Chapter 628 Rash Decision (4)
Chapter 628 Rash Decision (4)
Ashton's heart pounded in his chest as he scanned the surveillance room, his eyes darting over the screens, searching for any information that could lead him to Dracula and the twins. He had to find them before the Xyrans noticed his presence.
"This is it!"
His eyes caught a glimpse of a file labelled "High-Security Prisoners." He quickly opened it with hope and found detailed profiles of Dracula's granddaughters.
Although there was no mention of Dracula, finding information about Irina and Verina was good enough.
"Where are they... come on, show me..." Ashton mumbled as he quickly went through the pages. "Got it!"
According to the files, their last known location was inside the mine. Ashton quickly took a pic of the mine's map and where Irina and Verina were most likely being held... right across the Colonel's office.
"Looks like I'll have to deal with him either way."
[Try not to. If Stealth is a possibility, you should go for it.]
"Fine... I'll see what I can do."
Just as Ashton was about to move, he heard the faint sound of footsteps approaching the room.
"Fuck!"
He knew he had little time before the guards discovered him. Thinking quickly, he slipped into the shadows behind the stacks of computers and other electronics. Thankfully, since he was in his vampire form, he didn't have to worry about holding his breath.
Moments later, the door creaked open, and two Xyran soldiers entered the room. Ashton's heart raced, and he prayed they wouldn't spot him. The Xyrans were known for their keen sense; any wrong move could blow his cover.
[At least they are low-ranking Grunts. You should be able to take them down if push comes to shove.]
'Thanks for your confidence... But even if they are Grunts, I'd rather not engage them and risk alerting the rest of the Xyrans.'
[You do you.]
"Something doesn't feel right," one of the guards muttered, glancing around the room.
Ashton's eye darted in the Grunt's direction. He knew he had to act fast. With a silent leap, he used his agility to climb onto the ceiling, clinging to the metal beams like a shadow.
But he knew the Grunts very well. They could tell someone was inside the room because of their sense of smell. It also meant that they knew Ashton was still inside the room.
The guards exchanged uneasy glances, sensing that something was amiss. Without wasting any time, one of the guards reached for his radio to alert the Colonel about the intrusion. Ashton knew he couldn't let that happen, no matter what.
If the Colonel arrived there, it might be game over for their 'secret' operation, and they might never learn Dracula's whereabouts.
'Here goes nothing!'
Ashton dropped from the ceiling in a swift and silent move, landing behind the guard with the radio. Before the guard could react, Ashton delivered a decisive blow to the back of his head, knocking him unconscious.
"What was that?" The remaining guard spun around, his eyes wide with shock and fear. "Who are you!? How did you get in?"
"Shut it! Does it look like I'm here to answer your questions?"
"You..."
Ashton met his gaze with an intimidating grin, his fangs glinting in the dim light. The Xyran soldier raised his weapon, but Ashton was quicker and disarmed the guard swiftly.
The guard lunged forward, delivering a swift kick towards Ashton's midsection. But Ashton was ready. With lightning-fast reflexes, he sidestepped the attack and countered with a powerful roundhouse kick of his own.
The guard blocked the strike just in time, but the force behind the impact caused him to stagger backwards.
Ashton wasted no time, pressing his advantage. He unleashed a series of rapid punches and kicks, aiming for the guard's vulnerable spots. But the guard proved himself as a formidable opponent, deftly blocking each blow and countering with his own strikes.
Their movements were like a blur, the sound of fists and feet connecting filling the chamber. Ashton's vampire-enhanced strength and speed gave him an edge, but the Xyran guard was skilled and relentless.
Ashton ducked under a high kick and swept the guard's legs from under him. The guard landed hard on the ground but quickly rolled to his feet.
"You're good; I'll give you that." Ashton smiled before getting into position again.
"I don't desire to be praised by your lowly kind." The Grunt snarled back.
"My lowly kind?" Ashton scoffed. "Bitch, your kind is like cochegas living under the feet of the Xyrans!" (Note: Cochegas = Space Cockroaches.)
"You..."
The guard aimed a roundhouse kick at Ashton's head, but Ashton blocked it with his forearm, feeling the impact reverberate through his bones. Had it not been for the stimulated fights he had gone through, he would have been no match for the Grunt.
Regardless, Ashton retaliated with a spinning back kick, catching the guard off guard and sending him sprawling backwards.
But the guard was far from defeated. He sprang back to his feet, his eyes burning with intensity. It appeared the more Ashton fought him, the better his opponent got.
Without wasting time, the Grunt launched a flurry of punches at Ashton, who expertly weaved and dodged each strike.
Ashton saw an opportunity and seized it. He feinted to the left, then quickly changed direction, delivering a powerful knee strike to the guard's abdomen.
The guard gasped in pain, and Ashton followed up with a devastating uppercut that sent him flying backwards.
The guard crashed into a nearby wall, the force of the impact causing the stone to crack. But to Ashton's surprise, the guard rose once more, his determination unshaken.
"Man, I was joking when I called you a cochega, but damn! You're just as resilient as one!"
"Shut up!" the Grunt roared in fury.
With a feral growl, the Grunt charged at Ashton, his movements becoming more aggressive and unpredictable. Ashton knew he had to end the fight quickly before the guard could mount a comeback.
[Skill: Irreverence has been activated. The User will now deal <True Damage> for 30 seconds. User's <Extra HP> will be consumed for the skill's duration.]
"I would've loved to play with you more, but I got to go," Ashton mumbled as he got in position to deliver his final attack.
With a sudden burst of energy, Ashton launched himself at the Grunt, delivering a powerful flying kick that knocked the grunt off his feet. He followed up with rapid strikes, each blow landing with pinpoint accuracy.
The grunt struggled to defend himself, his movements becoming slower and more laboured. Ashton saw his opening and unleashed a devastating spinning back kick, sending the grunt crashing to the ground, unconscious.
"Remind me... not to use this skill... so lightly ever again!"
Ashton stood over his fallen opponent, his chest heaving with exertion. [Irreverence] was a great skill, but the price for using it was pretty high and left the User exhausted.
[You're the one who wanted to finish the fight quickly.]
"Yeah, yeah... I know. I need to make up for the lost blood."
Thankfully, Ashton had a way of restoring his HP as he bit into the grunts and sucked them dry, not leaving a single drop of blood within them. He then proceeded to throw their corpses inside [Valhalla].