With the sun up, Rex had no buffs. No shadows to cling to. He also couldn't unleash the entirety of his transformation out of risk of being caught on some hidden camera. As unlikely as it was, he wasn't interested in the risk.
So he kept it simple. As he dashed through the jungle, he let his muscles expand and thin bits of fur spread down his arms and legs beneath his martial-skin. The veins in the suit bulged and twisted. The mana stone at the nape of his neck steamed and spit magical flame. He kept his axes sheathed at his back and let his claws lengthen, splitting his cuticles comfortably.
The goblin screamed and blew through a hog-tusk horn to alert his allies.
The noise was booming in the rustling day jungle ambience.
"I can't let that happen too many times." Rex reached behind himself and pulled free one of his axes. Division based on the more aggresive blade and longer handle. It's smooth curve and shine was brilliantly modest.
He reared the axe back, listening with his enhanced senses to the humanoid monster's footsteps in the jungle ahead. He could smell its fear.
[Predator's Frenzy: 30%….]
His strength climbed a percentage.
His senses magnified, taking in focused scents of rotted wood and the chemical smell of insect blood.
A fallen tree. Old.
The goblin jumped. Assumedly over the tree in its path.
He saw it rise just above the bushes and jungle density. The first goblin he'd seen that wasn't on the pages of a newspaper or screen in a Drift Soldier ad. It was tall, leaf green and lanky. Taller than Rex by a foot and lighter than him by about forty kilos. It's fatless scarred skin was tribally marked and stretched tight over thin muscle. Most of it was covered in a hog pelt but he could see what mattered.
Without a moments hesitation, he threw his axe.
It whistled through the air in a blur before slamming into the goblin's spine.
It sounded like a butcher chopping meat. The goblin yelped and hit the ground.
Rex closed the remaining distance by pouncing on the twitching goblin. He crushed its windpipe with a palm strike to the back of its neck and then carried the creature up a tree to be eaten.
Partially to avoid Imani's gaze and to escape the line of sight out in the open.
No longer than a minute later and he dropped from the tree, leaving the partially consumed goblin above. He didn't have the time.
"Goblins taste horrible." Rex said.
[+80 EXP]
"I'd assume your palette would enjoy the taste of all manner of prey including humanoids. Must be a mental thing." Imani said.
Before Rex could reply— not that he would, something in the distance let out a scream that slowly began shifting into a monstrous roar.
Imani was robotically unfazed, "Speaking of mental things. You killed a Cherished One. An Elder."
Rex nodded, "That's right. Goblin Tribes in South American regions view the pig as a godlike figure. A symbol of greed and gluttony prevailing. Cherished Ones are Goblin shamans of sorts— noted by their hog or pig pelt cloaks. Spiritual counselors, bestowers of powers known as Greeds, and most loved members. They're to be protected or reveered. I killed their champion and ate it."
"Now many of the Goblin Warrior tribesmen will turn into—"
"EEEURRRRRAGHHHHH!" A giant roared.
"Orcs. They'll turn into Orcs." Rex replied in a low growl as his hackles raised
"You wanted this?" Imani asked.
"Hell yea."
"For what? We only have about fifteen minutes left till lunch ends."
"More experience.... I think." Rex replied before thinking, "That's how it worked with the Drakes."
"Experience?"
"Just come on." Rex hauled Imani over his shoulder and climbed the nearest tree.
"Put me down!" Imani said, sounding flustered as he did.
She kept her hands on her sheathed blade.
"So, do you have any ranged weapons?" Rex whispered.
"No. I didn't think we were shooting Orcs today. It wasn't on any syllabus." Imani replied.
"That's fine. Be my eyes." Rex pulled out his modernized military throwing axes, placing the spines together swiftly.
In a technological shift and blend of wires, compartments and barrels, the axes became a bladed scepter-cannon.
He shut his eye and looked down the iron sight towards the stomping approach of the enemies in the distance.
Less than a handful of seconds later, a massive steaming green shape ripped through the foiliage.
