Chapter 29: Haunting past.
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The forest burned with the scent of ozone and blood.
The hunt was far from over.
Marching through the ravaged woods were two forces bound by necessity — the Goliath Clan and the Hyena Clan.
Enemies turned uneasy allies, chasing a single quarry: Ash.
At the head of the pack, Goliath walked in silence. His massive frame looked almost carved from the mountain itself, one hand resting unconsciously over the old scar that crossed his blinded eye.
Beside him, Emma, the Hyena Clan’s boss, moved with her usual swagger — a grin half-hidden under her cowl.
“Oi, Goliath..,” she called, voice sharp enough to cut through the crunching of boots.
“What the hell happened to you last night? You just went crazy out of nowhere... Thought you we’re under Scavenger attack’’
The giant man didn’t turn to look at her.
“Mind your business little girl…,” he said flatly. “Just scars from the past..nothing more.”
His fingers brushed the ruined eye again.
Emma studied him for a long second, her smile fading. Then she sighed.
“For the sake of this unholy alliance, I hope that’s all it is. I don’t want no ghosts crawling out on us mid-hunt.”
“Don’t worry,” Goliath replied, a hint of a smirk tugging his lips.
“I don’t plan on dragging this shitty relationship any longer than I have to.”
His tone carried a double meaning — one that made several of Emma’s men shift uneasily.
The march continued.
Their combined forces pushed deeper into the mist, drawing ever closer to the chaos ahead.
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Elsewhere — the battlefield burned.
Ash tore through the ranks of mercenaries like a storm unbound.
“OUT OF MY WAY!!” he roared, his voice raw and guttural.
He moved like liquid rage — ducking, weaving, slashing.
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Steel flashed. Flesh parted. Blood rained.
He stomped , he ripped, he broke, he plunged.
Each motion was instinct harnessed through life time of suffering — every kill another step through hell.
Then — the world shook.
Something massive slammed down in front of him, sending shockwaves tearing through the clearing.
Ruble and smoke erupted around him.
Ash skidded to a halt a few feet away, boots carving deep into the dirt.
“What the hell was that!?”
Through the haze stepped a hulking figure, his presence warping the air itself.
Jake.[second in command of the goliath-clan].
“You truly lived up to your reputation, boy,” he growled, grinning like a devil risen from the pit. His aura pulsed, bending the air — a distortion of raw Reverb energy.
Ash could feel it. Every cell in his body screamed danger.
This wasn’t just another fighter — this was something else.
“And the boss of the dogs finally comes out to play,” Ash said, sweat trickling down his temple, though his eyes burned with excitement.
Jake’s grin widened.
“What’s this? Are you afraid, boy?”
Ash smirked. “Quite the opposite. I’m… honored.”
( Damn it… that presence. It’s like those three monsters back home… Coach Owen.Assistant manager Eve and that danm geezer manager Henry. The ones even I couldn’t keep up in that hell hole!!)
Jake cracked his knuckles. “Then let me show you my sincerity, boy!!”
He vanished — and reappeared mid-swing.
The impact that followed shattered the world ash stood upon.
BOOM.
The ground erupted, trees snapped, fire rippled outward.
Ash barely dodged — skidding back, eyes wide in horror.
( Shit!! — that could’ve blown my head off had been a second later!! ) he thought to himself as though questioning how he survived that to begin with!!
Jake turned slowly, smirking. “Slippery, aren’t you?”
Ash steadied his breath. ( With that much power, he’s slower than me… if I stay sharp, I can— )
He didn’t finish the thought.
Jake was already there infront of him.
“Focus, boy,” he whispered — and struck again.
Ash raised his arms too late — the blow hit like thunder, blasting him into the distance before he smashed into the side of the mountain forming a a deep hole.
Pain exploded through his body. His arms were shattered. He spat blood, barely breathing.
“D… damn… that was too close…” he wheezed, forcing himself to stand but his legs refused to listen to him as he wobbled over to his knees. “If I hadn’t barely blocked— he’d have torn through my chest!!.”
Jake glanced down at his forearm — a dagger embedded deep into his right arm.
(“Oh…? When did he—?!”)
Ash coughed, smirking through the blood before forcing his trembling legs to stand up and glare at jake in the distance.
Jake tore the dagger out, twirling it once before crushing it to dust.
“Truly impressive. You not only blocked my punch but countered somehow. Exceptional reaction speed for a Null-born.”
His aura started to flare faintly — cracks of red lightning dancing across his skin.
“It’d be a lose to kill you, but it’d be a mistake to let you live any longer as well.”
The earth trembled as Jake charged again.
Ash didn’t move. His eyes dulled. His heartbeat slowed.
He waited.
Jake’s punch came — a blur of destruction.
BOOM!!
Dust, debris, and silence followed.
“It’s over!” One of the mercuneries shouted from the sidelines.
“No way he survived that!” another said.
But when the dust cleared — they both stood in owe and confusion.
Jake towering, breathing heavy.
Ash, still, unmoved.
Then blood dripped from Jake’s side.
“…No way,” one of his men whispered, dread filled their disbelieving voices,
Jake glanced down at his side, a deep cut formed as ash pulled out his arm, jake surprised yet excitement filled him. Then he laughed — deep and genuine.
“Damn. How long has it been… since I bled?” Jake laughed out loud as he gripped his side,
He licked the blood off his palm, eyes gleaming.
“I wanted to end this fast… but now…”
He grinned, sharp as a blade.“Now I think…I don’t have a choice but to enjoy it.”
He cracked his neck, aura swelling like a storm.
“Don’t I , little demon?!”
But Ash didn’t answer.
He couldn’t anymore,
His mind had shut down. Instinct devoured thought.
His veins bulged, his skin darkened to a deep crimson hue, his pupils swallowed the light, from here on out, Jake wasn’t facing ash but something else entirely!!
Jake took a step back — not from fear, but recognition,he gave ash and himself space before the inevitable clash, but for now he stared at ash down, admiring the sudden shift in his overall presence.
He stared into ash’s eyes and something primal was staring back at him.
The monster within had taken over ash’s body once again.
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Cut to:
Luna stumbled through the woods, bloodied and panting.
The ground trembled beneath her feet as she had lost too much blood.
And then she saw him — a silhouette wreathed in red light and shadows, surrounding it were dozen of unfortunate mercenaries all torn to shreds in the most gruesome way possible!!
“Adam…?” she whispered.
Her voice breaking in anticipation.
“Is that you?”
The creature turned — eyes empty as it growled at luna.
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End of Chapter 29.
