Chapter 9: (CH8)THE HAMMER & THE HUNTED
Upgrade Unlocked
The moment the Scrap Hammer materialized in Luis’s grip, he nearly dropped it.
It looked crude—rough edges, barely refined—but it felt right. Light, balanced, alive. The metal gave off a low hum, the echo of the 2,000 Souls poured into its creation. He swung it once.
WHOOSH.
The air split around it.
"Damn," Luis muttered, the grin creeping in before he could stop it. He began shadowboxing across the apartment like a madman, slicing the air in smooth arcs. Every swing felt natural, the +10% swing mobility making it feel like a part of him. The +5% movement boost helped too—his footwork had bite now.
Zyx hovered above the coffee table with a slow clap. "Congrats. You’ve officially evolved from wrench peasant... to hammer peasant."
Luis ignored him. For the first time in days, he felt like he could win.
Back Into the Woods
The forest greeted them with silence—not the peaceful kind. The wrong kind.
Luis had barely stepped past the treeline when he saw them—boot prints, crisp and fresh. Not monsters. Human.