Chapter 23:Into the sewer
Alex approached his parked bike and immediately called Yurei. Her voice came through crisp on the line.
"Update me," she asked.
Alex explained the situation—the missing child, Ghostfang's discovery, and the manhole.
"Do you want to proceed or wait for reinforcements?" Yurei asked, her tone calm but concerned.
"I'll go ahead and check," Alex replied. "If it's just a lead, I don't want to lose it."
He hung up, secured his earpiece, and stepped to the manhole cover. Reaching into the bike's compartment, he pulled out the metal cane Jacob had given him. He wedged it under the cover and tried to lift, but the heavy metal refused to budge.
Before he could try again, Ghostfang padded up beside him, eyes glowing with a silent intensity. With one powerful bite, the hound latched onto the edge and yanked. The cover clanged aside like it weighed nothing.
Alex blinked. He was just about to ask how he'd get the hound down there when Ghostfang casually stepped forward—and vanished into Alex's shadow.
"…Neat," Alex muttered, still amazed by the creature's nature.
He climbed down the narrow, damp stairwell. The air shifted to something foul, mixed with mold and rusted iron. Once his feet hit the slippery floor, he took out the Imitation Core. It transformed into its current state—a fleshlight with a faint glow, customized by its prior merges.
From his shadow, Ghostfang emerged, eyes glinting, fur bristling slightly. It gave one long sniff and started walking deeper into the tunnel.
Alex followed in silence, the flashlight casting long shadows across the curved walls. Every step echoed. The sewers were maze-like, with graffiti marking old junctions and rusting pipes hissing occasionally with pressure.
At the next intersection, Alex paused. A shape moved in the distance.
He raised the light.
A rat. But not just any rat.
Its body was mangled—fur patchy, limbs crooked, eyes milky and bulging, ribs poking through its pale skin. Its teeth were chipped, bloodied. It looked sick, malformed.
The rat locked onto Alex and lunged with a high-pitched screech.
Before Alex could react, Ghostfang stepped forward, swiping the creature mid-air. The rat slammed into the wall and collapsed. A faint hiss escaped its lungs as it convulsed once and then lay still.
Alex noticed something as he approached.
A distinct burn—shaped like Ghostfang's paw—was imprinted on the rat's side. The flesh around it sizzled faintly.
The rat had died instantly.
Alex's grip on the flashlight tightened. Whatever happened down here… it wasn't just a normal disappearance.
This was something darker.
Alex pressed deeper into the tunnels, his steps steady but wary. Ghostfang led the way, unflinching. The occasional splash of water echoed like footsteps behind him, but when he turned—there was nothing.
They rounded a corner, and then he saw them.
Rats. Not just one, but several. Misshapen, warped, twitching with erratic, unnatural spasms. Their limbs bent at impossible angles, fur missing in thick patches, and many had tumors bulging from their sides. One even had two tails. Another had three heads—none of which blinked.
Ghostfang didn't hesitate.
With a snarl, he surged forward. Fire licked his black fur as he moved—silent but deadly. He tore through the first few without effort. But Alex noticed something.
Each time Ghostfang attacked a more deformed or aggressive rat, his body shifted. He grew slightly taller. His muscles expanded, limbs sharpening. His eyes burned brighter.
The stronger the opponent, the more monstrous Ghostfang became.
Alex's flashlight caught a flash of a particularly large rat lunging from a side tunnel. Its eyes were pitch black. Its mouth opened sideways—vertical, like a leech—ringed with jagged teeth.
Ghostfang met it mid-air with a vicious pounce. The impact echoed like a gunshot. The mutated rat slammed to the ground with a wet thud, twitching, and then stilled. Ghostfang stood over it, steam rising from his scorched paw.
Alex stepped forward, heart thudding, trying not to gag at the smell.
Every rat they'd fought had been more grotesque than the last. Mutated. Corrupted.
This wasn't just a nest of wild creatures.
Something—someone—was down here, changing things.
"Just what the hell is going on in these sewers…?" Alex whispered to himself.
Ghostfang looked back, glowing eyes fixed on his summoner.
There were more ahead.
And things were only getting worse.
The stench was getting unbearable.
Alex had told himself he could handle it—he'd fought through burning hospitals, battled mutated beasts, survived collapsing buildings. But this? The thick, decaying air of the sewers was something else. The reek of rot, blood, and wet fur clung to his nostrils like a curse.
He winced, gagged once, then made up his mind.
"I need a mask," he muttered.
