Chapter 17: Data Retrieval

The Data Wraith's attack wasn't just energy or physical force; it felt like a direct assault on the fabric of the simulation itself. Zero's vision swam with corrupted pixels, static crackled through the audio feed, and his interface flickered erratically, system warnings overlapping each other in a chaotic cascade. The very floor of the elevator platform beneath his feet seemed to momentarily lose solidity, threatening to dump them into the abyss.

[WARNING: Environmental Integrity Failure! Fall Damage Potential Increased!]

[WARNING: Sensory Input Corruption Detected! WIS Check Failed!]

[Status Effect Applied: [Disoriented] - DEX Reduced, Action Speed Reduced.]

He felt sluggish, his movements clumsy, the world tilting around him. The [Disoriented] status effect was crippling. Beside him, Glitch was clutching her head, her face contorted in pain, while Forge struggled to maintain the energy shield, which flickered violently under the static assault. Only Nyx seemed relatively unaffected, their movements still sharp, their aim steady as they fired precise bursts from their Blackfire pistol into the shifting mass of the Wraith.

"Concentrate!" Nyx's voice cut through the chaos, sharp and commanding. "It's disrupting local reality parameters! Focus your intent, stabilize your connection! Fight the distortion!"

Focus. Right. Zero forced himself to ignore the visual snow, the phantom sounds echoing in his ears. He focused on the sensation of the pistol grip in his hand, the solid feel of the vibrating platform, the image of the Wraith in his mind's eye, even as his visual input stuttered. He activated his [DEX Override] module again (EP: 60/75). The familiar jolt helped cut through the disorientation, sharpening his senses, overriding the debuff.

[Status Effect Resisted: [Disoriented] - Removed via Skill Activation.]

The world snapped back into focus, though the interface still flickered alarmingly. The Wraith was gliding towards the elevator shaft, its form warping the metal walls around it. Nyx's shots seemed to pass through it, causing minor flickers but no significant damage.

"Conventional weapons ineffective!" Nyx reported grimly. "Its core seems… phased. Glitch, can you hit it with an anti-viral?"

"Trying!" Glitch gasped, her fingers flying across her portable console, sweat beading on her forehead. "But its signature is unstable! Hard to get a lock… Firewall is insane… like nothing I've ever seen!"

"Forge, buy her time!" Nyx ordered.

Forge roared, abandoning the failing shield and unleashing the full power of his Technomancer arsenal. A volley of micro-missiles erupted from launchers on his shoulders, streaking towards the Wraith. Simultaneously, he deployed two combat drones – small, heavily armed quadcopters – that zipped forward, adding their laser fire to the barrage.

The missiles detonated against the Wraith's shifting form, creating bursts of static and corrupted light. The drone lasers scored direct hits. The Wraith recoiled, its form flickering more intensely, letting out a silent scream that resonated directly in Zero's neural pathways, a feeling of pure digital agony.

[Data Wraith - HP: 85%/??]

It had taken damage, but its health bar was still mostly full, the total capacity ominously obscured by question marks. It retaliated, extending a shadowy tendril towards Forge. Forge raised his energy shield just in time, the tendril slamming against it with enough force to crack the projected barrier and send him stumbling back.

[Forge - HP: 1850/2100]

[Forge - Shield Durability: 35/100]

"Its physical attacks pack a punch!" Forge grunted, reinforcing his shield.

Zero saw his opening. While the Wraith was focused on Forge, [Weak Point Analysis] flickered erratically, struggling to lock onto the constantly shifting entity, but momentarily highlighting a brighter, denser core within the swirling darkness. '[Unstable Core: Vulnerable to High-Energy Input / Data Overload]' the overlay suggested fleetingly.

Data Overload. An idea sparked in Zero's mind, a risky gamble echoing his fight against the maintenance drone. He switched his focus from his pistol to his toolkit interface, selecting the [Data Spike]. Could he somehow interface with this… thing?

