Chapter 77: Got you
Leo yanked the knife free from the mutant’s chest.
Just as he was about to slash at the other mutant’s neck—
A new one-horned mutant suddenly appeared.
Its powerful kick shot straight toward Leo’s chest.
Leo immediately released the chain in his hand and crossed both forearms in front of his body.
Bang!
The kick landed heavily against his guard, forcing him several steps backward.
Before he could steady himself, another mutant burst out from his blind spot, its razor-sharp claws sweeping toward his head.
Leo instinctively leaned backward.
The claws missed his eyes by barely an inch.
The force of the swing stirred the air, producing a sharp whistling sound as they sliced past his face.
At that very moment, the mutant that had kicked him lunged forward again.
Leo gripped the Moonsteel Shortsword in a reverse grip and slashed upward.
The mutant sensed the danger and abruptly halted its charge before springing backward, narrowly avoiding the blade.
The second mutant attacked again without giving Leo a chance to breathe.
Leo kicked off the ground and leaped backward, widening the distance between them.
The claws once again cut through nothing but empty air.
The instant his feet touched the ground, Leo reached into his pouch.
A grenade appeared in his hand.
He pulled the pin with practiced ease and hurled it directly between the two one horned demons .
Without even looking back, he turned around and sprinted away with all his strength.
A heartbeat later,
Boom!
A deafening explosion erupted behind him.
The third mutant, which had just climbed back to its feet, was caught in the blast together with the other two.
A violent shockwave swept across the area as countless fragments tore through the air.
Leo wasn’t spared either.
The blast wave slammed into his back, lifting him off the ground.
Although the tactical armor blocked most of the shrapnel, it couldn’t completely absorb the force of the explosion.
His body rolled several times before finally coming to a stop.
A sharp ringing filled his ears.
His vision blurred for a brief moment, and dizziness assaulted his senses.
Fortunately, it only lasted a few seconds.
Leo gritted his teeth and forced himself back to his feet.
He tightened his grip around the Moonsteel Shortsword while drawing a Glock with his free hand.
Ignoring the dull ache throughout his body, he prepared to engage the surviving mutants that had begun surrounding both him and Nina.
Just as he was about to charge,
"Leave them to me!"
Nina’s voice rang out.
Leo glanced toward her.
At some point, ten mechanical crab-like machines had already gathered around her feet.
Without waiting for his response, Nina pointed toward the approaching mutants.
"Go!"
The mechanical crabs immediately scurried forward at astonishing speed.
Leo’s expression changed.
"Don’t!"
But he was too late.
The machines reached the mutants almost simultaneously.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
One after another, the crabs detonated, releasing powerful shockwaves that blasted every mutant several meters into the air.
Nina blinked in confusion.
She didn’t understand why Leo had tried to stop her.
Then...
Every mutant slowly climbed back to its feet.
Not one of them had died.
Their crimson eyes locked onto Nina at the same time.
As though responding to an invisible command, every one of them abandoned Leo and charged straight toward her.
Nina’s confident smile instantly froze.
Leo’s pupils contracted.
Without the slightest hesitation, he exploded forward, sprinting toward Nina with everything he had.
Soon, Leo intercepted the first one-horned mutant charging toward Nina.
Without slowing down, he swung the Moonsteel Shortsword straight at its neck.
The mutant reacted instantly, changing direction mid-charge as it raised its metallic claws to block.
Clang!
Sparks burst into the air the moment steel met claw.
But Leo had never intended for the sword to be the killing blow.
Almost simultaneously, he raised the Glock in his left hand.
Bang!
The bullet pierced straight through the mutant’s skull.
Its body jerked violently before being hurled backward.
Without pausing for even a heartbeat—
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Leo fired three more shots at the remaining mutants.
This time, the creatures reacted immediately.
Instead of charging recklessly, all three raised their armored forearms to intercept the bullets.
The gunfire forced them to halt for a brief moment.
That brief opening was all Leo needed.
In the blink of an eye, he crossed the remaining distance and positioned himself directly in front of Nina, shielding her from the approaching mutants.
Only then did Nina truly understand the severity of the situation.
Fear slowly crept into her eyes.
Until today, she had always fought under the protection of the Freedom Convoy.
She had wanted to prove that her inventions were powerful enough to stand beside everyone else.
But now...
Facing these monsters head-on...
She realized that overwhelming strength couldn’t be overcome by clever gadgets alone.
Without turning around, Leo spoke in a calm voice.
"How many of those orbs do you have left?"
Nina swallowed nervously.
"F-Four..."
"Can you decide when they explode?"
She nodded quickly.
"I can."
"Good."
"Release them."
"Have them follow me."
"When I give the signal..."
"Detonate every single one."
Without waiting for her reply, Leo tightened his grip on the Moonsteel Shortsword.
His figure shot forward once more.
Straight toward the advancing mutants.
Nina released the four remaining mechanical crabs. At once, the tiny machines scurried after Leo, staying close behind his heels.
The mutants advanced as well. The instant they took their first step, Leo kicked one of the crabs straight toward the three approaching demons.
Nina knew exactly what he was doing. Just as the crab slid into the center of the group,
Boom!
A violent shockwave erupted, throwing the three mutants in different directions.
Leo charged. While sprinting toward one of the airborne targets, he raised his Glock and fired four rapid shots at the other two.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Each mutant took two rounds to the chest. The bullets punched cleanly through their hearts, and both creatures crashed into the dirt. This time, neither of them stood back up.
Leo reached the third mutant before it could land on its feet. The Moonsteel Shortsword flashed.
Slash!
One arm flew from the mutant’s shoulder. Without losing his momentum, Leo pivoted and delivered another strike. The second arm hit the ground.
The mutant let out a shrill cry of agony. Leo stepped in close and drove the blade straight into its heart, twisting the hilt. Black blood gushed from the creature’s mouth before the crimson glow in its eyes slowly faded.
Just then,
Bang!
A gunshot echoed from behind. Leo spun around. A one-horned mutant had somehow slipped past him, closing to within a few meters of Nina. She had fired in desperation, but the shot went wide.
Leo’s eyes narrowed. He went to kick another mechanical crab toward the creature, but froze. The mutant was too close to Nina.
Even if the explosion killed it, he wasn’t sure she would survive the shockwave.
In that split second, Leo made his choice. With a sharp flick of his wrist, he hurled the Moonsteel Shortsword like a spear.
The blade streaked through the air.
Psst!
It pierced straight through the mutant’s skull. The creature’s body collapsed before it could take another step.
At that exact moment, a cold voice sounded behind Leo.
"Got you."
Ziiikh!
A razor-sharp blade burst through his back, tearing through his tactical armor and emerging from his chest.
Leo’s body stiffened. A mouthful of blood spilled from his lips.