The first Orc he'd seen in person. Seven feet tall, over two hundred and seventy five pounds of leathery greenish brown skin with sectional fur and tusks splitting the beasts growling lips. It stamped its hooves and snorted, trying to spook the enemy. Trying to spook Rex.
The only problem was he fought a god two days ago. He was cool as ever. Aim still as stone. Sights rested on the back of its veiny bald head.
Rex pulled the double trigger unlatched out of the bottom of the axe handles and felt the recoil of the double barrel sniper axe.
It fired an incendiary round based on the smell of sulfur and other accelerants. The blur of red whistled through the air and crashed into the Orcs head.
The Orc grunted and stumbled forward bleeding from its head.
"So dense…." Rex thought before firing six more times.
The orc took four more hits before running back into the jungle density.
Immediately, he was replaced by another going on the offensive.
"Target coming from the east, another Orc. Wielding a spear. Composite Meteorite metal blade. Beware of spacial capabilities." Imani said.
Rex transformed further, enhancing his sensory abilities before activating, (Blade Sense) and taking aim again to the east.
With his skill active, he could now feel the distance and shape of the blade the Orc was wielding. It was bigger than his head.
He fired preemptively, watching a few bushes below catch fire as it ripped into the jungle.
The Orc zigzagged, clearly more intelligent in its rage than the last who'd begun throwing stones and fruits across the jungle.
Rex continued firing until he was only hearing the sounds of his finger pulling the trigger.
"Empty. Should've remembered the ammo count." Rex said before going on the move and jumping to the next branch with Imani.
As his feet left the tree, the Orc tackled the tree, toppling it entirely from the force of the impact.
Rex turned on his heels as he landed in the branches of the next tree and threw a jungle-fire ball into the felled tree. From the stump and grounds below, new life flourished, cutting into and ensnaring the Orc.
"Come on." Rex ran.
Imani followed.
Rex reloaded, slamming a new clip into the base of the scepter-cannon and sped up, flipping through the wooden and flowery network of trees until he was closing in on the other Orc who was screaming curses and throwing giant jungle objects ahead blindly. The smell of the beasts sweat and blood was blinding.
[Predator's Frenzy: 60%…]
Rex raised his scepter-cannon like a battle-axe and leapt. The increase of his frenzy boosted his physical output. He grew larger and his jaw extended into a crude snout. He exploded off the tree with so much force the branch broke. He rose up above the canopy. In a halfhearted panic, he took aim and fired again. The clip emptied faster than before, stunning the orc from the repeated high temperature blunt force impacts to the head.
As he descended on the stunned Orc, he brought his bladed weapon down on its bleeding and bruised head.
The Orc's head split like watermelon. But only halfway. Blood squirted and splashed across his face. The size difference left his feet hanging off the ground.
He dug his toe claws into its back and crawled up to rip his axe free from its head and backflip off the brute.
He landed expecting to hear the Orc hit the ground dead. Instead, it was twitching, still standing as it groaned like it woke up from a bad hangover.
"No way."
Behind him, another snorted, no less than a yard away.
Rex split his gun back into axes, knowing the close quarters battle awaiting.
Beside him, Imani landed, still not unsheathing her sword.
"Next time, we should plan this a bit better."
"How much time left?"
The Orc turned with half its head split down the middle. One of its wild yellow eyes rolled around like a struck pinball. Half of its body was out of sync and twitching like a nerve was pinched. The veins there slithered and knotted. Somehow, it looked more dangerous than before. Angrier with its bone pierced nose and black teeth. As angry as the two other Orcs that came from the back line, marked by berry paints and animal blood. One of which carried feral dog-apes in dried intestinal nets. They were known as beast bombs. Living infected explosives— an idea spurred on by Goblins proximity to Drift Soldiers.
"This was not part of the plan." Rex thought.
Then he transformed to the fullest of his capabilities.
Imani finally replied, seemingly finished calculating her own aspects of the battle to come.
"Ten minutes."
Rex raised his axes and roared jungle-fire.