Chapter 199: The Hunter
Thud... Thud...
The enemies had finally arrived.
Kai raised his head as he looked at the silhouettes of the supposedly Hunter Units of the A.I. Army.
’Wait... It’s alone?’ Kai was shocked.
He thought that they would be facing multiple Hunter Units!
However, his shock didn’t end yet. The appearance of the Hunters surprised him even more.
At first, he thought the Hunters would resemble assassins.
Well, based on their names, he imagined them to be dark, humanoid killers armed with daggers, rifles, or plasma weapons that could instant-kill their targets.
But what stepped into view shattered his imagination.
The figure was humanoid, and certainly, it was cloaked in high‑tech fabric that faintly absorbs the surrounding light...
The cloak even rippled like liquid shadow, making the Hunter appear half‑invisible as it advanced.
Then Kai saw the thing on its back...
There were two mechanical, octopus‑like tentacles extended from a Hunter’s back! It was writhing and curling like they were alive!
The appendages moved independently, scanning the terrain, occasionally striking the ground with metallic sound...
’What the heck? Doctor Octo?’
Without a doubt, the tentacles weren’t just decoration! They were weapons, sensors, and tools all at once.
Kai couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed...
’Tentacles... I didn’t expect this.’
Furthermore, the Hunter’s face was hidden beneath an angular helmet with a visor that was glowing with a blue light.
Then, unlike Sentinels or Spyders, the Hunter carried no rifles.
Their arms ended not in hands, but in blades!
"Ah... Blades?" Kai was shocked once more as he just realized what he was seeing.
Instead of hands, the Hunter had long, sharpened extensions of their forearms.
Fighting against a Hunter Unit in close combat would be terrifying!
Now, Kai knew that this event, which would last for 7 days, would not be easy!
’No plasma rifles... no ranged weapons. They’re built for close combat for sure...’
He then studied the Hunter’s legs, half expecting them to end in blades as well.
But no, their feet were standard, humanoid in shape, designed for speed and agility. That detail made these units less outrageous, but no less terrifying.
The survivors murmured behind him, unsettled by the sight of the new A.I. Soldier...
Kai exhaled slowly, forcing himself to remain calm.
"So this is the Hunter Unit..." he muttered. "It looks strong, but we’re also strong..."
"Yes... They’re not assassins. Something else entirely." Mei agreed. She had imagined them wrong.
"They look like predators. They’re not going to be easy," She added after observing them for a bit.
Aurora, however, felt the dangerous enemy’s presence and immediately retreated.
"Those tentacles... they’re scanning us."
Kai nodded at this.
"Yes. I think they’re built to chase and cut down survivors. They have no rifles... Just blades and speed... Close combat is not an option."
Indeed, the Hunter moved closer, with their cloaks making them really hard to notice... It was as if it was shifting in and out of visibility.
Thud... Thud...
As it moved, the tentacles scraped against the ground, leaving faint marks everywhere...
Kai’s grip tightened on his rifle as the lone Hunter advanced.
"Ready!" Kai shouted.
The survivors raised their weapons with a hint of nervousness on their faces.
"Aim!"
Dozens of rifles locked onto the Hunter.
"Fire!"
The courtyard was filled with muffled gunfire.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Bullets struck the Hunter’s armor again and again... However, only sparks were flying as the rounds bounced off.
The enemy only slowed under the barrage as the shots did little damage!
Kai frowned, seeing this...
They emptied their magazines, but it was not enough!
’It’s only being slowed... no penetration.’
This wasn’t like the weaker E‑Grade or D‑Grade machines they had fought before. The Hunter’s armor was thick!
The survivors kept firing, but the Hunter slowly crept forward...
It raised its arms and soon most rounds ricocheted harmlessly off its armor plating!
Kai gritted his teeth...
’This thing... it’s at least B‑Grade. Maybe even A‑Grade.’
The Hunter seemed to have adjusted to their attacks and soon, its tentacles slammed into the ground!
Bang!
The survivors hesitated as fear spread through the line.
Kai didn’t hesitate. "Atom! Join the battle!"
From the side, Atom stepped forward, its heavy frame looked as reliable as ever!
The A‑Grade Sentinel raised its plasma rifle as it locked onto the Hunter!
A burst of plasma fire erupted, searing through the air.
Fwoosh~
The shots struck the Hunter squarely, forcing it to stagger back.
Unlike the bullets, the plasma burned into its armor, leaving faint scorch marks across its chest.
The survivors cheered as they finally saw some hope!
But the Hunter didn’t fall.
It steadied itself with the tentacles whipping outward as if enraged!
Thud! Thud!
The Hunter advanced again, slower now, but it seemed as if it was unstoppable!
Kai’s heart pounded.
’Even that plasma shot can’t finish it quickly... this thing is definitely a high-grade one...’
"Keep firing!" he shouted. "Don’t let it close the distance!"
Atom unleashed another volley with its plasma bolts, hammering into the Hunter.
The survivors added their fire, shooting it from every angle.
Perhaps, if there were three more... or maybe even one more Hunter, they might actually get into trouble!
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The Hunter’s cloak flickered violently as it endured the gunfire...
Still, it was being pushed back, but not destroyed.
’Seriously... Why are you too strong?’
This was only one Hunter, and it was already testing their limits.
Mei and everyone else had similar thoughts...
’If more arrive... Freedom Shelter will face hell itself.’
Kai no longer hesitated as he knew he needed to act...
"Cover me!" Kai shouted.
The survivors understood as they unleashed another volley to keep the Hunter’s attention. Atom’s plasma rifle also forced the machine to stagger.
Kai took a deep breath as he began with his plan...
Well, his plan was simple, he needed to get behind it and unleash his strongest Gene Skill, Spirit Pulse!
He then signaled for the others to stop firing!
As soon as the path was clear, Kai’s body vanished.
In an instant, he reappeared behind the Hunter with his afterimage still lingering in front of it. It was the Specter Step that cost 20 SP!
Kai then raised his hand as Spirit energy surged through his body, gathering in his palm.
It was his Spirit Pulse!
But before he could aim it properly, one of the mechanical tentacles shot backward in an instant!
Clank!
The mechanical tentacle was already inches from his face!