Chapter 135: Mutant Rats

The stench of the sewers had worsened as Ruchir and his group ventured deeper, the oppressive atmosphere now thick with tension.

Garret, despite his earlier bravado, was struggling to maintain his composure as they pressed forward.

The narrow tunnels seemed to stretch endlessly, each step echoing in the murky darkness.

Suddenly, Ruchir came to an abrupt halt, his senses on high alert. The others quickly followed suit, their eyes darting around the dimly lit tunnel.

The faint sound of scratching and scurrying had been constant since they entered, but now it was louder—closer.

And then, from the shadows, they emerged.

The mutant rats that swarmed towards them were nothing like the normal sewer pests they had expected.

These creatures were grotesque, standing nearly one to two meters tall, their matted fur clinging to their oversized, muscular frames.

Their eyes glowed with a sickly yellow hue, and their jagged, broken teeth gnashed with a hunger that sent shivers down Garret's spine.

"By the heavens, these things are massive!" Garret yelped, stumbling back as the first wave of rats charged at them. "Why are they so big? This isn't natural!"

"Focus, Garret!" Ruchir commanded, unsheathing his sword in one swift motion. "We need to take them down quickly before they overwhelm us!"

The battle began in a flurry of motion.

Ruchir moved with precision, his sword slicing through the air with deadly accuracy as he unleashed a technique he'd practiced countless times: "Cleansing Strike".

The blade, infused with righteous energy, shimmered brightly as it cut through the nearest rat, its body dissolving into ash as it was purified by the attack.

Professor Aanya, ever the strategist, quickly assessed the situation. "These creatures have been exposed to something vile, likely the cult's handiwork. We need to be careful—they're not just physically strong, but they might carry diseases. Don't let them bite you!"

Garret, already on the verge of panic, barely managed to block a rat's ferocious lunge with his makeshift shield. The impact sent him stumbling backward. "Easier said than done! There's too many of them!"

Robert, fighting nearby, grinned despite the chaos. "What's wrong, Garret? I thought you said your outfit would keep you safe from all this filth!"

"Shut up, Robert!" Garret snapped back, slashing at a rat with his own technique, "Rock-Splitting Fist". The punch landed squarely on the rat's head, cracking its skull with a sickening crunch, but Garret's face twisted in disgust as the rat's blood splattered across his gear. "Ugh, this is the worst!"

But no matter how many rats they cut down, more kept coming. The tunnel was soon swarming with the mutated creatures, their sheer numbers threatening to overwhelm the group.

"Professor Aanya, we need to do something!" Ruchir called out, his brow furrowed with concern as he fought off another wave.

Aanya nodded, her mind racing. She quickly chanted an incantation under her breath and raised her hand, releasing a surge of spiritual energy that spread throughout the tunnel. "Barrier of Aegis!" she declared, creating a shimmering shield around the group that pushed back the encroaching rats.

"That'll buy us some time," she said, her voice calm but urgent. "Ruchir, we need to work together. These creatures are attacking from all sides—we need to break through their formation!"

Ruchir nodded, understanding her plan. "I'll create an opening. Garret, Robert, cover our flanks!"

Garret and Robert fell into position, defending against the rats that still clawed at the barrier. With a deep breath, Ruchir focused his energy, channeling it into his sword. The blade began to glow with an intense, radiant light.

"Sunlit Blade!" Ruchir shouted, unleashing a powerful slash that cut through the swarm in a blinding arc. The rats caught in the path were disintegrated by the holy light, their twisted forms turning to dust.

The attack had the desired effect, scattering the rats and giving the group a moment to regroup.

Garret, seeing the tide turning, couldn't help but feel a rush of relief. "Ha! We're doing it! We're actually—"

But his triumph was short-lived.

From the darkness ahead, a deep, guttural growl echoed through the tunnel.

The ground trembled beneath their feet, and the air grew heavy with an ominous presence.

Slowly, a massive figure lumbered into view, dwarfing the other rats in size. It stood nearly six meters tall, its fur a sickly red-tinged hue, with eyes that burned with a maddened fury.

The giant rat's sheer size and power were terrifying, and it was clear that this was no ordinary creature.

Its muscles bulged grotesquely beneath its skin, and its long, sharp claws scraped against the tunnel walls, leaving deep gouges in the stone.

Professor Aanya's eyes narrowed as she studied the beast.

"This one's different. It's not just a mutant—it's a lab experiment of the cult's. They've enhanced it with dark rituals. We need to finish it quickly before it causes too much damage."

Garret, feeling the weight of the situation, gulped. "You mean we actually have to fight that thing? Can't we just... I don't know, run?"

Robert snorted. "Run? Where to? We're in a sewer, Garret. This is it."

Ruchir tightened his grip on his sword, his determination clear. "No more stalling. We take it down now, or we might not get another chance."

The group prepared for the upcoming battle, knowing that this would be their toughest challenge yet.

The giant rat let out a deafening roar, its maddened eyes locked onto them. The air was thick with tension, and the stench of death hung over the tunnel.

The giant mutant rat roared, the deafening sound reverberating through the tunnel as it charged toward Ruchir and his group. Its red-tinged fur bristled with unrestrained aggression, and its maddened eyes locked onto them, promising a vicious fight.

"Here it comes!" Ruchir shouted, his voice cutting through the tension.

