Nemesis staggered, twitching violently. Its grotesque body struggled to hold form under the constant damage. But it still regenerated—too fast, too strong.
Arlo exhaled through his nose, already raising his weapon again."It's no use," Jill muttered. "We're barely slowing it down."
Then Carlos's voice crackled in the comm: "Jill! Arlo! Look up—crane incoming!"
They both looked. High above, Carlos was in the control booth, operating a massive crane. The claw swung into view, creaking as it moved toward them.
"Use it to climb up!" Carlos shouted.Jill nodded and reloaded. "You and Link should go now!"
Nemesis began rising again—half on fire, still roaring.
"Move now!" Arlo shouted. He scooped Link up with one arm and sprinted for the crane's hook. Jill was right beside him.
Just as Nemesis lunged again, the crane's claw smashed downward with brutal force—catching Nemesis mid-pounce. It sent the monster crashing backward, bones cracking under the impact.The ground trembled.
Arlo didn't waste the opportunity—he vaulted up onto the crane's base, Link still in his arm. Jill grabbed onto the metal support and climbed fast.
Carlos's voice returned through the comm. "Got you! Hold on—I'm pulling you up!"
The crane groaned as it retracted. Nemesis writhed below, trapped under mangled steel and debris.
"I'm gonna melt this fucker into mush," Carlos said darkly.
Arlo turned as Carlos hit the disposal valve.
A hiss followed—and then a wave of corrosive acid dumped over the pinned creature. Nemesis let out an unnatural screech as the chemical bath dissolved chunks of flesh on contact.
Carlos's voice returned, grim but satisfied: "Okay, I'll meet you guys up ahead. You finish it? Get out."
They reached the top catwalk as the last of the acid hissed on metal.
Arlo set Link down and reloaded his sidearm. Jill checked the vaccine in her pouch.They moved through the next door slowly—weapons raised, eyes sharp.
"Where the hell is Nicholai…?" Jill murmured.
Arlo answered flatly, "He's nearby. That bastard doesn't move unless he has an escape route."
Link sniffed the air, ears sharp, growling low. They moved forward down the maintenance hallway, which opened into another platform walkway.
Jill looked ahead. "We have to get that vaccine back. He won't leave without it."
The door slid open. Inside was a familiar smug face—NIcholai, standing next to a console, pistol in hand.
Arlo's weapon came up immediately. So did Jill's. Link growled loud and sharp. Jill stepped forward, gun steady.
"It's done. Give me the vaccine, you greedy son of a bitch." Jill yelled.
Arlo said nothing, but mentally logged: Accurate description.
Nicholai raised his hands slightly. "Oh no no no no," he said smoothly. "You print money. I like money." He gestured to Jill. "We could have a future, you and I. An ongoing arrangement." His voice shifted—sharp now. "Now drop the guns. Both of you."
Before either of them could respond—something burst through the wall. A hideous squelch. A mass of flesh slammed into the platform. Jill staggered. Nicholai flinched. But Arlo moved. His danger intuition spiked like a fire alarm. He grabbed Link and vaulted away from the main walkway just before it collapsed. Jill was thrown aside, hitting the floor hard.
Arlo landed in a crouch again, setting Link down gently."You okay?" he called out.
"I'm fine!" Jill coughed, rising fast.
Then it came. A massive, heaving glob of living tissue surged through the hole. Pulsing, bloated, expanding by the second—flesh and bone twisting around itself. Nemesis wasn't dead. He changed into something that is horror worthy monster.
Nicholai eyes widened, but his voice was fevered with greed."Have you ever seen anything so incredible?" he muttered. "The data on this… it would be worth millions." The blob twitched, slamming into the floor."But… you know how it is—city's about to explode," he added, stepping backward. "And you can't put a price on life." He turned and sprinted toward an escape elevator in the far corner."Good luck," he said, vanishing behind the rising gate.
Jill cursed. "Damn it!"
Arlo raised his cane-blade. "Forget him. This thing is the real problem now."
The massive creature—what was left of Nemesis—let out a roar that wasn't even remotely human anymore.It filled the entire room, pulsing like a giant heart.
Arlo narrowed his eyes. "We're not walking out unless we kill this thing. You ready?"
Jill raised her launcher. "Yeah, Let's finish it."
***
The platform shook again as Nemesis dragged itself further into the chamber, now a mutated pile of writhing tendrils, calcified plates, and exposed muscle. It was no longer remotely humanoid—just a massive, grotesque organism shaped by rage and raw biology.
Above them, Carlos appeared in the upper walkway, yelling down over them. "Jill! Arlo!"
