New Ruins

The platform lift slowly descended into the seemingly endless darkness of the pit. The whir of the machinery and the gentle vibrations added to the eerie atmosphere. Modeus, Abigail, Takashima Gyoro, and two other team members looked down with cautious eyes. The beam lights from their helmets flickered, illuminating parts of the ruins that occasionally revealed metal structures embedded in the walls of the large pit.

When they finally reached the bottom, the first sight that greeted them was a vast corridor resembling the remnants of an old military bunker. The walls were lined with sturdy metal, and occasionally, thick, cracked glass windows revealed darkened rooms beyond.

"Wow... This is like an underground base," Modeus whispered, scanning the surroundings.

Takashima, with his deep voice, immediately issued orders. "Stay behind me. Our team is next in line to enter. Remember, this path has been cleared, but don't let your guard down. The clearing team could have missed something."

They waited briefly at the corridor's end as other retrieval teams went in first, moving along the path marked by the clearing team. Their lights slowly faded into the distance, leaving Takashima and his team in the corridor's tense silence.

"How are you feeling?" Abigail asked Modeus quietly while checking his A.R.M.

"I'm fine," Modeus replied with a slight smile, though it was clear the bunker's atmosphere unsettled him. "It's just... really quiet in here."

Abigail nodded, his gaze still fixed on the A.R.M. screen, monitoring heat sensors and signs of life around them.

Takashima signaled, and it was their turn to enter. They stepped into the bunker's corridor, now feeling narrower, surrounded by walls that shimmered faintly in their lights.

"Alright, start collecting the artifacts," Takashima instructed.

They spread out, moving slowly down the corridor and exploring the small rooms along the way. Artifacts were scattered everywhere, some emitting a faint purple glow. Items were tucked behind desks, cabinets, and on the dusty floor. Small, smooth, transparent stones were also scattered around them.

Modeus crouched to pick up a round artifact that glowed softly in purple. As he touched it, the artifact felt cold and slightly pulsing in his hand.

"This might be one of the quantum stones they mentioned," Modeus murmured, examining the artifact before placing it in his collection bag at his waist.

Abigail, not far from him, bent down to retrieve a small stone that was almost invisible on the floor. The stone looked like a transparent crystal but emitted a gentle glow when turned.

"Very small," Abigail noted, "but these stones might be quite valuable."

Takashima stood at the end of the corridor, keeping an eye on his team and occasionally checking their status through the heat sensors on his A.R.M. device. He maintained order, ensuring no one strayed from the mapped path.

"About 30 meters ahead, we need to turn left," Takashima said, glancing at the digital map on his wrist. "Stay close to the group."

Modeus stuffed a few more quantum stones into his bag while scanning his surroundings. The rooms along the corridor seemed untouched for ages, filled with debris and dust-covered items. The cracked glass windows revealed parts of the deeper bunker, some still shrouded in darkness.

"I've always wondered," Modeus broke the silence, "why are things like this left in places like this? Who built such a large bunker?"

"Relics of the past," Abigail replied, surveying the room with his eyes. "The people who lived here might have long since disappeared. They left everything behind when their civilization collapsed."

"Or maybe they died," Modeus quipped darkly.

Takashima reprimanded them from the front, "Focus. Less talking."

The two fell silent immediately, but Modeus couldn't shake his curiosity. He checked the heat sensors on his A.R.M., but there were no signs of life other than their own group.

After walking a few more meters, they came across a large room filled with rusted metal tables and dead monitors. On one of the tables was a large quantum stone, glowing more brightly than the smaller stones they had found earlier.

"This is interesting," Abigail said, approaching the stone carefully. "It seems more stable."

Modeus also approached, observing how the stone emitted an unusual energy. "This isn't just an ordinary stone."

Takashima walked over to them, inspecting the stone with a calculating look. "Put it in the collection bag. We'll send everything for analysis once we're done."

As Modeus was about to pick up the stone, the heat sensors on their A.R.M. devices suddenly beeped, indicating unknown activity.

"What's that?" one of the other team members asked, sounding alarmed.

