The investigation mission began.

That morning, the light from the quantum artifact illuminating the large underground cave began to dim with the dawn. Modeus slowly opened his eyes, focusing on the warm clay walls around him. He sat up, stretching lightly to shake off the sleepiness. On the other side of the room, Abigail was already preparing his gear, checking every detail of the equipment they would take. They had received clear instructions from Klomin the night before, and now it was time to act.

As Modeus strapped on his sword belt, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed from outside their guest house. The large man with four arms, who had been their escort since yesterday, appeared at the doorway. His face was serious, but there was a hint of alertness behind his dark eyes.

"Ready to go?" he asked in a flat tone, his deep voice resonating through the room.

Modeus turned to him, a menacing smile on his face. "You haven't told us your name, big guy."

The man paused for a moment before responding, "Enzo."

"Enzo, huh? A fitting name for someone with four arms," Modeus said with a smirk, glancing at Enzo's robotic arms that looked sturdier and larger than his original ones.

Enzo just sighed, accustomed to the kind of jabs Modeus liked to throw. "I'm here to make sure this mission goes smoothly. Nothing more," he said, walking towards the exit.

Abigail nodded, recognizing that Enzo was a man of few words but reliable. He followed Enzo out, with Modeus trailing behind, his cynical smile suggesting he was enjoying the unfolding situation.

As they emerged from the large cave, the three of them trekked across the wilderness stretching out before them. Dense vegetation and ancient ruins scattered around created a quiet atmosphere full of bygone memories. Each step was accompanied by the crunch of dry leaves and the faint whisper of the cold wind. In the distance, the ancient ruins Klomin had mentioned began to come into view, though they still seemed far on the horizon.

"How long is this journey going to take?" Modeus asked casually, glancing over at Abigail.

"All day, maybe longer if we run into any obstacles," Abigail replied briefly as he continued walking.

Modeus yawned slightly, but his smile never left his face. "Let's hope we find something interesting along the way."

Before long, Abigail suddenly stopped, prompting Enzo and Modeus to halt as well. A low, unfamiliar growl came from ahead. Through the trees, several large figures began to emerge, moving swiftly toward them. The glowing mechanical eyes in the darkness revealed who was approaching—a pack of wolves with bodies mostly modified with robotic components.

One of the wolves had a large mechanical arm with giant claws replacing its front legs. Another had glowing red mechanical eyes, while the rest had various robotic body parts, from jaws to metal spines. They were the result of technological engineering, making them more ferocious and dangerous.

"Mechanicals," Enzo rumbled, his baritone voice heavy. "These wolves are usually tamed by demons experimenting with quantum technology."

Modeus tilted his head, his small smile still present but his eyes shining with excitement. "Looks like they want to play," he said, drawing his sword. The blade gleamed with a faint red light, signaling that Modeus was ready for a fight.

Without warning, one of the wolves with a mechanical arm leaped toward them, its giant claw slamming into the ground in front of Modeus with immense force. Modeus jumped back, laughing softly. "Quite aggressive. Let's see who's stronger here."

Abigail quickly began chanting a protective spell around them, forming a barrier strong enough to withstand the initial attack from the wolves. Enzo, surprisingly agile for his large frame, used his four arms with dexterity. His mechanical arms grabbed two of the wolves, while his original arms wielded a large axe, striking the head of a third approaching wolf.

Meanwhile, Modeus faced off against the leader wolf with mechanical eyes. His smile widened, clearly enjoying every move of the wolf. As the wolf leaped at him, Modeus easily dodged and, with a swift slash, cut through the wolf's mechanical leg. However, the wolf did not give up. A small blade emerged from its remaining robotic leg and attacked Modeus from below. Modeus jumped back and laughed, entertained by his opponent's persistence.

"This is so much fun!" Modeus laughed, then swung his sword again, slicing the wolf in two.

Abigail, having finished his protective spell, noticed that the battle was nearly over. "We can't waste too much time. This is just the beginning. We still have a lot ahead of us."

Enzo tossed the carcass of the wolf he had been holding to the ground and nodded in agreement. "They were just the first line of defense. We need to stay alert. The closer we get to the ruins, the more of these creatures we'll encounter."

Modeus simply grinned, his eyes sparkling with anticipation. "I certainly hope so."

