EP 04 : "The Birth of a Predator"
Blood pooled on the floor, a gruesome mosaic of torn limbs and shattered bones. The air smelled of burning flesh, acidic and pungent. Ji-Hyun stood amidst the wreckage, her body twitching with the aftereffects of Red's rampage.
She wasn't just a parasite host anymore—she was a walking nightmare.
Red's voice slithered through her mind like silk and steel.
"You feel it, don't you? The power. The hunger. We are beyond them now."
Ji-Hyun exhaled, stepping over the mangled corpses of lesser parasites who had foolishly come to her for help.
No one could save her.
No one except Red.
And Red had no intention of sharing.
[ The Government Responds: The Omega Protocol is Activated ]
Across the city, deep within an underground facility, multiple screens flickered to life, each one displaying Ji-Hyun's latest massacre. The Korean Anti-Parasite Squad (KAPS), led by Colonel Hwan Do-Yun, watched in absolute silence.
"She's no longer just a parasite host," one of the scientists murmured. "She's something… beyond our predictions."
Do-Yun narrowed his eyes. "Then it's time we deploy the Omega Protocol."
The room fell into a hush. The Omega Project was KAPS' secret weapon—genetically engineered parasite hunters, enhanced beyond human limitations. They were bred for one purpose: to exterminate beings like Ji-Hyun.
The first sign of trouble came as a high-pitched frequency that made Ji-Hyun's ears bleed.
A sharp, mechanical voice followed.
"Ji-Hyun. Red. You are designated as a Digra-class Parasite. Surrender, or be eliminated."
Ji-Hyun barely had time to react before the air split apart—three figures materialized from the shadows, their movements so fast they left blurred afterimages.
The Omega Squad had arrived.
Omega-1 - Kwon Tae-Jun: The leader. Enhanced speed, reflexes, and a blade capable of slicing through parasites in a single strike.
Omega-2 - Yuna Lee: The psychic, capable of suppressing parasite abilities and manipulating host minds.
Omega-3 - "Void": A nameless killing machine, modified with parasite DNA, stronger than anything Ji-Hyun had ever faced.
Tae-Jun moved first, vanishing and reappearing behind Ji-Hyun. His blade cut through air, aiming straight for her spine.
Red reacted instantly.
Ji-Hyun's arm twisted into a spiked appendage, blocking the attack with inhuman speed. Sparks flew as metal clashed against monstrous flesh.
Yuna raised her hand, eyes glowing. Ji-Hyun's body froze—Red screamed inside her mind as an invisible force tried to separate them.
"No! She's trying to rip me out!"
Ji-Hyun gritted her teeth. If Red was pulled away, she was as good as dead.
Void, the silent monster, lunged from above, fist glowing with a dark energy meant to obliterate her on impact.
Ji-Hyun made a split-second decision.
Option 1: Escape and live to fight another day.
Option 2: Devour. Evolve. Overcome.
She chose the latter.
[ Red's Evolution: Devouring Omega-3]
As Void's attack landed, Ji-Hyun's body twisted unnaturally, avoiding the full force of the impact.
And then she bit into him.
Her jaw dislocated grotesquely, rows of razor-sharp teeth tearing into Void's flesh. The moment his blood entered her system, Red's cells ignited.
Assimilation in progress.
Void's eyes widened as he tried to escape, but it was too late. His body convulsed, his parasite-enhanced abilities draining into Ji-Hyun like water into a black hole.
A horrifying scream tore through the battlefield.
Yuna staggered back, clutching her head as she lost control of her telekinetic hold. Tae-Jun's face twisted in shock.
Void—their most powerful creation—was gone. Absorbed into Ji-Hyun.
Everything shifted. Ji-Hyun's body burned as new strength coursed through her.
Her eyes turned black with crimson rings, her arms elongated into nightmarish blades, and her muscles adapted to an inhuman level of power.
She had ascended.
She was no longer the hunted.
She was the hunter.
Tae-Jun hesitated for the first time. Fear flickered in his eyes.
Ji-Hyun smirked.
"Now… it's my turn.
As Ji-Hyun tore through Tae-Jun's defenses, a sudden burst of static filled the air. A hologram flickered to life.
A masked figure appeared on the screen.
"Congratulations, Ji-Hyun. You have proven yourself worthy."
Ji-Hyun narrowed her eyes. "Who the hell are you?"
The masked figure chuckled.
"You were never just a random parasite host."
The words sent a chill down her spine.
"You are part of something far greater. The Omega Project was never about hunting parasites. It was about creating the perfect one."
The realization hit Ji-Hyun like a truck.
She was not a victim of fate.
She was a planned experiment.
Her entire life had been engineered for this moment.
Red's voice whispered in her mind.
