Grand Olympia: Further Horizon - Chapter 12: Roar
The air itself trembled.
All across the battlefield—from warriors locked in combat to those hidden in the shadows—everyone felt it.
A scaly black serpent, larger than anything they had encountered thus far, coiled its massive body high into the air.
Its jagged obsidian scales gleamed under the dim sunlight, its body lined with pulsating veins of molten red, as if fire coursed through its very flesh.
Then—it opened its maw.
A deafening, earth-shaking roar erupted from its throat, a sound so vast and powerful that it rattled the bones of every living thing in the vicinity.
Edward, however, reacted differently.
"Oh, f*ck that."
His grin faded, replaced by a look of genuine concern. He cracked his neck, rolled his shoulders, and let out a sigh. "Y'know, as much fun as this little brawl has been, I ain't about to stick around for whatever the hell that thing is."
He turned on his heel. "I'm out."
Zheng Yi Sao, perched on a broken tree branch nearby, whistled low.
"That's the first smart thing I've heard you say all day."
…
Billy's finger twitched on his revolver.
His body remained still, but every fiber of his being screamed at him to run.
"Sh*t… my gut is saying me to get the hell outta here."
But he didn't move. His feet remained planted, his eyes locked on the massive serpent now rising over the battlefield.
The woman with the spear, who had been toying with him just moments ago, had stopped as well.
She turned her head toward the cliffside, and for the first time since they had met—Billy saw her expression change. She still had a smile on her face but it was frozen.
It wasn't just a shock. It was understanding. Like she had seen this before.
She exhaled with a smile, tightening her grip on her spear. "wo cao."
Billy raised an eyebrow. "What the hell does that mean?"
She finally looked at him, her expression no longer teasing, but serious.
"It means we're f*cked."
…
Jeanne and Fu Hao, positioned right next to the cliffside, had a clear view of the monstrous onyx serpent.
Fu Hao, who had been resting against a tree with her arms crossed, immediately sprang up, her hand moving to the hilt of her small jade axe.
"By the gods… Holy sh*t."
Jeanne, ever the warrior of faith, gripped the spear tighter. She had fought many battles, seen the horrors of war, but this—this was different.
"This is not just another beast," she murmured. "This is something beyond nature."
Fu Hao clicked her tongue. "Great. As if this whole damn bloodbath wasn't already chaotic enough."
Jeanne turned to her. "We need to regroup."
Fu Hao gritted her teeth, her instincts battling against her pride.
But she knew Jeanne was right. Fighting each other could wait. Surviving came first.
Then the monstrous onyx serpent scarlet eye locks on into Fu Hao and Jeanne position! Fu Hao noticed this grab Jeanne hand and bolted to the other direction.
Then the onyx serpent let out a screeching roar.
…
A massive, onyx-scaled serpent with scarlet eyes, fifty meters long, slithered through the shattered forest like a living nightmare. Its body coiled and uncoiled with terrifying speed, its monstrous form bulldozing through trees, splintering them into dust.
At the front of this deathly pursuit, two figures ran at full speed—their shining armor gleaming under the dimming sky.
Jeanne d'Arc, her flowing cape billowing, gripped her spear tightly, its flag fluttering with each desperate step.
Beside her, Fu Hao, clad in a Chinese-style clothing with an overcoat loose in her shoulders, her small jade axe clenched in one hand, ran with pure adrenaline pumping through her veins.
Behind them, death loomed.
The serpent's monstrous maw opened, its sheer size capable of swallowing a three-story house whole. The air hissed violently as its forked tongue flicked outward, tasting their fear.
Fu Hao, despite her exhaustion, snarled through clenched teeth. "This is bullsh*t! I'm not dying like a f*cking rat!"
Jeanne, internally praying for divine intervention, mentally screamed:
"May God bless me! May God bless all!"
Watching all of this at a short distance ahead, George Washington crouched low, his sharp eyes locked onto the incoming beast.
