Chương 30: The Mountain Ape

The Mountain Ape focused on the team and let out a deafening roar. It lifted up its thick arms and waved them as it stomped menacingly. Its body was wide and round, cords of muscle could be seen spinning underneath its thick hide. It was like the Beast was bloated or suffering from some kind of skin disease. The team all reacted at the same time. Frangle took position in front, while Kiara stood behind him. Jerome and Phora each took a flank, preparing their ranged Abilities.

Ray didn't move physically, instead, he stared at the System message, looking back and forth between it and the hulking ape. The Beast seemed to have sustained some injuries, though it was hard to tell with all the blood matted in its fur. Dozens of scenarios flashed in his mind and none ended well for them. Ray knew instinctively that this Mountain Ape was in an entirely different league than the Killworm.

"Retreat!" He ordered the team to retreat and pulled on the Lightning Essence. Activating Bolt, lightning flickered around his feet as Ray took a running start and leapt at the Beast. The ape responded immediately, lunging forward to meet the flying Ray. Ray twisted his body in midair and pulled harder on the Lightning Essence. The ape's massive hand swept through the space where his chest had been a moment before. Wind tore against Ray's face as he passed beside the Beast's shoulder.

He brought the Black Blade Caestus around and slammed it against the side of its head. Lightning exploded across the Mountain Ape's face. The Beast barely moved from the impact. Ray's stomach tightened at the sight. The Killworm had been stronger than them, but their attacks had still mattered. Against this thing, Ray wasn't sure his strongest attack had even hurt it. The ape swung again. Ray pulled on the Essence and forced Lightning Mana through both legs.

His body dropped beneath the arm, and he hit the ground hard enough to roll several times. The Mountain Ape immediately turned after him. That was exactly what he needed.

"Keep moving and do not stop!" Ray pushed himself upright and sprinted away from the clearing. Heavy footsteps slammed into the earth behind him. Ray pulled harder on the Lightning Essence until the gap stopped shrinking. The Beast was still faster, but Bolt gave Ray just enough speed to stop it from immediately catching him. He could keep the Beast occupied for a little while. Hopefully that would give everyone enough time. A bright bolt of Lightning Mana suddenly struck the ape's shoulder.

The Beast stumbled before roaring toward the source. Ray turned and saw Phora standing near the edge of the clearing with one hand extended. Jerome had moved toward the opposite flank with Fire Mana gathering around both hands. Frangle stood between them and the Beast while Kiara remained behind him. Nobody had followed his retreat order. Jerome released a ball of Fire Mana toward the ape's face. The flames burst across the Mountain Ape's cheek and made it turn toward Jerome. Ray clenched his jaw for a moment.

The Mountain Ape lunged toward Jerome. Jerome ran sideways while Frangle released a burst of Wind Mana from the opposite direction. The attack changed the ape's balance just enough for Jerome to escape the reaching hand. Ray activated Bolt and rushed toward the Beast's exposed side. He drove the Black Blade Caestus into its ribs and released another burst of lightning. The Mountain Ape roared and twisted violently. Ray jumped away before another arm could catch him.

The team had already fallen into a loose formation around the Beast. They were moving better than they had during the Killworm fight. That realization only made the situation worse. They were doing almost everything correctly, and they still weren't accomplishing enough. The Mountain Ape looked even stranger from this distance. Patches of fur had fallen away around its shoulders and ribs. The exposed skin underneath looked stretched and swollen while thick veins pushed against the surface.

Several wounds still leaked blood through its matted fur. Its breathing sounded wet and heavy. The Beast looked exhausted, but its movements remained violently aggressive. The ape suddenly turned toward Frangle.

"Do not take that hit directly!" Frangle threw himself sideways as the ape's fist came down. The enormous hand missed his chest but clipped his shoulder. Frangle flew through the air and slammed into a tree hard enough to crack the trunk. Kiara immediately ran toward him. Ray pulled on the Earth Essence. Mud Wall erupted between Frangle and the Mountain Ape. The Beast charged directly through it. Mud exploded in every direction as both arms tore through the barrier. Ray changed his thinking immediately.

Stopping the Beast clearly wasn't possible. Slowing it might still work. He created another wall at an angle instead of trying to stop the Beast head on. The ape adjusted its charge and stepped around the obstruction. Its massive body shifted awkwardly during the turn. For one brief moment, the Beast's left leg buckled underneath it. Fresh blood ran down the limb. Phora noticed the same thing.

