KILL (1)

Elijah and his team huddled behind the counter, the air thick with tension as the swarm of mosquito-like Daemones passed by. The buzzing was almost deafening, a low hum that seemed to vibrate through the walls. Elijah's breath was shallow, his eyes fixed on the swarm as it moved with a disturbing grace, hunting for anything that dared to move.

The swarm wasn't just passing; it was hunting. They watched as the Daemones descended upon a group of smaller Insectoid Daemones, their long needle-like proboscises piercing through tough exoskeletons. The creatures squirmed in agony, their bodies rapidly deflating as their blood was drained in mere seconds. What remained were dry, shriveled husks, not even the precious Cores left behind—absorbed by the monstrous swarm. It was a grotesque display, and the stench of death filled the air.

Elijah's eyes were glued to the horrifying scene, his mind racing. If those things found them, there would be no escape. His hand tightened around the hilt of his sword, ready to bolt at a moment's notice. Then, amidst the chaotic flurry of wings, he saw something—something that didn't belong.

In the center of the swarm, barely visible through the mass of wings and bodies, was a figure. It moved with a fluidity that was unnatural, its presence a dark shadow among the insects. Elijah's heart skipped a beat. The figure was too large, too dense to be one of the mosquito Daemones. A cold sweat broke out on his forehead as he realized that whatever it was, it was far more dangerous.

"I don't know what that is," Elijah whispered to himself, his voice trembling slightly, "but I can feel its malice and killing intent from here!"

His senses were on high alert, thanks to the Predator's Intent Soulshard he had acquired. It was a powerful Soulshard, allowing him to sense hostility and killing intent, and even to emit it when needed. It had cost him 50,000 Union credits, a steep price, but it was worth every credit. This ability had kept him alive during countless hunts, alerting him to dangers before they struck.

Elijah inched forward, peeking out from behind the counter again, and a shiver ran down his spine. Among the swarm, a pair of blood-red eyes were staring directly at him, glowing faintly as they locked onto his position. The figure began to move, slowly at first, then with increasing speed as it emerged from the center of the swarm.

Elijah's eyes widened in horror as the figure became clearer. It was humanoid, with a pair of curved horns jutting from its head, each one about ten inches long. Its skin was a mottled gray, covered in patches of black that looked almost like armor. The creature's face was twisted into a hideous grin, sharp teeth visible beneath thin, cracked lips.

"A Fiend!" Elijah muttered under his breath, his body going cold with fear. Without a second thought, he activated Agility of the Wolf and bolted, his movements a blur as he sprinted away from the building.

His team, unaware of the true threat, saw Elijah run and assumed the swarm had noticed them. Panic set in, and they followed suit, sprinting after him with everything they had. Dameon and Jacob activated their Soulshards, their bodies moving with enhanced speed as they tried to keep up with Elijah.

But as they reached a certain distance, a blood-curdling scream echoed through the ruins.

"What the fuck? LEE!" Dameon cried out, looking back just in time to see their teammate being torn apart. Lee's arm was ripped from his body, blood spraying in all directions. The Fiend stood over him, its grin widening as it bathed in the warm blood. With a sickening crunch, it bit into the severed arm, savoring the taste as it held Lee's writhing body in its other hand.

"FUCK!" Dameon screamed, his eyes wide with terror. But he didn't dare stop, didn't dare look back again. He ran with everything he had, pushing his body to the limit.

---

Elijah heard the scream but didn't look back. His only concern was survival. He couldn't afford to play the hero, not now. The sight of those horns had told him everything he needed to know.

"That should be a 3rd Realm Apprentice Stage Fiend!" Elijah muttered, his back drenched in sweat as he ran. The horns were a clear indicator of the Fiend's level—the longer they were, the stronger the Fiend. He knew that if the creature had spikes on its back, it would have been beyond the Apprentice Stage, something far more terrifying.

"Luckily, it's just an Apprentice Stage Fiend. I have a chance!" Elijah whispered to himself, trying to steady his breathing as he pushed forward, his mind racing with plans of how to escape.