The faster he became stronger, the faster he would achieve his goal.
Kael stared at the ten-meter-tall Behemech with a serious expression.
It was a grotesque hybrid of mechanical parts and a bloated, brown, fox-like creature. One of its ears was missing, sparks of electricity flashing from the shattered remnants.
The creature's nose had been obliterated by the relentless onslaught of high-penetration bullets. Its glowing, deep red eyes burned with malice, while its gaping maw was lined with razor-sharp teeth. It growled at the humans with palpable hatred.
Electricity crackled across the exposed parts of its flesh-and-metal body. Though it stood defiantly with its arms crossed, the unrelenting barrage of bullets chipped away at its metallic skin, forcing it to take small steps back.
Suddenly, the Behemech let out a deafening roar that seemed to rattle the entire forest. From its mouth, a black barrel emerged, red energy flashing through its body like a pulse.
"Watch out!" one of the ten suited humans shouted, and the group immediately scrambled for cover.
Kael followed suit, darting out of the attack's trajectory. He ducked behind a tree, watching as a blazing red beam struck the ground near a boulder.
"What the hell?!" Trey's panicked voice came from behind the rock. Shock was plastered across his face as he stared at the smoldering crater left by the attack, steam still rising from the scorched earth. Turning his gaze to the Behemech, his entire body trembled. Without wasting a second, he ducked back behind the rock just as the ground erupted again a few meters away.
"F*ck! F*ck!" Trey cursed in sheer terror.
Kael, however, glanced at the Behemech with an amused expression. "This fox is a coward… but it does pack a punch," he muttered.
This 'round' Behemech of a fox, despite its menacing appearance, was a coward by nature—especially when faced with something it couldn't defeat. That explained why the fight had dragged all the way into this forest.
But...
Kael's sharp eyes shifted to the two groups of Primers attacking the creature. Though they continued their assault with high-penetration bullets, it was clear they had better weapons they weren't using.
Kael observed the faces of the Primers and noticed how their eyes darted between each other as much as the Behemech.
"Oh, I see." Kael nodded, a cunning smile creeping onto his lips.
Slowly, he made his way toward the rock where Trey was hiding. He found the young man lying prone, his hands covering his head as if that would protect him.
"Hey," Kael called out.
Trey flinched at the sound of his voice, his body jerking in surprise. When he looked up and saw Kael, he let out a sigh of relief. "W-what?"
"Do you have a gun?" Kael asked casually.
"G-gun? Why do you need a gun?" Trey stammered, his confusion evident.
The sound of gunfire grew louder in the background, the intensity building as if the battle was reaching its peak.
"To have fun," Kael replied, grinning. "So… do you have one?"
Trey's confusion deepened, but Kael didn't wait for an answer. His gaze shifted back to the battlefield. The two groups of Primers were closing in on the Behemech, pushing it back with their relentless assault. Mechanical parts flew into the air as the creature roared in defiance.
"I have one," Trey nodded, pulling off his backpack and rummaging through it. A few seconds later, he pulled out a sleek black handgun. "Here, it's a Viperstrike handgun with micro-lattice bullets. It's not as good as high-penetration guns, but it's faster and has better accuracy."
"Thanks." Kael took the gun, examining it closely. Its design was sleek and straightforward, with an ergonomic grip that fit perfectly in his hand. He pressed a button, ejecting the magazine.
Small, iridescent bullets glimmered faintly under the light. They were smaller than standard ammunition, designed for compactness and high capacity.
Micro-lattice bullets… Kael recognized them instantly. His White Prime had been equipped with similar rounds. These bullets prioritized speed and precision, typically used with guns featuring advanced targeting systems.
Kael examined the Viperstrike more closely. While it appeared to have a targeting system, he doubted its efficiency. There was no way a basic handgun like this had the real deal. At best, it was a mediocre system that offered minimal assistance.
But even without a sophisticated targeting system, Kael was confident he could unleash the gun's full potential.
After inspecting the weapon for a few more moments, Kael turned and began walking back toward the clearing.
"Hey! What's your plan? Don't tell me you're going to join the fight with just a handgun?!" Trey shouted, standing up from behind the rock.
Kael waved dismissively without looking back. Trey was left speechless, muttering curses under his breath before diving back into cover as a stray bullet struck a tree just a few feet away.
---
Kael moved closer to the open clearing, where broken trees lay scattered like matchsticks. He stopped dozens of meters away from the ongoing firefight, a safe enough distance for his handgun to be effective.
He crouched behind a tree, observing the Primers as they surrounded the round, fox-like Behemech. His eyes lingered on the group that had taunted him earlier.
"Now, what'll happen if I pull this trigger?" Kael murmured, a sly grin spreading across his face as he raised the gun, aiming it toward the taunting group.
The two groups weren't fully committing to the fight against the Behemech. Instead, they attacked just enough to keep the monster at a disadvantage. Collectively, their firepower was sufficient to wear the creature down, but it was clear they were holding back.
Kael quickly pieced together their plan. Beyond defeating the Behemech, both groups wanted the same prize: the Growth Orb inside the Grade Two Behemech. Each group was waiting for the other to make the first mistake, to let their guard down.
Tension crackled in the air like a storm about to break. The atmosphere grew heavier with every passing moment.
Suddenly, a deafening explosion echoed through the forest. The Behemech swayed unsteadily as one of its knees erupted in a burst of flesh and metal.
As if fueled by adrenaline, the Primers shifted their focus to the Behemech's remaining legs. Their relentless assault caused the massive creature to crash to the ground, raising a cloud of dust.
"Focus on the head!" one of them shouted. The moment his words fell, the others unleashed a barrage of bullets aimed at the monster's skull. Once the Behemech was dead, the real fight for the prize would begin—a battle that would undoubtedly descend into a bloodbath between the two groups.
But the White Prime had no intention of letting them have their way.
Kael's finger rested lightly on the gun's trigger as he aimed at the nearest Primer.
He watched intently. When the Behemech's head seemed on the verge of exploding under the storm of gunfire, Kael knew it was time to disrupt their "fun."
Tension among the Exosuit wearers was palpable. Some had already reached for their secondary weapons, ready to turn them on the rival group the moment the Behemech fell.
Then, something unexpected happened.
No one knew who fired the shot or where it came from, but a bullet struck one of the Primers in the chest. Sparks flew as the Exosuit absorbed the impact, though the force nearly caused the wearer to stumble.
"Sh*t! They shot me!" the person yelled, turning to their group with wide eyes. His team immediately glared at the opposing group, the same one that had taunted Kael earlier.
"Focus on killing the monster first! We'll deal with them after!" barked the group leader, a deep frown etched on his face.
The injured Primer gritted his teeth, reluctantly holding back. But before he could regain his composure, another bullet slammed into his suit.
"They did it again! I swear, once we kill this monster, I'll—"
The third shot cut him off mid-sentence, striking him again with precision.
And it didn't stop there. More bullets rained down on him, each one chipping away at his restraint.
"F*ck this! I can't take it anymore! Die!"
Abandoning all pretense of patience, the furious Primer drew his main weapon and opened fire on the opposing group before the Behemech was even dead.
It was all the spark the situation needed. Chaos erupted as the two groups turned on each other, bullets flying in every direction.