A deafening CRASH shook the entire car as something massive slammed into his side. The impact threw him against the door, pain blooming along his ribs.
His vision went blurry for a moment, the sound of metal twisting and glass shattering filling his ears. The car jerked violently, its tires screaming as it skidded across the road.
Luke forced his eyes toward the source just in time to see a truck's front end crumpled against them, pushing hard, trying to shove the car completely off balance.
There was no thinking—only acting.
The familiar blue overlay of the in-head interface blinked into existence in front of him, the words crisp despite the chaos.
Three unused skill points available from last level-up.
"All on Earth," he decided without hesitation.
The notifications rolled in fast:
[Stone Skin Unlocked ] – Temporarily hardens your skin like rock, greatly boosting defense and reducing physical damage taken.
[Stone Spike Unlocked ] – Summons sharp stone spikes from the ground to pierce and impale enemies in front of you.
[Quake skill Unlocked ] – Slam the ground with immense force, causing a localized tremor that knocks enemies off balance and deals area damage.
Luke didn't waste another second—he triggered Stone Skin.
It was like an invisible weight locked onto his body, wrapping him in something dense and solid, almost like wearing armor made of the ground itself. His skin tingled as the sensation spread, hardening every muscle and bone in preparation.
The car screeched, spun, and slammed hard into the guardrail, metal bending with a sickening crunch.
The force jolted Luke forward, his seatbelt snapping tight against his chest before the car finally stopped—half tilted, the rear wheels spinning in the air from the awkward position on the embankment.
His ears rang. The world felt distant, muffled, like he was underwater. He coughed, tasting the metallic tang of blood on his tongue.
With effort, he pushed the door open—or maybe it was already hanging loose—and crawled out through the twisted frame. His hands scraped against the jagged metal as he dragged himself onto the gravel.
Every breath burned. He spat blood onto the ground, feeling the sting in his ribs. Something was definitely cracked in there.
Movement caught his eye. Two figures stepped out of the mangled truck. They moved fast, their boots thudding against the road, both with guns raised and locked on him. Their eyes were cold, unblinking. Whoever they were, they weren't here for small talk.
Luke clenched his jaw, planting one hand into the dirt to steady himself. The broken ribs protested sharply, sending pain slicing through his chest.
"Stone Spike!" he shouted, his voice rough but firm.
Energy surged through his body, flowing into the ground beneath his palm. The earth trembled—small at first, like a warning—then a violent crack split through the road in front of him.
Two jagged spears of stone burst upward, shooting from the ground with brutal force.
The spikes impaled both attackers from the bottom up, lifting them momentarily before they fell limp, weapons clattering uselessly on the asphalt.
The shock on their faces was frozen mid-expression, their bodies dropping heavily to the side.
Luke exhaled slowly, his shoulders sagging. The adrenaline kept him standing, but the pain in his ribs reminded him every second that he wouldn't be able to take many more hits like that.
[Monsters eliminated]
[2000 EXP received]
[Level up]
[You have reached Level 5]
Luke muttered under his breath, "So those guys were Lycans." He felt a strange warmth spreading through his body—the healing rush from leveling up. His broken ribs and bruises were easing off.
Leveling up didn't fix everything—serious injuries like stab wounds or ruptured organs were way beyond its reach. But for minor stuff? It could heal those, and most importantly, that stone skin activation definitely saved him during the crash. Without it, he'd be seriously messed up right now.
Luke had to give himself some credit for quick thinking—sometimes, a small smart move was all it took to make the difference between getting wrecked and walking away mostly okay.
He glanced at the mangled car and forced himself toward the driver's side. With a grunt, he pulled the warped door open and immediately saw Selene slumped inside. Part of the car's broken frame had crushed into her stomach, and dark blood was seeping through her clothes.
"Holy shit," Luke thought, panic flickering through his mind. Gently, he pushed the twisted metal away, careful not to cause her more pain.
Even for vampires, losing that much blood was dangerous. Selene wasn't invincible—far from it.
Without hesitation, Luke lifted her onto his back in a piggyback carry, doing his best to keep her steady.
Then his eyes caught Michael, who had been thrown from the car during the crash. He lay a few feet away, unconscious but breathing.
Luke sighed heavily. This was too much for his tired body to handle, but he still had some use left in him—at least for now.
Without wasting another second, he bent down, grabbed Michael's arm, and dragged him away from the wreckage.
They had to move—fast. There was no time to waste, not with the Lycans closing in again.