Growl

Kento closed his eyes. He could hear everything clearly. The classical record playing in the background, the water dropping from the notch of the tap, the eerie pin-drop silence and-

Feeling of fear in the air— something he had never felt in his lifetime.

Heart thumping against his ribcage, the air was heavy. He was heaving from the fight and exhaustion.

He looked at his condition. A broken right femur, five holes in his abdomen making a unique pattern, a dislocated left shoulder, and a broken jawbone.

Was he going to recover from this? Probably not. The enemy took down all his gang members, did not kill him, they were all alive. Barely, but alive.

He peeked out a little from his hiding to check where his enemy was.

"They all left, I'm the only one here now."

Kento instantly turned to the voice. The enemy was right in front of him.

"Aack!" Kento coughed up blood. His fast turning probably triggered the injuries making his condition worse.

"Hey, slowly. You're gonna die anyway so take it slow will you?"

'So this is how it is going to be? Will I die like this? Such a disgrace.'

"Nothing disgraceful, you know. You gave a good fight at your level, that's more than enough."

Kento looked up in shock. 'He can read my mind?'

"More like I can hear it but that's one way to put it." The man in front shrugged.

"Would you like to be one of us?"

Kento looked at him with widened eyes.

"What? Didn't you already know that we aren't like you mortals? Hah! Don't tell me you compared us to you. Come on, that's ridiculous! Look, you will die anyway if you stay a human, I mean, you're already half dead– look at all the blood you've lost!"

Kento looked at himself. The man was right. He was sitting in a pool of blood. His life was now just a matter of a second.

'So that is why we lost. But if not humans, what are you?'

"If I become one of you, will I survive?"

"Yes."

"Okay then, I will. But what ar-"

"What are we?" The man laughed, his eyes turning bright golden.

"We're the growlers."

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Coming soon in March.