Chapter 82: Freaker Monster
The smoke never settled.
Instead...It moved.
It twisted unnaturally, rolling through the ruined streets like a living thing. Thick clouds of dust and ash spiraled around the shattered remains of Shogun's cubes, hiding whatever was forming within.
The battlefield grew strangely quiet.
Even the Freakers seemed to hesitate.
Then something tore through the smoke.
RIIIIIIP!!
It wasn't a Freaker, it wasn't human, it was something else entirely.
A grotesque, worm-like creature burst from the cloud of debris, its enormous body glistening beneath the firelight. Veins pulsed beneath its slick flesh, while rows upon rows of jagged teeth lined the circular maw at the front of its body.
It let out a horrifying screech.
SKRREEEEEEEEE!!
The sound vibrated through the city, rattling broken windows and sending chills through everyone who heard it.
Then a head emerged, and another.
Within seconds, dozens of the monstrous necks erupted from the smoke, slithering violently across the streets before launching themselves into the air.
They attacked indiscriminately.
Buildings. Vehicles. Freakers. Civilians.
Everything in their path became prey.
One slammed into a nearby apartment complex.
BOOOOOOM!!
Concrete exploded outward as half the building collapsed into the street.
Another wrapped itself around an abandoned transport truck before crushing it like paper.
CRRRRUNCH!!
Metal twisted and folded beneath the creature's impossible strength.
"Uaaahh!"
"Noooo!"
Panic spread once again. The surviving civilians fled in every direction. Screams echoed through the ruined city.
Kingsville had become a nightmare.
* * *
Then...
Brmmmmm....
The ground shook.
A deep rumble rolled beneath everyone's feet.
RUMBLE...
The cracked streets split apart as something enormous began forcing its way upward.
The earth exploded.
KRAAAAAAAAAK!!
An enormous worm burst from beneath the city. It dwarfed every other creature. Its body stretched across entire blocks, thick enough to crush buildings beneath its weight.
Dozens of smaller heads writhed along its sides like living branches, each one snapping hungrily at anything nearby.
Standing atop the colossal monster...Shogun.
He was completely calm, and completely composed.
He pressed one hand against the wound Daito had carved across his side. Blood still stained his clothing. Yet his breathing remained perfectly steady. As though the injury meant nothing.
He looked down at the monster beneath him.
"...Buy me time."
His voice was quiet almost gentle.
The creature answered.
It roared.
SKRREEEEEEEE!!
Hundreds of tentacle-like necks lashed outward simultaneously.
The battlefield exploded into chaos.
One of the massive heads shot toward Daito with terrifying speed.
He barely turned before—
WHAAAAAM!!
The impact struck like a freight train.
SWOOOSH!
His body rocketed backward.
He smashed through the wall of a nearby building.
CRAAASH!!
Then another.
BOOOOM!!
Then a third.
Debris followed him through every impact before he finally disappeared beneath a mountain of broken concrete.
Right bext to where Daito was struck...Wei-Wan vanished in an attempt to evade another attack.
For a brief moment, it worked.
Then a second worm head intercepted him midair.
BANG!!
He was launched through two buildings before crashing into the remains of a collapsed bridge.
Brandon planted his feet firmly against the ground. He roared as he attempted to hold one of the creatures back with sheer strength alone.
For a moment...he succeeded.
Then another head wrapped around his waist.
A third struck his shoulder.
The combined force dragged him across the street.
SKRRRRRRRRR!!
Concrete tore apart beneath his heels as he was dragged through shattered pavement and overturned vehicles.
The battlefield had become complete madness.
Deep within the rubble...Daito opened his eyes.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
"...Tch..."
He pushed aside several slabs of broken concrete before stepping back into the open.
The massive creature was already charging again. Its enormous jaws opened wide enough to swallow an entire vehicle.
SKRREEEEEEEEE!
This time...Daito didn't move away.
He moved forward.
BOOOOM!!
The pavement shattered beneath his feet.
His sword flashed.
CLAAAAANG!!
The monster's jaws collided against his blade, sending sparks erupting into the sky.
The force alone pushed him several meters backward. His boots carved deep trenches through the broken street.
KRRRSSSHH!
Then—
Fwoo...
His stance changed, he twisted his hips, shifted his weight, and swung.
SLAAAAASH!!
The massive head separated cleanly from its body.
It crashed heavily into the ground before dissolving into black ash.
For a heartbeat...everything seemed still.
Then...three more heads lunged toward him.
"...Of course."
Daito disappeared.
His body blurred through the battlefield.
SLASH!!
Another head fell.
SHINK!!
A second.
CRACK!!
A third collapsed moments later, but more continued emerging.
They weren't targeting him anymore. They had changed direction.
Toward the civilians.
"...No!"
Daito's eyes widened.
Without hesitation—
SWOOOSH!
He launched himself across the battlefield.
One family stood frozen beneath the shadow of an incoming worm.
The creature descended, it's jaws opened.
Daito arrived first.
SLAAAAASH!!
