Doc crashed through the underbrush, his heart pounding against his ribcage. Fish darted alongside him, her metallic-tinged fur bristling as they fled from the tentacled horror. Only when the sounds of pursuit faded did Doc slow to a stop, bracing his hands on his knees as he caught his breath.

  "That was... unexpected," he panted, glancing back through the trees. No sign of the slug creature following them. "I think we're clear."

  Fish circled back to him, ears still alert, nose twitching as she sampled the air. Her earlier growl had subsided to an occasional rumble deep in her chest.

  "Agreed," Doc said, as though responding to the wolf pup's body language. "Let's not go back that way."

  He straightened up, wincing at the protest from his still-healing ribs, and tapped the neural interface that connected him to Lux.

  "Lux, have we ever encountered anything like that before? Any matches in our xenobiology database?"

  "Searching available records," Lux replied. A moment passed. "I have several partial matches for various mollusk-derived species and cephalopod variations, but nothing that perfectly aligns with what we just encountered. The combination of terrestrial movement, acidic secretions, paralytic barbs, and that specific bioluminescent pattern is unique in my accessible files."

  Doc frowned. "What about the expanded database? The Xenobiological Grand Catalog from the Science Division?"

  "I cannot access the complete archives without establishing contact with Nexus Prime's central data network," Lux explained. "Our current situation precludes such communication. I can only reference what was downloaded to our local storage prior to departure."

  Doc sighed, running a hand through his sweat-dampened hair. "So we're flying blind here. Again."

  "That would be an accurate assessment of our situation, yes."

  Fish nudged Doc's leg, looking up at him with what he could have sworn was concern. He reached down to scratch behind her ears.

  "It's fine," he told both Fish and himself. "We adapt. That's what scientist do."

  The wolf pup seemed satisfied with this answer and trotted a few paces ahead, looking back expectantly.

  "You're right," Doc said. "Standing around won't get us to civilization any faster. Let's get back to the trail the Sylvan recommended."

  Retracing their steps carefully, Doc kept his sidearm ready and his senses alert. The forest seemed quieter now, as if the presence of the slug monster had silenced the usual ambient sounds. Eventually, they found their way back to the main path, the subtle markers left by the Sylvan still visible to Doc's trained eye.

  "This should lead us west toward that settlement," Doc said, checking his portable navigation unit. "If we maintain a steady pace, we might make decent progress before nightfall."

  Fish took point position, her nose to the ground, occasionally lifting her head to sample the air. Doc followed, his mind processing their encounter with the slug creature.

  "This planet continues to defy conventional classification," he mused aloud. "Magical energy fields, metallic wolves with crystalline cores, sentient forest guardians, and now acid-secreting mollusk monsters. The research team back home would have a field day here."

  If they could ever reach home, he added silently to himself.

  "The diversity of life forms suggests a highly specialized evolutionary pathway," Lux observed. "Possibly influenced by the same energy anomalies that brought us here."

  "Agreed. But theory doesn't help us navigate this ecological minefield," Doc replied, stepping carefully over a fallen log. "For now, let's focus on reaching that settlement without becoming something's lunch."

  Fish yipped in apparent agreement, and they continued down the forest path, the afternoon sun filtering through the canopy above them.

  Doc checked the fading light filtering through the forest canopy. Dusk approached faster than he'd expected—or perhaps this planet's rotation differed from standard. Either way, traveling after dark seemed unwise given what they'd already encountered.

  "Lux, please scan for suitable camping locations within a half-kilometer radius. Preferably elevated, defensible, with clear sight lines."

  "Scanning," Lux replied. "Processing topographical data and environmental factors."

  Doc continued walking as Lux worked, Fish trotting slightly ahead on the path. The wolf pup had proven remarkably attuned to their surroundings, often alerting to potential threats before his own senses detected anything. Her ears perked forward now, head tilting at some distant sound.

  "What is it, girl?" Doc murmured, hand dropping instinctively to his sidearm.

  Fish didn't growl—a good sign—but remained attentive, nose twitching as she sampled the air.

  "I have identified three potential camping locations," Lux announced. "Displaying options on your heads-up display."

