"Yurim!"
Rian hurled himself forward, his body screaming in protest. His fingers barely closed around her wrist.
"Rian!" Yurim whispered.
Below her, Yurim's other hand was gripping the grandmother—dangling in the air.
Yurim's breath came out in sharp, broken gasps. Her arms trembled violently under the impossible weight.
"Hold on!" Rian gritted out, pulling with everything he had left.
But his strength was failing.
His injuries from earlier hadn't healed. His half-human body shook, muscles burning, joints screaming as exhaustion dragged him down.
"Rian… she's slipping!" Yurim cried, panic tearing through her voice.
The woman below growled.
Her eyes were no longer human—wild, feral, consumed. The demon inside her had fully awakened.
"Don't let go!" Rian shouted again, desperation cracking through his voice.
"I—I can't!" Yurim sobbed.
Her fingers burned. Skin tore. Blood mixed with dust as her grip weakened.
Then it happened.
Before Yurim could react, the grandmother twisted violently, shrieking something incomprehensible.
Her clawed hand lashed out—
And struck Yurim's wrist.
"No—!"
Rian's scream ripped through the air as Yurim's grip broke.
The old woman fell.
The sound of her body hitting the shattered floor below echoed like thunder.
Everything went still.
Yurim froze, tears spilling freely, her body shaking.
Rian didn't move.
He just stared downward—eyes wide, empty, disbelief swallowing every thought.
Smoke rose between the buildings.
From within it, something moved.
The monster emerged.
Its massive form broke through the wall, stepping into the open air. Its shadow crawled across the rooftop, stretching toward them like death itself.
Yurim's body stiffened.
"Rian…" she whispered, her voice trembling.
No response.
His gaze was still fixed on the place where his grandmother had fallen.
"Rian!" she cried louder, fear taking over. "He's coming—please, move!"
Still nothing.
He couldn't.
Yurim looked at the monster—then back at Rian. Her voice shattered.
"Let me go. If you don't… you'll die too."
"No," he whispered.
But his grip was already weakening.
With a broken cry, Rian forced his body to move. Muscles screamed as he gathered every last fragment of strength—and pulled.
Yurim crashed onto the rooftop beside him, coughing, eyes wide, chest heaving.
There was no time to breathe.
The monster reached the edge of the building. Its massive arm drew back, ready to strike.
"Move!" Rian shouted, grabbing Yurim's wrist and dragging her back.
The creature's fist began to fall—
Then—
A piercing cry sliced through the air.
The monster froze mid-motion, releasing a guttural sound of pain.
From the smoke above, a dark figure dropped down—
It was the night guard.