The tunnel echoed with slow, deliberate footsteps. Each step felt like a countdown, reverberating through the cold, dank air. Jeremy’s breath hitched in his throat as he heard the low, guttural growl echo from the shadows. His grip tightened on his sword, sweat beading on his forehead.**[A ranked Werewolf Hybrid]**The system's cold voice made it clear. This was no ordinary opponent. Emerging from the shadows was a creature that appeared almost human, but its face—oh, its face—was covered in blood, and a fresh heart dropped from its hand, hitting the ground with a wet thud.“This will be fun!” the hybrid grinned, revealing sharp, bloodstained fangs as its glowing red eyes fixed on Jeremy and Elijah.Jeremy felt his pulse quicken. "This is serious. I need to go all out right from the start," he thought, his heart pounding in his chest. Elijah, on the other hand, stood calm and poised, his sharp gaze trained on the hybrid as if analyzing every twitch of its muscles. "Stay behind me,
The air in Jessica’s office was thick with tension. Jeremy could feel the weight of Elijah’s and Jessica’s eyes on him, their silence pressing in on him like a physical force. For a few moments, no one spoke. The room was still, but Jeremy knew the storm was coming. “Jeremy,” Elijah finally broke the silence, his voice low but filled with authority. “I don’t need an explanation—I demand it.” He moved to sit where Jessica normally did, his piercing gaze locked on Jeremy, the patience in his eyes dwindling. Jessica, standing off to the side, seemed lost for words, her wide eyes darting between the two of them. She had never seen Elijah so stern with Jeremy, and she could sense that whatever was coming next was going to change things. Jeremy shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny, but he kept his composure. “Look, I’m at fault, okay? I admit that. But I did what I had to do,” he said, his voice steady, though inside he felt a churning mix of anxiety and defiance. “You were right
The room seemed to ease, but only slightly. Elijah’s stern demeanor remained, but there was an air of reluctant acceptance in his posture now.Jessica, still trying to wrap her head around the bombshells Jeremy had dropped, shook her head in disbelief. “You’re full of surprises, Jeremy. I can’t say I saw this coming.”Jeremy gave her a tired but genuine smile. “I didn’t either, to be honest.”Elijah stood up, signaling the conversation was over for now. "Get some rest. The road ahead won’t be easy. And don’t think for a second you’re off the hook just because you’ve told us the truth.”As Jeremy turned to leave, he could feel the weight of his words still hanging in the air. As the door closed behind him, he couldn’t help but wonder if he was truly ready for what was to come.*_*Jeremy wore a pout on his face as he made his way home, his mind replaying the day's events. "I probably should have clarified that it was more like being an owner, not a guild master," he muttered to him
"I'm okay, my love," Sophie insisted with a gentle smile, watching as Jeremy finally exhaled a relieved sigh. She could see the tension still lingering in his body, but her presence seemed to ease him. Stepping closer, she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a warm embrace.For a moment, everything felt right again. But then, out of nowhere, a cold, eerie voice whispered into Jeremy's ear: "Darker days are coming."Jeremy stiffened instantly, his heart skipping a beat as he abruptly pulled away from his mother. His eyes darted around the surroundings, searching for the source of the voice, but there was nothing. The unease he had felt earlier returned, gnawing at him like a shadow lurking in the corner of his mind."Son? Are you alright?" Sophie asked, tilting her head in concern. She reached up to cup his face, trying to bring him back to the present."Yeah... I think it's just hallucinations," Jeremy muttered, trying to convince both himself and his mother. But the weight
Sophie stood frozen at the doorway, her heart pounding in her chest as the four strangers in white robes stared back at her with unsettling calm. Their presence sent a shiver down her spine, but she refused to show fear. She had learned long ago that showing weakness to those with unknown intentions was dangerous."What do you mean by that, and excuse me, who are you all?" Sophie demanded, her voice firmer than she felt inside.The man standing at the front of the group raised a hand in a placating gesture. "Relax, Sophie Washington. Let us inside," he said softly, his tone almost soothing, but with an edge that made her uneasy.Her breath caught in her throat. "How did they know my name?" she thought, panic rising within her. "How do you know who I am?" she asked, her voice trembling despite her best efforts.The man smiled, though it didn’t reach his eyes. "We were sent by the one who made a deal with your late husband," he explained.Sophie’s eyes widened in shock, her blood runni
"Mom? Are you with me?" Jeremy’s voice broke through her thoughts, pulling her back to the present. He had been talking for a while now, but she hadn’t heard a word."Yes, love," she lied, turning to face him with a forced smile. "I’m with you. I was just… lost in my planning for tomorrow."She sat beside him, hoping he wouldn’t notice the way her hands still shook. But deep inside, she knew the peace in their home had been shattered. What had started years ago with her husband's secret deal was coming back to haunt them. And now, Jeremy was caught in the middle of something far more dangerous than he realized.*> Saturday had finally arrived, and with it, a bundle of nerves that twisted Jeremy's stomach into knots. He had been up since 4 a.m., pacing restlessly around his room. By the time 8 a.m. rolled around, he was already fidgeting, glancing at his phone every few minutes as he waited for Sarah's arrival.Why am I so anxious? he w
"What the hell?" Jeremy snapped, furious at being manhandled. He glared at James, his fists clenching as he prepared to give him a piece of his mind. But then his mother’s words echoed in his head: No fighting or arguing. He took a deep breath, letting the tension in his shoulders loosen as he let out an exasperated sigh."My time is limited," Jeremy muttered, crossing his arms and pouting in frustration. "I’m expecting someone any minute now.""I won’t take long," James assured him, his voice still unnervingly calm.Jeremy studied him for a moment. James seemed different—too calm, almost fragile, like someone on the verge of collapse. His usually confident demeanor was missing, and Jeremy couldn’t help but feel like something had cracked inside him."Alright, I’m listening," Jeremy finally said, though his impatience was still evident. He leaned against the porch railing, waiting for James to speak.James took two steps forward, but inst
