Rain wasn't stopping.
The whole alley was already flooded, and every few seconds lightning turned the sky white for a split moment. Pieces of broken concrete were scattered across the road, and in front of Yoru and the others, the monster slowly stood up like it hadn't felt a thing.
Yoru was honestly exhausted.
His body already felt half broken, but looking at the thing in front of him made it obvious that the fight had only just begun.
"Seriously..." he said between heavy breaths. "Can't they afford weaker enemies?"
Ren stood to the side and let out a small laugh.
"Apparently not."
The monster twisted its head.
Crack.
Even over the rain, the sound was clear.
Then its glowing red eyes locked straight onto Yoru.
"Target confirmed."
"Yeah, yeah, I heard you the first time."
The next second, the monster sprinted straight at him.
It was fast enough to send water splashing everywhere with every step.
Yoru moved just in time.
The creature's fist smashed into the wall behind him instead.
BOOM.
Concrete exploded.
Yoru used the opening and swung his claw. This time he didn't go for a direct hit. He cut low, aiming for the creature's arm joint, just like Sairi had told him.
The attack connected.
The monster staggered a little.
"Okay... good."
But only for a second.
The creature swung its other arm, and Yoru had to jump back immediately.
"Never mind!"
Sairi raised her hand and ice spikes shot through the rain. A few of them struck the creature's shoulder and legs, slowing it down for a moment.
"Yoru, left side!"
He understood immediately.
Without wasting time, he sprinted to the creature's blind spot and drove his claw straight into its knee with all his strength.
Crack.
This time the sound was different.
The monster let out a roar.
"Finally!" Yoru almost shouted.
Ren casually called from the side, "Don't celebrate yet."
Right then, the creature grabbed Yoru's arm.
"…Oh."
Before he could react, he was thrown across the alley and slammed into the wall.
THUD.
Pain exploded through his back. For a second, his vision blurred.
"Okay, that hurt..."
Rain kept falling over his face as he slowly pushed himself back up.
The creature was already moving toward him again.
No hesitation.
No fear.
Only the intent to kill.
Yoru clenched his teeth and activated his claw again, but this time he could feel the dark aura around it moving more aggressively. It was like the power itself wanted to come out.
Inside his head, the voice let out a soft laugh.
"You're getting used to it."
"Can you not talk right now?"
"You need me."
"I really don't."
The creature suddenly appeared right in front of him.
Punch.
Yoru ducked at the last second. The attack flew over him and smashed the metal pipes behind, bursting water everywhere.
Sairi created a barrier just before bullets suddenly started pouring into the alley like rain.
"Agents!" she shouted.
Yoru glanced to the side.
Eclipse soldiers were standing at the alley entrance, guns already aimed at them.
"Dude, do these people ever stop?!"
Gunfire got more intense.
Sparks bounced off the walls while rain and smoke mixed together and blurred the whole area.
Ren's expression finally turned serious.
"Yoru. Focus on the monster. We'll handle the agents."
"We?"
"Mostly you."
"Wow, thanks."
The monster roared and charged at Ren this time.
Ren stayed calm and waited until the last second.
Then—
Purple energy flashed.
An invisible impact slammed the creature into the side wall so hard that the whole alley shook.
Yoru's eyes widened.
"Okay, seriously. What is your power?"
Ren shrugged.
"Complicated."
"Everyone here says that!"
The creature pulled itself out of the debris.
This time it looked angry.
Cracks in its body were glowing red from the inside. Rain slid across its armored skin as it slowly stood up again.
Sairi's face tightened.
"That's not good."
"What?"
"It's overheating."
Yoru frowned.
"Monsters overheat too?"
"The experiment is becoming unstable."
The creature suddenly roared, and the next second its speed doubled.
Yoru barely reacted in time.
Its fist grazed his cheek and sent him sliding to the side.
Blood mixed with rainwater and dropped to the ground.
Then everything seemed to slow down.
The rain.
The gunfire.
The monster's movement.
Everything.
Yoru blinked.
His red eyes began to glow brighter.
And inside, the voice whispered again.
"There it is."
Yoru slowly looked at the creature.
This time he could clearly follow every movement.
The monster attacked again.
Yoru simply stepped aside.
No panic.
No struggle.
Just a smooth movement.
Ren noticed it immediately.
"...His aura changed."
Sairi didn't say anything, but her face stayed tense.
Yoru tightened his claw and slashed directly across the creature's chest.
A deep cut opened up.
The monster stumbled back.
Yoru didn't stop.
Another slash.
Then another.
For the first time, the creature started defending itself.
"Too slow," Yoru said quietly.
His voice sounded a little different too.
Darker.
Inside, the voice laughed again.
"Good."
"Stop acting like this is your body."
"Maybe it is."
Yoru's expression cracked for a second.
Just one second.
But it was enough.
The creature took the chance and hit him straight in the stomach.
THUD.
Yoru slid across the alley and slammed into a broken car.
Pain came back instantly.
His vision shook.
"Damn..."
The monster slowly started walking toward him again.
Heavy footsteps.
Red eyes glowing through the rain.
And behind it—
Another figure was standing there now.
Tall.
Black coat.
Hands in his pockets.
A calm face.
Like none of this chaos bothered him at all.
Yoru's heartbeat slowed down all at once.
No way.
"...Rei."
The rain came down even harder.