The moment the creature stepped into the faint light of the square, my stomach dropped. It moved with a jerky, unnatural rhythm, like its body was trying to resist itself. Charred flesh clung to its twisted frame, while patches of exposed bone gleamed dully in the flickering glow of the jungle's faint bioluminescence. Its rotted skin emitted a stench so foul that I gagged, but the others were too focused on the creature's grotesque appearance to react.
"What... what the hell is that?" Ethan stammered, his voice breaking. His knuckles whitened as he gripped a rusted metal pipe, trembling.
I didn't need to look at him to know the panic was spreading. I could feel it in the air, thick with terror. Even Lena, usually so composed, was on edge. Her hand hovered close to the shadows, her eyes scanning the creature like she was trying to predict its next move.
But I couldn't afford to let my own fear take over. I needed to focus.
"Jeeves," I whispered, barely moving my lips. "What is this thing?"
"Oh, let me check real quick!" Jeeves chirped, his figure appearing at my side like an overly cheerful specter. His grin didn't falter, but I could tell he was processing the situation faster than I could.
[Information Sight]
Name: Zodiac: Cancer
Type: Transformed Entity
Abilities:
Regenerative Parasites: Parasites that regenerate the creature's body and heal its wounds.
Acidic Carapace: The outer shell is coated in a corrosive acid that dissolves anything it touches.
Rank: A
Recommendation: Extreme caution. Avoid contact with acidic flesh. Attack from a distance and disrupt parasite cycle.
I stared at the information, my mind racing. A-rank Zodiac? What the hell did that mean? It wasn't just dangerous. It was an abomination—its very presence oozed malice, and I was already starting to feel the oppressive weight of its power. Regenerative parasites and an acidic shell? That wasn't just a monster; it was a walking disaster.
Jeeves noticed my hesitation. "Good news! It's an A-rank Zodiac, so that's a little less bad. Bad news? If it touches you, your skin is probably going to melt like a marshmallow at a campfire. But hey, no pressure!"
I swallowed, trying not to feel the panic creeping up my throat. "A-rank?" I muttered. My fingers tightened around the shard of metal in my hand. This wasn't good. We weren't ready for this.
"What's he saying?" Lena barked, glancing between me and the creature, trying to process the situation.
I barely managed to push the words out, my throat dry. "It's an A-rank Zodiac called Cancer. Its body's covered in acid. Don't let it touch you."
"Acid?" Aya hissed, her dark eyes narrowing as she clenched a cracked piece of rebar. Her voice was quiet but filled with quiet fury. "Are you serious?"
"Dead serious," I replied. "And it's regenerating. We can't let it recover or we're screwed."
The creature let out a low, guttural growl that reverberated through the air, its jagged body shifting as it prepared to strike. My heart was hammering now, the ground beneath me vibrating as it closed in on us, too fast for my liking.
"Scatter!" Lena shouted, her voice cutting through the tension, and without a moment's hesitation, we all dove in different directions as Cancer lunged toward us.
The creature hit the ground with a sickening splatter, its acidic flesh sizzling against the stone. I jumped back, the air thick with the toxic fumes that burned my throat. The acid was melting the stone, the ground itself reacting to the creature's presence.
"Keep moving!" Lena yelled, her shadows lashing out at the creature. They struck its body with a loud crack, but instead of slicing into its flesh, the shadows hissed and evaporated on contact with its carapace. The acidic shell didn't even flinch.
"Not good," Lena muttered, retreating as Cancer reared back, hissing in fury.
I glanced over at the others, my mind racing. We needed a strategy—and fast. That's when I remembered: I had the ability to scan the others, to understand their powers. I wasn't just going to rely on the data I could gather on Cancer; if we were going to survive this, I needed to understand the strengths of my team.
[Information Sight]
Current Access: 5%
First, I scanned the closest people to me—Lena, Ethan, Aya, and the others. I needed to know what they could do, and fast.
[Information Sight]
Name: Lena
Type: Human
Ability: Shadow Manipulation—The ability to control and wield shadows, using them as extensions of her own will. Can form solid tendrils, shields, or projectiles for offense or defense.
Rank: B
Recommendation: Can be used for both offensive and defensive purposes, but shadows seem to dissipate when in contact with highly acidic surfaces.
[Information Sight]
Name: Ethan
Type: Human
Ability: Enhanced Strength—Superhuman strength and durability, able to lift and strike with incredible force. Increased resistance to physical damage.
Rank: B
Recommendation: Close-range combat specialist. Vulnerable to Cancer's acid.
