CHAPTER 220: CH 220

Panic rippled through the group, the horrifying reality sinking in. Gunther, one of their strongest and most experienced members, was gone, taken by a beast they had once thought of as slow and unthreatening.

Panic had set into everyone’s body, spreading like wildfire among them. Their confidence, once bolstered by the seeming ease of their attacks, had crumbled in an instant. The beasts they had underestimated had just claimed their leader.

"What do we do?!" another voice broke through the chaos, a hint of terror creeping into their tone.

The group was already in disarray, but now the situation had taken a dangerous turn. The Boulderbacks, once considered simple, slow-moving creatures, had shown an unexpected level of lethality. And they had proven that no one, not even the formidable Gunther, was immune to their deadly abilities.

The beast, now clearly the dominant force in this encounter, continued to growl low and menacingly, its bloated form towering over the others. The others in the group were still reeling from what had just occurred, unable to fully comprehend the danger they were now facing. The creatures had begun to shift their attention, sensing the fear that had rippled through the group.

"We need to get out of here!" Dave shouted, but the words were drowned out by the cacophony of screeches and the sound of claws scraping against the ground.

The beasts were circling now, each of them reacting in a way that had never been seen before. Some were moving faster, others shifting into more aggressive stances, all in the direction of the group that was beginning to falter. The quiet realization that they were facing an enemy far more dangerous than they had originally thought was beginning to sink in. They couldn’t afford to waste any more time. Gunther’s disappearance was just the beginning.

The battlefield had become a maelstrom of chaos, with every member of the group struggling to maintain their ground against the relentless swarm of Boulderback beasts.

Panic was slowly creeping into the hearts of everyone, but amidst the confusion, Dave remained oddly calm. His eyes flicked from one beast to the next, his mind calculating, his every move purposeful. It was then that he noticed something; a shift in the air, a subtle change in the rhythm of the battle.

One of the Boulderbacks, a large creature with a sickeningly bloated form, had shifted its attention toward a young teenager who was stationed near the front of the group. The beast’s long neck began to stretch, muscles rippling beneath its green, scaly skin.

Its head moved forward in a slow, deliberate manner, as though it was preparing to strike. Dave’s instincts kicked in instantly. He had learned quickly that whenever a Boulderback extended its neck, it was about to launch a lightning-fast attack, an attempt to snap up its prey before they even had time to react. The others were still focused on their individual battles, too caught up in the fray to notice the imminent danger.

Without a second thought, Dave’s body surged into motion. He darted forward with a fluidity that belied his earlier hesitation, and in a single, smooth motion, he grabbed the teenage boy by the arm.

The boy’s eyes widened in shock as Dave yanked him back, just inches away from the monstrous maw of the beast. The moment they moved, the Boulderback lunged forward, its jaws snapping shut with a deafening crack, missing them by mere inches.

The beast, caught off guard by the sudden disappearance of its intended meal, let out a frustrated, guttural growl. Its head jerked to the side, its wide eyes filled with confusion, as it vainly snapped its teeth at the empty air, realizing it had missed its chance. The creature’s long neck retracted slowly, and for a moment, it seemed to pause, recalculating its next move.

"Come on, we need to get out of here!" Dave’s voice broke through the chaos, his tone sharp and commanding as he helped the boy back onto his feet. The teenager was still dazed, his face pale, a flush creeping across his cheeks as he realized just how narrowly he had escaped the beast’s deadly grasp. His wide eyes lingered on Dave, gratitude and disbelief battling on his face.

"What do we do now? We’re trapped, surrounded by these mangy beasts!" one of the adults shouted, panic threading through his voice. His eyes darted around, but it was clear he had no idea how to escape.

Dave’s gaze hardened as he scanned the battlefield, his mind working at full capacity. He could feel the pressure mounting, the weight of the situation crashing down on everyone. The group was becoming disoriented, scattered, and the Boulderbacks were closing in with no signs of retreat. The truck, their only potential safe haven, was too far away, hidden somewhere behind a wall of beasts.

"Then we need to get to the truck," Dave said, his voice steady but firm. His eyes locked onto the nearest group of survivors, watching them warily. He could see the hesitation in their faces. After all, he was just a teenager, and not even a full-fledged member of the team. He was a junior executive, one of the youngest in the group, and to some, his commands carried little weight. But as the seconds ticked by, their options were dwindling, and Dave’s words began to sink in.

A tense silence followed, broken only by the guttural roars of the beasts that circled them, tightening their grip. The adults exchanged uneasy glances, but the reality was clear there was no other choice.

Dave had saved one of their own. His quick thinking had made the difference between life and death, and now they had to follow his lead. Reluctantly, they nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation.

With no time to waste, the group began to move, pushing through the chaos, trying to make their way back toward the truck. Every step felt like an eternity as the Boulderbacks closed in, but Dave kept his focus.

He guided the others with confidence, helping them keep their bearings amidst the growing panic. His quick actions had given them a fighting chance, but they had to reach the truck—only then would they have a chance at survival.

As they pushed forward, the beasts began to shift their attention, but it wasn’t enough. The group had already started moving with a sense of purpose, rallying around the young strategist who had just shown them that even in the face of overwhelming odds, hope could still be found.

The route to the truck seemed harder due to the beasts blocking the way, but it was their only way out, and it was Dave’s determination that would see them through.

***

End of the today’s mass release.

The group of fifteen sprinted towards the truck, their footsteps pounding the uneven earth as the Boulderback beasts lumbered behind them. The creatures’ slow, deliberate movements made it easy for the group to gain some ground.

Those who had gotten caught in the beasts’ path had been helped out and rescued to safety by their comrades. The group managed to break free for the moment, their eyes fixed on the distant truck as they made way towards it.

All through his fight so far, Dave realized that he couldn’t use his abilities at all. It was just as the system stated, that his powers would cease working during the times he was punished. And as for his stats, they would also return to normal, just like the normal human he was.

But after seeing Gunther disappear in front of them, and Dave having no powers to defend himself, he had thought of the best option and had decided to lead the group into retreating, which is what he had done. And now, everyone seems to be heeding to his suggestion.

The beasts, unperturbed by the desperate human flight, began to follow in their usual sluggish pace. Even so, the sense of dread lingered. The sudden, gruesome fate of Gunther still haunted everyone’s mind.

"I can’t believe it," one of the senior members muttered, his voice laced with disbelief as he escaped alongside the others. "How could something so slow, so lumbering, move fast enough to swallow Gunther whole? It doesn’t make sense."

The question echoed in the minds of the rest of the group. They had all seen the beasts in action, their massive bodies lurching at a crawl. But now, it was impossible to ignore the one unsettling fact, their heads moved with a speed that defied their slow movements.

"I think I might have an explanation," a voice broke through the murmur of confusion. The woman who spoke was one of the senior executives whose name was Judy. She was assigned to go along with Gunther to fill the gas tanks.

"These beasts," she continued, "they’re modeled after animals on Earth. And this one we just encountered now are no doubt from tortoises."

A few of the group exchanged confused glances, unsure of what she meant.

"They look like tortoises, right?" she said, her voice tinged with certainty. "But there’s one thing they lack, that tortoises have; their shells. I’ve never seen a tortoise in real life, but I remember seeing a documentary about them once."

"Tortoises, despite being slow overall, can actually extend their necks with incredible speed when they need to, especially when attacking or swallowing their prey. It is a quick, sudden movement... just like how Gunther was taken." She explained.