5. The shadow of the humanoid rift creature

The aftermath of the brutal battle against the Rift wolf left the group breathless, bloodied, and broken. 14A, her body still throbbing with pain, gripped her side where the wolf's claws had torn through her skin. 09C, despite not having sustained any injuries, could feel the weight of exhaustion pressing against him.

They stood in the clearing, surrounded by the remains of the wolf they had slain, but their relief was short-lived. The air around them felt heavy, oppressive, as if something dark was watching them.

They had just managed to catch their breath when 26B, his arm a bloody stump wrapped hastily in his torn shirt, appeared from the shadows. The moment he stepped into view, his cold, nonchalant presence immediately heightened the tension.

"Good to see someone's alive," 14A said, a sharp edge to her voice, though she was grateful for his arrival.

26B didn't respond, his attention focused on the surrounding area, scanning for the threat that was still looming. "You're all still breathing," he finally muttered, his eyes flicking over to 09C and then back to the others. "Get ready. We're not done yet."

With 26B's arrival, the group fully regrouped. They all gathered, the weight of their previous injuries palpable, but their instincts sharper than ever. They had been through too much to fall now.

09C took the lead, as he always did. "We need to move before whatever's out there decides to make its move."

14A, her breath still labored, gritted her teeth. "I'm not summoning anything else right now. I'm too exhausted from that imp," she admitted, frustration seeping into her tone. "But I'll fight."

"I'll cover you," 26B replied, his Rift claws still sharp, glowing faintly as he flexed his fingers. "Let's make this quick."

As the group steeled themselves, a low growl reverberated through the air. The ground trembled beneath their feet, signaling the approach of their next enemy.

From the shadows, the humanoid Rift creature stepped into view. It was a twisted, malformed figure with limbs too long and contorted at unnatural angles. Its skin, stretched and misshapen, dripped dark, viscous fluid from its eyes and mouth.

It stood motionless for a moment, observing the group, its empty, soulless gaze fixed on them. Then, without warning, it lunged, the air around it thick with the stench of decay and destruction.

The fight had begun.

Despite their best efforts, the creature seemed to adapt to every move they made. It was relentless, as if it had no weakness—no flaw to exploit.

"Come on!" 14A shouted, frustration rising. Her body was tired, her mind clouded, but she couldn't stop now. Not when they were so close. "We can't let this thing win!"

09C nodded, his gaze steely. He wasn't as worn as she was, but even his resolve was tested as the creature's unpredictable strikes came faster and harder. He was dodging and blocking with all his might, but each second felt like they were losing ground.

The creature twisted its body again, its limbs moving in unnatural ways, and before anyone could react, it slammed one of its claws directly into 26B's side. The blow sent him to the ground with a sickening crunch, the air knocked out of his lungs.

"Get up!" 14A yelled, panic sparking within her. She couldn't let it end like this. Not now. She barely had enough strength left to even stand, but she couldn't leave him behind. Not when they were so close.

The creature took advantage of the momentary distraction. Its mouth opened wide, and it let out a guttural screech, charging at her. Her heart pounded in her chest, adrenaline surging, but she knew she couldn't get to him in time to stop it.

And then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a shadow—silent, lurking. It was 00A, the man who had been watching from the shadows. Now, he knew it was time to act.

The moment he stepped forward, his presence unsettling, his eyes cold, the creature froze. It sensed the change in the air, its movements becoming erratic as it tried to fight against something unseen.

Before the creature could strike, 00A activated his ability. His eyes glowed with a dark intensity, and with an unnatural scream, the humanoid Rift creature jerked violently, as if it were being pulled in two directions at once.

"W-what's happening?" 14A stammered, confusion and fear mixing in her voice.

00A trembled with the effort, but he pushed past the terror that had frozen him for so long. He focused, forcing his will into the creature. The creature's body twitched and spasmed uncontrollably as he wrestled for control.

Then, in one horrific, unnatural motion, the creature's hand moved against its own will. It reached up to its chest and tore at its own skin. With a grotesque, blood-curdling twist, the creature ripped its heart from its body, holding it up like a twisted offering. It collapsed to the ground in a heap, its body lifeless.

The group stood in stunned silence, their eyes wide with disbelief as the creature's blood pooled around it.

"What the hell… just happened why did it do that?" 14A whispered, her voice shaking.

00A, still hidden in the shadows, his presence barely a whisper in the air, shuddered. He had done what needed to be done, but it was not without cost. The feeling of the creature's heart in his grip still sent a chill down his spine. He didn't know if it was the right decision, but he couldn't stand by and watch them die.

"We… we have to go," he finally muttered, though no one could see him. His voice was strained, full of the weight of what he had just done. "I-Its over."

Observation deck

The room was silent.

operators, analysts, and soldiers sat frozen at their stations, eyes locked onto the monitors projecting live footage of the battlefield. The Rift creature—something that should have taken an entire unit to put down—had just torn out its own heart and collapsed. No one had fired a shot. No final strike had been delivered. It had simply… stopped.

Murmurs of confusion spread across the observation deck. Some of the officers exchanged uneasy glances, trying to make sense of what they had just witnessed.

"What… just happened?" one of the analysts muttered, adjusting his headset as if that would somehow change the impossible reality before him.

"Did the Rift destabilize?" another suggested. "Maybe it was defective—?"

"No way," a senior officer cut in. "We've seen unstable Rifts before. They don't just—" He gestured at the screen, struggling for the words. "They don't just do that."

Shiori's eyes remained locked on the display, her mind racing. Rift creatures were unpredictable, yes, but never like this. Never this precise. This deliberate.

She opened her mouth to say something—anything—but found she had no answer.

And that unsettled her more than anything else.

Ryuji stood beside her, arms crossed, watching the screen. Unlike the others, he didn't react—he simply observed.

The silence stretched on, the weight of the unknown pressing down on them all.

No one knew what had just happened.

And that was the problem.