"Everyone focus on that damaged leg!" she called. Jerome redirected his next attack. Fire Mana struck the ape's thigh and disappeared against the thick hide. The Beast roared louder than before. That attack had actually bothered it. Phora fired several smaller bolts toward the Beast's right side while Jerome attacked from the opposite angle. The Mountain Ape tried following Jerome and planted its injured leg, staggering as a result.

Frangle pushed himself away from the broken tree while Kiara remained beside him with Light Mana glowing around both hands. Another roar pulled everyone's attention back. The Mountain Ape charged toward Phora. Ray raised a low Mud Wall beneath its path. The Beast stepped over with its healthy leg, but the injured leg caught against the edge. The ape stumbled and caught itself with one hand. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"Keep pressure on that injured leg!" he ordered. Ray released Earth Mana and pulled on the Dark Essence. Fungal Cloak spread across his shoulders as dark green gas spilled outward. He ran toward the Beast while the gas followed behind him. The Mountain Ape inhaled part of the cloud as it stood. Its violent movements slowed slightly. Even a small difference mattered here. Jerome launched another blast against the injured leg while Frangle released Wind Mana against the ape's back.

The attack pushed it forward just enough that its damaged leg planted awkwardly. The Mountain Ape dropped toward one knee. Ray saw the opening immediately. He released Fungal Cloak and pulled on the Fire Essence. Fire Mana gathered inside his left arm as Spark Mark activated. Ray sprinted forward with Bolt and slid beneath a wild swing. His hand struck the blood-covered thigh before he jumped backward again. A burning mark remained beneath the matted fur.

"Force all its weight onto that leg!" Phora and Jerome immediately increased their attacks. Frangle moved toward the front and drew the Beast's attention. The ape planted its left foot and lunged. Ray triggered Spark Mark immediately. The explosion ripped against the already damaged leg. Blood sprayed outward while the Mountain Ape collapsed onto one knee. For several seconds, the team attacked without stopping.

Lightning and Fire Mana crashed against the injured thigh while Frangle repeatedly used Wind Mana to keep the Beast off balance. Ray almost believed they had found a way. Then the Mountain Ape slowly pushed itself upright. Blood poured from the damaged leg while the entire limb shook underneath its weight. Somehow, the Beast continued standing anyway. Its body was covered in wounds, its breathing had become ragged, and one leg was barely supporting it. Still, the bloodshot eyes remained fixed on them.

The Mountain Ape beat both fists against its chest and screamed. Something underneath its hide shifted violently. The muscles around its shoulders and neck swelled further while several veins ruptured beneath the stretched skin. The Mountain Ape suddenly charged again. Its injured leg dragged slightly behind the other, but the Beast was still terrifyingly fast. Ray activated Bolt and intercepted the charge before it reached Jerome. Lightning Mana exploded against the ape's face as Ray changed direction.

The Mountain Ape followed him instead. Ray could feel his remaining Mana dropping quickly. Kiara had already spent a large amount healing Frangle. Jerome and Phora had been attacking almost constantly, while Frangle's movements had become noticeably slower. They couldn't keep fighting much longer. The damaged leg had changed the fight from completely impossible to barely survivable. It had not made the Beast weak enough to kill.

"Phora, take everyone and leave together!" Phora fired another javelin without looking toward him.

"You can give better orders after this." The Mountain Ape suddenly stopped chasing Ray. Its bloodshot eyes shifted toward Phora instead. Ray realized the Beast had learned something. The ape feinted toward Ray and suddenly changed direction. Phora barely reacted before the Beast crossed the distance. Frangle threw himself between them. The Mountain Ape swung downward. Ray activated Bolt before he consciously decided to move. He slammed into Frangle's side and knocked him clear. The ape's hand caught Ray instead.

Pain exploded across his ribs. The world spun around him as the Beast lifted him from the ground. The Mountain Ape tightened its grip around his torso. His Battlegear creaked underneath the pressure. Ray drove the Black Blade Caestus into the ape's fingers and released Lightning Mana, his Mana reserves all but empty. The crushing grip barely loosened. Fire and Lightning Mana struck the Beast from both sides while Frangle attacked the damaged leg again. The Mountain Ape raised Ray higher and pulled its arm backward.

