The air in the chamber turned electric, humming with tension as the grotesque creature emerged from the shadows. Its patchwork body—an unsettling fusion of flesh and jagged metal—moved with a predatory grace, each step reverberating through the crumbling facility.

“Spread out!” Claire ordered, her crossbow aimed at its head.

The group quickly fanned out, weapons ready, though the sheer size of the beast made their chances seem slim.

Evan stepped forward, the system’s buzzing growing louder in his mind.

“Threat Level: High.” “Recommended Action: Engage with Precision and Target Weak Points.”

The creature roared, its voice a mix of metallic grinding and guttural growls. Its glowing red eyes locked onto Evan as though sensing something unnatural within him. Claire loosed the first bolt, the projectile flying true and striking the creature in the shoulder. It staggered slightly but seemed unfazed, turning its attention toward her. “Lila, get behind it!” Claire barked, reloading.

Lila nodded, her movements swift and silent as she circled the room. Meanwhile, Jake fired off several shots, the bullets sparking uselessly against the creature’s metal plating. “It’s armored!” Jake shouted in frustration.

Kara aimed for its exposed flesh, her rifle cracking as she landed a shot near its ribs. The creature snarled in pain, but the wound began to close almost instantly, its flesh knitting back together in a grotesque display.

“Of course it regenerates,” Jake muttered, reloading his pistol.

Evan tightened his grip on the crowbar, the weapon glowing faintly as he activated Energy Infusion. He darted forward, the system guiding his movements as he aimed for the joints in the creature’s legs.

The blow connected, a sharp crack echoing through the chamber as the crowbar struck true. The creature stumbled, one of its legs bending unnaturally. “It’s working!” Evan shouted, dodging a swipe from the creature’s massive claw.

As the battle raged on, the glowing Catalyst Fragment pulsed more intensely, its energy filling the room with a rhythmic thrum.

“Is it reacting to us?” Kara asked, her voice tinged with awe.

“Not us—him,” Claire said, her gaze shifting to Evan.

The system buzzed sharply in Evan’s mind.

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“Catalyst Fragment Synchronization Detected. Temporary Power Boost Available. Activate?”

Evan hesitated for only a moment before mentally confirming.

“Boost Activated. Temporary Skill Unlocked: Overdrive Strike.”

A surge of energy coursed through him, his vision sharpening as the world seemed to slow. The crowbar in his hand glowed brighter, the energy radiating from it almost blinding.

Evan charged the creature, his enhanced speed and strength catching it off guard. He swung the crowbar in a wide arc, the Overdrive Strike connecting with the creature’s side. The impact sent it crashing into the wall, chunks of metal and flesh flying from its body.

The creature roared in pain, its regeneration struggling to keep up with the damage.

“Keep hitting it while it’s down!” Claire yelled, firing another bolt that embedded itself in the creature’s exposed neck.

Jake and Kara unloaded their weapons into its vulnerable spots, while Lila darted in and out with precise slashes to its underbelly.

The creature thrashed wildly, its movements growing more erratic as it weakened.

Evan landed another Overdrive Strike, this time aiming for its head. The crowbar crushed through its metallic skull, a burst of black and red fluid erupting from the wound.

The creature let out a final, guttural scream before collapsing, its body twitching once before falling still. The chamber fell silent, the only sound the group’s labored breathing. Evan stepped back, the glow from his crowbar fading as the Overdrive energy dissipated. He felt the system buzz again.

“Hostile Eliminated: Hybrid-Class Bio-Mechanical Entity.” “Synchronization Complete. Catalyst Fragment Ready for Integration.”

The glowing fragment on the pedestal pulsed softly, as though waiting for him.

“Evan?” Claire’s voice broke through his thoughts. “What just happened?”

Evan looked at her, his mind racing. “That fragment... it’s tied to these things. If we don’t figure out how to use it, more will come.”

“And how exactly do you plan to use it?” Jake asked, his tone suspicious.

Evan didn’t answer. Instead, he reached out and touched the Catalyst Fragment.

The moment his fingers made contact, the fragment’s energy surged into him, the glow enveloping his body. His vision blurred, and the system’s voice became overwhelming.

“Integration in Progress. Synchronizing User with Catalyst Core...”

Pain lanced through his body, every nerve aflame as the fragment’s power fused with his own. Images flashed in his mind—fragments of a world in chaos, monstrous experiments, and shadowy figures controlling it all.

Then, as quickly as it began, the pain subsided. Evan fell to his knees, gasping for air as the system buzzed softly.

“Integration Complete. New Skill Unlocked: Catalyst Burst.”

“What just happened?” Claire demanded, her voice sharp.

“I... I don’t know,” Evan said, though the system’s presence in his mind told him otherwise. The fragment had unlocked something deeper, a power he barely understood but instinctively knew would be crucial in the battles ahead.

As the group gathered themselves, the facility shook again, this time more violently.

“We need to get out of here,” Lila said, her voice urgent.

Evan rose to his feet, his body still tingling with residual energy. “There’s more to this place. It’s connected to what’s happening out there. If we leave now, we might lose our chance to learn the truth.”

Claire hesitated, torn between caution and the need for answers. “We’ll search quickly. But if anything else shows up, we’re gone.”

The group moved deeper into the facility, their weapons ready. The halls were lined with broken machinery and faded documents, fragments of a story long forgotten. In one room, they found a console still faintly powered, its screen displaying a single phrase:

“Project Genesis: Phase One Complete.”

“What the hell is Project Genesis?” Jake asked, staring at the screen.

“Something big,” Evan said, his voice grim. “And we’re right in the middle of it.”