Ch 28 : The Monster Within
The Dungeon Beast lunged.
Renji barely dodged as a massive claw ripped through the air where he had stood a second ago. The force of the swing tore apart the stone ruins, sending shattered debris flying in all directions.
Shirogane cursed, rolling to the side as his gunfire barely scratched the beast's thick hide.
"Damn thing's a tank," he growled, reloading his weapon.
Renji knew bullets wouldn't be enough.
The monster was a colossal fusion of multiple creatures—scaly like a lizard, muscular like a gorilla, with the bone-plated head of a dragon.
It wasn't just big.
It was smart.
Its burning red eyes locked onto them with cold calculation.
And worse—
Renji could feel it.
The same way he felt dungeon creatures before absorbing them.
Like the ancient entity inside him, the beast had an unnatural presence.
A will.
And it was hungry.
---
The mutation inside Renji stirred.
The hunger clawed at his mind.
The instinct to consume.
To tear apart.
To feed.
For a brief moment, he felt his vision shift. The beast's body no longer looked like a threat—
It looked like prey.
"No."
Renji clenched his fists, forcing himself back to reality.
If he gave in to those instincts—he wouldn't come back.
Not this time.
But the ancient entity's voice whispered.
"You cannot win as you are."
"Let me guide you."
Renji gritted his teeth.
Not yet.
He still had control.
---
Shirogane moved first.
He fired three precise shots—aimed directly at the beast's glowing eyes.
The bullets struck, causing it to recoil.
Renji saw his opening.
He exploded forward, moving faster than humanly possible. His body blurred as he leapt—claws extending.
The beast recovered too quickly.
It lashed out—massive claws swiping.
Renji twisted mid-air, landing on its arm.
For a split second, he was on its back.
He drove his claws deep into its flesh—
But the hide was too thick.
The beast roared and bucked violently.
Renji was flung through the air.
He crashed into the ruins with a sickening thud.
Pain exploded through his ribs.
He coughed up blood.
Shirogane clicked his tongue.
"Dumbass move."
Renji pushed himself up.
"Shut up."
They couldn't win like this.
Renji wiped the blood from his lips.
They needed a plan.
Something fast—before they were both dead.
The beast charged again.
Renji's mind raced.
Think.
Think.
Then—
An idea.
"We need to expose its weak spot."
Shirogane raised an eyebrow. "You know where it is?"
Renji's vision blurred for a second—the monster's body flickering like a shifting blueprint.
There.
A point on its back—where the bone plating was thinner.
He couldn't explain how he saw it.
The mutation? The ancient entity?
It didn't matter.
"Trust me," Renji said. "Get me close."
Shirogane grinned. "Hope you're not lying."
Shirogane moved first.
He fired a barrage of high-caliber rounds, drawing the monster's attention.
It turned toward him—roaring, furious.
That was Renji's chance.
He took a deep breath—
Then let go.
His body surged with power.
For the first time, he didn't fight the mutation.
He let it flow through him—but on his terms.
His vision sharpened.
Muscles tightened.
His speed doubled.
He exploded forward—
Moving faster than ever before.
One chance.
One strike.
He leapt.
Claws extended.
He drove them deep into the weak point.
Flesh tore.
The beast screamed.
Renji didn't stop.
He ripped through muscle, tearing at the core of its body.
The beast collapsed, convulsing.
A final, shuddering breath.
Then—
Stillness.
---
The dust settled.
Renji's body ached.
His claws—covered in blood.
He staggered.
The hunger was still there.
Stronger than before.
Shirogane approached, gun still raised.
"You good?"
Renji exhaled sharply. "Not sure."
Shirogane studied him.
"You hesitated earlier."
Renji didn't answer.
Shirogane smirked. "Scared of losing control?"
Renji looked at his bloodied hands.
"...Yeah."
Before they could rest—
A sound.
A slow clap.
Both men tensed.
From the shadows, a figure emerged.
Asuka Fuyushima.
Still alive.
And she wasn't alone.
Behind her—Seijuro's elite soldiers.
Asuka smiled.
"Nice work killing the beast."
She raised her sword.
"Now hand over Renji."
Shirogane rolled his eyes. "Not happening."
Renji gritted his teeth.
Not again.
The battle wasn't over.
