-Lv3-
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Sacium handed the flashlight to Ryan, both of them surprised when they saw him begin dismantling the first flashlight. He removed its convex lens, took out the lightbulb, and installed it into the second flashlight. Then, he went outside and grabbed a thicker electrical wire, connecting it to the two original wires. He attached two strands of thread to the legs of both lightbulbs in parallel to ensure the power could make both lightbulbs shine equally. Afterward, he flipped the convex lens of the second flashlight and immediately a powerful beam of light shot out, cutting through the dark space.
Sacium: "Is anyone confident their hair is strong?"
Rose quickly approached an introverted girl named Nicole, speaking in a seductive tone.
Rose: "Oh, this girl does, but if I didn't say it, no one would know."
Nicole stammered, her eyes a bit confused.
Nicole: "I… actually do."
Sacium walked over, noticing the worry in Nicole's eyes. She was too frightened, her eyes were teary. Sacium smiled gently, slowly pulling two strands of Nicole's hair.
Sacium: "Ah, yes, it's both strong and long, perfect. You should be proud. If you need to cry, just let it out. Don't bottle it up, or you'll wear yourself out."
Although the words were rather blunt, they somehow offered Nicole a sense of relief. She didn't cry, but emotions she couldn't put into words swelled up inside her. She only dared to hide herself and temporarily vent her frustration into Rose's chest.
Helen stood nearby, watching the scene, and suddenly a wave of jealousy rose within her. She had never seen Sacium interact with a girl like this, even though this time it was for work. Still, she couldn't deny the strange sense of disgust that flooded her thoughts when thinking about Sacium. She couldn't understand herself.
Sacium turned back, starting to separate Nicole's hair into small strands, twisting them together, and attaching them to the missing lightbulb's connection on the first flashlight. Finally, he put the convex lens back in place, completing the new flashlight.
Sacium: "Done, let's go!"
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Andrew stood in front of the room containing Entity 4, opening the door and stepping onto a piece of cloth to protect himself from electric shock. Although he could feel a slight tingling down his arm, he remained undeterred. With the pride of a warrior, he connected the electrical wire to the flashlight, making the strands of hair on his head glow, attracting the four male Entity 4s.
Andrew ran quickly down the hallway and threw the flashlight into a room. The Entity 4s chased the light source and entered the room. Andrew immediately shut the door, knowing there was gas inside. If the flashlight worked, it could cause an explosion.
Boom!
The explosion echoed, and Andrew laughed.
Andrew: "Just as Sacium planned. I'm really a great warrior, muahahaha!"
He turned around and confidently walked back to the room where the group was resting.
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After hearing the explosion, Sacium, Ryan, Aaron, David, Aiden, and Charlie immediately rushed to the room where the four Entity 4s were. Upon arriving, Charlie immediately shined the flashlight into the eyes of the Entity 4, whose eyes were sensitive to light after being in the darkness for so long.
Charlie: "IT'S DAZED! GO IN!"
Hearing that, Ryan, with newfound strength he hadn't even realized, charged in at lightning speed, swinging the long knife in his hand. He sliced off one of its wings, causing it to scream in agony.
Severely wounded, the Entity 4 began thrashing around, trying to escape. It flapped its remaining wing, attempting to fly, but it had forgotten that it had lost one wing. Its body lost balance and swayed in the air before crashing to the ground with a terrible thud.
Ryan didn't miss the opportunity, charging in and slicing off its remaining wing, completely stripping it of its ability to fly. The Entity 4 screamed, its eyes burning with rage.
Cornered, it struggled to get up, its mouth wide open, ready to spit acid. But Charlie quickly shined the flashlight in its eyes again, dazing it, causing its legs to falter and stumble.
Aaron and David rushed forward, slamming four spears into the ground just below its head, creating a deadly trap.
Sacium and David didn't miss the chance, quickly climbing onto the Entity 4's back and running along its spine. Both of them jumped off simultaneously, using their full body weight to press its head down onto the sharp spear tips.
One spear pierced through its mouth, blocking its acid-spitting ability. The other lodged diagonally into its throat, causing severe injury.
The Entity 4 howled in pain, thrashing violently and throwing the group off.
Ryan, realizing it wasn't dead yet, quickly grabbed the long knife from Sacium. He charged forward and stabbed deep into its already mutilated body.
It staggered, realizing the situation was hopeless, trying to turn around to escape. But with its wings gone.
It could only run.
Ryan didn't give it a chance. He darted past with lightning speed, swinging two sharp knives that sliced off all six of its limbs.
The Entity 4 collapsed to the ground, trembling, dying.
Ryan firmly stomped on its body to hold it down, then raised the knife and chopped off its head in one swift motion.
The Entity 4 struggled violently, throwing the group away. Ryan quickly retrieved the remaining long knife from Sacium and threw it into the body of the Entity 4. It realized the situation was dire and tried to escape, but with its wings gone...
Entity 4 thrashed violently, sending the entire group stumbling backward. It struggled fiercely, its massive form convulsing as it attempted to shake off the attackers. Ryan, without missing a beat, snatched the remaining long knife from Sacium and hurled it straight into Entity 4's body.
The creature shuddered as it felt the blade pierce its flesh. Sensing the dire situation, it attempted to retreat, its instincts screaming for survival. It turned abruptly, wings outstretched, desperate to take flight and escape. But it was too late.
