Descendant of Sloth

"Fuck…" I muttered, staring at the enormous, monstrous black cat in front of me. Its sleek fur shimmered in darkness, and its glowing red eyes pierced through me. Blood dripped steadily from its teeth, dropping down at its feet. 

"GRRRRRR..." The beast let out a guttural growl that sent a waves in my direction. 

Before I could fully comprehend the situation, the creature launched it first attack at me, its massive claw slicing through the air with terrifying force. 

*Boom!* 

The sheer power of its swipe sent a shockwave rippling through the subway, shaking the walls and shattering nearby glass panels. Dust and debris exploded into the air. 

When the dust began to settle, I realized I was still standing. In front of me, Jamyang had stopped the cat's massive paw with one hand. Her arm radiated a faint, golden aura, and she held it back as if it were no more than a bothersome inconvenience. 

"You okay?" she asked, glancing back at me casually, as though this was just another Tuesday. 

"Umm… yeah, I'm fine," I replied, still trying to process what had just happened. 

Jamyang rolled her eyes. "At least dodge if you're not planning to counter it." 

"I will… next time," I said, scratching the back of my head. 

The beast snarled and swung its other paw toward Jamyang, its claws coming menacingly in the dim light. But before the attack could connect, she vanished, reappearing behind it in a blur of motion. 

Her fist crashed into the side of its head with a resounding *crack*, sending the beast stumbling sideways. 

The creature let out a blood-curdling screech, its demonic voice echoing through the subway tunnel. Cracks formed along the walls from the sheer force of its cry, and dust rained down from the ceiling. 

"Shut up," Jamyang muttered, leaping back to the ground 

She launched a flurry of punches and kicks at the beast, each strike precise and devastating. The cat fought back with equal ferocity, its movements a blur as it lashed out with its claws and teeth. 

Deciding it was time to contribute, I summoned my black dagger. The dark blade shimmered faintly in the dim light, its sharp edge and cuts on it still showing brutal efficiency. 

While Jamyang kept the creature occupied, I moved in from the sides, looking for openings to strike. The beast was fast—unnaturally so—but its movements were erratic, almost desperate. 

It lunged at Jamyang, its claws tearing through the air with enough force to slice through steel. 

She dodged effortlessly, her movements fluid and precise as she countered with a devastating uppercut that sent the creature crashing into a nearby wall. 

The impact shook the entire subway, and a section of the wall crumbled under the force. 

Chunks of concrete and debris rained down, the sound echoing through the tunnel. 

"This is getting messy," I muttered, dodging a chunk of falling debris. 

Jamyang grinned, her eyes alight with excitement. "You call this messy? This is fun!" 

The beast roared in fury, its glowing red eyes narrowing as it charged at her again. Its massive claws shredding across the floor, leaving deep gouges in the concrete as it closed the distance. 

Jamyang met its charge head-on, her fists glowing with that strange golden energy. The clash sent another shockwave rippling through the tunnel, the sound deafening as it reverberated off the walls. 

Taking advantage of the chaos, I moved in from the side, my dagger slicing through the air. I aimed for the creature's hind leg, jumping to slash it and give Jamyang the upper hand. 

The blade connected, cutting deep into its flesh. The beast howled in pain, its movements faltering for a brief moment. 

"Nice one!" Jamyang called out, taking the opportunity to land a powerful roundhouse kick to its side. 

The force of her kick sent the creature skidding across the floor, its claws scrambling for balance. It crashed into a row of benches, cutting them into pieces.

Despite the damage, the beast showed no signs of slowing down. It snarled, its eyes glowing even brighter as it pushed itself back onto its feet. 

"I think we pissed it off," I said, gripping my dagger tightly. 

Jamyang smirked. "Good. Let's finish this." 

The creature lunged again, this time targeting me. Its claws tore through the air, and I blocked it with my dagger but the sheer force of its attack sent me through air. 

"Adrian, focus!" Jamyang shouted, leaping between me and the beast. 

She landed a powerful punch to its jaw, but the creature retaliated with a swipe of its claws, catching her across the shoulder. Blood splattered across the floor as she staggered back, a grimace of pain flashing across her face. 

"Jamyang!" I called out, rushing to her side. 

"I'm fine," she said through gritted teeth, her aura flaring brighter as she steadied herself. "This bastard just got lucky." 

But now, I could see its pattern. Despite its speed and strength, its attacks were predictable. It always hesitated for a split second before lunging, and its hind legs twitched before every leap. 

I moved in, dodging its attacks with practiced ease as I studied its movements. Then, I saw my opening. 

With a swift lunge, I drove my dagger into its shoulder, slicing clean through the joint. The beast let out a guttural howl as its arm was chopped, blood spraying across the floor in thick, dark droplets. 

I landed a few feet away, watching as it writhed in pain. 

"Now, Jamyang!" I shouted. 

Her fists glowed with a brilliant golden light, the air around her humming with power. Her eyes narrowed and legs bend to release in a scary flash. 

"Time to end this.." she said, charging forward. 

*BOOOOM* 

Her fist connected with the creature's face in a devastating blow. All I saw was a bright flash of light and resounding sound. The impact sending shockwaves rippling through the air. The force of her attack was enough to shatter its skull, blowing off its head into nothingness. 

The beast's body collapsed in a lifeless heap. 

Jamyang let out a breath, wiping the sweat from her brow. "Phew. That was… tiring." 

"Yeah," I said, catching my breath. "But at least it's over." 

She sat down onto the ground, relaxing as she leaned back, her legs casually spreading with arms wide to take a breather. A playful smile tugged at her lips as she tilted her face towards me. 

"Good slash," she remarked, 

"Thanks," I replied, 

But the uneasiness didn't left me and the question came to me as I called her out. 

"Jamyang…" I said, my tone heavy. 

She looked at me, raising an eyebrow. "What's up?" 

"There should be two of them, right? According to the call we received?" 

Her eyes widened in realization. "Oh, crap. You're right. Where's the second one?" 

A smirk tugged at the corner of my lips as I tilted my head, my gaze drifting toward the white cat statue we'd passed earlier. 

"I think I know where the hiding rat is." 

Jamyang followed my gaze, her expression hardening as she spotted the statue. Its blank eyes were no longer lifeless. They glowed in red, and a sinister grin spread across its face. 

Before either of us could react, the statue came to life, its tiny body leaping off. The once-innocent figure transformed midair, its body elongating and twisting into something scary. It let out a chilling laugh before darting out of the subway, its movements almost too fast to track. 

Jamyang cursed under her breath. "Great. It's a runner." 

"Looks like we've got a chase on our hands," I said, gripping my dagger tightly as we took off after it.