Chapter 4 – Chance of success

Seeing how everyone immediately brandished their weapons like they're some sort of a cartoon character that puts things on a magic pocket I can't do nothing but sigh at the sight.

"Oh..." I feel my despair rising inside of me again.

"Hey don't get your hopes down yet. This will solve our problem." Told Johnny.

"How? With this our chance of getting the case will surely be reduced. Everyone is hunting for it!"

"That's the Idea."

I could only tilt my head in confusion.

"You may not know this yet. But the only strategy that these guys know is frontal assault. Yes, most of the people here are stupid like that, but it's the only strategy that most of flagger's hunter know." told Johnny. "We however will be sneak ourselves into Throttle's base while the other hunter is attacking the base." Continued Johnny. I could see his view on this, but I'm still having doubts about it. "Don't worry it'll work!" assured Johnny. I only sighed at his statement.

We the prepared our gears for the infiltration. And then quickly headed to old town ruins. By the time we got there it's already in chaos. Gunshot and explosion are roaring in the ruins of Shaggoth old town, it's almost like the place is transformed into a battlefield once again. We silently sneak our self through the battlefield. And then there is it. Throttle Disco's fortress. A garage on top of a hill. It's…. seems to be heavily fortified. From our side there's iron gates and gun emplacement I myself don't see how to sneak inside. But the rest of the hunter keep doing their frontal assault strategy. The power armor and shield wielding hunters protecting the other hunters making them able to continue their assault to the fortress but it's going slowly.

"This way." Signaled Johnny. We then separated ourselves from the main force instead of joining their assault we went to an alleyway. We then found ourselves near the wall that's blocking our advance. There's no gun emplacement near it but it'll be impossible for us to climb it. But upon closer inspection there's some kind of hole on the wall. But there's a grate blocking it. It's rusty but I don't think that we can pry it open with our hands.

"Hehe, mi amigo. I found this hole when I was doing some skulk— reconnaissance in the area before."

"I have no idea why you were skulking in this area that good job!" I told that to him. "But if you're blind to it, there's a grate blocking our path." I told to him sarcastically.

Then immediately an energy blade formed in his hands from his gauntlet. "Justice Slash!" Shouted Johnny as he slashed the grate a few times skillfully. The grate immediately fell to the victim of it. I could only look at it flabbergasted. Johnny never looks like someone who saw many combat situation but it's seems like looks really can deceiving, but then again this is Rayleh, probably everyone on this planet has seen a combat situation at some point in their lives.

He looked at me and grinned and beaconed me to follow him. I pulled a pistol from my holster. I didn't plan to become a full time hunter so I'm still stuck with the starter gear that the master gave me. I followed him through the dim concentrate hallway. Strangely enough there's no guard guarding the area. It's empty I guess all of them left to combat the frontal assault. But it still feel a little… strange. There's this felling of something not right. Like something is watching us.

As we traversed through the area. We came across things like some giant test cube that's already broken. More broken machinery and computers. Filles scattered around. Things like this maybe normal in Rayleh but that's not what make it unusual. There's also this wretched stench in the air that almost makes me want to puke, the stench is so bad that the only thing that the closest thing that I could relate it into is a smell of rotting corpse.

Johnny himself is starting to look wary of this situation. I too heightened my awareness. As we traversed trough the lab. I saw something moving, but it's like something that's not there and only happened in an instant. It's like the space itself is distorting and moving. "Johnny." My voice " I saw something." I continued.

Johnny himself readied a battle stance. "A Tegoth, be careful they can camouflage themselves in the dimension gaps, making them almost unseeable but for a single moment, it'll be over it gets you. It'll suck your blood dry. Seems like this is their nest eh." Said Johnny. "Johnny, you idiot! You've lead us into an even greater danger!" I scolded him. We're now on a nest of an invisible blood sucking beast. And beyond that there's a horde of bandit! He said that this'll be easy! But of course not! "Let's just get this over with quickly!" I said with anger and walked to the door. "Ah, wait-" then I fell down, as if there's something blocking my path. I looked up and saw it.

It appeared out of nowhere, as if it phased into this dimension. It's has an octopus like head with tentacles on the place where the mouth should be and there's no eyes on it's face. It's standing tall on it two birdlike foots. It's skin is scaly almost like a reptile but not quite. It also has hands with sharp claws attached to it. The bizzareness of the creature immediately makes me scared that I felt my body froze all over. the creature continued to look at me with it's featureless face. it's tentacle moved when it's doing it, as if puzzled. It's then trying to slowly bring it's arm close to me. It's trying to crush me! I immediately aimed my pistol with it. "Get away from me!" I screamed.

*BANG!*

*BANG!*

*BANG!*

The gun barrel emitted a smoke signaling that it just fired it's load. the creature then fell over. but it's not dead yet. It then struggled on the floor. Rolling in pain. But that's not just it. It's also let out a cry that's so loud that I feel almost makes my ears bleeds.

"Get away from it!" Screamed Johnny.

"Wh-what's happening?"

"It's calling the other Tegoth. Hurry, move!" Signaled johnny. We immediately ran, leaving the room. We ran like it's the last thing that we ever do. I'm panting really hard but I tried keep running. We proceed through the stairs trying to get out of here.

*SCREEEECH*

I hear something screaming behind us. I would look behind me but I don't have the courage to do it. Johnny too keeps running though he took a potshot at the Tegoth sometimes with the plasma weapon that's on his wrist. As we keep running, my running speed is starting to disminish.

"Ah!"

I tripped on my own feet and feel down on my face. something then grabbed my left feet. Dragging me into the darkness.

"Johnny! Help!" I screamed.

Johnny stopped and looked at me, he looked conflicted as if deciding whatever he should help me or not. It's almost feels like an eternity. But in the end he ran for escape instead.

"JOHNNY! HELP ME! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!" I cried. I felt tears running down my face as I keep dragged through the floors. In the end everyone is up for themselves. Never caring about each other in the end. In the end his hero thingy is just a ruse for himself, maybe it's just to comfort him from his true selfish nature. As an illusion for other people to see him as someone who is better. Maybe the master is right after all. I shouldn't have partnered with him.

But then johnny immediately jumped and did an acrobatic backflip in the air. he landed behind me and suddenly there's something shining from my behind and then I hear the sounds of something being cut. I looked behind me to take a look at johnny. He's different. There's a high- tech looking helmet that appeared out of nowhere on him. His muffler is also waving as if the wind is blowing in his direction even there's no wind.

"Go! I'll hold them off!" He flicked his right hand and energy blade appeared from his gauntlet. He took a battle stance and readied himself. "What are you waiting for? You need to save your sister right? Go!" told johnny. I shook my head and ran off leaving johnny, without any thought.