It didn’t take long for a sleek, red car to pull up outside Jeremy’s house. The car gleamed in the morning light, its polished surface reflecting the sun’s rays. Jeremy watched, mildly surprised, as the door opened, and out stepped Sarah, looking as radiant as ever. She wasn’t just beautiful—she was stunning, her presence magnetic. She spotted Jeremy and immediately ran toward him, her face lighting up with joy. Before he could even react, she wrapped her arms around him in a warm, tight embrace.Jeremy stood there, momentarily stunned, as her warmth seeped into him. His arms wrapped around her instinctively. She smelled faintly of vanilla and roses, and for a moment, he forgot everything else. But his attention was quickly drawn to the two men still in the car—the driver and another man, probably a bodyguard. Both were glaring at him with obvious disdain. The driver’s eyes narrowed, and the security man even went as far as dragging his index finger acro
The air around them crackled with an oppressive, unnatural tension as Typhon stood motionless, towering over the battlefield like a living storm. His eyes, glowing like molten fire, were locked onto McCoy and his guild, his cold expression betraying no hint of mercy.A grotesque, unsettling noise filled the air. Typhon made an odd, guttural sound, and slowly, methodically, he stuck his massive hand down his throat. The movement was unnatural, almost alien, as he dug deeper, pulling something from within him. The sound of slick, greasy slime slithering over the ground followed, enough to make anyone with a semblance of sensitivity to retch.“Nu-ah...” Typhon muttered in an unsettling tone, his voice resonating deeply as his monstrous hand gripped the hilt of a weapon.From his throat emerged a sword—an absurdly long and grotesque blade, dripping with thick, viscous fluid. It was no ordinary weapon. The blade itself seemed to pulse, radiating a malevolent energy that made the air feel t
The flames didn’t stop with Jim. The fiery blast tore through the air, its heat warping the atmosphere. Buildings miles away were scorched clean, their facades riddled with perfectly circular holes as though a god’s spear had pierced them. Those not incinerated crumbled from the sheer force of the blast, collapsing in a cacophony of destruction.Even McCoy, standing far from the epicenter, felt the intense heat lick at his skin. His magically enhanced senses allowed him to track the blast’s trajectory, and what he saw sent chills down his spine.The devastation extended far beyond the city, leaving a trail of ruin in its wake. Streets buckled, trees withered to ash, and the ground itself cracked and smoldered. All of this happened in less than five seconds, yet the aftermath stretched for miles.A cold sweat ran down McCoy’s back as the reality of Typhon’s power sunk in. His hands trembled as he took in the scope of the destruction, but he forced himself to stay composed.“This isn’t
McCoy stood frozen, his mind racing through every piece of mythology he had ever read. His analytical nature warred with his instincts, both screaming at him to act but in entirely different ways.Before him stood Typhon—the youngest son of Gaia, a monster of unparalleled power. A being feared even by gods, Typhon’s mere presence warped the air, bending it to his will. His form loomed over the battlefield, a tempest of chaotic energy swirling around him."The youngest son of Gaia," McCoy said, forcing his voice to remain steady. "Surely you do not want to destroy a part of yourself."Typhon’s glowing eyes narrowed, his thunderous voice reverberating like an earthquake. "Huh? It seems this young mortal here is a fan of mine.""You could say that," McCoy replied, wiping the sweat rolling down his temple.He wasn’t lying. Since childhood, McCoy had immersed himself in the stories of gods and monsters, legends and myths that spanned cultures and centuries. Much to his parents’ dismay, he
Elijah stood firm, his voice steady despite his labored breathing. “Fighting isn’t just about brute strength,” he declared, his words cutting through the chaos. “Sometimes, wisdom outmatches power.”The words had barely left Elijah’s mouth when a deafening blast tore through the battlefield.Soren’s body was flung backward, forced deeper into the earth as concentric circles of light—white, gold, and red—engulfed him. Each explosion was more devastating than the last, the ground shattering beneath him in a cascading storm of debris.The battlefield transformed into a massive crater, the destruction extending for miles. Smoke and fire erupted from the epicenter, painting the sky in ominous hues.From a distance, Elijah and James watched the chaos unfold. They panted heavily, their bodies trembling from exhaustion. Blood dripped from their wounds, pooling beneath them as they knelt on the cracked earth.“Did we get him?” James asked, his voice hoarse and uncertain.Elijah didn’t respond
Two figures stood amidst the wreckage of a city torn apart by their power. One radiated a blinding, ethereal light, while the other exuded a suffocating darkness that seemed to pulse with a life of its own. Their combined presence created a storm of energy that rippled outward, shaking the city to its very core and filling the air with a foreboding sense of impending doom.“Yo,” James sneered, his voice carrying a sinister edge. The shadowy aura around him writhed and twisted like a living entity, its tendrils snaking across the ground as if searching for prey.Soren stood across from him, grinning wickedly. His red aura flared with malevolent energy, a living flame that seemed to consume the air itself. A glowing crimson rod formed in his hand, jagged and pulsating with chaotic energy, its shape constantly shifting like molten lava.“This is going to be fun,” Soren declared, his voice dripping with sadistic glee.The moment the words left his mouth, the ground beneath them shattered.
