Chapter 62: Quantity vs. Quality

Gérald's POV

As the sunlight began to fade, bathing the landscape in an almost surreal golden hue, Claire, Leon, Tintin, and I made our way back toward the church. I had noticed a side path during our last visit, and although my memories of the game were hazy and reality had already taken unexpected turns, I couldn't afford to ignore any possibility.

We followed the cliffside trail, the sound of our footsteps blending with the ambient noises of the environment."Claire, you and Tintin take the high ground for cover," I ordered, as Tintin, with his imposing stature, stood ready to obey. Claire nodded and began climbing the steep slope with Tintin beside her, both prepared to intervene at a moment's notice.

Leon and I, meanwhile, continued along the main path. Before us stretched a vast flooded area, dotted with rickety wooden docks winding over the stagnant water. The scene was grim—Ganado corpses floated between the pilings, their bodies pierced by strange holes, silent evidence of a fierce battle with my leeches.

Suddenly, a gunshot shattered the deceptive calm. A Plagas, resembling a long-limbed spider, had crept up behind us. Given its size and complex structure, it was clear my leeches would have struggled to handle it effectively.

Fortunately, Claire had spotted it from her vantage point."Got it!" she called out, taking the creature down with a precise sniper shot. The monster crashed loudly onto the damp planks, its long legs twitching in a final, grotesque spasm.

Leon, momentarily caught off guard, spun around to assess the situation, weapon still in hand."Nice shot, Claire!" he shouted toward the cliff, his voice carrying over the sound of water and wind.

I approached the creature's body for a closer look."These things are adapting quickly. Our enemies aren't just numerous—they're getting more dangerous," I commented, examining the Plagas's unusual morphology.

Claire, still keeping watch from above, replied,"We need to stay alert. Every corner could be hiding a new surprise."

Ahead of us, a threatening horde of twenty Plagas and ten Ganados advanced with terrifying coordination. Leon and Claire opened fire, but the Ganados cleverly took cover while the spider-like Plagas moved with staggering agility, making them difficult to hit.

I scanned the battlefield, quickly assessing the situation."Time to test a new addition," I said as I prepared my next move. With a wave of my hand, I unleashed hundreds of giant wasps—each the size of a fist and incredibly agile. I sent the swarm toward the Plagas, who now revealed a tail-like appendage armed with a blade I hadn't noticed before.

The wasps lunged at the Plagas, but despite their numbers and ferocity, they were quickly cut down, overwhelmed by the enemies' strong defenses."These creatures are tougher than I expected," I murmured, watching the aerial skirmish shift in favor of the enemy.

Claire, posted above us, reloaded her rifle while keeping her eyes on the battlefield."Gérald, your wasps are struggling up here!" she called out, clearly concerned.

"We need to support them. Fire on any weak spots you see," I ordered. Together, we focused our shots on the Plagas whenever an opening appeared, taking them down one by one with surgical precision.

Eventually, after a fierce battle, we managed to eliminate all the Plagas. However, our relief was short-lived. The Ganados, who had advanced under cover, revealed themselves in a far more menacing form. Their heads had transformed into massive tentacle-like appendages, tipped with enormous blades that swung at terrifying speeds.

One of them, with a sudden movement, even managed to block one of my shots with its tentacle blade, leaving me perplexed and slightly alarmed by their adaptive capabilities.

Leon, beside me, maintained his usual composure, but his tone betrayed his concern. "Looks like we're dealing with an entirely new species. We might need more than just bullets to stop them."

Exasperated by the sudden escalation, I couldn't help but mutter, "Shit," realizing just how quickly the situation had spiraled out of control. The relatively simple battles at Rockfort Island now seemed like a distant memory as we faced these terrifyingly evolved foes.

Determined to take drastic action, I rummaged through my inventory and pulled out a grenade launcher, loading it with napalm rounds. With cold determination, I fired at the mutated Ganados. The napalm flames clung to their bodies, rapidly consuming their warped forms. Their blade-like tentacles, weakened by fire, became easy targets to finish off.

However, always one to seize an opportunity, I decided to capture one of the Ganados. Using my own dorsal vines, I immobilized the creature's tentacle, suffering multiple painful slashes in the process. My blood ignited on contact with the attacks, allowing me to eventually subdue the creature. Breathing heavily from the adrenaline, I managed to teleport the Ganado—still alive but weakened—back to the lab for further research, recognizing its potential as a weapon.

Turning to Leon, I gave him quick instructions: "Leon, inform Wesker about this discovery and tell him to stay alert. I'm going to spread a larger swarm of wasps around the village to establish an early defense line."

Without waiting for a reply, I released a swarm of thousands of wasps, which buzzed furiously into the air, heading toward the village to intercept any new threats.

We moved cautiously along the path, and I decided to deploy several birds and another swarm of leeches to secure our advance, successfully circumventing two potential ambushes. Thanks to these precautions and my new weapon, we were able to resolve several skirmishes swiftly and decisively.

However, Leon and I soon came upon a quarry that brought an unpleasant familiarity. As we approached the center, the entrances suddenly slammed shut, and a giant emerged from the mine, smashing through massive doors with terrifying strength.

Reacting quickly, I summoned two Bloods to extract Leon and me, while ordering my birds and leeches, with support from Tintin, to handle the Ganados in the area.

