Apocalypse: Building And Hoarding My Way Through.
Chapter 132: I’ll Kill All Men!!!

Chapter 132: I’ll Kill All Men!!!

With one last glance at the group, Scarlett and Kato began their descent down the mountain. The survivors watched in silence, their gazes fixed on the pair until they disappeared from sight.

As Scarlett and Kato descended the mountain, the air grew thick with the stench of rotting flesh and decay. The growls and screeches of monsters echoed louder with each step, sending Scarlett’s senses into overdrive.

When they finally reached the base, Scarlett’s eyes swept over the area. The landscape was a desolate wasteland, littered with the severed body parts of humans. Blood soaked the dry earth, painting a grim picture of the carnage.

Though no monsters were in sight, the devastation made it clear who was responsible.

Kato’s gaze locked onto a swirling column of smoke in the distance. His voice was low and somber. "That’s the entrance to the monster domain," he said. "These monsters come from there, slaughter humans, and turn their victims into monsters like themselves. Once the transformation is complete, they all retreat back into the domain."

Kato crouched by the dismembered remains of a human, examining the scene closely. "These parts..." He frowned as he prodded a bloodied limb with the hilt of his blade. "These poor souls didn’t finish transforming. The monsters must have ripped them apart before the process was complete."

He straightened, his expression grim as he turned to Scarlett. "The portal won’t stay here for long. Are you ready to go in, kill as many of those creatures as we can, and rescue anyone who might still be alive? Or should we leave this alone and move on?"

Scarlett tightened her grip on Hope’s carrier, her jaw set in determination. "I wouldn’t have come down here if I wasn’t ready," she said, her voice sharp and unwavering. "This is the work of monster slayers. We don’t let monsters roam free, we hunt them, and we kill them. Let’s go."

Kato gave a curt nod, and together they approached the swirling smoke. As they drew closer, the air grew colder, and the oppressive darkness seemed to pulse with malevolence.

__________

Meanwhile, Larry, Ethan, Hunter, and Ryder stood on guard duty at the camp.

Around them, the survivors were huddled on the ground, trying to make themselves useful as they awaited Scarlett and Kato’s return. Some were tending to minor wounds, others sharpening makeshift weapons, some eating and a few sat in silent prayer.

Maya’s voice broke through the tense quiet. "Larry? I really need to pee," she called from inside the cage where she was confined. Her tone was deceptively sweet, her pleading eyes locked on him. "You’re not going to just stand there and watch me, are you?"

Larry turned toward her, his brow furrowing in discomfort. "I really don’t care what you do," he replied with a heavy sigh. "It’s not like I can open the cage. Scarlett sealed it with a formation."

Even though she’s now in her human form, the truth remains that she’s a monster.

Maya tilted her head, her red-tinged pupils glinting in the dim light as she smiled faintly. "You can open it," she said, her voice low and coaxing. "You’re one of the chosen. I can’t unlock it from the inside, but you can unlock from the outside. Please, Larry, just for a moment. Let me out. I won’t run."

Larry’s feet began to move toward the cage as if pulled by an invisible force. His hand reached out to the lock without conscious thought.

"Larry, what are you doing?" Ethan’s sharp voice cut through the haze. He clapped a hand on Larry’s shoulder, pulling him back. "Are you out of your mind? You can’t let her out!"

"She’s dangerous!" one of the female survivors cried, her voice quaking with fear. "Have you forgotten what she did? She killed some of us!"

"Exactly," another survivor chimed in, his face pale with horror. "She’s a monster. If you release her, we’re all dead. Let her do whatever she needs to do in the cage. Scarlett can deal with her when she gets back."

Larry shook Ethan’s hand off, his expression blank. "I know what I’m doing," he said evenly, ignoring the protests of the others.

"No, you don’t!" Ethan growled, stepping in front of him. "You’re acting like you’re under some kind of spell!"

"I’m fine," Larry said, his tone eerily calm. "I just need to help Maya."

Hunter stepped forward, his face twisted with anger. "Larry, snap out of it!" he shouted. What stupid help?"

Larry brushed past him without a word. He reached for the cage lock, and Maya’s lips curled into a triumphant smile.

