The hallway fell silent.
Not empty—
Silent.
---
Heavy footsteps echoed.
Slow.
Measured.
Unstoppable.
---
Diablo stood still.
Watching.
---
At the far end of the corridor—
The massive figure stepped forward.
Each step left a dent in the metal floor.
---
Grave-9.
---
Seven feet tall.
Encased in black reinforced armor etched with suppression runes.
No exposed flesh.
No visible weakness.
---
A weapon.
Not human.
Not alive.
---
Built to kill.
---
"Execution unit deployed," a voice crackled through the speakers.
"Eliminate Subject D-13."
---
Grave-9 stopped.
Its head tilted slightly.
Locking onto Diablo.
---
A low mechanical hum filled the air.
---
Target acquired.
---
Diablo didn't move.
Didn't speak.
---
But his eyes—
Shifted.
---
Focused.
---
He observed.
Measured.
Calculated.
---
Then—
Grave-9 moved.
---
The distance vanished instantly.
---
A massive fist tore through the air—
A direct strike.
No hesitation.
No warning.
---
Diablo stepped aside.
Barely.
---
The punch missed—
But the wall behind him exploded.
---
Concrete shattered.
Metal bent inward.
Shockwaves rippled through the corridor.
---
Diablo glanced at the destruction.
Then back at Grave-9.
---
Stronger.
Faster.
He understood.
---
Grave-9 didn't pause.
A second strike followed—
Faster.
Heavier.
---
Diablo raised his arm.
---
Impact.
---
A dull crack echoed.
---
His body slid back across the floor—
Chains scraping behind him.
---
For a moment—
Everything went still.
---
Pain surged through his arm.
Bone strain.
Muscle tearing.
---
But—
It stopped.
---
Repaired.
---
His arm lowered slowly.
Functioning.
---
Grave-9 advanced again.
Relentless.
---
Diablo's eyes narrowed slightly.
---
He understood now.
---
Not something he could overpower.
---
Not yet.
---
So he changed.
---
The next attack came—
A downward strike meant to crush.
---
Diablo didn't block.
---
He moved.
---
Side step.
Pivot.
---
Close.
---
Too close.
---
For the first time—
Grave-9 hesitated.
---
Diablo's hand pressed against the armor.
---
Contact.
---
Something… shifted.
---
A pulse.
---
Deep within him—
Something responded.
---
A whisper turned into a voice.
---
—Blood detected.
—Foreign structure identified.
—Devour…?
---
Diablo's fingers tightened.
---
Crimson light flickered faintly beneath his skin.
---
Grave-9 reacted instantly.
Its arm twisted—
Grabbing Diablo by the throat.
---
Lifted.
---
Off the ground.
---
Crushing pressure tightened around his neck.
---
"Subject resisting," the system announced.
"Force escalation authorized."
---
Grave-9's grip tightened.
---
Crack.
---
For a normal human—
It would have ended.
---
Diablo didn't struggle.
---
His eyes remained calm.
Focused.
---
Analyzing.
---
Then—
His hand moved again.
---
Pressed against the arm holding him.
---
The crimson glow returned.
Stronger.
---
—Bloodline response detected.
—Skill awakening…
---
Something inside him snapped into place.
---
Not learned.
Not given.
---
Remembered.
---
Crimson Predation.
---
The world shifted.
---
Sound dulled.
Time slowed.
---
Diablo felt it—
Flow.
Energy.
Life.
---
Even through metal—
Something was there.
---
He took it.
---
Grave-9 froze.
---
Just for a fraction of a second.
---
Enough.
---
Diablo's body twisted mid-air.
---
His free hand drove forward—
Targeting the same point.
---
Again.
---
And again.
---
A faint crack appeared on the armor.
---
Grave-9 reacted—
Throwing Diablo across the corridor.
---
He crashed into the wall.
Hard.
---
The impact echoed.
Dust fell.
---
For a moment—
Stillness.
---
Then—
Diablo stood.
---
Slower this time.
---
His breathing—
Uneven.
---
His arm—
Trembling slightly.
---
Inside—
Something burned.
---
Too much.
Too fast.
---
Damage.
---
But his eyes—
Were different.
---
Brighter.
Sharper.
---
Alive.
---
Grave-9 stepped forward again.
Unstoppable.
Unharmed—
Almost.
---
But not untouched.
---
A small fracture remained on its armor.
---
Diablo noticed.
---
Target identified.
---
He moved.
---
Faster than before.
---
Not strength.
Not speed.
---
Precision.
---
Every step calculated.
---
Every movement intentional.
---
Grave-9 attacked—
A sweeping strike.
---
Diablo ducked.
Closed distance.
---
Hit the same point.
---
Crack.
---
Again.
---
Crack.
---
Again.
---
The fracture spread.
---
Grave-9 adjusted.
Faster now.
Adapting.
---
But so was he.
---
Diablo's movements sharpened.
Refined.
Evolving mid-fight.
---
Then—
A final strike.
---
Direct.
Focused.
---
The armor shattered.
---
A small opening.
---
Inside—
Dark fluid pulsed.
---
Not blood.
But close enough.
---
Diablo's hand pierced forward.
---
Contact.
---
And this time—
He didn't stop.
---
Crimson Predation activated.
---
The corridor trembled.
---
Grave-9 froze completely.
---
Systems failing.
Movement slowing.
---
Something was being taken.
---
Not just energy.
---
Function.
---
Structure.
---
Grave-9's grip weakened.
Then—
Released.
---
It collapsed.
---
Heavy.
Lifeless.
---
Silence returned.
---
Diablo stood over it.
---
Breathing slowly.
---
His body trembled slightly.
---
Pain.
Internal.
Burning.
---
Too much power.
Too soon.
---
But he didn't fall.
---
He endured.
---
His gaze lifted.
---
Toward the deeper parts of the facility.
---
More enemies.
More power.
---
More to take.
---
Behind the observation glass—
The scientists stood frozen.
---
"No…" someone whispered.
---
Kael Virex watched in silence.
---
Then—
He smiled.
---
"Perfect."