Chapter 33 – Hunt (2)

While Drake was adjusting his aim for the Aligodon, Gregory had already rappelled down the wall and was advancing through the dense forest towards his target.

The uneven terrain and vegetation made it difficult to move, and the extra weight he was carrying made everything even more challenging—he was carrying Rebecca's huge shield, Louise's longsword, as well as a compact backpack and other essential equipment.

Still, he didn't stop. His boots sank into the ground damp with morning dew and occasionally slipped a little, but he quickly recovered without losing his balance, demonstrating his technique and showing off his training.

He ran as fast as he could, dodging roots and low branches as he quickly approached the three Hounds that were in the monster's path. When the GPS indicated that he was about 100 meters away from them, he finally slowed down, dropped his sword and shield on the ground with a dull thud, and activated the radio.

"I'm close to you, keep moving. Ten seconds until contact. Aline, I'm counting on you to buy some time. Okay?" His voice was firm but urgent, as his eyes scanned the forest in search of one of them amid the trees that made it difficult to see.

The radio remained silent, but Gregory could tell from the GPS that Aline had stopped, while the other two signals continued to move quickly in their direction. At the same time, the sound of the Aligodon advancing through the forest ceased for a few seconds, as if the creature was hesitating or reacting to something.

It wasn't long before Rebecca and Louise emerged from the dense vegetation, panting but in one piece.

"From 0 to 10, how are you?" Gregory asked, concern evident in his tone.

"9.5," Louise replied without hesitation, as she grabbed her sword and began to put on the protective gear that was in Gregory's backpack.

"9," Rebecca said, repeating her companion's gesture, adjusting her protections with mechanical precision.

"Great... Louise, please take this." Gregory took a thermos from his backpack and handed it to her. "It's an energizing cocktail. It will help you recover from mental and physical fatigue."

"Thank you..." Louise thanked him as she received the bottle, a little embarrassed and clearly suspicious of the contents.

But as soon as she took a small sip to taste the contents, her gaze changed. The drink was smooth, with a strong and mild passion fruit flavor that took her by surprise. But the biggest surprise was not the flavor, but the refreshing sensation that began in her mouth and quickly spread throughout her body.

Before she realized it, she had already drunk the entire contents of the bottle, and it didn't take long for her entire body to be fully recovered and with energy to spare. Her veins were pulsing and her brain was frantic…

"Is there more?" She asked, now embarrassed, but clearly wanting to taste more of that miraculous liquid, holding the empty bottle with an expression undecided between guilt and desire.

Gregory let out a nasal laugh. He knew this would happen, which is why he had a stock of almost 10 liters of this special energizer. A special formula he created with the help of some friends. But unfortunately...

"The dose cannot exceed 300 ml at a time... Sorry."

Louise pouted in frustration, but soon looked away when he pulled out another thermos and turned to Rebecca.

"Rebecca, this is the cocktail we agreed on..." He started to speak, but before he could finish, his own sense of guilt made him simply hold out the bottle to her.

Rebecca took the container without saying anything immediately, analyzing it in silence. The thick liquid moved inside, reminding her of a highly concentrated vitamin.

She didn't look at Gregory, but she felt his gaze on her—not demanding, but understanding. They both knew what that meant. Drinking that mixture wasn't just about recovering energy. It was about accepting, without turning back, the responsibility that fell on her shoulders.

She looked up and met Gregory's eyes. No words were spoken, but in that instant, the understanding was there: she would be the most important piece of this plan.

Without further hesitation, Rebecca unscrewed the cap and brought the bottle to her lips, swallowing the liquid in large gulps. The thick texture reminded her of a banana smoothie, but the flavor was an intriguing mix of avocado with a sweet and striking hint of mango. The taste was unexpected, but surprisingly pleasant.

When she finished, Rebecca put the bottle down, licking her lips to capture the last traces of the flavor. She knew it would take a toll on her body later, but she didn't hesitate. The decision had already been made.

Gregory took the empty bottle from her hands and, without saying anything, put it in his bag. Now, with everyone equipped and ready, he turned to the two of them and assumed a firm tone.

"As planned, okay? If anything unexpected happens, let me know immediately and I'll reorganize the strategy. No unnecessary risks and, above all, don't do anything without my permission. Do we understand?"

"Yes, sir!" the two replied in unison, without hesitation.

There were no more words. With a short nod, Rebecca and Louise walked away, quickly returning to where the Aligodon and Aline were. Gregory, in turn, turned on his heel and shot back towards the wall, the weight of the equipment on his back now seeming even greater.

___________________________

Plack Plack!

The Aligodon's armor wasn't merely decorative… Despite its attractive coloring, that leather was a natural armor of absurd resistance.

Aline had already suspected this, but she was sure the moment she struck the creature's side with all her strength.

"Shit…"

The impact reverberated through her arm as if she had punched a granite mountain. Pain exploded in her fingers, shooting up her forearm, but there was no time to hesitate.

The Aligodon moved.

Agile. Precise. Deadly.

Even for its colossal size, the creature was incredibly coordinated. Its muscular legs supported its weight with ease, and its long tail served as a counterbalance for complex maneuvers. In an instant, the monster spun with almost unreal fluidity and opened its jaws in a lunge straight for Aline.

Absurd speed.

She saw the teeth approaching, barbs of bone ready to pierce and grip her flesh. Instinct screamed louder. Aline threw herself upward and escaped by the skin of her teeth, landing on the beast's back.

Now mounted on the mutant Beast, her heart hammered in her chest.

What the hell was I going to do now?

Her blows were not enough. The Aligodon's hide was a wall. Thinking quickly, she ran along the creature's back, aiming for its eyes—the only visible vulnerable spot.

But the Aligodon was clever.

Before Aline could attack, the beast twisted its body, writhing violently. The movement was so abrupt that she lost her balance and was forced to jump to the ground.

The landing was abrupt, and before she could even recover, the monster was on top of her again.

Another lunge.

Another last-second dodge.

Aline escaped by spinning to the side, but made a fatal mistake: she backed away.

The Aligodon saw the opening.

With incomprehensible speed, it spun on its hind legs and lashed out with its tail like a whip.

The impact was brutal.

Aline was ripped from the ground, thrown like a rag doll. The landscape blurred until her body collided violently with a tree. The impact broke the trunk with a loud crack, and she was thrown further into the forest, rolling across the ground covered in leaves and roots.

Darkness took over her and her body settled on the forest floor…

On the other hand, the Aligodon was clearly upset and angry that its prey had been thrown away and hid in the forest. It opened and closed its mouth forcefully, creating a terrifying cracking sound, and in addition, it began to whip its tail against the ground, creating a cloud of dust around it.

It was angry, and made the decision to get rid of these trees that were in its way, but it also decided that it would not waste any more time breaking them one by one.

Then, after momentarily calming down, a light blue glow began to pulse on the Aligodon's snout. The glow was concentrated in the two parallel rows of sharp scales that shimmered with a strange energy, oscillating from a soft blue to a deep navy blue, like a storm gathering on the horizon.

The glow intensified even more before suddenly disappearing…

Crack

Then, with a sharp snap of its jaws, the creature opened them wide.

A beam of pure energy exploded from its mouth. A beam of pure energy that destroyed and disintegrated absolutely everything it touched… Trees, animals, and even the air were burned to nothing…

However, the attack was very strange and terrifying… This was not an attack to sweep through the forest for hundreds of meters. The Aligodon did not want that.

Instead, with a precise and calculated movement, the beam swept the surroundings in a perfect and complete circle around the Aligodon… A devastating attack, obliterating everything above fifty centimeters from the ground.