Lynn homed in on the source of the disturbance, filtering out the cacophony polluting the night air. The surrounding sounds muffled as his perception sharpened like a blade
The voices of patrons haggling and merchants peddling their wares became muted and indistinct. Even the footsteps and creaking carts trundling past the alley entrance were drowned out.
In the distance, he caught the faint yet unmistakable sound of gunshots. Normally, this wouldn't faze him. After all, such noises were commonplace in the abandoned district.
Skirmishes and turf wars between gangs, disagreements turning violent, and attempts to intimidate or eliminate rivals. Violence was an everyday reality in this lawless territory.
However, something about this particular disturbance seized his attention. The gunfire was accompanied by indistinct shouts and yells, the tone conveyed urgency, even hints of desperation.
"This seems different than the usual gang conflicts," Lynn thought to himself as his curiosity was piqued.
Without hesitation, he decided to see what was happening. His instincts compelled him to investigate, especially after recalling what occurred the last time he passed the night in the abandoned district.
He retrieved Flame Edge from his inventory and felt the familiar fiery power emanating from the blade. In his other hand, Bloody Reaper materialized, its dark metal gleaming under the moonlight.
“Sinister things…,” he remembered these ominous words, hinting at dangerous creatures that emerged in the outer district after dark. "Let me see what they look like.”
[Veil of shadows]’s effect activated, he stealthily darted from the alleyway and began weaving through the dilapidated buildings, dashing toward the escalating sounds of battle in the distance.
The streets near the commotion were surprisingly deserted and quiet, except for the echoing noises of the ongoing conflict. The shady figures who normally roamed the place at this hour were all absent, probably hiding from the chaos.
As he drew nearer, his keen senses picked up more hints. Desperate cries and furious roars reverberated through the air, mingling with the pungent odor of gunpowder and the metallic tang of blood.
Lynn’s mind raced, attempting to deduce the nature of the situation, but based on the clues, none of the possibilities seemed favorable. His worries were confirmed as he rounded a corner and caught the first glimpse of the conflict zones.
Thanks to one streetlamp still working in the area, he could see the scene clearly even from afar. Mangled corpses strewn haphazardly across the debris-littered street, blood pools spreading out from under the motionless bodies.
Whoever these people were, they had suffered brutal and violent ends at the hands of something merciless. His gaze fixated on one in particular that lay closest to his position.
It was splayed on its back, limbs twisted unnaturally, bearing brutal imprints of bite marks on the exposed flesh. The torso itself had been ripped open, entrails spilling out grotesquely.
His eyes narrowed as he studied the grievous wounds inflicted on the corpses. "These injuries... they almost resemble the claw marks and bites from a werewolf," he quickly realized.
Following the trail of corpses while staying close to the walls and in the shadows to take advantage of the cover of darkness, the sounds of battle grew louder with each step.
A few seconds later, he finally saw the remaining signs of life desperately trying to battle. A ragged band of armed individuals were barely managing to keep a hulking humanoid creature at bay.
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Under the flickering streetlamp, the monster’s appearance was fully exposed. It stood over two meters tall, its body contorted and covered in a mottled, grey-black skin and dense black bumps.
Clothed in tattered garments, stained and filthy, patches of coarse fur sprouted sporadically on various exposed areas. Its hands had transformed into paw-like appendages, each tipped with razor-sharp claws.
As for the head, it was a twisted mess. Transforming into a snout-like muzzle filled with sharp fangs, foul saliva dripped from the corners of the mouth, while cracked protrusions exposed jagged bone-like ridges.
Lynn was secretly fascinated as he observed the scene from the shadows. The grotesque distortion of the physique and the emergence of peculiar features left him no room for doubt.
This individual was undoubtedly mutating, a visible manifestation of spiritual pollution. He could immediately recognize the unmistakable traits of a werewolf beginning to materialize.
The ragged band of fighters who seemed to be gangsters continued firing their firearms, hitting the monster repeatedly. The deafening gunshots rang out as bullets relentlessly tore into the creature's frame.
Its body was riddled with bullet holes, and an acrid, fishy-scented blood seeped from the wounds. However, to their astonishment, the injuries gradually sealed shut right before their eyes.
Howling in pain and fury, the humanoid monstrosity tried to push through the barrage of bullets but staggered back under the merciless onslaught. Sensing their upper hand, they maintained their assault, continuing to pull the triggers.
Soon enough, the polluted creature found itself driven into a literal corner, its hulking form colliding roughly against the brick facade of a dilapidated building at the end of the debris-littered street.
The already fragile wall that the creature was pushed against could no longer withstand the massive weight. With a resounding crash, it crumbled inward, sending a cloud of dust billowing into the air.
The creature lost its footing and was forcefully knocked down, bricks and rubble piling on top of it. Its limbs were rendered immobilized under the wreckage as it let out a thunderous howl of agony.
Just as Lynn believed that the situation was finally under control, another bestial roar shattered the tranquility of the night. From the overgrown grass of a crumbling courtyard, a figure emerged, charging towards the gangsters.
In a matter of mere seconds, it closed the distance, brandishing razor-sharp claws with deadly intent. Caught off guard, one of the individuals positioned at the group's periphery had no time to react.
With a swift and brutal strike, the creature sliced open the left side of his abdomen, causing the intestines to spill out. Not content with just one kill, the monster continued the assault, hurling its claws towards the next victim.
This person had barely managed to turn around when suddenly his face twisted in terror. Before he even had the chance to raise his weapon, his cheeks were cut open by sharp claws. The force of the attack was so brutal that it tore his face apart, causing his brains to splatter in all directions.
Everyone yelled out in alarm, some stumbling backward in shock while others desperately twisted their weapons toward this new threat that was throwing their ranks into disarray.
Amidst this chaos, the gang's leader, a burly man clutching an assault rifle, shouted out orders, trying to salvage the situation. "Fall back, don’t let that thing get any closer!" he yelled, backpedaling and firing bursts.
His men scrambled to follow his directives, fear and panic etched across their faces as they tried to disengage from the monster while keeping it at bay with sprays of gunfire.
Seeing the situation deteriorating, Lynn decided to intervene. He knew he couldn't just stand idly by any longer, if he didn't act quickly, the gangsters would be overwhelmed by the two werewolves.
He flexed his fingers around Bloody Reaper. It was time to test the newly evolved firearm in live combat. He could sense the weapon's power thrumming eagerly, resonating with his own anticipation.
Lifting it, he aimed the barrel, aligning it with one of the creatures’ deformed heads. The streetlamp's flickering glow faintly illuminated the gnarled and distorted features.
A deafening shot echoed through the night air, momentarily drowning out all other sounds. The chaotic din of battle and screeching roars were silenced for an instant as the thunderous blast reverberated powerfully.
In the split second of stunned silence that followed, all eyes turned toward the first mutated monster that was escaping from under the rubble. Its head...was gone. Obliterated completely in a viscous spray of dark blood and shattered bone.
The headless body stood motionless for a heartbeat before crumpling limply to the ground with a heavy thud. A pool of blood swiftly spread out from the shattered remnant of its neck.
However, it was not Lynn who shot. The sudden demise of the creature took him completely by surprise. His finger had barely begun applying pressure to Bloody Reaper's trigger when the unexpected gunshot rang out.