CHAPTER 92: A SCREAM

Theo’s chest heaved.

Another second passed and his eyes hardened. This Rolf was hit badly by his Ember Blast a while ago.

"You made your choice," he whispered coldly. "And I can’t take that risk. You’re already mutating to a Meteorborn."

With one sharp, brutal strike of his axe to his head, powered by a final surge of Iron Vein Protocol, Theo silenced him for good. Blood spread beneath Rolf’s lifeless form.

Beatrice gasped faintly behind him, shaken but unharmed. Theo knelt beside Beatrice, quickly pulling a small knife and slicing through the zip ties. Her hands dropped limply, trembling slightly.

"Can you move now?" he asked, checking her briefly for injuries.

She nodded. "Y-yeah. Thank you."

Without a word, Theo picked up Rolf’s fallen pistol and handed it to her, grip-first. "Take this. Just in case."

Beatrice hesitated, but took it. Theo then handed her a phone. "Use this to call for help if anything goes wrong. Stay hidden. Don’t come out until it’s over."

Beatrice’s brows furrowed as she looked up at him. "What about Aries?"

"I’m going to get her back," he said firmly. "No matter what."

He stood and sprinted back into the warehouse, heart hammering, just as the sound of crashing metal and inhuman shrieks filled the air.

"ARRRGHHH!!!"

A blood-curdling scream ripped through the halls.

[Ding! Mutation Complete: Meteorborn Thornmire (MThornmire)]

Classification: Moderate Threat Level

Description: Skin calcification with deep fissures. Rapid-growth thorn spikes along forearms and spine. Highly aggressive feeding behaviour. Capable of wrapping or impaling with branching bone-thorn extensions.

Theo skidded around a corner and saw Kravo stumbling backward, screaming in agony as one of the UMS, no longer human, lunged at him.

The man’s form had grotesquely shifted, his skin darkened and cracked, thorn-like spikes protruding from his arms. He bit down hard into Kravo’s shoulder, tearing flesh and muscle in one horrifying motion.

Kravo’s scream cut off in a choking gurgle.

"Sh*t!" Theo bolted forward, activating Ember Step to rush the scene, only for a thick, thorny branch to lash out from the mutant’s mutated arm and coil around his body mid-stride.

"Ghh-!" Theo grunted as he was lifted from the ground, the vines squeezing his ribs and arms, cutting off his breath. The MThornmire hissed, more plant than man now, eyes glowing a faint red. The branch tightened, sharp thorns digging through his gear, trying to crush him.

[Ding! Mutation Complete: Meteorborn Cragmaul (MCragmaul)]

Classification: Moderate Threat Level

Description: Capable of pulverizing barriers and armored vehicles. Display low intelligence but high aggression, using brute strength to eliminate all threats in sight.

At that moment, the warehouse’s entrance burst open. Calix and Kael charged in like twin storms.

"THEO!" Calix shouted, guns already firing. He quickly aimed at the second UMS who had just completed his mutation, a grotesque figure with hardened rock-like skin and a massive club-like arm that smashed through crates like paper.

Kael didn’t hesitate. He jumped into the fray with a roar, lightning crackling at his fingertips as he flung a bolt directly into the mutated UMS’s face, stunning him long enough for Calix to blast his kneecaps with pinpoint shots.

Meanwhile, Theo activated Granite Skin, his body hardening just enough to resist the crushing pressure of the vine. Then, with a surge of strength, he triggered Pyre Burst, a fiery explosion erupting from his core.

The vines caught fire.

The MThornmire shrieked, dropping Theo as flames spread along its arm.

Theo landed hard, rolled, and sprang to his feet, activating Gale Fangs mid-sprint as he rushed the burning creature, slicing across its chest and severing the vine-limb in one clean motion.

"Aries!" he yelled, eyes scanning the room.

She was tied to a metal beam in the corner, Kravo’s unconscious, bleeding form slumped beside her. Her eyes widened in relief as she saw Theo.

"Theo!" she cried.

He rushed toward her, but the MThornmire screeched again, charging him in a last frenzy.

Theo clenched his fists, flames and wind spiraling around his form.

"Get the hell away from my sister," he growled.

The MThornmire let out a grotesque howl, its twisted, spike-covered limbs flailing as it tried to reel Theo in tighter. Its bark-like arms constricted him like coiled roots, thorns biting into his skin.

But Theo’s eyes burned with fury.

Flames ignited around him, his body becoming a blur of heat and rage. He clenched his fist, then let out a guttural roar.

[Pyre Burst]

A wave of searing flames exploded outward, instantly setting the creature’s vines ablaze.

The MThornmire screeched, thrashing wildly. Theo broke free mid-spin and leapt upward, axe in hand, landing hard against its face.

[Silent Strike + Flame Boost: Critical Hit!]

With a clean arc, he split the MThornmire’s face in half. Its burning body collapsed with a thunderous crash, twitching once before going still.

[Ding! MThornmire eliminated]

[Ding! +500 EXP, +50 Gold Coins, +Common Shard, +Basic Loot Crate]

But he didn’t have time to rest. A shockwave shook the building. He turned.

Across the warehouse, Calix and Kael were battling a hulking figure, the MCragmaul. Its

skin was like layered stone, its massive arm smashing through crates and pipes like twigs. Kael ducked a swing that could’ve shattered bone, while Calix fired his rifle, the bullets barely chipping its shell.

"Its core’s buried deep-!" Calix shouted.

Theo didn’t hesitate. He burst forward, [Ember Step], flame trailing in his wake.

The MCragmaul turned just in time for Theo to drive his axe into its side. The monster roared, spinning and sending Theo flying. He hit the ground hard, but he rolled back onto his feet with a growl.

"Distract it!" he barked.

Kael charged in from behind, blades glowing faintly as he struck at the back of the MCragmaul’s legs. It stumbled, giving Theo the opening he needed.

[Bonebreaker Frame: Active]

Muscles surged, power magnified. Theo leapt high, then brought his axe down with everything he had.

CRACK!

The weapon was buried deep into the MCragmaul’s skull. A sound like splitting rock echoed, and then-

BOOM!

The monster’s body collapsed, dust billowing in every direction.

[Ding! MCragmaul eliminated]

[Ding! +500 EXP, +50 Gold Coins, +Common Shard, +Basic Loot Crate]

Theo stood over it, panting, when a scream pierced the air.

Aries.