She roared, surging upright with a snap of her hips. Her fingers latched onto a rusted metal bar torn from the wall. With a fluid motion, she spun it like a baton before hurling it like a javelin. Owen merely tilted his head to the side—the projectile grazed his ear and embedded itself in a container behind him with a metallic *clang*.
Before the echo faded, she was on him again. This time, she wrapped her arms around his waist, trying to hoist him for a slam to the ground. But Owen clamped his hands onto her shoulder blades, fingers digging into her taut muscles. With a low grunt, he arched backward, using his own weight to throw her off balance. They tumbled together across the concrete.
When they stopped, Owen was on top, one knee pinning her right arm to the ground. His breathing was only slightly quicker than usual.
She spat at his face. He dodged just in time, the spit splattering the pavement. In the split second he glanced away, she wrenched her arm free and smashed her forehead into his. Their skulls collided with a sound like coconuts knocking together. Owen flinched—finally, a reaction—and she seized the moment, shoving him off and rolling aside.
They rose simultaneously, three meters apart. She panted, a lock of hair plastered to her sweaty temple. He stood pristine, adjusting the crease in his wrinkled sleeve.
Owen moved.
She ducked under his first strike, a right hook that could've shattered her jaw. Her body twisted instinctively, narrowly dodging a second punch aimed at her ribs. She leaped back, but barely regained her footing before a third blow rocketed toward her face. She jerked her head aside, evading it by a hair, though the effort stole her breath.
A flicker of hesitation. A fraction of a second.
Owen didn't wait. He spun on his pivot foot and unleashed a powerful kick that sank into her stomach. The air burst from her lungs in a pained gasp as her body hurtled backward. She crashed hard onto the rooftop, sliding several meters before coming to a stop, motionless.
She wheezed, eyelids half-open, her body trembling from the impact. Owen strolled toward her, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
"Is that all you've got?" he taunted. "I thought five doses would do more… Go ahead, take some extra."
She didn't reply right away. Her chest rose slowly, each breath laced with pain. Then a laugh rasped from her throat. "Shit… that hurt," she growled, pushing herself up.
Her eyes glowed a fierce red, her breathing quickening. Owen narrowed his gaze slightly. He straightened, his grin widening.
Without another word, he vanished from his spot.
In a blink, he reappeared in front of her and, before she could react, drove a blazing kick into the center of her chest. Her body launched off the roof, spinning through the air before slamming into the sidewalk below, shattering the asphalt with a deafening crash.
Owen dropped from the roof with ease, landing softly a few meters away.
She rose slowly. Blood trickled from her forehead, her outfit reduced to tatters, coated in dust and debris. Yet despite the fall, she laughed.
A hoarse, unsteady, manic laugh.
Owen raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. No ether fluctuations… So this drug really does push the body past its limits," he remarked.
A deep crack sounded.
Her muscles bulged, tearing through what remained of her uniform. Her body shook violently, as if something were fighting to break free. Her screams tore through the night, morphing into hysterical laughter.
Her skin paled to a corpse-like white. Red streaks slashed across her expanding flesh, her torso swelling into a grotesque, muscular mass. Her arms stretched longer, fingers elongating into massive, razor-sharp claws. Her eyes ballooned into blood-red orbs devoid of irises. Her jaw gaped, revealing thin, jagged teeth like shards of glass.
The ground quaked under her weight.
She roared.
"Odd…" Owen murmured. "That look feels familiar."
But he didn't have time to dwell on it.
The creature lunged.
It cleaved the air, claws slashing toward him with raw force. Owen didn't budge. At the last second, he leaned slightly to the side, dodging with unnerving ease.
The beast whirled, swiping desperately again. Owen vanished once more, reappearing to its left. In one smooth motion, he raised a hand and seized its distorted face.
Then he smashed it into the ground.
The impact boomed like an explosion. The sidewalk buckled under the force, chunks of stone flying outward. The creature convulsed, a pained gurgle escaping its gaping maw.
Owen crouched over it, locking eyes with the beast. "What? That's it? I thought you'd make me regret my arrogance."
It snarled, claws raking the ground in a futile struggle to break free. But Owen didn't ease up. His grin widened. "Pathetic," he whispered, tightening his grip.
The creature bellowed in fury, but its breaths grew ragged. Exhaustion was creeping in. Owen remained unfazed. "Come on, show me what you're really made of."
He released it abruptly.
It rolled aside and staggered to its feet, swaying. Its gaze burned with pure hatred. With a guttural roar, it charged him again.
But Owen was already moving.
He sidestepped the first strike. Then the second. The third.
With a swift motion, he thrust his palm out and struck the beast's nape hard.
Its body stiffened instantly.
Silence hung heavy.
Then, slowly, the creature crumpled to the ground.
Owen straightened, eyeing the motionless heap at his feet. He waited. Nothing stirred.
But then—a twitch.
The creature jolted upright, its gaze blazing with uncontrollable fire. Its rasping breaths quickened. With a final, desperate shriek warping its face, it rushed him one last time.
Owen sighed.
He stepped aside, letting it charge into empty air.
Then, with precise timing, he grabbed its throat and slammed it back into the ground. This time, he left no room for escape.
"It's over."
The beast growled, its body quaking with effort. But gradually, its resistance faded. Its swollen muscles shrank, its skin regained a human hue. The claws and fangs receded, revealing her original features.
Finally, she went still.
Owen loosened his hold and stood. His eyes swept the surroundings, taking in the wreckage of their clash. He exhaled, then cracked an amused smile.
"Guess I overdid it a bit."
[Good thing you realize that,] Lafan's voice chimed through his earpiece. [This isn't a contest to see who can cause the most damage, Agent Owen.]
"I know, I know," Owen replied, sobering up. "I guess I let my fighting instincts run a little wild. But at least the threat's neutralized."
Lafan sighed on the other end. [Stay where you are—I'm on my way. I think I've given you enough leeway for today.]