"We have to take it down, but stay coordinated. This thing is strong—don't underestimate it!"

As the rat lunged at them, Ruchir leaped forward with his sword raised high.

He unleashed his attack, "Sunlit Blade!", the holy light from his sword blazing as it carved a glowing arc through the air. The strike connected with the rat's thick hide, causing it to screech in pain as a deep gash appeared along its side, but it wasn't enough to slow the creature down.

The rat responded with a vicious swipe of its claws, using a technique it had somehow learned from the cult's dark experiments: "Abyssal Rend!". The claws, coated in dark energy, sliced through the air with terrifying speed, aimed straight at Ruchir.

Professor Aanya reacted swiftly, stepping in front of Ruchir and raising her hands.

She chanted an incantation, summoning a barrier of light with her technique, "Divine Aegis!" The shimmering shield deflected the rat's deadly claws, protecting Ruchir from harm.

"This thing is tougher than I thought," Aanya said, her voice tense but controlled. "We need to weaken it first. I'll draw its attention—Ruchir, you and the others find an opening!"

Ruchir nodded, quickly scanning the battlefield for a strategic advantage.

The narrowness of the sewer tunnel limited their movements, but it also restricted the rat's ability to maneuver.

If they could lure it into a tighter space, they might be able to trap it.

"Garret, Robert," Ruchir called out, "We need to corner it! Push it toward the wall and keep it from escaping!"

Garret, already sweating profusely, looked horrified. "Are you serious? That thing's trying to eat us, and you want us to push it?"

"You can do it, Garret," Ruchir urged. "Just follow my lead."

With a deep breath, Garret charged at the rat, aiming to distract it while Ruchir and Robert circled around. As he moved, he used his "Golden Body Technique", enhancing his physical strength and durability, making his body glow with a faint golden hue.

He threw a punch toward the rat, shouting, "Rock-Splitting Fist!". His fist connected with the rat's thick hide, but the impact barely fazed the creature.

Instead, the rat swatted Garret aside with its tail, sending him crashing into the sewer wall with a loud thud.

He groaned as he slid to the ground, his suit torn and covered in filth.

"Why does this always happen to me?" Garret moaned, feeling utterly defeated. "I'm being targeted by the universe itself!"

Robert couldn't resist the opportunity to mock his friend. "Maybe it's karma for all those times you've bragged about that ridiculous suit of yours. Guess it's not so 'protective' after all, huh?"

Before Garret could respond, the rat lunged at him again, forcing him to scramble out of the way. He stumbled over a broken pipe, nearly falling face-first into the muck, but managed to catch himself just in time.

"Watch out!" Ruchir shouted, using his "Shadow Step" technique to appear beside the rat. He slashed at its hind legs with a swift, precise strike, hoping to cripple its movement. The rat howled in pain, its back leg giving out momentarily, but it quickly recovered, lashing out with its tail.

Garret, still struggling to get back on his feet, was caught by the tail swipe and sent flying once more. This time, he landed in a puddle of putrid water, the stench clinging to him like a curse. "Why me?" he lamented, looking more miserable than ever.

Professor Aanya seized the moment to attack. She summoned flames in her hands, the fire dancing around her fingers as she chanted, "Phoenix Wrath!". She released the fiery energy in a torrent, directing it at the rat's head. The flames engulfed the creature, causing it to screech in agony as its fur began to burn.

But the rat wasn't finished yet. It retaliated with a final desperate move, "Cursed Roar!". The sound waves emanated from its mouth, infused with dark energy that distorted the very air around them. The roar shook the tunnel, sending debris falling from the ceiling and causing everyone to stagger.

Garret, in the midst of trying to stand up, was once again thrown off balance by the roar, landing face-first in the filth. "This is getting ridiculous!" he cried out, his voice muffled by the muck.

Robert couldn't help but burst into laughter, despite the dire situation. "You're like a magnet for disaster, Garret! At this rate, the rat won't even need to kill you—you'll do it to yourself!"

Finally, with the rat weakened and disoriented, Ruchir saw his chance. "Professor, now!"

Professor Aanya nodded, focusing her energy into one final, powerful attack. She raised both hands high, drawing on her reserves of spiritual power, and unleashed "Celestial Judgement!".

A massive beam of divine light shot down from above, striking the rat with unrelenting force. The light pierced through the creature, obliterating it in a brilliant explosion.

When the light faded, the rat lay defeated, its massive form crumpled on the ground.

The tunnel was eerily silent, save for the sound of Garret coughing and spluttering as he finally managed to stand up, covered in filth and looking thoroughly miserable.

Ruchir wiped the sweat from his brow, breathing heavily. "It's over... we did it."

Professor Aanya walked over to Garret, a mischievous smile on her face. "Well, Garret, I must say, you were quite the distraction. The rat certainly seemed to take a liking to you."

Garret groaned, looking down at his torn, filthy suit. "This is the worst day of my life."

Robert clapped him on the back, still chuckling. "Look on the bright side, Garret. At least we won. Though you might want to invest in a new suit."

Garret sighed, resigning himself to his fate. "Next time, I'm wearing armor. Actual armor."

The group shared a weary laugh, their spirits lifted despite the grueling battle they had just endured.

As they caught their breath, they knew this was just the beginning of the challenges they would face in their journey.