Chapter 127

Both Douma and Chachamaru sped up towards the entrance of the ancient temple which was their only way of getting out. The ceiling slowly collapsed behind them sending clouds of dust in their direction, engulfing everything in its path.

"We're almost there!" They could see the light from outside getting closer. Douma made sure Chachamaru was still keeping up with the pace despite his excitement. Now is not the time to celebrate.

When the last boulder was about to land from the ceiling, Douma and Chachamaru quickened their pace. They sprang up and threw themselves out of the Aztec Temple, falling to the ground right outside the ancient temple that was buried in ruble. The very same boulder blocking the entrance behind them.

It didn't end there.

"Hold on is it just me or is the entire island shaking right now?" Chachamaru looked around and saw mounts and trees a few blocks away collapsing and sinking into the ground.

Douma got up and watched the forest getting turned into mush from the immense soil erosion that was consuming various parts of the island. It seems Churaka's tantrum had created a disaster that could soon spread to Dice and Roll Valley if this escalates. The earthquake was restless.

Securing the meteorite in his hold, Douma continued walking at the same time thinking about the team's departure from this island. Some of their comrades were still lost. Their lives were at stake.

Kurai who was strolling behind Akagi shrieked when cracks started forming on the ground. The silver-haired man in front of him glanced at the Aztec temple to see that it was now in ruins just like the other ancient structures all over the island.

He saw the familiar figures of Douma and Chachamaru running towards him with a large object in their possession, the meteorite that they've been looking for. The two of them found it.

"The meteorite was in that ancient temple?" Akagi asked Douma and Chachamaru who nodded and told he and Kurai about everything that happened during their exploration in the Aztec temple.

"Yeah it was one of the craziest experiences of my life!" Chachamaru said with an exaggerated tone.

"It certainly was, who knew Chachamaru the feared fighter was so afraid of the dark?" Douma mocked him to which the feline growled in anger.

"No I wasn't. It's just- I wanted to make sure we were going the right way and not bump into anything."

"We can talk about that later. We've got more things to worry about." Akagi said, looking up to see the forest getting consumed by the undergrowth.

"The giant in there is a big baby. Getting the meteorite wasn't that easy per say." Douma said to Akagi and Kurai who were shocked by what he just told them.

"Oh so the rumors are true? There really is a giant living on this island?" Kurai asked getting their equipment ready to make a move out of this area.

Akagi held onto his weapon in his case. "It's not surprising, the meteor didn't just grow legs and run away on its own. Someone was behind its sudden disappearance the whole time. It just took a bit of digging to find out the truth."

The loud sound of something thumbling down alarmed the group. "We have to get out of here now!" Akagi demanded.

All four of them ran down the trail where the other troops happened to be. They were alerted to the scene, looking for Akagi and Kurai who had instructed them to come here once Douma and Chachamaru get the meteorite.

Douma insisted that he could carry it on their way back. The poisonous fumes given off by the meteorite would make their escape a lot more difficult. Akagi and the rest of the team agreed to his decision.

A loud shrilling cry echoed a few blocks away from where they were running to. Douma looked up, he knew who that agonizing scream belonged to, the worm kaiju, Slasher. He was still on the hunt for the group. This wasn't good they couldn't afford to slow down just to make quiet mindful steps back to base.

If running back to base wasn't an option anymore, the shore was further away. They had no choice but to make a run for it. Whether Slasher hears them there was nothing they could do than to fight him right there and then. Douma was prepared, the kaiju could be frozen, it was the others that he was worried about. That giant worm might go after them instead, by sneaking within the bushes or surprising them from above.

"Did you hear that? That giant worm's back." Chachamaru was about to slow down when Douma gestured for him to focus on their escape. The feline was stunned to find that out, he didn't realize everybody else was way ahead of him which made him even more terrified. A slight distraction was capable of putting someone's life at risk in a situation like this.

"Have you guys tried contacting Mr Fumio and the others?" Douma asked Akagi and Kurai who shook their heads.

"No the connection has gone bonkers." Akagi replied, recalling the eerie incident that happened back at the trail. He could only imagine what Bunta and the others might have experienced out there on this island.

At this rate, the group might have to head straight to shore. Time was running short, the island was at the verge of collapsing. When that happens everything will sink. Douma flew past the falling rocks from the mountain they were approaching, careful not to damage the meteorite in his hold.

The blonde could hear the slithering and hissing of Slasher nearby. It became clear when the very same creature leaped up from out of nowhere and plummeted towards them.

In panic, Akagi and the others got their weapons out ready to attack when Chachamaru stood in front of everyone, cracking his knuckles. Douma knew very well that the feline was going to fight this giant worm all by himself which was a bad idea.

"Chachamaru, what do you think you're doing?" The group moved away from Slasher's landing spot. Douma watched the feline get into a fighting stance in front of the giant worm.

"Go I'll handle this guy." The feline said.

"You just recovered Chachamaru, you're in no condition to fight." Akagi yelled. He tried to convince Chachamaru that if Slasher wants to put up a fight he'll take care of it but the feline declined his request. Still persistent on taking this kaiju down.

Slasher who was snarling at Chachamaru thrashed the upper half of his body at the feline, attempting to shred him into pieces with his razor-sharp teeth.

"Get away from there!" Douma was about to fly over and help his friend when Akagi held him back by his wing.

"You can't just jump in like that, we can't afford to lose the meteorite."

Douma looked at the meteorite in his arms and then glanced at Akagi and Kurai who seemed willing to carry the large valuable object to the shore. As reluctant as he was, the blonde felt this was the only option so he could help Chachamaru fight off Slasher.

But a part of him was worried about the dangers lurking out there, Slasher wasn't the only threat on the island, he couldn't just leave the group by themselves.

