The eastern sector is unnaturally quiet, too quiet.
Takeru moves carefully through the wreckage of what used to be a small logistics outpost, concrete torn apart, walls blackened with scorch marks, and silence so complete it presses on his ears.
He steps past a rusted gate and spots something slumped against the wall ahead.
A figure.
Cautiously, he approaches and kneels. It's another rank 3 investigator, their vanguard coat soaked in blood but still breathing barely.
Takeru quickly checks their ID tag.
"Yano..."
Yano's eyes flutter open for a second. "Three… they're smarter than usual..."
Takeru tightens his grip on his weapon. "Just take a rest. I'll handle it."
Before he can say more, a guttural screech rings out from deeper in the ruins.
Takeru stands, body coiled. Shadows shift beyond the broken structures.
Then movement. A hulking, sinewy shape dashes between cover. Another growl answers it from behind a fractured concrete pillar. They're flanking again, just like Yano said.
Not wild. Coordinated.
His eyes narrow.
This isn't just a monster nest, it's a battlefield set by creatures that know tactics.
And he just stepped into their trap.
He draws a breath, grounding himself. There's no backup. Only him.
And if he doesn't act fast, Yano won't make it out either.
The moment the first monster lunges, Takeru is already in motion.
Takeru rolls, draws his blade in a smooth arc, and slices through the beast's shoulder. It howls, stumbling back but the other two are already closing in.
They're nothing like the usual C-rated. Close to B-rated.
Their movements are too fast. Their coordination eerie. One attacks low, the other swings high, while the third circles behind.
He slides under the first one's claws, momentum carrying him into a crouch behind it. Without hesitation, he rises with a sharp upward slash, his blade carving deep into the creature's throat.
One down.
The second recovers fast, roaring as it charges. Takeru meets it head on, his weapon locked with its talons in a brutal clash. It forces him back, snapping its jaws just inches from his face.
He twists, slides to its flank, and channels a focused burst of energy through his arm. His blade glows faintly. A slash cuts deep through the monster's spine. It collapses.
Two down.
Before he can catch his breath, the third one is already on him.
Takeru ducks but too slow. Claws rake across his side, drawing blood. He stumbles, almost drops his blade.
The monster doesn't relent.
It slams him into the ruined wall, claws pinning his shoulder. Its breath is rancid, eyes glinting with cruel intent.
Takeru's heart pounds.
But he's not the same trainee he was months ago.
He steels himself, twisting his body to lessen the pressure, then channels all his strength into a swift, precise upward slash.
His blade sings through the air, slicing from chest to throat.
The monster shrieks, staggering back.
Takeru follows through with a final strike, ending the fight.
The creature collapses at his feet, twitching once, then still.
Silence.
Takeru staggers, covered in cuts and grime, blood dripping from his fingers. He breathes hard, the adrenaline slowly fading.
Just as he reaches for his communicator, a low buzz of static rises in his earpiece… but then stops.
Not static.
A voice.
Soft.
Distant.
Familiar.
"You almost there."
Takeru freezes. The voice isn't coming from his comms. It's not around him.
A cold sweat breaks across his neck. He spins around, eyes scanning the ruined buildings and darkened skyline.
Nothing.
No footsteps. No presence. No sign of anything.
But the sensation doesn't fade. It lingers, something unseen brushing the edges of his consciousness, like a breath in the dark.
Takeru lowers his weapon slowly, pulse still racing.
That wasn't a monster.
And somehow, deep down…
He knows it's not the last time he'll hear it.
Takeru glanced back once more at Yano's pale, bloodied form. Yano's lips moved weakly.
"Go… finish your mission," Yano rasped. "I'll manage… just don't come back…"
Takeru's jaw clenched, but he nodded. No time to waste. If Yano slowed him down, neither would pass this mission.
He adjusted his vanguard coat, suppressing the urge to linger. Survival came first.
Checking his device, Takeru's brow furrowed: 63 C-rated and 8 B-rated monsters logged in the area, far fewer than expected, but the signs of careful coordination weighed on his mind.
Ahead, the ruins shifted shadows again.
Three smaller figures slithered into view, low and snarling C-rated monsters, nimble and vicious.
The first lunged with razor sharp claws aimed at his ribs. Takeru twisted sharply, feeling claws scrape across his side as he dodged. His blade flashed low, slicing through sinew and bone. The creature howled, collapsing with a final shudder.
The second darted in from the flank, jaws snapping. Takeru dropped into a roll, narrowly avoiding snapping teeth grazing his coat. He sprang up behind the beast and drove the pommel of his blade into its skull, dazing it, then slashed across its neck in one brutal arc. The monster's eyes glazed over as it collapsed.
The third circled wide, eyes glinting with cunning. Takeru waited, reading its rhythm. As it lunged, he parried the claws with a quick upward block, then funneled a burst of energy through his palm. The monster's balance faltered, and Takeru capitalized immediately, driving his blade through its heart with precise force. It gasped once before falling still.
All three monsters lay dead.
Takeru didn't stop to watch. His breath heavy, muscles burning, he pressed deeper into the ruins, every step closer to the secrets waiting just beyond.