"We were never prey, Ji-Hyun. We were always meant to be the ultimate predator."
The screen flickered, and the masked figure spoke once more.
"Welcome to Phase Two."
The signal cut out.
And then, the entire city exploded into chaos.
Sirens wailed. The night sky burned red as military aircraft swarmed the city.
Hundreds of Omega soldiers descended from above.
The era of parasites and humans was over.
The real war had just begun.
Ji-Hyun stood atop a ruined skyscraper, her newly evolved form gleaming in the moonlight.
A slow smile stretched across her lips.
"Let's see who survives."
------
[ Opening Scene: The City in Chaos]
The entire city of Seoul was drowning in red warning lights. Helicopters hovered above burning buildings, sirens wailed across the streets, and military convoys raced through the highways. The government had declared a Level 10 Emergency Alert—something that had never happened before.
The reason?
Ji-Hyun and Red.
News broadcasts across the country flashed the same image: a grainy surveillance photo of Ji-Hyun standing over a pile of shredded Omega soldiers, her mutated form bathed in blood.
[LIVE NEWS] "Authorities have identified the Digra-class parasite, codenamed 'Red,' as an existential threat. All civilians must evacuate Zone 7 immediately. The government is deploying its most advanced anti-parasite weapons. Any engagement with the target will be classified as a death sentence."
Ji-Hyun grinned as she watched the announcement from a shattered rooftop.
"They're scared of us, Red."
Red chuckled inside her mind.
"Of course they are. We are the next step in evolution."
She rolled her shoulders, flesh shifting, adapting. With each kill, she was evolving into something beyond human and parasite—a true predator.
But the government wasn't going to sit still.
They were coming for her.
[ The Government Unleashes "Project Revenant"]
In an underground command center beneath the Blue House, Colonel Hwan Do-Yun stood before a glass containment unit.
Inside, something twisted and unnatural stirred.
A Revenant-class parasite hybrid—a failed experiment, locked away for years.
But now, it was their last hope.
"Release it," Do-Yun ordered.
The scientists hesitated. "Sir, if we let this thing out—"
"It doesn't matter anymore," he snapped. "Either it kills her, or we all die."
With a reluctant nod, they pressed the release button.
The containment glass shattered.
A deep, guttural growl filled the room.
The monster had been freed.
Ji-Hyun barely had time to react before the air rippled around her. A massive black figure slammed into the rooftop, sending cracks through the concrete.
It was not human. Not fully parasite.
It had a skeletal face, sharp elongated claws, and multiple glowing red eyes blinking across its chest.
And then, it spoke.
"You… are like me."
Ji-Hyun's instincts screamed danger.
Red hissed inside her mind.
"This thing… it's an experiment. A parasite hybrid. But unlike us, it was made… wrong."
The Revenant lunged forward, its claws ripping through the air. Ji-Hyun barely dodged, flipping backwards as its strike sliced a nearby building in half.
It was strong.
Too strong.
But Ji-Hyun was no longer the prey.
She was the predator.
The Revenant came at her with inhuman speed, swiping its monstrous claws. Ji-Hyun's body twisted—flesh morphing, adapting.
Her arm transformed into a massive blade, meeting the Revenant's strike head-on.
The impact sent a shockwave through the city, shattering glass for blocks.
Ji-Hyun grinned. She was faster now. Stronger.
And she wasn't holding back.
With a roar, she lunged forward, her arm extending into a spiked lance. The Revenant dodged, but not fast enough—her attack tore through its side, blackened parasite blood splattering the rooftop.
It screeched in rage.
And then, it did something terrifying.
It regenerated instantly.
Red cursed.
"This thing… it can heal faster than us."
Ji-Hyun's smile faltered. She had met her match.
For the first time since her evolution…
She might actually lose.
"Ji-Hyun… we have only one option."
"What is it?"
"We eat it."
Ji-Hyun's eyes widened.
"Are you insane? This thing isn't just a parasite—it's something else!"
"Exactly. And if we absorb it… we'll become something else too."
It was risky. Suicidal.
But Ji-Hyun wasn't about to die here.
She lunged at the Revenant, dodging its attacks by mere inches.
And then—she sank her fangs into its neck.
The Revenant howled in agony.
Its body convulsed as Ji-Hyun's cells began devouring it from the inside.
A storm of parasite energy erupted around them, twisting the sky into a chaotic vortex.
And then—
Everything exploded.
When Ji-Hyun awoke, her entire body felt different.
She looked down at her hands—no longer human, but something far beyond parasite evolution.
Her arms were sleek, her skin black with red veins pulsing beneath the surface. Her claws shimmered with an energy that distorted reality itself.
And most terrifying of all…
Her eyes had changed.
They were no longer just crimson.
They were void-black with golden rings—a mark of something beyond Digra parasites.
