DOTM: Chapter 281/282

Chapter 281: Tyrant

"What are you thinking about?"

Selene noticed Ethan was deep in thought, his head lowered. Considering the tremors that had just occurred, she guessed Ethan was hatching some kind of plan.

"I've been thinking, now is the best chance to deal with this thing."

The Tyrant was Umbrella's most mature and stable product so far, possessing incredible physical strength and durability. Standard light weapon attacks barely caused it any damage.

To deal with a Tyrant when your weapons aren't powerful enough, you have to aim for its weak points. Like the Licker, its weak points were the head and heart.

The Tyrant had a certain level of intelligence and a decent reaction speed, making it difficult to attack its head. It would dodge or use its hands to block and protect that area. As for its heart…

In its normal state, the Tyrant wore a restraint coat resembling a military overcoat. This garment kept the Tyrant in a more stable condition and also increased its defense.

The heart, being a weak point, couldn't be attacked while it wore that "military coat." To land a hit, you'd either have to completely destroy the coat or enrage the Tyrant, forcing it to shed its restraints in exchange for greater speed and power.

Of course, that was the case under normal circumstances. If Leon and the others had to rely on their 9mm handguns and shotguns, they would have to deal with the Tyrant this way.

Ethan, naturally, had no need to go through such trouble. What he had been thinking about earlier wasn't how to escape, but whether he should eliminate the Tyrant right here and now.

"What's wrong?"

After Ethan remained quiet for a while, the others noticed his odd behavior. Just then, the ground seemed to tremble slightly, as if something heavy was stomping repeatedly on the floor.

"Looks like I don't need to hesitate anymore."

This wasn't a game where you only encountered bosses in set locations. After being air-dropped, the Tyrant would automatically begin seeking out targets. Considering Umbrella's intent to test its weapons, it was likely that all living things were within its attack range.

Ethan wasn't sure if the Tyrant had radar or some sort of tracking system, but this thing certainly had a knack for finding people. It always managed to track its targets.

This time was no different. Not long after the air drop, Ethan had only zoned out in the hall for a short while before the Tyrant began to approach.

"Everyone, step back."

Ethan was one step away from saying, "Clear the way, I'm about to show off." Unfortunately, before he could say something so classic, the relatively small wooden door was kicked open, and a tall, muscular figure squeezed out from the narrow doorway.

"What kind of monster is that?"

The Tyrant's bluish-gray skin clearly showed it was no human. Combined with its imposing height of over two meters, Robert Kendo, Leon, and the others were visibly shaken. Even Claire, who had been holding up strong, was stunned.

"Should we run?"

Running seemed like the sensible choice, but before Leon could shout, "You go first, I'll cover you," he saw Ethan already charging toward the monster.

"Come back, Ethan!"

He thought Ethan was rushing out to buy them time. But Leon, as a justice-driven police officer, could not accept hiding behind a "civilian."

It should've been the other way around. That was his responsibility.

He wanted to fire his weapon to draw the Tyrant's attention, but the distance was too far, and Ethan was in the way. Leon didn't dare shoot for fear of accidentally hitting him. He could only watch anxiously as Ethan charged toward the monster.

"No!"

When the Tyrant raised its thick right arm, ready to smash its face-basin-sized fist down onto Ethan's head, Claire, seemingly able to foresee the tragedy about to unfold, cried out instinctively. At the same time, she pulled Sherry close, shielding her eyes from the impending scene.

Bang!

But the expected outcome didn't happen. Although the Tyrant's massive fist came down, just before it struck Ethan, it stopped completely—because Ethan had caught the blow squarely with his left hand.

The sight was shocking. No one believed the Tyrant's punch was for show. The loud impact sound and the cracks spreading across the floor proved that no one should've been able to withstand such an attack.

"I must be hallucinating."

Leon felt his brain short-circuit. Everything that had happened today was already beyond belief. Viruses and bio-weapons could at least be explained by science. But what was with Ethan? How could a seemingly ordinary person catch such a terrifying punch?

Was he secretly a robot?