Takashima quickly checked the screen on his wrist. "The heat sensors are picking up movement around us. It's... not human."

Tension thickened in the air. Modeus gripped his weapon tightly, ready to face whatever was coming.

Abigail, calm but alert, said, "Whatever it is, we need to stay on track."

Takashima led the team back to the main corridor, moving faster now. They all knew that in situations like this, caution was crucial, but they couldn't afford to waste time either.

"Get ready. Stay sharp," Takashima commanded with a serious tone.

They pressed forward, leaving the mysterious ruins behind, as the heat sensors continued to signal the presence of unknown entities around them.

The heat sensors on the A.R.M devices began to beep more intensely, indicating fast-moving heat signatures headed their way. Tension filled the faces of Modeus, Abigail, and Takashima as they stood in the bunker hallway, their eyes locked on the small screens in their hands. Unidentified life signs were approaching rapidly. The previously eerie silence was now replaced with a suffocating sense of dread.

Suddenly, a man in a cleanup squad uniform came running towards them, his face drenched in sweat and blood, breathing heavily. "Help!" he screamed in a hoarse, terrified voice.

Before anyone could react, the man was violently yanked back into the hallway he came from, like a puppet on strings. He vanished into the darkness, his final, blood-curdling scream echoing briefly before silence swallowed it.

"Damn it!" Takashima cursed under his breath, immediately snapping into action. His voice was cold but firm. "We need to move fast. Half the squad, get back to the lift platform! Report this and call for reinforcements!"

Half of the team scrambled back toward the platform lift, leaving Takashima, Modeus, and Abigail to advance forward. They knew the situation had just escalated far beyond what they had anticipated.

"Keep your distance and watch your heat sensors," Takashima ordered, his voice commanding. He checked his heavy weapon again, the gun looking deadly in his hands. "Whatever's up ahead, we need to be ready."

Without hesitation, Modeus unsheathed his sword, clearly preparing for close combat. "This sword might come in handy. I can move more freely if we get into melee."

"Be careful," Abigail warned, scanning the surroundings with his firearm at the ready. "This isn't normal. If the cleaner squad is gone, this must be something far worse."

The three of them moved cautiously, their footsteps echoing in the dim and increasingly cold hallway. Every step was filled with tension, and they frequently glanced at their heat sensors, which continued to pick up strange signals around them. Modeus led the way, sword in hand, with Takashima at the rear, gun raised and ready to fire.

At the end of the corridor, a large, partially destroyed door was slightly ajar, just enough for them to slip through. They peeked inside carefully. What they saw made them freeze for a moment.

A massive creature stood in the center of the room. It had a vaguely human shape, but its body was a grotesque fusion of heads and limbs melded together in a sickening way. From each of the heads, long, twitching tentacles sprouted, writhing and pulsing, ready to strike at any moment.

"My God... what is that?" Abigail whispered, his voice low but clearly shaken by the horrific sight.

Takashima held his breath for a second, but kept his composure. "Stay calm," he whispered firmly, though the shock was evident in his eyes. "This is no ordinary creature."

Behind the monster, more abominations crawled across the floor, feasting on the corpses of the cleaner team that had arrived earlier. The sounds of flesh being devoured echoed in the otherwise silent room, creating an atmosphere of pure horror.

But out of the three of them, only one reacted differently. Modeus, instead of showing fear or disgust, grinned widely, his expression filled with excitement as he gazed at the bizarre creatures. His eyes lit up with a strange, unsettling thrill.

"This is incredible!" Modeus exclaimed, his voice almost gleeful. "Creatures like this... this is what I've been waiting for!"

Abigail and Takashima stared at him in disbelief. Abigail shot him a sharp look. "Are you serious? We need to destroy this thing, not get excited about it!"

Modeus raised his sword confidently. "No, Abigail. I think... this is the perfect challenge. I'm not backing down."

Just then, the creature's tentacles began to move, cracking through the air in all directions, ready to strike. Abigail and Takashima knew they didn't have much time to act. Takashima quickly steadied his heavy rifle, propping the barrel against his shoulder.

"It's now or never. Prepare to engage!" Takashima ordered with authority.

