The city was a graveyard of destruction. Burned-out cars littered the roads, their interiors charred black. Buildings stood hollowed out, their skeletal remains covered in soot and blood. The air reeked of iron and gunpowder, the lingering stench of death choking the atmosphere.
Kyle, Aiza, and Kazuo moved carefully through the streets, their eyes scanning for movement. Gunfire echoed in the distance, along with the occasional inhuman screech of the monsters that plagued the island.
As they turned a corner, they found a group of survivors barricaded inside a convenience store. A soldier stood outside, motioning for them to hurry.
"Over here!" he whispered urgently. "Before those things see you!"
The trio rushed in. Inside, several civilians—bruised, exhausted, and terrified—huddled together. Some clutched crude weapons, while others merely sat in silent horror. The soldier, a young man with a bloodied bandage around his head, introduced himself as Lieutenant Ryuji Sato.
"You're lucky you made it this far," Ryuji said. "Most don't."
Kyle glanced at the people. "What happened here?"
"The monsters... they're changing," Ryuji muttered, his expression dark. "At first, they were predictable—fast, strong, but killable. Now, some are regenerating, and others..." He hesitated. "They've stopped fearing bullets."
Aiza frowned. "What do you mean?"
Ryuji pointed to a window. "Watch."
Outside, one of the soldiers was firing at a monstrous figure—a humanoid beast with sleek, jet-black armor covering its body. Bullets ricocheted off its exoskeleton. Instead of lunging mindlessly, the creature tilted its head, as if studying the attack. Then, with terrifying speed, it closed the distance, tearing through the soldier in one brutal swipe.
The civilians gasped.
Kyle clenched his fists, feeling a strange sensation in his chest. His vision blurred for a moment—he was in that strange space again, surrounded by towering pillars and the glowing phoenix monument. This time, the phoenix moved, its blazing eyes locking onto him.
"You are not ready."
A powerful force shoved Kyle back into his body. He gasped, staggering slightly.
"Kyle?" Aiza grabbed his arm. "What is it?"
He shook his head. "Nothing. Just—"
A sound cut him off.
A loud, guttural roar echoed through the ruined city. It was different—deep, resonant, and filled with intelligence.
Everyone froze.
Kazuo's voice was barely a whisper. "What the hell was that?"
Ryuji's face went pale. "That… That was one of them. And it's close."
The ground trembled. The survivors looked at each other in terror. Aiza clutched her rifle tighter.
Then, from the shadows of a collapsed building, it emerged.
A towering beast, at least ten feet tall, stepped into view. Unlike the previous creatures, this one had evolved—its exoskeleton was reinforced, glowing with eerie red veins pulsing beneath its black surface. Two extra arms sprouted from its back, ending in jagged claws that dripped with something dark. But the most terrifying feature was its eyes—intelligent, focused, and locked onto Kyle.
A sinister growl rumbled from its throat. Then, in a voice that was barely understandable, it spoke.
"F…o…u…n…d… y…o…u…"
The entire group fell silent.
Kyle's heart pounded.
'It's hunting me… but why?'
Before he could process the thought, the monster charged them.
The moment the beast lunged, time seemed to slow. Kyle's body reacted on instinct, muscles coiling as he shoved Aiza and Kazuo aside just as the creature's massive claw came crashing down. The impact shattered the floor, sending debris flying.
Kyle barely rolled away before the creature's other arm lashed out like a whip. He ducked, feeling the whoosh of air as the claws missed his head by inches.
"OPEN FIRE!" Ryuji roared.
The soldiers and civilians scrambled, unloading everything they had. Bullets pelted the monster, some bouncing off its armored skin, while others sank into the glowing red veins, causing it to screech in pain.
The veins! Kyle realized. That's the weak spot!
"Kazuo! Aim for the glowing parts!" he shouted.
Kazuo nodded, raising his rifle. He fired off a burst of rounds, the bullets hitting the monster's shoulder where the red veins pulsed. The creature staggered, snarling in pain, but it did not fall.
Instead, it turned its head toward Kazuo.
And charged.
Kazuo's eyes widened. "Shit!"
Before it could reach him, Kyle moved.
His body felt light, as if something ancient was awakening inside him. His blood felt hot—burning, yet energizing.
He intercepted the monster, leaping higher than he should have been able to. Twisting mid-air, he drove his fist directly into the creature's face.
CRACK!
The impact sent shockwaves through the air, pushing the monster backward.
Everyone stared.
Kyle landed, his bloodied knuckles throbbing. But the monster… it was still alive.
It let out a furious screech, its wounds already closing.
"It's regenerating?!" Aiza yelled.
Kyle's breathing was heavy. That punch should've killed anything—but this creature was different.
Then, suddenly—
PAIN.
A sharp, searing pain erupted from his back, right where the phoenix tattoo was. He gritted his teeth, feeling something shifting inside him.
The vision returned.
The phoenix monument was burning, its eyes flaring with golden fire.
"Not yet… but soon."
Kyle gasped, stumbling back into reality. The monster was still coming.
He had to finish this. Now.
Kyle charged.
The monster swiped at him, but he twisted his body, dodging at the last second. He slid under its arm and—**with every ounce of strength he had—**he drove his fists into the creature's chest.
BOOM.
The force rippled through the air. The red veins exploded, splattering black and red ichor everywhere. The monster let out a deafening shriek as it collapsed, its body convulsing violently.
For a moment, silence.
Then—BOOM.
The creature self-destructed, sending a shockwave that obliterated the street behind them. Kyle barely managed to shield Aiza and Kazuo as debris rained down.
When the dust settled, only a smoldering crater remained.
Kyle fell to one knee, panting. His hands were shaking. That power…
Everyone was staring at him.
"What… the hell are you?" Ryuji muttered.
Kyle didn't answer. He didn't know himself.
But before he could even process what had just happened—
Another roar echoed in the distance.
More of them were coming.
And they were evolving.