A cold, suffocating killing intent slowly seeped out from Alex's body, spreading silently into the surrounding air like an invisible poison that carried both grief and suppressed fury.
It was faint—so faint that even Alex himself remained unaware of it—but its presence lingered unnaturally, like a hidden blade resting beneath still water, waiting to strike.
The System detected it instantly.
Its interface flickered subtly, as if reacting to something beyond calculation, something that didn't fully align with its expected behavioral patterns for its Master.
For a brief moment, it hesitated.
Almost as if it wanted to intervene.
But before it could—
Alex spoke.
"System."
His voice was calm.
Unnaturally calm.
There was no tremble, no hesitation, no visible emotion—only a quiet stillness that felt far more dangerous than any outburst of rage.
"Send me back to Earth."
As the words left his lips, Alex slowly closed his eyes, and fragments of memories surged forward, crashing into his consciousness without restraint or mercy.
The ruined house.
Broken walls.
Collapsed ceilings.
And within those shattered remnants—
The last place where his mother had once lived.
His fingers curled slowly into fists.
That house wasn't just a building.
It was the final piece of warmth he had left in this world.
And now—
It was gone.
"…Let's kill that thing first."
His voice dropped lower, colder, carrying a quiet intensity that made the surrounding space feel heavier, almost suffocating under the weight of his emotions.
"The one that destroyed the last memory I had with my mother."
The system panel flickered again.
For a moment—
It didn't respond.
It was subtle.
But there was something there.
Hesitation.
[…]
But in the end—
It obeyed.
[Yes, Master.]
[Omni Travel Activated]
[Destination: Earth]
Alex's body began dissolving slowly, particles of golden light peeling away from his skin as if reality itself was gently dismantling his existence piece by piece.
His form broke apart gradually, turning into countless glowing fragments that drifted silently into the surrounding darkness, losing shape, losing weight, losing everything.
Within seconds—
He was gone.
Earth.
In front of the ruined house.
The creature was still there.
Its massive body prowled slowly around the destroyed remains, claws scraping against broken concrete as it circled, patient and methodical, like a predator guarding its territory.
It wasn't leaving.
It was waiting.
Waiting for him.
Suddenly—
Its head snapped sharply to the side.
Its nostrils flared as it caught a scent drifting through the air.
A scent it remembered.
A scent it hated.
Alex.
The creature's glowing eyes narrowed instantly, its muscles tightening as it focused on the figure that had appeared just a short distance away.
There he stood.
Alive.
But different.
The human it had toyed with before no longer carried fear, no longer trembled, no longer looked weak or broken in front of its overwhelming presence.
Alex stood calmly, dressed in black, his posture relaxed, his breathing steady, his presence unnaturally composed in the face of a monster that once terrified him.
But it wasn't the clothes.
It was his presence.
Something had changed.
Something fundamental.
Alex slowly raised his eyes.
And looked directly at the creature.
This time—
There was nothing inside them.
No fear.
No hesitation.
No helplessness.
Only cold, silent killing intent.
The creature froze.
Its instincts reacted instantly, sending a sharp signal through its entire body.
Danger.
Without realizing it—
It took a step back.
Just one step.
Then it stopped.
Confusion filled its mind as its gaze dropped toward its own limbs, unable to understand why its body had reacted before its thoughts could catch up.
It was the hunter.
The human was prey.
That was the natural order.
Yet just now—
Its body had retreated.
A low growl escaped its throat, filled with irritation and anger as it forced its gaze back toward Alex.
And then—
It saw it.
Alex was smiling.
Not warmly.
Not kindly.
But mockingly.
That smile ignited something violent inside the creature.
With a furious roar, it lunged forward, its massive body exploding with speed as it tore across the ruined ground, shattering debris beneath its weight.
Within a second—
It was already in front of him.
Its claw slashed forward violently, tearing through the air with enough force to rip apart steel, the pressure alone sending dust and rubble flying outward.
The creature was certain—
This would end him.
But then—
Reality broke.
The claw stopped.
Completely.
The creature's eyes widened in shock as it stared at the impossible scene before it.
Alex stood still.
His left hand raised calmly.
Holding the massive claw in place.
Effortlessly.
The creature pushed harder, muscles swelling as it poured strength into the attack—but no matter how much force it used, the claw refused to move even an inch.
Alex looked up slowly.
His gaze was cold.
Empty.
"Is that all?"
His voice carried faint amusement, quiet yet sharp enough to pierce through the creature's instincts like a blade.
"Is this really everything you've got…?"
For a brief moment—
Silence.
Then—
His expression changed.
Rage surfaced.
"You damn creature."
In an instant, Alex shoved the claw aside as if it weighed nothing, his body twisting slightly as his fist shot forward with explosive force.
BOOM—
The punch connected directly with the creature's face, releasing a violent shockwave that tore through the surroundings, blasting debris and dust outward in all directions.
The impact distorted the air itself.
Bones shattered instantly.
Teeth exploded outward.
Blood burst violently from its mouth.
The creature's massive body was launched backward like a projectile, crashing through rubble before slamming violently into the remains of the destroyed house.
The structure trembled under the force.
For a few seconds—
Everything spun.
The creature's vision blurred, its body disoriented, its senses overwhelmed by the sheer power behind a single punch.
Meanwhile—
Alex stood still.
He slowly looked down at his fist.
"…How did one punch do that much damage?"
There was no pride in his voice.
Only curiosity.
Then his gaze shifted toward the creature lying within the ruins.
He shrugged slightly.
"Well… good for you."
His eyes turned cold again.
"You'll die faster."
He began walking forward.
Step…
Step…
Step…
Each footstep echoed through the silent ruins, slow and deliberate, carrying an overwhelming sense of inevitability that pressed down on the creature like approaching death.
The creature struggled desperately to regain control, its instincts screaming louder than ever before, urging it to escape, to survive, to run.
Then suddenly—
Alex disappeared.
Not vanished.
Moved.
So fast—
That the eyes couldn't follow.
In the next instant—
He was already there.
Right in front of it.
His fist descended.
And for the first time—
The creature felt it.
Death.