Red's voice was calm, yet filled with awe.
"Ji-Hyun… We are not a Digra-class parasite anymore."
"Then what are we?"
A pause.
Then, Red whispered:
"We are something new."
"We are the Apex."
Ji-Hyun smiled.
The world had feared Digra parasites.
Now, they had something even worse to deal with.
The next predator.
The Huntress of the New World.
------
Seoul was no longer just a city.
It was a battlefield.
Flaming wreckage littered the streets. Skyscrapers, once standing tall, now lay in ruins. The air was thick with smoke, blood, and something far worse—the stench of evolving parasites.
The military had lost control.
The Omega Task Force, once the strongest anti-parasite unit, had been wiped out in a single night.
And the reason?
Ji-Hyun.
Or rather, what she had become.
Ji-Hyun stood in the middle of the destruction, her new form pulsing with power.
Her blackened arms shimmered, red veins glowing like molten lava. Her fingers were no longer human but razor-sharp adaptive claws, shifting shape at will.
And her eyes—void-black with golden rings—held something deeper, something ancient.
Power.
Red whispered inside her mind, almost in reverence.
"We have surpassed all known parasite classes. Digra-class is nothing to us now."
Ji-Hyun flexed her fingers, feeling the raw energy crackle through her. Every movement was precise, controlled, deadly.
She took a step forward—the ground cracked beneath her feet.
She was faster. Stronger. Unstoppable.
And she was hungry.
[ Korea Govt. Declares Code ZerO ]
Inside a high-security military base, President Kang Jae-Suk stared at the classified reports.
The Apex Parasite—a term coined just moments ago—was beyond anything they had ever encountered.
The usual containment measures? Useless.
The Omega Task Force? Annihilated.
Their strongest parasite hunter, Project Revenant? Consumed.
If they didn't act now, South Korea would fall.
A general stepped forward, his face pale with fear.
"Sir, we have one option left—Code Zero."
The room fell silent.
Everyone knew what that meant.
Code Zero wasn't just about containing an outbreak.
It was about erasing an entire sector of the country.
The President exhaled slowly.
"Launch it."
Above Seoul, a fleet of stealth bombers cut through the sky, their payloads armed.
Each carried a seismic warhead, designed not just to destroy—but to erase.
Ji-Hyun felt them before she saw them.
She tilted her head upward.
Her new senses were sharper now—she could hear the rhythmic pulses of approaching destruction.
Red growled inside her mind.
"They're trying to erase us."
A smirk tugged at Ji-Hyun's lips.
"Let them try."
As the first bomber released its payload, Ji-Hyun moved.
She launched herself into the air, her body twisting mid-flight. Her hands morphed into massive clawed wings, slicing through the wind.
With a single swipe, she tore the missile in half.
The explosion erupted behind her, but she was untouched.
She landed on the bomber's hull, her claws digging into the metal. The pilot barely had time to scream before Ji-Hyun punched through the cockpit, yanking him out and throwing him into the sky.
One down.
More to go.
The remaining bombers adjusted their course, unleashing their payloads simultaneously.
Ten seismic warheads.
Enough to reduce Seoul to dust.
Ji-Hyun vanished in a blur of motion, her body splitting into afterimages as she weaved through the missiles midair.
One by one, she destroyed them, absorbing the energy into her evolving form.
By the time the last bomb fell harmlessly to the ground, the world had realized one terrifying truth—
Ji-Hyun wasn't just a parasite anymore.
She was something else.
Something godlike.
Live footage of Ji-Hyun's inhuman aerial combat spread across the globe in minutes.
The world watched in horror as she dismantled the strongest military force with ease.
A new global threat had been born.
The United Nations held an emergency summit.
Every major power—China, the United States, Russia, and even the hidden underground organizations—acknowledged the arrival of the Apex Parasite.
They had fought Digra-class parasites for years.
But this was different.
Ji-Hyun wasn't a parasite anymore.
She was the end of the old world.
And the beginning of something far worse.
Ji-Hyun landed back on the ruined streets, her body glowing with absorbed energy.
Red's voice was calm, yet excited.
"Now we hunt the Origin Parasite."
Ji-Hyun smirked.
"Tell me, Red—where do we start?"
A pause.
Then, Red whispered something that made Ji-Hyun's grin widen even further.
"Underground. Below the surface. Beneath the government's deepest secret labs."
"That's where the first parasite was born."
Ji-Hyun rolled her shoulders, the city burning behind her.
She had defeated humans.
She had conquered parasites.
Now, it was time to face the true beginning.
And end it.
-----
Beneath Seoul, hidden away from the world's eyes, a secret facility lay buried under layers of reinforced steel and deception.
It was known as Project Genesis—the birthplace of the first parasite.