Modeus lunged forward without hesitation, his sword glowing with light as he swung it toward an incoming tentacle. The battle had begun, the monster moving with ferocity, but Modeus met its aggression head-on, fighting with relentless energy.

Abigail took position, aiming his automatic rifle, firing shots directly at the monster's many grotesque heads, causing them to shriek and twitch. Takashima unleashed a barrage of bullets from his heavy gun, each shot striking the creature and spilling thick, black liquid from its wounds.

"Keep shooting! Don't let them get close!" Takashima shouted, his focus unbroken even as the creatures closed in.

Modeus dodged and slashed, cutting down tentacles with precision, while Abigail and Takashima provided covering fire from behind. Though the fight seemed uneven, Modeus was clearly reveling in the chaos, while his comrades stayed focused on the mission: to take these monsters down and make it out alive.

Gunfire, monster roars, and the sound of exploding tentacles filled the room as the three of them fought against the overwhelming terror before them.

The battle grew more intense as Modeus plunged into the midst of a swarm of monsters, his body moving with incredible speed. His sword gleamed in the dim light of the ruins, slicing through tentacles that reached for him with deadly precision. As the long, writhing appendages tried to ensnare him, Modeus danced among the creatures like an unstoppable storm. His wild laughter echoed amidst the monsters' roars.

"Heh, you're nothing but a warm-up!" Modeus shouted with manic glee. Each time his sword cut through a monster, black liquid spilled out, staining his clothes and even splattering his face. The liquid emitted a foul odor and steam, but Modeus seemed unfazed, growing more exhilarated by the moment.

Behind him, Takashima and Abigail continued to fire their weapons. Takashima's automatic gun was emitting smoke and heat from its barrel, which had started to glow red. Despite his formidable appearance, he was showing signs of panic.

"Dammit! There are too many of them!" Takashima yelled over the gunfire, his eyes locked on the unrelenting onslaught of monsters.

Abigail, breathing steadily, tried to remain calm even as the situation deteriorated. "Stay focused! We need to support Modeus. If he falls, we're done for!" he shouted, continuing to fire his weapon and hitting the heads of the monsters that attacked them.

Surrounded by the black liquid, Modeus grew even more feral. His body was covered in steam from the monster's fluids, but it didn't slow him down. "Come on! Come on! You think you can stop me?" Modeus taunted the monsters, his eyes gleaming with madness.

After Modeus split the last monster with a brutal final strike, he stood amidst the wreckage, his battle fervor still burning. The black monster fluid dripping from his body formed a disgusting pool on the floor. Takashima quickly checked the heat sensors on his device, his face taut with tension.

"There are still two hot spots left around here!" Takashima shouted, clearly worried. "But I also need to check on the other teams. They might be in danger."

Breathing heavily, Abigail stood next to Modeus. "Takashima, what should we do?"

Takashima tried to stay calm, though his face showed signs of panic. "Modeus, Abigail, I need you two to check out those hot spots. I'll head to the lift platform to make sure the other team members are safe and assist them if needed."

Modeus, covered in monster goo and fired up from the fight, nodded quickly. "Got it. We'll head out, but we need to move fast. Otherwise, we might get stuck here too."

Abigail nodded, and the two of them moved towards the remaining hot spots. They split up and began navigating the dark, confusing ruins. Modeus followed Abigail, who led them cautiously.

"Modeus, we need to be careful. The sensors show more monsters around these hot spots. There might be traps or something bigger up ahead," Abigail said as he checked his device.

Despite his excitement, Modeus listened intently. "Don't worry, I'm ready. They probably won't notice us until it's too late."

They carefully ran through the dark corridors, passing by gleaming metal debris in the light of their flashlights. Their heat sensors indicated that the main hot spots were getting closer, but also showed many additional heat sources around them, signaling the presence of more monsters.

After a few minutes of running, they reached the entrance of a large room that looked like a ruined operations center or control room. Abigail and Modeus stopped at the doorway, surveying the situation carefully.

"Don't rush in. We need to make sure there aren't any large monsters inside," Abigail said quietly.

