Ch.108Jungle (4)

“I’m ready.”

“Good.”

The deputy aide’s report prompted Dylan to rise from his seat.

Currently, he wore an upgraded high-grade reinforcement suit on his body and a peculiar mask on his face.

The silver mask, modeled after a human face like a death mask, was called the “Mask of Indomitability.”

It was special equipment personally bestowed upon Dylan by the boss, granting its wearer the ability to detect concealed targets and immunity against poison and psychic powers that affect the mind.

Moreover, the Mask of Indomitability had the tremendous advantage of being compatible with any equipment.

For instance, the Auto Plasma Gun mounted on his shoulder.

Thanks to its connection with the mask, it could automatically fire at enemies that couldn’t be detected by conventional detection equipment.

Though none of the items he wore were cheap, Dylan didn’t mind.

After all, the enemy they were about to face was by no means an easy opponent.

When Dylan emerged from the tent, thirty heavily armed pirates were waiting in the clearing of the campsite.

All wore high-grade reinforcement suits and carried Gauss rifles as weapons. Additionally, they were equipped with infantry support weapons like portable plasma rocket launchers and Purple Spray Guns.

“What about the Heavy Walkers?”

“They’ve already been loaded, sir.”

On top of that, Heavy Walkers with thick armor plating and armed with storm guns and plasma launchers.

Even among all the Space Dogs, there weren’t many cartels that could mobilize equipment of this caliber.

“Good. We’ll use our usual encirclement tactics.”

“Understood.”

When hunting with his subordinates, Dylan always divided his team into three.

A reconnaissance team to search for prey, a driving team to either herd the prey or conversely lure it, and finally a strike team to deliver the blow.

The reconnaissance team consisted of six members including the deputy aide, the driving team had ten, and the strike team had sixteen including Dylan and the Walker, for a total of 32 members participating in the hunting operation.

The reinforcement suits and weapons worn by the pirates were also tailored to match their assigned teams and roles.

For example, the reconnaissance team wore lightweight reinforcement suits with stealth functions, while the driving and strike teams were armed with reinforcement suits that enhanced defense.

“Let’s go then.”

“Yes! Everyone board!”

The pirates followed Dylan and boarded the large transport ship one by one.

The large transport ship carrying the Walker and pirates took off, cutting through the morning fog.

The humid air characteristic of the jungle quickly filled the transport ship.

All the pirates silently double-checked their equipment. Though their faces were tense in anticipation of battle, they showed not the slightest hint of fear.

Throughout their time, the pirates of the Humanity Cartel had fought against formidable opponents.

Though they were sometimes defeated, it was always they who survived until the end.

“Unknown monster? Monster or whatever, let’s show them who the real monsters are.”

“Yes, sir!”

The pirates responded energetically to Dylan’s words.

As the rapidly flying transport ship soon reached the airspace above the landing point.

“Deputy boss, we’re arriving soon.”

“Good. Once we disembark, everyone starts searching from around Camp 17.”

While the large transport ship prepared to land on a wide clearing, the pirates finished their preparations by loading their weapons or boarding the Walkers.

And just as the transport ship’s landing gear touched the ground, Dylan heard something.

“Huh?”

By the time he realized it was the sound of a mine activating, it was already too late.

A massive inferno engulfed everyone aboard the transport ship.

–

‘It’s begun.’

I can see a pillar of fire rising into the sky in the distance.

It’s the mine I had planted in advance detonating.

I had interrogated the pirates I captured before the enemy’s arrival to learn the planned landing area for their transport ship.

Then I gathered all the defensive mines stored at the campsite and planted them abundantly in every clearing where I expected them to come.

‘They’re probably wearing reinforcement suits, so that won’t kill them.’

At most two or three?

I don’t think there will be many casualties, but cutting off the enemy’s means of retreat is achievement enough.

Having accomplished my purpose, I jumped down from the top of the giant tree.

‘Next…’

I ran through the fog-shrouded forest. Small creatures startled and fled as I crushed small trees while running.

When the moisture in the air grew noticeably thicker, the trees thinned out and a wide riverbank appeared.

Hundreds of stegosaurus-like creatures were gathered there.

They were Plant Lizards, the same creatures I had devoured in the space city before. Though they look like herbivorous dinosaurs, they’re actually classified as plant-type organisms.

Their ecology matches this classification—during the day they absorb nutrients in places with good sunlight, and at night they come to waterside areas like this to absorb moisture.

