NOVEL NEXT Chapter 132: I got you
After taking a brief moment to catch their breath, the battered squad pressed onward into the thickening gloom of the forest, fatigue evident in their weary movements.
They had barely advanced a few steps when a cacophony of shrill, mocking howls echoed through the dense mana-laden canopy above.
Shadows flickered and shifted swiftly, rustling branches and foliage as creatures raced through the treetops, rapidly encircling their position. The screeches grew louder, more coordinated, revealing something far worse than simple animal aggression: intelligence.
"Above! Incoming!" Lieutenant Rong Hai shouted urgently from within Red Hunter, scanning frantically with his sensors.
Without further warning, dozens of agile figures burst from the trees, plummeting downward at incredible speeds.
The squad scattered instantly, raising defenses as the creatures landed violently around them.
Monkeys, massive and muscular, standing almost three meters tall, surged forward with terrifying speed and coordination. Their fur shimmered with dark mana, muscles bulging beneath their shadowy hides, eyes blazing crimson as they leaped to attack.
"Formation Bravo! Defensive perimeter, now!" Captain Lin Zhong commanded sharply, Titan Mourn stepping forward to shield the group.
But the monkeys moved with uncanny intelligence, splitting instantly into two distinct groups.
One charged straight at the defenders, heavy fists smashing relentlessly against mecha armor, while the second group leaped back into the trees, taking elevated positions and unleashing ranged assaults.
Glowing spheres of condensed elemental mana streaked down, crackling violently as they exploded on impact, scorching armor plating and burning the ground around them.
The team unleashed their own destruction upon the apes, lightning, fire and all sorts of elements combined with blaster fire and cluster missiles raining down death upon the apes.
"Watch your mana and ammo reserves!" Captain Lin shouted through the chaos. "These beasts are baiting us into burning out!"
Lieutenant Chen Liru took to the air, conjuring fierce blades of wind that cut down several airborne attackers.
But an unexpected hail of concentrated flame attacks from the monkey shamans forced her sharply back to earth, barely evading severe injury.
Lieutenant Zhou Feng stood protectively in front of Lieutenant Han Jie, flames erupting fiercely from his hands, forming waves of molten fury that briefly pushed the creatures back.
"They're too coordinated!" Zhou Feng shouted desperately, his arms trembling from sustained casting.
Han Jie slammed both palms onto the ground, raising earth barriers and rocky spikes, but the monkeys effortlessly vaulted or dodged past his defensive measures.
One beast burst through, lunging towards Han Jie with outstretched claws glowing sinister red, aiming directly at his chest.
"Han Jie!" Captain Lin roared urgently, but he was too far away to assist.
Han Jie stumbled backward, raising his hands desperately, mana exhausted, death seemingly inevitable.
Damien's eyes narrowed. With a discreet wave of his hand hidden within the chaos, dark mana quietly surged from his fingertips.
Unseen by the others amid the tumult, a large bear carcass twitched, then surged upright silently, blood dripping from its gaping wounds. It lunged toward the attacking monkey, intercepting the blow mere centimeters from Han Jie's chest.
The undead bear caught the monkey by its throat, claws piercing deeply, tearing flesh effortlessly. Blood sprayed violently as the monkey struggled frantically before collapsing limply in the bear's powerful grip.
Han Jie stared in shock, heart pounding violently, realizing he had narrowly escaped certain death.
Yet no one had time to ponder this unexpected event.
Damien subtly clenched his fist, and nine more undead beasts rose silently from the carnage—wolves, bears, and monkeys, bleeding silently from fatal wounds, shambled unnoticed into the fray.
These undead beasts targeted the monkey leaders and shamans specifically, attacking from blind spots and causing instantaneous confusion. The monkey ranks faltered as their commanders fell to inexplicable attacks, their coordination quickly unraveling.
"Now! Counterattack!" Captain Lin Zhong shouted, recognizing their sudden advantage.
The squad regrouped swiftly, capitalizing immediately on the enemy's confusion. Lieutenant Wu Kai's Verdant Razor blurred through the chaos, exploiting gaps opened by the undead creatures.
Rong Hai, from within Red Hunter, unleashed bursts of rapid-fire mana rifle shots, each strike deadly accurate amid the confusion.
Even the mana awakened soldiers, Chen Liru, Zhou Feng, and Han Jie, recovered quickly, striking with renewed energy, conserving their mana while delivering decisive blows against the scattered foes.
Yet through it all, no one openly acknowledged the undead creatures aiding them.
To the soldiers and students, the shadowy figures weaving silently through the enemy ranks seemed an eerie manifestation of nature's vengeance. They fought side by side with these mysterious allies, too exhausted and desperate to question the source of aid.
Damien moved silently among them, carefully controlling his undead warriors from the shadows of the battle. Every command was subtle, every strike perfectly timed to maintain their disguise as mere natural phenomena.
The undead beasts continued their silent but ruthless attacks, breaking the enemy ranks piece by piece.
Finally, after long, grueling minutes of battle, silence returned again to the blood-soaked forest clearing.
Corpses lay scattered everywhere, beasts and undead alike.
The remaining undead beasts quietly collapsed, disintegrating unnoticed into shadowy wisps of mana, their task complete.
The squad members, battered, exhausted, and breathing heavily, finally allowed their guard to relax slightly, relieved yet stunned by their victory.
Lieutenant Han Jie shakily rose to his feet, casting wary glances around him, voice barely audible. "What… what were those things?"
Lieutenant Chen Liru exhaled softly, wiping blood from her forehead. "Nature… fighting back, I suppose. I've heard stories of such phenomena, but never believed them until now."
Captain Lin Zhong observed silently, eyes thoughtful yet uncertain, his mind quickly processing the implications. Eventually, he spoke, tone steady despite his own uncertainty.
"Whatever they were, they saved us. We rest here for now. Everyone, recover your mana."
Damien allowed himself a faint, hidden smile, subtly relaxing his stance. He calmly sat down to rest along with the others, careful not to draw undue attention to himself.
The squad, though battered and unsure about the mysterious intervention, was grateful for their unlikely survival. They slowly settled into quiet recovery, eyes alert but hearts relieved.
Yet, as silence enveloped them, an unspoken understanding settled among the group: their mission was far from over, and the forest held even greater horrors deeper within.
Damien Bloodbane quietly exhaled, knowing he would need to reveal even greater power if they were to survive what lay ahead.
They were less than halfway through. By Damien's count, they were at slightly less than 3000 A Ranked beasts killed.
He glanced at Jiang Xiao Yu, who met his eyes and smiled gratefully.
His attention and little actions of easing her fights had not gone unnoticed.
Damien merely smiled back and nodded reassuringly.
A simple gesture, but it carried his message clearly.
"I got you."