Chapter 285: Goodbye, Bunker The plot was really messed up. Azel couldn’t even remember anything about this group having a werewolf helper. Nothing in his memory or the game’s storyline had ever mentioned a creature like this... so it was probably a butterfly effect "Master..." Erblim circled around him cautiously, his small black wings flapping lightly. "That’s not a normal werewolf. After making a comparison, it has monster organs as well as werewolf organs... and even human ones mixed in. Its blood contains three sources... human blood, monster blood, and werewolf blood." ’Having Erblim is like having your own personal examiner,’ Azel thought. He was incredibly convenient to have around, but this only raised more questions. "When the hell did this happen?" he muttered under his breath. The hybrid creature... wolf, human, and monster all mixed together, snarled. It didn’t give them any more time to think. With a low growl, the creature rushed forward. Its claws came swinging down in a wide arc. Azel dodged, leaning slightly to the side. The claw ripped through the air where his face had been, leaving a trail of sparks. The hybrid followed up immediately, thrusting its right fist forward. The punch was powerful enough to make the air crack, and when it collided with Azel’s chest, the impact sent out a small shockwave. However, the creature suddenly winced. Its arm trembled. The bones in its wrist cracked audibly as if it had just punched through solid steel. Azel didn’t even flinch. "What happened?" he asked dryly. "You’re not so strong anymore?" The only reason he was able to land such a hit the first time was because it had the advantage in momentum... right now, it was nothing more than a sitting duck. The creature staggered back, clutching its injured arm. Azel sighed and stepped forward. In one smooth motion, he raised his leg and swung a kick. His foot connected cleanly with the creature’s jaw. There was a loud crack. The hybrid’s head snapped sideways, and its body was thrown several meters into the air. It crashed against the wall, only to twist in mid-air and land awkwardly on its feet. Before it could recover, Ravik had already moved in. The werewolf dashed across the floor in a blur of speed, his claws glowing red. When the hybrid turned, Ravik’s claw met its own. The two sets of claws collided, creating a burst of sparks that lit up the destroyed lab like lightning. The hybrid growled deeply, pressing against Ravik with brute strength. Ravik responded in kind, their arms locked in a clash of power. ’Sigh... he really isn’t that strong,’ Azel thought, watching the struggle with a hint of disappointment. If this thing was supposed to be their trump card, then whoever escaped must have left it behind as a diversion. "Erblim," he said aloud, "can you still sense the other guy?" Erblim perched on his shoulder, eyes glowing as he focused. "Give me a moment, Master..." He closed his eyes for a few seconds before shaking his head. "He’s already left the town. His energy trail is completely gone." "Figures." Azel scratched the back of his head. Erblim sighed and rested back on his shoulder. Meanwhile, Ravik had gained the upper hand. With a powerful kick, he struck the hybrid’s knee. The sound of cracking bone echoed through the destroyed lab. The creature roared in pain, falling to one leg. Ravik didn’t hesitate... his muscles bulged as he spun and raised his other leg, partially transforming it into his werewolf form. His enlarged foot came down with full force. Crunch. The hybrid’s skull caved in under the impact. Blood and fragments splattered across the ground. Ravik stepped back, exhaling slowly as he shifted back to his human form. "My lord," he said proudly, wiping his face with the back of his hand, "I’ve disposed of the fake." He flashed Azel a grin and raised his thumb. Azel gave him a small nod in return. "Good work. Alright, let’s make our way out of this place." He had completely memorized the routes now. "We’ll get some breakfast after this," he added casually, "then come back here. Maybe we can take over this place... after clearing out all the gang members, of course." Erblim blinked. "Take over... a base like this?" "Why not?" Azel said with a shrug. "It’s already built, it’s underground, and it’s large enough to fit a division. Would be a waste to let it blow up." 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖 In his head, he was already building plans. If he took control of Lycas, he could repurpose this base. Maybe even bring a few werewolves to guard it. Still, the mystery bugged him. How did they get all these advanced equipment? Where were the other personnel? The underground base was too big to only have two demons... There were still far too many questions and Azel intended to find every answer, once he had breakfast. Then, the lights around them began flashing. A sharp alarm blared through the hallways. The entire base was now glowing in crimson light. Azel froze for half a second. "What’s happening again?" he muttered. Then came the first explosion. Boom! The floor beneath them trembled violently. Dust fell from the ceiling as smoke and fire erupted from one of the adjoining rooms. Azel’s expression darkened. "Of course..." he said grimly. "The base is self-destructing. Let’s get out of here!" They ran. The hallways twisted endlessly, the sound of distant explosions growing louder with every turn they took. Azel, Ravik, and Erblim weren’t the only ones fleeing... dozens of gang members were sprinting through the corridors as well. But many didn’t make it far. Every few seconds, another explosion would rip through the walls, consuming everything nearby in flames. The base was filled with teleportation gates, but Azel knew from the map that most of them would most likely already be deactivated. The only functioning one was on the top floor... the emergency escape portal meant for higher-ups. It remained active even during a power shutdown. The gang members didn’t know that. They were panicking, running from gate to gate, pressing their hands against them, praying for a miracle that wouldn’t come. Still, a few had noticed Azel’s group heading toward the stairs and began following. Soon, they reached the wide staircase that led upward. Azel looked back at the approaching group, then turned to Ravik. "Break it off," he ordered. Ravik nodded. "Understood, my lord." With a low growl, his body began to change. Bones cracked, muscles bulged, and pale fur spread across his skin. His transformation took several seconds but the gang members froze in fear the moment they saw it. "The... werewolf..." one whispered. Another shouted, panic lacing his voice. "It’s the werewolf! It’s still alive!" Ravik’s golden eyes gleamed in the crimson light. He stomped his foot down, and cracks spread through the ground. "Move back!" one man screamed, stumbling away. Ravik slammed his foot down again... once... twice and the entire section of the floor collapsed. The stone split apart, leaving a deep, jagged hole between the gang members and the staircase. He let out a satisfied grunt and quickly shifted back into his human form, sprinting up the stairs after Azel. The gang members were left staring at the gap, horror etched on their faces. "No..." one of them whispered, backing away. "No, no, no..." He tried to jump across but he barely made it halfway before gravity pulled him down. His scream echoed as he fell into the abyss below. A moment later, another explosion shook the structure. The walls split open, and flames rushed in, devouring everything... including the remaining gang members. Azel didn’t look back. "Phew," he muttered when they finally reached the top floor. He could feel the portal’s pull as its energy activated. The familiar sensation of teleportation washed over him... that lightheaded feeling as the world’s colors drained away. Ravik appeared beside him, breathing heavily from the transformation but still standing strong. "Good work," Azel said simply. "You did great down there." Ravik smiled, his sharp teeth visible. "It was nothing, my lord." The flames were already climbing up from below, the roar of destruction filling the entire base. Azel took one last glance behind them. "Goodbye, bunker idea," he said under his breath... He really wanted a bunker... And then the light consumed them. Their bodies faded through the portal just as the entire underground complex erupted in a blinding explosion.