An invisible pressure suddenly struck the clearing. The Mountain Ape's entire arm jerked violently sideways. Ray slipped from its fingers and crashed onto the ground. The Mountain Ape turned toward the trees. A man stepped calmly into the clearing. He wore dark travel clothes underneath a loose gray coat. No battlegear covered his body, and Ray couldn't see any military insignia.

"You should all move away from it," he said. The Mountain Ape roared and charged him. The man remained completely still. The strange invisible pressure returned. The air around the Mountain Ape seemed to tighten without actually moving. Its injured left leg slammed harder into the ground and buckled beneath its weight. The Beast crashed forward and caught itself with both arms. Ray stared at the stranger. He hadn't felt Wind Mana or Earth Mana. Actually, Ray hadn't sensed any Elemental Mana from the attack.

The stranger crossed the distance quickly and stepped beside the injured leg. The Mountain Ape twisted and swung toward him. The man's coat snapped as he shifted beneath the attack. His hand struck the damaged thigh. Another invisible force compressed around the wound. The Mountain Ape screamed and collapsed. The stranger drew a narrow blade from beneath his coat and drove it through the ape's eye. Several seconds passed before the Beast finally stopped moving. Ray slowly pushed himself upright.

Every breath sent pain through his ribs. The stranger removed the blade and wiped it against the ape's fur.

"You handled that situation better than expected," his voice was smooth and confident. Ray glanced toward the dead Mountain Ape.

"We still would have eventually died." The man smiled.

"That Beast was far beyond your level." Ray tried using the System to identify him. Nothing useful appeared in his vision. He tried again with the same result. The stranger crouched beside the Mountain Ape and pushed aside the blood-matted fur around its shoulder. His fingers pressed against the swollen skin before moving toward one of the thick veins. Ray watched him examine the injured leg next.

"You have seen this before?" he asked. The stranger looked toward Ray.

"I have encountered something similar. Mana sickness can cause strange mutations." Ray looked at the ruptured veins and stretched hide. He had never heard of Mana sickness doing anything like this. Phora stepped closer to the corpse.

"Mountain Apes aren't normally found around here, right?" That made Ray look toward the surrounding forest. The Beast had already been injured before finding them and had probably traveled a considerable distance. Something about the whole encounter felt wrong. The stranger looked over their clothes and gear.

"You five are heading toward Zephyron?" Ray nodded while rubbing his ribs.

"Our aircraft crashed several hours ago." The stranger's expression changed slightly.

"You were traveling aboard the aircraft?" Phora nodded from beside Ray.

"It lost control without any warning." The man's attention remained on her.

"What exactly failed during the crash?" Ray thought back to the diagnostic logs he had recovered.

"Nothing showed a mechanical failure beforehand."

"The entire aircraft stopped responding," Phora added. The stranger glanced toward the dead Mountain Ape again. His gaze rested on the swollen body for several seconds. Then he looked over their uniforms again.

"You are Recruits from the Great Lakes?" Ray nodded without saying anything else. Recognition appeared briefly across the man's face.

"Then you must be Recruit 001." Ray's eyes widened.

"Apparently anonymity never lasts very long." The stranger gave a quiet laugh.

"Not after entering the Soldier sector." The man pointed east through the trees.

"There is an old service road several kilometers that way." Ray studied him more carefully. The stranger started walking toward the trees.

"You should regroup before continuing forward." Ray looked toward the Mountain Ape.

"You think there are more nearby?" The man stopped for only a moment.

"There are always more Beasts nearby." He turned to leave again.

"Oh, yeah. Don't bother looking for the Beast Core, it's basically mush by now." He continued walking before Ray could ask another question. Within a minute, the trees completely hid him. Jerome waited until the stranger disappeared.

"That guy was definitely acting strange." Phora kept watching the trees.

"He knew too much about this area." Frangle carefully rolled his injured shoulder.

"He also just saved all of us." Kiara looked toward Ray before responding.

"I think he's shady." Ray stared at the dead Mountain Ape. The swollen muscles were already beginning to look less pronounced now that the Beast was dead. Hours earlier, their aircraft had stopped functioning without any explanation. Now they had encountered a Mountain Ape that looked like its own body had been pushed far beyond what it could survive.

"We should recover before moving again." Nobody argued with that decision. The sight of the Mountain Ape made Ray want to set out as quickly as possible.