Chapter 170: Night Stalkers Nest?
Zack barely had time to react. His arms instinctively raised, releasing twin particle beams that illuminated the lab in blinding flashes. The shots missed, slamming into the walls and leaving smoldering craters. But the brief light revealed the creature.
It was humanoid but grotesquely decayed, its pale skin stretched tightly over a skeletal frame. Slender limbs moved unnaturally, and its pale, glowing eyes seemed to burn with intent. Spines jutted from its back, and its elongated arms morphed into flexible, tentacle-like appendages. As it moved, the creature used its arms to latch onto walls, evading attacks with uncanny agility.
"Roar!" The creature's jaw stretched wide, unnaturally so, its dislocated mouth seemingly able to engulf a human head. Yet it hesitated, observing Zack and his team with unsettling intelligence. "Oh, great. You're uglier than I thought," Zack muttered, disgust flickering across his face. He waved off the idea of dealing with it personally. "Alright, line up. Push it back. Keep it alive if you can."
The fearless warriors immediately responded, pulling saw-chain swords from their backs. The lab filled with the grinding sound of the blades spinning to life. A wall of ten warriors began advancing methodically, cutting through anything in their path.
The creature snarled, stepping back, before spitting a stream of acidic green liquid. The corrosive spit splattered onto one warrior's armor, sizzling and eating away at the alloy. But the armor was thick enough to withstand the assault, and the warriors continued their advance undeterred. "When did these things start spitting acid?" Zack muttered, narrowing his eyes.
The creature, frustrated by its failed attack, roared again and lunged. Its tentacle-like arms swung with lethal precision, claws slicing deep into the armor of one warrior, leaving jagged marks. "Target's position changed," a warrior noted calmly, reacting with trained precision.
The two warriors at the flanks moved swiftly, cutting off the creature's retreat. "Block its escape route!" one barked. The remaining three advanced, their saw-chain swords forming an impenetrable line. The creature growled, its glowing eyes darting between them, calculating an escape. Realizing it was trapped, it launched into a desperate attack.
"Roar!" In a blur of motion, it darted forward, aiming for one of the warriors. Despite their size and heavy armor, the creature's speed allowed it to dodge the slashing blades. It collided with a warrior's chest with a resounding crash, forcing the massive soldier to stagger back.
"Damn, it's strong," Zack muttered. His expression darkened.