Chapter 17: MASKED BANDITS
As the masked bandits approached, Rico roared and transformed into his beast form. He was a massive and ferocious half-man, half-gorilla, towering over the bandits. He instructed Taizen, Mionara and the other agents to unsheathe their weapons and prepare for battle.
Taizen drew his katana and charged forward, slicing through the first bandit's gun with ease before plunging his blade deep into the man's chest. Mionara, wielding his two swords, dashed forward in a blur of steel, deflecting bullets with his blades before unleashing a flurry of deadly strikes, each one finding its mark.
Blood sprayed and screams filled the air as the two agents battled the masked bandits, their weapons slicing through flesh and bone with deadly precision. The bandits fought back fiercely, but they were no match for the well-trained and highly skilled agents of the Beast Squadron.
In the end, the ground was littered with the bodies of the defeated bandits. Taizen and Mionara stood, panting and covered in blood, as Rico reverted to his human form and checked on Fiona's injuries. The air was thick with the stench of death, and the only sounds were the labored breathing of the agents and the groans of the wounded.
As the squad fought their way through the bandits, a new wave approached, more ruthless and brutal than the last. Taizen wielded his katana with deadly precision, slicing through the attackers with ease. But suddenly, a bandit broke through the ranks and charged towards Taizen. With lightning-fast reflexes, Taizen dodged the first attack, but the bandit launched himself into the air and came down with a powerful kick that sent Taizen flying into a nearby tree. The impact was sickening, and Taizen's body crumpled to the ground, blood oozing from his mouth. The squad leader, Rico, let out a feral roar as he charged towards the bandit, his gorilla form now radiating a fiery aura of anger and fury.
The bandit leader landed on the ground and sneered at the squad, revealing a sinister grin. "Well, well, well. Looks like we have some powerful intruders here. I suggest you turn back now before I make things really messy."
Rico roared and charged towards the bandit, his gorilla-like form giving him immense strength. The bandit dodged with ease and countered with a punch, but Rico deflected it with his massive arm.
Mionara, wielding his two swords, lunged at the bandit from the side, but the bandit was too quick and evaded the attack. With lightning-fast movements, the bandit closed in on Mionara and struck him with a series of deadly blows. Blood splattered everywhere as Mionara struggled to keep up with the bandit's speed and power.
The bandit leader charged towards Mionara with his weapon, swinging it at him in a deadly arc. Mionara quickly dodged and parried the attack with his swords, their blades clashing with a loud metallic sound. Meanwhile, the bandit leader relentlessly attacked Rico, who managed to block his strikes with his massive arms.
The bandit leader then unleashed a flurry of punches at Rico, but the gorilla-beast was able to withstand them all. He then counter-attacked with a powerful punch of his own, sending the bandit leader staggering back. Mionara saw the opportunity and launched a swift strike with his swords, aiming for the bandit leader's heart.
But the bandit leader was quick, dodging the attack and retaliating with a swift kick to Mionara's stomach. Mionara groaned in pain and stumbled backwards, his swords clattering to the ground. The bandit leader took advantage of the opening and charged towards him with his weapon raised high.
Rico roared and charged towards the bandit leader, his massive fists raised. The bandit leader swung his weapon at Rico, but the gorilla-beast managed to grab it with his powerful arms and disarm him. With a quick motion, Rico threw the weapon away and delivered a powerful uppercut to the bandit leader's chin, sending him flying through the air.
Taizen, recovering from the earlier attack, ran towards the bandit with his katana drawn. He joined the fight alongside Rico and Mionara, and together they unleashed a barrage of attacks on the bandit. But the bandit was unfazed, his inner making him nearly invincible.
The fight was intense and brutal. The bandit dodged, countered, and struck with deadly precision, leaving the squad members battered and bleeding. But they didn't give up. They fought on, fueled by their determination to protect their mission and each other.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the bandit stumbled and fell to the ground, defeated. The squad members gathered around him, panting heavily and covered in wounds.
"Looks like we underestimated you," the bandit muttered, coughing up blood. "But don't think this is over. There will be more like me."
The squad leader approached him, his expression stern. "We're not afraid of your kind. We will do whatever it takes to complete our mission and eliminate your terrorist group."
With that, the squad leader gave the signal to move on. They left the defeated bandit behind and continued their journey towards the outskirts of Delria.
After receiving medical attention from her sister Rioana, Fiona had recuperated and was now prepared to resume the mission.
Mionara: "Taizen, that was insane. We just killed so many people back there."
Taizen: "Yeah, it was our first time. But we have to remember that we're fighting for a greater cause. We can't let our emotions get in the way."
Mionara: "I know, but it's just hard to believe that we're capable of this kind of violence."
Taizen: "We have to be. We're going up against some of the strongest and most dangerous opponents. We have to do whatever it takes to survive and complete our mission."
Mionara: "I just hope we're ready for what's to come. I have a feeling it's going to get much worse before it gets better."
Taizen: "Agreed. We have to stay sharp and focused. We can't let our guard down for a second. The next battle could be our last."
As they were leaving the scene of the bloody battle, Rico noticed one of the masked bandits who was still breathing. He knew they needed information to plan for the rest of the journey. "You there, tell me if there are any more outposts like this on our remaining journey," Rico demanded, grabbing the bandit by his shirt.
The bandit spat in Rico's face and sneered, "Go to hell, you dirty beast."
Rico's eyes narrowed in anger and he tightened his grip on the bandit's shirt. "I'll give you one last chance. Tell me what I want to know or face the consequences."
But the bandit remained stubbornly silent, and Rico's fury boiled over. He began to torture the man for answers, causing Taizen to turn away in disgust. "Stop, Rico. This isn't the way," he said firmly.
Rico ignored him and continued to inflict pain on the bandit until he finally revealed the location of the next outpost. Rico let him go, warning him not to cross their path again.
As they continued on their journey, Taizen couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. They had faced tough opponents already, but what lay ahead was even more dangerous. He turned to Mionara, "I can't shake off this feeling that things are going to get worse. We have to be ready for anything."