The battlefield was chaos incarnate, the ground trembling under the immense force of their clash. Elijah stood amidst the destruction, his chest heaving with ragged breaths. His once-pristine white suit was now in tatters, his body marred by countless bruises and cuts. Yet, his eyes burned with an unyielding resolve.Across from him stood Soren, his figure exuding an aura of superiority. His crimson gloves gleamed ominously, his sly grin a cruel mockery of the man struggling before him.“You sure are strong for a mortal stuck in the A-rank,” Soren remarked casually, his voice dripping with condescension as he adjusted the base of his gloves.Elijah didn’t respond immediately, his mind racing as he worked to suppress the pain from his injuries. The earlier kick had done significant damage, and he knew he couldn’t afford to falter now.“Twenty minutes,” he thought, focusing his energy inward to heal his ravaged organs. “That’s all I need to buy him. Just twenty minutes.”Soren cocked hi
James stirred in the rubble, the sharp sting of pain dragging him back to consciousness. Blood trickled down his face, pooling beneath him, and his entire body felt as though it had been shattered and pieced back together. His breaths came in shallow gasps, each one a struggle against the suffocating weight of debris and exhaustion.“Damn it,” he thought bitterly, his mind swimming in a haze of fragmented memories."Since I was young, I knew I was different. Special." James’s thoughts drifted to a distant past, a time when the world had been simpler. "I was born into wealth, into privilege. My family wanted for nothing, and from the moment I could walk, it was clear I wasn’t like the others."By six, James wasn’t just strong; he was superhuman. His punches could break walls, and his reflexes were unmatched. But with that strength came isolation."I terrified the other kids," he thought. "They couldn’t understand me. My silence, my ferocious gaze, the way I always got what I wanted—it
Soren descended gracefully, his crimson aura swirling around him like a living entity. His polished red gloves caught the dim light, and he dusted them off as if brushing away imaginary dirt. His gaze fixed on Elijah, a sneer tugging at his lips.“Insolent being,” he scoffed, his voice carrying an air of disdain. “How many times must I remind the world? I’ve stood at the peak of S rank for over a century. The strongest gods are just within my grasp. To think someone like you could challenge me… it’s laughable.”Elijah stood firm, his calm demeanor masking the storm within. “I agree with you,” he said, his tone steady. “Your power is extraordinary. But, you see, I’m not exactly ordinary myself.”Soren raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite himself.“I’ve been stuck at the peak of A rank for over two decades,” Elijah continued. “And just as the A rank is a bridge to the heroic ranks, S rank serves as the gateway to divinity. You stand at the edge of godhood, but even the gods have their l
The city of Texheram was no more than a smoldering wasteland. What once stood as a bustling metropolis was now a graveyard of shattered buildings and burning rubble. The streets, once filled with life, were eerily silent except for the crackling of flames and the occasional cries for help. The sky was a murky gray, thick with ash, and the faint glow of fires illuminated the chaos below. It was in this hellscape that Soren stood, embodying the destruction he had wrought.Perched on the edge of a crumbling skyscraper, Soren exuded a terrifying aura of dominance. His crimson attire, immaculate despite the carnage, caught the flickering light of the fires, and his tousled hair danced with the breeze. In his grasp was a woman, her neck clutched tightly in his hand. She gasped for air, her struggles feeble against the overwhelming strength of her captor.“Isn’t the weather splendid today?” Soren said with a grin that stretched unnaturally wide. His voice was calm, almost cheerful, yet laced