Jill looked up and immediately called back, "Go after Nicholai! He's got the vaccine!"
Carlos hesitated. "What about you guys?"
Arlo reloaded his cane-blade without looking up. "We're running out of time. Me and Jill got this."
Carlos's voice tightened. "I know you do. Arlo… keep her safe."
Arlo didn't reply—just nodded once. Message received.
They turned their eyes back to Nemesis, which now sprawled like a grotesque leviathan across the center of the chamber. Its entire body pulsated, as if breathing. Massive, slug-like and quadrupedal, it dragged itself forward—tentacles slamming into the metal.Its shriek filled the chamber, followed by the reek of bile and acid.Even now, it was still trying to complete its mission.
Arlo activated [Observe]. The HUD flared, showing stats that had doubled since their last encounter.
---
Nemesis-T Type
Race: Undead (T-Virus)
Level: 40
HP: 650/650
MP: 0/0
Stats:
Strength: 50
Dexterity: 30
Intelligence: 3
Charisma: -10
Luck: 0
Endurance: 120
Wisdom: 2
Skills: T-Virus Mutation LV: 10/10, Mutated Abomination Physiology LV: 10/10, Infection LV: 10/10, Tendril Generation LV: 9/10, Regeneration LV: 9/10, Intimidation LV 10/10, Corpse Assimilation LV 10/10, Acid Generation LV: 8/10
Status: Undergoing the uncontrolled mutation to its Final Form
Remark:Nemesis-T Type Final Form a monstrous, mutated creature resulting from the parasite's continued growth and the host's body being damaged beyond repair. It's more alien-like, grotesque being compared to the original, with exposed muscles, stitches covering its right eye, and a lack of lips and nose. The final form also gains the ability to emit corrosive substances and greater tendril generation.
Weakness: High-powered Anti B.O.W.
Threat Level: Extreme - Critical
---
He narrowed his eyes. "It's stronger than before. Slower too. But it spits acid and whips tendrils that are fast enough."
Jill raised her grenade launcher. "Look, just so you know? This is the last fucking time."
Arlo smirked slightly. "Then let's make it count."
Nemesis let out a distorted howl, its throat vibrating like a speaker blown out at max volume.Jill fired an Explosive Round at its shoulder. Link, already in motion, launched a Rock Throw barrage straight at its swollen left side.Both attacks hit—but within seconds, the damage regenerated.
"Not enough," Arlo muttered. "Its regeneration is outpacing the damage we dealt to it." He used his skill [Analyze], scanning for a solution.
[Analysis Processing...]
Data from the NEST 2 server room flooded his mind—cross-linked systems, contingency fail-safes, hardware schematics.
While waiting, he called out, "Jill, keep it busy! I need thirty seconds!""I don't have thirty—make it ten!" she snapped, dodging a splatter of acid that ate through the catwalk.
Arlo turned to Link. "Link use Double Team. Spread out."
Link barked once, glowing. Ten identical copies fanned out, zig-zagging around the creature. Tentacles lashed out in confusion.Jill took advantage and fired another Flame Round into its exposed midsection.
Then—ping. A notification appeared in his HUD.
---
[Analysis Complete]
Primary Pattern:
Pounce/Lunge: Nemesis charges and attempts to pounce on the target or lunge at the target from a distance.
Slams: Nemesis will slam the ground with his fists, either in the center (easily telegraphed) or with a left-right-left sequence.
Swipes: Nemesis will perform a sweeping attack with one of his arms.
Roar: Nemesis will roar, creating a shockwave that can briefly stun the target.
Acid Spray: Nemesis will spit out a glob of acid that can damage the target
Known Weakness:Red Pustules/Ooze Sack: Nemesis has red pustules or ooze sacks on his body that are weak points. Shooting these can cause poison spray
Ferromagnetic Infantry-use Next Generation Railgun / FINGeR : A portable rail cannon designed to suppress bioweapons and is powered by multiple batteries.
Suggestion: Use the near by Railgun nearby
---
Then Arlo immediately look for the Railgun, Arlo sprinted across the walkway, past flaming debris and collapsed supports. In the corner of the chamber, mounted in a secure harness, was a massive cannon with a glowing core. he used [Observe] to see weapon's information
---
[Weapon Equipped: Ferromagnetic Infantry-use Next Generation Railgun / FINGeR]
Description: Developed as a last resort anti-BOW weapon. Powerful enough to punch through bio-organic tissue. Effective even against regenerating threats.
