They burst out of the bunker into open daylight.
The brightness hit hard after being underground, but none of them slowed down. Their bodies moved fast—faster than normal humans—driven by adrenaline, fear, and the need to survive.
The island had changed.
Trees were twisted.
Ground cracked.
The air felt dry and wrong.
But they didn't stop.
They ran.
Fast.
Silent.
Invisible.
Shadow Sneak kept their presence hidden as they moved through the open terrain toward the shore.
Three minutes.
That was all they had.
And they used every second.
Then—
Something moved.
Ahead.
Massive.
Green.
Slithering.
They stopped instantly.
A giant serpent lay across their path.
Its body thick as a tree trunk, scales reflecting a sick green glow under the sunlight. Its head slowly lifted, tongue flicking out as it sensed the environment.
Nami's voice dropped.
Nami: "…That was never here before."
Her grip tightened slightly.
Nami: "I think… it was just a normal snake."
Now—
It wasn't.
The serpent turned.
Its eyes locked toward them.
At that exact moment—
> [SHADOW SNEAK ENDED]
The darkness around them vanished.
And everything changed.
The serpent reacted instantly.
It lunged.
Fast.
Violent.
Stefan pushed Nami aside.
Stefan: "MOVE!"
The ground cracked where they stood just a second before.
Rex roared, flames bursting outward as he charged forward, clashing directly with the serpent's head.
Fire met flesh.
The serpent hissed violently, its tail swinging wildly and smashing into the ground, sending dirt and debris flying.
Kiran moved without command.
Fast.
Precise.
He slipped into the serpent's blind spot, moving like a shadow even without the skill.
Stefan felt it.
That connection.
That power.
Stefan: "Kiran—distract it!"
Kiran: "Yes, Master."
He moved instantly, drawing the serpent's attention.
Nami stepped forward.
Her senses locked in.
Nami: "Its neck! That's the weak point!"
Rex lunged again, biting down with flames bursting stronger this time, forcing the serpent's head lower.
That was the opening.
Stefan ran forward.
Fast.
Stronger than before.
He grabbed a broken metal shard from the ground—
And drove it into the serpent's neck.
THRUST.
The serpent let out a violent scream, its body thrashing wildly.
Kiran didn't move back.
Didn't retreat.
He kept attacking.
Relentless.
Unstoppable.
Finally—
The serpent collapsed.
Heavy.
Still.
Dead.
Silence followed.
But only for a moment.
Because behind them—
Movement.
Nami turned instantly.
Her eyes widened.
Nami: "Stefan—behind!"
Mutants.
Multiple.
Running toward them.
Their bodies burning under the sunlight—
Skin tearing.
Flesh melting.
But still moving.
Still chasing.
Still hungry.
Stefan clenched his fists.
Stefan: "They're forcing it…"
They didn't have time.
Not for another fight.
Stefan: "RUN!"
They moved again.
Fast.
Desperate.
The shore came into view.
And there—
The cruiser.
Large.
Untouched.
Waiting.
Hope.
Kiran suddenly turned.
Without command.
He charged toward the mutants.
Nami froze.
Nami: "Kiran?!"
Stefan understood instantly.
Stefan: "He's holding them back."
Kiran attacked without hesitation.
Without fear.
Without thought.
Pure loyalty.
Pure function.
Nami looked at Stefan.
Then back at Kiran.
But Stefan grabbed her arm.
Stefan: "We go. Now."
Rex followed.
They ran.
Reached the cruiser.
Climbed aboard.
Stefan rushed to the control panel.
Hands moving fast.
Engine starting—
VRRRRMMMM.
The ship roared to life.
Behind them—
Kiran continued fighting.
Alone.
Against burning monsters.
And for the first time—
Stefan didn't hesitate.
Because he knew—
This was the cost of power.
The cruiser began to move.
Slowly.
Then faster.
Leaving the island behind.
Leaving everything behind.
And ahead—
Only the unknown remained.