Bab 20: Beast hunting

When the group had meticulously finalized their gear selections, they eagerly assembled, brimming with anticipation for the impending journey. Jack, exuding confidence, decisively opted for the gauntlets of rage, dismissing any notion of additional equipment. As Leo and his companions adorned themselves with carefully crafted chest pieces and selected their weapons, Jack stood unwavering in his choice.

Leo, expressing genuine concern for Jack's safety, voiced, "Are you sure you don't want any armor? It's going to be pretty dangerous out there." Despite the seemingly ordinary appearance of Jack's gauntlets, a system prompt unfurled, revealing their hidden and enhanced attributes.

[Gauntlets of Rage equipped]

[+2 Strength]

[+1 Agility]

[Strength: 11(2)]

[Agility: 11(1)]

[Stamina: 11]

"This is more than sufficient for me," Jack declared with unwavering confidence. Internally, he acknowledged the unique and potent power concealed within the gauntlets.

Choosing to scrutinize the other weapons, Jack discovered that only the gauntlets possessed additional stats, marking them as truly special. Leo's chest piece, on the other hand, exuded a captivating beast aura.

[Inspect]

[Impenetrable armor]

[Advanced tier]

[???????]

[??????]

Although Jack held a degree of skepticism towards the term "impenetrable," he recognized the potential high-grade quality it suggested. Leo had previously shared insights about advanced tiers, leaving Jack to contemplate the formidable challenges that lay ahead.

Once fully equipped, the group exited the building, making their way towards the city's imposing gate. The colossal fifteen-meter gate, constructed from an unprecedentedly hard metal, showcased the remarkable technological advancements of humanity. It was the same gate Jack had entered when he supposedly got lost in the unforgiving desert.

Approaching the city's front gate, they seamlessly joined other beast hunting groups, all awaiting synchronization for a collective exit. This procedural gathering ensured the safeguarding of both hunters and the city, anticipating swift and coordinated action against any potential threats.

As the various groups assembled, the heavy gates creaked open, revealing a scorching landscape reminiscent of Mars. Jack, noting the consistent temperature both inside and outside the shelter, suspected an unseen mechanism regulating the heat.

'Something must be at work here,' Jack pondered, slowly raising his gaze. Looking up, he observed a transparent dome enveloping the entire shelter, shielding it from the relentless rays of the burning sun. Despite humanity's technological advancements, superhumans still faced limitations, prompting the construction of the dome to mitigate the sun's harsh rays.

As a walking corpse, Jack felt a faint tingling sensation from the sun's rays, serving as a reminder of the vulnerabilities faced by superhumans. Unperturbed, he steeled himself for the arduous journey into the scorching unknown. The weight of their mission and the mysteries surrounding the advanced gear heightened the sense of anticipation as they ventured forth into the vast and challenging landscape.

The Vast deserts sprawl across the surface, subject to relentless heat waves that make Martian temperatures seem mild. Towering dust storms, even more frequent than those on Mars, engulf the landscape in a perpetual haze. The planet's atmosphere, thick with greenhouse gases, traps heat, painting the skies a vivid and unyielding shade of fiery red. It becomes an alien world where extreme heat shapes its unforgiving environment, pushing the boundaries of what we conceive as habitable. Amidst the scorching desolation, this imaginary planet stands as a testament to the fiery forces shaping celestial bodies, offering a glimpse into the extremes of planetary climates beyond our own solar system.

Navigating the vast desert expanse, the entire group congregated—a strategic imperative for ensuring collective safety. The unforgiving nature of hunting beasts in these territories demanded the cohesive strength of the group, as encounters with formidable threats were ever-present. While the diverse abilities of each individual contributed to the overall group strength, the absence of a clear hierarchy for human powers posed a challenge in assessing each person's prowess without firsthand experience.

In a world devoid of a structured power hierarchy, survival took precedence over all else. Jack, acutely aware of this stark reality, hesitated to comply with the system's request to consume flesh for the sake of regaining sanity. The precariousness of life in this world lingered in his thoughts, underscoring the harsh truth that no one would come to his aid if something went awry.

As his sanity dwindled, a foreboding countdown marked the passage of time:

[Sanity: 13%].

'Slowly decreasing. It's like some countdown to my doom,' Jack contemplated, grappling with the ominous sense of impending darkness.

Amidst Jack's internal struggle, his intense gaze unsettled a nearby individual, who couldn't shake the feeling of being scrutinized like a delectable morsel by someone famished.

'Why is he looking at me like I'm some kind of delicacy?' the man pondered uncomfortably, his instincts tingling with a mix of curiosity and unease.

Leading the group at the forefront was Leo, entrusted with safeguarding the assembly of approximately three hundred beast hunters. This strategic measure aimed to ensure security and vigilance against unexpected attacks, a responsibility Leo bore with a stoic demeanor. A conversation unfolded between Leo and a middle-aged man named Mark, who wielded a formidable club and exuded an air of palpable tension.

"Leo, I see you've added another formidable recruit to your group. Word has it he bested Rak," remarked Mark, his eyes betraying a certain intrigue mixed with a hint of envy as he scrutinized Leo.

Leo acknowledged, "Yes, he's strong, but what's bothering you, Mark?"

With a sinister smile, Mark proposed, "I was thinking, since you two are such a well-trained duo, why not consider adding him to my team?"

Mark and Leo harbored a longstanding animosity, the roots of which ran deep. Mark's envy fueled his desire to compete with Leo in every aspect. However, Leo remained indifferent, choosing not to let the tension affect him, even as Mark schemed to recruit from Leo, driven by a complex interplay of rivalry and a thirst for dominance.

In the vast desert, the group's dynamics played out against the backdrop of survival, alliances, and the unspoken challenges that wove the fabric of their existence. Each step, each decision, carried weight in this world where strength, strategy, and the ever-looming specter of the unknown defined the journey into the heart of the merciless desert landscape.

******

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