What was even more unbelievable was what came next. The Tyrant tried to pull its arm back but was firmly locked in Ethan's grip, completely unable to break free.

Then, Ethan twisted his body, using the momentum to execute a clean over-the-shoulder throw.

CRASH!

Looking at the large pit smashed into the ground and the debris scattered everywhere, Leon felt that if it had been him taking that hit, not a single bone in his body would have remained intact.

In reality, everyone else was thinking the same—except for Selene. Ethan, on the other hand, wasn't concerned with any of that. He was still assessing his own strength.

"It seems... my strength is a bit greater than I originally estimated."

He had rushed in and chosen to engage the Tyrant in hand-to-hand combat to test his own physical condition.

Ever since he strengthened his body, he had been training diligently. He knew he had surpassed human limits, but he wasn't sure by how much.

He had once thought he was still a long way from Captain America's level. Looking at it now, that estimate seemed fairly accurate.

When Captain America had just been enhanced, he could lift a heavy motorcycle with three people on it above his head. Later, perhaps through training, his hidden potential had been fully unlocked. At that point, Captain America could even pull down a helicopter trying to take off.

Ethan had just caught the Tyrant's attack and casually thrown it over his shoulder. Compared to that, it wasn't anything too crazy. After all, this thing couldn't even crush Leon, an ordinary human (?), with a single swipe.

Ignoring the stares from the others—who now looked at him like he was the real monster—Ethan noticed the Tyrant, though not seriously harmed, was beginning to climb out of the pit. He immediately rushed forward and delivered a powerful kick, sending it sprawling back down.

Then he stepped on the Tyrant's body and began punching its head repeatedly.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Each punch landed with a dull, heavy thud. The sound alone made it clear how forceful the strikes were. But despite that, the attacks seemed to do nothing more than tickle the Tyrant, unable to deal any real damage.

"It seems my strength, while far beyond normal, still isn't enough to deal effective damage to a bio-weapon of this level."

After testing for a while, Ethan gained a clearer understanding of his current condition.

Physical attributes like strength and agility might show noticeable improvement, but without real combat, it was difficult to gauge how far one had advanced. After confirming his limits, Ethan decided not to waste time anymore.

He jumped off the Tyrant, which was already recovering. Letting out a furious roar, the monster rose once again. Several parts of its restraint coat flew off, indicating it was ready to enter a berserk state—shedding its restraints to unleash its full power and tear Ethan apart.

Unfortunately, Ethan wouldn't give it that chance. This wasn't a boxing ring where fair duels were expected. While the Tyrant was still roaring and raging, Ethan had already begun gathering his magic power.

"There's no magical energy to draw on in this world. It really is a magic-less world."

That didn't mean magic couldn't be used. As long as a mage had their own magic power or carried magic-infused items, they could still cast spells.

However, once consumed, magic couldn't be replenished here. The rate at which one's own magic power recovered depended entirely on the individual mage's strength.

Ethan's chosen path of training allowed him, if he reached the later stages, to become a self-generating source of magic power. This made it the most suitable path for a mage who traveled between different worlds.

This form of training had another advantage. Since the magic was generated purely by his spirit, the casting and control were far superior to ordinary mages. Using magic became like using his own limbs—practically instinctual. Complex incantations or casting gestures could be omitted. Even spells he hadn't fully mastered could be cast with just a bit more time.

Magic quickly gathered in Ethan's outstretched hand, and under his control, it transformed into a blazing ball of fire. Once fully formed, the orange-red fireball flew straight into the Tyrant's face, exploding with intense heat. The monster's head and neck were blown to pieces, and its massive body collapsed to the ground.

As the Tyrant fell, the police station lobby descended into a dead silence. Ethan walked over for a quick look, collected some samples, then turned back to see Leon and the others staring at him with even stranger expressions than before.

"Let me reintroduce myself." Seeing the odd looks from Leon and Claire, and Sherry's wide, curious eyes, Ethan spread his hands. "I'm Ethan, a passing mage."

(To be continued.)

