"With this number, it'd be impossible to get through," Greg remarked, frowning as he glanced at the sea of Reapers. He was acutely aware of how terrifying these creatures could be, having lost more than just a few friends to them.
"Hmm, no obstruction in place. I think we can take them; we know enough about them to finally confront them," Michael said after some thought. His words made Greg and his wife exchange glances, trying to determine if they had heard him correctly.
"Did you really just say that you want to confront all of those creatures?" Greg inquired, astonished; he found it hard to accept what he was hearing.
"Indeed, in the past, we found ourselves in circumstances that hindered our ability to fully leverage our skills, or we lacked sufficient knowledge about the threat at hand. However, that is no longer the case. We now understand that the worms controlling the Reapers are located in their necks, that they are vulnerable to fire, and that they respond strongly to sound. Additionally, we've discovered that they do not enter hibernation during the night, as they remain active even now. I also scanned the whole place; there's nothing that could affect our abilities here. Knowing all this, I'm certain we can devise a plan that will effectively neutralize the threat," Michael replied with a smile.
"Wow, now I understand why you're the captain," Anna remarked, prompting a chuckle from the team, who were already accustomed to Michael's cleverness.
"Haha, don't flatter me too much. So, each Reaper has the strength of a Rank 5, while the Scrapers possess a strength of a Rank 6. We're all Rank 7s, and with our experience, abilities, and knowledge, we should be able to manage those odds since we're going against Reapers. Here's the plan: I'm the fastest, so I'll take the frontal assault and distract them. While their attention is on me, you guys can appear from behind and ambush them. Go all-out to take down a majority of them from the onset. Yoshi, do you have anything to add?" Micheal presented his plan to the engaged audience, who responded with nods of agreement. He then directed his attention to Yoshi and inquired.
"This horde isn't as large as the ones we encountered last time, so analyzing all available data, if there are no unforeseen events, your plan has an 80% chance of success," Yoshi replied with a nod.
"80%, I think we can handle those odds," Henry smirked after hearing Yoshi's analysis report, feeling more than prepared to crush those Reapers.
"Mike, are you certain you'll be okay?" Bai inquired, having finally completed his bout of vomiting and tidied himself up; he was now prepared.
"Tsk, you underestimate me too much. They don't call me El Panthera for nothing," Michael replied with a chuckle as he stepped out and walked over to the fumbling zombies, leaving the others in awe of his sudden coolness.
"Hey slowpokes," Michael called out with a smile, calmly stretching his body and cracking his knuckles as he watched the Reapers turn around. Lightning continuously pulsed across his entire body, and his Hair, always standing on edge, crackled with sparks of electricity.
"Freddy Kreuger called, he wants his nails back" With the final word, Micheal surged forward like a bolt of lightning, appearing before the nearest Reaper like a specter. His fist, enveloped in electricity, shot forward in an instant, striking the Reaper's head and causing it to burst into a crimson mist. Without pausing, he leaped and delivered a spinning kick to another Reaper's chest, sending a jolt of lightning coursing through its body, which then ricocheted onto several advancing Reapers, transferring the electric charge to them as well.
"Now you see me, now you don't," Michael's voice whispered as he appeared next to a Reaper, his hand gripping its neck and sending waves of lightning coursing through it, ultimately frying the worm within to a crisp. His figure vanished and reappeared in the center of a group of Reapers, where his fist struck the ground, unleashing waves of lightning that surged into the bodies of the surrounding Reapers. They trembled before collapsing, their charred forms serving as a stark warning to the Reapers rushing toward him.
"Incredible! This is truly one of the most epic battles I've ever seen," Greg exclaimed, captivated by the sight of Micheal mercilessly tearing apart and incinerating any reaper that dared to come near him.
"You're right, the stories hold weight; he really possesses the might of an entire army." Racheal shook her head in astonishment; they had all heard ridiculous stories of the top soldier "El Panthera," the man with an unblemished success record of missions, one of the few who had never failed any assignment.
The tale of El Panthera was one that nearly all were familiar with; his nickname stemmed from a remarkable speed that gave the impression of teleportation, coupled with a formidable lightning ability that could swiftly incapacitate numerous adversaries. Since their arrival, they had never witnessed Micheal let loose in such a manner, and observing it firsthand sparked speculations that the rumors might indeed hold some truth.
"I must acknowledge his strength; he has been this powerful all along without revealing it. His current abilities are comparable to those of a rank 8." Hei remarked in excitement; although he enjoyed picking fights with Michael and mocking him, witnessing the scene before him now, he had to concede that the current Michael was indeed overpowered.