And Ji-Hyun was coming for it.
With every step, the ruined streets above trembled. Her body radiated energy, her form shifting—evolving.
Her clawed feet cracked the pavement as she stood before the heavily guarded entrance, a bunker reinforced with quantum alloy, designed to withstand nuclear warfare.
The moment the security systems detected her, red warning lights bathed the structure in an eerie glow.
"INTRUDER DETECTED. ACTIVATING OMEGA DEFENSE PROTOCOL."
Steel turrets emerged, their barrels humming with plasma rounds strong enough to pierce battleships.
Elite soldiers in exosuits positioned themselves, their weapons trained on her. Mechs the size of tanks stomped forward, their mechanical arms armed with railguns and energy blades.
A normal parasite would have turned back.
Ji-Hyun?
She grinned.
"Let's see what this body can really do."
The first turret fired.
A streak of blue plasma tore through the air, moving at Mach speed.
Ji-Hyun vanished.
The next second, she reappeared behind the turret, her claws slicing through metal like butter.
BOOM! The entire tower collapsed.
The soldiers opened fire, their bullets enhanced with anti-parasite radiation.
But Ji-Hyun was no ordinary parasite.
She moved like a shadow, dodging every bullet effortlessly.
A soldier swung his plasma blade—but before it could land, Ji-Hyun's tail lashed out, piercing through his chest.
With a flick, she sent his body flying, crashing into another mech.
The ground shook as a massive railgun shot blasted towards her.
She caught it mid-air.
Yes.
She caught the railgun round with her bare hands.
A terrifying silence followed.
Then, Ji-Hyun crushed the bullet, letting the metal dust fall between her fingers.
The soldiers hesitated. Fear crept into their eyes.
And Ji-Hyun smiled.
"Your weapons mean nothing to me."
Then she tore through them.
One slash—five soldiers fell.
One leap—she landed on top of a mech, ripping its cockpit open.
One roar—pure energy exploded outward, disintegrating the last turret.
Within thirty seconds, the elite squad—trained to handle world-ending threats—was erased.
Ji-Hyun stood before the main vault, the only thing separating her from Project Genesis.
It was fifteen feet thick, crafted from an unknown alien alloy.
A security panel blinked, scanning her presence.
"Unauthorized entity detected. Auto-lock engaged. Self-destruct sequence activated in T-minus 60 seconds."
Ji-Hyun raised an eyebrow.
"Self-destruct? For me?"
She chuckled.
Then she punched the vault.
The moment her fist made contact, the alloy didn't just crack—it shattered.
Like glass.
A single punch.
The vault—which had survived nuclear tests—was now a gaping hole.
She stepped inside.
And froze.
The underground chamber was vast. Endless rows of glass tanks lined the walls, each containing something unnatural.
Human test subjects.
Or rather—what was left of them.
Some had elongated limbs, their bodies twisted beyond recognition. Others had merged with the parasites, their skin replaced with chitinous armor.
And at the center of it all—
A massive cocoon.
It pulsed.
Like a beating heart.
Ji-Hyun took a step closer, and a voice whispered in her mind.
"You finally came, child."
Her eyes narrowed.
The cocoon shuddered—then split open.
A figure emerged, its body towering over her, exuding an aura unlike anything she had ever felt.
A being older than Red.
Older than every parasite that had ever existed.
Ji-Hyun felt something she hadn't felt in a long time.
Excitement.
The Origin Parasite had awakened.
And now, the real battle was about to begin.
---
The underground chamber trembled as the Origin Parasite fully emerged from its cocoon.
Ji-Hyun stared up at the monstrous figure—a being unlike any parasite she had encountered before.
It was massive, standing at least four meters tall, its body a grotesque fusion of bone, chitin, and something alien.
Its skin pulsed, shifting in color as though it was alive.
Its eyes—if they could be called that—were shapeless voids, swirling with an unknown energy.
And then—
It spoke.
But not with words.
With thought.
"You are different from the others."
Ji-Hyun felt it inside her mind, the voice deep, layered, as if multiple voices spoke at once.
Red, still fused with her, growled in her consciousness.
"Ji-Hyun, this thing... It's dangerous."
Ji-Hyun grinned.
"Good."
The Origin Parasite moved first.
A mere flick of its hand sent a shockwave tearing through the room, obliterating the surrounding glass tanks.
Ji-Hyun dodged in an instant, appearing on the other side of the chamber.
But the Origin was already there.
A massive claw struck forward.
Ji-Hyun barely managed to twist away, the sheer force tearing through the steel walls behind her.
Then—
Red reacted.
Ji-Hyun's entire right arm morphed, stretching into a blackened, razor-edged blade, pulsing with living energy.
She slashed forward.
