Shade frowned as he looked through the sky full of yellow sand. The highest point of the monster's head nearly rose above the second-floor windows of the houses. Its skin was a strange bluish-brown, and its lower body had four legs covered in black fur. The two legs wearing huge black leather shoes were thick and fat, while the two legs wearing red high heels were slender.
Above the waist, it had two upper bodies. The chests of the two different upper bodies were pressed against each other's backs, just like the "Twin Rift Abnormality" Shade had seen not long ago. The face of the upper body in front belonged to Smith Old Gentleman, while the one behind belonged to Mrs. Smith.
Though its body was tall and bulky, its two shriveled heads were even smaller than those of normal living people. They were so withered that, if Shade had not been very familiar with his neighbors' appearances and seen their clothes before, he would hardly have recognized what this monster had once been:
"Mister Smith and Madam Smith fused?"
Seeing his familiar neighbors in such a state made Shade's lips twitch. But since this was an era of ruin, everyone he knew apart from Luvia and Little Mia was probably already dead. Thus, he was not entirely unable to accept what he saw:
"I'll let you rest in peace."
The monster naturally did not recognize Shade. After leaving the house and seeming to observe the outside world for a moment, it charged straight at him.
Behind him.
It suddenly vanished midway through its charge. Then a sharp sound cutting through the air, carrying tremendous force, struck from behind Shade. Having seen a similar move atop the Opera House, Shade had long been prepared. But instead of dodging, he turned