LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 4: Apex Predator
Chapter 4 - Apex predator
[Hong Kong – 2025]
The city of Hong Kong, a vibrant hub of commerce and culture, was now a battleground. Two Kaiju, codenamed Otachi (Category IV) and Leatherback (Category IV), had emerged from the breach, tearing through the city's harbor and wreaking havoc.
Three Jaegers – Crimson Typhoon, Cherno Alpha, and Striker Eureka – were deployed to intercept the Kaiju. Crimson Typhoon, with its three pilots and whirling saw blades, engaged Otachi, while Cherno Alpha, the Russian Jaeger, with its heavy armor and brute strength, clashed with Leatherback. Striker Eureka, the fastest and most advanced Jaeger, provided support, using its missiles and plasma cannons to target both Kaiju.
The battle was fierce and destructive. Buildings crumbled under the Kaiju's massive feet, and the air was filled with the roar of combat and the screams of fleeing civilians. The Jaegers fought valiantly, but the Kaiju were relentless.
Leatherback, with its thick hide and EMP capabilities, managed to disable Cherno Alpha and Crimson Typhoon, leaving them crippled and vulnerable. Striker Eureka, though still operational, was heavily damaged and unable to effectively engage both Kaiju at once.
With the other Jaegers down, only Gipsy Danger, piloted by Raleigh Becket and Mako Mori, remained to face the two Kaiju. They engaged Otachi, using their plasma cannons and chain swords to fight the winged Kaiju. The battle raged through the city, a desperate struggle for survival.
Leatherback, having destroyed the other Jaegers, now turned its attention to Gipsy Danger. The massive Kaiju lumbered towards the damaged Jaeger, its EMP generators crackling with energy, preparing to disable the final threat.
[In the depths of the Pacific – En Route to Hong Kong]
Oblivion watched the distant battle from below, sensing the chaotic energy of the Kaiju clash. He felt a pull, an instinctive urge to intervene. The Kaiju were his kind, in a way, but they were also a destructive force, causing chaos and destruction. However, a new instinct had begun to stir within him. The metal he had been consuming was no longer sufficient. His inherited memories concluded that these creatures, originating from another world, possessed unique metallic compounds within their bodies, compounds that would accelerate his growth and evolution. He needed to consume them.
He unfolded his wings, vast, leathery membranes that spanned dozens of meters. They were not merely for show; they were powerful instruments of flight. With a powerful thrust of his tail and a powerful flap of his wings, he launched himself upwards, breaking through the surface of the ocean. He soared through the air, a colossal shadow against the sky, heading towards the distant battle. The intrinsic nature of a space beast allowed him to further enhance his speed, making him faster than should be possible for a creature of his size.
[Hong Kong – Continued]
Gipsy Danger, battered and bruised, fought valiantly against Otachi. The Kaiju's acidic spit and powerful tail strikes tested the Jaeger's defenses, but Raleigh and Mako fought with a fierce determination. They managed to sever Otachi's tail, but the Kaiju retaliated with a devastating attack, pinning Gipsy Danger against a building.
Just as Otachi prepared to deliver the killing blow, a massive shadow fell over the battlefield. The roars of the Kaiju were suddenly drowned out by a deafening roar, unlike any sound the humans had ever heard. The air crackled with energy, and the water in the harbor began to churn violently.
From above the clouds, Oblivion descended, a colossal figure approaching from the sky. His obsidian scales shimmered in the city lights, and his two horns glowed with an eerie golden light. He was a force of nature, an unexpected player in the already chaotic battle. He landed between Gipsy Danger and Otachi, creating a massive wave that crashed against the ruined buildings.
Otachi, surprised by the sudden appearance of this new behemoth, turned its attention to Oblivion, roaring in challenge. Before Otachi could attack, Leatherback, sensing a new threat, charged towards Oblivion, its EMP generators powering up, ready to disable this new arrival. The Kaiju, due to their hive mind, had received information about Oblivion and his capabilities, and they were ready to neutralize him with everything they had.
[Hong Kong – Continued]
Oblivion roared, a sound that dwarfed even the Kaiju's bellows. The roar was one of challenge, a declaration of his presence. Leatherback, ignoring Otachi for the moment, charged towards Oblivion, its EMP generators reaching critical mass. A wave of energy washed over Oblivion, but to the Kaiju's surprise, it had no effect. Oblivion's unique physiology, adapted for the harsh radiation of space, rendered him immune to such weak electromagnetic attacks. Leatherback roared in frustration, realizing its primary weapon was useless.
Oblivion turned his attention to Otachi, who was circling him, its wings beating the air, creating powerful gusts of wind. The winged Kaiju screeched, then launched itself at Oblivion, its claws extended. Oblivion met the attack head-on, intercepting Otachi mid-air. He grabbed the Kaiju by its wings, his grip like iron. Otachi struggled, thrashing its tail and snapping its jaws, but Oblivion held firm. He then used his immense strength to hurl Otachi back towards the ruined city, the winged Kaiju crashing into a skyscraper, sending debris raining down.
Leatherback, seeing its companion thrown aside, charged again, its thick hide acting as a battering ram. Oblivion braced himself for the impact, his powerful legs digging into the seabed. The collision shook the ground, but Oblivion held his ground, preventing Leatherback from pushing him back. He then retaliated with a powerful headbutt, striking Leatherback squarely in the chest. The armored Kaiju staggered back, momentarily disoriented.
The battle raged on, it was a chaotic dance of destruction. Oblivion traded blows with Leatherback, the two behemoths exchanging powerful blows that shook the very foundations of the city. Otachi, recovering from its crash, rejoined the fray, launching another volley of acidic spit, choosing to use ranged attacks. This time, Oblivion was unable to fully evade the attack. Some of the corrosive liquid splashed against his face and neck, burning his scales and causing searing pain. Oblivion roared in pain and fury, the first real injury he had sustained on this planet.
The two Kaiju pressed their advantage, now truly double-teaming Oblivion. Leatherback grappled with him, attempting to pin him down, while Otachi used its aerial agility to strike from above, its claws raking across his back and tail. The combined assault began to take its toll. Oblivion roared in frustration, feeling the sting of the acid and the pressure of Leatherback's grip.
Enraged by the attack, Oblivion felt the familiar sensation he had discovered in the Mariana Trench. He focused his will, drawing on the energy that flowed through him. His body began to expand, his scales stretching, his muscles bulging. In a matter of seconds, he had doubled in size, reaching a towering height of nearly 150 meters. He now dwarfed both Otachi and Leatherback.
The two Kaiju recoiled in surprise, their roars turning into startled cries. Oblivion, now an absolute behemoth, unleashed a deafening roar, a primal scream that echoed across the ruined city. It was the roar of an apex predator, a declaration of dominance.
He grabbed Leatherback by its armored hide, lifting the massive Kaiju into the air as if it were a mere toy. He then slammed it into the ground with tremendous force, creating a massive crater. He then turned his attention to Otachi, who was attempting to flee. He grabbed the winged Kaiju by its severed tail stump and swung it around like a flail, smashing it against the remaining structures of the city.
The two Kaiju, overwhelmed by Oblivion's sudden increase in size and power, were completely outmatched. Oblivion continued his brutal assault, thrashing them against the ruins of Hong Kong, demonstrating his dominance as an apex predator. He ripped Otachi's wings and slammed it in a nearby building.
After a brutal display of power, Oblivion released the battered Kaiju, opening his jaw he used devour and cleaned the city of two Kaiju remains.He then turned and waded back into the ocean, disappearing beneath the waves to heal his wounds.