The Origin raised its arm, and the two forces collided.
BOOM!
The impact shattered the entire underground chamber, sending debris and energy waves in every direction.
Even the facility's security cameras short-circuited, unable to withstand the force of their battle.
The Origin Parasite tilted its head.
"Interesting. You have fused completely with Red. A perfect symbiosis."
Ji-Hyun scoffed, her body still vibrating from the impact.
"And what are you? Some kind of ancient king?"
The Origin chuckled, a hollow, unnatural sound.
"I am the first. The one from whom all others were created."
It lifted its arm, and in an instant, hundreds of tendril-like appendages burst forth, each tipped with razor-sharp fangs.
Ji-Hyun's eyes widened.
Even Red hesitated.
"Ji-Hyun, if those hit you—"
Ji-Hyun didn't let Red finish.
She moved.
Her body twisted mid-air, dodging the first wave of tendrils.
But they adapted.
They redirected instantly, coming at her from all angles.
A deadly web of death.
Ji-Hyun gritted her teeth.
Fine.
She unleashed everything.
Her entire body transformed, her limbs becoming razor-sharp scythes, her spine extending into a bladed tail.
Her eyes glowed with an eerie crimson hue—
And for the first time—
She stopped dodging.
Instead—
She attacked.
The battle became a blur.
Ji-Hyun weaved through the tendrils, her scythes slicing through them effortlessly.
Each slash sent black ichor spraying into the air.
The Origin Parasite recoiled, clearly not expecting her speed and ferocity.
Ji-Hyun landed on its massive chest—
And stabbed her bladed arm deep into its flesh.
The Origin let out a monstrous roar, its body convulsing violently.
"YOU DARE—"
Ji-Hyun grinned savagely.
"Yeah, I dare."
Then—
She ripped her arm free, tearing out a massive chunk of the creature's body.
The Origin Parasite staggered back, its wound gaping, a dark energy leaking from its core.
For the first time—
It looked wounded.
Ji-Hyun stepped forward, her body covered in black ichor, her blades still dripping with its essence.
"You're not so tough."
The Origin's breathing grew ragged, but its eyes gleamed.
"I see. You are not just strong… You are evolving."
Ji-Hyun's body shuddered.
A strange feeling surged through her.
The energy from the Origin's wound—
It was being absorbed into her.
Red gasped in her mind.
"Ji-Hyun—this power—it's—"
Ji-Hyun smirked.
"Let's take it all."
As the Origin collapsed to one knee, its power draining into Ji-Hyun, the facility's alarms blared once more.
WARNING. WARNING. GLOBAL THREAT LEVEL DETECTED.
Ji-Hyun tilted her head.
And then she heard it.
A voice—no, voices—echoing from the upper floors.
A squad of heavily armed soldiers.
And leading them—
The leader of the Korea Anti-Parasite Squad.
Their eyes locked onto Ji-Hyun.
Their weapons aimed.
"Digra Parasite detected. Authorization to exterminate."
Ji-Hyun licked her lips.
"Oh? Another fight already?"
The battle wasn't over yet.
----
Ji-Hyun stood motionless, her crimson eyes locked onto the armed squad before her.
The Korean Anti-Parasite Task Force (KAPTF)—the country's most elite force—had her completely surrounded.
Their black exo-suits gleamed under the flickering emergency lights, each suit marked with the insignia of a "Reaper"—the designation for operatives given orders to execute without question.
Each soldier's rifle was custom-engineered, modified to fire hyper-compressed anti-parasitic rounds—bullets designed to obliterate parasites upon impact.
But Ji-Hyun didn't flinch.
She smirked.
"Red, these guys think they can kill me."
Inside her mind, Red chuckled darkly.
"Let them try."
A metallic voice echoed through the chamber.
"DIGRA PARASITE CONFIRMED. EXECUTION ORDER 076 ISSUED."
Then—
The battle erupted.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Gunfire exploded in the air as the entire squad opened fire.
Ji-Hyun vanished.
Bullets ripped through the space she had just occupied.
But before the soldiers could react—
She reappeared right behind them.
SLASH!
Her arm transformed mid-motion, a jet-black scythe extending from her wrist.
In one swift motion—
Two soldiers were cleaved in half.
Their bodies hit the ground with a sickening thud, blood splattering across the metal floor.
The squad barely had time to register what had happened before—
Ji-Hyun moved again.
Like a phantom, she darted between them, her blades cutting through their armor like paper.
One soldier tried to counter—
Ji-Hyun caught his wrist, twisted—
SNAP.
His arm shattered, his rifle dropping to the floor.
Then, without hesitation—
She sank her claws into his chest and ripped out his heart.
The man's eyes went wide in horror before he collapsed.
"Weak."
But then—
A voice boomed from behind her.
