Chapter 41: Last One Standing (IV)

The tank received such a high charge of electricity that the water began to bubble. Marcus hadn't expected all that impact to result in an explosion from within the water. Yet, with so many lights on, he saw that what hit the ceiling wasn't Dante but the massive Felroz.

Its right arms were completely torn off, and its left chest bore the mark of a fist. When it crashed to the ground, it gasped for air. The creature's eyes held a mix of fear and hesitation, groaning in pain as its body trembled violently.

Another whirlpool formed in the water, and one of its tentacles shot up, gripping the ceiling while another latched onto the power cables. The creature hauled itself out, and Marcus saw it scream with a wound on its neck. Its chin and part of its greenish throat were slashed and marked.

It roared at Marcus, who stepped back with his weapon. He adjusted his heat-vision goggles back onto his face. It was the creature that had dragged Dante, now emanating electricity from its limbs. Everything around it shook as it let out a piercing cry.

Marcus gripped his weapon tighter, his ring finger trembling. This was no longer just a monster—it was an abomination that shouldn't even be alive. Its green eyes seemed to pierce his soul, exuding malice and an icy chill as it stared him down.

Nothing in the world seemed more horrifying than that thing clinging to the walls and ceiling with over ten limbs.

"You… killed Dante?"

The mention of the name seemed to enrage it further. It lunged forward at a speed that shocked Marcus. He wanted to dive to the side, to dodge at least a little, but the creature's massive clawed hand was already inches from his face.

And then, it stopped.

Something had grabbed one of its limbs still inside the tank. Marcus, momentarily shaken, nearly stumbled as he backed away, but he wouldn't waste the opportunity. He raised his rifle with a shout and pulled the trigger.

The shots hit its chest and face, but none were strong enough to tear through its skin. The creature lifted its head, trying to escape, but was pulled back and fell onto its back. The "octopus" turned toward the tank, seeing itself being dragged back into it.

Marcus kept firing, trying to deal as much damage as possible. If he just had a little more strength, a bit more Cosmic Energy… It was always that same frustrating "if." Why couldn't he ever act at the right time?

He ran forward and aimed the rifle straight at its chest, firing with everything he had. The octopus screeched in pain while swinging one of its tentacles. Marcus was hit and tumbled forward.

Without hesitation, he got up and drew the small dagger from his waist. It no longer mattered if he won or lost. Clara or anyone else outside the Reservoir wouldn't stand a chance against this abomination.

They would be crushed, killed, torn apart. So it didn't matter what stood before him.

"Burn in hell."

Marcus used the dagger to slice through one of the tentacles. Immediately, the creature was pulled closer to the edge. Every surface touched by the shooter's blade was severed in seconds. A scream of pain echoed through the brightly lit hall.

Even though the octopus had once dominated the tank, now it struggled desperately to escape being dragged back into its former domain. Marcus couldn't understand the fear, but the Felroz that had been flung out of the tank remained unconscious, and the octopus was using all its strength to avoid the water.

It clawed frantically backward but made little progress.

Marcus was stunned.

"It's afraid… of what?"

The octopus grabbed a rock from the floor. Even though it had no sharp edges, it began smashing it against its own tentacle. With each strike, black blood spattered everywhere. The more it hit, the more pieces of itself it tore away. Its desperation was so intense that even Marcus could hardly believe it.

Though every kind of creature feared something, humans were far more fragile. One of the best men Marcus had seen fight a Felroz was killed after making a mistake that left him exposed to two of them.

Now, a creature that had everything under control just moments ago was desperately trying to escape as fast as possible.

A hand emerged from the water, gripping the stone edge. Even in that massive tank, the arms of an old man rose as he held onto the tentacle on the other side. As soon as his head broke the surface, all the water was pushed away.

"High conversion levels detected. Immediate return of the body is recommended to avoid physical damage. Calculating. Please wait. 10% reached."

In a swift pull, Dante dragged the creature toward him while effortlessly leaping out of the tank. With a kick, he sent it flying. The air distorted in all directions as the octopus crashed against the iron plates, letting out a massive roar. Dante launched himself at it, bombarding it with a flurry of punches, chaining blow after blow while staying airborne.

