s figure anywhere.


    She then touched her face and rubbed her hands all around her mouth, hair and her cheeks with a confused expression.


    "There''s- there''s no injuries eitherˇ­" She didn''t understand. She had remembered the monster grabbing her by the hair and slamming her head repeatedly on the floor. She remembered her spitting out blood and multiple teeth. And yet, for some reason, there were no signs of any injuries on her face, which was confusing to her.


    "Did I perhaps dream all that?" The girl had doubts as to whether what she saw was real or not, but the broken floor and walls as well as the sticky substance that was spread all over the floor and on her hands would imply otherwise.


    All of a sudden!


    "Urghˇ­!" The girl squinted her eyes as she suddenly fell down onto the floor, her head now touching the floor as she groaned loudly.


    "What- what is happening to me?!" She screamed in horror as she stared at her hands, which were rapidly growing in size as scales began to cover her skin.


    "AHHHH!" The girl yelled out loud helplessly, but unfortunately for her, the transformation did not seem like it would stop.


    Crack! Crack!


    The sound of something hard breaking was heard, and the screams of the girl became even louder, and her expression turned to one of pain as the skin on her back began to stretch outwards like a cloth.


    RRRRRIP!


    Her skin ripped open, and from underneath it burst out two long and solid bone structures that looked like the bone structure of the wings of a pterodactyl.


    The bones had pierced through her clothes, making two holes in them, and the girl began slamming her head on the floor like a crazy person.


    BAM! BAM! BAM!


    "Get out of my head! Get out of my head!" She began to yell out, screaming the same words repeatedly over and over, as even her face began to morph into a monstrous figure.


    "GRRRRRAR!" A loud and unexpected roar escaped out from the girl''s lips, which turned her silent all of a sudden, and her eyes, which were black in color all this time, had suddenly turned red.


    "... I guess I did end up winning the fight!" Noah nodded his head after a brief period of shock. Right then!


    Noah''s eyes narrowed down, and a frown appeared on his face. He then turned around and faced the apartment building that the monster had previously made him crash into, and his frown deepened even further.


    "What was that?" Noah muttered to himself. Although he was far away from the apartment complex, he could nevertheless sense a beastly energy emanating from within the building, which made him squint his eyes.


    Although there wasn''t anything too suspicious about the whole situation, Noah nevertheless decided to check it out one last time in order to make sure that there wasn''t anything shady going on.


    WHAM!


    He stomped on the ground with intense force, which made the dust around him spread out right before he launched forward, heading straight for the apartment building.


    "GRRRRRAR!" As he appreciated the building, the loud roar of the monstrous creature entered into his ears, which made him widen his eyes in surprise, before immediately increasing his speed.


    "Sh*t!" He cursed out loud as he bit his lips. "There was another one of those things in the vicinity?" He didn''t expect there to be two monsters roaming around the same area.


    Whoosh!


    Within seconds, he had reached the front yard of the apartment building, but right then..


    BOOM!


    A loud explosive sound rang out from behind the apartment complex, which made the facial expression of Noah worsen, and he immediately darted to the back of the building, which had now been completely covered in dust and debris.


    "This isˇ­" Noah looked at the dirt and the concrete blocks that were lying on the floor, and his gaze then immediately shifted to the sky, where he could see a monstrous figure flying through the air.


    "Damn it.." Noah gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. It seemed as though the monster had broken through the walls of one of the apartment rooms and escaped!


    He looked at the direction where the monster was heading towards, and he immediately stomped his foot on the ground and took off, leaving behind a giant crater in the spot where he just stood!


    ''It seems like the creature is aware of where the crowded places areˇ­'' Noah thought in his mind as he tried to keep up with the monster by traveling through land.


    He had used his enhanced senses to map out the surroundings, and had found out that there was a higher concentration of people in the direction where the monster was heading towards, as there were more sound waves and seismic waves propagating from that location.


    "I have to stop this thing before it hurts anyone.." Noah reminded himself of his responsibility, and he continued following the monster.


    ----------------


    Beep! Beep!


    The sound of horns echoed throughout the atmosphere, which made the boys turn their gaze in the direction of the noise.


    "It''s the ambulance!" Harold yelled out, and a smile appeared on Alphonso''s face. An ambulance had appeared in front of the apartment complex gateway, and was surrounded by the crowd of people.


    Right then, Max''s face turned serious, and he turned around to look at the sky.He could sense something sinister approaching.


    He narrowed his eyes, trying to get a good look at the sky. "What the hell is that?" He muttered to himself, as he continued gazing at it.


    Whoosh!


    Far away, in the air, Max could see a strange bird heading in their direction.


    ''No wait,'' Max squinted his eyes once again. ''That was a bird,'' he said to himself. That was way too big to be a bird. And its wings were completely different to that of a bird. In fact, the wings looked kind of similar to that of a bat.


    ''Wait a minute,'' Max''s eyes widened, and fear began to spread all over his gaze. ''A bat winged creatureˇ­''


    Max still remembered the creature that he saw Noah fighting just a few minutes ago, and he immediately began to sweat profusely.


    "Max?" Gerald, who saw that Max was staring at the sky and not even making a single movement, raised his eyebrows and pulled him by the shoulder, asking, "What''s wrong? Why are you standing still?"


    "It''s.. it''s a monsterˇ­" Max mumbled under his breath, and Gerald widened his eyes in surprise. "What did you say?"


    "It''s a monster!" Max screamed out loud, and everyone''s attention turned to him.. Alphonso and Harold also turned their gazes at him, their faces filled with anxiety, as they all stared at the sky, where they could see the figure of a terrifying creature with wings, heading straight for them.

 Chapter 67 - Dont Stop Now

    Max still remembered the creature that he saw Noah fighting just a few minutes ago, and he immediately began to sweat profusely."Max?" Gerald, who saw that Max was staring at the sky and not even making a single movement, raised his eyebrows and pulled him by the shoulder, asking, "What''s wrong? Why are you standing still?"


    "It''s.. it''s a monsterˇ­" Max mumbled under his breath, and Gerald widened his eyes in surprise. "What did you say?"


    "It''s a monster!" Max screamed out loud, and everyone''s attention turned to him. Alphonso and Harold also turned their gazes at him, their faces filled with anxiety, as they all stared at the sky, where they could see the figure of a terrifying creature with wings, heading straight for them.


    "What in god''s name is that thing?" An old lady adjusted her glasses and said in a hushed tone, and the rest couldn''t help but turn to look at the sky, only to find the winged creature fast approaching their location.


    "What is that, a bird?" Another person asked, and the rest began to murmur amongst one another, unsure of what the creature approaching them was.


    But the group of boys knew. Their faces had turned pale as they were terrified of the monstrous creature that was heading their way.


    "Sh*t! Sh*t! Sh*t! Everyone! Get out of the way and hide!" Gerald cursed out loud and then immediately turned around and yelled while looking at the crowd, who were staring at the young man screaming loudly on the top of his lungs with confusion in their eyes.


    "Excuse me, young man!" An elderly man walked up and raised his hands, an annoying expression present on his face as he spoke. "But you shouldn''t use swear words in public like that! That is bad manners!" He scolded Gerald, who stared back at him with a frustrated look on his face.


    "Ughˇ­." Clarice groaned as both Max and Harold called out for Gerald. "Gerald!" They yelled in unison. "We need to get this woman inside the ambulance before the creature arrives!"


    Gerald turned back to look at the mumbling young woman who was injured, and then scratched his head before replying, "Ah, f*ck! You''re right, you''re right!"


    He then immediately walked up to grab Clarice by her head, as Max went for the hip and Harold grabbed hold of the leg. The group then headed towards the ambulance, which was also moving through the crowd, albeit at a slower pace than the group of young boys.


    "Injured person coming through! Injured person coming through!" Max yelled out as the group tried to get to the ambulance, and Gerald turned his head every now and then to make sure that the creature was still not near them.


    "Is it getting closer?" Harold asked, his expression now turned fearful and anxious. Gerald clicked his tongue, signaling his frustration and fear as he replied, "It''ll take half a minute, maybe even less.."


    "Sh*t!" Harold cursed and he yelled out once again, this time even louder than before, his voice shaking and filled with nervousness. "Move out of the way! Injured person coming through!"


    "Aah!" One of the men in the crowd pointed his hand at the sky, as the true size of the creature was now becoming more and more clearer to the people. "It''s.. that thing is getting closer!" The man screamed out loud, and only now did the crowd understand what Gerald had meant a few seconds ago.


    The creature was extremely large and muscular, which made it all the more intimidating, and it had the figure of an animal that they had never seen. It looked extremely dangerous and terrifying, and now that the people knew what it''s true form was, they were finally able to figure out the threat that was heading their way.


    "Oh lord! Get out of the way!" People began to shout loudly as all hell broke loose. The crowd went crazy as people began to run around, trying to find a safe space to hide and to escape the terrifying creature that seemed to be heading their way.


    "Sh*t! People are going nuts!" Gerald clicked his tongue as he helped pull Clarice into the ambulance and Max shook his head. "People are dumb. You shouldn''t worry about things that are out of our control." He then pointed at Clarice and said, "Let''s focus on getting her strapped to the bed!"


    "You''re right.." Gerald nodded his head, and the trio focused their attention on Clarice. Alphonso was keeping an eye on the monster, which was getting closer and closer, which made him clench his fists tightly.


    "Guys?" He said while still keeping his eye on the monster. "You better hurry up!"


    "GRRRRRAR!" The monster roared loudly as it began to drop down from the sky, lowering its altitude as it began heading towards its prey.


    "Sh*t!" Noah, who was following the creature through the ground, cursed out loud as he sped up even more in an attempt to block the monster from attacking the civilians.


    Zoom!


    He pressed his foot hard on the ground, and the air under his feet burst out backwards, causing the trees and the shrubs around him to shake violently as the tremendous energy shot Noah forward even quicker.


    "Are you guys ready back there?" The ambulance driver asked as he turned around to look at Gerald and the gang, who replied almost immediately, "Yes!"


    "We have to leave! Right now!" Gerald said with conviction, and the ambulance driver began to pull back from the road, but his speed was slow as there were still a bunch of people running around on the road with no concern about the vehicle that was heading towards them.


    "GRRRAAR!" The monster roared loudly as it brandished its claws and headed straight for a young girl, who was standing still on the road, not moving.


    Or perhaps, not able to move, as her legs were shaking violently without stopping. Her face was full of tears as she watched the monster fast approach her, and she let out a loud and ear screeching scream in response.


    "AHHHHHH!"


    BAM!


    However, right before the monster''s claws could slice open the girl''s stomach and rip apart her intestines, the figure of a masked Noah appeared from behind the creature and slammed it from the side, forcing the creature to change its trajectory and crash into another building with a loud noise.


    BOOM!


    The explosion was loud, but it was not enough for the crowd to calm down. The people had now witnessed the monster''s terrifying appearance in person, and they definitely weren''t hopeful of it being actually defeated by such a simple collision.


    They had heard of old legends and folktales of monsters and mythical creatures, and they were far more powerful than what any human could imagine.


    And since the monster had appearances similar to the creatures in legends, they attributed the same characteristics to the creature in their subconscious mind.


    "RUN!" They didn''t know who said those words, but nevertheless, they decided to listen.


    "Step on it!" Gerald yelled out, and the ambulance driver, who was unable to understand what was going on, pressed hard on the accelerator and began honking the horn loudly at the crowd of people in front of the vehicle.


    Honk! Honk!


    The loud horns echoed throughout the surroundings, and the creature, which was lying under the rubble just now, rose up from the ground within seconds and shot towards the ambulance, roaring loudly as it moved.


    GRRRAAAR!


    "Sh*t! It''s coming towards us!" Alphonso screamed as he watched the creature''s movements, and he grabbed onto the metal railings inside the vehicle. Harold and Gerald both lied down on the ground, covering their heads.


    "You idiots just don''t listen to me when I''m being nice, do you?" Noah''s voice entered the ears of the creature, which made it turn its head around, and saw him high up in the air, right above the creature with his leg in a kicking position. "I am not going to let you escape!"


    BOOM!


    The powerful kick of Noah collided with the monster''s face, resulting in a tremendous explosion which caused the creature to be slammed down onto the concrete road, resulting in bits and pieces of concrete and metal stones to be flung forward, striking the back of the ambulance with a loud noise.


    WHAM!


    The impact even caused the back of the ambulance to be lifted up a bit in the air, but fortunately, it landed back on the road with no trouble.


    "What the f*ck was that?!" The ambulance driver was now extremely fearful for his life, and he screamed loudly as he turned his head, asking the group of boys for an answer. "What the hell is going on?"


    "Just focus on the road and drive!" Gerald yelled back, pointing at the road with his fingers, and Max joined in. "And whatever you do, don''t stop!"

 Chapter 68 - Crash Landing

    Noah''s feet collided with the monster''s face, resulting in a tremendous explosion which caused the creature to be slammed down onto the concrete road, causing bits and pieces of concrete and metal stones to be flung forward, striking the back of the ambulance with a loud noise.


    WHAM!


    The impact even caused the back of the ambulance to be lifted up a bit in the air, but fortunately, it landed back on the road with no trouble. "What the f*ck was that?!" The ambulance driver was now extremely fearful for his life, and he screamed loudly as he turned his head, asking the group of boys for an answer. "What the hell is going on?" "Just focus on the road and drive!" Gerald yelled back, pointing at the road with his fingers, and Max joined in. "And whatever you do, don''t stop!"


    "Alright, alright! I got it!" The ambulance driver replied with a mixture of annoyance and fear present in his voice, shaking his head as he focused his gaze on the road in front of him. "Geez, what in god''s name did you guys get me into.."


    GRRRRRAR!


    The monster screamed loudly, but right before it could get back up, Noah climbed on top of the creature and slammed his palm onto the back of the monster''s head and pushed the head of the creature straight into the concrete road, causing pieces of dirt and debris to fly everywhere.


    BOOM!


    The ground began to shake because of the tremendous impact that contained in that powerful strike, as even the trees that were a few meters away from the road started to shake violently because of just the impact.


    "You may not know it, but I''ve defeated your kind before, just a few minutes ago.." Noah said with a cold smile on his face, and if anyone had seen the expression he had, they would definitely have started trembling, as it was a chilling look for a person to have.


    Whoosh!


    Noah continued holding onto the monster''s head and slowly pulled it up from the ground, and continued, "I''ve killed you once, I can do it again.." He then raised his hand high up in the air, rolling it into a fist as he swung it downwards, aiming for the monster''s neck.


    Swoosh!


    Right then, a long and fleshy structure shot out from inside the monster''s mouth, aiming straight for Noah''s fist.


    Whip! Whip! Whip!


    The fleshy structure resembled a tongue, and instead of striking Noah''s fist, the tongue swung around it and tied around Noah''s fist, pulling it backwards and slowing the attack down, giving time for the creature to move out of the way right before the fist collided.


    BOOM!


    The fist struck the ground instead of the neck of the monster, and the long and fleshy tongue immediately loosened and slipped away without wasting a single second.


    "Oh no you don''t! Get back here!" Noah, who was annoyed that he lost his chance to attack, tried to grab hold of the fleshy tongue with a frustrated expression.


    He had gripped the long tongue, but it was simply too slippery, which made it easier for it to slip through his fingers and into the monster''s mouth.


    "Tch.. I guess you''re not exactly the same creatureˇ­" Noah clicked his tongue and frowned as he stared at the monster in front of him, now a bit more serious than before.


    He had fought the other monster just a few minutes before, and seeing as this monster had a similar appearance to the other one, Noah had assumed that the two were of the same kind, which was why he was caught off guard by the sudden tongue attack, which came out of nowhere.


    "No matterˇ­" Noah said in a hushed tone as he licked his lips, his gaze stuck on the creature which was snarling at him. He continued, "At the end of the day, your fate won''t be any different.."


    Whoosh!


    Without wasting a single second, Noah dashed forward, appearing before the creature within seconds and slamming his fist right into its chest.


    "GRRRAAA!" The creature growled loudly, and with a slight movement of its body to the sides, it avoided the attack with ease.


    But the creature didn''t stop there. It swung its clawed wings straight at Noah''s head, and Noah immediately raised his hand up and formed an ''X'' symbol right in front of his face as he attempted to block the monster''s attack.


    BAM!


    The creature''s clawed wings collided with Noah''s hands, resulting in a loud noise as Noah was pushed back into the air, flinging upside down as he crash landed on the ground, sending blood to splatter all over the concrete road.


    "Damn it!" Noah cursed out loud, but he couldn''t do anything as he was still attempting to slow down the pace at which he was crash landing.


    GRRRRRAR!


    The monster roared loudly before turning around and heading towards the ambulance.


    "Gah!" Noah, who had finally stopped on his tracks, shifted his gaze towards the creature only to see it charging towards the ambulance, which made his eyes widen right before he dashed forward as well, heading straight for the monster.


    "Don''t you dare ignore me!" Noah screamed loudly as he moved quickly, trying his best to keep up with the incredible speed of the monster, but even with his terrifying speed, Noah found himself lagging behind the creature, which was slowly attempting to rise up and fly as it ran.


    "Get back here!" Noah breathed in and opened his mouth as a burst of flames exited out from his throat and headed straight for the back of the monster.


    BAM!


    The terrifying ball of flames collided against the wings and the back of the monster, causing it to lose its balance and land back on the ground, giving Noah enough time to catch up to the creature and grab onto its back.


    "GRRRAAA!" The monster roared loudly in anger as its long and fleshy tongue exited out from its mouth and wrapped around Noah''s neck.


    Whoosh!


    The monster pulled its tongue forward, causing Noah to be lifted up into the air and flung towards the back of the ambulance. All of this happened in a split second, which made it unable for Noah to actually defend against.


    "Incoming attack!" Alphonso, who was keeping an eye on the monster through the small glass window on the back door of the ambulance, screamed out loudly as he saw the body of Noah heading straight for them, and he immediately ducked down, bracing for the impact.


    Gerald, Max and Harold did the same as well, as Noah''s body struck the back door of the ambulance with a loud noise.


    BAM!


    The backside of the ambulance was lifted up because of the impact of the collision, and this time, the ambulance driver found it difficult to control the vehicle.


    "Sh*t!" Sh*t! Sh*t!" The ambulance driver cursed out loud as he tried desperately to maintain the vehicle on its wheels, and the ambulance rocked left and right, swiveling as it moved through the road.


    "Ughˇ­" Noah, who had fallen down onto the road after colliding with the back of the ambulance, groaned loudly as he scratched his head and got up. His gaze then went to the monster, which had already continued its pursuit of the ambulance, and he clicked his tongue in response. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me! F*ck!" He stomped on the road as he cursed out loud and shot forward, trying to stop the monster from continuing its attack.


    The monster on the other hand, flew down and landed right on top of the bonnet with a loud noise, and the impact of the creature''s landing caused the front wheels of the ambulance to burst like balloons.


    BOOM!


    "AHHHH!" The ambulance driver screamed as he saw the terrifying creature in front of him, and the ambulance began swiveling left and right before slamming onto a utility pole that was beside the road.


    BAM!


    The crash was extremely loud and caused Max, Harold, Gerald and Alphonso to be launched forward a few meters, causing them to slam into each other as a result.


    "GRRRAAR!" The monster roared loudly as it lowered its head and began staring intensely at the ambulance driver, who had his head buried into the airbag as a result of the crash.


    "Ugh.." The ambulance driver groaned as he raised his head and opened his eyes, only to find the terrifying face of the monster standing right in front of him, staring at him with its bright red eyes, which made him scream loudly in terror. "AHHH! Monster!"


    Smash!


    The monster''s clawed wings slammed through the glass window as the man opened his mouth and screamed for his life.


    Gluck!


    The clawed hands burst through the chest of the ambulance driver, which caused him to throw up blood all over the steering wheel, before he was pulled out of his seat and brought near the monster''s face.

 Chapter 69 - Battle Of Brawns

    Hemingway Memorial Hospital.


    "Here you go, Jolie," Nurse Naomi said as she handed the tray of food over to Nurse Jolie Harris, who carefully took the tray from her as she nodded her head. "Thanks Naomi!" She said with a smile.


    "Yeah, don''t worry about it.." Naomi waved her hands dismissively, signaling that she was too busy to even respond properly. Nurse Jolie awkwardly nodded at her once again, and then turned around to head towards room 106, which was where the patient she was assigned to look after was staying.


    "Don''t forget about the rules, Jolie," The voice of Nurse Naomi entered into Nurse Jolie''s ears, and she immediately stopped in her tracks. "I know, Naomi," She replied without turning around, and rolled her eyes. "I''m not a moron, alright? You don''t have to repeat it every single time.."


    "You think I''m reminding you because I like doing it?" Nurse Naomi responded with a snort. "I''m just doing it because Doctor Henderson told me to do so. He says that this is an ex-"


    "-Extremely important patient. Yeah, I know.." Nurse Jolie finished Nurse Naomi''s words before she could, and waved her hands as she walked away. "Don''t worry about it, Naomi." She raised one of her hands up and showed a thumbs up sign. "I got this."


    "Alrightˇ­" The voice of Nurse Naomi faded away as Jolie entered the elevator, heading for the third floor, where room number 106 was located.


    "I wonder why that guy is so important.." Jolie murmured under her breath as she wondered about the identity of the patient in room 106. He didn''t look like anyone special, at least according to her. To her, he looked like an average cop. Nothing more, nothing less.


    And yet, here she was, being instructed to be careful around the patient in question, ordered by Doctor Henderson.


    This whole event had made Nurse Jolie curious, but she knew that it would not be wise to dig into it more. After all, curiosity killed the cat.


    She got out of the elevator and headed towards room 106.


    "Mr. Edgerton?" Nurse Jolie called out to the patient before she entered the room. No answer. Which was usual, when it came to the patient in question. "I''m going to enter now." She continued, as her hands stretched out for the doorknob and twisted it, opening the door slowly and revealing the hospital room which was completely empty, much to the surprise of Nurse Jolie.


    ".... Mr. Edgerton?" Nurse Jolie didn''t know the appropriate response, as she had never been in such a situation before, but within a few seconds, her surprised and confused expression turned to that of terror, as she immediately ran outside, in order to inform the doctor of the situation.


    --------------------


    "GRRRAAR!" The monster roared loudly as it lowered its head and began staring intensely at the ambulance driver, who had his head buried into the airbag as a result of the crash. "Ugh.." The ambulance driver groaned as he raised his head and opened his eyes, only to find the terrifying face of the monster standing right in front of him, staring at him with its bright red eyes, which made him scream loudly in terror. "AHHH! Monster!" The monster''s clawed wings slammed through the glass window as the man opened his mouth and screamed for his life.


    The clawed hands burst through the chest of the ambulance driver, which caused him to throw up blood all over the steering wheel, before he was pulled out of his seat and brought near the monster''s face.


    "Gah.. guhˇ­" The ambulance driver, who was still somehow alive, even after having his chest pierced through by the clawed wings of the creature, slowly tilted his head up to look at the monster''s bright red eyes.


    "GRRRR!" The monster snarled as it stared at the ambulance driver, intrigue evident in its eyes as it did so.


    RRRRRIP!


    The monster used its other clawed wing and grabbed the ambulance driver by the side and pulled his body from both sides with a tremendous amount of force, causing the flesh to be ripped apart right at the center of the body.


    The ambulance driver couldn''t even scream for help even at his last breath as he was too injured, and his blood splattered all over the destroyed bonnet of and the front seat of the ambulance.


    BAM!


    Right then, a giant ball of flames came into contact with the monster, colliding with the face of the creature with such intensity that it pushed the supernatural being back a few meters and off the ambulance.


    "GRRRAAA!" The monster roared loudly. It stared at the person responsible for the surprise attack, Noah, with hatred in its eyes.


    "Why''re you looking at me like that?" Noah said with a cold and emotionless expression on his face as he walked towards the creature, shortening the distance between the two of them. "Who said that we were done?"


    Whoosh!


    All of a sudden, Noah sped up and appeared right in front of the monster, slamming his fist into the creature''s face.


    BAM!


    The monster, who was unable to defend against his attack, was pushed back multiple steps, and Noah immediately went in with his fists tightly clenched, trying to land another hit.


    BZZZ!


    As Noah moved forward, the spinal cord of the monster began to move slightly under its skin, and underneath the creature''s body, the skin began to slowly open as a long skeletal structure that resembled a tail appeared.


    Whoosh!


    "GRRRAR!" The monster roared loudly as the skeletal tail shot out from behind the creature, catching Noah off guard once again.


    BAM!


    "Ah, f*ck me!" Noah could only swear with a bitter smile on his face as the skeletal tail whipped past Noah''s fist and slammed right into his chest, creating a burst of air right at the point of impact as he was flung back with intense force, resulting in a loud noise.


    BAM! BAM! BAM!


    The monster then moved towards the vehicle, where the disfigured body of the ambulance driver was lying, and it ripped off his head and raised it up in the air as it opened its mouth, attempting to devour it.


    "Urghˇ­" Right then, Gerald, who was lying on the back of the vehicle along with the rest of the boys and an injured Clarice, groaned as he got up from the floor and looked around, only to see blood dripping out from the front seat, which made him gasp. "What the-"


    BAM!


    The monster, which was in the middle of biting down onto the head of the ambulance driver, suddenly tilted its giant head downwards and into the front seat of the ambulance as soon as Gerald had finished speaking, and his movements caused the vehicle to let out a creaking noise.


    ''Sh*t!'' Gerald, who had realized his mistake, immediately covered his mouth and moved away from the front seat. The backside of the ambulance and the front part of the vehicle was separated by a large metallic wall with a small rectangular hole on the top, and Gerald had thought that moving away from the hole would be enough for the monster to forget about the noise he had made just now.


    BAM! BAM! BAM!


    However, Gerald had guessed wrong. The monster continued to move on top of the ambulance, even slamming its clawed foot down onto the metal ceiling of the vehicle, which caused the top of the ambulance to be pierced through.


    "Urghˇ­" Harold, who was unconscious until now, had now woken up because of the loud noises that the monster was creating, groaning as he got up from the floor, which made Gerald immediately jump towards him, covering his mouth using his hand and then rolled out of the way, right before the clawed wing of the monster burst through the metal roof of the vehicle and slammed onto the floor with a bang.


    BAM!


    Realizing that the clawed wing had struck only the metal floor of the vehicle, the creature immediately retracted it, and the surprised Harold shook his head repeatedly as he tried to get hold of himself.


    "Sh*t!" He whispered softly as he looked at Gerald and continued, "I almost got myself killed, didn''t I?"


    "You did," Gerald nodded his head. He then pointed at the fainted bodies of Max and Alphonso and said with a hushed tone, "I don''t know if I''ll be quick enough to save the both of them when they eventually wake up.."


    BAM! BAM! BAM!


    The sound of the monster moving above the roof of the vehicle could be heard, and after a few seconds, the creature lowered its head down and looked through the hole that it had made using its clawed wings on the roof just a few seconds ago, and stared at the two boys with fury in its eyes.


    "GRRRRRAR!" The monster screamed loudly, and right then, the figure of Noah appeared from the side and slammed his foot on the creature''s face, yelling, "I''m not done yet, b*tch!"

 Chapter 70 - Fight Or Flight

    As the monster was busy chasing after the ambulance, a row of police cars had reached the front gates of the apartment complex, where the terrible attack of the winged creature had taken place.


    "Jesus Christ! How many people live here?" Detective Lewis mumbled under his breath as he watched the large crowd that was present surrounding the police cars.


    He knew this neighborhood. But never in his life did he ever see this many people in this area before.


    "Now I''m questioning my general knowledge of New World City," He said while scratching his head, and Detective Harry let out a chuckle.


    "We''re here now," Detective Harry said as he pulled over next to a parking lot. The duo then got out of the and walked towards a partially demolished apartment building, where a group of police officers were gathered.


    "Special Agent Fischer!" Harry said as he waved his hand towards Alan Fischer, who stopped staring at the building in front of him and began walking towards the two men, all while scratching his chin.


    "Detectives," He said as he walked past the two, causing the two men to turn around and follow him while asking, "Agent Fischer? What''s the matter? What happened?" Detective Harry asked as he tried to match his pace with that of the special agent.


    "What''s happened is that we just missed the monster," Special Agent Alan Fischer replied with an urgent tone as he increased his pace. "The monster was apparently seen heading towards the highway, chasing an ambulance." He said as he pointed at the road that led to the highway.


    Ring! Ring!


    Right then, the special agent''s phone began ringing, which made him stop in his tracks and answer it.


    "What? You can''t find him?" The loud voice of the special agent made the two detectives confused, causing them to stare at Alan with intrigue in their eyes.


    "Are you sure?" Agent Fischer asked with a confused expression on his face while holding his phone to his mouth.


    He spoke a few more times into the phone before hanging up, and then tilted his head up and looked at the sky, letting out a long and heavy sigh.


    "Special Agent Fischer, is there something wrong?" Detective Harry walked up to him and asked with concern in his eyes, and Alan flashed a bitter smile as he replied, "Well, let''s just say that someone''s being a bit too stubborn.."


    ---------------


    "Sh*t!" Harold whispered softly as he looked at Gerald and continued, "I almost got myself killed, didn''t I?" "You did," Gerald nodded his head. He then pointed at the fainted bodies of Max and Alphonso and said with a hushed tone, "I don''t know if I''ll be quick enough to save the both of them when they eventually wake up.."


    BAM! BAM! BAM!


    The sound of the monster moving above the roof of the vehicle could be heard, and after a few seconds, the creature lowered its head down and looked through the hole that it had made using its clawed wings on the roof just a few seconds ago, and stared at the two boys with fury in its eyes.


    "GRRRRRAR!" The monster screamed loudly, and right then, the figure of Noah appeared from the side and slammed his foot on the creature''s face, yelling, "I''m not done yet, b*tch!"


    BOOM!


    He knew that his kick wouldn''t be able to kill the creature, but the sudden strike was enough to give the monster a whiplash and be pushed back a few steps, which gave Noah enough time to get into his rhythm.


    "Take this!" Noah screamed loudly as she charged towards the monster which was trying to regain its balance after being caught off guard, and then immediately swung his fist straight at the creature''s chest.


    "GRRARRR!" The monster glared at Noah with fury in its eye, and in a state of confusion and panic, it instantly decided to counter and swung its clawed wings, which were strong enough to bend steel, aiming straight for Noah''s head.


    However, although the attack itself was extremely powerful, the build-up to the attack was simply too obvious and panic-stricken that Noah had already figured out what the monster was planning on doing way before its clawed wings struck forward.


    Whoosh!


    Although he wasn''t exactly a great fighter and couldn''t easily avoid extremely complicated and quick attacks, these types of strikes which were simple and obvious were easy ones, even to an amateur like him. And so, Noah easily maneuvered his head and avoided the attack without breaking a sweat, and his fist struck the creature''s chest, which resulted in a loud noise and caused a burst of air to shoot out as the terrifying monster was flung backwards once again, this time with even more force.


    However, right then..


    Swoosh!


    As the monster was being flung back, it instantly extended its skeletal tail forward, and although Noah saw the trajectory of the tail and the path that it was following, he didn''t have enough time to react to the attack properly, and as a result, the sharp end of the skeletal tail pierced through his abdomen, making him groan in pain.


    "Guah!" He grunted as he landed on the concrete road and placed his hand on the place where the injury was, and he gritted his teeth. "You''ve got to be f*cking kidding me right now!" His eyes began to turn completely black as he spoke angrily at the monster, which was slowly trying to get up from the ground.


    "Max! Alphonso!" Both Gerald and Harold ran towards the other two boys, who had abruptly been woken up by the loud noise of the monster and were scratching their heads, trying to recap what just happened a few seconds ago.


    "The monster?" Max, who was the first to remember what was happening just before they fainted, asked out loudly, his voice filled with concern. "It''s being taken care of by Noah. I don''t think we can do anything to help him in this situation, so we''ll focus on trying to find a safe spot for us to hide." Gerald replied as he held out his hand to him, urging him to get up from the floor of the ambulance.


    "Urgh.." The injured lady, Clarice, groaned as she lay on the metal bed, and the rest of the group turned their attention to her. Miraculously, she had survived through the whole situation with little to no injury, which was simply too surprising.


    "We''d have to get her out of the vehicle and to a safe spot as well," Harold said as he pointed at Clarice, and Alphonso nodded, agreeing with him.


    "We''ll figure something out," Although Gerald was unsure of getting away from the monster with an injured person by their side, he nevertheless nodded his head in agreement. After all, saving people is what they were planning on doing. They had failed to save the ambulance driver, and they definitely couldn''t leave an injured person alone.


    Tweek!


    Alphonso slowly opened the back door of the ambulance and popped his head out in order to see if the coast was clear to make a run for it, as the other three grabbed hold of the still unmoving body of Clarice.


    "What''s going on?" Gerald whispered softly under his breath as he asked Alphonso, who tilted his head to look at Noah.


    "Alright, it seems that the creature has just been flung backwards." He said as he turned around to face the other three and continued. "We''ll probably have a few seconds before the monster gets back up again to resume the fight."


    "Alright then," Harold said as he tightened his grip on the injured Clarice''s legs. "What are we waiting for? Let''s do this sh*t!"


    Whoosh!


    Alphonso opened the back door of the vehicle and immediately moved out of the way in order to give space for the other three to carry Clarice using the stretcher which they had found inside the ambulance.


    "Go! Go! Go!" Alphonso waved his hands furiously as he motioned them to continue moving, his gaze still on Noah, who was waiting for the monster to get back up from the ground.


    "GRRRRRAR!" As expected, the monster roared loudly as it leapt off from the ground, right after the group of boys had successfully carried an injured Clarice out into the woods.


    "Don''t even think for a second that your attack had any effect on me!" Noah clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as he said with a snort, his gaze fixated on the monster''s bright red eyes. Although the wound was incredibly painful, he wasn''t going to let the monster know of this fact. He didn''t want the monster to know that he was currently weak.


    Tap! Tap!


    He slapped his palm on his chest, trying to intimidate the monster.. "Come on, you son of a b*tch!" He said loudly, and the monster, as though responding to him, roared loudly before dashing towards him.

 Chapter 71 - Enlightenment

    Meanwhile, near the sequoia tree.


    Rustle! Rustle!


    "GRRR?" Wolfe the dragon, who was quietly sleeping above the large tree branches of the sequoia tree, opened his eyes in an instant as his ears began to tremble, signaling that he had heard something - or someone - that could be a threat to him.


    Swoosh!


    The dragon got up from his resting position and on his four legs as he spread his wings wide, causing the air surrounding him to burst out backwards and out of the way, making the leaves tremble because of the sheer force that was behind that move.


    "GRRRRRAR!" The dragon roared loudly as it flew up into the sky, but right when it shot up from the top of the tree, a bright white light could be seen flickering just a few meters away from the sequoia tree. It was only for a split second, but right after the light dimmed and disappeared, a loud noise echoed throughout the atmosphere as Wolfe the dragon, who was high up in the air, was suddenly flung sideways, as though something powerful had struck him, and then shot down onto the ground.


    "GRRRAAA!" Although he was falling down, the dragon roared loudly as it swung its wings once again, causing the burst of air to shoot down onto the ground and propel the creature upwards, giving Wolfe enough time to readjust himself while he was still in the air.


    "Wow! To think you were able to survive even after taking that attack right in the heart!" Special Agent Richard Edgerton, who was hiding within the branch of a tree just a few meters away from the sequoia tree, spoke softly to himself, his eyes now widened with surprise as he stared at the dragon with intrigue and astonishment evident in his eyes.


    "Don''t tell me that you''ve been evolvingˇ­" He muttered under his breath as he watched the dragon successfully maneuver its whole body within seconds and land on the ground with no problem, and clicked his tongue. He then pulled back the large weapon that seemed to resemble a rocket launcher and placed it on his back. And then, Special Agent Edgerton slowly stood up from the branch and reached for the branch that was right above him, and took out a futuristic rifle.


    "It does look a lot bigger than before." Agent Edgerton said to himself and scratched his chin, as he began loading large cylindrical objects that were glowing in bright blue color into the rifle.


    Certainly, the Wolfe the dragon now seemed bigger and more muscular in size than from before. And it definitely could be a possibility that the dragon was in the middle of growing when he had tried to capture it, which made the creature all the more terrifying to him.


    "What a wonderful creature.." He said with a smile on his face as he licked his lips. "It only makes me want to hunt you even more." He said with a sinister expression on his face, and he then pointed his rifle straight at the dragon, who was swinging his head left and right and roaring loudly, trying to find the person who was responsible for the attack on him just a few seconds ago.


    BAM!


    A bright light shot out from within the barrel of the rifle and headed towards the dragon with incredible speed.


    Whoosh!


    The bright white light cut through various shrubs and leaves as it charged towards the dragon. Looking at the speed at which it moved, it seemed like the attack couldn''t be defended against.


    GRRRRRAR!


    The dragon, however, seemed to have seen this attack coming, and Wolfe immediately flapped his wings right before the bright light took off from the barrel of the rifle, flinging him high up into the air right as the bright light reached near the creature, only slightly grazing the dragon on his feet, making a small wound, before slamming onto the sequoia tree and causing it to explode into pieces with a loud noise.


    BAM!


    Bits and pieces of wood began to fling forward as the trunk of the sequoia tree started to burn brightly right behind the dragon who was high up in the air, and the red flames and the rising smoke in the background of Wolfe gave Agent Edgerton an even more intimidating and terrifying image of the mythical creature.


    Both the dragon and the special agent stared at each other, not making a single movement. The dragon''s emotionless expression and the terrifying glare in his eyes made the special agent gulp down his saliva in fear, but it definitely wasn''t enough to make him retract his gaze.


    "He knows my locationˇ­" Agent Edgerton whispered softly under his breath and he clenched his fists. The dragon was looking straight at him, which meant that it most definitely had an idea of where he was. Although he was wearing his camouflaged clothes, the dragon could''ve easily retraced the path of the attack in order to find the location of the attacker. This meant that he had to make an escape, and that too as quickly as he possibly could.


    Whoosh!


    All of a sudden, Agent Edgerton pulled up his rifle close to his chest and immediately brought the scope close to his eye, and right when he made a movement, the dragon shot forward with incredible speed, lessening the distance between them in a matter of milliseconds.


    BAM!


    The sound of a shot was heard ringing all over the surroundings, as Wolfe the dragon burst through the tree that Agent Edgerton was standing on, destroying it into pieces and sending it flying in the air right before he crashed down onto the ground with a loud noise.


    ------------------


    "GRRRRRAR!" As expected, the monster roared loudly as it leapt off from the ground, right after the group of boys had successfully carried an injured Clarice out into the woods. "Don''t even think for a second that your attack had any effect on me!" Noah clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as he said with a snort, his gaze fixated on the monster''s bright red eyes. Although the wound was incredibly painful, he wasn''t going to let the monster know of this fact. He didn''t want the monster to know that he was currently weak.


    Tap! Tap!


    He slapped his palm on his chest, trying to intimidate the monster. "Come on, you son of a b*tch!" He said loudly, and the monster, as though responding to him, roared loudly before dashing towards him.


    Noah screamed loudly as his transformed hands, which were now clawed, slashed at the creature that was heading towards him.


    Swoosh!


    At that moment a change occurred. From within the mouth of the creature, instead of the long tongue that he was expecting, a bunch of tentacles began to pour out viciously.


    "What the hell?" Noah, who was completely caught off guard by the sudden and strange attack, tried to maneuver his hand around the tentacles at the last instant.


    Slop! Slop! Slop!


    However, the slimy tentacles wrapped around Noah''s hand as some reached forward, trying to grab onto Noah''s neck.


    "I won''t let you grab hold of me!" Noah, who had realized that he was in an unfavorable situation, immediately leapt up into the air and swung both his legs forward, aiming for the monster''s chest.


    GRRRRRAR!


    Right then, as though it was expecting it, the clawed wings of the monster grabbed his foot and then slammed Noah onto the road with a loud noise, causing a crater to form around him.


    "Shouldn''t we do something to help him?" Harold, who was watching the two of them fight, turned around and asked Gerald, who shrugged his shoulders with a bitter smile on his face. "And how on earth do you plan on helping him?"


    "I don''t know.. be a distraction?" Harold couldn''t reply properly as he couldn''t think of a way to help Noah in his fight against the bat-like creature, and he let out a helpless sigh. "I just think we should do a


    something.. anything.."


    "Since we don''t know what kind of power we have, we''ll only be a burden to him if we interfere in this fight.." Gerald shook his head and waved his hands dismissively as he spoke.


    "And what if he loses?" Alphonso, who was tending to Clarice''s wounds, asked, which made the rest of the group turn their attention towards him. "What if the monster wins?" He asked, as he raised his head and looked at Gerald. "What happens then?"


    Gerald didn''t reply immediately. He thought about it for a few seconds, and then, while biting his lips, he responded, "Well then, we''d have to try and forcibly activate our powers. And pray. Pray a whole lot."


    Max, who was sitting next to Clarice and listening to the whole conversation, looked at his palms, squinting his eyes as he stared at his hand.


    He then turned his head and looked around him. The whole place was covered in large trees, shrubs and bushes.. His eyes widened.

 Chapter 72 - Flower

    "We don''t know what kind of power we have. We''ll only end up being a burden to him if we interfere in this fight.." Gerald shook his head and waved his hands dismissively as he spoke. "And what if he loses?" Alphonso, who was tending to Clarice''s wounds, asked, which made the rest of the group turn their attention towards him. Gerald didn''t reply immediately. He thought about it for a few seconds, and then, while biting his lips, he responded, "Well then, we''d have to try and forcibly activate our powers. And pray. Pray a whole lot."


    Max, who was sitting next to Clarice and listening to the whole conversation, looked at his palms, squinting his eyes as he stared at his hand. He then turned his head and looked around him. The whole place was covered in large trees, shrubs and bushes. His eyes widened.


    "Guys," Max whispered softly, and the group of boys turned their heads, staring right at him. Max took a deep breath and exhaled, and then continued. "I may have an ideaˇ­"


    BAM!


    "Gah!" Noah let out a short shriek as blood shot out from inside his mouth and onto the concrete road that had been destroyed by the bat-like creature''s attack. His eyes were wide open, staring straight at the monster, which roared loudly as it swung its skeletal tail straight at him, the sharp end of which was pointing right at his forehead, moving through the air with incredible speed.


    ''F*ck this! I''m not going to lose to this monster! Not like this!'' Noah was panicking. A deep sense of dread was evident on his face as he raised both his hands up into the air in order to block the attack with a maniacal expression, facing the rapidly approaching skeletal tail without any hesitation.


    Slash!


    The sharp end of the skeletal tail pierced through one of his hands, which made Noah scream out loudly as he was filled with pain. However, it had stopped moving right as it began to pierce through the flesh of his other hand, and Noah immediately pulled both his legs back before pushing forward, striking the monster''s clawed paws through the ground.


    BAM!


    "GRRRRA!" The monster roared angrily as it''s body was shot out like a massive boulder and crashed onto a large billboard that was on the side of the road, making it fall down onto the ground along with the creature with a loud noise.


    "God f*cking damn it!" Noah cursed out loudly as he got up from the ground and rubbed his injured hand and his previously wounded abdomen, and then bit his lips.


    ''This isn''t looking good for meˇ­'' Noah said to himself while squinting his eyes. Although the superpowers that he received enabled quick healing of injuries, it did take some time to do so. And if this fight does continue to favor the monster since he is now weaker, then maybe he could end up losing, or even worse, dying at the hands of this creature.


    He then saw the monster rolling on its back on the ground, attempting to get up from the ground in order to continue the fight, and he clicked his tongue with a frustrated expression on his face. ''I need to finish this as soon as I can..'' Noah said to himself as he began floating gently in mid-air. He then stomped his foot in the air, and all of a sudden, his speed increased and he shot forward like a missile, appearing in front of the monster in an instant.


    "GRRRAAA!" The monster, however, was very alert, so it roared loudly as its skeletal tail shot towards Noah''s abdomen, aiming for the wounded part on his body.


    "Oh, no you don''t!" Noah yelled loudly as he stomped his foot in the air once again, diverting himself from the intended path, changing directions in an instant, as the skeletal tail passed by his face, lightly grazing his hair as it shot past him.


    Whoosh!


    Noab swung his fist right at the monster''s chest, but right then, the monster immediately opened its mouth as a bunch of tentacles shot out from within its throat, heading straight for Noah once again.


    "F*ck!" Noah let out a loud shout as he tried to move out of the way, but he was simply too late to defend against the attack.


    BAM!


    The tentacles wrapped around Noah''s legs in an instant and swung him sideways before he could get a good hit on the monster, and he crash landed on the ground with a loud noise.


    Slurp! Slurp! Slurp!


    The tentacles pushed down onto the ground and raised the monster upwards and onto its feet, and it dashed towards the fallen Noah, who was only in the middle of getting up.


    "GRRRRRAR!" The monster opened its tentacle filled mouth as it swung its skeletal tail straight towards Noah, aiming directly for his forehead.


    "Look out!" A loud scream interrupted the attack of the creature, and as it turned its head towards the direction of the scream, it was bombarded by a large amount of dandelion flowers, which enveloped the creature within seconds, making it unable to see even a single thing through them.


    "What the?" Noah, who seemed confused as to what the hell was going on, then turned to look at the direction in which the scream had come from, and found Max standing on the road with both his hands stretched out, and Gerald standing right beside him, looking tense and anxious.


    "Max and Gerald?" Noah''s eyes widened with surprise as he called out to them, and Gerald waved his hand back at him. "Noah! Come over here!" He yelled out to him loudly.


    Noah turned to look at the monster, which had been completely covered in the dandelion flowers, and then back to the two boys, and then dashed towards the direction of Max and Gerald.


    "GRRRRRAR!" The loud roar of the creature was heard from within the hoard of dandelions, as the winged beast burst out from the top of the swarm of flowers, roaring loudly once again as it headed for its new target, Max.


    "Max! We need to move! Now!" Gerald, who saw the creature charging towards them through the air, said anxiously as he grabbed Max''s shoulder and pulled him to the side.


    "Oh, no you don''t!" Noah, who saw that the monster had found a new target to attack, yelled out loudly as he shifted his route, sliding carefully through the destroyed concrete road and grabbed onto the body of the fast approaching monster, pushing the creature away and causing the two of them to slam against a large tree, resulting in a loud collision.


    BAM!


    Both the creature and Noah fell down onto the muddy terrain.


    "Ugh!" Noah, who got up first, groaned loudly before rushing towards the fallen creature, but before he could reach it, the monster immediately used its skeletal tail to push itself up from the ground and roared loudly. "GRAAAAR!"


    Noah breathed in and exhaled right as the monster was preparing to attack, shooting out flames from his throat, which burst straight onto the creature''s face, pushing it back a few steps.


    "Max, waitˇ­" Gerald said in a hushed tone as he followed Max, who stood near the very end of the concrete road and looked down at the fight between Noah and the creature.


    "Do you really think this''ll work?" Gerald asked Max, who didn''t reply immediately. Max stretched out his hands and squinted his eyes, as sweat began to appear on his forehead.


    GRRRRˇ­


    Right as he did so, the monster, which was roaring loudly until now, immediately stopped moving and looked around a few times, as though it had lost its senses. Noah stared at the creature with confusion in his eyes, before his gaze shifted towards the two boys up above the concrete roadside.


    GRRRRRˇ­


    The creature began to make weird noises as it fell down onto its knees, and was using its wings to support itself from falling down.


    "Perfect! That''s just what I needed!" Noah said with a smile on his face as he charged forward.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    He moved with incredible speed as he leapt high into the air, and within seconds, he was standing right behind the monster.


    Whoosh!


    With no resistance from the monster, which had now started to twitch uncontrollably, Noah grabbed hold of the monster''s head from behind and tightly gripped it, before pulling it using all his strength.


    "AHHHH!" He screamed loudly as he pulled the creature''s head, and the flesh on its neck began to be torn apart, which caused dandelion flowers to fall out from within its esophagus along with the massive amount of blood, flesh and bones.


    Thud!


    As the creature''s head was completely ripped out by Noah, the headless body of the monster began to twitch uncontrollably for a few more seconds before falling down with a loud noise, and Noah dropped the head onto the ground, while letting out a heavy sigh.


    "I can''t believe that worked," Gerald said with an astonished expression on his face, and Max nodded his head, replying, "Me neither..."

 Chapter 73 - Time Manipulation

    "You think they''ll be alright?" Alphonso, who was sitting next to the injured Clarice and was tending to her wounds, asked Harold, who was keeping a lookout for any vehicles that were passing by and could offer them some help.


    "What? Gerald and Max?" Harold asked without even turning around. "I don''t know."


    "Aren''t you supposed to say that they''ll be fine?" Alphonso asked with a frown on his face.


    "I don''t know that now, do I?" Harold''s face was still turned away from him. "And besides, we don''t even know that the plan would even work properly.."


    Right then!


    A bright light could be seen coming from the corner of the hillside, and Harold''s face brightened as he waved his hands at the vehicle that was arriving.


    ----------------


    Grab!


    With no resistance from the monster, which had now started to twitch uncontrollably, Noah grabbed hold of the monster''s head from behind and tightly gripped it, before pulling it using all his strength.


    "AHHHH!" He screamed loudly as he pulled the creature''s head, and the flesh on its neck began to be torn apart, which caused dandelion flowers to fall out from within its esophagus along with the massive amount of blood, flesh and bones. As the creature''s head was completely ripped out by Noah, the headless body of the monster began to twitch uncontrollably for a few more seconds before falling down with a loud noise, and Noah dropped the head onto the ground, while letting out a heavy sigh.


    "I can''t believe that worked," Gerald said with an astonished expression on his face, and Max nodded his head, replying, "Me neither.."


    "F*ck!" Noah screamed loudly as he leaned back and fell down onto the ground, and the other two boys turned to look at him and asked, "Are you alright? Do you need any help?"


    Noah tilted his head up to look at the two boys, and then shook his head as he gave a thumbs up. "No, it''s alright. I''m totally fine." He replied with an exhausted smile on his face. "I''m jus- I''m just a bit tiredˇ­"


    The two boys nodded their heads in understanding. Gerald then turned to look at Max, who was panting like crazy and asked, "What about you?" He said with his eyebrows raised. "Are you alright after what you just did?"


    Max shook his head as he let out a short chuckle. "Ha ha.. Yeah, no." He said with a smile. "No, I''m not alright. I feel like all my energy has been completely sucked dry. I feel like I''m going to puke any second now."


    Gerald''s concerns grew, but the beaming smile on Max''s face was making him confused. "But you know what?" Max said as he raised his hands and looked at it with pride and joy in his eyes. "I''m also kinda happy." He turned around to look at Gerald, whose face was implying that he was puzzled by Max''s words. "I''m happy that I was able to do something about the situation with the creature." He decided to clarify his words in order to make Gerald understand what he was saying.


    "Ah, I see.." Gerald''s eyes widened with surprise before he nodded his head in agreement. He responded, "You felt like you had control of your situation.."


    "You''re damn right I had control!" Max said loudly, which made Gerald let out a nervous laugh. He didn''t remember Max ever being this excited about something. This was strange.


    "But still," Gerald said as he stared at the monster''s head that had been ripped off from its torso, and let out a long and heavy sigh. "To think that your idea actually workedˇ­" He paused for a second and took a glance at Max, who was breathing in and out, and continued. "Since when did you figure out what your powers were?" Gerald was curious, as he has yet to have any sort of awakening processes.


    "It just, it just happened.." Max said, while still having trouble breathing properly. He stopped and pressed his hand on his chest, in an attempt to keep his composure. But he was already too excited.


    He had absolutely no idea whether his plan would work, and was terrified of his situation right up until he made his first move. And now, after what he just went through, Max felt as though this was a much more exhilarating experience than what he had imagined. The adrenaline fueled Max was addicted to what he was feeling right now. He felt as though he was on top of the world!


    "Hah.." Noah, who let out another round of long and heavy sighs, then turned to look at the headless body of the batlike monster with intrigue in his completely blackened eyes.


    Tap! Tap!


    He then got up from the ground and walked towards the body of the monster, kneeling down right in front of it, as he placed his hand on the creature''s cold chest, his eyebrows raised as he did so.


    "And I can''t believe I still haven''t even figured out what your powers really areˇ­" Gerald shook his head as he said with a chuckle. Max chuckled along with him and responded, "What, you still haven''t understood after you literally watched me implement it? How is that even possible?" His chuckle soon evolved into a loud laughter as time went on, and Gerald decided to join in as well, and the two boys laughed loudly.


    "Is your superpower something related to flowers?" The voice of Noah interrupted their laughter, and the two turned their heads in unison and saw Noah walking towards them, his hands covered in something sticky. He then raised his palm upwards and pointed it towards the two boys, opening it for them to see a dandelion flower in his hand.


    But the boys were more interested in figuring out how Noah even appeared behind them without making any noise. They were both pretty certain that they wouldn''t have known of his presence had he not said a single word, which was simply terrifying.


    "Uh, not exactly?" Max decided to respond to Noah''s question. "My power is related to manipulating the lifetime of anything that''s plant related." He clarified. Max then pointed his finger at the dandelion flower in Noah''s hand, and all of a sudden, the flower flew up from his palm and began floating up into the air.


    "It''s floatingˇ­" Gerald whispered under his breath. Noah shook his head and replied, "Not exactly." He then pointed at the dandelion flower and continued, "The flower seems to be maturing.." He then turned his gaze towards Max, who was sweating once again, for confirmation, and he nodded his head in agreement.


    "That''s right!" Max said as he let out a loud breath of air, and the dandelion fell down onto the ground. He then wiped the sweat that had accumulated on top of his forehead and continued, "I don''t have any more energy left to demonstrate my move, so I''ll just explain." He said with a weak smile. "The dandelion flower on your hand was already destined to fly in the air, because that''s how the seeds of the dandelion plant are transported. Through air." He pointed at the sky.


    "So you manipulated time itself?" Noah asked with confusion evident in his eyes, and Max shook his head. "Not really, no. I merely manipulated the path and the speed it takes for the flower to get to its eventual position in the air. If I had used my powers even more, then perhaps you could''ve seen the seed begin to germinate, although I don''t think I would''ve had the energy to pull it off a second time."


    "Is that what you did to the monster?" Noah asked as he pointed in the direction where the body of the headless monster lay, and Gerald turned his gaze towards Max, his eyes widened. "That''s right," Max nodded his head. "I manipulated the path of the dandelion flowers, and some of them had entered into the monster''s open mouth. From there, I tried to control and manipulate the seeds that were inside of the creature''s body and tried to germinate and grow them from within its organs."


    "So you killed the creature from the inside.." Gerald mumbled under his breath as he rubbed his chin. "Incredibleˇ­"


    "Incredible indeedˇ­" Noah nodded his head, and Max let out a nervous laughter and waved his hands dismissively. "Well, it''s really not that incredible. It''s incredibly time consuming, and it drains my energy with just one try, so I''d only have one shot to try this. And plus, I can only utilize such a technique if there are plants which have seeds that use air as transport and are small enough to enter into the openings of monsters."


    "Don''t be humble, Max.." Gerald patted him on the shoulder as he spoke. He had a proud expression on his face. "The fact of the matter is that you''ve saved us. And that''s something that you have to be proud about. You can never undersell something like that."


    All of a sudden, Noah''s eyes widened, and his gaze shifted to the side of the road, where a group of cars could be seen coming straight towards them.

 Chapter 74 - Souvenir

    The group of police cars moved through the hillside road, following the exact same speed, as though they had practiced the same routine multiple times before.


    "What do you mean he''s escaped from the hospital?" Detective Lewis asked with his widened eyes, and Detective Harry shook his head with an annoyed expression on his face as he answered his question. "What else do you think it means? Of course, it means that the special agent got out of the hospital without following the proper checkout procedures!"


    "But why, though?" Detective Lewis still couldn''t understand the motivation behind the special agent, who had just been wrecked by a mythical being while he was in the middle of hunting it. Surely, a normal person would take that beating as a sign that he shouldn''t be meddling in the affairs of such powerful creatures, right?


    "I can understand why you must be confused, Detective.." Special Agent Alan Fischer, who was sitting opposite Detective Lewis, replied with a bitter smile on his face. "Of course, for any normal and sane person, being taken out by a legendary creature that''s larger and more powerful than you is usually a wake up call that perhaps this might not be a job worth dying for."


    Detective Lewis nodded his head fervently, and Agent Fischer continued, "But to people like Edgerton, this is just everyday business. To them, it''s just an obstacle that they have to overcome in order to complete their mission. Nothing more, nothing less."


    "I get it now..." Detective Lewis nodded his head once again, signaling that he understood the special agent''s words, although his facial expression seemed to imply otherwise. "And is that why Agent Edgerton escaped from the hospital?" He asked.


    "Well, that, and the fact that he is a pretty stubborn man." Alan tilted his head sideways as his facial expression morphed into a mixture of slight annoyance and anger, implying how he feels about Agent Edgerton in general.


    Whoosh!


    The car moved past a hilly corner, and a boy who was standing next to the road, waving his arms high up in the air, came into view, which made the detective slow down and raise his eyebrows.


    He pulled up to the young boy, who seemed to be about seventeen years of age. "What''s the matter young man?" Detective Harry asked. "What seems to be the issue?"


    "That!" The young boy, who was Harold, pointed his finger at Alphonso and the injured Clarice, and Detective Harry''s face turned serious in an instant.


    "What the hell? Medic!" He popped his head out and yelled at the cars behind him. "Get me a medic! Quick!" He continued yelling.


    Within seconds, the injured Clarice had been taken to the ambulance that was following right behind the group of cop cars, and the two boys were now standing next to each other, facing the two detectives, who were staring at them with serious expressions. Special Agent Alan Fischer decided to stay in the car, and let the other two sort this problem out.


    "Are you two alright, kids?" Detective Harry asked Alphonso and Harold, who both nodded their heads and shrugged their shoulders in response.


    "We are, but you have to help us find our friends," Harold said with a serious expression on his face, his tone filled with urgency.


    "What happened to your friends?" Detective Lewis asked, one of his eyebrows now raised up, implying that he was curious about the situation.


    "They went away, trying to distract the monster so that we''ll be safe.." Harold decided to keep the details about their superpowers to themselves.


    "Oh my god!" Both the detectives let out a gasp, their eyes widened. Detective Harry then grabbed the shoulders of Harold and shook him. "Which direction did they go?"


    --------------------


    "So you killed the creature from the inside.." Gerald mumbled under his breath as he rubbed his chin. "Incredibleˇ­" Max let out a nervous laughter and waved his hands dismissively. "Well, it''s really not that incredible. It''s incredibly time consuming, and it drains my energy with just one try, so I''d only have one shot to try this. And plus, I can only utilize such a technique if there are plants which have seeds that use air as transport and are small enough to enter into the openings of monsters."


    "Don''t be humble, Max.." Gerald patted him on the shoulder as he spoke. He had a proud expression on his face. "The fact of the matter is that you''ve saved us. And that''s something that you have to be proud about. You can never undersell something like that." All of a sudden, Noah''s eyes widened, and his gaze shifted to the side of the road, where a group of cars could be seen coming straight towards them.


    "Who are they?" Both Max and Gerald turned to look at where Noah was staring at, and found a group of cars with bright lights moving through the hillside roads. They seemed to be heading in their direction.


    "I think that''s the police.." Max said as he squinted his eyebrows, and Gerald nodded his head, confirming it. "Yup, it definitely is the cops. I guess they finally decided to show upˇ­ after everything''s over..."


    "Be sure not to act suspicious, alright?" Noah moved closer to both Max and Gerald and whispered softly while he stood in between them, and the two turned their heads to look at him with raised eyebrows. "They know about the whole monster thing?" Gerald asked, and Noah nodded his head. "Of course they know. What? Did you really think that no one would figure out the whole situation under the sewers? Even after the destruction that followed?"


    "Yeah, I guess that makes sense.." Max nodded his head with a frown. "But why are you so suspicious of the cops? Wouldn''t they help us?" Max asked Noah. He really was confused as to why Noah was warning them about the cops.


    "Because they know more.." Noah whispered softly, his gaze fixated on the row of cars that were heading their way, decreasing the distance between them as time went on.


    Noah remembered the strange man that attacked him and Wolfe when he was transformed. The weapon that the man used was unlike anything that he had ever known. And it seemed like the man knew exactly what he was shooting at as well. Noah also knew that the police knew much more than perhaps even him, but if the cops are anything like that man that shot him, cooperation may not be such a good idea.


    "... And because you don''t know what they think about youˇ­" Noah finished his words, and Gerald looked at him with even more confusion in his eyes. "They probably might''ve never seen hybrids like us..."


    "You don''t know that for sure," Noah shook his head. "You can never be too careful. Not when you''re in complicated situations like us."


    The cops cars were now a few meters away from them, and their sirens could now be heard clearly.


    "Alright, we''ll be careful." Max nodded his head, and then turned around to ask Noah something, only to find him gone, which only made him widen his eyes with surprise.


    "Well, he sure is nailing the superhero - vigilante partˇ­" Gerald said with an impressed expression on his face before turning around to face the police cars, the first of which parked just near the two of them.


    ------------------


    Meanwhile, under the remains of the destroyed sequoia tree.


    "Buagh.." A loud and coarse gasp escaped from the lips of Special Agent Richard Edgerton, who was lying underneath a bunch of tree branches, all covered in wood dust and dirt.


    *Cough* *Cough*


    He covered his mouth as he coughed, and then slowly began to pat his hands all over his body in order to figure out whether he was really okay or not.


    "Huh, to think that I''m still aliveˇ­" A still dazed Agent Edgerton whispered softly under his breath. It seemed that he was not at all dazed by the fact that he almost died because of a mythical creature that was supposed to only be in books and folktales.


    In fact, it seemed as though he was intrigued, rather than relieved. He was certainly a strange person.


    "I can''t believe I failed yet again," He said to himself as he tried to push away the branches that were lying above him and then stood up from the ground, right after which he patted his whole body down, removing the dust and the dirt that was on him. He then stretched his body backwards, and let out a long and heavy sigh. "Oh well, I didn''t expect it to be an easy task, especially after the beating I took last time."


    His gaze then shifted over to the ground, which he started scanning with his eyes. All of a sudden, his gaze fixated on something shiny on the ground, and a cold smile appeared on his face as he walked towards it.


    He then knelt in front of the shiny material and picked it up, bringing it close to his face as he said, "But I guess I won''t be going home empty handed todayˇ­"

 Chapter 75 - Missing

    "I can''t believe I failed yet again," He said to himself as he tried to push away the branches that were lying above him and then stood up from the ground, right after which he patted his whole body down, removing the dust and the dirt that was on him. He then stretched his body backwards, and let out a long and heavy sigh. "Oh well, I didn''t expect it to be an easy task, especially after the beating I took last time."


    His gaze then shifted over to the ground, which he started scanning with his eyes. All of a sudden, his gaze fixated on something shiny on the ground, and a cold smile appeared on his face as he walked towards it. He then knelt in front of the shiny material and picked it up, bringing it close to his face as he said, "But I guess I won''t be going home empty handed todayˇ­"


    Richard held the shiny material up into the air, which revealed that it was a scale from the dragon''s body.


    "A dragon scale," he whispered under his breath as he inspected the material that was in his hands with careful precision and intrigue.


    "Fascinatingˇ­" He said as he flipped the scale to the other side, and found droplets of blood on the back of it. "Well, well, well, would you look at thatˇ­" Special Agent Edgerton said as a sinister smile bloomed across his face.


    "So you aren''t, in fact, invincibleˇ­" He had initially figured that the scale had fallen down from the dragon''s body, similar to how a snake would shed it''s skin. But now, he was sure that the scale had been forcefully ripped off by his attack, which had in fact, found its target.


    He then turned his gaze towards the sky, his eyebrows now raised and astonishment evident in his eyes. "Does that mean that you''re injured and vulnerable right now?" He was curious. Perhaps, if he is indeed fortunate, he might even be able to take the dragon''s life today.


    Agent Edgerton shifted his gaze towards his own body, which was covered in bruises and wounds. He then moved his eyes towards his broken rifle, which was lying on the ground, completely decimated and ripped into pieces, and he shook his head with a dejected expression. "Consider yourself lucky, dragon..." He mumbled under his breath, although a light smile could be seen on the tip of his lips. He certainly was excited about wounding the mythical creature. "We''ll have a rematch soonˇ­ very soon.." He said as he turned around and began walking away from the destroyed sequoia tree.


    Ring! Ring!


    All of a sudden, his phone began ringing, and Agent Edgerton grabbed it from his pocket and held it up to his face before picking up the call. "Yeah, what''s the problem?" He said in a calm tone.


    "What''s the problem?! You''re asking me what''s the problem? What''s the problem with you?!" Special Agent Alan Fischer, who was on the other line, sounded extremely furious about the whole situation. His voice was so loud that it almost sounded like Agent Edgerton had turned on the speaker mode in his phone, even though he had not done that.


    "Calm down, Agent Fischer.." Agent Edgerton continued talking with a calm voice, although to the enraged Alan Fischer, it sounded as though Edgerton was making fun of him. "Don''t tell me to calm down!" He yelled into the phone, which made Detectives Harry and Lewis as well as the group of kids, Harold, Alphonso, Gerald and Max, who were standing a few feet away from him, turn their heads and look at him with confusion in their eyes. Special Agent Alan waved his heads dismissively, signaling not to mind him and continue, although with the extremely loud voice with which he was speaking, it didn''t seem like a viable option.


    "You know how much trouble you''ve put me in right now?" He spoke with a frustrated voice, albeit a bit lower in volume than before. He continued, "I''ve got enough sh*t to deal with on my end today, and now I have to take care of your a** as well?"


    "Oh, don''t be such a crybaby, Alan.." Agent Edgerton said with a soft chuckle as he walked towards the green sedan that he rented, which was parked near the highway, next to the small football field that was covered in tall grass. "If you really want to feel relieved, then don''t worry, I didn''t mess up anything," He spoke in a hushed tone as he opened the door of the car and got in the driver''s seat. "You''re not going to have any major paperwork to deal with. Are you happy now?"


    "No. But I am relieved, so that''s something, I guess.." Special Agent Alan spoke with a frustrated expression on his face. "Did you happen to find anything useful in your outing?"


    "As a matter of factˇ­" Agent Edgerton paused for a second, and then took out the large dragon scale from his pocket and held it up in front of his face once again, and continued, "... I did. I think you''ll find this fascinating, Alan."


    "We''ll see," Alan responded. His face then turned extremely serious. "We''re losing our control on the situation, Richard." He spoke with a grave expression. "Today''s event was witnessed by many people. We''re going to have a hard time concealing this one."


    "No one''s going to believe them, Alan." Agent Edgerton said with confidence. He was sure of his words. Although Alan didn''t share his confidence. "Some will. And from there, it''ll spread like wildfire." Alan said while scratching his cheeks. He certainly wasn''t enjoying being in this situation.


    "But no one who''s influential will. And that''s what matters the most," Agent Edgerton continued speaking. "These days, nobody cares if an average person says something shocking. Sure, there''ll be a few eyes on him. Maybe there''ll even be a small post on social media. But soon, everyone will forget and move on to the next weird thing in line. That''s just how it is these days."


    "Well, I sure hope that you''re right, Richard.." Agent Fischer said as he rubbed his chin. "Because if this goes south, then we''re going to be in a sh*tload of trouble."


    "Don''t worry about it, Alan. Just continue what you''re doing," Agent Edgerton said as he turned the keys of the car, and the engine roared loudly. "I''m heading towards the precinct for now. You can meet me there after you''re done with your part of the job. We''ll discuss more then."


    "Alright then," Alan was in agreement with Agent Edgerton''s plan.


    "Kids, are you all fine?" As Special Agent Alan Fischer was on the phone, the two detectives were busy with handling the four boys who were caught up in this dangerous situation.


    "Yeah, no, we''re alright detectives.." Gerald waved his hands dismissively as he spoke with a smile on his face. The detectives then looked at Max, who was standing next to him, for confirmation.


    "I''m fine as well. Thank you." Max said with a nervous smile plastered across his face, and the two detectives nodded their heads.


    Their gaze then shifted to the large monster corpse that was a few meters away from them, and the two immediately gulped down their saliva, their faces now incredibly pale. The corpse had its head ripped away, and the ground was covered in some sort of a sticky substance, which the detectives assumed to be the blood of the creature.


    ''What a grotesque scene..'' Detective Lewis said in his mind as he stared at the horrendous state that the monster corpse was in, and then turned his head to look at Detective Harry, who had a similar facial expression as him.


    "And you''re sure that it was another monster that killed thisˇ­ whatever this thing is?" Detective Harry asked with an astonished expression, and both Max and Gerald nodded their heads in unison.


    "You two didn''t see this creature that they''re talking about?" Detective Lewis turned to look at Harold and Alphonso, who were standing to the sides, and the two boys shook their heads.


    "Yeah, no. We were looking after the injured lady," Harold spoke up, and Alphonso only nervously nodded his head in response.


    Snap! Snap!


    Special Agent Alan Fischer snapped his fingers, and a few men stepped out of one of the cop cars. "Take the body of the dead creature. Be careful with it." He said, and the men immediately headed over to the spot where the dead body of the monster was lying.


    "What do you think?" Detective Harry walked up to Special Agent Alan Fischer, and whispered softly. "Do you think this is related to the person I talked about?"


    "What? The one on the back of the dragon?" Alan didn''t turn to look at Harry as he spoke, his gaze still stuck on the monster corpse. "I don''t know, but we''ll figure it out sooner or later."


    "Sir!" All of a sudden, one of the men raised their hand, and the detectives and the special agent turned their attention to him. The man said, "This one has it''s heart missing!"

 Chapter 76 - Secrets

    "Take the body of the dead creature. Be careful with it." Alan said as he waved his hands to the men, and they immediately headed over to the spot where the dead body of the monster was lying. "What do you think?" Detective Harry walked up to Special Agent Alan Fischer, and whispered softly. "Do you think this is related to the person I talked about?"


    "What? The one on the back of the dragon?" Alan didn''t turn to look at Harry as he spoke, his gaze still stuck on the monster corpse. "You do remember how I told you that it is a highly unlikely thing to happen, right?"


    "But-" Detective Harry wanted to defend his words, but right before he could speak, Special Agent Alan Fischer raised his hand, motioning to him to let him finish speaking, which made Harry close his mouth.


    "You should also remember that although I said that I might''ve taken your words with a grain of salt, that didn''t mean that I''m not dismissing what you saw entirely either, right?" Alan turned to face Detective Harry as he finished speaking, waiting for confirmation from the detective, who nodded his head with a confused and nervous expression on his face. "Ye- Yeah, I- I guessˇ­" He replied, and Alan nodded.


    He then lightly patted Detective Harry''s shoulder and said with a smile, "We''ll figure it out, alright? If it''s really a person that you saw, then sooner or later, we''ll have confirmation. That''s how it usually goes."


    "Yeahˇ­ yeah, you''re right, Agent Fischer," Detective Harry nodded his head, and Alan did the same. "Good. I''m glad that you understand."


    "Sir!" All of a sudden, one of the men raised their hand, and the detectives and the special agent turned their attention to him. The man said, "This one has it''s heart missing!"


    Both the detectives looked at each other as Alan narrowed his eyes and then began to walk towards the group of men. "It''s alright. That''s to be expected. Continue doing what you were doing and ignore the missing heart." He clarified, and the man who spoke nodded his head and returned to work.


    "It''s to be expected?" Detective Lewis asked, and Alan reached into his pocket and picked up his phone, bringing it close to his face. "The monster corpse that Richard found after his initial fight with the dragonoid creature had no heart either." He spoke as the phone was ringing, and the two detectives looked at him with a curious expression. "So yes, this was to be expected to some degree. Although maybe not all of the monster corpses I guess."


    "So something''s taking them out?" Detective Lewis raised his eyebrows in surprise and ran his hands through his short beard. "Do you think the same monster that killed this creature is doing that?"


    "We don''t know for sure. But it very well could be," Alan shrugged his shoulders, and right then, the person on the other line answered. "What''s the matter?" The voice of Doctor Hernandez could be heard through the phone.


    "We found another one." Special Agent Alan replied. "You''re going to have to be more specific than that, Alan." The monotonous voice of Doctor Hernandez responded, and Alan let out a short chuckle. "We found another monster corpse. With no heart."


    A brief period of silence ensued. After a few seconds, the voice of Doctor Hernandez was heard once again. "I''m going to need to see this corpse. Fast." This time, the usual tiredness that his voice has was nowhere to be heard. Instead, he sounded incredibly serious, his tone containing a sense of urgency.


    "You''ll get it soon," Alan replied as he scratched his cheeks.


    "I''m going to need it ''sooner''." Doctor Hernandez didn''t waste a single second with his response.


    "You''ll get it when you get it. Don''t worry about it too much, Ralph.." Alan said, and after a few seconds more of talking, he hung up the phone.


    A few meters away from the detectives and the Special Agent, were the group of boys - Max, Gerald, Harold and Alphonso, who were standing next to one of the cop cars.


    The boys were a reasonable distance away from them, so the detectives and the special agent had assumed that they wouldn''t be able to hear what they were saying to each other. However, what they did not know was that these weren''t your average group of teenagers.


    "Are you guys also hearing this?" After a few seconds of total silence, Alphonso turned his head and whispered softly under his breath, and the other three nodded their heads.


    "I can hear them, even when they''re speaking with such a low voice. This is awesome. I really am a superhero!" Alphonso was excited by what was happening to him. Even though it was such a small and negligible change, he was nevertheless excited about it. It seems that he really does love being a superhero.


