Regressing Through the Apocalypse with the Third Male Lead-Chapter 57: Volume 2 -

"Hey there! Hey!"

"Yohoooo?"

"I’m here!"

Harley confidently advanced toward the horde of zombies still swirling around the Level Ten monster, attempting to attract its attention and wake it.

Behind him, on the truck,

Freyah and the rest waited tensely, their expressions serious and alert as they watched for any reaction from the mastermind. The air crackled with anticipation as Harley made his step.

He then stopped at a safe distance and then he started screaming, much louder this time, screaming from the top of his lungs and making so much noise to wake the monster up.

The horde of zombies didn’t even give him any ounce of attention,

"I SAID I’M HERE!"

"WAKEY! WAKEY!!"

"I’M HERE, A DELICIOUS TREAT! YAH!*

"COME ON AND WAK—

A strong force of air almost made Harley stumble back, the monster’s eyes open, the horde of zombies stop moving, Harley flinched as he locked eyes with the monster, Intimidated.

"shit..."

"GAAAAAAHHGGGGGHHHHH!!!!"

The level ten zombie screamed with all its might and then pointed at Harley, all the zombies turned to his direction and Harley momentarily blocked out, overwhelmed—and froze from where he was standing but as soon as the horde of zombies sprinted towards him his feet moves on his own instinct of survival and he dashed with great speed towards the forest as plan.

Without any hesitation, controlled by the level ten monster—The hordes of zombies chase after Harley. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓

Freyah watched the scene, She turned her heavy back to Uncle Thomas and gave them a nod as a signal to prepare.

Freyah waited until the horde of zombies was out chasing after Harley, giving her a clear view of the monster. She sprinted forward, her daggers aimed to its head where it’s heart was.

The level ten monster went furious and stood as soon as it senses her presence and looked to her direction before it could even scream for his minions. Freyah already slashes its head in half but then a strong powerful vibration made the ground tremble.

"Earth Eaters!"

Monica shouted to Freyah and four huge monsters looking like a worm emerged, its appearance was brownish and slimy. Jumping from the hole they had dug aiming to pounce on Freyah after sensing that their master was eliminated and triggered them out their lair.

Freyah with her fast reflexes dashes to dodge them, causing huge collisions against the four level nine monsters.

"RAAAAAAAAAARRRRRR!"

"Ready to fire!" Uncle Thomas shouted. Juanito, Pablo, Enchong, and the others aimed their guns at the earth eaters, who, having quickly recovered from the collisions, pursued Freyah relentlessly.

"OPEN FIRE!!!"

The sharp crack of gunshots echoed as the bullets found their mark.

"Shoot their tails!" Freyah screamed,

continuing her desperate, close-quarters fight against the four monsters while Uncle Thomas and the others struggled to get a clear shot at their vulnerable tails. The scene was chaotic and filled with the sounds of gunfire and monstrous roars.

Freyah frowned, struggling to aim for their tails. The slimy monsters were incredibly quick, constantly concealing their tails, and their slippery bodies made accurate strikes nearly impossible. Her daggers slid harmlessly across their hides, inflicting minimal damage. She’d never faced Level nine monsters before; she’d been too weak back then, forced to watch her master effortlessly dispatch them.

But the bullets pierced the monsters’ bodies, and as Uncle Thomas and the others continued their relentless barrage, the earth eaters were momentarily slowed, their advance hampered by the constant hail of gunfire. The monsters roared in fury, their movements hampered but not halted.

Freyah jumped up with force and then landed to one of the monsters head with force,

Seizing the opportunity, Uncle Thomas aimed carefully at a monster’s tail. The bullet, traveling with deadly speed, pierced the target, causing the monster’s tail—and then its entire body—to explode in a gruesome spray of gore. The moment Freyah saw Uncle Thomas take aim, she leaped clear, screaming, "TAKE COVER!!!" A wave of shock and debris washed over the remaining fighters.

Everyone scrambled for cover as Freyah landed safely on the ground. The massive explosion left the three remaining earth eaters momentarily stunned and confused, their coordinated attack disrupted by the sudden, violent demise of their companion. A thick cloud of dust and smoke filled the air.

Freyah had witnessed this before. The monsters’ confusion wasn’t simply due to distraction; they were actively gathering the debris of their fallen comrade, using it to augment their own size and, critically, thicken the armor-like hide of their tails. This was a terrifying adaptation, making future attacks even more difficult.

