Phased out

Unguibus was right there. 

Breathing down his neck. 

Ethan could feel it—the air shifting, the presence of something monstrous preparing to 

strike. 

Then— A blur of motion. 

Unguibus swung its massive, jagged claws straight for Ethan's throat. 

A killing blow. 

One strike, and his head would be gone. 

But then— Ethan tripped. A misstep, a moment of exhaustion catching up to him— And instead of taking the hit— He fell. 

The claws sliced through the air, barely missing his neck. 

The force of the swing sent a gust of wind blasting past his skin, sharp as a blade. But Unguibus didn't hesitate. 

It had missed—but it had already adjusted. Before Ethan could even process what happened— A brutal, crushing impact. 

The monster's leg shot forward, its thick, twisted limb colliding directly into Ethan's stomach. 

CRACK. 

It wasn't just a hit—it was a kick meant to shatter bones. 

Ethan's breath left his lungs instantly. 

His body folded inward, the pain exploding through his ribs like a bomb had gone off inside him.

And then— He was airborne. 

His vision blurred, twisted— The world spun as his body was sent flying—hard, fast, uncontrollable. 

20 meters. 

Straight in Karlos' direction. 

Karlos watched. 

He wanted to move. Every instinct screamed at him to run to Ethan, to catch him before he hit the ground. 

But he didn't. 

He couldn't. If he moved now—if he broke cover, if he left his position— The plan would fail. 

And if the plan failed, they both died. 

So, he forced himself to stay still. 

To watch as Ethan's body crashed into the ground, rolling from the force of the impact. 

To ignore the way his stomach twisted painfully at the sight of his friend struggling to breathe. To shut out everything— 

Because now— 

He saw it. 

Emerging from the shadows. 

Massive.

Unshakable.

A walking executioner. 

Gravibus. 1

Karlos' breath hitched. 

"What… the hell… is that?"

It stood there, monstrous, unnatural—wrong. 

Gravibus. 

A grotesque behemoth of muscle and mutilation. Its face was pig-like, but twisted beyond recognition—a wide, deformed snout with deep, gaping nostrils that flared as it breathed. But the worst part? Its teeth. 

Two massive fangs curved outward from its lower jaw, protruding past its lips like crude, jagged knives. The rest of its mouth was a nightmare—a maze of long, uneven, razorsharp teeth jutting out in random directions. 

Its lips barely covered them, constantly twitching, peeling back as if struggling to contain the horror inside. And its body… It was human—yet it wasn't. 

Four massive arms. Thick, veiny, grotesquely overdeveloped. The muscle pulsed beneath its skinless, raw flesh, every tendon exposed like a living anatomy chart drenched in blood. No, not skinless. 

It had "never had a skin".

Its entire existence was just raw muscle and endless suffering. 

Deep, surgical scars crisscrossed its body, like it had been built for war, for destruction, for pain.

Its posture was disturbingly upright. Unshaken. Unfazed. As if it had been expecting them all along. And then there were the proportions. 

Its arms—too long. Its legs—too short. 

Its legs barely reached the length of a normal human's arm. It should've looked clumsy, and weak. But it didn't.

It looked designed. 

Purpose-built. 

Every inch of it made for pure, relentless slaughter. 

The Air Shifted. 

Karlos felt his stomach twist into a tight, unbearable knot. The air was thick, suffocating.

His instincts, 

his very core, told him— This wasn't just a monster. 

This was a butcher. 

A war machine. 

Something that existed only to kill. 

His fingers clenched into fists, but his hands were cold.

Numb. 

He had faced fear before. 

But this? 

This was different. 

His body had gone completely still. 

Not because he chose to. 

But because something deep inside him refused to move. 

And the worst part? 

He didn't know. 

Did they actually have a chance? 

Was Unguibus strong enough to kill Gravibus? 

Or had they just brought two nightmares together… only to die between them? 

Silence. 

The kind that made your skin crawl. 

The kind that meant something terrible was about to happen. 

Gravibus stood there, its monstrous form looming over the space like a walking 

executioner.

It didn't move. 

It didn't react. 

It just breathed. 

Each inhale sounded wet, guttural—like air forcing its way through shredded flesh. 

And then—it turned its head. 

Fast.

Too fast. 

Like a puppet being yanked by invisible strings. 

SNAP. 

Its pig-like face twisted toward Unguibus. 

The hollow sockets of Unguibus' goat-like head stared back. And for the first time since Ethan had encountered it—

Unguibus hesitated. 

It slowed down, claws twitching, its grotesque frame lowering slightly, like it was analyzing this new threat.

But Gravibus? 

It didn't hesitate. 

It just existed. 

Its chest rose and fell in a slow, controlled rhythm. 

The way a butcher sharpens his knife before the first cut. 

The silence stretched on. 

The tension became unbearable. 

And then— Gravibus took a step forward. 

The entire floor trembled. 

BOOM. 

Another step. 

BOOM. 

The air thickened. 

