Seungho sniffed, his face contorting. A strange smell irritated his nose—pungent, then sweet, then something else. Something that made his blood hum.

  He released Jiyoon, searching. The crowd, the pit, the shadows. Nothing. He grew alarmed.

  Is it a call or is it a warning?

  "Can you not smell it?"

  "What?" Jiyoon leaned closer.

  "There's a ghastly smell. Like something's about to happen."

  Another blast shook them down into their seats. A slow growling sound of pain followed. Seungho looked down into the pit. Two hunters, their bodies severely deformed attacked another laying on the ground already bleeding, both right arm and leg broken. Jiyoon stared, but didn’t look affected, like she was watching a TV show.

  Seungho recognized the smell, the blood, not from the bleeding but specifically from the drops.

  Those two smell so different.

  There were drops being handed around carelessly. Their stinging smell was irritating the hunters.

  “I think the hunters are taking drops too.”

  “ehh, how do you know that??” Asked Taeil buffled.

  Seungho didn’t know. He just felt it must be true.

  “Maybe we should leave now…” suggested Jiyoon, growing concerned.

  “My moneyyy?!” Dongchul whined.

  “Forget the money,” said Taeil with a calculating look, already searching for the exit.

  “You won’t be able to enjoy that money anyway from a hospital bed,” said Minjae who didn’t dare to say he might be more likely dead than just hurt. “Let’s scatter, quick! See you Monday at work!” He gestured the exit.

  As they started to move, Taeil was already ahead. A strong hand grabbed Seungho and pulled him.

  The time slowed, Seungho saw the backs of his mates leaving, scattering. Why hadn’t he noticed someone was behind him? He hadn’t been alert even though he had sensed something was about to happen.

  Are they leaving me behind?

  He grabbed air with his hand as they disappeared.

  Please don’t leave me here…Seungyeon-noona?

  Silence. Of course.

  Seungho only heard one thud, that of his own body hitting the floor of the pit, back first.

  He couldn’t move.

  He opened his eyes, his head hurt terribly. Yet, he was still alive. That alone was a miracle.

  He could feel his back and legs arched in an unnatural way. He looked up from the ground.

  Seungyeon-noona, why are you in my thoughts?! Go away!

  From the guardrail above the pit a figure overlooked, watching him straight into his eyes. His arms crossed over his chest. His posture firm as a statue. A neutral expression.

  The orchestra director.

  Seungho opened his mouth and gasped. No words came out.

  Aren’t you going to save me? I need help, desperately. Please, I am human…

  The orchestra director didn’t blink. His eyes moved, to look at something nearby Seungho.

  What is he looking at?

  Seungho blinked and the hunter was gone.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Seungho lay there, staring at the empty rail. The cheers from above felt distant now. Wrong.

  He saw me. He knew I was human. And he left anyway. Why?!

  The realization settled into his chest like stone.

  What now??

  A figure approaching from the corner of his eye.

  Oh that is what he was looking at!

  He started to sweat. Something deep in his throat growled--inaudible, reverberating in his guts.

  His fingers twitched. Then his toes. He wasn't paralyzed—just stunned. That knowledge came in slowly, like waking up.

  I can move. I can still move.

  He grinned through clenched teeth, forcing his body to obey, and pushed onto his elbows.

  I need to leave. I need to save myself.

  Minjae’s words rang in his ears.

  It hadn’t been bad, after all, he could still move his limbs.

  He bit down hard. As he pushed himself with his elbows to lift his head, a hunter jumped on him, pinning him down on the floor with his grip. He didn’t know if it was the same one that had pulled him just before. Seungho was secured on the spot, the weight of the hunter crushing his body.

  Seungho couldn’t breathe, he panicked.

  Seungho’s eyes chaotically looked around searching for a way out, he couldn’t think. His lungs were collapsing. Then he noticed that the skin on the neck of the hunter was tender and pink--it was human.

  Seungho stretched his neck to reach it, and sank his teeth into it and bit as hard as he could. When the hunter growled, Seungho’s nostrils flared and he dug his teeth even deeper. His jaw muscled cramped, locking. At that point he didn’t care if his teeth shattered.

  Ozone, copper and something alien, a taste that revolted his stomach. He didn’t let go.

  The hunter screamed in between a wail and a screech and lifted himself, trying to get away from Seungho.

