With the angel's large dark claws wrapped around his blood-stained lab coat and squeezing him tight, Dr. Lee looked so small. He was crying and sobbing. "Please! Please just let me go. I mean you no harm. I can help you. Don't... not again. Please! Don't!"

Jenny licked her lips. Dr. Lee wasn't worth saving, but she couldn't let the angel eat any more humans. She couldn’t risk it getting any stronger or larger. The melted cocoons lay on the floor, and more Tarnished Angels crawled out of the darkness, hissing as they took their first breaths.

She couldn't let it get any stronger. She had to stop it and save Dr. Lee.

What she needed was another distraction. Inhaling deeply, she used Ignite again, this time on the webbing on the ceiling, where the drained human bodies were still suspended. Quietly, she apologized as their clothes caught flame, lighting up the cafeteria from above.

The angel shrieked, and Jenny dropped and immediately used Instant Acceleration. She streaked down the front of the cafeteria, right where students would line up with trays to get their meals, and more and more flames erupted from her arm.

Webbing caught fire. The blue-eyed undead screeched and hissed, and a moment later, she ran her hands over another cocoon, and it erupted with yellow light. It was almost as bright as the sun up close, but it was enough. The Desecrated Angel released Dr. Lee and stomped toward the cocoon, its wings beating like mad.

Burning bodies rained from above, free from the web. Dr. Lee fell between them, limbs wriggling, and he was about to splatter onto the darkness where the newly born Tarnished Angels hissed and salivated, desperate for their first meal.

She considered letting him die. Letting them eat him alive while he screamed. But she’d already gone through this much trouble, and she didn’t want the Desecrated Angel to feed off stronger Tarnished Angels. Reflexively, she used Instant Acceleration again, knowing she’d have to shoot right by the Desecrated Angel to reach Dr. Lee.

She rushed so close to it, she could feel the warmth of its body. The feeling of doom as it stomped toward the burning cocoon. She knew it had sensed her. By smell or by feeling, it had recognized her.

Slapping her tentacles against the floor and leaping, Jenny caught Dr. Lee midair before landing, not caring to soften the impact for him. She kicked away one of the Tarnished Angels then didn’t stop running until she’d shoved him outside the cafeteria and told him to flee.

He landed on his ass, squinting hard and blubbering. Her tentacles whipped through the air. For a split second, she justified her horrid thought. She pictured herself tearing into him, sucking the blood from his heart and chewing his muscle and taking his strength. She'd get a ton of energy and exp, wouldn't she?

He was vile and sadistic and selfish, and he'd tried to kill Leslie, who was annoying, but innocent. He looked so pathetic like this, having wet himself and panic-stricken. Jenny left him in the hall; his death would not be on her conscious. At least the others were safe. For now. How long till the Desecrated Angel sniffed them out?

The only thing standing between the creature and a huge meal was Jenny.

You’ve defeated Desecrated Angel (Level 30)

Experience has been awarded

+500 Energy

She shuddered from that notification. A part of her had hoped it was the Desecrated Angel. But that was wishful thinking. As Dr. Lee scrambled up the hall and toward the main stairwell, Jenny summoned her hatchet back with a flash of light. She had 20 stat points to use now and 2,098 Energy. Her tentacles swished with anticipation, and she squared her shoulders.

10 into Stamina she decided after looking over her stats. If she tired out while fighting that creature, she was dead. She twitched as a tickle ran up her abdomen; her lungs expanded with new air, and her muscles relaxed. The remaining 10 points, she split evenly between Power and Agility, and another surge went through her limbs and tentacles. But with a deep breath, she released the tension and surveyed her stats.

Jenny Huang

Human (stage ii) (level 26) (blooded)

Stats:

Power: 30

Stamina: 25

Durability: 20 (+30)

Agility: 25

Stat points available: (0)

Energy available: (2098)

Okay, one more thing. If I want to win this fight, I have to bet everything. It’s win or die.

A Major Potion of Fortification will cost 1,250 Energy. Sufficient Energy.

A familiar excitement swished through her; it was that reckless desire to kill, kill, kill. The minor potion had buffed her significantly; what would the major potion do? Golden light sparked in her outstretched hand. Ribbons stretched and wrapped around, forming the rounded glass container. It was just as orange as the Minor variant, with silvery metallic traces, except there was something new. Little dark bubbles that reminded her of Boba, and she couldn’t help but smile before downing it all.

