The Control class of externalists is pretty unique. Unlike the combat, support, or swarm-based classes, the control class was infamous for being a headache on the battlefield.
They were a class focused on the battle of attrition, focusing more on trapping or impeding the progress of the enemy and controlling their movements. For this, the control class employed drones capable of creating illusions, sense disruptors, and their mechs were optimized to survive on the battlefield.
And at this moment, Yoshikov has employed all his techniques making it harder for Tarkov to pinpoint the location of snipers that had hidden while he was besieged by Yoshikov and the only other melee combatant left alive in his team.
Another hit and another dent on Tarkov's armor. But unlike when the bullet left a huge hole on Girisia's body. Nothing more happened.
'This bullet… I fell for feint again.' Twisting his eight magnetic swords in a lotus formation. Tarkov launched six of them in the directions he was sure of where the snipers were hiding while he sent the other two flying swords to the insect closely sticking to Yoshikov while he went on a direct offense with a chain sword.
The metal clashed against metal and none of Tarkov's attacks hit. Yoshikov was a step ahead of him and using his metallic tentacles, he deflected the magnetic swords hurling towards his companion.
"You are not even grade-three and you dare fight us alone?" Yoshikov found Tarkov's actions foolish. Even if he had a grade three mecha on his body, Tarkov couldn't utilize its power with his mere grade two strength.
And it can be seen from how Tarkov had been pushed back by their offensive.
"But I am not alone." Tarkov felt it was not a misdirection this time. He had felt a vibration in the air from a different direction. The players have started to attack.
And their focus was not on Yoshikov, it was on finding the snipers hidden in the forest.
"So you were all in cahoots from the start…" Yoshikov understood. His drones have detected the players' offensive against them.
They may not know where the snipers were as of yet. But with this small disturbance can create small problems going forward.
–"Eliminate them first."
He ordered the snipers, before starting his offense on Tarkov again.
Tarkov on the other hand felt relief, the offense of players has decreased some pressure on him, now all he needed to wait.
'No stop!' Girisia cried as he ate the last body he could find. The tentacles on his body started to wriggle in delight but his mind was still clouded by the things he had done just now.
Though, Yoshikov was not in the mood to give Girisia any time to relish his filled stomach.
The land where Girisia stood suddenly erupted as countless tentacles tried to wrap around his body. And he felt the same sensation again. A bullet aimed directly at his head.
Yoshikov has stopped pulling punches, he has learned that everything from the start may have been a ploy and Girisia may not be special.
He couldn't understand why Wilkis went so far and used such a complicated plan to end his life. But he was sure of Girisia's involvement in this fight. So he planned to end him before Girisia met with Tarkov.
Though it was too late, Yoshikov looked down on the current Girisia, his instincts were at a heightened mode and before the tentacles can bind Girisia's body, he jumped up in the sky, barely dodging the bullet that touched his toe.
The current Girisia was not like before. His most prided passive skill of danger discernment gave him precognition-like ability from danger.
And then, his tentacles flowed. The bulging tumors on his back brimming with explosive energy like stones fell on the tentacles on the ground. They didn't have much time to retract before being blown to shreds.
These heightened levels also gave Girisia an understanding of where his next prey was. His abilities gave him high immunity to Yoshikov's illusion. Same instincts that warned him of the other bullet which was aimed at his chest as he was dropping towards the ground.
If Girisia was in control, it would have been impossible to dodge. But his body was different. The animalistic nature inside him sensed the danger and twisted his body in weird shape mid-air, dodging the bullet once again not before his tail threw another explosive tumor in the direction of the shot at a velocity far higher than what his tentacles were capable of.
*Boom
'This… is unreal.' Even Girisia was surprised by the movements of his body. He was an externalist in his previous life. He had never used moves like this in his whole life.
'This is the chance, I should regroup with Tarkov.' Though Girisia thought like that, his body still didn't listen. Even though it was full now after its previous meal. The beast inside him was gluttonous, it wanted to consume more and the man hiding in the tree under the cover of Yoshikov was his next target.
So he ran, dodging the tentacles that burst from time to time, dodging the bullets that came his way.
'This is problematic.' Tarkov's endurance, for a grade-two, was more than he expected.
Now Girisia, who was taken down by him previously, also started to grow at a frightening pace.
–" Move from there"
In another corner of the forest.
–" Why me… why did that fucker have to tentacle r*pe me? All I wanted was to stick a rifle up his ass, nothing wrong with that."
–"Four died so fast… what is even the point of us being here? Our bullets can't even scratch any of them." Fu complained about the group chat while she ran for her life.