Ryder, who had been silent until now, leaned against a nearby rock, his expression indifferent. "Leave him alone," he said with a shrug. "He can’t open the cage anyway. Scarlett’s formation is too strong. Let him waste his time."

Ethan let out a bark of laughter, his tension momentarily broken. "Oh, right! You’re just bluffing, Larry. There’s no way you can lift Scarlett’s formation. You are just teasing us, you bad guy."

Larry froze, his hand hovering inches from the lock. His gaze darted between Maya’s glowing eyes and the smirking faces of the others.

Ethan then let out a heavy sigh. Shaking his head, he returned to his meal. The others slowly followed suit, their focus shifting away from Larry, who still stood frozen in front of Maya’s cage, his hand resting on the lock.

"Look at me," Maya whispered, her voice soft but laced with an undeniable command. The words barely carried beyond the confines of her cage, meant only for Larry’s ears.

Larry’s gaze snapped upward, locking onto Maya’s glowing, hypnotic eyes. The world seemed to blur around him, the voices of his companions fading into silence. He felt himself slipping under her spell again, unable to resist her pull.

"Open the damn lock," she ordered, her voice a venomous hiss.

Without hesitation, Larry obeyed. The padlock fell to the ground with a metallic clatter, breaking the fragile peace of the camp.

Before Larry could react, a powerful force slammed into him, sending him hurtling backward. He crashed into a nearby tree with a sickening thud, slumping to the ground in a daze.

The sound of the lock hitting the ground drew the attention of the other survivors. Heads turned toward the cage, confusion quickly turning into terror as they saw what stood before them.

Maya had stepped out, her monstrous form fully revealed. Two sharp, curved horns jutted from her head, her mouth bristling with razor-sharp fangs. Her body was now covered in a strange mix of feathers and scales that glistened in the dim light. Her crimson eyes burned with hatred, her predatory gaze sweeping over the terrified group.

"Holy fuck!" Ryder exclaimed under his breath, scrambling to his feet. His usual nonchalance was gone, replaced by raw panic. "We’re screwed. We’re so fucking screwed."

"How... how is this possible?" Hunter stammered, his voice trembling as he rose unsteadily to his feet. His eyes remained fixed on Maya, disbelief etched across his face. "The lock... the formation... it shouldn’t be possible to open it!"

His legs felt like lead, refusing to obey his mind’s desperate commands to run. He stood rooted in place, frozen by a mix of fear and shock.

The other survivors, though equally horrified, were quicker to act. They leaped to their feet, some screaming as they tried to flee.

But it was too late.

Maya moved with inhuman speed, pouncing on the nearest survivor. Her claws ripped through flesh with sickening ease, and the screams of her victim filled the air. Blood sprayed across the ground as she tore through them, her movements swift and brutal.

To make matters worse, the humans she bit began to rise, their bodies convulsing as they transformed into undead creatures. The newly turned monsters wasted no time joining Maya, attacking the remaining survivors with relentless savagery.

"Everybody, escape! Save yourselves!" Ethan shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos. He extended his hands, unleashing his powers in an attempt to stop Maya and the undead she had created.

Larry, shaken but alive, struggled to his feet and joined Ethan in the fight. Despite the pain radiating through his body, he pushed himself forward, determined to fix his mistake as Maya’s spell was over.

Hunter and Ryder sprang into action as well, their elemental powers crackling to life. Flames danced around Hunter’s hands as he launched fiery projectiles at the advancing undead, while Ryder summoned walls of earth to shield fleeing survivors.

But it quickly became clear that their efforts were barely enough.

Maya’s strength was overwhelming. As an SS-ranked monster, she was far more powerful than the S-ranked abilities of the men opposing her. She shrugged off their attacks with ease, her laughter echoing eerily through the camp.

"I’m going to kill every single one of you!" she roared, her voice dripping with fury. Blood and flesh dripped from her fangs as she bared them in a feral grin. Her crimson gaze darted across the battlefield until it landed on Garvin and Louise, who lay unconscious on the ground, oblivious to the carnage around them.

Her lips curled in a sneer as she stalked toward them, her claws glinting in the faint light. "I’ll kill all men!" she declared, her voice a chilling promise.

The survivors fought desperately, their cries of determination mingling with the anguished screams of the fallen. The camp had become a blood-soaked battlefield, and hope was slipping away with each passing moment.