    "Keep it quiet, Alphonso!" Harold also whispered softly as he responded to Alphonso''s words. However, even though he was speaking in a hushed voice, his aggressive tone was heard by the rest of the group. "You have the ability of super hearing, not super quietness!" The veins on his forehead were visible as he spoke.


    "Well, in my defense, who knows. Maybe I really might have the ability of super quietness, alright?" Alphonso said with a nervous laughter, but he had certainly realized his mistake.


    "Oh my god, just shut up! Both of you!" Gerald shook his head and clicked his tongue as he whispered, and the two nodded their heads reluctantly. "We''ll figure out our superpowers some other time alright?" He continued. "Right now, let''s focus on what we heard."


    "Yeah, yeah, you''re right," Max nodded his head, and he placed his finger under his chin as he began to think. "What do you think happened to the heart of the monster?" He asked, and everyone''s gazes turned into ones filled with curiosity.


    "Are you sure that you didn''t turn it into dandelions?" Gerald asked with one of his eyebrows raised. The question sounded ridiculous. However, the expression on Gerald''s face implied that he wasn''t joking. He was asking for real.


    "No. It can''t be," Max shook his head, disagreeing with Gerald''s theory. "I don''t have the ability to change what something is made up of." Max continued his clarification, and the other three listened to his words, fascinated by his skill. "I can only manipulate the path of nature."


    "You do know that you don''t need to add ''only'' to that sentence, right?" Alphonso said while he rolled his eyes. "Dude! It''s a f*cking awesome superpower!"


    "Just shut up, Alphonso.." Harold said softly as he slammed his palm onto his face with a disappointed expression.


    Max let out a short chuckle as he spoke. "Uh, thank you Alphonso, I guessˇ­" He then continued. "But the point is that I can''t change something that''s made out of meat into dandelion flowers. So I''m not the one responsible for taking the heart of the creature."


    "Well, the agent did say that this was the first time that it has happened, so it''s highly unlikely that the culprit is any of us.." Gerald said as he placed his hand under his chin and went deep into thought. The others did the same as well.


    "Soˇ­ it''s probably Noah, right?" Harold said with a nervous voice. He didn''t seem too sure about his words, and wanted somebody to back him up.


    "... Probablyˇ­" Alphonso spoke softly, but he too didn''t sound too confident.


    ".. if we remove us from the equation, the only one left with superpowers who was present during today''s monster attack was him, soˇ­" Even after he said all that, even Gerald was having trouble pointing out Noah as the culprit.


    "Well, he could definitely have a valid reason behind taking the heart.." Max brought up a possible reasoning, and soon everyone nodded their heads in unison. "Yeah, that could be true.." Gerald nodded his head immediately. "Of course, he must have a good reason," Alphonso said.


    And yet, the boys were still feeling strange. As though something was off. Something about the stolen monsterheart made them tremble.


    A few miles away from the spot where the boys and the cops were standing.


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    A dark figure moved quickly through the air, jumping from the rooftops of buildings with incredible speed.


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    The figure jumped onto the railing of one of the buildings and then crouched down. In the hand of the figure was something large and fleshy.


    The dark figure opened its mouth, revealing its sharp fangs, and bit into the fleshy material, devouring it within seconds.


    "Aah!" The man let out a satisfactory sigh as he leaned back and tilted his head up into the sky, and the light that shone on his face revealed him to be Noah.


    "Sorry, kidˇ­" Noah spoke to himself with a cold and emotionless voice. "There''s something that you''re just not ready to know..."

 Chapter 77 - Troublesome

    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    Max gently placed his feet on the railing of the window of his room, and looked through it, trying to figure out whether his mother was in the vicinity or not.


    After making sure that she wasn''t, Noah slowly and carefully opened the window, and very quietly landed inside his room.


    He then looked around once again, making sure that no one saw him entering the room, and then raised his fist into the air, signalling his victory.


    "Hah," Max let out a sigh as he leaned back on his bed, completely exhausted because of everything that happened today. "I can''t believe I actually was able to help out and do something against that monsterˇ­"


    He raised his hand and stared at his palms for quite some time, squinting his eyes as he remembered everything that he did. He could still remember how he was able to control the path of those dandelions.


    "That took a lot more effort than what I had imaginedˇ­" He said as he bit his lips. Controlling the dandelions proved to be a much more difficult task than he had expected it to be.


    The initial burst of dandelions were much easier to control, even though the first phase was the one containing the most amount of dandelions. If Max were to describe how he controlled it, he would most likely compare it to going down a hill. You just need a little push at the start in order for your vehicle to get moving, and it''s all gravity from there. Similarly, the dandelions only needed a simple kickstart to push them into the path that they have to take, and from there on out, the dandelions would move through the air as they are meant to be doing. Max only needed to get them in motion, and the rest was left to the flowers.


    The rest of the procedure however, was not so simple of a job. Max had to ensure that some of the seeds of the flower go through the monster''s mouth and enter its stomach or its lungs for his plan to work. For this, he had to take control of at least some of the flowers and force them into the mouth of the creature, just to make sure that at least one of the flowers got in the digestive or the respiratory tract.


    From then on, he had to be quick, as he now had to germinate the seeds as fast as possible and get them to sprout and enlarge from within the monster''s body, before it could find him and kill him.


    "I would''ve been dead if Noah wasn''t there to keep the monster busyˇ­" Max mumbled under his breath as he let out a long and heavy sigh. He knew that the process was extremely long and arduous, and if this was a one on one battle, then he was positive that there would be no chance for him to win.


    "I have to get stronger if I want to continue doing thisˇ­" Max knew that training more and getting even more stronger was the only way that he could survive. He had now seen three monsters in total in just a few days, which means that there could be many more monsters within the town.


    "I guess I really have no choice in this matter, huh.." Max said with a bitter smile on his face. He really didn''t want to continue with this superhero business anymore, but his guilt and the monsters weren''t giving him any choice.


    ----------------


    A dark figure moved quickly through the air, jumping from the rooftops of buildings with incredible speed.


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    The figure jumped onto the railing of one of the buildings and then crouched down. In the hand of the figure was something large and fleshy. The dark figure opened its mouth, revealing his sharp fangs, and bit into the fleshy material, devouring it within seconds.


    "Aah!" The man let out a satisfactory sigh as he leaned back and tilted his head up into the sky, and the light that shone on his face revealed him to be Noah. "Sorry, kidˇ­" Noah spoke to himself with a cold and emotionless voice. "There''s something that you''re just not ready to know.."


    He wiped his face and his mouth as soon as he finished speaking, and right then, his ears twitched ever so slightly, causing his eyes to widen.


    "Arghˇ­" The transformed Noah groaned with pain in his voice as he rubbed his forehead, and his gaze then turned towards the direction of the sequoia tree. "What the hell? Are you telling me that Wolfe might be in danger?" The transformed Noah said with one his eyes raised, clearly questioning his own words.


    And as soon as he finished speaking..


    "Argh!" The transformed Noah screamed in pain once again as he grabbed his head and grit his teeth. It was as though his brain was frozen. A cold chill was passing through his head, and no matter what he tried, he couldn''t stop it. Not unless he listened to what it wanted him to do..


    "Ah! Alright, fine.. I get it!" A frustrated and angry Noah responded loudly as he jumped off of the roof of the building that he was standing on and onto another one, moving incredibly fast as he headed for the sequoia tree, and the brain freeze stopped suddenly.


    "I can''t believe this," The transformed Noah said while he clicked his tongue, clearly frustrated by what just happened. "And here I thought I''d at least have some control while you''re asleep, and yet for some reason, you''re able to interfere just because you care for your ''pet''.." Noah shook his head as he let out a sigh. "You humans and your petsˇ­ I''ll never be able to understand it."


    Even though he was angry at the fact that he wasn''t in full control of this body, the transformed Noah was definitely intrigued by the reason for why the real Noah was pushing him to head for the sequoia tree.


    Surely, the dragon must not be in some sort of danger, right? And if that really was the case, then how come the human side of him figured it out before him? The transformed Noah was definitely curious, so he increased his speed.


    Within a few minutes, Noah had reached the entrance of the forest that led to the sequoia tree, and he could already see shrubs and branches fallen down on the pathway, which only made him even more suspicious.


    "What the hell happened here?" Noah walked forward until he reached the spot where the sequoia tree had stood before, and was completely shocked at the ruined surroundings that awaited him.


    The large sequoia tree that was standing tall right in the middle of the spot had been completely destroyed, leaving only the bottom part with the roots in its original spot, and the rest of the wood was scattered all over the place.


    Noah squinted his eyebrows as he scanned the surroundings. He wanted to know what exactly happened in this place.


    ''There was obviously a fight here,'' Noah thought to himself as he tried to fill in the blanks about what happened in this place. He knew that such a destruction could''ve only resulted because of a fight. Normal beasts are not prone to violence all the time, especially if there''s nothing to exert the violent acts on. And from the looks of it, this definitely looked like the act of a monster. Most probably a dragon.


    "What the hell happened to you, Wolfe?" Noah murmured under his breath as he kneeled down near the remnants of the sequoia tree, and narrowed his eyes.


    Swipe!


    He stretched out his hand and swiped his finger over a drop of blood that was stuck to one of the leaves that was lying on the ground. He then placed the finger on top of his tongue and licked the blood off, tasting it as he tilted his head upwards.


    "Dragon bloodˇ­" He whispered under his breath as he licked his lips. This might be a much more serious situation that he had imagined it to be, Noah thought to himself.


    He then walked on over to where a bunch of branches were piled up, with drag marks that were leading out of the pile. He then noticed another drop of blood that was on the branch, and curious, Noah knelt down and swiped his finger over it, brought it to his mouth and licked it.


    "Human blood?" Noah''s eyes widened. ''Don''t tell me it was that guyˇ­''


    Noah didn''t finish his sentence as he immediately stomped his foot on the ground and leapt up, heading away from the location as fast as he could.


    ''I''ve got to find Wolfeˇ­'' Noah was concerned about the safety of the dragon. If it really was the man who had attacked them previously, then the dragon really might be in serious trouble.


    Far away, a man watched Noah leave the spot of the sequoia tree through his binoculars as he was sitting inside his car. That man was, of course, Agent Richard Edgerton, who said with a smile on his face, "Well, well, well, look who decided to show up!"

 Chapter 78 - Quicker

    Noah knelt down and swiped his finger over it, brought it to his mouth and licked it. "Human blood?" Noah''s eyes widened. ''Don''t tell me it was that guyˇ­''


    Noah didn''t finish his sentence as he immediately stomped his foot on the ground and leapt up, heading away from the location as fast as he could. ''I''ve got to find Wolfeˇ­'' Noah was concerned about the safety of the dragon. If it really was the man who had attacked them previously, then the dragon really might be in serious trouble.


    Far away, a man watched Noah leave the spot of the sequoia tree through his binoculars as he was sitting inside his car. That man was, of course, Agent Richard Edgerton, who said with a smile on his face, "Well, well, well, look who decided to show up!"


    Agent Richard didn''t immediately head after Noah. He instead, kept his eye on him through the binocular for a few seconds.


    Click!


    He then clicked the small button on the side of the binocular, which caused a red dot to track onto Noah''s body inside the display of the binocular.


    He then placed the binocular on his lap, leaned back towards the backseat, stretched out his hand and grabbed a large black bag and brought it close to him.


    Sweep!


    He pulled open the zipper of the bag and took out a large tablet and turned it on, and the screen of the tablet showed a large satellite map of New World City, with a red dot moving through it. Clearly, the red dot was Noah, who was being tracked by Agent Edgerton.


    "Now, where the hell are you going?" Agent Edgerton whispered softly under his breath as he watched the tablet screen with his intense gaze, a sinister smile forming on his face as he did so.


    Whoosh!


    Noah used the trees to move through the forested areas, landing on one branch and then using that branch to push down and create energy for the next jump.


    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!


    He was moving through the jungle with incredible speed, leaping from one tree to another within seconds, as though it was an extremely simple process.


    "Argh.." Right then, Noah felt as though a bolt of electricity had passed through his brain, which made his groan in mid jump and forced him to hold his head and grip it tightly with his hands.


    BAM!


    Noah slammed his face against the tree trunk as he had failed to complete the jump, and with a loud and yet extremely short gasp, he fell down.


    BAM! BAM! BAM!


    He fell down onto several branches and broke through all of them, although they did massively reduce the force with which he was falling down.


    BOOM!


    With a loud noise, he crash landed onto the grass covered ground below, causing him to groan once again.


    "Urgh, why the hell did you do that now?" The transformed Noah was now extremely pissed at the original Noah, who was the one responsible for causing the brain freeze effect that hurt his brain just a few seconds ago.


    Well, not exactly the original Noah, but the subconscious part of him. It was interfering with the transformed Noah''s usage of his brain, similar to how a dream could affect your sense of perception, feelings and emotions without you having any control of it or even happening in reality.


    "Your body could''ve seriously been hurt because of that interferenceˇ­" He mumbled under his breath as he got up from the ground, but right as he was doing that, Noah''s eyes widened for a split second, as though he had realized something, and then he immediately narrowed his eyes, looking cautious.


    Whoosh!


    He then tilted his head up and looked up at the sky with a frown.


    "What the hell?" He was confused. It was faint, but Noah could feel something watching him. He didn''t know where it was, or what was even observing him, but he could feel that he was indeed being watched.


    "What on earth is watching me? And why can''t I identify what or where this person is?" Noah was puzzled by what was happening, but he now knew that he had to be extremely cautious.


    The fact that someone is monitoring him, meant that he had to be careful not to let them know where he was heading towards. And at the same time, he also wanted to continue making them think that they were in complete control of the situation.


    "The question is, what the hell do I do now?" Noah thought to himself. Clearly, he couldn''t try to find Wolfe right now, as it would help the enemy identify the dragon''s location as well.


    Inside the rental car, Agent Edgerton was watching his tablet, trying to pinpoint the location of the creature that he had seen before, along with the dragon.


    "Now, now.. why are you not moving, dear monster?" Special Agent Richard Edgerton mumbled under his breath as he pulled out a donut from his bag and took a bite out of it, his gaze never leaving the tablet screen.


    "Ah, screw it!" Noah said while biting his lips, and with a stomp on the ground, he leapt up into the air and flew forward. At the exact time, the red dot on the tablet also began to move, which made Agent Edgerton raise his eyebrows, clearly interested in what was happening on the screen. "There we go.." He said as he let out a short chuckle and then swallowed the entire donut in an instant.


    He then turned the engine on, and then stepped on the gas pedal and took off forward.


    Vroom!


    The car moved through the empty road, and right then, his phone began to ring loudly.


    Ring! Ring!


    Agent Edgerton grabbed his phone from his pocket, brought it close to his face and stared at the screen for a split second before answering the call and placing it next to his ear. "What''s the matter?" He asked.


    "Where the hell are you right now?" Special Agent Alan Fischer''s voice was heard through the phone. "We''re already at the precinct. Why''re you not here yet?"


    "My bad, I got caught up in something.." Agent Edgerton said in a hushed tone as he kept an eye on the road.


    "What do you mean you got caught up in something?" He could hear Agent Fischer''s voice getting louder and louder. "If you''re caught up in something, then quickly find a way to get out of it!"


    "It''ll only take a few minutes. And then I''ll be back," Agent Edgerton said with a calm voice. The voice on the other side suddenly went for a few seconds. The silence was so abrupt that Agent Edgerton had almost thought that the connection was lost. At least, until the loud and angry scream of Agent Fischer reassured him that the connection was still intact.


    "A few minutes?! Are you f*cking with me right now?! Just stop what you-" But before Special Agent Alan Fischer could finish his spirited rant, Agent Edgerton immediately hung up the call, turned the phone off, and then threw the phone to the seat next to him as he let out a long and heavy sigh.


    "I guess I''ll be hearing an earful from Alan when I do returnˇ­" Agent Edgerton said as he let out a short chuckle. The car passed through the hilly roads, and once in a while, Edgerton turned his gaze towards the tablet, which showed that the ''monster'' that is in reality Noah, was heard for the Harker mountain ranges, which made him narrow his eyes.


    "The Harker mountain.." He mumbled under his breath. The Harker mountains were one of the places where it would be extremely difficult to get good tracking, as the place was one of the few locations in New World City which was still not explored by men. If the monster does indeed go there, then Edgerton was sure to lose the creature''s position.


    "I guess I have to be quickerˇ­" Agent Edgerton muttered to himself as he stepped on the brake pedal and turned his steering wheel all the way to the left, which made the car drift to the left and enter into a dirt road, leaving the highway.


    "It should be right around hereˇ­" Richard was on high alert as he looked around. He was searching for something. He occasionally tapped his finger on his tablet, and after a few minutes of searchingˇ­


    "There it is!" His eyes widened as he pressed the brakes, causing the car to stop. He then turned the engine off and got out of the vehicle, heading towards what appeared to be a large crate which had been covered in shrubs, grass and dirt.


    He walked up to the front of the crate and tapped on the upper right side, which revealed a small screen.


    Tap!


    Edgerton pressed his thumb onto the small screen, and the door of the crate opened with a small ''puff'' noise.

 Chapter 79 - Blinded

    "It should be right around hereˇ­" Richard was on high alert as he looked around. He was searching for something. He occasionally tapped his finger on his tablet, and after a few minutes of searchingˇ­


    "There it is!" His eyes widened as he pressed the brakes, causing the car to stop. He then turned the engine off and got out of the vehicle, heading towards what appeared to be a large crate which had been covered in shrubs, grass and dirt. He walked up to the front of the crate and tapped on the upper right side, which revealed a small screen.


    Edgerton pressed his thumb onto the small screen, and the door of the crate opened with a small ''puff'' noise.


    Whoosh!


    The crate began to open with a soft purring noise as white smoke began to escape out from within the crate.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    Agent Edgerton stepped inside the large crate, which was completely covered in darkness. He then stepped to the right and stretched out his hand onto the wall. He moved his hand around until he felt a switchboard under his palms and he immediately turned it on, causing the inside of the large crate to be filled with white fluorescent light.


    "I didn''t think I''d need this, but I guess I was wrongˇ­" Agent Edgerton mumbled under his breath, talking to himself as he walked forward, heading towards the middle of the crate, where a group of large black boxes were gathered on top of one another.


    Agent Edgerton grabbed onto one of the black boxes, pulled it up and placed it on top of the rest of the boxes, and then pressed his finger on a small screen that was on its side.


    Click!


    The box opened with a small ''click'', and Agent Edgerton''s gaze turned to the inside of the black box, which had a large futuristic sniper rifle, with long cylindrical objects placed right next to the weapon, and a smile appeared on his face.


    "I guess I have to thank Johnson for preparing my crate nowˇ­" He murmured under his breath as he took out the sniper rifle and then began aiming with it, trying to get a feel of the weapon.


    He then grabbed one of the attachable scopes that were also present within the box and placed it on top of the sniper rifle, before he brought his eyes close to it.


    "Hm, this is pretty good," He whispered softly before pulling his head back and fixing the sniper rifle onto his back, where it attached itself automatically.


    "Perfect!" Agent Edgerton said with a smile. He then stretched his hand up and tapped on his watch, which showed him a shortened version of the map that was on the tablet. The map showed the red dot rapidly moving towards the Harker mountain, and Edgerton narrowed his eyes.


    He then looked at his body, which had been covered in multiple wounds, and he let out an unsatisfied sigh.


    Swoosh!


    He immediately turned towards the other boxes, grabbing a few of them right before heading out of the crate.


    Click!


    As he was walking away from the crate, Agent Edgerton tapped on his watch a few times, which made the doors of the large crate close slowly on its own, and right after it was completely closed, the crate turned invisible, making it seem as though there was nothing in that spot except for trees, shrubs and grass.


    Click!


    Agent Edgerton opened the backdoor of his car and then threw the boxes that he had brought with him from the crate onto the backseat. He then entered the car through the driver''s seat, and immediately turned the engine on, after which he stepped on the gas pedal and sped away from the forested area, entering the highway and heading for Harker mountain.


    ----------------


    Meanwhile, Noah was moving through the jungle at lightning speed, jumping from one tree to another and heading towards the mountainous ranges, where he hoped his enemy would have a hard time trying to locate him.


    "Damn it! Why on earth am I still feeling someone''s gaze on me?" The transformed Noah was frustrated. He had been moving through the jungle for quite a while now, leaping all around the place and with such a high speed that it would make it almost impossible to catch up to him unless you were a monster.


    And yet, for some reason, the presence that he had felt on him had still not gone away, which just made him confused.


    What the hell was after him? Noah didn''t know what or who was monitoring him, but he knew that whoever or whatever they are, they''re definitely not normal.


    "Urgh.." All of a sudden, the brain freeze made Noah grit his teeth and grab his head once again, except this time, he was able to make a successful landing on one of the tree branches instead of crashing onto the tree and falling down like last time.


    "What now? What the hell is wrong with you?" Noah said with an expression of pain on his face. He was already angry and frustrated by the fact that he wasn''t able to shake off whatever that was monitoring him, and now, he had to deal with the subconscious (Real) Noah as well.


    "Urgh!" As though responding to his words, another brain freeze affected Noah''s head, and he screamed loudly and held his head once again.


    "Alright, I got it, I got it!" Noah yelled out while gritting his teeth, and the sharp pain in his head disappeared all of a sudden, leaving an exhausted Noah to catch his breath.


    "Hah, a surveillance drone or satellite, you say?" Noah murmured under his breath as he thought to himself. Certainly, it would make sense if it really was a machine that was keeping an eye on him rather than a living being. It would explain how they were so easily keeping up with his rapid movement.


    "I guess I really should be taking human technology into account, huh.." Noah mumbled to himself as he took a deep breath. The transformed Noah, a complicated amalgamation of human and alien, was still too much of a greenhorn when it came to the intelligence part of the brain.


    It wasn''t as though he was dumb. No, in fact, he was probably much faster when it came to the processing of information and making choices than most people. But the problem was that he was still too unfamiliar with the various parts of the mind, and as a result, was still unsure of what to think about in various situations.


    Of course, he was still infinitely more quick to learn than any human being, so this wouldn''t be an issue after a while.


    "But I don''t seem to know much about the range of satellites nor dronesˇ­" Noah scratched his head, his eyes narrow and sweat dripping from his forehead.


    The transformed nor the real Noah seemed to have any idea about surveillance drones or satellites and how they work, which made it all the more difficult to figure out a way to escape it''s eyes.


    "Anyways, we''re not even sure that it''s really a drone or not.." Noah scratched his head, unsure of what to do now. In the end, he simply decided to move forward and continue on the same path he was heading on. ''Perhaps the mountains would give us some blockageˇ­'' Noah thought to himself, although he wasn''t too sure if that would really work.


    Back on the highway, Agent Edgerton''s car was racing through the road at its top speed, swirling through the traffic and evading the vehicles that were coming towards him from the opposite direction with ease.


    "You can run, my dear monster.. but you can''t hideˇ­" Agent Edgerton said with a smile on his face as he looked at the tablet and the red dot within the map.


    He had already made the A.I. within the tablet to map out the movement of the creature and predetermine the pathway it''ll most likely choose based on its motion, so that he can utilize that information to catch up to the monster and launch a surprise attack on it. And so far, it seemed to be working, as he was already on track to block the monster''s pathway in less than fifteen minutes.


    Right thenˇ­


    The red dot on the tablet began to blink rapidly, which made Agent Edgerton click his tongue and slam his hand on top of the steering wheel in response. "What? No, no, noˇ­ not now!"


    But even though he was frustrated, Edgerton couldn''t do anything to stop what was happening as the red dot continued to blink for a few more seconds before disappearing completely from the screen, which made Agent Edgerton slam his brakes hard and pull over.


    "F*ck this sh*t!" Agent Edgerton was pissed that he lost the monster, and he pulled the tablet close to his face and tapped on it a few times.


    "Recalibrate the route from before," He said as he held the tablet up to his face. The map began to recalibrate the route that was shown to him before, and Agent Edgerton stepped on the gas once again.


    He was planning on going in blind....

 Chapter 80 - Ready Set Go

    The red dot on the tablet began to blink rapidly, which made Agent Edgerton click his tongue and slam his hand on top of the steering wheel in response. "What? No, no, noˇ­ not now!" But even though he was frustrated, Edgerton couldn''t do anything to stop what was happening as the red dot continued to blink for a few more seconds before disappearing completely from the screen, which made Agent Edgerton slam his brakes hard and pull over.


    "Are you f*cking kidding me right now?!" Agent Edgerton was pissed that he lost the monster, and he pulled the tablet close to his face and tapped on it a few times with frustration in his eyes. "Goddamn piece of junk!" With an angry expression, he threw the tablet onto the seat beside him, and the tablet bounced a bit on the seat and landed safely.


    "Hah, hahˇ­" Agent Edgerton tapped his fingers on his steering wheel and began to inhale and exhale in a rhythmic manner in an attempt to control his breathing and his anger. "Calm down Richardˇ­" He mumbled to himself under his breath. "It''s not the end of the worldˇ­ Let''s just think this through."


    He closed his eyes and breathed in and out for a few more seconds. He then reached for his tablet and picked it up.


    "Recalibrate the route from before," He said as he held the tablet up to his face. The map began to recalibrate the route that was shown to him before.


    "Computer, what''s the possibility that the creature might follow the same path that you predicted?" He asked the artificial intelligence within the tablet, and the tablet responded with its monotonous feminine voice, "The probability that the object might follow the same pathway as shown in the map is calculated to be around 67%!"


    "67 percent, huh.." Agent Edgerton thought for a few seconds before biting his lips and nodding his head. "I guess that''s good enough for me." And with that, Agent Edgerton stepped on the gas once again and the car charged forward, heading for Harker mountain ranges.


    ---------------


    "Wait, what?" Noah, who was using the branches to move forward, all of a sudden came to a stop.


    He leaned back on the tree trunk, and raised his eyebrows in confusion as he had realized that the annoying feeling of someone staring at him had now, for some unknown reason, suddenly disappeared.


    "Did I do something?" Noah didn''t know what was the reason behind the sudden disappearance of that presence. He didn''t remember doing anything different from what he has been doing for the past half an hour.


    And yet, the weird presence that he had been feeling all this time only disappeared just now.


    "Maybe the mountainous regions actually blocked the range of the satellite or the drone, just like what the other Noah suggested.." Noah mumbled softly under his breath. Although he didn''t know the reason, he was definitely grateful for the presence to have left him.


    "But if it really was a surveillance drone or a satellite that was keeping an eye on me, then wouldn''t it mean that the person who was behind this whole mess would''ve already figured out where I am currently, even though they might''ve lost my location just now?" Noah scratched his chin and said with a frown on his face.


    Of course, if whatever was keeping an eye on his location only lost its connection just a few seconds ago, then the person who was controlling that thing would have the information about his location until the moment that they lost contact.


    Which means that if Noah continues to stay in that location, then there might be a chance that he''ll get found out by this very person.


    "I should probably leave this place before the person responsible for this gets hereˇ­" He murmured under his breath and then got ready to jump off the tree branch, but right then, his eyes widened, and a short gasp escaped his lips.


    "What the hell?!" He whispered with a look of surprise on his face. Noah then slowly touched his face, rubbing his fingers on his cheeks and his chin before continuing, "Why the- It- It''s still me!" He looked confused, and continued repeating, "It''s still me! And yet, why one earth am I thinking like him?!"


    Noah was confused as to why he was thinking like the old Noah, even though he was technically still in control of his body. The amalgamation or the merging process should still be happening, but there was still time until the merging to be complete, evident by the fact that the two Noahs are still two different entities rather than a single soul.


    The only way that either one of the two entities could influence the thought process of the other is by forcefully penetrating the thoughts through the subconscious mind, something only the unique and the alien are able to do. It wasn''t something that a normal human being was capable of doing. Or at least that''s what Noah had thought to be the case.


    But now, he wasn''t so sure anymore.


    "This isn''t how it''s supposed to happenˇ­" Noah said with a weak tone, sounding clearly frustrated and puzzled by what was happening. He wanted answers, and unfortunately for him, there just weren''t any.


    "F*ck it!" Noah stomped his foot on the branch, causing it to shake violently. Fortunately, it didn''t break, and Noah sat down on it. "There''ll be no telling what this person is capable of. This might be the only shot I have to get rid of him. And who knows, maybe I would''ve been found out by the drone or the satellite right after I tried to escape." He said to himself, deciding on waiting for the enemy to arrive near him so he could put an end to this properly. "This way, I''ll at least have a chance of launching a surprise attack on whoever is behind it."


    Right then!


    "Urgh!" Another sharp pain was felt passing through his head, which made Noah groan in pain as he held his head. "Not this again," He was getting annoyed by how many times he was being interrupted by the subconscious mind of the original Noah. ''This is getting bothersome..'' He thought to himself.


    "Don''t you get it? This is the safest way to solve this problem.." Noah said in a hushed tone as he tried to calm himself down, but his efforts were interrupted by another sharp pain, which made him slam his fist hard onto the tree trunk, causing the leaves to fall down from above.


    "I meant the safest method for you." He said while gritting his teeth, clearly frustrated by the actions of the subconscious mind. "The best and safest way to deal with an enemy is to end it as fast as you can." He said. "Cut it off as fast as you can. A clean slice."


    "Urgh, for f*ck''s sake!" Another sharp pain passed through his head, and he bit his tongue. "Think about your mother!" He yelled out loudly, and the sharp pain suddenly disappeared, which gave Noah enough time to calm down once again.


    "The more you leave your enemies alone, the more you''re giving them time to grow and learn. And who knows, maybe they''ll even learn of your identity." Noah spoke in a hushed tone. The sharp pain was no more, and silence reigned.


    "You know, deep inside, that this is the right way.." He said once again.


    -------------


    Near the border of the Harker mountain ranges.


    Vroom!


    The car came to a halt right in front of the gate, and Special Agent Richard Edgerton got out of the vehicle and walked towards the gate to open it.


    The gate was old and made up of wood. It wasn''t locked, and the whole structure was covered in vines and moss. It looked like the place was left isolated for a long time.


    CRRR!


    Agent Edgerton gave a slight push to the gate, and with a loud and squeaky noise, the gate opened wide, and all of a sudden, he felt a cold wind flutter against his clothes.


    "I guess this is where you''re hiding, huh.." Agent Edgerton gave a light snort, and then walked back to the car. "Well, if you think that it''s going to help youˇ­"


    He opened the backdoor and pulled out one of the black boxes which he had taken from within the crate, and placed it down on the ground. "... Then you''re clearly underestimating meˇ­"


    Tweek!


    He opened the box, revealing a set of camouflage clothes, and he grabbed it, pulled it out of the box, and then wore them over his regular clothes.


    Tap!


    The Agent then tapped on the badge on his chest, and the camouflage began to lightly adjust its brightness and colors in order to match the surroundings, similar to a chameleon.


    It wasn''t exactly making him invisible, but it definitely made it difficult to spot him.


    "Now, let''s hunt some monsters!"

 Chapter 81 - Hunt

    "Well, if you think that it''s going to help youˇ­" Agent Edgerton opened the backdoor and pulled out one of the black boxes which he had taken from within the crate, and placed it down on the ground. "... Then you''re clearly underestimating meˇ­"


    Tweek!


    He opened the box, revealing a set of camouflage clothes, and he grabbed it, pulled it out of the box, and then wore them over his regular clothes.


    The Agent then tapped on the badge on his chest, and the camouflage began to lightly adjust its brightness and colors in order to match the surroundings, similar to a chameleon. It wasn''t exactly making him invisible, but it definitely made it difficult to spot him. "Now, let''s hunt some monsters!"


    And with that, he entered the driver''s seat of his car once again and headed forward, passing through the open gates of the Harker mountain ranges.


    The concrete road had ended right in front of the old and wooden gates, and from there, it was simply a dirt road that, due to no one utilising the route, was completely covered in tall grass, which made it a bit difficult to drive through.


    The car slowly drove through the tall grass, as Agent Edgerton began glancing back and forth at the screen of the tablet and the front window.


    The tablet showed that he was close to approaching the location where the creature would''ve been at, and he squinted his eyebrows.


    "Could that thing still be hereˇ­" He didn''t know, but he definitely wanted to find out.


    Sweesh!


    He twisted the key of the car and turned the engine off, and let the vehicle move for a few more metres using just the acceleration from before, after which it just stopped moving.


    "Well then, time for the hunt to begin.." He whispered to himself softly as he opened the door of the vehicle with care and caution. He didn''t want to make any noise, and wanted to keep it as quiet as he possibly could.


    He then crouched down as he touched the soft and grassy plains, keeping his gaze on his surroundings and careful not to make any sudden movements so as to not alert the enemy.


    ''He''s hereˇ­'' Agent Edgerton squinted his eyes as he thought to himself. He didn''t know how or why, but as soon as he planted his foot on the ground, Agent Edgerton felt a terrifying aura surrounding him, as though something powerful was hiding within the jungle. The aura was so tremendous and terrifying that it even made the agent gulp down his saliva and covered his forehead with beads of sweat.


    ''I can feel his presence,'' An excited and nervous expression appeared on Agent Edgerton''s face as he slowly moved forward. He could feel that something had changed from last time he had met the creature.


    This time, the aura that the creature was emitting was so much more intimidating and scary. It was as though the creature was telling him that this isn''t going to be like last time.


    "Oh, but that only makes the hunt even betterˇ­" Of course, this wasn''t enough to make Agent Edgerton rethink his decision. In fact, this only reassured him that he had made the right decision on pursuing the creature without taking a rest. If he had decided not to follow the creature and instead chose to rest, then he wouldn''t have had the opportunity to experience the thrill and excitement that he was feeling right now.


    Agent Edgerton licked his lips, and then slowly began to move forward through the pathway, using the bushes and the tall grass in front of him as cover.


    Drip! Drip! Drip!


    Right then, as though it was waiting for the right opportunity to arrive, raindrops began to fall down with intense force, which made the whole surroundings even more difficult to see.


    The sound of the loud rain masked the footsteps of Agent Edgerton, giving him enough freedom to move a bit more flexibly and easily.


    "Now, where the hell are you?" Agent Edgerton was curious. He couldn''t find the position of the creature that he was looking for. Usually, it takes him around five to ten minutes to actually track down such monsters, but Agent Edgerton had a feeling that this time, it was going to be different.


    His eyes began to scan the whole surroundings, one by one. From the trees to the bushes to the swamps to the marshes.


    But he couldn''t spot anything suspicious. Absolutely nothing.


    "This is turning out to be harder than I thought," Agent Edgerton wanted to let out a chuckle, but he knew that he had to stay quiet, so he resisted his urge to laugh. "Though I don''t mind a challenge!"


    Of course, Agent Edgerton loved to be challenged. So, this game of being patient was only making him more excited as opposed to frustrating him.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    The raindrops fell down heavily onto the wet and muddy ground as Agent Edgerton continued to slowly move forward, still alert and cautious as he took his steps.


    Swoosh!


    Edgerton''s eyes widened as he turned his head sideways and pointed his sniper rifle right at the spot that he was looking at. "What the hell was that?" Agent Edgerton raised his eyebrows and said with a frown. He tapped his earpiece twice and then looked at his watch, which gave him the enhanced sound frequency that just passed through his ears, and his frown only deepened. The agent was sure that he had heard a relatively quiet sound of something swiftly moving through the jungle a few hundred meters away. Although the origin of the sound happened about a hundred meters away from his location, his earpiece, which was also another gadget that he had picked up from the large crate, allowed him to listen to low sounds and noises and picked up irregular sound frequencies and then sends it to his ears after enhancing them for the human ear.


    "Hm, are you playing with me, my dear monster?" Agent Edgerton squinted his eyes and clicked his tongue in response. Or maybe the monster was trying to gauge him? Trying to get a read on him, perhaps? Or maybe it''s just hunting, like him?


    "So the hunted thinks that it''s the hunter, eh?" Agent Edgerton almost let out another round of laughter yet again. He was right in his decision to continue trying to hunt the creature rather than head back to the precinct, the agent thought to himself. This was turning out to be the best hunting time of his life. And also, the most dangerous.


    "Hooo.." Agent Edgerton let out a long, and yet soft breath of air and closed his eyes for a brief period of time, before opening it. His eyes and his expressions were now calm and collected.


    He steadied the sniper rifle on his hand once again, and continued surveying the land for his prey.


    "Come on...Show yourself." Agent Edgerton was ready to wait all day. But the question was, is the creature ready?


    Right then!


    Agent Edgerton''s eyes widened suddenly, and with a sudden twist of his upper body he turned his sniper rifle sideways and pulled the trigger, resulting in a small explosion the noise of which was muffled under the heavy rain.


    BAM!


    "Urgh!" Agent Edgerton let out a soft grunt as he was flung back with intense force, causing him to roll down the hillside, hitting small rocks and branches as he moved down the hill.


    "Gah, f*ck!" Edgerton sweared loudly and bit his lips and he grabbed onto one of the rocks and forcefully stopped his body in its tracks. He then looked at his hands, legs and his chest, and realized that he was wounded once again, which made him click his tongue with dissatisfaction. "Great! I injured myself again!"


    Well, at least it wasn''t an injury made by the monster, he thought to himself. His gaze then went to the top of the short hill and caused him to squint his eyes.


    Clearly, he was still alive, which meant that his attack definitely made an impact, stopping the deadly strike of the creature right before it could connect with his body.


    But how much of his attack impacted the creature? Was it partially wounded, or was it a severe one? He had no idea.


    He looked at his hand, and the sniper rifle was still in working condition, which made him breathe a sigh of relief. ''Good. I didn''t break it on the first try!'' He was careful this time.


    Then, after making up his mind, he climbed up the short slope of the hill and came up to the top, where he could see no one.


    He took a few steps forward and then knelt down at the spot where he had previously stood just a few seconds ago, and touched the grass.


    He raised his hand close to his face and looked at his fingers, which were covered in blood.


    "Good," Agent Edgerton nodded his head. "I can already tell that this is going to be a good hunt!"

 Chapter 82 - A Miracle

    "Great! I injured myself again!" Well, at least it wasn''t an injury made by the monster, Agent Edgerton thought to himself. He then looked at his hand, and the sniper rifle was still in working condition, which made him breathe a sigh of relief. ''Good. I didn''t break it on the first try!'' He was careful this time.


    Then, after making up his mind, he climbed up the short slope of the hill and came up to the top, where he could see no one.


    Special Agent Edgerton took a few steps forward and then knelt down at the spot where he had previously stood just a few seconds ago, and touched the grass. He raised his hand close to his face and looked at his fingers, which were covered in blood. "Good," Agent Edgerton nodded his head. "I can already tell that this is going to be a good hunt!"


    -----------------


    A few minutes ago.


    The transformed version of Noah was sitting on top of one of the tree branches, scanning the jungle, trying to look for any suspicious movements.


    ''Come on, where the hell are you?'' Noah was getting annoyed waiting, which was something new. Well, at least new for the transformed Noah. The transformed Noah was getting impatient because he didn''t know when he would lose control of this body and it would revert back to the original Noah''s hands.


    He wanted to put an end to this problem as soon as he could, for if the controls of the body returned to the original Noah once again, then there was no telling what his fate would be.


    Of course, neither of the Noah''s wanted that to happen. The transformed Noah knew that his fighting abilities and quicker reflexes had a much better chance of getting the victory than what the original Noah possesses.


    "Hmmm?" All of a sudden, Noah''s eyes widened for a split second, before they narrowed down and a serious expression appeared on his face.


    "Oh? I guess I really did make the right choice by waiting for the person behind the scenes to arrive.." A sinister smile appeared on Noah''s face as a terrifying aura erupted from his body and shot all around the jungle, similar to a sonic wave.


    "Hah.. Noah, don''t fail me now," The transformed Noah said to himself as he leapt forward from the top branch, levitating in the air for a split second before falling down in a graceful manner.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    He used the branches that were right below him to slowly move down the tree, moving carefully enough to not make any noise which might alert his enemy, and softly landed on the ground.


    He lightly tapped the tip of his feet down on the ground and all of a sudden, his speed increased and Noah charged forward, passing through the jungle with such silence that one wouldn''t even notice his presence.


    Whoosh!


    Noah began circling the location where the enemy presence was felt. He was trying to figure out who the person behind the whole tracking process was using his enhanced senses, which will give him a much easier view.


    "Huh, that''s interesting.." Noah squinted his eyes and whispered softly to himself, as to his surprise, he was still having trouble identifying the enemy, even while utilizing his enhanced senses.


    "But even if you can fool my eyesˇ­" Noah''s nose began to wiggle slightly as he squinted his eyebrows. Since he had the enhanced ability of smell, he could determine a difference in scents. And using this ability, he realized that there was a slight variation in the amalgamation of scents nearby, meaning that the enemy, although hidden, was still extremely nearby.


    ''Now, I just have to pinpoint your location,'' Noah moved his head as he continued scanning the entire forest area.


    He had now cropped in on the surroundings and decreased the area which could very well be the spots that have a higher chance of being the enemy''s hideout, but he still didn''t have a clear idea of his correct location.


    At least, not yet.


    Noah continued circling the location, slowly decreasing the distance and closing in as time went on.


    "Come on, come on.." Noah could feel the scent getting stronger and stronger, and he knew that he was getting closer to the location of the enemy.


    His eyes began to dark around violently, searching every nook and corner for any suspicious activity or weird motion.


    "Right there!" All of a sudden, his eyes widened and a smile appeared on his face. His gaze was now fixated on a certain part of the jungle, behind a large rock and next to a bunch of trees. Although it seemed as though there was nothing there, Noah could feel that something was off, as though there was a mistake. He couldn''t pinpoint exactly what the mistake was that was drawing his gaze to it. It was a similar feeling to that of the uncanny valley, where it feels as though something is off even though it might appear to be perfect.


    Whoosh!


    Noah knew that this could only be the work of the enemy, and he immediately braked his feet and then immediately changed his direction, heading for that exact spot.


    Swoosh!


    He raised his hands forward, which had completely been transformed into clawed hands, aiming right at the spot. However, right thenˇ­


    "...Human?" Noah''s nose moved slightly once again, and for a split second, his eyes, which were completely black, returned to white, and a sharp pain passed through his head which made him groan in pain.


    "No, no, noˇ­ I''m not letting you ruin this!" Noah shook his head as he continued charging towards the spot where the enemy was, and right as his clawed hands seemed as though they were about to land a strike on the enemy..


    BOOM!


    A bright blue light enveloped Noah for a brief second, which temporarily blinded him. After the temporary blindness passed, suddenly, everything seemed to move in slow motion. Noah felt as though time had stopped. Another sharp pain began to emerge from within Noah. Except this time, it came from within his chest.


    Whoosh!


    Noah was flung back with intense force, causing him to slam against multiple tree trunks, breaking through every one of them before crashing onto the ground, bouncing up and down due to the intense force of the attack, before slamming his back onto a large boulder, which made it shake and cause a massive crack to form.


    "Gah!" Noah let out a gasp and threw up blood onto the wet grass that were near his hands. He was breathing heavily, and his forehead was covered in beads of sweat.


    His eyes were now back to normal, and his hands and his legs had now regressed back into his old form.


    "F*ck!" Noah said with a rough and weak tone. He was clearly not in a great position to speak properly. He raised his hands, which took more effort than he had imagined, and then stared at them. Both his hands were trembling, but not because of fear. No, it was because of the tremendous energy that passed through his body, which almost made him paralyzed.


    "Am, am I back?..." Noah spoke with a weak tone. This was not the transformed Noah, but the original Noah. He raised his eyebrows, confused by what was happening. He didn''t know why he was back. Surely, it wasn''t because of the attack, right?


    "Gah!" A sharp pain entered into his head, which made him groan weakly and place his hand around his head, covering it from above. But right then, Noah''s eyes turned completely black, and he immediately leapt up from the ground, his expression now serious once again.


    "Oh good," Noah said while letting out a long and deep breath. "For a second there, I thought that I had completely lost control.."


    He didn''t want the control to revert back to the original Noah. Not right now, at least. The attack that they suffered here, albeit the attacker being a human, was still extremely dangerous. Noah wasn''t confident that the real version would be able to handle another attack of the same caliber.


    He wanted to avoid such a confrontation at all costs.


    With that, he took a step forward. Howeverˇ­


    "Wha- What in the world is happening?" Noah was confused. He had moved his right leg forward, but for some reason, he couldn''t move his left leg.


    "Why isn''t my leg moving?" He tried to make it move, but it was as though his leg had become completely paralyzed.


    "Move!" He said once again, this time with great focus and determination, and finally, the leg moved, which made him breathe a sigh of relief.


    "Phew! That was unexpected!" He said with a relieved expression on his face.


    "Oh yeah! Definitely!" All of a sudden, a familiar voice echoed in his mind, which made Noah widen his eyes in surprise.


    "Wait a minute? What?!"

 Chapter 83 - A Difference In Opinion

    "You think they''ll be alright?" Alphonso, who was sitting next to the injured Clarice and was tending to her wounds, asked Harold, who was keeping a lookout for any vehicles that were passing by and could offer them some help.


    "What? Gerald and Max?" Harold asked without even turning around. "I don''t know."


    "Aren''t you supposed to say that they''ll be fine?" Alphonso asked with a frown on his face.


    "I don''t know that now, do I?" Harold''s face was still turned away from him. "And besides, we don''t even know that the plan would even work properly.."


    Right then!


    A bright light could be seen coming from the corner of the hillside, and Harold''s face brightened as he waved his hands at the vehicle that was arriving.


    ----------------


    Grab!


    With no resistance from the monster, which had now started to twitch uncontrollably, Noah grabbed hold of the monster''s head from behind and tightly gripped it, before pulling it using all his strength.


    "AHHHH!" He screamed loudly as he pulled the creature''s head, and the flesh on its neck began to be torn apart, which caused dandelion flowers to fall out from within its esophagus along with the massive amount of blood, flesh and bones. As the creature''s head was completely ripped out by Noah, the headless body of the monster began to twitch uncontrollably for a few more seconds before falling down with a loud noise, and Noah dropped the head onto the ground, while letting out a heavy sigh.


    "I can''t believe that worked," Gerald said with an astonished expression on his face, and Max nodded his head, replying, "Me neither.."


    "F*ck!" Noah screamed loudly as he leaned back and fell down onto the ground, and the other two boys turned to look at him and asked, "Are you alright? Do you need any help?"


    Noah tilted his head up to look at the two boys, and then shook his head as he gave a thumbs up. "No, it''s alright. I''m totally fine." He replied with an exhausted smile on his face. "I''m jus- I''m just a bit tiredˇ­"


    The two boys nodded their heads in understanding. Gerald then turned to look at Max, who was panting like crazy and asked, "What about you?" He said with his eyebrows raised. "Are you alright after what you just did?"


    Max shook his head as he let out a short chuckle. "Ha ha.. Yeah, no." He said with a smile. "No, I''m not alright. I feel like all my energy has been completely sucked dry. I feel like I''m going to puke any second now."


    Gerald''s concerns grew, but the beaming smile on Max''s face was making him confused. "But you know what?" Max said as he raised his hands and looked at it with pride and joy in his eyes. "I''m also kinda happy." He turned around to look at Gerald, whose face was implying that he was puzzled by Max''s words. "I''m happy that I was able to do something about the situation with the creature." He decided to clarify his words in order to make Gerald understand what he was saying.


    "Ah, I see.." Gerald''s eyes widened with surprise before he nodded his head in agreement. He responded, "You felt like you had control of your situation.."


    "You''re damn right I had control!" Max said loudly, which made Gerald let out a nervous laugh. He didn''t remember Max ever being this excited about something. This was strange.


    "But still," Gerald said as he stared at the monster''s head that had been ripped off from its torso, and let out a long and heavy sigh. "To think that your idea actually workedˇ­" He paused for a second and took a glance at Max, who was breathing in and out, and continued. "Since when did you figure out what your powers were?" Gerald was curious, as he has yet to have any sort of awakening processes.


    "It just, it just happened.." Max said, while still having trouble breathing properly. He stopped and pressed his hand on his chest, in an attempt to keep his composure. But he was already too excited.


    He had absolutely no idea whether his plan would work, and was terrified of his situation right up until he made his first move. And now, after what he just went through, Max felt as though this was a much more exhilarating experience than what he had imagined. The adrenaline fueled Max was addicted to what he was feeling right now. He felt as though he was on top of the world!


    "Hah.." Noah, who let out another round of long and heavy sighs, then turned to look at the headless body of the batlike monster with intrigue in his completely blackened eyes.


    Tap! Tap!


    He then got up from the ground and walked towards the body of the monster, kneeling down right in front of it, as he placed his hand on the creature''s cold chest, his eyebrows raised as he did so.


    "And I can''t believe I still haven''t even figured out what your powers really areˇ­" Gerald shook his head as he said with a chuckle. Max chuckled along with him and responded, "What, you still haven''t understood after you literally watched me implement it? How is that even possible?" His chuckle soon evolved into a loud laughter as time went on, and Gerald decided to join in as well, and the two boys laughed loudly.


    "Is your superpower something related to flowers?" The voice of Noah interrupted their laughter, and the two turned their heads in unison and saw Noah walking towards them, his hands covered in something sticky. He then raised his palm upwards and pointed it towards the two boys, opening it for them to see a dandelion flower in his hand.


    But the boys were more interested in figuring out how Noah even appeared behind them without making any noise. They were both pretty certain that they wouldn''t have known of his presence had he not said a single word, which was simply terrifying.


    "Uh, not exactly?" Max decided to respond to Noah''s question. "My power is related to manipulating the lifetime of anything that''s plant related." He clarified. Max then pointed his finger at the dandelion flower in Noah''s hand, and all of a sudden, the flower flew up from his palm and began floating up into the air.


    "It''s floatingˇ­" Gerald whispered under his breath. Noah shook his head and replied, "Not exactly." He then pointed at the dandelion flower and continued, "The flower seems to be maturing.." He then turned his gaze towards Max, who was sweating once again, for confirmation, and he nodded his head in agreement.


    "That''s right!" Max said as he let out a loud breath of air, and the dandelion fell down onto the ground. He then wiped the sweat that had accumulated on top of his forehead and continued, "I don''t have any more energy left to demonstrate my move, so I''ll just explain." He said with a weak smile. "The dandelion flower on your hand was already destined to fly in the air, because that''s how the seeds of the dandelion plant are transported. Through air." He pointed at the sky.


    "So you manipulated time itself?" Noah asked with confusion evident in his eyes, and Max shook his head. "Not really, no. I merely manipulated the path and the speed it takes for the flower to get to its eventual position in the air. If I had used my powers even more, then perhaps you could''ve seen the seed begin to germinate, although I don''t think I would''ve had the energy to pull it off a second time."


    "Is that what you did to the monster?" Noah asked as he pointed in the direction where the body of the headless monster lay, and Gerald turned his gaze towards Max, his eyes widened. "That''s right," Max nodded his head. "I manipulated the path of the dandelion flowers, and some of them had entered into the monster''s open mouth. From there, I tried to control and manipulate the seeds that were inside of the creature''s body and tried to germinate and grow them from within its organs."


    "So you killed the creature from the inside.." Gerald mumbled under his breath as he rubbed his chin. "Incredibleˇ­"


    "Incredible indeedˇ­" Noah nodded his head, and Max let out a nervous laughter and waved his hands dismissively. "Well, it''s really not that incredible. It''s incredibly time consuming, and it drains my energy with just one try, so I''d only have one shot to try this. And plus, I can only utilize such a technique if there are plants which have seeds that use air as transport and are small enough to enter into the openings of monsters."


    "Don''t be humble, Max.." Gerald patted him on the shoulder as he spoke. He had a proud expression on his face. "The fact of the matter is that you''ve saved us. And that''s something that you have to be proud about. You can never undersell something like that."


    All of a sudden, Noah''s eyes widened, and his gaze shifted to the side of the road, where a group of cars could be seen coming straight towards them.

 Chapter 84 - Return

    "This is a life or death battle. And in a life or death battle, there''s no time to think about the safety of someone else who''s your enemy. There''s only time to think about yourself." Noah pressed his foot on the ground hard as he spoke, stopping in his tracks once again as he leapt up into the air and up the trees, hiding on top of one of the tree branches as he continued his words. "You''re going to have a lot of fights like that, Noah. That''s the path you have in front of you. And sooner or later, that ''no killing'' mentality of yours is going to end up killing the both of us."


    The original Noah didn''t reply immediately. And he didn''t have to, because right then, Noah''s eyes widened, and he leapt up right before the bright blue strand of light hit the tree trunk that was right behind him, causing the entire tree to smash into pieces.


    BOOM!


    Noah flipped up into the air and immediately turned his whole body around, only to find a long strand of bright blue light heading straight for his shoulder.


    He wanted to evade the attack, but it was too late. The strand of light was simply too close to him, and even though Noah tried to shift his body in a last minute attempt to evade the attack, the strand of light nevertheless struck Noah''s shoulder, resulting in a large explosion that lit up the sky for a split second and sent Noah flying sideways, crashing into the trees with a loud noise before falling down onto the ground.


    "Bullseye!" Agent Edgerton said with a smile on his face as he saw the large explosion that shook the whole sky, and then began to move forward in an attempt to decrease the distance between him and his prey.


    ''The monster seems to have realized the threat I pose, which is why it''s trying to keep a distance from me. So that I have less of a chance at targeting him,'' Agent Edgerton seemed to have figured out Noah''s plan. And he definitely wasn''t going to let the monster have its way. He was going to hunt down this monster and kill it. "You might be a clever monster, but I won''t let you win this round. I promise you."


    THUD!


    "God f*cking damn it!" Noah yelled out in a frustrated tone as he landed on his back. "Ah, my back!" He said as he quickly got up on his feet with his hand massaging his back.


    "Don''t make loud noises, you moron!" All of a sudden, Noah began to talk in a hushed tone. He sounded frustrated. This was, of course, the transformed Noah, who was trying to keep the original Noah from giving out their position by screaming loudly. "Are you trying to get us killed?" The transformed Noah said with an agitated expression on his face.


    "Ah, sh*t! I''m sorry, I''m sorry!" The original Noah had now realized his mistake and immediately apologized, this time inside his mind. "I really don''t know how to control my body while there''s another mind operating alongside me!" He said in a desperate tone. He really was confused, as this isn''t something that a normal person like him has any idea about.


    "Justˇ­ use your feelings, alright?!" Even the transformed Noah didn''t know how to properly explain the mindhive system to a human being.


    "What does that even mean?!" The original Noah didn''t know what to make of his doppelganger''s words.


    "Sh*t! Nevermind!" The transformed Noah was frustrated, but he seemed to understand the original Noah''s struggle in not being able to understand all the changes that were happening to his body. He was, after all, a human mind. He wouldn''t be able to grasp the workings of an alien mindhive system so quickly. Hell, even he wasn''t familiar with this sort of dual control mechanism that''s going on right now.


    "Just don''t do anything stupid and leave the rest to me!" The transformed Noah said with an intense voice. He then looked at his hands and his legs and realized that he wasn''t even at his true form, which only made him gnash his teeth in anger.


    "I have to win this fight while I''m injured and not in my true form?" He didn''t want to believe it, but he was forced to. It seemed like the amalgamation of the two minds came with a cost, which was in the form of a downgrade in strength. This was a double loss for Noah, especially since he was injured, which had already made him weaker than before.


    Zoom! Zoom! Zoom!


    Of course, Agent Edgerton was going to give Noah the time to worry about his power and strategies as countless blue strands of light began raining down on him, forcing him to move out of the way as quickly as he could, and continue dodging the attacks.


    "F*ck! We have to do something!" The original Noah said as the transformed Noah controlled his body and moved around the tall grass, dashing in a zigzag manner as he narrowly avoided the strands of light.


    "Yeah, no sh*t Sherlock!" The transformed Noah responded in a passive aggressive tone, which just made the original Noah even more annoyed.


    "Those blue light things definitely have to run out at some point, right?" The original Noah asked, and the transformed Noah thought for a few seconds before replying, "I''m assuming that''s the case. But even if it is, how would we know whether he has completely run out of ammunition or he''s simply in the middle of reloading?"


    "You make it sound as though there might be a problem," The original Noah spoke as though the transformed Noah''s question was just idiotic. "Why does it matter whether he has run out of ammunition or he''s reloading? Our main objective should not be taking him out in one go, but to decrease the distance. We can think about ending the fight after we have closed the gap. That should be our second priority. And given how we were running away from him all this time, he probably thinks that we wouldn''t consider turning around and heading towards him. This might even throw him off a bit, which might even give us an opportunity to attack."


    He paused for a second, went through the words he had just spoken, and then continued, "And when I said ''take him out'', I meant to disarm him, alright?" He wanted to clarify his point to the transformed Noah. The original Noah had no plans to kill. "You can beat him. But you can''t kill him."


    The transformed Noah didn''t reply.


    Zoom! Zoom! Zoom!


    The strands of light continued to shoot out from within the jungle, and Noah continued to move left and right, up and down, doing every possible move to avoid the bursts of energy that were hurling at him at an incredible speed.


    "Wait for itˇ­" The original Noah said in a hushed tone, but his doppelganger was already thinking about it. They were waiting patiently for the shooting to stop, which it had to, eventually.


    Right then!


    Zoom! Zoom!


    The strands of light that were continuously raining down upon him had suddenly stopped, and without wasting a single second, Noah stomped his feet in the air and charged forward.


    Whoosh!


    He leapt through the trees, shrubs and grass, closing the gap that he had created between Noah and Agent Edgerton within seconds.


    "Can you see him?" The original Noah asked the transformed Noah. Clearly, the two had the same eyesight. However, compared to the original Noah, the doppelganger had a much more clear understanding of where to look and was generally quicker when it came to reflexes.


    "I see himˇ­" The doppelganger replied in an emotionless tone, as his gaze was fixated on what appeared to be a normal tree a few miles away.


    But Noah knew that there was more than just a tree there. He had calibrated the trajectory of the strands of light that were heading towards him, and had figured out the location of the source of the attacks.


    "F*ck, he found me!" Agent Edgerton, who had emptied his lazaron ammunition cartridge, saw the fast approaching Noah, and immediately pulled out his shotgun rifle, quickly moving his assault rifle out of the way.


    "Sh*t! Abort!" The original Noah grit his teeth and yelled out inside of his mind as he saw the enemy taking the shotgun rifle out. "We won''t make it in time!"


    "We mightˇ­" The transformed Noah had a different opinion, but right before he could finish his words, a sharp pain erupted in his head for a split second, which made him groan in pain, and he reluctantly stopped in his tracks, changed directions, and immediately hid deep within the jungle.


    Zoom!


    A large strand of light exited out from the shotgun barrel as Noah retreated, slightly grazing by his left ear right bro it struck the ground and exploded, causing mud and dirt to fly into the air.

 Chapter 85 - Find A Way

    "F*ck, he found me!" Agent Edgerton, who had emptied his lazaron ammunition cartridge, saw the fast approaching Noah, and immediately pulled out his shotgun rifle, quickly moving his assault rifle out of the way. "Sh*t! Abort!" The original Noah grit his teeth and yelled out inside of his mind as he saw the enemy taking the shotgun rifle out. "We won''t make it in time!"


    "We mightˇ­" The transformed Noah had a different opinion, but right before he could finish his words, a sharp pain erupted in his head for a split second, which made him groan in pain, and he reluctantly stopped in his tracks, changed directions, and immediately hid deep within the jungle.


    A large strand of light exited out from the shotgun barrel as Noah retreated, slightly grazing by his left ear right bro it struck the ground and exploded, causing mud and dirt to fly into the air.


    "Damn it!" Agent Edgerton said as he bit his lips, regretful that his attack did not hit the intended target. "I missed him again!"


    Whoosh!


    Noah leapt up onto one of the trees and hid behind the tree trunk as he crouched down on the branch.


    "Why the f*ck did you do that?!" Although the doppelganger Noah was talking in a whispered tone, the original Noah could feel the anger in his words. He was furious that he had to stop the attack and retreat so quickly, as he believed that he had a chance at landing a strike on Agent Edgerton.


    "I would''ve beaten him if you didn''t decide to interfere!" The doppelganger Noah said while gritting his teeth, clearly angry at the original Noah. "You don''t know that for sure!" The original Noah disagreed with the doppelganger Noah, which only made him even more mad. "You just got scared and pulled out of the attack! That''s it!" He said in a condescending manner.


    "That''s right, I got scared!" The original Noah retorted with a snort. Clearly, he was annoyed at the way the doppelganger Noah was talking to him. He didn''t know whether or not Noah could''ve landed a hit before the enemy could strike first, but he did know that what he did was the safest option that he could''ve chosen.


    "I put my safety as my number one priority. Just like you said!" The original Noah said with such a ''matter of fact'' tone that it even caught the doppelganger Noah off guard.


    After a brief period of silence, he simply shook his head. "Fine. We''ll have this discussion later." He clearly didn''t want to continue arguing with his human counterpart, and decided to ask him for his cooperation in order to defeat their enemy. "What do we plan on doing against this guy?" He asked.


    "He''s incredibly skilled when it comes to regaining control over a situation and quicker than any human that I''ve ever seen, with fast reflexes that may even rival fellow monsters!" The doppelganger continued his words, and Noah listened.


    "So you''re saying that he would''ve most likely landed a strike on you had you decided to not listen to my words and continued attacking just a few moments ago.." The original name brought up their previous discussion, and the doppelganger shook his head with an annoyed expression. "I said he''s quicker than most humans and ''may'' even rival the speed of other monsters," He said while pointing his finger at his own chest. "But not me!"


    The original Noah rolled his eyes at the words of the doppelganger Noah, but he didn''t wish to make this issue even bigger. Instead, he decided to focus on the problem at hand and said, "Well, I guess we can''t attack him head on, considering his impressive speed to respond and fast reflexes would put us at a disadvantage."


    "And what do you propose we do to remedy that?" The doppelganger Noah asked. "Any ideas?"


    "Give me a few seconds.." The original Noah said. And as soon as he finished his words, Noah suddenly leapt up from the branch that he was standing on and onto another tree right as another bright blue strand of light hit the spot that he was standing on just a second ago, causing that tree to explode into bits and pieces.


    BOOM!


    "You better think quick, because with the way that this guy is shooting out light beams, he''ll burn the whole forest down to get to us!" The doppelganger Noah said to the original one, reminding him that the enemy was still after him and there was simply no time to chill.


    "Wait a minute!" However, as soon as the doppelganger Noah finished his words, the original Noah widened his eyes as though he had discovered something important. "What did you just say?" He asked the doppelganger Noah, who was confused as to why the real Noah was acting in such a manner.


    "What? You better think quick?" The doppelganger Noah replied with what he had said a few moments ago with a puzzled expression on his face.


    "No, no, noˇ­ not that!" The original Noah shook his head, and continued, "That''s not the part that I was talking about!"


    The doppelganger Noah thought about what else he had spoken, and said, "Are you talking about the part where I said that he might burn the whole forest down in order to catch us?"


    Snap!


    "That''s it! That''s the one that I was talking about!" The original Noah snapped his finger as doppelganger Noah finished his sentence. "No matter how quick and skilled he is, at the end of the day, he is still a human being." The original Noah said with a smile. "And human beings aren''t too fond of fire."


    He then asked the doppelganger, "We can handle flames, right?" To which the doppelganger tilted his head. "We''re not invincible, but we can definitely handle it better than humans, I guess?"


    The doppelganger Noah paused for a second before responding, "Don''t tell me that you plan to burn the man to death? I thought you were against killing people?"


    "Who said I was planning on killing him?" The original Noah said as he jumped onto another branch, and the one right before exploded into fragments as a bright blue light struck it. "We''re just going to smoke him out!"


    ------------------


    "Where are you, my dear monster?" Agent Edgerton whistled softly as he aimed his futuristic assault rifle towards the trees, his eyes near the scope as he breathed in an out right before he pulled the trigger, causing a bright blue light to eject out from within the barrel of the gun and strike the tree a few meters away, smashing it into various fragments.


    "Well, well, well, aren''t you a quick little fella?" Agent Edgerton didn''t waste any more time and immediately shifted his gaze towards another tree as he spotted a small movement of its leaves and pulled the trigger once again, destroying yet another tree as it shattered into bits and pieces.


    BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!


    The blue light began to burst out continuously as more and more trees began to explode into tiny fragments, but they just didn''t seem to be able to find their intended target.


    "This is becoming tiresomeˇ­" The fact that he hadn''t been able to get a clean hit on his target even after all this time was making Agent Edgerton a bit annoyed, although not to the point that he was blinded by his anger.


    Right then..


    Whoosh!


    Noah''s figure leapt up from the tree branches and onto the ground. Although it was an extremely soft landing and would most likely not have been heard by any normal human being, Agent Edgerton had used his special earpiece which was able to detect the change in sound waves within the vicinity, amplify it and send it to his ears, and it helped him hear the sound of Noah''s shoes striking on the soft grass land.


    "Oh no you don''t!" Agent Edgerton immediately turned the direction of his rifle, pointing it right at the spot where Noah had landed and pulled the trigger, and another round of bright blue light burst out of the barrel of the gun and shot towards Noah with incredible speed.


    BOOM!


    Even with how fast his reaction time was, the light beam still missed its target and struck the ground below, sending dirt and grass flying all over the place.


    Swoosh!


    At the same time, Noah stretched his hand out and from his palms shot out a ball of flames which shot straight at Agent Edgerton, who immediately countered it with another light beam.


    BOOM!


    The two attacks collided with each other, resulting in a loud explosion that send dust and dirt flying all over the place, as the grass beneath the explosion caught on fire.


    "That''s not going to be enough to defeat me!" Agent Edgerton yelled out loudly with a sinister smile on his face as he pulled the trigger on his rifle once again, and out came countless blue light beams that headed straight for the fast moving Noah!

 Chapter 86 - Winner

    Agent Edgerton immediately turned the direction of his rifle, pointing it right at the spot where Noah had landed and pulled the trigger, but the light beam still missed its target and struck the ground below, sending dirt and grass flying all over the place.


    Noah stretched his hand out and from his palms shot out a ball of flames which shot straight at Agent Edgerton, who immediately countered it with another light beam.


    The two attacks collided with each other, resulting in a loud explosion that sent dust and dirt flying all over the place, as the grass beneath the explosion caught on fire. "That''s not going to be enough to defeat me!" Agent Edgerton yelled out loudly with a sinister smile on his face as he pulled the trigger on his rifle once again, and out came countless blue light beams that headed straight for the fast moving Noah!


    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!


    The blue light beams moved through the air with incredible speed, and Noah immediately leapt forward and spun his body in the air in an attempt to evade the attack.


    BAM!


    Most of the light beams passed by him without a problem, but right as he was able to land on the ground, one blue strand of light, which was simply too late for him to evade, collided with his legs, causing a loud and gigantic explosion that flung him backwards, causing his whole body to spin in the air for a few seconds before crashing onto a tree trunk with a loud noise.


    BOOM!


    "F*ck! F*ck! F*ck!" Noah cursed out loud as he got up from the ground while rubbing his back in pain, but he had no time to complain about the attack that struck him, as just when he had gotten up from the ground, he was bombarded by yet another round of countless blue light beams.


    "Ah shit!" Noah waved his arm around with a panic-stricken expression on his face and out from his palms came a bunch of fireballs, which shot out and headed straight for the light beams.


    BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!


    The fireballs collided with the blue light beams, stopping them right in their tracks and causing multiple loud explosions that echoed all over the jungle.


    Whoosh!


    However, even though the fireballs had taken out many of the blue light beams, some of them still survived the onslaught and continued heading towards Noah, who immediately rolled back without wasting a single second, evading some of the light beams by a hair''s breadth.


    Swoosh!


    But even after all that, he saw that one blue strand of light was still moving towards him with incredible speed, already near him as he raised his arms.


    "F*ck this sh*t!" Noah grit his teeth and in a desperate attempt, rolled his palms into a fist and punched at the beam of light that was heading his way, leading it to explode as it collided with his fist, causing him to be pushed back a few steps.


    He glanced at his hand for a second, and saw that the skin on his palms were on the verge of peeling off, with burn marks all around his fingers and on the back of his hand.


    "Well isn''t that a lot of damage.." The doppelganger Noah said while gnashing his teeth, and the original Noah responded with an angry tone. "Be a bit more careful with my hands, will you?! Are you trying to destroy it?"


    "Oh boo hoo, don''t be so sensitive. It''ll heal in a few minutes!" The doppelganger Noah retorted back with a snarky comment, which caught the original Noah off guard yet again.


    This doppelganger of mine was becoming more and more human as time went on, the original Noah thought to himself.


    "Focus on increasing your speed for now!" The original Noah said as he pointed at the grass that had caught fire from all the fireballs that were launched by Noah just a few seconds ago. "The rainˇ­" He said, and the doppelganger Noah saw that most of the grass that had caught on fire had been put out by the rain drops that were falling down hard. "We need to increase the speed and the rate at which we shoot the fireballs if we want the place to burn without having to worry about the rain.."


    Whoosh! Whoosh!


    "Already on it!" Said the doppelganger Noah as he stretched out his hand and from it shot out multiple fireballs, heading straight for Agent Edgerton.


    BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!


    Agent Edgerton fired back at the fireballs with his blue light beams, which collided with the fireballs, albeit at close range, which sent a few flaming parts flying straight at the agent, forcing him to jump out of the way in order to avoid the attack.


    But in doing so, he had to break away from his shooting position, which gave Noah the golden opportunity to shorten the distance between the two yet again.


    Whoosh!


    Noah stomped his feet on the ground once again and charged forward, aiming for the readjusting Agent Edgerton, who immediately raised his assault rifle and shot out another round of blue light beams.


    "Back away!" The original Noah yelled loudly as the doppelganger Noah braked and changed directions yet again, flying high into the tree branches right next to him while avoiding the light beams that were heading his way.


    Swoosh!


    Noah used the tree branches to continue circling the area, and with his swift speed and the tight angles that he was making to turn, Agent Edgerton was having trouble landing a decent hit on him.


    "Stay in one place you damn creature!" Agent Edgerton said with a frustrated expression on his face as he shot another round of light beams, which narrowly missed the fast running Noah yet again.


    Of course, Noah wasn''t planning on just continuing running, and he immediately countered back with a set of fireballs heading straight for the agent, who had to roll on the ground yet again in order to completely avoid Noah''s attack.


    "Now''s the chance!" The doppelganger Noah had his eyes widened as he spoke, and without wasting a single second, he leapt forward, his arm stretched out as he reached for the still readjusting Agent Edgerton.


    This wasn''t the same as last time. Noah knew that. He was much closer in distance than before, which meant that he had a better chance at grabbing hold of the human before he could land an attack on him.


    Whoosh!


    Within a split second, Noah was already in front of Agent Edgerton, who had still not correctly aimed his rifle at the intended target, who was Noah himself.


    "I''ve got you now!" The original Noah had a victorious smile on his face as his hand was close to grabbing the human enemy''s neck.


    Swoosh!


    But right then, the crown on agent Edgerton''s smart watch, which he had assumed to be just another normal watch, suddenly shot out a small burst of blue energy beam straight at Noah''s neck, resulting in a loud explosion that flung both Noah and Agent Edgerton back.


    BAM!


    While Agent Edgerton was only pushed back a few steps and found his balance easily, Noah, on the other hand, was impacted by the burst of energy that collided with him and slammed his back against one of the trees that were right behind him before crashing down onto the ground, face first.


    "Hahh! You almost got me," Agent Edgerton said as he breathed a sigh of relief, right before aiming his rifle straight at the fallen Noah, who was in the middle of getting up on his feet, and pulled the trigger.


    BOOM!


    Noah raised his hands up in order to defend against the attack as the beam of light collided with his palms, sending him flying back and smashing through the tree trunk before crashing down hard on the ground with a loud noise.


    "Is that all you got?" Edgerton taunted Noah with a smile on his face as he began to walk towards him, his rifle still pointed right at Noah.


    "GAH!" Noah let out a groan filled with pain right before shooting fireballs out from open mouth, which headed straight for Agent Edgerton, who was caught off guard by the attack, and in an impromptu evasion method, he rolled to the side, successfully evading the attack.


    He got up on his feet, but by then, Noah was already there to greet him with his fist.


    BAM!


    Agent Edgerton wanted to defend, but Noah slammed his fist right on his chest before he could even raise his hands up, so he couldn''t even use the hidden watch attack, and was flung back countless feet before crashing down onto the ground with a loud noise.


    "AH!" Agent Edgerton, who was only human, was injured pretty badly by that single attack, and before he could even get up from the ground, Noah grabbed him by the collar and turned him around, kneeling on top of him and raised his fist in the air, aiming right for the agent''s face.

 Chapter 87 - Hunter

    Noah shot fireballs out from his open mouth, which headed straight for Agent Edgerton who was caught off guard by the attack, and in an impromptu evasion method, he rolled to the side, successfully evading the attack.


    He got up on his feet, but by then, Noah was already there to greet him with his fist. Agent Edgerton wanted to defend, but Noah slammed his fist right on his chest before he could even raise his hands up, so he couldn''t even use the hidden watch attack, and was flung back countless feet before crashing down onto the ground with a loud noise.


    "AH!" Agent Edgerton, who was only human, was injured pretty badly by that single attack, and before he could even get up from the ground, Noah grabbed him by the collar and turned him around, kneeling on top of him and raised his fist in the air, aiming right for the agent''s face.


    The strike was filled with a tremendous amount of force. Enough to kill a normal human being. The fist sliced through the air with full speed as it headed for its target, the head of Agent Edgerton.