  Doc studied the translucent map that appeared in his field of vision. Three points glowed softly against the terrain rendering—one near a small stream, another on a rocky outcropping, and a third nestled between several large trees.

  "The elevated position on the rocks offers optimal defensive positioning," Lux continued, "but lacks cover from aerial threats. The streamside location provides water access but potential exposure to nocturnal predators. The location between the large trees offers natural cover and concealment, with limited approaches."

  Doc considered the options, weighing their needs against potential threats. After their encounter with the slug monster, water proximity seemed risky. And after the dragon attack on the shuttle, aerial exposure wasn't ideal either.

  "Let's take the tree location," he decided. "Distance?"

  "Two hundred and seventy-three meters, bearing northwest from current position."

  Doc adjusted their course, gesturing for Fish to follow. "Come on, girl. Time to set up camp before we lose the light completely."

  Doc pushed through a thicket of ferns, keeping his eye on the coordinates Lux had marked for their campsite. Fish trotted alongside him, occasionally sniffing at interesting scents but never straying far. The fading light cast long shadows through the trees, turning the forest into a maze of dark silhouettes.

  "Doc," Lux's voice came through his neural link, the AI's tone shifting to what Doc recognized as alert status. "I'm detecting movement behind us."

  Doc's muscles tensed. "The slug monster?"

  "Negative. Different energy signature entirely. Initially, I believed it was merely traveling the same path the Sylvan indicated. However, it has now altered course to match our deviation."

  Doc glanced down at Fish, who continued trotting forward, ears relaxed, seemingly unaware of any threat. That was odd. The wolf pup had proven remarkably sensitive to danger.

  "Fish doesn't seem to notice anything," Doc muttered. "How is that possible if something's following us?"

  "Unknown. The entity appears to be masking its presence somehow. I'm only detecting it through energy fluctuations in the surrounding environment—similar to the unique signatures we've observed in other fauna on this planet."

  Doc's jaw tightened. First the wolves, then the slug monster, now this. He was tired of being the hunted.

  "Distance and bearing?" he asked, already formulating a plan.

  "Approximately forty-seven meters behind us, maintaining our pace. It's being quite careful."

  Doc studied the terrain ahead, noting the dense undergrowth and fallen trees. "Time to turn the tables. Lux, initiate combat mode."

  "Combat mode engaged. Enhancing sensory input. Tactical overlay active."

  Doc's vision shifted as Lux augmented his perception, highlighting potential cover positions and escape routes. He knelt beside Fish, making eye contact with the wolf pup.

  "We've got company," he whispered, running his hand along her flank. "Need you to be ready."

  Fish's ears perked up at his serious tone, her amber eyes fixed on his face. Doc wasn't sure how much she understood, but the pup's posture shifted to alert status.

  "Good girl," he murmured. "Now, here's what we're going to do."

  Doc moved quickly, gathering fallen branches and positioning them to create a natural-looking barrier across the path they'd been following. He left a small gap—an obvious route through—then retreated behind a massive fallen tree trunk twenty meters ahead, positioning himself with a clear view of the trap.

  "Lux, continue tracking our visitor. Alert me to any change in behavior."

  "Acknowledged. Target maintaining distance, still following."

  Doc removed a small device from his utility belt—a compact motion sensor—and placed it near the gap in his makeshift barrier. He adjusted the settings to filter out small wildlife.

  "Fish," he whispered, gesturing for the wolf pup to join him behind cover. "Stay low."

  Fish crouched beside him, her body tense but controlled, as if she now understood the situation. Doc drew his sidearm, checking the charge level before setting it to stun.

  "Target has slowed," Lux reported. "It appears to be assessing your barrier."

  Doc steadied his breathing, settling into the familiar calm of tactical preparation. Whatever was following them had been clever enough to mask itself from Fish's senses, but not from Lux's advanced detection systems.

  "Let's see what we're dealing with," Doc muttered, finger resting alongside the trigger guard of his weapon. "I'm done being stalked across this planet."

  He waited, perfectly still, as the forest darkened around them.

