The Heart of the Underdog

In the dimly lit corridors, Remond bolted forward with a desperation fueled by sheer determination. Bullets struck his body, the impacts burning like fire, but he gritted his teeth and diverted the kinetic energy to his legs. Each shot made his feet hit the ground harder, driving him faster and faster, though the pain was unbearable.

"Damn it!" one of the goons huffed, struggling to catch his breath. Sweat dripped down his face as he watched Remond disappear down the corridor. "That kid… is so fast. How the hell is he still running after getting shot?"

"I don't know," the other wheezed, glancing at his partner with confusion. "Are you sure we hit him?"

"Yeah, I'm damn sure!" the first snapped. "I saw the bullets land!"

Their argument was cut short by the crackle of a radio. A frantic voice called out:

"Come quickly! We're ambushed. We need backup—now!"

"Shit," one of the goons muttered, his face paling. "What do we do now?"

"We don't have time for this kid!" barked their leader, his voice sharp with authority. "We need to fall back immediately!"

Without hesitation, the group turned and sprinted in the opposite direction, leaving the bloodied trail of Remond behind.

---

Remond slowed to a stop, panting heavily. The sudden silence in the corridor was unsettling, and it took him a moment to realize he was no longer being chased. Relief flickered in his chest, but it was quickly replaced by dread as another thought struck him: Sid might still be in danger.

Ignoring the throbbing pain coursing through his body, he turned to head back—but the moment he took a step, his legs buckled. He hit the ground with a harsh thud, groaning as the impact sent another wave of pain through him. His vision blurred momentarily, and he realized just how bad his injuries were. Blood soaked his clothes, and his breathing grew ragged.

"Oh God…" he gasped, his voice weak. "I can't… not now…" Frustration burned in his chest. "I have to go, or it'll all be over!"

His fists clenched as he forced himself to focus. "Come on, body. Don't give up now. Fight. Fight through the pain!" He screamed the words aloud, his voice echoing in the empty corridor.

Struggling to stand, he gritted his teeth, every movement agony. Then a thought struck him. Back when he'd been running, he'd barely felt the pain. Was it the adrenaline… or something else?

His eyes widened as the realization dawned on him. "It wasn't just adrenaline," he muttered. "It was my powers… the rubber effect."

Summoning what little strength he had left, he activated his ability. Slowly, his body began to feel lighter, his muscles loosening as the stiffness faded. The pain dulled, replaced by a strange elasticity that allowed him to move more freely. Though his movements were unsteady and slightly awkward, he managed to get to his feet.

"This'll have to do," he muttered, wobbling as he started forward. His steps grew faster as he adjusted to the strange state, and before long, he was moving quickly through the corridors.

When he finally reached the hallway, he froze, his heart dropping into his stomach.

---

"What the hell is this?" Remond gasped, his voice barely above a whisper.

The hallway was drenched in blood. Bodies of goons lay scattered across the floor, their remains torn apart as if by a wild animal. At the center of the carnage was a monstrous figure—a towering werewolf-like creature, its fur matted with blood. Its clawed hands held one of the goons, and with a horrifying growl, it ripped him in half, sending gore splattering across the walls.

At the far end of the hallway, Sid and a small group of students were working frantically to untie the others.

"Quick, quick! This is our only chance!" Sid urged, his voice shaking but firm as he worked to free a struggling teacher.

"Thank you so much, sir!" one of the freed students said, bolting for the exit.

"Yeah, thanks!" another added before disappearing into the chaos.

Sid turned to the remaining group, desperation flickering in his eyes. "Hey! Can't you help me free the rest of them?"

One of the students hesitated, looking toward the monstrous creature. "Are you crazy? We need to get out of here before that thing notices us!"

Several others murmured in agreement, nodding fearfully as they began fleeing toward the exit. A few stayed behind to help, including Innes, her hands trembling as she worked on a knot.

---

Remond's fists clenched as he watched from a distance. His instincts screamed at him to help, but fear rooted him in place. The werewolf let out a bone-chilling roar and turned toward the remaining group, its glowing yellow eyes locking onto them.

"No…" Remond whispered, his body refusing to move.

The beast lunged, crashing into the remaining tied-up students. Blood sprayed as its claws tore through them. Screams filled the air, but Sid's voice cut through the chaos like a knife.

"Run! Everyone, get to the exit now!" Sid shouted, his voice filled with urgency.

The remaining students and teachers bolted, terror etched into their faces. The werewolf, too occupied with its gruesome meal, didn't notice their escape—at least, not immediately. By the time it turned its attention back to the hallway, only Sid and Innes remained.

Sid positioned himself between Innes and the beast, his eyes darting toward the hallway door. "Go! Get out now!" he yelled, shoving her toward the exit.

"What about you?!" Innes protested, her voice shaking.

"I'll lock it from the inside! Just go!"

"No, I am not lea...."

But before she could say anything else, the werewolf slammed its massive paw into the ground by juming right in front of them covering almost 30 yards, blocking their escape.

"Shit!" Sid cursed, bracing himself as the creature crouched, ready to pounce.

The werewolf launched itself at them—but before it could land, a blur shot through the air, slamming into the beast with incredible force. The impact sent the creature crashing into the wall.

Sid's jaw dropped as he stared at the figure now standing between them and the werewolf.

"Remond?" he gasped, his voice filled with equal parts shock.

Remond stood tall, his body glowing faintly with an orange hue, fists clenched and eyes blazing with determination.

"You're not taking them," Remond growled, his voice low and steady.