The Flesh Reaper's body pulsed—a grotesque display of shifting muscle and writhing sinew. Its flesh rippled and hardened, adapting to the damage.
Leon clenched his jaw. "It's learning."
Evelyn barely had time to process that before the creature moved.
Not just fast—instantaneous.
A blur of twisted muscle and jagged claws rushed Lucas. He barely dodged, but the creature's whip-like tongue lashed out, catching his ankle.
"Lucas!" Mia screamed.
The Flesh Reaper yanked him into the air, slamming him into the pavement. Bones cracked.
Reaper didn't hesitate. He fired.
A direct hit—shells tore into the creature's exposed ribcage. Chunks of flesh exploded outward… but it was already healing.
The Reaper turned, grinning.
"Meat fights back," it rasped.
It launched itself toward Reaper, claws extended.
Before impact—Dominic shoved Reaper aside.
The priest wasn't so lucky.
Claws ripped through his abdomen.
Dominic coughed up blood. His eyes went wide.
The Flesh Reaper lifted him, staring into his face.
"Faith… means nothing," it hissed.
Then, it threw him like a ragdoll.
Dominic's body crashed through a wrecked store window. He didn't move.
Evelyn's pulse pounded in her ears.
Mia's hands trembled. "We… can't kill it."
Leon pulled a grenade from his belt, jaw tight. "Then we trap it."
Evelyn understood immediately.
"Lure it to the bridge."
The Flesh Reaper twisted its head unnaturally, watching them. Grinning.
Down ruined streets. Over broken pavement. Through the dead city.
The Flesh Reaper stalked them, savoring the hunt.
The bridge came into view—half-collapsed over a pit of twisted steel and fire. A kill zone.
Leon turned, pulling out his last grenade.
"Come on, you ugly bastard," he muttered.
The creature charged.
At the last second, he dove aside—hurling the grenade at the bridge's weak point.
The explosion ripped through the supports.
The bridge collapsed.
And with it—the Flesh Reaper.
It roared in fury, falling into the abyss. Crushed beneath tons of rubble.
And the Flesh Reaper emerged.
Not unscathed. Its limbs were broken. Its torso crushed. But its flesh was already moving. Repairing. Changing.
It grinned at them through broken fangs.
"Meat… runs. I hunt."
Evelyn's heart dropped.
It wasn't just evolving.
It was becoming something worse.