  Doc crouched behind the fallen tree trunk, one hand resting on Fish's back to keep her still. The forest had grown eerily quiet as darkness settled around them, the ambient sounds of insects and nocturnal creatures conspicuously absent. Even the wind seemed to have died down, leaving only the occasional creak of branches overhead.

  "Update?" Doc whispered, barely audible.

  "Target continues approaching," Lux replied directly into his neural pathway. "Current distance: thirty-two meters and closing. Moving cautiously."

  Doc squinted into the gathering darkness. His enhanced vision should have picked up something—movement, a shadow, disturbed vegetation—but there was nothing. Just the silent, empty path and his makeshift barrier.

  "Visual confirmation?" he asked.

  "Negative. I am tracking energy displacement patterns only. The signature is... unusual."

  Fish remained perfectly still beside him, which troubled Doc more than anything else. The wolf pup had proven herself an exceptional early warning system, yet she showed no signs of detecting the approaching threat.

  "Twenty-five meters," Lux updated. "Speed reduced. It appears to be stalking mode."

  Doc tightened his grip on his sidearm. "I don't like this. I should be able to see something at this range."

  The motion sensor remained silent. Doc's makeshift barrier stood undisturbed on the path. Nothing moved in his field of vision.

  "Eighteen meters," Lux continued. "The energy signature is intensifying."

  "This makes no sense," Doc muttered. "Even with advanced camouflage, there should be some visual distortion. Is it underground?"

  "Negative. Signature indicates ground-level movement. Fifteen meters."

  Doc's heartbeat quickened. He'd faced invisible threats before—cloaking technology wasn't uncommon in advanced civilizations—but this was different. This wasn't technological camouflage; it was something else entirely.

  "Ten meters," Lux reported. "Directly ahead of your position."

  Doc raised his weapon, aiming at empty space. Fish still hadn't reacted, her breathing steady against his leg.

  "Seven meters."

  "I don't see anything," Doc hissed, frustration edging into his voice. "Are you certain—"

  "Five meters. Four. Three..."

  Doc stood suddenly, weapon raised. "Show yourself!"

  Nothing. The forest remained still and empty before him.

  "Lux, rescan the area. There's nothing—"

  The air shimmered. A violet glow materialized out of nowhere—two eyes floating in darkness—and then reality itself seemed to tear open as a massive wolf-like creature phased into existence directly in front of him. Before Doc could squeeze the trigger, two hundred kilogram of muscle and smoky-gray fur slammed into his chest.

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  Doc crashed backward, his weapon flying from his hand as he hit the ground hard. The monstrous wolf pinned him instantly, its violet eyes boring into his, razor-sharp teeth mere centimeters from his face. Its body flickered between solid and semi-transparent, like a bad hologram with intermittent power.

  "Oh, come on!" Doc gasped, the creature's weight crushing against his already-tender ribs. "Seriously? Phase-shifting predators now?"

  The wolf-monster's hot breath washed over his face as it growled, low and threatening. Fish, remarkably, had backed away rather than attacked, whining softly in fear.

  "Of all the rotten luck," Doc muttered, staring into the creature's glowing eyes. "I survived space anomalies, dragon attacks, and acid-spitting slugs just to be eaten by a wolf that doesn't obey the laws of physics."

  The creature's maw opened wider, teeth gleaming in the darkness.

  Doc stared up into the glowing violet eyes of the wolf-creature, his ribs screaming in protest under its weight. This was getting old fast. First the normal wolves, then the slug monster, and now some phase-shifting canine abomination? The planet seemed determined to throw increasingly impossible threats at him.

  "Lux," Doc managed to wheeze through the crushing pressure, "increase suit strength output to maximum."

  "Warning: Maximum strength augmentation may cause joint strain and—"

  "Just do it!"

  His exploration suit hummed as the micro-servos engaged at full capacity. Strength flooded through his limbs, multiplying his normal human output fivefold. Doc braced his forearms against the creature's chest and pushed upward with everything he had.

  The wolf monster's eyes widened in apparent surprise as Doc lifted its massive form. With a grunt of effort, Doc heaved the creature sideways, sending it tumbling into the underbrush. He scrambled to his feet, instantly searching for his plasma gun.

