PHASE TWO MONSTERS UNLEASHED

Chapter 11: Phase Two—Monsters Unleashed

The moment Vanessa's words fell, the Revenants changed.

Golden veins turned black, pulsing with something unnatural. Their bodies twitched, their muscles expanding, bones cracking as if reshaping.

And then—they moved.

Faster. Stronger. More ruthless.

Adrian barely dodged as one of them blurred toward him, its movements no longer human. It struck out, its fist leaving a shockwave in the air.

Adrian leaped back—just in time.

The ground split apart where he had been standing.

What the hell?

They weren't just enhanced anymore.

They were becoming something else.

Sophie's breath caught as she watched the way they moved.

"This isn't just evolution," she whispered. "They're mutating."

Lucas groaned, pushing himself up. "Great. As if they weren't hard enough to fight already."

Evelyn gritted her teeth, her daggers ready. "Then we just have to hit harder."

But Adrian knew.

It wasn't that simple.

Because now, they weren't just soldiers.

They were becoming monsters.

Vanessa watched calmly, her golden eyes filled with satisfaction.

"This is the true potential of Project Revenant," she murmured. "The final phase. No emotions, no limits, no failures."

Her gaze met Adrian's.

"Only perfection."

Adrian's fists clenched.

I have to end this now.

He lunged forward, faster than before, golden energy surging through his veins.

If they were evolving—

Then so would he.

He met the first Revenant head-on. Their fists clashed, sending a shockwave that cracked the walls. But this time—Adrian didn't budge.

His golden eyes burned.

The Revenant snarled, its movements twitching unnaturally, but Adrian was faster.

He struck—hard. A direct hit to the chest.

Crack.

The Revenant skidded back—but didn't fall.

Its body twisted, bones shifting unnaturally. It laughed.

Adrian's heart pounded.

They weren't just tougher.

They weren't feeling pain.

Vanessa smirked. "Oh, Adrian. Did you really think brute strength would be enough?"

Her voice was soft, but filled with cruel amusement.

"You were the prototype. The first attempt at something greater. But them?" She gestured to the evolving Revenants.

"They were made to surpass you."

Sophie froze.

Because she saw it.

The way Adrian's golden veins pulsed—the same way theirs did.

The way they adapted, grew stronger, became something else.

And in that moment—she realized the truth.

"Adrian," she whispered.

His eyes snapped to her.

Sophie's voice shook.

"They're evolving… just like you."

Adrian's breath hitched.

And suddenly—he understood.

Vanessa's words. The way he had always felt different. The way his body healed, adapted, changed.

He wasn't the failure.

He was the blueprint.

And now—they were catching up.

Vanessa's voice was a whisper.

"Let's see who reaches the final stage first."

And then—

The Revenants attacked again.

Faster. Stronger. Relentless.

And Adrian knew—this time, he might not survive.

—

---

Adrian barely had time to brace before the first one struck. A single hit—and the air cracked.

Boom!

Adrian was sent flying. He smashed through a concrete pillar, skidding across the ground. His bones screamed in protest, but he forced himself up.

Too fast. Too strong.

The Revenants were adapting, pushing past their limits—just like him.

Sophie ran to him, eyes wide with fear. "Adrian—"

"I'm fine," he muttered, wiping blood from his mouth. But he wasn't.

He felt it. His body struggling. His golden veins pulsing erratically.

The Revenants weren't just evolving.

They were catching up.

Vanessa watched calmly, arms crossed, a pleased smile on her lips.

"This is what I wanted to see," she murmured.

Her golden eyes locked onto Adrian. "Can you survive against your own perfection?"

Adrian clenched his fists.

He didn't have a choice.

He had to end this. Now.

The Revenants attacked again.

Adrian dodged, barely missing a strike that shattered the floor beneath him. He countered, his fist glowing with golden energy, striking one of them square in the chest.

Boom!

The Revenant was sent crashing into the far wall.

But then—it stood up.

And this time, it laughed.

Adrian's chest tightened.

They weren't just healing.

They were getting stronger.

Evelyn cursed. "This is impossible!"

Lucas gritted his teeth, gripping his injured arm. "We can't keep this up!"

Sophie's mind raced.

There had to be a way.

A weakness. A flaw in Vanessa's so-called perfect soldiers.

And then—it hit her.

The connection.

She turned to Adrian, voice urgent. "They're evolving the same way you do—but you don't just adapt, Adrian. You grow stronger because you have a will of your own!"

Adrian's eyes widened.

Sophie took a shaky breath. "They don't. They only follow orders. They don't think, they don't resist—they just… obey."

And in that moment—Adrian knew.

That was their flaw.

They weren't perfect.

They were controlled.

And if he could break that control—

Vanessa's expression darkened.

Sophie had figured it out.