"Enough."
Ji-Hyun turned—
And her eyes narrowed.
A lone figure stepped forward, his black trench coat billowing behind him.
Unlike the other soldiers, this man wore no exo-suit, no helmet.
His piercing silver eyes glowed with an unnatural light.
Ji-Hyun instantly sensed it—
This man was different.
Not fully human.
Not fully parasite.
Something else.
"Red, who the hell is this guy?"
Red's voice was tense.
"That... is General Ha-Joon. The Executioner of Parasites."
Ji-Hyun grinned.
"Oh? Someone important?"
"More than important, Ji-Hyun. He's a Hybrid."
Ji-Hyun's grin faltered.
A Hybrid?
Half-human. Half-parasite.
A perfect fusion of both species.
And the deadliest kind of enemy.
Ha-Joon lifted a single hand—and the air itself shook.
Then—
Ji-Hyun felt it.
A sudden force crashed against her body, sending her slamming into the steel wall.
Her entire ribcage cracked from the impact.
Before she could recover—
Ha-Joon was already in front of her.
His hand wrapped around her throat—
And lifted her off the ground.
Ji-Hyun struggled, but his grip was like iron.
His eyes glowed brighter, and his voice was cold.
"You are strong. But undisciplined."
Ji-Hyun gritted her teeth.
"And you talk too much."
She lashed out, her arm morphing into a spear—
Ha-Joon caught it mid-air.
With one swift movement, he snapped her mutated limb in half.
Ji-Hyun screamed.
Pain exploded through her entire body.
Even Red shuddered inside her consciousness.
"Ji-Hyun... we need to be careful. He's stronger than we thought."
But Ji-Hyun only grinned through the pain.
"Good. I was getting bored."
Her broken limb instantly regenerated, even stronger than before.
Then—
She lunged.
And the real fight began.
Ji-Hyun attacked relentlessly, her blades flashing like a storm of death.
But Ha-Joon matched her move for move.
He dodged, countered, parried—each motion flawless, effortless.
Every time Ji-Hyun struck, he was already gone.
Every time she defended, he was already behind her.
Then—
Ha-Joon moved.
One single step—
And he was right in front of her.
His palm struck her chest—
And a shockwave erupted.
Ji-Hyun felt it instantly—
Her entire body twisted violently as she was blasted backward, crashing through three steel walls.
Her vision blurred.
Her entire right side was shattered.
She coughed—
And black blood dripped from her lips.
Ha-Joon stepped forward, his expression unreadable.
"You are strong, but reckless. You will not win."
Ji-Hyun wiped the blood from her mouth.
Her eyes burned with fury.
"Red."
"I know."
Her body trembled—
Then—
Something shifted.
Something awakened.
Her entire form twisted, mutated, expanded.
Her arms stretched into jagged black scythes.
Her legs sharpened into monstrous talons.
Her spine lengthened, forming bladed appendages that hovered behind her like the wings of a demon.
Her entire presence became suffocating.
Even Ha-Joon's eyes widened.
Then Ji-Hyun grinned.
"Your turn to run."
And she vanished.
In a blur of movement, Ji-Hyun reappeared behind Ha-Joon.
Before he could react—
She struck.
Her bladed appendages speared through his chest, pinning him against the steel wall.
For the first time—
Ha-Joon grimaced.
Blood dripped from his mouth.
But Ji-Hyun wasn't done.
She leaned in, her voice mocking.
"Not so untouchable now, are you?"
Ha-Joon stared at her.
Then—
He smirked.
"Not bad."
And then—
His entire body detonated.
A blinding white explosion engulfed the entire facility.
The last thing Ji-Hyun saw—
Was Ha-Joon's smirking face vanishing into the flames.
Then—
Everything went dark.
----
Darkness.
Cold.
Silence.
Ji-Hyun floated in the void, her consciousness adrift in a sea of nothingness.
"Am I dead?"
No.
Her body still existed.
Her mind still functioned.
But she was somewhere else now.
Somewhere between life and death.
Then—
A voice echoed through the void.
"You are not ready to die yet."
A pair of crimson eyes snapped open.
And the world exploded back into existence.
Ji-Hyun gasped awake, her body jerking violently as she sucked in a breath.
The first thing she felt was pain.
The second thing she felt was hunger.
Her vision blurred, her senses struggling to process the devastation around her.
The entire facility was gone.
The walls had been obliterated.
The ceiling had collapsed.
The bodies of dead soldiers littered the ground, their remains burned, shredded, or simply erased from existence.
A crater, dozens of meters wide, lay at the center of the wreckage—
The exact spot where Ha-Joon had detonated.
But the man himself was nowhere to be seen.
Ji-Hyun's fingers twitched.
She tried to move—but her body screamed in protest.
