CHAPTER 24 - 24 – CHRONO BORN

Chapter 24 – Chrono Born

The sickening crunch of bones being shattered echoed through the air, followed by the grotesque squelch of flesh being chewed. Blood oozed from the monster's twisted face, mingling with stringy bits of raw meat and drool as it dripped disgustingly to the ground.

The creature... had eaten its own kind.

Jack's expression darkened with realization. "Cannibalism, huh? That I didn't expect. This thing is gobbling them up like food."

Several long, tense minutes passed as the creature fed on its kin. When it finally finished, it spat out what remained and slowly turned its blood-soaked head toward Jack. Its massive eyes locked onto him, burning with even more bloodlust than before. A deep, rumbling groan leaked from its jaws—almost like a warning... or a promise.

"Jack..." Lune's voice rang in his ears. "You need to escape. This thing is a—"

"Chrono Born?" he cut in calmly, eyes still fixed on the creature. "Yeah. I can feel it. It's a lot stronger than those other dogs... and stronger than me."

Despite the situation, Jack remained eerily composed, staring down the beast with unnerving calm.

"You should run," Lune urged gently, trying not to add more stress to the already volatile situation. "It'll kill you."

But Jack didn't move.

He remained still, observing the monster as the two sized each other up—waiting for the slightest sign of weakness.

"No," he said quietly, after a moment.

"No?" Lune sounded alarmed. "Jack, what are you talking about? You can't fight this thing."

"I want to try," he replied firmly. "You said to get stronger, I have to fight monsters of the same rank, right? Then I need to fight this thing."

"But—"

"I have to, Lune. I can't stay weak forever. If you're right—and stronger monsters really are coming—then I need to start preparing now."

This wasn't about reckless bravery or showing off. Jack was thinking long-term—about survival. The world was crumbling fast. Cities were falling. Creatures like this one would become the norm soon.

He didn't want to barely survive day by day. He wanted to build the strength to face what was coming.

And to do that... this fight was necessary.

"If I kill this thing, I'll grow a lot stronger. I'll be able to move through the city more easily." He gripped his sword, the weight of it familiar in his hand. "The blade's still sharp... and I've got a few minutes left in the tank. I think I can do it."

"Jack—" Lune started again, but he raised a hand.

"Shush."

His eyes narrowed as he guided his essence through his body, feeling the familiar, growing rush of power bloom inside him.

Across from him, the creature snarled.

"Rawr..." The massive dog-like monster took a thunderous step forward, its saliva now a steady drip from its mouth, eyes locked solely on Jack.

Jack raised his sword, ready. The tension in the air was thick, electric. The two inched closer, both waiting for the other to make a move.

Then—

BANG!

A chunk of debris from a broken house crashed to the ground with a loud thud.

The monster took it as a signal and exploded forward at blinding speed.

'Fast.' Jack's eyes widened slightly. 'Too fast for its size.'

Its gaping maw lunged toward him, eager to clamp down and end things quickly.

Jack dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the snapping jaws. As he landed, he turned in time to see the beast screech to a halt and charge at him again.

'It's like a freight train. I can't block or counter something that big.'

All he could do was dodge—again and again. But that wouldn't last. One wrong move and it would be over.

'I need to attack... before it gets me first.'

Clutching his sword tighter, he made his decision. The next time it charged, he would too.

From the air, Lune held her breath as she saw Jack sprint straight at the monster. Her heart thudded painfully in her chest. She didn't know what he was planning, but every fiber of her being wanted to rush down and stop him.

Jack slipped under the beast's open jaws with precision, narrowly avoiding another bite, and struck upward, his blade grazing its chin.

The monster howled in pain and flinched.

Jack didn't waste the moment. He darted toward its legs, targeting the limbs that supported all that terrifying weight.

'I need to immobilize it. Stop it from using its size.'

He reached one leg and swung the blade hard—but it barely cut.

'Damn it. Tougher than I thought.'

He tried again, but it was too late. The beast had recovered and raised its leg into the air.

Jack's eyes flicked around. No way to dodge.

"Dammit." He braced himself and thrust the sword upward, using it as a shield.

BANG!

"Jack!"

His body flew through the air like a ragdoll, crashing onto the pavement and tumbling several times before skidding to a stop.

He gasped and forced himself upright. His limbs screamed in protest.

It felt like getting hit by a truck.

The creature lunged again.

"RAWR!!"

Jack, battered but conscious, looked up just in time to see the gaping mouth rushing down at him.

"I'm done."

But then, a thought.

A plan.

Flipping his sword in his hand, he drove it upward into the beast's open mouth. The blade pierced soft flesh, and blood sprayed as the monster's momentum forced the sword even deeper into its skull.

BANG!

The monster's jaw slammed down. Jack raised his arm just in time, stopping the mouth from closing around him completely—but one fang still pierced his shoulder.

His face contorted with pain.

With everything he had left, he pushed up with one arm while forcing the blade deeper with the other.

The creature thrashed wildly, eyes bulging with pain. It reeled and flailed, shaking its head violently, trying to dislodge him.

Jack held on, the world spinning wildly around him. Pain coursed through his body. His muscles trembled, and the fang buried in his shoulder cut deeper by the second.

But his eyes never wavered.

"Come... on..." he growled, his aura flaring violently like a raging storm. "Just... die!"

He was fading. Fast.

But even then, Jack clenched his teeth and made one final push. He released his grip on the jaw and focused all his strength into his sword arm.

With a guttural scream, he drove the blade deeper—several inches more—just as the monster's fangs crushed down, tearing into his body.

"Die!"

A sickening, wet crack echoed.

And then...

The monster froze.

Its eyes went wide—then lifeless.

It dropped to the ground with a final, thunderous crash.

Jack's limp body spilled out of its mouth and collapsed motionless on the pavement.

"JACK!!"

Lune darted to him, panic twisting her face. "Baby, I'm here! Stay with me! I'm going to heal you!"

"Cough... cough..." Jack responded with a dry, pained cough. He looked up at her weakly, his body covered in blood.

Lune's heart clenched.

'He's lost so much blood... punctured in several places...'

Her expression darkened, fully aware of the agony he must be in.

But to her shock... Jack didn't even groan. His face remained calm.

Without wasting another second, Lune placed her hand over his chest and channeled her power. A soft, golden light—brighter and warmer than anything Jack had seen—began to glow in her palm and flowed gently into his body.

He felt warmth envelop him. One that he never experienced before

And then... healing.

Before his eyes, the deep wounds began to close. The torn flesh mended. The pain began to fade.

A system notification blinked in the corner of his vision.

[You have killed Evolved Black Spider Dog.]

[You have gained 15 Essence.]

[You have gained 15 Wisdom Points.]

[Your power increased considerably.]

[You have gained a Lesser Chronical.]