The oppressive silence of the ruined cityscape was a constant hum in Alex’s ears as they moved. Hours had passed since they left the temporary shelter of the office, hours spent navigating a labyrinth of shattered buildings and choked streets. His HP had slowly regenerated to 9/10, and his Energy to 10/10, but every step was still a reminder of the raw exhaustion from the Core Chamber. The Untainted Energy Signature pulsed faintly in his senses, a beacon in the desolate grey, but 15 kilometers was a formidable distance in this new, dangerous world.
Verwel, a silver-eyed phantom, moved with an almost unnatural grace beside him, his enhanced senses constantly vigilant. He would occasionally let out a low growl, or nudge Alex away from a precarious pile of debris, his mutated form perfectly adapted to this shattered landscape. Alex relied on him more than words could say.
"Stay sharp, boy," Alex murmured, his voice barely a whisper. The Passive Core Resonance hummed in his mind, a constant, low thrum, giving him an almost preternatural awareness of the residual grey energy clinging to the air. It was a subtle sense, but it allowed him to distinguish between inert rubble and lurking threats. So far, they hadn't encountered any more active Grey Abominations or Husks since leaving the core chamber, but he knew they were out there. The city was a vast, sprawling graveyard, and they were walking through it.
They moved through what looked like a residential district, now a twisted collection of concrete skeletons. Overturned cars lay scattered like discarded toys, their metal shells rusted and corroded. The air here was heavy, stagnant, carrying the faint, sweet scent of decay. Alex’s stomach rumbled, a sharp reminder of his humanity. He hadn’t eaten anything substantial since... since the Grey Remnant hit. Days? Hours? Time felt warped here.
"We need to find some supplies," Alex said, more to himself. "Food, water. Something." He activated Basic Analysis on every intact-looking structure they passed, but most were either empty, or contained only mundane, useless items. The System wasn't going to hand him everything.
Suddenly, Verwel froze. His hackles rose, his silver eyes wide, fixed on a ruined building across the street. He didn't growl, but a low, guttural rumble vibrated in his chest, a sound of pure, instinctual fear.
Alex immediately tensed. His Passive Core Resonance flared, not with the familiar presence of corrupted Grey entities, but with something else entirely. A chilling sensation, like a predator's gaze, prickled his skin. It wasn't the raw, chaotic energy of the Grey Remnant, but something... different. Cold. Calculating.
[Warning: Unidentified Apex Predator Signature Detected!]
[Description: Non-Grey Remnant entity. Extremely dangerous. Stealth-oriented. Origin unknown.]
[Danger: Extreme!]
Alex's breath hitched. "Non-Grey Remnant?" he whispered, his eyes darting frantically across the ruin. This was new. And Extreme Danger? That was worse than the Level 5 Abomination. His hands instinctively reached for the frying pan, but it felt pathetic against something unseen and utterly lethal.
"Where, Verwel? Where is it?" Alex scanned the shadows, his heart hammering against his ribs. The silence felt suffocating now, every distant creak and groan of the dying city amplified.
Verwel let out a sharp bark, then sprang forward, darting behind a collapsed bus, pulling Alex with him by the hem of his shirt.
Just as they ducked behind the metal hulk, a chilling whoosh of displaced air cut through where Alex's head had just been. A split second later, a deep gouge, impossibly precise, appeared in the concrete wall opposite, as if carved by an invisible blade.
"Holy hell!" Alex gasped, pressing himself against the cold metal of the bus. "Invisible? What is that thing?"
[Hint: Active Basic Analysis on rapidly moving targets may reveal subtle distortions.]
Alex gritted his teeth. "Okay, okay." He had to think. This wasn't a lumbering Abomination. This was smart. And it was hunting them.
He took a deep, shaky breath, trying to calm his racing pulse. "Verwel, can you... can you see it?"
Verwel whimpered, pressing close to Alex, his head low. He snarled faintly towards an unseen point, but even his enhanced senses seemed to struggle.
