They came all at once.
No formation.
No hesitation.
Just hunger.
Jin Muyeon didn't move immediately.
He watched.
Ten… no—
More behind them.
"…So rushing in is death," he muttered.
The first creature reached him.
Muyeon stepped sideways.
Minimal movement.
CRASH!
The creature slammed into the ground.
He grabbed its arm—
Twisted—
CRACK!
Then kicked it straight into the others.
Two collided.
One fell.
"…Use them against each other."
Second wave.
Faster.
More chaotic.
Muyeon ducked—
A claw passed over his head.
He stepped in.
Palm strike.
BOOM!
The creature's chest caved in—
But—
It didn't die.
"…Annoying."
It grabbed his arm instantly.
Another came from behind.
Muyeon's eyes sharpened.
He let himself fall backward—
Dragging the first creature down with him.
The second one's attack—
CRASH!
Hit its own ally.
Muyeon rolled away.
Breathing slightly heavier now.
"…They don't care about each other."
Good.
That made it easier.
But—
The numbers kept increasing.
More shapes stepped out of the darkness.
Fifteen.
Twenty.
Muyeon clicked his tongue.
"…Alright."
His stance changed.
Lower.
Sharper.
More dangerous.
[Killing Memory: Passive Sync Active]
Every movement he saw—
He remembered.
Every pattern—
Stored.
Every weakness—
Building.
The creatures rushed again.
This time—
Muyeon moved first.
He stepped forward.
Into the swarm.
BOOM!
A strike shattered one's leg.
He grabbed another—
Used it as a shield.
Claws tore into it instead of him.
He twisted—
Threw it—
CRASH!
Three went down.
But—
A claw pierced his shoulder.
SHK—!
"…Tch!"
[HP: 18% → 12%]
Pain surged.
But—
Muyeon didn't slow down.
He grabbed the creature's arm—
Snapped it—
Then drove his elbow into its head.
CRACK!
Still not dead.
"…What are you things…?"
They laughed again.
That broken sound.
Then—
Something changed.
They stopped.
All at once.
Muyeon froze.
"…What now?"
The creatures slowly stepped back.
Not retreating.
Making space.
A path.
From the darkness—
Something else walked out.
Heavier steps.
Slower.
Stronger.
Muyeon's instincts screamed instantly.
DANGER.
The new creature was different.
Larger.
Its body wasn't twisted randomly—
It was structured.
Muscle.
Form.
Power.
And its face—
Still empty.
But deeper.
Like a hole that swallowed light.
"…So there's a leader," Muyeon muttered.
The smaller ones didn't move.
They watched.
Waiting.
The larger creature stopped in front of him.
Then—
It spoke.
"…Alive…"
Muyeon's eyes narrowed.
"…You can talk?"
A pause.
"…Stronger…"
Its head tilted.
"…Eat…"
Muyeon smirked.
"…You can try."
The creature vanished.
BOOM—!
Muyeon barely blocked.
The impact sent him sliding back.
"…Fast."
Way faster than the others.
It attacked again.
Muyeon dodged—
But the shockwave still hit him.
[HP: 12% → 9%]
"…Tch…"
He steadied himself.
"…This one's different."
The creature stepped forward slowly.
"…You… fight…"
Muyeon exhaled.
"…Yeah."
His stance lowered again.
Even in this state—
Even injured—
His eyes were calm.
Focused.
Deadly.
"…Let's see who hunts who."
The smaller creatures screamed.
The large one moved again.
And this time—
Muyeon smiled.
Because now—
He had a real target.