After what seemed like ages, a man noticed John’s figure and shouted in their direction, alerting his comrades. But John was fast enough, so he used his Venomlash to stab the man in his throat. Blood spattered as he pulled his dagger and charged towards a middle-aged man with a beard.
"He’s here!" The man shouted before his eyes grew wider as his head was detached from his body. The head fell with a thud, the eyes locked on John’s cold gaze as he dashed between the other men, dodging axes, blades and punches. His movements were smooth and practised, like a dance choreography of carnage.
Another scream erupted amongst the confusion as a bloodcurdling cry rang out.
Another and another...
The sound echoed in the forest as one by one the men were picked off by arrows and bullets and died from a distance.
But the killing and the screaming stopped when a deep bellowing outburst broke out and the monsters joined the fray.
’This is my cue,’ John said as his figure became foggy, enveloped by his Haze Veil. His image flickered like an illusion before completely vanishing within the Haze and not long after the monsters clashed.
A stampede of footsteps and shrieks surrounded the area as Theodore’s men fought back the incoming horde.
Like a ghost in the night, John’s figure flickered in and out of sight, leaving the battlefield behind and returning to the base, but his ghostly march came to a halt when a tall, muscular man dropped in front of him. John’s eyes widened as his stealth deactivated and a sword sliced through the air, striking his left arm and almost severing it, blood spurted and stained his black garments red, the pain sending chills down his spine.
"Your life ends here, fucker!" A towering figure with broad shoulders snarled. The man in the silver suit and black tie had blood splatters on his cheek and forehead.
John activated Appraisal and looked at the man’s profile.
[Lucas ??]
[Age: ??]
[Strength: 38]
[Vitality: 31]
[Agility: 30.3]
[Energy: 31.2]
"Tch!" John clicked his tongue as he saw Lucas’ profile. It would not be an easy fight, much less a quick one.
Lucas lunged, attempting to kick him, but John twirled away and used the Venomlash, striking him in his ribs but no blood oozed out.
"Venom? Interesting." Lucas smirked and patted the spot John struck and a light green shield blocked his Venomash. Lucas spun around and kicked, but John quickly dodged backwards.
Lucas leapt into the air, sending a vicious jab that grazed past John’s left cheek, throwing him slightly off balance.
This made him realise what the shield was, but he didn’t have a chance to react. John stepped back and his green dagger glowed crimson as he used Dalia’s Fire Control on the dagger.
"You little shit," Lucas cussed and dove for another fist that John barely managed to avoid, but there was no rest for the wicked, as a vicious uppercut from Lucas nearly toppled his balance.
Before another strike landed on John’s face, he stepped back a few steps and frowned.
Lucas charged and thrust his fists and with his high Strength and when it was about to connect, Lucas heard the word.
"Shockwave."
A burst of shockwaves crashed on Lucas and forced him back a step and a wide smile formed on John’s visage as he swung his crimson blade and continued with an intense swing that swiped the air inches before Lucas’ neck.
"Where’d you get the skill, pretty boy?" Lucas’ blood was boiling and his eye turned crimson, and his appearance seemed to morph, almost beastly as his strength increased.
"It doesn’t matter since you’re dying today," John grinned and moved quickly while Lucas was adjusting to the sudden change in his body’s performance. John swirled and activated a shadow claw and stabbed his enemy in his abdomen.
"You cocky fuck," Lucas grunted and gritted his teeth while struggling to free his body from the shadow claws.
John’s eyes glowed with an emotion Lucas never would have expected from an opponent, utter hate, "now it is you who doesn’t recognise strength." John’s voice turned demonic and he let out a psychotic laugh.
Lucas’ eyes bulged and trembled as he felt a heavy blow to the chest, his ribcage shattered instantly and the Shadow Claw tore through his internal organs. John watched as a river of blood poured from his gaping mouth, his jaw slackened and his eyes dimmed as his body slowly went limp.
"You..." Lucas mumbled as the crimson hue from his eyes vanished, he was dead, and his corpse hit the ground with a thud.
[3 Strength Obtained]
John turned around and vanished from the area while a group of men rushed towards Lucas’ corpse and panicked.
"Captain, wake up!"
"What’s going on?"
"Fuck, they got him," a man shouted out and they looked around for John but couldn’t find him.
John arrived at the base where Mika and Dalia stood guard, and upon noticing him, their eyes widened and relief washed over them, their shoulders sagged.
"John," Dalia called out and rushed towards him and cupped his cheek, "are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?" She asked.
John smirked as his gaze locked on Mika’s figure, "I’m fine, don’t worry about it."
Mika smiled and nodded, "so what do we do now?"
"Now we wait. They will still come, but with their forces diminished and tired. We will use our defences to our advantage and drag out the fight for as long as possible."
Lydia joined them, "I have already spread our men out, but we should reinforce the base even more with traps and stuff. Theodore’s men must not be underestimated. If what you said is true, John, then we must prepare."
John sighed and nodded his head, "fine, let’s go prepare the base."
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While everyone prepared for a possible attack, John decided to check on Octavia and August who scouting from the watchtower.
"Any movements?" John asked as he climbed up the ladder.
Octavia shook her head and answered, "it has been quiet ever since those explosions."
"Let me know if something happens," John said and climbed down and decided to take a break, but his plans were foiled when a massive fireball hit the courtyard, engulfing everyone in flames.
"Shit..." John muttered amidst the symphony of screams and grunts.