–"That's why we were brought here anyways, our job was to die and waste time. So don't just find a way to distract them." Amira said while sighing with boredom. She had become of the few unlucky ones that were shot.
–" We are going to die anyway, just one of us needs to stay alive for a quest to complete. All we need to do is waste as much time as we can." Spoon was the only calm and collected individual in the group at the moment. He had learned how high the strength difference between the tiers was.
They were just little flies whose job was to annoy and distract the enemy mobs until the true combatants finish them off.
***
Another explosion and Girisia ran, his back was filled with explosives anyway and none of the attacks of the sniper were able to hit him.
It even seemed that Yoshikov had backed off from him and no more tentacles burst out from the ground anymore as he smoothly made his way toward the sniper who seemed to be moving in the forest while shooting him at every 1.2 secs. A fast rate for a sniper but still too slow to make any difference.
<...>
[Cost: 150]
It seemed, even though his body was able to pinpoint the direction of the sniper. The false information his senses were fed harmed his body, accidentally activating his trait once again.
And this time's mutation was something special.
Slowly, countless eyes started forming on Girisia's body. Even the tentacles flowing on his body grew smaller eyes on them, and this spread through his whole body, and all of them worked.
Hence, Girisia experienced a sensory overload. But through his high wit-stat, Girisia adapted to it, fast.
He saw it. A small mecha with an oversized sniper mounted on his shoulder. The whole mecha had stealth plates covering his body, completely merging his body into the environment.
'Found you…' Girisia knew what was to come next. It was not an epic fight between the two, neither was feasting on the flesh once again, an experience he wanted to forget.
Instead, it was a trap. An idea that appeared on him was also conveyed to his animalistic will that had been controlling his body.
It sensed danger in the whole area. So instead of directly facing the man. Girisia jumped on the tree, dodging another bullet. His tentacles ripped off the remaining tumors and threw them all around the whole forest. Ignoring the sniper that had been aiming at his life all this while.
– 'Sir, this mutant sensed our plan..' The soldier said as it opened his defenses to face the shockwaves of the blast.
–" Then just run, I will hold him back."
As Girisia fell from the burning tree that broke under the impact of explosions, he saw it. The whole ground was littered with metallic tentacles. If not for Girisia's immunity to the explosion at the moment, Yoshikov would have used bombs directly instead of these tentacles.
'Take control, don't fall for it, and take control.' Dodging another bullet, Girisia shouted in his mind. Even if his current self was very efficient in his action, the goal of his body didn't match his own.
*Sweei
Another bullet flew and he had to give up his control once again. The sniper seemed to be taunting him and his actions and it worked, he started to pursue the guy who was good at running and hiding once again.
But what both of them didn't expect was an unknown variable.
*sweei.
Another sound of a sniper but it was not aimed at Girisia this time. Instead, the soldier in the mecha was hit on his chest throwing him off-balance in his escape.
They have entered the area where Tara was active. Playing hide and seek with the other sniper along with other players.
And Girisia and the man he hunted had entered their sphere of influence.
'Yes… good girl.' Even if the strengthening of her weapons were not up to par with a level 16 sniper, her weapon was still grade-two and it had enough force to throw Girisia's food off balance.
Giving the already fast Girisia an edge.
"I… am… Sorry!!" Girisia barely got these words out as his tentacles covered in hard carbonized armor started to tear at the armor of the mecha. But lacking his explosive tumors he didn't have a fast way to do it.
But it was enough, he had the bastard in his hand.
Girisia fought against the man's attempt to create distance, his vibration blade could only cut one of Girisia's tentacles before it was overwhelmed by it, his sniper. His shotgun, which was attached to his right wrist also lost its effect as Girisia's carapace was too hard for a level 16 to penetrate.
"NO… LET go…
He had seen what the mutant in front of him had done to his previous companions and its dripping saliva told him enough what will become of him if he doesn't escape.
*Sweei
Another bullet aimed at Girisia's head was fired. The other sniper had seen his companion in trouble and tried to help. But Girisia simply dodged it by tilting his head.
"I… Truly… I Am Sorry!" Girisia's tentacles started to tighten around the man's body who was gasping for his freedom. But nothing worked.
Even Yoshikov's tentacles were back and tried to stop Girisia. But they also couldn't do much, as Girisia jumped in the air taking his prey with him, sticking to a tree.
'This is a scary form.' Girisia understood at this point the horror of his abilities, specifically Danger discernment. It was a horrific ability.
And with that, Girisia started to chomp on the body of the man he captured.