They kept following the obvious trail of destruction the anomaly had left. It wasn't hard; the thing had smashed through walls like they were paper.
Along the way, they ran into more gobdogs, sometimes in small groups, sometimes alone. Each time, he let the girls handle them, stepping in only if it looked like one of them was about to get seriously hurt.
Their levels were climbing steadily. Kendra and Vasa were now level 5, and even Yeda, despite still not having any active powers, had reached level 3 just from bashing things with her pipe and getting shared experience. Nox himself had hit level 10.
He didn't feel dramatically different, just a bit stronger and faster each time.
The path of wreckage eventually led them straight to the main gymnasium. The big double doors were completely torn off their hinges.
'The gym, huh?' He thought. He briefly wondered if Ava and that jock guy, Jax, were still in there, or if they had managed to get away. 'Probably not. They seemed like the type to run.'
"Whoa," Kendra said, stopping a few feet from the entrance. "Whatever's in there, it feels… heavy. Like, really dangerous."
Vasa nodded, her expression serious. "The air itself feels different around this place. Something powerful is inside."
Yeda just looked uneasy, clutching her metal pipe tightly.
They weren't wrong. Nox could feel it too, a pressure that wasn't there before. But he wasn't about to let some other thing, or person, take down his main target. This anomaly, this boss monster, was his.
"Yeda," he said, turning to her. "Give me your pipe."
She looked surprised but handed it over. "Why? What are you going to do?"
"You're staying out here," he told her. "Kendra, Vasa, you're coming with me. Stay close, and try not to die. This is going to be a real fight."
Kendra frowned. "Are you sure about this? If it's as bad as it feels..."
"It's the best way for you to get stronger," he cut her off. "You want to survive? You fight. Simple."
Vasa just nodded. "He's right. We need the experience."
Yeda looked like she wanted to argue, to say she wanted to help, but she kept quiet. She knew he was probably right. She'd just get in the way against something truly powerful.
He took the pipe, giving it a test swing. It was better than nothing. He then led Kendra and Vasa through the ruined entrance into the gym.
The inside was a complete wreck, far worse than when he'd last seen it. And in the center, sitting on a large pile of bodies – students, teachers, and even some gobdogs – was something new.
It was humanoid, standing on two legs, but covered in dark fur with a dog-like snout and pointed ears. Its hands ended in sharp claws, and it was big, easily seven feet tall. It was just sitting there, almost like it was waiting.
"Holy shit," Kendra breathed out. "What the hell is that thing?"
Before Nox could answer, the dog-person creature turned its head towards them. Then, it spoke, its voice a low, rough sound.
"More little insects have wandered into my nest, I see."
The girls just stared, their mouths slightly open. The fact that this monster could talk seemed to shock them more than its appearance.
The creature stood up slowly from its pile of bodies, brushing off some dust from its dark fur. It was even bigger than Nox had thought, easily towering over all of them.
"How brave of you little insects to come all the way here," it said, its voice carrying across the destroyed gymnasium. "I am impressed by your courage."
Then its expression shifted to something more commanding. "Kneel."
The word hit them like a physical force. Kendra and Vasa immediately dropped to their knees, their faces blank and compliant. Nox felt his legs wobble and fought against the compulsion, but even he couldn't fully resist. He went down to one knee, his jaw clenched as he struggled against whatever power this thing was using.
'What the hell?' he thought, trying to push himself back up. 'This might actually be a challenge.'
It noticed him trying to stand and let out what sounded like amused laughter. "Oh, interesting. You have some resistance. Good, good. I was getting bored sitting here. I think I will play with you a little longer before I kill you."
Nox managed to get back to his feet, though it took more effort than it should have. He could feel the creature's power pressing down on him, but it wasn't enough to keep him down completely.
That was when he noticed something else in the gym. Behind the boss monster, partially hidden by the debris, was another creature. It was bigger than the regular gobdogs they had been fighting, with more scars and a meaner look. An alpha version, like the one Jax fought.
"Here," he said to Kendra and Vasa, who were still on their knees but seemed to be shaking off the compulsion effect. "Once you can move, you guys deal with that thing." He pointed at the alpha gobdog.
Kendra looked where he was pointing and her eyes widened. "Are you serious? That thing looks like it could eat the other dogs for breakfast."
"Yeah, and you need the experience," he said, still keeping his eyes on the boss. "Plus I'm going to be busy with furry over there."
Vasa was already getting to her feet, ice crystals forming around her hands. "He's right. We can handle it."
The boss monster was watching this exchange with what looked like entertainment. "You think your little friends can defeat my pet? How amusing. Very well, let us see what happens."
It gestured with one clawed hand and the alpha gobdog lifted its head, growling as it spotted Kendra and Vasa.
"This should be fun," Kendra said, her skin already starting to turn that familiar gray color. "I've been wanting to punch something bigger."
The alpha gobdog was definitely bigger than anything they had fought so far, but Nox had confidence they could handle it. They were level 5 now, and their powers had grown a lot stronger.
The boss monster cracked its knuckles and grinned at Nox, showing rows of sharp teeth. "Now then, shall we begin our dance, little insect?"
Nox adjusted his grip on Yeda's metal pipe and rolled his shoulders.
"Sure."