MMORPG: Rebirth as an Alchemist Chapter 901 A Heart's Last Cry

A chill of terror rippled through Ren at the very idea, a devouring unease that seemed ready to swallow him entirely.

Was it really happening? Had those known faces morphed into grotesque shapes, prowling the halls of their own building?

This disturbing notion hung in Ren's mind, darkening his already burdened thoughts. He clamped his eyes closed, hoping to banish the world and the terrifying visions tormenting him.

Yet no matter his efforts, the relentless doubt clutched at him tightly.

What fate had befallen Leonel's family? And Leonel himself?

Unanswered queries churned in Ren's head, torturing him with their ominous possibilities.

"They have to be fakes," Ren whispered to himself, grasping at logic to explain the impossible. "Beings that can imitate human shapes."

This was a frantic bid to hold onto sanity, protecting himself from the awful reality looming over him.

In silence, Ren hoped Leonel and his kin remained secure in their apartment, spared from the nightmares stalking the corridors.

Still, as he uttered it, skepticism eroded his resolve. The persistent dread murmured of grimmer realities just out of reach.

Ren drew a deep breath to steady himself, bracing against the surging fear. Strength was essential for his and Evie's survival.

The elevator's chime rang out in the hall, announcing his arrival at the apartment level.

Rushing to the phone, Ren's fingers shook as he punched in Leonel's number.

Disappointment hit when the line stayed silent, the blackout killing all building communications.

"Damn it," Ren swore softly, irritation building with every futile try to connect.

Adrift and bewildered, a heavy drop settled in Ren's gut. He paced restlessly, thoughts spinning through ideas and fixes.

Confined to his apartment, Ren sensed mounting suffocation, walls pressing in as he faced the truth staring back.

"If only I could reach Joker and Angelica," Ren voiced desperately. "They might understand this mess and help us escape."

He recalled their advice about heading to Zone A tower for shelter. That could be their shot at safety.

Yet he realized the chances were faint even as he considered it.

Those eerie beings outside meant they were likely sealed inside, isolated from aid or the world beyond.

Ren pondered his own powers, the potent force surging in his body.

Did he possess the might to face those odd monsters?

Could he safeguard himself and Evie until an exit appeared?

He also had to rescue Leonel and the rest if possible.

Responsibility weighed crushingly on Ren, survival's load fully his to bear.

Through the turmoil and doubt, one focus held firm in Ren's mind: Evie's safety above all.

Ensuring her security trumped everything else; all other concerns came after.

Ren entered Evie's room, pulse thundering as he called her name.

"Evie?" His call bounced in the vacant space, anxiety twisting his insides while he hunted for traces of her.

Evie was missing, her absence deepening the dread already gripping Ren's heart.

She had been right there moments before.

"Where could she be?" Ren mumbled, scouring the room wildly for hints of her location.

His fingers grazed scattered empty water bottles on the floor, proof of her recent stay.

Dismay filled Ren at the scene, icy fear knotting his stomach.

Urgency built with every second, pushing him to locate Evie, guiding him to the bathroom.

"Evie . . . ?" Ren's voice resounded in the faint glow of emergency lighting as his eyes adapted during the search.

A noise drew him—the soft trickle of water.

Ren's pulse raced as he traced the sound, eyes landing on the bathtub.

Shock seized him seeing Evie underwater. Instantly, he dashed over and hauled her lifeless body from the water.

"Evie!" Terror gripped Ren as he gently laid her on the floor, his mind whirling while he struggled to recall CPR procedures. He shouldn't have skipped those lessons.

His lips met hers in frantic effort, forcing air back into her lungs. Hands quivering, he readied chest compressions just as Evie's eyes flickered open.

Joy surged through Ren at her awakening, but dread swiftly overtook it as an unnatural event unfolded before him.

Evie's eyes bulged wide, the whites turning a gruesome red while blood trickled from her openings. Her frame seized wildly, jerking in bizarre spasms.

Ren's thoughts spun in disbelief, unable to process the horror consuming her.

Suddenly, Evie hurled herself at him with savage rage, her motions chaotic and untamed.

Ren had barely a second to react before she bowled him over, fangs bared in a savage growl. He wrestled fiercely, primal urges driving him to subdue her flailing body.

Fueled by adrenaline, Ren thrust her aside and staggered to his feet. The slippery surface nearly sent him crashing, yet he steadied and bolted away, desperate for any way to save her.

Evie's familiar shape warped grotesquely, bones cracking and popping in a nightmarish shift.

Ren dashed through the shadowy halls, heart hammering, her monstrous howls pursuing him relentlessly.

Her horrifying change left Ren stunned, his mind reeling from the dire predicament.

No.

Not her.

Not Evie.

Please God. Ren prayed.

NOT HER. Anyone but HER!

For the first time in his life, helplessness consumed him completely, his confidence shattered by overwhelming fear and sorrow.

"Evie!" Ren's voice broke with raw emotion as he cried out. "It's me, Ren!"

"Snap out of it!" he roared when cornered.

His pleas fell on deaf ears as Evie charged again.

This time, Ren refused to dodge.

Instead, he planted his feet firm as she closed in.

Uncertain of her next move, her grip tightened around his neck, mouth morphing into a hideous needle-like probe. Blood-red eyes locked on his, burning with pure hunger.

"E-Evie . . ." Ren's whisper faded as he softly touched her cheek, unfazed by her ruined beauty.

"If you're going to be like this . . . then I want to be with you," Ren breathed tenderly. "So we can be together . . ."

With a burdened heart, Ren shut his eyes, bracing for the end.

But no sharp pain arrived; warm droplets splashed his face instead, snapping his eyes open in shock.

Incredibly, Evie had shifted back to normal, tears cascading down as she recoiled from him hurriedly.

"R-Ren . . . I don't know what's happening . . . but I can't control it . . . I can't" Evie's voice cracked with sobs, words tumbling in ragged breaths. "Y-you have to go. I don't want to hurt you. I-I'd rather die than see you get hurt because of me . . ."

"Then let's die together!" Ren vowed fiercely, refusing to abandon her. "I won't leave you. Wherever you go, I will go with you. Didn't we promise to be together forever?"

They had faced countless trials. How could it all end here?

There had to be a way. Ren thought desperately. A method to restore Evie to normal.

He wished and hoped with all his might for salvation. He'd trade anything to bring her back—even his own life.

A sorrowful smile touched Evie's lips as her mutation roared back fiercely. "If there really is another world beyond this . . . there's nothing more I want than to fall in love with you again . . ."

In a flash, Evie surged forward and smashed through the window, glass shattering explosively.

Ren leaped up, heart thundering, arm thrusting out in a hopeless grab for her.

It was too late. Evie plunged into the void below, her figure swallowed by shadows.

Her voice echoed hauntingly in Ren's ears, carrying a final, aching farewell.

"I love you . . ."

Ren's shouts tore raw from his throat.