    "NOO!" The original Noah cried out as a sharp pain passed through his brain, causing the doppelganger Noah to forcibly stop his punch in mid air while he let out a groan.


    "Argh.. what are you doing?" The doppelganger yelled out angrily at the original Noah, who had interrupted his attack.


    "You were about to kill him!" The original Noah responded with an agitated tone. "Of course I had to stop you! Did you forget what I said to you?"


    "No. I didn''t forget anything," The doppelganger Noah replied by shaking his head and gritting his teeth. "I just chose to ignore your words."


    "Why?!" The original Noah was furious. He didn''t wish to kill any human being. Even though the doppelganger Noah was the one who would be responsible for the murder, it was nevertheless, his own body that the doppelganger will use in order to do so. He was not in agreement with his body being used to kill a human being, no matter how much of a threat they are to his life.


    "Because you are simply naive for thinking that you''ll be safe after letting him off!" The doppelganger Noah was fuming. He didn''t like being interrupted by the original Noah, especially when he was this close to finishing the deed.


    "What the hell is going on?" Agent Edgerton, who was lying below Noah, was staring at him with a confused expression on his face. Noah''s face was covered by a black mask that was probably made for children to wear, which only left room for his mouth, eyes and nose. The mask itself looked so cheap and worthless, and the ''monster'' who was wearing this mask was talking to, or rather, arguing with himself.


    Although Agent Edgerton was puzzled by what was happening in front of him, he did know one thing; this ''monster'' in front of him had plans to kill him. He felt the blood thirsty aura that the creature emitted right before he raised his fist and swung it right at the agent''s face. He had no idea why the monster paused right before he struck the agent''s face, but he was not about to let this opportunity slip by.


    As the ''monster'' on top of him was busy bickering with itself, Agent Edgerton immediately positioned the crown of his watch right at Noah''s face and pressed him thumb down hard, which made the crown shoot out a burst of blue energy straight at Noah.


    BAM!


    Noah saw the blue light emerge from the crown, and his eyes widened. He knew that the distance between him and the agent''s watch was so short that it was impossible to properly defend against the attack, even if he was incredibly quick. Noah stretched out his hand and tried to grab the watch, but the blue light beam burst out through his fingers and struck Noah right on his shoulder, sending him flying up into the air with a loud noise.


    BOOM!


    Noah slammed his back against one of the trees and let out a gasp right before spitting out blood from his mouth. "Gahˇ­" He was coughing uncontrollably, and was having trouble breathing.


    "Ah.." Agent Edgerton immediately tried getting up as the monster was not on top of him anymore, but his injuries were simply too severe that it made it harder to even stand on his feet properly. "God damn it! To think I''m in such bad shape!"


    He then looked at his hand and saw that the watch had also been completely destroyed, probably due to a few of the energy beams getting bounced back from the monster''s hand and then onto the watch.


    "Shit!" He cursed out loud and immediately untied the watch from his wrist, letting it fall onto the floor. With pain in his limbs, Agent Richard Edgerton slowly turned his gaze towards the assault rifle that was a few meters away from him. He then bit his lips and slowly got up from the ground and onto his feet and breathed in and out a few times before walking towards the weapon.


    Back in front of the tree, Noah continued coughing up blood, both his hands pressing down on the ground as he let out a long groan. "F*ck this sh*tˇ­ I don''t want to do this anymore.." Noah whispered softly. He wasn''t sure whether or not he meant it, but nevertheless, he was saying it out loud instead of keeping it in his mind, making sure that his doppelganger heard his words.


    However, he received no answer from the doppelganger.


    "You hear me?" Noah called out to his doppelganger after not receiving any response for the words he spoke, which puzzled him, and he called out to him once again. "I said I don''t want to do this shitˇ­" He repeated his words, hoping for the doppelganger Noah to respond to him this time. But still, there was no response.


    "That''s strangeˇ­" Noah thought that it was weird, and his eyes widened after a few seconds. "No way.." He whispered under his breath as he came to the conclusion that the doppelganger had been knocked out of the ''dual- mind'' system that they were using jointly just a few seconds ago. He assumed that the doppelganger Noah had been kicked out because of the blue energy striking his shoulder a second ago.


    "F*ck! Not right now!" Noah cursed at his bad luck as he turned his gaze and saw Agent Edgerton slowly moving towards the assault rifle that was lying on the ground just a few meters away from him, and his eyes widened with surprise yet again.


    Noah tried to move, but pain began to spread all over his body as soon as he tried moving his muscles, which just made it all the more difficult of a process.


    ''I can''t let him get the gun,'' Noah thought in his mind, and he tried once again to move his arms.


    "Argh!" He yelled out loudly as he raised his hand with great difficulty, and from his palms shot out a burst of crimson red flames.


    Whoosh!


    The flames shot through the air and collided with the assault rifle right before Agent Edgerton could get his hands on it, causing it to explode with a loud noise and forcing Agent Edgerton to jump back out of reflex.


    "Come on!" As this was going on, Noah was trying his best to get up from the ground, even trying to yell and motivate his body as he slowly rose from the ground.


    His body seems to have lost almost all transformation features, and from what he was feeling on his body right now, his pain tolerance was also almost back to normal. It was still better than the pain tolerance of a normal human being, but it was away from what his transformed form could handle.


    "You damn monster!" Agent Edgerton was staring at his burning rifle with an intense glare in his eyes. He then immediately shifted his gaze towards Noah, who was getting up from the ground, and narrowed his eyes.


    ''Can I take him down on my own?'' The thought had crossed Agent Edgerton''s mind countless times when he was hunting. Even when he was tracking normal humans back when he was in the special forces, he used to have the same thought. And the answer was always the same; if you injure them just enough, you can take down just about anyone.


    Agent Edgerton licked his lips as he saw the injured ''monster'' in front of him who was barely able to get up from the ground. He knew that he could finish this creature if he had his rifles, but they were either lost in the fight or were completely destroyed.


    He himself was injured severely. And yet, Agent Edgerton couldn''t help but take a step forward.


    "A hunter doesn''t let his prey go when it shows itself to him..." He whispered softly as he pulled out a small knife from his pocket, and continued moving forward.

 Chapter 88 - Explode

    New World City Police Station.


    "Hahˇ­" Detective Harry let out a long sigh of relief as he leaned back on his chair and closed his eyes. On his table were a bunch of files and papers that were stacked up on top of each other.


    "This is why I hate this f*cking jobˇ­" Harry slapped his hand on the table as he spoke, and Detective Lewis turned his attention towards him. "These damn paperworks.." Detective Harry continued his rant. "It''s just so damn annoying!"


    BAM!


    He slammed his fist onto the table, and the stacked pile of papers almost fell down due to the impact of the strike, but before it could do so, Detective Lewis immediately rushed forward and grabbed hold of the pile of papers and carefully placed it back, making sure that it didn''t fall over.


    ''Although I''m the one who usually ends up doing the paperwork..'' Detective Lewis wanted to say the thoughts in his mind out loud, but in the end, chose not to do so.


    "What about those kids?" Detective Lewis asked, and Detective Harry raised his eyebrows and looked at him with a puzzled expression. "What about them? We sent them home, didn''t we? What''s there to worry about?"


    "I- I don''t knowˇ­" Detective Lewis scratched his head and said with a stutter, which only made Harry even more confused than before. "It''s just- I don''t know... Something feels off.." Detective Lewis spat out something that barely qualified as a sensible sentence.


    "Like what? You mean with the kids?" Detective Harry, who somehow found sense in his words, asked Lewis, who nodded his head. "Yeah."


    "I really don''t know what you''re talking about, man.." Detective Harry shrugged his shoulders and tilted his head to the side as he spoke, and Lewis let out a sigh. "Yeah, I''m not sure either."


    He thought for a few more seconds, and then continued, "It''s just, how calm and quiet they appeared to us.."


    "Really?" Detective Harry looked at him as though he was talking nonsense, and seeing his gaze, Detective Lewis couldn''t help but think that he was, indeed, talking nonsense. "You didn''t think that?"


    "I mean, I don''t know.. I didn''t study the expressions of the kids enough to know how weird their behavior was!" Detective Harry said as he adjusted his hat on his head, lightly tapping it every now and then.


    Detective Lewis shook his head and responded, "Think about the son of the Mayor. You saw how he was mutated by whatever that was, right?"


    "Yeah, I saw him.." Detective Harry replied, and almost a second later, his eyes widened. "Don''t tell me you''re implying that those kids are really monsters?"


    The two looked at each other for a brief period of silence before shaking their heads together.


    "Yeah, I''m probably bullsh*tting.." Detective Lewis replied, as he was not sure about his theory anymore.


    "Probably..." Detective Harry agreed with his words. However, now that Lewis had mentioned such a possibility, he couldn''t help but feel like there really was something off about the whole situation.


    Inside the Commissioner''s Office.


    "Care for a cup of coffee, Special Agent Alan?" Commissioner Bridge walked up to Special Agent Alan, who was sitting on the chair opposite to the Commissioner''s desk, and placed his hand on the agent''s shoulder.


    "I would, thank you.." Special Agent Alan said with a faint smile on his face, and Commissioner Bridge nodded his head and called for his secretary.


    "What do you think about the recent increase in these monster invasions, Agent Alan?" Commissioner Bridge spoke as he brought his coffee cup to his mouth and began to gently blow air on it. "I just want to know what someone who has some experience of being in this situation before thinks about it."


    "Well, if I''m being honest," Alan glanced at the top of his coffee cup before turning his gaze towards the Commissioner. His expression was that of uncertainty. "This event is unlike anything that I have ever seen before."


    "I''m assuming that''s not a good thing," Commissioner Bridge said with a bitter smile and Special Agent Alan reluctantly nodded his head. "I''m afraid it''s not, Commissioner. I''m not too hopeful about the future of this city."


    "Well, now you''re being too honest," Commissioner Bridge said as he let out a short chuckle. It was brief, of course, as his expression immediately turned serious after a few seconds. "What do you think we should do, Special Agent Alan?" He asked, with a pleading look in his eyes. "What do you think we can do to ensure our survival?"


    "Well first, we should wait for Special Agent Richard Edgerton to arrive to make a decision." Alan shrugged his shoulders. "With him, we can probably decide on what the FID''s next plans are."


    "Do you think there''s hope?" Commissioner Bridge asked, his facial expression now anxious. "For us to survive?"


    "I don''t know the answer to that, Commissioner Bridge," Alan shook his head. "All you can do is pray."


    --------------------


    ''Can I take him down on my own?'' The thought had crossed Agent Edgerton''s mind countless times when he was hunting. Even when he was tracking normal humans back when he was in the special forces, he used to have the same thought. And the answer was always the same; if you injure them just enough, you can take down just about anyone.


    Agent Edgerton licked his lips as he saw the injured ''monster'' in front of him who was barely able to get up from the ground. He knew that he could finish this creature if he had his rifles, but they were either lost in the fight or were completely destroyed.


    He himself was injured severely. And yet, Agent Edgerton couldn''t help but take a step forward. "A hunter doesn''t let his prey go when it shows itself to him.." He whispered softly as he pulled out a small knife from his pocket, and continued moving forward.


    "Hahˇ­" Noah breathed in and out as he tried getting up from the ground, but he quickly had to grab hold of his knees and crouch down while biting his lips.


    ''F*ck! That hurts like hell!'' Noah wanted to lie down and let out a very loud scream, but he resisted the urge to do so.


    His hands were burnt and his body was difficult to move now. His gaze then shifted to Agent Edgerton, who was approaching slowly, and he squinted his eyes.


    That man was here to kill. Noah could tell just by looking at his eyes. He knew that the man was after him, and he wanted him dead. And in his weakened state, Noah wasn''t even sure whether he could take him head-on or not, which was not a good thing.


    "Urgh!" He groaned as he tried to get up, but right before he could do so, Agent Edgerton immediately raised his leg and kicked him right on the shoulder, pushing him back and causing him to slam onto the tree behind him with a loud noise.


    BAM!


    "Gah!" Noah screamed loudly, but before he could properly open his mouth, Edgerton appeared beside him once again, grabbed the back of his head and slammed his face down onto the dirt.


    WHAM!


    Noah couldn''t even let out a gasp, as his face was slammed onto the mud beneath him. The agent was pressing his head down onto the dirt with intense force. If he wasn''t in such an injured state, Noah could''ve easily pushed him away. But with all the injuries he currently had, Noah found it difficult to even lift his hand properly.


    The agent raised his knife into the air and began bringing it closer to Noah''s neck as he pressed his hand onto his back, pushing Noah down onto the ground and applying pressure.


    ''Doppelganger Noah, are you there?'' Terrified that he''ll lose his life, Noah wanted to ask help from the doppelganger Noah, who had suddenly disappeared, but received no answer.


    ''F*ck, what the hell do I do?'' Noah didn''t know what else he could do to get out of this situation. And he didn''t have much time to figure out a way.


    ''This might be a terrible idea, but f*ck it!'' Noah closed his eyes, and all of a sudden, flames began to form inside of his mouth.


    ''Not yet, not yetˇ­'' Noah reminded himself to get the timing right. He knew that in the position that he was in right now, he could only open his mouth partially. And that was only if he tried really hard, since his head was now pushed down onto the wet mud, which would make the mud enter into his mouth as soon as he opened it.


    So he had to shoot out the flames in a relatively short time. As the agent began to raise the knife higher and higher, Noah began to count.


    Swoosh!


    And right when the agent swung his knife down, Noah opened his mouth, which resulted in a loud explosion.


    BOOM!

 Chapter 89 - Sorry

    ''Not yet, not yetˇ­'' Noah reminded himself to get the timing right. He knew that in the position that he was in right now, he could only open his mouth partially. And that was only if he tried really hard, since his head was now pushed down onto the wet mud, which would make the mud enter into his mouth as soon as he opened it.


    So he had to shoot out the flames in a relatively short time. As the agent began to raise the knife higher and higher, Noah began to count. And right when the agent swung his knife down, Noah opened his mouth, which resulted in a loud explosion.


    BOOM!


    The flames that had been gradually building up inside Noah''s mouth had finally filled his throat completely, which was when Noah opened his mouth. The result was the large and quick exiting of the flames which resulted in a loud and enormous explosion that pushed Noah''s body upwards with intense force and flung both Noah and Agent Edgerton backwards.


    Whoosh!


    The two men flew up into the air before crashing down onto the trees right beneath them, breaking the branches as they fell down right before crash landing onto the ground, rolling and bouncing on top of the wet mud.


    "Gah!" Noah, who found that his eyes were closed, tried with great difficulty to open them mid crash, and saw that he was rolling down on a slope of land which was filled with shrubs, grass and trees, and at the end of the pathway was a large cliff.


    "Sh*t! I have to stop rolling!" Noah knew that if he continued to fall down with the same pace as he was falling with right now, he would end up falling down from the cliff which, from the looks of it, seemed pretty high from the ground.


    But the problem was that because of the large explosion that was filled with incredible amount of force, he was now falling at an extremely high speed, and even though he was now rolling on the land, which did decrease some of the acceleration that his body had built up from the impact of the explosion, it was still not enough to save him from falling down from the cliff.


    Twak!


    Noah stretched out both his hands with great difficulty and then grabbed onto the ground beneath him as he continued to crash and bounce on the wet mud in an attempt to abruptly make a forceful stop, but it didn''t seem to work.


    Whoosh!


    He continued rolling down the steep hill, crashing through various shrubs, grass and trees and destroying them by colliding with them. He desperately tried to grab onto whatever he could find, but it didn''t stop him from falling down.


    "Come on, come onˇ­" Noah yelled out loudly as he gritted his teeth, and he stretched out his hand and struck his hand down onto the ground once again, this time even deeper than before and with even more force behind his strike.


    BAM!


    His fingers slid through the wet mud and began making a long cleavage within the ground as he fell down, still not stopping, but Noah didn''t release his hands and continued digging further, even as he continued to slide down.


    "You can do it, you can do it!" He continued yelling in order to motivate himself and began breathing hard. The skin on his hands was beginning to tear away, causing it to bleed like crazy, but Noah still didn''t let go.


    Swoosh!


    After a few seconds, he began slowing down, and Noah let out a sigh of relief. But that relief quickly washed away from his face as a bunch of loud noises made him look up the steep hill, and found Agent Edgerton falling down from above, crashing through various tree branches and shrubs.


    "Sh*t! I have to catch him or he''ll die!" Noah glanced back and forth at the falling Agent Edgerton and the cliff down below and clicked his tongue right before jumping to the side and stretching out his hands, as he stood in his way.


    BAM!


    The two bodies collided together, and Noah caught hold of Agent Edgerton''s body with great difficulty as he let out a groan filled with pain.


    "Gah!" He held the pain within his heart, and his gaze then shifted to Agent Edgerton who was in his grasp and whispered under his breath, "Is he unconscious?"


    Like Noah thought, the agent was indeed unconscious. He had suffered too many injuries that were simply too severe for a human body to handle. It was a miracle that he was even alive right now.


    Whoosh!


    The impact of Agent Edgerton''s body had caused Noah to continue accelerating, and the two bodies fell down together, hitting on various tree branches and shrubs as they fell.


    BAM! BAM! BAM!


    Noah winced in pain as they broke through multiple trees, destroying them each as they fell down, but he did not let go of the unconscious body of Agent Edgerton.


    BAM!


    The two people crash landed right next to the cliff, stopping just a few meters away from the tip of it.


    "Hah.." Noah gasped loudly, breathing in and out as he placed Agent Edgerton carefully on the ground.


    ''Is he still alive?'' That was the thought that passed through Noah''s mind as he stared at the unconscious Agent Edgerton right in front him.


    "You know, you worry about this man a bit too much!" All of a sudden, a voice interrupted his thought process, and Noah''s eyes widened with surprise at first, before quickly transforming into that filled with rage and hatred. It was a voice that was just way too familiar to him.


    "Why on earth are you showing up just now?" The original Noah lashed out at the doppelg?nger Noah, who was the one who spoke right now. "You disappeared right when I needed your help the most, and now you''re here and the first thing you do is lecture me on what I should be doing?" Noah seemed like he had enough of the doppelg?nger Noah''s antics. He was angry at how helpless he felt without the help of the doppelg?nger Noah, and he hated being in such a situation.


    "I didn''t go because I wanted to, alright?" The doppelg?nger Noah wasn''t having it either. He was angry at Noah as well, who had risked his life to save the human who wanted to kill him. "And don''t even think about asking me for help. I told you that you needed to be merciless, and yet you ignored my words. And look what that caused?"


    "I saved him because it was the right thing to do!" Noah said with an intense stare. He was angry, but he also knew that he was right. Otherwise, he wouldn''t even consider dragging along this verbal battle with the doppelg?nger Noah.


    "I am not saying that what you did was wrong! I''m saying what you did was naive!" The doppelg?nger felt the need to correct the original Noah, who was hell bent on doing the right thing rather than choosing the safest option.


    "But if you think that you can keep this up, then you''d be wrong, Noah! Don''t just think about others. You have to think about yourself as well," The doppelg?nger Noah spoke with a serious and yet calm tone. The original Noah but his tongue and spoke softly, "I know, I knowˇ­ I know all that. But still," He looked at the severely injured Agent Edgerton and continued, "I can''t just ignore what I feel. That just feelsˇ­ that just feels wrong!"


    "Guh.. gah.." All of a sudden, a loud cough coming from the mouth of agent Edgerton interrupted the intimate conversation that the two Noahs were having, and he turned his gaze towards the person lying on the ground, his eyes widened with surprise.


    "He''s awake!" The original Noah yelled out with a sigh of relief, and the doppelg?nger Noah spoke to him with a warning tone, "Be careful!" He said. "That man is not our friend. He''s someone who''s tried to kill us multiple times. Just because he''s injured doesn''t mean he''s not a threat. Don''t forget that."


    "I know, I knowˇ­" The original Noah shook his head as he walked towards the injured Agent Edgerton. "Don''t worry, I''m not an idiot."


    He walked up to the agent, who was breathing softly and lying on the ground. With the wounds he had on his body, Noah was almost sure that he wouldn''t even be able to move a single muscle.


    "You''reˇ­ you''re just.." Agent Edgerton began to murmur softly as he saw the figure of Noah approaching. He looked the young man right in the eye and said, "You''re.. just a kid.."


    Noah touched his face, and realised that his mask had broken and fallen down.


    "I''m... I''m sorryˇ­" The agent whispered softly, and before Noah could ask him any questions, he immediately bit down his teeth, and the doppelg?nger Noah shouted, "Look out!"

 Chapter 90 - Jinx

    Noah walked up to the agent, who was breathing softly and lying on the ground. With the wounds he had on his body, Noah was almost sure that he wouldn''t even be able to move a single muscle.


    "You''reˇ­ you''re just.." Agent Edgerton began to murmur softly as he saw the figure of Noah approaching. He looked the young man right in the eye and said, "You''re.. just a kid.."


    Noah''s eyes widened with surprise, and he quickly touched his face, and realized that his mask had broken and fallen down.


    ''Sh*t!'' He almost cursed out loud. He hadn''t noticed it because he was in the middle of having a serious discussion with his alter-ego, but the mask had fallen off from his face, presumably during or after the loud explosion, which catapulted them both into the air.


    ''How on earth could I make such a big mistake?!'' Noah didn''t know how to right this wrong. After all, the enemy whom he had been battling against for quite some time now had seen his face. And Noah wanted to let him live as well, which made things even more complicated.


    "You know what you have to do now, right?" The doppelganger Noah asked, and the original Noah shook his head. "No, no, noˇ­ there''s got to be another way. I can figure this out."


    "There isn''t time for choosing another way, Noah." The doppelganger Noah began to urge him on, trying to get him to choose quicker, which made the original Noah quite annoyed. "Don''t push me to make a decision. I need to think properly, and you''re only making it worse. You don''t know if there''s another way! You haven''t given it enough thought!"


    Agent Edgerton slightly tilted his head and looked at Noah, who seemed to be in the middle of having a conversation with himself, and he blinked his eyes a few times.


    ''Ah, I can''t move, huhˇ­'' Agent Edgerton found out that except for his eyelids, he couldn''t move most of his body parts properly. He was severely injured by both the fall that happened a few minutes ago as well as the explosion that led to the fall.


    ''I can''t believe that all this time, I have been fighting a kid,'' Agent Edgerton wanted to laugh as loudly as he could, but since he was too injured to do any such movements, he simply stuck to laughing in his mind. ''All of that military and secret service training, to fight a child..'' Agent Edgerton felt like it was all a dream, but he could tell that it was very real. Too real to be a dream.


    ''Now that I think about it, even the Mayor''s kid was transformed into a monster, so I probably should''ve considered the turning of children into monsters as a possibility,'' Agent Edgerton thought about it a bit more, and the whole situation was starting to sound less crazy.


    He gazed at the young man who was arguing with himself once again and let out an extremely silent and soft sigh. The kid didn''t even seem to be eighteen from the looks of it. And yet, here he was, fighting a killer agent working for the government. He didn''t even care too much about the talking to himself part. Agent Edgerton was one of the very few people who had actually come into contact with monsters, and so the talking to himself part was the least of worries.


    And as far as Agent Edgerton was concerned, any human who is actually a dangerous monster in disguise is probably one of the few people who can make talking to themselves look sensible.


    He closed his eyes, and began whispering to himself, which caught the attention of Noah, who stopped his arguing and walked over to the Agent who was lying on the ground and asking, "Did you say something?"


    "I''m.. I''m sorryˇ­" The agent whispered softly. He knew that he was just a kid. He knew that what he was doing wasn''t right. But Agent Edgerton had no choice. No, that wasn''t the truth. He did have a choice. He just chose the difficult one. That was what he had signed up to do, and that was what he shall be doing.


    Click!


    Before Noah could ask him any questions, Agent Edgerton immediately bit down his teeth, and the doppelg?nger Noah shouted, "Look out!"


    BOOM!


    A loud and devastating explosion took place right as the doppelganger finished speaking. A flash of fear and anxiousness flickered through his body right before Noah was flung backwards, and the whole cliff lit up like fireworks right before the loud explosive noise echoed throughout the atmosphere, causing the earth to shake violently.


    Whoosh!


    Noah flew into the air and fell down the cliff as dust, blood and flesh particles filled the air surrounding him.


    WHAM!


    But right before he could lose contact with the cliff, Noah immediately stretched out his hand and grabbed onto the side of the cliff, which was covered in rocks and dirt.


    BAM!


    Noah''s hand gripped onto a large piece of rock that was protruding outwards from the side of the cliff and hung onto it as he grit his teeth.


    "Damn it, damn it, damn it!" He yelled out with great anger and hatred in his voice, as his speed slowly began slowing down, stopping just after a few seconds. He was, as of right now, hanging on the side of a cliff.


    "Didn''t I tell you that this was going to happen?!" The doppelganger Noah, who was the one in control, yelled out at the original Noah, frustrated that they were caught up in such a situation.


    "I tried to do the right thing! We should''ve been more careful, but I still believe that I made the right decision by not killing him!" The original Noah acknowledged that he was naive for allowing the situation to escalate to this point, but reiterated that he was right in his decision to spare the enemy''s life.


    "Are you seriously saying that right now?!" The doppelganger Noah wanted to scream as loud as he could right now, but given how much energy was wasted while fighting his enemy, Noah had to make sure that he conserved the remaining energy in his body. "At least this can''t get any worse.." Noah mumbled under his breath, but right as he said that..


    Crack! Crack! Crack!


    A loud cracking noise echoed throughout the atmosphere and dust began to fly all over the place, making Noah widen his eyes in surprise.


    Cracks were beginning to form on the more protruding part of the cliff, and the earth was even shaking a bit. Noah stared at some of the cracks, which were only branching off into newer cracks and increasing in number as time went on, which made Noah sweat.


    The cliff was about to separate into two pieces!


    "I think you jinxed it man.." The original Noah whispered softly under his breath as he gulped down his saliva, and the doppelganger Noah bit his lips in frustration. "Oh, you have got to be f*cking kidding me right now!"


    BRRR!


    The loud cracking sound continued, and all of a sudden, an enormous crack appeared right in the middle of the ground, dividing the cliffside into two sections, and the part next to the gorge began to tremble violently as it slowly began to slip away from the other section, moving downwards.


    "F*ck! F*ck! F*ck! F*ck!" Noah cursed right before tilting his head back and looking below him. He was at a great height, right above a river that was flowing under him. If this section of the cliffside really did fall down, then the part where Noah was gripping on would be first to hit the water.


    Meaning, he had to move from this location as quickly as he could!


    ---------------


    New World City Police Station.


    The Commissioner''s Office.


    "Well then, Commissioner.." Special Agent Alan said as he exited out of the Commissioner''s office, followed by Commissioner Bridge. "We''ll have a discussion when Agent Edgerton returns."


    "We definitely will, Agent Alan.." Commissioner Bridge responded with a smile and extended his hand for a handshake, and Special Agent Alan Fischer accepted it.


    Right then!


    Beep! Beep! Beep!


    Right when the handshake was initiated, Agent Alan''s watch began to ring, and the whole screen turned to red, which made the Commissioner raise his eyebrows in confusion, intrigued by the gadget.


    Special Agent Alan on the other hand, seemed to have a grave expression on his face as he saw the red coloured screen of his watch, and he immediately tapped the crown and twisted it slightly, which made the screen show an alert sign while spelling out Agent Edgerton''s full name on it.


    "Oh my god!" Agent Alan whispered softly under his breath as his eyes widened. "What is the matter, Agent Alan?" Commissioner Bridge couldn''t take it anymore and asked. He wanted answers. "Is there something wrong?"


    "Yes, there is!" Agent Alan replied with a serious expression. "Something has gone terribly wrong!"

 Chapter 91 - Change Is Coming

    Beep! Beep! Beep!


    Agent Alan''s watch began to ring, and the whole screen turned to red, which made the Commissioner raise his eyebrows in confusion, intrigued by the gadget. Special Agent Alan on the other hand, seemed to have a grave expression on his face as he saw the red coloured screen of his watch, and he immediately tapped the crown and twisted it slightly, which made the screen show an alert sign while spelling out Agent Edgerton''s full name on it.


    "Oh my god!" Agent Alan whispered softly under his breath as his eyes widened. "What is the matter, Agent Alan?" Commissioner Bridge couldn''t take it anymore and asked. He wanted answers. "Is there something wrong?"


    "Yes, there is!" Agent Alan replied with a serious expression, and he immediately dashed towards his table and grabbed his coat right before continuing his words. "Something has gone terribly wrong. I''m going to need the help of your strike force!"


    "We only have a few men in the strike force!" The Commissioner reminded the Special Agent, who nodded his head and then turned around. "That''s alright!" He snapped his fingers at both Detective Harry and Detective Lewis, who shifted their gaze to him, their eyebrows raised with confusion evident in their eyes. "You two! Follow me!" Agent Alan Fischer said as he rushed towards the front door without even clarifying the reason behind his sudden urgency.


    Detective Harry and Detective Lewis turned their gazes towards the Commissioner, who shrugged his shoulders in response, "You can go. He asked you two for a reason. Help him out any way you can!"


    "Yes sir!" The two detectives nodded their heads and gave a quick salute to the commissioner before grabbing their coats and heading towards the door.


    The Commissioner let out a sigh as he watched the two detectives disappear from the precinct.


    "May god help us and this city," Commissioner Bridge whispered softly under his breath, after which he quietly entered back into his office.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    The two detectives, Harry and Lewis, exited the police station and walked up to Special Agent Alan Fischer, who was waiting for them in the parking lot.


    "Special Agent Alan, care to explain what just happened in the precinct? What happened?" Detective Harry asked, his hands crossed together near his chest and with a raised eyebrow. He was intrigued by the sudden change in attitude of the special agent, and wanted to know what was his reason for the quick and urgent tone he had right now.


    Special Agent Alan Fischer looked around instead of replying instantly, and said, "Let''s talk on the way, alright?" He signaled the two detectives to get in the car with his hands, and the two men looked at each other before shrugging their shoulders and entering Harry''s car.


    "What about the strike force?" Detective Lewis asked as he got in the back seat, and Special Agent Alan replied, "The Commissioner said that he''ll get it done quickly, so they''ll be following us in a few minutes." He took out his phone, opened the map app and showed it to the two detectives. "This is where we have to go. I''ve already sent the location to the Commissioner, so the strike force will know where they''re heading towards."


    "The Harker mountain ranges?" Detective Harry scratched his chin as he turned the keys, and the engine started to roar loudly as the vehicle turned on. "What on earth is happening over there?"


    BRRR!


    The car started to move and the engine continued to roar loudly as it left the parking lot and entered the freeway.


    Agent Alan breathed out and said, "I got a notification on my watch back in the police station.." He stretched his hand out and showed it to Detective Lewis, who was sitting in the back. "What is it?" Detective Lewis asked as he looked at the watch, and Agent Alan opened his mouth. "It''s a notification for when an agent loses their pulse, sent automatically using an older electromagnetic communication technology. It''s less accurate than the newer methods, but it doesn''t depend on satellites for the exchange of information."


    "So, it sends a notification when an agent doesn''t have a pulse?" Detective Harry, who was the one driving the car, scratched his chin when all of a sudden, his eyes widened with surprise. "Wait a minuteˇ­" He glanced at Agent Alan as he spoke. "Don''t tell me that Agent Edgerton.."


    Detective Lewis'' eyes widened as well, as he too came to the realization of what the notification meant.


    "We''ll see what has happened to him when we reach the location," Agent Alan said with a calm expression on his face, and both the detectives nodded their heads.


    "Does this happen often?" Detective Harry asked all of a sudden, and Special Agent Alan turned his gaze towards him. "What? Agents dying?"


    "Well, yeah.." Detective Harry shrugged his shoulders, as he spoke. "You seemed to know exactly what to do when you heard the notification. I was just wondering.."


    "You could say that," Agent Alan spoke softly as he let out a short chuckle. "I mean, when you''re in my line of work, guarantee of life isn''t something that''s on the table."


    "I guess you can say the same thing about this town now too, huhˇ­" Detective Lewis said with a nervous smile, and Agent Alan flashed a smile back at him and said, "Yeah, I guess you canˇ­"


    -----------------


    Crack! Crack! Crack!


    The loud roaring noise continued to echo all over the place, and all of a sudden, an enormous crack appeared right in the middle of the ground, dividing the cliffside into two sections, and the part next to the gorge began to tremble violently as it slowly began to slip away from the other section, moving downwards.


    "F*ck! F*ck! F*ck! F*ck!" Noah cursed right before tilting his head back and looking below him. He was at a great height, right above a river that was flowing under him. If this section of the cliffside really did fall down, then the part where Noah was gripping on would be first to hit the water.


    Meaning, he had to move from this location as quickly as he could!


    "We have to move! Right now!" The original Noah screamed, and the doppelganger Noah shook his head and bit his lips. "You think I don''t know that?!"


    He looked up at the top most part of the cliff, and grit his teeth. He knew that if he wanted to live, then he must climb to the top of the cliffside.


    BAM!


    Noah used his left hand to grab on to the cliffside as tightly as he could, and then swung the other hand upwards, grabbing onto a rock that was protruding out from the side of the cliff.


    "Gah! Oh god, that hurts!" Noah said in a pain filled tone as he used his right hand to pull himself up a few meters, and his left hand immediately grabbed onto another rock, gripping it tightly.


    Crack! Crack! Crack!


    The cliffside was continuing to slowly separate from the other part of the land, and it was slowly sliding downwards.


    "Come on, come on, come on.." Noah continued to murmur under his breath as he leapt upwards and caught on to another rock, decreasing his distance from the top of the cliff even more.


    "Just a bit moreˇ­" The original Noah said with an anxious tone, as the doppelganger Noah gritted his teeth and stretched out hand once again, leaving no time to rest.


    Crack!


    Right then, a loud and thunderous noise echoed throughout the atmosphere, as the section of the cliffside that was protruding outwards onto the air completely separated itself from the other side, causing it to just fall down, aiming for the river that was beneath it.


    Whoosh!


    "Ah sh*t!" Noah cursed out loud, and as he held onto the cliffside, gravity began to pull his lower body upwards, as the giant section of land crashed down onto the river with a loud noise.


    BOOM!


    ----------------


    In the southernmost part of New World City.


    "Carl! Are you in there?" Janice Jameson knocked on the door of her nineteen year old son, Carl Jameson, and got no answer.


    "Carl! Don''t be like this! Dad didn''t mean it, alright?" Janice knocked on the door once again, and she still didn''t get any sort of response from the young man, which made the mom let out a long and heavy sigh.


    "Leave him be, Jan.." The dad, Gareth Jameson''s voice was heard from the living room, and he sounded indifferent. "The boy thinks himself to be better than us, the experienced citizens. Don''t make him think that he''s right by spoiling him."


    The mom, Janice, looked at the door once again, and she let out another sigh before walking back to the stairs, leaving the young man alone in his room.


    "Hahˇ­" Inside the room, Carl Jameson began to breathe in and out loudly as he wrapped himself with a blanket, covering his entire body, including his face.


    "Change is comingˇ­" He began muttering to himself as he looked at the full moon that was visible through his window, and his eyes began turning yellow. "Change is coming!"

 Chapter 92 - Reasons

    "Does this happen often?" Detective Harry asked all of a sudden, and Special Agent Alan turned his gaze towards him. "What? Agents dying?" "Well, yeah.." Detective Harry shrugged his shoulders, as he spoke. "You seemed to know exactly what to do when you heard the notification. I was just wondering.."


    "You could say that," Agent Alan spoke softly as he let out a short chuckle. "I mean, when you''re in my line of work, guarantee of life isn''t something that''s on the table."


    "I guess you can say the same thing about this town now too, huhˇ­" Detective Lewis said with a nervous smile, and Agent Alan flashed a smile back at him and said, "Yeah, I guess you canˇ­"


    The car whooshed through the road at an incredible speed, heading straight for the location that was shown on the map, the Harker mountain ranges.


    Within a few minutes, the car had come to a halt right in front of the gate that was separating the mountain ranges from the new world City, and Detective Harry popped his head out from the window of the driver''s seat with a surprised expression on his face.


    "Well, would you look at that!" He whispered softly as he watched the opened gates, and then got in the vehicle and slowly moved forward, entering the dirt road that led into the mountain ranges, and soon the car had entered the tall grasses that began blocking the front window of the vehicle, making it difficult for the driver to see clearly.


    "This much is enough," Special Agent Alan said with a calm voice as he unlocked the seat belt and opened the car door, exiting the vehicle while holding a small gun in his hand, his eyes signaling that he''s alert.


    Detective Harry turned around and looked at Detective Lewis, who shrugged his shoulders and waved his hands in the air before reaching for the back door. "He said this much is enough. What do you want me to say?" He pointed at the front window and continued, "I don''t think we''ll be able to get far if those tall grass continues to block our way."


    "We could wait for the strike force to arrive," Detective Harry replied while looking at his phone. "It''s a much safer option. We''re dealing with monsters and beings with abilities that are beyond our wildest dreams, Lewis. It''s better to be a bit careful."


    "I agree. It''s better to be careful around beings like them. After all, we''re only ants when compared to them." Detective Lewis nodded his head in agreement, and continued. "But I don''t think there''s absolutely nothing we can do either. We''re not heading over to fight these creatures."


    Detective Lewis exited the vehicle as soon as he finished speaking, leaving Detective Harry, who was deep in thought, alone in the car.


    Detective Harry thought about his words for a few more seconds, and then opened his call log in his phone and pressed the call button.


    "Commissioner, it''s Detective Harry." He said through the phone. "We''ve decided to not wait for the strike force to arrive, and plan to head over to the location that Special Agent Alan sent you."


    As this was going on, Detective Lewis caught up to Special Agent Alan, who was walking through the tall grass, cutting through them with a small blade that was in one hand, and waving the firearm around with his other hand.


    "You could''ve chosen to sit inside the car." Special Agent Alan said softly, as Detective Lewis arrived right behind him. With the low voice that he was speaking, it almost sounded like he was talking to himself rather than to the detective following him. "I wouldn''t mind it. I would understand the reason for making such a decision. After all, you are still amateurs when it comes to monsters that hunt humans."


    "I know. It would probably be the logical and also the safest decision," Detective Lewis said while looking down on the pathway that the agent had forged by cutting the tall grass in their way. "Then why?" Agent Alan asked without turning around, which made it look like he wasn''t interested in the reason. However, his tone which contained a hint of intrigue seemed to imply otherwise.


    Detective Lewis took a large breath in, and then exhaled out, before opening his mouth to speak. "I knew that staying in the car was the best possible option for me, but as soon as I thought about it, the images of the chaos and disaster caused by these monsters suddenly entered my mind. I saw all those people. Some dead, some injured, some lost everything and everyone. And I realized that someday, that could happen to me. Or to my family." Detective Lewis clenched his fist as he spoke, and Special Agent Alan slightly tilted his head back and glanced at the detective''s face before looking away.


    Detective Lewis loosened his grip and let out a long sigh before continuing. "I don''t know, I just didn''t want that to happen. Maybe today wouldn''t solve that, but it may some day. And I don''t want to end up staying inside the car on that day."


    "You have a strong will, Detective Lewis," Special Agent Alan said with a calm tone, which made the detective flustered. "Oh, r-really?" He clearly wasn''t expecting to receive a compliment from the agent.


    The Special Agent nodded his head as he continued slicing the tall grass in his way, "And you have finally found a strong reason to steady your mind in your pursuit to protect the weak and the helpless. It''s something that you''ll need to help you survive, and it''s something to strive towards. It will help you to continue living even in trying times."


    Special Agent Alan paused for a second before continuing, "Many people don''t have that, which is why they call it quits after the first fight. It''s hard to find such reasons, especially when most people only care about the present rather than the future."


    Detective Lewis nodded his head at the agent''s words.


    "Hold up," A familiar voice that came from behind stopped the two men in their tracks, and the two turned around to find Detective Harry jogging towards them, waving his hands as he did so. The two stopped what they were doing and waited for the detective to catch up to them, which he did within a few seconds. "I''m coming with you guys.." Detective Harry said as he was hunched back and holding onto his knees, gasping for air. He clearly had low stamina.


    "Wow! You actually decided to come with us!" Detective Lewis said with a happy expression on his face, and Detective Harry looked at him, annoyed by his words. "What does that mean? Did you really think that I would just leave you two alone in the woods where there was a potentially dangerous monster roaming around?"


    "Do you think that you''ll be able to keep up with us?" Special Agent Alan Fischer interrupted their conversation before it could turn into a verbal spat and asked a question. "You clearly don''t look too good right now. Are you sure that you''ll be alright?"


    "Thisˇ­ isn''t.. nothing.." Detective Harry said in between breaths, before he stretched his back and let out a sigh of relief.


    Special Agent Alan looked at Detective Lewis, who simply shrugged his shoulders.


    "Alright then. We''ll continue moving forward." Special Agent Alan said as he glanced at Detective Harry, before turning around and continuing moving forward, and the two detectives followed them close behind.


    After walking a few more meters, the trio came into what appeared to be a completely destroyed part of the forest, where trees were burnt, sliced down and even broken into a million little pieces. It was as though a fight between two gods had happened here.


    "What in god''s name.." Detective Harry whispered softly under his breath as he watched the amount of destruction that was right in front of his eyes, and couldn''t help gulp down his saliva.


    The three began to inspect the surroundings, trying to find anything that could give a clue of what happened with Agent Edgerton''s body.


    As the two detectives continued to search, Special Agent Alan kneeled in front of what appeared to be a melted down rifle with a frown on his face.


    "This belonged to Richard.." He murmured softly under his breath as he touched the destroyed weapon with his fingers.


    "There''s more!" Detective Lewis called out to the other two, and both Detective Harry and Special Agent Alan headed in his direction.


    The two walked up to Detective Lewis, who was staring at the destroyed portion of the cliff with widened eyes.


    "It looks like it happened just a few minutes ago," Special Agent Alan said as he kneeled right at the tip of the cliff and stared down, where he found a giant mass of earth was blocking a small river. He frowned and whispered under his breath, "Interestingˇ­"

 Chapter 93 - The Third

    The two detectives continued to search, Special Agent Alan kneeled in front of what appeared to be a melted down rifle with a frown on his face. "This belonged to Richard.." He murmured softly under his breath as he touched the destroyed weapon with his fingers.


    "There''s more!" Detective Lewis called out to the other two, and both Detective Harry and Special Agent Alan headed in his direction.


    The two walked up to Detective Lewis, who was staring at the destroyed portion of the cliff with widened eyes. "It looks like it happened just a few minutes ago," Special Agent Alan said as he kneeled right at the tip of the cliff and stared down, where he found a giant mass of earth was blocking a small river. He frowned and whispered under his breath, "Interestingˇ­"


    "Should we go down the cliff and check out what happened down there?" Detective Harry glanced down at the river that was being blocked by the giant mass of land and then shifted his gaze towards the special agent, who scratched his chin and thought for a few more seconds before replying to his words. "Oh, we definitely will be heading down there. But first, we should focus more on whatever clue we can find here about the disappearance of Agent Edgerton. After that, we can head down and inspect the river."


    The two detectives looked at each other for a second before nodding their heads, and the trio continued to search through the pathway that seemed to have been created as a result of the fight between Special Agent Richard Edgerton and the monster he was hunting.


    "Agent Alan," Detective Lewis called out to Special Agent Alan Fischer softly as he searched for clues, and the agent turned his head. "You said earlier that the location of an agent is shown when he loses his pulse. Why is that?" Detective Lewis continued with his question. "Why did the notification only appear after the agent died. Couldn''t you have used the location tracker earlier in order to find where Agent Edgerton had gone off to?"


    "Well, the simple answer is that I can''t," Agent Alan let out a sigh as he crouched down in front of the remnants of a tree and it''s broken branches, inspecting them closely. He glanced at Detective Lewis for a split second to find that he was still confused by the agent''s words, and he decided to clarify what he meant.


    "The notification alerting me of the location of Agent Edgerton didn''t come from a gadget that he was wearing," Agent Alan said as he let out another sigh, and got up from the ground. He turned around to face Detective Lewis and continued, "It came from a chip that is implanted inside the body of every special agent working for the FID."


    "A chip that is implanted inside your body?" Detective Lewis'' eyes widened with surprise, as he couldn''t believe what he was hearing. Inserting chips into the human body was a concept that seemed like it came straight from a post apocalyptic horror novel, but here Lewis was, being told by a Special Agent about how he had been chipped by the government.


    "Hard to believe, I know.." Special Agent Alan shrugging his shoulders. "But then again, so are mythical monsters, and yet they seem pretty believable now, don''t they?"


    "Y-yeah, no, I understand. But still, is this even legal?" Detective Lewis didn''t know what to say. Surely, he could understand why Special Agent Alan would make such a comparison. Obviously, the appearance of a mythical creature warrants a much more surprised reaction than someone being chipped by the government.


    However, Lewis wasn''t surprised about the existence of the chips, but rather how they actually managed to successfully chip the special agents without it crossing the line of legality.


    "Almost anything the FID does happens to be in a gray area, Detective.." Special Agent Alan said with a soft chuckle, and he walked forward, heading for a spot near the cliffside where the ground seemed to have been covered by ash and dust. "Consider this one part of the gray area as well.."


    "That''sˇ­ I don''t even know what to say to that.." Detective Lewis scratched his head with a disbelieving look. He knew that every government was sketchy in some regard, but he didn''t expect it to be this sketchy.


    "We just tend not to look into itˇ­ like every normal citizen.." Agent Alan said as he kneeled down right in the middle of the ash covered area, and then stretched out his watch.


    Click!


    He clicked the crown of the watch, and all of a sudden, a red light shot out from the side of the watch and began to scan the ground. After a few seconds of scanning, the light shut off, and a message popped up on the screen of the watch.


    "Two blood samples detected. One belongs to Agent Edgerton. The other one unknown." The mechanical voice from the watch read the words out loud, and Detective Lewis scratched his chin as he marveled at the amazing gadget that was worn by the special agent.


    "There should be more clues around here somewhereˇ­" Special Agent Alan looked around until his gaze landed on the remnants of Agent Edgerton''s watch which was hanging from the branch of a small tree. It seemed to have been flung into the air after an explosion and landed on the tree.


    Alan walked up to the tree and pulled the damaged watch off from the branch and began inspecting it. "Damn, it really is damaged too much." He said with a bitter smile on his face. The watch was an incredible gadget for the Special Agents, and it could''ve given him a lot more information about the events that happened if just the internal memory chip had survived. But unfortunately for them, it didn''t seem to be the case.


    "Detective Harry, did you find anything?" Agent Alan asked as he tilted his head around, and Detective Harry responded. "I think I did! Come check this out!"


    The detective and the agent walked towards Harry, who was kneeling on the ground a few meters away from them.


    "What did you find?" Special Agent Alan asked as he crouched down next to Harry, and detective Lewis did the same. "I found this lying on the mud," Harry said as he carefully picked up a small chip that was covered in dirt and handed it over to Alan, who raised it up to his face to have a good look at it.


    "What is it?" Harry asked with a curious gaze.


    "Something that the FID will want to take a look at," Special Agent Alan replied as he let out a short chuckle.


    -----------------


    "Ah!" Noah suddenly woke up and yelled out loudly, only to realize that he was lying on his bed. He was inside his room, and the confused Noah scratched his head. He only remembered falling down the cliff, and his vision had gone black afterwards.


    "What in the world? How the hell am I here right now?" Noah mumbled in a hushed tone under his breath, as he got up from his bed and slowly began walking towards the bathroom.


    He opened the door, stepped into the bathroom and grabbed the washbasin from both ends as he let out a long yawn. He then stared at his own reflection and whispered, "Are you really me?"


    "Of course you are, you idiot!" All of a sudden, the reflection talked back to him, responding to his question with a snarky tone, and Noah, who was caught off guard by the response, took a few steps back as he let out a gasp.


    "Oh, f*ck.. it''s just you." It was only after a few short seconds that Noah realized that the reflection was actually the doppelganger Noah. The doppelganger Noah was manipulating his vision in order to make him think that the reflection was talking back to him. In reality, it was only him who could see his reflection responding to him.


    "What happened to me after we fell? Why am I not remembering anything after that point?" Noah asked the doppelganger while scratching his head. After all, the doppelganger must''ve taken control of his body when he blacked out, which means that he should know what happened and could explain the events back to him.


    "What do you mean?" However, the doppelganger Noah only looked back at him with a confused expression on his face as he spoke. "Aren''t you the one who should know this? After all, it was me who had blacked out when we hit the ground."


    "Wait, what?!" Noah''s eyes widened as his grip on the washbasin increased, causing cracks to form on the sides of it. "What did you say?!"


    Noah didn''t know what was happening. He didn''t know whether the doppelganger was telling the truth or not, but if he wasn''t, and if both him and the doppelganger Noah were unconscious and not in control of his bodyˇ­


    "Then who on earth was controlling my body?"

 Chapter 94 - New Foes

    "Noah! Quickly come down! Your food''s ready!" The voice of Noah''s mother echoed throughout the house, and Noah replied back from his room with a loud yell. "Coming!"


    "Urgh.." Noah yawned as he got up from his bed and rubbed his eyes. He didn''t seem like he had a good night''s sleep yesterday.


    Noah slowly walked towards his bathroom, and then opened the door, heading towards the sink.


    Splash!


    He cupped his hands under the tap and waited until his hands were completely filled with water, and then splashed his face while closing his eyes, letting the water hit his entire face.


    "Hahˇ­" Noah let out a sigh of relief and raised his head up, facing the mirror as he slowly opened his eyes, only for his eyes to widen and yell loudly with surprise.


    "WHAT THE ACTUAL F*CK?!" Noah''s loud voice echoed throughout the house, which got the attention of his mother, who yelled back with anger. "Noah! What have I told you about using such language in this house? One more swear word from your mouth, and you''re grounded for a whole month! Understand?!"


    ".... Uh, yeah, s-sorry about that.." After a few seconds, Noah replied back, this time a lot less louder than before.


    Noah''s mother raised her eyebrows with a frown. His words seemed insincere to her, as though it was only spoken because he was obligated to, not because he felt the need to apologize.


    She poked her head out from the kitchen and looked at the stairs, thinking to herself, "Do I need to go upstairs and punish him?"


    Back in his bathroom, Noah was staring at the mirror, inspecting his body with great surprise. His mouth was wide open, as though he had no words to say. Completely speechless.


    "My bodyˇ­ why- how.. How is it so different?" Noah said as he touched his shoulders and then his biceps. His body had somehow completely transformed itself within a single night, and he went from looking like a relatively average teenager to a strong muscular young man who seems like he works out every day at the gym.


    His body had a great build, and if Noah was completely honest, he looked better than before.


    "How on earth did this happen?" Noah murmured under his breath, confused about his sudden transformation. He didn''t know what to say.


    "Is this still the effect of that first attack?" Noah thought back to the day that he was first attacked by one of these monsters, pushing him down onto the river and causing the tremendous changes that he possesses right now.


    "Only partially, Noah.." The doppelganger Noah''s voice interrupted his thoughts, which made the original Noah squint his eyes. "This is the result of the long and arduous process of merging the both of us." The doppelganger explained with a calm voice, although the original Noah still found his voice annoying, for some reason. "Originally, this should''ve happened within a very short time frame. However, I guess the timing is a bit different since we are essentially an anomaly." The doppelganger finished speaking, and Noah continued staring at his own body.


    "...I''m going to need a whole different wardrobe." He said after a brief period of silence.


    "Noah? Are you coming down now or do I have to come up there and make you?" Noah''s mother yelled at Noah once again with a frustrated expression on her face when she saw that Noah still hadn''t come down from his room.


    But right when she was about to walk out of the kitchen and towards the stairs, footsteps were heard, coming down from upstairs and onto the stairs, and Noah''s mother let out a long and heavy sigh, relieved that her son finally decided to listen to her words.


    "Noah, what took you so long-" She turned her towards the entrance of the kitchen, waiting for Noah to appear, but her sentence was cut short as he suddenly froze as Noah slowly came out through the door with a nervous smile on his face.


    "Hey mom.." Noah said with nervousness as he walked over to the dining table, ignoring the surprised expression on his mother''s face and sat down. "What''s for breakfast today?"


    Noah''s mother didn''t answer, and instead continued to stare at him, and Noah began to sweat from fear. ''Oh god, she can tell the difference!'' Noah may only look nervous on the outside, but he was screaming on the inside.


    "Noahˇ­" After a short while which consisted of his mother simply staring at him, she asked him, "Since when did you start working out?!"


    "Uhˇ­" Noah didn''t expect such a response which caught him off guard, but he quickly reorganized himself and responded with a smile. "Just a few months ago. It''s not a big deal, mom."


    "Oh my. I can''t believe thisˇ­" His mother had a beaming smile on her face. She seemed to have been impressed by Noah''s words. "My son is actually working on himself and is actually being consistent." His mother clapped her hands lightly and went back to watching the stove. "I sure hope you continue working out, son. I''ve heard it not only helps the body but also the mind."


    "Uh, oh yeah, yeah.. of course!" Noah responded with a puzzled expression on his face. He didn''t expect his mother to be so excited about him actually working out. But he nevertheless nodded his head with a made up smile.


    "But still.." Noah''s mother tapped her finger on her lips as she spoke. "You really look different even when compared to yesterday."


    "Ah, I don''t think you saw me yesterday evening, momˇ­" Noah replied instantly, as he didn''t want to make her suspicious. "You came extremely late yesterday, remember?"


    "Oh yeah, I remember that!" Noah''s mother clapped her hands once again as she let out a short chuckle. "I''m really sorry about that, Noah. Were you able to make your dinner without any problems?"


    "Of course. I was fine, mom.." Noah responded with a smile. With that, the topic had successfully shifted, and Noah could breathe a sigh of relief.


    "Don''t forget that you have school today, Noah." Noah''s mother reminded him with a light pat on his shoulder. "So eat quickly."


    "Ah, I will, mom." Noah nodded his head.


    ''That''s right,'' Noah thought to himself. ''There was school today.''


    Noah didn''t know how on earth the government was allowing the reopening of schools, especially since it''s only been a few days since they closed down.


    But with the schools reopening once again, he felt that it could increase the chances of even more disappearances and murders in the city, and he had to make sure that the students are safe.


    "Oh yeah, and before you head to schoolˇ­" Noah''s mother interrupted his thoughts as she placed her wallet on top of the table, and continued, "Make sure to enter a good clothing shop. Get some clothes that actually fit you, son."


    "Ah.." Noah scratched his head and glanced at the tight shirt that he was wearing, which was sticking onto his body, as though it would tear off the second he moves his body. "Will do, mom."


    ------------------


    Meanwhile, on the school rooftop.


    "Congratulations captain, on winning the match yesterday!" A black haired teenager with a red and white striped bandana on his head said with a smile on his face as he was kneeling on the ground.


    Behind him were a large group of teenagers, who were also kneeling like him. But unlike the black haired teenager with a bandana, their gazes were aimed right at the floor, and their hands were kept behind them, interlocked together.


    "You don''t need to suck up to me every single time I come to school, Dax.." A big and muscular young man with a military haircut stood in front of the kneeling teenagers. The young man, although muscular, seemed to be a student in the school as well.


    The young man turned around, revealing tattoos on his neck and his chest. The young man''s face looked scary as well, with how serious his expression was. He didn''t have the appearance of a student at all.


    "Dax..." The man opened his mouth to speak, and the man with the bandana, Dax, flinched for a split second. He regained his composure within milliseconds, and he replied with a smile. "Yes, Captain?"


    "I heard that there was a bit of a problem going on in the school when I was away?" The young man spoke with a harsh and rough voice, and Dax''s expression changed and sweat began to drip from his forehead.


    "Ah, yes. I- It was only a small problem." Dax was trying to sweep the incident under the rug. "I''m sure that-"


    "Dax!" Before Dax could finish his words, he was interrupted by the loud voice of the captain, which instantly made him stop speaking. The young man closed his eyes, and asked in a hushed tone, "Who is it?"


    Dax scratched his chin as he replied, "Uh, someone named Noah Pemberton, captain..."

 Chapter 95 - New Revelations

    "Hey, Noahˇ­" A familiar voice entered Noah''s ear as he walked towards the school entrance gate, and he turned around and found Adrian, who was standing right behind him with a cast over his shoulder and with a nervous smile on his face.


    "Oh, hey man.." Noah was caught completely off guard by the sudden appearance of Adrian, but he instantly found his composure and waved his hand before approaching him. "What are you doing here? I thought you were still at the hospital. Shouldn''t you be resting right now?"


    "Well, as you can clearly seeˇ­" Adrian raised his hand slightly and waved it around before continuing, "I''m doing quite fine. I can rest at home if I wanted to. But I definitely didn''t want to continue staying at the hospital. Felt like I wouldn''t get cured if I stayed there."


    "Well, as long as you''re doing alrightˇ­" Noah shrugged his shoulders with a nervous laugh. He didn''t know how to respond to Adrian''s words, so he simply let it go. Noah wasn''t too familiar with the brash way Adrian lived. It was weird, since he had killed literal monsters, and yet found Adrian''s response to being hospitalized as brash.


    "Anyways, I wanted to say thank you, Noah.." Adrian''s expression turned serious as he spoke, and Noah tilted his head and stared at him with a puzzled expression on his face. "Thank me? For what?"


    "Well, of course, when you helped me get away from that violent and terrifying monster that was about to eat us." Adrian replied back with an expression that seemed to imply that it should''ve been obvious what he was talking about, and Noah simply scratched his head with an embarrassed expression on his face. "Oh, yeah! Ha, ha.. sorry about that. I was blocking out everything that happened that day." Noah made up an excuse on the fly. He couldn''t tell Adrian that he had fought countless monsters since then, and that made him forget most of what happened during that fight.


    "Ah, that makes sense. It must''ve been a traumatic experience for you as well, huhˇ­" Adrian nodded his head as he listened to Noah''s excuse. He seemed to have found his answer to be believable, and even relatable. "Are you going to therapy?" Adrian asked with curious eyes, and Noah shook his head and waved his hands dismissively. "Oh, no, no.. it''s nothing that bad." He said in a nonchalant manner. "It''s not like this is the first traumatic experience that I''ve experienced."


    It was a sad thing to say, but it was unfortunately true as well. Under the hands of Billy and his henchmen, Noah had suffered a lot. He had to endure their bullying for so long that he had even contemplated killing himself, which is what led to him getting his superpowers in the first place.


    "Ah.." It was now Adrian''s turn to be embarrassed, and he scratched his chin with a nervous expression. "I''m sorry."


    "It''s alright. Don''t worry about it.." Noah shook his head. "I''ve dealt with it. And besides, Billy is nowˇ­"


    Noah didn''t finish his words, as he immediately realized what happened to Billy. Adrian looked like he had seen a ghost.


    ''I probably shouldn''t have mentioned that,'' Noah wanted to scream loudly for his incompetent behaviour. But he remained calm and lightly tapped Adrian on his back. "You okay? I''m sorry about mentioning that."


    "I''m- I''m fineˇ­" Adrian gulped down the saliva that had accumulated inside his mouth and revealed a nervous smile. "I''m glad that you''re doing alright." He said to Noah, and Noah nodded his head. "Yeah. Me too."


    The two entered the school compound, and then walked towards the classroom building, as the students who saw them immediately moved out of the way, taking glances at them before looking away instantly.


    "But you do know that Billy going away doesn''t solve all your problems, right?" Adrian said after a brief period of silence, which made Noah raise his eyebrows with a confused expression. "What do you mean by that?"


    Adrian narrowed his eyes and with a serious look on his face, he continued, "It might not seem like it from the outside, but the whole school has a system of hierarchy. Not involving the parents nor the teachers, but simply the students."


    "What?" Noah widened his eyes. He couldn''t understand what Adrian was telling him. "What are you talking about, Adrian?"


    The duo then took a turn and walked to the chemistry department room. The hallway to get to the department was usually empty, and Adrian figured it would be a good place to talk.


    And just like he expected, the hallway really was empty. The two leaned against the wall, and Adrian looked around for a few more seconds before continuing, "Think of the students as part of a system that ranks them and groups them into different tiers. That''s essentially what happened here. On the very lowest of the low tier, we have the normal students, who have no clue about these secret hierarchical order that has been formed and are preyed upon and bullied by the heads, who represent each class, followed by the specials, who are unique and talented enough to warrant a higher post than the heads. After that comes the untouchables, who are basically a group consisting of only the strongest of the students. They don''t interfere much in most problems, but when they do, you can bet that there''ll be a whole lot of trouble."


    "What the hell? How on earth did I not know of this?" Noah was now completely taken aback by what Adrian was telling him. He only knew that the school had a bullying problem. And now, he was told that the school had a secret society and ran on the basis of a hierarchy that the normal students had no way of even knowing it existed.


    "Well, I hate to break it to you, Noahˇ­ But you weren''t exactly someone unique a few days ago," Adrian looked like he had a hard time saying those words, fearing that it might offend or anger Noah, but Noah didn''t mind it at all. He knew that Adrian was right.


    Until that fateful day, Noah was someone who was just another student. Just another normal kid, who had nothing unique to show.


    "Well isn''t this great?" Noah mumbled to himself in a sarcastic tone. After dealing with a bunch of monsters and even witnessing the death of another human being, he now had to deal with literal children.


    "Noah, these people are extremely dangerous." Adrian saw that Noah was more annoyed with the situation rather than being afraid and cautious, and decided to warn the young man as he didn''t want to see him get hurt. After all, Noah did help him during a difficult time.


    "What kind of weapons do they use?" Noah asked all of a sudden, which caught Adrian off guard, but he immediately regained his composure and replied, "Uh, not many use weapons, but if they really do, then it''ll be materials like metal pipes, crowbars, baseball bats and-"


    "So mostly hand to hand combat and close range weapons." Before Adrian could finish his words, he was interrupted by Noah''s question. "Uh, y-yeah, I guess.." He replied, unsure of what to feel.


    "And do they utilize any other resources to get what they want?" Noah decided to ask another question. He wanted to know what kind of resources were available to this so-called hierarchical system. After all, even though Noah was capable of handling monsters, he wouldn''t be able to take care of a powerful politician or the cops. Well, unless he decided to expose his secret of being a mutant. But that would only put him at an even more risk. "Like wealth and outside help. Any dirty tricks that they could end up using if they feel like they''re losing." Noah clarified a bit more.


    "No. None of those tricks are allowed, I can tell you that for sure." Adrian shook his head and said with a confident tone. His eyes seemed to imply that he was certain of his words being correct. Noah looked at him with widened eyes, and Adrian shrugged his shoulders. "Well, unless you defeat the King himself. I have no idea what might happen after that."


    "The king?" Noah raised his eyebrows again. "There''s a position called the king as well?"


    Adrian nodded his head. "The king. The highest position. The top of the hierarchy. The strongest of all the students, and the secret leader of the school."


    "And who is this guy?" Noah asked. He was intrigued by Adrian''s words, but he didn''t feel threatened. After all, no matter how many people are in this secret society, his opponents were still simply teenagers. "Who is the mastermind who''s supposedly running this school?"


    Adrian took a deep breath before explaining, "Augustus Harriet. The son of Julian Harriet, the CEO of Wildecorp Industries. Nicknamed ''The Captain''."


    Noah narrowed his eyes. "He probably has his eye on you Noah." Adrian continued. "After all, you made changes in the system when you defeated Billy and me.. And he doesn''t like change."

 Chapter 96 - A Mountain Of Problems

    "What happened to me after we fell? Why am I not remembering anything after that point?"


    "What do you mean? Aren''t you the one who should know this? After all, it was me who had blacked out when we hit the ground."


    "Wait, what?! What did you say?!"


    "Who on earth was controlling my body?"


    "Noah?" All of a sudden, a familiar voice interrupted Noah''s daydreaming, and he let out a gasp as his body twitched, causing the person who spoke to flinch in fright.


    "Ah.." Noah looked around as he realized that he was currently sitting inside his classroom, and he nodded his head to himself. He then turned his gaze to the side, where he saw a timid looking boy with ginger hair and glasses staring at him with a nervous and fearful expression on his face, and Noah let out a bitter smile.


    "Sorry about that, Kevin." Noah said as he scratched his head with an embarrassed expression on his face. "I had fallen asleep, and for a moment, I forgot where I was. I''m sorry if I startled you."


    Kevin widened his eyes before shaking his head and waving his hands dismissively in the air. "Uh, no, noˇ­ it''s not a problem at all, Noah. You don''t have to apologize to me." He continued with a nervous smile on his face. "I was just about to remind you that it''s already recess." He pointed his finger at the front of the classroom, and Noah saw that there was no teacher present, and most of the students were up from their seats and were conversing with each other.


    "Ah!" Noah let out another loud gasp and slapped his head. "I guess I slept through the physics class. Damn it! And here I was, trying to keep focus on the classes."


    "I don''t think that''s a big deal," Kevin scratched his chin and began glancing back and forth at Noah and the chalkboard. "You can still get a good grade like always if you just read the textbooks."


    "I don''t know, Kevin.." Noah had a bitter smile on his face as he responded to Kevin''s words. "I''m way too busy these days. I don''t think I''ll have enough time to actually study properly."


    "Ah, I forgot.." Kevin''s eyes wide as he replied in an instant, which made Noah furrow his eyebrows. ''Does he suspect something?'' A question appeared in Noah''s mind, but he was quickly put to ease as Kevin decided to complete his sentence.


    "You''re the leader of our class now.." Kevin said with a smile on his face as he spoke, which made Noah raise his eyebrows. ''Why is he so happy about me becoming the head of the class?'' Noah thought to himself. ''Maybe he was happy that the bully Billy didn''t have the reins anymore.''


    "Noah!" His conversation with Kevin was interrupted by the voice of Adrian, who was waiting for him at the entrance of the classroom, and Noah nodded his head at him before slowly getting up from his seat.


    "I''ve got to go now. We can talk later, Kevin." Noah turned around and said to Kevin before walking away towards Adrian.


    As he was walking away, the students all took a glance at him, but no one moved their heads, as they didn''t want to alert Noah that they were staring at him.


    But unfortunately for them, Noah was a bit different from a normal human. He had enhanced senses, and he had already sensed that he was being watched by these students. However, since he didn''t want to make a scene and cause a problem, he simply ignored the looks that he was getting and just walked out of the classroom.


    "I guess someone like me suddenly beating up his bully is not exactly easy for people to accept.." Noah whispered under his breath, and Adrian looked at him and asked, "Sorry, what was that? Did you say something?"


    "No, I did not." Noah shook his head, and Adrian raised his eyebrows with a questioning expression, but he didn''t continue poking Noah and just let it go.


    Noah was still thinking about the conversation that he had with his doppelganger about the events that happened after the giant mass of land fell down onto the river below.


    He had thought that the doppelganger must''ve taken control of his body when he blacked out, and figured that he should know what happened and could explain the events back to him. However, the doppelganger was apparently blacked out as well when those events happened, and Noah was now confused and afraid. He wasn''t too trustworthy of the doppelganger, but if he really was telling the truth, then who on earth was in control of his body?


    "Sh*t, I can''t believe I''m just getting more and more problems to deal with.." Noah clicked his tongue. He was getting sick of having to deal with constant problems one after the other. He knew that with the power that he currently has, there was always going to be a catch, but nevertheless, he had already grown tired of getting caught up in trouble.


    "Are you sure that you''re alright, Noah?" Adrian asked after he heard Noah mumbling to himself. He knew that Noah also went through the same traumatic experience that he did, and so Adrian wanted to be more understanding about his physical and mental health.


    "Yeah, yeah, I''m fine. Don''t worry about me." Noah shook his head once again as he lied. "Just tell me more about those secret societies and the hierarchical structure within the school."


    "Are you really planning on interfering with their plans?" Adrian wanted to know whether Noah was simply asking because he was curious or if he had something else in his mind. "I''m telling you, Noah. These are not just teenagers. They''re the best at what they do. You shouldn''t underestimate them, because if you do-"


    "Listen to me, Adrianˇ­" Noah grabbed Adrian by his shoulders before he could finish his sentence, making him look at Noah''s face as he continued, "I told you, didn''t I? You don''t have to worry about me."


    Noah let Adrian go as he spoke. "I know that it might be hard to believe, but I''m much stronger than I was when I fought you, Adrian." Noah patted the side of his shoulders. "You probably won''t get it, but soon you''ll understand what I mean. Just trust me, okay?"


    Adrian stared at him, looking like he wanted to say something, but in the end, he let out a long and heavy sigh of defeat and shook his head. "Fine. I surrender. Have it your way, Noah. Just don''t end up hurting yourself."


    "Oh, I won''t." Noah let out a loud but short chuckle. "I''m sure of that." He then continued, "Now, tell me more about this so-called ''King'' of yours..."


    -------------------


    A few meters away from the school''s main building was the old school building that had not yet been demolished. Although from the outside, it seemed like it would collapse at any moment, the infrastructure on the inside looked quite alright, albeit being a bit dirty.


    "A.J, why the f*ck did you call me today? I was about to head out in order to watch the new Spider-Boy movie today.." A large muscular teenager with a mohawk and a nose ring asked as he stepped inside the old school building, and the young man in front of him turned around with an annoyed expression on his face.


    "Gab, how many times do I have to tell you that you don''t question the orders given to you from the higher ups?" The young man, A.J, spoke in a tone of annoyance to Gabriel Malik, the teen with the Mohawk.


    "This came from the higher ups?" Gab now seemed much more interested, and A.J. nodded his head. "From Zero. He wants us to meet with Dax. Apparently, he has an order for us."


    The two continued walking through the hallway until they stopped and turned to their left, standing right in front of a large door with the tilted sign, ''Physics Lab'', written on it.


    "I really don''t like Dax," Gabriel whispered softly as he leaned towards A.J. "Well then, I suggest you suck it up because who knows how long we''ll have to stay here." A.J. replied and immediately opened the door to reveal a dimly lit room with crimson red LEDs all stuck to the corners of the walls.


    "Ah, boys! You''re finally here.." In the middle of the room stood a dark shadowy figure, who turned around and spread their arms wide as the two young men entered. It was Dax.


    "Mr. Zero had ordered us to come here, Mr. Dax." A.J. said as he bowed his head, and Gab did the same. "We heard that you have an order for us?"


    "Ah, yes! There is indeed an order for you!" Dax said as he walked up to the duo and handed them a picture. It was a photo of Noah, and the duo stared at the boy in the photo with confusion in their eyes.


    "I need you to find this boy, Noah Pembertonˇ­" Dax smiled as he spoke, revealing his yellow teeth. ".... And give him the good old ''Secret'' Test!"

 Chapter 97 - Defiance

    "Ah, boys! You''re finally here.." In the middle of the room stood a dark shadowy figure, who turned around and spread their arms wide as the two young men entered. It was Dax, who was smiling at them.


    "Mr. Zero had ordered us to come here, Mr. Dax." A.J. said as he bowed his head, and Gab did the same. "We heard that you have an order for us?"


    "Ah, yes! There is indeed an order for you!" Dax said as he walked up to the duo and handed them a picture. It was a photo of Noah, and the duo stared at the boy in the photo with confusion in their eyes.


    "I need you to find this boy, Noah Pembertonˇ­" Dax smiled deviously as he spoke, revealing his yellow teeth. "... And give him the good old ''Secret'' Test!"


    The duo turned to look at each other and raised their eyebrows. "Is there a reason for testing him, Mr. Dax?" A.J. asked with a puzzled expression on his face, and Dax let out a loud laugh that echoed throughout the empty room, making the two boys flinch in fear. It was more of an evil cackle rather than a laugh.


    "Ah, look at you, asking questions.." Dax said with a smile as he placed his hand on A.J.''s shoulders, and the boys eyes widened with terror, realizing the mistake that he had accidentally made just now. "A bit curious, aren''t you, boy?" Dax brought his face close to A.J.''s, and the boy began to sweat out of fear.


    "Ah, n- no sir. Of course not.." A.J. replied instantly, realizing his mistake and shook his head repeatedly. He shouldn''t have been asking needless questions to his senior in rank. Without wasting any time, he immediately bowed his head down and continued, "I''m- I''m sorry. I made a mistake. Please forgive me!"


    "Oh? Would you look at that? That was a really quick response," Dax said as he let out another chuckle, looking amused by the boy''s actions. He seemed to be enjoying what was happening in front of him. After a few seconds more of just staring silently at A.J, Dax finally decided to open his mouth and speak. "I''ll forgive you this time." He said as his grip on A.J.''s shoulder increased quite a bit, enough to make the young man bite his lips with pain. "But don''t forget that there won''t be a second chance." Dax whispered softly into A.J''s ear as he leaned forward.


    "I understand!" A.J. said as a wave of relief washed over him. He definitely expected to receive some form of punishment from his senior, as it was the norm, but to his surprise, he didn''t receive any. And he definitely wasn''t complaining. "Thank you for showing mercy, Mr. Dax!" He said as he bowed once again, and Dax waved his hands dismissively in the air.


    "Enough with the apologizing," He said with an uninterested face. "What I need from you is to test this boy. That''s what I care about!" He said as he tapped the photo in A.J''s hands.


    "And how do you want us to do this, Mr. Dax?" Gab stepped forward and asked with a serious tone, as A.J. composed himself. "Are we supposed to simply fight him while holding ourselves back, or are we allowed to go all out?"


    "See? Now you''re asking the right questions!" Dax said with a loud chuckle as he patted Gab on the back of his head. Although Gab wasn''t too fond of being touched, he couldn''t do anything to stop it, as Dax was his senior as well as an untouchable. And like his position suggests, he really was ''untouchable''. "I like this kid!" Dax patted Gab once again, and he let out a fake laugh in an attempt to appease his senior.