Her bones were shattered.
Her skin was torn apart.
Even her parasite-enhanced regeneration struggled to keep up.
But she was alive.
And that meant only one thing.
Ha-Joon had failed.
Or—
He had let her live.
Ji-Hyun gritted her teeth.
"Damn bastard."
But before she could process anything further—
A presence approached.
A new enemy.
And this time—
They weren't human.
From the shadows of the wreckage, figures emerged.
Not soldiers.
Not hybrids.
But Parasites.
And not just any parasites—
These were the Apex Ones.
The ones that lurked in the depths of the world, unseen.
The ones even Red feared.
Their bodies twisted and malformed, their limbs elongated into deadly weapons, their eyes glowing with predatory intelligence.
There were five of them.
And every single one was stronger than anything Ji-Hyun had faced before.
The largest one, a towering creature with obsidian-black skin, took a step forward.
Its voice slithered through the air, deep and inhuman.
"Digra Parasite... You are one of us. And yet, you are not."
Ji-Hyun stared at them, unflinching.
"You're late to the party."
The creatures remained silent for a moment, then—
The leader smiled.
A grotesque, razor-toothed grin.
"You are wounded. Weak. Broken. You will not resist."
Ji-Hyun smirked.
"Try me."
Then—
They attacked.
The first parasite lunged, moving faster than any human could see.
Ji-Hyun sidestepped, barely avoiding the claw that nearly ripped through her skull.
Before she could counter—
Another one struck from behind.
She spun, her arm transforming into a blade, deflecting the razor-sharp talons.
But she was too slow.
A third parasite appeared from her blind spot, its limbs morphing into jagged spikes.
Ji-Hyun felt them pierce through her stomach.
Her eyes widened.
The parasite twisted its weaponized limb—
And Ji-Hyun felt her insides rip apart.
She coughed up black blood, her vision flickering.
For the first time—
A deep, primal fear gripped her chest.
"I'm... not fast enough."
The parasites didn't give her time to think.
They descended upon her, tearing into her flesh, their claws slicing through even her hardened skin.
Ji-Hyun screamed.
It wasn't supposed to end like this.
She was supposed to be the apex predator.
She was supposed to be unstoppable.
Then—
A voice whispered in her mind.
A voice that wasn't Red.
A voice that was older. Deeper. Hungrier.
"You are still holding back."
Ji-Hyun's breath hitched.
The voice laughed.
"Let me show you what you truly are."
And then—
Something inside her broke.
A wave of energy erupted from Ji-Hyun's body.
The parasites staggered back, their forms trembling.
Ji-Hyun's body twisted violently.
Her muscles expanded, her skin darkening into something otherworldly.
Her arms elongated into monstrous, jagged weapons.
Her eyes glowed a deeper, hungrier crimson.
Her heartbeat slowed—then vanished.
Because at that moment—
Ji-Hyun was no longer human.
Not even remotely.
She had become something beyond a parasite.
Something the world had never seen before.
A perfect entity of evolution.
And the moment she opened her eyes again—
She smiled.
And the parasites shuddered in fear.
Ji-Hyun vanished from sight.
The leader of the parasites barely had time to react before—
SHLUK!
Its head separated from its body, rolling across the bloodied floor.
The others snapped toward her, but—
Ji-Hyun was already on them.
She tore through them like a god of slaughter.
Her claws ripped limbs apart.
Her teeth sank into their flesh, devouring them whole.
One parasite tried to flee—
Ji-Hyun snatched it mid-air, her grip crushing its spine.
She tilted her head, studying it.
Then, without hesitation—
She bit into its neck, ripping out its throat.
The parasite let out a choked gurgle, its body twitching.
Then—
Silence.
The battlefield was covered in blood.
Ji-Hyun stood in the center, drenched in the remains of her enemies.
Her chest rose and fell slowly, her mind completely silent.
Even Red was speechless.
Then, finally—
Ji-Hyun exhaled.
"That felt... amazing."
She smiled.
And somewhere, in the shadows—
A new enemy watched.
And they whispered one word.
"Digra."
The hunt had only just begun.
---
Ji-Hyun stood still, blood dripping from her fingers. The bodies of the Apex Parasites lay around her, nothing more than torn flesh and shattered bones.
Her heart was calm.
Her mind was clear.
And for the first time—
She felt truly alive.
A wave of energy pulsed from her body, her new form humming with power. Her skin was darker now, her veins pulsed with a deep crimson glow, and her eyes gleamed like burning embers.
She clenched her fingers, testing her new strength.
The ground beneath her cracked from just that small movement.
She exhaled, her breath turning into a visible red mist.
"So this is what true power feels like..." she murmured.
Red's voice echoed in her mind, half excited, half cautious.
