Fantasy Realm [One Piece] [Harry Potter] [Naruto] - [Progression] [LitRPG]

Chapter 104: Revenge x Karma - Cockroach Tonpa - Beast Wave!

Alex, hiding behind a stalagmite, spots Tonpa, who is now encircled by a mob of furious examinees. Now he's done it, Alex thinks. He's finished. They'll at least give him a solid beating. He's done for—at least for this year.

"Tonpa! Do you even recognize our faces? Do you remember what you've done to us over the years?"

Angry shouts erupt from the crowd around him.

"You trapped me and my brother three years ago! My brother's permanently crippled, and he's lost the will to live because of what you did to us. You're going to pay for this."

Another voice calls out, "You miserable excuse for a human, you don't even try to pass, do you? You just like destroying other candidates! You're sick, and it's time we dealt with you!"

Tonpa, visibly sweating, stammers, "This is all a misunderstanding, folks! I've failed all these times because... because I'm just not skilled enough! It's all coincidence; I didn't do any of those things..."

As he speaks, the leader of the group—a scarred man—slams a fist into Tonpa's stomach, sending him to the ground. But he doesn't stop there. With a vicious glare, he stomps on Tonpa's head, causing blood to spill onto the rocky floor.

"Just a coincidence, huh? Just a coincidence you threw me off that mountain path after teaming up seven years ago? I'll never forget it, and I'll never forgive you. Any last words?"

Tonpa, despite the pain, suddenly grins and yells, "YOU'LL ALL FAIL THIS YEAR TOO!" At that moment, several figures appear from behind, and chaos erupts. Alex recognizes their distinct appearances and realizes, It's the three Amori brothers! So they're teaming up with Tonpa again this year?

A violent struggle breaks out between the brothers, Tonpa, and the examinees. From his vantage point, Alex feels a surge of uncertainty—this was not the kind of scene he'd expected to stumble upon. But as he observes from a safe distance, a large shadow suddenly catches his eye. Alex focuses on it, making out the shape of an enormous green lizard, easily ten times his own size. That thing could swallow dozens of people and still have room for dessert, he thinks, feeling a chill of dread. I better stay the hell away from that.

The beast ambushes Tonpa, the Amori brothers, and the dozen other candidates who had been set on revenge. Without giving them a moment to react, the lizard's massive tongue snaps out, wrapping around one of the candidates, retracting, and pulling its victim straight into its maw in seconds.

A stunned silence settles over the scene. Everyone seems paralyzed with fear, watching in horror. The lizard seizes the opportunity, snaring another candidate and swallowing them whole. Then, suddenly, it unleashes an agonized scream. It thrashes about, appearing to be in severe pain. Maybe one of them managed to fight back from the inside, Alex thinks, still keeping hidden. Didn't that guy have a blade or something?

Suddenly, more lizards appear, smaller than the giant one but still larger than any human. Alex feels movement behind him and turns to see a group of Giant Yellow Frogs—his earlier foes—emerging. Reacting quickly, he bolts out from behind the stalagmites and runs forward to dodge their attack. He finds himself next to Tonpa's group and the revenge seekers. With the lizards blocking all the exits and the massive lizard still wailing in agony, he watches in horror as even more Yellow Frogs approach from the only open direction.

Oh, crap, this is bad, Alex thinks. There are at least ten frogs and twenty lizards surrounding us.

Thinking only of his survival, Alex spots an opportunity. The giant lizard's mouth is wide open in its scream of pain. I won't get a chance like this again!