As the final member of the Xu Group, the Rhino Gurongi began his Gegel game.
Steve and Kent received word of the Rhino Gurongi's appearance—specifically that he was attacking truck drivers on the highway—and immediately rushed to the scene. On the NYPD side, George promptly equipped the G3 Unit with Nerve-Breaking Bullets and dispatched them to deal with the Gurongi.
The Rhino Gurongi was currently enjoying himself, overturning yet another truck that emitted the odors and noises he despised. Just as he was about to finish off the driver, the NYPD G3 Unit arrived. Seeing the Gurongi in the middle of his assault, they immediately opened fire with the Nerve-Breaking Bullets from a distance.
Although the three members of the G3 combat squad were elites hand-picked by George, the distance was quite significant. Out of several rounds fired, only one successfully struck the Rhino Gurongi.
Upon being hit by the Nerve-Breaking Bullet, the Rhino Gurongi suffered severe internal trauma. His body's cellular repair capabilities were disrupted, leaving him instantly and gravely wounded. He retreated several steps, nearly collapsing, his face a mask of shock and fury. With a desperate effort, he pushed a nearby overturned truck in front of him to serve as cover.
"The new ammunition is truly powerful! The Gurongi, who used to be unfazed by anything we threw at him, was seriously injured by just one shot," a G3 operator reported to George with great excitement.
They finally had a means of threatening the Gurongi. It was no longer like before, where no matter how strong the G3 armor's combat capabilities were, it could only stall for time because it couldn't inflict significant damage. Previously, they had to rely entirely on that fellow called Kuuga to defeat the monsters.
"Good!" George pumped his fist, looking exhilarated, but he quickly calmed down and commanded: "Even though we've dealt a heavy blow to this rhino-type Gurongi, we cannot let our guard down. G3 Unit, maintain your formation as you approach. Don't give this monster a chance to escape."
"Yes, sir!" The G3 Unit replied in unison, moving toward the Rhino Gurongi's position in a standard tactical formation, their muzzles locked onto the area around the truck.
The moment the Rhino Gurongi emerged from behind the cover of the truck, they would immediately fire the Nerve-Breaking Bullets. Whether he intended to rush them in a desperate last stand or attempt to flee in any direction, the G3 Unit would kill him the moment he left the truck's protection.
"The Rinto actually manufactured such a powerful weapon?!"
The Rhino Gurongi's expression was hideous as he clutched his bleeding wound, huddled behind the truck. "Not only can it cause damage from inside the body, but it also destroyed my healing abilities. A single shot has nearly immobilized me."
"If I get hit by that weapon a few more times, I'll likely be killed outright. It seems I must risk stimulating the power of the Geburon for an all-out struggle."
With a loud roar from the Rhino Gurongi, the "Magic Stone" Geburon on his Gedorudo belt emitted a dim, eerie light. A surge of powerful energy erupted from the belt, suppressing his injuries while drastically strengthening his body. Under the influence of this energy, the Rhino Gurongi's body almost doubled in size.
As the leader of the Xu Group, the Rhino Gurongi possessed the ability to stimulate the energy within his belt—a means to significantly increase his combat power for a short duration. However, this state was not sustainable. While the Rhino Gurongi's strength surpassed that of ordinary Xu Group members, he was still ultimately "Xu" level, and his belt reflected that rank. Even if he had mastered the methods used by higher-level Gurongi to manipulate the stone's energy, there was still a clear gap, and it could not be maintained for long.
Knowing his empowered state wouldn't last, the Rhino Gurongi lifted the truck in front of him and hurled it at the approaching G3 Unit.
The G3 Unit never expected that the Rhino Gurongi, who had seemed gravely injured and powerless moments ago, would suddenly become so ferocious. Caught off guard, two of the three members were pinned directly under the truck. Although the armor protected them from injury, they couldn't break free immediately. Most importantly, their firearms were knocked away, preventing them from using the Nerve-Breaking Bullets.
The remaining G3 operator showed high professional standards, immediately raising his gun to fire at the Rhino Gurongi without hesitation. However, by this point, the Rhino Gurongi's physical attributes were massively enhanced, and he was prepared.
He had already calculated his next move while throwing the truck. As the G3 operator raised his weapon, the Rhino Gurongi leapt into the air, dodging the line of fire and avoiding another hit. In a split second, he closed the distance, first punching the pistol out of the operator's hand to eliminate the threat.
The G3 operator didn't back down, drawing an electromagnetic dagger and stabbing it into the Rhino Gurongi. However, though the blade sank in completely, the Rhino's bulk had increased so much from the belt's energy that the dagger wasn't long enough to reach his vital internal organs.
The Rhino Gurongi took the stab directly. He seized the operator's arm with one hand and used his other to rain thunderous punches down on the helmet. Despite the protection of the G3 armor, the operator was left dazed and immobilized by the terrifying force of the blows.
The Rhino Gurongi released the temporarily incapacitated operator, having no intention of finishing him off. Although the G3 Unit had severely wounded him, now was not the time for revenge. To him, completing the kill count for the Gegeru was the top priority; all other grudges had to give way to the game's objective.
He knew clearly that suppressing his injuries with the belt's power was only temporary. If he didn't complete his goal now, his injuries would eventually resurface and rob him of his mobility, causing him to exceed the time limit of the game. He needed to accelerate his hunt.
"My time is short. Consider yourselves lucky to be alive," the Rhino Gurongi said to the G3 operator in the Gurongi language.
Just then, the roar of a motorcycle echoed in the distance. Steve and Kent had arrived.
"Kuuga! Of all the times!" the Rhino Gurongi hissed through gritted teeth.
Steve took one look at the downed G3 operators and charged straight at the Rhino.
"What incredible strength!" Steve was secretly shocked the moment they clashed.
The Rhino Gurongi knew that with Kuuga present, he wouldn't be allowed to continue his game smoothly. He had to put everything into fighting Steve, hoping for a quick resolution.
However, while the empowered Rhino Gurongi held the advantage in raw strength, Steve had Kent as an ally. The Rhino wasn't strong enough to create an absolute advantage, and he found himself unable to overcome the duo. The battle fell into a stalemate.
As time passed, the energy from the belt's stone began to fade, and the Rhino Gurongi's strength inevitably wavered. Most critically, the damage from the Nerve-Breaking Bullet—which had been suppressed during the fight—suddenly flared up.
The Rhino Gurongi's body stiffened, rendering him momentarily immobile.
Steve seized the opportunity, delivering a "Mighty Kick" directly to the Rhino Gurongi's head. The impact snapped the horn clean off, and the sealing energy was funneled into the monster's body.
Energy runes appeared on the Rhino Gurongi's face. He could no longer hold back the internal damage; blood poured uncontrollably from his wounds. He collapsed helplessly to the ground, followed by a violent explosion.
(End of Chapter)