The shadow was as large as a lion but its figure was none so elegant. It was vaguely feline in shape only with oversized forearms and elongated claws. A serpentine tail whipped out from behind, clinging to the side of the wall as though a lizard to a tree. Though its form was not necessarily permanent for its flesh was ever-changing, pulsing and grotesque.
Han Li had heard second-hand descriptions of the transitioning between a regular corrupted blood and a nelapsi, but this was the first time he saw such a thing with his own two eyes.
They watched it stagger through the thick of the holy water fog. Its voice was equally as disturbing, rumbling and churning with a disembodied echo.
"What manner of beast is this…?" Seiji clicked his teeth but even with no weapons in his hands, he did not back down.
Han Li was very close to punting the guy out of danger. "Have you never heard of a nelapsi before?" Unfortunately, there was no opportunity to say any more. The air rippled, changed and Han Li had only an instant to react.
Clawed paws came upon them, like hooked nails protruding from convulsing flesh. Han Li and Seiji dodged in opposite directions, barely saving their hides from the ravenous monstrosity. It roared, greyish slobbered gathered around rotting gums and Han Li was gagging from the smell.
But there was no time for trivial thoughts.
A sickly yellow eye quivered and flicked toward him, hungrily following every minute movement. It must have decided that Seiji was the better snack because the nelapsi bounded towards the redhead instead, its large black body becoming a blur as it twisted, one massive gorilla-like forearm lashed out toward Seiji. And when the latter perked, expertly taking another step back, the meaty appendage extended, its clawed tip piercing Seiji's shoulder.
"Keh…!"
Han Li's mind raced, cursing his pathetic legs and arms for being too slow to react. He cursed his cowardly heart and the heavy sword that was not his own. Even with every ounce of his willpower propelling him forward, he wasn't fast nor strong enough to intercept.
But damn was he going to fucking try.
The sword arced through the air, black blade cutting into tar-like skin. A black, viscous fluid spilled. A piercing screech threatened to rupture his eardrums but Han Li endured.
A deformed head swerved towards him, twisting on a short stubby neck. It was truly ugly to behold, the remnants of a little girl's soft features clung to bulbous abscesses, grey and red puss squeezed out as the creature moved its misshapen body. A wide mouth unhinged, revealing needle-filled gums.
Though its body was frightening and morbid, Han Li disliked the smell of the beast so much more; putrid in its acidic scent, no different than sewage water mixed with sulfur. Han Li was going to gag; that was, if he didn't die to those spear-like claws fell upon him, swift and heavy.
Han Li didn't even know how he managed to raise the sword in time, blocking the blow that came from above. His jaw was clenched, teeth shook as the hammering force made his muscles creak, his legs threatening to fold from the sheer strength of the beast.
With blood roaring in his veins, Han Li refused to give in, even when his tendons tore and bones strained and cracked. He roared, summoning as much strength as he could until the bracelet was burning a hole into his skin and his demonic nature threatened to surface.
That, however, was one something that he continued to hold back.
The heavy weight above him gave and Han Li foolishly believed for a moment that he had won the standoff, that he would gain an advantage. It was a stupid thought. Because just as he was going to push, the nelapsi withdrew, only for the large whip-like tail to punch all air out of his gut.
The massive appendage flung him aside as he were but a mere insect. His body cannoned into the ground before he rolled across the uneven pavement. With a loud crash, cracks etched into the brick wall, bits of debris rained upon him and Han Li's vision spotted with black. He was winded, coughing and fighting off a wave of disorientation.
Massive black paws crept towards him, leaving behind a trail of bubbling fluids and Han Li absently clung onto the small bits of relief in his mind. This was good. Broken bones, sliced flesh, and even ruptured organs were all things that he could heal in due time. The pain would be temporary. And even should there come a day where his injuries would mar him for life, at least Han Li could live through a blow that would otherwise be fatal on someone else.
A smirk graced his lips. When he coughed, red dabbled his chin but he forced himself up on shaking limbs, fingers weakly clasping over the silk-wrapped hilt of Seiji's katana.
A noxious scent consumed his senses when the beast roared. But just when Han Li expected the abomination to pounce, its bulbous head flinched. It hunched over, staggering and shaking and Han Li needed a second to realize the red handle of switchblade sticking out of the monster's head; right where a tiny hole (presumably its ear) was situated.
Han Li's gaze snapped to the side, seeing Seiji recover from a throwing position. There were curses and insults on the tip of his tongue but there was no time for those.
The nelapsi screeched, its scratching voice piercing their consciousness. It bounced. Becoming a black spearhead that charged right into the coat-wearing redhead.
Han Li was too slow to react. Even when he tried to rush forward, he barely made two steps before Seiji was flung off his feet. His delicate, human body was thrown into one of those spiraling staircases that functioned as fire escapes for old, crumbling apartments. The impact was metallic in sound. Clang. Thud. Thud. Seiji fell over, lump on the ground. Blood spilled from his wounds; the one on his bicep and shoulder could not account for the amount of red on the ground.
And Han Li was still too slow, his mind was white from panic, a stone was lodged in his throat. He couldn't let this happen. Not again.
He could stop it.
But at what cost?
The cost— Han Li's sanity— wasn't worth that much. He could afford it.
The silver bracelet around his wrist rusted and fell away. The monstrosity opened its wide maw, jaws wide enough to swallow a human whole even with its needle teeth protrusions.
Han Li closed the distance in a single step. With great force, he stabbed the katana through the creature's wide, lumpy neck. It howled, staggered back, the long tail coming up again to take care of him.
This time, Han Li was prepared. Though his face remained calm, for now, blood was singing in his veins as he let his demonic power flow through without restraint. The tail came up and he caught it under his arm.
The neplasi's body was slimy to the touch and elastic like flesh without skin binding it in place. He sank his fingers into the tail and yanked it back and with his other hand, withdrew the blade from the creature's neck. The beast wiggled in his grasps but apparently, Han Li wasn't able to win its full attention.
The abomination was still clawing, trying to get out of his hold. Its stocky, deformed neck started to elongate, reaching towards the fallen hunter that lay on the floor.
Piece of shit.
Wrath was in Han Li's blood. His mind was boiling in the color red and he had no more patience to hold back.
The beast tried to kick him with its clawed back legs and Han Li took the katana to them. He twisted his body to the right, pulling on the tail and forcing the creature another half a step backward. Appendages that reached for him were met with the katana's cold steel, now dyed in thick mucus-like blood.
Han Li hissed through clenched teeth, "It's a bit rude to ignore me, don't you think?" Words fell upon deaf ears and a beast-like mind so Han Li took the liberty to carve into the creature's gooey flesh.
He was seeing red, unknowing that it was his eyes that glowed.
And though he would slice at the being, its wounds would mend instantly. But the cries ripped out of its inhuman throat was enough of an encouragement. If nothing else, the monster disliked pain.
It reared back and finally twisted around, trying to catch the wide swing of the katana with its mouth full of needle teeth.
"Finally caught your attention huh?" He was smiling, small but dangerous. The twinkle of blood lust was in his eyes and a bottomless well of wrath was beginning to fester in the pit of Han Li's belly, making him grow restless.
At that moment, Han Li couldn't even recall why he wanted to stop being a hunter in the first place.