Lyra, weapon in hand, remained wary of the situation. The boy was a variant, an intelligent being retaining memories of his past life. Adam, however, still felt a paternal concern, soon to be a father himself. He asked the boy, "What happened to you, and how did you end up here in the streets?"
The zombie boy replied, wiping his tears, "I don't know. I woke up on the floor, and Mommy and Daddy are missing. No one is around, and I'm scared. Please help me find Mommy and Daddy."
A Formidable Foe
Before Adam could reply, Lyra warned him of an incoming variant at full speed. A male variant leaped into the air, attempting a powerful kick aimed at all three of them. Adam instinctively pulled the boy away, while Lyra jumped back, narrowly avoiding the impact.
The variant's kick smashed the ground, leaving a crater in the road. Adam, holding the boy, closely observed the variant's movements. Lyra, through their mind-sync, told Adam to prepare for a fight; this variant was likely intelligent.
The variant laughed, its voice menacing. "What are two humans doing by themselves in these areas? Have you strayed away from your packs and got lost in these areas?! Looks like I got two preys to play with, maybe the little boy as well just for the fun of it." It licked its lips.
Adam, realizing the boy would be a victim if he stayed, told Lyra to get ready to take the boy to safety. Adam then activated his universal tool and donned his mana armor. "I believe you don't know humans like us exist," Adam declared. "I will send you to hell where you belong."
Lyra took the boy, moving away from the streets and bringing him into the mansion, as Adam confronted the variant. The variant clenched its fist and leaped forward. Adam quickly switched his universal tool to its projectile system, firing, and blasting the variant in half. Its body fell to the ground, still moving, clearly enraged by how easily it had been broken apart.
Adam stood on top of the variant's upper body. "Any last words?" he asked, pointing his projectile system at its head.
The variant looked up at Adam, laughing, as tentacles from its lower body shot out, grabbing Adam's leg and pulling him to the floor. Shocked by the sudden attack, Adam quickly aimed his weapon at the tentacles, shooting them off his leg.
As he kicked away the severed tentacle pieces, he saw the variant's body regenerate back into a whole. The variant launched multiple tentacles while running sideways, with Adam continuously shooting them away. Adam watched as the tentacles connected to the variant moved upwards into the sky. A shadow blocked the sun above him as Adam continued to blast the variant into pieces.
Suddenly, a voice from the side declared, "You're dead!" as the variant prepared to punch through Adam's body.
Lyra intercepted, slicing off the arm before it made contact. Having observed the fight, Lyra had seen the variant detach its arms and throw them into the sky. Before the variant could get closer to Adam, Lyra swiftly cut off its other arm, which almost hit Adam. The variant jumped back, grinning at its failed attempt.
Lyra's Insight and a Narrow Escape
The variant stood armless in the road, with Adam and Lyra preparing to finish it off. Tentacles protruded from its shoulders before transforming into new arms.
Lyra, through the neuro-link, warned Adam: "The variant can repair itself with its tentacles. We need to aim for the head; its neuro-function won't allow it to repair itself with its powers if its brain is destroyed." Lyra scanned and located a small mana core within its brain.
Adam prepared to aim for its head, scoping a single shot that would destroy it instantly. Lyra prepared to provide cover with her spear. She charged forward, cutting through the variant's unleashed tentacles, skillfully gaining ground towards it.
The variant, shocked by Lyra's agility and ability to slice its tentacles, let out a screeching sound. The vibration of the sound shattered the ground, forcing Lyra to stand her ground due to its overwhelming loudness. She covered her ears as Adam shot at its mouth, cleanly breaking it.
Tentacles then wrapped around Lyra's feet, pulling her upwards into the sky. As more tentacles slowly crept closer to her thigh, Adam shot off multiple shots at the tentacles' joints. Lyra, lifted too high, would be injured from the fall. Adam quickly shifted his universal tool, extending a tentacle arm to grab Lyra and lower her to the ground.
Adam looked around; the variant had vanished. Lyra scanned the area, seeing the variant moving further and further away towards the city.
Adam, through the neuro-link, told Lyra, "There's no point chasing him down. It's better to attend to the small boy." Lyra agreed. The immediate threat was gone, but their location was now exposed.