Drake Myers stood by the window, observing the unfolding chaos but refrained from acting immediately. He understood Kikoru Shinomiya's prideful and headstrong nature. Someone like her would never admit defeat unless faced with overwhelming power. And sometimes, an external force was needed to break through that stubbornness.
The monster's sudden appearance was the perfect opportunity.
"What impeccable timing," Drake mused.
Down below, a pink-haired woman in full combat gear stepped forward, her voice commanding and resolute. "Citizens, please evacuate immediately! I'm Captain Minami Nakajima from the Third Defense Unit's Nakashima Squad. Your safety is my priority!"
As she spoke, she raised her rifle, unleashing precise bursts of specialized ammunition. The Defense Force's weapons were not ordinary; they utilized attribute-enhanced rounds, ranging from explosive to freezing effects.
Drake observed with a mix of curiosity and excitement. The monster—a towering, ten-meter-tall creature—rampaged through the district. From its erratic movements and sudden appearance, Drake speculated about its abilities.
"Does it have spatial manipulation powers? Or is it just really good at stealth?" he muttered. Regardless, the thought of such abilities ignited a thrill within him.
He turned his gaze to Kikoru, who had been unceremoniously flung across several blocks and now struggled to rise from the rubble.
"It seems our little sparring session has been interrupted," Drake called out with a smirk. "You should head home to heal up, or perhaps join me in hunting this beast."
"You...!" Kikoru spat, her face pale as she coughed up blood. Her private battle suit, while providing a significant boost in capabilities, was nowhere near the standard-issue Defense Force suits in terms of performance and auxiliary systems.
Drake shook his head, a mocking smile on his lips. "Remember this, Shinomiya: tools can only take you so far. Real strength comes from within."
With that, he grabbed a steel rod from the debris, tested its weight, and strode purposefully toward the monster.
Meanwhile, Captain Nakajima and her squad worked tirelessly to evacuate civilians and engage the beast. Gunfire echoed through the district, accompanied by explosions and collapsing buildings. Amid the chaos, the citizens of the Sakura Nation moved with a strange, practiced calm.
"Living here must be a nightmare," Drake thought, reflecting on how fiction often portrayed ordinary people in these kinds of worlds:
In One Punch Man, they were constantly at risk of being wiped out by monstrous attacks.
In Parasyte, they were walking prey.
In Dragon Ball, they were cannon fodder, mocked for their powerlessness.
Even in detective stories like Detective Conan, the "safe" civilian role often led to becoming the next victim.
Drake's musings didn't slow his pace.
"Hey, kid! Are you crazy? Get to safety now!" Captain Nakajima shouted through a loudspeaker, incredulous at the sight of a seemingly ordinary civilian charging the monster with a steel rod.
Drake ignored her. He knew his real weapon wasn't the rod but something far more potent.
Back at the Defense Force command center, Commander Soshiro Hoshina, observing the situation remotely, issued a surprising order: "Leave him. Let's see what he's capable of."
"Sir, are you sure? He's just a civilian!" Captain Nakajima protested.
"Relax. If things go south, we'll intervene. For now, I'm curious. Anyone who can put Kikoru Shinomiya in her place isn't ordinary. Let's find out what he's hiding," Soshiro replied, his tone calm yet laced with intrigue.
On the battlefield, the monster—a C-class beast known as a "Spatial Unicorn"—was finally being pushed back by the Defense Force's relentless assault. Though formidable, these monsters were more akin to natural disasters: destructive but ultimately manageable with the right preparation.
Drake approached the beast, steel rod in hand, his every step purposeful.
Then, in his mind, a cold, mechanical voice chimed in:
"Target identified: Spatial Unicorn. Rank: C-class. Ability: Spatial Step. Extremely agile, with a high escape probability. Recommendation: Eliminate immediately to prevent further destruction."
Drake froze mid-step, his mind racing.
"What... Spatial Unicorn? Seriously? Did this thing just manifest because I was joking about monsters earlier?"
He glanced at the beast, now snarling in his direction, and sighed.
"This world... is insane."
This chapter builds on the momentum of the previous ones, adding layers to Drake's personality, the world's mechanics, and his evolving relationships with the Defense Force and Kikoru. Would you like to expand further or adjust the pacing of the battles?
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