The First Men Chronicles

Chapter 33: The First Hunt

Huey leapt down from the pillar, his landing graceful, effortless. He adjusted his collar, then turned to Draven, motioning for him to follow.

"Let's finish him." His tone was casual, almost amused.

Draven exhaled, his body still recovering from the intense battle. Quag knelt before them, blood dripping from his lips, his body weakened but his resolve unshaken. Huey approached slowly, each step deliberate, tapping his foot against the broken ground as if savoring the moment.

"So?" Huey asked, twirling a wooden kanabō that had materialized in his right hand. "What do you think of my newest recruit?" He nodded toward Draven. "Pretty strong, isn't he?" A chuckle left his lips before his expression shifted, turning deathly serious. "Now… where are the other labs you know just incase?"

Quag glared up at him, his breaths ragged but defiant. "I'd rather die than tell you."

Huey tilted his head, eyes gleaming with amusement. "Very well then."

He raised the kanabō, ready to bring it down on Quag's skull. But in an instant, Quag bit down on his own tongue.

Draven's eyes widened. "He's—!"

"Draven, MOVE!" Huey's voice was sharp, urgent.

A blast of black ink erupted from Quag's body, consuming the entire battlefield. The force of the explosion ripped through the ground, carving a massive crater into the earth. Molten lava gushed up from the depths, spewing like a volcanic geyser.

Draven barely had time to react before his Sealed Gates of Messiah instinctively activated, forming a protective barrier around him. The golden gates materialized, their divine presence shielding him from the devastating blast.

Huey, however, was nowhere to be seen.

For a moment, Draven thought he had been caught in the explosion—until he heard his voice emerge from the roots beneath him.

"Quag, you sly bastard," Huey murmured, his tone laced with amusement. From the very roots beneath the battlefield, his body reassembled, rising from the ground like a phantom. His kanabō rested casually on his shoulder.

"Well, that was dramatic," Huey sighed, glancing over the smoldering battlefield. "A good last trick, I'll admit. But ultimately… useless."

Draven lowered his arms, his breathing heavy. The Gates of Messiah flickered out of existence. He turned toward Huey. "Is it over?"

"Not yet." Huey turned, stepping over the cracked remains of the battlefield. "Come. It's time to finish what we came here for."

Draven followed, his heart still pounding.

They moved swiftly through the ruined building, navigating past collapsed walls and corridors filled with smoke and debris. Eventually, they reached an underground passage—the hidden lab beneath the facility. The moment they stepped inside, a grotesque sight greeted them.

Bodies impaled on wooden roots.

Scientists, researchers, guards—all slaughtered. Some hung from the ceiling, impaled through the chest. Others were pinned against the walls, their expressions frozen in terror.

Draven stiffened, his gaze darting around the gruesome scene. "What… what the hell happened here?"

Huey smirked, stepping over a corpse without hesitation. "Oh, this?" He waved a hand dismissively. "I happened."

Draven's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean? You were with me the whole time—"

Huey chuckled, resting a hand on Draven's shoulder. "I'm a multitasker."

Draven frowned. "Explain."

Huey gestured toward the roots that covered the lab's walls and floor. "You see, as long as there are roots anywhere in the world, I can send a replica of myself to carry out my orders. It's called Division of Labor." He smiled. "While you were busy fighting, my clone was… cleaning up."

Draven's fists clenched. So this massacre was premeditated.

Huey noticed his reaction and laughed. "Oh, don't give me that look. These guys were experimenting on the Hybrids. You think they were innocent?" He shook his head. "They had it coming."

They moved deeper into the facility, stepping over broken glass and shattered equipment. Finally, they stopped before a massive glass containment unit.

Inside… floated a creature.

It resembled a butterfly, its wings a blend of glowing blue and violet, but its size was monstrous—easily as large as a small vehicle. Its body pulsed with raw Shen energy, its breathing slow and steady.

Draven's eyes widened. "That's… a Hybrid Beast?"

Huey nodded. "The first of five."

Without hesitation, Huey extended his right hand, and from his palm, a wooden coffin emerged from the ground inside the containment unit. The coffin doors swung open—revealing the grotesque face of Shukaku, his spiritual pet.

The creature inside stirred, its eyes opening for the first time. But before it could react, Shukaku's mouth expanded unnaturally wide, unleashing a powerful vacuum force that began sucking the Hybrid Beast inside.

The butterfly thrashed violently, its wings beating against the air in resistance. But it was futile. The creature was completely devoured—its massive body disappearing into the coffin's endless void.

The moment it was done, Shukaku's eyes rolled back, and the coffin slammed shut.

"Perfect." Huey snapped his fingers, and the coffin vanished.

Draven watched in silence. He had just witnessed something unnatural.

Huey turned to him, flashing a grin. "That's one down."

Suddenly, wooden roots coiled around Draven's legs, tightening around his form before he could react. He gasped as his body was dragged toward Huey,

"Hold on tight, kid."

The roots erupted out from the grounds carrying them both into the ground.

The moment the roots touched the ground.A second later…They were gone.