CHAPTER 19:- FIRE MEETS FANG

The fiery haired man entered the room with shattered debris crunching under his boots. His gaze was sharp, his anger clear as he shot the bodyguard a look that could melt glass "look before you get angry you should know - that the beast isn't even here, I checked" the bodyguard said raising a hand. The fiery haired man opened his mouth to argue but froze, his instincts flaring as he scanned the room cautiously. It was huge with massive, cracked marble pillars that lined the perimeter, their once-pristine surfaces now marred with deep scratches and dark stains. The floor, once a masterpiece of polished stone, lay covered in layers of dust, grime, and scattered rubble, the beast's impact only adding to years of neglect.

Broken tables and splintered chairs were piled haphazardly across the room, some reduced to little more than heaps of wood and rusted metal.

The walls were cracked,chunks of plaster missing, exposing raw stone beneath.

"Hah what waste of time" the bodyguard muttered brushing past the fiery man to head deeper into the room. Rolling his eyes the fiery haired man continued with searching the room. He noticed large, shattered windows on one side of the room that let in slivers of pale light, the glass long since broken, leaving jagged edges that gleamed faintly. A faint breeze stirred carrying with It the scent of damp wood, and something faintly metallic—blood.

Then, he looked up to the ceiling ,cracks spread across the surface like veins, branching out from a large, jagged hole where pieces of plaster had crumbled away, exposing the underlying structure. Chunks of debris still clung precariously, threatening to fall at the slightest disturbance.Cobwebs stretched between the cracks, their delicate strands shimmering faintly in the dim light. Some areas of the ceiling sagged slightly, the material weakened by time, while patches of peeling paint curled away like dead skin, revealing the dull gray concrete beneath.

And in one of those deep cracks, nestled within the shadows—two crimson orbs shone, nestled right above where the bodyguard stood.

Then-

It dropped.

"Look out!!" He shouted a warning to the bodyguard.

Too late.

A shadow engulfed the bodyguard. Before he could react- Crunch!

The beast landed, reducing him to a bloody smear. His bones cracked like dry twigs, his body folding under the monsters weight."

Axel breathe hitched as the beast made a paste of the Morrison family bodyguard, his blood splashing across the walls. The beast unfurled its massive frame, its crimson eyes locking onto him, "Axel" Shila right next to him whispered "look, no sign of injuries whatsoever" axel scanning the beast noticed the same thing " Yeah you're right and there's no way it wasn't injured from my earlier attack, which means it must have an incredible fast regeneration rate. Which makes things harder.

"But..."

Bending his legs and widening his stance, smoke poured from his mouth and body. Flames ignited beneath his boots. His entire body coiled like a spring—then boom!! Lunching himself like a rocket, the ground shattering beneath him, he appeared in front of the beast in an instant his fist cocked back" that just means I have to hit it harder, "Flash Punch!" His fist slammed into the creatures jaw, with a sickening crunch the beasts head snapped to the side its massive frame trembling from the force but it didn't fall. Its feet dug into the ground, absorbing the blow. Then - it retaliated,its claws lashed out In a blur, too fast to follow.

Boom!!.

A shockwave exploded through the air as the strike connected.

Like a bullet Axel was sent flying, crashing through marble pillars and embedding himself in the wall, coughing he spat out a mouthful of blood force, his vision swimming."damn!"

The monster lunged, rushing after axel with insane speed, while running on all fours with a predatory look in it's eyes, but before it could reach Axel_ Clang!! Thick iron chains snapped into existence locking the beast in place.

"You must have forgot about me" Shila said while slowly walking up to the beast with twin daggers in it's hands, a cold glint flashing past his blue eyes. "Don't worry it's the last mistake_" vanishing from his spot only to appear behind the beast his twin daggers glistering with fresh blood "you'll ever make."

The beast stood stock still before blood spurted form its neck, the chains holding it in place vanished and the beast crumpled to the floor. Shila moved around the beast, walking directly to Axel's crumpled form, " Are you really planning on sleeping through the whole day?Axel." Axel body twitched then stood up abruptly, "hahaha, got me Shila, ah,but that strike was really strong, hiss!, I think I might have broken a rib" Axel exclaimed touching his rib side in pain. "Serves you right, rushing in like that." "Hah don't say that Shila I was in the moment hahaha" Axel laughed scratching his head. " But his face turned serious " You know that guys death really did bother me, I guess you could say it was because he reminds me of Soren" Shila's face changed after hearing that, looking at Axel in concern. Axel seeing the look his friend was giving him laughed, "hahaha, am fine, am fine, no need to worry Shila am fine" his words still carrying a hint of melancholy. "Anyway why did you let me get beat up before you took down the beast" Axel teased "tch looks like you still want a beating" "Hahaha, alright I would lay off you, too serious, this is why you don't have any friends,". "I have friends."

"Yeah, who?" Shila was about to reply when suddenly.. "Shila!!" Axel pushed him out of the way as a maw opened up right where Shila was standing rows of sharp teeths biting down with crushing force on his arm, Ahhh!!!! Axel screamed in pain but Shila reacting in an instant counjured a sword to slice axel's arm off. The second the arm was severed they both jumped backwards putting a great distance between them and the beast just risen from the dead.