The city loomed ahead, a skeletal shell of what it once was. Towering buildings that had once been symbols of human achievement now stood as grim reminders of everything lost. The streets were deserted, with the occasional car overturned or half-collapsed into the remnants of what had once been bustling marketplaces. Nature had taken over the city in the form of creeping vines and tangled roots, creeping up the side of skyscrapers and swallowing what remained of the urban sprawl.

August, his backpack heavier than ever, felt the weight of every step. His eyes scanned the horizon, looking for any sign of movement, but there was nothing. No people. No vehicles. Just the haunting remnants of a civilization wiped off the map.

As the group moved through the streets, the hum of the system's interface rang in August's ears. He barely noticed it anymore. The words flashed on the screen, telling him where to go, what to do, and what to watch out for. He had stopped questioning it days ago. Now, it was just another constant. Another source of guidance—or, depending on how you looked at it, another set of chains around his wrist.

Sabrina walked beside him, her eyes darting around the city like a hawk. She had stopped speaking to him much, ever since they learned about the system's new directive. She was still working, still focused on decoding the system's purpose, but it was clear that there was something missing between them. The trust had eroded, and though August tried to reach out, to find some way to make things right, he felt like she was slipping away.

Cara and Lara walked behind them, their conversation low, though August could hear snippets of it. Cara sounded anxious, her voice carrying the weight of the injury she had sustained weeks ago. It was only a minor wound, but the psychological toll seemed to be mounting.

"We have to stay quiet," Cara whispered, her hand resting on her weapon as she peered down the alleyway. "This place feels off."

"It’s not the city," Lara replied, her voice tinged with the bitterness that had taken root in her since the system's new directive. "It’s what’s inside. Marcos knows we’re coming. He’s watching. Always."

August turned to look at her, but Lara’s eyes were fixed on the ruins ahead. There was no anger in her voice, just the cold, detached realization that they were all trapped. They had walked into a war zone, and they weren’t prepared for the next phase.

"Stay alert," Sabrina said, breaking the silence. She had her hand on the rifle slung over her shoulder, her fingers twitching with anticipation. "The system says the city’s been fortified, but I’m not trusting it. This place has been abandoned too long for everything to be normal."

August nodded, his eyes scanning the map on his system's interface. A new feature had been unlocked, giving him access to a detailed, real-time map of the city, pinpointing locations of interest, key routes, and potential hazards. According to the system, there was a high probability of encountering resistance in the form of mercenaries—Marcos’s men—but the map didn’t account for the unknowns. The things that weren’t supposed to be here.

The further they walked into the city, the more August began to feel it. The weight of the silence. The strange stillness in the air. The lack of life. It was almost as though the city had been frozen in time, waiting for something to happen. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He felt it. The wrongness of it all.

And then, just as he turned a corner, it happened. The system’s alert rang in his ears, flashing with red.

New threat detected. Heat signature detected. Multiple targets.

Before he could process the words, there was a low growl in the distance, followed by the unmistakable sound of claws scraping against concrete. The growl grew louder, closer.

August’s heart slammed in his chest. The map blinked with a new warning, showing the heat signature of several moving entities. Something fast. Something dangerous.

The growl became a snarl, echoing through the ruins.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"Get down!" August yelled, pulling Sabrina to the ground as the sound of claws grew louder. "Now!"

They dove behind an old, crumbling wall, the rest of the group following their lead. For a split second, August thought it was just the usual mercenary patrol. But the noise was too different. Too unnatural.

Then, he saw them.

A pair of glowing yellow eyes peered out from the shadows at the end of the alley. More eyes appeared in the darkness. And then, in one swift movement, a creature lunged from the shadows. It was a blur of movement—faster than anything August had seen before. Its body was sleek, its muscles rippling beneath tattered, matted fur. Its mouth was open in a snarl, revealing rows of sharp, bloodstained teeth. It looked almost... human. But it wasn’t. This thing wasn’t human.

A Hunter.

"Get ready!" August shouted, drawing his pistol. He could hear the others scrambling into position, weapons drawn. But the Hunter was already moving, faster than any human could react.

Before they could fire a single shot, the creature lunged again, this time straight at Sabrina. Its claws glinted in the dim light, and in the span of a second, it was inches from her throat. Sabrina froze, her breath catching in her throat as the creature’s sharp claws hovered just above her skin.

August’s heart stopped. His eyes locked on the scene unfolding in front of him. Sabrina, helpless, frozen in place. The Hunter’s yellow eyes were filled with hunger.

Without thinking, August raised his weapon, his hands trembling. But before he could fire, a shout echoed through the alley.

"Move, Sabrina! MOVE!"

It was Lara’s voice, loud and urgent.

The moment the Hunter heard the shout, it hesitated for a fraction of a second, turning its head to glance at Lara. That was all Sabrina needed. She pushed herself backward, her reflexes taking over as she rolled to the side. The creature snapped its jaws where her neck had just been, but Sabrina was already on her feet, scrambling toward cover.

The Hunter roared in frustration and turned its attention back to its prey. But that brief distraction was enough for August.

He fired.

The sound of the gunshot cracked through the silence like thunder. The bullet hit the Hunter in the shoulder, knocking it back just enough for Sabrina to get some distance.

"Shoot it!" August shouted.

The others fired in unison. The Hunter howled in pain as bullets slammed into its body, but it didn’t fall. It kept charging, faster than any of them could track, moving with unnatural speed.

Then, from the corner of his eye, August saw something else—a second Hunter. And a third. And more.

They were surrounded.

"Get back!" August barked, grabbing Sabrina by the arm and pulling her toward him. "Fall back!"

But as they moved, the ground beneath them began to shake. More Hunters, more of these grotesque, twisted creatures, were flooding into the alley. Their glowing eyes filled the darkness, their hunger palpable. There was no way to outrun them. No way to fight them off without the proper weapons.

"We need to get out of here, now!" Sabrina yelled.

August didn’t need any more convincing. He turned to the others, eyes wide with panic.

"Retreat!" he ordered, but it was already too late. The Hunters were closing in. Their claws scraped against the walls, echoing through the empty streets. The air was thick with the scent of death, the heat signatures of the creatures surrounding them growing larger and larger on the system’s map.

Sabrina stumbled, her foot catching on a broken piece of concrete. August caught her, barely managing to keep her on her feet. They were surrounded, and there was no way out.

The sound of the Hunters’ growls grew louder, closer. And then, one of them pounced.

Sabrina screamed.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion. August barely registered the Hunter’s claws slashing through the air. He raised his gun, but it was too late. The creature was already on Sabrina, its claws inches from her throat.

Time seemed to freeze.

But then, with a crackling sound, the system’s interface flickered. A new feature unlocked.

New Skill Acquired: Heat Signature Disruption.

The map in August’s mind flared with new information. He knew what he had to do. He focused on the system, on the map, and in that split second, he activated the skill.

A pulse of energy shot through the area, disrupting the heat signatures of the Hunters. For a moment, the creatures froze, disoriented. The sudden disruption gave the group just enough time to move.

"Now!" August yelled, and they ran, their footsteps pounding against the cracked pavement as the Hunters scrambled to recover.

But it was too close. Too dangerous. And they were running out of time.

The hunt had begun. And now, the real fight for survival would begin.