    "And as for the answer to your question..." Dax placed his hand under his chin and tilted his head up as he thought for a few seconds, before a sinister smile gradually appeared on his face, and he continued, "Since the whole point of the test is to understand his abilities and whether or not he''s worthy of joining our secret society, I''d say you two can go all out!"


    -----------------


    "Listen to me, Adrian. You don''t have to worry about me." Noah said to Adrian. "I know that it might be hard to believe, but I''m much stronger than I was when I fought you, Adrian." Noah patted the side of his shoulders. "You probably won''t get it, but soon you''ll understand what I mean. Just trust me, okay?"


    Adrian let out a long and heavy sigh of defeat and shook his head. "Fine. I surrender. Have it your way, Noah. Just don''t end up hurting yourself."


    "Oh, I won''t." Noah let out a loud but short chuckle. "I''m sure of that." He then continued, "Now, tell me more about this so-called ''King'' of yours..."


    "Well, if you do plan on taking down the whole hierarchical system, then I suppose you should learn about the King, Augustus ''The Captain'' Harriet." Adrian tilted his head to the side as he spoke, and Noah listened carefully.


    "Augustus is known within the hierarchical society as a man of principle and rules. However, I believe that no man who believes in principles and rules would actually end up taking the position of ''King'', even if it was offered to him," Adrian then glanced at Noah for a split second before continuing, "Of course, that is just my opinion, so take it however you want. But there are rumors about him actually using the strength of his powerful family to keep his competition under control."


    "So you think that he won''t be giving up his position peacefully even if I take it from him in a show of strength, fair and square?" Noah asked, and Adrian shrugged his shoulders. "In my opinion, he probably won''t be too happy with the results, if you do win against him. And he definitely won''t be happy to figure out that your plan is to destroy the hierarchical system in its entirety. So you might want to keep that to yourself for as long as possible."


    "We''ll see," Noah replied in a nonchalant manner. At this point, he wasn''t too concerned with actually winning against these young men. After all, he had fought worse opponents than high school bullies.


    "Ah, here comes a few of the members right nowˇ­" Adrian shifted his gaze towards the hallway and saw two teenagers approaching them, and Noah turned around to see what Adrian was talking about.


    One of the boys was a large muscular teenager with a mohawk and a nose ring, while the other one was a bit more lean and wore a tracksuit, with his hair dyed blonde.


    "That''s Gabriel Malik with the mohawk, and the blonde haired guy is Andy Johansson." Adrian whispered softly under this breath for Noah to hear. Noah nodded his head, urging Adrian to continue giving him detailed information about them.


    "Both of them are part of ''The Specials''." Adrian continued giving Noah information in a hushed tone. "Gabriel is an MMA fighter. Not exactly someone who I''d call a genius. But don''t underestimate him. He''s not dangerous for his talent, but for his way of fighting."


    "Which is?" Noah asked without turning around, and Adrian whispered softly. "He fights dirty. And by dirty, I mean extreme dirty. You do not want to let your guard down in front of him."


    Noah nodded his head. "What about the other guy?" Noah asked as his gaze then shifted to Andy, and Adrian narrowed his eyes. "Andy is more of a karate specialist. He''s much calmer than Gabriel, and his style is more predictable. However, he''s extremely skilled at his craft. Apparently, he''s been practicing karate for more than a decade."


    "Impressive." Noah had to give him a compliment for sticking with it for so long. But he certainly wasn''t feeling intimidated by the presence of these two.


    But the question was, why were the two heading towards them? Noah furrowed his eyes. He could read their gazes, and they definitely were fixed on Noah. Which meant that they were most likely here for him.


    The two young men stopped right in front of Noah and Adrian, looking right at Noah''s face, who didn''t back down and stared back at them with an intense stare.


    "Are you Noah Pemberton?" Gabriel raised one of his eyebrows as he spoke, looking Noah up and down, studying him.


    "I am. But it looks like you two already knew that." Noah crossed both his arms close to his chest as he finished speaking, and the two young men glanced at each other, surprised by the way Noah was speaking to the two of them. "What do you want?" Noah asked in a nonchalant manner.


    "We want you to follow us," Gabriel said with a cold and rough expression on his face. If it was any other student, they would''ve been scared to death. But not Noah.


    Noah let out a short chuckle as he opened his mouth. "What if I don''t want to?"

 Chapter 98 - Winners Mindset

    "Dax, I heard that there was a bit of a problem going on in the school when I was away?" The young man spoke with a harsh and rough voice, and Dax''s expression changed and sweat began to drip from his forehead. "Ah, yes. I- It was only a small problem." Dax was trying to sweep the incident under the rug. "I''m sure that-"


    "Dax!" Before Dax could finish his words, he was interrupted by the loud voice of the captain, which instantly made him stop speaking. The young man closed his eyes, and asked in a hushed tone, "Who is it?"


    Dax scratched his chin as he replied, "Uh, someone named Noah Pemberton, captain.."


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    Augustus ''The Captain'' Harriet nodded his head and then walked up to the railing of the rooftop, looking down onto the ground, staring at the entrance of the school with his cold and emotionless eyes.


    He then took out a packet of cigarettes and pulled out a cigarette stick from it, placing it in between his lips as he snapped his fingers, and another young man ran towards him, holding a lighter in his hand and lit the cigarette for him.


    "Haahˇ­" Augustus exhaled the smoke from his mouth as he tilted his head up to the sky and said, "Noah Pemberton, you said?"


    "Ah, ye- yes, Captain.." Dax replied, his facial expression revealing that he was nervous. "That is the boy''s name."


    "I assume you''ve already ran a background check on this kid," The Captain turned around from the railing and faced Dax as he continued to speak, inhaling the smoke inside from his cigarette.


    "Ah, yes, captain. I definitely did!" Dax responded immediately with a smile. He knew that the smile was fake, but he didn''t have time to make up a believable smile. And he definitely wasn''t feeling enough joy to make a genuine smile either. So this was probably the best he could do.


    "Hahˇ­" Augustus, ''The Captain'', exhaled again, and the smoke rushed towards Dax, caressing his face in a gentle manner before disappearing into the air. "And?" Augustus didn''t even seem to care what he had done and asked Dax. "What''s the kid like?"


    "We- well, for starters.." Dax cleared his throat as he began to give a detailed explanation about Noah that he had figured out from various sources. "Well, from what my sources told me, Noah doesn''t seem to be someone who''d initiate a fight." Dax said with a serious expression on his face. "He was described as someone who''d most probably would end up choosing the most peaceful option if there was a choice."


    "But he is talented enough?" Augustus asked, and Dax nodded his head. "Considering he took down both Billy as well as Adrian, I''d say he''s a good fighter."


    "Haah.." Augustus exhaled once again, this time with his head tilted upwards, and the white smoke slowly drifted up into the sky. "Strong enough to make a change, but too weak to do so.." Augustus whispered under his breath as a sinister smile appeared on his face. "Pathetic attitude to have as a member of the society, but beneficial to us."


    The Captain then walked up to Dax and placed his hand on his shoulder as he continued, "I need you to find the kid and then make him join our community." He whispered softly into Dax''s ears. "If he really is a pacifist as you say, then he''ll most definitely end up choosing to join without making it hard for us."


    "And if he doesn''t want to join us?" Dax asked, and the Captain laughed loudly. "Well then tell him that he''d end up regretting it. After all, he can''t take on all of us."


    "Right.." Dax nodded his head. Augustus patted his shoulder a few more times and he opened his mouth again to speak. "Order is essential to successfully maintain a hierarchical system. And messing up the system like what this Noah kid did can cause chaos if not dealt with properly." The Captain spoke with a serious expression. "It''s not the first time that there''s been threats to the hierarchical structure, and it won''t be the last. But I make sure that I''m on the winning side every single time. You know why, Dax?"


    "I- I don''t know, sir.." Dax shook his head. The Captain tapped his chin lightly as he said, "Because I''m a winner, Dax. And fate favors winners."


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    With that, Augustus walked towards the stairs, and the few of his lackeys followed him close behind.


    "Oh, I forgot.." The Captain stopped right as he was about to head down the stairs, and he turned around before continuing, "Do test the kid properly, would you, Dax?"


    Dax turned to look at him, and Augustus said, "Since he won against both Adrian and Billy, we still don''t know his true limits. I want to know whether he''s a valuable asset or not." Augustus tapped his forehead and spoke with a smile. "You don''t combat a threat with another threat. You influence them to join hands with you. Because that''s what winners do."


    And with that, Augustus ''The Captain'' Harriet left the rooftop, followed by his lackeys, leaving Dax and the rest of the students who were kneeling on the ground alone.


    "What do we do now, Mr. Dax?" One of the students that were kneeling on the floor looked up to Dax and asked, but a frustrated Dax kicked him right in the chest, which made the teen slam onto the floor with a loud noise, startling the other students.


    "Hah, I can''t believe I have to clean up his mess once againˇ­" Dax said in an annoyed tone. His expression of fear and nervousness from before had completely vanished, replaced by an expression of annoyance and frustration in its place.


    "David! Lucas!" Dax yelled out, and two boys leapt up from the floor in an instant, as though they were waiting for his words. "Yes, Mr. Dax?" The two spoke in unison, and Dax replied, "Get those two clowns that I called last time and tell them I have an order for them."


    "Gab and A.J, sir?" The two boys asked, and Dax shrugged his shoulders. "I don''t know their names. Why the f*ck would I? Just call them!"


    "Sir, yes sir!" The two boys replied instantly, and Dax stared at the sky with a frown on his face.


    ------------------


    "Are you Noah Pemberton?" Gabriel raised one of his eyebrows as he spoke, looking Noah up and down, studying him. "I am. But it looks like you two already knew that." Noah crossed both his arms close to his chest as he finished speaking, and the two young men glanced at each other, surprised by the way Noah was speaking to the two of them. "What do you want?" Noah asked in a nonchalant manner.


    "We want you to follow us," Gabriel said with a cold and rough expression on his face. If it was any other student, they would''ve been scared to death. But not Noah. Noah let out a short chuckle as he opened his mouth. "What if I don''t want to?"


    "What did you say?" Gabriel stepped forward and stared down at Noah, his face now turned red as he spoke with an angry voice.


    "Noah," Adrian decided to interject and spoke softly while standing next to Noah. "You shouldn''t do this while you''re in the middle of the hallway.."


    Noah slightly tilted his head to the side and glanced at Adrian with a raised eyebrow, and Adrian continued, "You remember what happened the last time you made a mess in the school, right?"


    That''s right. Noah remembered. He was almost kicked out of the school for standing up to himself and defeating his bully, Billy.


    ''But the people behind that, Coach Donny and the Vice Principal were both dead. So it probably won''t happen again, right?'' Noah thought to himself.


    He was right. There was a possibility that Noah wouldn''t get into trouble this time since the two responsible for getting him into trouble last time were now dead. But the question was whether or not he would be willing to take the risk to find out.


    "... Fine," Noah said with a frown on his face as he rolled his eyes, and Adrian let out a sigh of relief. "Where are you taking me?" Noah asked as he made eye contact with A.J, who replied, "No questions. Just follow us."


    "No can''t do." Noah shook his head. "I would really like to know where I''m heading towards."


    The two boys looked at each other for a few seconds, and then turned around and faced Noah. "The old abandoned school building." Gabriel replied in a monotone voice.


    "Can he come?" Noah pointed at Adrian, and the two looked at him for a second before replying, "Yes, he can."


    And with that, the two turned around and walked in front of Noah and Adrian, who glanced at each other for a split second before following the two teens close behind.


    "Is this an invitation from the ''King''?" Noah leaned towards Adrian and whispered softly into his ear who responded by shaking his head. "I don''t know. But I do know that those two are part of the community." He pointed at the two boys walking in front of them.


    "Perfect," Noah said with a smile.. "I guess I can finish this sooner than planned."

 Chapter 99 - Overcome

    Meanwhile at Arlingrad High School.


    A group of boys were hanging out in front of the school gate, laughing loudly as they stared at the attractive girls who were walking by them with a creepy smile on their faces.


    "Whoo! Look at all that cake! Damn girl!" A kid who looked like he was in his mid twenties said with a sneer as a girl passed by them,


    and the boys all laughed out loud.


    "What did you say?" The girl turned around, angry at the insensitive comments made about her body, but the boys clearly didn''t look like they cared about it.


    "What''s up cutie?" The boy who spoke earlier said with a creepy smile, revealing his sharp teeth that were like fangs. His gaze was similar to that of a predator hunting its prey. The boy whipped his long hair sideways and then took out a hair rubber band from his pocket as he continued staring down and up at the girl''s body and gritted his teeth. This boy certainly didn''t seem like he was bothered by the girl''s words.


    "Are you talking to me?" The boy said while sporting an ugly smile, and the girl felt goosebumps on her hand. Her eyes widened with fear as she took a step back.


    Tap!


    But right when she stepped backwards, the boy raised his feet and took a step forward in response. "Now, what on earth could a pretty girl like you want with a guy like me?"


    The girl began to tremble as she tried opening her mouth to speak, but to her horror, found out that the words weren''t coming out of her throat.


    Desperate, she turned to find any teachers or facilities who were standing near the gate, but found none.


    "Oh? Are you looking for teachers?" One of the boys that were standing next to the parking lot, leaning on one of the cars that were parked there, said with a calm expression, and the rest of the boys made gasping noises, mocking the girl''s behavior. "Did you come from one of those rich kids'' schools? Because in Arlingrad High, you don''t have teacher''s waiting to close the gate. Isn''t that right, boss?"


    "That''s right.." The boy who was standing in front of her said with a smile as he chuckled, terrifying the girl. She looked around, trying to ask help from the students who were passing by her, only to find that almost all the students were not even looking at her and the boy, and were simply walking by them with their heads hanging low.


    "What? Don''t tell me that you expected someone to stand up for you?" The boy laughed maniacally, and the rest of the boys joined in on the laughter along with him, as the girl rubbed her own shoulders with fear.


    "You really didn''t think someone would actually stand up to me, Joey Adkins, did you?" The boy''s expression changed all of a sudden as he leaned down to face the girl, who was so frightened that her legs began trembling. The boy looked at her face with a menacing expression, amplified by the shadows that were on his face. "I''m the King of this school, b*tch!" He whispered softly into her ears, and all of a sudden, tears began to drip down from her eyes and onto her cheeks as he gasped for air.


    "Boss!" All of a sudden, one of the boys who were standing next to the parking lot called out to Joey, making him raise his head and yell out loudly, staring at the person who spoke with an evil expression. The boy could tell that his boss was annoyed, so he immediately pointed his finger at the road, and Joey turned around, still carrying an annoyed expression on his face.


    But that annoyed expression soon changed as he saw what the boy was pointing at, and in its place, appeared an expression of joy and delight. "Well, well, wellˇ­ would you look at that?" He said with a sinister smile on his face, licking his lips as he spoke.


    He then moved away from the terrified girl and waved his hands without even looking at her, as though she was not important anymore. The girl, unsure of what to do, turned her gaze at the boys in the parking lot, who shouted at her. "Get out of here, b*tch! Let us see how you run!"


    The group of boys gave such an intimidating response that the girl bolted towards the school building without even wasting a single second, even tripping on her feet and falling down onto the ground one time, making the boys laugh even more. "Ha ha ha ha! Look at that b*tch! What a f*cking bimbo!"


    "Save your laughter for the main course, boys.." The boss, Joey, said in a soft voice, but even though his voice wasn''t loud, the boys immediately shut their mouths in unison as they were ordered.


    "Because today.." Joey stared at the group of young boys who were walking on the sidewalk, heading towards the school with a smile. He continued, "We''re going to have a feast!"


    "Argh!" All of a sudden, Max gripped his head tightly, and the other boys turned to look at him with anxious expressions on their faces.


    "You okay there, Max?" Gerald asked in a concerned tone, and Max shook his head as he let out another groan. "Urgh.. I- I don''t know." He said as he rubbed his forehead. "I keep getting theseˇ­ these flashes of pain in my head, as though my brain is warning me of something.."


    "Like that one time?" Gerald asked as he remembered how they were able to figure out the location of the bat monster.


    "No," Max shook his head. He said, "This felt.. different."


    "Oh! Don''t tell me that this is like sp*der s*nse?!" Alphonso said with a beaming smile on his face, and the others looked at him with their eyebrows raised up.


    "Oh, yeah, sorry.. Wrong time to get excited!" Alphonso realized his mistake and apologized. His gaze then went to Max once again as he whispered softly. "But if it really is like sp*der s*nse, then that must mean there''s a threat somewhere near!"


    Max glanced at Alphonso with a puzzling look on his face before slowly turning his head towards the school gate, and all of a sudden, his eyes widened.


    "Joey.." He mumbled under his breath, and the gang turned to look at where Max was staring at, only for their expressions to turn from confusion to horror.


    "Sh*t! It''s Joey f*cking Adkins!" Harold said with a frustrated voice, and the other members of the group groaned in response.


    "Why the f*ck is he standing at the front of the gate?" Alphonso gritted his teeth as he spoke, and Harold shrugged his shoulders with anger. "Who the f*ck cares why he''s there?! The only thing that matters is that he''s there right now! What the f*ck are we going to do?"


    "Well, we can''t return home right now.." Gerald scratched his chin as he spoke. "He''s probably already seen us."


    "Now, hold on a minute there," Harold said as he patted Gerald on his shoulder and continued, "We can''t be sure that he saw us. Maybe he didn''t."


    "I''m pretty sure he saw us already." Alphonso interrupted their conversation and the two turned around to look at him. Alphonso pointed at the school gate, where they could see the silhouette of Joey waving his hands at them. "Look, he''s waving at us."


    "Ah, f*ck!" Gerald slammed his hand onto his own face as he cursed.


    As the group was bickering amongst themselves, Max had his gaze fixed on the silhouette of Joey Adkins. He was looking at him with cold and emotionless eyes, and his gaze was unwavering.


    "Joey Adkins.." Max whispered under his breath. He knew Joey Adkins very well. A bully who ruled Arlingrad High as though he was its king. Beats down anyone who opposed him. And Max and the gang had the most unfortunate luck to have accidentally bumped into him in the cafeteria. And since then, he has made their school life difficult.


    They weren''t bullied too much like some of the kids. However, they were given chores to do and homework for him and his followers. And every now and then, they''d get beaten up like sandbags. For no reason.


    Max squinted his eyes and scanned Joey from far behind. Since he had become a mutant, his eyesight had already improved a lot, which helped him to


    "I want to try and take him downˇ­" Max''s words, although spoken in a hushed tone, caught the attention of the group, who stared at him with a look of surprise.


    "Max, what did you just say?" Alphonso asked as he stared at Max with a shocked expression on his face, still not being able to believe the words that came out of his mouth.


    Max glanced at the group for a few seconds before turning around and then walking towards the gate, and the others ran after him with expressions of terror.

 Chapter 100 - Showdown

    "I would really like to know where I''m heading towards." Noah said, and the two boys, Gabriel and A.J. looked at each other for a few seconds before turning around and facing him. "The old abandoned school building." Gabriel replied in a monotone voice. "Can he come with me?" Noah pointed at Adrian, and the two looked at him for a second before replying, "Sure. He can come."


    And with that, the two turned around and walked in front of Noah and Adrian, who glanced at each other for a split second before following the two teens close behind. "What do you think?" Noah leaned towards Adrian and whispered softly into his ear. "Is this an invitation from the ''King''?" Adrian responded by shaking his head. "I don''t know. But I do know that those two are part of the community." He pointed at the two boys walking in front of them. "Perfect," Noah said with a smile. "I guess I can finish this sooner than planned."


    The two boys led Noah and Adrian out of the school building and they headed towards the short pathway that was covered with shrubs and grass right behind the school.


    Noah glanced at the pathway, as his gaze shifted from one side to the other, looking at the forested area that was hidden right behind the school. Both sides of the pathway were enveloped by large trees whose branches blocked the sunlight from reaching the ground, creating a dark and cool pathway to walk on.


    The path led them to the old and abandoned school building, and Noah turned to look at Adrian. "Is this where the community members hang around?" He asked while whispering under his breath.


    Adrian leaned towards Noah and opened his mouth to speak. "The secret community doesn''t have a specific place to meet. The location is sent to your smartphone whenever there''s a meeting." Adrian explained in a hushed tone. He then briefly glanced at the entrance of the old school building once again before continuing, "However, this abandoned building is definitely the most used location as of lately. So, to answer your question; there could be some of the members hanging around here. I''m not sure, but that''s definitely a possibility."


    Swoosh!


    Noah and Adrian watched as the two boys opened the front door of the building. The wooden door slowly opened with a creek, and the teenagers stepped inside.


    "What do you plan to do if there are more members inside?" Adrian asked Noah as they continued walking.


    "Nothing changes." Noah shrugged his shoulders in a nonchalant manner before continuing, "There''s just a bit more people to beat up. That''s all."


    "Are you sure that you can handle it?" Adrian was still concerned despite Noah showing no signs of nervousness. "Who knows how many members might be here? You could end up hurting yourself if you take this too lightly."


    "Adrian, didn''t I tell you before?" Noah whispered with a smile on his face. "I can handle it. Trust me."


    "Alright. We''re here." Their conversation was suddenly interrupted by the words spoken by Gabriel, and Noah and Adrian turned their attention to him. They were standing in front of another door, with the words ''Gymnasium'' written on top of it.


    Twack!


    A.J. pushed the door open and entered the room, followed by Gabriel. "Come in," Gabriel motioned to Noah before walking inside, and Noah glanced at Adrian before following him.


    "I sure hope everything turns out well," Adrian mumbled to himself before following the others and headed into the gymnasium, which was completely covered in cobwebs, with dirt and moss in every corner of the room.


    Both Gabriel and A.J. looked at each other and nodded their heads before turning around to face Noah while standing right in the middle of the room.


    "Noah Pemberton," A.J. opened his mouth to speak. "You probably already know who we are, but you most probably wouldn''t know what our motive was for calling you all the way-"


    "Let''s cut the cr*p, shall we?" Noah interrupted A.J''s words before he could finish his sentence, which made the young man widen his eyes in surprise before asking, "What the hell are you talking about?"


    "You''re here to fight me, right?" Noah said while squinting his eyes as he raised both his arms up, assuming a fighting stance. "So, what are you waiting for? Let''s fight!" This surprised both Gabriel and A.J. Even Adrian was caught off guard by the words spoken by Noah.


    ''Noah, are you sure that you want to reveal your true intentions like this?'' Adrian had thought that Noah would''ve played along with Gabriel and A.J''s plan until the right opportunity came. However, it seems that Noah had other plans in mind.


    "I think you''re mistaken, Noah Pemberton.." A.J. tried to calm the situation down as he spoke while raising his hands. "We''re not here to fight you."


    "So you''re here to recruit me into your group then.." Noah asked another question, and a frown appeared on A.J''s face.


    "Did you tell him, Adrian?" Gabriel turned his gaze towards Adrian and asked. But before Adrian could respond, Noah interrupted him and responded, "It doesn''t matter who told me. I''ve already made up my answer. I''m not joining your secret group."


    "You don''t know what you''re saying, kid." A.J. said as he began walking towards Noah, his hands now rolled up into fists. "Trust me, you don''t want to reject us."


    "Oh, I definitely do want to reject you guys," Noah said with conviction. "You see, I really don''t like what you guys are doing. Creating a hierarchy of bullies that benefit only you while also breeding new delinquents? Not something that I''d want to stand behind."


    "I don''t know what this guy has told you," A.J. said as he pointed his finger at Adrian and continued, "But none of that is the truth. We''re not delinquents, nor are we bullies."


    "Oh yeah?" Noah said with a sarcastic tone. "So then what are you planning on doing to me now that I rejected you?"


    "That''sˇ­" A.J. couldn''t reply, and Noah snorted in response. "Thought so."


    "For f*ck''s sake! I''ve had enough with this cheeky brat!" Gabriel yelled out, his eyes red with anger as he stared at Noah. "I''m going to beat the sh*t out of you, you dumb little b*tch!"


    Noah smiled in response. "There we go. That''s the true you."


    -----------------


    Joey Adkins. A bully who ruled Arlingrad High as though he was its king. He beat down anyone who opposed him. And Max and the gang had the most unfortunate luck to have accidentally bumped into him in the cafeteria. And since then, he has made their school life difficult.


    Max squinted his eyes and scanned Joey from far behind. "I want to try and take him downˇ­" Max''s words, although spoken in a hushed tone, caught the attention of the group, who stared at him with a look of surprise.


    "Max, what did you just say?" Alphonso asked as he stared at Max with a shocked expression on his face, still not being able to believe the words that came out of his mouth. Max glanced at the group for a few seconds before turning around and then walking towards the gate, and the others ran after him with expressions of terror.


    "Max, Max!" Gerald ran up to him and grabbed him by the shoulder as he spoke. "Max, are you thinking straight right now? Do you realize what you''re saying?"


    "Oh, I fully understand the words that came out of my mouth. Trust me," Max didn''t stop in his tracks even though Gerald was grabbing him by the shoulder. He continued moving towards the school gate, where a gleeful Joey was waiting for them to arrive.


    "Max, you have to think this through! Please!" Harold yelled at Max with a frustrated tone, and Max suddenly turned around and stared at Harold. "I have thought this through Harold!" He yelled out in response. "Don''t you realize that we''re not the same people anymore? We have superpowers, Harold. Superpowers! We can easily take these clowns on!"


    "If that''s what you think, then you really haven''t thought this one through, Max." Gerald interjected into the conversation. "As you''d told us, your powers only consist of manipulating the timeline of nature. How on earth is that going to help you fight Joey?"


    "The ground," Max pointed his finger at the school grounds, which weren''t covered in pavements nor concrete. It was simply a dirt covered normal ground. Max then shifted his finger from pointing at the ground to the trees that were right next to the compound walls of the school campus and continued, "The roots of those trees are hidden deep within the ground. I could manipulate them to help me in the fight."


    Roots?


    Surprised by his words, Gerald turned around and looked at the other two, who simply shrugged their shoulders. Gerald then simply scratched his chin, thinking to himself. "You know you have to be careful to not expose your powers, right? This could be extremely risky."


    "I know," Max nodded his head with a serious expression. "But I don''t want to continue working for that pig anymore."


    Alphonso, Gerald and Harold looked at each other. They were unsure of the method that Max was going to implement, but they were all in agreement on one thing; They hated Joey Adkins!

 Chapter 101 - One Punch Man

    "The ground," Max said as he pointed his finger at the school grounds, which weren''t covered in pavements nor concrete. It was simply normal. Max then shifted his finger from pointing at the ground to the trees that were right next to the compound walls of the school campus and continued, "The roots of those trees are hidden deep within the ground. I could manipulate them to help me in the fight. Make them move through the ground and pop out at the right time."


    "The roots?" Surprised by his words, Gerald turned around and looked at the other two, who simply shrugged their shoulders. Gerald then simply scratched his chin, thinking to himself. "You know you have to be careful to not expose your powers, right? This could be extremely risky. They might see you using your powers."


    "I know," Max nodded his head with a serious expression. "But I don''t want to continue working for that pig anymore." Alphonso, Gerald and Harold looked at each other.


    None of them wanted to continue being the servants of Joey. They all hated this bully of a person who walks around the school as though he is the ruler. And if utilized properly, Max''s powers may in fact help them get out of this b*astard''s grasp once and for all. And who knows, maybe they could even save everyone else from this creep''s hands as well.


    But that''s the best case scenario, Gerald thought to himself. For all they know, everything could end up going horribly wrong as well. Maybe Joey or his followers might end up spotting the roots popping out of the ground. Maybe he''ll figure out that Max and the rest of them are freaks and the news might spread. Maybe this could all end with them being hunted down by the police.


    "Maxˇ­" Gerald wanted to speak with Max more and try to convince him to leave this idea, but right then.


    "Um, guysˇ­" Harold called out to Gerald and Max, and the two turned around to look at him. He then pointed his finger at the school gate and the two shifted their gaze following the direction where he was pointing at, and found Joey motioning them to continue walking.


    "What the hell do they think they''re doing?" One of the boys who were part of Joe''s followers mumbled under his breath as he watched Max and the rest of the group talking to themselves, and Joey let out a short chuckle. "Does it matter, Ben?" He scratched his chin as he spoke. "All I want is to train my hands a bit today. They''re aching to throw some punches, and the sandbags have such great timing."


    "Great, he''s planning on beating us up again." Max, who used his enhanced hearing ability to learn what Joey and his henchman was talking about, said to the rest of his friends, who all widened their eyes in surprise before expressions of terror replaced it.


    "Are you sure, Max?" Alphonso asked. He sounded terrified. Max nodded his head as he spoke, "I am, Alphonso." He then turned his gaze towards Gerald, who had an uncertain look on his face and asked, "What do you think, Gerald? Still want me to hold back and just get hit?"


    "Iˇ­" Gerald bit his lips and shook his head before replying, "Ah, for f*ck''s sake! Screw it!" He stomped his feet on the pavement with a frustrated expression before continuing, "Go ahead! Teach that piece of sh*t a lesson!"


    ------------------


    "You see, I really don''t like what you guys are doing," Noah said with conviction. "Creating a hierarchy of bullies that benefit only you while also breeding new delinquents? Not something that I''d want to stand behind."


    "I don''t know what this guy has told you," A.J. said as he pointed his finger at Adrian and continued, "But none of that is the truth. We''re not delinquents, nor are we bullies."


    "Oh yeah?" Noah said with a sarcastic tone. "So then what are you planning on doing to me now that I rejected you?"


    "For f*ck''s sake! I''ve had enough with this cheeky brat!" Gabriel yelled out, his eyes red with anger as he stared at Noah. "I''m going to beat the sh*t out of you, you dumb little b*tch!"


    "Noah! Look out!" Adrian yelled out in a concerned tone, as Gabriel rushed forward, heading straight for Noah with his arms spread wide. From his posture, it seemed as though he was trying to grab hold of Noah.


    "There we go. That''s the true you." Noah smiled in response before he dashed forward as well, which caught A.J, who was watching him closely, off guard.


    ''Is he seriously planning on taking Gab head on? Is this kid crazy?'' A.J. thought to himself. He couldn''t understand what was going through Noah''s mind. Sure, Noah seemed to have a pretty well built body from the looks of it. However, it was nothing compared to the humongous giant that was Gabriel. In front of an enormous being like him, Noah seemed puny in comparison.


    Whoosh!


    The two students instantly closed the distance between them, and Gabriel yelled out with fury in his voice, "You''re going to get it, you little sh*t!"


    Swoosh!


    As soon as Noah was within his reach, Gabriel swung both his arms forward, attempting to grab hold of him, but before he could do so, Noah increased his speed all of a sudden, and within a split second, Noah went from standing in front of him to a few meters away from Gabriel.


    "What the?" Gabriel, who had no idea what just happened, looked at his hands that were clasped together with confusion evident in his eyes. He thought that he had Noah in his grasp, but to his surprise, he had caught nothing.


    Even Adrian and A.J. were surprised by what had happened right in front of them.


    "That was the quickest move that I''ve ever seen!" A.J. couldn''t believe what he had just seen. He was even doubtful of his own eyes, as he couldn''t properly catch Noah''s movements. "That was insane! How quick was he?"


    "Noah.." Adrian whispered under his breath, unable to believe what he just witnessed. Truth be told, he was a bit skeptical about Noah''s words about beating everyone who was a part of the secret society. He knew that Noah was extremely strong, but Adrian didn''t think that he could take down an entire society whose ranks were built on the basis of pure strength. Even for Noah, that would be too much.


    "But maybe..." Adrian couldn''t help but wonder whether Noah truly has the power to make a change within the school and strip down the hidden hierarchical structure.


    "Quit trying to run away and come at me you p*ssy!" Gabriel, who was angry that he had missed his target, roared loudly before stomping his foot onto the floor and dashing forward, heading in the direction of Noah.


    "Alright then. I''ll grant you your wish!" Noah shrugged his shoulders and answered with a nonchalant expression on his face before he rushed forward with incredible speed.


    This time, he was quicker than before, catching Gabriel off guard, who did not expect Noah to arrive this early.


    Whoosh!


    Taking advantage of the panic-stricken Gabriel, Noah immediately swung his fist forward with intense force while also maintaining his strength as he was fighting a human.


    "Sh*t!" Gabriel only saw Noah pulling his fist back, but before he could raise his arms up to defend, the fist had already struck his jaw and sent him flying into the air.


    BAM!


    The loud noise of Noah''s fist striking Gabriel''s lower jaw was followed by another loud noise as Gabriel crashed down onto the ground, completely unconscious.


    Silence!


    "... Oh, you have got to be sh*tting me." The silence that loomed the gymnasium was interrupted by the soft voice of A.J, who spoke in a hushed tone, murmuring to himself as he stared at the unconscious body of Gabriel.


    A knockout! With just one punch!


    A.J. wasn''t prepared for this. He had been briefed by his seniors, and even though it was an extremely short and simple briefing, nowhere did he get the impression that the kid that they were going to face was one of the best fighters in the school.


    "Are you going to stand there and watch or are you going to fight me?" Noah interrupted A.J.''s train of thought, which made him click his tongue and then glance at Noah with a frustrated expression.


    "You''re not planning on letting me go, are you?" A.J. asked as he raised both his arms and stretched his legs out, assuming a fighting stance.


    "Were you guys planning on letting me go when I rejected your invitation to join the secret society?" Noah answered his question with another question as he began to slowly walk forward, intimidating A.J.


    "Yeah, I guess not!" A.J. shook his head.. He had a disappointed expression on his face for a split second before it was replaced by a serious one as he rushed towards Noah.

 Chapter 102 - Standing Up

    "Are you going to stand there and watch or are you going to fight me?" Noah interrupted A.J.''s train of thought, which made him click his tongue and then glance at Noah with a frustrated expression.


    "You''re not planning on letting me go, are you?" A.J. asked as he raised both his arms and stretched his legs out, assuming a fighting stance. "Were you guys planning on letting me go when I rejected your invitation to join the secret society?" Noah answered his question with another question as he began to slowly walk forward, intimidating A.J.


    "Yeah, I guess not!" A.J. shook his head. He had a disappointed expression on his face for a split second before it was replaced by a serious one as he rushed towards Noah.


    "There you go! Now that''s what I wanted!" Noah said with a smile on his face as he too rushed forward, appearing before A.J. in an instant.


    ''Sh*t! Even though I had seen his speed before.. He''s still way too fast!'' A.J was still caught off guard by how quickly Noah decreased the distance between them, despite the fact that he had personally witnessed his movements and his speed while he was taking on Gabriel.


    His speed was simply inhuman! A.J. thought to himself as he swung his fist right at Noah''s face, hoping that he''ll find his target.


    Of course, Noah was still concealing most of his special abilities. He was even holding back when it came to his speed as well. That''s why, although Noah''s speed might seem inhuman to a normal person, it''s nothing too crazy like traveling at the speed of light either. He was just fast enough to blend the concepts of what is possible and what is not together, so that the audience aren''t sure of what they see or what to believe.


    Whoosh!


    Noah tilted his head with ease as the punch that A.J. threw passed right by his ears. Noah might''ve dodged that easily, but the fact that his punch was so close to hitting his face made it seem like he only barely dodged it. To a normal person, his response, although extremely quick and difficult to pull off in reality, must''ve seemed like a hastily made movement, making them subconsciously think that the whole process was a lot more normal.


    "Is that all you''ve got?" Noah said in a nonchalant manner as he pulled his arm back and punched straight at A.J''s abdomen without wasting a single second.


    Before A.J. could do anything else, Noah''s fist collided with his body, and all of a sudden, his eyesight began to weaken, and he could feel that he was losing his consciousness.


    BAM!


    The loud noise was followed by A.J''s body flying backwards into the air as he let out a loud gasp, and fell down onto the floor with a thud. He too was unconscious.


    Adrian looked back and forth at the unconscious bodies of Gabriel and A.J. with shock and surprise in his eyes as he mumbled to himself, "Crazyˇ­ this is just crazyˇ­"


    "I told you, didn''t I?" Noah''s calm voice entered his ears, and Adrian turned around to find Noah looking at him with a smile on his face. "I got this." Noah said while he gave a thumbs up to Adrian, who couldn''t even respond properly to his words in time.


    ''Well, color me impressed, I guessˇ­'' Adrian thought to himself as he stared at Noah. If this is how quickly the fights are going to end, then Noah really could take down the whole hierarchical society all by himself.


    "Are there any other members inside this building right now?" Noah asked as he looked around the gymnasium, but found no one.


    "I don''t know.." Adrian shrugged his shoulders. He was with Noah the whole time, after all. "I told you, didn''t I? They don''t have a specific location to have meetings. So who you find in the building is based simply on your luck."


    "Right, rightˇ­" Noah nodded his head as he kneeled down right next to the unconscious body of A.J. and began rummaging through his clothes, which made Adrian look at him with a puzzled expression. "What are you doing?"


    Noah didn''t answer immediately, and held up his index finger in the air, asking Adrian to be patient as he continued rummaging through his unconscious opponent''s clothes.


    "Aha! Found it!" All of a sudden, Noah''s eyes lit up like a lightbulb as he pulled his hand out from A.J''s pocket and held it up in the air, revealing a smartphone.


    "Isn''t that his phone?" Adrian asked as he began walking towards Noah, who nodded his head. "Since we don''t have the whereabouts of the other members.." Noah grabbed A.J''s finger and placed it on the phone screen, unlocking the device, and continued, "We''ll just call them and tell them what just happened."


    "That''s your plan?" Adrain asked, looking shocked once again. "To call the other members?"


    "Yeah," Noah nodded his head as he pulled up A.J''s whatsapp account. "Oh, would you look at that?" Noah turned the phone around and showed the screen to Adrian, who brought his eyes closer to it in order to read what was written on the phone screen.


    "It''s.. information about you?" Adrian said as he squinted his eyes at the screen, and Noah nodded his head. On the phone was a message containing detailed information about Noah.


    Adrian continued reading further, and then shifted his gaze towards the sender of the message, and his eyes widened. "Dax?" He almost shouted out loud, and Noah looked at him with his eyebrows raised. "You know this person? Is he a big shot in the school?"


    "Well, by bigshot, if you mean never lost a fight to anyone except the King, then yeahˇ­ I guess he is a big shot!" Adrian responded immediately and Noah scratched his chin as he stared at the phone screen in his hands. "Huh.. is that so?"


    Beep!


    Before Adrian could realize what his plan was, Noah had already clicked the call button on the screen and placed the phone close to his ear.


    "I assume you''re calling to tell me that the order is completed?" A rusty voice entered Noah''s ear. Noah couldn''t see the person''s face, but he could tell, just by listening to his voice, that he was confident. A bit too confident to Noah''s liking.


    "Where are you?" Noah decided to cut to the chase and flat out asked Dax''s location.


    "Who is this?" Dax, who was expecting the voice of A.J. to respond to his words, was now confused as to who the person on the other side was.


    "Who else could it be? The person whose name was on the order that you sent." Noah answered bluntly, and Adrian could only let out a helpless sigh.


    "Noah Pemberton?" Dax sounded surprised. He surely wasn''t expecting such a turn of events.


    "That''s right. And you still didn''t answer my question." Noah asked once again. "Where are you right now?"


    "Did you beat the other two?" Dax''s voice still had a surprised tone, but Noah couldn''t care less about his questions. "Alright, since you don''t plan on telling me your location, I''ll tell you mine." Noah said as he crossed his arms. "I''m at the old abandoned school building. In the gymnasium. Bring your pals with you, and we can put an end to this once and for all."


    "Listen, Noah, you don''t know what you''re saying.." Dax''s voice turned serious as he realized what Noah was saying. "You''ll regret this. I''m giving you another chance here."


    "Goodbye," Dax expected Noah to continue with the conversation, but he didn''t even bother with it. Noah hung up the phone, leaving a shocked Dax speechless on the other line.


    "You do understand what you''ve done, right?" Adrian said as he planted his hand on his face and shook his head.


    "I got this, remember?" Noah said with a chuckle, and Adrian let out another sigh. "I guess you doˇ­"


    ---------------------


    "Boss! Those b*tches are coming!" Ben said to Joey, who nodded his head and licked his lips with a smile on his face. "Perfect! Today''s going to be a good day for training my punches!" He said as he cracked his knuckles. "I feel like my punches are getting sloppy these days.."


    ''That''s because you''ve put on some weight!'' Ben thought to himself, but didn''t dare say those words out loud.


    "What took you b*tches so long?" Joey said with a crooked grin as he stretched out both his arms, waiting for the group.


    However, as the group got closer and closer, Joey felt that the atmosphere was a bit different than usual. He couldn''t pinpoint exactly what the difference was, but he could feel it.


    His gaze then went straight to Max, who was the first one to arrive in front of him and said, "Since you took so long to get here, I hope you''re ready to receive some punish-"


    BAM!


    But before he could finish his words, Max punched him right on his nose, which pushed him backwards as he screamed with pain, "AHHH!"

 Chapter 103 - Winners And Losers

    ''That''s because you''ve put on some weight!'' Ben thought to himself, but didn''t dare say those words out loud. "What took you b*tches so long?" Joey said with a crooked grin as he stretched out both his arms, waiting for the group.


    However, as the group got closer and closer, Joey felt that the atmosphere was a bit different than usual. He couldn''t pinpoint exactly what the difference was, but he could feel it. His gaze then went straight to Max, who was the first one to arrive in front of him and said, "Since you took so long to get here, I hope you''re ready to receive some punish-"


    BAM!


    But before he could finish his words, Max punched him right on his nose, which pushed him backwards as he screamed with pain, "AHHH!"


    "He hit the boss! You b*stard!" Ben said loudly as he stared at the fallen Joey who was screaming with pain, and he rushed towards Max, who was standing next to Joey.


    "AHH!" Ben roared loudly with fury in his voice as he swung his fist, but right before he could hit his target, something on the ground made him trip and fall, losing his balance.


    BAM!


    Ben fell face down into the ground, causing dust and dirt to spread into the air surrounding them, and Joey''s followers, who were rushing towards Max and his friends with anger stopped in their tracks, completely caught off guard by the humiliating way Ben fell down.


    What the hell? They thought to themselves. Was this really the person who was second in command to Joey?


    Even Joey, who was screaming with pain and anger until now, was looking at the fallen Ben with confusion and shame in his eyes.


    ''F*ck me! That had to be the worst timing to trip and fall down,'' Ben was not unconscious, but nevertheless, he still kept his head slammed into the dirt ground without moving from the spot he fell, ashamed of what just happened.


    "We know you didn''t faint, dude.." Harold said as he stepped forward, but Ben didn''t move an inch.


    ''I''m definitely in a dream. This is definitely a dream,'' Ben kept repeating those same words over and over in his head. ''I''m sure I''ll wake up in a few minutes.''


    "It''s not a dream, bro!" Alphonso yelled out, snickering while he spoke. "F*ck you, b*tch!" Ben shouted back without moving his head.


    "Oh for f*ck''s sake! Forget Ben! Get them!" Joey shifted his gaze towards the rest of his followers and urged them to ignore the douchebag on the ground and take down the group of nerds as he tried getting up.


    "Get these b*tches!" The group of boys yelled out as they continued their charge, heading straight for Max and his group of friends, who all raised their arms up and assumed fighting stances, just like the heroes of martial arts movies.


    "I''ve always wanted to do a group fighting pose!" Alphonso said with a smile on his face as he waited for the bullies to arrive, and Gerald turned to look at him with a questioning expression. "A group fighting pose?"


    "What? Never seen power r*ngers before?" Alphonso replied and Gerald just continued staring at him for a few more seconds before shifting his gaze towards the bullies.


    "Get these b*tches!" The group of bullies yelled out as they began approaching Max and his friends, but all of a sudden, the bullies began falling down onto the ground one by one, slamming face first onto the dirt with a loud noise.


    BAM! BAM! BAM!


    "What in the-" The bullies at the front were confused by the loud noises that were happening in the background, and they stopped their dash and turned around only to find a few of the boys behind them had already fallen down onto the ground. But before they could guess what was actually going on, Max and the other boys rushed towards them, catching them off guard.


    BAM!


    Max punched one of the boys who was staring at his friends lying on the ground right on his chin, sending him tumbling backwards on his feet. For a brief second, the boy felt something touching the outsole of his shoes, after which he was swung up into the air as though he had slipped on a banana peel before slamming down on his back onto the ground.


    "Ugh! What the f*ck?!" The boy groaned in pain, and the remaining bullies turned their attention towards the group of nerds. "Don''t get distracted! Our targets are these bunch of losers! Let''s beat the sh*t out of them for the boss!" A boy with blonde hair and freckles on his chin yelled out loudly as he rushed towards Gerald, and the others followed him.


    "Take this loser!" The blonde screamed with anger as he swung his fist, aiming straight for Gerald''s stomach.


    Whoosh!


    All of a sudden, he too felt something tug on his shoes from behind, after which he couldn''t move his legs anymore. It was as though they were glued to the ground.


    Swoosh!


    The blonde boy''s fist stopped right in front of Gerald''s stomach, as his reach was too far, and Gerald, without wasting the opportunity that was given to him, immediately charged forward and punched the blonde boy right under his lower jaw, which pushed him backwards and onto the ground.


    BAM!


    "You shouldn''t forget to check who''s behind you!" But before Gerald could take a breather, the voice of another boy came from behind him, which made him turn around quickly, his expression revealing that he was now completely alert.


    Unfortunately for him, the boy had already closed the distance between the two and was right in the middle of swinging his fist.


    Swish!


    Right then, something popped out from within the dirt, wrapped onto the boy''s leg and pulled him with intense force, causing the boy to lose his balance and fall down as he screamed, his face heading straight for Gerald''s knee. "AHHH!"


    WHAM!


    The boy''s lower jaw struck Gerald''s knee, producing a large ringing noise as he fell down, completely unconscious.


    "Huh.. neat!" Gerald said as he patted his knees and shrugged his shoulders.


    "You little b*tch!" A tall, rough looking boy with facial hair gritted his teeth as he approached Alphonso, who was still nervous. "You think you can take me on? Think again!" The boy said with a sneer as he rushed forward and then swung his right leg from the side, aiming for Alphonso''s shoulders.


    "AHH!" Alphonso, who didn''t know what to do, closed his eyes and swung his fist, aiming for absolutely no one.


    Swoosh!


    Just like before, something that looked like a tentacle popped out of the dirt for a split second and pulled on the boy''s left leg that was rooted to the ground, causing the boy to slip and fall down right in the trajectory of the swinging punch of Alphonso.


    BOOM!


    Alphonso''s punch smashed right onto the boy''s chin, which was surprisingly powerful enough to launch the boy into the air for a split second before he crashed onto the earth, letting out a groan as he did so.


    "Take this!" Harold too was punching forward recklessly without any strategies. However, just like the rest of them, every single one of his punches were landing perfectly on the opponents, even knocking some of them out with one hit.


    BAM! BAM! BAM!


    The group of bullies dropped like flies, and what looked like a hopeless fight for Max''s group was now turning out to be much more than a one sided massacre. They were actually winning!


    "Oh my god! What in god''s name was that?"


    "Ow! Ow! Ow! My back! My back! It hurts!"


    The group of boys who were still conscious screamed in pain as they squirmed around on the ground, and Joey, who had just got up on his feet, simply stared at his followers with shock and confusion in his eyes.


    "What in the world just happened?" Joey mumbled to himself, and after a few seconds of thinking, his gaze then turned to Max, and he gritted his teeth. "What the actual f*ck is going on, b*tch?!"


    "What does it look like to you, you dumb b*tch?!" Max said as he swung his fist at an incoming boy, sending him flying backwards into the air right before landing under Joey''s feet. "Can''t you see? We''re beating your a**!"


    Joey looked around and saw that the fight had gathered an adequate amount of viewers, and for a second, he felt as though he could hear their thoughts.


    ''Joey Adkins doesn''t seem like a King!'' The thought had sprouted in Joey''s mind, and he yelled out loudly, "I''ll beat your a**, you b*tch!"


    He rushed forward as soon as he finished speaking, heading straight for Max, who raised both his arms with a serious expression on his face.


    "Come at meˇ­"

 Chapter 104 - New Age

    "What the actual f*ck is going on, b*tch?!" Joey couldn''t help but yell out loudly with anger in his voice as almost all of his followers were lying on the ground, defeated by a group of nerds.


    "What does it look like to you, you dumb b*tch?!" Max said as he swung his fist at an incoming opponent, sending him flying backwards into the air right before landing under Joey''s feet. And with that, every single one of Joey''s henchmen were on the ground. "Can''t you see? We''re beating your a**!"


    Joey looked around and saw that the fight had gathered an adequate amount of viewers, and for a second, he felt as though he could hear their thoughts. ''Joey Adkins doesn''t seem like a King!'' The thought had sprouted in Joey''s mind, and he yelled out loudly, "I''ll beat your a**, you b*tch!" He rushed forward as soon as he finished speaking, heading straight for Max, who raised both his arms with a serious expression on his face.


    "Come at meˇ­" Max said as he too leapt forward. This time, he wouldn''t just wait for the enemy to lose his balance before attacking him. He would strike first.


    "You little sh*t! You think you can beat me, Joey Adkins, just because you took down those worms who follow me around?" Joey felt humiliated by the lack of fear in Max''s eyes. Nerds like him were supposed to be afraid of Joey. And yet, this son of a b*tch was trying to land a punch on Joey''s body without even flinching! Joey wouldn''t accept that. He couldn''t!


    "I''m Joey Adkins, b*tch! The king of Arlingrad High! You''ll never be able to defeat me!" Joey screamed with fury as he leapt up into the air and did a roundhouse kick as soon as he got close to Max.


    Max stared at the kick that was heading his way, aiming for his head, and he couldn''t help but smile. He knew that with his weak and frail body, he would never be able to react quickly enough to dodge that attack.


    But even though his human body had limits, his newfound supernatural abilities were different.


    Controlling and manipulating the path of nature was similar to how a normal person would think. At least, that''s what it felt like to Max. Sure, the whole process drains a lot of energy, but it can easily be replenished after a while simply by resting.


    But the main takeaway, at least according to Max, was the difference between how he controlled the path of nature and how a human being moves his body. Unlike a normal human being, who not only needs to think but also train their body in order to accurt move as they wish, Max only needed to use his mind in order to manipulate the path of nature. There was no need for nature to catch up with his thoughts. The whole process was instantaneous. The mind and nature worked in sync, and the only limit to the whole process was energy.


    Which was why Max had decided to try and take on Joey Adkins, who had made their school lives incredibly difficult.


    ''Even though my body might be too weak to take him down, my superpowers aren''t!'' Max''s eyes narrowed down as he stared at the fast approaching roundhouse kick, and right before the kick could connect with Max''s face, something similar to that of a tentacle quitely popped out from under the ground and entered Max''s pants through the opening below, and all of a sudden, his body bent backwards!


    Whoosh!


    Joey''s shoes only hit the air and Max immediately whipped back to his original position as the kick passed by him.


    "What in the-" Joey, who was certain that his kick would''ve struck Max, was caught off guard by the lack of contact on his shoes, and he turned around after landing only to find an unhurt Max standing at the same spot as before. "How the f*ck did you dodge that?!"


    Max didn''t bother replying to Joey, and instead stared at both his hands, surprised at the move that he did just now. "I can''t believe that actually worked!" He whispered softly to himself.


    Max was actually controlling the roots of the large trees right next to the school compound wall through the ground. He had manipulated the roots and made it slide through his pants and up his body without anyone noticing and had struck itself onto him, sort of like an exoskeleton. And now, Max''s body was being controlled by the roots, which were directly controlled by Max''s mind. This meant that there was no need to worry about his body being slower than his thoughts. His body and his mind were now completely in sync.


    Of course, the biggest problem was mobility. He couldn''t move properly as the roots were still attached to the trees, and removing their connection with the trees would sever the connection Max has with the roots as well, so this was a problem that he had no way of avoiding. The roots were slender and smooth, which made it harder to notice, but it definitely was not enough.


    ''Well, at least the dust and dirt are making it harder for anyone to see the roots..'' Max was relieved that the other roots that were still underground were making the earth shake slightly, causing a lot of dust and dirt to pop up into the air and surround Max and Joey, making it hard for anyone to properly see Max''s legs.


    "Take this!" Joey, who didn''t know what Max was thinking, rushed forward while pulling his left hand back. His palm was rolled into a fist, and he swung right at Max''s head.


    Whoosh!


    Max, who saw the fast approaching fist, simply tilted his head sideways, avoiding the punch with ease before responding with a mean right hook that struck Joey''s lower jaw with a loud bang!


    BAM!


    The punch was so powerful that Joey''s eyes rolled back and he fell down onto his knees, his head still tilted upwards because of the strength with which Max struck him.


    "This is the end, Joey.." Max mumbled under his breath right before swinging his left leg sideways, striking Joey by his right shoulder, making him slam down onto the ground head first. "No more working under you!"


    BAM!


    Joey fell down, completely unconscious, and Max let out a long and heavy sigh. The roots had already returned back into the ground, and Max turned his gaze to his friends, who looked at him with smiles on their faces.


    Gerald gave a thumbs up to Max, who smiled and nodded his head in return. The students who had been watching the fight were left stunned, completely shocked at the outcome of the match.


    "Holy crapˇ­ Did that seriously just happen?" One of the students murmured under their breath, and soon, every single student was whispering to themselves and to each other.


    "What the f*ck.. did we just lose?" Some of Joey''s followers who hadn''t fainted were glancing back and forth at each other, unsure of what they were going to do now.


    "I guess you did it, huh?" Gerald said as he walked up to Max and placed his hand on his shoulder, and Max nodded his head. "I think it''s supposed to be ''we'', Geraldˇ­"


    "Nonsense! You did all the work. We were just following you!" Harold shook his head as he and Alphonso approached Max.


    Max tilted his head and pointed at Joey''s fallen henchmen as he spoke. "I don''t remember beating up every last one of them, though.."


    "Ugh, fine.. It''s ''we did it''. Happy now?" Harold shrugged his shoulders, and Gerald let out a chuckle, which caused everyone to erupt into laughter.


    -----------------


    "F*ck this! Who does that brat think he is?" Dax, who was sitting inside a building that was under construction, gritted his teeth as he stared at his phone before raising his fist up into the air and throwing it down onto the ground with anger.


    WHAM!


    The phone broke into pieces, and the two teenagers who were standing beside him looked at each other, unsure of what to do.


    "What''s the matter, Dax?" A voice came from the room next to his, and Dax turned his annoyed face towards the direction it came from.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    A young man wearing a white shirt that was tucked in and gray pants appeared. He was wearing an expensive watch on his left hand, and was holding his sunglasses in his other hand. The young man had a muscular body as well as a handsome face.


    "Do you have a problem?" He asked with a snarky expression on his face, which made Dax click his tongue in response. "Nothing that concerns you, Nelson."


    "Are you sure about that?" Nelson replied as he put on his sunglasses and began walking towards Dax, who raised his eyebrows. "Because I can offer you help.. Of course, only if you want it."

 Chapter 105 - New Threat

    "What''s the matter, Dax?" A voice came from the room next to his, and Dax turned his annoyed face towards the direction it came from.


    A young man wearing a white shirt that was tucked in and gray pants appeared. He was wearing an expensive watch on his left hand, and was holding his sunglasses in his other hand. The young man had a muscular body as well as a handsome face. "Do you have a problem?" He asked with a snarky expression on his face, which made Dax click his tongue in response. "Nothing that concerns you, Nelson."


    "Are you sure about that?" Nelson replied as he put on his sunglasses and began walking towards Dax, who raised his eyebrows. "Because I can offer you help. Of course, only if you want it."


    "Hah? What''s this I hear? Nelson, the greediest b*stard in the entire school, is offering help for free?" Dax couldn''t help but let out a snort as he responded with a sarcastic tone. "Sounds like a scam to me. Don''t bother trying to rip me off, Nelson. I won''t fall for it."


    "Greediest b*stard? Now that''s a bit of an exaggeration, Dax. I''d prefer to be called an opportunistic person instead." Nelson flashed an innocent smile, which only amplified his handsomeness, making Dax grit his teeth even more. "And I am offering you help. That part is not a scam. Although not for free, of course."


    "Suit yourself, Dax." Nelson waved his hands in the air, acting as though he had given up and admitted defeat. A frown appeared on Dax''s face. Of course, Dax knew that Nelson wouldn''t give up on a good opportunity if he saw one. And sure enough, after a brief period of silence, Nelson continued speaking. "Just remember, you can''t afford to lose another mission. Don''t forget what happened last time."


    "What did you say?" Dax, who was now furious, began walking towards Nelson with bloodshot eyes, and Nelson simply waved his hands once again, showing his canine teeth as he continued, "Why are you getting angry at me, Dax? I just told you the truth. You failed to deliver last time, and the only reason you didn''t lose your position was because the King himself vouched for you."


    Nelson tapped Dax''s chest using his index finger. "That''s the only reason you''re still here. You should''ve gone down a rank, but the King gave you a second life."


    "I would''ve climbed back up in an instant." Dax retorted, and Nelson rolled his eyes. "By beating who? Do you honestly think the other untouchables are weaker than you, Dax? And even if they were, it''s not like it''s going to be a fair fight either. This isn''t a tournament."


    "Is that why you came to me? To remind me of where I would''ve been had it not been for the King''s intervention?" Dax said while gritting his teeth. He was still seething with anger, his fury still yet to be subsided.


    "No, no. I''m here to warn you of what you''re risking by not allowing me to grant you my help." Nelson said with a devious smile as he cracked his knuckles. "The king saved your a** last time, but I''m pretty sure he''ll not tolerate failing a second time. So, are you sure that you want to deny my help today, even when you know that you could lose your position if you fail at this?"


    "God damn it!" Dax stomped his foot on the ground as he bit his lips. He didn''t want to agree with Nelson of all people, but he was right. The King only gave him this order as part of his second chance. Not many untouchables receive orders, and even when they do, they are relatively larger in scale while simultaneously being an easier chore than most orders.


    "What do you want, Nelson?" In the end, Dax decided to swallow his pride and ask Nelson for his help. He didn''t know how powerful this Noah kid was, but it would be best to be careful and have backup in situations like this. The kid did sound extremely confident and laid back when he talked to Dax on the phone.


    Was that him being an overconfident fool or was that something else? Dax didn''t know, but since he was about to risk his position on completing this order, he felt that he had to be cautious.


    "Oh? What''s the matter, Dax? You weren''t all that interested a few minutes ago. Did you change your mind?" Nelson said with a snarky expression on his face, and Dax clicked his tongue with frustration. Nelson was definitely enjoying this, Dax thought to himself.


    "Just tell me, alright?" Dax said with an annoyed tone. He didn''t want to play this game. "What the f*ck do you want in return?"


    "Money, of course!" Nelson said bluntly, and Dax shook his head. "Of course it is.."


    "Just give me 20% of whatever you extort from the kids. That''s all I''m asking." Nelson stopped speaking for a second, "For an entire year, of course."


    "What?!" Dax yelled out and immediately stood in front of Nelson with bloodshot eyes. "Are you trying to rob me, you son of a b*tch?"


    "Hey, that''s how much I value my help, alright?" Nelson leaned forward with a smile on his face. "If you want my help, then that''s what you''ll need to give me in exchange."


    He then stretched out his hand, and Dax stared at it. "So, what do you say?" Nelson said with a smirk. "Do we have a deal, partner?"


    ------------------


    Arlingrad High School.


    Max and the rest of the group headed up the school building, as the other students immediately moved out of the way in order to give them space, staring at them with shock and surprise in their eyes.


    "They''re looking at us like we''re some kind of monsters.." Alphonso turned to Gerald and said with a bitter smile on his face, and Gerald let out a short chuckle. "Well, they are right in a way." He said as he let out a sigh, and Alphonso nodded his head.


    "Is this really alright?" Harold couldn''t help but ask, and the rest of the group turned to look at him with expressions that seemed to ask for an explanation for his words. "I mean, is it alright for us to use our powers for our own benefits? And so openly as well. I feel like there has got to be consequences for such actions." Harold decided to clarify his words. "I mean, a superhero is supposed to be selfless."


    "Maybe you''re right," Max said as they reached their classroom. "But I guess it wouldn''t hurt to be a bit selfish every now and then, wouldn''t you agree?"


    Max was about to open the door to their classroom, when all of a sudden...


    ''Urgh!'' He felt a shockwave passed through his brain, which made him grab his head and groan, causing the rest of the group to turn their attention towards him with expressions of concern on their faces.


    "Max? Are you alright?" Gerald knelt down next to him and asked Max, who was now on his knees.


    ''This is like that spider-s*nse thing that Alphonso mentioned earlier,'' Max thought to himself as he grit his teeth. The shockwaves were similar to the feeling of pain that he had felt when his enhanced senses picked up the presence of Joey.


    ''Wait a minute..'' All of a sudden, Max''s eyes widened with shock as another possibility popped up in his mind. ''What if that shockwave wasn''t warning him of Joey?''


    After all, Joey was still a normal human being. And it wasn''t like he was much of a threat to Max after he utilized his superpowers. Of course, he wasn''t too sure about this hypothesis, but it wasn''t outside the realm of possibility either.


    ''Does this mean that the shockwave spider-s*nse tingle was warning him of another threat?'' Max didn''t know, but he did know one thing; the shockwave that he felt right now was much more powerful than the one that he felt earlier in the day.


    It could either mean that the first shockwave he felt was for a weaker threat while the shockwave that he was feeling right now was warning him of a much more powerful enemy. This hypothesis would support the idea that the spider-s*nse really was warning him of Joey earlier.


    "Orˇ­" Beads of sweat began to drip down the forehead of Max as he thought to himself. ''It could mean that the reason the first shockwave was less powerful was because of the distance between Max and the threat.''


    Max turned his head and began looking around the hallway, ignoring his confused and concerned group of friends, trying to find who the threat was.


    "May I ask what you all are doing outside the classroom?" A rough masculine voice made Max turn around quickly only to find a middle-aged man with partially gray hair and glasses staring at them.


    "Mr. Carrick!" Gerald exclaimed, and Max''s eyes widened once again.


    ''It''s him?''

 Chapter 106 - Confusion

    After talking with Dax a few more minutes, Nelson bid farewell and left the building under construction, and headed outside.


    A black sedan was waiting for him near the sidewalk, and a young man got out from the passenger seat and opened the door for Nelson, who got in with a nod.


    "Boss, how''d it go with Mr. Dax?" The young man asked as he too entered the vehicle through the other door, and the black sedan drove off, leaving the construction site behind.


    "Better than I expected, Ned.." Nelson said as he let out a sigh, and the innocent smile that he had plastered on his face all this time was instantly replaced by an expression of annoyance.


    "Although I did not want to spend another minute with that dumb b*tch!" He clicked his tongue as he spoke, clearly annoyed by having to interact with Dax. "I think I lost a few of my brain cells while talking with that egotistical jealous piece of sh*t. God, why the hell did he receive all that physical strength? He clearly doesn''t know how to use it properly!"


    "I''m afraid you''d have to blame his father and mother, boss.." Ned, Nelson''s loyal servant spoke with an indifferent facial expression and Nelson let out a snort in response. "Freaking geneticsˇ­"


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    Nelson tapped his finger on the window of the car as Ned continued, "So, what are we supposed to do now, boss?"


    Nelson didn''t turn his head to look at Ned, instead keeping his gaze on the vehicles passing by his car as he opened his mouth to speak. "What was our original plan to help out Dax?"


    "Well, bossˇ­ We were planning on sending about fifteen men to help out Mr. Dax," Ned said as he pulled out a tablet from his backpack. "Of course, we can reduce the number if you want to, boss. These young men that we''ve hired, they''re all martial artists. You could even say that they''re experts in training. I doubt it''ll take more than two to take down this nobody-"


    "Double the number." Nelson interrupted Ned''s speech right before he could finish his words, and Ned widened his eyes with surprise and shock, as though he couldn''t believe what he just heard. "I''m- I''m sorry, boss?"


    "Didn''t you hear me? I said, double the number of men that were hired." Nelson clicked his tongue as he repeated his words, implying that he really didn''t want to repeat what he just said. He knew that he was probably going overboard with sending this many men to take down one young boy, but for some reasonˇ­


    "Ri- Right, of course, boss.." Ned realized that his boss was frustrated right now, and so he immediately agreed to make sure that his boss remained calm, even though he had no clue as to why his boss was suddenly ordering him to double the number of men who were hired to help out Dax. "I''m already on it."


    "Good," Nelson nodded his head as he watched the vehicles pass by and let out a sigh.


    ''I really didn''t want to do this,'' Nelson thought to himself as he remembered the data that was shown to him about Noah Pemberton.


    The boy who was strong enough to take down Billy and Adrian. That was how Nelson knew him before. ''Strong enough.''


    He didn''t think that the boy had great talent. Nelson simply thought that the boy was only strong enough to take down Billy and Adrian, and would most probably fall into line afterwards. After all, being part of the secret society was already a safety pillow for an average kid like him. Most people would be content with being part of the hierarchy, and would most probably not risk their safe position.


    Or at least, that''s what Nelson thought would happen. But oh boy, was he wrong.


    ''I honestly didn''t think that there would be someone who would outright refuse to join the hierarchy.'' Nelson let out a short and soft chuckle.


    But someone really did. And that someone was Noah Pemberton. And the question on Nelson''s mind was whether this boy was an overconfident fool or someone who knew very well what they were getting into. Nelson had been leaning towards the former, as not many people usually understand the consequences of their actions until they receive it. And he thought that it was the same case with Noah. He became overconfident after beating Billy and Adrian, and was a naive fool who thought that he had the world in his palms.


    But, just like last time, Nelson was once again proved wrong. The boy had now taken down two Specials, and then pulled out their phones and called Dax, the untouchable who ordered the two boys to test Noah. The seemingly innocent boy had declared war against the whole hierarchical system of the secret society.


    Nelson wanted to believe once again that this was still a naive boy who had no idea of who or what he was about to face, or what a dangerous mistake that he was making. He desperately wanted to believe that this boy was simply a naive fool who was simply gifted in combat, but had no experience.


    But even since he had been proven wrong by this young man, Nelson couldn''t help but doubt the abilities and intentions of this boy. Or at least, he was doubtful of whatever they knew about him.


    But of course, there was absolutely no way that Noah could defeat thirty trained martial artists. Or at least, that was what Nelson was joined for when he asked Ned to double the number.


    "Just when I was thinking of expanding my influence over the secret society, this happens.." Nelson muttered under his breath and bit his lips.


    "Is there a problem, boss?" Ned asked as he saw that the expression on Nelson''s face didn''t seem to improve.


    "Nothing, nothing.." Nelson shook his head. "I was just thinking about how unlucky I was." He said as a frown appeared on his face. "First, the king pardons Nelson. And then, this Noah kid pops up and stirs trouble within the society."


    "I''m sure it''ll get better for you, boss. The night is darkest just before dawn. Isn''t that what they say?" Ned wanted to cheer up his boss, but it didn''t seem to be working.


    "At least I know that the King is still injured from the fight he had last time," Nelson said as he rubbed his hand across his chin. "And if I successfully teach this Noah kid a lesson, then there''ll be no one left in front of me who can stop me from becoming the next King!"


    "Of course you will, boss." Ned nodded his head in response to Nelson''s words.


    "Driver!" Nelson leaned forward and shouted at the driver of the vehicle, who replied, "Yes, boss?"


    "Change of location. Head over to the abandoned school building," He then turned his attention towards Ned as he continued, "I want to make sure that we take care of this kid! And I want to personally witness it!"


    ------------------


    Max turned his head and began looking around the hallway, ignoring his confused and concerned group of friends, trying to find who the threat was.


    ''It could be that the reason the first shockwave was less powerful was because of the distance between Max and the threat,'' He thought to himself.


    "May I ask what you all are doing outside the classroom?" All of a sudden, a rough masculine voice came from behind him, which made Max turn around quickly only to find a middle-aged man with partially gray hair and glasses staring at them.


    "Mr. Carrick!" Gerald exclaimed, and Max''s eyes widened once again. Beads of sweat began to drip down the forehead of Max.


    ''It''s him?''


    Max was confused, as the shockwaves that were giving him immense pain were actually because of this man!


    Mr. Arthur Carrick was a forty five year old Physics teacher who has been a part of the school faculty for more than ten years. And now, it seems like he might have a different profession!


    But was he really a monster? Max wasn''t too sure. After all, his physical appearance was exactly the same as the Mr. Carrick of the past. Perhaps he was a hybrid between a monster and a human being, similar to them?


    "Ehem, why on earth are you staring at me, young man?" Max''s thoughts were interrupted by the voice of Mr. Carrick, and he realized that he had been staring at his teacher for way too long.


    "Oh! Uh, I- I''m sorry Mr. Carrick!" Max immediately apologized and rubbed the back of his head with embarrassment, and Mr. Carrick raised his eyebrows with a frown on his face before shaking his head as he let out a long and heavy sigh. "I don''t get you Gen-Z kids. Just don''t roam around the hallway and get into the classroom!"


    "Of course, Mr. Carrick!" The boys replied in unison and immediately opened the door, entering the classroom as Mr.. Carrick watched them quietly.

 Chapter 107 - Changes

    Inside the old gymnasium.


    Noah walked left and right as Adrian knelt next to the unconscious bodies of A.J. and Gabriel and examined them. He was making sure that they weren''t pretending to be unconscious to launch a surprise attack on Noah. But fortunately, they both seemed to genuinely be unconscious, which made Adrian let out a sigh of relief.


    He then turned his gaze towards Noah, who was walking from one side of the gymnasium to the other and said, "You know, you seem extremely different from the Noah I fought in the junkyard."


    "Do I?" Noah said with a surprised tone as he stopped in his tracks and turned around to face Adrian, who nodded his head.


    ''Huh, I didn''t think anyone other than me would''ve noticed it, but I guess I was wrong..'' Noah thought to himself as he scratched his chin. He knew that he had to be careful with his behavior. There''s nothing wrong with having small behavioral changes, but people might get suspicious if there''s a vast difference. And Noah didn''t want too much attention on him.


    "You do seem different to me." Adrian, who didn''t know what Noah was thinking about, continued to talk as he walked towards Noah, who had crossed his arms across his chest and was curious as to what Adrian wanted to say. Was he talking about how I had improved when it comes to combat?


    "And what makes me different from the Noah of a few days ago?" Noah asked as he squinted his eyebrows.


    "Aside from your increased strength, I''m not totally sureˇ­" Adrian placed his finger under his lip as he thought for a few seconds before replying, "But I think it''s your confidence."


    "My confidence?" Noah raised his eyebrows as he spoke, and Adrian nodded his head.


    "You seem a lot more confident in your actions and your speech pattern. The you who had fought me a few days ago wouldn''t have been so hot headed and aggressive," Adrian explained why he felt that Noah had gained more confidence over the past few days, and Noah scratched his chin.


    "You''re saying that I wouldn''t have fought these two?" Noah asked, and Adrian shook his head. "No, you most definitely would have." He then continued, "But you wouldn''t have needed me to tell you not to fight in the hallway of the main school building, which was what you seemed to want to do."


    Noah''s eyes widened. ''Sh*t! He does have a point!'' Noah bit his lips as he realized that he really had been getting a bit too confident these days.


    ''Is it because of the merging, as mentioned by the doppelganger?'' Noah thought, and all of a sudden, another thought came to his mind. ''Wait, when do I know the merging is completed? Would I even be me then? Would I realize that a merge has happened?''


    He stared at his palms as he continued to think, ''What if the merging is already done?''


    Noah scratched his head. ''Come to think of it, I haven''t heard a lot from my doppelganger today. Don''t tell me that he''s already merged with me?!''


    Too many questions had entered Noah''s mind, and with no answers to respond with, he felt as though he was losing his mind.


    "Are you really Noah?"


    "What?" Noah turned around to look at Adrian, who had asked that question, with a shocked and confused expression on his face.


    "I mean, ignoring how you somehow made improvements to your strength within a short period of time, I don''t think I''ve seen anyone change their behavior so drastically, especially in such a short amount of timeˇ­" Adrian said while looking down at the floorboard of the gymnasium, and Noah squinted his eyes.


    "People change their behavior all the time," Noah replied, and Adrian nodded. "Of course they do. But not this quick. Unless you''re acting like you''ve changed, which I don''t think you are."


    Adrian paused just for a second, taking a short glance at Noah before continuing, "It''s just.. after what happened back at the junkyard, I''ve been questioning almost everything, and everyone." He walked towards the wall and leaned on it. "I know that most people don''t deserve to be looked at suspiciously, but I can''t help it. Not after what I saw that day. That shouldn''t have happened. That creature shouldn''t have existed. And yet it did. And now, I can''t look at anything the same way anymore."


    "Are you asking me if I''m a monster?" Noah decided he had enough of the roundabout questions and asked him straight. Adrian shook his head. "I''m asking if you''re Noah or not."


    Noah didn''t reply immediately, and instead clicked his tongue. He rubbed his hand on the back of his head as he opened his mouth to speak, "I don''t know either. I don''t think I ever was Noah. Not for a who. Even when I met you."


    Adrian''s eyes widened. But he didn''t interrupt Noah''s words, who continued, "But I do know one thing. Is that no matter who I am right now, I do remember who I was before. I do remember the person that you met. And even if I may have changed my behavior as of late, I still can recover my past. So I''m asking you, do you think it matters who I was?"


