Gangsters: Mri V The Cosmic Tyrant[2]

Chapter 4: The Beasts of Machu Picchu

The roar echoed through the jungle, sending a wave of fear through the team. Birds scattered from the treetops, and in the distance, something massive crashed through the undergrowth.

Iquiri's grip on her spear tightened. "It's coming."

Mri cracked his knuckles. "Good. I was getting bored."

Bibek gulped. "Says the guy who didn't just get chased by a monster."

Ayang unsheathed his hunting knife, his eyes scanning the trees. "We need to find out what we're dealing with."

Malobika, gripping Jasmine's arm, whispered, "Are we really doing this?"

Jasmine sighed. "I think we lost the choice the moment Mri decided to be a hero."

Pronami frowned. "Why does every trip with you guys turn into some life-or-death situation?"

Before anyone could answer, the trees exploded outward, and the beast appeared.

It was unlike anything they had ever seen—a jaguar, but… wrong.

Its sleek black fur pulsed with a faint red aura, and its eyes glowed like molten lava. Its claws, sharper than blades, dug into the earth as it let out another bone-rattling growl.

Iquiri cursed in her native tongue. "The jungle has turned against us."

The jaguar leapt forward, faster than any normal animal should be.

Mri barely had time to react as it slashed at him. He twisted out of the way, but the force of the beast's movement sent shockwaves through the ground.

Ayang rushed forward, driving his knife toward the jaguar's side, but the creature dodged effortlessly.

"Damn," Ayang muttered. "This thing is fast."

Jasmine grabbed a fallen branch, swinging it at the jaguar's face, but it shattered on impact.

The beast turned, snarling.

Iquiri suddenly leaped in, jabbing her spear into its flank. The jaguar let out an ear-splitting roar, glowing cracks forming around the wound before healing instantly.

Bibek's jaw dropped. "It just—"

Mri's yellow aura flared. "Move."

He dashed forward, faster than before, slamming his fist into the jaguar's face. The impact sent the beast flying, crashing through the trees.

Silence.

Jasmine exhaled. "Did you just—"

The jaguar stood back up.

Mri narrowed his eyes. "You've got to be kidding me."

The beast's red aura flared even stronger, its muscles bulging unnaturally.

Ayang cursed. "That thing's evolving mid-fight."

Iquiri turned to them. "You need to run. Now."

But Mri stepped forward. His yellow aura flashed like lightning.

"No," he said. "We fight."

Chapter 5: Mri vs. The Jaguar – Awakening the Aura

The air was thick with tension. The jaguar's blood-red aura pulsed like a heartbeat, crackling against the jungle floor. Its claws dug into the earth, eyes burning with a feral hunger.

Mri clenched his fists, his yellow aura flickering around him like lightning trapped in a storm. His muscles tensed as he took a deep breath.

Ayang positioned himself next to Mri, his grip tightening on his knife. "You sure about this? That thing's on a whole other level."

Bibek stepped back, nudging Pronami and Malobika. "I think we should let the aura guys handle this one."

Jasmine scoffed, folding her arms. "You think?"

Iquiri, still gripping her spear, looked between them. "This is no ordinary beast. It's a guardian of the jungle. Something has corrupted it."

The jaguar let out a guttural growl before lunging.

A blur of red. A shockwave of force.

Mri vanished.

For a moment, it looked like the beast had struck nothing but air—until a loud CRACK rang out through the jungle.

Mri's fist collided with the jaguar's face.

The impact sent the creature spiraling through the trees, smashing through branches like they were paper. A shockwave rippled outward, shaking the ground beneath them.

Ayang let out a low whistle. "Yeah, okay. That was sick."

But Mri didn't lower his guard. The jaguar landed on its feet, skidding backward before shaking off the blow. It let out a low, dangerous growl.

Then, it changed.

Its aura flared brighter, its muscles bulging unnaturally. The wounds from Mri's attack sealed instantly, and its fangs elongated, glistening under the jungle light.

Jasmine's eyes widened. "It's getting stronger?"

Iquiri cursed. "That's not just an aura beast. That's a berserker."

Mri narrowed his eyes. "Then I'll just have to hit harder."

He dashed forward.

The jaguar moved at the same time. Two blurs of speed colliding in the middle.

Their clash sent out a massive shockwave, uprooting trees and sending dust flying into the air. Mri gritted his teeth, locking arms with the jaguar as their auras clashed—yellow against red.

The jungle trembled.

Mri's yellow aura flared brighter, wrapping around his arms like golden flames. With a roar, he broke the deadlock, swinging the jaguar by its leg and slamming it into the ground.

The impact shattered the earth.

A crater formed where the jaguar landed.

Silence.

The team barely had time to react before the jaguar twitched.

Then, slowly… it got back up.

Mri's heart pounded. "Oh, come on."