"Leon, we're getting out of here!" I shouted as I prepared for evacuation.

Leon nodded and managed to escape, but my luck ran out when El Gigante grabbed both me and my giant bat, crushing us mercilessly in his enormous hands. With a cry of pain, I unleashed my spines, which pierced his hands and ignited his wounds.

As I fought through the searing pain, my screams mingled with El Gigante's enraged howls until he finally let go under the burning pressure of my spines. The scene was pure chaos, the Blood reduced to a bloody pulp on the ground—a brutal testament to the intensity of the fight.

Without wasting a second, knowing that every moment counted, I summoned two giant gorillas—massive and muscular—to face the towering threat. These creatures, products of my genetic manipulation, stood tall, ready to battle.

From her elevated position, Claire had a clear view of the battlefield and provided essential support. "Hang in there, Gérald! We've almost got him!" she shouted, her voice strained as she adjusted her aim to target the giant's weak spots. Her bullets hit El Gigante in the face, each impact seemingly driving him into a deeper frenzy.

Armed with my grenade launcher, I aimed for the creature's gaping maw. "Burn, you monster!" I yelled, unleashing a volley of napalm grenades that exploded inside its mouth, making it stagger under the intense pain.

The fight was a brutal clash of raw power. El Gigante, with his massive size and strength, wielded uprooted trees like clubs, trying to crush my gorillas. One of them took a direct hit, losing an arm in the process. Still, the gorillas—thanks to their superhuman endurance and brute strength—kept fighting, landing powerful blows that made the ground tremble.

The energy of the battle was electric. Each movement from the creature displaced volumes of air, sending leaves whistling in every direction. Claire continued firing, each shot aimed at the giant's eyes to blind and disorient him.

Finally, with one last napalm round fired directly into his open wounds, El Gigante collapsed—defeated—his massive body forming a grotesque mound on the quarry floor.

Panting, covered in sweat and blood, I turned to Claire and gave her a nod of gratitude. "Nice work, Claire. Let's get these two some immediate care. They did well," I said, my voice heavy with fatigue but also relief. Without delay, I sent the wounded gorillas back to the lab, where they could recover and be treated.

Wesker's POV

I was heading toward Brad and his team, who had already begun fortifying our position. The village appeared deserted, but every corner could be hiding an imminent threat. It was imperative to secure all access points and eliminate anything that could compromise our visibility or defenses.

Upon arrival, I found Brad coordinating the team as they erected makeshift yet effective barricades. Wooden pallets, sandbags, and dismantled masonry elements formed a series of improvised fortifications. Structures deemed useless or too damaged were quickly demolished to clear the line of sight.

"Wesker, we've reinforced all the main access points and removed any unnecessary cover. That should give us a clear firing line if anything approaches," Brad reported, pausing momentarily to ensure I was satisfied with the work.

I nodded, scanning the area with a critical eye. "Good work. Maintain constant vigilance and make sure every team member knows exactly what to do in case of an attack," I replied, my voice cold and calculating, barely concealing the underlying urgency.

We had just finished reinforcing our positions when a call from Leon briefly broke the fragile calm. "Wesker, we've encountered new forms of Plagas. They look like spiders, and the leeches are nearly useless against them. Be cautious, and prepare for potential complications," Leon informed us, his tone clearly conveying the seriousness of the situation.

"Understood, Leon. Stay safe and keep us informed," I replied, adjusting my plans accordingly. Shortly after the call, a swarm of giant wasps—an unexpected reinforcement from Gérald—arrived, buzzing loudly. They quickly settled around the perimeter of the village, forming a biological first line of defense.

I turned to Brad, my determined gaze concealing the calculations racing through my mind."Make sure our men don't disturb the wasps. They're here to help. And keep communications open—any bit of intel could prove crucial. Nightfall is coming; I want the lighting ready. The bonfires and lamps need to be set up within the next thirty minutes," I ordered.

Kevin's POV

Walking alongside Luis Sera along a narrow, shaded path, I scanned the surroundings, ever on guard. The air was heavy, saturated with the damp scent of vegetation and wet soil after a recent rain. We came to an abrupt halt in front of a large rusted metal door, nearly concealed by the encroaching greenery.

Luis, casting a wary glance at the door, murmured,"That leads to Salazar's castle. But I'd advise staying away. It's the heart of their territory, and you don't want to end up in there."

I nodded in agreement, acknowledging the wisdom of his caution. Together, we decided to take a different path, hoping to find a less dangerous but still effective route to our objective. As we veered off our original path, a sudden movement to our right caught my attention.

A spider-like Plagas, its long, thin legs moving with surprising agility, was attacking one of my giant leeches. Despite its smaller size, the arachnid creature displayed incredible ferocity and strength, managing to overpower the leech.

Without hesitation, I rushed toward the Plagas, armed with my sickle and knife. The fight was short and brutal. The sickle came down with precision, slicing through one of the creature's jointed legs, while the knife found a vulnerable seam, ending the threat for good.

Luis, who had watched the scene with visible apprehension, seemed to make a decision."I think I'll stick close to you, if that's alright. You clearly know how to handle yourself, and... well, I'd rather not face things like that alone."

"Fine by me, Luis. Let's stay together," I replied, wiping my blade clean on the grass before continuing down the path with him.