Rael's boots barely made a sound as he scanned the thick forest ahead, every muscle coiled and ready. The thick canopy muted the light, but his glowing red visor sliced through the gloom like a laser. His helmet's skull painted in fierce red seemed to burn with cold fire.
Suddenly, the brush exploded — a hulking beast lunged with brutal force. Rael reacted instantly. Fingers steady, he fired three quick bursts from his rifle, each superheated plasma round searing the creature's hide with pinpoint accuracy. The first shot hit its shoulder, staggering it. The second blasted through its chest, sparks flying. The last one knocked it off balance, but the creature still charged.
Rael dropped the rifle, switching tactics without hesitation. His wrist flicked — and the energy blade snapped out with a low, deadly hum. The glowing plasma glared as he surged forward, a predator meeting a predator.
The beast swung a massive claw, but Rael ducked low, slicing across its knees with his energy blade. The plasma burned through bone and sinew as the creature howled in pain, crashing to the ground. Not waiting, Rael spun and drove the blade into its throat — clean, decisive, merciless.
But no time to breathe.
From the shadows, a snarling, wolf-like monster with razor teeth lunged at his flank. Rael rolled aside, barely dodging the snapping jaws. His wrist blade hummed again — he slashed through its neck in one swift arc, the beast collapsing in a twitching heap.
Nyra's voice cut through the chaos, cool and precise, "Multiple hostiles inbound, Commander. Two o'clock, fast approach. Unknown biology. Lethal intent."
Rael's HUD blinked — another threat emerged, a towering brute wielding a jagged club. It swung hard, the impact sending shockwaves through the air. Rael barely blocked the blow with his forearm plated in advanced armor — the force rattled him, but his shield generator held strong, glowing blue as it absorbed the damage.
With a burst of speed, Rael closed the distance, slashing at the club with his combat knife — a sleek, futuristic blade housed on the front of his armor, designed to slice through anything. The knife bit into the weapon, sparks flying as he chipped through metal and bone.
The brute roared in fury but Rael was already behind it, plunging his plasma blade deep into its spine. The creature collapsed, twitching violently.
His visor caught movement to the left — a giant black serpent, scales shimmering, tongue flicking. Rael fired a grenade from a pouch on his combat backpack — a futuristic marvel filled with volatile plasma charges. It exploded near the serpent, sending it reeling.
Rael charged, energy blade blazing. The serpent lunged, jaws snapping, but Rael's blade met its fangs with a sizzling clash, cutting deep. The beast thrashed, but the plasma blade's searing heat overwhelmed it.
Breathing heavy, Rael activated his shield generator again — the blue field flickered across his armor's surface, deflecting a final desperate strike from an unseen enemy.
"Unknown threats," Nyra warned, "But our supplies are holding. Ammo, protein rations, and energy reserves stable. Also —" her voice dropped — "There's an unidentified crystalline energy signature. Interface shows potential, but it's locked. We'll need time to analyze."
Rael nodded, chest rising and falling beneath the reinforced armor. "Keep scanning. We'll learn their secrets soon enough."
His armor's red skull gleamed under the canopy's shadows — a silent promise that he was not just a survivor, but a hunter.
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