Chapter 70: Adrenaline Rush

Deros

As Vyran held off Tira, the rest of us — Hiesno, Zane, Kaeii, and I — were hustling to move the mecha, which was still on the wooden trailer we had loaded it in before Tira arrived. Thankfully, Vyran had drawn her attention away from it. Had she been smart, she would've blown it up and retreated. But I doubted she was dumb. Her real goal wasn't the mecha, but us. To her, Ret's mecha was probably just a big piece of junk.

Our boots crunched against the underbrush, our breaths were heavy with exertion, and our minds raced with the concern for Vyran. Yet, despite the pressure, we knew we had to focus on our task. Failure wasn't an option.

"Keep pushing, we still have a long way to go!" Hiesno, ever the leader, called out from the front where he was steering the wooden trailer. Despite his usually calm demeanor, I could hear the strain in his voice, reflecting the gravity of our situation.

Kaeii, right beside me, grunted in response, his muscles bulging as he helped to push. "This would be a lot easier if that mecha wasn't the size of a small house," he muttered under his breath, but I caught a smirk on his face, appreciating his attempt to keep the mood light.

Zane, who had run ahead to scout the path, jogged back, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Path's clear, but we need to keep the pace up. Vyran can't hold her off forever."

I nodded, pushing harder against the trailer, feeling the uneven ground beneath our feet. The dampness of the rainforest soil didn't help us at all. The mecha, a massive structure of burnt steel and circuits, loomed over us, its presence a constant reminder of the importance of our mission. It was essential for the upcoming resistance operation, and Vyran was out there buying us the time we needed.

There was no way I was going to let my friend fight in vain. I would get this hulk of metal back to the base, even if it was the last thing I did.

"We're doing good, team, keep it up!" Hiesno encouraged, guiding the trailer with expert precision despite the rough terrain. His leadership had been very helpful, especially today.

The sounds of Vyran's confrontation with Tira occasionally reached our ears — distant blasts and the faint echoes of their battle. Each sound sent a wave of worry through me, but I focused on the task at hand. We had to trust Vyran to handle the situation.

As we approached the clearing, the ground became less cluttered, allowing us to pick up speed. The trailer rattled ominously as we pushed it faster, but it held together — a testament to the sturdy construction Kaeii had insisted on when we first built it.

Suddenly, the radio transmitter on my ear crackled to life, making me jump. "Deros, do you copy? This is Vyran."

A mix of relief and apprehension churned inside me. "Vyran! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he replied, his voice steady but tired. "I managed to disable Tira's weapon, but she got away. How are you guys doing with the mecha?"

"We still have a long distance to travel," I said. "But we've managed to move it at least."

"Good job, Deros. I'll meet you there."

A collective sigh of relief seemed to pass through our group. Vyran had survived his encounter with Tira.

"Let's keep going, team," I said, feeling a smile spread across my face despite the fatigue.

"And where would that be?" a familiar sing-song voice called out.

My eyes widened as Tira stood behind us. Pink energy strings radiated out of her body and grasped each one of us. 

"You rebels are such suckers! Like I would give up after losing my gun when I can manipulate ki!"

I clenched my teeth.

"You aren't the only one who can!" Hiesno said, glaring at her. Ice covered his glowing binding.

The ice spread rapidly, crystallizing and snapping the ki strings that bound us. Tira's eyes widened in surprise, momentarily thrown off by Hiesno's counterattack. It was a fleeting moment, but it was all we needed.

"Move!" Hiesno shouted, pushing against the bindings as they weakened under the frost. With a collective effort, we broke free, the remnants of the ki strings falling to the ground, shimmering faintly before dissipating into the air.

Kaeii was the first to regain his composure, darting forward with agility honed by countless skirmishes. "We can't let her stop us. Push the trailer!"

Zane and I nodded, throwing our weight back against the wooden trailer which creaked ominously but held firm as it began to roll forward again. The weight of the mecha bore down mercilessly, but adrenaline fueled our muscles. I could control mine thanks to my Orginal genes, channeling it to push the trailer with ease. Although my body would feel the consequences later.

Behind us, pink energy swirled around Tira, more violently this time, as if provoked by her anger. "You think you can escape me? I'll show you the true power of ki manipulation!"

