The dim light flickered.
Leo's breath was controlled, measured—but his muscles burned with exertion.
The monster stood across from him, unmoving. Its dark, sunken eyes studied him with eerie intelligence. Its body was lean but powerful, its posture eerily human-like.
Unlike the mindless zombies Leo had slaughtered, this thing understood combat.
It didn't blindly lunge.
It didn't flail or stumble.
It watched. Calculated. Waited for an opening.
Leo adjusted his grip on the blade, the familiar weight of the steel a small comfort in the face of this monster. His fingers were slick with blood,his or the creatures', he couldn't tell anymore.
The thing tilted its head slightly, as if studying him from a new angle.
And then it moved.
Faster than before. A blur of motion that defied human perception.
Leo barely reacted in time, he twisted, ducking under a razor sharp swipe aimed straight for his throat. The claws sliced through the air with a hiss, carving deep gouges into the wooden wall behind him, a reminder of the creature's deadly power.
Leo countered instinctively, his movements a blur of their own.
He slashed, his blade arcing upward toward the monster's ribs, aiming for a vulnerable spot.
The monster jerked back, with unnatural speed, evading the strike with ease.
Then it struck again, lightning fast, a blur of movement that seemed to defy the laws of physics.
Leo barely managed to twist himself out of the way, but the creature's nails still raked across his shoulder.
Pain flared hot and sharp. Blood seeped into his torn jacket.
He grit his teeth. Too close.
The monster didn't stop its relentless assault.
It pressed forward, relentless.
Leo was forced onto the defensive, his back against the wall.
He weaved through its attacks, barely avoiding each deadly strike. Its claws flashed, carving deep gashes into the wall, the floor and the very air itself, leaving behind a trail of destruction.
Leo's heartbeats pounded in his ears. His mind screamed at him to find an opening or counter, strike. Anything.
But the creature was too fast.
Too controlled.
Too smart.
Then it feinted. A quick swipe at his left side.
Leo instinctively dodged, his body reacting before his mind could process the movement.
And the thing was already there, a blur of motion, a flash of claws.
Pain exploded in his chest.
Leo staggered back, gasping for air, clutching at his ribs.
The monster's claws had raked across his ribs. Not deep, but enough to send a burning sensation tearing through his torso.
Leo clenched his teeth.
If he made one mistake, he'd die. He knew it.
This wasn't just a stronger zombie.
It was an evolved killer.
A true Predator.
Something that had learned, adapted, and become far more dangerous than the mindless creatures he had faced today.
Leo took a slow breath, pushing the pain aside.
He needed to change tactics.
Fighting defensively wouldn't work.
He had to be the one to strike first.
He had to be the hunter.
Leo rushed forward.
He feinted left—then twisted right.
The monster 's claws lashed out, but Leo sidestepped at the last second—closing the distance.
His blade shot forward. A clean, precise thrust aimed at its throat.
The monster reacted but it was too late.
The blade sank into flesh.
Not the throat but the shoulder.
A snarl tore from the creature's lips.
Leo twisted the blade, driving it deeper.
The monster jerked back, swinging its arm in a wild arc.
Leo ducked, barely avoiding the swipe but he had to let go of the blade.
"Damn it," he cursed under his breath.
The monster staggered, its arm hanging awkwardly.
Blood was dark, almost black dripped from the wound.
Leo didn't hesitate.
He lunged for his fallen weapon.
The moment his fingers closed around the handle. The monster moved.
Faster than before.
Faster than it should have.
Leo saw it too late.
A knee slammed into his gut.
Air rushed out of his lungs.
He hit the floor and his back slamming into the bloodstained wood.
The monster was on him instantly.
Its hand clamped around his throat.
Leo gagged.
The creature pressed down, crushing his windpipe.
Spots danced in his vision. His lungs screamed for air.
"Move!" he thought desperately.
"MOVE!"
Leo's free hand scrambled—his fingers closing around something on the floor.
Something cold. Sharp.
His blade.
With the last of his strength.
He drove it into the monster's throat.
The reaction was instant.
The monster's body seized. Its grip on Leo's throat weakened.
Leo didn't hesitate. He twisted the blade, savagely and mercilessly.
A horrible, wet gurgle came from the creature's throat.
Dark blood gushed out, spilling over Leo's hands.
The monster shuddered.
Then, finally. It collapsed.
It collapsed, its weight falling heavily on top of Leo.
Leo sucked in a ragged breath, his lungs were burning.
His body trembled, and adrenaline still coursing through his veins.
He pushed the corpse off him, coughing as he forced himself to stand on his feets.
It was over. For now.
Leo stood over the lifeless body.
Even in death, the monster looked wrong.
Its mouth was slightly open, revealing jagged teeth. Its body, still unnaturally lean and powerful, was eerily human yet completely monstrous.
Leo exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders, he trying to loosen the tension that gripped his body.
His wounds burned, the pain was a constant reminder of the brutal fight but he ignored it.
Instead, he focused on the notification flashing before his eyes, the glowing message that signaled his progress.
[EXP Gained: 1,500]
[Level Up: Lv.6 → Lv.8]
Leo stared at the message.
1,500 EXP.
That was more than what he had earned from regular zombies.
His eyes flicked to the monster's corpse, its form now still and lifeless.
It had dodged his attacks with uncanny speed and agility. It had fought with intelligence, anticipating his moves, adapting to his tactics mid-fight.
Leo hated that.
It meant that as time passed, even for someone who went back to the past, compared to the world's monsters he is still weak.
Leo didn't like that. Not one bit.
He needs to get stronger.
Leo retrieved his weapon, cleaning the blood off his blade.
His body ached, but he wasn't done. Not yet.