Chapter 15 - The Ape

The ape 

The second door fell on their feet with a magnanimous thud. Junan was quite close to it so he sprinted back to save himself from the wrath of the door. 

"Such a massive door was hiding right in front of our eyes. It doesn't matter how hypercritical we are while surveying the surrounding, things like these shall remain hidden. Let's face the truth, it's the game that is playing us. " Junan eyed the surroundings cautiously. 

Jake had barely used his controls and sprinted back. "I should hold the weapon only when it is needed," Jake murmured under his breath. 

Junan wide opened his eyes and the saying proved itself to be true, 'The more you focus less you see' he silently wished that the door to have remained there forever. 

As soon as the door fell on the ground with the broken noise two eyes opened up. 

"What is this?" Albert was the first to reach near them after they got rid of the lizard army. 

"Don't ask and remind my bad luck." Junan took a step back. 

Jake and Albert also retreated immediately. 

"We perhaps woke up the ape," Junan uttered twitching. The ape was in deep slumber, however, the noise had disturbed his peaceful slumber. 

"It is gigantic; since when did the games start designing such massive freaks?" Albert blinked looking at the ape. 

"Do not forget it is the ultimate version." Junan carefully scrutinized the ape. Its face and forearms were a toad-like slimy green but the rest of his body was covered with 3 inches long coarse black hair. However the hair on his chest and belly were not as thick, a little bit of dark shiny skin was peeking through.

The poison had changed every being, elevated their level of wickedness multifold. This whole district was polluted with poison to the extent that each thing was expected to have mutated to be able to survive under these harsh conditions. 

The team would have been suspicious if something was not poisonous. 

"Avoid poison and the rest is up to you whether to attack or help others in the attacks." Junan knew that they could not retreat anymore because no matter how far they retreated eventually they will be forced to face it head-on. 

"Ogre will kill us all; do not slack or get in the range if you are not doing the attack well." Junan reminded them, raising his left eyebrow and waving his index finger at them. 

Jake did not use his weapon because he was constantly moving at the orders of the team head. Their sprinting or backflip was different from the movements of the ape. 

Ogre(NPC) cast an unpleasant look on the players. He moved his 3 feet large arm to shoo them away. It seemed as if the ape was not in a mood to chase them or scare them away. The ape dropped his heavy lids back again. The poison was slowly influencing the ape that was living his life away in deep slumber, hoping that the poisoned air might change someday. 

Unintentionally, it was guarding the entrance of the First tunnel where the first heart of the Hidden Python was secured. 

"From the way the ape is behaving seemed that we won't benefit from killing it and destroying our weapons that could be used later with something more powerful," Junan observed the actions of the ogre and realised. 

Jake was also not in favour to bother the random ogre for nothing. Their task was to reach the Hidden Python and kill. The system screen appeared in front of him, giving the second clue. Jake blinked after reading instruction. He also understood that the others cannot see the visual screen of the system.  

"There are two more colonies at our right side; I think we should move toward them." Albert gave a suggestion and they looked in the distance. There were indeed two colonies and they seemed more reliable for finding the Hidden Python. 

"Are not we supposed to clear the district?" Orin chimed in the conversation. They were communicating through VC and putting their suggestions. They were about to leave when Jake cleared his throat and voiced, "In my opinion, something is hidden behind the ape." 

The other team members realised that his words had some weight to them. Until now the little kid had proven himself as a smart player and they could not overthrow this suggestion keeping his earlier performance in mind. 

"We have four days for this level so I guess it would not be a waste of time if we follow Jake's suggestion. In case there is nothing behind the ape, we will move toward the other colonies." Junan uttered. 

They agreed though half of them were not happy with this decision. Three remaining players from the second team and two of the remaining players from the third team also took the ape as unnecessary ogres planted to mislead the players. They had already left toward the other colonies some time ago. 

After all, they could not risk facing this huge ape for anything especially with the few players that were left in their teams. Someone threw the spear toward the ape and it opened its eyes again; its belly itching. 

"What are you doing?" Albert creased his brows. "I am trying to wake it up and tell it that we are here for the entertainment." The player shook his shoulders. 

"A bloody entertainment indeed." Junan chuckled. He was patting on his left side and trying to make himself believe that he was going to lead his team in killing the ape. 

Perhaps he had the amount of courage that was required. "Make a formation and attack. Keep in mind all the precautionary steps." He once again showed enthusiasm and waved his sword. The team players also geared up knowing that they could not refute it anymore. 

The giant ape itched his belly and then closed his eyes to chill in his deep slumber, however, hastily he opened them back again. This time the itching had brought double discomfort. The big sword had left a fist-size cut on the thick dark skin. The arrows followed after the big sword, irritating the ape indefinitely. The ogre finally stood up from his place of eternal rest.

Junan immediately looked behind and sure enough, there was a tunnel. It was hiding behind the left leg of the ape. 

"I wish you had kept sitting, buddy." Orin voiced his concern after seeing the huge body hunching over the whole team. 

As if the ape had listened to the request, it sat back again in the same place. The seven players barely looked like tiny insects. Fortunately, the ogre was too lazy to step ahead and crush them under its feet. It decided to go the effortless way, kill whoever came in its range.. All of them sighed thinking that the ogre wants them to attack.