And that meant—they still had a chance.

Adrian exhaled. His golden eyes blazed.

"I'm done running."

The Revenants lunged again.

And this time—

Adrian fought back with everything he had.

---

Adrian's golden eyes burned.

The Revenants lunged toward him—faster, stronger, unstoppable.

But this time, Adrian didn't dodge.

He charged forward.

The first Revenant threw a punch—Adrian caught it.

Boom!

The impact cracked the ground beneath them, the sheer force sending shockwaves through the air.

But Adrian held firm.

The Revenant snarled, trying to pull away—but Adrian wouldn't let go.

His veins pulsed with golden light, his energy surging. He wasn't just reacting anymore. He was overpowering them.

And for the first time—they hesitated.

Vanessa's expression shifted.

A flicker of something that looked almost like… concern.

Adrian's grip tightened.

"I know your secret now," he muttered, his voice like steel.

The Revenant struggled, its black veins pulsing erratically.

"They don't have a will of their own," Sophie said, stepping beside Adrian. "They only follow orders."

Vanessa's lips pressed into a thin line.

Adrian's golden energy flared.

"I'm going to break them free."

Vanessa's eyes darkened.

"Like hell you will."

She snapped her fingers.

And the Revenants screamed.

Their bodies convulsed, their veins turning a deep, unnatural black. Something was changing.

Sophie's stomach dropped. "She's forcing them to evolve even further."

Adrian gritted his teeth.

No.

He wouldn't let her control them anymore.

It was time to end this.

He let go of the Revenant's arm—and placed his hand on its chest.

Golden energy exploded outward.

A pulse—but not of destruction.

Of release.

The Revenant's body jerked. Its movements slowed, its eyes flickering—for the first time, uncertainty crossed its face.

Vanessa's eyes widened. "No—"

Adrian's golden veins glowed brighter.

"I was supposed to be the first of you," he said. "But I was given something you weren't."

He met the Revenant's gaze.

"A choice."

And then—the Revenant screamed.

Not in pain.

In defiance.

Vanessa's grip was breaking.

The hive mind was collapsing.

And she knew it.

Her eyes flashed with rage.

"You think this changes anything?" she spat. "You think I don't have a contingency?"

She raised her hand.

And from the shadows—something else stepped forward.

Something bigger.

Something worse.

Sophie's breath caught. "What is that?"

Vanessa's smile returned.

"My trump card."

And then—

The real fight began.

A deep, guttural growl rumbled through the air.

Adrian's breath hitched.

From the darkness behind Vanessa, something stepped forward.

It was massive. At least twice his size, its body covered in a metallic, obsidian-like exoskeleton. Thick, pulsating veins of black energy ran across its arms and chest, glowing with an eerie light.

Its eyes—if they could even be called that—were pure void, endless pits of darkness that seemed to pull in the light around them.

Sophie's blood ran cold. "That's… that's not human."

Vanessa smirked. "Oh, Adrian. Did you really think I'd put all my hopes on those failures?" She gestured toward the Revenants, who were now twitching, some even clutching their heads, resisting her control.

They were breaking free.

But it didn't matter.

Not anymore.

"This," Vanessa said, stepping closer to her creation, "is my masterpiece. The true final stage of Project Revenant."

She looked at Adrian, her golden eyes burning with something almost fanatical.

"Meet Erebus."

The creature moved.

And Adrian barely had time to react before it vanished.

Boom!

A shockwave erupted as Adrian was sent flying, his ribs nearly shattering from the sheer force of the impact. He crashed into the far wall, coughing up blood.

Too fast. Too strong.

Lucas cursed. "Damn it, we're screwed."

Evelyn's grip on her daggers tightened. "We fight anyway."

Adrian groaned, pushing himself up. His golden veins flickered. Struggling.

Vanessa tilted her head, almost… disappointed.

"Come on, Adrian. This isn't like you." She spread her arms. "You were meant to be more. To evolve past your limits."

Her lips curled into a taunting smile.

"So why are you losing?"

Adrian clenched his fists.

She was right.

He was losing.

Because he was holding back.

He had spent his entire life fighting against what he was. Holding himself back out of fear—fear of what he might become.

But if he kept doing that now—he would die.

They all would.

He looked up, his golden eyes burning with something new.

Determination.

No more limits.

If Erebus was the final stage of Vanessa's evolution—

Then it was time for Adrian to surpass it.

His golden veins flared.

His body burned.

And for the first time—he stopped resisting his true power.

Vanessa's smirk faltered.

Something was changing.

And then—Adrian moved.

Faster than ever before.

Straight toward Erebus.

And this time—he wasn't the one getting hit.

---

What's Next?

Has Adrian unlocked his final form?

Can he defeat Erebus, or is it truly unstoppable?

What is Vanessa's last, most desperate move?