It was early in the night.
Streetlights buzzed softly, illuminating the empty sidewalls. Neon signs flickered over the shops.
Cars rumbled along the roads, their headlights cutting through the darkness.
It was a quiet night. As peaceful as any other.
But peace was scarce these days in Ishtara.
In a small diner, a waitress leaned on the counter, lazily scrolling through her phone.
A young couple walked hand in hand past a convenience store, laughing at an inside joke.
Somewhere in an apartment complex, a man yawned as he locked his door for the night, ready to sleep in his comfortable bed.
Then, the first scream broke the silence.
It came from a dimly lit alley, where a man had been walking alone. He didn’t even get the chance to run before something pulled him into the darkness.
And then the ground shook.
Across the city, sewer grates rattled. Manhole covers trembled. Cracks formed in the pavement, thin at first, then splitting wide.
Then… they came.
From the underground tunnels, from the secret passageways beneath the city, creatures slithered and crawled into the open.
Their bodies were grotesque — bloated and twisted.
Their skin was leathery and slick, stretched tight over their swollen bodies covered in pulsating veins.
They had too many limbs — some were thick and root-like arms that slammed against the ground, others were long and whip-like tentacles that writhed in the air.
Their faces… if they could be called that, were gaping maws lined with jagged teeth. Thick, black, acidic saliva continued to drip from their mouths.
Their breaths were heavy and wet and foul.
And then they attacked.
One of the creatures slammed into a parked car and crushed it like tin. Its tentacles lashed out, wrapping around a man who was nearby.
The man tried to run, but he was too slow. He tried to scream and struggle, but he was yanked off the ground in an instant.
The monster’s mouth opened wider before swallowing the man whole, eating him alive in an instant.
Further down the street, another creature burst through a convenience store window. The cashier barely had time to raise his hands before a thick tendril wrapped around his waist and pulled him over the counter.
Another creature lunged at a passing taxi, its jagged claws tearing through the windshield.
The driver couldn’t even muster a scream before the creature bit off his head and dragged his dead body out, painting the hood of the car with blood.
In another corner of the city, a group of teenagers outside a late-night arcade turned at the sound of heavy footsteps — only to see a monster growling back at them.
They screamed in terror and ran.
But one of the teen boys tripped in panic. He tried to get up and run again, crying out for his friends to help him, but the creature’s tentacle immediately pierced his chest.
He was killed on the spot.
Soon, similar scenes were happening all around the city. Everything descended into chaos.
Alarms blared. People shouted. Cars crashed.
Windows shattered as monstrous silhouettes burst into homes, dragging out their screaming victims.
The city was no longer a city.
It was a feeding ground.
And the night had only just begun.
•••
Back at the Church of the Mother of Mercy…
High Priest Bowden was standing in his chambers, gazing out the window, taking in the view of the city.
This was his routine.
Since his church office was on a high floor, had a perfect view of the cityscape at night.
Before heading home each evening, he would always take a few moments to admire the sight, enjoying the peace and quiet that came with it.
However, tonight wasn’t anything like the other nights.
There was no peace, and the quiet had long been shattered by the disturbing sounds of the monsters growling and the hopeless screams of the people.
Bowden stiffened as another high-pitched shriek tore through the night, followed by a bright explosion across the road.
A monster must’ve ruptured a gas pipeline in one of the houses, causing that fiery blast that set fire to the surrounding buildings.
On the streets below, he saw people running and crying in terror as they were being chased by twisted abominations.
In the distance, he noticed a group of people trying to barricade themselves inside a small shop, slamming the doors shut just as another monster barreled down the street.
But the abomination slammed its body against the storefront, shattering glass and splintering wood before entering the shop.
The group had no way to escape, so a few of them grabbed whatever they could and bravely tried to fight the monster.
But they weren’t going to last long.
Not against these things.
The creature lashed out with its rope-like tentacle and grabbed a man by his neck, lifting him up in the air and strangling him until he dropped dead.
In the very next second, the creature pounced forward and swallowed a woman whole, her horrified scream cutting off as she disappeared into its maw.
Soon, everyone else in that shop was brutally butchered as well.
Fires spread rapidly throughout the city as more explosions erupted. Smoke rose into the sky, choking out the stars.
The once-serene cityscape had become a nightmare.
High Priest Bowden gripped the windowsill so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
“What the hell?” He muttered to himself.
What had Everan done?! This wasn’t the plan!
