The rubble trembled. A low, guttural growl cut through the crackling flames.
Sergeant Darius "Hellhound" Rook wiped the blood from his forehead, his breathing heavy. He could feel it—this wasn't over.
"Eva," he muttered, eyes locked on the shifting debris. "Move. Now."
The wreckage exploded outward, sending shards of concrete and metal flying. A shadow emerged.
General Viktor "Bloodfang" Kruger.
His uniform was torn, his skin charred, but he still stood—stronger. More furious. His red beret, now stained with soot, still clung to his head like a crown of war.
His crimson eyes burned through the smoke.
"You really thought that would kill me?" Kruger growled, rolling his shoulders. His wounds sealed themselves, the charred flesh sloughing off to reveal new, unscarred skin.
Eva cursed under her breath. "That's not regeneration," she whispered. "That's something else."
Rook didn't wait for an explanation. He raised his pistol and fired.
Three perfect shots. Head. Heart. Spine.
Unstoppable. Unrelenting. Unbroken.
Rook reloaded. Eva drew her knife. But they both knew—bullets and blades wouldn't be enough.
Kruger cracked his knuckles. "You're out of tricks, Sergeant." He lunged.
Rook barely dodged, rolling aside as Kruger's fist slammed into the ground, shattering the concrete. The sheer force sent Eva stumbling back.
Too fast. Too strong.
Rook knew if he didn't end this fight now, they wouldn't get another chance.
Eva's voice crackled in his earpiece. "We need to lure him into the south tunnel. I have one last charge left."
Rook nodded. It was risky. But so was fighting Kruger head-on.
"Hey, Bloodfang!" Rook shouted, gripping his combat knife. "Let's finish this."
Kruger smirked. "Brave. Stupid, but brave."
Through fire. Through destruction. Through the last remnants of the battlefield.
Eva was already ahead, sprinting toward the tunnel's entrance. She activated the detonator and pressed herself against the wall.
Kruger closed the distance.
Rook dove just in time.
The tunnel entrance collapsed.
The shockwave knocked Rook and Eva to the ground. Dust and debris rained down.
Rook coughed. "Tell me that worked."
Eva checked her tracker. No movement. No heat signature. Nothing.
She let out a shaky breath. "I think—"
A hand burst from the rubble.
Eva's blood ran cold.
Kruger was still alive.
His fingers clenched into a fist.
And then—the entire tunnel shook.
Rook gritted his teeth. "The devil won't die."