His modified rifle was already in his hands, the barrel glinting with faint traces of heat. Unlike some of the other sharpshooters, George wasn't the best marksman. He wasn't a sniper who could land a precise kill shot. But he was damn good at harassing his enemies and would seize the moment to strike.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
His rifle barked, sending a volley of bullets toward the serpent's head. Each shot struck its face, forcing the monster to slow ever so slightly, its massive, lidless eyes blinking from the impacts. It was enough to buy them in a short time.
Jeanne and Fu Hao, still running at full speed, felt the pressure ease just slightly.
"Damn it, George, keep going! Blind the f*cker if you can!" Fu Hao shouted between breaths.
George didn't answer. He simply nodded toward the left—toward the cliffside. Then, without hesitation, he turned and sprinted.
Jeanne and Fu Hao followed immediately, their feet pounding against the ground as they veered toward the cliff's edge.
The serpent roared.
With horrifying speed, it adjusted its pursuit, slithering toward them like a bullet train. Its gaping maw widened, revealing rows of curved, blade-like fangs.
Down below, the rest of the participants momentarily pause their brutal clashes.
Musashi, Lapulapu, and Yasuke were still locked in their three-way battle, but all looked at the direction of the roar.
Edward Teach, his large chain-whip anchor still in hand, glanced up from his fight and froze. Zheng Yi Sao, standing nearby, tilted her head, watching the scene unfold with wide amusement.
From the distance, Billy the Kid lowered his revolver, staring in utter disbelief. The same with the spear woman up top of the trees.
Above them—
Three figures emerged over the cliffside. Then stop at their tracks and jump sideways.
And right behind them—
A f*cking titanic serpent past through the three of them and jump off the cliff and now barreling straight down at them.
Edward was the first to break the silence.
"WHAT IN THE SEVEN SEAS ARE YOU DOING?! DON'T BRING THAT THING HERE!"
Billy, still staring, threw his hands in the air.
"I KNEW IT! This goddamn president ruins everything—just like every other president!"
The spear-wielding woman, standing the top of the tree distance from him, exhaled heavily, rubbing her temples.
"I shouldn't be here," she muttered.
Musashi, wiping a streak of blood from his cheek, simply grinned.
"Oh? Interesting."
Lapulapu, standing firm, examined the descending beast with mild curiosity.
"It looks delicious. I wonder if it's poisonous?"
Yasuke, breathing heavily behind his mask, said nothing.
His entire body was tense, his grip tightening on his onyx steel kanabo.
The chaotic moment was interrupted by laughter.
Zheng Yi Sao cackled, clutching her stomach.
"BAHAHAHA! I like this! Absolute f*cking madness!
Above, at the cliff's edge—
George, standing tall with a nonchalant expression, gave a casual thumbs-up.
Next to him, Fu Hao, grinning wildly, raised her own thumbs-up.
Jeanne, panting heavily, hesitated.
Then, with a guilty expression, she awkwardly lifted a thumbs-up as well.
The serpent crashed into the sea of explosives. The massive onyx python slammed into the war-torn ground, its tail whipping wildly, obliterating the surrounding terrain.
BOOM!
Explosions erupted as the serpent's weight triggered several hidden landmines, sending flames and debris into the sky.
The entire battlefield was thrown into utter chaos.
Musashi and Lapulapu leaped back, avoiding a blast of shattered earth. Yasuke shielded his face, standing firm despite the force.
Edward barely avoided being crushed, rolling away just in time. Zheng Yi Sao flipped effortlessly away, laughing all the while.
Billy, meanwhile, dove into a nearby trench, narrowly dodging a massive boulder that flew past his head.
"THIS IS SOME BULLSH*T!" he yelled.
The serpent, enraged and disoriented, let out a bloodcurdling hiss. Its massive body twisted, its tail lashing out violently, tearing through trees and shattered ruins alike. Unstoppable force has now appeared in the midst of chaos.