Chapter 219 Expiditious retrea (1/2)

With the heavy hitter taken out of the equation there isn't much left to the fight. Crinis and I quickly destroy the t.i.tan Crocs and rush back to help support Tiny and Vibrant.

The giant ape and ant soldier are beaten and bruised but victorious as they lord over their fallen enemies. Tiny is beating his chest and roaring his challenge out to the world whilst Vibrant does a manic, high speed dance around his ankles.

[RAAAAARR] Tiny bellows.

”RAA HAHAHAHAHA!” Vibrant cackles.

…..

I was right to team these two up. They fit together like peas in a pod. The only problem is, who is the brains of the operation?

In the distance there are yet more crocs, huddling together in small posse's like leathery hoodlums. For the time being they aren't responding to our provocation but I'd rather not put their tolerance to the test.

For now there aren't any groups within two hundred metres, which is roughly how far we've advanced into the expanse.

[”OK, hold off on the celebration already you two”] I snap, [”We've won the first skirmish but there are more to be had. Let's eat quickly and prepare our next move.”]

I don't need to tell them twice. The gang quickly breaks up and we start stuffing our faces full whilst keeping a watchful eye on the surrounding monsters. I myself head directly for the Double Crocs. It's been some time since I've been able to eat a tier three monster of this size and I don't intent to let the opportunity go to waste!

OM NOM NOM.

There really is a distinct flavour to croc. I think it's growing on me, to be honest. Particularly the tails. Now that I think of it, the double croc evolutionary choices are really making sense to me. Double the tail to eat? Nice!

I manage to reap a nice harvest of Bioma.s.s from the first croc but as I'm moving towards the second, Crinis cries out mentally.

[Master! I can feel vibrations coming this way, lots of them! I think it's a wave!]

Oh snap!

[”Everyone back to the tunnels! Go Go Go!”]

Tiny seems reluctant to move, still shoving huge fistfuls of food into his mouth until his cheeks are puffed out to a ludicrous degree.

[Tiny! Move your big b.u.t.t back to the tunnels! Right now!] I yell at him even as I activate my dash skills to rush at Crinis and throw her onto my back.

HEAVY!

With that maw of hers she can eat ten times faster than the rest of us, she's so d.a.m.ned heavy already she must have eaten two or three crocs at least!

Tiny cannot refuse my direct command. Unwilling to part with his meal he grabs the body of the double croc he was eating and throws it over his shoulder before das.h.i.+ng and leaping his way back to the tunnel.

How greedy! Wish I'd thought of that…. At the very least I might have been able to grab a tail…

With all possible speed we rush back to the tunnel entrance we used to reach this point and position ourselves defensively. I'd figured that we would encounter a wave or two during our attack on the expanse and in my mind the worst case scenario would be if we were caught out in the open. The monsters in a wave are low level, without many mutations and generally tier one with a few having evolved, generally not much of a threat. But if they were to surround us in the middle of the marsh, where mobility is difficult and there are native monsters who could interfere and get in the way…