Chapter 9: The Swarm
The platform groaned as the arena shifted yet again, the air thick with tension. Kaito's heart raced as he scanned his BIO. The message burned into the screen read:
"Monster Rush: Survive."
"What the hell does that mean?" Haruto whispered, gripping his pistol with trembling hands.
Before anyone could answer, a sound rumbled through the arena. Low at first, like distant thunder, but growing louder and closer. The ground beneath them trembled, sending loose gravel skittering across the metal floor.
And then came the roar.
It was a guttural, bone-rattling sound that seemed to come from everywhere at once. Kaito's breath caught in his throat as the first monster emerged from the shadows.
It was massive—at least three stories tall—with twisted limbs that moved unnaturally, each step denting the arena floor. Its eyes glowed a malevolent red, and its jagged, scale-like skin shimmered under the arena's artificial lights.
"Oh no. Oh no no no," Haruto stammered, taking a step back.
Behind the first beast, more appeared, their numbers multiplying as they poured in from every direction. Smaller creatures scuttled at their feet, swarming like insects. The air was filled with their screeches and the metallic clang of their claws scraping the floor.
"Run!" Reika barked, pulling Kaito out of his stunned trance.
They bolted, their boots clanging against the shifting metal terrain. The monsters gave chase, their roars deafening. Kaito's chest burned as he sprinted, the sickening smell of sulfur and rot filling his nostrils.
"Where do we go?" Mika shouted, her voice barely audible over the chaos.
"There's nowhere to go!" Haruto cried, his eyes wide with terror.
Kaito glanced back and immediately regretted it. One of the smaller creatures—a spindly, spider-like thing—lunged toward him. Its claws grazed his arm as he stumbled, barely managing to stay upright.
Reika spun around, her rifle snapping to aim. She fired, the bullet striking the creature's head and sending it crumpling to the ground.
"Move!" she yelled, dragging Kaito forward.
They found brief shelter behind a massive steel pillar. Kaito collapsed against it, clutching his arm where the creature had scratched him. His pulse was thunderous in his ears, his breaths coming in ragged gasps.
Mika peered around the corner, her face pale. "There's more coming."
"How many?" Reika asked, reloading her rifle.
"All of them," Mika replied, her voice hollow.
Kaito forced himself to look. The monsters were everywhere. Their grotesque forms filled the arena, their glowing eyes fixed on the four of them. One of the larger beasts let out a roar, and a smaller swarm surged forward in response.
"They're herding us," Haruto realized, his voice breaking.
The team scattered as the monsters closed in, their movements frantic and uncoordinated. Kaito darted through a narrow passage between two walls, his heart pounding in his throat. The sound of claws scraping against metal was unrelenting, growing closer with every step.
He turned a corner and froze.
A massive creature loomed ahead, its jaws opening to reveal rows of jagged teeth. It let out a guttural growl, its breath hot and rancid. Kaito stumbled backward, his back hitting the wall.
"Help!" he shouted, his voice cracking.
Gunfire erupted as Reika appeared, unloading her rifle into the creature's side. It roared in pain, swiping at her with a claw the size of a car. She dodged, but the impact sent her sprawling.
"Reika!" Mika screamed, running to her aid.
The monsters were relentless. Every time they took one down, two more seemed to take its place. The air was thick with the stench of blood and burning metal.
"This is impossible," Haruto said, his voice trembling. He was crouched behind a barrier, clutching his weapon like a lifeline.
"Don't you dare give up!" Reika shouted, firing another shot.
The ground trembled again, this time more violently. A deep, resonant roar echoed across the arena, louder and more menacing than anything they'd heard before.
"What now?" Kaito muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
From the distance, a new figure emerged—a behemoth that dwarfed the other monsters. Its form was shrouded in darkness, but its glowing eyes pierced through the shadows like twin suns.
"No way," Mika breathed.
The team stood frozen as the giant creature let out a deafening roar, shaking the entire arena. The smaller monsters rallied around it, their screeches rising in unison.
"Run," Reika said, her voice eerily calm.
"No," Kaito said, gripping his weapon tightly. "We fight."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone