The doorknob turned slowly.
Harold felt every second stretch painfully long as the metal handle twisted back and forth.
"Why the hell is a monster trying to use a door knob? This is very weird! How does it even know it opens the door?" Harold whispered in confusion. The whole thing was so weird.
On the other side of the door, the monster growled again.
Low and hungry.
The sound vibrated through the wood like thunder.
Emily stood frozen near the bedroom doorway, her small hands gripping the wall.
"Harold…" she whispered.
David raised a hand slightly without looking back.
"Stay in the room honey, infact go under the bed."
His voice was calm, but Harold could hear the tension underneath it.
The door shook suddenly.
It slammed against it from the other side.
The cheap wood frame groaned.
Harold tightened his grip on the kitchen knife. His palms were already sweating profusely due to the tension.
Another slam hit the door.
Harder this time.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
"Back up harry," David muttered.
Harold stepped back a little, but his eyes never left the door as he kept a defensive stance.
The borrowed strength in his body buzzed like electricity under his skin.
He could feel it in his arms.
In his legs.
In the way his breathing seemed sharp and clear.
It was strange.
Terrifying.
But oh lord… it was so fascinating… it fleas like he wanted and infact needed more.
Another message appeared in front of him on his system.
BORROWED ABILITY ACTIVE
FERAL STRENGTH
DEBT LEVEL: MINOR
The monster slammed into the door again.
Then there was a loud crack.
A thin fracture spread across the wood near the handle.
Emily gasped.
"It's going to break daddy!"
"I said go hide Emily!" He said but Emily remained rooted to the spot out of nervous and fear.
David adjusted his stance, gripping the knife he had picked up.
"Harold," he said quietly.
"Yeah?"
"If that thing gets through…"
He didn't finish the sentence.
He didn't even need to.
Harold already understood and he was prepared.
The door exploded inward.
Wood splintered across the floor as the monster crashed into the apartment.
Up close, it was even worse than Harold expected.
The creature's fur was thick and dark, streaked with patches that looked almost… burned? Is that what it was? Its body was massive, its height nearly reaching David's chest even on all fours. Long claws scraped across the tile floor as it stepped inside.
Its glowing eyes fixed on them instantly.
The monster growled.
Hot breath and saliva splattered from its mouth.
For a moment, nobody moved as they were rooted to the ground, everyone staring wide eyed.
But Then the creature lunged.
David reacted first.
He swung the knife forward, shouting as he did.
The blade struck the monster's shoulder.
But it barely slowed the creature.
The wolf-like creature snapped its jaws toward David's arm.
Harold moved without thinking.
The borrowed strength surged through him.
He stepped forward and slammed his shoulder into the monster's side.
The impact surprised even him.
The creature staggered sideways.
It crashed into the kitchen counter with a loud bang.
David batted his eyes in shock.
"Harold—"
"I got it!" Harold shouted, though he wasn't entirely sure that was true.
The monster recovered quickly.
It snarled and turned its glowing eyes toward him.
For the first time, Harold truly saw the creature's teeth properly.
Long.
Sharp.
Built to tear through flesh.
Fear crawled up his spine.
"Oh boy… this is terrifying." He muttered.
But the system window appeared again.
HOSTILE ENTITY IDENTIFIED
FERAL HOUND
THREAT LEVEL: LOW
Low?
It didn't feel low. Is this what they call low? What the hell!
The feral hound charged.
Harold raised the knife instinctively.
The creature swiped with its massive claws.
Harold barely managed to step aside.
The claw sliced through the air where his chest had been.
The speed of it was terrifying.
But Harold's body felt so different… sooo energized, it felt unreal.
Faster and Stronger.
The borrowed ability was working.
The monster lunged again.
This time Harold moved forward instead of back.
His fist shot out instinctively.
The punch connected with the creature's jaw.
The impact echoed through the apartment.
The monster growled and stumbled backward as it was its feet now.
Harold stared at his own hand in shock.
"Did I just—"
The creature recovered quickly once again, even angrier now.
It snarled loudly and lunged again.
David stepped in from the side.
He slashed the knife across the monster's flank.
This time the blade cut deeper.
Dark blood splattered across the floor.
The creature howled.
But it still had strength, it was offended… it had never felt this much pain before.
The monster whipped around and knocked David backward with a powerful swing of its body.
David crashed into the wall.
"Dad!" Harold shouted.
The creature turned toward harold again, Its glowing eyes burning with rage.
Harold felt his heartbeat hammering in his chest.
He glanced quickly toward Emily.
She stood frozen in the hallway, terrified.
Then something appeared in front of her.
SUPPORT ABILITY ACTIVATED
MINOR HEAL
A soft glow formed around Emily's hands.
She looked surprised as her mouth fell open.
"I—I think I can heal you daddy!"
David groaned as some of the light drifted toward him.
The monster noticed the glow.
And it didn't like it.
It turned toward Emily.
"No!" Harold shouted.
The creature began moving toward her.
Harold didn't think.
He ran.
The borrowed strength surged through his legs as he sprinted across the room.
He jumped.
Both hands grabbed the monster's thick fur.
The creature roared as Harold drove the kitchen knife downward with all his strength.
The blade sank into the creature's neck.
The monster thrashed violently.
Harold nearly lost his grip.
But the borrowed strength held.
"Not my sister, you stinky bastard!" he shouted.
He drove the knife deeper.
The creature staggered as Its legs buckled.
And finally—
It collapsed.
The apartment fell silent.
Harold stood there breathing heavily, staring down at the monster as he stared at his blood soaked body.
For several seconds, nobody moved at all.
Then the system spoke again.
HOSTILE ENTITY DEFEATED
ABILITY BORROW SUCCESSFUL
DEBT MISSION PROGRESS UPDATED
Harold stared almost disinterested, this thing was dangerous! What is this? So one day he just turns to a super hero or what? He thought to himself as he cleaned his sweat with frustration before falling to his knees due to how strengthless he suddenly felt.
Another message suddenly appeared.
FIRST COMBAT COMPLETED
NEW DEBT GENERATED
DEBT LEVEL: MINOR
ASSIGNING NEXT OBJECTIVE
Harold exhaled slowly.
His arms trembled slightly as the adrenaline faded.
David pushed himself up from the floor.
"You… just killed that thing harry."
Harold looked down at the creature again.
"I guess I did."
Emily ran over and hugged him tightly.
"That was terrifying Harold!"
"Yeah," Harold said quietly as he rubbed her hair before giving her a kiss atop her head.
"It really was."
Then the final message appeared in front of him.
DEBT MISSION UPDATED
OBJECTIVE: SURVIVE THE FIRST NIGHT
TIME REMAINING: 6 HOURS
FAILURE PENALTY: COLLECTION
Harold stared at the glowing words. Survive the night? Were there more creatures out there or what?
Harold groaned as he looked at the already dead creature.
"Where did you come from?"