Hiesno stood his ground, his hands glowing a soft blue. "I won't let you harm them," he declared firmly, the chill in the air intensifying around him. He brandish his sword and rushed at her.

Tira unleashed another wave of energy strings, Hiesno swung his sword, unleashing a blast of frigid ki. The two forces collided with a sound like shattering glass, creating a brief barrier of frost and light between them.

"Deros, keep going!" Hiesno called out over his shoulder, his attention fixed on Tira. "I've got this!"

Trusting in Hiesno's abilities, Zane, Kaeii, and I continued to push the trailer, each step taking us closer to safety but away from our friend who was holding the line.

Unfortunately, we still had hours of walking ahead of us and we could still hear Tira and Hiesno going at it.

I took a deep breath. "Zane, Kaeii, get on the trailer. Both of you try to steer it."

"Wait, you plan to push it on your own?" Kaeii asked.

I nodded and began taller and more muscular. 

He frowned, but Zane didn't question me, jumping to the front of the trailer and taking control of the steering wheel. 

Kaeii gulped and jumped on after some hesitation. Hopefully, the trailer and the mecha could survive what I was about to do.

I let out a roar and pushed the trailer, using my power over my own hormones to fill my body with adrenaline. For s short time, I could lift stuff multiple times my current size with ease. And right now I was seven foot tall, 300 pounds of lean muscle.

The trailer, burdened with the massive mecha, began to move more smoothly as I poured every ounce of my strength and heightened adrenaline into pushing it. The ground beneath my feet churned up mud and leaves, but I felt almost unstoppable. Zane and Kaeii, now at the helm, managed the steering, working to navigate the rough and winding path that lay ahead.

The muscles in my arms and back screamed in protest, the strain evident, but the surge of adrenaline kept the pain at bay and my spirits high. I could feel the immense weight of the mecha pushing back against me, but each step forward was a small victory, a testament to the strength I wielded in this enhanced state.

Behind us, the sounds of Tira and Hiesno's battle faded into the background, the clash of their powers a distant, muffled echo. I trusted Hiesno with my life, and I knew he was doing everything he could to hold Taryn off. His abilities were a crucial part of our team, and he had never let us down.

"Keep it steady!" I called out to Zane and Kaeii, my voice booming louder than I intended, amplified by my current size and power. They nodded, their focus intense as they maneuvered the trailer around a particularly sharp bend. The trailer tilted dangerously, but they managed to stabilize it just in time.

"Slick move, Zane!" Kaeii shouted over the rumble and creak of the trailer, a hint of his usual cheer breaking through the tension.

Zane just grunted in response, his eyes scanning the path ahead for more obstacles. Every turn was a challenge with the unwieldy load we were carrying, but their teamwork kept us on track.

As the adrenaline continued to fuel my body, I felt an almost euphoric sense of power. It was exhilarating to push beyond my normal limits, to feel my body respond with such raw strength. But I also knew this state couldn't last forever. Adrenaline was a temporary boost, and I would soon need to manage the inevitable crash.

"We're making good progress, Deros!" Kaeii called back to me, his voice laced with both encouragement and concern. "But don't overdo it, man. We need you in one piece."

I nodded, understanding his worry. "I'll be fine," I managed to puff out between breaths, "Just need to keep going a bit longer."

We made it to the river in no time. Just beyond it was the underground town. Although we would have to continue a bit further in order to get it underground so we could star repairing it.

Taking a deep breath, I lifted up the trailer over my head.

"Woah!" Kaeii said, eyes wide. "Zane, your counterpart is amazing!"

Zane snickered. "Of course he is, he's me."

I chuckled weakly. Was I? 

Taking another breath, I rushed through the river. It was deep and its current was powerful, but it wasn't deep enough for me. And not strong enough in the face of my adrenaline boost.

I set the trailer back down as we reached the other side and panted. My eyes widened.

"Hey! Deros!" Zane said as I fell to my knees.

My entire body began to convulse violently. I tried to stop the pain, but it was too much.

I gasped as air as my body turned back to its normal size. My arms and legs spasmed uncontrollably.

"Deros!" Zane said.

Kaeii grabbed me. "Let's take him back inside."

"N-no," I said with what little of my strength remained. I pointed at the mecha. It came first. If we left it out in the open like this, it would be a give away of our location. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if the town got discovered because of me. I couldn't risk so many lives for my own.