The alarm blared across the facility, blending with the screams of scientists and soldiers running in panic. Touka's body, now barely resembling a human form, shot through the narrow hallways. Newly grown claws and horns scraped the steel walls, leaving trails of destruction in his wake. His eyes—the eyes of a monster—glowed crimson, empty, and ravenous.
He thought of nothing but the burning desire consuming his body. Hunger.
Flesh. Blood. Everything looked like prey to be devoured.
"Capture him! Don't let him escape!" Ryden's voice echoed through the intercom. Yet no one dared to approach. The Aether Corps soldiers who tried to block his path were torn apart, their bodies tossed aside like ragdolls.
In his mind, Touka screamed. Stop! Don't do this! I… I'm still here! But his body didn't respond. He could only watch, trapped within his own consciousness. The parasite laughed, its voice a sly, hissing taunt.
"You've already lost, Touka. This is the form you were meant to accept all along."
Touka could only tremble in the depths of his mind. I'm… not this monster…
But the hunger burned stronger. As his body kicked down the last door leading outside, he leapt into the cold night air, leaving destruction behind him. Unconsciously, he moved toward a singular direction—a massive meteor hovering at the center of the city.
Xaldark's domain.
Another Perspective — Shina's Pursuit
Shina's footsteps echoed through the now-ruined corridors. Metal debris scattered across the floor, mingling with blood and the acrid scent of smoke. Her eyes fixated on the trail of destruction clearly left by Touka. But beneath her calm demeanor, her thoughts churned.
"What happened to you, Touka?" she murmured softly.
Her ears caught snippets of conversation from the soldiers' radios in the wrecked control room.
"The target is heading toward the city center! He's moving… toward Xaldark's location!"
Shina's expression hardened. There was no need to think twice. If Touka reached that place, not only the Aether Corps but the entire city would be in danger.
"I'll handle him myself," she said coldly, cutting off protests over the radio frequency.
On the Path to Xaldark
The monster—Touka—ran like a feral beast, clawing the ground with all four limbs at an incredible speed. Every step left devastation in its wake: cracked roads, overturned vehicles, and extinguished city lights.
In his mind, Touka kept struggling to regain control of his body, but it was futile. Each attempt to fight back was drowned by the overwhelming hunger. The faces of the victims he had slaughtered flashed through his mind, and all Touka could do was scream silently.
The parasite continued to whisper.
"This is your destiny. You and I are one. Together, we will rule this new world."
As the massive meteor loomed closer, Touka's body was flooded with dark energy radiating from Xaldark's domain. The parasite hummed softly, as if finding the "home" it had long sought.
Shina Gives Chase
Standing atop a tall building, Shina surveyed the trail of destruction leading to the massive meteor. Her heart pounded in her chest. She spotted the monster—formerly Touka—leaping effortlessly from one building to the next, drawing closer to the meteor.
She steadied her breath. "I won't let you reach it, Touka," she muttered.
But a bitter feeling lingered in her heart. What exactly was she chasing? Touka? Or the chance to atone for a past she could never fix?
Without hesitation, she began to move, pursuing the monster alone. She vaulted over debris with agility, taking down smaller Orinivorax that tried to block her path. But in the corner of her mind, a haunting question lingered:
What will I do if I have to kill him? Will I be able to?