Modeus peered into the dark room. "Great, I like a challenge. But we need to be quick. I can sense something bigger nearby."

Abigail nodded and checked the heat sensors again. "The sensors show more than ten hot spots inside this room. We need to move carefully and quickly."

As they stepped into the room indicated by the sensors, they were immediately confronted with a scene that put them on high alert. The two heat sources they had detected turned out to be two women: a young girl in an augmented suit covered by a hoodie, sitting on the floor and clutching a wound on her side. In front of her stood an adult woman in luxurious attire adorned with the Aurelius emblem on her chest. The woman looked poised, with a long spear in hand and a determined expression on her face.

Without warning, the woman in the fancy outfit lunged forward, aiming her spear at Modeus.

"What the hell?!" Modeus reflexively blocked the spear attack with his sword, the clash of metal ringing through the room. He took a step back, confused by the sudden attack but ready to fight.

The woman's eyes widened as she realized Modeus wasn't the monster she had expected. "Who are you?!" she demanded, her voice firm yet confused. Modeus frowned, still fending off her spear attacks.

"I should be asking that! Why are you attacking me?" Modeus retorted, tension in his voice. Before the woman could respond, Abigail caught up from behind, out of breath from running and seeing the chaotic situation, he panicked immediately.

"Modeus, wait!" Abigail shouted, raising his hands in a calming gesture. "They're not enemies! They're not monsters—they're another team!"

The woman with the spear paused, her weapon still aimed at Modeus. "Another team?" she asked, both puzzled and slightly relieved.

Abigail quickly explained, "We're from the last team led by Takashima. We detected two heat sources in this room, so we came to check it out. We didn't know anyone else was here."

The woman with the spear slowly lowered her weapon, though her face still showed some doubt. "I didn't know another team was coming..." she said, her tone slightly calmer but still wary. "I thought you were monsters."

Before they could discuss further, a horrifying roar suddenly echoed from the front. Out of the darkness in the corridor, a large number of terrifying monsters emerged, rushing toward the group like an unstoppable wave of horror.

"Get ready!" Modeus quickly adjusted his stance, preparing his sword to meet the attack. His gaze sharpened, his fighting spirit reignited.

Seeing the massive threat, Abigail quickly raised his right hand and began to chant a spell. His incantations echoed through the room, and soon a glowing blue barrier appeared around them, creating a solid magical shield to protect everyone.

The woman with the spear looked stunned when she saw Abigail's spell. Her eyes widened, and she quickly turned to Abigail. "A spell? A wizard?"

Abigail nodded, keeping his focus on maintaining the barrier. "Yes, it's a protective shield. But we don't have much time—they'll attack soon."

The woman hesitated for a moment, then ran back to the young girl sitting on the floor with her wound. "Please! My young lady is hurt. Please, save her!" she cried out, her voice full of panic.

Abigail glanced quickly at the young girl before nodding. "Bring her here, behind the barrier! I'll try to protect everyone while Modeus holds them off!"

As Modeus stood at the front line, his sword ready to slash at the approaching creatures, Abigail worked quickly to reinforce the magical barrier, ensuring no monsters could break through. He glanced at the spear-wielding woman, who carefully carried the injured girl to safety behind the barrier.

"Can you hold on?" Abigail asked the young girl, who looked weak and pale.

The girl nodded slowly, her voice barely audible. "I can... just a little hurt."

Meanwhile, Modeus grinned widely, his fighting spirit fully ignited as the first monster approached. "Let's see if you can get past this!" His initial strike cleaved the front monster in two with ease.

Monsters continued to close in, but Modeus moved with agile ferocity, as if born to fight. Each swing of his sword brought destruction to the creatures daring to approach. On the other side, Abigail remained focused, ensuring the barrier stayed strong while the spear-wielding woman protected the wounded girl.

The battle raged on, with the monsters launching brutal attacks as Modeus and Abigail worked together to defeat them. Modeus fought with agility, dodging the monsters' strikes and countering with swift, lethal attacks, while Abigail stayed focused on firing his weapon and keeping the monsters at bay.

