After a well-deserved rest and a few fleeting moments of relaxation, it was time to return to duty. The call came through a transmission: a potential mission awaited us.
Nick, an old acquaintance of Mei, had reached out. She promised more details in person and volunteered to be our driver. I didn't know much about her, but one thing was certain — Nick had always been a constant presence in Mei's life. Her combat skills weren't particularly remarkable, yet her strategic mind and support abilities made her indispensable. With long braided brown hair and vivid green eyes behind round glasses, Nick radiated precision and calm — a born operator in detection and threat tracking.
While we waited, an unexpected delivery arrived: new uniforms, tailor-made for each of us. The last mission had left the old ones in tatters. Inside the package, a small note in Mei's unmistakable handwriting read:
"Hope you like them. I asked for a few adjustments for each of you. Work together… and don't die."
Beneath the message was a childish drawing of Mei waving at us — clearly a sincere effort, though artistically questionable.
We suited up. The uniforms were simple, adapted to personal preference, but with one mandatory feature: three horizontal lines of medium length, symbolizing our unity as an extermination squad.
Not long after, Nick arrived. We got into the vehicle, and as we drove, she briefed us on the situation. A serious incident had occurred inside an active commercial building. Local authorities had been overwhelmed — cases like these were beyond civilian comprehension. It was our job to step in.
The area had been fully sealed. Containment sigils were active, which meant the demon responsible was trapped inside the red zone. No exits. No easy way back.
The streets were empty, the air heavy. The tension was almost tangible.
Nick slowed the car to a stop and glanced at us.
— End them, Extermination Team. I'll be waiting outside — she said with a faint smile.
We nodded in unison and approached the building. A few blocks away, we could see the restricted site. Yellow tapes blocked the main entrance, keeping civilians at a safe distance.
— Okay… time to move — I murmured.
— There might be more than one demon. The building's got an underground parking lot. Someone should check that area — Dan suggested, pressing the elevator button.
— It's always best to clear every corner, no matter how unlikely — he added.
— Right. Let's decide how we'll split—
Before Dan could finish, the elevator arrived… carrying a pile of bodies. Blood ran down the metallic walls of the cabin.
Stella brought a hand to her mouth, horrified. Tekio's stomach churned.
— This is gonna be messy… — he muttered.
Dan exhaled sharply.
— Tekio, you check the basement. Stella and I will take the upper floors. The elevator came from the fourth. Once you're done, meet us there.
— Got it… stay sharp.
— You too, man.
Still queasy, Stella took a deep breath, gathered herself, and followed Dan up the stairs.
---
I descended alone to the parking lot. The lights flickered intermittently, the air thick with an almost physical weight. A red door stood ahead, pulsing faintly. Each step toward it made the dizziness worse. Something deep inside warned me to stop — my body knew before my mind did.
When I pushed the door open, I understood why. The stench hit first — nauseating and metallic. Torn bodies lay scattered like broken dolls. Some were slumped over cars, others mutilated across the floor. The massacre wasn't random; it was the work of something savage, ravenous… something still here.
I steadied my breathing, focused my senses, and moved forward. Part of the parking lot was drowned in shadow, a trail of blood leading straight into it. I followed, quiet and alert. Then I heard it —
That wet, grotesque sound of flesh being torn apart.
Then silence.
My body froze.
I knew. The thing in the dark had sensed me. Its unseen gaze locked onto mine. I adjusted my stance. In the next heartbeat, it lunged.
All I could do was block. A brutal strike — straight to the skull — sent me flying back. I rolled across the floor and staggered to my feet. Still in one piece, but barely.
The creature stepped out of the darkness: nearly two meters tall, eyes black as pitch, a mouth stretching wide, lined with jagged, bloodstained teeth. Its skin was gray, pulsing with black veins. Two massive horns curved forward from its head.
— Fo...od — it croaked, voice distorted and unnatural.
A talking demon. That changed everything.
"Not all demons who speak are powerful," Mei had once told me when I asked about it. "But if they aren't, it usually means someone has a pact or symbiotic bond with them. In that case, the real problem isn't the demon… it's the human behind it."
Damn. That complicates things.
I needed to warn the others.
But first—
— Let's get this over with — I muttered as spiritual energy surged through my body. I condensed it into my fists, the sound of the spiritual current humming in my ears, sharpening my focus. My body was ready.
If this is my end… so be it.
You're dying here, you Umbrafeeder bastard.
To be continued…
Note: "Umbrafeeder" refers to a demon that feeds on human flesh.