Ch 37 : Mysterious Stalkers

Renji's muscles burned as he pushed himself further, drawing on every ounce of strength he had left. The battle had dragged on long enough. He could feel the weight of fatigue creeping into his limbs, the aches from his wounds that tried to slow him down. But he couldn't afford to stop. Not now. Not with the rhinoceros monster charging at them with unrelenting fury.

He gritted his teeth, a deep, guttural growl rising in his chest as he tapped into the core of his mutation. His body surged with energy—his limbs elongated with unnatural speed, and his senses sharpened to a razor's edge. His heartbeat quickened, pumping adrenaline through his veins. He was no longer the man he once was. Not even close.

I am the predator.

The rhinoceros monster's massive frame loomed in front of him, its great horn lowering as it charged, its eyes wild with rage. Renji didn't hesitate. He was already moving before the beast's massive hoof hit the ground, creating a shockwave of dust and debris.

In a blur of motion, Renji leaped into the air, the ground cracking beneath his feet as he propelled himself toward the creature's face. He twisted in mid-air, his speed faster than the monster could react, and with a precise, lightning-fast strike, he slammed his fist into the creature's skull. The impact echoed across the clearing, a sickening crunch filling the air. The rhinoceros monster staggered, a massive dent left where Renji's blow had landed, but it was far from done.

It roared in fury, shaking off the initial hit with surprising resilience. Its eyes locked on Renji as it reared back, its horn gleaming with dangerous intent.

Renji didn't wait. He was already moving again, his body a blur as he dodged the monster's wild charge. The beast's horn missed him by inches, grazing the air where he had been just a moment before. He gritted his teeth and swept low, grabbing hold of the monster's massive leg. With a forceful tug, Renji yanked, sending the beast off balance.

The rhinoceros monster let out a startled snort, stumbling before it crashed heavily onto the ground, its massive form shaking the earth beneath it. It growled in anger, its primal instincts roaring as it attempted to right itself, but Renji was relentless. He moved in again, this time aiming for its underbelly where the armor-like plating was weakest. His fists landed with brutal precision, each blow accompanied by a crack as the beast's tough exterior began to fracture under the sheer force of Renji's assault.

Meanwhile, the rest of Renji's team continued to fight the infected, struggling to hold their own. Yumi's shadows lashed out to hold back a group of infected that were trying to flank Renji, while Mika used her kinetic blasts to push back others that came too close. Kaito, still recovering from his earlier wounds, struggled to keep up, his electric punches finding their mark but doing little to slow down the overwhelming horde. Takeshi was the only one who seemed to have the strength to hold his own, his enhanced physical abilities making him a juggernaut in the fight. But even he could only do so much. The odds were against them.

Renji's focus remained entirely on the rhinoceros monster. He could feel the strain in his body, his muscles screaming in protest as he continued to unleash blow after blow. But he wasn't about to stop. Not while the monster was still standing.

The beast, now bloodied and furious, lunged again, its horn aimed straight at Renji. He gritted his teeth and dashed to the side, barely avoiding the attack. But the rhino wasn't done yet. It swung its horn again, this time trying to pierce Renji's side. Renji twisted in the air, his body moving with a predatory grace that came from his mutations. He grabbed the horn mid-swing, his enhanced strength allowing him to halt the creature's charge.

The rhinoceros monster screeched, trying to shake him off, but Renji's grip was iron-tight. He pulled with all his might, his feet digging into the earth as he used the monster's momentum against it. With one final, thunderous roar, he yanked the creature's horn downward and drove his fist into its eye socket.

The impact was catastrophic. A sickening squelch filled the air, and the monster's body went limp. Renji didn't let go, his body shaking with exertion as he held the beast down, ensuring it would not rise again.

But even as the beast's form fell motionless to the ground, Renji's breath came in ragged gasps. His body trembled with exhaustion, blood dripping from the gashes in his arms and chest. The world around him seemed to slow as he finally allowed himself a moment of relief.

That relief, however, was short-lived.

In the shadows of the clearing, a group of individuals watched the battle unfold, hidden from view by the thick foliage of the trees. They stood silent, their eyes fixed on Renji as he delivered the final blow to the rhinoceros monster. Their expressions were unreadable, but there was something calculating about their gaze. They weren't just observers—they were studying Renji, watching his every move.

One of them, a tall figure cloaked in a dark robe, stepped forward, his hood obscuring most of his face. He lifted a hand, signaling to the others to remain silent. His voice was low, almost imperceptible, as he spoke to the figure beside him.

"He's more than we expected," the robed figure murmured. "A mutation that powerful… We may have found a valuable piece."

The other individual, a shorter figure with a metal mask, nodded in agreement. "He's different from the others. We should continue monitoring him."

The tall figure didn't respond immediately. Instead, he watched Renji, his eyes narrowed. He seemed to be weighing something in his mind before he finally turned and gave a sharp command.

"Prepare the extraction. We'll need him alive."

As the group of figures moved away from the clearing, leaving only the sound of the distant battle and the occasional screech from the infected, the tension in the air grew even thicker. Renji, still standing over the fallen rhinoceros monster, was unaware of the eyes that had been upon him. He had no idea that he was being watched by those who had already set their sights on him.

For now, the battle was won, but the war was far from over.

Renji took a deep breath and staggered back from the monster's corpse, his body threatening to collapse from exhaustion. His teammates were still fighting off the last of the infected, but they, too, were showing signs of wear. It wasn't over, not yet. But Renji had proven something—he was still standing. And that was all that mattered.

"Regroup!" Renji barked, turning to face his team. "We need to make sure the area's clear and—"

Before he could finish, the sound of distant footsteps reached his ears. He tensed, but this time, it wasn't the infected coming for them. Something else was coming.

And whatever it was, it wasn't friendly.