Freyah sprinted back to where everyone is,

"Uncle Thomas" Stopping them from shooting.

Everyone halted.

"What’s the matter?" Uncle Thomas asked

Freyah’s eyes narrowed. "They’re trying to gain strength by absorbing their comrade’s remains," she stated seriously. "We need to separate these three before they become even more powerful." Her voice was sharp and decisive.

Florence’s voice cut through the tension, drawing their attention. "I’ll take one," he declared, as he and Harley arrived back on the scene. Harley smirked, his pride evident. "Mission one completed, ate Freyah," he announced, his tone light despite the gravity of the situation.

Everyone was delighted,

"Your Highness, team up with Harley and take down one of the remaining monsters," Freyah commanded, her voice firm but not unkind. Florence smirked, a confident glint in his eyes, and Harley, mirroring his Kuya Florence’s cool demeanor—a coolness honed during their previous encounter with the horde of zombies in the forest. The smirk was a near-perfect imitation, though perhaps lacking Florence’s inherent effortless grace.

"Yes, Lady Lima," Florence gave a nod to Freyah.

"Uncle Thomas, and the rest of you, take care of the other two," Freyah instructed, turning to Thomas and the others, who nodded in agreement.

"Don’t worry, we’ll handle them," Thomas stated with unwavering determination.

"And as for me," Freyah said, her gaze fixed on the remaining monster, "I’ll handle the last one."

"We’ll cover for you, Ate Freyah!!!" The twins’ voices rang out; they were determined not to be left out this time.

Freyah smiles to them and of course nodded,

"Alright, let’s work together" She grinned and all of them started to attack as planned.

With a coordinated maneuver, Harley and Florence expertly lured one of the monstrous earth eaters back into the concealing depths of the forest, their movements fluid and practiced.

Simultaneously, a withering hail of gunfire from Uncle Thomas and his team rained down upon another, drawing its enraged attention and pinning it in place.

Meanwhile, Freyah, a whirlwind of motion alongside the twins, engaged the final beast in a breathtaking dance of death. Steel clashed against chitin, daggers flashed, and the air crackled with the energy of a desperate battle. The forest itself seemed to hold its breath as the clash of titans unfolded.

This strategy ensured the earth eaters could no longer enhance their strength by combining the remains of their fallen brethren; their power growth was effectively halted by their separation.

"Ate Freyah!"

Cheryllyn created a giant illusionary tiger to distract the earth eater, allowing Freyah to strike at its tail.

"shit"

Freyah muttered in frustration as she repeatedly struck the earth eater’s tail with her daggers, but the blows were ineffective. The creature’s skin had hardened, like an armor, matching the intensity of her blades; her attacks were met with an unyielding resistance.

***

Back from the past,

"When it hardens, then find a way to make it soft again," her master instructed, his voice calm and measured.

Freyah’s face flushed crimson at the double entendre. "H-huh?!" she stammered, utterly flustered.

Her master chuckled, shaking his head. "I’m talking about the earth eater’s hide," he murmured, the amusement in his voice only deepening her embarrassment.

"Oh... yes! Right! Hahaha," Freyah laughed awkwardly, scratching her head to hide her blush. Her master then gestured towards the scattered remains of the defeated level-nine monsters, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"See? It’s returned to its original slimy state," her master said, prodding the remains with his foot. Freyah watched, fascinated, and nodded slowly, her eyes wide with wonder.

"How?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

A gentle smile played on the master’s lips. "Well, it’s up to you to figure that out," he said, his eyes twinkling with amusement. He chuckled, a low rumble in his chest that spoke of years of experience and countless battles won. The smile held a hint of challenge.

Freyah pouted, her lower lip jutting out in a childish display of frustration. "Oh, come on!!" she exclaimed. Her master’s laughter grew louder, a hearty sound that filled the air, and he nodded, a mischievous glint in his eyes. But just as he was about to reveal the secret, a fellow comrade called out to them, interrupting the moment.

Her master called turn to her one last time,

"But I’m sure you’ll be more than capable of handling earth eaters just fine," he added reassuringly, a confident smile gracing his lips.

***

Back in the present,

A sharp pain pulsed in Freyah’s head.

She remembered the day vividly, the scene playing out like a movie behind her eyelids, but the crucial detail—her master’s instructions—remained frustratingly elusive. The details she had shared were really not complete.

Freyah’s body jolted as an idea struck her: if she couldn’t pierce the earth eater’s from the outside,

then...

she would strike from inside.

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