Chapter 118: Facing the Horde
Horde? Jack asked, starting to get worried. Whats that?
The captain didnt reply. His eye increasingly wide, he rushed to the bridge, slamming the door open and not bothering to close it. Jack got a good look for the first time.
A ram-headed rod occupied the middle of the room, rising from the floor in the center of a circle of glowing runes. A large screen in front of it showed a three-dimensional compass, a map folded in on itself multiple times, and several buttons and switches with no indication of their purpose. The only thing Jack recognized was a large sonar that took up an entire walltwo sonars, in fact, which showed slightly different things. The details werent important right now.
What was important were the dozen red dots heading their way. Fast.
Jack got a glimpse of everything before the captain fell on the ram-head, pushing it forward all the way. Its eyes flared blue. The ships space stabilization flickered a bit. Jack felt the floor shaking under his feet. They accelerated hard. All hands on deck! the captain called again, his strained voice echoing throughout the ship.
Achilles flashed in the main room, holding the handle of his saber. Captain! he shouted.
We have a horde! Dordok roared back. Heed my commands. Bomn, take the helm and get us the hell out of here. Achilles, Vashter, take the helmets and be ready to defend the ship. Jared, youre the backup. Be ready to replace whoever gets injured.
Yes, Captain! Achilles, Vashter, and Jack roared at the same time, while Bomn raised his head and released a mighty bellow. Brock arrived then, rushing beside Jack and waiting to help however he could. Vlossana and her father came last, entering the main room just as Vashter and Achilles charged the secondary exit room. They could put on their helmets and rush out at a moments notice.
Whats happening!? Count Plomer asked in a tired yet commanding voice.
A horde, sir, Jack replied, looking out the windows, though he couldnt help but wonder: A horde of what?
The stars answered. Suddenly, purple dots appeared in the star-lit darkness, growing larger quickly. A green dot was in their middle. Jack gasped.
But they had the captain. An immortal. No matter how many space monsters appeared, he could handle them, right?
Captain Dordok stepped into the main room just as Bomn reached the bridge, still keeping the door open. He kept the ram-head at its farthest position, the equivalent of stepping on the gas, and glanced between the screens and indications with utmost focus. Occasionally, he flicked a switch or pressed a button.
No need to panic, the captains authoritative voice reached everyone. He spoke to Count Plomer. Bomn is an outstanding pilot. If anyone can outrun the monsters, its him.
And what if he cant? the count asked.
Then, we fight.
Jack looked around. The flurry of activity had died down, at least temporarilythe purple dots were still growing in his vision. Whats a horde? he braved a question.
Space monsters are solitary, the captain replied quickly. But when a D-Grade monster appears, it tends to form a horde and rove space in search of food.
A D-Grade monster!?
Exactly. The captain nodded somberly. I should be able to handle it, but D-Grade battles are not simple. I will need some time to beat it. Until then, the four of you are responsible for protecting us against the thirteen E-Grade monsters. Who knew your practice would pay off so soon.
But
Pray that you dont need to fight. None of us should, actually; there is only half an hour until were ready to warp. They shouldnt catch up by then
But?
But they might. His one eye darkened. So prepare yourself for combat.
Jack nodded. He wasnt unfamiliar with the concept. However, for the first time, he wasnt the strongest of the group, but the weakest. The backup. He chuckled darkly.
The captain glanced at him, visibly surprised by his composure, but said nothing.
Brock crossed his arms and waited. Vlossana hopped from foot to foot. Count Plomer looked exhausted. By the Immortals he muttered. Are the gods determined to destroy me?
Tense silence fell in the ship. Everyone waited with bated breath, watching the purple dots growing steadily. Jack could now make out flailing tentacles, but not on the middle-most dotthe green one. That one looked to be of similar size to the others, but an extra flicker of green occasionally flashed at its sides, something that Jack couldnt quite make out.
Ten minutes passed. Fifteen minutes.
The dots were close enough to make out clearly. They were faster than the ship, and their leader was especially so. It seemed much larger than the others, not because it actually was larger, but because it was closer.
Captain Dordoks gaze got grimmer by the second.
Twenty minutes.
The leading space monster had approached enough that Jack could make out its shape. It wasnt a blob. It resembled a green crocodile. The extra flicker of green that Jack had noticed was its tail, moving from side to side as the crocodile swam through space at a speed that would put Earths spacecrafts to shame.
It opened its mouth to roar, and the entire ship shook, though no sound reached them.
In position! the captain roared.
Jack gulped. This crocodile pressured him by merely approaching. He understood that, the moment it reached them, the captain would have to go out and do combat. The ship would have to stop or decelerate significantlythey couldnt abandon himand the rest of the space monsters would catch up quickly.
They hadnt been able to outrun the monsters. They would have to fight.
Twenty-five minutes.
The crocodile had almost reached them by now. Jack could make out the gaps between its teeth, the depths of its throat as it opened wide to bite on them, the glimmer of hunger in its reptilian eyes.
CULTIVATORS! a voice that shouldnt exist rang in their heads. Count Plomer screamed and cupped his ears. He was only F-Grade. Vlossana was at his side, but there was nothing she could do. GIVE ME YOUR DAO!
Captain Dordok drew his steel greatclub. The air sparked around him. A sense of oppression filled the ship, like being in the presence of a God. An immortal. Jack held his breath.
The moment the captain drew his weapon, he was out for blood. We only need to last five minutes, he said calmly, but his voice permeated the space, alleviating Count Plomers pain. I believe in you, everyone. Make me proud.