"You absorbed them... every last one. And now, you're something else entirely."
Ji-Hyun smirked.
"I am still me."
Red chuckled darkly.
"No. You're something new. Something greater."
Ji-Hyun's eyes flickered as she turned towards the ruins of the facility. The battle was over. But something felt off.
Then—
She sensed it.
A presence watching her.
From the shadows.
And whoever it was—
They weren't afraid.
Ji-Hyun didn't move.
She simply stood there, waiting.
Then—
A slow, deliberate clap echoed through the ruined battlefield.
Ji-Hyun's eyes narrowed.
From the shadows, a figure emerged.
A man.
Dressed in a black, high-tech combat suit, his face half-covered by a sleek, metallic mask.
His presence was powerful—but unlike the parasites she had fought before, he didn't smell like one.
He was something else.
"Impressive," the man said, his voice smooth, calculated. "You've evolved far beyond my expectations."
Ji-Hyun tilted her head.
"And you are?"
The man stopped a few meters away, his posture relaxed—yet ready to strike at any moment.
"You can call me Cain," he said. "And I've been looking for you, Ji-Hyun."
She raised an eyebrow.
"You know my name?"
Cain's lips curled into a smirk beneath his mask.
"Of course. The government has labeled you as the first of the 'Digra Parasites'. A new species. Stronger, deadlier, unpredictable."
Ji-Hyun chuckled.
"Let me guess. You're here to kill me?"
Cain didn't answer.
Instead, he vanished.
And before Ji-Hyun could react—
A fist slammed into her stomach.
The impact sent her flying, crashing through the remains of the facility.
Dust and debris exploded into the air.
Ji-Hyun barely had time to recover before—
Cain appeared above her, his foot descending like a meteor.
She rolled to the side, barely dodging as his foot shattered the ground, leaving a deep crater.
Ji-Hyun grinned, excitement bubbling inside her.
"You're fast."
Cain didn't reply.
He simply charged again.
Their battle became a blur.
Cain's speed was unreal—each of his strikes precise, calculated, aiming for her weak spots.
But Ji-Hyun was no longer human.
She matched his speed, her movements becoming more fluid, more unpredictable.
They clashed again and again, their blows creating shockwaves that shattered what little remained of the battlefield.
Cain finally jumped back, studying her.
"You're adapting quickly," he admitted. "I see now why the government is afraid of you."
Ji-Hyun laughed, stretching her arms.
"Afraid?" she smirked. "They should be terrified."
Then—
She vanished.
And this time—
Cain wasn't fast enough.
Ji-Hyun appeared behind him, her clawed hand slashing toward his throat.
Cain barely managed to twist away, but her nails grazed his mask, leaving deep cuts.
He landed on his feet, his breathing slightly heavier.
For the first time—
His confidence wavered.
Ji-Hyun grinned wider.
"What's wrong?" she taunted. "You were fast a second ago."
Cain's eyes darkened.
He reached into his belt—
And pulled out a small, silver device.
Ji-Hyun narrowed her eyes.
"Tch. That doesn't look good."
Cain pressed the button.
And suddenly—
Her entire body convulsed.
Ji-Hyun screamed as a wave of unbearable pain ripped through her body.
Her muscles spasmed.
Her veins burned.
It felt like her very cells were being torn apart.
Red shrieked in her mind.
"WHAT IS THIS?!"
Cain watched her struggle, his expression unreadable.
"Nano-Neural Disruptors," he said calmly. "A new technology specifically designed to disable Digra Parasites like you."
Ji-Hyun fell to her knees, her fingers digging into the ground.
Her vision blurred, her body locking up as if a thousand needles were piercing her nerves.
Cain stepped forward, looking down at her.
"You're powerful. But you're not invincible."
He raised his gun, pointing it at her head.
"This is where it ends."
Ji-Hyun gritted her teeth.
Pain.
It was unbearable.
But at the same time—
It was familiar.
She had felt this pain before.
When she had evolved.
And deep within her body—
Something reacted.
Ji-Hyun's body twitched violently.
Her skin began to shift.
Her bones cracked and reformed.
And deep inside her—
A new power awakened.
Cain's eyes widened as he sensed it.
"Impossible—"
Before he could react—
Ji-Hyun moved.
Her arm shot up, grabbing the barrel of his gun.
The weapon melted in her grip.
Cain's expression finally showed shock.
Ji-Hyun looked up at him, her lips curling into a smile.
"You just helped me evolve again."
Then—
Her fingers shot forward, piercing through his armor.
Cain gasped, his body freezing as her hand wrapped around his heart.
Ji-Hyun leaned closer, her breath warm against his ear.
"Your mistake... was thinking I could be controlled."
Then—
She squeezed.
And Cain screamed.
---
[ The end of ep 4]