The pressure crushed down on Ethan and Karlos like a physical force. 

It wasn't just big. 

It wasn't just strong. 

It was something built for destruction. 

And it had acknowledged Unguibus. 

A predator meeting another predator. 

The tension between them was suffocating. 

One of them would move. 

One of them would strike first. 

And when that happened— Hell would break loose. 

The moment Gravibus moved— Unguibus attacked. 

Like a beast driven purely by instinct, it lunged forward, its jagged claws cutting through 

the air like serrated blades. Its body, once stalking, waiting, was now a blinding force of 

pure aggression. 

It wasn't thinking. 

It wasn't planning. 

It just saw movement— And it struck. But the moment Unguibus charged— Karlos ran. 

Straight to Ethan. 

He reached him in seconds, his hands grabbing Ethan's arm and dragging him behind the closest wall. They collapsed against it, hidden from the battle. Ethan gasped, his chest rising and falling violently, and then— Blood. 

Thick, dark red, spilling from his lips as he coughed. 

Karlos' stomach tightened at the sight. 

"Shit."

"That kick did real damage." He didn't know how bad it was, but there was no time to check. 

Not when the real fight was beginning. 

He turned— And peered past the wall, eyes locking onto the battlefield. 

Unguibus was almost there. 

Its claws swung, a blur of blackened bone and raw power, aiming to tear straight through Gravibus' exposed flesh. But— Gravibus didn't move. 

It didn't flinch. 

It just waited. 

And then— It struck. At the last possible second, Gravibus quickly swayed back, dodging Unguibus' claws before his massive, grotesquely long arm lashed out— Its fingers curled around Unguibus' waist. 

The grip was monstrous.

Crushing.

Unbreakable. 

Unguibus barely had time to react— Before it was lifted clean off the ground. 

Then— 

SLAM. 

Gravibus drove Unguibus straight into the ground. 

The impact was earth-shattering. 

The ground split apart beneath the sheer force, cracks webbing out in all directions. 

A thunderous shockwave erupted, sending debris and thick clouds of dust into the air, covering the battlefield in a suffocating fog.

Even from behind the wall, Karlos felt it.

The force was unreal— So strong, it nearly sent them flying. 

But Karlos dug his feet into the floor, gripping Ethan's arm, anchoring them both in place.

Dust and debris rushed past them, choking the air, stinging their eyes. 

The ground trembled beneath them. 

Karlos' heart was hammering. 

This wasn't just a fight. 

This was destruction. 

The fog was thick, suffocating. 

Dust swirled in the air, blocking the battlefield from sight. 

Karlos coughed, his eyes narrowing as the debris finally began to settle. 

And when it cleared— His breath hitched. 

Gravibus. 

Towering.

Unshaken. 

Standing over Unguibus' broken body. 

Karlos' stomach twisted into a tight knot. 

"Shit…"

This wasn't good. If this turned into a one-sided slaughter… The plan would fail. 

They needed both of them to tear each other apart. To weaken each other just enough—so that when the time came… They could deliver the final blow. 

But from what he was seeing— 

Gravibus wasn't just winning. 

It was destroying. 

It was tearing Unguibus apart like a ragdoll. 

And then— Gravibus moved. Its massive, fleshless arm lifted, veins bulging as it cocked its fist back

Preparing to end it. 

But then— 

Unguibus roared. 

A deep, twisted, agonized bellow that rattled Karlos' very bones. And in 

that split second

SHHK. 

A blur of movement. A flash of blackened claws— And then— flesh split open. 

Gravibus lurched back, its stomach torn apart— A jagged gash, deep and gruesome, ripped across its abdomen. 

And within it— A glimpse of intestine. 

The flesh hung loose, twitching, threatening to spill. 

But

Gravibus didn't stop. 

Didn't flinch. 

Didn't even acknowledge the injury. 

Instead— It brought its fist down. 

CRASH. 

The ground shattered. 

The force of the punch ripped through the air, sending another shockwave bursting outward. 

Unguibus' skull cracked violently under the impact, deep fractures splitting across its bone-like plating.

The creature let out an agonized roar, its entire body twitching in pain. 

But even in agony— Even with its skull half-broken, its head pounding with unbearable pain— It fought back.

SHHK. 

With a violent slash, Unguibus' claws ripped into Gravibus' head, cutting across its deformed pig like face. And with one last desperate effort— It threw Gravibus off itself. 

The giant, unshakable war machine was finally forced backward, its body colliding against the ground, shaking the entire space. For the first time— Gravibus had been thrown. 

The moment Gravibus hit the ground— 

Unguibus didn't hesitate. 

It charged. 

A blur of blackened claws and pure, mindless aggression. It lunged forward, aiming to slice straight through Gravibus— To tear into its flesh, rip it apart, end it completely. 

But then— 

Gravibus moved. 

Fast.

Too fast. 

Its massive, grotesque frame should have been slow, heavy— But instead, it darted backward with unnatural speed, avoiding the deadly swipe by mere inches. And as it did— Its two lower arms lashed out. 