Their journey continued after defeating the mechanical wolves, but that was just the start. Modeus, Abigail, and Enzo pressed on through the increasingly dense and darkening forest, facing various obstacles along the way. One such obstacle was a massive creature resembling a bear but with metal claws and a back covered in steel plates. The creature attacked swiftly, but Enzo nimbly used his four arms to swing a large axe, shattering the monster's steel armor into fragments.

On another occasion, they were attacked by a swarm of bats with glowing red eyes that swooped down from the sky. Modeus easily dodged their bites and sliced their wings with his sword. Abigail assisted with wind magic that wiped out the bats in a single sweeping blow, sending the creatures crashing to the ground. Each fight went smoothly, and every obstacle was overcome without much difficulty, thanks to their combined strength and teamwork.

As they approached their destination, the ruins, the sky began to darken. The sun was setting on the horizon, and the forest, once quiet, grew increasingly eerie with long shadows from the trees that resembled giant creatures. The cold night air began to creep in, and Enzo, who was leading the way, signaled with his hand.

"We stop here," Enzo said, his voice low and firm. "This place should be safe for now."

The ruins they were aiming for were only a few hundred meters away from where they stood. Amid the trees, the remnants of old buildings could be seen faintly, with some walls still standing despite being overtaken by tree roots and moss. They decided to set up camp in a more sheltered area not far from the ruins. Modeus, thrilled by the tension and adventure, wore a satisfied smile as he looked at the challenge ahead.

They quickly set up camp. Enzo started by clearing the area of small rocks and branches, while Abigail prepared a protective spell to keep any monsters at bay while they rested. Modeus, humming softly, gathered dry branches from around and set up a campfire. Soon, the fire crackled to life, providing warmth against the deepening night.

Sitting around the fire, the three began discussing their mission further.

"We're getting close to our goal," Enzo said, his gaze fixed on the distant ruins. "But something feels off. There shouldn't be so many wild monsters around these ruins. Usually, there are only a few guardian monsters. It's no wonder previous investigation teams haven't returned; it might be because these monsters are more numerous than expected."

Abigail nodded, his expression serious. "That's the strange part. The increase in monster activity suggests something is wrong. There could be something drawing them together, or someone controlling them."

Modeus, lounging across from the fire with his hands behind his head, gave a sly smile. "Interesting. So, this is more than just a routine investigation, huh? Do you think there might be humans behind this? Or demons with intelligence?"

Abigail looked at Modeus with a cold stare but responded calmly. "That's one possibility. As we know, humans who get lost in Fertissio usually don't last long. But if there's a group of humans hiding here, they might be trying to harness the power of the quantum artifacts in the ruins. That could explain the increase in monster activity, as quantum attracts these creatures. They're programmed to prevent humans from obtaining quantum artifacts or stones."

Enzo, who had been listening intently, finally spoke up. "But the most likely scenario is that there's a demon nearby keeping watch. The mechanical creatures we encountered earlier… they're clearly not the work of ordinary humans."

Modeus leaned forward, intrigued. "Demons, huh? You mentioned demons experimenting with human technology. I've heard rumors about them, but I didn't realize they had advanced this far."

Enzo nodded, his face tense. "Demons evolve just like humans. They learn from every battle, especially from the technology they acquire on this continent. Quantum is a crucial resource, and many of them try to exploit it in ways similar to humans. In fact, some have developed mechanical technology to enhance their physical abilities, as we saw with those monsters."

Modeus looked fascinated by the explanation, his smile widening. "So, demons are following in our footsteps, huh? Chasing quantum power and technology. But they're more willing to engage in dangerous experiments since their actions aren't bound by human rules."

Abigail added, "Exactly. The continent of Fertissio is an invisible battleground between humans and demons. Many of the quantum artifacts found here are guarded by powerful monsters created or left behind by demons. Demons don't want humans to access this power. That's why the royal forces can only guard the borders and rarely make it to the heart of the continent. This isn't a battlefield that can be conquered with military strength alone."

"And now we're right in the middle of this dangerous terrain," Modeus chuckled softly, staring at the flickering fire. "It's getting more interesting."

Abigail sighed. "Yes, but let's not forget, our job here is to find out the cause of the increase in monsters and stop it before things get worse. We also need to be cautious about the remnants of the previous investigation teams. If they're still alive, we need to find them."

Modeus grinned, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Whoever we encounter, be they human or demon, it's going to be a fierce battle."