As the monster attacks became relentless, the room began to feel cramped with the horrific creatures pouring in like a tidal wave. Modeus pressed forward without pause, slicing through any monster that dared to come close, while Abigail tried to keep his attention on the injured girl beside him. However, it became increasingly clear that the influx of monsters was endless.

The woman with the spear glanced between the injured girl and the advancing crowd of monsters. She made a quick decision. "You all need to leave!" she shouted to Abigail, releasing her grip on the spear. "I'll hold them off as long as I can! Get my young lady out of here now!"

Abigail, who was strategizing their defense, turned with a look of disbelief. "Are you crazy?! If you stay, you'll definitely die!"

The woman looked at Abigail with a determined expression. "It's my duty and responsibility. I can't leave my young lady behind. If you manage to get out safely, I'll pay you. Whatever you want, I'll make sure you get it."

Abigail hesitated, his heart torn. But the resolute look on the woman's face made him realize that arguing further would only worsen the situation. There was no more time to waste.

He quickly nodded. "Alright. I'll get her out of here."

Before Abigail turned to carry the young girl, he shouted to Modeus, who was fiercely battling the monsters in the center of the room. "Modeus! Help her hold them off!" he called, pointing to the spear-wielding woman.

Modeus, who had been relentlessly slicing through monsters, paused for a moment and turned to Abigail. The wild look on his face shifted to excitement at the new challenge. "Oh, this is getting more fun!" he shouted with enthusiasm, and without hesitation, he charged deeper into the wave of monsters.

With his sword gleaming in his hand, Modeus moved like a shadow, slicing through long tentacles and large bodies of monsters attempting to charge him. Each swing cut through the creatures effortlessly, as if they were nothing more than fragile paper. Black monster fluid sprayed everywhere, covering Modeus, but it didn't stop the wild laughter on his lips.

Meanwhile, the spear-wielding woman took swift action. From beneath her elegant skirt, she drew out two automatic firearms with agile movements. Without pausing, she aimed both weapons at the crowd of monsters that had evaded Modeus's strikes. The bullets from her guns sprayed into the monsters, creating a burst of fire that cut through the noise in the room.

Seeing their coordination, Abigail quickly turned back to the young girl in the hoodie still sitting on the floor. With one swift motion, he lifted the girl onto his back, making sure she was securely positioned. "Stay calm, I'll get you out of here. You're safe with me," Abigail said, trying to reassure the pale and pained girl.

The young girl weakly nodded, her eyes teary but still determined to hold on. "Please... get her out safely," she murmured faintly, her voice barely audible.

Abigail nodded and quickly dashed out of the room, leaving Modeus and the spear-wielding woman to deal with the remaining monsters.

As he fled, Abigail could hear the relentless roar of gunfire and Modeus's wild laughter echoing behind him, as if he was unconcerned about the endless waves of monsters. The air of battle felt scorching, as if the battlefield had turned into a slaughterhouse for any creature daring to approach.

But Abigail knew they had to move fast. The monsters wouldn't stop coming.

Breathing heavily, Abigail raced through the dark corridors, dodging rubble and obstacles. He had to focus on keeping the girl on his back safe. Thoughts whirled in his mind—about the team they had left behind, whether the spear-wielding woman would survive, and if Modeus could really hold off the monster attacks on his own.

As Abigail rounded the corner, he spotted a large door that seemed to lead to a safer part of the ruins. "We're almost there…" he whispered to himself, hoping they would make it out alive. The sounds of combat behind him were fading, but he knew that didn't mean the fight was over.

"Hang in there. We'll be out soon," Abigail whispered, quickening his pace to keep the young girl awake and alert.

Meanwhile, behind them, Modeus and the spear-wielding woman continued to hold the line, their bullets and blades cutting through wave after wave of monsters. Modeus seemed tireless, his every movement splattered with black, steaming monster fluid, while the spear-wielding woman fired her guns with deadly precision.

"They just don't stop, do they?" Modeus said with a grin.

The woman grunted, her focus unwavering on the enemies before her. "The important thing is, my young lady is safe. You're still good to fight, right?"

Modeus nodded with satisfaction, his eyes shining with a fierce light. "Of course. I could do this all day."

***