The jaguar was still standing—but now, something was different. The red aura was flickering, like a dying flame. Its eyes, once glowing with madness, now seemed… confused.

Iquiri's eyes widened. "You're breaking the corruption."

Mri exhaled. "Then I'll finish this."

He vanished.

A split second later, he reappeared above the jaguar, his fist glowing bright yellow.

The jungle exploded with light as Mri delivered the final blow.

The impact sent a golden shockwave through the air, knocking back the trees, shaking the ground, and completely overwhelming the jaguar's aura.

The beast let out one last roar before collapsing.

The red aura vanished.

Silence fell over the jungle.

Everyone stood frozen, staring at the scene.

Bibek let out a shaky breath. "Okay, that was insane."

Ayang chuckled. "You're telling me. This guy just punched an aura beast unconscious."

Jasmine nudged Mri. "You good?"

Mri rolled his shoulders, cracking his neck. "Yeah. Just another day."

Iquiri approached the fallen jaguar, placing a hand on its fur. "The corruption is gone… but this was just one. There will be more."

Mri frowned. "Then we find out what's causing it."

Ayang grinned. "Guess our vacation just turned into a mission."

Jasmine groaned. "Why does this always happen?"

Mri smirked. "Keeps things interesting."

As the dust settled, the jungle remained eerily silent.

Unbeknownst to them, a shadowy figure watched from the distance, a twisted smile forming on his lips.

"The yellow aura… so, he really exists."

To be continued…

Chapter 6: Into the Heart of Darkness

The jungle was eerily silent after the battle. The jaguar lay still, its breathing steady but deep, as if in a deep slumber. Mri wiped the sweat off his brow, his yellow aura flickering before fading.

"We need answers," Ayang muttered, adjusting the straps of his bag. "This wasn't normal. Aura beasts exist, yeah, but this thing? It was berserk. Like something was pushing it past its limits."

Iquiri knelt beside the jaguar, her expression grim. "Something—or someone—is disrupting the natural balance of the jungle." She ran her fingers over its fur, feeling the lingering traces of the corrupted aura. "This isn't a natural mutation. It's spreading, and if it's not stopped…"

Bibek exhaled sharply. "More creatures could end up like this."

Jasmine folded her arms, her gaze sharp. "Then we need to move. Fast."

Mri cracked his knuckles. "Iquiri, do you have any idea where this corruption is coming from?"

Iquiri hesitated before nodding. "There's a place deep in the jungle, an ancient temple that my people consider sacred. Legends say it houses a forbidden power. If something—or someone—has disturbed it, that could explain everything."

Ayang raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess. That's where we're heading?"

Mri grinned. "Obviously."

Jasmine sighed. "Great. More trekking. Love that."

Malobika smirked. "Come on, Jas. Think of it as an adventure."

Pronami laughed. "Yeah, an adventure where we might die."

Iquiri stood up, gripping her spear. "If we leave now, we can reach the temple before sunset. But the deeper we go, the more dangerous it will be."

Mri rolled his shoulders. "Then let's not waste time."

With that, the group gathered their things and set off into the unknown.

Deep in the Jungle

Hours passed as they pushed through the dense foliage. The jungle was alive with sounds—birds cawing, leaves rustling, distant roars echoing through the trees. The deeper they went, the heavier the air became, like an unseen force pressing against them.

Jasmine wiped sweat from her forehead. "This place is humid as hell."

Bibek groaned. "I swear if I get bit by one more mosquito, I'm turning around."

Ayang smirked. "You? Turning around? Never thought I'd see the day."

Bibek glared. "Shut up."

Malobika chuckled. "Oh, quit whining. We're almost there."

Iquiri, who had been leading the way, suddenly halted.

Everyone tensed.

"What is it?" Mri asked, stepping forward.

Iquiri's eyes narrowed. "We're being watched."

Silence.

Then—a blur of movement.

Before anyone could react, something lunged from the trees.

Mri spun, barely dodging as a massive black panther landed where he had just stood. Its eyes glowed with a fiery orange hue, and its body radiated an aura so intense it made the air vibrate.

Jasmine swore. "Another one?"

Bibek stepped back. "Okay, nope. I'm done. We're dead."

Ayang clenched his fists. "No. We fight."

The panther let out a deep, guttural growl before its aura flared—a fiery red-orange flame engulfing its body.

Mri's eyes narrowed. "This one's different."

The panther vanished.

THUD!

Mri barely managed to block as the beast appeared above him, slamming him into the ground with terrifying force.

Dust exploded into the air.

"Mri!" Pronami shouted.

Mri coughed, pushing himself up. The panther landed a few feet away, its glowing eyes locked onto him.

A grin spread across Mri's face. "Alright, then. Let's see what you've got."

His yellow aura ignited, crackling like a storm as he launched himself forward.

Their battle had begun.

To be continued…