Kaiju No.8: Devour and Evolve

Hosaka Tsungoro's voice crackled through Drake Myers' earpiece. This was no accident—Yokohama was Third Defense Squad territory, and hacking into communications systems was child's play for them.

Meanwhile, Kureo Mado had ceased his assault. It seemed the CCG's higher-ups were in no rush to eliminate Gecko.

To those familiar with the organization's underhanded methods, this wasn't surprising. The saying "enemy and ally cut from the same cloth" wasn't far off.

In Sakura Nation, such situations were all too common.

After all, relying solely on human methods to defeat monsters was an almost insurmountable challenge.

Only monsters could truly defeat monsters.

No matter how unwilling Kureo Mado was, he had no choice but to comply with the orders from above.

In fact, he even suspected the cessation of their mission was related to the sudden emergence of the giant monster.

"Apologies, senior!" Drake said at the right moment. "The monster's landing site happens to be near my apartment. I need to head back immediately."

"Do you need assistance?" Kureo Mado asked calmly, concealing any emotion.

"No need. It's just a monster. I can handle it easily. The Third Defense Squad is already on the move," Drake replied with a smile.

"The Third Defense Squad?" Kureo Mado frowned slightly. However, he had no authority to interfere.

The CCG and the Defense Squad each had their own duties and rarely cooperated unless absolutely necessary. Even during joint operations, classified information was often hidden.

After bidding farewell to Kureo Mado and his team, Drake drove straight toward his apartment. Luckily, it wasn't far—just a 20-minute drive.

Hosaka Tsungoro's purpose wasn't for Drake to fight the monster. Instead, he wanted Drake to witness firsthand the overwhelming power of monsters compared to Ghouls.

Compared to these behemoths, Ghouls were mere nuisances. Their destructive capabilities paled in comparison.

When Drake finally arrived at his apartment complex, the massive saber-toothed beast had already been driven to a designated combat zone.

Standing atop a nearby building was the commander of the Third Defense Squad, Mina Yashiro. With her jet-black ponytail and a sleek battle suit, she cut an imposing figure, her white tiger-shaped gunstock resting on her shoulder as she aimed at the monster's core.

BOOM!

A deafening explosion erupted as a dazzling energy beam shot from Mina's weapon, piercing straight through the monster's back, leaving a gaping wound.

"Prepare for combat!" Mina commanded coolly.

The Third Defense Squad sprang into action, flying toward the injured monster.

Drake was among them, but without a battle suit, he could only run on foot.

Hosaka Tsungoro darted through the air with effortless grace, striking a stark contrast to Drake's grounded movements.

For many, Hosaka's agility was reminiscent of a certain infamous captain. Some even speculated that if that captain had access to battle suits, Titans wouldn't have been a problem—they'd have been wiped out long ago!

The True Nature of Monsters

Hosaka's role was to deliver the finishing blow.

Before joining the Defense Squad, his father had warned him that the era of samurai was over. As monsters grew larger and more destructive, no human swordsman could possibly match their strength.

In the Defense Squad, a swordsman was often viewed as no different from a low-ranking soldier.

But Hosaka refused to accept this. After joining the Third Defense Squad, Mina Yashiro had learned about his swordsmanship.

Hosaka had assumed she would, like others, urge him to switch to high-tech weaponry.

Instead, she had simply smiled and said, "From now on, you'll be my support. Your swordsmanship is highly effective against smaller monsters."

Those words had cemented Mina as a figure of admiration in Hosaka's eyes.

After all, finding a confidant in life was no easy task. Many might amaze you, and countless more would simply pass through your life, but those who could truly heal you were few and far between.

The Beast's Final Counterattack

By the time Drake approached the saber-toothed beast, it was heavily injured, its core shattered.

"Beep! Warning: The monster before you possesses a devastating ability—flying swords!"

"The spines on its back will unleash an indiscriminate attack upon its death, causing immense destruction. Please eliminate it quickly to obtain its abilities."

The system's prompt made Drake freeze momentarily.

What?! Indiscriminate attack?!

"Hosaka Tsungoro! Get out of there! Everyone in the Defense Squad, retreat now!" Drake shouted from the ground.

Hosaka, who was perched on the monster's shoulder, frowned but instinctively prepared to strike with his sword.

"Stop! Do you want to get everyone killed?!" Drake roared, throwing his own sword toward Hosaka to deflect his strike.

The clang of metal echoed as Drake's blade struck Hosaka's, diverting its trajectory.

"Everyone, retreat now!" Drake shouted. "This monster's final counterattack will unleash unimaginable destruction!"

Before anyone could react, the injured monster suddenly opened its crimson eyes, its massive maw splitting into a sinister grin.

"Heh. I didn't expect a human to know my secret," it said, its voice dripping with malice.

"Kid, which family's lineage do you hail from?"

Standing atop the beast, Hosaka broke out in a cold sweat as realization dawned.

"This... isn't an ordinary monster!" he bellowed.