[Information Sight]
Name: Aya
Type: Human
Ability: Material Conjuring—Able to materialize weapons and tools from her surroundings, primarily using metal and stone. Can create durable, heavy constructs.
Rank: C
Recommendation: Attack at range; requires urgent medical intervention for parasite removal.
Thank you for the clarification! I'll adjust the [Information Sight] format to exactly match the structure you've provided. Here is the corrected revision for the scans:
[Information Sight]
Name: Lena
Type: Human
Ability: Shadow Manipulation—The ability to control and wield shadows, using them as extensions of her own will. Can form solid tendrils, shields, or projectiles for offense or defense.
Rank: B
Recommendation: Can be used for both offensive and defensive purposes, but shadows seem to dissipate when in contact with highly acidic surfaces.
[Information Sight]
Name: Ethan
Type: Human
Ability: Enhanced Strength—Superhuman strength and durability, able to lift and strike with incredible force. Increased resistance to physical damage.
Rank: B
Recommendation: Close-range combat specialist. Vulnerable to Cancer's acid.
[Information Sight]
Name: Aya
Type: Human
Ability: Material Conjuring—Able to materialize weapons and tools from her surroundings, primarily using metal and stone. Can create durable, heavy constructs.
Rank: C
Recommendation: Attack at range; requires urgent medical intervention for parasite removal.
[Information Sight]
Name: Camila
Type: Human
Ability: Telekinesis—Ability to move and control objects at a distance. Can use mental energy to throw or manipulate objects with precision.
Rank: B
Recommendation: Best used for controlling the environment, launching projectiles, and disarming enemies.
[Information Sight]
Name: Milo
Type: Human
Ability: Speed Enhancement—Increases reaction time and agility to superhuman levels. Can move quickly enough to dodge most attacks.
Rank: C
Recommendation: Use for hit-and-run tactics. Avoid close combat with strong, slow creatures like Cancer.
The data flooded my mind, and it was a lot to process. Every person in the group had their own strengths, and we were going to need them all if we had any hope of surviving this.
I glanced around, my pulse still racing. I was used to being alone. I was used to running from danger, not facing it head-on. But now, I could see the dynamics of the group. I understood their powers. And that gave me a chance.
"Lena, use your shadows to break open its shell," I called out, "Aya, use your rebar to disrupt the parasites—hit them while they're exposed!"
"Right!" Lena's shadows lashed out again, this time tearing into Cancer's acid-slick carapace. It screeched, its body twisting in a grotesque, unnatural manner as the cracks in its shell deepened.
"Get moving!" I urged. "Cancer's got parasites—if we can take them out, we can stop it from regenerating!"
Cancer growled again, its body convulsing as more parasites began to spill from the cracks. They were crawling across the ground like tiny, wriggling maggots, their green, glowing bodies skittering toward anything they could latch onto.
I scanned the area once more, keeping an eye on the parasites and the Zodiac's movements.
[Information Sight]
Parasite Class: Infectious Agent
Abilities: Rapid tissue infiltration, damage to vascular systems. Causes severe necrosis if left unchecked.
Recommendation: Immediate neutralization necessary.
"Watch out!" I shouted again as the parasites began to crawl toward us. "Disrupt the cycle! Aim for the cracks!"
Lena's shadows obeyed, once more tearing through the cracks in Cancer's carapace. The parasites, already disturbed, began to flicker and die, their glow fading as their host started to slow its regeneration.
"It's working!" I said, almost relieved. "Keep attacking the cracks in its shell! We have to stop it from healing!"
I turned to Aya, who was still struggling with her leg, the veins spreading. I had no choice but to act. My heart raced, the adrenaline pushing me forward.
I grabbed the shard of metal and shoved it toward the parasite that was burrowing beneath her skin. The metal drove in, and Aya screamed, but the veins began to recede.
"It's working... hang in there, Aya," I murmured.
"Thanks, Jin," she gasped, her breathing shallow but steadying. "Now... kill this thing!"
And just like that, everything clicked into place. With one last push, Lena's shadows ripped through the final cracks in Cancer's armor, and with a loud screech, the creature collapsed. Its body convulsed, then fell still, dissolving into a bubbling pool of acid that hissed and burned against the stone floor.
The air was silent.
"Is it dead?" Ethan asked, his voice quiet but heavy with exhaustion.
Before I could answer, I heard the Administrator's voice echo through the labyrinth:
"Group 6 has defeated Cancer. One Zodiac heart collected."
I didn't have the energy to respond. All I could do was breathe, my pulse slowing as I let the realization sink in.
We survived. But the game wasn't over. And we still had more Zodiacs to face.