Arrival of the Unknown

The air was thick with the scent of blood and decay. The metallic tang clung to Arman's nose as he stood firm, his breath steady, facing the three remaining Voidborns. Unlike the last two he had killed, these creatures had no mist covering their bodies—just like the one he had fought in the mall. Their skin was a deep abyss, shifting unnaturally, as if reality itself struggled to contain them.

A faint, unsettling hum vibrated in the air around them.

Arman clenched his fists, the muscles in his arms tensing like coiled steel. His heartbeat drummed in his ears, but his mind remained focused.

"No matter what, I have to kill you. I have no choice."

The ground cracked beneath his feet as he launched forward, a blur of motion. His fists pulsed with energy, the air whistling around them as he closed in on the first Voidborn, unleashing a barrage of Straight Lead Punches.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Each punch landed with the force of a sledgehammer, sending shockwaves through the creature's body. The impact echoed through the empty shop, rattling the shattered display cases.

But—

Crack!

Bones burst from the Voidborn's chest, twisting and hardening into an armored shield. Arman's fists shattered the bones, but new ones instantly regenerated, blocking his every attack. The bone shield gave off a sickly, burnt smell, as if the Voidborn's body was constantly melting and reforming.

His eyes narrowed. "Damn it. This thing has a defense mechanism."

Not willing to stop, he changed tactics. His muscles coiled like springs, and he swung a powerful punch directly at the creature's head.

Boom!

But again—the bones blocked it. A sharp, grating sound filled the air as the bones reformed even faster than before. The Voidborn barely flinched, its hollow eyes staring through him.

Arman leaped back, breathing heavily, his mind racing.

"Okay… I need some kind of hammer to break this thing."

Then—his thoughts snapped together.

Yes. A hammer. And I already have one.

Arman raised both hands above his head, clenching his fists together. The air around him thickened with energy, crackling and distorting like heat waves.

The Voidborn sensed the danger, its body tensing. More bone layers erupted from its head, forming a dense skull-like barrier.

It wouldn't be enough.

"TAKE THIS!"

Arman swung down with both fists—like a war hammer crashing from the heavens.

BOOOOM!

The impact shattered the Voidborn's bone armor, sending fragments flying in all directions. The entire shop shook, the walls groaning under the force of the shockwave.

But it didn't stop there.

His fists kept going—straight through the creature's skull.

A wet, sickening CRUNCH echoed through the store as the Voidborn's head collapsed inward, crushed like brittle glass. A foul-smelling, black blood hissed from the broken body as it twitched violently, then fell lifeless to the ground.

The scent of burnt flesh and something unnatural—like rotting metal—filled Arman's nostrils.

Only two remained.

Arman exhaled, his heart pounding in his ears.

"One down."

But before he could launch his next attack—

"Arman, LEAVE. NOW."

His spirit's voice rang in his mind, sharp and urgent.

Arman's eyes narrowed. "What? Why? I can still—"

"Don't ask questions. Just trust me. LEAVE."

"But how?! And what about these things?"

"I'll handle it. Just RUN."

Before he could react, his body suddenly moved on its own.

His spirit took control for an instant, forcing his muscles to DASH.

In a blink—

He vanished.

And reappeared behind the two Voidborns.

Before they could react, the spirit returned control to him.

"GO. NOW!"

Without hesitation, Arman bolted through the back door of the ruined jewelry shop.

His legs carried him forward, turning corners quickly, weaving through the dark streets.

The scent of burning cars and dust filled his nose as he ran.

Finally—he reached the front of the store.

He slowed his pace, calming his breathing, and began walking normally.

From a distance, he saw his friends.

They stood anxiously, staring at the jewelry shop, their faces tense with worry. They were far enough to be safe, but close enough that their concern was evident.

Arman smirked. "Let's have a little fun."

Quietly, he slipped toward them, stopping just behind Ayesha.

She muttered under her breath, her voice trembling. "I just hope… I hope Arman is safe."

Arman leaned in slightly. "Yeah, I think he should be."

Ayesha froze.

Her head snapped to the side, her eyes going wide as she turned—and saw him standing right there.

"A-Arman…?!"

Arman grinned. "Yup."

Tears immediately welled up in her eyes. Without warning, she threw her arms around him, holding him in a tight embrace.

"You fool! Do you have any idea how worried I was?!"

Arman stiffened. He had never been in this kind of situation before.

His brain short-circuited.

Slowly, awkwardly, he patted her back. "Uh… don't worry. I'm here now."

But making the situation more awkward, Riyan snickered.

"Okay, lovebirds. Quit it already."

Ayesha realized she was hugging him in front of everyone. Her face turned red as she instantly stepped back, looking at the ground.

She felt like she wanted the earth to swallow her whole.

Zubair shook his head. "Stop teasing them, Riyan."

Arman, feeling just as awkward, tried to shift the topic.

