Moonshadow Abyss

The footsteps were slow and steady, as if the person had no intention of hiding their presence.

Jack and Aisha exchanged a quick glance, then switched off their flashlights and hid in the shadows behind the experiment chambers.

In the darkness, Jack's breathing became shallow. His hand silently moved toward the knife at his waist.

Aisha, steady and composed, gripped her gun firmly, her finger resting on the trigger, eyes sharp and alert.

The footsteps grew closer.

Then, they stopped at the doorway.

A moment of silence passed before the door was gently pushed open. A tall figure stepped inside.

The man wore a long black trench coat. His silver hair cascaded over his shoulders, and he wore a pair of frameless glasses. His gaze was sharp, like a blade.

Even through the darkness, Jack could feel the oppressive aura radiating from him—a natural authority, laced with danger.

The man scanned the lab, his eyes pausing on the doctor's lifeless body.

He stared at the corpse for a moment, as if confirming its death. Then, he spoke in a calm tone:

"…E-7, you're still alive, aren't you?"

Jack's pupils contracted.

He was calling him?

Aisha's fingers tightened slightly around her gun, watching the man's every move with caution.

The man didn't wait for a response. Instead, he turned his head, slowly surveying the dark corners of the room.

"You know…" His voice was deep and magnetic, carrying a disturbing indifference. "I've been waiting for you for a long time."

The air grew even more suffocating.

Aisha subtly turned to Jack, silently mouthing: "Do you know him?"

Jack shook his head, but his heart was already pounding uncontrollably.

He didn't recognize this man.

But this man clearly recognized him.

The man let out a soft chuckle. "I suppose you're wondering who I am."

He took two slow steps forward, his gaze still fixed on the shadows. "Since you haven't fully recovered your memory, let me help you remember."

He paused for a moment, then gave a faint, unreadable smile.

"I am one of your creators."

Jack's pupils shrank sharply.

His chest tightened as if struck by a heavy blow.

Aisha instinctively raised her gun higher, her sights locked onto the man's vital points.

"Creator?" Jack repeated, his voice laced with restrained fury. "So… I'm just some monster you manufactured?"

The man tilted his head slightly, his smile deepening. "Monster? No. You are the most successful subject."

Jack's fingers curled, and before he realized it, his nails had already begun to sharpen into claws.

The man seemed to notice his anger but remained unfazed, continuing in a casual tone:

"You should be grateful to us, Jack."

"Without these experiments, you would have been just an ordinary man, living a mundane life. But now—"

His gaze darkened slightly, carrying a hint of admiration.

"You are the most perfect E-series experiment, fused with the most powerful lycanthrope genes."

"Your strength surpasses that of an ordinary werewolf."

"You can smell things they can't, hear sounds beyond their perception, and even…"

He paused briefly, a slight smirk forming on his lips.

"…feel the craving for blood in a way they never could."

Jack's heartbeat faltered.

That hunger—he knew it all too well.

But he had always assumed… it was just part of being a werewolf.

Now, this man was telling him that this thirst was engineered into him?

Jack's breathing grew heavier. Something inside him was stirring, breaking free of its chains.

Anger. Resentment. Fear.

And a hatred buried deep in his bones.

The man watched him carefully, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes.

"You can feel it, can't you?"

He raised a hand and pointed toward the mutilated werewolf corpse.

"If you get a little closer, take a deep breath, you'll notice—"

"That blood… is still 'alive.'"

Jack's head snapped up, a wild gleam flashing through his eyes.

Aisha immediately grabbed his wrist, whispering, "Don't listen to him."

But Jack's thoughts had already begun to unravel.

The hunger in his stomach flared like a wildfire, burning through his senses.

The man's words held a terrifying truth.

Even though the werewolf corpse had been dead for hours, he could still smell the blood's lingering potency.

It was intoxicating.

The man's gaze lingered on Jack's face, his smile deepening.

"How long do you think you can resist?"

His voice was low, almost hypnotic, like a patient predator waiting for its prey to step into the trap.

"Why keep fighting it? Instead of running from yourself—"

He extended a hand toward Jack, his smile gentle yet laced with malice.

"Accept who you really are."

Jack's breath was ragged. His claws had already extended against his will.

He could feel himself slipping, his rational mind crumbling, while the beast within clawed its way to the surface.

The man continued to whisper, his words like venom seeping into his mind.

"Imagine it—no more suppressing your instincts, no more pain, no more struggle. Just fully embracing E-7…"

"You will become stronger."

"You will… become the true Alpha."

Silence.

Then—

A gunshot shattered the tension.

BANG!

The bullet grazed the man's sleeve, embedding itself into the wall behind him.

Aisha's voice was ice-cold. "Shut up."

The man paused, turning to look at her. His eyes darkened slightly.

Aisha stood in front of Jack, shielding him. Her gun was aimed straight at the man's forehead, her grip steady.

"If you try to mess with his head again," she said coolly, "I won't miss next time."

Jack blinked, his growl fading.

The man studied Aisha for a moment, then chuckled softly.

"…Interesting."

He adjusted his glasses and spoke with unsettling calmness.

"Jack, it seems your 'humanity' is still quite persistent."

"But… we will meet again."

With that, he turned and walked toward the door.

His footsteps were unhurried, confident, as if completely unbothered.

But just as he stepped over the threshold, he glanced back one last time, smiling faintly.

"Oh, and one more thing—"

"The next time we meet… I hope you've finally figured out who you really are."

Then, he vanished into the darkness.

——

The room was left in silence.

Jack stared down at his hands. His fingertips were still stained with the doctor's blood.

For the first time, he felt truly uncertain.

Was he a person?

Or was he… just a monster created in a lab?