Its wings—severed.
It let out a guttural screech, a sound laced with fury and desperation, as it tumbled to the ground. Driven purely by the will to survive, it lunged toward the nearest exit. But Ryan was faster.
He dashed forward, positioning himself in its path. Twin blades in hand, his movements were swift and merciless. With a forceful slash, he severed all six of the creature's limbs in one brutal motion. Blood splattered across the cold floor, pooling beneath its now-crippled form.
Entity 4 let out one last, guttural growl of defiance, but Ryan was already raising his knife. With a single decisive strike, he drove the blade down, severing its head from its monstrous body.
Silence.
For a moment, no one moved. Then—
Ryan exhaled sharply, his voice barely above a whisper. "Did we… did we do it?"
A beat passed. Then, laughter erupted from the group, relief washing over them like a crashing wave. They had won. The tension, the fear—it all melted away in the face of victory. Ryan, Sacium, and Charlie quickly moved to support Aiden, Aaron, and David, who were exhausted from the battle, helping them back to their hideout to rest and recover.
The moment they arrived, they were met with elation. The rest of the group, who had been anxiously waiting, cheered at the sight of their safe return. Helen's eyes darted from one face to another before finally landing on Ryan and Sacium. She exhaled a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Neither of them was injured. Relief flooded through her.
Ryan wasted no time. "Hurry! Get inside the elevator—it's our way out!"
He took the lead, ushering everyone toward the elevator doors. The moment they opened, the priority was clear: the girls would go in first. They all knew that this elevator was their only escape route, their only guarantee of reaching safety.
Bernie, a girl known for her selfish tendencies, shoved her way to the front without hesitation. Others quickly followed, though those who were completely drained from the battle lacked the strength to compete for a spot. Slowly but surely, the elevator filled.
By the time the first group was safely inside, only four remained outside: Sacium, Ryan, Helen, and their teacher.
Then—it happened.
A sound. A sickening squelch, wet and unnatural.
A low, guttural noise echoed from behind them.
Helen felt her blood turn to ice.
The severed head of Entity 4 twitched. Its lifeless eyes, once dull, gleamed with a sinister light.
And then—
Rip!
The carcass of Entity 4 was torn apart from within, its flesh splitting grotesquely. From the gory remains, a tall, humanoid figure emerged.
Entity 10—The Skin Thief.
Its towering form loomed over them, its pale, sinewy body covered in grotesque, pulsating nodules that writhed like the tentacles of a deep-sea horror. Its eyes—empty, abyssal white voids—fixed onto them with an eerie stillness.
It moved.
Its elongated fingers clawed at the remains of Entity 4, pulling at its shredded flesh. The creature pressed the strips of skin against its own body, stretching and molding them, forcing the flesh to conform until it took the semblance of a human.
A twisted mockery of life.
For a brief, tense moment, neither side moved.
Then, The Skin Thief lowered itself onto the remains of Entity 4 and began to feed.
Ryan acted immediately.
He positioned himself between the creature and their teacher, his muscles taut with readiness. His grip tightened around his knives.
Sacium, equally alert, shifted in front of Helen, ensuring a protective barrier between her and the inhuman horror before them. Slowly, carefully, they edged toward the elevator.
Helen wanted to scream.
But her throat locked up.
She had seen everything—the way it appeared, the way it tore its victim apart like ripping a piece of paper.
It had only taken a second.
But she couldn't move.
Sacium shoved her back.
No hesitation. No second-guessing. As if he had known this would happen all along.
Helen hated that feeling.
Her body trembled.
And as the doors to the elevator loomed closer, Helen found herself wondering—
Was it fear that gripped her heart?
Or was it something else entirely?
The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime—a sound that should have been reassuring but, in this moment, felt deafening.
Ryan and Sacium took slow, careful steps backward, inching toward the open doors. Helen followed instinctively, her breath shallow, every nerve in her body on edge.
The Skin Thief continued to feast, its grotesque form hunched over the remains of Entity 4. The wet, visceral sounds of tearing flesh filled the space, yet the creature remained eerily methodical in its movements—there was no urgency, no desperation.
It was still hungry.
Helen's eyes flickered toward Ryan. He was moving with controlled precision, every muscle tense, yet his expression remained cold, calculating. He knew the risks, but he wasn't letting fear dictate his actions.
Sacium, however—his presence was different.
She had always seen him as unwavering, unshakable, the kind of person who stood firm even in the worst situations. But now, as she watched the way his hands trembled ever so slightly, the way his breath came just a little too fast—
He was afraid.
And for the first time, Helen realized—Sacium wasn't fearless.
He was just very, very good at pretending.
Something twisted inside her. A realization. A discomfort she couldn't name.
Was this the same Sacium who always seemed so sure of himself? The one who guided, protected, stood tall without hesitation? Or was this the real him—a person who, despite his strength, felt fear just like anyone else?
A person who could break.
Her fingers twitched at her sides, an unfamiliar urge rising within her—to reach out, to steady him, to remind him that he wasn't alone in this moment. But she didn't move.
Instead, she clutched the hem of her sleeve, knuckles turning white.
Because if she touched him now—if she acknowledged what she was seeing—
She wasn't sure if she would still believe in the version of Sacium she had always known.
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