Apocalypse Baby

Nancy and Dorothy ran, their footsteps pounding against the ground as they fled the battlefield.

Behind them, the chaos of battle raged on—Alex and Ethan locked in a deadly clash.

Nancy hadn't even looked back twice before making her decision.

The moment Alex and Ethan had begun their fight, she took the chance and ran.

It was their only shot at escaping Ethan.

She pushed forward, her breath coming in sharp gasps.

Pity swelled in her chest for the ones who had stayed behind to fight.

They had no idea.

No one—not a single one of them—stood a chance against him.

Even if she had stayed. Even if she had joined forces with them.

The result would be the same.

They would lose.

And he would kill her in seconds.

But beyond fear—beyond survival—there was something else.

She couldn't betray him again.

She had already done it once.

And that guilt weighed heavier, clawing at her insides. It wouldn't let her breathe.

She gritted her teeth and held Dorothy's hand tighter, pulling the young girl through the dense forest.

Branches scraped against her arms, and the ground beneath them was uneven, but she didn't slow down.

Dorothy, however, was oddly quiet.

Her small frame moved with her, but her gaze was distant, lost in thought.

That was unusual.

Nancy stole a glance at her.

Was she still shaken by everything that had happened?

She wanted to ask. She should ask.

But now wasn't the time.

They had to get as far away as possible.

Leaving the group might not have been the safest choice—there were still dangerous monsters lurking in the tutorial.

But staying under Ethan's control?

That was far worse.

Nancy's breathing was steady as she kept moving, her grip on Dorothy's hand firm. The trees blurred past them, the underbrush crunching beneath their boots.

Then—a noise.

Nancy froze.

Dorothy came to an abrupt stop beside her.

Then, for the first time since they started running, she spoke.

"It's him."

Nancy's heart skipped a beat.

The way Dorothy said it—so cold, so certain—sent a chill down her spine.

Before Nancy could ask who she meant, the answer came in the form of a low, animalistic snarl.

A deep, guttural sound that curdled her blood.

Her eyes darted around, scanning the trees.

But there was nothing.

Then a silhouette moved in her blind spot—a red blitz tearing through the darkness straight at them.

Nancy's instincts kicked in.

She yanked Dorothy back just in time.

A clawed hand slashed through the air, ripping apart the space where Dorothy had stood a second ago.

Nancy's expression hardened. Fierce. Focused.

She whipped her sword around in a deadly arc, aiming to cut down the attacker.

But the creature was fast.

It leaped back with inhuman agility, dodging her strike with ease.

Nancy took a sharp breath, steadying herself.

Then, the figure rose to its full height.

The shadows peeled away, revealing the beast.

Nancy's eyes widened in shock.

She had expected a monster.

But what stood before her was human.

Or at least… it used to be.

Before them stood a young man, his body cloaked in a dark and red aura.

His chest heaved, his breaths coming out in ragged, animalistic pants.

His teeth were bared, snarling like a wild wolf, drool dripping from his lips.

His eyes—feral. Unfocused.

Whatever sanity he once had was gone.

But his intention was clear.

He was hungry.

And they were prey.

Nancy's brow furrowed.

He had attacked Dorothy first.

That meant he could still think—at least a little.

He targeted the weaker one first.

That meant he wasn't completely mindless.

Which also meant he was dangerous.

Nancy tightened her grip on her sword and stepped forward, putting herself between him and Dorothy.

Her voice was sharp. Commanding.

"Dorothy, stay back. I'll handle this."

Dorothy didn't respond.

She just stood there, frozen, her wide eyes locked onto the feral-looking Dorion.

And then—she grinned.

Nancy's voice rose in urgency.

"Dorothy!"

That finally snapped the girl out of her trance.

Dorothy stumbled back, putting distance between herself and Dorion.

And that—provoked him.

A deep snarl tore from his throat as he lunged forward again, claws out, eyes burning with raw hunger.

Nancy reacted immediately.

[Metal Manipulation]

Her armor shattered, breaking apart into floating square-shaped blades, each one hovering protectively around her.

Then Nancy thrust her hand forward, and the floating metal blades shot toward Dorion like deadly missiles.

They moved fast, slicing through the air with a sharp whistle.

But Dorion was faster.

He lunged to the side, his body dropping low as he ran on all fours—like a beast.

Not human.

The blades missed, slamming into the trees behind him. Wood cracked. Bark exploded. Deep gashes scarred the forest.

Nancy barely had time to register his speed before he was on her.

Dorion's claws flashed, swiping straight at her—

But Nancy's floating blades shifted instantly, reforming into a metallic shield in front of her.

CLANG!

His claws scraped against the barrier, sparks flying.

Nancy didn't hesitate.

She lunged forward, her blades breaking apart again, forming a storm of slashes.

Strike. Slash. Cut.

Each blade bit into Dorion's flesh, slicing through his arms, his chest, his legs. Blood sprayed.

He snarled in pain and leaped backward, landing in a crouch.

For a moment, Nancy thought she had done real damage—

But then—The wounds stitched themselves shut.

Dorion's breathing grew heavy.

Then—he threw back his head and roared.

It wasn't a human scream.

It was something wild. Primal. Monstrous.

His body twisted, his muscles tightening like cords pulled too tight.

His nails stretched, elongating into sharp, claw-like talons. His spine arched. His entire frame became leaner, stronger—more predatory.

Nancy didn't know what was happening to him.

But she knew one thing.

She had to put him down.

She thrust her arm forward, and the floating blade plates shot toward him like shrapnel.

WHOOSH!

Dorion moved.

Too fast.

He weaved between the blades in a blur, his body a streak of motion.

Nancy's eyes widened.

He's faster than before.

And he was already closing the distance.

Nancy had no time to think.

She swung her sword, meeting his charge head-on.

CLANG!

CLANG!

Her blade clashed against his claws, sparks flying with each parry.

Her metal blades floated around...