Chapter 243: The Awakening Below

The cavern shattered.

A monstrous claw, black as the void, tore through the stone floor beneath Ochieng's feet. The air turned thick—an unnatural pressure making it hard to breathe.

Lin Feng's instincts kicked in immediately. "Move!" he barked, shoving Cassandra out of harm's way.

Ochieng didn't hesitate. His feet barely touched the ground as he twisted away, but the creature below was faster than it should be.

A second claw shot up—this one aimed straight for him.

Then—a pulse of energy.

Ochieng didn't know where it came from, but his body reacted. The mark on his palm ignited, and suddenly—the claw stopped.

For a split second, the entire world stood still.

The thing in the abyss hesitated.

Then, in a voice that was not a voice at all, but rather a whisper crawling through his mind, it spoke:

"You… You are one of us."

Ochieng's blood turned to ice.

"What the hell?" Lin Feng muttered, gripping his weapon.

Cassandra's scanner flickered violently. "No… This isn't possible."

Ochieng didn't respond. He couldn't. Because deep inside, something was waking up.

And it was hungry.