Apocalypse: Building And Hoarding My Way Through.
Chapter 93: The Twisted Hunt.

Chapter 93: The Twisted Hunt.

"Tonight, Ayra and I will escort you on the hunt," he announced, his tone leaving no room for debate. "But let me make one thing clear, we’re not there to hunt, and we’re not there to save you. The only way to defeat these monsters is to use your wits. If you can’t think smart, then forget about surviving."

"You are seven in number," Austin continued, his voice firm and commanding. "You will be divided into two groups. One group will follow me, while the other will follow Ayra." His eyes scanned the faces of Scarlett and the others before he raised his hand and pointed at three individuals who are Scarlett, Kato, and Louise.

"You three will be following me while the others will follow Ayra."

"No, no, no!" Maya protested, her voice rising as she clung to Scarlett’s arm with a desperate grip. "I want to go with Scarlett. I’m going with you, Scarlett," she insisted, her tone edged with determination.

Austin’s expression darkened, his eyes narrowing as his tone turned sharper. "You can’t change your group. I purposely assigned those without powers to be with me, while those with powers are with Ayra. I have abilities, so I can assist those without powers if I choose to. As for Ayra’s group, they should consider themselves fortunate that I allowed two people with powers to stay with her, in addition to Ayra herself. But keep in mind, she may choose to help you, or she may not."

He paused, his piercing gaze moving between them, as if daring anyone to challenge him further. "Also, remember this: What will determine your survival isn’t your abilities, but your intelligence. If you’re not smart enough to adapt, then forget about living, you’ll just end up as monster food. So it doesn’t matter if you’re in my group or with Ayra group."

His grim words sent a shiver through Maya, and she swallowed hard, fear flashing in her eyes.

"What are your names though?" Austin asked, his eyebrows raised up in curiousity.

Scarlett and her group proceeded and introduced themselves one after the other except for Maya who kept mute.

"That bastard," Maya whispered fiercely to Scarlett, her voice trembling with anger as she clenched Scarlett’s arm tighter. "He’s trying to get you, Kato, and Louise killed. He believes you guys don’t have powers. It seems like he’s punishing us because we chose to become monster slayers instead of free citizens. He knows people without powers can’t pass this test!"

Her fists were clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white. "Larry and Ethan might survive since they have powers according to his thoughts, but Garvin and I? We’re as good as dead, no doubt."

Louise, sitting on Scarlett’s other side, leaned in, his voice low and dripping with contempt. "That manipulative bastard. He’s not here to help anyone. He just wants to watch his monsters feast on your flesh and blood. That’s his twisted idea of justice."

Scarlett didn’t respond, her calm demeanor masking the storm of thoughts swirling in her mind. She kept her gaze fixed on Austin, watching his every move, her expression unreadable.

’They’re not as clueless as he thinks afterall . Kato’s voice echoed in Scarlett mind through the mental link, a sly smirk tugging at his lips. This hunt isn’t about strength, it’s about cunning. Let’s see if they can make good use of those brains of theirs.’

Scarlett remained silent, her unwavering gaze locked on Austin. His commanding posture and cold, calculating demeanor betrayed his intentions, and she studied him carefully, her thoughts racing.

’He’s dangerous,’ Scarlett replied back to Kato through their mind link. ’His methods are twisted. He forces humans to choose between life and death. To him, those who became monster slayers without powers are fools, unworthy of survival. He sees them as people tired of living, and this hunt is his way of granting their unspoken wish to die.’

’But he’s not entirely wrong,’ Kato interjected through the mind link, his tone laced with dark amusement. ’He’s just giving them the choice they asked for. His claim of training those without powers is bullshit. He only cares about those with abilities, the ones he thinks can save the world. Everyone else? They’re expendable. This hunt isn’t about survival. It’s a game to him, a way to gain resources while thinning the herd. Monsters eat, humans turn into monsters, and then he kills them all to earn his precious coins. Tada! It’s twisted, but it’s efficient.’

Scarlett didn’t respond, her mind still focused on Austin, who was scanning their faces as though assessing their worth. Her calm exterior hid the fire burning within.

"So, are you all ready to go on this hunt?" Austin’s voice resounded through the entire room. His piercing gaze swept over them as he continued, "Ready to prove your worth? Well, that’s no longer a question, is it? You’ve already chosen this path when you decided to become monster slayers. Backing out now isn’t an option, doing so would only result in death. And we both know none of you want that."

