It was just about to strike.
The massive creature's shadow loomed over Kai, its distorted form twitching as raw instinct took over. Its arm—thick, unnatural, layered with hardened flesh—lifted slightly, muscles tightening as if responding to a silent command.
But before it could move any further, Catherine's voice cut through the tension.
"Ordin."Her tone was calm, firm—authoritative."These people pose no threat to us. Stand down."
The effect was immediate.
As soon as her words left her mouth, the creature froze. The violent tension in its body dissolved, and within seconds it stepped back, retreating into the shadows as silently as it had appeared.
Kai didn't move.
His body had gone completely still, as if fear itself had locked his muscles in place. His eyes were wide, unfocused, staring at nothing.
"Kai!" Koma rushed to his side, kneeling beside him. "Hey—hey, breathe. You're okay."
Chuya crouched down as well, gripping Kai's shoulder. "It's gone. You're safe now."
Slowly, Kai's breathing returned, shallow at first, then steadier. His fingers twitched, his body finally responding again.
While they focused on him, Rei turned toward Catherine, his voice low but sharp with unease.
"What… what was that thing?"
Catherine exhaled softly, as if preparing herself.
"You probably won't believe me," she said, "but that was a regulated altered—or as we call them, a Raltered."
Everyone froze.
"A regulated… altered?" Rei repeated.
"Yes," Catherine continued. "It's still an altered—stronger than the average one, in fact—but unlike the others, it can be controlled. Tamed."
Rei's eyes widened. "That doesn't make sense. To tame something, it needs a functioning brain. Altereds are walking dead—their brains are destroyed. So how is that even possible?"
Catherine nodded slowly. "You're right. Normally."
She paused, choosing her words carefully.
"Most humans infected by the Morphyx virus lose the fight quickly. Their bodies fail, the virus takes full control, and they become mindless altereds. But… some people are different."
Chuya leaned forward. "Different how?"
"In rare cases," Catherine explained, "the virus and the body keep fighting each other for a long time. The transformation slows down—sometimes drastically. These individuals don't become true altereds immediately."
She continued, her voice steady but intense.
"I realized that instead of trying to erase the virus, we could force the body to adapt to it. Strengthen it. Balance it. Allow the human and the altered to coexist."
Rei swallowed. "You're saying… human and altered at the same time?"
Chuya looked at Ordin's retreating shadow. "So you mean… Ordin isnt a complete altered but a human and an altered at the same time?"
"Yes," Catherine replied. "And not only that—he can use the powers of an altered without losing his mind."
Silence fell over the room.
"Wait," Koma said slowly. "Does that mean… we could do that too?"
Catherine didn't answer immediately.
She looked at them—four exhausted teenagers who had already seen far more than they should have.
"That's something I'll explain later," she said gently. "You don't need that weight right now."
Then her expression sharpened.
"What I need right now is the briefcase."
Everyone stiffened.
"The scientist left crucial data inside it—things that could help stabilize this virus. Please give it to me. You all should rest. Ordin will take you to the rooms."
Chuya immediately shook his head. "Oh no. Not Ordin again. That guy is terrifying."
Catherine allowed herself a faint smile. "Don't worry. He's still human—just… in a much stronger body."
That didn't seem to comfort anyone.
Still, exhaustion won. They followed Ordin silently through the underground corridors until they reached the resting chambers. Within minutes, sleep claimed them all.
Catherine, however, didn't rest.
She sat alone in her lab, carefully spreading the documents from the briefcase across her desk. Her eyes scanned each page with precision, but her focus wasn't truly on the notes.
She was searching for something else.
After a long while, she finally found them.
Two small vials, hidden within a reinforced compartment , she was looking for them because the papers inside that briefcase said there is something really important inside those vials.
Her breath caught.
Only two people knew about these—herself and the scientist.
She summoned Ordin.
When he arrived, she handed him the vials without explanation.
"Study these," she said. "Duplicate them if possible."
Ordin examined the containers carefully. "What are they?"
"I don't know," Catherine replied honestly. "That's why I need you to find out."
Without further questions, Ordin took the vials to his own lab deeper within the cave—a space filled with advanced equipment, research tools, and containment units.
As he began his analysis, his brow furrowed.
"This isn't a cure," he muttered. "Whatever this is… it's something entirely different."
Night passed.
Catherine slept.
Ordin did not—sleep was no longer necessary for him.
The next day, Catherine stepped outside the cave alone.
She carried a torch, its artificial light cutting through the eternal darkness. The sun hadn't been seen in decades, and the world beyond the cave was silent, broken.
She scanned the area carefully.
No altereds.
She let out a quiet sigh of relief.
But her expression quickly darkened.
They needed more people.
Too many humans had already been lost. If the species was to survive… repopulation was unavoidable.
She returned inside, sealing the camouflaged entrance behind her, and woke the others.
They freshened up and gathered to eat, hunger finally catching up to them.
Suddenly, Ordin entered—moving far faster than usual.
Chuya noticed immediately. "What happened? Why are you rushing?"
Ordin didn't waste time.
"Catherine deployed surveillance drones across the city," he said. "While studying the vials, I checked their feeds."
Catherine stood up. "And?"
"There are survivors," Ordin said. "Near the west mall."
Everyone froze.
"I believe," he continued, "we should prepare a rescue operation."
Catherine nodded. "Good work. We'll go—but not all of us. Some must stay behind."
Her eyes turned to Ordin.
"And whoever goes… you'll be with them."
The silence that followed wasn't fear.
It was anticipation.
Something was about to change.