mesbooks Chapter 77: Crashing the Spine
Chapter 77: Crashing the Spine
Chapter 77 - Crashing the SpineZack cursed under his breath, realizing there was no way to avoid the mutated tiger's gaping, bloody maw. Gritting his teeth, he swung his chain sword straight at its mouth. The massive jaws clamped down, but Zack had already yanked his arm back just in time. He activated the leg reflex assist in his nanosuit and yelled, "Thruster!"
Boom!
The boosters roared to life, launching Zack upward with explosive force. He rocketed out of the tiger's grip and slammed into the roof of the tunnel. His chain sword, however, remained lodged in the tiger's mouth. The saw's jagged teeth began grinding furiously against the tiger's jaw, spewing blood everywhere.
"ROAR!!" The mutant tiger thrashed violently, shaking its massive head to dislodge the sword. Blood splattered across the tunnel as it growled in pain and fury, but no matter how hard it shook, the weapon remained lodged.
Zack dropped back down, landing heavily on the tunnel floor. His gaze hardened as he barked a command. "Power amplification mode!" In an instant, the nanosuit's fibers began to glow faintly red as the internal mechanisms hummed to life. The artificial spine's hydrogen battery pumped energy into Zack's system. The nanofibers in the suit burrowed deeper into his skin, syncing perfectly with his muscles.
"Let's see what you've got," he snarled. Zack's eyes were bloodshot, his veins pulsing under the suit's influence. He clenched his fists, and with a single leap, the ground beneath him cracked and shattered. He launched himself at the mutant tiger like a missile. Despite the overwhelming size difference, Zack's momentum was devastating.
Boom!
The impact was like a cannonball hitting a drum. The massive tiger staggered, its body crashing to one side. The sight of the comparatively tiny Zack forcing the colossal beast to stumble was both shocking and satisfying.
"ROAR!" The tiger swung its massive tail through the air, the sound of its movement like a whip slicing through the wind. The tail slammed toward Zack with terrifying force.
Instead of dodging, Zack planted his feet firmly and reached out. Snap! His hands clamped around the tail like a vice.
The impact reverberated through his suit, the red ionized glow rippling across the fibers. The nanosuit's power mode dispersed the shock throughout Zack's body, reducing the strain on any single point. Even so, Zack slid back several feet, leaving a deep gouge in the ground. "Not bad," he muttered, his lips curling into a smirk.
The tiger roared again, lifting its tail in another attempt to strike. Zack tightened his grip, his muscles tensing under the suit's enhancement. "You're not going anywhere," he growled.
The tiger flailed, jerking its tail wildly, throwing Zack into the air like a ragdoll. Using the tail's momentum, it swung Zack toward the tunnel wall with immense force. At the last moment, Zack let go. Activating his leg thrusters, he kicked off the wall, cracking the concrete as he launched himself back toward the tiger.
With gravel and debris flying behind him, Zack curled his fist and drove it straight into the tiger's jaw. CRACK!
The blow forced the tiger's mouth to slam shut, driving the stuck chain sword deeper into its jaw. The blade tore through the bone, emerging from the underside of the tiger's head.
Blood poured from the wound as the tiger let out a guttural roar of agony.
Zack's lips curled into a cold grin. "Looks like your bones aren't as tough as you thought," he taunted. Fueled by rage and adrenaline, Zack leaped onto the tiger's back. His fingers dug into the bloody wound on its spine, clawing through the flesh.
"Die!" he roared, his voice filled with unrelenting fury. With his enhanced strength and the suit's power amplifications, Zack began to pull. His fingers sank deeper into the wound, gripping the edges of the torn flesh. He clung tightly and resumed tearing at the gaping wound on the tiger's back. Blood poured out in waves, soaking him completely. His entire figure was drenched, making him look like a specter rising from a crimson nightmare.
Finally, his hand brushed against something solid deep within the wound. "Gotcha!" he growled through clenched teeth. Without hesitation, he shoved his entire arm into the wound, his fingers
"Rest easy, big guy," Zack murmured. Lifting the chain sword high, he placed it against the tiger's thick neck and flicked the switch. The blade roared to life with a metallic whine. The tiger let out a final, feeble snarl before the saw's teeth bit deep into its flesh. Its massive head toppled to the ground with a dull thud, eyes frozen in a grotesque expression of defeat.
Zack stared at the severed head for a moment before giving it a light kick. "Might make a good trophy," he muttered before turning toward the tunnel leading to the Armory.
Behind him, the tunnel reeked of blood and death, the massive, headless corpse of the mutated tiger lying in a growing pool of hot, steaming blood.
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, chaos erupted. The air was thick with gunfire and the cries of the wounded as a brutal power struggle unfolded. "Team King! Get the others out of here!" yelled a pilot, his face streaked with sweat and grime. "I'll hold them off!"