The city was a scene of utter devastation. Once a grand and bustling place, it now lay in ruins, with skyscrapers toppled and streets cracked open like old scars. The sky overhead was a grim shade of red, choked with thick, black smoke that blotted out the sun.

Amid the wreckage, the cries of people filled the air, their desperate voices cutting through the chaos. The once lively streets were now a battlefield of destruction and despair, where the echoes of a lost world lingered in the smoky haze.

A boy, around eighteen, knelt in the wreckage, his tear-streaked face showing a blend of despair, anger, and sadness. He stared at the destruction around him, feeling utterly lost.

"Why… why is this happening?" he whispered, struggling to make sense of the chaos.

Suddenly, a sound cut through his despair. It wasn't the cry of a child or the moans of the wounded. It was the chilling roar of a beast, fierce and primal, hunting in the ruined city. The sound made his heart pound, a stark reminder of the danger lurking in the midst of the devastation.

The boy's head whipped around toward the source of the terrifying roar. A wolf-like beast emerged from the smoke, its metal jaws and fangs glinting ominously. The creature's eyes burned with a savage hunger, and drool mixed with blood dripped from its mouth.

His heart pounded as he watched the beast's unblinking gaze fixate on something in the distance. The boy's breath hitched in his throat.

"What is that thing?" he thought frantically. "What's it after?"

His eyes widened in horror as he realized, a woman and her infant, helpless amidst the debris, were the beast's targets. Fear gripped him, immobilizing him as he weighed his options—run or try to save the helpless figure.

A child's anguished cry pierced the chaos, gripping the boy's heart. His eyes landed on a mother clutching her baby, her face a mix of fear and fierce determination.

"Somebody, please, save my baby!" she cried, her voice cracking with desperation. She held her child tight, ready to protect it with her life.

The boy's breath quickened, sweat dripping down his face. He had never seen anything like this before. The beast's metallic fangs gleamed menacingly as it advanced, its eyes filled with hunger.

"What can I do? How can I stop this?" he thought, panic rising. The mother and child were closer to him than to the beast. He couldn't just stand there.

"I have to help them," he whispered, feeling a surge of determination. He stepped forward, his legs trembling but his heart resolute. He positioned himself between the beast and the terrified family, trying to muster his courage.

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"Hey! Over here!" he shouted, his voice shaky but loud. His heart pounded so hard it felt like it might burst from his chest. He was terrified, but he couldn't let that stop him.

"Please, let this work," he thought, praying silently. He didn't know how he would face the beast, but he had to try. For the mother, for her child, and for himself.

The beast's glowing eyes locked onto the boy, and his legs began to tremble. He forced himself to stand his ground.

"Go! Get out of here, now!" he shouted to the mother, his voice shaky but urgent. She looked at him, her face turning pale as she realized what he was doing.

"I can't leave you here," she whispered, her voice trembling. Her eyes filled with tears, torn between saving her child and the guilt of leaving the boy alone with the beast.

"You have to," the boy insisted, heart pounding. "Take your child and run. I'll distract it."

The mother hesitated, clutching her baby tighter. "But you… you're just a boy," she said, her voice breaking.

The boy swallowed hard, trying to hide his fear. "I can handle it," he said, trying to sound brave. "Please, just go. Your child needs you."

Tears streaming down her face, the mother nodded, whispering a heartfelt, "Thank you." She turned and fled, holding her baby close, her heart heavy with guilt and gratitude. But that beast did not chase her. That boy is looking into the eyes of the beast to attract its focus.

As they disappeared into the smoke, the boy faced the beast, his legs still shaking. "Please let this work," he thought, trying to steady his breath. He was terrified, but he couldn't let that show. For the mother, for her child, and for himself, he had to be brave.

The beast growled, taking a step closer, and the boy squared his shoulders, ready to face whatever came next. "Come on, then," he muttered, trying to summon every ounce of courage. "Let's see what you've got."

The boy frantically scanned the ground for anything he could use as a weapon, hoping the beast was still some distance away. But then, the wolf-like creature sprang into motion, its speed steadily increasing.

A strange energy emanated from the beast, a purplish smoke that seemed to crush and push everything in its path. The obstacles shattered with a deafening noise, sending debris flying.

"Oh no, oh no," the boy muttered, panic rising in his chest. He could hear his heart pounding as the beast closed in. "I need a weapon—anything!"

His eyes darted around, searching desperately. "Come on, come on!" he urged himself, feeling the seconds slip away. The beast's speed was terrifying, and the boy's mind raced.

"What is that energy? How can it do that?" he wondered, fear gripping him. The ground shook with the beast's approach, and the boy's breath came in ragged gasps.

Finally, he spotted a broken piece of metal, jagged and sharp. He lunged for it, his fingers closing around the makeshift weapon just as the beast bore down on him.

"Please let this work," he thought, standing up and brandishing the metal shard. His legs trembled, but he forced himself to stand his ground. "I have to be brave. For them. For myself."

The beast's eyes glowed with a fierce intensity, its growl echoing through the ruins. The boy tightened his grip on the metal, ready to face the monstrous creature. "Come on, then," he whispered, trying to summon his courage. "Let's finish this."