Chapter 7

Roy stood in the dim interior of a military transport vehicle, the combat suit fitting snugly against his body. It felt lighter than he expected, but every movement reinforced the durability of the material. It was made for agility—made for someone like him.

Across from him, two other agents sat, their faces hidden behind tactical helmets. One of them glanced his way. "You're the new kid?"

Roy nodded.

The other agent chuckled. "First real mission, huh? Hope you can keep up."

Roy tightened his grip on his baton. "We'll see."

The transport rumbled as it pulled to a stop. A green light flashed inside.

"Final briefing," a voice crackled through Roy's earpiece—it was Dr. Chen. "The escaped chimera was being transported for further testing when its restraints failed. The facility has already been evacuated, and your job is simple: neutralize the threat."

The ramp lowered with a hiss, revealing a dark industrial complex. The air was thick with fog, swirling around the abandoned research site like a living thing.

Roy stepped out onto the cracked pavement, scanning his surroundings. The facility loomed in front of them, steel doors left slightly ajar. The silence was suffocating.

The first agent clicked his radio. "Command, we're inside. No visual on the target yet."

Roy moved cautiously, senses on high alert. The moment he stepped into the facility, he felt it—something was watching them.

A low growl rumbled from the shadows.

Then, from the darkness, it stepped forward.

Tall. Wrong. Its body twisted in ways that defied human anatomy. Its skin, stretched taut, pulsed with something unnatural. Its glowing, yellow eyes locked onto Roy, and a jagged smile stretched across its distorted face.

The lead agent swore. "That's no B-rank."

Roy's heart pounded.

The chimera tilted its head, and then—

It vanished.

No movement, no blur—just gone.

Then Roy heard it.

A whisper—right behind him.

"You're not like the others."

Roy spun, but it was too late.

The creature struck.

Blood sprayed across the floor. The first agent barely had time to scream before the chimera's tail impaled him, lifting his writhing body into the air like a skewered insect. His weapon clattered to the ground as he choked on his own blood, his limbs twitching violently before going limp.

The second agent raised his rifle, but he never got the chance to fire.

With a sickening whoosh, a second tail lashed out, striking him like a wrecking ball. The sheer force sent him hurtling through the walls, his body crashing through metal and concrete as if they were made of paper. He disappeared into the darkness, leaving behind only a trail of dust and debris.

Roy barely had time to react before the chimera turned its gaze on him.

Shit.

He dove to the side just as the first tail retracted from the corpse of the impaled agent, slamming into the floor where Roy had stood a second ago. The impact left a crater in the reinforced steel, sending cracks splintering outward.

This thing was fast. Faster than anything Roy had ever faced.

His heart pounded, adrenaline flooding his veins as he gripped his baton tighter. Think. Think.

"Command, we've got a problem," he muttered into his earpiece, slowly backing away. "This isn't a B-rank. I repeat, this is not a B-rank."

Static.

Then—

"Roy, fall back immediately," Dr. Chen's voice came through, urgent. "We just ran its data—it's an A-rank."

His blood ran cold.

An A-rank. The level just above Cade. The level where a single chimera could demolish a city block on its own.

And he was alone.

The chimera grinned, its grotesque face splitting wider as it stepped forward. Its two tails swayed behind it, dripping blood from its previous kills.

It's playing with me.

Roy swallowed hard, every instinct in his body screaming at him to run.

But he couldn't.

He wouldn't.

His body was stronger than before. Faster. He had adapted in the training chamber—he had evolved. And he would continue to do so.

If he ran now, he'd never stop running.

He exhaled slowly, shifting his stance. "Alright," he muttered to himself, steadying his grip on the baton. "Let's see what I can really do."

Hearing this, the creatures grin widened, its two tails swayed faster, and a long grey tongue came out of its open mouth.

"I'll enjoy your suffering human. Hahaha, you know i like it when they scream in pain."

Roy's grip tightened around the baton, his heartbeat pounding in his ears. The chimera's voice was a guttural, wet rasp, dripping with malice.

It wasn't just a mindless beast.

It was intelligent.

And it enjoyed the hunt.

The creature's long grey tongue slithered out, curling like a snake tasting the air. Its tails swayed faster, slicing through the air with sharp, whiplike cracks.

Roy's instincts screamed at him to move—now!

The chimera vanished.

No blur, no sound—just gone.

Roy barely had time to react before his body screamed in warning. He ducked on instinct—

WHAM!

A tail whooshed over his head, missing by mere inches. The sheer force of the swing split the metal wall behind him like paper, sending debris flying.

Roy rolled, twisting just in time to block the second tail with his baton.

CRACK!

The impact sent a jolt through his arms, nearly shattering his bones. He skidded backward, boots screeching against the blood-slick floor.

The impact sent a jolt through his arms, nearly shattering his bones. He skidded backward, boots screeching against the blood-slick floor.

The chimera reappeared just feet away, licking its lips. "Fast," it hissed, "but not fast enough."

The creature laughed.

Then it attacked again.

It teleported—or moved so fast it might as well have. Roy barely saw it before it was right in front of him.

Roy twisted his body just in time to avoid a swipe aimed at his throat. He countered—his baton lashed out, aiming for its ribs—

The chimera caught it.

Its claws clamped down on the metal, stopping Roy's strike mid-motion.

Roy's eyes widened.

"Oh," the chimera purred, tilting its head. "Was that supposed to hurt?"

Then it squeezed.

CRACK!

