He was already adjusting his strategy. But he needed more information.

Another Quick Strike at a different rat made it roll away again. The second rat launched itself at his legs. Jin-woo spun away, preventing himself from hamstringing. It didn’t carelessly target his body, but rather a real attempt at debilitating his ability to move. The third pressed forward forcing him to dodge and step backwards a few more times until they stopped and cautiously circled him.

“No way…” it hit him like a pack of bricks. They were pushing him deeper into the room. They weren’t just coordinating, they were herding him into another ambush.

"Clever girls," he grimaced, remembering old Jurassic Park references. The time for testing and experimentation was over. He needed to get rid of them as soon as possible to prevent them from circling him with whatever existed in this room that was the boss.

His next strikes came with brutal efficiency. The first rat, committed to another flanking maneuver, couldn't adjust in time. The warped spear caught it mid-stride. The enhanced strength and speed of the strike ripping into it. Blood sprayed across broken medical equipment as the creature fell, squealing loudly. The remaining rats adjusted instantly. Their tactics shifted to account for their reduced numbers. One charged straight at him while the other circled wide right, forcing him to divide his attention. But Jin-woo had learned from countless battles.

He never allowed the circling rat an opportunity to attack him, always moving in the opposite direction and keeping the first charging rat in front of him. It forced him to slow down his pace and let a few charges go by for a better chance to use his Quick Strike skill without wasting more mana in another missed attempt. One squandered strike was already enough for his analytical mind.

Another charge brought the rat's attack just short of him with his own tactical feint he just learned from the first rat. He faked a charge and jumped back when it reacted leaving it open for a devastating Quick Strike to the head, killing it instantly. He began his dodging sequence once more, the final rat attempting to take advantage of his over extension. His speed and long strides kept it from getting any real damage other than a few claw marks on his mostly exposed skin.

Once Jin-woo regained his footing, it jumped back and maintained its distance. Everytime he tried to approach it would back up, watching with eyes that were far more intelligent than what he had expected.

Self preservation protocols too? He marveled at how advanced these half machine half rats were.

"Come on," Jin-woo taunted. His system sent a plethora of notifications that warned against prolonged encounters when there could be far more dangerous entities around him. The rat did not respond, instead it started to retreat and extend the distance between them.

A tremor shook the entire chamber. Followed by a guttural roar from further into the room. That was what they were attempting to herd him to. Each impact on the ground grew stronger, closer, like approaching thunder. Each step closer sent ripples through the puddles of chemicals, vials falling and shattering on the ground. The bioluminescent claw marks pulsed with every impact. The rat backed away, almost respectfully, as something massive emerged from the shadows. It kicked a crumpled cage towards him.

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Jin-woo dove to the side. He could hear a deafening crash behind him.

Another roar shook the room.

Jin-woo's system interface erupted with warnings as the boss of the room revealed itself. A towering amalgamation of mad science and evolutionary horror. Muscle rippled on a massive frame that towered over even him.

[BIOLOGICAL ANOMALY DETECTED]

[ERROR: PARAMETERS EXCEED CLASSIFICATION]

[WARNING: MULTIPLE SYSTEM CONFLICTS]

[ANALYZING... ANALYZING... ANALYZING...]

"Oh," Jin-woo whispered as the horror emerged fully into the lights. His system continued to scream warnings into his mind. Even Demina began to analyze the monstrosity before him.

[HOSTILE ENTITY DETECTED]

[CLASSIFICATION: Mutated Rat Lord (Unnatural) - (E++) Ranked Monster]

[WARNING: Multiple Mutation Strains Active]

[BIOLOGICAL ANOMALIES EXCEED PARAMETERS]

[THREAT LEVEL: EXTREME]

[DETAILED ANALYSIS:]

[- Height: 12ft (Standing)

- Mass: Approximately 2,200 lbs

- Mutation Level: Critical/Unstable

- Combat Rating: Beyond Current Parameters

- Regenerative Capabilities: Active/Deteriorating

- Intelligence: Partial/Fragmented]

[CAUTION: Entity displays tactical awareness]

[PHASE SHIFT DETECTED - 70% HEALTH]

[WARNING: New mutations manifesting]

[COMBAT PARAMETERS RECALIBRATING]

[PHASE SHIFT DETECTED - 30% HEALTH]

[CRITICAL WARNING: Unstable evolution active]

[CAUTION: Unpredictable combat patterns]

[RECOMMENDATION: Maintain maximum safe distance]

The Mutated Rat stood easily twelve feet tall. It looked even bigger in the light than when it was in the shadows. Muscles rippled beneath transparent patches of skin like living machinery. Each movement caused surgical staples to strain and creak. Its humanoid body seemed built from mismatched parts, here fur, there scales, everywhere scars that pulsed with the same sickly bioluminescence as the wall marks.

It was like they took The Mountain and doubled everything about him. Then gave him two tons of steroids to boot. Maybe even forgot to turn on the Myostatin gene.

Jin-woo's enhanced vision caught details his processed mind struggled to categorize. Bones visibly shifted and reformed beneath flesh. Tendons thick as steel cables flexing with impossible strength. A face that flickered between bestial rage and broken intelligence. Each twitch of its massive form sent new error messages scrolling across his interface. This was the horror of a mad scientist and torturous experimentation.

It clawed at the ground, arms long and yoked like a gorilla.

"They... made..."

Jin-woo jumped, startled. These were the first words he heard and it was coming from a monster trying to kill him.

Its voice emerged wet and rasping. It tried to utter another word, but it struggled like something learning to speak through a throat not designed for words. Bones cracked audibly as it moved, its entire frame seeming to rebuild itself with each step.

"...better!" It roared, slamming massive fists into the ground.

The remaining Giant Rat retreated behind the monstrosity. Jin-woo surveyed the surroundings, he could hear the rising crescendo of claws and chittering that did not bother hiding itself.

"I don't suppose we could discuss this over coffee? I know a great place. Well, I knew a great place. In another reality. Before I ended up in this charming establishment."

The creature's muscles bunched and rippled. Layers of enhanced tissue moving in ways that violated basic anatomy as it coiled onto itself. Its eyes fixed on Jin-woo with an intelligence that sent goosebumps down his spine. This couldn’t have just been mutation and experimentation on rats. This looked like something far worse. Everything that dove past the line of sanity.

"BROTHERS..." it roared. More Giant Rats emerged from the shadows. They moved with the same tactical precision as their fallen companions. "HUNT!"