Chapter 9: Finishing the evaluation.
A deep, roar snapped Aksel out of his thoughts. His instincts took over as he partially initiated his morph. His body shifted into a defensive stance and adrenaline surged through him as he quickly scanned the area for Nioh but his partner was nowhere to be found. Aksel's chest tightened, and beads of sweat began to roll down his face.
The roar repeated rhythmically, as it grew louder like the warning drumbeat of an approaching predator. Aksel's eyes darted frantically through the dense foliage, but the swamp's shadows concealed whatever was coming.
He was frozen in place, gripped by fear, his body locked in a standoff with an unseen threat.
Then, the sound of heavy footsteps coming from the underbrush ahead broke the tension. A Mecha's presence. Relief flooded through Aksel as he relaxed his stance. Human beings, he thought. Likely a classmate from the evaluation team.
Just as he lowered his guard, a blur of movement exploded from the side. A massive wolf, easily the size of a small Mecha, lunged from the bushes and clamped its powerful jaws around his arm.
The pain was blinding. Aksel screamed. His cry echoed through the swamp as his mind raced and panic set in.
His partner, Nioh, wouldn't hear him—Ekoh's deafness meant he was completely alone. Gritting his teeth, Aksel retaliated with a sweeping swing of his heavy axe. The feral Biocore, however, reacted too quickly. It leaped back, dodging the strike with unexpected agility.
The wolf snarled and sparks danced in its maw before it spat a searing fireball directly at Aksel. With no hesitation, Aksel activated his full transformation, his body expanded into a towering Mecha again. The flames washed over him, but his reinforced frame tanked the attack without flinching.
Using the momentum of his charge, he barreled through the fireball and smashed into the wolf with a shoulder barrage. The creature skidded back several meters and was stunned momentarily. Seizing the opportunity, Aksel surged forward. His energy coursed at full capacity to heal his injuries while he raised his axe high, ready to deliver the killing blow.
But before his strike could connect, the sharp crack of gunfire pierced the air. Pow. Pow. Pow. Aksel staggered as several shots struck his frame. Emerging from the foliage, three Mechas stepped into view and their weapons fixated on him and the wounded wolf.
A final shot rang out, silencing the wolf with a precise hit. The leading Mecha was a sleek and angular humanoid type. It stepped forward and through the open channel, a mocking voice sneered, "Well, well. If it isn't bootlicker Aksel. Sorry about that—I needed this kill."