Chapter 282: Ada

"You all look very surprised."

"Wouldn't any normal person react this way?"

Claire was actually the quickest to recover. Maybe it was because she was easygoing, or perhaps she had already seen too many strange things today, and her tolerance had improved.

Leon also quickly came back to his senses. His gaze toward Ethan was still odd. He really wanted to say, "Aren't things like mages just fictional?" But thinking about the fireball Ethan had released earlier, he couldn't bring himself to ask.

He suspected in his heart that Ethan had used some kind of special illusion trick, but for now, he accepted the self-proclaimed title of "mage."

"Don't worry about it too much. Being a mage is no different from being a policeman, a gun shop owner, or a university student. It's just an identity."

That was what he said, but Leon and the others didn't quite see it that way. What they were more concerned about was something else.

Ethan, a person of unknown origin with powerful and mysterious abilities, claimed to be a mage. What about the other person? Selene had appeared alongside Ethan, and it was clear they knew each other. Could this woman also be a mage?

"I'm not a mage."

Selene saw several people looking at her at once and shook her head, denying their assumption. As for her identity as a vampire? She didn't want to reveal it. In human society, being a vampire wasn't as well-received as being a mage. If she blurted it out, Leon and the others might treat her the same way they treated zombies and other monsters.

"Shouldn't we continue with our previous plan?"

Ethan kicked the Tyrant's corpse at his feet. This thing actually had great research value, but unfortunately, his storage space wasn't large enough to hold the entire Tyrant. Collecting some samples was enough for now, as it was just one of the many T-virus products.

"Oh, you're right."

Now wasn't the time to dwell on Ethan's identity. They were still trapped in a city full of zombies and various bio-monsters. What they should be focusing on was how to escape this place.

As for Ethan's identity, they could probe it gradually. After all, asking a few questions while on the move wouldn't hold them up.

The police station had already been thoroughly searched. All usable supplies had been collected and distributed among the bags everyone carried.

Robert Kendo carried a large bag. As a gun shop owner, he felt that his reflexes and combat ability were weaker than the younger ones, but his strength and stamina were decent, so helping to carry supplies was no problem.

The large bag he carried mainly contained clean water, food, and all the ammunition they had found.

As for weapons, each person chose according to their preferences. For example, besides the service pistol still holstered at his waist, Leon also carried a .44 caliber Desert Eagle. This large-caliber handgun had drawbacks such as being bulky, having a slow rate of fire, and strong recoil. It was mostly used for hunting large animals or as a collector's item, with limited practical combat use.

But after encountering monsters like the Tyrant, Leon felt it was necessary to carry a large-caliber handgun, so he immediately took it when he saw one.

"Too bad it's not .50 caliber."

Ethan wasn't entirely sure how much more powerful that caliber would be, but he felt Leon wouldn't get many chances to use the weapon—especially while moving alongside him.

"Did you use a fireball just now?"

Ever since Ethan introduced himself as a mage, Sherry, who had previously been wary of him, had become very curious. Her eyes stayed on him constantly, and as soon as she found a chance, she asked the question she had been holding in.

"Yes."

"Can you use other magic?"

"More or less."

"Can mages really do anything, like in the stories?"

Ethan looked at Sherry. She was still a child, and he really wanted to humor her like any other child, but when he looked into her eyes, he could tell that despite her age, she was very clever. She must have something she wanted to ask for.

What would Sherry want from him? Ethan guessed it immediately. Nothing more than help finding her parents, protecting them, and if something had happened to them, hoping he could restore them safe and sound.

Finding them wouldn't be difficult. Restoring them safe and sound... that was.

Ethan didn't dwell on it for too long and decided to shatter the girl's fantasy right away.

"Mages are not omnipotent. While magic itself may be limitless, a mage's power is not."

Sherry was young, but that didn't mean she couldn't understand. At twelve, she had enough comprehension.

"So, you can't help me find my mom and dad?"

Ethan paused, then gave the little girl a promise.

"If possible, I will help you find them."