It had just begun.
---
Renji stood frozen.
Not from fear—
From calculation.
Asuka Fuyushima and the elite soldiers of Seijuro's task force stood before them. The group moved like trained wolves, their weapons already raised, their movements precise.
Shirogane exhaled slowly.
"Tch. Just when I thought we were done bleeding."
Renji's eyes locked onto Asuka.
Unlike the soldiers behind her, she stood calm, confident.
Unbothered.
Like she had already won.
And that was the problem.
She was certain.
"Surrender, Renji Kuroya."
Asuka's voice was level, but there was no kindness in it.
"You're an asset the organization can't afford to lose."
Shirogane scoffed. "Translation: you're a freak they wanna cut open."
Renji clenched his fists.
The mutation inside him stirred.
The hunger clawed at his thoughts.
For a second, his vision twisted.
He saw the soldiers differently.
Not as enemies—
As prey.
No.
He shook his head, forcing the thoughts down.
Stay in control.
Not like before.
Not like that time.
---
Asuka took a slow step forward.
The soldiers moved with her—a unit, disciplined.
Renji recognized the formation.
A containment tactic.
They weren't just here to kill him—
They were here to capture.
That made things worse.
He could feel Shirogane tensing beside him.
"Got a plan?" The rogue hunter murmured.
Renji's fingers twitched.
"...We stall. Look for an opening."
Shirogane smirked. "I was hoping you'd say that."
The moment of stillness shattered.
One of the soldiers moved—
Fast.
A burst of gunfire erupted, cutting through the air.
Renji reacted on instinct.
His body blurred—dashing sideways.
Bullets missed by inches.
Shirogane fired back—precise headshots.
But Asuka's soldiers were too well-trained.
They dodged, repositioned, counterattacked.
Renji's mind raced.
They weren't like the disposable grunts from before—
These were specialists.
And Asuka herself—
She hadn't even moved yet.
Then she did.
Renji barely saw her before she was in front of him.
A blur of steel flashed.
He jerked back—just missing the edge of her blade.
Too fast.
She pressed forward, her attacks relentless—fluid, controlled.
Renji had fought skilled hunters before—
But not like this.
She fought with absolute precision.
No wasted movement.
No hesitation.
A predator with a single goal.
Subduing him.
---
Renji blocked her next strike—
But the force sent him skidding back.
Shirogane cursed. "Hold on, I got you—"
But he was pinned down by the soldiers.
Renji gritted his teeth.
He had no choice.
The mutation inside him whispered.
"You cannot win like this."
"Accept me."
Renji's fingers twitched.
He felt his claws sharpening.
Felt his speed increasing.
But if he gave in too much—
Would he still be himself?
Asuka lunged—
A perfect killing strike.
Renji let go.
For a split second, his vision shifted.
The world slowed.
His body moved on its own.
He dodged—faster than ever before.
His hand shot out—
Claws extended.
For the first time—he struck back.
Blood splattered.
Asuka stumbled back, clutching her side.
Her gaze sharpened.
She looked at him differently now.
Not as an objective.
Not as a prisoner.
But as a threat.
---
Renji took a breath.
He had control.
For now.
But Asuka wasn't done.
She wiped the blood from her wound, her stance shifting.
The soldiers closed in.
Shirogane reloaded his gun. "We need to move."
Renji's eyes flicked to the battlefield.
A single exit—blocked.
If they didn't act fast—
They were dead.
Or worse—
Captured.
---
Renji exhaled.
Then moved.
He surged forward—claws slashing.
A distraction.
Shirogane took the cue—firing a smoke grenade.
The battlefield vanished in a haze of gray.
Confusion.
Chaos.
They ran.
Dashing through the ruins—toward the exit.
Asuka's voice cut through the smoke.
"After them!"
But by the time the soldiers reacted—
Renji and Shirogane were already gone.
They ran until their lungs burned.
Only when they reached the outskirts of the ruins did they stop.
Shirogane collapsed against a wall.
"That was too close."
Renji didn't respond.
His hands trembled.
The mutation was still there.
Still waiting.
And the hunger—
It was getting harder to ignore.
Shirogane eyed him. "You alright?"
Renji looked at his bloodstained claws.
His pulse hammered.
For the first time—
He wasn't sure.