Chapter 107- Wild Elephant

The ground trembled beneath their feet. Dust rained down from the cracked ceiling, swirling through the dimly lit corridors as Rion and the others sprinted for the exit. Each tremor sent fresh debris crumbling from the rafters, turning the already unstable building into a deathtrap. The old research facility groaned, its ancient steel beams straining under the relentless quake.

"Move faster," Stone ordered, his voice steady despite the chaos around them. The reinforced concrete walls groaned under the pressure of unseen forces outside, and each step felt like treading on unstable ground.

Dr. Lianne, panting heavily, clutched a tablet close to her chest as she ran. "Something massive is moving out there!" she shouted. "This whole place could come down any second!"

The squad didn't need further encouragement. They hurried through the exposed corridors, boots crunching against shattered glass and loose debris.

Rion was the first to step outside, his ATVS' sensors instantly picking up motion from the right. The team fanned out behind him, weapons at the ready. As they emerged into the open, a deep, guttural bellow split the air, followed by the metallic screech of metal being twisted apart. A rusted section of the perimeter fence crumpled like paper, and through the swirling dust emerged a hulking monstrosity.

It was enormous-easily over five meters tall at the shoulder, its grotesquely thick hide resembling layered rock rather than flesh. Its breath came in hot, heavy bursts, steam rising from its flared nostrils. Its long, tusk-like protrusions scraped the ground as it took slow, thunderous steps forward. It was built like a mammoth, its immense frame dwarfing everything nearby.

Dr. Lianne gasped, staggering back. "That's an Anomaly-Class Wild Elephant."

Rion didn't need her explanation to know that this was bad. The sheer size alone made it a problem—but from the way its grotesque, unnatural hide seemed to absorb the already dim lighting, it was clear that this wasn't just some oversized animal.

As they moved to escape the perimeter, Dr. Lianne quickly explained, her voice tight with urgency. "It's an overlord among Anomaly-class beasts. Its sheer size alone makes it nearly impervious to most conventional attacks, but its hide-"

"Let me guess," Vance cut in as they weaved through broken concrete slabs, "is resistant to everything?"

"Nearly," Lianne admitted grimly. "Even heavy artillery struggles to penetrate the hide of some variants. But if this one also has regenerative properties like the mutated beast Team Beta encountered earlier..."

"The we're in deep shit," Rion finished for her.

As if sensing the weight of his words, the Wild Elephant's dull, black eyes locked onto them. It exhaled, a deep, rumbling snort that sent a wave of dust billowing across the ruins. Then, it charged.

"Scatter!" Vance shouted.

Luckily for them, the beast's size made its mobility nothing to write home about. Its sheer bulk and weight, while devastating in close quarters, limited its agility and speed. It most likely couldn't pivot quickly or change direction with the finesse of a smaller, more nimble predator.

But what it lacked in mobility, it more than made up for in raw, overwhelming presence. The psychological effect of having a humongous creature barrel towards you, its massive weight shattering the ground with every step, was enough to make even the most seasoned fighters feel a slight shiver.

However, it didn't make it far. Mid-stride, its foot caught against the weak foundation of the already crumbling facility, and with a bone-shaking crash, the beast collapsed sideways.

A massive chunk of the building gave way beneath its weight, sending concrete and rebar cascading down as the elephant-like monster roared in

frustration, momentarily dazed.

Stone coughed, waving away the dust as he kept moving. "Let's use this to regroup!"

They didn't waste time. Taking advantage of the brief chaos, they pushed forward, moving past the rubble and toward the perimeter. The rest of the crew was already setting up battlefield preparations—barriers erected, hast cover points formed from sandbags, heavier weaponry deployed.

Just as they reached them, another quake rattled the ground.

The Wild Elephant emerged from the wreckage, shaking off debris like it was nothing. Its thick hide had absorbed most of the impact. It bellowed again, eyes locking onto them once more.

And then it charged again.

Stone didn't hesitate.

He stepped forward, rolling his shoulders. His deep-set eyes hardened, his body tensing like a drawn bowstring. As the beast barreled toward them, he exhaled slowly. Then, with a low growl, red light flared around him.

