The abandoned underground railway station trembled violently as another monstrous roar echoed through the tunnels ahead. Dust rained from the cracked ceiling while rusted metal beams groaned loudly somewhere above the station platform. The flickering emergency lights barely illuminated the endless darkness stretching across the railway tracks, but even without seeing it clearly, both Arata and Akari could feel the creature approaching.Heavy footsteps echoed slowly through the tunnel.

BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.

Every step carried enough force to shake the platform beneath them.

Akari tightened her grip around the metal baseball bat while narrowing her violet eyes toward the darkness ahead. Beside her, Arata calmly adjusted his stance while gripping his blade tighter.

Neither of them spoke.Because words weren’t necessary anymore.The Apex Mutation finally emerged from the darkness.

Its massive body barely fit inside the railway tunnel while blackened flesh twisted unnaturally across exposed muscle. One glowing pale eye stared directly toward them while thick black liquid dripped slowly from its claws onto the tracks below. Its breathing sounded distorted now, almost like multiple creatures breathing simultaneously from inside one body.

The creature roared again.The sound exploded through the station violently.

Akari immediately covered one ear slightly while grimacing. "...I seriously hate this thing."

"It hates us too."

"Wonderful."

The mutation suddenly moved.Faster than something that large should physically move.

It smashed directly through a rusted maintenance barrier before charging across the tracks toward them violently.Arata reacted instantly.

"MOVE!"

Both jumped sideways as the creature’s massive claw crashed through the platform where they stood moments earlier. Concrete exploded everywhere while chunks of broken stone scattered across the station.

Akari rolled across the ground before quickly regaining balance. The mutation turned toward her immediately afterward.

Its glowing eye narrowed.Then it charged again.

"WHY DOES IT KEEP TARGETING ME?!" Akari shouted while sprinting backward.

"Probably because you insult it constantly."

"I WOULD INSULT IT LESS IF IT STOPPED TRYING TO KILL ME!"

The creature swung violently toward her.

Akari barely ducked underneath the massive claw before smashing the baseball bat directly against its arm.

CLANG.

The impact echoed loudly through the station.

But instead of damaging the creature—The bat cracked slightly.

Akari stared at it in horror.

"...No."

The mutation roared directly into her face.

"...NO."

Before the creature could attack again, Arata intercepted immediately. His blade flashed across the station while sparks erupted after colliding against the mutation’s hardened flesh.

The impact pushed the creature backward slightly, Only slightly.Arata’s eyes narrowed instantly.It was stronger now.

The system flickered urgently before his vision.

[Apex Mutation Evolution In Progress]

[Warning: Hostile Adaptation Detected]

"...That’s bad," Arata muttered quietly.Akari blinked while dodging falling debris nearby. "You saying something is bad automatically terrifies me now."

The mutation charged again.This time both of them attacked simultaneously.

Arata moved from the front while Akari circled toward the side despite her damaged weapon. The creature roared furiously before swinging toward Arata first.

He dodged instantly.Akari used the opening immediately afterward.She jumped forward before smashing the metal bat directly against the creature’s damaged glowing eye.

CRACK.

The mutation staggered backward violently.

Black blood splattered across the station floor while the creature screamed in rage.

Akari’s eyes widened slightly. "...That actually worked."

"Again!"

The mutation charged toward her furiously.Too fast, Much too fast.Akari barely raised the bat defensively before the creature’s massive claw smashed directly against it.

CRACK. The metal bat shattered instantly.

Akari got thrown violently across the station platform before crashing hard against one of the broken benches nearby.

"AKARI!" Arata scream.

Pain shot through her entire body while pieces of the broken bat scattered across the floor around her. Before she could recover, the mutation roared furiously before rushing toward her again.

Its massive claw rose high above her.Akari’s breathing stopped briefly.

Too close.She wouldn’t dodge this one.

Then suddenly—Arata appeared directly between them.

BOOOOOOM!!

The creature’s claw slammed against Arata’s blade with enough force to shatter the concrete beneath his feet. The impact sent shockwaves across the station while blood immediately dripped from Arata’s arm afterward.

But he didn’t move, Didn’t fall, Didn’t let the creature reach her.Akari stared at him silently from the ground.

And for one brief second—The image burned itself into her memory.A lone figure standing against a monster far stronger than himself.

Protecting someone again, Even while injured, Even while bleeding, Even while exhausted. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Arata pushed forward violently afterward before forcing the mutation backward slightly.

"Can you still move?" he said.

Akari snapped out of her thoughts immediately.

"...Yeah." she replied

"That answer sounded fake." he said

"It was very fake."

"Figures."

Despite the situation—Akari almost laughed.

The mutation roared again while black liquid poured from its damaged eye now. It looked even angrier than before.

"...I think you hurt its feelings," Akari muttered quietly.

"I think it lost those already."

"Fair point."

The creature suddenly smashed its claw against the railway tracks beneath them violently.

BOOOOOOM!!

The entire station shook instantly.Then something horrifying happened.

Dozens of infected screams suddenly echoed throughout the surrounding tunnels.

Akari’s face slowly lost color.

"...You’ve got to be kidding me."

More screams answered, Hundreds this time.

The mutation called them, Arata immediately realized the situation.

"We can’t stay here anymore."

Akari slowly stood despite the pain shooting through her body. "...Any brilliant plans?"

"Run."

"...That’s not brilliant."