Thick, veiny, powerful— They caught Unguibus by the claws, stopping them mid-swing. 

A mistake. Even before Karlos could process what had happened— Blood poured from Gravibus' hands. 

The claws dug deep, piercing into the raw muscle, tearing into the exposed flesh. 

The wounds were brutal. 

The damage was real. 

And yet— Gravibus didn't let go. 

Its fingers tightened, locking like a steel trap around Unguibus' deadly weapons. 

It chose to endure the pain. 

It chose to bleed. 

And that was the difference between the two monsters. 

One fought by instinct. 

The other fought by calculated destruction. 

Then—Gravibus struck. 

Its remaining two arms swung upward— Then formed a fist and smashed down onto Unguibus's shoulders.

A brutal, earth-shattering hammer fist. 

The impact was instant. 

A crushing, monstrous BLUDGEONING SMASH that drove Unguibus straight into the 

ground.

CRASH. 

The entire floor split apart from the force. 

The yellow walls trembled, vibrating from the sheer shockwave. Even the overhead lights flickering, unstable— Cut out completely. 

For a brief second—everything went black. 

The battlefield was unrecognizable. 

The ground was fractured, broken beyond repair. 

The walls, once endless and unshaken, now trembled as if the entire space itself was rejecting the horror unfolding inside it. Unguibus lay on the ground. 

Motionless. 

Its skull—shattered. 

Its yak-like body—a broken, bloody mess. 

Gravibus stood over it, towering, victorious, its grotesque frame leaking thick, blackened blood from countless wounds.

The battle should have been over. 

But it wasn't. 

Because Unguibus was waiting. 

It didn't move. 

It didn't breathe. 

It just waited. 

It waited. It waited. It waited. 

Until Gravibus finally stepped closer.

THUMP. 

The sound of Gravibus' massive footsteps. 

THUMP. 

It loomed over its prey. 

THUMP. 

It reached down— 

And then— 

SCRRH. 

Its massive, veiny hands wrapped around Unguibus' broken body. 

One hand.

Two hands.

Three. Four. 

A complete, crushing grip.

And then— 

It lifted. 

Unguibus' twisted, blood-soaked body was raised into the air, hoisted above Gravibus' head like a prize. And then it roared. 

A sound that shook the very walls. 

This wasn't a cry of victory. 

This was ritualistic.

Primitive. 

A declaration of absolute destruction. 

Then— It began pulling. 

The sound was unbearable. 

Skin tearing. Flesh snapping. Ligaments stretching to their absolute limit. 

Strings of muscle snapped like wires, curling back into the body as they were severed. 

Unguibus' torso slowly split apart, its very existence being ripped in half by sheer brute force. The noise wasn't just sickening. 

It was a sound that no human should ever hear. 

It was wrong. 

Pure, raw butchery. 

And then— 

Unguibus moved. 

It was supposed to be dead. 

It was supposed to be powerless. 

But Unguibus struck with one final, desperate, monstrous act of vengeance. 

Its claws lashed out. 

SINK. 

They buried deep into Gravibus' open abdomen— Straight through muscle, past ribs, piercing straight into its rotting organs. 

And then—it tore. 

Gravibus' stomach split open completely. A wave of thick, slimy intestine spilled out— Hanging. 

Swinging. 

The sight was beyond grotesque. A mess of blackened, oozing organs dripping down in a sickening, guttural heap. 

The smell hit next. 

A rancid, vomit-inducing stench of decay, bile, and death. 

Gravibus screamed. 

Not a normal scream. 

A deep, primal, gut-wrenching bellow that tore through the air with unbearable intensity. 

The force of the cry alone sent waves of pain crashing through the air, shaking the very ground beneath them.

It didn't stop. 

Even as its own insides hung freely from its destroyed torso— Even as blood poured from the gaping wound, pooling beneath its massive feet— It still didn't stop. 

It refused to stop. 

The rage, the bloodlust—it overpowered the pain. And with one final act of sheer willpower— It continued pulling. 

Unguibus wasn't done yet— 

But neither was Gravibus. 

And then— 

SHHHK. 

A final slice. 

Unguibus' claws tore across Gravibus' pig-like face, cutting deep into its deformed features. Blood sprayed into the air. 

And then— The battlefield fell silent. 

CRACK. 

As Unguibus' claws tore through Gravibus' deformed face, a jagged snap echoed through the battlefield. Something flew through the air— A sharp, thick piece of broken bone, glistening with blood. 

One of Gravibus' massive pig-like fangs had shattered. 

The fractured piece spun wildly, landing with a dull THUD against the wet, goresoaked 

floor. Karlos' eyes widened. 

A weapon. 

"WAIT!! I CAN USE THAT AS A WEAPON IN THE FUTURE!"

His heartbeat spiked. 

He memorized the exact spot where the fang had landed. 

But before he could move— The battle reached its final moment.