  "Where's my weapon?" he muttered, scanning the dark forest floor. The sidearm had flown from his hand during the initial attack, disappearing into the ferns and fallen leaves.

  "Scanning immediate vicinity," Lux replied. "Unable to locate. Dense foliage is interfering with precise tracking."

  Doc cursed under his breath. No time to search properly. The wolf creature was already recovering, its form flickering between solid and transparent as it circled him. He reached to his hip instead, unclipping his plasma blade and activating it with a flick of his wrist. The blade hummed to life, casting an eerie blue-white glow across the darkened forest.

  "Lux, track that beast. I need to know if there's a pattern to its phasing. Energy signature changes, anything that might give us a warning before it becomes solid again."

  "Analyzing phase transitions now," Lux replied. "The entity appears to be manipulating a localized dimensional field. There is a brief energy spike approximately 0.8 seconds before full materialization."

  Doc kept turning, blade extended, trying to follow the faint shimmer in the air that betrayed the creature's position. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Fish cowering against a tree trunk, her body trembling, ears flat against her skull.

  "It's okay, Fish," Doc called, trying to sound reassuring despite the dire situation. "Stay back, girl. I've got this."

  Fish whined louder, pressing herself against the tree as if trying to disappear into the bark. Doc had never seen her this terrified—not during the wolf pack attack, not during the slug monster encounter. Something about this creature struck primal fear into her.

  "Energy spike detected!" Lux warned.

  Doc spun toward the direction Lux indicated, but he was a fraction too slow. The wolf monster phased fully into existence—not in front of him, but directly beside Fish. Before Doc could shout a warning, the creature's jaws clamped down on Fish's flank and push her down to the forest floor. The wolf pup's yelp of pain cut through the night air like a knife.

  Something snapped inside Doc. A cold, calculated rage flooded his system.

  "Lux, initiate Hostile Organism Termination Protocol. Authorization: Delta-Seven-Omega."

  "Warning: H.O.T. Protocol overrides safety restrictions and ethical constraints. Confirm authorization."

  "Confirmed," Doc snarled, watching as Fish struggled in the monster's jaws. "This ends now."

  "H.O.T. Protocol engaged. Unlocking full combat capabilities. Neural response time accelerated. Weapon systems optimized for maximum lethality."

  Doc felt the change immediately. The suit's interface merged more deeply with his nervous system, his perception of time seeming to slow as his neural processing accelerated. The plasma blade in his hand recalibrated, its hum deepening as the containment field tightened, focusing the energy to its most lethal configuration.

  "Target lock established," Lux stated, highlighting the wolf monster's vital points in Doc's enhanced vision. "Weak points identified."

  Doc moved toward the creature, no longer a scientist observing an unknown species, but a precision weapon with a single purpose: elimination of the threat.

  Doc lunged forward, his movements precise and calculated. The world around him seemed to slow as Lux's combat protocols integrated fully with his nervous system. Each muscle contraction, each footfall, each heartbeat—all perfectly optimized for maximum efficiency.

  The wolf monster remained focused on Fish, its jaws clamped around the pup's flank. The creature's form flickered between solid and phantom, making it difficult to target.

  "Predictive algorithm engaged," Lux announced in his mind. "Phase cycle pattern identified. Materialization in three... two... one..."

  Doc struck the instant the creature solidified. The plasma blade sliced through the air with a high-pitched whine, connecting with the monster's hind leg. The beast howled, releasing Fish as it whirled to face this new threat. Its violet eyes blazed with fury as it snarled, displaying rows of impossibly sharp teeth.

  "Vitals on Fish?" Doc demanded, circling the creature.

  "The pup is injured but mobile. Wound appears deep but not fatal."

  Relief flooded Doc's system, quickly replaced by cold determination. The wolf creature lunged, its massive form becoming transparent mid-leap. Doc pivoted smoothly, the creature passing harmlessly through him.

  "Energy spike detected," Lux warned. "Materialization imminent."

  Doc didn't wait for the creature to fully solidify. He thrust the plasma blade into the shimmering air where Lux indicated the monster's heart would be. The wolf materialized around his blade, impaling itself on the searing energy. It howled in agony, thrashing wildly.

