2025-05-06 19:16:41The night air was cool as Ali walked home, his muscles still humming from the intense training session with Malik and Laith. The streets were quiet, the occasional flicker of a streetlight casting long shadows. He rolled his shoulders, replaying the drills in his mind—until a sharp, unfamiliar sensation prickled at the back of his neck. He sensed danger.
His screen showed before his eyes a silent alert flashing in his vision [Threat Detected, Proximity meters.] Ali froze, scanning the dimly lit alleyways. Was this part of the training? But no, this felt real. The system guided him, pulling his attention toward a narrow side street. Heart pounding, he moved silently, every sense heightened. Then he heard it—a muffled gasp, the sound of fabric tearing. Peering around the corner, he saw a woman leaning over a man pressed against the wall, her fingers curled possessively around his collar. The man’s eyes were wide with terror, his breath ragged. Wait… something’s wrong. He thought to himself. The woman’s face twisted unnaturally, her features melting like wax. Her limbs elongated, fingers sharpening into claws. The man whimpered as the creature’s mouth stretched into a grotesque grin, rows of jagged teeth glinting in the dim light. It was a shapeshifter. Ali’s instincts kicked in. He stepped forward, voice cutting through the darkness. "Hey!" The creature’s head snapped toward him, its hollow eyes locking onto his. The man took the chance to stumble back, gasping. The Ghoul hissed, its voice a guttural mockery of human speech. "Another snack?" Ali clenched his fists, adrenaline surging. The system flashed again— [Engage with caution. Target: Shapeshifter. Weakness: Strike before full transformation.] He didn’t hesitate. He immediately actived the armor "White armor Activate" he declared. As soon as he was in his armor he lunging forward, he waved his sword at the Ghoul’s half-formed face. It cut him but the Ghoul managed to step away and regenerate, regaining its original form. The man scrambled away, shouting, "What the hell is that thing?!" "Run!" Ali barked, dodging a swipe of the Ghoul’s claws. The creature snarled, now fully monstrous—spindly limbs, jagged bone protrusions, a mouth too wide for its face. Ali ducked another attack, countering with a sharp kick to its ribs. It staggered but recovered fast, slashing at him. Pain flared across his arm, but he gritted his teeth. He knew he must focus. Remembering his training, he feinted left, then drove his elbow into the Ghoul’s throat. It gagged, its movements faltering. Seizing the opening, Ali grabbed a nearby metal pipe and swung with all his strength. CRACK. The Ghoul crumpled, it fell down to his knees. Panting, Ali stared at the empty space where it had been. The system updated: [Threat Neutralized. Combat Experience +10.] The man was still trembling a few feet away. "You—you saved me. What was that?!" Ali exhaled, wiping his brow. "Something that shouldn’t exist." He pulled out his phone, quickly messaging Malik and Laith: "We have a problem. Ghouls in the city. Just fought one." The response was immediate. Malik: "Stay where you are. We’re coming." Ali looked back at the shaken man. "You okay?" The man nodded shakily. "Thanks to you." The black smoke from the defeated Ghoul began to swirl unnaturally, coiling back together like a sinister vortex. Ali’s eyes widened as the creature’s laughter rasping and cruel echoed through the alley. "You’re just a small fry," the Ghoul sneered, its voice guttural yet mocking. "But I’ll have fun with you." Before Ali could react, the creature’s body twisted, bones cracking as its form expanded. Scales erupted across its skin, wings tore from its back, and in seconds, a dragon-like monstrosity loomed over him, molten fire glowing in its throat. "Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me!" Ali barely leapt aside as a jet of searing flames blasted where he’d stood, the heat singing his clothes. The dockyard crates behind him exploded into splinters and embers. Think. Adapt. Laith’s voice echoed in his mind. "Fear gets you killed. Strategy keeps you alive." Ali forced his breath steady. The Ghoul was stronger, yes, but it was arrogant. And arrogance could be exploited. Dashing behind a stack of cargo containers, Ali activated Stealth, his form blending into the shadows. The dragon-Ghoul snarled, its massive head whipping side to side. "Hiding won’t save you, little insect!" Ali didn’t answer. Instead, he moved silently toward the waterfront, leading the creature away from the city. The Ghoul took the bait, stomping after him, its massive tail smashing through lampposts. Then, just as Ali hoped, the creature’s form flickered. Maintaining such a powerful transformation was draining it. The dragon’s scales melted away, shrinking back into the slender, humanoid figure from before. Now was his chance. Ali lunged from the darkness, swinging a heavy chain he’d ripped from a nearby docked boat. The Ghoul hissed as the metal links wrapped around its torso, binding its arms. "Clever," it spat. "But not enough." Ali drove his knife straight into its chest. The Ghoul shrieked, its body convulsing as black ichor spilled from the wound. With a grunt, Ali heaved it off the pier and into the churning sea. The water hissed where the creature’s flesh touched it, bubbles erupting before the Ghoul dissolved into nothing. [Target Eliminated.] Panting, Ali collapsed to his knees as the system flared before him: [LEVEL UP!] [New Ability Unlocked: Light Sword] [+3 Strength] [+4 Stamina] [+5 Battle IQ] A grin tugged at his lips. He’d done it alone. Then his phone rang. Malik’s voice was uncharacteristically urgent. "Ali! Are you ok?" Ali tapped the device. "Yeah, Ghoul’s down. But we’ve got a bigger problem." "We’re tracking you now," Laith cut in. "Stay sharp. If one’s here, more are coming." Ali exhaled, flexing his fingers. The night was far from over. And now, he had a new weapon to test. The Light Sword hummed to life in his grip, a blade of pure energy, glowing like a sliver of the sun. And he was ready to test it.
