The HAOS could fully awaken from its hibernation. Currently, its development was only at eighty percent.
The remaining twenty percent had yet to fully develop, resulting in the HAOS's lower body and hands still being tentacle-like, much like an octopus. Furthermore, its outer layer of skin and muscle was only a thin layer of flesh.
If it reached its complete form, it would gain limbs capable of free movement and could switch between land and ocean at will.
It wouldn't just be able to go ashore; it could also submerge to spread infection. By then, whether it be the world's oceans or its land, all would become a paradise for C-Virus infection.
At the same time, its skeletal structure and skin would become harder, granting it even stronger defensive capabilities.
If Simmons' C5 Giant Fly was merely an ordinary monster, then the HAOS before them was the true giant beast. It was essentially a scaled-up version of a zombie, large enough to practically fight a real Ultraman.
"Damn it..."
"What was that sound?!"
Hearing that terrifying, heart-trembling roar, Jake, who was in the team, couldn't help but frown as he spoke.
As one infected by the progenitor virus,
Jake felt the powerful sense of oppression emanating from the source of that roar very clearly.
It was the kind of pressure felt between members of the same species; after all, the resonance between different viruses is extremely distinct.
Consequently, Jake felt extremely uncomfortable toward the true master of that roar.
It was a feeling of suppression coming from his very bloodline.
The opponent's viral power was far greater than his own. Jake felt like an ant being crushed into the mud, squeezed without restraint.
"It's the HAOS..."
"The terrifying monster Javier mentioned. It's about to awaken. We must hurry and stop it."
"No more hesitating. Let's move now. Leon, Helena, Piers, Jake—cover me with suppressive fire. I'll break through the encirclement."
Listening to that terrifyingly powerful roar just now, Chris could no longer contain his urgency.
Knowing the horror of the HAOS, Chris was determined to prevent the HAOS from escaping its cage, even if it meant risking his old life.
He absolutely could not let it leave this Underwater Oil Field Base. He wouldn't hesitate even if he had to blow the place up and go down with it.
Therefore, after barking out a quick command, Chris decisively struck first. Clutching his assault rifle, he rushed forward toward the front.
"Heh heh heh..."
Step, step, step...!!!
However, the Oculare Soldiers stationed nearby were no pushovers.
Seeing Chris as an intruder, they quickly rushed forward to intercept and prepare for a counterattack. Compared to the Oculare Soldiers seen in the Edonia Republic, the Oculare Soldiers stationed at the Underwater Oil Field Base were much better equipped. Almost every one of them was fully decked out in black: combat suits, bulletproof vests, helmets, gas masks, and thermal imagers.
They had almost everything.
What was most terrifying was the weaponry they used.
Assault rifles, sniper rifles, and there were even soldiers specialized in firing RPG rockets.
It was practically no different from dealing with living people, and they also had a chance to undergo mutation, which was the most troublesome part.
"Madman..."
"Hey, Poker Face, cover me! I'm going up to help too!"
Seeing Chris actually charging forward alone, Jake, who was at the rear, suddenly jumped out as well.
He cursed under his breath and turned to give an order to Piers behind him.
Without caring whether his partner Piers accepted or allowed it, Jake also charged toward Chris's direction, rifle in hand.
He didn't care about the others, but Jake couldn't just stand by and watch Chris—who was like both a father and a friend to him—rush to his death.
After all, he had already lost that bastard father of his, Wesker. He didn't want to lose his friend Chris as well, so he ignored all warnings and charged up as well.
"Damn it...!"
"A bunch of troublesome guys, and Captain Chris too...!"
Watching the two charging silhouettes ahead, Piers, who was left to clean up the mess in the back, cursed with a livid expression.
This was what he hated most about Jake.
He acted impulsively and recklessly, with absolutely no regard for anyone else's feelings.
If only this problem soldier could learn to follow orders, Piers wouldn't always be giving Jake the cold shoulder.
But despite the cursing, as he watched the two of them charging into the fray,
Piers sensibly raised his M16 assault rifle and aimed at the nearby Oculare Soldiers to provide covering fire. After all, he couldn't just watch these two idiots die, could he?
"..."
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat——!!!!!!
The trigger was pulled, and bullets sprayed.
One by one, 5.56 caliber bullets shot toward the Oculare Soldiers, as dense as raindrops.
Even Leon and Helena nearby didn't dally.