  But instead of collapsing, the creature phased again, pulling itself off the blade and disappearing into the darkness.

  "Target retreating?" Doc asked, scanning the area.

  "Negative. Circling for another attack. Three o'clock position."

  Doc turned sharply, catching a glimpse of violet eyes before they vanished. The creature was learning, adapting to his tactics.

  "Adjusting strategy," Lux stated. "The entity requires full materialization to attack physically. Recommend exploiting this vulnerability."

  Doc nodded, formulating a plan. "Let's bait it."

  He deliberately turned his back to where Lux indicated the creature was hiding, appearing to check on Fish. The wolf pup had dragged herself beneath a fallen log, whimpering softly.

  "Energy spike detected!" Lux alerted. "Behind you!"

  Doc spun with inhuman speed, plasma blade extended. The wolf monster materialized directly in his path, jaws open wide to clamp down on his throat. Instead, it impaled itself on the blade, the superheated plasma entering through its open mouth and exiting the back of its skull.

  The creature's momentum carried it forward, knocking Doc backward. They crashed to the ground together, the wolf's massive body pinning him once more. Its form flickered rapidly between solid and transparent, the phase-shifting ability failing as its brain tissue vaporized.

  With a final surge of strength, Doc twisted the blade, ensuring complete destruction of the neural tissue. The violet glow in the creature's eyes dimmed, then extinguished entirely. Its body solidified one last time, becoming dead weight on top of him.

  "Target neutralized," Lux confirmed. "Vital signs negative."

  Doc pushed the carcass off him, his enhanced strength making the task effortless despite the creature's mass. He deactivated the plasma blade and rushed to Fish's side.

  "H.O.T. Protocol disengaged," Lux announced as Doc knelt beside the injured pup. "Returning to standard operational parameters."

  The heightened perception faded, time resuming its normal flow. Doc felt the familiar ache in his ribs return, along with a bone-deep weariness that always followed full combat protocols. He'd only used the system a handful of times before, and never on a planetary survey mission.

  "You're okay, girl," he murmured, gently examining Fish's wound. "Just a flesh wound. We'll get you patched up."

  Fish whimpered, licking his hand weakly. Her eyes kept darting to the dead wolf monster, fear still evident in her posture.

  Doc knelt beside Fish, his mind racing as he assessed her injury. The puncture wounds from the phase-wolf's teeth were deep, and they were bleeding steadily, dark red against her gray fur.

  "Lux, run a full system scan. Check for any residual phase energy or anomalies in the area."

  "Scanning," Lux replied. "No additional threats detected. The entity appears to have been solitary. Analyzing residual energy signatures now."

  Doc reached for his pack, which had been tossed aside during the struggle. He rummaged through the contents, searching for anything that might help Fish. His medical supplies were limited—a basic first aid kit designed for human physiology, not alien wolf pups.

  His fingers brushed against something hard and cool. The wolf cores, or at least that what he decided to call them. They were the crystalline structures he'd harvested from the metallic wolves days earlier. He pulled one out, studying its faint luminescence in the darkness.

  "Lux, remind me what happened when Fish absorbed that first core. The physical changes, energy readings, everything."

  "After absorption of the first core, Fish exhibited several notable changes," Lux reported. "Her muscle density increased by approximately 12%. The metallic properties in her fur and claws intensified. Her body temperature rose temporarily by 1.8 degrees before stabilizing. Energy readings indicated a 27% increase in her baseline metabolic output."

  Doc turned the core over in his hand, watching how the light played across its faceted surface. "And there were no negative side effects? No rejection symptoms?"

  "None detected. The integration appeared seamless, as if the core was designed to be absorbed by her species. However, I should note that we lack sufficient data to predict how multiple absorptions might interact."

  Doc looked at Fish, who whimpered softly, her eyes fixed on him with a mixture of pain and trust. The wounds weren't life-threatening, but they were serious enough to slow them down significantly. In this hostile environment, that could be dangerous.

  "I don't have proper medical supplies for her," Doc muttered. "Nothing designed for this planet's fauna."