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Chapter 41, The Hive.
The abandoned mall stood like a a Haunted house in the heart of Ariha, its shattered windows and the smoke that filled the air, a remaining evidence of the catastrophe. The atmosphere was filled with something far worse than blood, it was decay, the kind that didn’t come from the dead but from things that refused to die. Hadi sent Ali, Malik, and Laith to help. Three days ago, the Knights of Ariha received a call from a worker in the mall, saying that he saw a group of ghouls in a warehouse. Soon, the ghouls flooded the mall, and chaos erupted. The Knights of Ariha went there immediately but were unable to eliminate the ghouls. There were too many of them, and they couldn’t find out where they were coming from. Malik tightened his grip on his blade as he, Ali, and Laith approached the barricade where the Knights of Ariha had set up their command post. The leader, Hassan, turned to greet them, his face streaked with dirt and exhaustion. "Took you long enough," Hassan muttered, wi
Chapter 40, When Speed Meets Strategy.
After the battle the system's screen flashed before Ali's eyes : [ You've Leveled up][You've gained +40 experience points][You've gained a new object : Loot box ][ Battle IQ : +20 ][ Speed : +30][ Strength : +30 ][ Stamina : + 30]____The headquarters buzzed with energy as the knights returned from their mission. Fadi immediately commandeered the footage, plugging his laptop into a monitor. "Leave the editing to me," he said, cracking his knuckles. "I’ll make sure you look like legends, or at least cooler than the Knights of Nablus."Karim, still hyped from the battle, turned to Ali and Laith. "Train with me. I need to keep up with you monsters." Ali smirked. "Fine. But don't expect us to go easy on you."Their first spar was swift, Karim had improved, but Ali’s precision dismantled his defenses in minutes. Panting, Karim tapped out, then grinned. "Alright, now I want to see you try that on him." He jerked his chin toward Laith, lounging against a pillar with his usual bored
Chapter 39, Blades of Light and Thunder.
After the announcement of the Knights' Association, things grew quiet again. Ali and the others were unhappy that their efforts for peace had gone to waste, but there was nothing they could do. Soon after, the Association ordered the knight groups to film their battles and upload the footage to social media. At first, the knights rejected the proposal, insisting they were not influencers. However, the Association argued that in this day and age, it was necessary to maintain their public image. A strong social media presence, they claimed, would provide a platform to share their perspective and protect them against future defamation. The Knights of Nablus were the first to respond. With their vast numbers and dedicated supporters, their videos went viral almost overnight, turning them into global heroes. Seeing their success, the other groups soon followed their lead. The fish market was in chaos. Stalls were overturned, people screamed, and the stench of blood mixed with the s
Chapter 38, Dangerous Escalation.
The smoke had barely cleared when the news reached them, Haitham's office had been hit. A drone strike. It was precise and brutal.By the time Ali, Marwan, Hazim and the others arrived at the hospital, the scene was chaotic. Haitham's wife clutched his uninjured hand, her face streaked with tears, while his daughters sobbed quietly in the corner. The doctors moved briskly, their voices low and grim.Marwan gritted his teeth, fists clenched. "Whoever did this... I'll find them. I don't care if I have to dig them out from under the earth myself."Ali stared at Haitham's bandaged hand, three fingers gone, the rest blackened and raw. "This wasn't random. They knew where he'd be."Just then, Hazim entered, his expression unreadable. "The Commander of Tulkarm Knights was assassinated an hour ago."A heavy silence fell over them.Ali frowned. "That's too convenient. You think... it's connected?"Marwan's voice turned sharp. "This is too much, we must put an end to this, aren't you going to
Chapter 37, Assassin's Attack.