Why has he unleashed his beasts into the city?
What was he thinking?!
“That fucking idiot!” Bowden gritted his teeth and turned around.
The guards stationed outside bowed in reverence as he exited his chamber.
Ignoring them, he walked up to the elevator, stepped inside it, and pressed the button for the lowest floor.
As the elevator doors slid shut, Bowden ran a hand through his graying hair.
His mind was racing as he thought about what was happening.
Everan had gone insane. What he had done was pure madness. Why would he release the beasts in the city so soon?
Now, because of that bastard, Bowden would have to hurry as well.
He shook his head, cursing silently.
A soft chime rang as the elevator came to a stop.
The metallic doors opened with a quiet hiss, revealing the lowest floor under the grounds of the church.
And it was… nothing like what any of the worshippers could’ve expected.
Below the church… there was a vast laboratory — almost identical to the one below the Overlord’s mansion, albeit much bigger and better equipped.
The air here was cold and sterile. Yet beneath the scent of metal and disinfectant, there was something else. Something rotten.
Row upon row of large glass tubes stretched out before him, each one containing a twisted abomination.
Yes, under the church were monsters – twisted and grotesque, similar to the ones running rampant in the city right now.
Beyond the glass tubes were holding cells.
Thick iron bars made of reinforced steel created a prison that held even more creatures — some massive, others lean and gaunt.
As soon as Bowden entered the laboratory, most of the monsters snapped in his direction, their glowing eyes tracking his every step.
The High Priest exhaled sharply and strode forward, paying no mind to the abominations surrounding him.
The head researcher, a thin man in a lab coat, turned as Bowden approached. His face was pale, his glasses slightly askew.
Standing right next to him was a tall man with a dark cloak draped over his shoulders, his face hidden under a hood. This man was the High Priest’s informant.
“H-High Priest,” the researcher stammered. “I assume you’ve seen—”
“Of course I’ve seen it.” Bowden cut him off, his voice tight with frustration. “Everan let the damn things loose. He has lost his damn mind! Why the fuck would he do something like that?!”
The researcher swallowed. He looked scared out of his mind.
Thankfully, the informant stepped forward to answer the question.
“According to my sources, the Overlord’s mansion was raided by the Cadets. It happened just half an hour ago,” he said. “I was about to come to you, but–”
“I don’t need excuses,” Bowden snapped. He turned to the rows of imprisoned creatures and clenched his fists.
If the Cadets had raided the Overlord’s mansion, that could mean only one thing. The thief that had stolen the data of their dealings had sold his information to the Cadets.
And the Cadets decided to pay the Overlord a visit.
Bowden facepalmed. Things were spiraling out of control faster than he had anticipated.
Everan must have panicked when the Cadets came after him.
But releasing the beasts wasn’t just reckless — it was desperate. That bastard unleashed chaos to cover his own escape.
Coward.
The High Priest exhaled slowly, forcing himself to think. This wasn’t the time to lose his temper. He needed to act.
Bowden turned back to the informant. “Where is Everan now?”
The cloaked man hesitated for a moment before answering. “Unknown. But if I had to guess… he’s either trying to flee the city or—”
“Or?” Bowden narrowed his eyes.
“Or he’s dead.”
Silence filled the laboratory. Even the researcher looked up, startled.
Bowden’s expression darkened.
It made sense. Everan was strong. He was a [B-rank] Awakened. But his strength wasn’t anything exceptional.
Meanwhile, since those Cadets were sent by the Apex Academy, they must’ve been worth their salt.
A group of them could definitely take down a [B-rank] Awakened.
But then, a sudden smile crept onto his wrinkled face. “No, this is good.”
“I-Is it?” The informant asked, confused.
“Yes,” Bowden nodded. “If the Overlord is dead, then there is no one to challenge our claims. We could simply pin this all on the government and no one would oppose us!”
He then turned to the head researcher and gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Prepare to release the beasts. We’ll go ahead with the plan and make use of the chaos Everan has created.”
The researcher widened his eyes.
But instead of saying anything, he nodded and quickly rushed to follow the orders.
The informant, however, remained still. “And what about the Cadets?”
Bowden clicked his tongue. “We’ll deal with them after all this. Who knows, maybe they’ll die on their own in all the chaos.”
The informant lingered for a few seconds before inclining his head. “As you say, Your Eminence. Now, shall we head to the safe house?”