"During the first Outbreaks, Cursed Screamers weren't that popular. You could find one or two every once in a while, but that was pretty much it. Now Cursed Sprinters were an entirely different case. The moment the Runners reached their evolution threshold, over ninety percent of them would go with this option.

What has changed since then? Why did the Runners decide to shift towards the Screamer evolution slowly? That we don't really know, but we have our assumptions considering how dangerous a Screamer's sound blast can be in a populated area. We highly advise you to steer clear of those creatures, especially when traveling in a large group."

~Creatures of the Void, 42nd Edition

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Leo didn't give the Runner another command until he scrambled up the same tree, hiding in its foliage. The initial activation of Minor Takeover might have overwhelmed him a bit, but now he realized that maybe testing its capabilities while standing on the side of a street wasn't the best idea.

No reason to test my luck. Leo shook his head, settling on one of the many branches. His gaze went back to his minion. Act as you normally would, but make sure not to stray too far from the tree.

The monster stiffened at once as if digesting the command, but Leo didn't need to wait long for the Voidling to listen. Its body slumped just a bit, and the Runner began its slow trek around the immediate area, an occasional growl escaping its throat.

Good, that's one problem solved, at least for the time being. Leo noted before closing his eyes and diving right into his soul. Instantly, his mind submerged into the deep pool of his Essence, or rather, what remained of it.

Well fuck. Leo grimaced. Almost half of my reserves gone in a blink of an eye. I mean, I felt the drain, but it wasn't strong enough to take this much that fast. At least, I think so... Shit, I'm gonna need to pay more attention next time. Have to figure out how it works step by step.

The first use of Minor Takeover definitely took him by surprise. Leo had thought that he had gotten used to the feeling of True Void when he drained Voidlings, but that process had nothing on what he experienced just now.

Speaking of. I swear I felt some pull on the Pure Void Essence inside my arm. Giving the cursed appendage a glance, Leo summoned the stated status once more. His eyes narrowed. Almost three hours gone. Not a lot, but if I could take over more Voidlings, this might have been a problem... Although it makes me wonder how this technique will even be fuelled after I evolve.

Drain allowed Leo to store Pure Void Essence because Tainted needed it. Would it still work the same when Leo received an upgraded version of this ability?

Devour can apparently replenish my reserves, so maybe the nature of my Essence will change again? Leo snorted. Fuck if I know... Doesn't matter anyway, for now at least. I got better things to worry about.

At this point, the Runner took an interest in the two bodies Leo left lying in the grass. Slowly, the Voidling devoured its kin chunk by chunk, its hands digging deeper and deeper into the flesh.

Leo grimaced as the Runner snapped a finger away from the fallen monster, a crunch filling the air. I guess my bad for telling it to act naturally... But yeah, I don't need to see it.

Giving the now-familiar presence a nudge, Leo sent another command. Leave the bodies and approach the group of Cursed Humans further down the street. Act naturally and only run away if they attack you.

The Runner rose slowly, its gaze still glued to the two bodies. The Voidling even whined pathetically as it walked away.

Leo stared dumbfounded. Did it really just do that? What's next? Playing fetch?

Even now, as the Runner came closer to the larger group of Voidlings, it still sometimes shot a look over its shoulder. Leo had half a mind to give the beast another command, but in the end, he didn't. Despite the monster's longing looks, it more or less acted naturally.

Eventually, the Runner reached the group, and Leo had it move among the Voidlings and even shoulder-check the weakest of them. The assaulted Cursed Human screeched at his minion but did nothing else, probably recognizing its position in the food chain.

So it can walk among other Voidlings without a problem. Leo noted before a frown slowly found a way onto his face. Doubt it will work the same on the Wasteland. There was nothing in the info package about them being aggressive to outsiders, but that's almost a given in cases like that…

Not that Leo needed the Runner to sneak through the Tainted Wasteland. No, all the beast had to do was take attention away from him. And if it so happened to run straight into the Screamer, it wasn't Leo's fault.

This can work if I find suitable targets... I need to take them down instantly, or at least almost instantly. Anything else won't give me time to rip their hearts out and escape. I bet they will be on me the moment I step into the Wasteland.

Nodding, Leo ascended higher, stepping onto another Vetilim platform and then onto the nearest building. The Runner also received its order, to go straight to the road connected to the town square and wait there. For now, Leo had his own task to finish.

Fortunately, the house Leo climbed onto provided a straightforward pathway to the buildings that lined the remaining side of the triangle-shaped Wasteland, which he had yet to explore. It essentially placed him on the opposite side of his initial position, where he had first observed the area.

Still there. Leo narrowed his eyes, watching the Screamer scramble in the distance.

With all the time that had passed, the Voidlings that had been knocked down by the Screamer's blast had already risen from the ground, seemingly unaffected by the previous incident. Leo just hoped their hearing also recovered; it would be a disaster if they didn't even hear the Screamer when he struck.

Sighing, Leo crawled along the edge once more, eyes darting from one Tainted Voidling to another. While there were several enticing targets, he knew that no matter how fast he moved, the entire Wasteland would descend upon him before he could even reach them.