They quickly provided fire support. The web of fire formed by the three assault rifles swept toward the Oculare Soldiers inside the Institute.
Clang, clang, clang——!!!
However, the reason a Bioweapon Soldier was a Bioweapon Soldier
was that they were infectious and had no fear of death. The bodies of the Oculare Soldiers had long since been infected by the C-Virus.
Combined with the bulletproof vests and helmets they wore, most of the bullets spraying them didn't cause much damage at all.
Even if some bullets hit their arms, those injuries were entirely inconsequential.
A slight pain was hardly fatal. Thus, this round of suppressive fire failed to have any real impact on these Oculare Soldiers.
"Heh heh heh...!!!!"
Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang——!!!!!!!!
The leading Oculare Soldier let out a low growl and immediately ordered a counterattack. These Oculare Soldiers gathered on both sides of the Institute followed suit, raising their assault rifles.
They pulled their triggers and fired toward Chris and the others. Though their marksmanship wasn't precise, their overwhelming firepower made up for it.
Accompanied by the muzzle flashes, a dense hail of bullets instantly surged back at them.
This caused Chris's expression to change. He hastily leaped and rolled toward a nearby lab bench, intending to use the surrounding experimental equipment as cover to dodge the spray of bullets.
"Jake, what are you doing? Get back here...!!!"
Just as Chris had ducked behind the experimental equipment for cover,
Jake, who had been charging with him, showed no intention of dodging. Instead, he continued to charge forward right into the hail of bullets.
The assault rifle in his hand had become nothing more than a club,
used by Jake only as a shield to block his face. This made Chris's face pale as he hurriedly shouted a reprimand.
However, Chris had still underestimated Jake's stubbornness and his tendency to disobey orders.
Jake knew how much Chris valued this mission. To help Chris complete it, Jake intended to use his own life as a bargaining chip, hoping to create a chance for Chris to break through the encirclement.
After all, he was infected with the progenitor virus and possessed a certain degree of regenerative ability.
As long as these bullets didn't hit his head, it would be difficult for him to die. Thus, risking a headshot, Jake merely held his assault rifle as a shield in front of his head.
His entire body was almost completely exposed to the gunfire as he resolutely charged forward, pushing through like a human sandbag.
Pfft, pfft...!!!
The expected outcome occurred.
In just a few seconds, despite Jake using his superhuman physical attributes to dodge as much as possible, several bullets still struck his body.
His thighs, abdomen, shoulders, calves, arms—all these areas
were pierced without exception by the bullets fired by the Oculare Soldiers. Blood splattered, and hideous bloody holes appeared on his torso.
Hiss...!!!
Intense pain swept through Jake's brain.
His tall frame couldn't help but sway, threatening to collapse to the ground.
But Jake stubbornly endured, biting his lip until it bled. Blood spread from the corner of his mouth, and the sharp pain on his tongue barely managed to mask the pain in his body.
While the virus could indeed heal wounds, it could not eliminate the sensation of pain.
Therefore, the pain of bullets hitting his body was very real, nearly making it impossible for Jake to hold on.
But when he saw that he was only a few meters away from the nearest Oculare Soldier, Jake didn't hesitate. With a low growl, he quickly launched his final assault.
"Go to hell, you monster——!!!"
With a low shout, Jake let go of the assault rifle shielding his face. No longer caring if a bullet might hit his head, he threw his entire body forward with all his strength.
Thud—!
With a dull sound, Jake successfully tackled an Oculare Soldier to the ground. At the same time, with quick eyes and hands, he drew the tactical knife holstered on the Oculare Soldier's thigh.
Raising the sharp, cold blade high into the air, he swung it down with all his might.
The blade instantly pierced through the gas mask, slicing through and severing the neck of the Oculare Soldier before him.
Pfft...!!!
The head, still wearing the gas mask, rolled onto the floor nearby.
Blood erupted like a fountain, but this Oculare Soldier didn't die immediately. Instead, it underwent a familiar mutation.
Its body began to tremble violently, and a centipede-like form surged out from the neck. Segment after segment of a long neck, resembling a centipede or an insect, emerged.
Its mouth was even equipped with massive, blade-like mandibles.
Looking down at the prey that had tackled it, the mutated Oculare monster immediately snapped its mandibles shut, attempting to bite Jake's head off in one go.
"..."
"Monster, it's not certain who's eating who yet...!"
However, to the surprise of even this Oculare monster, Jake was faster. Watching those long, segmented centipede-like neck parts,