The night was quiet as Hadi drove home, the city lights flickering past his car windows. He loosened his tie, exhaustion settling in after another long day at the firm. Just as he turned onto the deserted stretch leading to his neighborhood, a deafening explosion shattered the silence. His car lurched violently, flames erupting from the engine. Instinct took over. Hadi kicked the door open and threw himself onto the pavement, rolling to smother the sparks licking at his sleeves. Before he could catch his breath, a dark figure lunged at him from the shadows. Hadi barely dodged the first swing. His attacker was human-no telltale signs of a shapeshifter-just a man with a grudge and a knife. Hadi blocked the next strike, twisting the assailant's wrist until the blade clattered to the ground. A sharp pain shot through his shoulder as the man landed a solid hit, but Hadi retaliated with a well-aimed kick, sending the attacker stumbling back. Seizing the moment, Hadi bolted into the alley
Chapter 36, No More Excuses.
The moment Hazim and Hadi returned from the Association’s assembly, they gathered their small but dedicated team, Marwan, Haitham, Malik, laith and Ali. and the five new recruits were still struggling to adjust. The recruits stood nervously in the background as Hazim made the announcement. "The Association wants every group to expand," Hazim said, crossing his arms. "We need more fighters. That means we’re recruiting, starting now."Marwan, who had been leaning against the wall with his usual scowl, suddenly pushed himself forward, his face flushing with frustration. "You’ve got to be joking," he snapped. "These five can barely hold a sword without tripping over themselves, and now you want to add more to the mess?"Hazim’s jaw tightened. "We don’t have a choice, Marwan. The Siege Ghouls aren’t going to wait for us to be ready.""Then you train them!" Marwan shot back, throwing his hands up. "You keep dumping everything on us while you swan around playing leader. If you want mor
Chapter 35, The Groups Assemble.
The grand hall of the Association of Knights was filled with the leaders of various knight groups, their armor gleaming under the flickering torchlight. At the center of the room stood Mr. Ameen, the Head of the Association, his stern gaze sweeping over the assembled warriors. Beside him, Ali Hazim and Hadi stood with quiet pride, having just returned from successful negotiations with the King and Queen of the Underworld. Mr. Ameen raised a hand, and the murmurs in the hall ceased. "Attention Knights," he began, his voice firm. "The peace talks with the Underworld are progressing, thanks in no small part to the Knights of Askalan." He nodded toward Hazim and Hadi, who exchanged a brief glance. "But let us not forget,our true enemy still lurks in the shadows. The Siege Ghouls are waiting. Watching. And when they strike, we must be ready." A ripple of unease passed through the crowd. "Which is why," Mr. Ameen continued, "we must strengthen our forces. Effective immediately, each
Chapter 34, The Negotiations.
The hall was quiet as the Knights of Askalan gathered. Hadi stood at the front, his expression as serious as ever as he waited for everyone to settle. “I called you all here because the Association has made an announcement,” he began, his voice steady. “After reviewing our report on the Queen of the Ghouls’ willingness to negotiate, they’ve opened formal peace talks with the King and Queen of the Underground.” A murmur rippled through the room. Peace talks with the Ghouls? After centuries of bloodshed, the idea was almost unthinkable. Hadi continued, “The Association has formally thanked us for our role in this and wants representatives from Askalan to attend the negotiations.” He glanced at Hazim, who gave a slight nod. “Hazim and I have decided to go, along with the members who were present during the initial encounter.” Malik and Haitham, who had been leaning against the wall with crossed arms, exchanged a look. “Not interested,” Malik said bluntly. Haitham shrugged. “I
Chapter 33, The Harsh Truth.
The training grounds were quiet in the dim light of dawn, the air still cool from the night. Ali arrived early, as he often did these days, determined to make the most of his time. Balancing his new identity as a knight with his career was no easy task, but he had a plan, train in the mornings with his friends Karim and Fadi, study at night, and somehow find a way to make it all work. When he stepped onto the field, he expected to be alone, but to his surprise, Hazim was already there, running through drills with slow, deliberate precision. The older knight paused when he noticed Ali, wiping sweat from his brow. "You're early," Hazim remarked, his voice calm but curious. Ali shrugged, adjusting his training gloves. "Can’t afford to waste time. I’ve got courses to study for, job hunting won’t wait." Hazim nodded. "I see. Well, good luck with that." A moment of silence passed between them before Ali spoke again, his tone thoughtful. "Hazim… do you think if we had more members
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