‘Sorry to disturb your rest, but.’

Right now, I need the help of my forest friends.

I roared powerfully toward them.

“■———–!”

The massive roar from my body, which measured nearly 12m including tail length, reverberated throughout the forest.

A flock of pterosaurs sleeping in the trees jumped up in surprise and flew above the forest, and I could hear the roars of other predators in the inner forest warily responding to me.

The Plant Lizard herd all woke up at my roar.

“Kuong?”

“Keong! Keong!”

The largest male, measuring 10m, looked at me and made a short cry. Hearing that sound, the entire herd began fleeing in the opposite direction to escape me.

‘Good.’

I chased after them, threatening them by swinging my tail or roaring.

The male tried to drive me away several times by standing his ground to protect the herd.

At those times, I didn’t attack the male but pretended to attack other Plant Lizards in the rear.

When the male tried to protect his family, I threatened another one. When the male moved, I targeted yet another one.

As this pattern repeated, the Plant Lizard herd continued to flee in an attempt to escape from me.

‘Let’s keep going like this.’

My intention was to make the herd run into the pirates during their escape.

Plant Lizards don’t have any means of attack except for the spikes on their tails, but it’s different when they form a herd.

Imagine hundreds of giant stegosaurus-like creatures between 5m and 10m in size charging all at once.

Even heavily armed Walkers wouldn’t survive being trampled by this herd.

‘And I’ll target the enemies in the confusion.’

They’re probably professionals too, so they’ll get things under control quickly, but my strategy doesn’t end here.

I still have dozens more ways to cook these guys.

‘Almost there.’

The auxiliary organ under my jaw whispers to me.

That clueless idiots are coming this way.

–

“Two casualties from the reconnaissance team, one injured from the driving team, and one Heavy Walker immobilized, sir.”

“You fucking bastard, aren’t you including the transport ship and the pilot? Do you want to do your job properly or not?”

“I-I’m sorry!”

The damage Dylan’s group had suffered before even entering combat was by no means small.

Particularly devastating was the loss of one Heavy Walker, which was crucial for firepower. As a result, only four Heavy Walkers remained.

‘Damn it…!’

He’s the one who hangs skinned corpses on trees. I should have anticipated that he would use the pirates’ own bombs and weapons against them.

It was a mistake made because they had only thought about fighting dangerous beasts.

“Disband the reconnaissance team and reassign all remaining personnel to the driving team.”

“Understood.”

“Deputy boss, what should we do with the injured?”

Hearing another pirate’s question, Dylan approached the injured driving team member. Judging by his leg’s grotesque twist, it seemed impossible for him to walk for a while.

So Dylan unhesitatingly shot and killed him with the Auto Plasma Gun mounted on his shoulder.

“Our cartel has no need for the injured.”

None of his subordinates protested Dylan’s action. Being alone in this hellish forest while injured was essentially the same as being dead.

The pirates gathered necessary tools and ammunition from the transport ship wreckage and moved toward Camp 17.

When they were not far from the camp, the deputy aide at the front gave a hand signal.

“……”

At that signal, all pirates stopped. While other pirates surveyed the surroundings with night vision goggles built into their reinforcement suit helmets, Dylan activated the stealth detection function of his Mask of Indomitability.

Purple flames flickered in the eye section of the mask, and all creatures hiding in the forest came into his view.

“Chik, at 11 o’clock direction.”

Hearing the deputy aide’s words, all the pirates’ gun barrels simultaneously pointed to the 11 o’clock direction. The Auto Plasma Gun on Dylan’s shoulder also moved according to its owner’s line of sight.

“Kreong!”

“Keong!”

Animal cries were heard from afar.

The surrounding landscape that seemed no different from any other, the thick fog, and the unknown animal sounds.

In this eerie atmosphere, the pirates felt cold sweat running down the backs of their necks.

As the cries grew louder, Dylan placed his finger on the trigger to intercept the approaching enemy.

At that moment, he felt his body trembling slightly.

‘An earthquake?’

Feeling vibrations rising from the ground through his knees, he placed his palm on the ground. What started as a gentle tremor gradually grew stronger.

“No way? Shit! Everyone scatter!”

The moment Dylan shouted, dark green large reptiles emerged from the thick fog.

A herd of Plant Lizards with impressive bone plates on their backs charged at the waiting pirates.