The heavy breaths burned in his lungs as he sprinted deeper into the ruined eastern sector, eyes scanning every shattered wall and shadowed alley for signs of movement. His wounds stung, but adrenaline pushed him forward, he needed to find more monsters, prove he could handle whatever came next.
A sudden rustle to his right made him skid to a halt, hand on his blade. From behind a crumbling pillar stepped Aiko, her vanguard coat smeared with dirt but eyes sharp and focused.
"Takeru?" she asked, voice low but steady.
He nodded, relief flashing in his chest. "Aiko. Didn't expect to see anyone else out here."
"Same," she replied. "Thought I was alone in this hellhole."
Before they could say more, a roar echoed from the shadowed wreckage ahead. The ground trembled beneath their feet as a massive figure lunged into view.
The B-rated monster was enormous, twice the size of any C-rated they'd faced. Muscles rippled under mottled gray skin, and rows of jagged teeth gleamed in its snarling maw. Its glowing red eyes locked onto them with terrifying intelligence.
Takeru exchanged a quick glance with Aiko. No time to hesitate.
"Cover my left!" he shouted, charging forward.
The monster swung a massive arm, aiming to crush him, but Takeru rolled under the blow and slashed upward, his blade glowing faintly as energy surged through it. The creature roared, staggering back but still relentless.
Aiko circled wide, halberd gleaming as she spun it with deadly precision. With a powerful sweep, she struck at the monster's leg, slicing through thick hide and making it falter.
The monster snarled, snapping its jaws toward her, but she leapt aside with agile grace.
Takeru striking close with his blade, Aiko raining sharp halberd strikes to keep the beast off balance. The creature howled in frustration, attempting to trap them between its crushing fists.
Sweat and blood mingled as they fought, every strike and dodge pushing them closer to exhaustion. But their coordination held, Aiko's halberd attacks kept the beast staggered while Takeru's blade found weak spots in its thick hide.
Finally, with a coordinated shout, Takeru vaulted onto the monster's back as Aiko drove her halberd deep between its shoulder blades.
The beast thrashed once, then collapsed heavily to the ground, defeated.
Takeru gasped for breath, leaning against a broken wall. Aiko smiled wearily, wiping grime from her face.
"We make a good team." she said.
He nodded, feeling a flicker of hope despite the dangers ahead. This was only the beginning.
Takeru wiped the sweat from his brow, eyes flicking to Aiko as she steadied her breathing, halberd still ready. The fallen monster lay motionless, its threat ended for now.
He took a step closer. "I'm heading deeper. You can handle by yourself here."
Aiko met his gaze, nodding. "Good luck, Takeru. Don't underestimate me just because I'm alone."
He gave a tight smile. "Same to you."
Without looking back, Takeru turned and vanished into the shadows of the ruined sector, adrenaline sharpening his senses as he pressed forward alone. He trusted Aiko could hold her ground, this mission wasn't over.
Two hours later.
The sun dipped low behind the fractured skyline, casting long shadows across the decaying cityscape. Takeru's footsteps echoed faintly as he moved through a collapsed subway entrance, past piles of debris and twisted rebar. His body screamed in protest, cuts stung along his ribs and shoulder, blood dried across his jaw and the front of his vanguard coat.
His blade dragged slightly as he walked, but his grip was steady.
A soft ping pulsed from his wrist mounted device.
Remaining: 5 C-Rated. 3 B-Rated.
He exhaled slowly.
Almost done.
Suddenly, a metallic clang rang out, too sharp to be rubble shifting.
Takeru froze.
A blur of movement from above, a C-rated beast dropped from a crumbled platform, snarling. Its jaws gnashed for his throat.
He twisted, ducked low, and slashed upward. The blade tore through the monster's jaw and into its skull. It shrieked, collapsing instantly.
No time to breathe. One more C-rated rushed in from the tunnel's side.
Takeru sidestepped the first, ramming his elbow into its throat and following with a spin that brought his blade down through its spine.
The second monster lunged from behind.
He felt it, just a flicker of movement in the dark.
Takeru rolled forward, landing in a crouch, then drove his sword backward without looking.
A sickening crunch. The creature gurgled and collapsed, convulsing.
He rose slowly, chest heaving.
Still alive.
He glanced again at his device. 2 C-rated and 3 B-rated.
The number ticked down.
But then a low rumble beneath his feet. The ground vibrated slightly, as if something massive was approaching.
He turned toward the sound. And there it was.
A B-rated monster emerged from behind the collapsed tunnel wall, towering and plated in thick, bone like armor. It looked vaguely humanoid, its shoulders were hunched, its arms far too long, claws dragging across the pavement. Four glowing red eyes blinked in unison.
It snarled, revealing layered, serrated teeth. Then it charged. Takeru braced, pushing his fatigue away. No time to hesitate.
The monster swung its claw like a wrecking ball. Takeru rolled beneath it, blade flashing in a sharp arc that scraped across its flank but barely penetrated the armor.
It twisted mid charge, roaring, its tail whipping around.
Takeru ducked again, the tail missing him by inches and shattering a nearby concrete slab.
He dashed to the monster's left then lunged, slashing across the creature's unarmored armpit.