It was too much for Marcus. The octopus fought back, using its tentacles to push Dante away, sending him back to the ground. As the old man landed on the wet floor, he exhaled and released a burst of air around his body, expelling all the water from the area.

"It's time to end this," Dante said, stretching his arms and assuming a combat stance. "I'm done playing with them. Marcus, I'll need support."

"Support?"

The word left Marcus's mouth just as Dante shot upward. Tentacles descended, crackling with electricity, but Dante evaded them all midair. Spinning on his axis, he created a wave of energy that exploded the octopus's shoulder.

Both crashed to the ground, but the tank demon used its limbs to steady itself. It didn't realize that as soon as it raised its head, Dante's fist would be waiting. Another torrent of consecutive attacks followed—punches, kicks, spins, and bursts of expelled air.

No matter how many times it tried to block, the old man's movements seemed even faster than before. When he swept its legs and launched it away with a rising kick, Marcus's intrusive thoughts solidified.

"He's not human."

"I need a shot in two seconds to recover."

"High muscular tension detected. Stabilization recommended," the voice advised.

Dante delivered a furious punch. He was no longer smiling, and the light made his strikes seem even stronger. It didn't matter if it was light or dark—when Dante resumed his assault, the octopus stood no chance.

The creature was grabbed with one hand, twisted sideways, and struck with an elbow to the face. Dante spun on his axis, kicked its leg, and leapt, using the back of his hand to deliver a blow so powerful it pinned the creature against the wall. Before it could react, Dante landed two or three more rapid strikes.

They weren't necessarily powerful punches; the speed was what made them impactful. Amid the rapid arm movements, Marcus realized this wasn't a simple fighting style. Dante used rotations and spins to gain momentum, twisting his shoulders and ribs as if pushing his body to its limits.

The level of muscular control he exhibited was absurd. Ridiculously absurd!

"Explosion."

Dante clenched his fist. Cosmic Energy from his entire body condensed into his fingers, surged into his palm, and then his wrist. The density of the attack made the yellow aura around it appear dull.

The green of the octopus's eyes met the scarlet of Dante's fist.

With a single upward strike, the energy culminated in a forward explosion, producing a metallic crack. The creature didn't move, and Marcus thought Dante had merely bluffed.

Then blood trickled from the octopus's mouth, slipping between its teeth without it even noticing. A moment later, a whirlwind of air erupted, scattering debris into the air.

And there was no longer a smile on Dante's face.

He looked at Marcus, and the tension was palpable.

"Hold it down."

The impact had been significant, but the creature wasn't as damaged as expected. Marcus froze. That punch hadn't killed it or even caused severe harm. Raising his rifle, he knelt and fired as many rounds as he could.

The clip began to empty as the bullets struck the creature's chest. It was wounded but still trying to crawl back through the hole it had made. Its roar, its rage, its murderous intent—everything about it screamed destruction. Marcus could feel its desire to obliterate anything human.

But as his hands grew numb from the rifle's recoil, and his shoulders and arms throbbed with pain, he knew his injuries hadn't vanished. Everything hurt just as before.

Still, as long as it was necessary, he would give everything to keep it there.

Dante had thrown himself into that tank to win. No injury would drain Marcus's mental reserves. He had to end this—for Clara, for Simone, for the city...

Blood dripped from his hand, his wrist, even his nose. If the creature got loose, they would die. If it reached him, Dante would have to fight like a madman again.

If he could give everything in that moment, he would do anything.

The Cosmic Energy forming the bullets in the clip glowed yellow. The shots left a green streak in their path. As the new bullet chambered, the trigger's weight doubled, making it almost impossible to pull.

Marcus pressed the rifle to his shoulder and unleashed all his desperation for victory.

If it was the last thing he did in life—he fired heavy bursts straight ahead.

For the city where he was born, for Clara who took him in, and for his father… who trained him until his last day.

For everyone who had died before!