The reinforced baton snapped in half like a twig.

Roy tightened his grip on the shattered remains of his baton, his heartbeat a steady drum in his ears. The chimera's grin widened, its two tails flicking with anticipation.

The creature vanished.

Roy's instincts screamed at him. He moved, throwing himself to the side—

Too slow.

A force like a battering ram slammed into his ribs, sending him hurtling through the air. He crashed into a metal crate, the impact knocking the breath from his lungs. Stars exploded in his vision.

Pain. Real pain.

He barely had time to recover before the chimera was on him again.

A tail lashed out. Roy ducked—but not fast enough. The tip of the tail grazed his shoulder, and even that glancing blow sent him sprawling.

Damn it!

He rolled to his feet, gasping for breath. His entire left side ached from the first hit, and his shoulder burned where the tail had clipped him. If that strike had been even a fraction closer, it would have torn him in half.

The chimera chuckled. "Not bad," it mused. "You're tougher than the last ones. But not enough."

It blurred forward again—

Roy reacted on instinct, raising the broken baton just in time.

CLANG!

The chimera's claws struck metal, sparks flying. The impact sent a shockwave through Roy's arms, nearly knocking the baton from his grip. He staggered backward, barely keeping his balance.

It's toying with me.

It could've killed him already—but it wanted to drag this out.

Roy gritted his teeth. His body was still adjusting to S12, still evolving—but he wasn't there yet. He couldn't overpower this thing. Not head-on.

Then I won't.

He exhaled sharply, pushing past the pain. If brute strength wouldn't win this fight, then he needed to fight smart.

The chimera lunged again.

Roy didn't dodge.

He moved forward.

The sudden shift in momentum caught the creature off guard. Roy ducked low, rolling beneath its outstretched claws—

And swung what was left of his baton into its kneecap.

CRACK!

The chimera snarled, stumbling as its leg buckled.

Roy didn't stop.

He followed up immediately, driving an elbow into its ribs, using every ounce of force he had. The impact barely made it flinch, but it was enough to give him space.

He needed a weapon—something stronger.

His eyes flicked around the ruined facility. There—among the debris—a twisted steel pipe, half-buried beneath a collapsed support beam.

Roy sprinted.

The chimera recovered instantly. "Running?" it sneered. "Pathetic."

It slashed at him—

Roy dived, rolling just as claws tore through the air where he had been standing. He hit the ground hard, his fingers closing around the steel pipe.

The chimera lunged to finish him—

Roy swung with everything he had.

The pipe connected with its jaw, and this time, the impact was real. The creature's head snapped to the side, a snarl of pain ripping from its throat.

Roy pressed the advantage, swinging again, aiming for its ribs—

But the chimera was done playing.

It caught the pipe mid-swing and yanked.

Roy was pulled forward, off balance—

A tail slammed into his stomach.

Pain erupted through his body as he was launched backward. He crashed through a stack of crates, the wind knocked from his lungs.

For a moment, everything was a blur.

He tasted blood. His ribs screamed in agony. His body wasn't healing fast enough.

The chimera approached slowly now, savoring its advantage. "You're persistent," it admitted, licking blood from its lips. "But this is where you break."

Roy forced himself up onto his hands and knees. His breath came in ragged gasps. Think, damn it!

He wasn't fast enough. Not strong enough.

But maybe…

Maybe he didn't need to be.

His eyes flicked toward the ceiling.

The facility was falling apart—broken beams, cracked walls. A network of hanging chains dangled overhead, swaying with the wind.

He had an idea.

Roy wiped blood from his mouth and pushed himself to his feet. "Come and break me, then."

The chimera grinned and lunged—

Roy ran.

Not away. Up.

He leapt onto a fallen metal beam, using it as a springboard. His enhanced body responded just fast enough, sending him soaring toward the chains overhead.

His fingers wrapped around the cold steel. He swung his body, using the momentum to twist midair—

The chimera followed.

It leapt, its tails lashing toward him—

Roy let go.

He dropped, twisting in the air just as the chimera passed beneath him—

And he grabbed one of its tails.

The chimera had no time to react before Roy yanked, using its own momentum against it.

The creature was thrown off course—straight into the exposed rebar of a collapsed wall.

Steel spikes impaled its arm and shoulder, pinning it in place.

The chimera shrieked in agony.

Roy landed hard, rolling to absorb the impact. His entire body ached, but he forced himself to move.

This was his chance.

He grabbed the steel pipe again and sprinted toward the struggling chimera.

It thrashed, trying to rip itself free, but the rebar held firm. Its remaining tail lashed out desperately—

Roy dodged.

Then he drove the pipe straight into its open mouth.

The creature's eyes widened in shock as the steel pierced through the back of its throat.

It spasmed violently, its claws scraping against the walls, its muffled screams echoing through the ruined facility.

Roy twisted the pipe hard, then ripped it free.

A spray of black blood erupted from its throat.

The chimera twitched once.

Then it slumped.

Dead.

Roy staggered back, his chest rising and falling in heavy breaths. His entire body ached, blood dripping from his wounds.

But he had won.

His earpiece crackled to life.

"Roy?" Dr. Chen's voice, tense. "Is it over?"

Roy wiped a hand across his face, smearing blood and sweat. He looked at the chimera's lifeless body, the rebar still pinning it in place.

"Yeah," he muttered. "It's over."

A long silence. Then Roland's voice, buzzing with excitement.

"Hahaha… Magnificent."