Chapter 42
Theo wiped the sweat from his brow as he watched more survivors make their way toward the west auxiliary gate. A small smile tugged at his lips. He could still picture the relief on their faces. They were able to escape only because he had taken down twelve MB Infectees blocking the path.
He didn’t stop to rest. With one quest complete, he had already accepted another. There was still one more target to find: the MCrawler.
He moved deeper into Red Zone H3, weaving through broken fences and cracked pavement. The ground was uneven beneath his shoes, littered with rubble, glass, and dried blood. The deeper he went, the more silent everything became.
When he reached the edge of a narrow alley, he slowed down. The buildings here were half-collapsed. Windows were shattered, and doors hung loose from their frames. The air smelled awful, like mold, dust, and rot all mixed together.
Theo crouched low, letting the shadows hide him. Unlike others, the MCrawler was silent. It crept. It hunted. Quiet and fast.
He activated Observer’s Insight. A faint blue glow flickered across his eyes as his vision sharpened. He scanned the area carefully. Long claw marks lined the walls, and something had dragged itself across the ground recently. The trail led into a narrow gap between two collapsed units.
There.
Theo stayed low and crept forward. One hand gripped his axe; the other was charged with a soft hum of kinetic pulse energy. As he peered around the corner, his gaze locked onto a figure hunched on all fours, its limbs long and twisted, skin stretched too tight over bones.
It twitched unnaturally, reacting to a shaft of light peeking through the broken wall. It snarled but didn’t move forward, its glowing eyes blinking rapidly at the brightness. Theo knew what to do.
Flash Module – ON.
He clicked a small attachment on his belt, and a sudden burst of light flared from behind him, catching the MCrawler full in the face.
It shrieked and lunged, blind and furious.
Theo spun, sidestepped its swipe, and brought his axe down with a sharp kinetic burst. The blade cut deep, cracking bone. The MCrawler tumbled back, twitching violently. Before it could recover, Theo dashed forward and drove his axe clean through its skull.
It slumped.
[Ding! Main Quest: Track the Crawler – Complete]
[+500 EXP, +50 Gold Coins, +Common Shard, +Basic Loot Crate]
The system pinged. A small crate materialized on the ground beside the body, holographic symbols flickering across its lid. Theo picked it up and slid it into his storage inventory.
He wiped sweat from his brow, then took a breath. “That’s one more down p>
But just as he turned to leave, something rustled in the shadows.
Theo froze.
’Another MCrawler p>
No. The sound was heavier. Slower. A dragging step.
[Ding! Special Quest Available: “Heart of the Meteorborn p>
Objective: Eliminate Physical Meteorborn with active meteorite cores.
Primary Reward: Host gains the ability and power extracted from each defeated Meteorborn with active cores p>
[Bonus Reward: +10,000 EXP, +1,000 Gold Coins]
[Warning: Failure to eliminate at least one target within 16 hours will result in Mutation Corruption. Proceed with caution p>
[Accept Quest? YES / NO]
Theo’s gaze flicked up as the system interface shimmered briefly in his vision. He felt the familiar surge of pressure, the kind that came with high-risk, high-reward objectives. Then, in the distance, the ground rumbled.
A low, guttural screech echoed down the street, growing louder with each second. Theo clenched his fists. “It’s heading my way,” he muttered, sweat sliding down his temple. “Might as well accept this p>
As soon as he accepted the special quest. The system chimed.
[Ding! Warning: Meteorborn Stalker (MStalker) detected p>
[Type: Physical Mutation – Stealthborn Variant]
[Threat Level: High]
[Traits: Shadow Movement, Enhanced Agility, Silent Kill, Partial Invisibility in dim environments p>
[Status: Active Meteorite Core Detected – Target Qualifies for Special Quest Extraction]
The system’s briefing was calm but the air wasn’t. Theo’s breath hitched as he tightened his grip on the axe, its handle slick with sweat. At least now the system was giving him more detailed information about what he was up against. Maybe it was because he had leveled up in rank.
[Briefing: Host is advised to avoid narrow spaces and flank zones. The Meteorborn Stalker favors ambush tactics. Movement and awareness are key p>
“Great. A shadow assassin,” Theo muttered under his breath.
Theo moved slowly, his whole body tense. His shoes crunched over broken debris as he stepped deeper into the ruined structure. The air was thick with dust and the sharp smell of ash.
Then sudden pain came. Sharp claws ripped across his back, tearing through his shirt and skin. The impact threw him against a concrete pillar. His axe slipped from his hand and hit the ground. Blood poured from his side, and for a moment, he couldn’t breathe.
He coughed and forced himself to stand, gritting his teeth. The world spun around him. A slight sound made him react just in time. He rolled aside, barely dodging as something slashed at the space where his neck had been. Updates are released by.net
The creature was hard to see in the darkness. Its body was long and thin, moving like liquid shadow. Glowing lines lit up around its joints. In the dark, its red eyes shone like twin curses.
It hissed.
Theo reached out but the MStalker kicked his axe across the floor, away from him.
“Damn it,” he muttered. Theo’s fingers curled into a fist. “Fine… let’s try this instead p>
Theo’s hands lit up with dull orange fire, heat flickering along his knuckles and forearms. The light pushed back some of the shadows. He lunged with a flaming punch, only to strike empty air. The MStalker dodged, flickering around him like smoke, its form twisting through the gloom.
It was too fast.
Theo spun, barely catching it with a glancing burn to the shoulder. The creature shrieked and retaliated instantly with a backhand swipe. Theo was thrown across the floor like a rag doll, sliding against broken tiles and old rebar.