"It’s realistic."

The infected finally began flooding into the station from every tunnel entrance.

Students,Workers,Old infected,New infected.

Some barely human anymore.Some crawling unnaturally across walls and ceilings.The station instantly became hell.

Arata cut through the first infected immediately while grabbing Akari’s wrist afterward.

"This way!"

Both sprinted across the railway platform while infected flooded behind them endlessly. The Apex Mutation roared furiously before chasing them directly through the station itself, smashing pillars and walls apart while pursuing them violently.

Akari breathed heavily beside him while jumping over broken debris scattered everywhere.

"This thing seriously has obsession issues!"

"Focus on surviving first!"

"I AM SURVIVING!"

An infected suddenly lunged toward Akari from the side tunnel.Before Arata could react—Akari grabbed a broken metal pipe from the ground before smashing it directly through the infected’s jaw violently.

Blood splattered across the nearby wall.She didn’t stop moving afterward.Arata noticed immediately.Even without the bat—She adapted instantly.Another infected rushed toward them, Arata cut it down smoothly before glancing toward her briefly.

"You learn fast." he said

"I prefer not dying." she replied

"Reasonable."

Several infected suddenly dropped from the ceiling ahead.

Arata cursed quietly before slashing through two instantly while Akari crushed another infected’s skull using the metal pipe repeatedly.

The fourth infected tackled Arata suddenly.

Both crashed hard against the station floor while the infected screamed directly into his face. Before Arata could stab it—

CRACK.

Akari smashed the metal pipe directly across the infected’s head hard enough to send it flying sideways.Silence followed briefly.Then she held out her hand toward him.

"...You okay?"

Arata stared at her hand silently for one brief second, Then grabbed it.Akari pulled him upward immediately.

"...Now we’re even."

"I saved you more times."

"...Don’t ruin the moment."

The station trembled violently again afterward.The Apex Mutation crashed directly through a nearby concrete pillar while roaring furiously toward them.

Akari immediately pointed dramatically. "See?! It’s emotionally unstable!"

"RUN!"

Both sprinted deeper through the underground station while infected flooded everywhere behind them. The station alarms continued echoing endlessly while emergency lights flickered violently overhead.

Then suddenly—The tunnel ahead collapsed.

BOOOOOOM!!

Concrete and metal crashed directly across the railway path ahead, completely blocking the route.Akari stared at it in horror.

"...Amazing."

The mutation slowly approached behind them while infected continued surrounding both sides of the platform now, Trapped, Completely trapped.

Akari slowly tightened her grip around the blood-covered metal pipe while breathing heavily.

"...Okay." She forced a nervous smile. "Maybe this is where we die."

Arata remained strangely calm.His eyes scanned the surroundings quickly, The mutation approached slowly now, Enjoying this.

The infected surrounded the station platform from every direction while growling hungrily toward them.Akari quietly stepped beside Arata afterward Just like before.

"...You know," she spoke softly while staring toward the approaching monsters, "this wasn’t exactly how I imagined dying."

"You imagined something better?"

"Obviously." She looked offended briefly. "Maybe old age. Peacefully. Rich. Attractive."

"You already failed one of those."

Akari stared at him in disbelief.

"...Did you seriously insult me before death?"

"You started it."

"I was being emotional!"

"You were being dramatic."

"...Unbelievable."

Despite everything—Arata almost smiled again, Akari noticed instantly.

"There!" She pointed immediately. "That happened again!"

"Focus."

"You smiled."

"No."

"You definitely smiled."

Before the argument could continue—The mutation charged, Arata moved instantly.

His blade collided directly against the creature’s claw while Akari attacked from the side using the metal pipe. The impact barely slowed the mutation now.

It evolved again, Faster,Stronger, More violent.

The creature suddenly grabbed Arata’s blade directly with its massive hand.

Akari’s eyes widened.

"...Arata!"

The mutation swung him violently across the station platform before smashing him directly against a pillar hard enough to crack the concrete.Blood splattered across the floor.

"ARATA!" she shouted.

The mutation immediately rushed toward him again.Akari moved without thinking.

She sprinted forward before jumping directly onto the creature’s back while stabbing the broken metal pipe repeatedly into its damaged eye.

The mutation screamed furiously before slamming backward against the station wall violently.

Akari barely protected herself before getting thrown hard across the ground afterward.

Pain exploded through her body instantly.

The metal pipe rolled away uselessly.The mutation turned toward her slowly afterward.

Its remaining eye glowed with pure rage now.

Akari tried standing—But her legs failed briefly. Too injured,Too exhausted.

The creature slowly approached while growling deeply.

And for the first time tonight—Fear truly appeared inside her eyes again.

Not fear of dying, Fear of being alone again.

Then suddenly—Footsteps echoed behind the creature.

Slow, Steady. The mutation turned slightly.

Arata stood there bleeding heavily while gripping his blade tightly again.His expression remained calm, Cold.

But his eyes looked different now,Darker, Dangerous.The system flickered violently before him.

[Emotional State Destabilized]

[Combat Synchronization Increasing]

[New Skill Awakening Possible]

The air around Arata suddenly changed.Akari noticed immediately.So did the mutation.

For one brief second—Even the monster hesitated.Arata slowly raised his blade afterward while staring directly toward the creature.

"...You picked the wrong people to corner."

The mutation roared furiously before charging again.And the underground station exploded into chaos once more.