Grey: Monsters

A Few Minutes Earlier

What's with these guys? They're acting strange all of a sudden.

Just a few moments ago, they came at us in a horde, but now, after seeing what we did to their kind, they're somewhat retreating.

I wouldn't entirely call it retreating because they have nowhere to run to, so what's happening?

Why are they coming one by one while the rest are just standing there, gradually moving back?

Their movement feels odd, but no one has noticed yet. Unlike the red-haired siblings and a few others who charged forward, killing everything in their path, the rest are struggling to keep up.

But that doesn't matter.

What matters right now is that something feels off.

I don't know how many Grade D Nephilims they gave us to kill, but there were definitely many. Roughly, I'd say around forty.

I scanned the area, looking at the Nephilims.

Just as I thought—far away from us, one of them ran back as though it was retreating, while the rest stood in place, taking small steps backward. Then a few came charging at us.

Something's fishy. I don't know why.

"Oi, B, say something."

"Something like what?"

"I don't know, tell me what your people are up to."

"..."

"You're just going to stay quiet about this?"

"Like you said, they're up to something, but I don't know what it is…"

"Useless as always—"

"But I will give you a direction. The rest is up to you."

"Please, do anything."

"Go ten meters north, then six meters west. You'll see what you're looking for."

"Thanks, man, but still, you could give me more details, you know."

I picked up my pace at half-assed speed.

The combat examination ground was just made up of debris from collapsed houses. I think they did that to replicate the battle outside the walls.

I charged forward, shooting some Nephilims down while at it. I didn't care about my kills; I just wanted to push forward. Before I knew what was happening, I had already passed the red-haired siblings and some other guys who were fixated on killing.

"Where the hell is he going?"

Questions like that rang in my ears as I made my way forward.

Following B's directions, I immediately turned right, cornering past a building, and suddenly a Nephilim jumped at me. I wanted to shoot, but I was too slow. Given my reaction speed, I'd be dead before I even pulled the trigger. The only option I had left was transforming, but transforming here, where it's flooded by rangers, would do no good.

While I was busy contemplating, a red long hair covered my view, and immediately, in blinding speed, the figure ran through the Nephilim, cutting it into several uneven pieces.

I fell on my butt.

"She's so cool, isn't she?" Kitetsu spoke from behind me.

"Huh…"

I raised my head and saw his sister decapitating any Nephilim in her path.

She's badass.

I turned to my back and noticed all the Nephilims behind me were dead.

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked.

"What kind of question is that? Do you think we'll let you kill everything?" Kitetsu answered. I was convinced they had no idea what was just a few meters ahead of us. Not that I knew what it was either, but unlike them, I could feel it.

I stood up and moved forward together with Kitetsu.

As we ran, a pile of debris came into sight. We crossed over it and saw Hinetsu. She stood still, her long scythe on the floor. In front of her was a swarm of Nephilims surrounding a bigger Nephilim, much bigger than the tentacled ones. The Nephilim grabbed the smaller ones and ate them whole—one by one.

I stood still, my eyes wide open, cold sweat running down my chin, a chill down my spine, my feet shaking, and my hands trembling. Even though I had eaten one myself, what stood in front of me was utterly out of this world.

"What the hell is that?"

Kitetsu broke the silence, and one of the smaller Nephilims noticed us.

It rushed out of the horde towards Hinetsu, who was still standing in shock.

"Big sis!!"

The Nephilim swept its hand at her, hitting her into the pile of debris containing blocks and metal scraps.

"Big sis!"

Kitetsu ran to his sister's side.

The Nephilim and I locked eyes, and it rushed at me. I leaped sideways, targeting the head and shooting my gun. It immediately ended its life but got the attention of the rest of the horde.

"Kitetsu, get out of there now!"

He carried his sister in his arms and dashed past me.

That was what I needed—I needed to be alone to transform. But before I did, I turned behind to be sure I was alone, only to find everyone behind me.

Shit's about to happen.

"Everyone, get back now!"

I yelled, but it wasn't helping. Some were still in shock; only a few reacted and ran back—

"Get back? This is our exam, numbskull."

A guy ran past me into the horde. He managed to kill one of the Nephilims, but suddenly, a sharp blade ran through his guts, coming out from his back. Another one ran through his chest, and immediately he was torn apart, causing a spray of blood in the air.

The sharp blade came from the bigger Nephilim, who had been consuming its peers. It had begun to make its move.

After witnessing the gruesome sight, everyone made their way back to the starting place, leaving me behind.

I looked around, noticing the cameras. Touching my side, I removed my smoke grenade and an explosive grenade. The smoke grenade was meant to distract the Nephilims.

"Here goes…"

I threw the grenade, and it covered everything.

Transforming only my legs, I kicked forward, bursting out of the smoke toward the bigger Nephilim. I opened the explosive grenade, and as soon as I reached it, I threw it at its face. With a loud boom, all the Nephilims around shattered to pieces. The force of the explosion threw me miles away, crashing onto a pile of metal, with some of them impaling me.

"Damn suit works against Nephilims but won't do shit against damn metals."

I cursed before my eyes grew heavy. My head ached, and my vision became blurry. Before I knew it, I was already asleep.