This potion will restore your health and stamina as well as temporarily boost your stats immensely. It will last 10 Minutes.

Warmth enveloped her like she’d used Ignite within. Her head cleared, and an urgent, electrical feeling surged behind her teeth. She exhaled steam; she felt like she could climb any mountain, stop a raging river all by herself, or even lift the entire building. And a glance at her stats revealed why.

Jenny Huang

Human (stage ii) (level 26) (blooded)

Stats:

Power: 30 (+30)

Stamina: 25 (+25)

Durability: 20 (+30) (+20)

Agility: 25 (+25)

Stat points available: (0)

Energy available: (898)

The Major Potion doubled her stats, though she wished it doubled the boost in Durability from her exoskeleton too. But that was being greedy.

With that, she felt as prepared as she’d ever be. She adjusted her hatchet, admiring the obsidian face and sharp edge. Her red-covered finger clinked against it. Then she stepped back into the cafeteria.

Smoke, accompanied by a sulfuric stench, filled the space. This time, the angel had put out the flames much quicker, and the only source of light was the glowing colors blooming from a few corners. Red and purple and a grayish one. Only three cocoons were left.

She knew the Desecrated Angel had sensed her. She’d already saved everyone she could. All that was left was defeating the creature; all she had to do was kill the giant bitch.

Her mouth had gone dry. Too late now to create a bottle of water, she thought. Stupid. But adrenaline pumped through her limbs, and she strained all her senses, her tentacles spreading in four directions. Even if the creature was several levels higher, she’d won these odds before, hadn’t she? Her first Wretched Angel? She’d defeated that before she’d even reached level 10. And now she was much stronger with her skills, exoskeleton, and tentacles. Not to mention the boost from the potion.

The Desecrated Angel lay waiting in the center of the cafeteria. Its giant form towering through the hazy mist and dissipating smoke. The sulfuric stench of burnt flesh stung her nose, but she didn't shift her exoskeleton to mask herself again; she might need to breathe fire.

It waited for her, glowering. Its shining blue eyes followed her as she walked. There was no use in hiding. It was locked onto her scent just as all her senses were locked onto it.

The angel's blonde hair covered part of its metallic, dark face. It was hunched over so that its four arms relaxed by its side and its breasts sagged. As Jenny moved closer, the creature bent its knees and looked coiled to leap.

Jenny stopped and braced herself, hatchet at the ready, tentacles swishing. She stood about a cafeteria table's length away. Torn and burnt bits of webbing drifted by her; she was waiting for the angel to make the first move. If she rushed in there, it would just grab her with one of its arms and snap her in half. Something from Sunday school came to mind: David and Goliath. But she was just as monstrous as the angel was; she wasn't afraid.

Some more Tarnished Angels burst from the darkness below with hideous screams, and Jenny glanced down. That was when the Desecrated Angel pounced.

Its wings unfolded with a snap. Wind battered everything, and the creature rushed straight for her.

Jenny didn't blink. She ducked low, and the angel flew over her. It was like watching an airplane overhead coming in for a landing. Large and powerful, and so close that if she reached out her hand, she just might touch it.

It slashed at her with razor-sharp claws, and Jenny rolled away as the angel landed with a huge crash.

But it was on its feet before Jenny, coming at her swinging. Jenny swiped an arm with her hatchet. The edge bounced off the creature's metallic skin with sparks. She blocked another arm with two tentacles, straining against the sheer strength of the larger creature. But its third arm managed to hit her on the waist.

Claws left deep grooves in her exoskeleton, and Jenny cried out as searing pain went up her side. With her other tentacles braced against the floor, she twisted and kicked the angel in the thigh, using the force to throw herself back and away, desperate for space.

She skidded over the darkness as though it were ice, sidestepped a hissing Tarnished Angel, and stopped on the other side. Her tentacles whipped overhead; Jenny was sweating like mad. Her side throbbed with pain, and blood dribbled down her scales. Its claws had broken through to her skin, but not deeply enough to do serious damage. She applied pressure and watched the giant creature steady itself.

