My Tribrid System: More than a Monster

Chapter 152

The system kept flashing incessantly in front of Ray’s face, as if it were desperately trying to draw his undivided attention toward its glowing notifications.

The boy didn’t even bat an eyelid at the translucent screen as he finally lifted his foot.

Fresh blood dripped down from his boot—crimson that obviously didn’t belong to him.

Moving backward with heavy, mechanical steps, he stared at the lifeless body a bit longer before turning to see Felix watching him with a stunned, paralyzed expression on his face.

”What? Aren’t werewolves usually brutal?” Ray asked, a tired, hollow look in his eyes as he staggered further away from the carnage.

Felix finally closed his mouth and used his remaining strength to push himself up from the ground.

”... I never said werewolves aren’t. But this felt different, man. I could almost feel a cold chill course down my spine while watching you do what you just did.”

Ray sighed heavily, the sound turning into a pained wheeze as he fell to one knee again, coughing blood violently onto the cold floor.

After a few agonizing seconds, he looked down at the dark stains on his own hands.

”Unfortunately, I had to do so. He was heading towards Kai to kill him.”

He paused for a heartbeat, catching his breath before adding,

”I have learnt some things from watching anime, reading manhwa, and also reading novels. Main characters who hesitate always end up losing those they care about. It’s not like I’m a main character or something, but...”

He heaved another tired sigh as he heard the distant sound of footsteps approaching from behind.

Slowly wobbling to his feet, he glanced back at Felix.

”One has got to do what he needs to do so as to protect those one cares about. I’m not about to lose anybody else I care for to this world. It’s better to crush them early before they become a massive pain in the ass.”

Walking past Felix and heading toward the unconscious Kai, he spoke over his shoulder with a sense of urgency.

”We need to leave now. The Corps will be arriving at any moment.”

Though Ray was severely weakened and utterly exhausted, the adrenaline still coursing through his body hadn’t fully faded yet.

He still had one final task to complete: escape this place before the authorities descended upon the room.

He was in no mood for a useless question-and-answer segment with the military.

Van rushed over to assist him, and together they both lifted Kai up, their shoulders straining as they began staggering away.

Felix stood in his position for a little while longer, blinking at the blood-stained tiles for a few seconds before shrugging and trailing after the group.

***

Five minutes after the boys had vacated the room, a flurry of footsteps rushed forward.

More than twenty men wearing the Iron Corps’ uniform filed in, led by a stern-looking Captain.

It was Captain Jake; Ray’s very own combat instructor.

The squad paused in front of a mangled dead body near the entrance.

”Wait. Isn’t this one of Bryce Jackson’s personal guards?” Jake mumbled to himself, his brow furrowing while he stared at the specialized armor.

Then, his gaze drifted upward to the smashed, unrecognizable face.

’What kind of a monster would do this?’

— Sir!

A voice shouted from deeper inside the laboratory.

The moment they had arrived, the men had already filtered out to search every corner of the room for survivors or clues.

Hearing the call, Jake decided to put his inspection of the corpse on hold as he walked through the blasted entrance to finally witness the total vandalism of the room.

Electrical wiring hung like vines from the destroyed ceiling, with sparks still fizzling and popping around them.

’What the hell happened here?!’

About twenty minutes ago, the Corps had been notified of a significant rumbling by the sensitivity systems installed throughout the facility.

It had taken a minute to pinpoint the exact floor. Just to be safe, the protocols required a Captain to lead the response squad.

But unfortunately, no Captain had been available until Jake arrived back from his previous assignment.

That was the sole reason the Corps had been unable to react in time.

Arriving in the room to see charred corpses and absolute wreckage, Jake squeezed his hands into tight fists as he ground his teeth back and forth.

’If only I had arrived earlier. I wonder if Bryce is okay, seeing as his guard is lying dead. But who—or what—even has the guts to attack a faction leader in broad daylight?’

— What do we do, Captain?

Jake looked up, a dark frown settling on his face.

”Pan out. Search every nook and cranny of the Corps for any signs of the person who could have done this. There’s no way they would have left a fight like this unscathed.

Search for anybody with severe injuries that wouldn’t have possibly come from training. Aspirant, suspicious person, or even an instructor. Search and arrest any suspect NOW!”

— Yes Sir!

The men all saluted in unison and quickly dashed out of the room to execute the command.

”Whoever has done this, just pray I don’t catch you, or else...”

Jake left his threat hanging as he turned to depart the laboratory.

There was no utility in searching the wreckage alone.

Every single piece of equipment was destroyed, reduced to a charred pile of ash and scrap.

Only the final guard’s mangled body remained on the floor, which was already being taken into custody to be examined properly for any forensic evidence the naked eye might have missed.

If Bryce was still alive, he would undoubtedly want to retrieve the remains of his personal guard later—another reason for the Corps to keep it secured for now.

***

Meanwhile, three minutes before the actual blast had occurred, Bryce had already reached his hover car in the nick of time.

His last three surviving guards bolted into the vehicle alongside him.

The other transport cars they had brought were still parked back at the tarmac, abandoned.

But what could they do?

Life was far more precious than machinery.

Bryce could easily replace the vehicles once he made it back to the safety of his private estate.

”Come on! Step on the gas and let’s leave this damned place!” he barked loudly, his voice cracking with lingering panic.

”Wow! A true coward indeed.”

A sharp voice suddenly spoke from the rear seat, causing everyone in the car to stiffen up instantly.

Slowly turning around, Bryce stared at the figure shrouded in the shadows of the back row.

A deep frown crept onto his face as recognition finally dawned on him.

”You?! What the hell are you doing in my car?”

The figure frowned back, her expression equally sour.

”Looking for an escape, what else?”

Bryce glared at the woman before him—Elysa, the tech instructor.

”But why my car?!”

Elysa scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

”I want to escape with you. We have both lost a lot to that group of kids, and I don’t know about you, but I’m petty enough to hold quite the grudge against them. I want them dead, and I simply can’t achieve that alone.”

Bryce stared at the woman for a little while longer, calculating his next move, before turning back toward his driver.

”And what the hell are you still waiting for? Step on the damn gas already!”

’I promise you all, this isn’t over. I will be back for my revenge, but until then,’ Bryce mused inwardly as he lifted a reinforced briefcase onto his lap.

The same case containing the devastating nuke he intended to use to erase a whole city...

’... The plan precedes any petty revenge for now.’