"Take this!" Chachamaru punched Slasher in the snout. The giant worm cried in pain from the hard punch and opened its mouth wide, revealing every single one of its teeth that were ready to plunge into the feline's skin.

Chachamaru took a step back, the giant worm tried to slam him with his long tail but missed. The feline jumped into the air, when Slasher reached out to try and bite him, Chachamaru held his jaws while they were still open, preventing Slasher's mouth from closing which would leave deep cuts if that happens.

Slasher slithered away from the group with Chachamaru still in his jaws.

"Oh no he's getting away." Akagi said while Douma and the group were discussing about the handling of the meteorite. It came with risks and so did Chachamaru's battle with Slasher who had retreated with their teammate.

"I can't just leave it here." Douma flitted his eyes to the shaking ground that was splitting into two and a few more consecutive numbers.

The group understood Douma's point, an uneven ground could only lead to more problems for something as fragile as the meteorite. Parts of it seemed to have broken off over the years. A slight friction could have serious consequences.

Chachamaru hopped out of Slasher's jaws that snapped shut behind him. The feline landed on the ground watching the shadow casted beneath him change in size.

Leaping into the air and blocking the sunlight, Slasher dove towards Chachamaru with his mouth wide open again. Chachamaru rolled out of the way, avoiding the mass of dirt that rose from the ground.

The giant worm did this several times, making it difficult for Chachamaru to concentrate on his whereabouts. Not only was he away from the group but Slasher landed in the most unexpected places that he had to keep an eye out for him from above.

When Slasher was making his final landing, he got into position and slithered into the ground. Chachamaru jumped out of the way and agilely got up when he felt the trembling of the ground becoming more aggressive than it already is. Slasher burying underground was making the rumbles on the island worse.

At some point, Chachamaru tripped from the impact. He managed to maintain his balance which resulted in him crouching on the forest floor. Slasher emerged from the ground and leaned down with a snarl.

Slasher leaned down, trying to flung Chachamaru away so he could quickly get a bite out of him, however the feline was stealthy enough to move out of the way and block the giant worm with a punch on the side of his neck.

The giant worm froze, but the punch didn't seem to bother him either. Now that Chachamaru was caught in between two forces which was his own attack and Slasher's oncoming recklessness, he slowly gave in to the gravitational force overseeing the fight.

With the feline on the ground, Slasher lifted his tail and swat Chachamaru away, hissing at him in annoyance.

Chachamaru's paws latched onto the surface of the floor. He pulled himself up and braced himself when Slasher rose to the sky again and started unleashing streaks of blood towards him.

A surge of adrenaline rushed through the feline when he saw the crimson liquid burning the spots they landed on. These areas on the ground turned into a dull shade that formed a clear contrast between the original appearance of the surface.

Slasher dived towards Chachamaru who blocked his jaws with his arm which created a deep cut from the giant worm's piercing tooth that impaled it.

Biting his lip, Chachamaru endured the pain he felt while Slasher slithered around to get a better view at his victim. He flung Chachamaru to the side and got ready to rip him to shreds with his shark-like teeth that glistened.

Just then, a pair of heavy footsteps approached them. Chachamaru's heart sank when he realized there was another giant monster coming this way. Those footsteps sounded too heavy, they had to belong to a large creature of some sort.

A giant possum wearing a red bow tie approached Chachamaru and Slasher. The kaiju was carrying a large sack that appeared to contain numerous items in it too.

"What is going on?" Chachamaru looked around the area, hoping to find a path that will take him back to the group.

"Let me take care of this annoying prick for ya." The possum said, cracking her knuckles.

The feline gaped. "You talk?" He stuttered, so Carium isn't the only kaiju who can talk. Now that's an interesting fact.

"If you continue sitting there, my dear friend over here won't hesitate to turn you into stew. Better start running now."

"Uh yeah about that-"

Chachamaru was cut off when Slasher ambushed the possum who got ahold of his neck, pushing him away with such remarkable strength. The giant worm fell but because he already wrapped his tail around the possum's ankle, she fell to the ground with him trying to land a bite.

The feline didn't question what was going on anymore, he made a run for it. Despite how terrified he was to have to encounter two kaiju at once, he couldn't thank the possum enough.

"You've been misbehaving today." The possum taunted Slasher who tried shoving the possum away but it was no use, she was very alert.

Turns out Dazzle had been watching the events unfold at the island's shore. She was hiding near the rocks, her body submerged in the water. A perfect spot where nobody could see her.

Slasher timidly looked at the ground, afraid to make eye contact with Dazzle who was searching through the large sack for something in particular.

"Awww man I can't find it," Dazzle whined rummaging through the objects. "This'll do I guess." She took out a giant fire extinguisher and pointed it directly at Slasher who backed away slowly.

The giant possum extinguished Slasher who grunted in fear while trying to get away but the fumes got to him.

"I hope you learned your lesson." Dazzle retorted watching the giant worm plead with her to stop what she was doing with pathetic whines.

Putting the fire extinguisher away, Dazzle placed her hands on her hips and smiled proudly. Slasher looking away in fear so as to not provoke her in any sort of way.

"Behave yourself, Lizardoro is not a role model. How many times do we gotta deal with this?" Dazzle crossed her arms, wondering what the prehistoric kaiju was doing back at the Grand Canyon. He's been in a deep slumber for a while, but that's actually a good thing. Lizardoro stirs up trouble when he's mad and he certainly doesn't like to be disturbed wherever he is.

Slasher nodded profusely. He really wanted Dazzle to stop being angry at him. The giant worm kaiju had already learned his lesson. They had other things to worry about, the island was about to collapse.

"Yeah we should get moving." Dazzle said, both of the kaiju watched the island slowly entering a state of absolute calamity right before their very eyes. It was unfortunate to see this cozy place fall apart in such a short period of time.