It was too large. Up close she barely came up to its navel. Her hatchet couldn't even cut into its arm.

The Desecrated Angel lumbered forward, hissing, steam rising from its jaws. It smashed everything away in its path. The molten sacs. The Tarnished Angels. Upending cafeteria tables and tearing through its own webbing. A scream filled the cafeteria as the creature reached for Jenny, beating its wings to swirl up the mist and smoke.

Jenny saw her opening right away. She grasped her hatchet with both hands, bracing herself before bursting forward with Instant Acceleration. Everything rippled around her, and she willed herself to go faster and faster as she shot for the space between its thighs, her hatchet raised so she could slice into the creature.

She imagined cutting through its inners as she'd done to the black-covered Wretched Angel, this creature's mate. She cried out just before the edge of her hatchet met the angel's navel.

But her hatchet bounced off the metallic skin, snapping her backward as she stopped abruptly. Her legs rushed forward, and she went tumbling. Her momentum sent her sliding forward, and her head bounced off the angel's leg so that she went spinning, crashing into a pillar.

The lower portion of the pillar crumpled, burying her in rubble. Jenny groaned. If this had been before her exoskeleton, her head would've been bashed inward by the impact. Her arms would've come right out of her shoulders. She was more dazed than hurt, the breath knocked out of her lungs. Her hatchet had skidded away somewhere.

Before she could clear the rubble and stand, the angel was upon her. Its claws wrapped around her torso, squeezing the tentacles against her back, and she heard a faint crunch.

It lifted her out of the ruined pillar and held her upside down. The angel glared, and she knew what it wanted. It was pissed she'd ruined its plans. The chem lab and all its eggs and babies. The humans it had collected. And now this. She'd burned several cocoons and killed off the other Desecrated Angels before they could emerge.

It's okay, she thought. I'm pissed too. Jenny forced breath into her chest, her insides straining against the claws, and used Ignite with her entire body. Every bit of her exoskeleton caught flame like she’d become a bonfire. The angel screeched, opening its hand with surprise and stumbling backward. Falling, Jenny concentrated the fire to her mouth before releasing it all at once like a flamethrower.

Fire shot out, bursting forward. She'd aimed for the creature’s chest and face, hoping to burn it seriously. But the angel raised a hand and blocked it. The flames licked its palms and wrapped around its claws as Jenny caught herself with her tentacles before hitting the floor.

With a roar, the angel reached for her again, smoke trailing from the hands she’d burned. Jenny slammed two tentacles into its face. One tentacle found its nose, squishing right up into a nostril. The other bounced off the creature's cheek.

It roared and struggled with her tentacles until grabbing hold and yanking furiously. Blood spurted out of its nose as the tentacle slipped free, and Jenny sucked it in.

A shudder of energy pulsed through that tentacle. But as she struggled to pull it free, she saw the crack on the angel's navel. Right below the creature's belly button. A crack like she'd taken a hammer to a piece of wood in shop class.

With a flash of light, her hatchet returned to her hand. She stepped forward, letting her tentacle coil around her body as the angel held firm. She was just about to swing again, thinking for sure her hatchet could cut through the weakened point. But the angel jerked to the side, lifting her off the floor by her tentacle, and flung her body with a roar.

Jenny jetted across the cafeteria at almost the same speed as her Instant Acceleration. Webs tore; she burst through an undead angel, sailed over the scorched area she'd burned earlier, and was about to slam into the far wall. But she latched onto a table with her tentacles, raising it off the floor and cracking it in half. It slowed her down just enough to bury her claws into a pillar and force herself to stop.

She dropped down quickly and hid behind the table she'd destroyed, trying to catch her breath. Blood and guts and bone fragments stuck to her. She peeled torn skin off her scales. Something was in her mouth. A chunk of muscle from that dead angel, and Jenny chewed and swallowed before swiping her blood and sweat-soaked hair out of her face.

Rumbling jolted the floor and the walls. The Desecrated Angel veered toward her, and Jenny leaped onto the splintered table to face it.

It rushed across the cafeteria floor, knocking away tables and collapsing another pillar, and Jenny's eyes went to the red cocoon attached to one of the vending machines. Remembering the screech of agony and rage when she'd burnt up the previous cocoons, she took aim and stomped forward, launching her hatchet with a Vital Throw.

