Helia screamed.

But, in that moment, I wasn't too certain if it was her scream I was hearing or if that primal, horrifying screech came from the world itself, which recoiled at the very presence, at the very being of Crentist. Either way, the entire warehouse shook and the ground cracked apart as a... an inkblot explosion rapidly expanded outwards – black and white and shimmering iridescent waves – ripping apart Helia's wings in a sickening crunch and sending her flying through several metal crates and then through a metal wall and out the other side. Crentist stood in place, face turned to survey the damage he'd done, smoke billowing out the weapon on his helmet. The screeching had died down.

So, it hadn't been Helia who was screaming, but the fucking world itself.

I spared one more glance at Crentist before breathing in and readying the Laspistol. The fact that I didn't get a notification meant that Helia was still very much alive. However, I couldn't take chances. Luckily, my summons were easily replaceable. So, even if the Culexus Assassin died, I could just spend some War Points to revive him – though, having said that, I'd rather not have to spend anything at all. But if it came down to it, my life was more important. So, I pointed at the holes. "Crentist, go and check if that thing is still breathing."

The Culexus Assassin nodded and surged forward, moving faster than my eyes could follow. Holy shit. I knew there was a gap between us, in terms of physical stature, but I didn't know the gap was this wide. Well, that just meant I had to up my training. I was able to lift 500 kilograms last time. My goal now was to lift 1000 kilograms before the end of the month. That was, of course, assuming I made it out of this shit alive. But I was willing to bet on the possibility that I was going to live through this.

I ran forward and went after Crentist and, to my surprise, I found the Culexus Assassin standing over Helia's pale and smoking form, on the ground. Her eyes were closed and her lips were cracked. Blood streamed from her eyes and mouth, and her raven-black wings were nowhere to be seen. Her clothes were torn and shredded. And the power that once radiated about her flickered and dulled. That Crentist was this close to her did not aid in alleviating her troubles. In fact, I was pretty sure Crentist was screwing with her magic now, even more so than before. She couldn't defend herself anymore. And now, Crentist's anti-magic aura was literally fucking up her insides.

I didn't give a shit at all. She was not human. She attacked me the moment she stepped out. She was hostile to humanity. And, for that, she had to die. And, right in that moment, I had no qualms about killing – not anymore. After all, human rights were reserved only for humans. And, whatever she was definitely wasn't human. I lowered the Laspistol and aimed it right at her forehead. "Die."

I pulled the trigger without hesitation. The Laspistol's beam flashed out, a blinding line of crimson light aimed directly at Helia's forehead. The world seemed to hold its breath for a fraction of a second before a high-pitched whine filled the air, a faint sizzling sound marking the point of impact. I watched as the light made contact, tearing through the remnants of her flickering magical shield like paper.

Helia's body jerked, her eyes snapping open, revealing a momentary flash of crimson. A brief, guttural sound escaped her lips, something between a gasp and a growl, before her head slumped to the side, the light in her eyes fading away. Smoke curled from the small, blackened hole where the beam had struck, filling the air with the acrid stench of charred flesh.

Quest Complete: Devil in the Details
Objective: Survive
Option Chosen: Defeat Helia Stolas
Reward: 3000 War Points
Additional Rewards: (?) Unlocked - Analysis Required

I let out a shaky breath as the notification appeared in my vision, the tension that had gripped my muscles finally beginning to unwind. 3000 War Points. More than I'd expected, honestly, for what amounted to Crentist doing most of the work. But the System must have recognized that I'd made the right calls, taken the right steps to ensure our survival. Besides, the note about additional rewards intrigued me. Something about defeating Helia had unlocked a new opportunity or information. I'd have to check that out later.

"Alright, Crentist," I said, lowering the Laspistol and stowing it in my holster. "Let's get out of here before anyone comes looking for the source of that magical explosion."

I glanced around at the wreckage of the warehouse. The gaping hole in the wall where Helia had been thrown through, the shattered crates, the scorched ground where magic had collided with anti-magic. Anyone who came across this scene wouldn't have to think hard to figure out something unnatural had gone down. Or not. It was entirely possible no one would come here at all. This part of town was known for being just a tad bit dangerous, due to all the illegal drug trade that passed through here. So, more than likely, the only people who'd see this... all of this... were the ones who wouldn't be reporting it to the police anyway.

Crentist stood over Helia's corpse for a moment longer, his expression hidden beneath that featureless helmet, but his posture was somehow thoughtful. I knew better than to assume he was feeling anything—Crentist didn't feel, not the way humans did. He was a tool, a weapon designed for a purpose. And right now, his purpose was protecting me.

"We should probably," I ordered, turning toward the nearest exit. Crentist followed without question, his presence a constant, silent companion. As we made our way out of the ruined warehouse and into the streets, I felt the adrenaline begin to drain from my system, replaced by a gnawing sense of unease.