A howl of pain. It retaliated with a backhand swipe.
Takeru brought up his sword to block, but the impact sent him crashing into a rusted wall, pain exploding through his shoulder.
Blood trickled from his mouth.
The beast came again.
Too fast.
Takeru rolled to the side as claws tore into the wall behind him. He leapt up, gritted his teeth, and charged headfirst.
He feinted left, then ducked right, slashing across the back of its leg.
The monster stumbled.
Takeru took the opening.
He jumped, both hands on the hilt, and drove the blade down into the base of the monster's skull.
The beast convulsed then collapsed.
Silent.
Takeru staggered back, coughing. He leaned on his sword, heart pounding. His comm buzzed faintly in his ear but only static.
He was still alone.
And the mission wasn't over yet.
He wiped blood from his brow and limped forward, fading again into the ruins.
A heavy silence blanketed the ruined zone. The air was thick with blood, smoke, and the static aftertaste of spent energy.
Takeru leaned against a cracked steel pillar deep within the hollowed subway station, every breath labored. His coat was torn at the sleeve, crusted with blood, some from monsters. His weapon, chipped at the edge, hung loosely in his grip.
Above, the sky was a deep, cold black, pierced only by the faint glow of distant city lights and the pale sliver of a crescent moon. It should have felt like victory.
But it didn't.
He checked his device again.
Remaining Targets: 1 B-rated monster.
The number hadn't changed in nearly twenty minutes.
The last one hadn't shown itself.
He wasn't alone in that thought. Across the sector, other rank 3 investigators dispersed, exhausted, bloodied, had fought their own desperate battles. Many were injured. A few might not even be standing anymore.
But the mission wasn't over.
His earpiece crackled, weak and full of static. He tapped it.
No response.
Everyone was isolated. Fighting alone.
And the last monster… was watching.
Somewhere.
Takeru stood slowly, every joint aching. He raised his head and looked down the dark corridor ahead. Crumbling walls. The scent of something foul wafted through the air.
It wasn't just hiding.
It was waiting.
The B-rated had watched them all fight. Had seen them drain their strength. It was patient. Intelligent. The others were in no shape for another battle. Neither was he.
But someone had to finish this.
Takeru tightened his grip.
He stepped forward into the dark, whispering softly to himself, unsure if it was courage or madness that moved him.
"one left..."
And somewhere, far beyond the walls, the whisper returned.
"Don't worry... it'll be over soon."
Takeru froze as the whisper echoed faintly in his mind, the words chilling and yet strangely familiar. His heart pounded louder in the heavy silence around him.
Suddenly, a sharp beep pierced the air, his device flashing.
"Warning: B-rated monster detected, 150 meters northeast."
His eyes snapped toward the direction indicated, barely visible through the shifting shadows. The faint hum of the device was the only confirmation that the beast was close.
Every muscle screamed in protest, exhaustion clawing at his limbs, but there was no time to hesitate.
He swallowed the bitter taste of fatigue and forced his legs forward, the coarse rubble crunching beneath his boots.
The whisper lingered in his mind, soft but insistent.
Who was speaking to him?
There was no answer, only the cold weight of the mission ahead.
The corridor opened into a wider chamber, dimly lit by flickering overhead lights. The silence was suffocating.
Takeru's breath hitched as a low growl rumbled somewhere in the darkness ahead.
The last B-rated monster was here.
He held his blade, fingers steady despite the weariness, eyes scanning every shadow.
Takeru's boots pounded against the cracked concrete as he sprinted toward the monster's location. The chill night air did nothing to cool the burning fatigue in his muscles.
Ahead, flickering emergency lights cast jagged shadows, and the faint sound of grunts and weapon clashes reached his ears.
Another investigator, panting heavily, dodging swipes of clawed limbs with desperate agility. A lone rank 3 investigator struggled to hold their ground against the massive B-rated beast, its snarling jaws snapping dangerously close.
The investigator's breath came in ragged gasps, their movements sluggish, each strike lacking the usual precision.
Takeru didn't hesitate. He drew his blade and charged into the fray.
The monster swung a heavy, clawed arm, catching Takeru off guard. He barely rolled aside, feeling the wind from the blow graze his coat.
Pain radiated through his side, but there was no time to falter.
The two Investigators exchanged a quick glance, exhaustion etched deep in their eyes before launching a coordinated assault.
Takeru feinted left, then drove his blade into the beast's flank, while the other slashed at its leg, trying to bring it down.
The monster bellowed, thrashing wildly, forcing them apart.
The beast lunged, jaws snapping; Takeru ducked just in time, rolling to his feet as the other Investigator was caught under a heavy swipe, tumbling to the ground with a painful grunt.
Blood slicked the dirt, but neither backed down.
Summoning the last of their strength, Takeru dashed forward, blades flashing in the moonlight. With a mighty roar, he plunged his weapon deep into the creature's neck.
The beast shuddered violently, then collapsed, its roar fading into a low growl before silence.
Takeru fell to one knee, gasping, sweat and blood mingling on his skin.
His vision blurred, but relief and the harsh taste of victory surged through him.
The mission was finally over.