As his words hung in the air, Ayra rose to her feet, her confident smile masking an undercurrent of seriousness. "Let’s get moving, shall we?" she said, her voice calm but firm. "We’ve got only a few hours until sunset, and I want to make sure everyone is ready."

The group nodded reluctantly, though fear lingered in their hearts, except for Scarlett and Kato.

"Jones will oversee the organization while we’re away. Now let’s go. We don’t have time to waste, future monster slayers!" Austin said with a burst of sinister laughter that echoed throughout the chamber, sending a chill down the spines of everyone present.

Without a word, Scarlett and her group rose from their seats, silently falling in line as Austin and Ayra led the way.

As they walked out of the room, Louise sidled up beside Scarlett, his voice a trembling whisper. "Do you have a plan?" he asked, glancing nervously at Austin, who walked ahead with an air of smug confidence. "He seems so sure we’re going to die. Without a proper plan, I can’t shake the feeling he’s right."

Scarlett nodded, her expression calm and composed despite the turmoil within. "I know how you feel," she said quietly. "But don’t worry. I’m here with you. Yes, the monsters we’re facing tonight will be far stronger than any we’ve encountered before, possibly double or even triple their previous strength. But remember, I’m half-monster. Whether they’ve been injected or not, they’ll still bow to me. Just follow my lead."

Louise’s grip on his weapon tightened as he gave a hesitant nod. "You’re right," he murmured, though his worry didn’t completely fade. His gaze flickered toward Garvin, Ethan, Maya and Larry. "But what about their group? Larry and Ethan may have powers, but they aren’t half-monsters."

"That’s true," Scarlett admitted, her eyes narrowing as they rested on Kato, who was walking just ahead of her. "Kato may not be able to command monsters like I can, he’s not a king of monsters but his strength far surpasses Ethan’s and Larry’s. His presence in their group could mean the difference between success and failure, if I’m not mistaken."

Her gaze drifted to Garvin, and her resolve hardened. If he dies, I die, she reminded herself. She heaved a deep sigh and turned her attention back to Kato, initiating a mental connection through their shared mind link.

’The other group is doomed to fail,’ she said firmly, her mental voice calm but determined. ’We’re the only ones who are half-monster and half-human. We’re the only ones truly equipped to survive.’

Kato’s response came almost instantly, laced with amusement. ’What’s this? You’re asking for my help?’ he said, his tone teasing as a smirk played across his lips. ’If they’re doomed, let them be. It’s not like we can change the groups now. If sacrificing them means uncovering the secrets of this twisted organization and eventually destroying it, then so be it. In the end, we’ll save more humans and kill more monsters. Sacrifice a few now to save thousands later, right?’

’No,’ Scarlett countered, her tone urgent. ’We can’t afford to lose anyone, Kato. You’re stronger than me, you consume human flesh, which gives you an edge. You can easily join Garvin’s group and protect them without Ayra knowing. Please, Kato. We need everyone to survive. If anyone has to die, it should be Austin and Ayra.’

Kato’s smirk faded as his thoughts briefly drifted to his own organization and the tasks awaiting him, particularly Jaden’s collar, which he needed to remove that night. With a heavy sigh, he replied, ’Alright, fine. I’ll do what I have to do.’

’Thank you,’ Scarlett said softly, her relief palpable as she severed the mind link. She turned back to Louise, who was still waiting for her response.

"They’ll be fine," Scarlett reassured him, her voice barely above a whisper. "I already have a plan."

Louise sighed in relief, his shoulders relaxing slightly as they continued walking.

The group was eventually led to a large armory, where they were outfitted with weapons and tools. Scarlett selected a pair of daggers, though she knew she wouldn’t need them while Kato chose a massive sword, its weight almost laughable in his hands. Maya picked a crossbow and a quiver of bolts, along with a small handgun for emergencies.

Garvin, Ethan, Larry, and Louise mirrored Maya’s choices, opting for ranged weapons and firearms.

As they finished gearing up, Ayra handed each of them small earpieces. "These will let us stay in contact during the hunt," she explained. "Stay alert, and stick together. Do not stray from your groups."

The group nodded, their silence punctuated only by the faint sounds of their breathing.

The journey continued through the compound’s winding corridors until they emerged into the open air. The chilling growls of monsters echoed in the distance, sending shivers down their spines as they instinctively tightened their grips on their weapons.

At the compound’s edge, Ayra turned to Austin and gave a slight bow. Then, without a word, she veered off to the left, leading Garvin, Larry, Ethan, and Maya into the dense forest that loomed before them.

Scarlett and her group, on the other hand, were led by Austin to the right toward a yawning cave entrance.