Infinite Evolution: Rise of the God of Metamorphosis

Chapter 15: Hunt

[WARNING! A powerful predator has been discovered!]

[You have encountered a Barracuda Fish!]

[Support system tip: Escape!]

“Game on!” Eliot was excited.

The Barracuda of the West was huge.

Almost 3 times as big as the average Chinook Salmon in this hunt force, the Salmon fish could not help but be intimidated on the first sight of the beast.

This was the first time that they were hunting a beast bigger than them.

Most times, ex chief only targeted fish schools that were smaller and weaker than them, this was the safest avenue to eat and grow in his opinion.

But not anymore, chief Eliot was different.

Despite this Barracuda not evolving to access magic yet, it was clear that he was a veteran hunter. This muscular fish with its streamlined, torpedo-shaped body screamed danger no matter how you looked at it.

Its mouth was equipped with an impressive set of razor-sharp teeth.

It looked even more menacing due to its lower jaw jutting out past its upper jaw, exposing its dozens of terrifying teeth as if to serve as deterrence to enemies.

A few days of training did not make Eliot feel overconfident.

He was still grounded in reality, he knew how dangerous this endeavor was but it triggered his adrenaline, he was determined to pass this test with his school.

“Commander Bonkers, strategic retreat”.

Bonkers retreated with his scouting unit immediately.

“Commander Bomber, advance, surround the target…,” Eliot paused mid-sentence, his eyes widened into saucers.

The giant Barracuda fish just turned its head and looked at him.

At this moment, their eyes clashed in the water.

At that moment, Eliot felt that his gills stopped working as time seemed to freeze before him, the atmosphere turned oppressive as invisible sparks filled the water as if drumbeats of war were being played.

In reality, the staring contest only lasted 2 seconds.

The Barracuda grinned. “Chinook Salmon, it’s been long I tasted those”.

“Free food!” This fish cheered.

Then…

BOOM!

The Barracuda fish rapidly accelerated!

Like an arrow shot through the water, this gigantic fish rapidly accelerated towards the fish at the center of the formation, chief Eliot.

“…!” Eliot’s brain froze.

A moment of crisis!

A normal human soul would remain frozen at this moment, overwhelmed by the feeling of crisis and impending doom but Eliot was not overwhelmed.

‘Eliot, wake up, you have an evolution theory test in 5 minutes!’

‘Eliot, get prepared, you have a chaos theory test in 10 minutes!’

This moment of crisis was unlike those crazy tests by Professor Gagam, they literally gave Eliot so many heart attacks that he became used to crisis moments.

At this moment, Eliot’s brain became completely calm and focused.

‘Approximately 80kmp speed, I have no hopes of reacting fast enough’.

He remained calm. ‘Unless an outside force acts on it’.

At the same time that he thought this, Commander Bomber who was closest to the chief reacted at that moment.

If the chief screamed danger and run, Commander Bomber would have been the 2^nd fastest fish to react and escape but since the chief said that they came here to hunt, an aggressive nature already settled in this Salmon’s head.

As soon as the Barracuda moved, adrenaline flooded this fish’s body.

The Barracuda used the dash skill to rapidly close the distance and at that moment, being faster than the chief, Commander Bomber was able to react.

Activating the dash skill also, this Chinook Salmon accelerated.

BAM!

Commander Bomber collided against the side of the Barracuda’s dangerous looking torpedo-shaped body as the head of this Salmon cracked, revealing blood.

Commander Bomber didn’t feel pain though as adrenaline flooded him.

‘This is my chance!’ Eliot thought as soon as the collision happened.

With that collision, an opposing force collided against the Barracuda’s force of movement, negating his unstoppable momentum and giving Eliot time to react.

Eliot did not try to escape though; he was as calm as a Pope at this moment.

He didn’t come here to escape; he came here to hunt.

‘Bomber’s charge messed up his momentum and balance’.

‘His perfect guard has been affected’.

‘His fleshy and vulnerable side is now open for attack…!’

Whoosh!

All these thoughts went through Eliot’s head in an instant when he came to his decision as activating the dash and bite skills at the same time, he charged.

Before the Barracuda fish could react…

CRUNCH!

Eliot’s teeth crushed into the flesh of the Barracuda’s body.

The Barracuda instantly lashed around in pain.

That moment of disorientation was all the attack unit needed.

“Bomber, containment strategy”. Eliot instructed.

“Containment strategy!” The commander of the attack unit roared.

Instantly, all 8 Chinook Salmon surrounded the gigantic Barracuda, enveloping it inside a circular formation that they already practiced countless times.

“How dare you bite me you little worm?!” The Barracuda roared after regaining its orientation as it turned to glare at the culprit, chief Eliot.

It barely turned when the containment strategy kicked in.

Crunch! Crunch!

From its back, the 2 Chinook Salmon of the attack unit there attacked aggressively as they tore chunks of flesh from it, including a part of its tail fin.

“Worm…!!!”

The Barracuda turned to face these 2 fish and the others attacked.

Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!

They bit ruthlessly into the exposed weak spots on its body.

The Barracuda fish was not prepared for this.

The containment strategy entailed surrounding the target, overwhelming him with numbers. And since he can only focus on one enemy, while he focuses on one of the fish, that fish defends while the others attack aggressively.

Repeat this sequence so fast that you give the target no chance to understand the essence of the strategy and retaliate.

This was chief Elliot’s containment strategy.

Click! Click! Click!

The Barracuda’s danger sense finally tingled and he reacted by violently closing its jaws and clashing its teeth, producing an aggressive clicking noise.

This sound always scared away most predators that were his size, but not this time. Led by their chief, since he didn’t move, none of the Salmon fish of the attack unit moved as they ignored the aggressive clicking sound.

‘How?!’ This Barracuda fish was stunned.

There was no evidence though, the hunt continued under the influence of the chief while being led openly by the powerful commander Bomber.

From the moment of the Barracuda’s sudden charge to eliminate the chief, the fight only lasted 35 seconds before the killing blow was landed.

“Allow me!” Eliot roared at them and they obliged.

CRUNCH!

His rows of teeth sunk into the Barracuda’s head, ending its life for good.

Its eyes as life faded away from them were filled with regret and shock.

[You have killed a Barracuda fish!]

[You have been rewarded with XP!]

…

[You have fulfilled the requirements to level up!]

[You have leveled up!]

[Congratulations! You are now a level 3 Chinook Salmon!]

[Your attributes have increased…]