    "... I guess you still haven''t tried to kill me. So I suppose you''re alrightˇ­ Noah.." Adrian said as he flashed a nervous smile on his face, and right then!


    Twack!


    A loud noise of someone opening a door was heard from the outside, and Noah''s ears twitched. He turned his gaze towards the entrance of the gymnasium and whispered softly under his breath, "Our guests are here.."


    Adrian also tilted his head towards the entrance of the gymnasium as he put on a serious expression on his face.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    The sound of footsteps approaching could be heard. Noah tried to figure out the number of enemies that he''d be facing by analyzing the footsteps, and a sinister smile blossomed across his face.


    "Well, well, wellˇ­ I thought they''d have underestimated me and pulled up with a few henchmen, but to think they''d actually brought over fortyˇ­" Noah cracked his knuckles and rubbed his neck, as he got ready to fight. "I guess they''re not so stupid after all!"


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    Noah and Adrian watched as a large group of men wearing white shirts and black pants entered the gymnasium, facing the two teenagers with serious expressions on their faces.


    Two young men stepped forward and stood right in front of the group of men, implying that they were a step above the rest.


    "Are you the King?" Noah turned his gaze towards Nelson, who was standing next to Dax. "I''m afraid the King doesn''t have time to meet you, Noah Pemberton." Nelson said as he put on a pair of black gloves with an innocent smile on his face. "So you''re just going to have to be content with us." Adrian couldn''t help but feel a chill run up his spine as he listened to Nelson''s words.


    "Ah, and here I thought I was about to meet the King. That''s a shame.." Noah replied as he let out a sigh of disappointment, but his expression was soon replaced by a calm one.


    ''What''s this feeling?'' A sense of nervousness enveloped Nelson as he watched Noah. Was he feeling scared?


    "Oh well," Noah whispered his words softly, but for some unknown reason, everyone could hear him. "I can always make him take some time off."


    His eyes flashed for a split second, and the room felt cold all of a sudden.


    --------------------------


    "So kids, the reason for Newton''s laws of motion.."


    Max watched Mr. Carrick carefully as he took his class, his eyes scanning the teacher''s every single move. But alas, he could find nothing that made him suspect that he was someone ''abnormal.''


    "Are you sure that he''s a monster?" Harold asked as he took a bite of his protein bar. The gang was sitting around their lunch table during the break time when Max had mentioned the shockwave feeling that he felt when he met Mr. Carrick. "Maybe he''s just a hybrid, like us.." Alphonso muttered to himself as he grabbed a donut and chewed on it.


    "Maybe the shockwave really was just a general warning, like the spider-s*nse.." Max said with a frown.


    "But what if he really is a monster, though?" Gerald said, and everyone tilted their heads towards him. "What if he really is a full-fledged monster. Not a hybrid like us. But a complete monster."


    "How can that be?" Harold asked with widened eyes. "I mean, he talks like a human being. Heck, he even taught us physics today. You''ve seen those creatures. They can''t even say a single sentence properly."


    "But what if one could?" Gerald replied almost immediately. "Not every single monster. Just one."


    The others looked at each other. Max had a frown on his face as he rubbed his chin.


    "I feel like things are going to get a whole lot more difficult..."

 Chapter 108 - Underestimated

    Inside a multistorey building, New World City.


    "Ah, now this is what I neededˇ­" Augustus Harriet exhaled as he slowly dipped his foot inside the large jacuzzi. He immersed his whole body inside the jacuzzi and looked at the large glass panel that gave him a wonderful view of the city.


    "Your champagne, sirˇ­" A maid approached Augustus from the side and knelt in front of him as she stretched out her hand which contained a silver platter with a glass of champagne placed on top of it.


    "Ah, yes! I forgot about that!" Augustus said while flashing an innocent smile on his face and grabbed the champagne glass, and the maid retreated back and exited through the entrance, leaving Augustus alone to relax inside the jacuzzi.


    "And now, everything is finally perfect!" Augustus waved his arms around as he spoke, as though he was conducting an orchestra.


    BZZZ! BZZZ!


    Right then, his phone, which was placed right next to the jacuzzi began to vibrate, and a frown appeared on Augustus'' face. He glanced at the phone for a few seconds before leaning over and grabbing it.


    "You better have a good reason for calling meˇ­" He said as he placed the phone next to his ear, and not long afterwards, his facial expression changed from a frown to a look filled with surprise.


    "Did he now?" Augustus whispered softly as he took a sip out of the champagne glass.


    "Yeah, no I got it. Thanks." Augustus said as he hung up the call. He then stared at the city through the glass panel before letting out a long and heavy sigh.


    Snap!


    He snapped his fingers, and all of a sudden, the door to the room opened, and multiple men wearing black coats entered through the entrance.


    All of them stopped right in front of Augustus, who was getting out of the jacuzzi and was about to put on some clothes.


    "Get the car ready," Augustus ordered the men in black without even looking at them, and the men nodded their heads.


    "Where to, sir?" One of the men stepped forward and asked, and Augustus smiled, "To the school, of course!"


    ---------------------


    "This is getting ridiculous.." Harold mumbled under his breath as the group of boys watched Mr. Carrick heading towards his car through the window in the hallway. "Are you sure that he''s a monster?"


    "Didn''t we have this conversation already? No, I''m not sure!" Max rolled his eyes as he continued to observe their Physics teacher driving away in his old white sedan.


    "Well, then.. how on earth is watching the old man when he''s in school going to help us figure out whether he''s a monster or not?" Harold asked, and the other three boys looked at each other.


    "Ah, for f*ck''s sake. I just gave you guys an idea, didn''t I.." Harold said as he let out a long sigh. "Don''t do this guys. What if he turns out to be just a normal dude?"


    "You know what? Normally, I would think that." Alphonso said as he patted Harold''s shoulder. "But when someone''s weird spider-s*nse thingy says that a guy is trouble, I''m going to assume that he''s probably not a normal person."


    "Come on, guys.." Alphonso waved his hands at the rest of the boys. "We should probably follow him."


    Max turned to look at Gerald and Harold for a split second before walking towards Alphonso.


    "Gerald, come onˇ­" Harold shifted his gaze towards Gerald and raised his eyebrows. "There''s got to be another way of doing this, right?"


    "I don''t know anymore, man.." Gerald shrugged his shoulders. "At this point, after everything that we''ve been throughˇ­ I don''t think that we really can waste time finding other ways of doing our job."


    Gerald too walked upto Alphonso, who stared at Harold and clicked his tongue. "Come on man! I thought you wanted to be a superhero. This is our job!"


    "Stalking a middle-aged man is not what being a superhero is." Harold said bluntly. "We''re invading people''s privacies."


    "He''s not a human being, so it doesn''t count." Alphonso said while waving his arms dismissively.


    "And I told you, we don''t know that for sure!" Harold said with a frustrated expression on his face, and Alphonso rolled his eyes. "Oh my god! Why do you have to be such a whiny b*tch? It''s not like we''re doing it with bad intentions. If he''s a normal person, then good! We''ll move on, and he won''t even know that we were observing him!"


    "Oh yeah, call me a whiny b*tch for trying to be reasonableˇ­" Harold snorted as he spoke with a sarcastic tone, and he waved his hands in the air as he turned around and walked away. "You know what? You guys do your creepy stalker thingy, and I''ll do my own thing. Just call me if he really does turn out to be a monster, alright?"


    "Harold! Harold, come on!" Gerald clicked his tongue and called out to him with an expression of disappointment, but Harold simply gave him the middle finger without turning around.


    "Why''d you do that?" Gerald asked, and Alphonso shrugged his shoulders. "What? I didn''t do anything! That was all him." He replied with a nonchalant expression. "If he doesn''t want to come, then fine. We''ll just follow Mr. Carrick on our own."


    Alphonso then began walking towards the stairs, and Max and Gerald looked at each other, unsure of what to do before following Alphonso.


    --------------------


    "So, you''ve met this kid before?" Nelson asked Dax, as the two stood in front of the old and abandoned school building with their henchmen standing right behind them.


    "F*ck no! You think I go out and meet every single guy who beats up one of the heads?" Dax replied with a snort, right before he clenched his fists. "Although, in this case, I probably should''ve gotten involved a bit earlier."


    "You don''t say?" Nelson replied with a snort of his own, and he twisted the rings on his finger, making sure that the spikes on them pointed outwards.


    "Can I just ask, why the f*ck did you bring the whole cavalry?" Dax pointed his finger back at the young men whom Nelson had brought with him. "We''re here to beat up a single kid. Not to take down a f*cking crime syndicate."


    "Oh, wow, I''m glad you told me that now, because I totally wouldn''t have guessed that.." Nelson said with a sarcastic tone, and Dax clicked his tongue. "Why the f*ck are you such a large pain in the a**?"


    "Let''s just skip the unwanted questions for now and get this over with, shall we?" Nelson said at last, and Dax nodded his head. "I can''t believe I''m saying this, but I agree with you."


    BAM!


    The two kicked the door open and walked in, and the henchmen followed them close behind.


    The group reached the entrance to the gymnasium and stepped into the room, where two young men were waiting for them.


    "Are you the King?" Noah looked at Nelson, who was standing next to Dax. "I''m afraid the King doesn''t have time to meet you, Noah Pemberton." Nelson said as he put on a pair of black gloves to cover his spike rings with an innocent smile on his face. "So you''re just going to have to be content with us." Adrian couldn''t help but feel a chill run up his spine as he listened to Nelson''s words.


    "Ah, and here I thought I was about to meet the King. That''s a shame.." Noah replied as he let out a sigh of disappointment, but his expression was soon replaced by a calm one. ''What''s this feeling?'' A sense of nervousness enveloped Nelson as he watched Noah. Was he feeling scared?


    "Oh well," Noah whispered his words softly, but for some unknown reason, everyone could hear him. "I can always make him take some time off."His eyes flashed for a split second, and the room felt cold.


    Whoosh!


    All of a sudden, Noah rushed forward, and his insane speed caught the two men completely off guard.


    "What the f*ck?" Nelson, who was completely taken aback by how quick Noah was, immediately raised both his fists up and assumed a battle stance.


    ''What the-? How quick is this kid?'' Nelson thought that he would not end up underestimating the young man, but even with all the thinking that he did, he couldn''t believe that he still ended up underestimating him!


    Whoosh!


    Before he could even blink, Noah appeared right in front of Nelson, who instantly swung his fists in response with a panic-stricken expression on his face, aiming right for Noah''s abdomen.


    "Too slow!" But before his punch could connect with his opponent''s body, Noah had already swung his fist, which was so quick that it collided with Nelson''s cheeks before his fist could even find it''s target, and Nelson could only watch helplessly as he fell down onto the ground and his vision darkened.


    He had fainted!

 Chapter 109 - Quick Fight

    ''What the-? How quick is this kid?'' Nelson thought that he would not end up underestimating the young man, but even with all the thinking that he did, he couldn''t believe that he still ended up underestimating him!


    Before he could even blink, Noah appeared right in front of Nelson, who instantly swung his fists in response with a panic-stricken expression on his face, aiming right for Noah''s abdomen.


    "Too slow!" But before his punch could connect with his opponent''s body, Noah had already swung his fist, which was so quick that it collided with Nelson''s cheeks before his fist could even find it''s target, and Nelson could only watch helplessly as he fell down onto the ground and his vision darkened.


    "Gah!" Nelson let out a loud gasp as his body hit the ground, and he immediately fainted.


    "Nelson!" Dax screamed loudly as he stared at the unconscious body of Nelson before turning his gaze towards Noah and yelling, "Motherf*cker! I''m gonna get you!"


    "He took out our boss! Get him!" Behind Dax, the group of boys who were the followers of Nelson yelled out, and the whole group raised their arms up into the air and roared in unison before rushing towards Noah.


    The large group of young boys charged forward, and Noah lickethis lips in response as a smile blossomed across his face. "Let''s get this over with, alright? I don''t have time for side characters!"


    WHAM!


    Noah raised his left leg in an instant and kicked the person who arrived first in front of him, sending him flying backwards and onto a few boys who were following his path.


    "Don''t worry! He can''t fight us all at once!" Dax screamed loudly to the others in order to calm them down, and he then shifted his gaze towards Noah and clicked his tongue. "Continue attacking him without giving him a break!" He continued, "Sooner or later, he''ll slip up!"


    "You heard the boss!" The young men who were the followers of Dax roared loudly in response right before they circled Noah, covering him from all sides so that he didn''t have a way to escape.


    "We''ve caught you, boy! What''re you gonna do now?" A teenager with a military cut and a wrinkled shirt stepped forward and tried to provoke Noah, but he simply snorted in response. "You really think this is enough to catch me? I guess you guys only know how to fight, and not to think!"


    Whoosh!


    Noah leapt forward as soon as he finished speaking, and the boy with the military cut took a step back and then swung his left leg up, aiming for Noah''s face.


    Swish!


    However, Noah twisted his body at the last second and moved to the side, narrowly dodging the attack, but not before slamming his fist onto the boy''s ankle from the corner, causing the boy to be lifted up into the air due to the impact of the strike.


    "AHH!" As this was going on, the group of young boys continued to charge at Noah, not giving him a chance to take a breather.


    "I told you, didn''t I?" Noah said with a frown on his face as he stretched out his hand and grabbed the boy who was flung up into the air by his leg, and then swung him around like a weapon.


    WHAM!


    The other boys who were too close to Noah were immediately struck by the attack and flew backwards, crashing down onto the ground with loud noises.


    "I got you now!" Dax, who was angry and frustrated at the fact that they hadn''t been able to land a single attack on this boy, stepped out from the crowd and leapt at Noah with his arms stretched wide, trying to grab him from behind.


    "Not so fast buddy!" Noah, who had already caught a glimpse of Dax rushing towards him, immediately grabbed hold of another guy who was trying to hit Noah from the front, and threw him back, aiming straight for Dax.


    "F*ck!" Dax, who saw the fast approaching body of the young boy, jumped sideways onto the ground as the boy passed by him and crashed onto the wall behind him.


    BAM!


    Dax tried to get up from the ground, but as soon as he was on his knees, Noah appeared right in front of him and kicked him right on his face, pushing him back a few steps and blocking a few more boys who were about to attack him.


    "Urgh!" Dax groaned in pain as he held onto his head, while Noah turned around and instantly knelt down, evading a punch thrown by another boy and swept his leg, which sent the boy flying before he crash landed on the floor.


    Another boy tried to stomp Noah''s head as he was on the floor, but before he could do so, Noah immediately did a backflip kick from the ground, slamming his foot right onto the boy''s face and sending him flying backwards as Noah got up onto his feet.


    "Urghˇ­ what the hell was that kick?" Dax, who was still wincing from the pain that he felt, got up onto his knees while letting out a groan. He then moved his gaze towards Noah as he tried to get a good look at the situation at hand, and his eyes widened with shock and surprise. He couldn''t believe what he was seeing.


    The large group from before had now shortened into a group of seven, and Noah, who was all alone when the fight started, was still looking as though he hadn''t made a single muscle. He didn''t even look tired.


    "What the f*ck? What the actual f*ck?!" Dax wanted to scream loudly, but since his energy was too low, he could only whisper.


    He felt that this was simply unnatural. No matter how powerful one was, no normal person would''ve been able to take down a group of forty people, and definitely not without injuring himself in the process.


    So who on earth was this Noah Pemberton, who can fight forty people without even breaking a sweat?


    "F*ck! What on earth was such a monster doing all this time to not have been noticed by us?" Dax was now feeling like he was an idiot for trying to start a fight with this guy. If only he had known how powerful this Noah Pemberton guy was, he would''ve handled this in a much more peaceful and civilized manner.


    WHAM!


    Dax watched as Noah picked up another young man from the floor and kicked him right at the two boys who were rushing towards him, sending them tumbling down onto the floor with a loud noise.


    "Ah, screw it!" Dax grit his teeth and wiped his face before getting up and running towards Noah, in a last ditch attempt to tackle him to the ground.


    "I cannot believe you guys call yourselves the untouchables. What a bunch of p*ssies!" Noah said with a chuckle as he raised his elbow and slammed it onto Dax''s back right as he was about to grab hold of Noah''s waist, and he crashed down onto the floor, face first!


    BAM!


    The floor shook due to the impact, and the remaining few were now unsure of what to do, seeing as their boss was lying on the ground, unconscious.


    They began looking at each other, trying to figure out what their next move should be, and all of a sudden, Noah opened his mouth to speak.


    "Are you guys going to just stand there, looking at each other, or are you going to fight me?" Noah asked as he scanned each and every one of them with his eyes.


    The other boys raised their eyebrows in response, and their expressions turned alert.


    "You can leave if you want," Noah said bluntly. "I won''t bother you if you choose to leave this place and never come into contact with the secret society."


    He paused for a split second, and a faint smile appeared on his face. Noah then continued, "But of course, you can always choose to continue fighting for your bosses. And lose. I don''t mind either way.."


    The young men turned their gazes at each other, and beads of sweat dripped down from their foreheads down to their cheeks.


    ''Now, what do you choose?'' Noah was curious. He wanted to know what their choices were going to be. Are they going to run, or are they going to fight?


    They nodded their heads at each other, and with a serious expression, they turned towards Noah, who now had a sinister smile on his face.


    Whoosh!


    The remaining young men stomped their feet on the floor and dashed towards Noah, moving at the same time, and Noah raised both his hands up, assuming his normal fighting stance, patiently waiting for the young men to arrive near him.


    "That''s right! Now this is more excitingˇ­" Noah said with a satisfied expression on his face as he swung his fist!

 Chapter 110 - Spy

    Mr. Carrick pulled up to his house, which was in the middle of a small neighborhood, a few blocks away from the city.


    He Parked the car in his garage and got out of the vehicle after switching it off, slamming the car door loudly as he stepped out of the garage and walked up to the front door.


    The middle aged man slipped his hand into his pocket and searched for his keys for a few seconds before pulling it out and inserting it into the keyhole, entering his house.


    A few meters away from Mr. Carrick''s house, hiding within the forested area near the neighborhood were three young boys, who all had their eyes glued to the middle aged man''s house.


    "I don''t get it. All he''s done till now is normal human stuff." Max waved his hands in the air as he let out a frustrated sigh. "Maybe I was wrong." Max began second guessing himself. "Maybe it really was a normal warning which applies to human beings as well as monsters."


    "We can''t be sure yet, Max. Calm down," Alphonso said as he patted Max''s shoulder. "Maybe he''s just way too careful. Who knows?"


    "Well, if he really is way too careful like you said, then we probably won''t be able to figure out whether he''s a monster or not now, would we?" Gerald said as he crossed both his arms. He too was getting frustrated, afraid that they really might be observing a normal middle-aged man rather than a monster. He was feeling guilty. "If he''s that careful, then he''d probably only show his true colors when he''s in a safe space, like inside his home. And we can''t see what he''s doing inside unless we get really close to the house, which is not exactly a clever idea if he really does turn out to be a monster."


    "So, should we just go home then?" Max asked as he turned to look at Gerald, who shrugged his shoulders in response. "I don''t know. But that does seem like the best option for now."


    Tap!


    Alphonso placed his backpack on a boulder that was next to him, turned around and shifted his gaze towards Max and Gerald. "This is about what Harold said, isn''t it?" He spoke with a serious expression. "That''s what this is, right? You guys are doubting what we''re doing because one of us decided to leave?"


    "Well, he did have a point, Alphonso!" Max said as he pointed his hand at Mr. Carrick''s house. "Look at what we''re doing. We''re spying on a middle-aged man. We''re like those creepy paparazzis. What we''re doing is not right."


    "Only if we''re spying on a normal human being." Alphonso interjected as he snapped his fingers at Max. "You and I both know what these monsters are capable of. And you know what they''ve done to us. You really think being a righteous p*ssy is going to help when it comes to these creatures? They need to be taken down if we want to survive, and if it means breaking a few social norms, then I''m all for it. I''ll pick my life over the privacy of these creatures any day."


    "I''m not disagreeing with you on the fact that these monsters are dangerous, but are you sure that there isn''t any other way of doing this?" Gerald asked as he scratched his head. While he understood Alphonso''s point, he also felt like they were jumping to spy on this guy without even thinking.


    "There might be. But we can''t afford to waste time thinking about what other we have when there''s a potentially dangerous monster on the loose." Alphonso said as he opened his backpack and began rummaging through it. "If you want, you could think about the other options right now, while we are spying on Mr. Carrick. That way we won''t waste any time, and may also find a better method."


    "I guess that''s one way of doing it..." Gerald said with an uncertain tone, and then looked at Max, who also seemed unsure.


    "Aha! I found it!" All of a sudden, Alphonso raised his voice and pulled out a pair of binoculars out of his backpack, and both Gerald and Max looked at each other before turning their gaze towards Alphonso.


    "Uh, Phonzi, why the f*ck are you carrying that around?" Gerald asked as he pointed at the pair of binoculars in Alphonso''s hand.


    "What, this?" Alphonso asked as he raised the pair of binoculars and shook it, his eyebrows raised as he did so, implying that he was confused as to what Gerald was asking him. "We''re superheroes, remember? Recon work is part of a superhero''s job. You haven''t seen any b*tman movies?"


    Gerald and Max looked at each other once again.


    -------------------


    BAM!


    "Ugh!" The young man let out a loud grunt that was filled with pain as he slammed down onto the ground, and soon afterwards, he lost his consciousness.


    "And that''s a wrap!" Noah said with a smile on his face as he took a deep breath and observed the surroundings. That was the last of the young men who were part of the secret society group sent to teach him a lesson. The rest of them were lying on the ground, either unconscious or too hurt to fight him.


    "Wow! This is mindblowing!" Adrian said with widened eyes as he walked up to Noah, who was patting his knees and his shoulders, removing the dust from his body. "I can''t believe you actually took down all of them. That was unbelievable!"


    Adrian was still in shock after witnessing what he considered to be the best fight in the whole damn world. The young man standing in front of him had taken on a group of forty young boys who were all part of the secret society, and still came out on top!


    This was an event that seemed like it could only happen in your dreams or in movies, and yet here he was, witnessing it firsthand. One man taking on a group of forty people and still attaining victory!


    "You have to teach me how to move like that.." Adrian said with shock and intrigue evident in his gaze, and Noah let out a short chuckle. "I don''t think it''s something that I can just teach you, Adrian. It''s more of a ''me'' thing."


    "Gargh.." Nelson, who was lying on the floor, groaned loudly, and Noah''s gaze shifted towards him.


    "Hang on a minute," Noah said to Adrian as he walked towards Nelson, who was now attempting to crawl away, and knelt down right next to him. "Where the hell are you trying to go, Mrˇ­.?"


    "Nelson." Adrian filled him in, and Noah gave him a thumbs up before continuing, "...Mr. Nelson. Did you seriously think that I would just let you escape after the fight? Are you really that naive to try to escape right now?"


    "You- you were the one who wanted to fight usˇ­" Nelson said with a hushed tone. He sounded exhausted as he spoke softly. "You got your fight, did- didn''t you? So just let us go, and we''ll end things he- here.."


    "Aha, see that''s where you''re wrong, Mr. Nelson.." Noah said with a joyful expression on his face as he pressed his finger on Nelson''s nose. "I said I wanted to fight the King."


    He then got up on his feet and stretched out both his hands before continuing, "And as you can see, I didn''t get to do that. Now, I don''t know about you, but I clearly don''t consider that a fair transaction."


    Noah knelt down again, and this time, he grabbed Nelson by his hair and pulled him up, making him squirm in pain. "And that''s the reason why I can''t just let you go scot-free, Nelson!" Noah leaned towards Nelson as he continued, "I''m going to need your help in calling your ''King''!"


    -------------------


    A black limousine was parked outside of the school.


    "Are you sure you want to head over to the old building along with us, young master?" A middle-aged man with gray hair and beard asked the teenager sitting opposite to him, who nodded his head.


    "Of course, Martin," The teenager, Augustus Harriet replied with a cold smile on his face. "I am the king. He challenged me. If I don''t show up, then it''ll put a dent on my reputation."


    He rubbed his finger for a few seconds before continuing, "I won''t be alone, of course. You and everyone else would need to back me up. He needs to have a clear idea of who he''s challenging. Only then, would he submit to me."


    "I understand, young master.." The middle aged man, Martin, nodded his head. Augustus then began to rub his chin as he looked out through the window.


    "To think that a newbie would dare try to challenge the ''King''..." Augustus let out a short chuckle as he spoke. "I can''t let that brat do whatever he wants now, can I?"

 Chapter 111 - Worrying Answers

    The binoculars were marginal at the distance, and the light was very low, but to Alphonso, none of those things actually mattered. He only needed the binoculars to keep an eye on Mr. Carrick''s house, and maybe, just maybe, he could catch a glimpse into the house to see what the supposed monster was upto.


    There were a lot of people in New World City. Even more after the recent improvements made to the city, and amongst the countless citizens of the New World City, it''s highly unlikely that their teacher would have ended up being the target of some monster. And even more unlikely would be the fact that he regained his human appearance and was also a teacher to a group of mutants. It was as though the stars had aligned perfectly.


    But unlikely events happened from time to time, and especially around the four of them, so Alphonso kept his field of view tight on his teacher''s house, and he adjusted the focus as he looked through the binoculars to get the sharpest image.


    "Did you find anything?" Max asked as he leaned forward towards Alphonso.


    "Not yet," Alphonso didn''t turn around and continued to observe Mr. Carrick''s house through the binoculars.


    "He''s not doing anything weird even when he''s inside his own home?" Gerald said as he waved his hands in the air in a dismissive manner. "Well, doesn''t that solve the whole mystery then? He''s obviously just a normal middle-aged man!"


    "I think Gerald''s right, Alphonso.." Max nodded his head and placed his hand on Alphonso''s shoulders, who had stills yet to turn around to face the other two. Max continued, "The shockwave that I felt might''ve just been a general warning of sorts. We may have just put a lot more emphasis on it than we probably should have."


    Alphonso still didn''t turn around. His gaze was focused on Mr. Carrick, whom he had last seen entering his bathroom a few minutes ago.


    "Hmmm.." Alphonso rubbed his chin as he pulled his head back and placed the binoculars down onto his lap, and the other two boys looked at each other, confused as to what Alphonso was curious about.


    "He''s been in the bathroom for way too longˇ­" Alphonso murmured under his breath, finally speaking after a few seconds of silence, and Gerald widened his eyes in surprise. "Huh?"


    Alphonso turned around and pointed at Mr. Carrick''s house as he continued, "He''s been in the bathroom for more than fifteen minutes. It''s taking him way too long!"


    "... Are you being serious right now, Phonzi?" Max scratched his head, unable to believe what Alphonso was saying. "He could just be someone who enjoys taking a long bath! How the f*ck would you know what''s the normal bath time for him?"


    "I don''t know, manˇ­ something''s fishy," Alphonso didn''t think that Max''s explanation was good enough, and he began rubbing his chin as a frown appeared on his face. "Fifteen minutes in a bathtub may be explained, but more than fifteen minutes under a shower? I don''t think any old guy would be alright with standing under a shower for that long!"


    "How the f*ck do you know what kind of bathroom he has?" Gerald said with a shocked expression.


    "I caught a glimpse of the interior when he opened the door, alright!" Alphonso raised his voice and spoke with a tone of annoyance. He sounded as though he was offended by the words spoken by Max and Gerald. "Why the f*ck are you guys so keen to leave, huh? This guy could really be a monster!"


    "Are you seriously asking us why we want to leave?" Gerald couldn''t control his anger and yelled out. "You are making us spy on our middle aged Physics teacher! Of course, we''re uncomfortable and want to leave! This is way too creepy!"


    "I thought we''d already had this discussion before!" Alphonso, who looked like he also had enough, lashed out as well. "It''s been like two minutes since then! What the f*ck changed in two minutes? Did your balls drop off or something?"


    "We did have a discussion! But we didn''t finish it! You just pretended like it ended! We aren''t magically going to be alright breaking the social norms just because you gave a reason for doing it!" Gerald poked his finger on Alphonso''s chest as he spoke, and Alphonso clicked his tongue in response. "Oh grow up! These are the sacrifices that you''d have to make to be a f*cking real life superhero! We don''t have magic or A.I. Butlers to help us identify who''s the real monster and who''s not. This is what we have you dumb f*cks! And if a middle aged man who could also be a monster staying under a shower for more than fifteen minutes sounds even slightly suspicious, then that''s a suspicion that must be taken seriously, because unlike in the movies, we won''t get a whole lot of clues to be suspicious about! This is all we have, and it''s probably all we will have, ever!"


    "Jesus Christ! Would you guys calm down? Please!" Max stepped in between the two of them and pushed the two boys back, which made the two take a few steps back reluctantly.


    "I''m just saying that I''m not comfortable doing this!" Gerald said with a frustrated tone. This time, his voice had also been lowered.


    "I understand your feelings, Gerald." Max nodded his head. "I feel the same way as well. But there''s got to be a different way of having this conversation other than yelling at each other at the top of your lungs."


    "Ugh, fine. I guess you''re right!" Gerald shrugged his shoulders as he let out a long and heavy sigh. His gaze then shifted to Alphonso and said, "I''m sorry for yelling at you. But you have to understand that this is all really uncomfortable. What we''re doing is not right."


    "I know thatˇ­" Alphonso responded almost immediately, clicking his tongue once again. "But the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. And right now, the people of this city depend on us for their protection. Even if they don''t know it yet."


    "... I guess we can''t persuade you to abandon this plan, huh?" Max said with a frown and Alphonso stared at him for a few seconds before replying, "Well, how about this? We''ll wait a few more minutes for Mr. Carrick to get out of his bathroom. He''s most likely not going to take more than thirty minutes under a shower even if he''s someone who enjoys a long bath. Especially since he just got from work and must be exhausted."


    He then turned around and pointed at the house before continuing, "But if he doesn''t come out of the shower even after thirty minutes, then I suggest we head on over to his house and try to get a good look at what''s really going on inside there. How about it?"


    Max and Gerald turned to look at each other once again, and could only let out another long and heavy sigh.


    Looks like they were going to be staying there a lot longer than they thought.


    ----------------


    "Hah, those idiots!" Harold mumbled under his breath as he threw his backpack onto the floor and jumped onto the bed, letting out a long sigh.


    He had just went straight to his house after the class, and didn''t even bother following the other three to observe Mr. Carrick all the way to his house.


    "They won''t actually go through with the plan and creep on the guy while he is in his house, right?" Harold had thought that the other three would at least question their decision after he left and would come to the conclusion that what they''re doing is wrong, but it seems like that wasn''t the case.


    "No, no, no.. don''t think about those idiots! You did the right thing! You tried your best to persuade them to follow you, and if they still didn''t understand the right thing to do, then that''s on them." He told himself. Harold wanted to be a normal superhero. Someone who stood for justice as well as morality. Not some vigilante who breaks all the rules.


    "But what if that guy really is a monster?" The thought had been bothering Harold for quite a while now. Ever since he left the school. Ignoring the moral aspects of the plan that his friends had made, they would most definitely end up in big trouble if Mr. Carrick really was a monster.


    "God damn it! Those f*ckers are making me worry about them!" Harold screamed loudly and slammed his fist onto his bed.


    BAM!


    He had expected a small and soft noise, but surprisingly, the punch sounded much more loud, as though he had punched wood. A surprised Harold immediately leapt up and looked at his fist, only to be horrified to find that the whole exterior part of his hand was covered in countless thorns!

 Chapter 112 - Discovery

    "But what if that guy really is a monster?" The thought had been bothering Harold for quite a while now. Ever since he left the school. Ignoring the moral aspects of the plan that his friends had made, they would most definitely end up in big trouble if Mr. Carrick really was a monster.


    "God damn it! Those f*ckers are making me worry about them!" Harold screamed loudly and slammed his fist onto his bed.


    BAM!


    He had expected a small and soft noise, but surprisingly, the punch sounded much more loud, as though he had punched wood. A surprised Harold immediately leapt up and looked at his fist, only to be horrified to find that the whole exterior part of his hand was covered in countless thorns!


    "What the actual f*ck?!" Harold couldn''t control his emotions and accidentally blurted out loudly, which resulted in him getting scolded by his mother, who was downstairs. "Don''t swear under my roof, Harold! And keep your voice down!"


    "Sorry, mom!" Harold replied as he immediately shut his mouth, and his gaze once again shifted towards his hand.


    "What the actual f*ck?" Harold repeated his words once again, this time whispering his thoughts softly under his breath so as to not make his mother angry.


    He used his other hand to touch the thorns that had seemingly grown out from his skin, and he felt ticklish as soon as his palm came into contact with the thorns.


    "Don''t tell me that this is supposed to be what my superpower is?" Harold whispered under his breath once again as he rubbed his fingers over the thorns, confused as to whether spiky hands were the only superpower that he had.


    WHAM!


    "Wha-" Harold was caught off guard once again as he witnessed the thorns retreat back into his skin like it was nothing. It all happened in the blink of an eye, and Harold couldn''t even feel his skin opening up so that the thorns could return into his body.


    "This is fascinating.." A shocked and surprised Harold murmured under his breath as he rubbed the part of the skin from which the thorns had popped out of, staring at his hand with curious eyes.


    After touching his hand for a few more seconds, Harold then looked around the room, trying to find something that he could use to test out his new skill, and its functions.


    "Aha! This should do it,.." Harold''s eyes widened and a smile bloomed on his face as he stretched out his other hand and grabbed an empty soda can.


    "Alright then. Let''s try doing thisˇ­" Harold said to himself right before closing both of his eyes and then loosened his grip on the soda can as he concentrated.


    "Come on, come onˇ­" He began mumbling to himself, and all of a sudden, he opened his eyes and said, "Come on!"


    BAM!


    As soon as he spoke, countless thorns burst out from his hand, this time even longer and more thicker than the thorns from before, and burst through the empty soda can, piercing through its metal body and completely ripping it into pieces!


    CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!


    The metallic pieces of the empty soda can fell down onto the floor, making loud noises, and a scared Harold immediately reached down and began grabbing the metallic pieces, afraid of inviting the wrath of his mother, as the thorns retreated back into his skin once again.


    "F*ck! F*ck! F*ck!" He whispered softly under his breath as he clumsily grabbed all the metallic pieces from the floor and threw them all into the garbage bag.


    "Harold! Didn''t I tell you to keep your voice down?" His mother''s loud voice was heard through the door once again, and Harold shouted back, "I know, mom! Sorry about that! I won''t do it again, I promise!"


    "You better not make any more noise, mister!" His mother replied almost instantly and the conversation ended with that.


    "Hah..." Harold let out a sigh as he leaned back onto the wall. He raised his hand close to his face and stared at his palms with a curious and nervous gaze.


    "I guess I can now officially call myself a superhero, huhˇ­" Harold said with a nervous smile on his face. Although they were already calling themselves superheroes, it was only Max who had a real superpower up until now.


    Harold wasn''t sure whether everyone would receive superpowers, as it was weird that Max was the only one to receive the powers a bit earlier than others. However, with him finally receiving his powers now, it was clear that different people received their superpowers at different times.


    "I have to tell the others about this!" Harold said with an excited expression on his face and he immediately pulled out his phone from his pocket. However, right before he opened the contact app, he remembered that he didn''t exactly leave on friendly terms today, which made him bite his lips in frustration.


    "God damn it!" He threw his phone onto the bed, frustrated by the whole situation.


    ''Should I go help them?'' The thought had sprouted inside his head once again. Harold now had awakened his superpowers, meaning he could help them out even more.


    However, wouldn''t him returning to their side mean that he was indirectly agreeing with their actions?


    ''No, no.. Focus on yourself for now, Harold.'' He said to himself as he shook his head. ''You did the right thing. It''s them who should be asking for your help.''


    Harold leapt onto his bed once again. He knew that he was right. However, right or wrong wouldn''t mean anything if Mr. Carrick truly does turn out to be a monster.


    ''Ah, screw it!'' Harold said as he walked up to the window and slowly opened it without making any noise.


    He then popped his head out through the opened window and looked around, making sure that there wasn''t anyone in the vicinity, and then slowly stepped out from inside his room.


    -----------------


    Outside Mr. Carrick''s house.


    "Are you sure it''s been thirty minutes?" Gerald asked as the three boys sneakily moved towards Mr. Carrick''s house, using the bushes near the neighborhood as cover and hiding behind them.


    "How many times do I have to say it to you, Gerald?" Alphonso rolled his eyes and spoke with frustration as he pointed his watch at Gerald, tapping the screen while he continued, "It''s been more than thirty minutes. Thirty two to be exact. The guy still hasn''t come out of the shower. Something''s weird."


    "He could still be taking his sweet timeˇ­" Gerald mumbled under his breath, and Alphonso turned to give him a glare, which made him wave his hands in the air dismissively. "What? It''s possible! I''m pretty sure I''ve taken thirty minutes to shower."


    "Jerking off doesn''t count as taking a shower, Gerald.." Alphonso replied as he took a few more steps forward and hid behind another bush, and Max and Gerald followed him.


    "Hey! I wasn''t jerking off, alright?" Gerald scratched his chin and spoke with a light blush on his face. He let out a cough and continued, "An- and speaking of jerking off, he could be beating his meat in there! You never know!"


    Alphonso looked at Max, and Max returned the gaze. "Max," Alphonso said as he shifted his gaze back to Gerald. "You told us that your hearing abilities have improved a lot, right?"


    "Yeah, it did. Why?" Max asked, and Alphonso answered as he pointed his finger at Mr. Carrick''s house. "We''re pretty close to his house now, so can you listen closely and try to figure out whether you can hear any noise coming from inside the bathroom?"


    He then turned his finger to another portion of the house and continued, "The bathroom is on that side." He said while giving Max direction on where the bathroom was located inside the house.


    "Alright. I can try.." Max shrugged his shoulders as he spoke and then closed his eyes, trying to concentrate. Both Gerald and Alphonso stayed silent and watched Max with their curious gazes.


    After a few seconds of silence, Max opened his eyes and turned to the other two, who looked like they couldn''t wait to hear what Max had discovered.


    "I can''t hear anything." Max said as he squinted his eyes. "Not even the sound of water dripping down from the faucet. It''s as though no one is in the bathroom!"


    -----------------


    "Are you sure he''s coming?" Noah said as he knelt down right next to a beaten and bruised Nelson.


    "Of- of course he''s coming!" Nelson responded immediately with a nervous tone. "I called him and let him know of the situation! He- He''ll definitely come! I''m sure of it!"


    "Well, he''d better.." Noah said with a frown on his face as he stood up. "I''m getting really impatient waiting for the King."


    Right then!


    "Oh? For a second, I actually thought that you were stalling for time. But I guess you really were telling the truth.." Noah said with a smile as he stared at the entrance of the gymnasium.


    He could hear the sound of footsteps getting closer!

 Chapter 113 - Sudden Appearance

    "Are you sure he''s coming?" Noah said as he knelt down right next to a beaten and bruised Nelson. "Of- of course he''s coming!" Nelson responded immediately with a nervous tone. "I called him and let him know of the situation! He- He''ll definitely come! I''m sure of it!"


    "Well, he''d better.." Noah said with a frown on his face as he stood up. "I''m getting really impatient waiting for the King."


    Right then!


    "Oh? For a second, I actually thought that you were stalling for time. But I guess you really were telling the truth.." Noah said with a smile as he stared at the entrance of the gymnasium. He could hear the sound of footsteps getting closer!


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    Noah watched as a large group of young men wearing black jackets and facemasks stepped into the gymnasium, gripping right onto metal bats before moving to the sides, making a pathway right through the middle.


    "Well, I had initially thought that you would just be another young man who became overconfident after beating our lowest ranked peopleˇ­" A young man wearing a white hoodie and a red cap with designer pants and shoes entered the gymnasium, walking through the pathway made by the young men with a smile on his face. "I thought that you would just need to be taught a lesson, and it would all be taken care of.."


    Pop!


    He took out the lollipop from his mouth and threw it onto the floor before continuing, "But boy oh boy, I guess I was way off, huh?"


    "I take it you''re the ''King'' of our school?" Noah asked as he raised both his eyebrows, observing the young man''s mannerisms before he continued, "Augustus Harriet? Is that you?"


    "In the flesh!" Augustus replied with a smile as he playfully bowed in front of Noah. He seemed to not be taking this whole thing seriously, which puzzled Noah.


    Is he not worried about losing his position to me? Noah thought to himself. Perhaps he was too confident about his fighting abilities? Or maybe there was something else?


    Either way, Noah knew that he had to be careful. Like Adrian had mentioned before, the present Noah had become very different from the Noah of the past. And if not careful, he might underestimate his enemy, which usually would not end well in the long run.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    "You know what? I like you, Noah Pemberton.." Augustus said as he waved his finger around in the air, stepping sideways as he walked towards the stands. "You know why?" Augustus turned around as he continued, "It''s because you''re a warrior! I can feel it! Even though you don''t have the appearance of one! You fight not because you have to, but because you want to!"


    ''Where is this heading?'' Noah had a confused expression on his face as he listened to the rambling words of Augustus, puzzled by what he was talking about.


    "Get to the point!" Noah said in the end, unable to listen to more of this guy''s rambling words, and Augustus let out a loud laugh.


    "L-leader! You came for us!" Nelson, who was kneeling on the floor right next to Noah said with excitement, stuttering his words as he spoke. "H-Help us! P-Please!"


    "Shut the hell up!" Noah clicked his tongue and kicked Nelson from behind, and the young man crashed onto the floor, landing face first!


    "Ha ha haˇ­ I''m liking this even more now!" Augustus laughed even louder as he watched Noah kick Nelson, as though he had no concern for his situation.


    ''What the hell is wrong with him?'' Noah was now even more confused as to what was going on.


    "You know, I actually thought that it''d be a truly boring experience, being a ''King'', I mean.." Augustus waved his fingers and made quotation marks in the air as he finished speaking, letting out a short chuckle in the process. "I mean, I knew what I had to do, but there wasn''t anythingˇ­ that interested me. Everything and everyone was so bland."


    Augustus suddenly tilted his head and pointed his finger at Noah. "But then I saw you. Someone who was different from others. A warrior! Like me! Someone worthy of fighting me!"


    ''Don''t tell me that this guy is just crazy about fighting?'' Listening to the words spoken by Augustus, Noah couldn''t help but think that he was simply a crazy b*stard who loved to fight and have conflicts.


    "Some idiots who are part of the untouchables seem to have the idea that I''m injured from the last fight, but oh boy, are they wrong.." Augustus shook his head. "I was just pretending. Acting as though their plan had worked, so that I could figure out who''s a rat and who''s not. And to fight the ones who were willing to betray me. But with you here, I guess I don''t need to pretend anymore, huh.."


    Nelson, who had his face slammed onto the floor, widened his eyes. He didn''t know how much Augustus knew, but from the looks of it, the King definitely had suspicions about a betrayal. The thought made Nelson sweat.


    "I mean, I honestly didn''t expect that a human would actually be successful in regaining control of their body after the implantation. But this is great!" Augustus said excitedly as he let out another loud chuckle, and Noah''s eyes widened.


    "... What did you just say?" Noah was in shock as to what he had just heard.


    "To think that a real human was able to resist the implantation process! You must''ve been one hell of a human being!" Augustus had a sinister smile on his face as he began walking towards Noah. He continued, "Of course, that only makes me want to fight you even more!"


    ''F*ck! He was a mutant like us?'' Noah, who was caught completely off guard by the words spoken by Augustus, clenched his fists in panic as he began to think.


    ''No, wait a minute. He called me a human.. that means that he''s not a human being..'' Noah corrected himself and his fear and cautiousness only grew as he realized that the human looking thing that was standing in front of him was actually a monster!


    His gaze then shifted to the group of men that were standing behind Augustus and he thought to himself, ''Don''t tell me that they''re also monsters?'' Noah didn''t know who was human and who was a monster.


    "L-leader? What are you talking about?" Nelson said with a nervous smile on his face as he looked up from the floor, but he got no response from Augustus, who had his focus on Noah.


    "Noah?" Adrian, who was standing right behind Noah, whispered softly to him. Adrian had been listening to the words spoken by Augustus from the sidelines, and had heard the sentence about human beings, which made him confused and afraid. "Is that guyˇ­"


    He too was aware of the existence of monsters, and was suspicious of the superhuman strength and speed shown by Noah. But to actually hear someone imply that they weren''t human was something else entirely.


    "Don''t tell that he''s-" Adrian didn''t finish his words, but Noah knew what he was asking about. Of course, he had no time to answer his question.


    ''What the hell do I do?'' Noah had never fought a monster in human form before. And definitely not one which could talk properly. This meant that the creature had intelligence, or at least much more than the one''s Noah fought up until now. This only put more pressure on Noah, who had to think hard as to what he must do.


    ''Luckily, we''re inside an abandoned building. So there''s no need to worry about casualties all that much," His gaze then shifted to the unconscious group of goons that he had fought earlier and he clicked his tongue. "Well, not entirely free of worry, I guess.."


    He glanced at Augustus, who glanced back, and their eyes met.


    ''Now,'' Noah thought. ''How the hell do I deal with this b*stard?''


    ---------------


    Click!


    Max slowly opened the window, as both Alphonso and Gerald kept watch, trying their best to make sure that no one was watching them break into their physics teacher''s house.


    "Alright!" Max whispered softly under his breath as he leapt forward, through the opened window and into the living room of Mr. Carrick''s house without making any noise. He then waved his hands towards the other two, motioning them to follow him. "Coast is clear." He spoke in a hushed tone.


    "Let''s go!" Alphonso turned to look at Gerald and said as he leapt into the opened window and entered the building, and Gerald hesitated for a second before letting out a sigh and entering the house through the window.


    "Are you absolutely sure that there''s no one inside the house?" Gerald leaned towards Max and asked, which made Alphonso roll his eyes.


    "How many times do you have to ask the same question? He told you already, didn''t he?" Alphonso replied with an annoyed tone. "There''s no one in the house, Gerald.." Max replied. "At least, not on the surface."


    Gerald nodded his head with hesitation, and the three boys slowly moved towards the bathroom while being careful.

 Chapter 114 - State Of Confusion

    "Coast is clear. Let''s go!" Alphonso turned to look at Gerald and said as he leapt into the opened window and entered the building, and Gerald hesitated for a second before letting out a sigh and entering the house through the window.


    "Are you absolutely sure that there''s no one inside the house?" Gerald leaned towards Max and asked, which made Alphonso roll his eyes. "How many times do you have to ask the same question? He told you already, didn''t he?" Alphonso replied with an annoyed tone. "There''s no one in the house, Gerald.." Max replied. "At least, not on the surface."


    Gerald nodded his head with hesitation, and the three boys slowly moved towards the bathroom while being careful.


    Max observed the interior of Mr. Carrick''s house with his enhanced vision, studying every corner of the living room.


    "He sure keeps everything a bit too tidy, doesn''t he?" Alphonso snorted as he stared at the living room before continuing to walk towards the bathroom, and Gerald asked, "What''s so suspicious about keeping your living room tidy?" He asked with a confused and annoyed expression on his face. "You''re making it sound like anyone who keeps their rooms tidy might be a monster!"


    "That''s not what I meant, jacka**!" Alphonso rolled his eyes as he pointed at the glass table in the middle of the living room, and said, "Look at that table over there. You see the stuff that''s on top of it?"


    Gerald turned to look at the direction at which Alphonso was pointing at, and saw the glass table. He observed the table and saw that there were a bundle of newspapers that were placed on top of each other and right next to it was the television remote and a wifi modem.


    "I saw it." Gerald answered back as he shifted his gaze towards Alphonso once again. "I still don''t get what your problem is. It''s just kept a bit too tidy."


    "The television remote and the modem are still inside the plastic cover that''s present on it when you buy the products." Alphonso said as he pointed at the table once again, and Gerald looked at the objects on the table once again and realized that he was right. The objects were still enveloped by the plastic covering that was coated around them, and didn''t even seem to have been used that much, and even seemed like it was just taken out of their boxes and then placed on the table.


    "Maybe he just likes the plastic coatings. I don''t know the guy now, do I?" Gerald still didn''t believe that was enough of an evidence that suggested Mr. Carrick was a monster and not a human, and Max agreed with his statement.


    "I also don''t think that''s a good enough evidence to prove Mr. Carrick is a monster, Phonzi.." Max said as he continued walking behind Alphonso, who simply shrugged his shoulders in response. "Alright then. I was just saying that the living room looked a bit too tidy, but if you don''t think that''s shady, then that''s fine with me."


    He then focused his attention onto the pathway as he muttered under his breath, "Of course, I''m going to be proved right either way.."


    ------------------


    ''What on earth is my plan here?'' Noah had never fought a monster in human form before. And definitely not one which could talk properly. This meant that the creature had intelligence, or at least much more than the one''s Noah fought up until now. This only put more pressure on Noah, who had to think hard as to what he must do.


    ''Luckily, we''re inside an abandoned building. So there''s no need to worry about casualties all that much," His gaze then shifted to the unconscious group of goons that he had fought earlier and he clicked his tongue. "Well, not entirely free of worry, I guess.."


    He glanced at Augustus, who glanced back, and their eyes met. ''Now,'' Noah thought. ''How the hell do I deal with this monster?''


    "Aha! I can tell that you''re scheming something, Noah Pemberton.." Augustus spoke almost immediately after making eye contact as a wide smile blossomed on his face, and his words made Noah flinch for a second. "Your eyes, they''re very revealingˇ­" Augustus snickered softly as his eyes narrowed, and beads of sweat began to drip down from Noah''s forehead.


    He slowly moved left hand behind his back and motioned at Adrian. ''You have to leave,'' Noah signaled to Adrian, who couldn''t help but widen his eyes in surprise before immediately assuming an expression of indifference on his face.


    "What do you plan on doing?" Noah asked, trying to make Augustus keep his focus on him rather than Adrian, which might give him a chance to slip away. "Are you only here to spar with me? Is that your only intention?" Noah asked.


    "Ha, ha, haˇ­ Sparring? That''s very funny, Noah Pemberton!" Augustus had a sinister expression on his face as he spoke, which made Noah clench his fists tightly, waiting for the fight to start, which he knew was inevitable. "We don''t spar. We fight to the death." The smile on Augustus'' face disappeared instantly, replaced by a serious expression, and Noah couldn''t help but feel a chill run up his spine.


    "That''s our way. You should know this, Noah Pemberton.." Augustus continued speaking as he took a single step forward, which made Noah immediately assume his fighting stance, raising both his arms as he kept his eye on the opponent.


    Augustus stopped moving after taking a single step, and then, all of a sudden, the people whom he had brought with him charged forward, yelling and roaring loudly as they rushed towards Noah.


    "GAAAH!" The group of young men screamed loudly as they reached Noah''s side, who immediately swung his fist, landing a hit on the first guy and sending him flying backwards, right towards Augustus.


    Whoosh!


    Augustus quickly shifted his upper body to the side and watched as the young man flew past him and slammed onto the wall behind with a loud noise, before falling down onto the ground, completely unconscious.


    "Wow! I can''t believe you''re going all out against humans! I guess you didn''t regain control simply by chance!" Augustus said with a grin on his face as he readjusted his body, and Noah widened his eyes.


    "They''re humans?" Noah was confused after listening to Augustus'' words. ''Why on earth were these humans helping this monster?'' Noah didn''t know the answer, which caused him frustration.


    WHAM!


    Noah kicked another guy right on his face, making him do a roll mid air before crashing down onto the floor.


    BAM! BAM! BAM!


    The group of men kept on coming, and Noah continued punching and kicking them down. This also gave Adrian enough time to sneak out through the backdoor of the gymnasium without anyone noticing him.


    "Well, this is really interesting to watch." Augustus said while he walked towards the stands and grabbed a seat as he kept his eye on the fight.


    Whoosh!


    Noah moved through the group of people without getting hit by them, and swung his fist at yet another young man, pushing him backwards and causing him to fall down.


    "AHHH!" Before he could take a breather, another young man swung his leg right at Noah''s neck from behind, and Noah immediately ducked down, letting the opponent''s leg smash onto another guy''s face who was charging towards him from the front, and then Noah immediately sweeped the other guy''s leg, causing him to crash land on his a**.


    It only took Noah about five minutes to take down the rest of the group, with the last remaining boy rushing towards Noah as he aimed for his abdomen, and Noah twisting his body and landing a flying tornado kick right on the boy''s face.


    WHAM!


    The boy went tumbling down onto the floor, and Augustus stood up and clapped in response. "That was brilliant!" He said as Noah looked at him with a weird expression on his face.


    "Leader! You''ve got to take him down now!" Nelson, who was somehow still conscious, yelled out loudly to Augustus, and Noah kicked him once again, this time right on his face, which finally knocked him out.


    BAM!


    "Wow! That really was a wonderful fight! I must say, I enjoyed that very much.." Augustus said as he began walking towards Noah, who became alert once again.


    ''Does he plan on fighting me right now?'' Noah thought. ''Was he waiting for me to get tired? Was that what he was waiting for?''


    "You can have the school." Augustus'' words however, were not what Noah had been expecting to hear.


    "What?" Noah couldn''t believe what he heard, and so he asked Augustus to repeat what he just said.


    "I don''t want the hierarchy anymore. It was not part of my plan anyways," Augustus shrugged his shoulders and let out a chuckle before heading towards the entrance of the gymnasium.


    "You- you''re not planning on fighting me?" Noah couldn''t help but ask, and Augustus stopped in his tracks, turned around, and said, "I do plan on fighting you. Just not today."


    He flashed a smile before heading out, leaving a confused Noah alone in the gymnasium.

 Chapter 115 - Secrets And More Secrets

    "You can have the school." Augustus'' words however, were not what Noah had been expecting to hear. "What?" Noah couldn''t believe what he heard, and so he asked Augustus to repeat what he just said.


    "I don''t want the hierarchy anymore. It was not part of my plan anyways," Augustus shrugged his shoulders and let out a chuckle before heading towards the entrance of the gymnasium.


    "You- you''re not planning on fighting me?" Noah couldn''t help but ask, and Augustus stopped in his tracks, turned around, and said, "I do plan on fighting you. Just not today." He flashed a smile before heading out, leaving a confused Noah alone in the gymnasium.


    "... What the hell? What just happened?" Noah stood in the middle of the gymnasium, shocked by what he had just heard, before snapping back to reality and immediately rushing towards the entrance.


    ''Sh*t! I was so caught up by what he said that I completely forgot about the fact that he was a f*cking monster!'' Noah thought to himself as he gritted his teeth, embarrassed by how he almost let a monster get away without even putting up a fight.


    Regardless of what the monster wants to or doesn''t want to do, he was still a monster in the end. And Noah knew that he couldn''t let a monster roam around freely. And definitely not an intelligent creature like him, which can think properly and blend in with the humans. He was simply too dangerous of a creature!


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    Noah took large steps and exited the gymnasium, reaching the long hallway and looking both ways to figure out the direction the monster took.


    "There he is!" Noah whispered softly to himself as his gaze was fixated on Augustus Harriet who was walking back to the entrance of the old abandoned school building, and he clenched his fists before rushing towards him with incredible speed.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    Whoosh!


    Noah took large steps and within a split second, he had reached behind Augustus, who still hadn''t turned around despite Noah reaching right next to him.


    Swoosh!


    Noah leapt up into the air without wasting a single second and swung his right leg with intense force, aiming right for the back of Augustus'' head.


    "I thought I told you that I don''t plan on continuing with the hierarchy anymoreˇ­" Augustus responded with a light whisper as he very quickly twisted his whole body around, doing a one eighty before Noah could even land a hit on him and grabbed Noah''s leg. "And yet, why on earth are you trying to attack me from behind?"


    "What?!" Noah was caught completely off guard by the insane reaction speed of Augustus, which was even quicker than Noah''s, but before he could even launch another attack, Augustus gripped Noah''s leg tightly and swung it straight down, slamming his whole body down onto the wooden floor, creating a loud explosion!


    WHAM!


    The explosion had caused the whole ground to shake as though an earthquake had just happened, and the wooden floor was completely ripped apart by the collision, shattering into countless pieces as dust and splinters burst out into the air, spreading everywhere.


    "Gah!" Noah could only let out a gasp as he slammed onto the floor, and for a second, he thought that he really was about to die. He felt completely numb, and he couldn''t feel or control any of his body parts. It was as though his body and mind had been disconnected from each other.


    ''What in god''s nameˇ­'' Noah wanted to scream out in pain, but found that he couldn''t move his lips nor his tongue, and he could only think to himself in his mind. He still didn''t know what the limits of Augustus was, but he did know that he had every reason to be afraid of this creature in a person''s clothing who was standing right in front of him.


    "I bet that hurt a lot, huh?" Augustus said with a beaming smile on his face as he stood right next to Noah, who could only move his eyes as of right now. Augustus knelt down and leaned towards Noah, bringing his face extremely close to Noah who was lying on the busted up floor.


    Noah could practically hear and feel the breath of Augustus, and he felt a coldness spread through his body, from top to bottom.


    "Trust me, Noahˇ­" Augustus touched Noah''s forehead and began slowly rubbing his fingers over it as he continued, "You don''t want to be fighting me. Not right now, at least. I''m sure that you and I will both regret it."


    "Mhmmˇ­" A muffled voice escaped out of Noah''s mouth as he stared at Augustus'' face, who let out a soft chuckle as he saw the helpless Noah struggling under him.


    "You sure are a feisty human, aren''t you?" Augustus said as he nodded his head, and after a few seconds, he got up and onto his feet and began walking away, leaving a still motionless Noah to watch helplessly as his enemy got away scot-free.


    "I think it''d be best for you to control your ''inner beast'' a bit more, Noahˇ­" Augustus stopped in his tracks as soon as he was about to grab the doorknob that led to the outside of the building, and turned around. "It''ll definitely help you in fights, but it may also end up clouding your judgment, which will only cause you pain in the future."


    Whoosh!


    Augustus twisted the doorknob and opened the door as he finished speaking and stepped out of the building. "And don''t worry about today. I promise you, we''ll definitely meet again, and we''ll have our fight." Augustus left with a loud chuckle, waving his hand at Noah before disappearing from his gaze.


    Noah closed his eyes and let out a sigh. ''I guess that could''ve gone even worse..'' Noah said in an attempt to console himself, but it didn''t have the desired effect.


    ---------------


    "The television remote and the modem are still inside the plastic cover that''s present on it when you buy the products." Alphonso said. "Maybe he just likes the plastic coatings. I don''t know the guy now, do I?" Gerald still didn''t believe that was enough of an evidence that suggested Mr. Carrick was a monster and not a human, and Max agreed with his statement.


    "I also don''t think that''s a good enough evidence to prove Mr. Carrick is a monster, Phonzi.." Max said as he continued walking behind Alphonso, who simply shrugged his shoulders in response. "Alright then. I was just saying that the living room looked a bit too tidy, but if you don''t think that''s shady, then that''s fine with me."


    He then focused his attention onto the pathway as he muttered under his breath, "Of course, I''m going to be proved right either way.."


    The group finally reached the bathroom, and Alphonso turned to look at Max. "You should probably take the lead from now on," He said as he moved behind Max and patted his shoulder. "After all, you''re the only one who has awakened their powers.."


    "Alright then," Max nodded his head and then moved forward, taking the position in the front and then tried to turn the doorknob.


    Thud! Thud!


    "It''s locked!" Max whispered under his breath as he turned around to look at Alphonso and Gerald.


    "Kick it open!" Alphonso responded back, and Max, who was hesitant, shifted his gaze towards Gerald, asking for his opinion.


    "Ah, screw it.." Gerald let out a sigh and continued, "Just try it! But be careful. We don''t want to make a big mess!"


    Max nodded back and he then readjusted his gaze on the doorknob. He then took a few steps back and rushed towards the door with speed, and the lock broke open with a loud noise!


    BAM!


    Max took a few more steps to readjust his speed before stopping. He then slowly turned to look at the interior of the bathroom, which was empty.


    "Come one! What are you waiting for? Search the entire room!" Alphonso said to Max and Gerald as he walked inside the bathroom, immediately moving towards the sink. "Mr. Carrick, or whatever that creature is, escaped this room without even opening the door!"


    He knelt down and began looking under the sink as he continued, "Which means that there''s got to be a secret pathway in this room that leads to somewhere else!"


    Alphonso stretched his hand out and began touching the pipes underneath the sink. "And if there''s a secret pathway, then that means that there''s also a secret door. And if there''s a secret door, then that means that there''s also a secret button to open the door."


    Alphonso pulled his hand back after finding nothing underneath the sink and rubbed his fingers together before opening the tap and cleaning his hands. He continued, "So, let''s search around the bathroom. There''s not much to look inside this room, so I''m assuming it''s going to be a bit easier to find the button."


    Max and Gerald nodded their heads and the three began searching for the secret button.

 Chapter 116 - Beyond Understanding

    Alphonso walked inside the bathroom and immediately moved towards the sink. "Mr. Carrick, or whatever that creature is, escaped this room without even opening the door!" He knelt down and began looking under the sink as he continued, "And that means this place isn''t a normal bathroom. It''s got to have a secret pathway that leads elsewhere!"


    Alphonso stretched his hand out and began touching the pipes underneath the sink. "And if there''s a secret pathway, then that means that there''s also a secret door. And if there''s a secret door, then that means that there''s also a secret button to open the door. So, let''s search around the bathroom. There''s not much to look inside this room, so I''m assuming it''s going to be a bit easier to find the button."


    Max and Gerald nodded their heads and the three began searching for the secret button.


    "I can''t believe we''re searching for a hidden button that opens a secret pathway inside our physics teacher''s bathroomˇ­" Gerald mumbled under his breath as he let out a soft chuckle. "It''s pretty funny if you think about it.."


    "I''m just glad that we didn''t end up seeing the guy naked!" Max said with a smile as he began lightly touching the walls of the bathroom, trying to find if there are pressure pointed buttons hidden underneath them.


    "Yeah, you and me both, bud.." Alphonso replied as he began turning on the faucets, hoping that it might unlock the hidden pathway, but it only released water, much to Alphonso''s disappointment.


    "By the way, I''ve been meaning to ask you.." Gerald said as he lifted the lid on the toilet and searched for any secret buttons near it before slamming it shut and turning around. "But do you have a plan on how to even beat this guy if he suddenly attacks us?"


    Max looked at Alphonso, who in turn looked back at him and shrugged his shoulders. "That''s why we have Max, right?"


    "Is that the only plan you have?" Max responded with his hands on his hips as he raised one of his eyebrows. "Relying on my superpower? And nothing else?"


    Alphonso looked back and forth at Max and Gerald before responding with frustration, "What? What''s wrong with that? It''s the best plan, isn''t it? I mean, you literally have superpowers! I don''t think it gets any better than that!"


    "But it''s- it''s like a one step plan. I wouldn''t even call it a plan." Gerald explained, and Alphonso waved his arms in the air and in a frustrated tone, replied, "Well, do you have any better ideas, huh?"


    "Well, no.." Gerald couldn''t say anything, as he really had no clue as to what they could do if they really did encounter the monster in human''s clothing. But then again, it''s not like he was on board with this whole plan either. "You have to understand that planning takes time, right?" Gerald said.


    "I don''t know about you, but if there''s a monster disguising as our physics teacher and no one''s even found out that it''s not really a human, then that means sh*t has already hit the fan!" Alphonso kneeled down and began looking on the floor for any hidden buttons underneath the tiles. "We really have no time to think and make plans."


    "What do you mean ''sh*t has hit the fan''?" Gerald looked at Alphonso and asked, confused about his words.


    Alphonso let out a long and heavy sigh before opening his mouth to speak. "It''s exactly how it sounds. These monsters have found a way to hide amongst the people, and this would make it almost impossible to figure out who''s a human and who''s not. And the fact that these monsters can imitate humans so well means that they''re also intelligent, and that''s definitely not a good thing."


    Alphonso stood up and looked at the mirror that was right above the sink with raised eyebrows. He lifted up the mirror that was stuck onto the wall, revealing a small switch underneath it.


    "Found it!" Alphonso said with a smile on his face and turned to look at Max and Gerald, who were still unsure about what to do.


    "Are you guys ready?" Alphonso asked, and Gerald and Max hesitated, unable to give a quick answer.


    -----------------


    "Sh*t! Sh*t! Sh*t!" Harold cursed out loud as he ran through the small alleyway, heading in the direction of Mr. Carrick''s house, which was still about five minutes away.


    "These morons are making me worry for no reason!" Harold said, frustration evident in his voice as he dashed through the narrow alleyway, stepping on puddles of mud and splashing it all over the dirty road as he ran.


    He didn''t know why, but he could feel that something was about to go wrong, and he knew that he could provide help, given that he too was now a superhuman, much like Max.


    "F*ck! What the fuck do I even do when I get there?" Harold said to himself as he turned a corner. He ran on the sidewalk that was right next to a baseball ground. Harold only knew that he could grow thorns out of his hands, and most probably his body as well. But those are not exactly something that''d be useful against enemies who use long range attacks.


    "I guess Alphonso really was right about there being no time to make plans.." Harold couldn''t help but bit his lips as a bitter smile formed on his face, and he continued rushing forward.


    Right then!


    "Look out!" Harold heard someone yelling loudly at him, and for a second, he felt a sharp pain pass through his brain, making him turn his neck around instantly, and he saw a baseball flying straight for him, moving through the air with incredible speed!


    ''Ah, sh*t!'' instinctively, Harold raised both his hands and used it to cover his face, when suddenly, from the palm of his left hand shot out a sharp thorn, which shot through the air like a bullet and collided with the ball, causing a small explosion and resulting in the baseball being destroyed in the process!


    WHAM!


    Harold lowered his hand and stared at the destroyed pieces of what remained of the ball with shock in his eyes. He then turned his gaze towards his hands, and after taking a deep breath, a smile blossomed across his face as he opened his mouth to speak. "Huhˇ­ Well I guess that''s going to be helpful."


    --------------------


    "You should learn to control your ''inner beast'' a bit more, Noahˇ­" Augustus stopped and turned around, keeping his gaze on the fallen Noah who was lying on the destroyed floor and continued. "It''ll definitely help you in fights, but it may also end up clouding your judgment, which will only cause you pain in the future."


    Augustus twisted the doorknob and opened the door as he finished speaking and stepped out of the building. "And don''t worry about today. I promise you, we''ll definitely meet again, and we''ll have our fight." Augustus left with a loud chuckle, waving his hand at Noah before disappearing from his gaze.


    Noah closed his eyes and let out a sigh. ''I guess that could''ve gone even worse..'' Noah said in an attempt to console himself, but it didn''t have the desired effect.


    ''What do you mean it could''ve gone even worse?'' All of a sudden, a familiar voice entered Noah''s brain, and he let out a sigh of defeat. He instantly recognised the voice. How could he not? After all, it was his own!


    "Where the f*ck were you?" Noah asked, questioning the doppelganger Noah about his whereabouts for the last few hours. Noah had almost come to the conclusion that he had been completely absorbed into his mind already, which made him a bit paranoid. But now that the doppelganger was back, Noah felt both relief and annoyance. Relieved that the doppelganger hadn''t been successful fusing with his mind, yet. And at the same time, he was annoyed that he had to listen to the words of the doppelganger just after getting an a** whooping from a powerful opponent. It wasn''t exactly what one hoped to receive after one of the worst defeats of his life.


    ''I don''t know, alright?'' Doppelganger Noah replied in an instant. He sounded like he was mad and frustrated. ''I just became conscious, and I found myself getting my a** beaten by another monster! Suffice it to say, I''m not having a good day!''


    ''He''s becoming more and more like meˇ­'' Noah couldn''t help but feel as though it was the doppelganger Noah who was receiving more and more of his features and not the other way around.


    "What did you think?" Noah asked doppelganger Noah, who replied, "What? About the guy who just beat you?"


    Noah nodded his head, and doppelganger Noah let out a long and heavy sigh before continuing, "..You should probably listen to his words and stay far away from him. At least for now."


    "What?" Noah couldn''t believe what he was hearing.


    "I''m not joking..." Doppelganger Noah continued, and his tone became serious. "He''s not your average monster!"

 Chapter 117 - From The Darkness

    ''I don''t know, alright?'' Doppelganger Noah replied in an instant. He sounded like he was mad and frustrated. ''I just became conscious, and I found myself getting my a** beaten by another monster! Suffice it to say, I''m not having a good day!''


    "What did you think?" Noah asked doppelganger Noah, who replied, "What? About the guy who just beat you?" Noah nodded his head, and doppelganger Noah let out a long and heavy sigh before continuing, "..You should probably listen to his words and stay far away from him. At least for now."


    "What?" Noah couldn''t believe what he was hearing. "I''m not joking.." Doppelganger Noah continued, and his tone became serious. "He''s not your average monster!"


    "He''s that dangerous?" Noah asked as he narrowed his eyes, and doppelganger Noah responded, "Very. You should be careful not to provoke him. I''m confident that you won''t stand a chance against him if he really becomes serious."


    "Well, f*ck me." Noah clicked his tongue and tried to get onto his feet, and his entire body wobbled as he got up, making him use the walls of the hallway to balance himself.


    "Hahˇ­" Noah took a deep breath as he began concentrating on his form, placing both his hands on his knees and breathing in and out.


    ''You should probably let me take control,'' Doppelganger Noah said softly, and Noah snorted back in response. "Don''t even think about it! I can take care of myself alright?"


    ''You know, it''s about time that you started trusting me. I have been in your mind for a good amount of time, haven''t I?'' Doppelganger Noah responded with a hint of anger and pain hidden in his voice, as though he was hurt by Noah''s words. "All the more reason to not trust you! You just want to take control of my body!" Noah replied back, right after which he began to cough loudly. "Maybe we could do the dual control like we did before, but that''s it!"


    ''.... Fine. Dual control it is,'' Doppelganger Noah replied, and silence reigned. Noah stayed silent for a few seconds before he opened his mouth and said, "You don''t know how to take control, huh?"


    ''I was waiting for you to knock yourself out.'' Doppelganger Noah responded quickly, almost in an instant, and Noah let out a long and heavy sigh. "...I''m not going to knock myself out."


    Ring! Ring!


    Right then, Noah''s phone began to ring, and he pulled it out from his pocket and stared at the screen with squinted eyes.


    "Harold?" Noah whispered softly under his breath as he scratched his head, and he answered the call. "Harold! What''s up?"


    "Noah, I think that we''re going to be needing your help on something!" Harold said with his out of breath voice as he ran through the park, taking a shortcut to get to Mr. Carrick''s house.


    "Kind of had a busy day here, Harold. Can it wait?" Noah said and he planted his palm on his head, wiping the sweat away from his forehead.


    "I- I don''t really know. Maybe we''ll need you. Maybe we won''t. I''m not sure, but I can feel that something''s wrong, so we might need your help." Harold said quickly, and right after finishing his words, he took a deep breath and continued running.


    "You do know that I couldn''t understand a single thing that you said just now, right?" Noah replied with a bitter smile on his face, and Harold let out a chuckle. "Yeah, well, I''m in the middle of running, and you probably wouldn''t know this about me, but I''m not really a multitasker."


    Whoosh!


    Harold jumped over a trashcan as he continued running, and said, "Look, the point is that we might need your help because we might''ve identified the layer of a monster. Although we''re not totally sure, so take it with a grain of salt. I''ve texted you the location already." Harold then said with a serious expression on his face. "I hope you can help us out."


    ".... F*ck, f*ck, f*ck," Noah clicked his tongue and slammed his hand on his forehead repeatedly as he began to slowly walk towards the entrance of the abandoned school building. "Fine. I''ll be there. But I might take a while, so don''t do anything stupid until I get there."


    He then hung up his phone and took a deep breath.


    ''Do you really think that you can take on another monster?'' Doppelganger Noah asked, as Noah continued to take deep breaths, calming his mind. ''In the state that you''re in?''


    "Well, you can always take control of me when I''m knocked out, right?" Noah said with a smile as he walked through the opened front door and stepped outside, and Doppelganger Noah let out a sigh. ''Not really a great way to change controls when you''re in a fight with a monster, but whatever. I''ll take it.''


    Harold stared at the blank screen of his phone for a few seconds before placing it back into his pocket and continued to run.


    "Don''t do anything stupid until I get there.."


    Noah''s words echoed loudly in Harold''s mind, and he squinted his eyes.


    "They wouldn''t do anything stupid, would they?" He thought to himself, and couldn''t help but worry.


    --------------------------


    Twack!


    Alphonso ignored the two young boys'' resistant faces and flipped on the switch, and all of a sudden, the walls of the bathroom began to shake violently.


    "Wha- Why''d you do that all of a sudden?!" Max asked with a look of anger on his face, and Alphonso rolled his eyes in response. "Come on! You two were obviously a bit hesitant about the whole process! The decision would''ve ended up the same anyways, so I thought, why bother wasting time?"


    "Just because we could''ve ended up coming to the same conclusion doesn''t mean you can just skip the whole process and flip the damn switch on without anyone''s approval!" Gerald too had a furious expression on his face as the walls behind Alphonso separated into two sections, revealing a set of stairs that led down, and the whole pathway seemed to be covered in darkness, with the only source of light being short candlesticks that were stuck to the walls of the pathway. But even those candles were only making the pathway dimly lit, not really providing much visibility.


    The trio stared at the dimly lit pathway for a few seconds before Alphonso walked up to the entrance of the path, knelt down and began to inspect it.


    "How on earth does this door even work?" He mumbled to himself as he pressed his fingers lightly on the bathroom walls, inspecting them.


    "F*ck! There really is a secret pathway!" Gerald cursed softly under his breath as he poked his head inside the dark and small path, scanning the environment as he did so.