Helia had been powerful—far more powerful than anything I'd expected. But she had been vulnerable to Crentist's anti-magic aura, which was why we had won. What worried me was that if she had shown up here, in the Human World, then others like her could do the same. And there was no guarantee they'd all be as susceptible to Crentist's abilities as Helia had been. If anything, she might have been a scout, a precursor to something worse.

I needed more information. I needed to understand exactly what kind of threat we were dealing with. The fact that the System hadn't fully identified the nature of the rewards hinted that there was something it hadn't processed yet, something critical. I pulled up the menu and started a deeper analysis, focusing on the "additional rewards" the System mentioned.

Analysis Finished!
Additional Reward Unlocked!
New Unit Type Unlocked!

[Drukhari Incubi] x3!

[Drukhari Incubi (Standard Gear)] - An Incubus is an elite Dark Eldar warrior, most commonly seen in service as an Archon's retinue in the field; deadly and utterly fearless, they wield their gruesome Klaives in battle. Outside of combat, they act as personal bodyguards, protecting their client every second of the day.

Despite their penchant for backstabbing, any Drukhari unit you summon will hold absolute loyalty to you and you alone. So, don't worry about that.

[Ork Nob] x2!

[Ork Nob (Power Claws)] - Nobz are among the physically larger and thus more socially powerful members of the Ork race. Basically just a bigger, angrier, meaner, and stronger Ork Boy. These ones are armed with a Power Claw in one hand and a shootah in the other.

All Ork Units are still capable of passive growth and evoluton.

Pure knowledge surged through and into my brain. And I understood, immediately what my new units specialized in – at least, the basics of what they were capable of. The Drukhari Incubi were nimble and agile melee specialists, while the Ork Nobz were the muscle-heads on too much crack, protein, steroids, and alcohol. Nice. Having more bodies to throw at any danger that might come at me was always a good thing. I'd learn more about these guys later, when I was far from here. Breathing in, I eyed Helia's corpse a moment longer before shrugging. I turned to Crentist. "Get rid of the body. Come find me when you're done."

The Culexus Assassin nodded, though I figured getting rid of bodies really wasn't a part of their training, since these guys were trained to take down the sort of people whose deaths would be celebrated by just about everyone else. Still, it should be safe to assume that basic assassin training covered at least that. For now, I needed to go home and use up my new War Points for something.

Crentist bent down to grip Helia's body by the ankle, dragging her effortlessly toward a shadowy corner of the warehouse. I didn't bother looking back. Whatever method he chose to dispose of her corpse, I trusted that it wouldn't come back to haunt me. The Culexus Assassin was efficient if nothing else.

I pushed open the door leading outside, the cool and clean air washing over me like a cleansing wave. The distant sounds of traffic, the murmur of a city that never truly sleeps, filled the air. It was a stark contrast to the chaos that had just unfolded in the warehouse. I took a deep breath, feeling my heartbeat begin to return to normal, before I made my way back into the city. Good thing my clothes hadn't burned down or something, because that would've been difficult to explain – a few scratches and scorches here and there, but nothing too odd or obvious as to draw unwanted attention.

Thank Crentist for existing and thank my monkey brain for figuring out that buying an anti-magic assassin in a world that was apparently full of magic was a good idea.

I couldn't ignore the nagging sense of unease that still lurked at the edge of my mind. Helia had been strong, undeniably so, and had it not been for Crentist's anti-magic aura, I doubted I would have stood a chance against her. If others like her existed, others who might not have the same vulnerability to Crentist's abilities, then I needed to be prepared. I made my way home. And, as I did, the aftereffects of the battle slowly made themselves known in the form of tiny, annoying pains all over my body, bruises that would no doubt form in the morning. My hips and my back hurt like hell.

Not sure how I'd explain that to my parents, honestly, but I'm pretty sure I could just cover them up with clothes. Whatever the case, I reached my house without any issue. I even met a few school mates and acquaintances who just so happened to be walking down the road, many of whom I waved and smiled at. Forcing myself to not limp was more annoying than I thought. I went up my room immediately, since neither mom or dad were in the house, threw my dirty clothes into the basket of other dirty clothes, got a hot shower, cleaned up, and plopped down on the bed – and then stared at the ceiling for like half an hour, before I eventually pulled up the menu.

The War Points I'd earned from defeating Helia were a welcome bonus, but I needed to use them wisely. I scrolled through the list of available units and upgrades, considering my options.

Current War Points: 3500

There were always more units I could summon, more powerful beings I could call upon to bolster my forces, but considering the recent addition of the Drukhari Incubi and the Ork Nobz, I didn't think I'd need to summon more just yet. Instead, I needed tools and more powerful weapons. After all, the Laspistol barely got through Helia's shield and there was no telling if her shield was weaker or stronger than normal – at least, when compared to other supernatural creatures. I needed a weapon with more punching power, something that'd really hurt.

I scrolled a bit and grinned when I found exactly what I was looking for.