Drawing in a shaky breath, Alex put his hand out.
A faint shimmer of light burst in front of him.
[Item Acquired: Abyssal Rebreather Mask]
Classification: Survival-Class Utility Gear
Rarity: Rare
Description:
A sleek, full-face mask designed for hazardous environments. Crafted from a black, matte composite material, the mask automatically seals upon contact with the face, creating an airtight barrier.
Filtration System: Filters out poison, airborne pathogens, foul odors, and dust particles.
Environmental Seal: Comes with an optional oxygen tank slot for underwater breathing or use in low-oxygen zones.
Sensory Overlay: Built-in lenses with adjustable vision modes (low-light, thermal, pollutant-detection).
Mental Link Compatible: Can sync with the wearer's mental energy for status readouts and alert warnings.
Effect:
Provides immunity to airborne toxins and foul environments. Can operate underwater for extended periods when connected to an oxygen source.
Warning: Overuse of sensory overlays may cause mental fatigue if not monitored.
Alex placed the mask over his face and immediately felt relief. The filters hummed quietly, creating a faint vacuum-sealed hum. The reek of the sewer faded to a dull memory. His mind felt sharper—less distracted.
He glanced at Ghostfang, who was still silently watching him from further down the tunnel.
"Better," Alex whispered to himself, eyes narrowing. "Let's keep moving."
Ghostfang suddenly stopped. His molten eyes locked forward, his muscles taut with tension. Alex followed the hound's line of sight and saw it—a torn school bag lying beside a puddle of stagnant water. The bag was ripped open, its contents scattered across the grime-coated sewer floor. Soggy textbooks, scribbled notebooks, a crushed lunchbox. All soaked. All ruined.
Alex's heart sank. He crouched down, picking up a page torn from a homework sheet—math problems barely legible under the smudged ink. His grip tightened.
Did I come too late?
His mind grew heavy, clouded by thoughts he didn't want to finish. But Ghostfang growled again, low and warning.
There was movement in the shadows.
A man slowly emerged, his silhouette tall but hunched, clothes tattered and drenched. His eyes reflected the dim flashlight like those of a hunted animal. He raised his hands slightly—not in threat, but in caution.
Alex instinctively lifted the cane, gun mode ready. With his other hand, he gave a silent gesture to Ghostfang, signaling him to stay calm but alert. The hound obeyed, though his gaze never left the stranger.
The man stopped about six feet from Alex.
"You... you killed the rats?" the man asked, voice rough and broken.
Alex nodded. "Who are you?"
The man choked on a sob, knees trembling. "I'm maintenance. Sewer systems. We were working. Then... a red light. Glowing from the deeper tunnels. My partner went to check it, then—" his voice cracked, "—screams. I hid. In a locked maintenance room. I didn't know what else to do."
Alex narrowed his eyes. "Have you seen a child?"
The man nodded quickly. "Yes. I found him hiding near the broken vent tunnel. He's okay... just scared and hungry."
"Take me," Alex said.
The man led him around a curve of the sewer, past rusted pipes and foul-smelling runoff. There, curled near an old maintenance hatch, was the boy. Dirty, disheveled—but alive. His small eyes blinked up at Alex, unsure at first.
Alex knelt and gave him a soft smile. From his coat, he retrieved a protein bar.
The boy's eyes lit up.
But before he could take it, the man—his guide—looked at the bar, hunger burning behind his eyes. Then, as if ashamed, he looked away. Ghostfang tensed again, stepping slightly between Alex and the man.
Alex said nothing and handed the protein bar to the child. The kid unwrapped it carefully, then, without hesitation, broke it in half and offered it to the man beside him.
The maintenance worker hesitated, then began to cry. "Kid... you don't need to—"
The child pressed the bar into his hand. "You're hungry too."
The man took one bite, then quietly returned the rest.
Alex exhaled, deeply moved.
"Let's get you both out of here."
They walked together through the damp tunnels. As they neared the entrance Alex had used, Ghostfang again merged into his shadow, silent and watchful.
When they climbed up the ladder, the man shielding the child with one arm, they found the exit already surrounded. Police officers and emergency medics stood ready.
And beside them, Bladeblight stood tall in his sleek gear, his blades humming faintly.
Alex gently lifted the kid up, handing him to a medic. The boy looked back at him just once, then smiled faintly.
The man was taken into custody—though gently, with understanding. His story would be verified. But Alex could tell: he wasn't a threat. Just another survivor in a world turning stranger by the day.
[End of Chapter]