He had activated his qi.

His body shimmered with energy, his muscles expanding slightly as his skin took on a hardened glow. His fists clenched, crackling with power. And then, with a blur of movement, he launched himself forward.

The impact was like a thunderclap.

Stone's fist slammed into the beast's thick hide, stopping its charge and sending a shockwave rippling through the battlefield. The sheer force of the strike kicked up a ring of dust and sent loose debris flying. The ground beneath their feet cracked from the aftershock.

As for the Wild Elephant?

It stumbled initially but was already in the process of getting back up.

A deep indentation formed where Stone had struck, but the beast merely snorted, its hide already beginning to shift.

Stone landed lightly, his boots digging into the dirt as he rolled his shoulders. His qi still crackled around him, casting a faint crimson glow over his muscular frame.

"Alright," he muttered. "That's gonna be annoying."

The beast wasn't just tough—it was absurdly durable.

But that was expected.

The Wild Elephant was still recovering from its topple into the ruined facility, its sluggish movements giving them the smallest window of opportunity. The team had linked up with the rest of their squad by now, setting up a defensive line amidst the scattered ruins.

"Alright, we need a formation!" Vice Team Leader Adrian barked, his voice cutting through the lingering dust cloud. "Stone, keep acting as the frontliner—keep it occupied! Long-range, spread out and aim for weak points! Suppression fire on my mark!"

He didn't wait for responses. Everyone knew their roles.

Stone cracked his knuckles and took his stance, planting himself firmly between the team and the monster. His qi flared again, the glow intensifying as he prepared to absorb the brunt of the creature's fury.

Rion, meanwhile, had already moved. He wasn't about to foolishly stay nearby, not when the beast could break free of Stone and charge at them at any time. He sprinted toward higher ground, his eyes catching sight of a collapsed watchtower jutting from the rubble.

Perfect.

Without breaking stride, he activated the grappling hook embedded in his electromagnetic gloves. The device shot upward with a pneumatic hiss, the hook finding purchase among the crumbling stone battlements.

«Swoosh!»

With a practiced flick of his wrist, Rion engaged the retraction mechanism, the cable pulling taut as it rapidly hauled him skyward. His G-Boots scraped against the ancient stone as he scaled the structure, scrambling over the edge to secure a position atop the watchtower.

From this elevated vantage point, he had a much clearer shot of the battlefield below and the rampaging beast that Stone was struggling to contain. His Sentinel Mark-2, standing tall near their makeshift perimeter, adjusted its aim, its mechanical optics locking onto the Wild Elephant's head.

He slotted a new magazine into his electromagnetic rifle—armor-piercing rounds first. If the thing's hide was as bad as Dr. Lianne said, then his regular ferromagnetic bullets would barely do anything.

From the corner of his eye, he spotted the others setting up their attacks. The non-combatants had retreated to the safest position possible, while Dr. Lianne's fingers rapidly typing commands into her tablet, likely analyzing the beast's behavior and weak points. Adrian was giving orders while preparing his own weapon—an anti-materiel rifle designed for heavy penetration. Others were moving into their designated roles—riflemen lining up shots, those with abilities charging their attacks.

But they had no more time to prepare.

The beast roared.

It shook off the last of the rubble clinging to its grotesque hide and fully reoriented itself. Its deep-set black eyes gleamed with a primal rage. Then, with a powerful stomp, it charged.

The battlefield trembled as the Wild Elephant thundered forward. Its tusks tore through debris like paper, sending massive chunks of stone flying.

Stone didn't wait. He roared in turn, qi surging through his body as he met the charge head-on. His entire form blurred, and in the next instant, he was airborne, twisting mid-leap to bring down a devastating hammer strike onto the beast's skull.

[Power Punch!]

The impact resounded like a cannon blast. A shockwave rippled outward, forcing the dust away in a violent gust. The sheer force of the hit visibly dented the beast's cranium, causing it to stagger for the third time today.

But it still didn't go down.