    "Well, what are we waiting for?" Alphonso said as he turned to look at Gerald and Max, who stared at him with confusion in their eyes.


    "We should probably go in, right?" Alphonso rolled his eyes once again as he explained his thoughts to his friends, who didn''t seem to be in agreement with his plan.


    "It would be best if we called Noah to help us out, right?" Gerald said as he turned his gaze towards Max, who nodded his head, agreeing with Gerald''s words. "I think that''s the best thing to do. After all, he''s more experienced than us when it comes to hunting monsters. He probably wouldn''t mind helping us out!"


    "You aren''t seriously thinking of standing here and waiting for Noah to arrive while hoping that the creature doesn''t come out first, right?!" Alphonso said with an annoyed tone as he lightly pushed Max''s chest with his knuckles, making him squint his eyes in response.


    "Do you think that we can take on this monster all by ourselves?" Max said as he pointed his finger at the dark opening. "We''re total amateurs! And that monster can talk!"


    "And you killed a f*cking bat-like monster within seconds!" Alphonso said as he pointed at Max, who clicked his tongue.


    GRRRR!


    Right as they were about to get into an argument, a low but deadly roar came from deep within the dark pathway, and the three boys immediately turned silent, their gazes slowly shifting towards the opening.


    "What the f*ck was that?" Gerald looked at Max, who couldn''t answer his question.


    "It sounded far away!" Alphonso whispered softly under his breath and he moved back a few steps, his eyes now turned alert.


    Whoosh!


    All of a sudden, a long slimy tentacle shot out from the darkness, catching everyone off guard, grabbing hold of Gerald''s feet and dragging him through the stairway with such speed that it was impossible for anyone to react.


    "AHHHH!" The loud scream of Gerald was heard as he was pulled into the darkness, leaving a shocked Max and Alphonso to stand in front of the stairway, unable to come to terms with what just happened.

 Chapter 118 - Hidden World

    GRRRR!


    A low but deadly roar came from deep within the dark pathway, and the three boys immediately turned silent, their gazes slowly shifting towards the opening.


    "What the f*ck was that?" Gerald looked at Max, who couldn''t answer his question. "It sounded far away!" Alphonso whispered softly under his breath and he moved back a few steps, his eyes now turned alert.


    Whoosh!


    All of a sudden, a long slimy tentacle shot out from the darkness, catching everyone off guard, grabbing hold of Gerald''s feet and dragging him through the stairway with such speed that it was impossible for anyone to react.


    "AHHHH!" The loud scream of Gerald was heard as he was pulled into the darkness, leaving a shocked Max and Alphonso to stand in front of the stairway, unable to come to terms with what just happened.


    "F*ck! Gerald!"Alphonso screamed loudly as he snapped back to reality and rushed towards the entrance of the secret pathway, but he could not see anything in the darkness.


    "Max! We have to head inside!" Alphonso gritted his teeth and turned his gaze towards a still shocked Max and pointed at the pathway, urging Max to follow him.


    "Max, can you hear me? We have to save Gerald!" Alphonso, who realized that Max was clearly not listening to him, rushed towards him, grabbing him by his shoulders and shaking him violently, which made him readjust his focus onto Alphonso. "Max! Come on! We have to save Gerald!"


    "R-Right!" Max nodded his head as soon as he regained his clarity, and nodded his head furiously. The two boys then immediately rushed inside the secret pathway in an attempt to find the location of Gerald and the creature that kidnapped him.


    "This must have been the work of Mr. Carrick, I tell you!" Alphonso murmured under his breath as the two boys ran, and Max clicked his tongue with dissatisfaction. "Can you like, shut up for one minute, dude?"


    Alphonso turned to look at Max, who had a serious expression on his face, and shook his head. "Fine. We have to save Gerald, after all.." He said with a tone of annoyance hidden in his voice.


    The two headed down the stairs with speed, desperate to save their friend from the evil creature''s grasp.


    The pathway was extremely long and incredibly hard to see, as the small candlesticks that were attached to the walls were only keeping the path dimly lit. After a few minutes of continuous running, Alphonso and Max couldn''t help but feel as though the pathway was endless, as there were no distinctive features or different sections to the passage. It felt like they were going in an infinite loop.


    "Look! Over there! I can see something in the distance!" After a few more minutes of running, Max pointed his finger forward and spoke in a hushed tone, and Alphonso looked in the direction at which he was pointing at with squinted eyes. "Where?" He asked, confused by Max''s words. "I can''t see anything."


    "Well, I guess I do have much more enhanced senses," Max shrugged his shoulders as he spoke. "But don''t worry. You''ll see what I''m talking about eventually!"


    And soon enough, Alphonso did. After a few more minutes of running, Alphonso could see a strange light coming from a few meters away, and the two boys slowed down and turned alert. Their footsteps suddenly turned soft and silent, as they didn''t want to make any noise.


    The narrow pathway had opened up into a hidden underground cavern, which was wide and open, much to the surprise of Max and Alphonso. It was almost as though they were in another world. And it almost would have looked completely like one, had it had a real light source. Instead, the cavern was filled with darkness, illuminated only by a few candlesticks that were present only in certain areas, giving the whole place a mysterious and scary look.


    "What the f*ck is this place?" Max whispered under his breath as he stared at the enormous cavern that was situated underneath just another normal suburban neighborhood in New World City.


    "I have no clue, dudeˇ­" Alphonso responded with a soft voice as he too was surprised and shocked by the cavern''s presence. "I had no idea that there was an entire cavern underneath this neighborhood."


    "To be fair, I don''t think anyone did.." Max said as he rubbed his chin, still confused as to how such a large place could not be discovered.


    "Right! Now''s not the time to be admiring the cavern! We have to focus on our task!" Alphonso said and he lightly slapped his chin, trying to regain his focus back onto their current mission, which was to save Gerald from the monster. Alphonso looked around, trying to find where the monster might''ve gone, but the cavern was simply too big to pinpoint on location. "Where could he have gone?"


    "I got this!" Max said as he lightly pushed Alphonso''s shoulder, signaling him to move out of his way, which he did. Max then knelt down and touched the soil and then closed his eyes as he tried to concentrate.


    Alphonso waited for Max to open his eyes, tapping his feet as he did so, and after a few seconds of silence, Max opened his eyes, and he got up from the ground.


    "What happened? Did you find out where they went?" Alphonso asked instantly, not even wasting a single second with his questions, and Max pointed at a small dirt road and opened his mouth to speak. "They went that way."


    -----------------


    It took Harold a few minutes, but in the end, he reached near Mr. Carrick''s house.


    "Where the f*ck are they?" However, Harold couldn''t find where the trio were, and all of a sudden, he couldn''t help but feel scared about their situation.


    "Don''t tell meˇ­" His gaze then shifted to the front gate of Mr. Carrick''s house, and a panic-stricken expression appeared on his face, and beads of sweat began to form on his forehead.


    ''They wouldn''t be so reckless, would they?'' Harold thought to himself. He was trying to make his mind believe that there was no way the three boys must have broken into their teacher''s house, but in the end, he couldn''t even convince himself.


    "Don''t tell me what?" All of a sudden, a voice entered Harold''s ears, and he flinched forward, turning around only to find Noah standing right behind him with an expression filled with pain.


    "Ah, it''s you, Noahˇ­" Harold let out a sigh of relief as he realized that it was Noah who had spoken, and he leaned back onto the wall behind him that separated Mr. Carrick''s land from the road. "It''s just, I think the others must have already entered our physics teacher''s house."


    "Your physics teacher''s house?" Noah asked, raising one of his eyebrows in response, and Harold realized that he hadn''t explained the whole situation to Noah, which made him slam his forehead with his palm due to embarrassment. "Ah, I forgot to tell you. We think that there might be a chance that our physics teacher is a monster."


    "Wait a minute, what?" Noah''s eyes widened, and his expression turned grave. "He''s a monster disguised as a human? How come you never thought of mentioning this detail to me?"


    "Uh, I don''t- I don''t knowˇ­ I guess I forgot?" Harold, who was caught off guard by the frustrated voice of Noah, replied in a weak and confused tone. "I don''t get it. What''s the matter? Is that a big deal?"


    Noah clicked his tongue and ran his fingers through his hair as he moved his gaze towards Mr. Carrick''s house.


    ''A monster in human formˇ­'' Noah couldn''t help but compare this monster to the one that he had fought before, and his lips twitched with anxiety. ''Don''t tell me that this one is also going to be a super freak like the one that I fought a few minutes agoˇ­''


    He was afraid that this monster would be an abnormal one, similar to Augustus Harriet. If that was the case, then he was pretty sure that he wouldn''t be able to handle this creature alone.


    ''You''re wondering whether or not this monster is going to be similar to the other one that you fought earlier, right?'' All of a sudden, the familiar voice of Doppelganger Noah entered into his mind, and Noah''s eyes widened. ''Do you know anything about it?''


    ''I don''t have any clue about the guy you''re about to fightˇ­'' Doppelganger Noah replied, and just when Noah was about to let out a disappointed sigh, he continued, ''But you probably would have better luck at winning this fight. The one you fought earlier today was an extremely rare one. A monster that is very low in number.''


    ''Really?'' Noah asked, and Doppelganger Noah confirmed. ''Yup. Really. So you might not have such a bad time with this fight!''


    Noah tilted his head and scratched his hair for a few seconds before letting out a sigh and said, "Ah, whatever!" He turned to Harold and continued, "You said your buddies went in there, right? Let''s head over there!"

 Chapter 119 - Bait

    "Urghˇ­" Gerald let out an uncomfortable groan as he slowly opened his eyes. As his vision became clear, Gerald looked around, only to be confused by where he was. ''What the-'' He could only see rocks, dirt and dimly lit passageways as he looked around, which made him raise his eyebrows. But that wasn''t it. There was something else that was bothering him..


    ''Why the hell am I upside down?'' Gerald tilted his head up, and realized that he was hanging upside down with his hands tied up and his feet connected to the rocky part that was protruding from the top.


    ''Wait a minute. I remember nowˇ­'' As he began to adjust to the complicated situation that he was in, he regained his memory and remembered how he got himself captured.


    "F*ck!" He cursed at himself for having such bad luck. But he was simultaneously also thinking about how to escape from this place.


    Swoosh! Swoosh!


    Gerald began to wiggle around in the air as he tried to turn his body around, attempting to get a full view of the place that he was in, to understand the interior and the different pathways that he could use to exit this place.


    His eyes scanned the surroundings, and Gerald realized that he was currently trapped in some sort of cave. He could also spot two pathways, both of which were covered completely in darkness, which gave him no clue as to where they would lead him to.


    ''Where the f*ck is that monster that kidnapped me?'' Gerald squinted his eyes, as he couldn''t see the monster that caught him anywhere. This made him feel both relieved and afraid at the same time.


    He was relieved that the creature wasn''t present near him, as he could now move with more freedom and try to escape. But at the same time, this meant that Gerald didn''t have any clue as to where the monster could emerge from, and he feared escaping the trap and running away only to end up right in front of the creature.


    "Looking for me?" All of a sudden, a rough and rusty voice entered Gerald''s ears, and a chill ran down his spine as his body suddenly turned around in mid air. It seemed that the monster had twisted the rope that hung Gerald upside down, turning Gerald''s body around to face the creature.


    Gerald''s eyes widened as he came face to face with the monster. It had the appearance of Mr. Carrick, their physics teacher. However, Gerald could see silver coloured scales that seemed to be growing on his neck and his lower jaw, and his hands had been transformed into claws, the skin gradually turning into silver-gray color from the tip of the fingers. It also seemed like his body had slightly increased in size a bit, as evident by his clothes practically sticking tightly onto his body. Gerald didn''t seem to remember Mr. Carrick having a muscular body, which meant that this was also part of the transformation.


    "I know youˇ­" Mr. Carrick leaned towards him as he spoke, and Gerald could almost feel his breath on his face. "You''re in one of the classes I teach, aren''t you?" He spoke, his eyes sparkling with fascination and curiosity. He was staring at Gerald as though he was an artwork in a museum.


    "Mr. Carrick. It''s- It''s me! Gerald!" Gerald said while stuttering, having trouble making out words. "I know you''re a nice guy, Mr. Carrick. I honestly have no clue as to what you''re doing here. I promise."


    "You know, you really suck at lying, young man.." Mr. Carrick whispered softly into Gerald''s ears, making him instinctively tilt his head the other way.


    Mr. Carrick let out a short snicker in response to Gerald''s actions and he leaned back. "Of course, you know exactly what I am. After allˇ­" He pressed his claws on Gerald''s chest. "You and I are not so different, are we?"


    "Urghˇ­" Gerald let out another groan filled with pain. Mr. Carrick seemed to have increased the pressure of his claws on Gerald''s chest, making him feel pain. "I don''t know what you''re talking aboutˇ­" He said with a soft voice, hiding his hurtful expression.


    "Oh, don''t play dumbˇ­ Gerald, you said?" Mr. Carrick finally pulled his clawed hand back as he finished his sentence, and Gerald let out a sigh of relief. Mr. Carrick began to walk around the still hanging Gerald, continuing to speak. "Your scent, it''s different from other humans." He pressed his nose close to Gerald''s legs, inhaling repeatedly. "It''s actually quite similar to mine."


    "Well then, I think you might be sick, sir. Because I really don''t think you and I share the same scent." Gerald said as he tried to wiggle, attempting to turn his body around to face Mr. Carrick, who was now standing behind him.


    "You''re pretty funny, for someone like meˇ­" Mr. Carrick said, and he tapped his chin and raised his eyebrows. It seemed that he was deep in thought. "Interestingˇ­" A soft whisper escaped through his lips, and beads of sweat began to drop down from Gerald''s forehead onto the ground.


    "Are your friends the same as you?" Mr. Carrick crouched down as he spoke, standing right behind Gerald''s hanging head. "Same as me? What do you mean?" Gerald didn''t want to play the dummy anymore, but he felt that he had no choice but to continue to do so for his friends. "I have no idea what you''re talking about, sir."


    "Hah.." Mr. Carrick let out a long and heavy sigh as he ran his fingers through his hair. His voice turned chilly and cold as he continued, "You don''t want to continue with this farce anymore, young man. Trust me."


    *Gulp*


    Gerald gulped down his saliva, as he could feel the certainty in the monster''s voice. And so, he decided to shut his mouth.


    "Well, it''s not like I need you to tell meˇ­" Mr. Carrick waved his hands in the air as he began to walk forward, and Gerald could finally see him in front of him once again.


    Mr. Carrick stopped walking and then turned around, looking right into Gerald''s eyes as he continued, "I''ll just make one of your friends spill the whole thing for me instead."


    "What are you talking about?" Gerald said, his eyes widened with surprise.


    "Of course, I''m talking about your two pals. They''re probably heading in this direction as we speak," Mr. Carrick said with a calm expression on his face. He was so calm that it made Gerald feel a bit too uneasy.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t kill themˇ­" Mr. Carrick let out a chuckle after seeing Gerald''s expression. "I''m just hoping to have a little chat with some interesting people. That''s all."


    -----------------------


    ''Do you know anything about this monster?'' Noah asked. ''I don''t have any clue about the guy you''re about to fightˇ­'' Doppelganger Noah replied, and just when Noah was about to let out a disappointed sigh, he continued, ''But you probably would have better luck at winning this fight. The one you fought earlier today was an extremely rare one. A monster that is very low in number.''


    ''Really?'' Noah asked, and Doppelganger Noah confirmed. ''Yup. Really. So you might not have such a bad time with this fight!''


    Noah tilted his head and scratched his hair for a few seconds before letting out a sigh and said, "Ah, whatever!" He turned to Harold and continued, "You said your buddies went in there, right? Let''s head over there!"


    Noah stomped his foot on the road and leapt into the air as soon as he finished speaking, jumping over the entrance gate within a split second, leaving a surprised Harold staring at him with his mouth open.


    "What are you waiting for, Harold?" Noah waved his hands at Harold as he turned around. "Come on! Quickly!"


    "Ah, right! Yes, of course!" Harold snapped back to reality and nodded his head. He then looked around, making sure that there was no one observing them before climbing over the entrance gate and jumping to the other side.


    The two then raced towards the front door. "What do we do now?" Harold asked, after seeing that the front door was locked. "We should probably use one of the windows. Maybe the other three used one-"


    Noah didn''t wait for Harold to finish his words and grabbed onto the door handle, pressing it slightly and increasing his strength before pushing it forward, and the lock broke instantly with a small noise.


    Clank!


    Noah pushed the door open and glanced at Harold for a second before entering the house.


    "... Whatever," Harold, who had been left speechless by the actions of Noah, let out a long and heavy sigh before following him, and the two immediately hurried inside, searching every single room for any sign of monsters.


    "Did you find anything?" Noah asked from the living room.


    "I think I did," Harold yelled back to Noah. "Come to the bathroom.. I thought you might need to see this."

 Chapter 120 - Change In Plans

    Alphonso looked around, trying to find where the monster might''ve gone, but the cavern was simply too big to pinpoint on location. "Where could he have gone?"


    "I got this!" Max said as he lightly pushed Alphonso''s shoulder, signaling him to move out of his way, which he did. Max then knelt down and touched the soil and then closed his eyes as he tried to concentrate. Alphonso waited for Max to open his eyes, tapping his feet as he did so, and after a few seconds of silence, Max opened his eyes, and he got up from the ground.


    "What happened? Did you find out where they went?" Alphonso asked instantly, not even wasting a single second with his questions, and Max pointed at a small dirt road and opened his mouth to speak. "They went that way."


    Alphonso turned his gaze to look at the path that Max was pointing at, and he squinted his eyes. "Are you sure about this?" He asked after turning his head around and shifting his gaze towards Max, who nodded his head in response. "I am. The scent is much clearer."


    "The scent?" Alphonso raised his eyebrows, intrigued by Max''s words. "That''s how I find out the location of monsters and humans." Max spoke while scratching his cheeks, as he had felt the need to explain his tracking process. "It''s because of the enhanced scent identification."


    "Huhˇ­" Alphonso nodded his head as he spoke, and Max asked, "What? You look disappointed. Is there a problem?"


    "No, it''s justˇ­" Alphonso shrugged his shoulders and waved his hands around. He let out a sigh as he continued, "It''s just- I thought that it would be a bit cooler than just.. you know, smelling."


    ".... Right.." Max didn''t reply immediately and instead took a good look at Alphonso before letting out a snort and he walked past him, heading towards the location where Gerald is supposedly being kept.


    "What? I just said what I was thinking, alright?" Alphonso rolled his eyes before following behind Max, trying to defend his words as the two of them walked. "And you''ve got to admit, smelling the scent of a monster does sound kind ofˇ­ funny."


    "Oh yeah? And what did you think tracking was going to be?" Max said with an annoyed tone as he walked in front, not even turning around to look at Alphonso as he spoke.


    "I don''t knowˇ­ Maybe something a bit like sonarˇ­ Something cool, I guess!" Alphonso clicked his tongue, as he came to the realization that his words were only making things worse, and he stopped speaking.


    "Let''s just goˇ­" Alphonso said in a defeated tone as the two continued moving forward.


    The two boys passed through a narrow passageway through the large cavern and reached another wide area which made them stop in their tracks and stare at it with widened eyes.


    "What the hellˇ­" Alphonso whispered softly as he stared at the countless large egg-shaped objects that were lined up inside the area. "What are those?" Alphonso turned to look at Max, who shrugged his shoulders in response. He too had never seen anything like it before.


    "Are thoseˇ­ monster eggs?" Alphonso murmured under his breath as he rubbed his chin, staring intensely at the eggs with a look that consisted of a mixture of disgust and intrigue. "Do you think that Mr. Carrick, or whatever the hell is pretending to be him, laid those eggs?"


    "You do realize that I''m totally new to this sort of thing, right?" Max said with an expression of annoyance on his face, and Alphonso shrugged his shoulders. "Hey, In my defense, I just figured out that you track monsters like a police dog. I have no clue what you''re capable of, alright? For all I know, you could have the memories of a thousand year old metahuman locked inside your mind."


    Max snorted back in response, after which he crouched down and hid behind the rocks before making his way over to the other side of the large egg filled area, circling around the place without actually walking through it.


    Alphonso decided to follow Max''s actions and crouched down before slowly moving towards Max while making sure that he remained hidden behind the rock formations.


    "Where the hell is that monster?" Alphonso said as he tilted his head and looked around, trying to find out where the monster must be hiding.


    "The scent is pointing forward.." Max whispered softly as he pointed his finger straight forward. He then squinted his eyes and paused for a second before continuing, "...So I''m assuming that we must head in that direction."


    "What? What''s the matter? Why''d you hesitate?" Alphonso seemed to have realized that Max was a bit hesitant with his words, and so he decided to question him.


    "Nothing.. it''s just thatˇ­" Max scratched the side of his ears and thought for a few more seconds before continuing with his answer. "It''s just that the scent trail has been a bit too clear. I don''t know why, but I feel a bit uneasy about the whole situation."


    "How do scent trails usually work?" Alphonso asked Max, curious as to understand what exactly was bothering him about the whole scent trail.


    "They''re usually pretty clear, but not this muchˇ­" Max didn''t know how to explain this to someone who hadn''t experienced the phenomenon yet, and in the end, could only give vague explanations.


    "Alright, I am not sure what you''re talking aboutˇ­" Alphonso said as he listened to Max''s words and he placed his hand under his chin. "But I think the gist of it is that you think the scent trail might be a trap, right?"


    "It could be. I''m not too sure about it," Max replied while clearing up his feelings about the whole situation, and Alphonso nodded his head. "Is there any other path inside the cavern that we can take other than the one consisting of the scent trail?"


    "You mean to get to Gerald? I''m afraid I can only sense one scent trail down here. So I don''t know where the other ones might lead." Max replied, and Alphonso shook his head. "That''s not what I meant. I''m asking whether there is another pathway that we can take from here other than the scent trail covered one. It doesn''t have to lead towards Gerald."


    Max nodded his head before turning around to face forward and focused his gaze, utilizing his enhanced abilities to see further into the distance, and he said, "There might be another route that we can take. It''s a small opening. A crack that was formed inside the cavern."


    "Perfect. That''ll do." Alphonso said as he patted Max''s shoulder. " I''m assuming whoever set the scent trail is probably also keeping an eye on us using the trail itself. So that b*stard probably wouldn''t like seeing us divert from the intended pathway."


    "What about Gerald? Won''t he be in danger?" Max looked at Alphonso and asked with concern in his words.


    "That b*stard probably set up the scent trail on the assumption that we might come looking for Gerald, right?" Alphonso said. "He''ll definitely continue to keep him alive if he''s this sneaky. At least, that''s what I hope."


    ---------------------


    "Hm?" A transformed Mr. Carrick squinted his eyes and scratched his neck as a confused expression appeared on his face.


    "They diverted away from the scent trail?" Mr. Carrick whispered softly under his breath as his nose twitched. He then began walking left and right, mumbling to himself, and Gerald, who was hung upside down, watched the monster in human form with curious eyes.


    "Did that b*stard just say they diverted away from the intended pathway?" He murmured to himself and raised his eyebrows.


    ''They must''ve probably figured out that he''d taken me as bait!'' A faint smile appeared on Gerald''s face.


    "You look excited!" His faint smile was instantly replaced by a look of terror as Mr. Carrick''s voice was heard from behind Gerald, who flinched and caused his body to rock back and forth because of the motion.


    "You think that your friends are going to get away?" Mr. Carrick grabbed Gerald''s legs and gripped it tightly, stopping his body from moving around.


    "We''ll see about that!" Mr. Carrick said with an angry voice, and Gerald gulped down the saliva in his mouth.


    -------------------


    "A secret passage, huhˇ­" Noah whispered under his breath as he stared at the opening inside the bathroom, rubbing his chin as he inspected it.


    "What do you think?" Harold asked as he stood behind him, his voice filled with concern as he spoke. "Did they go in there? Do we have to go inside?"


    Noah scratched his cheeks and then took a deep breath. "Well, the scent does head in this directionˇ­" He turned around and looked at Harold as he spoke, before continuing, "What do you say, then? Are you going to wait here, or do you plan on following me down there?"


    "Iˇ­" Harold stared at his hand for a few seconds before replying, "I''ll follow you!"

 Chapter 121 - Hidden Discussion

    As both Harold and Noah entered the secret passage, trying to find the other three boys and kill the monster that seemed to have taken the form of their physics teacher, Alphonso and Max changed their course and took a detour, diverting from the scent trail, fearing a trap.


    "I did say that we''d ditch the scent trail because the monster might be attempting to bait us with Gerald, but god damnˇ­ This alternate route is simply too tight for people!" Alphonso groaned with annoyance as he moved through the thin pathway, and Max shook his head. "It''s not as thin as you''re making it out to be. Maybe you should stop eating too much and start working out."


    "Hey! I''m not that fat, okay?" Alphonso shrugged his shoulders and spoke with annoyance in his tone, clearly bothered by Max''s words. "I just have a bit of a chubby stomach."


    The two moved through the thin pathway, which was covered in darkness, and it led them to another area. This place was a bit more narrower and smaller than the other area with the countless eggs that were lined up.


    "What the f*ck is this?" Max couldn''t believe what he was seeing. Neither could Alphonso, who simply just stood there, unable to move his body.


    In front of them was a giant pile of bones and skulls, each of them placed on top of one another to create some sort of large pyramid structure.


    "Are thoseˇ­ are those human skulls?" Max said as he gulped down his saliva, and Alphonso couldn''t help but tremble. The number of skulls that they could count had already gone past a dozen, and that was only the number at the bottom of the pyramid.


    There were many more bone pyramids other than the one that they were looking at, and Max and Alphonso turned to look at each other. They both didn''t say anything, as their gazes were enough to know what they were thinking.


    "What the hell has been going on underneath this neighborhoodˇ­" Max said with a frown on his face, and Alphonso walked up to one of the pyramid structures and looked up at the top.


    The pyramid structures were a bit taller than a normal person, with its height probably reaching around two to two and a half meters.


    "Hm, this is interesting.." Alphonso began to mumble under his breath in a hushed tone as he leaned forward, his face right next to one of the skulls on the pyramid, and he began inspecting it, staring at it and studying the skull carefully with his gaze.


    "What? What caught your eye, Phonzi?" Max was curious as to what had gotten Alphonso so interested in the skeleton pyramid, and he walked towards him, intrigued by his actions. He wanted to know.


    "It''s justˇ­ look at the skulls and the bonesˇ­" Alphonso turned to glance at Max for just a second before shifting his gaze back towards the skull pyramid, and pointed his finger at the terrifying structure.


    Max turned his gaze in the direction at which Alphonso was pointing at, and he began to look closely at the skulls and the bones that made up the pyramid structure.


    "They''re... covered in mossˇ­ dust and cobwebs." Max scratched his chin as he spoke, still unsure as to what Alphonso found so intriguing about the whole pyramid structure. He was confused.


    Alphonso saw the confused expression on Max''s face and shook his head with a disappointed look, waving his hands in the air and clicking his tongue in response.


    "Honestly, you can''t tell?" He asked Max, looking at him as though he was an idiot, which made Max annoyed and let out a snort, shooting back with a question of his own with a sarcastic voice. "Well then, Mr. Smart guy, why don''t you explain it to me?"


    "You can see that these skulls are extremely old, right?" Alphonso rolled his eyes as he pointed his hand at the pyramid and spoke.


    "Yeah, so?" Max furrowed his eyebrows while replying to Alphonso''s question, who in response, slammed his hand onto his forehead as he let out an annoyed groan.


    "Just tell me, you b*tch!" Max spoke in a frustrated tone, and Alphonso once again rolled his eyes before replying, "The monsters have started to appear only about two weeks ago, and yet the skulls and the bones look like they''re hundred years old? Does that make sense to you?"


    Surprised, Max turned to look at the pyramid structure once again, and questions began to appear in his mind.


    "Maybe the monsters really are hundreds of years old?" Max raised one question that came to his mind. "Maybe they only started appearing right now, but were actually hiding all this time?"


    "So they were hiding for hundreds of years, doing secret projects like making a skull and bone pyramid, and all of a sudden, decided to invade our planet?" Alphonso raised one of his eyebrows as he replied, and Max clicked his tongue. "You know, when you put it that way, it''s going to always sound dumb!"


    "The monsters that we fought were animals! Who couldn''t even speak! I''m pretty sure they didn''t even have thumbs! How the f*ck are they going to make a human skeleton pyramid in the nineteenth century?" Alphonso placed his hands on his hips as he finished speaking, and Max let out a sigh, admitting his defeat. "Alright, alright, I get it. What''s the point that you''re making, though?"


    "Easy. I''m saying that these weren''t made by monsters." Alphonso said and he tapped on one of the skulls that were on the pyramid as he completed his words.


    "You think peopleˇ­ human beings, made that.. whatever that is?" Max''s eyes widened as he pointed at the pyramid, and Alphonso nodded his head furiously.


    "Who the f*ck would do something so horrifying?" Max asked, and Alphonso shrugged his shoulders. "I don''t know? Maybe someone related to Mr. Carrick."


    "You think Carrick''s involved? The one before the monster?" Max raised his eyebrows. "It is his bathroom, after all. Maybe his parents were in a cult?"


    "Could be. But how is all of this relevant to the situation that we''ve found ourselves caught up in?" Max didn''t know what they could learn from discussing someone who''s already ''dead''.


    "Well, aren''t we technically a hybrid between monsters and humans?" Alphonso responded with a serious expression. "What if Mr. Carrick is the same?"


    "You think that he''s still Mr. Carrick?" Max scratched his chin as he asked the question, considering its possibility.


    "Could be, right?" Alphonso shrugged his shoulders.


    GRRRRRAR!


    All of a sudden, a loud growl was heard a few meters away from the two boys, causing them to turn alert. The boys looked around as they assumed a combat stance, trying to find out where the voice had come from.


    ---------------


    "Why do I feel like we''ve been walking forever?" Harold said with a long and heavy sigh, and Noah let out a short chuckle. "Don''t worry, I''m pretty sure I can see something ahead. It looks like we''ll finally get out of this pathway."


    "Really?" Harold, who was walking right behind Noah, tilted his head sideways as he asked, trying to catch a glimpse at what Noah was talking about, but he could only see darkness in front of him, which made him disappointed.


    "I can''t see anythingˇ­" He said with another sigh, and Noah pointed ahead once again. "It''s just because of the difference in our eyesight enhancement. You''ll definitely see it when we get closer."


    And sure enough, Harold caught a glimpse of a dimly lit opening right in front of them, and a relieved smile appeared on his face.


    They had reached the vast open area inside the cavern. Both Noah and Harold stared at the enormous cavern with expressions of awe. They weren''t expecting such a large space underneath the ground.


    "This place is amazing. It''s so big!" Harold said with widened eyes, and Noah nodded his head.


    "Wait! I can smell somethingˇ­" Harold''s nose twitched, and Noah squinted his eyes.


    "Woah! This is a weird feeling... I don''t know how this works, but I thinkˇ­ I think it''s Gerald!" Harold said with a shocked expression on his face as he turned around to look at Noah for a second before walking forward, heading in the direction of the scent trail.


    "Not so fast.." All of a sudden, Noah stomped his foot on the ground, and his body shot forward, appearing right next to Harold''s within a split second and grabbing him by his shoulders, stopping him from moving forward.


    "What is it? Is there something wrong?" Harold, who was caught off guard by Noah grabbing him, asked with a curious expression.


    Noah stared forward, his gaze on the path that contained the scent trail. A frown was formed on his face, and he whispered under his breath, "Something''s offˇ­"


    "But I''m sure that it.. it reminded me of Gerald. Isn''t that how this power works?" Harold asked, thinking that he had misjudged what the scent ability actually meant.


    "No, no, you didn''t do anything wrong. It''s just..." Noah shook his head before continuing, "I think it might be a trap!"

 Chapter 122 - The Convergence

    "Not so fast.." All of a sudden, Noah stomped his foot on the ground, and his body shot forward, appearing right next to Harold''s within a split second and grabbing him by his shoulders, stopping him from moving forward.


    "What is it? Is there something wrong?" Harold, who was caught off guard by Noah grabbing him, asked with a curious expression. Noah stared forward, his gaze on the path that contained the scent trail. A frown was formed on his face, and he whispered under his breath, "Something''s offˇ­"


    "But I''m sure that it.. it reminded me of Gerald. Isn''t that how this power works?" Harold asked, thinking that he had misjudged what the scent ability actually meant. "No, no, you didn''t do anything wrong. It''s just.." Noah shook his head before continuing, "I think it might be a trap!"


    "A trap?" Harold asked as his eyes widened. "Are you sure?"


    "Oh, I''m almost certainˇ­" Noah nodded his head with a serious expression on his face. "I''ve never seen a more clear scent trail in my life before. This is way too clear to be a real one."


    "I-I have no clue what you mean by that.." Harold scratched his cheeks with an embarrassed expression on his face. He really didn''t know what Noah was saying to him. After all, he had only awakened his superpowers just an hour ago. This was all still pretty new to Harold.


    "Right, I forgot that you''re not familiar with this whole process yet," Noah lightly tapped his own forehead with his hand as he spoke. He then turned to Harold and explained, "You probably are new to this scent thing, but you''ll soon realize that every single thing in this world, whether it be living or nonliving, has a particular scent. It''s sort of like a fingerprint. It cannot be replicated by anything or anyone. It''s specific to that person."


    "Right!" Harold nodded his head. He was listening carefully to Noah''s words, as he wanted to know what his powers were and what he was truly capable of.


    "Now, most people cannot identify this scent, but with our enhanced abilities, we superhumans do in fact, have the ability to sense it," Noah said while pointing to his nostrils. "And people like us can track certain people as this scent forms a trail as they move from place to place."


    "Right. So it''s like gps." Harold said, and Noah shrugged his shoulders. "You can say that, yeah. But this scent trail is not exactly easily trackable. Especially when you are dealing with someone who is also familiar with the same abilities. Like that monster who you say has assumed the identity of your physics teacher."


    Noah then pointed at his feet and continued, "One way to conceal the scent trail is to be extremely quick. Scent trails need time to be formed properly. If you''re quick enough, you can make the scent trail extremely thin and flimsy, which makes it that much more difficult to properly identify."


    "So the fact that the scent trail is so clear hereˇ­" Harold spoke with widened eyes as he put two and two together.


    "It''s extremely weirdˇ­" Noah clicked his tongue. "It would still be slightly messy even if it''s a normal scent trail, but this is clearer than that. It has obviously been manipulated."


    "So what do we do?" Harold asked. Now that the trap had been revealed, what would their next step be? Surely, they cannot continue to go on while following the same path now, can they?


    "Wellˇ­" Noah murmured softly under this breath as he rubbed his chin, his squinted eyes trying to find an answer to Harold''s question. Surely, this scent trail had to be a trap. Which meant that following this trail would definitely mean that they''ll fall right into the enemy''s hands.


    But since it was Gerald''s scent that had been manipulated, Noah was now almost certain that he was captured by the monster, which meant that they had to act fast if they wished to save the young boy''s life.


    Since this was the only one route that they knew could lead to Gerald as quickly as possible, Noah wasn''t sure what their plan should be. Can they afford to waste time trying to find other ways to reach Gerald and the others? They didn''t know exactly when the trio had entered the secret passageway, which made the decision making process all the more serious.


    Right thenˇ­


    "Hm?" All of a sudden, Noah''s expression changed from a serious one to that of a surprised one. His sudden change in expression caught the attention of Harold as well, who asked with a curious expression, "What? What''s the matter? Is there something wrong?"


    "Harold?" Noah said in a hushed tone without turning his gaze as he continued to stare at the route that contained the scent trail, and a sinister smile slowly began to form on his face.


    "Y- Yeah?" Harold felt a chill run up his spine as he replied with a stutter, and Noah continued, "I think I know what we have to do.."


    He then slowly turned his gaze towards Harold, and after a brief pause that filled the atmosphere with silence, he opened his mouth to speak. "Are you ready for your first superpower battle?"


    "Wha- What?" Harold asked with a puzzled expression, but before he could come to terms with Noah''s words, Noah had grabbed hold of Harold''s collars and lifted him up effortlessly, pulling him close to his side as he stomped his foot on the ground and shot forward with lightning speed.


    --------------------


    A transformed Mr. Carrick shot through the slim and long pathways of the cavern with incredible speed and precision. He moved so quickly and with such intensity that one wouldn''t assume he had memorized the entire map of the cavern.


    "Damn it! I cannot believe that those kids were able to figure out the trap so quickly!" Mr. Carrick murmured to himself under his breath as he gritted his teeth. Clearly, he wasn''t pleased by the incidents that had unfolded. It wasn''t what he had envisioned when he set up the bait and the trap.


    "I guess it''s my fault for underestimating whom I had initially thought were humansˇ­" Mr. Carrick lamented about his half-assed preparation to capture the enemy. If only he had known that they weren''t normal human beings, perhaps this process would''ve been a bit easier and a lot quicker than it ended up being.


    "No matter.. They''re still weak children who have yet to understand the power that they hold. I can still handle this." Mr. Carrick said to himself, trying to calm his mind down. It certainly wasn''t the ideal process that he had envisioned, but it was still manageable. Nothing too difficult for someone like him, he presumed.


    "Wait.. why do I feel a bit uneasy?" All of a sudden, Mr. Carrick''s eyebrows furrowed, and he tilted his head as he moved through the small pathways in the cavern.


    He could feel that something was off. As though there was something bad that was about to happen to him.


    Right then..


    Whoosh!


    Mr. Carrick''s eyes widened with shock and surprise for a split second before he stomped his foot onto the wall that was to his right and used the force to push him down in the opposite direction.


    BAM!


    A moment later, the spot on the wall that Mr. Carrick had just kicked exploded with a loud noise, causing the whole cavern to shake violently.


    "Ah! I didn''t think you could dodge that one. But you were actually able to prove me wrong! Consider me impressed, I guess!" A voice came from within the smoke and dust that had enveloped the spot where the explosion took place, and Mr. Carrick had a frown on his face as he stared at the direction from where the voice had come from.


    A figure appeared from within the smoke and dust clouds, revealing the person behind the attack to be Noah, who was staring at Mr. Carrick with a smile on his face. "I can already tell that this is going to be an interesting fight. I can see myself enjoying it very much!"


    "Who the hell are you?" Mr. Carrick raised his eyebrows and asked Noah with an emotionless expression, and Noah whistled back in response as he let out a short snicker. "Wow! Well isn''t that a serious expression! I can tell that you aren''t someone who plays around. No matter. I can work with that."


    WHAM!


    Noah stomped his foot onto the ground below and shot forward as soon as he finished his words, appearing in front of Mr. Carrick within a split second, swinging his fist right at his face.


    "Hmph! Child''s play!" Mr. Carrick didn''t seem like he was impressed by his opponent''s attack, and he immediately tried to block it by swinging his right palm.


    But then..


    Swoosh!


    Right as the fist was about to meet Mr. Carrick''s palm, Noah unraveled his fist, and a burst of flames shot out from his palm shooting downwards, and the force pushed Noah''s lower body up into the air, flipping him upside down.


    Mr. Carrick had no time to think as Noah used the momentum to swing his leg onto his opponent''s head as his body was in the middle of completing a full rotation!

 Chapter 123 - Meeting Place

    "Urghˇ­ How the f*ck do I get out of this situation?" Gerald said to himself in a hushed tone as he tried moving back and forth, wiggling in the air.


    He was attempting to wiggle his way out of the rope that had tied both his legs together with the other end attached to the roof of the area, which was making him dangle in the air like a pinata. His hands were tied up as well, which made it even harder for him to escape.


    His attempts at escaping only made him spin slowly in the air, giving him a complete view of the large area that he was kept in.


    "Is- Is that guy seriously gone?" Gerald looked around, trying to find Mr. Carrick. He wasn''t sure whether Mr. Carrick really was gone or he was faking it. He was afraid that Mr. Carrick would pop out from a hidden area as soon as he got out from the ropes and tried to make a run towards the outside. But he knew that he wasn''t doing himself any favors by not trying to escape either.


    "Maybe he really is goneˇ­" Gerald wanted to think positively, and so he got rid of all the negative and pointless thoughts inside his head that were making him feel afraid, and decided that he really should continue trying to escape.


    "Since wiggling my way out of this situation isn''t going to work.. What the hell do I do now?" Gerald thought to himself as he hung upside down, his gaze going around the large area that he was trapped in.


    The area he was in was like any other caves. Empty and made of mud and dirt, with sharp objects hanging from every corner of the wall and the earth.


    "Wait, sharp objects?" Gerald''s eyes shone like little light bulbs as his gaze suddenly shifted towards the walls which were near to him. He saw that there were a few pieces of rocks that were popping out from the wall through the mud and dirt, and a faint and nervous smile appeared on Gerald''s face.


    "If I can swing to that spot and hook the rope that''s on my hands, then perhapsˇ­" Gerald murmured under his breath as he looked at his tied up hands. His gaze once again turned towards the pointed rocks on the wall. One of them was in a location which was pretty close to the spot where Gerald was hanging from.


    Perhaps he could swing himself in a pendulum motion and shorten the distanceˇ­


    "It''s worth a try!" Gerald said to himself as he got ready to wiggle his body once again. He wasn''t sure whether this would really work or not. He didn''t even know what he could do after freeing his hands either. However, that wasn''t going to stop him from trying to do so.


    ---------------------


    Noah stomped his foot onto the ground below and shot forward as soon as he finished his words, appearing in front of Mr. Carrick within a split second, swinging his fist right at his face.


    "Hmph! Child''s play!" Mr. Carrick didn''t seem like he was impressed by his opponent''s attack, and he immediately tried to block it by swinging his right palm.


    Right as the fist was about to meet Mr. Carrick''s palm, Noah unraveled his fist, and a burst of flames shot out from his palm shooting downwards, and the force pushed Noah''s lower body up into the air, flipping him upside down. Mr. Carrick had no time to think as Noah used the momentum to swing his leg onto his opponent''s head as his body was in the middle of completing a full rotation!


    BAM!


    Noah''s feet struck the top part of Mr. Carrick''s head with a loud noise, and the ground beneath his feet cracked, causing crevices to appear on the earth.


    Whoosh!


    Mr. Carrick resisted the attack for a few seconds, much more than Noah had expected from the monster, but in the end, the force was too much for him.


    WHAM!


    The impact of Noah''s kick caused Mr. Carrick''s body was pushed downwards and slammed onto the ground with a loud noise which sent dust and dirt flying everywhere, and even caused a crater to be formed underneath the monster disguised as a middle aged man.


    "You asked me who I was, right?" Noah said in a hushed tone as he grabbed Mr. Carrick''s hair and pulled his head up, and without wasting any more time, he kicked him right on his face, sending him flying sideways and crashing right onto a wall, as his teeth blew out of his mouth and blood splattered all over the place.


    "I''m the guy who''s about to send you to the afterlife!" Noah screamed out loud with a sinister smile on his face as he leapt up into the air and shot forward with incredible speed, heading straight for Mr. Carrick, who was still stuck onto the wall of the cavern with his face beaten to a pulp and blood dripping out of his mouth.


    "Ha ha ha ha!" All of a sudden, Mr. Carrick began to laugh maniacally, and his gaze immediately became fixated on Noah, who furrowed his eyebrows in response.


    Noah stretched out his leg, aiming for Mr. Carrick, who pulled his body out from the wall and in an instant, he disappeared from the spot.


    WHAM!


    Noah''s kick landed on the wall that Mr. Carrick had been stuck on just a second ago, leading to the ground and the walls shaking violently, and pebbles and pieces of rock began falling down from above.


    "What the hell?" Noah mumbled to himself with a confusing expreton his face as he found out that his target had disappeared before the kick landed, but before he could readjust, Mr. Carrick''s figure appeared right behind Noah and he swung his fist right for the back of Noah''s head.


    "Oh sh*t!" Noah cursed out loud as he realized what was going on, but before he could get out of the way, Mr. Carrick''s fist had already collided with the back of Noah''s head, slamming his face into the wall of the cavern with a loud noise.


    BOOM!


    The loud noise reverberated throughout the surroundings, and the whole place shook violently once again.


    "God damn it!" Noah screamed with frustration as his face was buried in the walls, and he swung his fist around without looking in an attempt to land a hit on his enemy who was standing behind him, but Mr. Carrick clicked his tongue and kicked Noah''s hand onto the wall before grabbing his hair and pulling his head back, revealing a bruised Noah who was gritting his teeth.


    "You think you have the ability to send me to the afterlife? Pathetic!" The bloody face of Mr. Carrick laughed with disdain in his eyes and he pushed Noah''s face onto the wall once again, despite Noah trying his best to resist his strong hands.


    WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!


    Noah''s face was slammed repeatedly onto the wall of the cavern, causing the surroundings to shake violently without stopping. It seemed like the place would collapse on itself at any moment.


    "You''re too weak! Too weak to be of any threat to me!" Mr. Carrick''s harsh voice entered into Noah''s ears before he was once again slammed onto the wall.


    WHAM!


    "Too weak to take me on in a fair fight!"


    WHAM!


    "Too inexperienced to defend against me!"


    WHAM!


    "Too much of an arrogant a**hole to know his own faults!"


    "AHHH!" Before Mr. Carrick could push his face onto the cavern wall for another attack, Noah screamed loudly, anger and frustration evident in his voice as a giant ball of flames escaped out from his throat and onto the wall in front of him, and the force pushed him backwards, which negated Mr. Carrick''s attack, and gave enough time for Noah to stretch his hand back and grab hold of Mr. Carrick''s right leg, and swung him sideways, sending him flying onto the wall.


    BOOM!


    Mr. Carrick crashed onto the wall and fell down, and Noah screamed loudly before leaping towards him and slamming his fist onto his face!


    BAM! BAM! BAM!


    Noah slammed his fist repeatedly on Mr. Carrick''s bruised and beaten face, which caused him to crashland onto the ground with a loud noise.


    -------------------


    GRRRRRAR!


    All of a sudden, a loud growl was heard a few meters away from Alphonso and Max, causing them to turn alert. The boys looked around as they assumed a combat stance, trying to find out where the voice had come from.


    It was a loud roar, similar to the roars made by one of the monsters that they had fought before.


    Except this time, it sounded like there were two of them.


    "It sounds likeˇ­ like the two monsters are fighting?" Max couldn''t clearly hear what was happening. Alphonso raised his eyebrows, confused by the words of Max.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    All of a sudden, the sound of footsteps were heard from behind, and both Max and Alphonso turned around, only to find the silhouette of a familiar figure standing a few meters away from them in the shadows.


    Alphonso''s eyes widened with surprise as he whispered, "Harold?"

 Chapter 124 - Three Souls

    Before Mr. Carrick could push his face onto the cavern wall for another attack, Noah screamed loudly, anger and frustration evident in his voice as a giant ball of flames escaped out from his throat and onto the wall in front of him, and the force pushed him backwards, which negated Mr. Carrick''s attack, and gave enough time for Noah to stretch his hand back and grab hold of Mr. Carrick''s right leg, and swung him sideways, sending him flying onto the wall.


    Mr. Carrick crashed onto the wall and fell down, and Noah screamed loudly before leaping towards him and slamming his fist onto his face!


    BAM! BAM! BAM!


    Noah slammed his fist repeatedly on Mr. Carrick''s bruised and beaten face, which caused him to crashland onto the ground with a loud noise.


    "I''m not done yet!" Noah screamed loudly as he raised his leg up while still in the air, and shot down in an instant, all while swinging his leg down along with his movement, and his feet slammed down onto Mr. Carrick''s body with a loud noise.


    BAM!


    Or so he thought.


    "What?" Noah looked at the spot where his feet had slammed onto, and his eyes widened with surprise. He couldn''t see the body of Mr. Carrick underneath his feet, which meant that his attack had landed on the ground and not on his enemy as he had imagined.


    "Sh*t!" He cursed loudly and began to look around, trying to find out where Mr. Carrick was hiding.


    Swoosh!


    "I''m not done yet either, boy!" A rough and rusty voice entered Noah''s ears, making his face turn alert, and he looked down at his feet once again only to find a hand popping out from underneath the ground.


    ''He was under the earth?'' Before Noah could move his feet and get away, the hand had already grabbed onto his feet, and Noah was pulled into the earth with intense force, even though he was trying his very best to resist it.


    "Let me go!" Noah screamed as he tossed and turned, watching as his lower body was being completely submerged underneath the ground that seemed to behave like it was liquid, for some reason.


    "F*ck! F*ck! F*ck!" Noah kicked repeatedly, trying to make the enemy let of of his leg, but as he was focused on trying to locate where the enemy''s location was based on the location of the hand that was grabbing his leg, a shadowy figure slowly began to emerge from underneath the ground right behind Noah.


    The dimly lit candles illuminated the face of the shadowy figure, revealing it to have a horrifying appearance that would remind someone of ghouls and creatures of folktales.


    WHAM!


    Before Noah could turn around, the monster stretched out its hands and grabbed Noah''s face from behind, pulling him down into the ground forcefully.


    "You''re not grabbing me from behind again!" Noah knew that he couldn''t fall for the same trick twice, and he immediately spat out a giant ball of flames down onto the ground, creating a large explosion that shot back mud and dirt all over the place and flung both Noah and the monster backwards.


    "Gah!" Noah screamed as he somehow made an alright landing without falling down onto his butt. Both Noah and the monster had landed side by side without making any mistakes, and the two glanced at each other.


    "Well, well, well.. aren''t you one ugly motherf*cker.." Noah had now taken a good look at the monster and the terrifying appearance that it had, and he clicked his tongue.


    "You''ve got a sharp tongue, young man. But you do know that we''re not so similar in reality, right?" The monster spoke with a grin and it''s sharp teeth became visible, revealing itself to be the transformed version of Mr. Carrick. Noah raised his eyebrows in response. "I don''t know man. I mean, have you seen yourself? I''m honestly certain that you''re in denial right now."


    "Snarky little sh*t! I''ll show you!" The monster sneered with anger before leaping straight for Noah, who immediately responded to the threat by stretching out his leg and goitin for a powerful kick right for the monster''s abdomen.


    Twack!


    But all of a sudden, the transformed Mr. Carrick moved his hands with such incredible speed that it wasn''t even possible for Noah to keep up with his motion, and caught Noah''s leg right before it made contact with his body.


    The monster pulled Noah''s leg and twisted it in mid air, and Noah''s whole body was forced to rotate along with his leg, right after which he crash landed down onto the ground with a loud noise.


    WHIP!


    The transformed Mr. Carrick swung his leg without wasting a single second right as Noah''s body made contact with the ground below, slamming his foot onto Noah''s chest and sending him flying sideways and causing him to collide onto the wall.


    BOOM!


    The impact caused crevices to be formed on the wall, and all of a sudden, boulders began to drop down from the top of the cavern, forcing the monster version of Mr. Carrick to take a few steps back in order to avoid the falling rocks.


    "F*ck!"Noah gritted his teeth in pain right as a boulder fell in front of him, missing him by only a few inches as it crashed onto the ground next to him, creating a large crater on the earth.


    "Looks like the whole place might collapse sooner or later!" Noah mumbled under his breath as he placed his hands on his head and winced in pain.


    "I''ve got to put an end to this fight as quickly as.. urgh!" He couldn''t finish his sentence as a sharp pain entered into his brain and all of a sudden, his vision began to get all blurry.


    ''No, no, not right nowˇ­'' Noah wanted to continue fighting and wanted to resist what was happening, but he also knew that there was no way he could fight against something which he had absolutely no control over and he reluctantly closed his eyes.


    "Ah, careful now.." A disturbing and sinister ami appeared on the terrifying face of the transformed Mr. Carrick, as he slowly walked up towards Noah, who seemed to be unconscious. "I don''t want you to be crushed to death! I want to kill you myself!"


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    His footsteps were soft and yet somehow sounded powerful at the same time, and as soon as he reached near Noah, he stretched out his scaly hand and grabbed hold of Noah''s hair, pulling his head up as Mr. Carrick opened his mouth to speak. "Now, do you have any last words, young man?"


    WHAM!


    All of a sudden, Noah''s hand reached forward and grabbed hold of Mr. Carrick''s own hand, gripping it tightly. His hand movements were so quick that even Mr. Carrick was surprised. This was the fastest Noah has ever been in this entire fight!


    Was he only playing with me all this time?


    "You son of a b*tch! Did you underestimate my power?!" Mr. Carrick screamed loudly as he tried to pull Noah''s hair once again, but found that he could not move his hands.


    ''What the- how the hell? Why is he so powerful?'' Mr. Carrick thought to himself as he felt the pressure on his wrist increasing bit by bit, and pain began to envelope his mind.


    He tried pulling his hand back using all his strength, but he couldn''t even move a single inch.


    Anxious and afraid, the monster''s gaze then shifted to Noah, who tilted his head up to make eye contact with Mr. Carrick.


    His eyes were completely black, and a powerful aura had enveloped him, giving him a terrifying presence.


    ----------------


    "If I can swing to that spot and hook the rope that''s on my hands, then perhapsˇ­" Gerald murmured under his breath as he looked at his tied up hands. His gaze once again turned towards the pointed rocks on the wall. One of them was in a location which was pretty close to the spot where Gerald was hanging from.


    Perhaps he could swing himself in a pendulum motion and shorten the distanceˇ­


    "It''s worth a try!" Gerald said to himself, and he then started to wiggle his body, slowly making himself swing to the sides, trying to push his hands towards the direction of the pointed rock.


    "Oh, I''m feeling dizzy.." Gerald could feel that he was slowly feeling the urge to throw up. He attributed it partly due to motion sickness and partly due to the fact that he was tied upside down, but he resisted the feeling.


    "Just a bit moreˇ­" Gerald said to himself as he began slowly stretching out his hand forward. He just needed one more swing!


    He went back for another swing, but his eyes were stuck on the rock.


    ''Now!''


    Gerald stretched out his hands as soon as he went for another swing and right when he shortened the distance between his hands and the rock, he used the rope to hook his hands onto the rock!

 Chapter 125 - Unlock

    "Oh, I''m feeling dizzy.." Gerald could feel that he was slowly feeling the urge to throw up. He attributed it partly due to motion sickness and partly due to the fact that he was tied upside down, but he resisted the feeling. Right now, there were bigger things at stake here. He had no time for throwing up. At least, not right now.


    "Just a bit moreˇ­" Gerald said to himself as he began slowly stretching out his hand forward. He just needed one more swing!


    He went back for another swing, but his eyes were stuck on the rock.


    ''Now!''


    Gerald stretched out his hands as soon as he went for another swing and right when he shortened the distance between his hands and the rock, he used the rope to hook his hands onto the rock!


    Whack!


    Gerald''s hands grabbed onto the rock, and the rope hooked onto it!


    "Yes!" Gerald screamed with joy as he stared at his hands, which were now hanging on either sides of the protruding rock, and he then began wiggling them, trying to break the rope and to free his hands.


    "Come on, come onˇ­" Gerald mumbled under his breath, gritting his teeth as he desperately tried to rip the rope that tied his hands together. The rope rubbed against the sharp ends of the rock, and Gerald saw that his technique really was working, albeit the process seemingly taking a bit more time than what he had expected.


    "It''s not like I can go anywhere else if I can''t get this off my handsˇ­" Gerald tried to make half-hearted jokes in an attempt to keep thinking positively, put this whole process really was extremely strenuous, and he definitely was beginning to feel the exhaustion.


    Slip!


    Right then, the exhaustion made him lose his focus and his hands slipped, causing Gerald to lose his grip and caused the rope to slide over the rock.


    "Sh*t! Sh*t! Sh*t!" He screamed loudly as he stretched out his hand in a desperate attempt to grab onto the rock, as his body was pulled backwards, swinging back to its original position of hanging upside down.


    Gerald wanted to grab onto the rock, but his body was quicker than his reflexes, and simply stretching his hands and reaching out to grab the rock wouldn''t work as he would definitely be out of reach by then. The best chance he would have to reach the rocks once again would be to xo the whole process once again, from the start.


    Gerald already knew all that. But nevertheless, he still felt the need to stretch out his hand for one last try! Perhaps it might''ve been due to denial, but Gerald didn''t care for his reasons. In that moment, his hands moved without him even thinking, as though they had minds of their own.


    WHAM!


    Gerald''s eyes widened with surprise. He thought that his hands would fail to grab the rock, and he would revert back to the position of upside down. After all, that''s how it should''ve happened, no matter how you look at it...


    "Then, howˇ­" Gerald''s gaze was fixated on his hands, which were gripping the rock tightly, and after a split second of confusion, he immediately let out a groan and pulled his body upwards, covering the rock using the rope around his hands.


    "What the hell happened just nowˇ­?" Gerald raised his eyebrows as he stared back and forth at his hands and the rock, confused as to how his reflexes became so quick that it was somehow able to beat gravity. It didn''t make any sense.


    ''Unless it had something to do with me awakening my superpowerˇ­'' Gerald''s eyes sparkled for a second. Perhaps he had attained the power of superspeed, and was incredibly quick. Or maybe he had the ability to slow down time.


    "Wait a f*cking minute.." All of a sudden, Gerald realized something, and his gaze once again shifted to his wrists, after which he scanned his entire arm.


    "Ah.. So that''s what happened.." Gerald mumbled under his breath as he let out a slightly disappointed sigh. Of course, it wasn''t too noticeable at first, but Gerald''s arms were about an inch longer than it was before. Maybe even more. That was the reason why Gerald felt that something was slightly off. He couldn''t figure it out immediately, as it wasn''t that big of a chance. It wasn''t as though his hands had become five inches longer.


    "Hahˇ­ why couldn''t it have been super speedˇ­" Gerald cursed at his bad luck. He had received the ability to expand his body parts, which most people wouldn''t consider to be a ''cool'' superpower.


    "Forget it.. I have to focus on getting out of this wretched place right now." Gerald said to himself as he stopped whining and regained his focus on the problem at hand. He then continued rubbing the rope on the sharp ends of the rock, and the rope slowly began to be cut open.


    TAK!


    After a few more seconds of rubbing against the rock, the rope split into two, and Gerald screamed loudly with a joyous voice. "F*ck yes!"


    He swung back as he let go of the rock, and his gaze then shifted to the top, where his legs were tied up and hung onto the roof of the cave, and he gritted his teeth.


    Gerald wasn''t too good with exercises, and so he wasn''t confident about raising his upper body up to grab onto his legs and untie the rope. This meant that he had to look for other options to help him free his legs.


    "I guess I can now rely on my superpowersˇ­" He turned his attention to his hands before stretching them upwards.


    "Urghˇ­" But to his surprise, Gerald found that it wasn''t so easy to actually utilize his abilities. Although he was groaning and grunting a lot, his hands weren''t expanding even a tiny bit, which made him annoyed.


    "What the f*ck? Why the hell is it not working anymore? Is it like a one time use kind of ability?" Gerald was angry at the fact that he wasn''t able to use his superpowers. This was perhaps the easiest and simplest method that he could use to free himself. But if it doesn''t work, then that means that he had to search for alternative ways to escape, which would require time to think and implement.


    "Come on! It worked the first time, it can work again!" Gerald said loudly as he pointed both his hands at his legs. It sounded like he was saying those words to reassure himself, but whatever the reason was, it seemed to have worked as Gerald could feel a ticklish sensation in his body and he turned his gaze towards his hands, which he felt were slowly increasing in length and a smile appeared on his face.


    "Yes! Just like that!" Gerald yelled out with a cheerful expression as he watched both his arms becoming longer and longer, but as time went on, he began to get more and more exhausted, which made the progress of his abilities slow down a bit.


    "No, no, noˇ­ not now! Don''t give up!" Gerald said as he tried his best to grab onto his legs, but it was still too far away.


    "Gerald!" Right then, a familiar voice entered his ears, and the startled Gerald tilted his head towards the direction from where the voice had come.


    "Harold?" Gerald said in a confused tone, puzzled as to why Harold was here. But of course, he was not alone. Right behind Harold, following him closely, were Alphonso and Max, who both looked at Gerald curiously as soon as they spotted him.


    "What the hell? What''s wrong with your hands, Gerald?" Alphonso said loudly as soon as his gaze landed on Gerald''s suspiciously elongated arms, and his eyebrows rose up in response.


    "Is that your superpower, Gerald?" Max asked with intrigue in his eyes. He seemed like he was genuinely interested in learning about his abilities. "To grow out your limbs?"


    "I don''t know if my abilities just extend to my limbs, but for now, yes." Gerald nodded his head after letting out a long and heavy sigh, and as soon as he finished speaking, he loosened his hands, and his arms began to shrink, turning back into their original sizes within seconds. "This is my superpower, apparently."


    "Woahˇ­" Harold watched with a shocked expression on his face as the arms returned to their normal sizes, and he walked up to Gerald, inspecting his arms carefully, as though he was examining a rare specimen.


    "Elongating your limbs, huh...That''s... kind of lame... No offense." Alphonso said softly as he touched his chin, and Harold snorted in response. "For all we know, you could get one that''s actually even worse."


    "I was just stating the facts, alright?" Alphonso shrugged his shoulders and spoke with an annoyed tone. "You don''t have to be snarky."


    "Just help me get down from here, guys.." Gerald decided to interject into the conversation, and the others walked towards him.


    "Let''s make this quick!" Harold said as he pointed at the direction they came from.. "We have to help Noah. I think he might have a tough time with this monster!"

 Chapter 126 - A Different Perspective

    "I don''t know if my abilities just extend to my limbs, but for now, yes." Gerald nodded his head after letting out a long and heavy sigh, and as soon as he finished speaking, he loosened his hands, and his arms began to shrink, turning back into their original sizes within seconds. "This is my superpower, apparently."


    "Elongating your limbs, huh...That''s... kind of lame... No offense." Alphonso said softly as he touched his chin, and Harold snorted in response. "For all we know, you could get one that''s actually even worse." "I was just stating the facts, alright?" Alphonso shrugged his shoulders and spoke with an annoyed tone. "You don''t have to be snarky." "Well now, isn''t this a funny coincidence?" Harold said in a sarcastic manner. "I was also simply stating the facts."


    "As much as I enjoy seeing you two guys bickering for absolutely no reason, I''m sorry to say that I might need your guys'' help to get me down..." Gerald decided to interject into the conversation, and the others walked towards him. "Let''s make this quick!" Harold said as he pointed at the direction they came from. "We have to help Noah. I think he might have a tough time with this monster!"


    "Noah''s in trouble? Are you sure?" Gerald spoke softly as he was slowly lowered down by the other two boys.


    "I''m not certain, but he did seem a bit anxious and nervous about fighting this creature.." Harold shrugged his shoulders as he finished speaking.


    "How on earth can we help him out if even he has trouble fighting against such an enemy?" Max asked with an uncertain expression on his face. "Don''t get me wrong. I may have superpowers, and I may have helped in the previous fight against those bat-like creatures, but that doesn''t mean that my techniques may work again. Nor does it make me invincible. It drains a lot of my energy, and I''m pretty sure that I''ll end up being a liability if we fought against someone who can actually think properly."


    "I really have no clue how we can help him out.." Harold said while clenching his fist tightly. Gerald glanced at his tightly clenched hands for a brief second before turning his gaze back to Harold''s face, who continued, "..But we can figure that out once we get a good look at the fight and the situation Noah is in."


    The other three boys looked at each other in response to Harold''s words. They could see that they were all uncertain about what they could contribute to a fight where they could end up being liabilities. But at the same time, the boys also felt like they owed Noah, who had saved their lives and taught them about the superpowers that they ended up receiving.


    "Alright then.. we''ll go and see what the situation is like first!" Gerald nodded his head and shifted his gaze towards Harold as he started speaking. "And then, we''ll figure out what we can do to help Noah. If he requires our help, that is."


    Harold nodded in agreement, and with that, the four boys headed back in the direction that they came from.


    ----------------


    Noah''s hand reached forward and grabbed hold of Mr. Carrick''s own hand, gripping it tightly. His hand movements were so quick that even Mr. Carrick was surprised. This was the fastest Noah has ever been in this entire fight!


    "You son of a b*tch! Did you underestimate my power?!" Mr. Carrick screamed loudly as he tried to pull Noah''s hair once again, but found that he could not move his hands. ''What the- how the hell? Why is he so powerful?'' Mr. Carrick thought to himself as he felt the pressure on his wrist increasing bit by bit, and pain began to envelope his mind.


    He tried pulling his hand back using all his strength, but he couldn''t even move a single inch. Anxious and afraid, the monster''s gaze then shifted to Noah, who tilted his head up to make eye contact with Mr. Carrick. His eyes were completely black, and a powerful aura had enveloped him, giving him a terrifying presence.


    ''Sh*t! Something is wrong here!'' Mr. Carrick could feel that the opponent in front of him wasn''t exactly someone who''s normal, and in a panic-stricken state, the monster raised his other arm into the air, which erupted into flames with a loud explosion!


    "Screw you! You can''t defeat me!" Mr. Carrick screamed with anger and frustration in his voice as he swung his clawed hand right onto Noah''s head, and the giant ball of flames collided onto its intended target, resulting in the flames immediately filling the air as the surroundings turned into a fiery hell.


    Mr. Carrick sneered. Although the ball of flames wasn''t exactly a simple technique to utilize and required a tremendous amount of energy to power it, it certainly wasn''t something that a normal human body would be able to handle, especially at close range.


    Of course, if he was in his normal form which consisted of him in a human body, he wouldn''t be able to survive the flames either. However, now that he was in a transformed state, he was much more powerful, and his scales that covered his body would protect him from it.


    Although Noah was also in his transformed state, he was still, nevertheless, a mere human, which meant that his transformations had a limit that could not be broken. This meant that Mr. Carrick could survive for a longer period of time while being covered in flames than Noah.


    ''Of course, I won''t let you go so peacefully...'' Mr. Carrick thought to himself with a beaming smile on his face as he watched Noah''s body being burned right in front of him. He was planning on interfering right before Noah loses his life, as he wanted to learn about the young man more. And of course, he also wanted to suffer.


    However, just as Mr. Carrick pondered how he would not allow Noah to have a quick, painless death, he suddenly noticed that Noah wasn''t making a single movement, even though he was being burnt alive.


    ''What? Is he already dead?'' Mr. Carrick couldn''t help but feel disappointed as beads of sweat began to drip down from his forehead and onto his cheeks. The heat was getting to him, which meant that his body would soon be reaching its limitation of handling the flames.


    ''I should probably try to get away right now..'' Mr. Carrick thought to himself, and he glanced at the burning Noah before clicking his tongue and pulling his hand back.


    "Wh- what the hell?" However, for some reason, Mr. Carrick still couldn''t release himself from the tight grip of Noah, which shocked and surprised him.


    "Why- why isn''t he letting go? Isn''t he dead?" Mr. Carrick thought to himself as he once again tried to pull his hand away, but right then!


    WHAM!


    Noah''s other hand moved suddenly, grabbing onto Mr. Carrick''s other hand before he could even respond properly, and his eyes opened wide, staring right at the shocked face of his enemy.


    "Y-You!" Mr. Carrick was dumbfounded as he stared at Noah''s face with his mouth agape. "How the hell are you still alive?"


    Noah moved normally, as though there was nothing wrong with him. However, one good look at his body, and even an idiot would come to realize that his skin had been completely burned, making him unrecognizable.


    Tak!


    Noah tightened his grip before pulling his head back and slamming his forehead right onto the head of Mr. Carrick, and he crashed down onto the ground with a loud noise.


    BAM!


    "Gah!" Mr. Carrick groaned with pain as he rubbed his forehead, trying to get onto his feet as the fire around them continued to burn brightly.


    Grab!


    Noah stretched out both his hands and grabbed onto Mr. Carrick''s head from both sides, pulling him up into the air with almost no effort.


    "Le- Let me go!" Mr. Carrick screamed loudly as he felt his body heating up rapidly. His body was reaching his limit. "We''ll both die if we stay inside the flames! Do you hear me!"


    Noah didn''t respond. Mr. Carrick clicked his tongue, and began punching Noah''s abdomen repeatedly, but he showed no response.


    Crack!


    "AHH!" Noah increased the pressure he was exerting on Mr. Carrick''s head, who felt the pain that was passing through his skull. "Let me go!" Mr. Carrick screamed loudly once again, his fist swinging around, sometimes landing on Noah''s body.


    Crack! Crack!


    Noah continued to increase the strength on his fingers as he pressed hard on Mr. Carrick''s head, and the monster could feel his skull slowly breaking. He felt his eyesight becoming weaker and weaker.


    "No- noˇ­" Mr. Carrick opened his mouth and from his throat shot out a long tentacle that was aiming for Noah''s head, but right before it could make contact with its target, Noah instantly tilted his head sideways, and the tentacle shot right past him, only grazing his chin in the end.


    WHAM!


    The tentacle crashed into the wall behind them, piercing into it.. Mr. Carrick widened his eyes, and the tentacle retreated back with the same speed, and attached to the tip of it was a piece of the dirt wall, which slammed right onto the back of Noah''s head!

 Chapter 127 - Teamwork

    Noah continued to increase the strength on his fingers as he pressed hard on Mr. Carrick''s head, and the monster could feel his skull slowly breaking. He felt his eyesight becoming weaker and weaker.


    "No- noˇ­" Mr. Carrick opened his mouth and from his throat shot out a long tentacle that was aiming for Noah''s head, but right before it could make contact with its target, Noah instantly tilted his head sideways, and the tentacle shot right past him, only grazing his chin in the end.


    The tentacle crashed into the wall behind them, piercing into it. Mr. Carrick widened his eyes, and the tentacle retreated back with the same speed, and attached to the tip of it was a piece of the dirt wall, which slammed right onto the back of Noah''s head!


    BAM!


    The intense force that came with the attack caused both Noah and the monster to be flung backwards into the air before crash landing onto the ground with a loud noise, finally escaping the burning flames.


    WHAM!


    Noah lost his grip on the monster''s head as he crashed onto the earth completely unconscious. His entire body had been burnt into a crisp, and blood was dripping out from the several wounds that were visible on his body.


    "Hah.. hahˇ­" The monster, Mr. Carrick, on the other hand, was breathing in and out, seemingly relieved about the fact that he had escaped death just now. He looked a bit better in comparison to Noah. Of course, he too had spent too much time inside the flames, and it had affected his body and his skin, making him severely injured as well. But at least he was still conscious.


    However, although he seemed alright from the outside, Mr. Carrick knew that he wasn''t exactly doing too good on the inside. His skull had been broken, and although it wasn''t enough to kill him, it certainly made him significantly weaker.


    "F*ck! How the hell did someone as powerful as I, get my a** kicked by a newbie like him?" Mr. Carrick grumbled under his breath, gritting his teeth with anger and hatred in his mind as his gaze was fixed on the unconscious body of Noah a few feet away from him.


    "He''s a dangerous foe.." Mr. Carrick whispered softly to himself, squinting his eyes as he spoke. "I''ve got to end his life, or he might actually end up being a big problem!"


    If Noah was able to take him on at such an early stage, then there would be no telling how powerful he''ll get if he''s given enough time to grow. Mr. Carrick couldn''t let that happen, and he tried to move his legs.


    "F*ck.. it still hurts like hell.." Mr. Carrick winced in pain as he slowly got to his feet. The flames were easily one of his worst ideas, and he most probably would stay away from using that technique again.


    He then stretched out his clawed hands and took a step in the direction of the unconscious Noah, but right then!


    "Stop right there, monster!" A foreign voice entered the ears of Mr. Carrrick, and he turned around to look in the direction from which the voice had come from, only to find four young boys standing in front of the pathway that he had taken to get here.


    "You!" Mr. Carrick''s eyes were fixated on Gerald, who had successfully escaped from his captivity with a little help from his friends.


    "Don''t even think about touching our friend!" Harold said with an intense voice as he pointed at the unconscious body of Noah, who was lying on the ground.


    "What the f*ck are you little runts going to do about it?!" Mr. Carrick said with a growl, and Harold turned to look at the rest of the group before nodding his head. The group nodded back at him in response, and with a deep breath, Harold rushed forward, heading straight for Mr. Carrrick.


    -----------------


    A few minutes earlier.


    The tentacle retreated back with the same speed, and attached to the tip of it was a piece of the dirt wall, which slammed right onto the back of Noah''s head. The intense force that came with the attack caused both Noah and the monster to be flung backwards into the air before crash landing onto the ground.


    "Ah f*ck! That seemed like it would''ve hurt a lot!" Gerald said while wincing. "Are you sure that our ambush plan would work?I mean, he seems like a difficult enemy to defeat. Even Noah''s finding it difficult to beat this guy!" He asked while he turned his head towards Harold, Alphonso and Max, who also were watching the fight between Noah and Mr. Carrick with serious expressions on their faces.


    "That was before this fight! Look at him now!" Harold whispered softly under his breath as he pointed his finger at Mr. Carrick, who was getting up from the ground after escaping from the flames and taking a beating from the piece of the dirt wall. "He''s seriously injured. There''s absolutely no way that he can take on all of us!"


    Uncertain, Gerald turned to look at Max and Alphonso, who both nodded their heads, agreeing with Harold''s words. "He did fight for a long time with Noah. He''s obviously going to be exhausted right now." Max said while squinting his eyes at the injured Mr. Carrick who was slowly moving towards Noah.


    "You saw how powerful those flames were, right?" Alphonso patted Gerald on his shoulder as he spoke. "It even made Noah faint. Look at Mr. Carrrick, he''s barely able to walk properly. We''ve got this!"


    Gerald once again looked at Mr. Carrick after listening to Alphonso and Max, and let out a sigh. "Fine. But we have to be extremely careful." He said with caution in his gaze. "He''s still someone who''s more experienced in combat than any of us. Don''t forget that."


