Chapter 11 – Mom…

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Before Rei could say anything about the situation, Mia tilted her head to the side and screamed as she saw something in front of her. This made everyone turn their eyes in the direction the girl was looking.

Shifting their eyes to the side, they noticed the figure of a boy running... It's Takayo, Mia's boyfriend. He's running frantically next to an older man and woman... His guardians.

Behind the boy, four Demogorges are chasing him at full speed.

— Uncle... P-please help Takayo. The monsters are after him — the girl pleads, her trembling voice filled with fear and anxiety.

Outraged by the situation, Kazuki unsheathes the sword at his waist and rises from his hiding place, leaving the girl in Rei's care.

— Please, stay here. I have to save the Lincolns — he explains in a firm tone, his voice fading as he quickly walks away.

The beastman, watching the people from a distance with his iron sword in his hand, suddenly breaks into a sprint and quickly closes the gap to the scene.

Rei and Mia, watching from a distance, hide behind another market stall. This one is partially destroyed, but offers a bit more protection than the previous one, which looks like it could collapse at any moment.

Noticing that the man is now far away, the boy begins to assess the situation.

"I have to protect Mia... I've never seen Kazuki fight, but I remember him saying that he was one of the best swordsmen on the continent. He'll be fine... I hope so", he thinks, deep in worry, trying to process everything that's happening.

...

As he gets closer to the monsters chasing the boy, Kazuki shifts into an offensive stance, putting all his weight into the edge of his weapon as he attacks, piercing the surface of their skin.

— Takayo, run with your parents to the front of the market. Mia and Rei are there — the man yells as he fights the four creatures at once, trying to buy time for the boy to escape.

Takayo realizes that the man is distracting the monsters and starts to run even faster.

...

As he approaches the market stalls, the boy begins to feel relieved, thinking that he is finally safe after his endless sprint.

But to his shock and that of his parents, who are just ahead of him, a Demogorgon — three times larger than normal — is lurking among the ruins of the houses. Sensing the movement and body heat of living creatures, it leaps out of a burning building and heads straight for them.

The disproportionately massive creature creates a seismic shockwave when it lands, shaking the ground. As a result of the shaking, everyone around loses their balance and falls... like dominoes.

Immediately after landing, the monster locks its gaze forward and advances, moving quickly toward the spot where the Lincolns are standing.

And with a swift and stealthy movement, like a shadow, the creature reaches behind Mrs. Lincoln and grabs her with its massive, twisted and rough claws.

The woman flails wildly, trying to free herself from the demogorgon's grip, screaming desperately for her life... But it was too late.

With a twisted, malevolent grin, the creature raises its other claw and begins to tear her apart.

The woman feels her body ripped open at the abdomen. Her skin slowly splits, revealing her insides. As her blood gushes out, the excruciating pain causes her to lose some of her senses.

At that moment, the creature rips her apart completely. Her entrails spill to the ground, accompanied by a massive flood of blood and chunks of flesh.

All that can be seen is pieces of her organs and intestines scattered around, next to a large pool of blood covering the floor.

The woman can only feel an unbearable burning sensation, an excruciating pain that completely engulfs her.

Her agonized, desperate screams convey her suffering to all present. And slowly, her body begins to grow cold, her skin pale, — she begins to lose consciousness as the pain continues to torment her.

And finally, the demogorgon throws her to the ground... The woman is practically dead.

With half her body on the ground, in her last moments, she sees the eyes of her husband and son staring back at her. Their faces are frozen in horror, unable to accept reality.

As her vision darkens, the creature's evil laugh echoes in her ears. And in a split second, before she closes her eyes, she sees the Demogorgon next to her husband, who stares at her in shock, motionless.

The sinister creature, looming over the man, opens its mouth - wider than two doors - and devours him right before Takayo's eyes.

The monster then begins to chew the man's body in front of the boy, who, unable to accept the reality, screams in utter despair: — N-nooo — collapses backwards, crying uncontrollably. His body trembles in fear at the sight in front of him.

Kazuki, who has already defeated two Demogorges, hears Takayo's piercing scream from afar and sees the Lincolns' gruesome deaths. The horrifying scene shakes him to the core.

Acting without thinking, the man turns toward the tragedy and starts running, desperately hoping he can help... A futile attempt, as he is too far away.

Recklessly distracted, the remaining Demogorges he was fighting seize the opportunity. Sensing his lack of concentration, they launch a melee attack with their claws.

One of the creatures' claws pierces the man's chest, causing him to stumble and fall to the ground. Blood immediately gushes out of the deep wound the monster has inflicted.

Now wounded, Kazuki stabs his sword into the ground and uses it to support himself while he watches the creatures mocking his condition.

To be continued...