Chapter 8: "Last Shot"
The atmosphere was cold, dead, and silent. Lights flickered violently, some shattering overhead.
Slowly, the ghost dragged itself forward, its body badly hurt,it staggared as it approached the helpless boy laying on the floor. It was barely able to walk. One eye gone, chest split open, and one arm blown clean off—yet its remaining eye burned with an endless, twisted hunger.
Adam stumbled back, breath ragged, body broken, only instincts keeping him moving. How could this beast possibly survive after all that? What could he do now?
His mind was chaos. No way could he fight in this condition. No way could he win. Even at full health,a this kind of level 3 ghost was still too much for him to handle
Panic crept in. He grabbed whatever he could—rocks, broken pipes, shattered glass—hurling them at the spirit. The ghost didn't bother dodging or blocking. Everything phased right through it.
Afterall,ghosts were spiritual entities that came from the other side. Only high-tech weapons or Hunters could do damage against them. The agents earlier probably had their abilities of they're own but...Thinking back to the fight. Why didn't they use their powers? Why rely only on tech and fists? Did they underestimate the spirit?
Either way,now wasn't the time to think about what could've been. Right now, he was defenseless against a weakened but still lethal spirit, and he needed to find a way to escape—a way to survive.
The ghost was getting closer and closer. Adam gritted his teeth, dragging himself inch by inch.
"Gah, get up!... Get up, you useless bastard!" he roared at himself.
He forced himself up, one arm across his chest, struggling just to stand.
A large shadow fell over him. Slowly, he turned. The ghost shrieked, an unholy roar that rattled the air. Instinctively, Adam clasped his ears. It felt like his eardrums had exploded.
It swung its one arm hard, aiming to crush his skull. Adrenaline surged through Adam's broken body as his life flashed before his eyes. At the last second He dove sideways, barely avoiding the strike.
His body screamed in pain, but he managed to get up—barely. He staggered, limping as fast as he could out of harm's way.
He looked around frantically, hoping maybe one of the agents had dropped something—anything—he could use.
Then,from the corner of his eye, he saw it.
Under the rubble a few meters away, half-buried in dust and ash, was the rifle John had used.
Maybe... just maybe—if he could get to it, he could—
WHAM!
Adam was hurled like a ragdoll, smashing into a pile of rubble.
[-40]
[HP: 37/100]
His ribs cracked. His heart thundered. Pain exploded across every inch of his body.
A menacing shadow slowly crept over him. The ghost was enjoying this. Every step was slow, deliberate—a predator savoring the moment.
'Move... Dammit!...Move!'
Death breathed down his neck. This was his end
Adam gasped, blood bubbling in his throat as he crawled forward, hands slipping on blood-slicked concrete.
''HEY!'' A voice called out from behind
The ghost turned—Adam still underneath it.
Adam managed to catch a glimps of the man. He was bent down on one knee,breathing heavily like he just ran a marathon . Blood trickled down half of his face,and he held one arm across his chest as four large clawmarks visible.
Ray was badly hurt, but he forced himself up, his baton beaming with energy
''You still hungry?" Ray coughed, blood staining his lips. "Then come get me, freak."
The ghost, looking onto Ray, didnt react. Its opponent already looked half-dead so it didn't bother to go after him,it turned back to Adam—lifting up its arm, ready to finish him off but—
Adam's fingers closed around the rifle.
He rolled over.
''Surprise, b*tch!'' Adam yelled, rifle aimed at the ghost's head
He pulled the trigger,energy gathered at the bareel and a large bright beam of energy blasted clean through the ghots's skull
The ghost reeled, arms twitching. Its body stsrted to twist and warp in unnatural ways, and then staggered back before collapsing with a bone-rattling thud.
Silence fell...
Adam blinked, stunned. His arms trembled. His chest heaved with every breath.
Finally, It was over.
He fell to his knees—exhausted, broken,and in pain.
Thanks to that split second moment Ray bought him,he managed to grab the gun in time before finishing it off
Right now,the agents were in no condition to capture him; he'll at least get some time to get somewhere safe. But how would he stay hidden? They'll still come after him eventually
He was definitely not getting near another ghost attack,not even to watch the fights. He'd learnt his lesson the hard way. Looking at the bright side,the monster haf been vanquished,and he he's still alive
Or so he thought.
The ghost's body began to twitch—spasming violently.
Glowing cracks split across its body, energy seeping through its wounds. A low, thrumming hum vibrated through the concrete.
Adam's blood ran cold.
Still lying on his back, he realized the truth.
"No... no no no—"
It was going to blow.
The ghost's body ruptured,a large blast of energy completly engulfing Afam. Light flared—blinding. Sound shattered his eardrums.
The shockwave crushed rubble into powder.
Adam didn't even have time to scream.
He felt the heat peel his skin before his thoughts even caught up. Light devoured him. Then—nothing.
Smoke coiled through the shattered battlefield.
Two agents emerged from behind scorched debris, coughing, armor dented and scorched.
"Damn..." one muttered, dragging himself to his feet. "Is it over?"
They scanned the ruins,looking for any sighs of the boy,but he was too close to the blast,could he have possibly survived?
The blast site was a crater of melted stone and flame.
The agents searched and searched. No sign of Adam.
No trace of the ghost.
Just ash.
"There's no way… no way anything survived that."Ray muttered
John nodded grimly. "Gah,the boss isn't going to be happy abot this...Let's head back. We'll report to HQ."
The limped off—shaken,but alive.
---
Back at HQ
In a dark office. Screens flickered silently, casting eerie blue glows across the room.
An agent knelt, head bowed.
A shadowed figure sat behind a desk—motionless.
"Report," the voice was cold, measured.
"Subject Alpha… destroyed. Prototype GhostCode—lost."
A pause.
Then—
"...Failure?" The figure leaned forward. ''Really?...how unfortunate''
They explaind how they chased the boy and nearly capturing him,only to be caught up fighting a level 3 ghost. It came out of nowhere,attacking all of them.
Alas,it created a large explosion engulfing the boy and leaving everything in ash.
"A prototype destroyed by a street rat and a Level 3 ghost?" A soft chuckle. "Tell the doctor to wake up—we're accelerating the plan''
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