“Aaaaargh!”

“You idiots! Scatter and take cover behind trees! Don’t return fire!”

At Dylan’s shout, the pirates quickly jumped behind trees or rocks. The Plant Lizards seemed to ignore the pirates, passing by without attacking them.

“Uh-oh?”

But the bulky and slow Heavy Walkers couldn’t move that quickly. One of the four was firing its plasma launcher at the Plant Lizards and missed the timing to dodge.

As a result, the Heavy Walker was trampled by the charging Plant Lizard herd.

Even a Heavy Walker with heavy armor couldn’t withstand being stepped on by hundreds of creatures each weighing over 10 tons.

The cockpit, protected by thick armor, was crushed, and the pilot inside died without even being able to resist.

“Damn it all…!”

But the ordeal facing them was not over.

Something with pitch-black skin emerged from among the Plant Lizard herd and charged toward one of the remaining Walkers.

It used its momentum to ram into the Heavy Walker. Along with the impact, the two thick horns on its head penetrated the reinforced glass of the Walker’s cockpit.

“The creature has appeared!”

“Open fire!”

The pirates immediately fired at the monster attached to the Walker. Penetrating rounds from Gauss rifles formed a fire net, and purple flames spewed from Purple Spray Guns.

The creature pulled out its horns and disappeared into the forest on the opposite side, evading the pirates’ onslaught.

“What about the Walker pilot? Check quickly!”

While the driving and strike teams fired at the monster, one pirate from the reconnaissance team checked inside the Walker.

“How is it?”

“…The creature precisely penetrated the pilot’s chest.”

Dylan’s face contorted upon hearing his subordinate’s report.

The battle hadn’t even begun, and they had already lost three precious Heavy Walkers.

“Aaaaarrrrggghhh!”

Dylan’s scream-like shout reverberated throughout the forest.

–

‘By now, he must be quite furious.’

Hearing their leader squawking, I can’t help but feel good.

The more the enemies lose their composure and act recklessly, the more advantageous it is for me.

‘As expected, they all brought good equipment.’

I had guessed that the Humanity Cartel would be wealthy, but their armament exceeded the category of ordinary pirates.

The Heavy Walkers they brought have plasma launchers on both arms, capable of killing me when I’m not in the Hunting Emblem state. That’s why I targeted the Heavy Walkers as my top priority.

The disappointing part is that I only managed to eliminate two Walkers.

Originally, I had planned to take advantage of the confusion to ambush and clear out the other Walkers, but the enemy’s offensive was too fierce, and I failed.

‘To think they’d even bring Purple Spray Guns.’

The Purple Spray Gun is a kind of psychic flamethrower.

It’s like taking my Psychic Breath, halving its power, and then spreading it widely.

Although I have psychic resistance, it’s definitely not a weapon I can fight against while taking hits.

Currently, there are 2 Walkers remaining. The pirates with Purple Spray Guns are still intact.

I need to somehow finish off the Walkers with the next trap I’ve prepared. Only then can I focus on dealing with the pirates wielding Purple Spray Guns.

‘Alright. Let’s go… huh?’

As I was about to move to where the next trap was, my auxiliary organ warned me. It said something invisible was being detected nearby.

‘Something invisible?’

Nothing was caught by my excellent vision. However, since my auxiliary organ wouldn’t lie to me, I stood still for a moment and concentrated.

The smell of soil on the ground, the moss smell on rocks, the moisture composing the fog, the sound of trees absorbing water and breathing, the smell of sweat…

‘Wait, the smell of sweat?’

An alien smell was mixed in the air. It was so faint that it would be difficult to detect without concentration, but it was definitely the smell humans emit when tense.

I slightly flicked the tip of my tail toward the direction of the sweat smell. The barbed hairs flew and stuck directly into something transparent.

The thing that collapsed to the ground, paralyzed, was a person wearing a reinforcement suit. Through the translucent visor of the helmet, I could see wide eyes that seemed unable to believe what was happening.

‘Stealth equipment?’

It had a similar appearance to the stealth reinforcement suit worn by the sniper I fought in the space city before.

‘Well, this works out perfectly.’

I had originally prepared another trap after this.

But to think such a good item would fall into my hands. Thanks to this, an interesting idea came to mind.

‘You will be put to noble use.’

I picked up the man in the stealth reinforcement suit and moved to the next location.

Pirates who entered this forest.

I still have many things to show them.