  He weighed the core in his palm. "What do you think, Lux? Could this help her heal? Maybe accelerate her natural recovery?"

  "Unknown," Lux admitted. "The first core did strengthen her overall constitution, but I cannot confirm it would specifically aid wound healing. This would be an experimental application."

  Doc sighed, looking at the injured pup. "Not much of a choice, is there? We're days from the settlement, surrounded by monsters that shouldn't exist, and my medical kit is designed for humans."

  He gently stroked Fish's head. "What do you think, girl? Worth a try?"

  Fish's eyes tracked to the core in his hand. Her ears perked forward slightly, nostrils flaring as she caught its scent.

  "She appears to recognize it," Lux observed. "Previous exposure may have created a physiological association."

  "Let's do it," Doc decided. "Monitor her vitals closely. If there's any sign of distress, we intervene immediately."

  He carefully placed the crystalline core near Fish's muzzle. The pup sniffed it cautiously, then with more interest. She extended her tongue, touching the core tentatively.

  Just as before, the crystal began to melt upon contact, disappearing as it was absorbed directly through her snout. Doc observed with wonder as illumination spread throughout her form, subtle threads of radiance visible under her coat, mapping pathways along her circulatory system and muscular structure.

  "Remarkable," he whispered. "It's like it's mapping her circulatory system."

  The light intensified around her wounds, pooling at the injury sites. Fish whimpered once, then relaxed, her breathing becoming deeper and more regular.

  "Vitals are stabilizing," Lux reported. "Heart rate normalizing. I'm detecting accelerated cellular activity at the wound sites. The core appears to be facilitating rapid tissue regeneration."

  Doc watched in amazement as the bleeding slowed, then stopped altogether. The puncture wounds didn't close completely, but they looked days rather than minutes old.

  "It's working," he said softly. "She's healing."

  Doc watched with relief as Fish's wounds visibly improved. The crystalline core was working faster than he'd anticipated, the pup's breathing already steadier, her eyes clearer. She still favored her injured side, but the difference was remarkable.

  "Lux, remind me to collect more of these cores whenever possible," Doc said, gently stroking Fish's head. "They're invaluable healing catalysts."

  With Fish on the mend, Doc turned his attention to the massive carcass lying nearby. The creature's form had stabilized in death, no longer flickering between states of materiality. In the dim forest light, its smoky-gray fur showed faint violet highlights that seemed to absorb rather than reflect the moonlight.

  "Let's see what we're dealing with here," Doc muttered. "Lux, full biological scan of our friend here. Does it have a core like the other wolves?"

  "Scanning," Lux replied. "Preliminary analysis indicates this is a highly evolved variant of the ironfang wolves we encountered previously. This specimen appears to be an apex predator with significant biological adaptations."

  Doc circled the carcass cautiously. "And the core?"

  "Affirmative. Core detected, but significantly different from previous samples. This core exhibits complex crystalline matrices with unusual energy signatures. Located in the central chest cavity, approximately 8 centimeters below the sternum."

  Doc knelt beside the creature, retrieving his plasma blade. "Alright, let's extract it. What else can we salvage? We're traveling light, but I don't want to pass up anything valuable."

  "Calculating optimal salvage strategy," Lux responded. "Given our limited carrying capacity and travel requirements, I recommend selective harvesting. The core is priority one. Additionally, the creature's claws contain the same keratin-metal hybrid material as the standard wolves, but with significantly higher density and trace elements not present in the previous specimens."

  Doc carefully began the extraction process, using the plasma blade at its lowest setting to make precise incisions. "What about these violet-tinged fur sections? Anything special there?"

  "The fur contains trace amounts of an unknown element that appears to facilitate the phase-shifting ability. Small samples may prove valuable for later analysis."

  As Doc worked, he couldn't help but marvel at the creature's internal structure. Unlike the standard wolves, this one's muscle tissue had strange, filament-like structures running throughout, creating patterns that reminded him of circuit boards.

  "Fascinating," he murmured. "The biological architecture here is unlike anything I've encountered. It's as if this creature evolved specifically to manipulate dimensional boundaries."

