The impact echoed through the empty street.
Claw against claw.
Flesh against something that was no longer entirely human.
Wira slid back, his feet carving lines into the asphalt. His arms trembled—not from weakness, but from the sheer force behind that strike.
The creature grinned.
"Good," it said, voice dripping with excitement. "Now you're starting to feel it."
Wira didn't answer.
His breathing had changed—slower, deeper, controlled.
But inside?
Chaos.
Something ancient stirred in his chest, watching everything through him. Not taking over. Not yet.
Waiting.
The creature circled him.
"You smell different now," it muttered. "Not like prey anymore."
A pause.
"More like… a threat."
Wira's golden eyes tracked every movement.
"What are you?" he asked again, more steady this time.
The creature stopped.
Then slowly straightened.
Its body twisted with a sickening crack, bones shifting, muscles tightening, until it stood taller—more defined, more… deliberate.
"I am what your kind failed to become," it said.
Its lips peeled back into a grin.
"A perfected predator."
Wira's brow furrowed.
"My kind…?"
The creature laughed.
"You don't even know what you are."
Its eyes gleamed.
"Pathetic."
Then its expression darkened.
"But I do."
A low growl rumbled from its chest.
"You're one of them."
The air grew heavier.
"Barong's blood."
The word hit differently this time.
Not confusion.
Recognition.
A flicker of something flashed in Wira's mind—
Masks.
Sacred dances.
Golden light.
And something massive… watching over everything.
He staggered slightly.
"…Barong…"
The creature's grin widened.
"Yes."
It stepped closer.
"The guardians."
Another step.
"The protectors."
Its voice dropped.
"The ones who lost."
Wira's eyes sharpened.
"Lost?"
A sudden pressure exploded in the air.
Dark.
Cold.
Wrong.
The creature's body began to shift again—more violently this time.
Its limbs elongated, spine cracking outward, jaw splitting wider than before.
"This island…" it whispered.
"Doesn't belong to them anymore."
Its eyes burned with something deeper than hunger.
"Rangda has returned."
The name hit like a shockwave.
This time, Wira didn't just feel it—
He heard something.
A distant roar.
Not from the creature.
From somewhere far older.
Far bigger.
Something inside him reacted instantly.
His chest tightened.
Then—
It answered.
A low, resonant growl escaped his throat.
Not aggressive.
Not wild.
Authoritative.
The creature froze.
For a split second—
Fear.
Real fear.
"…that sound…" it whispered.
Wira straightened.
The air around him shifted.
Subtle.
But undeniable.
His golden eyes glowed brighter.
"You talk too much," Wira said quietly.
And this time—
His voice was steady.
The creature's fear twisted into rage.
"DON'T—"
It lunged.
Faster than before.
Stronger.
Killing intent flooding the street.
But Wira—
Was already moving.
He stepped in.
Not back.
Forward.
Their claws collided again.
BOOOOM—!
The ground shattered beneath them.
This time—
Wira didn't get pushed back.
The creature's eyes widened.
"No—"
Wira grabbed its arm mid-strike.
Grip tightening.
Unnatural strength locking it in place.
"You said I don't understand," Wira said.
His voice low.
Controlled.
Dangerous.
He leaned closer.
"…then explain."
For the first time—
The creature struggled.
Actually struggled.
"You think—this is power?" it snarled, trying to pull free.
"This is nothing!"
Wira's grip tightened.
Bones cracked.
The creature screamed.
"Then show me something better."
And with a single motion—
Wira slammed it into the ground.
Hard enough to crater the street.
Silence fell.
Dust filled the air.
The creature lay there—broken, twitching, but still alive.
Wira stood over it, breathing steady.
But inside—
That presence was still watching.
Still waiting.
Still not fully awake.
The creature coughed, black blood spilling from its mouth.
Then—
It started laughing.
Weak.
But real.
"You're too late…" it rasped.
Wira's eyes narrowed.
"What do you mean?"
The creature's grin stretched wider.
"Others have already awakened."
A pause.
"In places you can't protect."
Wira felt something cold settle in his chest.
"Tonight…"
The creature whispered—
"is just the beginning."
And then—
Its body went still.
Dead.
The night returned to silence.
But not peace.
Somewhere in the distance—
A faint sound echoed.
Not human.
Not animal.
More of them.
Wira stood alone in the broken street.
Claws still dripping with blood.
Eyes still glowing gold.
And for the first time—
He realized something terrifying.
This wasn't an accident.
This—
was a war.