"Stop staring and let's get to work; he can't handle all of them alone. It's time to demonstrate our skills too." Yoshi's voice cut through their reverie, reminding them that it was time to join the fray.
"Haha, we can't allow him to have all the fun; let's join in!" Bai responded by rushing towards the Reapers, who were so focused on landing a hit on the remarkably agile Micheal that they failed to notice the group emerging behind them.
"You all appear a bit pale; how about I increase the heat?" Racheal commented, extending her hands forward for an inferno to erupt onto the Reapers who were taken by surprise; the only sound that followed was the roars of pain.
The Reapers couldn't withstand the relentless assault from the group; Henry's metallic fist required just a single strike to obliterate their brains, followed by another to crush their necks, exterminating the worms inside.
Bai's light melted the flesh from the bones of the
reaper, a sight so horrifying that those nearby trembled involuntarily, envisioning the fate that awaited them if that light were aimed in their direction. Beside him, his brother stood as well, corroding the flesh of the Reapers who appeared as though acid had been poured onto them. The scene of Hei's darkness producing such an effect was enough to send a shiver down anyone's spine. There was no doubt that the combination of these two brothers formed a terrifying duo.
As everyone showcased their unique talents, Yoshi was not to be outdone. Utilizing his robotic sensor eyes, he accurately identified the precise location of the worms within the reaper's neck. With a single, deft wave of his sword, he effortlessly cleaved the reaper's body in two. He clearly demonstrated his Japanese heritage, embodying the prowess of some of the world's most skillful swordsmen.
"Wow, these guys are remarkable, their abilities are simply out of this world," Anna exclaimed in amazement, observing the team break through the massive horde, some of whom had caused significant devastation. It dawned on her and her husband that the team's strength was far beyond anything they had previously encountered.
"Then again, most of the things in this world currently are not from this world," Greg replied with a smile, clearly impressed by the combat prowess of the group. He recalled with striking clarity how effortlessly a handful of these Reapers had decimated a group of survivors at the beginning; the memory lingered vividly in his mind.
"Hahaha, I haven't let loose like this in a while; it's been quite some time," Michael remarked to himself happily as he continuously took down reaper after reaper.
"If we maintain this pace, we should finish with the horde in a few mi..." Micheal abruptly halted, his gaze fixed in disbelief on a figure among the advancing throng of Reapers, a figure he recognized instantly.
"Liam....." A solitary word slipped from Micheal's lips as he sensed his consciousness slipping away. The next moment, he beheld his body plummeting to the ground, and then everything went dark.
"Mike!" Greg, having watched the battle unfold from the sidelines, shouted the moment he saw Michael collapse to the ground. The remainder of the team, absorbed in their own struggles and oblivious to their surroundings, were jolted back to reality by Greg's scream. their gazes swiftly turned to Mike's motionless form sprawled on the ground, as a swarm of Reapers surged toward him.
"Damn it," Yoshi cursed as he hurled his sword forward with terrifying strength. The blade shot through the air like a bullet, finding its mark in the skulls of three Reapers closest to Mike's body. Seizing the opportunity, he surged forward like a bolt of lightning, arriving next to Mike in an instant. With lightning crackling from his hands, Yoshi valiantly fought off the advancing Reapers
while safeguarding Mike's unconscious body.
"Everyone! More are approaching!" Greg's voice cut through the air again as he was seen charging toward the battle, unleashing a torrent of bullets at a larger horde of Reapers that had seemingly emerged from the corner where they had previously stood. This unexpected event shattered the group's formation, just as they believed they were nearing the end of their battle against the horde. Out of nowhere, another wave had emerged, and the member with the greatest firepower had suddenly collapsed, leaving his condition uncertain.
"Yoshi! What should we do next?" Henry shouted, forging a path through the Reapers toward Yoshi, Greg, his wife, and the rest of the group behind him, who were also engaging the enemies surrounding them.
Upon hearing this, Yoshi furrowed his brows deeply, his mind swirling with thoughts about how to extricate them from this predicament. He stared at the unconscious body on the ground, the now-overpowered team, and the enormous horde of Reapers they were confronting. It dawned on him that there was only one course of action left to take.
"Henry, get Mike. The rest of you, clear a path to the vehicles. No matter what happens, don't stop and don't look back. Find the cause of all this and finish him off. I trust you all to handle the rest. And please, don't hold Micheal responsible for what's happened. It's been a pleasure knowing each of you." With a broad grin, Yoshi addressed his friends, drawing his sword from a reaper's skull as he charged toward the oncoming Reapers, not pausing for a response.