But Riyan immediately asked, "Uh, yeah, so… how did you got out?"

Arman answered, "Oh, when I sent everyone out, I hid under a table near the counter. When they weren't looking, I bolted for the back exit. Although…" He lifted his shirt, revealing a small but deep cut on his right side. "One of them managed to hit me."

Reyan whistled. "Damn, lucky bastard."

Zubair didn't find it funny. He smacked Arman's head. "What if something happened to you, idiot?"

Arman winced. "I'm fine! Really!"

But before they could argue more—

Back at the shop, something stirred.

The remaining Voidborns stood still, waiting. Looking for arman in frustration.

Then—the air twisted.

A thin, crackling line of pure energy split reality itself, stretching wider as space rippled and distorted.

The Voidborns immediately sensed the change.

An overwhelming pressure poured out of the portal, thick and suffocating like a storm about to break.

One of the Voidborns roared, reacting on instinct. It lunged forward, throwing a devastating punch straight into the distortion.

Its fist collided—but not with empty air.

THUD!

The impact barely made the figure on the other side flinch.

A man stepped through the portal, letting the Voidborn's punch land directly on his face.

A deep crack echoed through the room—not from the man's skull, but from the Voidborn's knuckles breaking upon impact.

The man came out from the portal. He had crimson-red hair, tousled like he hadn't cared to fix it. His muscular arms were smeared with grease, and his half-buttoned vest exposed his scarred chest. A white shirt was tied around his waist, and his orange pants were stained with oil—as if he had just walked out of a garage.

He exhaled sharply, irritated.

"The hell? They sent us to deal with these insects?"

The second man followed behind him—taller, leaner, with a calm, calculating gaze. His sleek black coat barely swayed as he stepped into the ruined shop.

"Last time, they sent two rookies. They got beaten to death." He smirked. "This time, they figured they'd send real monsters."

The red-haired man rolled his shoulders, stretching.

"Tch. Whatever. Let's clean this up and go home. I got a car to fix."

His amber eyes flicked to the Voidborn nearest to him.

In a blur, he grabbed its arm.

The Voidborn flinched—it had sensed something. A chill ran through its body as pure killing intent wrapped around it like chains.

It leapt back, its instincts screaming.

But something was off.

The Voidborn landed a few steps away—and then froze.

A dull, wet drip echoed through the silent shop.

The Voidborn's gaze shifted to its right.

Its arm was missing.

A jagged stump pulsed where the limb had been, Blood dripping from it. The severed arm lay on the cracked floor, fingers still twitching.

A moment of silence.

Then—

A screeching wail tore from the Voidborn's throat. The sound was like metal scraping against glass, so piercing that the walls of the shop trembled.

The red-haired man tilted his head, unfazed.

"Oh, now you're screaming?" He cracked his knuckles, smirking. "I felt that too, y'know. When you hit me earlier."

The second man sighed, rubbing his temple. "Stop joking. These things can't even hurt you."

His sharp gaze swept the area. The air reeked of something unnatural—like burnt sulfur mixed with decayed flesh. His boots crunched against shattered glass as he moved.

His eyes landed on the three already-dead Voidborns.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Looks like someone else was here before us."

The red-haired man shrugged. "Maybe they fought each other and died."

"Idiot." The second man rolled his eyes. "They don't do that." He glanced around, scanning the shadows. "Whoever killed these three made our job easier. But that means there's someone out there who can take these things down."

The red-haired man sighed. "Not our problem. Let's just kill these two and go."

The second man thought for a moment, then smirked. "Actually, let's take one alive. We might get some information."

The red-haired man pointed to the one that had punched him earlier.

"Fine. But I'm killing this one."

Before the Voidborn could react, he kicked it.

It wasn't a full-powered kick.

Just a small amount of strength.

But—

BOOOOM!

The Voidborn was obliterated.

Its body crumpled inward like paper, launching backward at insane speed. It crashed through the jewelry display cases, smashed through the wall, and landed half-buried in the debris.

It didn't get up.

The red-haired man frowned, rubbing his chin. "Huh? That was too easy."

The second man smirked. "You underestimate yourself."

Raising his hand, he muttered something under his breath.

A deep hum vibrated through the air.

A second later—glowing sky-blue chains materialized, wrapping around the last Voidborn.

The creature thrashed violently, screeching. It tried to break free, but the more it struggled, the tighter the chains became. The spiritual energy in them burned like holy fire, making the Voidborn convulse.

Realizing resistance was useless, it stopped moving.

The second man smirked. "There we go."

The red-haired man rolled his shoulders. "Alright, let's get out of here."

Without another word, the two men dragged the bound Voidborn back toward the portal.

The air shuddered as the portal began to close.

Before disappearing, the red-haired man glanced back at the ruined shop one last time.

His sharp amber eyes flickered with curiosity.

Someone had fought here. Someone strong.

"Interesting."

Then—the portal snapped shut.