    The others nodded their heads. "So, does that mean it''s go time?" Alphonso turned to look at Harold and asked.


    "Oh it definitely is!" Harold gave a thumbs up in response, and the group headed in the direction of Noah and Mr. Carrick.


    --------------------


    Back to the present.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    Harold moved with speed. He wasn''t as fast as Noah. But he was definitely quick when compared to the speed of a normal human being.


    "Y-You sh*theads! Do you have any idea who you''re dealing with?" Mr. Carrick spoke with anger, but deep inside, he was actually concerned. After all, he was seriously injured, and any more fights, no matter how big or small it was, would only put him in a disadvantage.


    "I''ve got the sides!" Following Harold''s lead, Gerald clicked his tongue and leapt forward as well, heading towards Mr. Carrick''s right, much to the enemy''s displeasure.


    "You idiots! You think that you can take me down just because I''m injured? I''ll make sure that you realize just how big of a mistake you''ve made right now!" Mr. Carrick roared with anger in his eyes as his long and slimy tentacle-like tongue escaped his mouth and shot towards Harold.


    "Oh, no you don''t!" Harold yelled out as a cold glint flashed across his eyes, and he stretched out his right hand forward.


    Whoosh!


    From his hands shot out multiple thorn-like objects, whistling through the air with incredible speed and collided with the tentacle-like tongue, piercing it!


    "AHHH!" Mr. Carrick felt a rigidness penetrate his bones and flood his heart and mind, after which a burning pain replaced the feeling, making him scream loudly.


    "You b*tch! You dare to wound me? You puny human beings?" Mr. Carrick roared loudly as he opened his mouth once again, and from his throat burst out multiple ball of flames.


    Although they weren''t as powerful or as enormous as the one he used against Noah, this was the only flame attack that Mr. Carrick could utilize right now, because of his injuries.


    Whoosh!


    The fireballs shot through the air, heading towards Harold, who squinted his eyes and raised his hands up once again.


    WHAM!


    However, right before the fireballs reached Harold, hundreds of roots sprouted up from underneath the ground in an instant and formed a giant wall in front of him, blocking the fireballs from reaching him and causing them to collide against the wall.


    BOOM!


    The fireballs exploded with a loud noise, and Harold looked at Max, who gave him a thumbs up, and the roots returned into the ground, and the giant wall disappeared instantly. Harold nodded back before he rushed forward towards Mr. Carrick once again.


    "What? How is this possible?" Mr. Carrick was caught off guard by what just happened. Gritting his teeth, he tried to raise both his clawed hands in order to fight Harold, but before he could do so, Gerald immediately stretched out his hands, elongating them and grabbed Mr. Carrick''s hands from behind, making him unable to move his hands.


    Whoosh!


    Harold, who by then had already shortened the distance between him and the monster, raised his hand, and from his palm shot out a long and thin thorn that burst through the air with incredible speed!


    The monster, Mr. Carrick''s heart filled with dread. He didn''t want to die. But before he could do anything, the thorn had already reached him, piercing through his forehead and causing it to explode due to the amount of energy that it contained.


    BOOM!


    Blood and brain splattered all over the place, and the lifeless body of Mr. Carrick wobbled for a few seconds before falling down onto the ground!

 Chapter 128 - Winners Talk

    Gritting his teeth, Mr. Carrick tried to raise both his clawed hands in order to fight Harold, but before he could do so, Gerald immediately stretched out his hands, elongating them and grabbed Mr. Carrick''s hands from behind, making him unable to move his hands. Harold, who by then had already shortened the distance between him and the monster, raised his hand, and from his palm shot out a long and thin thorn that burst through the air with incredible speed!


    The monster, Mr. Carrick''s heart filled with dread. He didn''t want to die. But before he could do anything, the thorn had already reached him, piercing through his forehead and causing it to explode due to the amount of energy that it contained. Blood and brain splattered all over the place, and the lifeless body of Mr. Carrick wobbled for a few seconds before falling down onto the ground!


    "Hah, hah.." Harold breathed in and out continuously, trying to calm himself down before letting out a sigh of relief as he slowly sat down onto the ground, his gaze on the body of the monster that was right next to him.


    "We- we did it!" Gerald, who stared at both his hands with a shocked expression on his face, suddenly started to scream and cheer loudly with the biggest smile on his face like a crazy person. "We f*cking did it! We f*cking won! Whoo!" He cheered loudly before pumping his fist into the air, and Alphonso snorted and shook his head in response.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    Alphonso walked towards the unconscious body of Noah who was lying on the ground, and crouched down right next to him, examining the young man''s body with his squinted eyes. "Jesus Christ! That is one hell of a burn! Are you sure that he''s still alive?" Alphonso turned to look at Max and asked, who shrugged his shoulders in response to his question. "That''s what my senses tell me. Don''t ask me how, though. I have no answer for that."


    Alphonso shifted his gaze back to Noah and whispered softly under his breath, "Damn. He''s a super freak even amongst super freaks. That''s gotta be some kind of record right there."


    "We can call the Guinness book of world records later. First, we have to figure out what to do with him." Harold walked up to the unconscious Noah and kneeled down, sitting right next to Alphonso and said, "These wounds look like they might take a long time to recover from. Are you sure that he''s going to be alright? I mean, we don''t really know what can be considered a critical injury for a mutant, right?"


    "I don''t think there''s been much improvement to his injuries in the past few minutes either." Gerald pointed out, and Max nodded his head. "The mutant healing process is a lot quicker, so the fact that we can''t even identify a single point of improvement on his body is probably of concern."


    "Maybe the improvement is happening first on his interior organs?" Gerald asked, and Harold shrugged his shoulders. "Could be. But since we can''t actually figure out whether that is what''s happening here, I don''t think we can relax."


    Max turned his gaze towards Harold and opened his mouth to speak, "Do you think we should get him to a hospital?"


    Harold bit his lower lip and paused for a second, hesitating a bit before answering. "These wounds aren''t exactly normal. Questions may arise. People will get suspicious."


    "He might die." Max replied, and Harold scratched his head. "Let''s think about this for a few more seconds."


    "Ah, screw it! Give me a bit of space!" Alphonso said with an annoyed tone as he pushed Harold away, causing him to turn his gaze around and look at him with a puzzled expression on his face. "What the hell are you doing?" Harold asked Alphonso, who was kneeling on both his knees, his position right above Noah, and his hands placed on opposite sides of Noah''s head.


    "I wasn''t sure whether this would actually work, since the first time I tested it was on my pet cat, but whatever! It''s worth a try, I guess!" Alphonso didn''t elaborate on what he was really doing and took a deep breath as he closed his eyes shut.


    Confused, Harold turned to look at Gerald and Max, and the two shook their heads in unison. They really had no clue what Alphonso was up to.


    Bzzzz!


    Their confused gazes however were soon replaced by expressions of surprise and shock as Alphonso''s hands suddenly began to glow brightly with a golden light spreading all over Noah''s face, making his hair wave and wiggle slowly in the air, as though gravity did not exist.


    "What the hellˇ­" Harold mumbled under his breath as he and the other two boys watched the incredible and mesmerizing scene that was happening right in front of their eyes with shock and awe.


    Harold''s gaze then slowly shifted towards the unconscious Noah''s body, and his eyes widened once again. The wounds and burnt skin were slowly healing, turning back to normal as though the horrible injuries on his body didn''t even exist in the first place.


    "Does this mean that Phonzi''s ability is healing?" Gerald placed his hand under his chin and thought to himself.


    "Hahˇ­ God, that was f*cking tiring!" After a few more minutes, Alphonso let out a huge breath and leaned back while wiping the sweat that had accumulated on his forehead while panting furiously. He seemed extremely exhausted by the entire process.


    "Are you okay?" Harold walked up to the tired Alphonso and asked, placing his hand on his shoulder. Alphonso clicked his tongue in response. "Does it look like I am? This is why I was hesitant on doing this sh*t! It''s too damn exhausting!"


    "Well, whatever you did, I guess it''s working!" Gerald said as he let out a sigh and studied Noah''s partially healed body. He hadn''t healed every part of his body, but Noah definitely looked a lot better than before. And mutant healing was already very quick, so Noah''s body might just complete the rest of the healing process.


    "You should''ve told us that you''d awakened your superpowers." Max said in a hushed tone, and Alphonso scratched his chin and looked away. "I told you guys, didn''t I? I didn''t know if it really worked or not. I just figured it out today, and I only tested it out on my car, who seemed like he was sick. When I grabbed him, all of a sudden, a bright light came out of my hands, and after a few seconds, my cat was moving around as though he wasn''t sick."


    "Doesn''t that make it kinda obvious what your powers are?" Gerald asked with a raised eyebrow, and Alphonso snorted. "Not if it''s a cat. For all I know, it could''ve been the ability to forget pain. Or maybe the ability to cure a specific sickness that cats only have."


    "Well, I guess you can now say with confidence that you''re a healer." Harold said with a smile on his face as he patted him on the shoulder, and Alphonso slapped his hand away. "I can''t believe you guys got the cooler superpowers, and I''m stuck with the power of healing."


    "Alright, grow up grumpy pants. It''s not that bad of a skill. It''s actually a pretty useful one. You just can''t fight using it, that''s all." Gerald shook his head and waved both his hands dismissively, and Alphonso clicked his tongue. "You do know that an ability that helps in fighting monsters is probably better if an eventual swarm of these creatures decided to raid New World City, right? After all, healing ain''t going to do sh*t if I don''t have time to heal!"


    "You''re getting way ahead yourself, Phonzi!" Harold said with a chuckle as he did a fake karate chop on Alphonso''s head, making the boy click his tongue again with a dissatisfied expression. "Am I? You do know that a huge alien or monster invasion is what usually ends up being the final arc for most superhero comic books, right? It''s inevitable!"


    "Or it could just end up being one of those low-key endings. You never know.." Harold shrugged with a faint smile on his face, and Alphonso groaned with displeasure.


    "You know what I think? I think that you both need to stay away from comic books for a while.." Gerald walked upto the two young boys and threw his hands over their shoulders and pulled them towards him. The two boys were reluctantly brought closer to Gerald, letting out a sigh of defeat as Gerald chuckled.


    "I don''t want to interrupt your little momentˇ­" Max said as he kneeled down next to Noah, and the other three turned their attention towards him. He continued, "But this place seems like it may collapse anytime soon, especially with all the fighting that took place.. We should probably get out of here."

 Chapter 129 - Hope And Nervousness

    New World City Police Station.


    "Hahˇ­ I still can''t believe we weren''t able to catch a live beast yet!" Detective Lewis said as he let out a long and heavy sigh and leaned back on his chair with a cup of coffee in his hand.


    "Okay, what on earth are you talking about?" Detective Harry Stone couldn''t help but ask as he leaned forward and tilted his head to stare at Lewis with a confused expression on his face. "We''re like normal police officers here. One of the supposed experts that the FID sent just got killed by these creatures. How on earth are you planning on capturing one of those creatures?"


    "Hey, I''m not saying that we go out and try to hunt down these creatures head on, guns blazing, alright?" Detective Lewis shrugged his shoulders and said in an annoyed tone. He wasn''t liking the way Harry interpreted his words. He felt that it made him sound like an idiot. "I was thinking we should try to keep a low profile, find out where these creatures live and sleep. And you know, mostly stick to hunting infants, injured and extremely old and ready to die creatures."


    "That''sˇ­ actually not a bad idea," Detective Harry was about to rebuke him as usual when he thought about what Lewis said, and realized that his words actually made a bit of sense this time. "It''s not going to be that easy to find where their nests are, though." Special Agent Alan asked, who was listening in on the conversation between the two detectives, decided to interject, and the other two turned their attention to him. He continued, "Unless they decided to go all rampage mode and start destroying everything, I guess. But most of those maniacal actions take place away from their nests. So opportunities like that are usually very rare."


    "That reminds me," Detective Harry''s eyes widened all of a sudden. He seemed like he remembered something important. "Did you guys find anything useful in the samples we took from those apartment complexes?"


    "As you already know, there wasn''t exactly much of the samples to collect. Well, except for the bat beast''s body, I guess. But that was found near the hillside. Other than that, we don''t really have materials that we can compare the samples to, so this process of finding out information was always going to be difficult." Special Agent Alan scratched the back of his ears and paused for a few seconds, contemplating on what to say next before opening his mouth once again. "But we did find out that the samples that we recovered were similar to that of egg shells."


    "So they were shells of hatched eggs?" Detective Lewis asked with a gaze of intrigue. Although not as overly enthusiastic as his partner, Detective Harry too seemed interested in what Special Agent Alan had to say. "Possibly," Alan replied. "It wasn''t exactly the same thing. The materials aren''t really the same. But the structure is pretty similar to the eggshells of birds."


    "F*ck me! We''re dealing with murderous chickens!" Detective Lewis let out a chuckle as he spoke, and Detective Harry shook his head, covering his face with his palms.


    "Forgive my partner''s misbehavior, Agent Alan," Harry looked at Special Agent Alan and spoke with an annoyed expression on his face. "He considers himself a comedian at times."


    "No, it''s- it''s alright.." Alan didn''t know how to respond to that, and in the end, simply waved his hands dismissively with a faint and confused smile on his face before continuing, "But we did figure out that the insides of a few of the eggshells seemed to be too thin and too soft and nimble than the others. It was also covered in more membranous liquid on the interior walls, something that we didn''t find inside the rest of them. It was as though they hadn''t matured completely."


    "What does that mean, Agent Alan?" Detective Harry asked with a puzzled expression. He didn''t understand what the Special Agent was trying to tell him.


    "I think what Agent Alan is trying to say is that some of the creature''s escaped from the eggshells without spending the intended time inside of it.." Detective Lewis tried to figure out Agent Alan''s words. He then slowed down and turned his gaze towards the Special Agent, asking for his confirmation. "That is what you''re saying, right?"


    "Yes. You''re right, detective." Special Agent Alan nodded his head, and Detective Lewis had a satisfactory smile on his face, as though he had accomplished something amazing. Detective Harry simply shook his head.


    "But this also begs the question as to why and how the creatures were able break free from the eggshells without completely spending the intended time inside the eggs." Special Agent Alan continued to speak, and the two detectives once again shifted their attention towards him. "Does this mean that the creatures were able to sense the arrival of a threat while still being inside their eggs? What classifies as a threat, then? And does this imply that the beasts have complete motor movement control even while being inside the egg?"


    "I guess we can only figure that out when we do get a live monster egg, huh.." Detective Harry mumbled under his breath before letting out a long and heavy sigh and leaning back on his chair, stretching both his hands up in the air.


    "By the way, Agent Alan," Detective Lewis asked, and Special Agent Alan turned to look at him. "What is the FID planning on doing after, you know, what happened to Agent Edgerton?"


    Detective Harry glanced at Special Agent Alan for a second before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.


    Special Agent Alan nodded his head, but didn''t reply immediately. After a few short seconds of contemplation, he opened his mouth to speak. "I''ve been told that the higher ups have realized the importance and the weight of the situation at hand. They''ve also promised to issue a special forces strike team in order to help us take control of the situation as well. So, I guess they''ve finally started listening."


    "Well, that''s a reliefˇ­" Detective Lewis murmured softly under his breath as he let out a sigh. "I guess that makes things a bit easier for us, huh?" He spoke with a smile on his face as he nudged Detective Harry, who groaned in annoyance.


    "Let''s hope so." Agent Alan replied with a soft chuckle, but his nervous eyes said otherwise.


    ------------------------


    "Ughˇ­" Noah groaned, squinting his eyes as he felt pain all over his body.


    He wanted to open his eyes, but felt too tired to even do such a simple task.


    What is this feeling? Noah didn''t know why, but he felt as though he had gone through the most painful experience of his entire life, and yet he had no memory of it.


    Did I lose control of my body yet again? He didn''t know, nor did he remember. Has his body been taken over by his doppelganger once more?


    Noˇ­ Noah''s mind became muddled, and his senses were making him feel anxious and afraid. It was as though they were telling him something.


    No, no, this wasn''t the doppelgangerˇ­. He could feel it. This was something different.


    "Hah!" Noah''s eyes suddenly opened wide and he let out a loud gasp, making the group of boys that were sitting right next to him flinch.


    "Jesus Christ! That scared the sh*t out of me!" Alphonso sounded like he wanted to scream as he placed his hand on his chest and took a deep breath, and Harold laughed out loud. "I guess even your enhanced senses can''t stop you from being a p*ssy, huh?"


    "Says the guy who decided to ditch going with us to investigate a potential monster''s house!" Alphonso said with a dissatisfied expression on his face.


    "F*ck you, dude. I did the right thing. You don''t get to call me a p*ssy for doing the right thing!" Harold snorted in response.


    "What the f*ck is going onˇ­" Noah spoke softly as he tried to get up, but right when he raised his neck, a sharp pain passed through his entire body, making him groan loudly before slamming down onto the couch. "Urgh! Gah!"


    "You don''t have to get up so quickly. Take your time." Max said as he walked up next to Noah and patted him lightly on his shoulder, and Noah glanced across the room that he was in, and realized that they were inside the living room of Mr. Carrick''s home.


    "The monster.." Noah whispered softly, and Max knelt down next to him. "Yeah?" He asked, and Noah continued, "What happened to the monsterˇ­"


    "Don''t worry about it." Gerald said from the kitchen as he grabbed a tub of ice cream from the refrigerator and slammed the door before making his way back to the living room. "We beat that thing.." He said as he sat down on one of the beanbags. "Of course, only because you injured the guy!"

 Chapter 130 - Gods Servants

    New World City Highway 01.


    A large black coloured truck drove through the highway roads, passing by other vehicles.


    "Daddy! Daddy! Look at that truck!" A kid that looked to be about the age of six jumped up and down on his seat and began repeatedly pointing at the black truck as it passed by the car that he was in.


    "Sit down Aiden! And put on your seatbelt for god''s sake. How many times do I have to tell you?" His mother, who was sitting in the front seat, turned around and ordered the young boy, who pouted in response.


    "You don''t have to be that angry at him, Beth.." The young boy''s father, who was the one driving the vehicle, said with a smile on his face, and the mother, Beth, clicked her tongue in response. "See, this is why he''s acting like this, Arnaud! Your no care attitude is what''s making him so spoiled!"


    "Can we have this discussion later?" The dad, Arnaud, spoke as he let out a sigh, and Beth shrugged her shoulders.


    She then glanced at the side view mirror and saw the black truck that was heading in the opposite direction getting smaller and smaller.


    "That looked like one of those police vehicles, didn''t it?" Beth tilted her head towards her husband, who raised his eyebrows, but didn''t take his eyes off the road. "You mean the truck that just passed by us a few seconds ago?"


    Beth nodded her head, and Arnaud shrugged. "I''m not sure. It did look like one. However, I don''t remember our department having such a large vehicle."


    Beth continued to stare at him, her eyes indicating that she was distraught about the whole situation, and Arnaud caught it, even though he didn''t take his eyes off the road. "You don''t have to be worried anymore, Beth. We''re leaving this place, aren''t we?"


    "I know, I know, it''s just.." Beth waved her hands at her face, as though she was trying to cool herself down. "It''s just, I was thinking about a scenario where you didn''t decide to transfer from New World City."


    "It''s just my luck, I guess," Arnaud said with a nervous smile. "Good thing I put in a transfer request a week earlier than I intended to and got it approved just before the special agents arrived. Because I really don''t think that they''re approving any transfer requests now."


    "I guess it''s God''s way of telling us that we made the right choice." Beth said as she placed her hand on Arnaud''s shoulder, who finally took a glance at his wife and nodded his head. "I guess it is."


    As the car continued to head in the direction away from New World City, Beth leaned towards the window and looked at the side view mirror once again. The black truck that she had seen moments before was now long gone.


    -------------------


    Inside the large black truck were a group of men wearing gray coloured militaristic uniforms with masks and helmets completely covering their faces.


    One man sat right in the middle, with his helmet placed on his lap and his mask under his chin, and he was humming a song.


    The man''s hair was completely dyed green, and he had a thick mustache that he liked to twirl every now and then.


    "Hah, it''s time for us to hunt yet again boys!" The man spoke with a happy and joyful tone as snapped his fingers together, and the rest of the men stood up instantly in unison.


    "Thank you for this opportunity, boss!" The group of men yelled loudly before bowing down their heads, once again in unison.


    "Hoorah!" The men roared, and their loud voices echoed throughout the interior of the large truck.


    "And who do we have to thank for this wonderful occasion, boys?" The man, who was presumably their boss, got up from his seat and walked forward as he spoke, moving from one side of the truck to the other side.


    "God, sir!" The group of men responded immediately, not raising their heads and not even showing any form of hesitation as they spoke. "Thank you, God, for this opportunity that has been presented to us!"


    "That''s right, pray to god!" The boss waved his hands in the air repeatedly as he spoke, and the group of men continued to show their appreciation to God, repeating the words that they spoke just moments before.


    "Thank you, God!"


    "Thank you, God!"


    "Thank you, God!"


    The man sat down on his seat once again as the group of men continued to yell loudly. Only when the man raised his hand up into the air did the group stop what they were doing and turned completely silent.


    "And don''t forget, when we set out on this journey to liberate this city from all the bloodthirsty monsters that are roaming around the streets, we may have to use some.. questionable methods.. to achieve what we desire," All of a sudden, the boss''s voice suddenly lowered in volume, and he spoke in a hushed tone.


    The men spoke nothing, and the interior of the truck was filled with silence. They couldn''t even hear the loud noises of vehicles driving through the road.


    The boss narrowed his eyes and twirled his mustache before continuing, "And when you''re faced with handling such complicated situations, do not forgetˇ­ that we are serving God himself!"


    He stretched out both his hands. "So, do not fear his wrath, for we are only doing what God intended."


    "Thank you, God! Thank you, God!" The group began chanting loudly once again.


    The truck driver looked at his dashboard, which had the live feed of the interior of the truck. "I guess they''re still doing that sh*t, huh.."


    He let out a sigh before continuing, "I should''ve quit this job a long time ago."


    -----------------------


    New World City Police Station.


    Special Agent Alan Fischer and the two detectives, Harry Stone and Lewis Fitzgerald stood in the parking lot of the police station. They seemed like they were waiting for someone.


    "You said that they''ll be here soon, right?" Detective Harry looked at Special Agent Alan, who was staring at his watch.


    "Uh, yeah. That''s what the Strike Force Commander told me." Agent Alan glanced at Detective Harry for a second and nodded his head before turning his gaze towards his watch once again.


    "Why doesn''t the Commissioner himself come down to meet these guys?" Detective Lewis asked while raising one of his eyebrows.


    "Because, dumba**, this is supposed to be a really low-key operation!" Detective Harry whispered softly with an annoyed tone, and Detective Lewis shrugged his shoulders.


    "They''re here!" Special Agent Alan''s eyes widened as the black truck began to pull into the parking lot driveway, and the two detectives turned their attention towards the truck, intrigued by the strike force who were inside the vehicle.


    "So, this.. Commander Niko Larsen. what kind of a person is he?" Detective Lewis leaned forward and whispered softly to Agent Alan.


    "Well, Commander Nikoˇ­ he''s.. he''s quite hard to describe, actually." Agent Alan said while scratching his chin with a nervous smile on his face, and the other two detectives looked puzzled.


    Agent Alan watched as the truck stopped at its parking spot, and the door slowly began to open before continuing, "Let''s just say that he''s not exactly someone who you''d call normal. And his methods can sometimes be a bit questionable.."


    He then turned around and looked at the detectives. "But he does fight on our side, and it usually does end up working out well for everyone involved."


    "Alan! My dear friend! I can''t believe that we''re meeting once again, after a long time!" A loud voice came from inside the truck.


    Tap!


    A man with green hair jumped out of the vehicle and turned to look at Agent Alan with a beaming smile on his face before walking towards him.


    "Nice to meet you again, Niko.." Agent Alan stretched out his hand for a handshake, and the man, Niko, accepted it with a cheerful attitude. "Oh, how wonderful! It''s going to be fun working with you, Alan!"


    "Likewise, Niko.." Agent Alan replied.


    ''That''s rightˇ­ it''s hopefully going to be alright..''


    ''Hopefully..''


    --------------------


    "You don''t have to get up so quickly. Take your time." Max said as he walked up next to Noah and patted him lightly on his shoulder, and Noah glanced across the room that he was in, and realized that they were inside the living room of Mr. Carrick''s home.


    "The monster.." Noah whispered softly. "What happened to the monsterˇ­"


    "Don''t worry about it." Gerald said from the kitchen as he grabbed a tub of ice cream from the refrigerator and slammed the door before making his way back to the living room. "We beat that thing." He said as he sat down on one of the beanbags. "Of course, only because you injured the guy!"


    "I did?" Noah mumbled under his breath, clearly confused about what Gerald just said to him. He had no recollection of seriously injuring the monster. He remembered fighting the creature, sure.. But to seriously injure it to the point that amateurs like these four were able to take him down?


    ''What on earth is happening to me?'' Noah thought to himself as he patted his forehead.

 Chapter 131 - The Hills Have Eyes

    Moonside Neighborhood.


    A few hours earlier.


    An old man was sitting in his lawn chair on his porch. He was wearing a white t-shirt and blue and white striped shorts, with a pair of sunglasses placed on top of his straw hat.


    The old man seemed to be around the age of sixty, and was mostly bald, except for a few patches of hair near the back of his ears.


    Although considered part of the Moonside neighborhood, the old man''s house was located far away from the rest of the houses, up above Horrington Hill, giving the old man a complete view of the neighborhood from a reasonable height.


    "Oh? What''s this?" Suddenly, the old man raised his sunglasses and squinted his eyes at one of the houses. Although he was old, the old man considered his eyesight to still be top-notch. That''s why he was able to spot the small group of people who were hiding behind the bushes, seemingly trying to spy on one of the houses in the neighborhood, with such ease.


    "Robbers?" The old man raised his eyebrows before leaning down to his left side where a small red box was present and grabbed a long spyglass out from it, placing it close to his right eye as he squinted, looking through the lens to find out more about this suspicious group of people.


    "They''re children?" The old man sounded surprised. He hadn''t expected the suspicious group of people to be composed of three young boys who were barely above eighteen years of age.


    What were they upto?


    The old man looked through the spyglass once again, trying to find out what these boys were planning on doing.


    "Are they planning on breaking into Carrick''s home?" The old man seemed nervous as he finished his words, and a bead of sweat slowly dripped down from the side of his forehead down to his cheeks.


    The boys certainly were looking straight at Carrick''s house, and the old man''s worries grew.


    "Sh*t!" The old man clicked his tongue and stomped his foot on the floor before leaping up from his chair and walking into his house, searching for his phone.


    "Where on earth did I keep that thing?" The man mumbled under his breath as he started rummaging through the table before moving towards the couch.


    He planted his hand underneath the couch cushions and pulled out an old phone with physical buttons on its front. He dialed a number into it and then placed it close to his ears, tapping his finger on his waist in a rhythmic manner as he waited for the caller tune to end and the phone to be picked up.


    "Come on.. come on.." The old man mumbled under his breath as he waited for the other party to pick up the phone. But unfortunately for him, the person on the other end didn''t pick up his call, and the old man was left with a bitter taste in his mouth.


    "F*cking hell. What the f*ck are you doing, Carrick?" The old man screamed loudly as he raised his hand up into the air, holding the phone tightly. He looked like he was about to throw the phone down and smash it on the ground, but in the end, he decided not to, and lowered his hands.


    He then dialed another number, and placed the phone near his ears once again.


    The phone rang for a few seconds before the other party picked up. "What''s the matter? Why did you call me?" The man on the other line spoke softly, and the old man replied, "Someone''s trying to break into Carrick''s house."


    There was silence for a few seconds. And then, the man spoke. "Who are they?"


    "Just some kids." The old man responded immediately without wasting any time.


    "Kids?" There was confusion in the man''s voice. It seems that he wasn''t expecting that answer from the old man, and was caught off guard.


    "Yes, kids. There''s like three of them." The old man picked up a single candy that had been sitting on top of the table as he spoke, and stared at it.


    "Did you call Carrrick and inform him about this situation?" The man kept asking questions, and the old man kept on replying, as though he had gone through the same procedure countless times before. "Yes, but he didn''t answer."


    "What''s the situation right now?" The man asked, and the old man walked outside, grabbed the spyglass that was placed on the lawn chair and brought it close to his eye.


    Through the spyglass, the old man could see the boys entering the house through one of the windows. "They''ve entered the house." He whispered softly into the phone, and the other line went silent.


    "Henry?" The old man spoke once again, and the person on the other line, Henry, replied. "Come on over to my house, Peter. Quickly."


    With that, Henry had hung up the call, and the old man, Peter, stared at his phone for a few seconds before he bit his lips and put on his slippers, as he slowly made his way down the dirt road that led to the rest of the neighborhood.


    ------------------


    "The monster.." Noah whispered softly. "What happened to the monsterˇ­" "Don''t worry about it." Gerald said from the kitchen as he grabbed a tub of ice cream from the refrigerator and slammed the door before making his way back to the living room. "We beat that thing." He said as he sat down on one of the beanbags. "Of course, only because you injured the guy!"


    "I did?" Noah mumbled under his breath, clearly confused about what Gerald just said to him. He had no recollection of seriously injuring the monster. He remembered fighting the creature, sure.. But to seriously injure it to the point that amateurs like these four were able to take him down?


    ''What on earth is happening to me?'' Noah thought to himself as he patted his forehead.


    Gerald, who saw the confused and exhausted expression on Noah''s face, contemplated his words for a few seconds before opening his mouth to speak. "You know, you really don''t have to push yourself now. You''re injured. Don''t think about too much stuff right now. Get some rest, and you can think later."


    He then turned to look at Alphonso, who immediately nodded his head upon understanding what Gerald wanted to say. "Ye- yeah... Noah, just don''t worry about anything right now. Your health is what matters more."


    "Hah, I guess you guys are rightˇ­" Noah began breathing loudly and he laid back onto the couch once again, slowly closing his eyes as he attempted to drift back into sleep.


    Gerald then turned his gaze towards Max, who was staring at the curtains that covered the window with a serious expression on his face, and he couldn''t help but raise his eyebrows.


    "What''s the problem, Max? Is there something wrong?" Gerald asked Max, who immediately turned around to face him. Gerald''s words also made both Alphonso and Harold shift their attention towards him.


    "I don''t know. But I do feel a bit uneasy.." Max replied with a soft and low voice. His words made Gerald, Alphonso and Harold look at each other. By now, they all knew that they couldn''t ignore the feelings of uneasiness anymore. After all, they all are superhumans who have enhanced abilities. Almost anything they feel has to be taken seriously and cannot be ignored without looking into it first.


    "What kind of uneasiness?" Gerald moved closer to Max as he started to ask questions, and Alphonso and Harold turned towards the windows, slowly moving towards their sides and glancing through the small openings of the curtains; to catch a glimpse of the situation outside.


    "It''s.. it''s not something similar to the feeling you get when you face a monster.." Max started explaining his words, although he found it quite difficult to put into words what he was feeling. "It''s more of a.. more of a normal threat. Well, normal for superhumans like us."


    "Uh, guysˇ­" Alphonso whispered softly and motioned his hands to Gerald and Max, who tilted their heads in his direction.


    "There might be a bit of a problem." Harold completed his words as he pointed at the window, and both Gerald and Max walked towards the spot where Harold was standing.


    The two boys looked through the small opening of the curtain, and their eyes widened with shock. Outside the fence were about thirty or so people who were all standing in front of the entrance gate with serious expressions. The group of people consisted of old and middle-aged men and women, and from the looks of it, they all seemed to be part of the neighborhood.


    "What is up with these people? Why are they standing right outside someone else''s house?" Alphonso squinted his eyes as he scanned the crowd.


    "Did you guys make sure that you weren''t being monitored while you were breaking into the house?" Noah spoke from the couch with a weak voice, and everyone''s attention turned to him. "I meant using your enhanced abilities." He clarified.


    "I couldn''t find anyone nearby. But then again, my senses aren''t exactly that powerful either. So I could''ve only ended up covering a short distance of the surroundings." Max replied with a soft voice.


    The others couldn''t even reply, as they all had only recently awakened their powers.


    "Well, I guess we have to figure out a way to get out of this situation..." Noah clicked his tongue as he began to think.

 Chapter 132 - New Plan

    Moonside Neighborhood.


    The old man, Peter, walked on the sidewalk, passing by multiple large and extravagant houses until he reached the front gate of a house with a modern architectural design.


    The exterior of the house seemed modern and futuristic, simultaneously providing the viewer with the feelings of warmth and coldness. It is the clean front that promises rest and comfort within the house, and at the same time, warns you about the sense of loneliness that modern architecture has morphed into these days.


    The old man slowly opened the front gate and stepped inside, walking on the marble panels that were floating on top of an enormous pond that flowed under it. The whole pathway might give others a magical feeling, as though they were entering a palace of dreams, but the old man walked over the panels with no care in the world, not even glancing down at the beautiful pond.


    He stepped onto the entrance and stood in front of an enormous black door that looked like a monolith that was sent from the future, and rang the doorbell.


    Whoosh!


    The door slowly opened within seconds after pushing the doorbell, and a beautiful woman appeared in front of the old man and gracefully bowed her head.


    "Master is waiting for you in the living room, Mr. Baumann," The lady spoke in an elegant tone, not even raising her head and still staying in the same position with her head bowed down.


    Peter Baumann, the old man, nodded his head. "Thank you, Nichole.." He smiled wide as he spoke, revealing his gold teeth, and he patted the girl softly on her shoulder as he walked past her and entered the building.


    The interior of the house was just as grand and vast as the exterior, with monolithic art pieces and large and long windows complimenting the white and clean interior design that would make people feel as though they were inside a spaceship.


    The old man, Peter, walked through the building, not minding the large statues and art pieces and entered the living room where another old man sat near the fireplace in a white and black striped couch while wearing a large purple robe, his fingers rubbing against the wine glass that was filled to the brim with red wine, and his other hand carrying a cigar that hadn''t been lit yet.


    "Peter! How wonderful it is to see you again, my friend!" The old man stood up with a smile as soon as he saw Peter enter the room, stretching both his hands out with a joyous expression on his face.


    A faint smile blossomed on Peter Baumann''s face as he slowly walked towards the old man and accepted his embrace with a long and heavy sigh.


    The two men were extremely different in appearance. One gave off the impression of wealth and status, while the other seemed relatively poor and despondent. However, the two men did not seem to care about each other''s appearance and what they might represent in a normal society as they embraced tightly.


    "It''s been far too long, my friend.." The old man whispered softly as he patted on Peter''s shoulder. "Far too long for a simple embrace!"


    "You know you could always come on over to my place for a quick chat, right?" Peter said with a short chuckle, and the two men moved back. "It''s funny that you mentioned it, because I was able to say the exact same thing!" The old man snickered as he lightly punched Peter''s chest, and Peter chuckled in response.


    "We can catch up on what we missed out later, old pal.." Peter tapped his shoulder as he spoke. "But first, we have to deal with the problem that I mentioned to you a few minutes ago." The old man turned his gaze around, rubbing his chin with a serious expression before opening his mouth to speak. "Right, the kids, if I remember correctly."


    The old man, Henry, then walked over to another couch and sat down slowly, grabbing his wine glass and swiveling it slightly as Peter took the seat that was opposite to him.


    "Do you have any idea what the kids might be after?" Henry asked as he rubbed his long white beard, and Peter shrugged his shoulders. "I haven''t seen them before in my life. This was the first time that I''ve seen them."


    "They could be Carrick''s students. He''s working as a teacher right now if I recall." Henry scratched his ear and spoke with raised eyebrows.


    Peter nodded his head in response, "Could be his students. But that still doesn''t answer why they broke into his home, though." He leaned forward, and his expression turned even more serious. "And you and I both know that we can''t afford to have anyone enter into our homes to snoop around. You know that it''s too dangerous, right?"


    "I know, I knowˇ­ you really don''t have to remind me, Peter." Henry waved his hands in the air in a dismissive manner in response to Peter''s words. His fingers once again rubbed against the wine glass, right after which he brought it close to his mouth and took a large sip, gulping down almost half of the wine inside the glass within one go.


    "Hah!" Henry pulled the glass back and let out a long sigh before continuing his words. "It''s just- it''s just been way too long since we''ve done this, that I just thought we wouldn''t have to do it again."


    He placed the wine glass on the glass table in front of him. "Maybe I was just being naive." He turned to look at Peter, asking for an answer, or perhaps he was hoping for words of encouragement, but all he got was silence.


    "... I''ll call the others." Henry said after a few more seconds of silence as he got up from his couch. "We''ll be ready in ten minutes."


    Peter nodded, but he said nothing.


    -------------------


    "What is up with these people? Why are they standing right outside someone else''s house?" Alphonso squinted his eyes as he scanned the crowd. "Did you guys make sure that you weren''t being monitored while you were breaking into the house?" Noah spoke from the couch with a weak voice, and everyone''s attention turned to him. "I meant using your enhanced abilities." He clarified.


    "I couldn''t find anyone nearby. But then again, my senses aren''t exactly that powerful either. So I could''ve only ended up covering a short distance of the surroundings." Max replied with a soft voice.


    The others couldn''t even reply, as they all had only recently awakened their powers. "Well, I guess we have to figure out a way to get out of this situation.." Noah clicked his tongue as he began to think.


    "You think they might have already seen us breaking and entering?" Max whispered softly under his breath as he glanced back and forth at the window and Noah.


    "The expressions on these motherf*cker''s faces make me think that they mean business!" Harold said as he peeked through the curtains once again and briefly looked at the small crowd gathered outside Mr. Carrick''s house. "So yeah, I definitely think that somebody saw at least one of us entering the house."


    "They won''t try to break into the house just to get us, will they?" Gerald asked.


    "They won''t have to, if they figure out that the lock on the front door has already been broken." Harold said as he glanced at Noah, and the others followed his gaze, staring at him.


    "I had to be quick, okayˇ­" Noah clicked his tongue as he rubbed his forehead. "I didn''t expect to get caught up in a situation like this!"


    "What''s the situation in the backyard?" Max asked and Gerald shook his head. "No way out there either. They''ve circled the entire house."


    "F*ck! Don''t tell me that we''re f*cked?" Harold groaned with anger and frustration as he sat down on the couch right next to Noah.


    "We should probably head down the secret tunnel!" Alphonso said as he pointed in the direction of the bathroom, and everyone turned to look at him.


    "What the f*ck do we do after we head down the tunnel, dumba**? Don''t tell me that you''re planning on camping down there for all eternity?" Harold said with a snort as he yelled at Alphonso.


    "Nobody''s saying that we have to camp down there, alright? Don''t misinterpret my words. I''m not that dumb!" Alphonso clicked his tongue with a dissatisfied expression on his face as he stared at Harold.


    "Well then, what is your plan, Phonzi?" Gerald asked Alphonso with a curious gaze, and Max shifted his gaze towards him.


    "Ehem! We all know that the secret tunnel leads to an underground cavern that is ridiculously large, right?" Alphonso let out a fake cough for dramatic purposes and spoke with a grin on his face, which only made Harold squint his eyebrows.


    But soon, as Alphonso continued to explain his plan, Harold''s eyes widened with surprise, and so did the eyes of the rest of the group.


    Could this actually work?

 Chapter 133 - Witch Hunt

    Inside New World City Police Station.


    "Well, well, well.. isn''t this a great place to work!" Commander Niko Larsen said with a beaming smile on his face as he stretched out both his hands and clapped so loud that he almost made Detective Lewis, who was standing right next to him, flinch.


    "You guys are lucky that you have such a neat and tidy looking place, detective!" Commander Niko said as he turned to Detective Lewis and slapped him on his back, and the detective resisted the urge to yell loudly in pain, giving a forceful node and a fake smile in response to the commander''s complement. "Thank youˇ­ commander.."


    He then rubbed both his hands together as he looked around, scanning the whole surroundings with his sharp eyes, making sure that he kept it all memorized inside his head. "Aha!" He then clapped loudly once again right before pointing his finger at an empty desk right next to the window, and said. "I''ll be taking that desk right there!"


    He shifted his gaze towards Detective Harry, and asked, his sharp and cold eyes studying the detective''s every motion with intricate detail. "That''s fine, isn''t it, Detective Harry Stone?"


    ''You phrased it like a question, but it sure didn''t sound like one..'' Although Detective Harry wanted to say what he really thought about the question of the commander, he decided to keep it to himself and nodded his head with a faint smile on his face. "Of course not, Commander! If you want it, then you can definitely take that seat!"


    Detective Harry gave a thumbs up, and Commander Niko let out a terrifyingly loud laughter that echoed throughout the station. "Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! Wonderful! Wonderful!" He continued to laugh with his mouth wide open and clapped furiously.


    Clap! Clap! Clap!


    The entire police department turned their attention towards the Commander with confusion and fear in their eyes. Ignoring the numerous gazes that he was getting, the commander walked towards the empty desk and placed his briefcase on top of the desk, before grabbing the chair, pushing it back and sitting down on it.


    Both the detectives looked at each other, confused and shocked by what they had just witnessed. They then turned their gazes towards Special Agent Alan Fischer, who was standing behind them with a bitter smile on his face.


    "Someone who isn''t exactly normal, huh?" Detective Harry whispered softly with a slight grin on his face, and Agent Alan shook his head as he let out a long and heavy sigh. "I may have understated it."


    "You think?" Detective Lewis said with a snort and Agent Alan tilted his head, giving the impression of someone who was helpless. "He''s definitely a character, but he''s good at his job. That''s why he''s in the position that he''s in right now. Don''t forget that." Agent Alan patted the two detectives on the shoulder as he slipped his cup of coffee, and the two detectives nodded their heads in unison. "Understood, Special Agent Alan!"


    "Great! Well then, I guess it''s time for a briefing from the commander himself." Agent Alan smiled as he gave a slight slap on the back of the two detectives and pointed at the commander. "Commander Niko! We''re ready for you in the conference room!"


    "Got it!" Commander Niko gave a big smile and a thumbs up as his response.


    --------------------


    Outside Carrick''s House, Moonside Neighborhood.


    The group of people were standing right in front of Carrick''s house, completely surrounding the building, with their eyes closely studying each and every corner of the property, making sure that no one was trying to sneak away.


    "Are you sure that they''re in there, Peter?" An old woman with wrinkly skin and snow white hair turned to look at old man Peter with a questionable expression on her face.


    "Oh come on, Linda! You really think that I''d go through the trouble of calling each and every one of you if I wasn''t sure that I hadn''t seen someone entering the house?" Peter said with an annoyed tone as he turned to look at the old lady who was called Linda. He seemed offended by Linda''s words.


    "I was simply asking a question. You don''t have to be so mean about it," Linda replied with an innocent and hurt expression on her face, as though she hadn''t meant to sound like an a**hole. She then narrowed her eyes and glanced at Peter for a split second before returning to her normal gaze. "But getting old can affect your senses. And who knows, maybe it might even make some people see things that weren''t there in the first place!"


    "Oh for f*ck''s sake! I''m not hallucinating, you dumb b*tch!" Peter rolled his eyes as he screamed at Linda, who grabbed her chest and gasped loudly, staring at Peter with widened eyes, as though she was shocked by what he just said. "How dare you call me a b*tch! I was just providing my opinion, and you had the audacity to call me such a lowly name!"


    "Oh don''t even pretend like you didn''t know what you were saying, Linda. We all know that this is you trying to make me look bad because of the incident that took place forty years ago!" Peter shook his head and laughed at Linda with a disdainful look, and Linda screamed loudly. "That has nothing to do with this! I have already gotten over it! F*ck you!"


    The others in the crowd simply stood there, watching the two old people yell and scream at each other like toddlers. They glanced at each other awkwardly, trying to ask others to step in and solve this problem. However, no one was ready to get involved in this mess.


    Well, all except one.


    "Alright you two! That''s enough!" Henry appeared right on time and pushed the two angry old people away from each other as he stood in the middle. "Do not forget! We''re not here to fight! No more of theseˇ­ these childish tantrums! Do you hear me?"


    He glanced back and forth at Linda and Peter as he spoke, and the two mumbled under their breath. "Yeah Henry." "Yes, Chief."


    "Good! Now, let''s get down to business!" Henry let out a sigh of relief before clapping loudly, and his gaze turned to Carrick''s house. "What''s the deal with Carrick? Does anyone know?"


    He looked around the crowd, looking for any positive responses, but found none.


    "I don''t know, chief," A tall man with really long blonde hair and crooked teeth spoke softly. "Carrick hasn''t been coming over to meet with Pa and Ma either. It''s like he''d become a whole new person."


    "So no one''s seen him?" Henry looked at Peter, who shrugged his shoulders. "I was only outside for fifteen minutes before I saw those kids. But I can tell you this. The lights inside the house were on, which generally used to mean Carrick was at home."


    "So the kids broke in while he was in the house?" Henry scratched his chin with confusion. In the end he shook his head and opened his mouth to speak, "I guess there''s only one way to find out what really happenedˇ­"


    He began walking towards the entrance gate, and the crowd moved with him, following him close behind.


    WHAM!


    He pushed open the gate and stepped inside Mr. Carrick''s property, heading straight for the front door. The crowd waited, anxious as to what the result might be.


    Henry stopped right in front of the front door, and his eyes widened. He stood there frozen for a few seconds before turning around to face the crowd.


    "It appears that the front door is open." He pushed open the front door as soon as he finished speaking, and the crowd began to whisper amongst themselves.


    Henry glanced at the doorknob with an intense gaze, studying the lock with great detail before raising his head up. "It appears that the lock has been broken by someone."


    "What?" Peter, who was surprised by Henry''s words, suddenly yelled out loud, which caught the attention of others, who turned their gazes towards him.


    "What''s the matter, Peter?" Henry asked, and Peter scratched his cheeks before replying, "I saw the kids enter through the window on the other side. Not the front door."


    People began to whisper amongst themselves as soon as Peter finished speaking, and Henry stared at the door once again.


    "Someone else got in..?" Henry whispered softly under his breath. He then turned around and waved his hands at the crowd of people who had completely surrounded the house, and he screamed. "We''re heading in, people! Be ready! And be careful!, We don''t know who else got in the house, and who else knows our secret! So keep an eye out for anything suspicious!"


    "Aye, chief!'' The crowd screamed loudly as they raised their arms up into the air, revealing the machetes, knives and chainsaws that they were holding in their hands.


    "Good! Now.." Henry pushed open the door and entered the house. ".... Let''s hunt some children!"

 Chapter 134 - Enter The Mob

    "Someone who isn''t exactly normal, huh?" Detective Harry whispered softly, and Agent Alan shook his head as he let out a long and heavy sigh. "I may have understated it." "You think?" Detective Lewis said with a slight grin.


    Agent Alan tilted his head, giving the impression of someone who was helpless. "He''s definitely a character, but he''s good at his job. That''s why he''s in the position that he''s in right now. Don''t forget that." Agent Alan patted the two detectives on the shoulder as he slipped his cup of coffee, and the two detectives nodded their heads in unison. "Understood, Special Agent Alan!"


    "Great! Well then, I guess it''s time for a briefing from the commander himself." Agent Alan smiled as he gave a slight slap on the back of the two detectives and pointed at the commander. "Commander Niko! We''re ready for you in the conference room!" "Got it!" Commander Niko gave a big smile and a thumbs up as his response.


    The two detectives and the rest of the police officers who were on duty headed towards the conference room, and Agent Alan walked up to Commander Niko Larsen, who was looking through his opened briefcase, pulling out bundles of paper and notes, with a tablet placed right next to him on the desk.


    "Commander Niko," Agent Alan said as he sat down opposite the Commander, who nodded his head slightly with a faint smile on his face before shifting his gaze back at his briefcase, as he began arranging the paper bundles. "Special Agent Alan! How are you doing these days?"


    "I''m doing fine." Agent Alan nodded back with a smile. "Although the death of Agent Edgerton really did make me reconsider the situation that we''re caught up in."


    "Oh, yes. Such terrible news to hear. I cannot believe we lost him." Commander Niko spoke with a serious expression on his face, and Agent Alan squinted his eyes for a split second before returning to normal.


    "Oh, I almost forgot! Thank you for finding a place for my soldiers to stay until we brought the situation under control. You really helped us!" Commander Niko raised his head up, shifting his gaze from the briefcase placed on the desk onto Agent Alan''s face.


    "Uh, yeah, you''re welcome." Agent Alan waved his hands dismissively. He glanced back and forth at Commander Niko and the briefcase, his expression shifting constantly, as though he was hesitant about something. "Commander Niko, may I ask you something?"


    "Uh, sure, I guess? Go for it. What do you want to know?" Commander Niko nodded his head quickly as he grabbed the bundle of papers in one hand and the tablet in his other, and he turned to look at Alan.


    "You are aware that although you have been assigned a squad that is supposed to only be under your supervision, you aren''t effectively allowed to work on your own, right?" Agent Alan squinted his eyes as he spoke, his gaze studying Commander Niko''s facial expressions. "I''m sure Calvin Hoover briefed you before the mission, but I call the shots. I hope you know that."


    "Oh, of course! You don''t have to mention such an obvious thing to me, Agent Alan!" Commander Niko shrugged his shoulders and let out a loud chuckle, showing off his white teeth as he did so. "Trust me, Special Agent. I''m not planning on stepping on anyone''s toes. You do you, Alan. I won''t interfere with your business."


    "Good. I''m glad to hear that." Agent Alan nodded his head. He then pointed his hand towards the conference room and said, "Well then, I guess you should be heading over to the conference room. It''s that room over there."


    "Thanks. Wish me luck!" Commander Niko said with a beaming smile as he walked past Agent Alan, who''s faint smile disappeared in an instant as soon as he passed by him. Alan''s gaze followed the back of Commander Niko, and he waited for a few seconds before deciding to follow him towards the conference room.


    ---------------


    "It appears that the lock has been broken by someone."


    "What?" Peter, who was surprised by Henry''s words, suddenly yelled out loud. "What''s the matter, Peter?" Henry asked, and Peter scratched his cheeks before replying, "I saw the kids enter through the window on the other side. Not the front door."


    "Someone else got in..?" Henry whispered softly under his breath. He then turned around and waved his hands at the crowd of people who had completely surrounded the house, and he screamed. "We''re heading in, people! Be ready! And be careful!, We don''t know who else got in the house, and who else knows our secret! So keep an eye out for anything suspicious!"


    "Aye, chief!'' The crowd screamed loudly as they raised their arms up into the air, revealing the machetes, knives and chainsaws that they were holding in their hands. "Good! Now.." Henry pushed open the door and entered the house. "... Let''s hunt some children!"


    The small crowd that consisted mostly of old and middle-aged people slowly entered Mr. Carrick''s House in an orderly manner, with Henry leading the group and Peter and Linda following right behind him.


    The group scanned the surroundings as they slowly made their way towards the living room, studying each and every corner of the building, looking for anything suspicious that could perhaps help them find the intruders.


    Henry slowed down a bit and mixed in with the front row of the crowd of people, positioning himself right in the middle of Linda and Peter as the people behind them spread out, each of them picking a different spot and carefully inspecting the living room.


    "Look for anything useful that may lead us to the intruders! Since we know that some of them might be children, look for any name tags that they might have accidentally dropped!" Henry ordered the people who had decided to inspect the living room and he got an instant response from them. "Aye, Chief!"


    Peter, who was standing right next to Henry, leaned towards Henry a bit and whispered softly under his breath. "Who do you have keeping an eye on the neighborhood border?"


    Henry glanced at him and smiled. "Or course, I have not forgotten about that, my old friend." He whispered softly in response. "The younglings and their wives are keeping an eye out. They''ll notify us if something unusual is happening."


    Peter nodded his head.


    "I guess we''ll move forward!" Realizing that the intruders aren''t in the living room, the group of people headed towards the bathroom.


    "Do you think they figured out how to open the secret door?" Linda asked Henry with a look of concern on her face, and Henry shrugged his shoulders in response. "I don''t know, Linda. But maybe we''ll be able to figure it out once we open it."


    Henry then turned around and looked at one of the men who was standing right behind him. The man flinched at first, confused as to why the chief was staring at him, but once he realized what the chief wanted him to do, he nodded his head and stepped forward.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    He walked towards the mirror right above the sink and lifted it up, revealing the hidden switch underneath it.


    Flip!


    The man flipped the switch up, and all of a sudden, the walls of the bathroom began to shake violently.


    The crowd of people, however, didn''t seem to even care about the trembling underneath their feet. Instead, their gazes were focused on the wall of the bathroom, which was now being separated into two sections, slowly moving away from each other, revealing the secret passageway.


    -----------------


    Inside the cavern.


    Noah''s, as well as the rest of the group''s ears twitched slightly, and everyone turned around to stare at the direction that they came from.


    "They''re heading downˇ­" Noah said with a serious expression on his face, and Alphonso turned to look at Max. "The stage is all yours, dude."


    Max nodded his head, and he closed his eyes and waved his hands up in the air. The others tilted their heads up at the roof of the cavern, which they could see shaking violently.


    "Careful, we just want to move the boulders. Use the roots to block them from falling down." Alphonso spoke softly as he glanced back and forth at Max and the roof.


    "I know, I know!" Max said with a frustrated voice as he grit his teeth and began concentrating.


    Alphonso then rubbed both his hands together and walked towards Max, standing right behind him as he stretched out his hands, lightly pressing on Max''s shoulders, which soon began to glow brightly.


    The rest of the group watched as various roots began to sprout out from the roof of the cavern, forming a layer of roots underneath the roof, right after which the boulders and the dirt began to be displaced to the sides as bigger and bigger roots began to burrow through the roof, making a huge hole above.

 Chapter 135 - The Great Escape

    Inside Mr. Carrick''s House.


    A few minutes ago.


    "We should probably head down the secret tunnel!" Alphonso said as he pointed in the direction of the bathroom. "And what on earth do we do after we head down the tunnel, you idiot? Don''t tell me that you''re planning on camping down there for all eternity?" Harold said with a snort as he yelled at Alphonso.


    "Nobody''s saying that we have to camp down there, alright? Don''t misinterpret my words. I''m not that dumb!" Alphonso clicked his tongue with a dissatisfied expression on his face as he stared at Harold. "Well then, what is your plan, Phonzi?" Gerald asked Alphonso with a curious gaze, and Max shifted his gaze towards him.


    "Ehem! We all know that the secret tunnel leads to an underground cavern that is ridiculously large, right?" Alphonso let out a fake cough for dramatic purposes and spoke with a grin on his face, which only made Harold squint his eyebrows.


    "We do know that. But how does that help us?" Gerald asked as he leaned forward in his couch, intrigued by Alphonso''s words. "The cavern doesn''t have an exit. It only has one way to go in and out." Gerald pointed his finger at the direction of the as he spoke. "And that''s that hidden pathway over there!"


    "You''re right! There is only one way to go and out of the cavern! I agree. Exceptˇ­" He had a sly grin on his face as he stretched out his hands to point at Max, who was surprised at what was happening and stared at Alphonso, tilting his head with a puzzled expression on his face. "We have Max over here!" Alphonso ignored the confused looks that he was getting and completed his words.


    "I still don''t get what you''re talking about.." Harold rolled his eyes and tapped his watch. "We don''t have time to be theatrical! Get on with it!"


    "Alright, alright! Geez.." Alphonso shook his head with a sigh and he continued, "Although the cavern has only a single pathway that is used to go in and out, it is still just a normal cavern. Meaning, the roof is still made out of mud and rocks." He then walked towards Max and sat down next to him, patting him on the shoulder as he spoke. "Max here can control and manipulate the destiny of nature, right? Why doesn''t he make the roots of large trees head down under the dirt and burrow a hole through the mud until it reaches the roof of the cavern underneath?"


    "Wouldn''t the roof simply collapse as a result?" Gerald asked, and Alphonso nodded his head. "It would. But not if we do something to prevent that from happening."


    "Like what?" Harold scratched his chin and stared at Alphonso with narrowed eyes. He might be annoyed by Alphonso''s behavior, but he definitely was intrigued by what he was saying. He actually did sound like he had a plan.


    "Max can manipulate the roots to form a layer underneath the roof," Alphonso said as he used his hands to better demonstrate his plan. "Sort of like a fake roof, made up of roots and vines that''ll hold the mud and rocks up and prevent them from collapsing and falling down."


    Harold''s eyes widened, and so did the rest of the group''s. They were all surprised by the plan that Alphonso had thought up. Perhaps this could really work?


    Gerald turned his gaze towards Max. "Would you be able to do this, Max?" Gerald wanted to know what Max thought of Alphonso''s plan. After all, he was the one who knew the most about his powers. "Can you handle such a task? Is it possible?"


    "Hmˇ­" Max bit his lips and tapped his fingers on his knees. His narrowed eyes indicated that he was thinking about Alphonso''s plan. "I think it might be doable." He said in a hushed tone, and everyone''s expression brightened up. "Of course, this will probably drain a lot of energy from my body, so I don''t know how long I might be able to keep it up."


    "I can help out with that." Alphonso immediately raised his hand up in the air, and everyone turned their attention towards him. "I could utilize my healing ability to continuously heal his core and reenergize him. It might be a difficult task, but it would definitely help in prolonging the process."


    "Huh.." Harold clicked his tongue as he got up from the couch and looked around at the rest of the group. "I guess we are doing it, then?"


    Gerald looked at Max and Alphonso, who both shrugged their shoulders in response. He then turned to look at Harold and nodded his head. "Alright then. Let''s do this sh*t!"


    "We should probably get moving!" Noah, who was lying on the couch, suddenly got up and pointed at the window. "They''re moving closer to the building. We don''t have much time."


    "Let''s move towards the secret pathway!" Gerald said as he leapt up from his seat and dashed to the bathroom, and the rest of the group immediately followed him close behind.


    -----------------


    Back in the present day.


    "The stage is all yours, dude." Max nodded his head as he closed his eyes and waved his hands up in the air. The others tilted their heads up at the roof of the cavern, which they could see shaking violently.


    "Careful, we just want to move the boulders. Use the roots to block them from falling down." Alphonso spoke softly as he glanced back and forth at Max and the roof. "I know, I know!" Max said with a frustrated voice as he grit his teeth and began concentrating.


    "I''ll help you out!" Alphonso said as he rubbed both his hands together and walked towards Max. He stood right behind him as he stretched out both his hands, lightly pressing on Max''s shoulders, which soon began to glow brightly. The rest of the group watched as various roots began to sprout out from the roof of the cavern, forming a layer of roots underneath the roof, right after which the boulders and the dirt began to be displaced to the sides as bigger and bigger roots began to burrow through the roof, making a huge hole above.


    WHAM!


    The hole continued to grow larger and larger as more vines and roots began to enter through the opening, and the roots that exited the hole stuck itself close to the roof, stopping the boulders and dirt that were displaced from their original position from falling down onto the ground or onto one of the boys.


    "I think this is enough!" Gerald said as he turned his gaze from the large opening that had been formed above them and onto Max and Alphonso, who both nodded their heads. "The hole is big enough for us to escape!"


    "You guys go on ahead! We have to keep using our powers, or else the whole thing may collapseˇ­" Alphonso said with a weak voice as he closed his eyes, and the bright light that was emitting from his palms turned even brighter.


    Noah nodded his head and he then grabbed both Gerald and Harold by their waists from behind, making them gasp in surprise.


    "I''ll be back in a few seconds!" Noah said to Max and Alphonso, who both nodded their heads slightly before adjusting their focus back onto the task at hand.


    WHAM!


    Noah stomped his foot on the ground, and he was lifted into the air in an instant, carrying the two boys along with him as the group shot upwards, entering the large opening in their first try.


    Noah could feel the speed slowing down, and so, as soon as the trio reached inside the giant tunnel up in the roof of the cavern, he turned his direction sideways, and he slammed his foot onto the sides of the cylindrical opening.


    BAM!


    He stomped hard on the walls once again and flung upwards with incredible speed. Gerald and Harold looked up and saw the sky right above them, although the opening on the other side seemed a bit too small for three people.


    "Hold on!" Noah yelled out as they flew up, and both Gerald and Harold closed their eyes and ducked their heads down as Noah used his body to blast through the mud and the dirt that covered the opening with a loud noise!


    WHAM!


    Noah, who realized that they had already reached the outside, immediately controlled his speed, and he glided down onto the ground with ease, landing without making much noise.


    "Hahˇ­ Holy sh*t! That was intense!" Gerald said as he began panting as soon as Noah let go of him and Harold. "You can say that again.. urgh!" Harold said as he coughed multiple times.


    "I''m heading down the tunnel to grab the other two!" Noah said to the other two, who nodded their heads in response, and he turned around and stood right at the rim of the tunnel, looking down for a split second before leaping downwards with speed!


    Two saved, two more to go!

 Chapter 136 - Underground Rush

    New World City Police Station.


    "... Right, and that''s about it for the introduction!" Commissioner Bridge got up from his chair and walked up to Commander Niko Larsen with a smile and patted him on his back as he continued, "Commander Niko Larsen, everyone!"


    Clap! Clap! Clap!


    The group of police officers and detectives who were gathered inside the conference hall clapped at the words of the Commissioner, although no one seemed motivated to do it on their own. It was like the Commissioner had forced them to clap for the Commander.


    "That was less of a conference and more of a... a light meeting.." Detective Lewis whispered softly to Detective Harry, who nodded his head as he glanced at Special Agent Alan Fischer. "I guess they''re keeping it tight knit with the secrets and all thatˇ­"


    "So, you''re thinking Agent Alan had a talk with him about keeping his plans under wraps for now?" Detective Lewis, who had noticed Agent Alan standing in the corner of the room, asked, and Detective Harry shrugged his shoulders. "I don''t know. I guess we''ll never know."


    Beep! Beep!


    Almost all of the police officers had left the conference room after the speech when all of a sudden, Commander Niko Larsen''s phone began to beep, and his eyes widened.


    "What''s that?" Commissioner Be asked with his eyebrows raised and Commander Larsen responded with a smile. "Rapid BST energy detection software. It''s still in beta testing, but works pretty well."


    "Does that mean.." Detectives Lewis and Harry asked as they approached Commander Larsen, and Agent Alan responded, "That''s right! We have a monster to hunt!"


    -------------


    "Hold on!" Noah yelled out as they flew up, and both Gerald and Harold closed their eyes and ducked their heads down as Noah used his body to blast through the mud and the dirt that covered the opening with a loud noise! Noah, who realized that they had already reached the outside, immediately controlled his speed, and he glided down onto the ground with ease, landing without making much noise.


    "Hahˇ­ Holy sh*t! That was intense!" Gerald said as he began panting as soon as Noah let go of him and Harold. "You can say that again.. urgh!" Harold said as he coughed multiple times.


    "I''m heading down the tunnel to grab the other two!" Noah said to the other two, who nodded their heads in response, and he turned around and stood right at the rim of the tunnel, looking down for a split second before leaping downwards with speed! Two saved, two more to go!


    Whoosh!


    Noah moved through the large tunnel, charging through the opening and reaching the other side within a split second! Or course, flying straight down instead of leaping upwards is always going to be the easier choice!


    Noah''s eyes narrowed as he glanced at Max and Alphonso, who both were still using their abilities to push the vines upwards and hold the roof of the cavern high up and steady.


    Flip!


    Right before reaching the ground, Noah immediately moved his hands downwards and pointed at the ground, as flames shot out of his palms like it was a flamethrower!


    Whoosh!


    It greatly reduced the speed on Noah''s descent, and he landed down on the ground with a soft tap with his foot!


    "Are you guys ready?" Noah turned his head towards the direction of Alphonso and Max, who had beads of sweat dripping down from their foreheads like crazy. It was almost as if they had just gotten out of the bath and forgot to dry their hair!


    "You thinkˇ­ you can.. make it through the opening fast enough before it.. collapses?" Max asked with a stutter in his voice. He was clearly too exhausted to speak in one go, and so he had to stop and take a deep breath in order to complete his sentences.


    "I''m pretty sure I can.." Noah said with a serious expression on his face and he nodded his head. His ears then twitched slightly, and all of a sudden, his eyes widened with surprise and he looked to the side, straight at the route which they took to get to this place.


    "What''sˇ­ what''s wrong?" Alphonso, who also seemed to be tired, but definitely not as much as Max, asked as he saw Noah staring at the pathway they took with narrowed eyes, as though he was expecting danger to arrive.


    Alphonso knew that the enhanced abilities that they possess was no joke, and if there was something that made Noah serious, then it was not something that was meant to be taken lightly.


    "They''re heading downˇ­" Noah said in a hushed tone. "We have to get going.. right now!"


    He didn''t even finish completing his words as he stomped his foot on the ground and within a split second, he was near Max and Alphonso, completely stunning the two boys with his superspeed once again.


    "I still can''t.. get over.. how quick you areˇ­" Alphonso said with a slurred speech, and Noah ignored his words, grabbing him by the waist with one hand and using his other hand to get hold of Max as well.


    "Let''s go! We have no time to waste!" Noah said with a loud voice as he once again stomped his foot on the ground, and the trio were lifted up into the air, shooting upwards and heading straight for the large opening in the roof as the boulders right near the hole began to shake violently. The vines had stopped growing and were losing their strength to hold back the displaced dirt and rocks.


    WHAM!


    Just like before, Noah, who''s speed had begun to decrease rapidly as he slowed down, used his feet to strike the walls of the large tunnel.


    Howeverˇ­


    "What the-" Noah was caught off guard by the sudden destruction of the spot in the tunnel that he had stomped his foot on. The spot on the wall had been reduced to dirt, completely losing its thickness and roughness. The tunnel was also breaking down quickly.


    "Everything is collapsing! We have to hurry!" Max said as he took deep breaths, pointing at the vines and the roots that held the tunnel back beginning to start breaking into pieces, as the dirt and the rocks pushed forward from within the walls.


    WHAM!


    Nevertheless, it wasn''t enough to stop Noah. He only needed a split second of contact to leap upwards once again, and this time, he shot right through the opening on the other side, easily landing on the grass with a light noise.


    "Haah!" Noah let go of Alphonso and Max, who fell down onto the ground while panting loudly, their hands on their chests and their faces all covered in sweat and dirt.


    "Jesus Christ.. are you two alright?" Gerald asked as he walked up to him, and Harold followed close behind, staring at their faces with a serious and concerned expression.


    "I don''t know, manˇ­ We just blocked the roof from falling down and killing us! You tell me!" Alphonso said with an annoyed expression on his face right before coughing loudly multiple times, and Gerald clicked his tongue as he let out a long and heavy sigh, "You just won''t let a chance to be sarcastic and annoying go, would you?"


    WHAM! BAM! BOOM!


    Their interactions were cut short as the loud noise behind them interrupted their conversation, and the group of young boys turned around to look at the opening on the ground through which dust and dirt was flying out!


    "We should probably leave this place, right?" Harold said as he pointed his finger at the outer rims of the opening, which was beginning to show cracks, and the group of boys immediately turned to look at each other, their eyes widened with shock!


    "Move out of the way!" Noah yelled out loudly as a warning right before pushing the other four boys back, immediately after which he stomped his foot on the ground and burst out backwards, as the land that was under their feet just a few seconds ago suddenly broke into pieces and fell downwards into darkness and dust.


    "Hah.. hahˇ­" Max and Alphonso, the two exhausted boys were a bit slow on their feet, and as a result they weren''t able to get to safety as quickly as the others, which led to the land underneath their feet to crumble right as they were above it.


    "Sh*t! Sh*t! Sh*t!" Alphonso screamed loudly as the two boys suddenly lost their footing, and all of a sudden, he felt afraid. He felt more afraid than ever. He didn''t wish to die, but right now, he felt like he was about to, and that scared him.


    Whoosh!


    Luckily, Gerald used his hands, which stretched like rubber, to grab onto the two boys'' hands right before they fell down, and Noah helped him pull the two boys to safety.


    "Now, are you two alright?" Gerald asked as he took a deep breath while staring right at the two boys, glancing at Alphonso, who nodded his head as he panted, "Yeahˇ­ yeah, I guess I am.."

 Chapter 137 - A Bit Too Cultish

    "Do you think they figured out how to open the secret door?" Linda asked Henry with a look of concern on her face, and Henry shrugged his shoulders in response. "I don''t know, Linda. But maybe we''ll be able to figure it out once we open it."


    One of the men walked towards the mirror right above the sink and lifted it up, revealing the hidden switch underneath it. The man flipped the switch up, and all of a sudden, the walls of the bathroom began to shake violently.


    The crowd of people, however, didn''t seem to even care about the trembling underneath their feet. Instead, their gazes were focused on the wall of the bathroom, which was now being separated into two sections, slowly moving away from each other, revealing the secret passageway.


    "Let''s head inside, people!" Henry said as he turned around to face the rest of the crowd, who all now had their gazes focused on him. "And remember, be extremely careful! We don''t know who else might be hiding inside the cavern."


    "Yes, Chief!" The crowd yelled out in unison, and Chief Henry nodded his head. He then turned to his side and looked at a muscular man who seemed to be thirty years of age, and he grabbed the man''s shoulders, making him flinch and widen his eyes with surprise.


    "Ch- Chief?" The man asked with a shocked and surprised expression on his face, stuttering as he spoke his words.


    "Garry, I''m going to have to ask you to take the lead today," Chief Henry said with conviction in his voice, his blue eyes staring right into the eyes of the thirty year old man, Garry. "I''m too old, and I don''t think I''ll be able to defend well if a surprise attack comes from the front! That''s why, I''m going to have to ask you to take the lead."


    "Ch- Chief! If- If you''re not feeling well, then I highly suggest that you.. you take some rest." Garry spoke with a flustered expression on his face. He was still nervous, completely butchering his sentences as though he was currently speaking his second language. "Maybeˇ­ maybe you should just stay back at the house if it''s really that big of a deal-"


    "Don''t worry about me too much, Garry.." Garry''s words were cut off by the rough and coarse voice of Chief Henry, who said with a small chuckle, and Garry, who had realized his mistake, immediately bowed his head in response. "I- I apologize, Chief! I overstepped my boundaries. I made a mistake, and I shouldn''t have done that!"


    Beads of sweat had already begun to form on his face as Garry bowed his head down, and his hands were trembling. He clearly was afraid of the consequences of his actions.


    "It''s alright, Garryˇ­" Chief Henry said as he once again placed his hand on Garry''s shoulder, and Garry lifted his head up, his eyes now staring right at Henry''s face. "You don''t have to apologize for something as trivial as that. But I am going to need you to step up and take the lead for today. I hope you''re fine with that?"


    "Fine? Of- Of course, I''m totally fine with that!" Garry said loudly, still nervous about standing in front of the chief. "I''ll gladly take over from you, Chief!"


    "Good, good.. I''m glad to hear that!" Chief Henry said with a smile on his face as he patted Garry on his back, and he then moved backwards and blended in with the second row of the crowd, as Garry stepped forward and took the reigns from him.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    The group entered the secret tunnel, and the entire pathway had been dimly lit with candles that were bright just enough to see the steps beneath their feet, but not bright enough to see what''s a few metres in front of them.


    "Why are the candles all lit today?" Linda asked with her eyebrows raised, a confused expression present on her face as she spoke. "Did Carrick do that? Why on earth would he do that today?"


    "I don''t know what goes on inside Carrick''s head, Linda." Henry said as he focused his gaze in front, staring right at the dark pathway as he continued his words. "Don''t ask questions that you know I don''t have the answers to, and focus on the task at hand. We don''t want you getting distracted in a place were you know enemies are hiding. That''s a disaster that''s waiting to happen."


    "I- I apologize, Chief!" Linda said with a flustered voice. She initially waved her hands around in the air, unsure of what to do before bowing her head down and yelling out her apology. It appears that this was her first time being scolded by the Chief himself, which might''ve made her confused and uncertain of what the right procedure was. "I made a mistake."


    "It''s alright. Just don''t lose your focus, and you''ll be fine, Linda." The Chief replied, but he still didn''t turn his head around to look at Linda.


    Peter, who was standing to the right of Henry, let out a snort as he stared at Linda with an expression that was a mixture of disdain and anger on his face, before following Henry close behind.


    Peter didn''t know, but Linda had caught a glance of Peter''s expression from before, and her eyes flashed with resentment evident in her gaze.


    The group made their way through the long and dimly lit pathway and reached the enormous cavern.


    Although the cavern, which was huge and tall enough to disguise the fact that it was actually underground, was a sight that would amaze almost anyone who was seeing it for the first time, the small crowd under Chief Henry didn''t seem impressed by the surroundings in the slightest. They didn''t even look at it for even a complete second. It seemed as though they had already seen the cavern before.


    "Where to, Chief Henry?" Garry, who was the one in front of the crowd, turned his head around and glanced at Henry as he asked, and Henry pointed his finger straight at one of the many pathways that they could see in front. "We''ll head towards the trophy room first. And then, we can head towards the sacrificial chamber."


    "Yes Chief!" The crowd chanted loudly in unison, and Garry nodded his head before turning around and heading forward.


    The group moved through a narrow pathway and reached another area within the cavern. This place was a bit more narrower and smaller than the other area with the countless eggs that were lined up.


    "Thank goodness.." Henry let out a sigh of relief as he stared at the area in front of him with a beaming smile on his face. "It''s all still intact." The crowd began to murmur among themselves, with almost everyone letting out sighs of relief in response. "


    In front of the small crowd of people was the giant pile of bones and skulls that Alphonso and Max had seen before. The bones and skulls were placed on top of one another to create a terrifying and ominous looking pyramid structure.


