Kamcy

  For a moment, there was a deathly silence all around me.

  Still resting against the shaft of my polearm, I kept my gaze steady. I didn't take my eyes off the creature in front of me for even a second. My instincts were screaming at me. If I took my eyes off it, even for a moment, I was certain I would regret it.

  Rather than panic, my mind began organizing a plan of action.

  Escaping didn't cross my mind, not even once.

  Not only because I could feel it deep in my bones that the moment I showed this creature my back would result in my immediate death, but because I needed to change my way of thinking.

  That lone mentality of immediately saving myself when things got tough had served me well when I was alone in the simulation.

  But now… now doing that rubbed me the wrong way.

  It didn't feel right that my first thought, when things got hard, was abandoning those around me for my own benefit.

  Besides, my mom didn't raise me to be like that.

  Having resolved myself to confront this creature with everything I had, I grabbed my weapon properly and took a fighting stance, spreading my legs apart to maintain balance on the moving vehicle.

  The metal roof vibrated beneath my boots as the convoy sped forward.

  The creature hadn't made a single move.

  It simply stood there and looked at me.

  Or at least that was what it felt like.

  The wave of creatures behind it had begun to lag slightly behind, almost as if they had been commanded to do so. The swarm still chased the convoy, but now there was an obvious distance between them and this new monster.

  Everyone in my group had their weapons trained on it.

  Yet no one fired.

  Not a single shot.

  The oppressive aura pouring off the creature was suffocating. It felt like invisible hands were wrapped around everyone's throats, stopping them from being the first to provoke it.

  No one wanted to be the one that drew the attention of this monster.

  My shoulder radio crackled suddenly.

  "50 seconds. Can you hold it that long while we provide backup?" came a voice I didn't immediately recognize.

  Taking a quick side glance toward Team 1’s vehicle, I saw Ms 1 speaking into her radio.

  "What stops it from following us even after we reach our destination in that time?" I asked back. I couldn't see any valid reason this creature would simply stop chasing us just because we reached a location.

  Unless they had a way to stop it.

  "We have a plan for that. Just hold it off."

  I exhaled slowly.

  "Doesn't seem like I was given a choice anyway." I muttered under my breath.

  I released a small burst of àse outward, letting it ripple across the battlefield to get a reading of my surroundings.

  Our captain was wounded and barely conscious but still had his weapon aimed at the creature.

  But I still couldn't see how he would be much help.

  Ijeoma seemed fine, and she was already pushing herself up and grabbing her axe. Somehow, they had managed to retrieve it after all.

  Khadija and Orezi were on the roof of Team Three's vehicle, their weapons raised and ready.

  It seemed the message had been sent over an open channel to fill everyone in on the plan.

  After that quick scan, I released another wave of àse.

  This time, I directed it at the creature itself.

  The moment my senses brushed against it, my heart sank straight into my stomach.

  I had hoped that even if it had formed an àse core, it would still be comparable to the other creatures we had fought.

  Just stronger.

  But even that small probe told me something terrifying.

  It was leagues ahead.

  Leagues beyond anything I had faced before, with the sole exception of that bird-like monstrosity.

  My thoughts came to a screeching halt as the next instant, the creature vanished.

  One moment it was there.

  The next moment it wasn't.

  Pure instinct took over.

  I jerked my glaive upward just in time to defend myself.

  CLANG!

  The impact slammed into my weapon with crushing force.

  My muscles screamed.

  My feet dug into the metal beneath me as the roof buckled under the pressure. My joints screamed in protest as I struggled to hold my ground.

  A cold chill ran down my spine.

  Again my instincts took over, forcing my torso sideways.

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  Something razor-sharp grazed across my stomach, saved only by my suit.

  'The speed'

  I screamed inside my own head.

  One of its tentacles had stabbed forward, trying to impale me straight through the gut.

  Using what I'd learned about àse manipulation, I immediately reinforced my entire body with it.

  Most of it went into my arms and legs.

  With a grunt, I wrenched my glaive free from under the creature's claw, activating the [Knife Mode] of my weapon.