  "The eyes also contain specialized crystalline structures," Lux added. "They appear to function as focal points for the phase manipulation ability. Relatively small and lightweight, they would add minimal burden to our supplies."

  Doc carefully extracted the core—nearly twice the size of the previous wolf cores and with a deeper, more complex violet hue. Unlike the others, this one seemed to pulse with its own internal rhythm, even separated from its host.

  "This is remarkable," Doc said, securing the core in a specimen container. "The energy readings are off the charts."

  He proceeded to collect the other recommended parts: a set of claws, small samples of the violet-tinged fur, and the crystalline eyes, which maintained their glow even after death.

  "That should do it," Doc said, packing the specimens securely in his field kit. "We can't carry much more without slowing us down."

  "Agreed," Lux confirmed. "These samples represent the optimal balance between scientific value and practical weight considerations."

  Doc cast one last look at the creature's carcass. "Whatever this thing was, it was perfectly evolved for hunting. The phase-shifting ability alone would make it nearly unstoppable against normal prey."

  With the harvesting done, Doc packed the valuable specimens and helped Fish to her feet. The pup wobbled slightly but seemed determined to move under her own power.

  "Easy there, tough girl. You're healing, but don't push it," Doc said, shouldering his pack. Doc signaled Lux to scan for his plasma gun, surveying the area while his AI companion worked. Their neural link hummed as Lux mapped the terrain.

  "Located. Three meters northwest, under foliage," Lux reported directly into his mind.

  Following the mental waypoint in his vision, Doc moved toward the weapon, pushing aside dense undergrowth. The familiar gleam of dark metal with blue energy conduits brought relief. He retrieved the gun, checked it for damage, then secured it to the magnetic holster on his belt. Its weight felt reassuring—advanced technology to help navigate this primitive, monster-infested world.

  They set off through the darkened forest, Doc keeping a slower pace to accommodate Fish's recovery. The moonlight filtered through the canopy, casting eerie shadows that seemed to shift and move with each breeze.

  "I'm beginning to think this entire planet is just waiting to eat us," Doc muttered, scanning the tree line. "First a dragon, then metal-fanged wolves, then a slug monster that spits acid, and now phase-shifting predator wolves. What's next? Trees that eat people?"

  "Statistically speaking, carnivorous flora of sufficient size to consume a human is a distinct possibility in this ecosystem," Lux replied matter-of-factly.

  Doc stopped walking. "That was rhetorical, Lux."

  "My apologies. I've noted that your rhetorical questions often predict actual threats with surprising accuracy."

  "Great. Now I've jinxed us." Doc shook his head and resumed walking. "Remind me to keep my imagination in check."

  They reached a small clearing that offered decent visibility and defensible positions. Doc quickly established their camp, setting up the portable barrier generators in a perimeter.

  "My back is killing me," Doc groaned as he unrolled his sleeping mat. "That H.O.T. protocol always leaves me feeling like I've been hit by a transport shuttle the next day."

  "The neural acceleration does cause micro-tears in muscle tissue," Lux confirmed. "Your body is not designed for the sustained heightened performance levels. I calculate you'll experience approximately 72% more soreness than your current baseline tomorrow."

  "Fantastic." Doc stretched his arms overhead, wincing at the tightness already forming. "The things I do for science... and wolf pups."

  Fish limped over and flopped down beside him, resting her head on his leg.

  "At least one of us will sleep well tonight," Doc said, gently scratching behind her ears. "Tomorrow we continue west. With any luck, we'll reach civilization before encountering something even more terrifying than our phase-shifting friend."

  "Based on observed biodiversity patterns, I calculate—"

  "Lux, please. No more statistics tonight."

  "Understood. Disabling probability projections of future hostile encounters."

  Doc lay back on his sleeping mat, Fish curled against his side. "Just once, I'd like to discover a planet where the local wildlife doesn't try to eat me."

  No Classes Found. I didn’t want it to be flashy—I wanted it to feel precise, controlled, and showcase some of Doc’s more overpowered capabilities. He may be a scientist, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t know how to fight.

  *Chapter 6 drops Friday*