Chapter 31: The Swarm Strikes Back
The team had no time to rest. Their victory over the command-class bioform felt like a fleeting moment of triumph in an endless struggle. The jungle was still eerily quiet, but something far more dangerous lurked on the horizon.
Ace stood with his back against the titan, his eyes scanning the dense trees surrounding them. The weight of the silence pressed in on him, heavy and suffocating. "Something's coming," he muttered, as if the jungle itself could hear him.
Captain's voice crackled over the comms, sharp and urgent. "Everyone, get to your mechas. The swarm's moving in again. This time, it's bigger."
Techie's voice came through, tinged with panic. "I'm seeing a massive surge on all fronts! It's not just the standard swarm—there are artillery units too, and something new—"
Before Techie could finish, the first wave struck.
The Swarm Advances
From the north, a wall of flying insectoid creatures descended like a storm, their wings creating a deafening hum. Hundreds of them darted through the air, their claws and stingers gleaming as they swarmed toward the team. Along with them, smaller, quicker insects moved in a blur, buzzing and darting with ferocious speed. The ground trembled as artillery units followed in the wake of the aerial assault, their massive cannons booming as they fired toward the team's position.
"Shit!" Ace shouted, leaping into his mecha. "Here they come! Everyone, spread out and engage!"
The swarm hit with brutal force, their speed and sheer numbers overwhelming. Ace swung his energy blade to the side, cutting down the smaller, faster units that charged at him. "Watch out for the artillery!" he warned as explosions rocked the ground around them.
To the south, another wave of insects—this time larger and more menacing—swept in. Their hard exoskeletons gleamed under the setting sun, and their mandibles snapped with vicious intent. Their swift movements made them difficult to target, and their swarm tactics created a deadly dance of chaos.
"Vega, watch your back!" Captain shouted, firing a missile into the ranks of the southern swarm, but the enemies kept pouring in.
Vega was already on the move, her sniper rifle picking off targets with cold precision. "Don't worry, Captain. I've got this."
But then, a roar from the west echoed through the battlefield. The ground shook once more, and from the treeline emerged a new breed of swarm monster. They were huge—towering, hulking forms with jagged, spiked armor plates. Their eyes glowed with an eerie red hue, and their massive limbs crushed everything in their path. They moved with unnatural speed for their size, tearing through the smaller units like a hot knife through butter.
"Captain, there's something new out here!" Shadow warned, her rifle still cracking with precision shots, but the swarm was far too vast, far too numerous.
At the same time, the east exploded in an eruption of movement. More and more insectoid creatures emerged, filling the air and ground with their chaotic onslaught. The combined forces of the swarm were now pushing from every direction, forcing the team to react faster than ever.
The Hunter Aliens Attack
Just as the situation seemed beyond hope, a new force appeared from the northern skies. Mecha warriors—large, sleek, and armed to the teeth—pierced the air, descending like harbingers of destruction. Their sleek designs gleamed with advanced tech, and they fired precision strikes that cut through the northern swarm units as though they were made of paper.
"Who the hell are they?" Ace asked, eyes wide in disbelief as the new mechas tore through the swarm effortlessly.
"Those aren't ours," Captain observed, her tone cautious. "Keep your guard up. They're cutting through the swarm like butter."
The alien mechas, equipped with energy-based weaponry and formidable shields, tore through the north quadrant with ruthless efficiency. However, the cost was high. As they cut through the swarm, massive explosions erupted from the bodies of the insectoid creatures, sending shockwaves through the battlefield. The mechas' shields absorbed the initial blasts, but the swarm had an unexpected trick: self-destructing bioforms that detonated in massive, deadly bursts, taking down half of the invading alien mecha force.
Explosions rocked the air, and fireballs of debris shot through the sky. The remaining mechas fought through the chaos, but their numbers were dwindling fast.
"These guys aren't playing around," Wolfe muttered, his voice tight with alarm. "Look at those damn monsters—there's no end to them."
The Catastrophic Explosion
Then, everything changed.
A roar from the north. A sudden, thunderous explosion tore through the air—this time, much closer. A massive swarm monster, larger than any seen before, had self-destructed directly in front of Vega's position. The shockwave hit like a tidal wave, and the force of the explosion flung Vega's mecha back violently.
"No!" Wolfe shouted, his voice full of terror as he watched the explosion tear through the air.
The blast was so intense that Vega's mecha was thrown to the ground, sparks flying as its armor was shredded. Vega's body armor, reinforced and built to withstand a great deal of force, still took the full brunt of the explosion. The cockpit shattered, the protective shields of the mecha's internal systems barely holding as Vega's body slammed violently against the interior of the suit.
"WOLFIE!" Captain shouted, her voice breaking as she spun to see Vega's mecha disabled.
Wolfe didn't hesitate. He tore toward the wreckage of Vega's mecha, his voice frantic. "Vega! No, no, no! Get up, damn it!"
He reached her mecha, his heart pounding in his chest as he opened the hatch. What he saw inside made his stomach drop.
Vega, her body battered and bloodied, was unconscious—her armor cracked, and her breathing shallow, ragged. She was still alive, but barely. Her suit's internal life-support systems were still functioning, but it was clear the damage was extensive.
"Vega!" Wolfe shouted, his voice breaking as he tried to shake her awake. "Vega, stay with me! Please, stay with me!"
But the jungle, the battlefield, and the noise of the oncoming swarm faded into a distant blur as Wolfe's heart pounded in his ears.
He wasn't sure if she was alive—if she could make it. All he could do was hold her and pray.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone