Chapter 20: The Warning of Fire
Dan clenched his fists and swung at the humanoid's cheek.
"Fuck!" he growled as its claws slammed into his fists. Pain shot through his arms, but he refused to stop.
System: Subject body bruised. Activate quick pain healing. Martial arts knowledge 98%. Adrenaline overflow engaged.
He shook off the sting, smirking. "Now you really gonna feel it."
The humanoid lunged. Dan dodged, twisting his elbow into its lower abdomen. The creature staggered back. High-intensity, precise attack.
Dan unleashed a flurry of strikes at its lower region, each hit calculated and powerful. The humanoid was forced into a corner, its eyes locked on Dan—not fear, only raw focus.
System: +3 EXP points earned. Can be spent on high-temperature attacks. Enemy inflammation probability increased.
"Alright… let's get this fucker done with," Dan muttered. His fists, fully healed, glinted under the dim light. He could feel the system syncing with his body, predicting every movement of the humanoid.
System: High-temperature attacks, Katenda Flame Style technique engaged.
Strength surged through him. He lifted the humanoid from the corner, invisible flames coursing along his arms into the creature.
"Raaaar!" it screamed, thrashing violently. The sound grew louder as the fire tore through it. Dan's grip was unyielding. Its radiant white scales darkened under the heat, curling and blackening with every pulse of flame.
Reeve's eyes widened. "What the hell… How is he overpowering that thing?"
Kelvin muttered, jaw tight. "It looks like it's getting smoked… but I don't see any flames!"
Keane knelt near the woman the humanoid had attacked, hands shaking slightly. "Stay calm… you're safe now…" He couldn't take his eyes off Dan.
The humanoid shrieked, thrashing harder, but Dan's strikes didn't falter. Each blow hit like iron against fire.
System: Target incapacitation imminent. High-temperature attack at full output. Mental state: focused.
Dan slammed the humanoid against the wall. Its thrashes slowed, movements weakening under the invisible inferno. The blackened patterns on its scales deepened.
Reeve whispered, almost in disbelief, "This is… insane."
Keane exhaled shakily. "How is he… how the hell—"
Dan smirked. "Feeling that yet?"
The humanoid's body twitched one last time. Its scales, once pure white, were now charred and peeling. Its voice, faint, carried a warning that only Dan could hear:
"It's not over… they will create more… and soon humanity will fully destroy itself."
Its eyes closed. Its body slumped.
Dan staggered back, head spinning.
System: Subject status: weak. Adrenaline consumed. Initiating temporary shutdown.
Black spots danced across his vision. Muscles refused to respond.
"What the fuck did it just say? Who… who are they?" he muttered.
Reeve sprinted forward. "You okay, dude? Dan? Talk to me!"
Dan sagged in his arms. Reeve clenched his jaw, lifting him and running toward the ambulance that had arrived for the victim.
"Hang in there… you're not leaving us now," Reeve muttered.
Keane's gaze flicked to Dan. "Keep him stable. He's burned out from that encounter," he instructed, voice tight.
Inside the ambulance, Dan's breathing was shallow. His fists twitched involuntarily as the system struggled to stabilize him.
System: Vital signs stabilizing. Neural overload detected. Temporary shutdown ongoing. Recommend low-stimulus environment.
Outside, the humanoid's corpse smoldered faintly. Under the ambulance lights, its body decayed unnaturally—white scales curling, blackening, flaking away as if the invisible flames continued to consume it. The faint smell of burnt ozone hung in the air.
Reeve muttered, "This… this is insane. It's literally falling apart, and we didn't even see it happen."
Kelvin shook his head. "How the hell… it was invincible a second ago!"
Keane whispered, eyes still on Dan, "It's not over… that warning… it's a message."
Dan's eyes fluttered. "Reeve… tell me… they… who are they?"
Reeve's hands tightened around his arm. "We'll figure it out… but for now, just survive. That's step one."
The ambulance doors closed. City sounds faded. Only the hum of machinery and Keane's careful monitoring remained. Dan's mind churned, haunted by the humanoid's final words.
System: Mental resilience protocols online. Subject recovery in progress.
Dan shivered, fatigue and fear mixing. The heat of the invisible flames, the strain on his muscles, and the humanoid's screaming echoed in his mind.
Outside, the corpse continued to blacken and twist, a silent, terrifying warning. Reeve glanced through the window. "We're not ready for this… not if more of those things appear."
Keane, attending to the woman, added softly, "It's smarter than we thought… coordinated, controlled. This wasn't random."
Dan's eyes, darkened from system shutdown, flickered with determination. He didn't know who "they" were or how many more humanoids were coming, but humanity's survival depended on what came next.
And as the ambulance pulled away, the blackened corpse lay alone on the street.