Rion's fingers tightened around his trigger.

"Light it up!" Adrian shouted.

A hailstorm of gunfire erupted from their defensive line. Muzzle flashes lit up the battlefield as high-caliber rounds peppered the Wild Elephant's body. Suppression fire cracked through the air, hammering at its legs, eyes, joints—anywhere that might slow it down.

The Sentinel also joined in the fun. Rion's marked the beast as the target and set the battle bot to automatic control. He had improved the AI governing the Sentinel's actions for a reason, and now was the time to put that upgrade to the test.

The battle bot spat out streams of bullets, each shot aimed at the beast's joints and eyes—areas where its thick hide might be thinner or more vulnerable.

Rion's own rifle barked, the electromagnetic coils humming as he fired under the effects of his Resonance ability. The armor-piercing rounds streaked through the air, slamming into the Wild Elephant's flank. The beast roared, more in annoyance than pain, as the creature's hide absorbed most of the impact, the damage minimal. Still, the suppression fire from the team kept the beast distracted, making Stone's job a lot more easier.

"Focus fire on its legs!" Adrian shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos. "If we can't kill it, we'll cripple it!"

The team adjusted their aim, bullets and energy blasts hammering into the beast's massive limbs. Stone, still glowing with qi, darted around the creature, delivering punishing blows to its legs and sides. Each strike sent shockwaves through the battlefield, but the Wild Elephant was relentless. It swung its tusks in wide arcs, forcing Stone to dodge and weave.

However, the relentless assault began to show results.

Under the coordinated barrage, the Wild Elephant's movements slowed. Its thick, layered hide—though still absurdly durable—was starting to show signs of strain. Deep bruises formed beneath the surface where Stone's devastating blows had landed and pockmarked craters dotted its hide from the myriad bullet wounds.

Then, finally, a breakthrough.

One of Adrian's large caliber bullets found its mark—striking a spot that had already been softened by multiple impacts. The tungsten-core slug slammed deep, tearing through the thick muscle and lodging itself near a joint.

The beast roared.

A pained, ear-splitting bellow that reverberated through the ruins, shaking dust loose from the remaining structures. Cracks began forming along its thick, rock-like flesh, the first real signs of damage.

"Keep up the pressure!" Adrian commanded.

Stone capitalized on the opening. With a burst of red qi, he launched forward, his body blurring from sheer speed. He twisted mid-air, his fist cocked back, before he delivered a devastating strike right to the beast's weakened leg.

[Mountain Breaker!]

The impact was monstrous. A deep, crunching crack rang out as the force traveled through the Wild Elephant's limb, causing the massive creature to buckle.

Rion, still positioned atop the collapsed watchtower, lined up another shot, this time with his corrosive rounds. If he was lucky, he could deliver enough chemical payloads to ruin the already weakened leg and hamper the beast's mobility. The Sentinel Mark-2 adjusted as well, unloading precise bursts that began to leave deep gouges in the beast's thick skin.

For the first time since the fight began, the Wild Elephant slowed.

It groaned, its colossal frame sagging as its legs trembled under its own weight. Its breathing turned ragged, green ichor dripping from fresh wounds riddling its hide. The combined efforts of the whole team was finally pushing the beast back.

Feeling the imminent danger, the beast let out another roar.

This one was different from the others, the deafening, guttural bellow erupting from deep within its chest and shaking the very air around them. The sheer force of the soundwave sent tremors through the ground, forcing several squad members to brace themselves. Loose debris rattled, and dust billowed outward in a choking wave.

Then, something changed.

The cracks in the beast's hide—where bullets and explosives had done their work—were closing. The green ichor dripping from its wounds stopped flowing. Instead, the torn flesh writhed and shifted, the damage knitting itself back together. Even the deep indentation Stone had left in its skull was smoothing over, as if it had never been there.

Rion's breath hitched.

Shit!!!

"No fucking way," Vance swore. "It really does have regeneration! How are we supposed to beat this thing?"

The battlefield, which had just started to turn in their favor, suddenly felt suffocating.