Grand Olympia: Further Horizon - Chapter 16: Fear
The battlefield was ruined beyond recognition.
The once-thriving forest had been torn apart, craters marking the earth, and the air was thick with the stench of blood, poison, and smoke.
Despite the countless wounds, despite the hell they had endured, despite the fallen, the warriors stood their ground.
This was the first time the serpent had ever felt true resistance. The first time in its long existence that death seemed possible.
It was dying. It knew it. And for the first time—It felt fear.
The serpent's great body trembled, its once impenetrable scales cracked and bleeding. Its massive scarlet eyes, now dimmed with pain, flickered between the warriors that refused to fall.
Lapulapu's shield dripped with green venom, yet he stood tall.
Musashi's wooden swords were stained dark, yet he remained steady.
Yasuke's kanabo had had few dents, but his grip was still unshaken.
Fu Hao's axe was chipped, but her smirk never faded.
Jeanne's breath was heavy, but her spear was still raised.
Qin Liangyu's segmented spear spun lightly in her hand, waiting for an opening.
From above, Billy and George reloaded, covering the battlefield with fire.
Even with poison burning their lungs, even with their bodies on the verge of collapse—None of them backed down. And that—more than their weapons, more than their attacks—was what terrified the beast.
A creature cornered is always the most dangerous. The massive onyx serpent, sensing its own impending death, let out a shriek that shattered the air.
It lunged forward in a wild frenzy, snapping at anything that moved.
Lapulapu barely raised his shield in time, bracing himself as the serpent's fangs clamped down with crushing force. The sheer impact sent him skidding backward, his heels digging trenches into the battered earth.
But the peerless warrior did not falter.
With unwavering determination, he thrust his kampilan forward in rapid succession, each strike piercing the beast's thick hide. His blade bit into the serpent's snout, its eyes, its jaw—forcing the massive creature to recoil in pain.
As the serpent jerked back, hissing in fury, its gaze snapped toward the next threat—
Musashi.
The legendary swordsman closed the distance in a blur, his movements as fluid as flowing water.
The serpent, sensing the danger, lunged at him with terrifying speed, its monstrous fangs gleaming with venom. But Musashi had already predicted its attack.
He sidestepped effortlessly, barely a breath away from death. A single razor-sharp fang grazed his cheek, a thin line of blood trailing down his face.
He did not flinch.
He did not hesitate.
With a sharp exhale, Musashi unleashed a flurry of precise, lethal cuts, his wooden swords moving like extensions of his own body.
His slashes tore through already-damaged scales, widening old wounds, carving deep into the serpent's exposed flesh. Each swing of his dual swords is like an artistry.
The beast shrieked, its body convulsing from the pain. But it refused to go down. With a wild flick of its tail, it struck back—And Musashi was sent flying.
Musashi crashed into the ground, rolling upon impact, landing in a crouch. Before he could regain his footing, a shadow loomed over the battlefield.
Yasuke.
The towering warrior had already taken his position. With a deep breath, he lifted his kanabo high above his head—
And brought it crashing down. The heavy black iron met the serpent's skull with a deafening crack.
The ground trembled. The beast's head whipped to the side, its massive body reeling from the devastating blow.
A hiss of agony escaped its throat. For the first time in this battle—it looked shaken.
Its mind, once filled with primal rage, was now clouded with something far worse.
Fear.
But a cornered beast is the most dangerous kind. With one last act of desperation—
The serpent slammed its tail against the earth with monstrous force. The ground ruptured beneath them, sending stone and shattered debris flying in every direction.
A cloud of thick dust and smoke engulfed the battlefield, blinding everyone.
It was trying to escape. This was its last gamble. To either kill them all.
Through the chaos, a single voice cut through the storm.
Musashi.
"Enough."
The others turned to him.
His body was battered, his breath ragged, but his eyes—His eyes burned with something else.
A challenge.
"If we let this thing go, we'll never get another chance."
He adjusted his grip on his swords.
"We finished this."
Lapulapu grunted, spitting blood onto the ground.
"A warrior does not let their prey escape."
Yasuke, rolling his shoulders, grinned beneath his mask.