---
He slammed his palm on the console—FINGeR SYSTEM ACTIVATED.The weapon unlocked with a heavy mechanical hiss.
Arlo grinned. "Now this… this is one big-ass gun." He grabbed the handles, swung it forward, and lined it up."Hey ugly!" he shouted at Nemesis.
Nemesis turned, just in time for the glow to intensify. Arlo pulled the trigger. The core lit up with a flash of blinding blue—and a piercing, high-pitched sound echoed as the railgun fired. The shot screamed forward like a lightning bolt.It punched through Nemesis's center mass, vaporizing bone and tissue in a straight, clean line. The monster shrieked in agony.
Steam burst out of its body. Acid sprayed across the chamber walls. Chunks of mutated muscle splattered onto the floor. Nemesis writhed, tentacles slamming blindly as its body struggled to reform—but the damage was deep. Critical.
Arlo shouted over the sound, "Now that's how you make a statement!" Jill ran up beside him, staring at the smoking crater in Nemesis's chest. "That thing still alive?" As if answering, the monster twitched, its back arching.
"Yeah," Arlo said, "but it won't survive another one." He hit the recharge cycle on the Railgun.
"Keep it still!" Arlo barked. "One or two more shot will finish it!"
***
Nemesis hissed violently as it began slowly regenerating from the gaping railgun wound. Bits of its charred flesh twitched back into place. The seared hole in its chest was closing, muscle knitting like time-lapse footage played in reverse.Then came the voice—calm, artificial, and out of place amid the chaos.
[Cooldown in progress. Please reactivate the power sources]
Arlo scowled. "Damn it. Of course it needs a recharge." He spun toward the nearest set of power conduits. The first was glowing red.
"Jill! Get ready. Next shot's yours!" Arlo yelled
"Gladly," Jill growled. "I'm putting this bastard down."
Arlo moved fast, hugging the left wall. Nemesis noticed, and one of its tendrils lashed toward him like a striking snake."Arlo, dodge!" Jill shouted.
Arlo didn't think—his Danger Intuition flared. His body dipped low, narrowly avoiding the acidic projectile that splattered behind him. If it wasn't for the Clown's Bodily Control, he'd be a fleshy goo. He reached the power tube and slammed it forward. The red light blinked green."One down."
More tendrils swung toward him—one missed by inches, slicing into the floor like a guillotine. Arlo rolled beneath another, not breaking stride.Across the arena, Link barked—trapped beneath a flurry of whipping tentacles. His copies had vanished. The real Link was cornered.
"Link use Quick Attack! to dodge Now!" Arlo shouted
Link surged into motion, vanishing in a white blur and reappearing beside Arlo just as he reached the second conduit.
Arlo slammed it. Two green. One left. As he sprinted to the last conduit, Jill kept Nemesis busy—dodging acid sprays and unloading Explosive Rounds into its limbs.
Arlo activated the third and final switch.
"All power sources activated. Power up," the robotic voice said.
"Jill! His all yours!" he shouted
Jill sprinted to the FINGeR, slamming her hand down on the activation switch. The cannon unlocked with another hiss, its core glowing hot."You think I don't know how to fuck you up?" she muttered. She took aim at the regrowing chest.Then she fired. A second brilliant flash split the chamber. The railgun's energy pierced Nemesis through its midsection, vaporizing bone and boiling its internal organs into sludge. The creature convulsed, shrieking like a ruptured engine. Chunks of its body flew outward, splattering walls, floor, and platform.
Arlo didn't wait. "Link—go for the sacs! Target the pink ones!"
The red pustules on Nemesis's sides glowed—its weak points. Jill's hit exposed them, and now they pulsed erratically. Link moved in a blur—Rock throw-‒a cluster of rock appeared around Link then shot them causing the sac to explode one after the other. Acid sprayed. Nemesis howled louder.
Jill and Arlo took cover as the monster thrashed.
Then Arlo shouted, "We need one more shot! That'll end it!"
"Recharging!" Jill yelled. "Thirty seconds!"
The railgun hissed again, cycling.Nemesis went berserk—its intelligence seemingly gone. Acid rained from its mouth and tendrils flailed like wild wires.
Arlo was barely able to roll under one. Link yelped—caught by a grazing strike.
"Link!" Arlo turned, but the rockruff shook it off, low to the ground, still moving.
Then Jill screamed. One of Nemesis's tendrils slammed into her side, lifting her off the floor and flinging her backward into a wall. She collapsed, coughing, her hand clutching her side.
"Oh shit! Jill!" Arlo yelled.
Adrenaline surged. His mind quieted. His hands were steady.