Enzo gazed at the ruins in the distance with a wary look. "We need to prepare ourselves as best as we can. These ruins might hold more than meets the eye. Tomorrow, we'll be entering a place full of dangers."

As the night grew late, their conversation dwindled. Modeus, Abigail, and Enzo returned to their respective tents to rest, preparing for the challenges that awaited them the next day. In the distance, the ancient ruins loomed ominously, as if hiding dark secrets waiting to be uncovered.

***

In the dim, shadowy room, the clinking of metal and the hiss of surgical instruments filled the air. The faint light from a flickering chandelier cast a narrow beam onto the operating table in the center of the room, where a man lay weakly. His body squirmed on the table, tightly bound with thick leather straps that gripped his wrists and ankles. Scattered around the room were mechanical organs—some still stained with blood, others gleaming coldly under the lamp's light. The sharp scent of machine oil mixed with the odor of fresh blood and human sweat.

On the operating table stood a man in a bloodstained long coat, calmly holding a sharp scalpel in one hand and a mechanical organ in the other. His face was hidden in the shadow of a hood that covered his head. His movements were precise, almost emotionless, as if performing a routine job he had done many times before. He furrowed his brow, focusing on his subject— a human now screaming in pain, veins bulging as the mechanical organ was being connected to his biological body.

The subject's screams echoed through the room—hoarse, desperate, yet met with no compassion from the scientist. The scalpel slipped into the flesh with perfect precision, slicing through torn skin and the underlying tissue. It made a clean cut between the ribs, opening the way for the large mechanical device. Blood seeped slowly from the wound, dripping onto the already stained floor.

"Hold on a little longer," the man's voice was calm, almost like a doctor speaking to a patient. But beneath that calm was an unmistakable sadistic undertone. "You'll feel better... at least after we're done."

The subject on the table trembled violently, sweat pouring down his forehead. He struggled, trying to break free from the tight restraints, but it was futile. All he could do was scream in agony, his voice wailing each time the scalpel cut deeper.

The scientist lifted the heavy mechanical organ, shaped like a heart but covered in gleaming metal with fine cables running across its surface. The organ seemed alive—despite its mechanical nature, a faint thudding emanated from within, like a machine just starting up.

"This heart," he said softly, as if speaking to himself or perhaps the experiment, "will replace yours. Don't worry... this mechanical heart will give you powers beyond your wildest imagination."

The subject jolted, staring at the scientist with wide, terrified eyes. Tears streamed down his pale face. He tried to speak, but only heavy breaths emerged, muffled by the overwhelming pain. He knew words would not stop this process.

The scientist only smiled thinly, his lips curling into a cruel, mocking grin. He inserted the mechanical heart into the open chest cavity, connecting its cables to the nerves and blood vessels. The moments dragged on, the machine's hum began to resonate, and the subject's breathing grew irregular.

"Just stay calm," the scientist's voice returned to its soothing tone, though still unsettling. "We're almost done."

The subject's body writhed again, this time more violently. A piercing scream filled the room as the mechanical organ began to merge with his biological tissue. The fusion of flesh and metal was unnatural, causing unimaginable pain. Yet the scientist seemed indifferent. For him, this was just a necessary part of the process.

Suddenly, the mechanical heart began to function. Its beating grew stronger, replacing the biological one. The subject's body trembled violently, as if he had been infused with an alien power taking over his very being. His screams subsided, turning into ragged, labored breaths. His body was rigid, and his eyes flickered, showing confusion in the remnants of his consciousness.

The scientist watched the reaction with keen interest, setting aside his scalpel and taking notes. He recorded every detail, from the changes in breathing to the body's response to the mechanical heart. His eyes gleamed with satisfaction as he observed the subject beginning to calm, though still teetering on the edge of consciousness.

"That's it," he said softly, almost a whisper. "You're becoming something greater... much stronger."

The unfortunate subject lay there, gasping for breath, his body struggling to adapt to the mechanical heart now pulsing inside him. Deep within his mind, however, fear and despair still ruled. To him, this was not salvation but an endless torment.

The scientist smirked with satisfaction, then turned and walked out of the room, leaving the subject in the darkness with the new machine inside him. The operating room fell silent once more, save for the soft sound of the machine's rhythmic beating, marking the beginning of a new existence... or perhaps a new curse.

***