Claire had been holding Sherry's hand the whole time, so she heard the entire conversation. She was a little surprised that Ethan actually agreed to help Sherry find her parents.

"Are you surprised?"

"A little."

Claire thought for a moment. Seeing that the surroundings were quiet and there didn't seem to be any immediate danger, she started chatting with Ethan as well.

"You said you were a passing mage?"

"Yes."

"Where are you going?"

Ethan shook his head. Claire thought he didn't want to answer the question, but then he gave her a shocking reply.

"The 'passing through' I mentioned is a little different from what you understand."

Ethan was never one to hide his identity. It was fine not to mention it before, but now that he had revealed he was a mage, he didn't plan to hide the fact that he was from another world either.

When he introduced himself as someone who had come from another world, even Claire and Leon—who had been walking ahead—were stunned for a moment.

"You can understand the concept of parallel universes, right?"

"I don't know why, but after hearing that you're not from our world, I actually feel relieved."

It proved that their world was still the one they were familiar with. The appearance of monsters was due to a bio-virus, not some complete shift into an unfamiliar world. If a mage could appear, who was to say angels and demons wouldn't appear next? But now it seemed that wouldn't happen.

Since they had already swept through the police station while searching for survivors earlier, there were no zombies left inside. After eliminating the Tyrant, everyone smoothly reached the underground parking garage.

Ethan couldn't figure out the design of the Raccoon City Police Station. Why did you have to go through the parking garage to reach the detention cells? But that was how it had been designed, and complaining wouldn't change it.

Another thing that didn't change was that Leon, walking in front, was nearly hit by a bullet. When everyone raised their weapons, they saw an Asian woman in a red mini dress walk out.

"Sorry, I thought you were those monsters."

Everyone was surprised. They hadn't expected to encounter another survivor. Only Ethan wasn't surprised. Since Sherry was with them, this woman was bound to appear—it was only a matter of when.

"We're not those monsters. We're survivors, and we're trying to escape the city together. You should come with us." Leon didn't take the shot personally. In this environment, misunderstandings like this were understandable.

He saw that the woman was alone, dressed like a civilian, and was a woman. His sense of duty surged once again. As a police officer, he felt it was his duty to protect her.

"I'm Leon. This is Claire, Ethan, Selene, Robert."

"My name is Ada Wong. I can't go with you right now. I'm looking for someone." Ada didn't accept Leon's invitation. She had something she needed to do.

"Looking for someone?" Hearing that meant there was another survivor. Leon immediately perked up. "Who are you looking for?"

"A reporter named Ben. He should be locked in the police station's detention cells." Ada didn't hide her purpose and said it directly.

Maybe she sensed Leon was willing to help, so she just said it. Ethan wasn't sure, agents were always hard to read.

Hearing that the person was still in the police station, likely in the underground facility they were heading to (since the detention cells were also there), Leon immediately decided to help.

"You can come with us. If Ben is still alive, he can try to escape the city with us too."

"Good idea." Ada pointed to a medium-sized truck ahead. "But we need to move that truck first. It's blocking the door."

Moving the vehicle wasn't difficult. The women didn't seem inclined to do it, so Leon and Ethan—being the young men—took responsibility. Leon actually wanted Ethan to move the truck by himself. He believed that with Ethan's ridiculous strength, it wouldn't be a problem.

However, being watched by all the women made him feel a bit embarrassed, so he went up to help. Not that it mattered. He barely applied any force, and the truck was already pushed aside.

The blocked entrance was revealed. After opening the door and heading inside, they found a dark and narrow corridor. Fortunately, no zombies appeared to cause trouble, and they quickly reached the detention cells, where they found the reporter named Ben.

Leon and Ada exchanged a few words with the man in the cell and confirmed that he was Ben Bertolucci. He was a reporter with a lot of inside information. Ada was looking for him to ask about her boyfriend, who had been missing for six months, but Ben didn't give her any answers.

As for Leon's suggestion that they leave together, Ben completely ignored it. He felt safer hiding in the cell.

"You have no idea what's out there."

(To be continued.)