Chapter 11: Game Ogre's Revenge
The news report crackled, detailing a prison break and the escape of a particularly nasty individual. Adam, sprawled on a ridiculously plush chaise lounge in the mansion's sunroom, barely looked up from his mental System interface. "Well, that's just fantastic," he drawled, scrolling through the newly updated Library entry. "A Siegbarste. A troll-like Wesen. Apparently, they're like the Hulk, but with more anger issues and less fashion sense. And this one's got a vendetta against Hank. Because, of course, it does. My life is officially a procedural drama with monster-of-the-week episodes."
[ New Wesen Type Discovered: Siegbarste. Information added to Library. ]
[ Wesen Behavior: Revenge, Superhuman Strength. Threat Level: High. ]
Ciri, who had been meticulously cleaning a crossbow bolt, looked up, a flicker of interest in her eyes. "A strong foe? Good. The last few have been… underwhelming. Like hunting rabbits with a siege engine."
"Don't knock the rabbits, Ciri. Every kill counts," Adam corrected, though he shared her sentiment. "But yeah, this guy's supposed to be a tank. Unstoppable. Which, of course, means he's totally stoppable. Probably has a weakness. Like, I don't know, emotional vulnerability? Or a crippling fear of artisanal kombucha?" He paused, then grinned. "Okay, System, give me the deets. What's this big lug's Achilles' heel?"
The System, ever efficient, highlighted a few potential vulnerabilities: a slower reaction time despite immense strength, and a tendency to telegraph powerful blows. Adam mentally nodded. "Right. So, he's strong, but predictable. Like a bad action movie villain. Perfect."
Their first encounter with the Siegbarste was… loud. The creature, woged into its massive, stone-like form, was tearing through a construction site, roaring Hank's name. Hank, bless his oblivious heart, was trying to reason with it. Nick, meanwhile, was doing his best to protect his partner while trying to figure out how to stop something that looked like it had escaped from a particularly aggressive Dungeons & Dragons campaign.
"Alright, Ciri," Adam whispered, perched on a nearby rooftop, a Thunderbolt potion clutched in his hand. "This is where we shine. Hank's in trouble. And frankly, this guy's making too much noise. Bad for property values."
They dropped into the chaos. The Siegbarste, focused on Hank, didn't immediately notice them. Adam uncorked the potion and swallowed it. His eyes, for a terrifying moment, turned completely black, reflecting the dim construction lights like twin voids. He moved with a speed that defied his frame, a blur of enhanced strength.
The Siegbarste swung a massive, concrete-laden fist at Hank. Adam intercepted it, his steel sword clashing against the monster's arm with a deafening clang. The Siegbarste roared in surprise, its eyes widening as it saw Adam's black eyes. This was not a Grimm. This was something else. Something unnatural. Something that should not be able to stop its punch. A flicker of primal terror, a moment of confusion, crossed its face.
"Hey, big guy!" Adam yelled, pushing back against the Siegbarste's arm with surprising force. "You ever hear of anger management? Because you're gonna need a lot of it after this!"
Ciri, meanwhile, was a whirlwind of silver and steel, her movements fluid and precise. She darted around the Siegbarste's massive frame, striking at its joints, exploiting the weaknesses Adam had identified. A casual, almost effortless parry deflected a blow that would have shattered a human's arm. Her movements were so graceful, so efficient, they looked less like combat and more like a deadly dance.
The Siegbarste, disoriented by Adam's unnerving presence and Ciri's relentless attacks, stumbled. Adam seized the opportunity, delivering a powerful, non-lethal kick that sent the massive Wesen sprawling.
"Well, that was fun," Adam panted, his eyes flickering back to normal. "A little too much grunting for my taste, but effective." He then produced the Acid of Dissolution. "Alright, clean-up crew. Let's make this big fella disappear. Poof! No evidence, no fuss. Just like magic."
[ Kill Count: 1 Wesen. Level Up! Current Level: 3. Kills to Level 4: 8. ]
"Boom! Level 3!" Adam exclaimed, pumping his fist. "This is like a boss fight, but with better loot. And speaking of loot, I've been doing some shopping." He grinned, pulling up a new tab in his System Store. "I bought all the Grimm books in Portland. Every single one. My System Library is now officially the most comprehensive source of Wesen lore in this dimension. Take that, Aunt Marie's trailer!"
Ciri watched him, a faint, almost imperceptible smirk touching her lips. "You spent all your 'system coins' on… books?"
"Knowledge is power, Ciri! And also, a great way to level up my Library. Besides, now I can anticipate all the plot twists. It's like having a cheat sheet for life. And frankly, it's a lot less messy than actual combat. Though, I do enjoy the occasional brawl."
Hank, meanwhile, was staring at the empty space where the Siegbarste had been, utterly bewildered. He'd seen it. He'd felt its power. And then… it was gone. Just like the others. He looked at Nick, a new, unsettling question in his eyes. He knew Nick was a Grimm, but these mysterious figures… they were something else entirely. Something more. Something terrifyingly efficient.
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