We really Shouldn't Have... (4)

Miguel let out a guttural laugh, the black whip in his hand crackling with volatile energy as it swirled menacingly around him. The kitten, seemingly still and harmless, began to crack—its innocent shape distorting into a mass of writhing flesh, a chaotic torrent of claws and fangs.

Miguel struck first. The whip danced in the air, carving powerful arcs that slashed through the space between them. The first crack tore through one of the kitten's tentacles, spraying a thick, dark fluid. The second was a flawless strike, slicing clean through a writhing limb barreling toward him.

The kitten didn't recoil. It swelled grotesquely, its body bursting apart into a legion of twisted appendages lunging toward Miguel all at once.

Miguel grinned maniacally. Spinning on his heel, his whip transformed into a deadly cyclone, snapping and cracking in a frenzied rhythm. CRACK! A severed tentacle thudded against the wall. CRACK! Another slammed onto the floor, splitting apart like an overripe fruit.

"Bleed for me, furball!" Miguel roared, madness blazing in his eyes.

The walls quaked as the kitten expanded further, sprouting horrifying new limbs that smashed into the floor and ceiling.

Miguel darted along the fractured beams, his agility more like that of a predator than prey. His whip became an extension of him, deflecting attacks and shattering tentacles into shards. Yet, the beast reformed itself again and again, each severed piece mutating into something even more grotesque.

With a guttural roar, the kitten dove into the ground. In an instant, the floor erupted, the force of the quake sending Miguel plummeting. But he was ready. Mid-fall, he lashed his whip around a support beam, using it to swing himself onto what appeared to be… the inverted ceiling.

The kitten's limbs came faster now, more aggressive and unrelenting.

CRACK! A tentacle shattered into three pieces. CRACK! Another exploded, its acidic fluid scorching a nearby wall.

Miguel spun his whip in a circular strike that ripped straight through the monster's central mass. The beast let out an unholy howl, shaking the foundation of the house. Miguel's whip pulsed with raw energy, tearing a gaping hole in the creature's core, one that refused to close.

"Now that's how you handle a fight!" Miguel barked, his chest heaving, drenched in blood, a carnivorous grin etched across his face, the glow of his whip illuminating the scene.

But the kitten wasn't finished. Its twisted body contracted, compacting itself into a singularity of pure destruction. With an ear-splitting blast, a shockwave tore through the room, hurling Miguel through crumbling walls.

Bloodied and battered, Miguel staggered to his feet, spitting out a broken tooth.

"You want more, mutt?" he sneered.

He snapped his whip one final time. The energy coursing through it culminated in a blade of raw power that slashed the beast clean in two. The ground beneath them gave way, collapsing into a dark abyss.

Miguel landed hard on an unstable surface, his breath ragged. All around him, the remnants of the creature dissolved into black fluid, which evaporated into nothingness.

The house was in ruins, its walls and roof reduced to rubble.

Amidst the wreckage, Miguel raised a bloodied finger to his lips and blew softly. "You were quite the stubborn little monster."

Climbing out of the debris, the sound of shifting stones echoing around him, Miguel surveyed the scene. The wind carried away the dust, revealing a crimson-tinged sky streaked with ominous black veins.

A bitter smirk crossed his face as he wiped the blood from his chin.

"That brat… He's stirred up something truly terrifying."

He began walking toward the faint outlines of a distant residential district, his expression dark with intent.

"A real threat to the boss," he muttered. "I'll just have to take his little sister and mother as leverage."

As Miguel trudged onward, his instincts screamed danger. He stopped dead in his tracks. Without hesitation, he raised his black whip, weaving it into a defensive shield as shadows flickered ominously in the corners of his vision.

It was futile.

With blistering speed, spears of flesh erupted from the shadows, piercing through Miguel's whip as if it were air. They tore apart his defense and struck him with brutal precision. He felt his body convulse under the impact, the barbs puncturing his shoulders, abdomen, and legs. He choked, spitting out a thick mix of blood and saliva.

Impaled, he could do nothing but watch helplessly as the figure emerged.

It rose slowly, emerging from the debris like a living nightmare.

The creature was feline and humanoid, its slender frame oscillating between beast and man. Its body was covered in pristine white fur, bristling with unnatural energy.

It approached with deliberate steps, claws dragging across the ground, producing a spine-chilling screech. When it spoke, its voice was soft but carried an unsettling authority.

"Thank you for this fight. Truly. Since my creation, I've felt an emptiness... a void. But because of you, I've begun to understand."

Through searing pain and blood pouring from his wounds, Miguel forced a twisted grin.

"You… talk too much… for a stray cat."

The humanoid ignored the jab. It crouched before Miguel, gently lifting his bloodied chin with a single claw. The creature tilted its head, as if studying him with childlike curiosity.

"What a shame. I would have liked to learn more—your boss, your purpose here. But it doesn't matter. God grants me clarity when it's needed. Truthfully, your very presence here... was part of His grand design."

The feline's gaze softened oddly, almost tender. Miguel gritted his teeth, defiant despite his agony.

The creature inclined its head slightly, a mocking gesture of reverence.

"This battle... was a gift from God. To strengthen me. To prepare me."

Miguel felt his strength fading fast. A flicker of defiance lit his eyes, but the pain stole his voice before he could utter another retort.

As the humanoid straightened, a chilling realization washed over Miguel: he had awakened something that should never have been disturbed.

The feline observed Miguel's broken form, then spoke in a deep, calm voice.

"It's time for me to return to my mistress."

The creature closed its eyes and whispered, "Lord, You who have given all, receive this offering into Your light. Grant Your servant the power You demand of me. By Your judgment, I prosper; by my obedience, I fulfill Your will. So let it be."

When its eyes reopened, they burned with an unholy glow. Its mouth began to open—far wider than any earthly creature could. The jaws unhinged grotesquely, transforming into a gaping maw lined with countless razor-sharp teeth, dripping with viscous, black ichor.

Miguel, still pinned in place, lacked even the strength to scream. His gaze locked on that impossible maw, dread weighing heavier with each passing second. He tried to move, to fight back, but his limp body refused to obey.

"No… wait…" he gasped weakly, blood spilling from his lips.

The creature did not wait.

It advanced slowly, its fangs clashing with an eerie clatter. Black drool dripped onto the ground, sizzling like acid as it burned through the stone floor.

In those final moments, one thought pierced Miguel's fading consciousness: Sorry, boss… we really underestimated him.

The feline's monstrous jaws clamped down, a burst of blood painting the room in vivid, violent splashes. The sickening sound of tearing flesh and shattering bones echoed through the ruins like a grim funeral dirge.

Pieces of Miguel were ripped apart with merciless ferocity, painting the floor and walls red. The creature devoured him methodically, grinding every fragment between its relentless jaws.

When its gruesome feast was over, it licked its claws and the floor, consuming every last trace of blood and bone it could find. Nothing remained.

Silence descended at last. The feline rose to its full height, its eyes fixed on the distant horizon.

"Thank you for the meal," it murmured in a voice deep and chilling.

TO BE CONTINUED!

Next Chapter: We really Shouldn't Have... (Final)