Chapter 36: Eyeless Hound

Entering the forest, Zyro's heart was calm, his eyes extremely focused as sharp as a dagger, wary of any predator around. From time to time, he looks up, checking the glittery night sky through the seams of the trees mass of leafs. For any flying figures of Gricks. One of Zyro's reasons for waiting so long was the damned humanoid birds, that look more like angels, but Zyro refuses to view them as such after all the horrible things they have done to him from the very start. Even now, the Gricks had been searching around the area where his starship fell. Hindering him from recovering his cybernetic armor earlier, if not for them. His frail human body would have long reunited with his trusty shroud of black steel. Heck, with it, Zyro was completely certain of defeating an Alpha. And surviving in society reigns by the strong, somehow. Fortunately, after a month of searching in vain, not finding anything. The patrolling Gricks he saw flying in the sky above this region apparently lessen. Finally giving Zyro the opportunity to retrieve his cybernetic suit of armor.

The young man, Zyro. Who no longer looks like a poor, pitiful slave. But a deadly assassin. Clad in brown long sleeve shirt and fitted pants adorning his waist to foot. A gloves hid his bruised hands, so as his booted feet and hooded head. His face is shrouded in deep shadows, enabling anyone to see his lethal eyes that view the woods before him with utter perception. As he navigated with an expert movement of professional scouts. Swift, nimble, silent and sharp. His step almost made no sound.

The garments he wore were by-product of the items he bought with his blood and a month of sewing in his idle times. Unfortunately, his hands lack talent in the aspect of weaving and poor quality of the materials - needle, a roll of fabric. Created a rather, crude version of what Zyro had Invision. Still, the messiness of his tattered clothes made him look like a rugged scavenger that came from his grave. Telling tales of adventure and horror to those who see him.

Silently making his way through overgrown bushes and towering trees. Zyro's attention was split in two. One for the night sky above where remnants Grick watchmen wander, holding to the slim hope of finding anything. The other, is for the patrolling guards of the mine, in-charge of fending nearby beast away.

Soon enough, he encounters the patrolling guards. The bright lantern glow gives their position away, allowing Zyro to easily avoid bumping into them. Those aren't the typical guards that govern the caverns'peace. They're veterans warriors that survive battles against ferocious beasts, and continue doing so every night. From what he heard, the strongest of them was a Marked Beta, one rank higher than Alpha. So Zyro rather not bump into those guys. Besides, he had no business with them, only one of their members - The Alpha guard that snapped his arms.

A few more minutes passed in tense silence, Zyro's pace was slow and cautious. Always wary of his surroundings. Zyro had just passed the mine-guards patrolling area, so they're out of his worries. But the threats in the bushy land remain, more dangerous than ever. Unlike the Mines nearby forest, where beasts are shun away. Here, deeper in the jungle, monstrosities dwell freely to hunt prey. Zyro didn't even know how he survived back then when his starship crashed, leaving him solely walking through the dangerous wilderness, injured and tired to his bone. A time when his unable to defend himself. Yet... he lived, and reached the Mine somehow.

Finally, a small mountain was sighted ahead. Although his mind was fuzzy back then, Zyro still remembers such a memorable location where he had hidden his armor. It was a mountain side, a distance away from the lake that drowned his star vessel. The small mountain was kind of close to the stony mountain where they mine, so it was easily seen there. That's why Zyro knew where he was heading. And he was close.

In the midst of his careful steps in the silent night, Zyro's attention was suddenly attracted by a rustling noise in the bushes ahead. Zyro stopped his tracks, lowered his body and quietly observed.

Then... He saw it under the illumination of moonlight. A creature came out, It's body similar to that of a dog, but without a tail and furs. Revealing its fleshy, hairless skin with remnants of scars bare. Its height reaches Zyro's waist, its head disturbingly had no sign of eyes nor standing ears. Just a big and wide, gaping jaw with rows of sharp, zigzagging blood dyed teeth. At the top of it, where whiskers should have been have more than a dozen holes around, serving as nostrils, or ear holes.

Zyro hoped it was not nostrils. Because if it is, then it means the eyeless hound had an extremely keen sense of smell. And... Truth be told, baths weren't offered to slaves. So, yeah. He stink. There's also dried wounds, scratches and bruises that have remnants of the smell of blood.

'Duck, no!'

But yes. The moment he saw the repulsive creature, despite his silence and far distance. The eyeless hound turns towards his exact location with a vicious grin, saliva flowing down its reddy teeth. The sight of it was nothing but utter terror.

That's the only sign Zyro needed to run. Run at full speed because even without the visible mark, Zyro knew it was an Alpha beast of the first Mark. Equal to the abusive guard, perhaps even more for that hound only knew one thing. Wild, vicious hunger without restraint. It will hunt and devour him without delay.

Dashing away with all his might, Zyro desperately runs. Of course, his human speed pale in comparison to the four footed monster. Zyro had just started running, but it already covered 1/4 of the distance towards him.

Obviously, he can't win in a game of speed.

Zyro cursed under his breath, and quickly decided to climb a tall tree. Fortunately, his wealthy experiences regarding physical activities in training greatly emphasize climbing. So his ascending speed was more than decent. Soon finding himself in a high position, more than 6 meters above ground.

Surely, the hairless beast can't reach him now. It will either wait for his below or give up and leave.

However, to his dismay. When the eyeless hound arrived at the tree's foot. It lingered for a moment, before hopping, burying its sharp claws in the bark to support its weight as it climbed. Albeit labored and struggling. It slowly but surely reached him.

Zyro facepalm his misunderstanding. He had forgotten again he wasn't on earth, and that eerie creature was not cousins of dogs or lions, that can't climb trees. He cursed his stupidity before starting to think of a solution... And there's none. What could he do anyway? He can't beat it at speed at land, and trees can't save him.

'Might as well die, I guess?' he thought, looking down from a dizzying height that may end his life if he falls. Even if he didn't, there's a gluttonous, creepy beast heading towards him as of right now. And will reap him apart in a few minutes.

'Nah, doesn't feel like it.'

Sitting on a tough branch, Zyro shook his head and shifted his gaze from the far ground. Towards the eyeless hound disturbing face, which mainly consists of a gaping wide mouth with a whisker of nostrils as he calmly waited for it to ascend.

The repulsive creature is really taking its time. Although only half a minute had passed, Zyro can't help but feel a sense of boredom. Probably, his mind had haywire again.

He even had the audacity to ask Aizra.

'Say, what's my survival rate?'

His mental AI replied.

[Currently, 2.866%]

He clicked his tongue.

"Fair enough."

Seconds continue passing, Zyro's gaze switched from the hound repulsive visage and the distant ground. As the eyeless monster draws closer, his eyes frequently stare below.

At long last, the climbing beast was reaching Zyro, only a few centimeters away. It's drooling mouth inferring clear excitement to finally feast on the young man's body. When the hound head almost at his hanging feet, it's jaw frenziedly snapping. Zyro stoop up at the branch his sitting on.

'Ah... Took you long enough.'

He bent his knee, straining his leg muscles. And did the unthinkable... Zyro sprung up, leaving his foothold and plunging down from the deadly height.