The moment they moved, Jelo did two things instinctively.

First, he kept his back near a wall, pressing himself against the cold metal surface of a large lab fixture so he couldn't be grabbed from behind. The last thing he needed was one of these things wrapping its twisted hands around his neck while he was focused on the others.

Being surrounded would be a death sentence, and Jelo had no intention of dying here, not in this bunker, not at the hands of some mad scientist's experiments.

Second, he started circling, moving laterally along the wall and forcing the monsters to move around obstacles instead of charging straight at him. Lab tables, equipment racks, storage containers—all of it became part of his defense.

He kept moving, never staying in one spot for more than a second, making them chase him through the cluttered space. Every step was calculated, every movement deliberate. He wasn't just running. He was controlling the battlefield.

This immediately created friction between the monsters themselves. The first , with its massive frame and shuffling gait, couldn't turn quickly enough to follow Jelo's movements. It crashed into a table with a loud bang, scattering glass containers and metal instruments across the floor. The sound of shattering glass echoed through the bunker, and the creature let out a frustrated grunt as it tried to reorient itself.

The third, moving with its slow, deliberate jerks, blocked the second's path as it tried to dart forward. The skeletal creature hissed in frustration and veered around its slower companion, its long arms swinging wildly as it tried to find an opening. The three monsters stumbled over each other, their coordination nonexistent, their movements clumsy and uncoordinated.

They interfered with each other, just as Jelo had hoped.

He used the opportunity to activate his Assess skill, focusing his attention on each monster in turn. The system activated, and translucent panels materialized in his vision, displaying information only he could see. The stats appeared one by one, overlaying his view of the battlefield.

The first monster

<Name: Breacher >

<Level: 7 >

<Strength: 70>

<Speed: 50 >

<Stamina: 50>

<Skills: ???>

The second monster, the Lurker:

<Name: Lurker >

<Level: 7 >

<Strength: 50 >

<Speed: 70 >

<Stamina: 50>

<Skills: ???>

The third monster,

**Name:** Bonewarden

**Level:** 7

**Strength:** 70

**Speed:** 40

**Stamina:** 70

**Skills:** ???

Damn it. All level 7. That was higher than Jelo had hoped, but at least he knew what he was dealing with now. The Breacher and Bonewarden were powerhouses built for endurance and raw strength, designed to outlast their opponents and crush them through sheer force. The Lurker, on the other hand, was fast but fragile, a glass cannon that relied on speed and precision rather than durability. If Jelo could take out the Lurker first, he'd eliminate the biggest speed threat and reduce the pressure on himself. That was the smart play. That was the only play that made sense.

But before Jelo could form a proper plan, before he could even finish analyzing the stats, the Lurker suddenly charged at him, catching him completely off guard.

The creature moved with terrifying speed, its long arms outstretched, fingers bent at those horrible backward angles that made Jelo's skin crawl. Its reflective eyes locked onto him with predatory focus, unblinking and cold, and its mouth split wide, revealing those rows of needle-like teeth that looked designed to hold and tear. The creature's movements were jerky and unnatural, but fast, impossibly fast.

Jelo barely had time to react. He activated Wing Burst instinctively, his body moving in a blur of motion as he propelled himself to the side. The burst of speed carried him several feet away in an instant, and he felt the Lurker's clawed hand swipe through the space where he'd been standing just a fraction of a second earlier. The air whistled as the claws passed through empty space.

His heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline flooding his system. That was too close. Way too close.

He didn't give himself time to catch his breath or process what had just happened. He struck first with Dragon Claw, testing the Lurker's reactions. His hand swept forward, and a claw-shaped energy projection extended outward, slicing through the air toward the creature's torso with deadly intent.

The Lurker twisted away with unnatural flexibility, its body contorting in ways that made Jelo's stomach turn. Its spine bent at an impossible angle, and its limbs moved independently, as if they weren't connected to the same nervous system. It hissed, a sharp, grating sound that echoed through the bunker like nails on metal, and darted to the side, repositioning itself in the blink of an eye.

The Lurker darted again, faster this time, closing the distance between them before Jelo could fully react. Its movements were a blur of black skin and twisted limbs. Jelo braced himself and activated Skilled Guard, his skin hardening as the creature slammed into him with brutal force.

The impact was devastating. Even with the defensive ability active, Jelo felt the force of the blow rattle through his bones, shaking him from head to toe. The hardened skin absorbed some of the damage, but not enough.

He was thrown backward, his body crashing into a set of boxes stacked against the wall. The boxes collapsed under his weight, spilling their contents—tools, wires, pieces of machinery, screws, and bolts—across the floor in a chaotic mess.

Jelo groaned as pain shot through his back and shoulders, sharp and immediate. He could feel bruises forming already, his muscles screaming in protest. He pushed himself up slowly, every movement an effort, and glared at the Lurker as it stalked toward him. The creature's movements were jerky and predatory, its huge eyes fixed on him with unsettling intensity.

"You're one annoying bastard," Jelo muttered through gritted teeth, spitting to the side.

He stood up fully, ignoring the ache radiating through his body, and his eyes caught something on a nearby table. A pole. Sharp, metallic, about two feet long. It looked like it had been part of some dismantled equipment, one end filed down to a jagged point that gleamed under the bunker's harsh lighting.

The lurker growled and Jelo looked away from it, He continued fighting, circling around the Lurker and forcing the creature into a corner. He weaved between lab tables, using the confined space to limit its agility. Every time the Lurker tried to dart to the side, Jelo cut off its path, herding it closer and closer to the wall like a shepherd guiding livestock.

Dragon Claw sliced at its arm, the energy projection cutting through the matte black skin and drawing a spray of dark, viscous blood. The liquid was thick and oily, splattering across the floor and leaving dark stains. The creature hissed in pain, its movements slowing slightly as the injury took effect. Its arm twitched and spasmed, the muscles damaged.

Wing Burst let Jelo dodge its desperate, flailing attacks. The Lurker lashed out wildly now, its long arms swinging in wide arcs, claws slashing through the air with lethal intent. But Jelo was faster. He ducked under one swing, feeling the wind of it pass over his head, sidestepped another, and kept pressing forward relentlessly. He didn't give the creature a moment to recover, didn't give it space to breathe.

The Lurker was exhausted now. Its stamina was low, just as the stats had indicated, and it was finally slowing down. Its movements became sluggish, less precise, and Jelo could see the desperation in its huge, reflective eyes. The glow was dimmer now, fading.

It was trapped against the wall, nowhere left to run, no escape route available.

Jelo didn't hesitate. He grabbed the sharp small pole from the table in one swift motion, his fingers closing around the cold metal. The Lurker tried to dart to the side one last time, summoning whatever strength it had left, but Jelo was already moving. He drove the pole forward with all his strength, aiming for the center of its chest where he knew the heart would be.

The jagged point pierced through the creature's skin, punching through bone and muscle with a sickening crunch. Jelo felt the resistance give way as the pole stabbed deep into the Lurker's heart

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