"I've fought demons before. This one's just taking longer to kill."
Fu Hao cracked her neck, flames in her eyes.
"Heh. You had me at 'finish this.'"
Jeanne closed her eyes, muttering a prayer—then readied her spear.
Qin Liangyu flipped her spear between her fingers.
"This thing's had enough chances."
Billy reloaded his revolver, grinning.
"Well, damn. Guess I better make these shots count."
George exhaled sharply, setting his sights on the beast's head.
"We make it suffer first."
The serpent hesitated. It could feel their intent. And for the first time—It wanted to run.
The battlefield was a ruined wasteland, the ground cracked and torn from the relentless violence. The air reeked of blood, burning flesh, and poison, a sickening mixture that clung to the lungs of those still standing.
The once-mighty serpent, a colossal beast of scales and death, thrashed wildly, its massive form wracked with agony.
Its roars, once deafening and filled with wrath, were now broken and strained—desperate. A sound not of fury—But of fear.
For the first time since the battle began—It wanted to flee. It coiled its massive body back, the instinct to survive overpowering it's bloodlust.
It would escape.
It would live.
But Lapulapu would not allow it. As the massive beast attempted to retreat into the ruins of the battlefield, its wounded body writhing, he moved.
With ironclad resolve, he slammed his shield down, the weight of his sheer strength pinning the serpent's body to the earth.
The impact sent a shockwave through the ground, dust exploding outward as the beast jerked violently, screeching. But it could not move.
"You will not leave this battlefield alive."
His words were not a threat. They were an absolute truth.
Musashi dashed forward.
His breath was steady, his gaze sharp, his movements precise. He had fought countless battles, had seen the dance of death more times than he could count.
And now—He delivered the final strokes of this masterpiece.
His twin swords flashed.
Not a single motion was wasted.
Each slash carved deep, severing tendon, scale, and flesh, widening every wound the serpent had suffered.
It screeched, its blood splattering across the battlefield, staining Musashi's white clothing in dark green.
But he never stopped.
His body moved as if possessed, as if this was the fight he had been searching for all his life.
Yasuke followed next.
Towering, bloodied, yet unyielding—he moved with brutal efficiency.
He swung his kanabo high, the weapon gleaming under the fading sunlight, before bringing it down with all his might.
The sound of impact echoed across the battlefield. A sickening crunch followed.
The beast shuddered violently, its bones fracturing beneath the monstrous force. It convulsed, its body flinching—but it did not die.
Qin Liangyu was next.
Her three-section spear spun fiercely, the weapon a blur of silver and steel.
She moved like a tempest, her weapon striking in swift, precise flurries, attacking every exposed weak point. Every strike dug deeper, breaking apart the very foundation of the serpent's strength.
Her expression was unreadable, but her eyes—Her eyes burned with conviction.
Jeanne tightened her grip on her spear. Her hands trembled, her body screamed at her to stop—
But she refused to falter. With a final, desperate effort, she thrust her spear forward, straight into the serpent's remaining eye.
The tip buried itself deep, and for the first time—The beast howled in agony.
It was completely blind. Its massive body lurched violently, its roars now hollow and filled with terror.
Billy watched from afar, gripping his revolver tightly.
"This is it."
He took one deep breath.
He pulled the trigger. The bullet ripped through the air, spiraling toward its mark.
BANG!
A single shot—
Straight into an exposed, gaping wound. The serpent twitched violently, its body convulsing from the precise, calculated shot.
It was falling apart.
George exhaled slowly, calming his heartbeat.
His rifle was steady. His hands did not waver. He aimed at the beast's massive, pulsing heart—
BANG!
The bullet pierced through, disappearing into the serpent's massive frame. For a moment—nothing. Then—The beast lurched.
Fu Hao stood atop the wreckage, her axe gripped tightly in both hands.
The weight of the battle, the exhaustion, the pain—None of it mattered.
She had fought too hard, to let it survive now. She raised her weapon high, muscles burning from the strain.
She screamed, pouring every ounce of remaining strength into one, devastating strike. The axe fell—
The serpent screeched one final time. It wasn't dead—Not yet. But its end was coming. And for the first time—It knew it.