  The blade shrank instantly into its shorter, brutal dagger form.

  I slashed toward the creature.

  It was pointless.

  The creature casually parried the attack aside with its tentacle, leaving my chest completely open.

  The creature raised its left hand.

  The claws spread wide as it was about to gut me open.

  My heart thundered violently in my ears.

  Panic surged through me.

  But the killing blow never came.

  BANG!

  A shot rang out.

  The creature instantly moved its right hand up to shield its face.

  The bullet struck the hand.

  For a split second nothing happened.

  Then the flesh swelled grotesquely.

  The hand ballooned outward before violently rupturing.

  It burst apart in a disgusting explosion of shredded meat and black blood.

  Chunks of flesh splattered across the vehicle roof.

  I glanced sideways.

  Ms 1.

  Her sniper rifle was trained directly on the creature.

  She fired again.

  And again.

  The rest of my team immediately joined in as a storm of bullets slammed into the creature.

  To defend itself, the creature spun its tentacles around its body, creating a living shield.

  The bullets tore into them.

  Each tentacle swelled.

  Ruptured.

  Exploded in showers of blood and shredded flesh.

  Yet within seconds the torn tissue wriggled and regrew.

  The regeneration was horrifying.

  Taking advantage of the opening, I lunged forward.

  My blade drove straight toward the creature's chest.

  The creature snapped its attention back to me.

  Its arm, freshly regenerated, slammed down and blocked the attack.

  My blade pierced straight through its wrist.

  Once my weapon was lodged there, the creature violently yanked its arm to the side.

  My glaive was ripped from my hands, leaving me weaponless.

  With that, it threw a downward punch.

  I had no choice.

  I poured àse into my arms and crossed them in an X to block.

  The moment the blow connected, I regretted my choice to block the blow.

  My bones felt like they were about to shatter.

  I was launched off the vehicle like a ragdoll as I slammed into the dirt with my back first.

  The impact knocked the air out of my lungs despite my àse reinforcement.

  Momentum carried me rolling several times before I managed to regain control.

  Dirt and gravel tore at my armor as I tumbled.

  Finally, I planted my feet and forced myself upright.

  A chill and a feeling of annoyance ran through me as the creature was already above me.

  Another strike came down.

  Aimed directly at my skull.

  BANG!

  Another shot rang out.

  A bullet ripped through the creature's back and exited through its chest.

  The impact detonated inside it.

  Its torso exploded outward in a grotesque spray of flesh and organs.

  Taking advantage of the moment, I activated [Home-Boy].

  My weapon responded instantly.

  The glaive shot back toward me from wherever the creature had thrown it.

  But even as I stumbled backward trying to create distance, the creature's body was already regenerating.

  Its flesh and bones snapped back into place.

  Within seconds, it stood again.

  Its mouth opened, spreading wide enough it looked unnatural.

  Inside was a horrifying row of jagged teeth akin to a shark's.

  Then it shrieked.

  The sound slammed into me like a physical force.

  My entire body froze.

  Locked in place.

  'It has the insectoid ability too'

  My mind screamed.

  The creature vanished again.

  Then it appeared directly above me.

  Its claws came down together like a spear.

  Aimed straight for my skull.

  My mind raced desperately for an escape route.

  There was none.

  Even if I wasn't frozen, I was boxed in.

  The creature's tentacles had spread outward.

  Every direction I could dodge was already blocked.

  Then suddenly—

  The tentacles shot upward.

  A massive axe crashed down from above.

  The blade cleaved through the tentacles with brutal force.

  Black blood sprayed across the battlefield.

  The creature jerked its attention away from me.

  Ijeoma had joined the fight.

  She landed beside me and swung again, but this time the creature responded with a tentacle.

  The speed at which it attacked was insane.

  For a moment, my relief nearly turned into fear for her life.

  The creature could impale her at any second.

  But another shot rang out.

  This one blew the creature's shoulder completely off.

  The arm was torn away in an explosion of meat and bone.

