NOVEL NEXT Chapter 27: 27: Prying Information
As the crocodiles charged, Hex stepped forward, his eyes calm but sharp. Dozens of them crawled from the muddy waters, their heavy bodies thudding against the wet ground.
Their eyes were wild, jaws snapping with hunger. Hex clenched his fists, feeling the hardened shell covering his arms and legs. He exhaled.
"I can maintain this state for thirty minutes… Let's see what this body can do."
One of the crocodiles lunged at him from the side. Hex shifted his footing, sliding low and letting the beast fly past him. His right fist shot forward, striking its ribs. A muffled crack echoed, and the beast crashed into the tree behind, twitching.
Another came at him, teeth bared, aiming for his shoulder. Hex turned, blocking the bite with his forearm.
The crocodile bit down but its teeth cracked. The creature pulled back in shock, whining, its teeth shattered and bleeding.
"So they can't break through this shell," Hex thought, feeling a rush of confidence surge through him after all crocodiles were one of the creatures with the strongest bite force.
He took a step forward and launched a solid punch into the second crocodile's snout. The energy surged from his fist, and a powerful shockwave exploded into the beast's head. Its skull shattered as it was sent flying back into the river.
More came at him.
Hex kept moving, observing the enemies and throwing his punch, each punch stronger than the other.
He ducked under a sweeping tail, rolled, and countered with a heavy blow to the underbelly of another, lifting the crocodile into the air before slamming it down.
The water around him turned muddy and red as bodies piled up. Blood soaked his pants, and bits of flesh stuck to his arms. But he didn't stop.
He started to feel something strange with every blow. It wasn't just strength. As he punched, a pulse of energy built up in his fist and released upon impact. It felt like the air around his knuckles twisted and slammed into the target like a hammer.
"So that's it… It's not just physical force. I'm pushing something else in with the punch. Energy?"
A crocodile charged from behind. Hex turned sharply, spun, and landed a clean elbow to its side. The creature flipped over and skidded along the bank.
One tried to grab his leg. Hex kicked upward, snapping its jaw open, then slammed his heel down on its head, crushing it.
He was learning as he fought, reading their movements, adjusting his stance, striking faster and harder. His heart pounded, but it wasn't fear.
After what felt like a long moment of chaos, he looked around. The few remaining crocodiles hesitated, then slowly began to retreat, slipping back into the water. Their morale had broken.
Dead bodies littered the bay. Water splashed with the last of the fleeing beasts.
Hex stood in the middle of it, chest rising and falling, blood streaking his arms. His shirt was drenched, soaked in crimson. Bits of meat clung to his hardened fists.
When he turned to the five people watching him from the side, they flinched. Their faces were pale. Cory and Brooklyn gripped their weapons tighter.
Hex noticed it and lowered his gaze. A bit of guilt surfaced. He lifted his hands slightly in peace, his voice calm but gentle.
"I heard you scream and decided to help. I have no other intentions."
He gave a small, uneasy smile, hoping it would ease their fear.
Hex waited quietly for them to speak. It was Brook who broke the silence first.
"You… How many monsters have you already defeated?"
Hex was slightly surprised. He hadn't expected that to be the first question. He hadn't known about the numbers until recently.
It had changed a little since he last checked.
"I fought a bit," he replied casually.
Brooklyn then asked, "Are you alone?"
Hex gave a short nod. "Hmm."
Lia suddenly spoke, her voice softer. "Why don't you join us?"
Her words caused a few in the group to glare at her, making her shrink back a little. Seeing the tension rise, Harry quickly stepped in to smooth things over.
"Don't mind them. In a place like this, we're all on edge."
The mood became quiet and slightly awkward. Then Cory broke it with a light offer.
"Want to grab a meal with us?"
Hex glanced around, his face calm as he gave a small smile. "Sure."
'I should mix in and learn more about the situation,' he thought to himself.
As he stepped out of the water, he suddenly paused. His gaze dropped to the surface. Reflected in it was his image—along with a strange number floating above his head.
It read: 145.
"What happened?" someone asked.
Hex blinked and looked away from the water. "Nothing. Just checking something," he replied quickly.
Soon, he walked toward the campfire where the others were seated. He chose a spot a little away from the main group, sitting quietly as they chatted among themselves and introduced their names.
He gave a nod and spoke calmly. "Hello. I'm Hex. Nice to meet you."
Brook looked at him with a thoughtful expression. "You seem strong. We're already having a hard time just staying alive, but you've taken down so many monsters already."
Hex responded lightly, "It's just that I was cornered and had no choice but to fight."
"But still, you got out of it without any major injuries," Harry added, raising a brow.
"Not really. Most of my injuries are internal," Hex said, his voice steady. "Also, I used the terrain to escape and launch attacks. That helped a lot."
Cory snorted a little. "No need to be so modest. We saw how you handled those crocodile things."
Hex gave a soft laugh, a little bitter. "Fighting too much at the start is tough. Who knows how many more days we'll be stuck in here."
As soon as he said that, the mood around the fire dropped again. A heavy silence settled until Lia broke it.
"I heard from my grandpa… we have to survive for ten days. If we make it, we'll be allowed to enroll."