Chapter 3: The Gorilla King
Colt had been walking for hours, his feet sore and his stomach growling. He wiped his brow and looked around. "This jungle's never-ending," he muttered. But then, through the thick trees ahead, he saw something strange: a glowing light.
"Well, well, well," Colt said with a grin. "What's this? A hidden treasure? A secret temple? Maybe a jungle lemonade stand?" He quickened his pace, excitement bubbling inside him.
As he approached, the light grew brighter, and he realized it wasn't some mystical artifact—it was a giant clearing. In the center stood a massive gorilla, bigger than any he'd ever seen, sitting on a giant stone throne. It had fur that shone gold in the sunlight and eyes that glowed with authority. Around the gorilla were smaller gorillas, all of them staring at Colt as if he were a fly they were about to squash.
"Oh boy," Colt whispered to himself, taking a slow step back. "I think I found the boss level."
The gorilla king stood up, towering over the others. It beat its chest and growled deeply, causing the ground to shake. "You dare enter my domain, tiny human?" The king's voice boomed, causing the trees to tremble.
Colt swallowed hard but quickly pulled himself together. "Uh, nope! I'm not daring. I'm just... walking through! You know, just passing by. Nothing to see here!"
The gorilla king stepped forward, its eyes narrowing. "You are not from this jungle. You do not belong here. And that means... you must prove yourself."
Colt's heart pounded. "Oh, great. I knew I was too loud with all my talking. Look, big guy, I didn't mean to—"
But before he could finish, the gorilla king let out a deafening roar. The smaller gorillas charged forward, circling Colt. His mind raced. "Okay, okay, think, Colt. You've got gadgets. You've got skills. And you've got that... uh... courage thing. Yeah, you can do this!"
The first gorilla lunged at Colt, but he quickly dodged and pulled out a small device from his bag. "Laser shield, activate!" he shouted, pressing the button. The shield shot up in front of him just in time to block a giant paw swipe.
"Yes!" Colt cheered, but his victory was short-lived as another gorilla tried to sneak up from behind. Colt spun around and tossed a tiny smoke bomb. It went off with a puff of thick black smoke, confusing the gorillas.
"Now's my chance!" Colt darted between the smoke and sprinted toward the king's throne. He spotted a large vine hanging from a tree overhead. "Just like swinging into the mud pit with the eagle!" he grinned, leaping up and grabbing the vine. He swung high, launching himself toward the throne.
The gorilla king growled and swiped at Colt, but Colt used the momentum to flip over the king's head and land behind him. He quickly reached for a gadget strapped to his waist—a net launcher—and aimed it at the gorilla king.
The net shot out, tangling the gorilla's legs. "Ha! Gotcha!" Colt laughed, but his victory was cut short when the king roared in fury. The king struggled to free itself, and Colt's eyes widened. "Uh-oh, this net wasn't designed for this kind of king-sized trouble!"
The king broke free with a mighty tug, sending Colt tumbling backward. "Time to run!" Colt shouted, leaping to his feet.
With the gorilla king hot on his heels, Colt dashed toward a cliff edge in the clearing. He turned, heart racing, and spotted a rope bridge leading to a distant hill. "I'm not exactly sure how stable that bridge is," Colt thought out loud, "but it's my only option!"
He charged toward the bridge, the gorilla king right behind him, growling in fury. Just as Colt reached the edge, he leaped onto the bridge, barely avoiding the king's outstretched claws.
The bridge creaked under his weight as Colt sprinted across. The gorilla king reached the edge and bellowed, but the bridge was too far for him to cross. "Better luck next time, buddy!" Colt called out over his shoulder.
As Colt made it to the other side, he paused to catch his breath, peering back at the gorilla king, who stood at the cliff edge, glaring in defeat. "Phew, that was close."
He dusted himself off and adjusted his bag. "Well, that was definitely one way to say 'hello' to the jungle. Let's just hope the west isn't full of more giant animals."
With a grin, Colt continued on his journey, unaware that the adventure ahead would be even crazier than the one he just survived.