"There's too many of them! We need to run!"
"That way!" Lawlet jerked his head toward an alleyway.
Yulli didn't hesitate.
They dashed toward the narrow passage, boots slamming against the cracked pavement.
The plan? Funnel the beasts.
The open street gave them too many angles of attack, but in the alley, the creatures could only come from one direction.
At least... in theory.
But the beasts—they were fast.
Too fast.
The sound of claws scraping against stone.
The heavy, guttural breaths closing in.
Lawlet glanced over his shoulder—and cursed.
"Damn it! They're catching up!"
He gritted his teeth, spinning mid-stride.
Bang!
A single shot. A beast jerked back, its shoulder torn apart—
But it kept moving.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
More shots. More blood. But still, they kept coming.
"There's more at the front!" Yulli's voice cracked as he skidded to a halt.
Lawlet barely stopped himself from crashing into him. His breath was ragged, his body screaming in exhaustion. His mana reserves were running dry, the earlier bullets he'd conjured already taking their toll.
And now?
Now they were trapped.
The beasts behind them were closing in fast, claws scraping against stone, their snarls growing louder. But ahead—another horde.
Lawlet cursed under his breath. "Damn it! We're boxed in!"
Panic gripped Yulli's chest. There had to be a way out. He frantically looked around, searching—
Then, he looked up.
He craned his neck, spotting the rooftops looming above them.
A crazy idea.
He turned to Lawlet, eyes serious. "Do you still have enough mana?"
Lawlet wiped the sweat off his forehead, panting. "Yeah, but not much. Why?"
Yulli pointed. "We jump."
Lawlet blinked. "Jump?"
"Yeah. You boost me up, then I pull you after me."
"Okay, but how the hell are you gonna jump that high?"
Yulli smirked, kneeling slightly, bracing himself. "That's where you come in."
Lawlet sighed. "This is either genius or the dumbest thing we've ever done."
"Just do it!"
Lawlet gritted his teeth, planting his hands under Yulli's legs.
"Alright—hold on!"
With a burst of mana, he launched Yulli into the air.
Yulli soared upward, reaching out— his fingers barely caught the ledge.
He made it.
Dangling for a moment, he swung his leg up, pulling himself onto the rooftop.
"Alright, your turn!" Yulli yelled, looking down at Lawlet.
But Lawlet hesitated.
The beasts were already almost on him.
No time to think.
He bent his knees, pushed off the ground, and infused mana into his feet—
But his strength wasn't enough.
His jump fell short.
His stomach plummeted. "Shit—!"
A hand grabbed him.
Yulli caught him just in time, gripping his wrist tightly.
Lawlet's body jerked downward from the weight, and for a second, it felt like Yulli might slip.
"Oi, you're heavier than you look!" Yulli grunted, straining to hold on.
"Not the time—pull me up, dammit!"
Below, the beasts jumped— their claws missing Lawlet's legs by inches.
With one last heave, Yulli yanked Lawlet up and over the ledge, both of them collapsing onto the rooftop.
The rooftop trembled beneath them as the beasts swarmed closer, their guttural snarls vibrating in Yulli's bones. No time left.
They run towards the end of the rooftop
"JUMP!" Lawlet shouted.
Yulli grit his teeth, forcing his legs to push harder despite every muscle in his body screaming in protest.
Then—they leapt.
For a moment, there was nothing but air. Yulli's stomach lurched as the ground rushed toward him way too fast. He braced for impact—
THUD.
He hit the ground hard, rolling over rough cobblestones. His entire body screamed in pain, but something in his ribs felt wrong. Sharp. Stabbing.
Lawlet landed more gracefully, stumbling but staying on his feet. He barely had time to breathe before he looked up toward the rooftop.
The beasts were still there.
But they weren't jumping.
Lawlet's eyes narrowed. "Huh… why aren't they—?"
"Aghh…" Yulli groaned, clutching his side.
Lawlet turned, crouching beside him. "Are you okay?"
Yulli let out a weak chuckle through gritted teeth. "Never better. Just—y'know, a few broken ribs. Nothing major."
Lawlet gave him a look. "You're still cracking jokes at a time like this?"
"What can I say?" Yulli winced. "Pain makes me funnier."
Lawlet rolled his eyes but offered a hand to help him sit up. "Alright, smartass. We should regroup with the others before—"
A deep, rumbling boom shook the ground beneath them.
Yulli's breath hitched. That wasn't normal.
Then came another. And another. Something heavy was moving.
Lawlet slowly turned toward the darkness ahead, his fingers twitching near his gun.
A massive shadow emerged from the alleyway—a beast, but not like the ones before.
It was fully formed.
Its body was a pit of darkness, thick like ink yet moving like muscle. Its hulking frame resembled a bear, but its head was unmistakably wolf-like. Its glowing eyes locked onto them, its breath a sickening mix of heat and decay.
Then—
It howled.
The sound rattled through the empty streets, shaking windows, vibrating in their chests like a war drum.
Yulli's blood turned to ice.
Lawlet exhaled sharply. "Well. Shit."