Chapter 32: Beneath the Surface

Arc stood over the beast's lifeless form, drenched in sweat, heart pounding like a war drum. He stared at the abomination's mangled body, waiting. His instincts screamed at him—it wasn't over. The silence that followed wasn't the kind that promised peace. It was the silence before a storm.

He kicked the beast lightly with his boot, feeling the strange shift in the air around it. There was something about this fight—something off, something unnatural. This was no ordinary monster.

Suddenly, the corpse shuddered.

A horrifying crack split the air as the creature's bones began to realign. Its twisted limbs snapped back into place, and its shattered ribs pulled together with a sickening crunch. The body twitched, life stirring where there should have been none.

Arc's eyes widened as he opened his status panel, trying to make sense of what was happening. The monster's stats appeared before him:

[Ancient Bio-Weapon: Experimental Specimen 001]

Strength: 220Agility: 185Mana: 800Regeneration Skill: ACTIVE

The numbers were unreal—more than twice his own stats. Even after his rapid evolution, Arc was still outmatched by this monster. And now it was reviving.

The Second Round Begins

The abomination let out a guttural roar that echoed through the abandoned streets. Arc's hands clenched into fists, his mind racing. This wasn't just a test of strength—it was survival against an opponent designed to kill, regenerate, and kill again.

The beast charged with terrifying speed. Arc barely had time to react as it lunged, claws slicing the air. He ducked and rolled to the side, but the force of the attack shattered the asphalt where he had just stood.

He drew his gun and fired, but the bullets were meaningless. The monster absorbed them without even slowing down. Arc's instincts kicked in—guns wouldn't win this fight. He needed to think, to adapt faster.

Fighting to Adapt

The battle unfolded across the desolate town in a blur of fists, claws, and shattered debris. Arc switched between combat styles like a master dancer flowing through choreography. A sharp kick followed by a twist into grappling form—every move executed with precision.

Yet the beast fought back like an unrelenting nightmare. Its regeneration made it near invincible; every injury healed faster than Arc could deliver damage. Every second in this fight pushed him harder.

And something strange was happening. The longer the fight went on, the deeper Arc's body responded. His muscles hummed with energy, his strikes sharper, faster, and more powerful. His evolution was accelerating.

Cracking the Code

For a moment, Arc retreated, breathing heavily as he watched the abomination regenerate again. It was a terrifying realization—this monster didn't need rest, but he did.

Then it hit him: The glyphs on the buildings. They weren't just random—they were seals, containment spells. This monster wasn't meant to roam free. It had been locked away for centuries, sealed and forgotten, because it was too dangerous to kill outright.

Arc's mind raced. The key wasn't in killing it—it was in sealing it again.

Buying Time

Arc needed a plan, and fast. He shifted to a defensive stance, watching the beast circle him. He needed time to figure out the seal, and for that, he had to survive.

The monster lunged again, and this time Arc met it head-on. His strikes came in rapid succession—fists, elbows, knees, each one powered by the knowledge of countless martial arts masters from around the world.

The beast howled in frustration, stunned by Arc's relentless assault. But even as Arc fought, he could feel his body reaching its limits. His muscles screamed in protest, every nerve burning.

He had pushed beyond human limits. He was something more now. A High Human. But the fight demanded more than evolution—it demanded a strategy.

The Sealing Ritual

Arc disengaged, buying himself a few seconds as he darted behind a crumbling building. His mind replayed the glyph patterns he had seen earlier. They were seals—a complex pattern designed to trap creatures far beyond mortal understanding.

He tore a piece of cloth from his jacket and began drawing the symbols on the ground with a piece of charcoal from the wreckage. His hands moved instinctively, guided by something ancient inside him—something primal.

The beast snarled, sensing Arc's intentions. It charged, claws ripping through the building walls, debris raining down around them.

Arc's heart pounded. He wasn't fast enough.

A Desperate Gamble

The monster was upon him in seconds, its claws slicing through the air. Arc twisted, barely escaping a fatal blow. Blood dripped from a fresh wound on his side, but he didn't stop.

He grabbed a broken pipe and swung it with all his strength, smashing it into the creature's face. The beast staggered, disoriented for a split second. That was all Arc needed.

With a surge of adrenaline, he slammed the final glyph into place. The ground beneath them rumbled, the air vibrating with ancient energy.

A bright blue light erupted from the symbols, wrapping around the abomination like chains made of pure energy. The creature roared, thrashing wildly, but the seal held.

Victory? Or Something Else?

Arc collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath. The abomination was trapped once more, its body frozen in place, encased by the glowing seal. But as the light dimmed, Arc felt uneasy.

The monster's eyes—those cruel, intelligent eyes—were still open, watching him. There was no fear in them. Only patience.

Arc knew this wasn't over. The seal would hold for now, but not forever. And when it broke again, the creature would return—stronger, smarter, and more dangerous than ever.

But so would he.

Arc rose to his feet, bloodied but unbowed. He had survived this encounter, and he had grown stronger for it. But the battle ahead was far from over.

There were more towns, more monsters, more secrets waiting to be uncovered. And he would be ready.

The ghost town had given him a glimpse of what lay beneath the surface—a world of hidden horrors and ancient truths.