    The number of skulls that one could count had already gone past a dozen and that was only the number at the bottom part of just one of the pyramids.


    The pyramid structures were a bit taller than a normal person, with its height probably reaching around two to two and a half meters.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    Chief Henry slowly walked up to one of the pyramid structures and looked up and down at the structure with devotion in his eyes.


    He then lightly pressed his fingers across the pyramid structure, feeling the roughness of the skulls and the bones with his hands, and he took a deep breath as he did so. The crowd watched Chief Henry''s actions without making a single noise. It was as though time had stopped. No one was moving except for the Chief.


    "My fellow followers! Do ingrain the image of this sacred place into your minds this instant!" Chief Henry turned around and yelled out loudly, and the crowd immediately closed their eyes shut.


    "And then, think about the intruders and how their reckless actions might have destroyed these beautiful structures that we so adore.." Chief Henry began to mutter under his breath in a hushed tone as he leaned forward, his face right next to one of the skulls on the pyramid, staring at it as though he was completely obsessed with it.


    "It doesn''t matter who they areˇ­" Chief Henry pulled his upper body back as he spoke. "It doesn''t matter what their intentions were.." He narrowed his eyes and turned around, facing the crowd with a serious expression and continued, "To enter into the sacred space as an outsider is the same as desecration of the space. These people have disrespected our sacred beliefs, and they will pay for it.. with their blood!"


    "Blood! Blood! Blood!" The crowd roared loudly as soon as Chief Henry finished his words, their eyes burning with anger and hatred!

 Chapter 138 - Desecration Of The Sacred Space

    A group of cars departed from the New World City Police Station, racing through the highway with incredible speed! Detective Lewis was driving the car in front, with Detective Harry sitting right next to him and Commander Niko Larsen sitting in the back seat, wearing a pair of sunglasses as he stared at his phone screen.


    "Are you sure about the location?" Detective Harry turned his head around in an uncomfortable position from the front seat of the car and looked straight at Commander Niko Larsen''s face as he spoke. "Is that accurate?"


    "I assure you, Detective. My gadgets are extremely reliable." Commander Niko Larsen nodded his head as he waved his phone in the air. He still had a beaming smile on his face which made Detective Harry a bit more uncomfortable. He didn''t know why he felt that way. After all, the man was simply smiling at him, wasn''t he? Or was there something else?


    "These gadgets are made exclusively for the military and the special forces by the Weapon Developments Department. They''re from the best of the best." Commander Niko continued giving an explanation about the phone in his hand as Detective Harry rubbed his chin with a puzzled expression on his face.


    "But why on earth are you asking me these questions, Detective? Surely, you must''ve already figured out how much more advanced the military equipment really is." Commander Niko saw the look on Detective Harry''s face and asked. He was curious as to why the Detective was asking such a question. After all, they were dealing with supernatural creatures who could rip apart human flesh and bones like cotton candy. They had to have better equipment for almost every situation that they could think of.


    "Oh no. I wasn''t questioning the accuracy of the equipment made by the military. Not at all. That wasn''t my intention, and if you thought that it was, then I apologize for my actions," Detective Harry seemed flustered by the Commander''s words and he waved his hands in the air.


    "He''s not questioning the skills and abilities of the military equipment, Commander.." Detective Lewis interjected into the conversation as he kept his eyes on the road, and Commander Larsen''s attention shifted to him. "He''s more concerned about the location that you specified just a few minutes ago," Detective Lewis explained the reason for the anxious behavior shown by Harry, and Commander Niko Larsen raised his eyebrows. He was even more puzzled by that answer.


    "Oh? And why is that?" The Commander asked, clearly intrigued by the detective''s words. He wanted to know more.


    "Well, you see Commander, the location that you mentioned back at the police station is kind of inside a neighborhood called Moonside Neighborhood.." Detective Harry let out a sigh and decided to provide the necessary explanation to Commander Niko Larsen, who was clearly searching for answers.


    "Yes, I saw that. What of it?" Commander Larsen was confused. What was so special about this neighborhood?


    "The Moonside Neighborhood is actually one of the rare locations of New World City that wasn''t allowed to be rebuilt and restructured as part of the improved city model." Detective Lewis said in a hushed tone. Detective Harry nodded his head as he spoke, "It wasn''t that they weren''t allowed.. but more like they tried to modify and reconstruct, but were faced with resistance from the residents.."


    "And these residents are the problem? Is that what you''re worried about?" Commissioner Larsen asked while he snapped his fingers.


    Both the detectives nodded their heads in unison in response to the Commander''s question.


    "The residents of the Moonside Neighborhood were part of the Malkalian dynasty, and most of the older people who still live there did in fact witness and take part in the Great War." Detective Harry gulped down his saliva before continuing, "And they definitely didn''t fight on the winning side.."


    "Wait a minute, did you say that they were Malkalians?" Commander Larsen''s eyes widened with shock and surprise before it was slowly replaced by a look of intrigue. "Interestingˇ­" He whispered softly. "Very interesting.."


    "And the worst part is that they have connections in almost every section of the society; from small business owners to wealthy politicians. They go way back, and because of that, their influence is incredible," Detective Lewis clicked his tongue as he spoke. It seems that he wasn''t too keen on talking about the Malkalians.


    "And.. do they.. you know.. still practice the Malkalian rituals?" Commander Larsen asked, and the two detectives looked at each other for a split second before turning away.


    "Not that we know of. But you have to understand that not many people have much access to the neighborhood because of how closely guarded the community is." Detective Harry responded after a few seconds of silence.


    "But you''re suspicious.." Commander Larsen nodded his head, as though he had understood how complicated the situation was.


    ".... Anyways, that''s why I think that this might be a difficult mission." Detective Harry said, and Commander Larsen tilted his head to the side, looking out through the window as he spoke, "Oh, I understand, Detective.."


    He then tilted his head to the other side and cracked his neck before continuing, "... But do not worry, because no matter how difficult the situation might be, the military always has a way to push through it."


    He let out a soft chuckle as he finished his words and then shifted his gaze back to the window, looking outside as they zoomed past other vehicles.


    Detective Harry glanced at Detective Lewis, who glanced back at him for a split second before readjusting his gaze back onto the highway.


    They both didn''t know why, but they could feel that something was off.


    --------------------


    "My fellow followers! Do ingrain the image of this sacred place into your minds this instant!" Chief Henry turned around and yelled out loudly, and the crowd immediately closed their eyes shut. "Think about the intruders and how their reckless actions might have destroyed these beautiful structures that we so adore.." Chief Henry began to mutter under his breath in a hushed tone as he leaned forward, his face right next to one of the skulls on the pyramid, staring at it as though he was completely obsessed with it.


    "It doesn''t matter who they areˇ­" Chief Henry pulled his upper body back as he spoke. "It doesn''t matter what their intentions were.." He narrowed his eyes and turned around, facing the crowd with a serious expression and continued, "To enter into the sacred space as an outsider is the same as desecration of the space. These people have disrespected our sacred beliefs, and they will pay for it.. with their blood!"


    "Blood! Blood! Blood!" The crowd roared loudly as soon as Chief Henry finished his words, their eyes burning with anger and hatred!


    BOOM!


    Their loud cheering was cut short as all of a sudden, a loud explosive noise echoed throughout the cavern, and the ground began to shake violently, causing many within the crowd of people to lose their balance and stumble down onto the ground.


    "Ahhh! Lookout!" " Be careful and hold on to something!" "What the hell? What was that noise?"


    The crowd began to murmur loudly, and Chief Henry raised his eyebrows with a confused and anxious expression on his face. He then tilted his head and turned his gaze towards Peter, who shrugged his shoulders in response.


    "Everyone, please calm down!" The Chief then shifted his attention towards the crowd of people and increased his voice, which made the group of panic-stricken people immediately turn silent.


    The crowd then turned their gaze towards the Chief, who was quite satisfied with how quickly the people listened to his words. He said, "Very good. As you can see, whatever that loud noise was, it''s gone now. Of course, we don''t know when it might happen again, so just be extremely careful."


    "Yes, Chief!" The crowd replied in unison once again, as they always do. But this time, Chief Henry realized that the enthusiasm had been greatly reduced from the chants, and he furrowed his eyebrows. Perhaps they were feeling scared because of the incident just now?


    "Don''t be discouraged my fellow believers!" Henry stretched out his hands as he yelled out once again. "This must be the work of those intruders! We''ll find them and we''ll take care of them, and soon, everything will return to normal, and we''ll have saved our sacred space!"


    "Glory to Hasurik!" The group cheered loudly once again, and this time, the enthusiasm seemed to be back to the height that it was before.


    The group was then led by Garry once again, and they reached another layer inside the cavern, and this time, the eyes of the crowd widened, as expressions of shock and confusion filled their faces.


    "What the hell are those things?" Linda asked with a disgusted expression as she placed her hand over her mouth and asked. Even the Chief was shocked by what he just saw.


    "Did you have any clue what these things are?" Peter asked Chief Henry, who shook his head and gulped down the saliva in his mouth as he stared at the dozens of large egg shaped objects that filled the area. "What in god''s name was going on down here?"

 Chapter 139 - Breaking Down

    "Glory to Hasurik!" The group cheered loudly once again, and this time, the enthusiasm seemed to be back to the height that it was before.


    The group was then led by Garry once again, and they reached another layer inside the cavern, and this time, the eyes of the crowd widened, as expressions of shock and confusion filled their faces.


    "What the hell are those things?" Linda asked with a disgusted expression as she placed her hand over her mouth and asked. Even the Chief was shocked by what he just saw. "Did you have any clue what these things are?" Peter asked Chief Henry, who shook his head and gulped down the saliva in his mouth as he stared at the dozens of large egg shaped objects that filled the area. "What in god''s name was going on down here?"


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    Henry slowly moved forward as he stared at the giant egg-like structures with confused and intrigued expressions on his face, and the crowd followed him close behind.


    "Are these some sort of eggs?" One man spoke in a hushed tone as he neared one of the egg-like structures and studied the object with an expression of fascination, adjusting his glasses as he moved towards it, taking one step at a time.


    "Careful!" However, just before he could get really close to the egg, Garry appeared right in front of him, forcing the man to flinch back in surprise and focus his nervous gaze onto him. "Wh- What the hell, Garry? What''s the matter? I can''t look at that thing?"


    "We don''t even know what that thing is!" Garry said with a serious expression as he pointed his finger at the egg that the man was staring at, and continued, "For all we know, there could be something hiding inside of it, waiting for the right opportunity to pounce on us!"


    "You''re joking, right?" The man let out a chuckle as he readjusted his glasses once again, pressing it back onto his nose before continuing, "Look at that thing! How on earth would a guy even enter inside it without breaking it open?"


    "Like I said, I don''t know what that thing is, and neither do you.." Garry said while clicking his tongue and he began approaching the man, who gulped down his saliva and took a step back when he saw Garry moving towards him.


    Tap!


    Garry, who was standing right in front of the man, stretched out his hand and pressed his finger on the man''s chest. It wasn''t exactly painful, but it definitely did make the man flinch for a second. Garry leaned closer, until he was close to the man''s ear, and he whispered softly, "Don''t do things that may put the whole group in danger. Got that?"


    "Uh, ye- yeahˇ­" The man was afraid and confused by the situation that he had found himself in, but in the end, he simply nodded his head and agreed with Garry''s words, who had a satisfied smile on his face and patted the man on his shoulder. "Good! Be careful next time, alright?"


    "Ri- Right! I will!" The man gave a stuttering reply as he once again adjusted his glasses and watched Garry walk away from him.


    "Everyone! Listen up!" Garry walked towards the front of the group and clapped both his hands together, and everyone''s attention turned to him.


    "Please! Do not touch or get near the egg-like structures!" He yelled out loudly, and the crowd of people began to murmur and whisper among themselves, possibly talking about what Garry just said.


    "We have no clue what these eggs are or what they contain inside!" Garry ignored the soft whispers that were bouncing around inside the small area and continued to speak, giving warnings to the crowd. "Do not be ignorant! We must be extremely careful, for even the smallest of our actions may affect the rest of the community within such a small and confined space."


    He then turned his gaze towards the Chief, who nodded his head at Garry, giving him the confirmation to continue.


    "We''ll head forward, right towards the sacrificial chamber! Be extremely careful while walking next to the eggs! And I once again warn you, don''t make any dumb mistakes!" Garry ended his speech as he pointed towards the pathway that should lead them to the sacrificial chamber, and the people in the crowd began looking at each other, unsure of what to do.


    A few of the older men and women began glancing at Chief Henry, who let out a long and heavy sigh before taking a deep breath and yelling loudly, "Listen to what Garry is saying!" He pointed at Garry and continued. "He''s the one who is leading our people for the moment! For now, I urge you to listen to him!"


    The crowd now seemed a bit more certain of what they had to do, and Garry gave a respectful bow towards the Chief, thanking him for the assistance. Chief simply waved his hand in the air and shook his head in response.


    "Is it alright? Letting him lead the people?" Linda, who was standing right next to Chief Henry, leaned towards him and whispered softly into his ear. Chief Henry turned to glance at Linda for a few seconds before he whispered back, "It''ll be fine. I have a bad feeling about this place. It''s best to let a fool like him take the lead instead of an old and aged person like me. If there''s any chance of a sneak attack, then he''ll be the first to take the hit. And besides, the position is temporary anyways. Let him have his fun for now."


    Linda nodded her head and scratched her chin as she turned her gaze towards Garry, who was marching right in front of them, and let out a sigh.


    Right then...


    BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!


    Another loud explosion shook the surroundings, and the whole crowd lost their balance once again.


    "Sh*t! Everyone! Hold on to something! Quick!" Chief Henry bit his lips and screamed loudly before leaning next to the walls, and the crowd scrambled around, trying to find safe spots which they could use to hide. But this time, the earthquake was a lot more powerful, and soon, small boulders and dust began to fall down onto the people, striking them on their heads and shoulders.


    "AHH!" "Not this again!" "We have to head forward if we want to live!"


    The crowd, who were even more scared for their lives because of how loud and more intense the earthquake this time was, went nuts as they lost all control of themselves and dashed towards the pathway that was supposed to lead them towards the sacrificial chamber.


    "Stop! Don''t run around! It''s not safe! Find a safe space near you!" Chief Henry yelled out while kneeling right next to the wall as he witnessed a small group of people running past him. He wanted to warn them, but the group were too afraid and out of their minds to listen to what the chief was saying. They didn''t pay any attention and continued running.


    BOOM! BOOM!


    All of a sudden, the place shook once again, and a few people who were running wild lost their footing and fell down. The others who hadn''t lost their balance however, continued to run without caring about the person who was lying on the ground right in front of them.


    "AHHH!" Loud screams of agony and pain echoed all around the cavern as people were crushed to death by the paranoid crowd.


    BOOM!


    Another large noise was heard followed by the ground and the surroundings shaking once again as multiple large boulders dropped down from above and right onto the group of people who were heading in the direction of the sacrificial chamber.


    "F*ck!" Peter cursed out loud as he too was leaning right next to the wall, and he turned to look at Chief Henry, yelling out, "What the hell do we do now?"


    The Chief looked around, trying to assess the situation in a calm manner, but even he couldn''t keep it together properly. "F*ck!" He screamed loudly before pointing at the path that they had taken to get to here, and continued, "We have no other choice! We should just head back the same way that we came!"


    Peter stared at Chief Henry, who slowly got up from the ground and, while leaning on the wall right behind him, he began to move in the direction that they came.


    "Ah, screw it!" Peter decided to do the same thing, and so did Linda, who saw the two men heading back the way they came.


    "Hah!" Chief Henry jumped towards the opening to the area with the eggs, and leaned to the wall once again.


    Peter was about to follow Chief Henry and head out of the egg room when all of a sudden, the roof above them began to crack, and large pieces of rock and dirt particles fell down, making Peter scream right before trying to jump out of the way!


    BOOM!

 Chapter 140 - Newborn

    "What the hell do we do now?"


    Desperate, the Chief looked around, trying to assess the situation in a calm manner. But even he couldn''t keep it together properly. "F*ck!" He screamed loudly before pointing at the path that they had taken to get to here, and continued, "We have no other choice! We should just head back the same way that we came!"


    Peter stared at Chief Henry, who slowly got up from the ground and, while leaning on the wall right behind him, he began to move in the direction that they came.


    "Ah, screw it!" Peter decided to do the same thing, and so did Linda, who saw the two men heading back the way they came.


    "Hah!" Chief Henry jumped towards the opening to the area with the eggs, and leaned to the wall once again.


    Peter was about to follow Chief Henry and head out of the egg room when all of a sudden, the roof above them began to crack, and large pieces of rock and dirt particles fell down, making Peter scream right before trying to jump out of the way!


    BOOM!


    Another loud explosion took place, as countless rocks dropped down from above the roof and crash landed on the ground, blocking the pathway that Peter and the rest wanted to take to get out of the caverns.


    "Peter!" Chief Henry, who had already made it to the other side, screamed out loud, but the rocks were still falling down and didn''t look like it was about to stop anytime soon, so the Chief reluctantly took a few steps back, afraid of being crushed to death by a rock.


    "Ughˇ­ wha- what the hell just happened.." On the other side of the blocked pathway was Peter, who was lying on the ground and murmuring under his breath, grabbing hold of his head and groaning. It seemed that he had slammed his head on the ground. He continued groaning as he readjusted to the situation at hand.


    "AHHH!" However, as he began to readjust to the situation, the confusion and the blurry images were soon replaced by an enormous amount of pain that passed through his body like a lightning bolt, and he screamed loudly in pain.


    Peter had a horrified expression on his face as he stared at his right leg which had been crushed by a large boulder, with blood dripping out of his torn skin and revealing the white bones underneath, soaked in crimson red.


    "Fu.. fu*ck! F*ck! F*ck! Help! Help!" Peter began panting heavily and he screamed for help with all his might, but no one was around to help him.


    "...Peter?"


    Well, all except one.


    "Linda?" Peter had a relieved expression on his face as he saw a confused Linda appear from the corner of the pathway, and he waved his weak arms at her. "Oh, thank god that you''re here! Please! You have to help me! I can''t die here!"


    "Ca- Calm down, Peterˇ­" Linda held her head as her ear started to ring and she groaned in pain.


    "Linda? Linda?! What''s.. what''s the matter? Please, you have to help me!" Peter screamed with a confused and anxious expression on his face as he saw Linda lean towards the wall. He was afraid that if he stayed inside the cavern for too long, he''d faint and would inevitably die from blood loss.


    "Ughˇ­ my head.. it f*cking hurts!" Linda looked annoyed as she pressed her fingers onto the sides of her head, right above the ears, and after a few seconds, she stood up and slowly moved towards Peter, who had regained some hope in his eyes.


    "Can you.. can you try to move that boulder away from my.. from my leg?" Peter''s hands were trembling as he pointed at the large boulder that was lying right on top of his leg, crushing his bones and flesh and making him feel an insurmountable amount of pain.


    "That.. boulder?" Linda held her head and groaned slightly with pain as she stared at the enormous boulder that was in front of her, and gulped down the saliva in her mouth. "I- that thing is huge!" She then turned her head towards Peter and expressed her opinion. "How on earth would I be able to move that?"


    "I don''t know? Listen, you have to help me! You have to try! Please!" Peter didn''t want to take no for an answer and screamed back at her with a look of despair on his face. "Please.. please.. you have toˇ­"


    Linda didn''t know what to do, and she simply stood there for a few seconds, unmoving. Peter kept yelling at her, trying to get her to move the boulder off from his leg, but she couldn''t hear any of it.


    ''Ugh.. it''s that ringing againˇ­'' She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth as she closed her eyes shut, and her ears continued to ring. This time, the noise was even more loud, so much so that Linda wanted to poke her ears with something sharp just to get the noise to stop.


    "AHHH!" All of a sudden, Linda yelled out loudly, and her loud voice echoed throughout the cavern, even making Peter, who was screaming and yelling all this time, shut up and stare at her with confusion and shock.


    She looked back at him, staring at his face and his eyes, and Peter gulped down his saliva. For some reason, he could feel that something was off. There was something different about the atmosphere from before.


    What the hell was it?


    "Lin- Lindaˇ­" Peter said with a stuttering voice, but before he could finish his words, Linda suddenly turned around and began walking away from Peter, who stared at her back with shock for a split second before screaming loudly, "Linda, Linda! Linda, please! Please don''t leave me! You have to help me!"


    Peter continued to desperately plead for help, but Linda used her fingers to cover her ears and simply continued walking.


    "Is.. is this about your son? Is that why?" Peter didn''t know what he could say to make Linda stop walking, and so he continued to yell out whatever he could think of, hoping that something would make her stop. "We decided on it together, didn''t we? The whole community did! It wasn''t just me! You were in it too! Why is it all my fault!"


    Peter saw that Linda didn''t stop even for a second, and his voice got even louder. "Linda! Linda, I''m sorry! I''m sorry about your son!" Tears began to roll off from his eyes as Peter apologized. "I''m sorry! Linda!"


    Peter''s voice got lower and lower as Linda walked away from him, until she couldn''t hear his screams anymore.


    Or rather, she couldn''t hear anyone or anything anymore.


    "AHHH!" "He- Help me! Someone, please!" "Oh god, I''m going to die! I''m going to die!"


    The people around her were screaming loudly, afraid of dying as they ran around, trying to find a way out from underneath the cavern but to no avail. However, Linda ignored the cries and screams of everyone around her, and she walked through the pathway, back towards the egg-shaped structures as the roof cracked and rocks continued to fall down like raindrops.


    BAM!


    A large piece of rock and dirt fell right near Linda, and dust and dirt particles shot right towards her face, with a piece of pebble grazing by her chin and scratching her face, causing blood to drip down.


    But Linda only touched the wound on her face and looked at her palms for a split second before showing no reaction to it and continued to walk towards the eggs.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    Linda stopped as she was right next to one of the eggs. She stared at the mysterious structure in front of her with a serious gaze. These eggs, unlike the ones that were present in the apartment complexes, were blueish green in color, with a touch of purple.


    Linda stretched out her hands and slowly brought it closer to the egg, pressing her palms lightly on the outer shell as her eyes sparkled.


    "My baby.." She whispered softly under her breath as a faint smile slowly appeared on her face, and she rubbed her hands on the egg, stroking it with gentle care.


    Creak!


    All of a sudden, the egg began to shake softly, and Linda''s eyes widened as the outer shell of the egg slowly began to open, with the previously hardened shells now behaving like curtains, moving with the fluidity of clothes.


    "Oh my lordˇ­" Linda couldn''t help but whisper as a bright blue light shone on her face, enveloping her as multiple tentacle-like objects slowly stretched out from inside the egg and grabbed onto her body.


    Linda slowly closed her eyes, as though she had accepted her fate, and the tentacle-like objects began to slowly drag her body into the egg with care.


    Whoosh!


    The eggshell closed itself once again, this time with Linda inside of it.

 Chapter 141 - Forgotten Dynasties

    "Sh*t! Sh*t! Sh*t!" Alphonso screamed loudly as the two boys suddenly lost their footing, and all of a sudden, he felt afraid. He felt more afraid than ever. He didn''t wish to die, but right now, he felt like he was about to, and that scared him.


    Luckily, Gerald used his hands, which stretched like rubber, to grab onto the two boys'' hands right before they fell down, and Noah helped him pull the two boys to safety. "Now, are you two alright?" Gerald asked as he took a deep breath while staring right at the two boys, glancing at Alphonso, who nodded his head as he panted, "Yeahˇ­ yeah, I guess I am.."


    "Take deep breathsˇ­ slowly breathe in and outˇ­" Gerald said as he motioned with his hands, and the two exhausted boys nodded their heads in response.


    "I don''t know about that slow breathing technique, guysˇ­" Noah said with a hint of cautiousness and he tapped the shoulder of Harold, who turned around to look at him, raising his eyebrows with a confused expression on his face.


    "I think we might have companyˇ­" He pointed to a spot in the neighborhood a few meters away from them as soon as he finished speaking, and Harold and Gerald turned to look at the direction that he was pointing at.


    Far away, a small group of people were running in their direction while yelling out incoherent words, and everyone''s eyes widened with shock and surprise for a split second before Gerald whispered softly, "Run."


    Whoosh!


    The whole group leapt up from their resting position and ran like crazy.


    "Ah, you have got to be sh*tting me!" Alphonso clicked his tongue, frustrated at his misfortune of exerting more energy to do more work right after completing an already exhausting work.


    But he could only voice his frustration as he had no choice but to continue running if he wanted to get away from the mob of seemingly normal humans who are after them.


    "F*ck this!" Max too seemed incredibly angry about the situation that they were in. He seemed a bit too angry and frustrated, possibly because he was simply too exhausted from utilizing most of his energy.


    "Are you sure that all of them are human?" Max turned to look at Noah and asked him.


    "Yup." Noah nodded his head in response without even turning his head, his gaze still in front as he dashed with incredible speed. "I''m pretty sure that every single one of them is a human being. No monsters in that group."


    "F*ck!" Max clicked his tongue once again. "If those were monsters, then we could just beat them up and kill them, and it''d be all over." He said with an annoyed tone in his voice. "This is much more of a hassle."


    "I don''t know about that, my guyˇ­" Harold said with a short chuckle as he glanced back at the mob that were chasing him for a second, and then turned back to face the front. "I''d say that running away from a human mob is a much easier task than fighting even a single monster."


    "Well, not right now, I supposeˇ­" Max shrugged his shoulders as he responded to Harold''s words. "But it could get us into a big pile of trouble if someone even got a glimpse of any of our faces. Think of all the trouble that we''d be in. Charges, feloniesˇ­ And the worst part? We won''t be able to fight our way out of this situation."


    "We can think about all that later," Noah said and he pointed his finger at the woods that were in front of them before continuing, "For now, we must make our escape as quickly as possible."


    Whoosh!


    The group of inhuman boys moved through the dense forest with great speed, and soon, they lost sight of the mob that were chasing them, which gave them a sense of relief.


    "Whew!" Gerald said as he wiped the sweat off his face, and he slowed down his pace before continuing, "I think we lost them. They won''t catch us now, not in this place."


    The group slowed down as they realized that they were far ahead of the angry mob, and the four boys decided to rest underneath a really large tree.


    "Well, that was tiringˇ­" Gerald said as he let out a long and heavy sigh, and Alphonso rolled his eyes in response. "You''re telling me!"


    "Why the f*ck did they all come in a group, though?" Harold asked as he sat down next to Gerald and turned to look at Noah, who was scratching his chin and thinking about something. "Didn''t you say that they were all human?" He asked Noah. "Why on earth would they all come as a crowd to Mr. Carrick''s house?"


    "Maybe they might''ve seen one of us entering the building and decided to tell the others. After all, numbers are a great advantage in a potentially dangerous situation." Gerald tried to find a sensible explanation to his question, but Harold didn''t seem impressed with his answer.


    "If you see a break in, you call the cops. At least that''s what I would do first." Harold responded with a serious expression. "And it definitely didn''t seem like a small group. I''m pretty sure that was the entire neighborhood."


    "Why on earth would the entire Moonside Neighborhood be after us?" Alphonso spat out his saliva as he finished speaking.


    "I don''t know that now, do I?" Harold shrugged his shoulders. "It''s not like they know us or anything..."


    "Aren''t the Moonside neighborhood of Malkalian descent?" Noah, who was in the middle of thinking all this time and didn''t really partake in the discussion, spoke softly as he turned to look at the others, who all turned their gazes at the same time towards him.


    "Wait, are they really?" Harold scratched his head as he looked at the faces of others, who all seemed uncertain. "I thought that was just the rumor. Don''t tell me that''s actually true.."


    "Didn''t most of the Malkalian dynasty die out during the war?" Gerald asked with a confused expression. "I thought the Malkalian dynasty was completely wiped out during the Great War. Is it not true?"


    "Only the Western Empire. There had been colonies created in the Eastern continents during the eighteenth century." Noah explained, and everyone''s attention turned to him once again. "I heard that they were the descendants of those colonists who migrated over here."


    "Oh sh*t!" Alphonso screamed all of a sudden and he pointed at Max, who raised his eyebrows. Everyone shifted their gazes over to him as soon as they heard his scream, confused as to why he was shouting. "The skulls! The f*cking skulls!" He said loudly as he waved his finger at Max, who widened his eyes with shock and surprise before pointing his finger back at Alphonso and yelling, "Oh sh*t! The skulls! Holy sh*t, you''re right!"


    "What the f*ck are you guys so excited about?!" Gerald asked with an annoyed and confused expression on his face, and the two boys turned to look at him and spoke in unison. "We found human skulls inside the cavern!"


    "What the hell? You did?" Harold''s voice rose as he spoke with a shocked expression on his face. It wasn''t just him, but everyone seemed surprised by the words that came out of the two boys'' mouths. "Why the f*ck didn''t you say anything about it earlier?" Harold screamed loudly.


    "Oh, I don''t know.. maybe because we were TOO BUSY FIGHTING A F*CKING MONSTER THAT HAD THE APPEARANCE OF OUR PHYSICS TEACHER?!" Alphonso didn''t want to be outdone by Harold''s yelling and he screamed even louder. "You think I had time to think about skulls and other dumb shit when we were too buys trying to fight a monster, or stop the roof from collapsing, or trying to escape from an angry mob right after we almost got killed from falling down?"


    "He''s got you there, Harold." Gerald said with a soft snicker, and Harold glared at him, which made him shrug his shoulders in response.


    "Anyways, if what you guys said is really true, then that meansˇ­" Noah placed his hand under his chin and began to think once again.


    "That means that the Malkalians haven''t discontinued their rituals.." Max decided to finish off his sentence for him, and everyone gulped down their saliva.


    "So, our physics teacher is actually a Malkalian who sacrifices people to their gods?" Alphonso made a disgusted expression as he spoke. "That feels kind of weird. Although it does make me not feel guilty about seeing him die in front of my eyes.."


    "Shouldn''t we do something about it?" Gerald asked. "I mean, who knows how many people they''ve sacrificed within the cavern. We should at least inform the police to investigate this place.."


    "I don''t think we have to.." Max pointed at his ears, and everyone focused on their hearing abilities.


    It was a few meters away, but they could hear the sound of police cars zooming through the busy street, finally reaching the front gates of the Moonside neighborhood.

 Chapter 142 - Losing Control

    "I don''t know about that slow breathing technique, guysˇ­" Noah said with a hint of cautiousness and he tapped the shoulder of Harold, who turned around to look at him, raising his eyebrows with a confused expression on his face. "I think we might have companyˇ­" Noah pointed to a spot in the neighborhood a few meters away from them as soon as he finished speaking, and Harold and Gerald turned to look at the direction that he was pointing at.


    Far away, a small group of people were running in their direction while yelling out incoherent words, and everyone''s eyes widened with shock and surprise for a split second before Gerald whispered softly, "Run."


    Whoosh!


    The whole group leapt up from their resting position and ran like crazy.


    "They''re running away! Quick! Get them!" The group of people who were dashing in their direction yelled out loudly before they increased their speed in an attempt to capture the intruders who had invaded their neighborhood.


    However, they were soon left surprised as they saw the group of intruders rushing away with superhuman speed, which made them confused. They stared at the disappearing backs of the intruders with expressions of awe and shock on their faces, and they stopped in their tracks, having given up the chase which they now considered to be an impossible task for them.


    "What the hell? How on earth are they so fast?" A middle aged man with a long brown beard and a purple hat on his head said as he breathed in and out, his eyes squinting in the direction the intruders escaped to. "Are they athletes or something? Because that was one hell of a dash! They could compete for the Olympics with that kind of speed!"


    "Stop admiring the athletic skills of the intruders, Jason!" Another middle aged man sporting a long and white mustache and a bandana on his head spoke with an annoyed expression on his face. He slapped the other man, Jason, on his shoulder, and Jason tilted his head and looked at him with an angry and frustrated look on his face. He clearly didn''t like the other man slapping him.


    "Don''t touch me, Kevin. I thought I told you that multiple times.." He spoke with an intense tone, as he walked up to Kevin, standing right in front of him, breathing loudly as he continued, "Or did your ears stop working, huh?"


    "Oh, would you look at that? Little baby Jason, getting all angryˇ­" Kevin tilted his head and stared at Jason''s face as he spoke in a condescending manner. The two men were now so incredibly close to each other that they could feel each other''s breath on their faces. "You know what? I did hear you telling me to stop touching you.." Kevin let out a disdainful chuckle before poking Jason''s chest with his index finger. "It''s just that I don''t care about the opinions of a little baby b*tch!"


    "Alright, you son of a b*tch! I''ve had it with your wisecracking mouth!" Jason gritted his teeth and clenched his fists as he roared loudly, getting ready for a fight, when all of a sudden..


    "That''s enough!" A loud voice interrupted the conversation between the two men, who both turned their heads to see who had spoken right as they were about to fight.


    The man who spoke wore a long gray coat with a cowboy hat on his head. He also had a partially gray mustache which was long and curly and a goatee.


    "I can''t believe that you two are fighting right after you let the intruders get away from you! A bunch of shameless idiots!" The man spat angrily, and both Jason and Kevin lowered their heads, looking right at the ground as they whispered softly in unison. "We apologize for our mistake, Gavin!"


    "I don''t need your stinking forced apology! Keep it to yourself!" Gavin waved his arm in the air as he stared at the two men with disgust and anger in his eyes, and then shook his head disappointedly. "We have to head back to the house!" Gavin spoke as he turned around, and both Kevin and Jason turned to glance at each other with confused expressions on their faces. "There''s a problem that we have to deal with!" Gavin tilted his head to the side as he spoke, and the two men nodded their heads in response before following him.


    "You all! Continue with the search for the intruders!" Gavin turned his head to look at a younger man who was standing right next to him, and tossed him an old sword, which the man caught with almost no effort. "They might still be in the forest! Just because they''re fast doesn''t mean that they''re unreachable!"


    "Aye, aye, sir!" The man yelled out, right after which he turned to the others and ordered them to head towards the forest.


    ------------------


    Chief Henry slowly got up from the ground, and while leaning on the wall right behind him, he began to move in the direction that they came. "Ah, screw it!" Peter decided to do the same thing, and so did Linda, who saw the two men heading back the way they came.


    "Hah!" Chief Henry jumped towards the opening to the area with the eggs, and leaned to the wall once again.


    Peter was about to follow Chief Henry and head out of the egg room when all of a sudden, the roof above them began to crack, and large pieces of rock and dirt particles fell down, making Peter scream right before trying to jump out of the way!


    BOOM!


    Another loud explosion took place, as countless rocks dropped down from above the roof and crash landed on the ground, blocking the pathway that Peter and the rest wanted to take to get out of the caverns.


    "Peter!" Chief Henry, who had already made it to the other side, screamed out loud, but the rocks were still falling down and didn''t look like it was about to stop anytime soon, so the Chief reluctantly took a few steps back, afraid of being crushed to death by a rock.


    "F*ck! F*ck! What the f*ck do I do now?" Chief Henry gritted his teeth as he stared at the blocked passageway right in front of him. He wasn''t sure whether or not Peter was still alive, and he didn''t know if the roof may collapse again, so he didn''t think heading over to the boulder covered blockade was a good idea.


    "I guess there''s only one thing that I can do nowˇ­" Chief Henry then reluctantly turned his head back and looked at the route that they had taken to get to here. He knew that the only option he had was to head back up to the outside and ask for help from the others who were standing guard above.


    "Damn it! To think that a bunch of kids would be the reason for the destruction of our sacred place!" He slammed his foot in the ground as he muttered to himself, angry at the fact that he underestimated the situation and took his time with the preparations simply because of the identity of the intruders being teenagers. And now, he was suffering the consequences of his ignorance.


    "Calm down.. calm downˇ­" The Chief told himself as he tried to calm himself down. He breathed in and out slowly and calmly for a few seconds before walking back the way they had come, trying to get back to the top and out of Mr. Carrick''s house before the cavern completely collapses on top of him.


    -------------------


    Moonside neighborhood entrance gate.


    Just outside of the entrance gate to the neighborhood were a row of police cars which were all lined up one after the other in an orderly manner, and the two detectives, Lewis and Harry, were standing outside of the vehicle, talking to the security guard who manages the gate as Special Agent Alan and Commander Niko Larsen scanned the surroundings.


    "A pretty dense forested area for a neighborhood, is it not?" Commander Larsen turned to look at Special Agent Alan and asked with a smile on his face, and Alan shrugged his shoulders. "Unique... But I wouldn''t say that it''s a bad thing."


    "I wouldn''t either," Larsen took a cigarette stick and placed it in between his lips as he finished speaking and then lit it.


    He then squinted his eyes as he pulled the cigarette out of his mouth and let out a large puff of smoke before continuing, "However, it does intrigue me as to how the Malkalians came to successfully integrate a dense forest into their neighborhood when none of the other neighborhoods were allowed to."


    He placed the cigarette in between his lips again before speaking, "Can''t help but wonder if there''s something suspicious going on.."


    "The security said that we can head inside!" Detective Harry turned around and yelled out to Commander Larsen and Agent Alan, who looked at each other before entering their vehicles.

 Chapter 143 - Rescue

    "We have to head back to the house!" Gavin spoke as he turned around, and both Kevin and Jason turned to glance at each other with confused expressions on their faces. "There''s a problem that we have to deal with!" Gavin tilted his head to the side as he spoke, and the two men nodded their heads in response before following him.


    "You all! Continue with the search for the intruders!" Gavin turned his head to look at a younger man who was standing right next to him, and tossed him an old sword, which the man caught with almost no effort. "They might still be in the forest! Just because they''re fast doesn''t mean that they''re unreachable!"


    "Aye, aye, sir!" The man yelled out, right after which he turned to the others and ordered them to head towards the forest.


    The three men walked over the tall grass as they headed back to the neighborhood.


    "What''s the deal, Gavin?" Jason asked with his head tilted sideways, staring at Gavin''s face for an expression that he could comprehend. "Did something go wrong inside the cavern?"


    Gavin stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Jason, one of his eyebrows raised up as he opened his mouth to speak. "Did something go wrong? Didn''t you hear that loud explosion just now?" He said while pointing at the destroyed land right behind them. "Or did you not see that large hole on the ground?"


    "Well now, I didn''t know that had anything to do with the cavern now, did I?" Jason shrugged his shoulders and spoke as though it wasn''t his problem that he wasn''t able to figure out that something had gone wrong in the cavern.


    Gavin seemed speechless. He then turned to look at Kevin and said, "Are you hearing what this son of a b*tch is saying?''


    "I did," Kevin nodded his head at the rhetorical question asked by Gavin and continued, "What of it?"


    Gavin was left speechless once again. He then looked back and forth at Jason and Kevin before shaking his head furiously and walking forward, muttering to himself as he moved. "Idiots.. idiots everywhere.. idiots all around me!"


    Kevin and Jason looked at each other, trying to figure out what Gavin was so mad about, but in the end, they simply shrugged and decided to ignore his actions, simply counting them as confusing actions of a senile old man.


    The three men walked through the tall grass and soon reached near Mr. Carrick''s house.


    "Did you find him?" Gavin asked with a loud voice as they entered the house, and a young skinny man exited the bathroom, completely covered in dust and dirt. "Oh, yeah.. I think we did!" He said as he coughed continuously, and the three men walked past the man.


    Kevin peeked a glance at the man covered in dust before shifting his gaze back to Gavin and asked, "What did you ask just now?" He spoke with his eyebrows raised up. "Who have you found?"


    "The Chief, Kevin.." Gavin let out a long and heavy sigh before answering Kevin''s question, and the three men entered the bathroom which was completely covered in dust and dirt all over the walls and the roof. "We found the Chief!"


    Both Kevin and Jason let out a cough before covering their mouths and nose with their handkerchiefs, and they stared right at the entrance of the secret pathway, which was enveloped by a bunch of young men who were pulling the hand of Chief Henry, who had trouble getting out through the partially blocked pathway.


    "Pull, boys! Come on!" One of the men cheered loudly, encouraging the others to increase their strengths so that they could pull the Chief out of the secret tunnel as quickly as they could. The other men chimed in on the chant, and after a few seconds, the Chief was successfully pulled out of the narrow passage, and landed on the floor with a small noise.


    "Hah!" Chief Henry let out what appeared to be an amalgamation of groan and relief, right before coughing continuously as he rubbed his nose. His face had been completely covered in dust and dirt, and there were small scratch marks all over his hands and legs.


    "Oh.. Oh lord! Ugh.." Chief Henry continued to cough loudly, and Gavin turned to look at one of the men who were standing right next to them and yelled, "Get the Chief some water! Hurry!"


    "Ah, yes! I''ll be back in a few seconds!" The man said in a flustered voice as he dashed out of the bathroom, and Gavin placed his hand on the Chief''s shoulder as he whispered softly into his ears. "Take your time. You''re out of the cavern right now, so you don''t have anything to worry about."


    "Gah, gah.. I- I don''t have anything to worry about, you sayˇ­" Chief Henry said with a sarcastic chuckle before coughing loudly once again, and he turned to look at Gavin with a light smile on his face. "Well, isn''t that just an optimistic way to look at the situationˇ­"


    ''I was just trying to cheer you up, though..'' Gavin, who realized that the Chief wasn''t feeling relieved with his words, bit his lips in response, but he didn''t say anything about it and kept quiet.


    "What about the rest?" The Chief asked with a quivering voice as he looked around. "Did you save anyone else?"


    "Uh, no one else has come out of the pathway except for you, Chief.." Gavin said with a reluctant tone, and Chief gulped down his saliva before staring down at the floor with defeat in his eyes.


    "What have we done, Gavin.." He muttered under his breath and he grabbed his head tightly, gritting his teeth as he continued, "We''ve failed him! We''ve failed our lord! We''ve let the intruders destroy his sacred temple! How could we have let this happen?"


    "Chief! Chief, get a hold of yourself!" Gavin said as he used his grip to exert pressure on Chief Henry''s shoulder, but it didn''t seem to work.


    "I got the water!" The man who had just ran away to fetch water for the Chief returned with a bottle filled with water, and he handed it over to the Chief. "Oh, and one more thing Chief!"


    "The Chief doesn''t have time for your words right now!" Kevin stepped forward and pulled back the man, slamming him back to the wall and making him groan.


    "Bu- But the cops have arrived!" The man spoke with a scared tone, and as soon as he finished speaking, everyone''s expression changed and they looked at each other.


    Even the Chief, who seemed to have gone crazy just a moment ago, had returned to normal, and began gently touching his chin, seemingly in deep thought.


    -----------------


    "A pretty dense forested area for a neighborhood inside a city known for its futuristic experience, is it not?" Commander Larsen turned to look at Special Agent Alan and asked with a smile on his face, and Alan shrugged his shoulders. "Unique... But I wouldn''t say that it''s a bad thing."


    "I wouldn''t either," Larsen took a cigarette stick and placed it in between his lips as he finished speaking and then lit it. He then squinted his eyes as he pulled the cigarette out of his mouth and let out a large puff of smoke before continuing, "However, it does intrigue me as to how the Malkalians came to successfully integrate a dense forest into their neighborhood when none of the other neighborhoods were allowed to."


    He placed the cigarette in between his lips again before speaking, "Can''t help but wonder if there''s something suspicious going on.." "The security said that we can head inside!" Detective Harry turned around and yelled out to Commander Larsen and Agent Alan, who looked at each other before entering their vehicles.


    The group of police cars moved up as the gates opened, and Commander Larsen looked out of the window, admiring the view like a child would.


    "I thought the Chief of the community.. What''s his name?" Commander Larsen asked Detective Harry, who replied, "Are you talking about Henry? Chief Henry?"


    "Yeah, Chief Henry.." Commander Niko Larsen snapped his fingers as he realized the name of the person he was talking about and continued, "I thought Chief Henry didn''t cooperate too well with the cops in the city? Why is he letting us in the neighborhood so easily?"


    "Oh, thatˇ­" Detective Harry widened his eyes as he understood what Commander Larsen was asking him. "It''s not that the community doesn''t cooperate with the New World City Police. It''s more about cooperating just enough."


    "Just enough?" Larsen raised an eyebrow as he asked the question, intrigue evident in his words.


    "You''ll get it when you deal with these people.." Detective Lewis interjected into the conversation as he turned around to look at Larsen.


    "I''m even more excited to meet them now..." Commander Larsen smiled as he stared out the window once again, and the police vehicles continued moving forward, into the Malkalian neighborhood.

 Chapter 144 - Complicated Relationship

    "I got the water!" The man who had just ran away to fetch water for the Chief returned with a bottle filled with water, and he handed it over to the Chief. "Oh, and one more thing Chief!"


    "The Chief doesn''t have time for your words right now!" Kevin stepped forward and pulled back the man, slamming him back to the wall and making him groan. "Bu- But the cops have arrived at the entrance gates!" The man spoke with a scared tone, and as soon as he finished speaking, everyone''s expression changed and they looked at each other.


    Even the Chief, who seemed to have gone crazy just a moment ago, had returned to normal, and began gently touching his chin, seemingly in deep thought.


    "I''ll ask Bradley to send them away!" Gavin tapped Kevin''s shoulder as he spoke softly, making Kevin loosen his grip on the man who brought the water. Gavin was about to head outside, taking one step out of the bathroom when all of a sudden..


    "No!" The Chief stretched out one of his hands and raised his voice, which echoed throughout the small bathroom. The loud voice entered into Gavin''s ears, making him stop in his tracks and turn around, facing the Chief with a confused and curious expression on his face.


    "No? May I ask why you rejected the idea of sending the cops away, Chief Henry?" Gavin tilted his head as he stared at the Chief with a puzzled expression. "Surely, this is not the time to be entertaining those pigs who are always trying their best to place blame on us. We''re currently at our lowest point, and I don''t think we can welcome those pigs in this trying time."


    "I agree that we are at one of our lowest points as a Malkalian descendant. But that''s exactly why we shouldn''t let ourselves down either." Chief Henry said as he placed the water bottle next to his lips and drank from it, causing water to drip down from his mouth and down his chin and neck. He wiped his face after completely emptying the water bottle and continued, "Choosing not to stand face to face with those slimy pigs simply because we are at our lowest means that we have lowered ourselves in our minds."


    Tap! Tap!


    Chief Henry tried to stand up, and both Kevin and Jason took a step towards him with concerning expressions on their faces. "Chief! You shouldn''t move about so quickly! Get some rest!"


    "Get away from me!" The Chief said with an annoyed tone as he swatted away their hands. "I''m not an old man!"


    Chief Henry clicked his tongue. Ignoring the still concerned duo of Jason and Kevin, the Chief then walked towards Gavin, who stood straight and was staring right into the Chief''s eyes without flinching.


    "We can let the world lower us, but we can never let our minds do the same!" The Chief poked Gavin''s chest with his fingers as he spoke softly, and Gavin nodded his head. "I understand. I apologize for my ignorance, Chief!"


    "Good!" The Chief nodded his head back with a satisfied expression on his face, and right afterwards, he coughed loudly, which made Gavin pull him to the side and place him down on the floor carefully.


    "I''m alright. You don''t need to worry about me!" Chief Henry said with a groan before continuing to cough loudly. "Just make sure that you allow the police pigs to enter into the neighborhood!"


    "Understood, Chief!" Gavin nodded his head and he then waved his hand at one of the men standing behind him, who did a quick salute at him before rushing out of the bathroom.


    ------------------------


    "I thought Chief Henry didn''t cooperate too well with the cops in the city? Why is he letting us in the neighborhood so easily?"


    "Oh, thatˇ­" Detective Harry widened his eyes as he understood what Commander Larsen was asking him. "It''s not that the community doesn''t cooperate with the New World City Police. It''s more about cooperating just enough." Larsen raised an eyebrow as he asked the question, intrigue evident in his words. "Just enough?"


    "You''ll get it when you deal with these people.." Detective Lewis interjected into the conversation as he turned around to look at Larsen. "Perfect! Now, I''m even more excited to meet them.." Commander Larsen smiled as he stared out the window once again, and the police vehicles continued moving forward, into the Malkalian neighborhood.


    The cars drove for a few minutes through the slightly thin road until they reached the main neighborhood area, where a few people had gathered.


    "Halt!" One of the men stood in front of the pathway of the police vehicles, raising his hand up in the air as though he was ordering them.


    "Stop the car.." Detective Harry whispered softly and the police cars stopped moving. He then turned around and looked behind, at Commander Larsen, and said, "I do wish to warn you that we don''t usually deal with Malkalians the normal rough and tough way. So you might be a little disappointed with how we handle the situation."


    "Oh, don''t worry about me, Detective Harry!" Commander Niko Larsen said as he let out a soft chuckle while covering his mouth. He continued, "I''m very well aware that different situations require different methods of dealing. And I have not been dispatched to this place just to judge how you handle delicate situations. So you won''t get any judgment from me."


    Detective Harry nodded his head, and he then turned to Detective Lewis, who had a serious expression on his face. The two Detectives nodded at each other and both got out of the car at the same time, followed by Commander Larsen, who stood behind them, observing the situation with a calm and expressionless face.


    "Where''s the Chief?" Detective Harry walked up to the man who stood in front of the vehicles and asked.


    The man, who was a six foot muscular blonde with blue eyes, turned to look at the detective in front of him while squinting his eyes.


    "The Chief is resting!" The man spoke after a few seconds of silence.


    Detective Harry was annoyed by the slight delay in answering, but he ignored it for now and continued with his questions, "Can you ask him if he can allow the police to investigate the neighborhood? We believe that there might be something happening here that''s related to the murders that are happening all over the City."


    The man continued staring at the Detective after he finished speaking, not giving the answers quickly.


    ''Tsk, what an annoying bunchˇ­'' Detective Lewis gritted his teeth as he watched the interaction between Detective Harry and the man, but in the end, he didn''t speak up and stayed silent.


    ''Interestingˇ­'' Commander Larsen continued watching the interaction between the two men with a gaze that was filled with fascination and intrigue.


    Special Agent Alan, who had just gotten off the car that was behind the detectives, peeked a glance at Commander Larsen for a split second before readjusting his gaze onto the man in front of them who was blocking their way.


    "The Chief is resting inside his home." The man opened his mouth to speak after a few seconds of silence, and he glanced at the faces of everyone. "The Chief wants you all to head to his place."


    He stopped for a second, stared at Commander Larsen, and then added, "Without your vehicles. You must leave them behind."


    Detective Harry turned to look at Commander Larsen and Agent Alan, who both shrugged their shoulders in response.


    "Fine by me," Commander Larsen didn''t seem to have a problem with it, and neither did Agent Alan. "I don''t have an issue, detective."


    "Well, then.." Detective Harry nodded his head and then turned to look at the man in front of him and said, "I guess this is where I say.. lead the way!"


    ---------------------


    "So, our physics teacher is actually a Malkalian who sacrifices people to their gods?" Alphonso made a disgusted expression as he spoke. "That feels kind of weird. Although it does make me not feel guilty about seeing him die in front of my eyes.."


    "Shouldn''t we do something about it?" Gerald asked. "I mean, who knows how many people they''ve sacrificed within the cavern. We should at least inform the police to investigate this place.."


    "I don''t think we have to.." Max pointed at his ears, and everyone focused on their hearing abilities. It was a few meters away, but they could hear the sound of police cars zooming through the busy street, finally reaching the front gates of the Moonside neighborhood.


    "Wow, aren''t they quickˇ­" Alphonso spoke with a sarcastic tone. "What the hell is the police going to do anyways? Weren''t they clueless about the fact that the Malkalians were still continuing their ceremonies? What makes you think that they''ll be competent right now?"


    "Well, to be fair, we, as well as most people, also didn''t know that the Malkalians were continuing their horrible traditions." Gerald said, and Alphonso snorted. "Yeah, except it''s literally the job of the police to stop people from doing bad things! Is it really too much to expect them to do their job properly?"


    "We''ll discuss this later." Noah said with a serious tone, and everyone became quiet.. He then narrowed his eyes and said, "They''re still following us."

 Chapter 145 - Trespassers

    "Wow, aren''t they quickˇ­" Alphonso spoke with a sarcastic tone. "What the hell is the police going to do anyways? Weren''t they clueless about the fact that the Malkalians were still continuing their ceremonies? What makes you think that they''ll be competent right now?"


    "Well, to be fair, we, as well as most people, also didn''t know that the Malkalians were continuing their horrible traditions." Gerald said, and Alphonso snorted. "Yeah, except it''s literally the job of the police to stop people from doing bad things! Is it really too much to expect them to do their job properly?"


    "We''ll discuss this later." Noah said with a serious tone, and everyone became quiet. He then narrowed his eyes and said, "They''re still following us."


    "They are?" Max''s eyes widened as he turned around, but he couldn''t sense or see anyone coming. Confused, he turned and stared at Noah, who shrugged his shoulders and responded with a serious expression on his face. "We created a bit of a distance from them, so they''re most likely too far away for you to notice their scents. But the scents are there, although they might be extremely faint and soft."


    "What the hell do we do now?" Alphonso said as he stood up and let out a sigh of frustration. He clearly wasn''t enjoying being interrupted while he was taking a break from exerting energy. And now, it seemed like he had to do it all over again.


    Gerald and Harold shifted their gazes onto Noah. "We''ll head out of the neighborhood.." Noah said as he pointed in the direction of their houses. "We''ve already taken care of the monster. The human problems are a bit too complicated for us, so we should probably let the police handle it."


    "Fine by me," Max nodded his head as he too got up.


    "As long as I can take a nice, long nap in the end.." Alphonso cracked his neck and knuckles as he spoke while yawning. "... I''m ready as well. Let''s leave this hellhole."


    Whoosh!


    The boys dashed through the forested area with intense speed, jumping over the mountain roads within a split second, making sure that no one spotted them as they were driving on the roads.


    "Finally, we''re out of that neighborhoodˇ­" Alphonso let out a sigh of relief as a faint smile appeared on his face. "Now, I can finally get my sleep and recharge-"


    "Hold on!" However, Alphonso''s words of relief were cut short as he was suddenly interrupted by the voice of Noah, who placed his hand on his ear as though he was listening carefully to something with a serious expression on his face.


    Whoosh!


    The boys landed on tree branches, abruptly stopping what they were doing and turned to look at Noah.


    "Can you guys hear it?" Noah turned around and asked the others, who all raised their eyebrows, confused as to what Noah was talking about.


    "Concentrate. It''s extremely faint, but you''ll sense it if you are careful enough.." Noah responded instantly, and the others, although confused as to what he was talking about, decided to do what they were told.


    "Ughˇ­ hold on.. I can sense something.." Within a few seconds, Gerald gritted his teeth and whispered softly under his breath, as he realized that he could feel the presence of something a few miles away. As Noah said, the presence was faint, but it was definitely there. And Gerald could tell that it wasn''t the presence of a human being either.


    The others turned to look at him with a surprised expression, as they weren''t able to sense anything at all.


    Gerald continued to concentrate and he muttered under his breath, "I thinkˇ­ I think it''s happening near Salem Street." He opened his eyes and let out a sigh as he leaned back to the trunk of the tree behind him, catching his breath.


    ''Not everyone has the same reach when it comes to senses, huhˇ­'' Noah had a curious expression on his face. Gerald could identify the spot from where the presence was coming from, while the others couldn''t.


    Was this because of a difference in raw talent, or is it simply because the others didn''t try hard enough?


    But the answers to his questions had to wait, as they had something to take care of.


    "Guys, I think you know what we have to do.." Noah said with a serious expression on his face as he stared at the four boys in front of him.


    "Oh, for f*ck''s sake! I can''t believe I am not going to get the sleep that I need!" Alphonso sounded annoyed as he clicked his tongue in response, but everyone knew that he wasn''t planning on abandoning the mission, even though he was whining too much about it.


    Whoosh!


    The boys turned their direction from their houses to Salem Street, and the group of superhumans shot through the forest area, jumping on the branches with incredible speed and blending in with the dense jungle in an instant.


    -----------------


    The Detectives, along with Commander Larsen and Agent Alan, as well as a few other officers, followed the large man who brought them to the Chief''s front gate. He slowly opened the gate and stepped inside, and the others followed him.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    The detectives didn''t seem intrigued, but the Commander definitely was interested in the marble panels that they were walking on, which were floating on top of an enormous pond that flowed under it.


    "This Chief of yours, he''s a really rich man, isn''t he.." Commander Larsen spoke to the large man who was guiding them to the Chief''s front door. The man glanced at the Commander for a split second, but did not respond to the Commander''s question.


    "Not too much of a talker, eh.." The Commander didn''t seem too displeased about being ignored, and let out a soft chuckle.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!


    The group of men stepped onto the entrance and stood in front of an enormous black door that looked like a monolith that was sent from the future, and the large man stretched out his hand and rang the doorbell.


    The door slowly opened within seconds after pushing the doorbell, and the beautiful Nichole appeared in front of the group of men and gracefully bowed her head.


    "Master is waiting for you all in the living room. Please follow me," Nichole spoke in an elegant tone, before turning around and entering back into the house, and the others looked at the large man, who didn''t seem like he was going to enter the building with them. The men then entered the house, following Nichole.


    The Commander was admiring the interior design of the house as the group entered the living room where an old man sat near the fireplace. The old man was of course, Chief Henry, who was looking clean compared to his dirt covered appearance just a few minutes ago.


    "Welcome, detectivesˇ­" Chief Henry said with a smile on his face, showing off his bright white teeth as he got up and walked towards them.


    Commander Larsen studied him with his sharp gaze as he walked towards them. Chief Henry was wearing a dark blue suit which seemed to have been tailor made for him. He wore a seemingly expensive ring on both of his hands, with which he was fiddling around with.


    ''Is he nervous?'' Commander Larsen raised an eyebrow as he saw how often the Chief was touching his ring, twisting and turning it for no reason.


    "What brings you all here to my humble abode?" Chief Henry said with his usual smile as he stretched both of his hands out wide. "Surely, it''s not because you all missed me, right?"


    "Chief Henry, we''re here because we want to investigate this neighborhood." Detective Harry took a step forward and spoke with a serious expression. "We believe that there is something present in this neighborhood that may have something to do with the murders that are happening all over the city."


    "So you need me, as well as the whole neighborhood, to cooperate with the police''s investigation, is that it?" Chief Henry replied with a soft chuckle, and Detective Harry raised his eyebrows. He felt like he wasn''t being taken seriously, which annoyed him very much.


    "You know that your request is going to be near impossible to fulfill, right?" Chief Henry said as he took a deep breath. He continued, "With the history that this neighborhood has with the police, I''m afraid you''re going to have to find another way to investigate, Detective."


    Detective Harry squinted his eyes as he stared at the seemingly confident Chief Henry. He wasn''t liking this. Not one bit.


    "Chief Henry, I''m afraid you don''t understand the gravity of this situation." Detective Lewis stepped forward and interjected into the conversation. "People are dying, and of there''s a way that you can help-"


    "This conversation is over, detectives." However, his attempts to change the mind of the Chief were cut short. Chief Henry stared at Lewis'' face as he spoke coldly.


    Right thenˇ­


    "Ch- Chief!" All of a sudden, a young man barged into the room, looking pale and scared. "A large truck has broken past the front gate without authorization!"


    "What did you say?" The Chief''s eyes widened. The Detectives too were surprised at what they were hearing.


    Commander Larsen on the other hand, seemed cool as a cucumber as he spoke softly, "Ah, they''re here."

 Chapter 146 - Convoluted Mess

    "Chief Henry, I''m afraid you don''t understand the gravity of this situation." Detective Lewis stepped forward and interjected into the conversation. "People are dying, and of there''s a way that you can help-"


    "This conversation is over, detectives." However, his attempts to change the mind of the Chief were cut short. Chief Henry stared at Lewis'' face as he spoke coldly. "Ch- Chief!" All of a sudden, a young man barged into the room, looking pale and scared. "A large truck has broken past the front gate without authorization!"


    "What did you say?" The Chief''s eyes widened. The Detectives too were surprised at what they were hearing. Commander Larsen on the other hand, seemed cool as a cucumber as he spoke softly, "Ah, they''re here."


    "What are you talking about? Who''s here?" Detective Harry, who heard Commander Larsen''s words, immediately turned around and asked with an anxious look on his face.


    "Don''t tell me-" Detective Lewis widened his eyes in surprise as he thought of something and he turned to look at the Commander with an expression of shock on his face. Agent Alan, who was standing a few feet away from the detectives also seemed like he wasn''t liking what was happening. It seemed like he too had a rough idea of what had happened, and he bit his lips in response and covered his face with his hands.


    "What else, detective?" Commander Larsen didn''t even seem to care or notice that the people around him were getting anxious and confused about what was happening. He spoke with a sense of calmness in his voice, almost as though everything was happening the way it should be. He leaned forward and said with a grin, "My men. They''ve arrived here to help."


    "Your men?" Detective Harry sounded like he wanted to scream as loudly as he could, but was holding it in. "You called them? I thought you were going to let us handle this situation!"


    "Oh I still am." Commander Larsen replied nonchalantly, still wearing the beaming smile on his face as he continued, "I''m justˇ­ let''s just say that I''m just being a bit cautious."


    "Are those your men who barged into our neighborhood?!" Chief Henry, who didn''t know what was happening, was listening in to the group''s conversation, and he figured out that the truck that broke through the entrance gate was part of the police.


    Slam!


    The Chief stomped his foot on the floor with a loud noise, his face fuming with anger, and everyone turned to look at him. "You dare break into our place?! You dare, even after I let you enter peacefully to have a civil discussion?" The Chief said with an intense voice as he swung his finger around, pointing at each and every member of the police that was standing in front of him.


    "I apologize, Chief. But I assure you that we had nothing to do with this." Detective Harry said as he bit his lips in frustration. He did not want to apologize to the Chief, but in situations like this, he had to swallow his pride.


    "Nonsense! Why on earth should I believe you?" The Chief however, didn''t seem to be satisfied with the apology and let out a cold snort as he stared at Commander Larsen and then back to Detective Harry. "You brought these people into our neighborhood, and now you want to make me believe that it wasn''t your fault? Do you take me for an idiot?"


    "He''s telling the truth, Chief Henry.." Commander Larsen stepped forward as he began speaking, and the Chief shifted his gaze onto the Commander, squinting his eyes at him as he asked, "And who the f*ck are you supposed to be?!"


    Step! Step! Step!


    Commander Larsen took a few steps forward as he opened his mouth and said, "I''m Commander Niko Larsen. I currently work for the FID and have been assigned the task toˇ­ let''s just say, ''take care'' of the situation down here." The Commander spoke with a smile on his face, which frustrated Chief Henry. He felt that the man standing opposite to him was hiding something behind that smile. And he knew that he wouldn''t like what he was hiding.


    The FID? Chief Henry was shocked and confused at what he was hearing. Why was the FID present in New World City? Perhaps they are after them? Many questions flooded the mind of the Chief, who felt anxious and afraid. But he knew that he couldn''t show his fears so easily.


    "Why the f*ck is the FID here, huh? And what the f*ck do they want with our neighborhood?!" Chief Henry was raging, his veins almost ready to pop out of his forehead as he finished his words.


    Sh*t! Why on earth did he reveal that information? Both the detectives had a sour and bitter expression on their faces as they glanced at each other before peeking a glance at the Commander. What was his plan? Does he not care about revealing that the FID had arrived in New World City?


    Special Agent Alan Fischer also seemed to be bothered by this. ''What was he thinking?'' Alan thought to himself as he bit his lips, dissatisfied at how the Commander handled the situation without discussing it with him first.


    "Mr. Henry. I don''t think that you know what you''re dealing with right now." Commander Larsen took another step forward, and he was now standing right in front of the Chief, looking straight into his eyes as he spoke. "You do not understand the gravity of the situation that you''re in. Which, I must say, is definitely not your fault. You do not have enough information, and that''s why you are allowed to act the way that you''re acting right now."


    "What nonsense are you spouting in front of me?" Chief Henry was getting annoyed by how the Commander was treating him. He felt as though he was not being given enough importance by his opponent. He felt like he was being treated as an idiot; a buffoon who has no idea of what''s happening around him.


    But Commander Larsen ignored the rage-filled words of Chief Henry and continued speaking calmly, with a beaming smile on his face, "But you see, Chief Henry.." He placed his hand on the Chief''s shoulder, and all of a sudden, Chief Henry felt the aura around him change. He felt a strong pressure enveloping him, and he was having difficulty in breathing properly.


    "... I don''t think that you would have believed my words even if I told you the truth." Commander Larsen leaned forward and whispered into the frozen Chief Henry''s ears. The Chief could feel the air that came out of the Commander''s mouth as he spoke, and he felt a chill run up his spine.


    "We''re not your usual New World City Police force. I hope you realize thatˇ­ Chief." Commander Larsen said as he tapped twice on the Chiefs shoulder and took a step back.


    ''Hahˇ­'' The Chief breathed a sigh of relief as he felt the pressure diminish suddenly, and his nervous gaze was stuck on Commander Larsen. ''Who the hell is this person?'' He thought to himself. Chief Henry hadn''t felt such a strong pressure in a long time, but he knew that whenever he did feel it, the end result always led to chaos.


    Should he be worrying about this man and what he may be up to? Chief Henry was cautious.


    All of a sudden!


    Beep! Beep!


    Commander Larsen''s phone began to beep loudly, shifting his attention to his pocket as his eyes widened and his eyebrows rose.


    "Is that-" The Detectives, Harry and Lewis, who both have already heard that beep before, widened their eyes and looked at the Commander with a shocked expression on their faces.


    "We have to move!" Agent Alan was the first one to speak up, and everyone''s attention turned to him. "What are you guys waiting for?" He said as he ran around and began heading towards the front door.


    "What about this place?" Detective Harry asked as he took a step back. Chief Henry raised an eyebrow, trying to figure out what the detective was talking about.


    Commander Larsen opened his phone and scrolled through it before opening his mouth to speak. "This is weird." He turned to look at Agent Alan. "The BST energy seems to have died down."


    "It probably moved from here. Come on!" Agent Alan said to the Commander, who thought for a few seconds before nodding his head slowly.


    Step! Step!


    Commander Larsen took a few steps, then stopped and turned around, staring at Chief Henry for a split second before saying, "I''ll withdraw my men, Chief Henry. I apologize for the inconvenience. But I do believe that this might not be the last time that we''ll see each other."


    He paused for a second, as a sinister grin appeared on his face and he waved his hand. "Goodbye. For now."


    And with that, the Commander, along with the detectives and the Special Agent left the place.

 Chapter 147 - The Disagreement

    "This is weird." Commander Larsen turned to look at Agent Alan. "The BST energy seems to have died down completely."


    "What does that mean?" Detective Harry asked. "Does that mean that something has gone wrong?"


    "It usually means the product that produces the BST energy is either dead or has changed locations." Commander Larsen said as he touched his chin.


    "It probably noticed that something was off and decided to abandon its nest!" Agent Alan said to the Commander. "If it has indeed changed directions, and the new BST reading is really the same creature, then I suggest we get out of here and head in the direction where the map is taking us!" Agent Alan tilted his head with urgency as he stared at the Commander, who thought for a few seconds before nodding his head slowly. "Alright, we''ll do that!"


    "Good! Now, let''s stop wasting time and go!" Agent Alan motioned to the rest of the police officers, who all followed the special agent. Commander Larsen also turned to leave.


    Step! Step!


    Commander Larsen took a few steps, then stopped and turned around, staring at Chief Henry for a split second before saying, "I''ll withdraw my men, Chief Henry. I apologize for the inconvenience. But I do believe that this might not be the last time that we''ll see each other."


    He paused for a second, as a sinister grin appeared on his face and he waved his hand. "Goodbye. For now."


    And with that, the Commander, along with the detectives and the Special Agent left the place.


    "What the f*ck was that?!" Chief Henry, who was speechless until now, blurted out with a shocked and confused expression on his face, before it eventually turned into a look of anger and hatred.


    "Those bastards think that they can just break through our neighborhood and then leave as if nothing had happened?!" He was angry at the fact that the FID Commander was able to enter into their neighborhood without obtaining permission. He considered this as a method to taint his power and authority. One of their tricks to show that they could take every single one of the Malkalians down if they want to. But instead, they were letting the Chief play pretend.


    "You dare make fun of our people and our religion? You dare make fun of my abilities? I''ll show you! I''ll show you all!" The Chief was infuriated right now.


    "Chief! Chief!" All of a sudden, another man charged inside the living room while yelling loudly, calling for the Chief in a desperate tone.


    "What the f*ck do you want?!" The Chief, who was raging beyond human comprehension, screamed loudly in response.


    "Th- The bathroom! The sec- The secret pathway!" The man, who was panting heavily, breathed in and out loudly as he tried to speak, but he continued to stutter, much to the annoyance of the Chief, who rolled his eyes.


    "Just say it quickly, would you?!" Chief Henry spoke as he raised his tone a bit, while also controlling his anger as he quickly came to the realization that it wouldn''t paint a good impression of him if any of his followers saw him in such a deranged state. He had to keep himself in check.


    "The- The secret pathway! We''ve saved some people who were trapped inside the secret pathway!" The man spoke after taking a few seconds to calm himself down, and the Chief''s eyes widened with surprise.


    Whoosh!


    He immediately dashed towards the man who was leaning next to the wall to rest, grabbed both his shoulders, and shook him furiously. "Where are they?"


    "Carrick''s house! They''re- They''re still inside Carrick''s house! We haven''t moved them anywhere!" The man screamed loudly as he wanted the Chief to stop shaking him, which he did after finding out where his fellow followers were.


    "I''ve got to head over there!" The Chief muttered to himself under his breath. He had to make sure that he was by their side while they recovered. They must never realize that he had abandoned them.


    He wouldn''t let anyone else ruin his reputation. Not anymore.


    ----------------


    Outside the Chief''s house.


    "What was that?" Agent Alan turned around and grabbed the Commander by his collar as soon as they had exited Chief Henry''s house, making everyone turn their attention to the two men.


    "What was what?" Commander Larsen seemed a bit annoyed at the fact that his collar was being grabbed, but he still had a faint smile on his face as he spoke. "What did I do?"


    "What did you do? Are you seriously going to ask me that?" Agent Alan said with a snort as he stared at the Commander''s face with a frustrated expression. "You said that you wouldn''t step on anyone''s toes. You gave me your word."


    "And I would''ve kept my word..." Commander Larsen rolled his eyes as he spoke bluntly. "But you guys were being way too courteous with these Malkalians. They''re nobody. You don''t have to stoop to their level."


    "They''re not nobody." Detective Harry interjected into the conversation. He continued, "The Malkalians, although an old and fading dynasty, still has roots that run through almost every single institution within this-"


    "-City. Yes, I know all that." Commander Larsen interrupted Detective Harry''s words before he could finish his sentence. "You don''t have to re-educate me on the history of the Malkalians. I am well aware of what they were and how far they''re roots go."


    "Are you sure? Because after that stunt that you pull inside there, I''m thinking that a bit of re-education might actually do you some good." Agent Alan clicked his tongue as he looked at the Commander with a disappointed expression.


    Commander Larsen shook his head and ignored Agent Alan''s sharp remarks and continued, "The point is that the influence of the Malkanians are only limited to this city, given it being one of their early colonies."


    He then paused for a split second before speaking. "But I am currently a representative of the FID, whose influence is much wider and is much more powerful than Malkalians could ever hope to be. I''m saying that we don''t have to do their bidding because of fear anymore."


    "What happens when we leave then, huh?" Agent Alan said as he shook Commander Larsen''s collar. "What happens when the so-called all-powerful FID has left this place? All that''s left would be a bunch of pissed off Malkalians. And who''d take care of them?"


    Commander Larsen narrowed his eyes. He didn''t reply immediately and for a split second, his gaze shifted to Detective Harry and Lewis, before readjusting back to Alan. "Come on, Alanˇ­" He whispered softly in an almost ominous tone as he leaned forward. "Are you lying to yourself, or do you honestly believe that this city is going to survive what''s going to come?"


    Silence enveloped the surroundings.


    Clench!


    Commander Larsen grabbed Alan''s wrists and pulled him back. "We should probably head out now, Alan." He whispered softly. "We might lose the monster if we wait around."


    Agent Alan looked right into Commander Larsen''s face, right after which he loosened his grips, and the Commander patted his shoulder before heading forward.


    ---------------


    ''Not everyone has the same reach when it comes to senses, huhˇ­'' Noah had a curious expression on his face. Gerald could identify the spot from where the presence was coming from, while the others couldn''t. Was this because of a difference in raw talent, or is it simply because the others didn''t try hard enough?


    But the answers to his questions had to wait, as they had something to take care of. "Guys, I think you know what we have to do.." Noah said with a serious expression on his face as he stared at the four boys in front of him.


    "Oh, for f*ck''s sake! I can''t believe I am not going to get the sleep that I need!" Alphonso sounded annoyed as he clicked his tongue in response, but everyone knew that he wasn''t planning on abandoning the mission, even though he was whining too much about it.


    The boys turned their direction from their houses to Salem Street, and the group of superhumans shot through the forest area, jumping on the branches with incredible speed and blending in with the dense jungle in an instant.


    "How long will it take for us to reach the destination?" Alphonso asked, and Noah replied almost instantly. "Given how much you all have improved when it comes to supernatural speed, I''d say it most likely would take about five to ten minutes."


    "Would it be a bit too long?" Gerald asked while raising his eyebrows. He knew how much more terrifying the monsters are when compared to normal human enemies. Five to ten minutes may sound small to some people, but God knows what the monsters would end up causing in that short period of time.


    "It might be.. But right now, this is the best that we can do," Noah said with a serious expression, and the other four boys nodded their heads reluctantly.