Apocalypse: Building And Hoarding My Way Through.
Chapter 43: Toxic Reckoning.

Chapter 43: Toxic Reckoning.

Scarlett’s jaw tightened. "That’s why we’ll need to find the others, build our strength, and take him down."

Ethan’s voice carried a resolute determination as he declared, "Like Scarlett said, just as Victor has powers, other survivors do too. Once we come together, I believe we’ll be able to bring him down. It’s the only way." His tone was unwavering, his eyes burning with fierce intensity.

"If there really are others with powers like yours," Louise began, his voice measured but firm, "then we need to find them. Not just to defeat Victor and save the survivors he’s holding captive, but to rebuild. We’ll need to start stockpiling food, creating a safe haven away from these monsters."

"I’ve been thinking," Rose interjected, her arms folded tightly as her brow furrowed. "If Victor is capturing survivors and feeding them to monsters, there must be others out there who hate him as much as we do. Survivors with powers who might even be searching for people like you. We could use that to our advantage."

Garvin, standing slightly apart, crossed his arms and spoke with a grim tone. "But we can’t trust everyone. People are selfish by nature. Not everyone granted powers would use them for good. Some might be just like Victor or worse."

Rose nodded, her eyes narrowing as she considered Garvin’s words. "True, but we don’t need everyone to trust us. We just need to spread the word. Anyone willing to fight against Victor and his Axe Squad is an ally we can use. That’s what matters most."

Garvin exhaled heavily, shaking his head. "You’re forgetting something. This is a monster apocalypse. There’s no place where people are just living in peace. There’s no town square where we can post a notice or give a speech about taking Victor down. If we want to find these people, we’ll have to go to them on our own terms."

Scarlett stepped forward, her voice firm. "Garvin’s right. We’ll meet these people when we encounter them, but for now, our focus has to be on survival. We’ll keep killing monsters and meeting survivors. When Ethan and I meet someone like us, we’ll know immediately. We’ll convince them to join our cause and together, we’ll make our move against Victor."

The group exchanged glances, their expressions grim but resolute. Slowly, one by one, they nodded in agreement. Determination burned in their eyes as they silently absorbed Scarlett’s words. Then, with no more to say, they began walking again, their minds heavy with the weight of their mission.

As they moved, the rain began to clear, the storm’s rage dwindling into a steady drizzle. Before them stretched a ravaged cityscape. Buildings loomed like ghosts, their shattered windows and crumbling walls whispering of a world long lost. The streets were choked with debris, remnants of civilization left to rot in the chaos of the apocalypse.

Scarlett, sensing the growing tension, summoned the map in her mind. A translucent image materialized before her eyes, dotted with glowing red marks indicating danger. Her jaw tightened.

"You all need to stay alert," Scarlett warned, her voice low but firm. "This is the only path to the sea. If we want to cross, we’ll have to fight through whatever’s ahead."

Ethan nodded grimly, echoing her thoughts. "She’s right. This route is crawling with monsters. Stay sharp and get ready for a fight."

The group instinctively tightened their grips on their weapons.

"Didn’t I say we were monster slayers before?" Louise muttered, his voice laced with nervous humor. He swallowed hard, his gaze darting nervously. "Guess that name is about to really stick."

They walked cautiously, their eyes scanning every shadow. Minutes passed, the oppressive silence broken only by the distant drip of water and the crunch of rubble beneath their boots.

"Are you sure there are monsters here?" Rose finally asked, her voice uneasy. "We’ve been walking for a while now. If they’re here, we should’ve seen them by now."

Scarlett shook her head, her senses tingling. "They’re here," she said firmly. Her powers surged within her, a silent confirmation.

Suddenly, the ground beneath them trembled violently. A deafening roar split the air, sending chills down their spines.

"Get ready!" Ethan shouted, his voice sharp as he scanned the horizon. "They’re coming!"

From the shadows emerged a monstrous figure, its body decayed and sprouting jagged horns. As it lumbered closer, smaller monsters began crawling out of its oozing flesh. The creatures were child-sized but twisted gnarled limbs, razor-sharp claws, and glowing red eyes. They moved with terrifying speed, sprinting toward the group.

"Formation!" Scarlett commanded, her voice cutting through the chaos. "It’s one big one with its spawn, but don’t underestimate it. This area was marked red for a reason!"

The group quickly formed a semi-circle, their weapons at the ready. Louise and Garvin flanked the sides with their guns, while Rose positioned herself between Scarlett and Ethan.

Scarlett unleashed a blast of earth energy, sending debris hurtling toward the smaller monsters. Ethan followed with his fire element, slicing through the advancing horde with blazing precision.

"Take cover!" Garvin yelled, unleashing a volley of bullets that tore through the creatures.

Rose weaved between the chaos, firing with deadly accuracy. Despite their efforts, the monstrous mother remained still, growling as her spawn were slaughtered. Then, with a bone-chilling roar, she charged forward. Her gaping maw, filled with razor-sharp teeth, aimed straight for the group.

"Focus on her now!" Scarlett shouted.

Just as the group braced for impact, two new figures joined the fray. A young black man with rippling muscles, his chest bare, and a white woman with short black hair wielding twin daggers. Without hesitation, they attacked the mother monster. The man manipulated the earth, raising jagged spikes to impale the creature, while the woman darted with deadly precision, slashing with her daggers.

Scarlett and Ethan exchanged a glance, recognizing the black man as one of the chosen. For now, they focused on the battle, knowing introductions would have to wait.

"This thing won’t die!" Louise shouted, his voice strained as he continued firing. "And instead of blood, it’s leaking this black, sludge-like crap!"

"Should we fall back and think of a plan?" Rose asked, as she continued firing her gun.

"We’re not retreating!" Ethan yelled back, his voice resolute. "It’s either us or it!"

Scarlett, Ethan, and the black man synchronized their attacks, creating massive fireballs that they hurled at the creature. The explosions shook the ground, and the trio followed with their fire elements shaped into swords, slashing relentlessly and soon, the monster fell with a thunderous crash.

"We finally killed it, huh?" Louise asked as he observe the monster on the floor. "These motherfuckers!"

"We did it!" Rose gasped, but her relief was short-lived as she suddenly vomited blood followed by Louise then Garvin.

"What’s happening?" Scarlett asked, her eyes wide with alarm.

{Poison, Host. The monster’s liquid is toxic. You must leave the area immediately to purge it from your systems. Hurry!}

"Everyone, we need to move!" Scarlett ordered, urgency in her voice.

But as they turned to leave, a long, clawed hand shot out from the fallen monster, wrapping them in thick, sac-like tendrils. Before they could react, they were hoisted into the air, suspended helplessly above the ground.