  That gave Ijeoma the opening she needed.

  She planted her feet and spun her axe for another strike.

  But the creature recovered faster than expected.

  It spun and kicked at her.

  She raised the wide blade of her axe to block the blow.

  Still, the impact launched her backward across the dirt.

  The moment my paralysis faded, I grabbed the falling axe handle.

  Pouring àse into it, I activated its skill.

  Electricity exploded outward from the weapon.

  Arcs of lightning snapped violently through the air, and the back of the axe fired out thrusters.

  I swung the axe.

  The blade tearing through its newly regenerated tentacles.

  I swung and aimed for the creature's head.

  But the creature's speed was once again overwhelming.

  With its remaining arm, it slapped the axe aside.

  Electricity surged through its body.

  Its arm spasmed and was heavily charred, while also leaving it temporarily paralyzed.

  I used the momentum of the deflected swing.

  Pouring àse into my legs, I spun.

  My heel slammed into the creature's jaw.

  CRACK.

  Its head snapped violently to the side.

  Another shot rang out.

  Orezi.

  His Z30 blew a smoking hole straight through the creature's chest.

  Our convoy vehicles were catching up now.

  More shots followed.

  Bullets tore into the creature's body.

  Its flesh exploded.

  Limbs shredded.

  They were dismantling it piece by piece with precise aims.

  Sensing the return of my glaive and Ijeoma rushing back, I dropped her axe.

  She caught it mid-run.

  While I grabbed my glaive.

  Still in Knife Mode, I slashed downward.

  The creature's left leg came clean off.

  Black blood sprayed across the ground.

  At the same time, Ijeoma swung her axe.

  The blade cleaved straight through the creature's torso.

  None of us spoke.

  Despite this being our first battle together, we moved like a well-oiled machine.

  Covering each other's blind spots.

  Doing everything we could to keep each other alive.

  When its tentacles came, my group shredded it, giving Ijeoma and me the opportunity to get close and deal damage.

  When its speed overwhelmed us, they shot and destroyed its arms, saving us from grievous injuries.

  We activated our boots' repulsors as it helped us navigate, glide backward to avoid and leave the creature's reach when we were in trouble. Easily vaulting over attacks, we dealt as much damage as possible, even while it regenerated from its wounds.

  All we had to do now was keep this up, keep attacking, and drain its àse reserves to slow its regeneration and its speed enough to buy us time before we reached our destination.

  My lungs felt like they'd been set on fire with every swing of my weapon. My arms felt like lead, yet I couldn't stop swinging. Watching Ijeoma and the rest give it their all, knowing anyone slowing down meant death, reignited my spark to keep going.

  'Seems like we'll be able to hold for fifty seconds after all,' I thought.

  I didn't even finish the thought.

  The creature suddenly pulled its tentacles inward.

  They wrapped tightly around its body like a cocoon.

  Then they exploded outward.

  Dozens of razor spikes shot out in every direction.

  Everyone dove aside.

  Ijeoma ducked behind her axe blade.

  I spun away, barely avoiding the spikes.

  Finally creating distance, the creature raised its head high.

  It released a deafening howl.

  A violent wave of àse exploded outward.

  The cold pressure slammed into us.

  Everyone froze.

  A suffocating dread washed over us.

  Behind it, the swarm surged forward again.

  The creatures that had been lagging behind poured toward our teammates.

  The monster turned its sight toward us.

  Then it launched itself at Ijeoma.

  She quickly blocked herself with her weapon as it kicked off her axe blade.

  The force sent her flying across the battlefield.

  Then it vanished again.

  Appearing above me.

  Its tentacles blocked my attempt to slash at it.

  A brutal punch slammed into my jaw.

  My head snapped sideways.

  My vision spun violently, leaving me discombobulated.

  Before I could recover, it grabbed both my arms.

  It yanked me toward itself.

  Then I felt it.

  My àse.

  Being drained.

  The sensation was horrifying.

  Like my energy was being sucked straight out of my bones.

  At the same time, my shoulder began turning to stone.