No, they won't do.

Leo massaged his brow as he sat down at the edge of the Wasteland where the two walls of buildings met. This was the farthest point from the road on the other side, yet the connection to the Runner was still there.

At least something is working... Leo grumbled. You know what, let's already move you into position. Void knows how much time I will have once some Voidlings move into a better spot.

In the distance, the Runner obediently followed its orders, steadily advancing towards its designated location. At the same time, Leo also rose; even if he somehow found two proper targets to assassinate from above, he didn't fancy jumping from a three-story building. Neot, he was not.

Swiftly, Leo jumped inside one of the many holes scattered across the rooftops. The bowie knife slid into his hand, the blade sliding right into the top of a Cursed Human's skull that stuck out of a pile of debris.

Unlucky. Leo shrugged and quickly drained the beast.

While the building seemed to be just barely standing — no doubt, thanks to the influence of the Wasteland, as proved by the lack of Vetilim and Corcera inside —, Leo still maneuvered through the gaps in the walls and the debris strewn across the interior. He might not be an Olympic gymnast yet, but he was getting pretty damn close.

Within seconds, Leo positioned himself in front of two wide-open windows on the first floor. From this vantage point, he had a clear view of the Wasteland close below. However, there were no Voidlings in immediate proximity, or at least none close enough for him to simply jump down and eliminate upon landing.

Sometimes you just gotta improvise.

Snatching a bunch of debris off the floor, Leo placed it all on the windowsill. He worked like that until a nice pile waited for him, ready to be hurled off the other side.

Leo did just that and ducked low.

Dozens of tiny concrete pieces rained down upon the Wasteland's edge like an angry waterfall. Their clatter echoed through the area, reaching Leo's ears, if just barely. He just hoped it was enough to get some attention.

Finally, a few screeches louder than before answered the clatter. Hugging the wall, Leo stood up and took a tiny peek.

Bingo.

Three Cursed Humans, their curiosity piqued by the falling debris, cautiously approached the scene. Though they remained beyond the reach of Leo's blade, at least now he had a small group separated from the others. All he needed was to get them just a bit closer.

Once more, Leo grabbed two slightly bigger pieces of concrete. System, Limit brake to full power for ten seconds.

Instantly, power surged through his body, and Leo didn't waste a second. In quick succession, he threw the two projectiles, aiming straight for their head with a precision granted by the Limit Break.

Leo hid again, only an inch of his head sticking out.

The two hit Voidlings howled, dark blood pouring down their foreheads. However, despite getting a rock straight in the face, those monsters didn't care. Instead, they rushed straight towards the building Leo occupied, clawing at its outside wall.

Now, Leo should, by all means, be happy about this course of action. Unfortunately, there was one tiny problem.

The third Voidling.

In the act of camaraderie, the third Cursed Human followed its kin, attacking the building with the same vigor. The worst part was that those monsters seemed to be slowly getting through if the amount of rubble and dust starting to fill the area below was anything to go by.

Alright, either I act now, or I have to fucking run. Those might only be Cursed Humans, but I ain't fighting against three level-nine fuckers in a closed space. No way in hell.

Before Leo could even give the problem any more thought, the barely standing building decided for him. Creak after crack echoed all around him as spider web patterns spread across the building's walls. The entire structure groaned, and Leo made the decision.

Ah fuck... Leo scowled, tying a cloth he had prepared around his head, covering the ears. Runner, go straight for the Screamer. Don't stop no matter what until that bastard screams. After that, run away if you can. If not, then good luck.

In the corner of his vision, Leo noticed something run straight into the Wasteland, but he paid it no mind. As the cracks in the building spread farther and farther with each second, he unsheathed both of his knives, the black glow of the Kiss covering them instantly.

Essence and the System answered Leo's silent plea, almost doubling the power he usually had under his call. Instantly, veins all over his body exploded in the light of thousands of stars, and so he jumped through the window.

As Leo fell, a muffled scream reverberated through the Wasteland, drowning every other sound. He barely flinched, but the creatures below weren't that lucky. All three bowed their heads, hands already covering their ears.

Thank you for an easy target.

Like a falling meteor, Leo crashed straight into the two closest Voidlings, his knives already buried deep in their skulls. With a squelch, he ripped his weapons out and stabbed the third monster right in the eyes. It went down right away.

System notifications tried to snap into sight, but Leo forced them away. His attention remained solely on his claws and knives as they viciously tore apart the chests of the Voidlings. Whether it was skin, muscles, or bones, nothing could withstand the relentless onslaught he unleashed.

When almost nothing stood between him and the dying hearts, Leo plunged his hands in and ripped out the two organs. More notifications attempted to fill his vision instantly, but Leo had only one thought in mind.

Run. And so he did.

Leo ran like a man possessed, two black hearts bleeding out in his hands. He ran as the earth shook, the wall of buildings behind him collapsing like a house of cards. And he ran as every single eye in the Wasteland turned towards him, seeking prey.

How the fuck did it escalate so quickly? Ah, right, I wanted a distraction. Well, here you go, you fucking idiot!