Alex focused Basic Analysis to its fullest, his gaze sweeping the air around them, trying to catch any shimmer, any distortion. The Passive Core Resonance helped him feel the general absence of grey energy, confirming this thing was different.
Then, a flicker. A faint shimmer, like heat rising from asphalt, but in the air, directly above a pile of rubble. It moved with unnatural speed, almost blurring reality around it.
[Threat Detected: Shadow Stalker]
[Level: 8]
[Danger: Lethal]
Alex's eyes widened in horror. Level 8? This thing was a complete apex predator. His Enhanced Strike and Energy Push felt utterly inadequate against a foe that could kill him before he even saw it.
"It's above us," Alex whispered to Verwel. "It's on that... pile of rubble. Can you distract it?"
Verwel let out a low growl, his silver eyes fixed on the spot. He was scared, but his loyalty was unwavering. With a low bark, he sprang out from behind the bus, a blur of motion, darting to the left, away from Alex.
The Shadow Stalker immediately shifted its invisible attention, its shimmer becoming more pronounced as it moved with impossible speed towards Verwel. This was Alex's chance. He had to hit it, and he had to hit it hard.
"Energy Push!" Alex yelled, channeling his Energy. He unleashed a focused burst towards the shimmering area where the Stalker was moving. The invisible force slammed into something solid, and for a split second, the Stalker’s form solidified, revealing a lean, humanoid silhouette, its skin a mottled grey-green, its limbs unnaturally long and thin, ending in wickedly sharp claws. Its head was small, almost featureless, with only two glowing red pinpricks for eyes.
It shrieked, a sound like tearing metal, as it was pushed backward, momentarily disoriented.
[Damage Dealt: 5]
[Experience Gained: 50 XP]
[Energy: 8/10]
"It's vulnerable when hit!" Alex realized, a desperate plan forming. "Verwel, keep it moving! I need to hit it again!"
Verwel was a whirlwind of movement, darting around the Stalker, occasionally snapping at its obscured form, drawing its attention away from Alex. The Stalker, clearly frustrated by the nimble dog, swiped wildly, its unseen claws leaving deep gashes in the concrete.
Alex focused, channeling Energy into his frying pan. "Enhanced Strike!" The pan hummed with green energy. He waited for the opportune moment, for Verwel to draw the Stalker's attention just right.
The Stalker lunged at Verwel, its invisibility shimmering. As it poised to strike, Alex erupted from behind the bus, swinging the glowing frying pan in a wide, desperate arc.
The blow connected with a sickening crunch. The Stalker let out another ear-splitting shriek, its form flickering violently as it was sent careening into the side of a collapsed building. Its invisibility shimmered uncontrollably, revealing grotesque, mangled limbs.
[Damage Dealt: 25 (Critical Hit!)]
[Experience Gained: 100 XP]
The Stalker hit the wall hard, slumping against it. It was clearly injured, but far from defeated. Its red eyes, now fully visible, burned with malevolent fury as it slowly began to rise, its invisibility returning in fits and starts.
Alex looked at his Energy and HP: 5/10 Energy, 9/10 HP. He had damaged it, but he hadn't killed it. And he had no more healing items. This thing was too tough, too deadly.
"Verwel, fall back!" Alex yelled, grabbing his dog. "We can't fight it head-on! Not yet!"
They scrambled back, retreating through the ruined residential area. The Stalker, injured but still relentless, gave chase, its terrifying invisibility flickering as it gained on them. Alex could feel its cold, predatory presence gaining on him through Core Resonance. He needed a better plan, a way to escape this invisible hunter. The untainted energy source was still far, and between him and it was a world of unimaginable dangers.
He pushed his legs harder, the adrenaline burning in his veins. Survival depended on speed now, and the hope that somewhere in this shattered city, there was a sanctuary from the unseen hunter.