Chapter 56: Just Don't Make the Captain Apologize (4)

In truth, there was no need for Hosaka Tsungoro to remind anyone. Monsters capable of speaking human language were exceedingly rare and always extraordinarily powerful.

Such creatures were bound to possess survival abilities far beyond normal comprehension.

Drake Myers' warning, combined with the monster's taunting words, had put Tsungoro on high alert. He couldn't help but silently thank Drake.

Had his attack gone through, the resulting casualties among the squad would have been catastrophic.

The Defense Squad was no charity. Its members were warriors, and casualties were an inevitable part of their missions.

No one openly talked about it, but every deployment carried risks of death.

After all, war always came with sacrifices. A battle without any injuries? That only happened in fairy tales—or to the main characters.

The Beast Unleashes Its True Power

As the monster's mocking voice echoed, the squad members fled toward safer zones. Few of them knew the full extent of the saber-toothed beast's abilities.

Standing atop a nearby rooftop, Mina Yashiro felt an uncharacteristic frustration. She had the power to destroy the monster but couldn't act recklessly.

Defeating the creature wasn't the issue—minimizing casualties was.

"Find cover and protect yourselves! This monster's ability lies in its spines—they can launch attacks in all directions and spawn additional beasts!" Drake shouted.

If he could save even one life, it would be worth it.

The monster laughed darkly. "Kid, just which family's lineage are you from to know so much about me?"

It then crouched low, letting out an earth-shaking roar into the void.

Waves of sonic energy spread outward, stunning those who were too slow to react.

Drake frowned. Control abilities, too?! At this level, it was as if this creature had checked off every box on the "terrifying monster" list.

"Die, all of you!" the beast bellowed.

Its voice was followed by the sharp, unmistakable sound of its spines launching outward in all directions—a veritable storm of blades.

The sight was akin to a massive barrage of arrows or an intricate sword formation.

Several unlucky squad members were struck, their bodies impaled like grotesque pincushions.

Even worse, the spines absorbed their energy upon impact, transforming the fallen into humanoid beasts. These new creatures had bodies resembling sharp blades, with mushroom-like heads and sword-shaped limbs.

The Battle Intensifies

"Damn it!" Hosaka Tsungoro tightened his grip on his dual swords and launched a ferocious attack on the monster.

"No, stop!" Drake shouted, but he was a second too late.

Tsungoro's attack speed was unparalleled. Using his full power, he reduced the saber-toothed beast to countless pieces in mere moments.

"What's wrong?" Tsungoro landed gracefully near Drake, his back to the shattered remains of the monster.

"Look," Drake said with a heavy sigh, pointing to the fragments of the beast.

To their horror, the severed pieces began to writhe and move.

"This thing can only be destroyed with an annihilation-type attack. Unless your weapon has fire attributes, you won't be able to kill it," Drake explained.

Tsungoro narrowed his eyes, studying Drake with suspicion.

"You sure know a lot for someone your age," he said, his tone guarded.

Drake met his gaze calmly. "Just a natural gift," he replied, tapping his temple with a serene smile.

"Hmph. These secondary beasts are nothing compared to the initial attack," Tsungoro said, glancing at the humanoid creatures wreaking havoc nearby. "I'll handle them. Let's see if this monster truly can't stay dead!"

"I'll join you," Drake said, gripping a long sword as he charged toward the humanoid beasts.

In reality, his goal wasn't just to help—it was to absorb the saber-toothed beast's abilities.

A Grueling Fight

The Third Defense Squad's combat prowess was undeniable. Most members emerged unscathed, thanks largely to Drake's timely warning.

However, the battle itself was relentless. Explosions and the clash of weapons echoed across Yokohama's skies for over five hours.

By the end, Tsungoro's battle suit was pushed to its limits, barely holding together.

The humanoid beasts proved to be formidable opponents, but the squad ultimately triumphed.

Drake, meanwhile, succeeded in absorbing the saber-toothed beast's abilities.

"Ding! The host's current human form cannot fully utilize the absorbed ability. The system will reconfigure it into a weapon: Bladestorm. It will be delivered in three days," the system informed him.

Drake blinked in surprise. Three days?

While he wouldn't gain the ability immediately, he did manage to absorb one of the monster's secondary skills: Forced Stun.

This skill conflicted slightly with his mental abilities but wasn't a significant issue.

Now, anyone entering a 10-meter radius of Drake would be affected by his mental field, granting him a significant advantage in close quarters.

Still, he couldn't help but lament the delay for his new weapon. His current sword had been damaged when he stopped Tsungoro earlier, and the temporary replacement had also broken during the battle.

"Regular weapons are just no match for specialized ones," Drake muttered, feeling a twinge of frustration.

A New Chapter

"You should join the Defense Squad officially," Tsungoro said, clapping Drake on the shoulder. "You can't keep going without a proper weapon. I'll make sure your contributions today are reported to headquarters."

"I'm in no rush," Drake replied with a lighthearted smile. "I'd like to enjoy some peace and quiet for a while."

"Hah! Someone like you, content with a quiet life?" Tsungoro smirked knowingly. "Just promise me one thing—don't make the captain apologize!"