  Seungho let go, fell, rolled away.

  He vomited and gasped.

  Finally he could breathe.

  I am alive. I am still alive.

  He did save himself, with his own will and strength.

  He planted his feet down, determined to stand up. And from somewhere deep, a power rose to meet him.

  What is this?

  His body lit with an electric shock.

  He knew he was no match for the hunter but the experience made him feel powerful. He was not running away.

  As he slowly pulled himself up, he saw them, for what they really were. There was blinding rage and sadness.

  Other hunters joined the group unable to forgive Seungho, even if it had been for self-defense. They growled in unison. Their eyes firing up.

  One of the hunters started growing in size. Fur spurred in tufts of hair all over his body. He dropped on his hands onto the floor arching his back, grunting.

  The hunter started roaring, the chilling cry of a wild animal. Seungho felt the roar reverberating into his spine, paralyzing him.

  Seungho was running out of time, he looked around, there was no exit. He had to jump up out of the pit somehow.

  Madness replaced anger in their eyes. Seungho’s throat tightened, worried about what might happen to him.

  And then, that feeling was gone. A stronger impulse caught his attention.

  There was a bag of vials carelessly thrown in a corner. Some vials had spilled on the floor.

  Oh, sh*t, they had been taking those…?!

  He looked at the bag, unzipped. The vials glistening on top. One in particular called to him.

  He felt a pulse—an urge to grab one.

  Again, he obeyed, like he had earlier. He dropped on all fours and ran, agile almost like an animal. He extended his hand, grabbed the vial, and bit into it. The glass shards ripped his mouth, but he didn’t care, he felt safe.

  In his hyper-focused state, his eyes locked onto it. The liquid inside seemed to pulse with his own heartbeat.

  Everything went black. Then snapped back.

  Not like the first time. That had been clarity. This was knowing.

  Now the world wasn't hostile or enigmatic anymore. He knew what to do next.

  Another hunter looked at him, then at the floor. Seungho saw his movements before he moved. No, not yet, he needed to calibrate.

  The hunter didn't slam the floor like the others. No boom. No show.

  His fist stopped inches above the ground, the air moved. Compressed.

  A line of pressure shot forward, low and fast, grazing the floor like a line drive. Where it passed, the ground rippled. Splintered and sucked dry.

  It was coming straight for Seungho.

  A screen appeared at the possible worst time. Seungho read the screens with the corner of his eye.

  [SYSTEM INITIATION COMPLETE]

  [TRANSFORMATION PROGRESS: 47% | RISING]

  [ESTIMATED COMPLETION: UNKNOWN]

  A hunter lunged. Seungho dodged—barely. The screen flickered, new text stacking:

  [THREAT ASSESSMENT]

  [HOSTILE ENTITIES: 5 (EX-HUNTER CLASS)]

  [SURVIVAL PROBABILITY: 12%]

  [RECOMMENDED ACTION: EVACUATE]

  The numbers meant nothing. He couldn't read. Couldn't think. Could only move.

  He screamed at the top of his lungs: "KANG DOYOON-SSI!"

  Nothing.

  The hunter lunged.

  Then...swish. Doyoon had landed beside him, already growling. His eyes told Seungho he wanted to fight ferociously. He just needed an opportunity, a reason to do so. Like Seungho just gave him that reason.

  Kang Doyoon smiled, devoid of warmth. “You run. And you pray the next thing that finds you is kinder than they were.”

  With that, Seungho was gone.

  I need to save myself. I am the only one who can!

  That thought pulled him to jump up high over the guardrail. Without looking back he sped away.

  He was now looking for the door.

  Found it!

  He ducked to avoid a punch, and saw the door. That was his salvation. And he ran towards it, with all his might. His legs almost giving up, but he made it through the door.

  He then felt two piercing eyes on the side of his skull. He quickly turned to look, but there were too many hunters to know whose eyes those belonged to.

  Finally, he was starting to feel in control, the excess nervousness and fear made him sharper than before.

  Jiyoon. Minjae. Are they out?

  He didn't know. Couldn't go back to check.

  He hoped.

  Outside, he slowed down, inhaling deeply. The crowd fled in chaos around him. He wasn't safe yet—not really. He kept running.

  System started (and warming up)! XD

  Don't be fooled, the system is a lot more complex than what it looks like. It has its reasons....

  See you next chapter!