Amid the blood and gore, the lizard with a fresh meter-long wound on its belly decisively flipped over again.
However, this time it wasn't just rolling over; it was continually tumbling back and forth.
To ordinary people, it was merely an average corridor, but as the giant lizard rolled, debris flew and dust billowed.
Soon, the dust filled the entire pitch-black tunnel.
Esther, who had been attentively watching, shouted.
Two flares were shot into the tunnel.
Once again, darkness was dispelled, but the tumbling dust continued to swirl without any sign of dissipating.
The giant lizard's figure had already disappeared.
Jason had vanished as well.
If not for the various traces left in the tunnel, Esther would have thought she was hallucinating.
The two members of the mobile squad at Esther's side vigilantly surveyed the tunnel.
They were searching for traces of the giant lizard.
They firmly believed the lizard was still nearby.
Such a large body couldn't simply vanish without a trace.
Amid the soft footsteps, a humanoid silhouette appeared in the drifting dust, slowly walking towards them.
Seeing that it was a humanoid figure, the two mobile squad members slightly relaxed, but Esther's eyes widened, her pupils constricted.
That figure... had a tail!
Esther pulled the trigger.
The gunshot roused the squad members, who also prepared to fire, but it was too late.
The figure with the tail charged forward, its swift motion causing a gust that cleared the floating dust, revealing its true identity.
Scales, a fierce demeanor.
Apart from being much smaller and walking upright, it was the giant lizard.
The two squad members could confidently assert this, especially when the six eyes on its face became visible.
It was like the tearing of a plastic bag as the humanoid lizard opened its mouth wide.
It seemed ready to bite off their heads in one gulp, and amidst the gaping maw, the expressions of Esther and her companions froze.
Not only an evolution but also transformation?
What kind of "anomaly" was this?
Doubt surfaced in the minds of Esther and the others as the humanoid lizard, without any pause, was hit and sent flying by Jason.
In the dimly lit, dust-filled tunnel, Jason moved as if he were invisible.
He left no trace of his coming and going and not the slightest sound.
The humanoid lizard was hit and sent flying without any chance to defend itself.
Although it had been on guard all along.
Or rather, it had lashed out at the humans to draw out this "traitor."
Unfortunately, it underestimated the "stealth and concealment" effects of the [War Pattern: Prus: Griffin: Shadow Stealth Body Forging Technique].
As a result, it was knocked to the ground.
Having lost its huge size, it was further dominated by Jason, who pinned it beneath him.
Jason straddled it, hammering down fists towards the lizard's head.
Huge strength and incredible speed caused Jason's fists to create layer upon layer of afterimages.
The punch after punch landed on flesh, driving Jason to instinctively change his breathing pattern.
A heroic energy began to emanate from his chest.
With such cries, the punches became faster, fiercer, and more powerful.
In an instant, the humanoid lizard was stunned by the barrage of punches.
More importantly, a sense of humiliation!
It had never been treated this way since it had memories!
Just a few seconds of being dazed, and then an angry roar erupted from its throat.
"Useless useless useless useless!"
Despite being pummeled into the ground and his legs trembling as they lifted, the humanoid lizard roared loudly and incessantly.
As if by doing so, it didn't feel the beating at all.
Of course, the struggle never ceased.
Seizing a brief pause in Jason's breathing, it suddenly raised its upper body with force, interrupting Jason's swinging fists, then lunged forward with an open mouth and a roar.
The roar was resounding.
Especially that massive mouth, filled with sharp fangs, looked extremely fierce.
It was ready to counterattack.
It aimed to bite off the "traitor's" head right before it.
That was the lizard's intent, and so it acted.
But in the next moment—
A roar even more ferocious than the lizard's erupted.
Having his attack interrupted, Jason roared at the lizard that attempted to bite him.
He, unable to suppress his "hunger," opened his mouth even wider.
This mouth opened even larger, its teeth glinting with a cold light, what was more terrifying was the aura of the apex predator that burst forth as Jason's mouth opened.
Then, he lunged forward with a bite—