The hatchet's obsidian edge glistened in the red light and, just before the Desecrated Angel reached her, burst through the red cocoon and sunk into the chest of the angel inside. Gooey red liquid splashed, and the giant angel stumbled to a stop and whipped around.

It beat its enormous wings savagely, generating enough force to lift Jenny off the table and slam her into the wall. Then it rushed right to the ruined cocoon and the injured angel.

Jenny grinned, blood dripping down her chin as she slid to the floor. She'd been right. The Desecrated Angel needed these cocoons. Its response was almost maternal. But why did it care more for these things than the babies?

She didn’t care. All that mattered now was killing it, and with the creature distracted, Jenny had the perfect opportunity to hit it hard. She kicked off the wall with both feet, combining the motion with Instant Acceleration, and struck the angel on its back with as much force as she could, slamming into it with her exoskeleton-covered arms.

She connected with its spine, right between its wings where its shoulder blades met. Metallic skin and bone crunched, and the angel rocked forward, slamming face-first into the vending machine where the red cocoon sat.

The glass of the vending machine shattered, and the cocoon gushed. Gooey red liquid splattered the packs of chips and cookies and chocolate.

You’ve defeated Desecrated Angel (Level 30)

Experience has been awarded

+500 Energy

A terrible moaning sound escaped the four-armed Desecrated Angel, but Jenny wasn’t done.

She leaped onto the angel's back. Her tentacles wrapped around its arms, trying to keep it from getting back up. The angel lay on top of the vending machine, the cocoon squished underneath it. Spread across its metallic-blue back were dozens of cracks, meeting at the center.

She’d been right. The angel could be damaged. It just took a lot to break through its skin. Light flashed, her hatchet returned to her hand, and she slashed over and over at the cracks. Sparks burst like fireworks as the angel screamed and struggled to push off the floor. Its wings folded and beat desperately, but each of Jenny’s relentless strikes caused the creature to convulse with pain.

Her hatchet shimmered with light, and notifications filled Jenny’s head.

+50 Energy

+50 Energy

+50 Energy

She screamed as the angel screamed. Jenny slashed over and over, grasping her hatchet with both hands as blood shot out and splattered everything. She only stopped when she struck bone. Her hatchet got stuck.

+50 Energy

The Desecrated Angel roared so loudly; it was like thunder right in Jenny’s ears. Before she could wrench her hatchet free and attack again, a blue light flashed. The angel’s entire body flashed, as bright as any of the cocoons had when Jenny set them on fire.

For a second, she was dazed, blinking and trying to restore her vision. Trying to see with her tentacles, but a chill moved through them. Fear bubbled up through her thoughts and gripped her just as the angel had. It was the same flash of blue light that had risen the dead.

The angel pushed off the vending machine. Gooey red liquid splattered in every direction as it whirled around to smack her away.

Jenny’s hatchet flew out of her hands from the impact. The angel twisted and stomped toward her as she bounced off the floor and slid till her head struck a table.

Something bright shot out of the creature's navel, catching Jenny like a net. Before she could tear it off, the angel towered over her, shooting more and more webbing from its navel until Jenny was trapped. She couldn't struggle; it was like having several weighted blankets pinning down her limbs.

You have 5 minutes remaining till your potion loses effect.

Fuck, she thought. She’d lose her boosted stats, and she needed every single drop to do any damage at all to the Desecrated Angel. Without it, she’d be a ragdoll. She had to be quicker; she had to do more damage before it ran out.

But just as she was about to use a full body Ignite to burn herself free, she heard a chorus of moaning and hissing. She couldn't turn her head, but she could see them in her peripheral vision. The half-melted Desecrated Angels, their bodies distorted and grotesque.

They stalked nearer and nearer, their eyes shimmering blue, their exoskeletons melted and drooped so they looked even more freakish and nightmarish than usual. They crawled on all fours, wheezing for every breath and clambering straight for her.

The enormous Desecrated Angel started to hum just as it had hummed to lull the Tarnished Angels that had emerged earlier. Jenny recognized that humming. Soothing and sweet; it was an order. It was feeding time.