His form blurred. Jacks eyes barely caught him rushing through the film of the secondary exitwithout a helmet. He was facing space with his bare body.
The crocodiles jaws clamped shut, and a steel greatclub met them head-on. The entire ship shook and tumbled through space by the force of the collision, sending the chairs and books of the library to the ground.
Jack felt invincible power wash over him. He felt the urge to kneel. Immortals he whispered, breathless. This is what a battle between immortals looks like
Next to him, Brock had eyes as wide as saucers, fully captivated by the power in display.
GIVE ME YOUR DAO! the crocodile screamed in their minds again, but it was muted this time. There was no pain. The captain was keeping them safe.
The only thing youll get, his voice filled everyones head like a large wave about to crash, is death.
The crocodile roared and darted forward, its tail propelling it through the void. The captain stood tall, his body bursting with incredible power. Compared to the massive crocodile, he was like an ant. He swung. Greatclub met teeth. Space dipped and rippled between them, straining to handle the aftermath of the collision. The explosion of Dao made Jack feel like a shaky boat in a storm.
The captain represented Strength. His every swing was unstoppable, his every attack irrefutable. His tattered cloak fluttered behind him. As he stood there, he commanded space itself.
The crocodile was an amalgamation of different Daos without any rhyme or reason. Jack thought he sensed speed in there, along with a sharp sense of hunger. It was difficult to distinguish. But whatever its Dao was, the crocodile held its own. It bit down again and again, shrugging off hits that could have leveled mountains. Its tail swung faster than Jack could see, and it surrounded the captain as a shark would circle a bloodied swimmer at sea.
Their every collision carried incredible force, like hundreds of Meteor Punches exploding at once. Jack was glad they were thousands of feet away. Even the aftermath of their attacks made the ship feel unsteady.
Wow! Vlossana cried out, her face stuck to the window. Jack wondered if she had any sense of self-preservation at all. No wonder that crocodile caught up to us! Its a high D-Grade!
High D-Grade? Jack raised both brows. How do you know?
Easy, silly. Dordok is high D-Grade as well!
Jack turned back to the battle. They werent just immortals; they were strong immortals. No wonder they felt sogodly.
Wow The captain was a high D-Grade all along
Jack believed her, but he couldnt help but wonder. Immortals were highly revered across the galaxy. Every step further signified a tremendous change. The captain should have exponentially higher status than most immortals, who were already sky-high So why was he riding a starship in the middle of nowhere, hanging out in dock bars and ferrying passengers across the constellation?
Does he love sailing that much?
Wait! he suddenly yelled, realizing something. If the crocodile is that strong How strong must its horde be?
Vlossanas eyes widened in terror. As the ship had slowed to a crawl, the other space monsters had almost reached them already. Jack inspected the largest ones.
Space Monster, Level 121
Space Monster, Level 113
Space Monster, Level 107
Space Monster, Level 91
Space Monster, Level 78
There were three high E-Grade monsters, two middle E-Grade, and eight low E-Grade. Thirteen in total. The Trampling Ram had one high E-Grade and two middle E-Grade, along with Jack as a backup.
The comparison didnt look good.
Everyone else must have come to the same conclusion. The ship came to a stop as Bomn barreled out of the room. Jared! he bellowed. When the red light turns green, press the big green button!
It was the most words Jack had ever heard him speak, but the situation had no room for delays. Understood! he shouted back. Bomn rushed to the secondary exit room. Jack looked outside the window, seeing Achilles and Vashter floating side by side. They faced the incoming horde with bravery, just a hundred feet away from the ship.
Wait. Theres no third helmet! he shouted at Bomn, but the minotaur ignored him and jumped through the protective film anyway. He reached space, enduring it with his bare body, but it was clearly a struggle. His eyes widened for a moment before he pushed through, appearing just in front of the two feshkurs.
He can do that!? Jack asked in shock.
Wow! Vlossana cried out.
He cant, Count Plomers grim voice reached them. They turned to look at his resigned face. Bomn is only at the high E-Grade. Even if hes stronger than most of his level, its not enough to survive in space. Every second out there is harming him But what choice does he have?
Jacks heart reached his throat. Bomn had been nice to him on multiple occasions. He swiveled to look outside, but he had to admit that the count was right. Even with those three protecting the ship, it was a herculean task. With only twoit would be downright impossible.
Jack clenched his fists so hard that his nails dug into his palms. He hadnt been with these people for a long time, but he desperately wanted to be out there and fight as well. They were protecting him, risking their lives for him without a moments hesitation.
And he had lied to them. He had dragged them into danger without their knowledge. If the Animal Kingdom discovered he was on board, which they might, who knows what they would do to the Trampling Ram and its crew.
Jack had never felt shittier. If they made it out alive, he swore to tell them everything, and damned be the consequences. They deserved to know. And if Earth wanted his protection, then he would make the decision on Earths behalf. They would not survive like this.
A life built on corpses was not worth living.
However, as he saw it, they wouldnt even get there. Just how were Bomn, Achilles, and Vashter supposed to face thirteen space monsters by themselves?
Bomn bellowed. His entire body burned blood-red, and the edge of his greataxe seemed so sharp and brutal that Jack instinctively wanted to look away. Achilles drew his saber, ready to fight to the death. Vashter gripped his mace, whose head glowed with silver light.
The space monsters arrived, a screeching mass of writhing tentacles. The two sides collided. Combat ensued.
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