The head crashed into the street only inches from the terrified family.
CRAAASH!
He didn't stop moving.
FWOOSH!
Another creature lunged toward a collapsing building.
SLAAASH!
Another slash.
A third charged through a crowded alleyway.
Another strike.
SLASH!
His blade became nothing more than silver flashes dancing through smoke and fire.
Every swing saved another life.
Wei-Wan suddenly reappeared.
"...I'm back."
His breathing was heavier than before.
Yet his movements remained elegant.
He slipped between two lunging worms before cutting both apart in a single flowing motion.
SHINK!!
Their bodies collapsed simultaneously.
Brandon climbed from beneath a pile of rubble, wiping blood from his forehead.
"...My turn."
He caught an incoming worm head with both hands.
GRIIP!
CRAACK!
The creature struggled violently.
Brandon planted one foot against the ground.
His muscles tensed.
"...RAAAAHHH!!"
With one tremendous roar...
SHHRRRKKK!!
PSSSH!
He ripped the monster completely apart, black blood rained across the battlefield.
None of them exchanged a single word, and none of them needed to.
Months of fighting together had forged an understanding beyond conversation.
Each instinctively covered the others and each trusted the next completely.
Slowly...without planning it...they began converging toward the creature's true body.
Daito noticed it first.
"The core..."
Wei-Wan nodded.
"So that's the real target."
Brandon cracked his neck.
"... Let's finish it."
The enormous beast continued thrashing wildly, destroying everything around it.
But now...
Three figures charged directly toward its center.
"NOW!!"
Daito shouted.
FWOOO!
All three leapt simultaneously.
Their silhouettes crossed beneath the burning sky.
Then—
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The impact shook the city ground.
Daito's sword plunged deep into the creature's core. Wei-Wan's blade followed immediately afterwards. Brandon's fist drove straight through the opening they created.
The monster released one final....Broken...Agonizing scream.
SKRRRRREEEEEEEEE!!
Its entire body convulsed.
Then...Everything stopped.
The colossal creature collapsed.
Buildings trembled as its enormous corpse crashed into the ruined streets before slowly dissolving into ash.
Silence returned.
A heavy...Uncomfortable silence.
Daito stood quietly atop the battlefield, catching his breath.
"...It's over."
Something felt wrong, as he slowly looked around.
There was no movement, no cubes, and no worm creatures.
Then...
Fwoo...
His eyes widened.
"...Shogun."
He was gone.
Wei-Wan lowered his sword.
"...He escaped."
Daito clenched his jaw.
"...During the chaos..."
Of course.
Everything had been a distraction. The worms. The destruction. The panic.
All of it had been created simply to buy time.
He immediately activated his communicator.
"Aerin."
Static crackled.
"...Yeah?"
"Fah-jin."
"...I'm here."
"Fall back."
His tone was firm.
"Regroup with Champagne immediately."
Several long seconds passed.
Then Fah-jin answered.
"...Negative."
Daito frowned.
"...Explain."
"We're heading toward Zachia."
His eyes narrowed.
"...What?"
Before anyone could continue—
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
An explosion thundered across the city everyone instinctively turned.
A building several streets away erupted outward, concrete blasted into the sky, and glass rained through the air.
FWOOSH!
A towering cloud of dust swallowed the intersection.
Two figures were thrown from the collapsing structure.
Zachia.
His boots carved trenches through the street as he desperately tried to stop himself. His sword dragged behind him, leaving sparks against the broken pavement.
SKKREETCH!!
Beside him... Avenor stumbled forward, her clothes torn and stained with blood.
Both looked exhausted and injured.
Then... A third figure emerged from the dust.
He walked slowly and calmly. As though nothing around him deserved his attention.
In one hand rested an enormous black sword, it's blade was thick and heavy.
Its edge seemed to heat up through the surrounding light.
Mirage.
Leader of the Silver Moon.
Without a word...He casually swung the massive weapon.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
A devastating shockwave erupted from the swing alone.
The air split apart. The ground cracked open. The already ruined building behind him completely collapsed beneath the pressure.
Even from several streets away....Daito felt the force of it.
"...That's him..."
Wei-Wan whispered.
Zachia slowly lifted himself upright, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth.
"...You're finally here..."
Mirage tilted his head slightly.
His cold eyes moved from Zachia...
To Daito...
Then across the rest of the team.
"...Good."
His fingers tightened around the massive sword.
"...That saves me the trouble..."
He slowly raised its tip toward them.
"...Of hunting each of you down."
The atmosphere changed instantly.
The pressure surrounding him was unlike anything they had experienced tonight.
Baekho had been reckless. Shogun had been overwhelming. But Mirage...
Mirage radiated absolute control. Absolute confidence. Absolute power.
Daito slowly stepped forward.
His blade slid from its sheath with a sharp metallic whisper.
SHIIING...
His eyes never left Mirage.
"...Silver Moon."
Mirage calmly leveled his enormous sword toward the approaching heroes.
"...Let's end this."
To be continued.....