"Glitch, can you overload its sensory input?" Zero transmitted quickly over the comms. "Flood it with junk data?"

"Working on it!" Glitch replied, her voice strained. "Trying to bypass its internal filters… Got it! Sending data burst… Now!"

A massive stream of corrupted data, visualized as chaotic rainbow static, erupted from Glitch's console, engulfing the Wraith. The creature convulsed, its form flickering wildly, momentarily stunned by the sensory overload.

[Data Wraith afflicted with [Data Overload] status - Stunned (2 seconds), Defenses Lowered.]

That was his window. Zero leaped from the still-stuck elevator platform, landing heavily on the derelict Geo-Metro platform below, ignoring the [Minor Fall Damage] notification. He sprinted towards the stunned Wraith, focusing his intent, channeling EP into the [Data Spike] function.

[Attempting Interface Connection (Anomalous Entity)...]

[Security Protocols: Unknown / Chaotic]

[INT Check Required: Difficulty 18] (Extreme due to Entity Nature & Instability)

[Rolling... User INT (22) vs Difficulty (18)... Critical Success!]

[CRITICAL SUCCESS: Connection Established! Root Access Granted (Fragmented / Unstable Core Logic)!]

[Anomaly Detected: Entity core contains non-Nexus code structure! Cross-referencing... Match Found: Suspected 'Echo' Fragment Signature!]

Critical Success! And an 'Echo' fragment? The same thing Glitch and Forge were talking about? Before he could process the implications, the Wraith began to recover from the stun, its shadowy form starting to coalesce again, turning its attention towards him.

He didn't have time for finesse. He poured as much raw data, junk code, and conflicting commands as he could directly into the entity's core through the data spike connection, essentially performing a digital denial-of-service attack from the inside out.

[Injecting Null Code Barrage...]

[EP Drain: 10 EP/second]

[EP: 55/75... 45... 35... 25...]

The Wraith shrieked again, that soul-chilling digital sound, its form flickering like a dying candle. Cracks of pure white light appeared within its shadowy mass. It lashed out blindly, tendrils of darkness sweeping across the platform. Zero dodged back, severing the data spike connection just as a tendril passed through the space where he'd been standing.

The Wraith convulsed one last time, the white light cracks spreading, consuming its form. Then, with a final, deafening implosion of static and light, it dissolved, leaving behind only faint wisps of corrupted data that quickly faded, and a single, shimmering object hovering where its core had been.

[Entity Defeated: Data Wraith (Level ??)]

[Reward Granted: +1500 EXP]

[Loot Generated: [Fragment of Corrupted Data (Epic)] x1]

[Current EXP: 1500/400] -> [LEVEL UP! User has reached Level 6!]

Another level up already? Defeating that thing gave massive EXP. He quickly allocated points again (+3 INT, +2 DEX; INT: 25, DEX: 19), his mind still reeling from the encounter.

[Fragment of Corrupted Data]

[Quality: Epic]

[Type: Quest Item / Data Fragment]

[Description: A highly unstable fragment of code recovered from a Data Wraith. Radiates anomalous energy and seems linked to the deeper 'Echoes' within the Nexus. Extremely difficult to analyze without specialized equipment. Handle with caution.]

Epic quality. Zero mentally grabbed the loot just as the others jumped down from the elevator.

"Holy glitch!" Glitch exclaimed, staring at the spot where the Wraith had been. "What was that thing? And how did you...?"

"Data overload," Zero said, his voice raspy. "Hit it while you had it stunned." He didn't mention the critical success or the root access; best to keep some cards close to his chest, especially with Nyx.

"Impressive, Zero," Nyx said, their voice holding genuine surprise this time. "Very impressive. That was a Class 3 Reality Anomaly. Nasty business. Most players wouldn't survive the initial distortion field."

"Beginner's luck," Zero deflected, pocketing the Epic data fragment mentally. He needed to examine that later, away from prying eyes.

"Luck or not, you handled it," Forge grunted, inspecting the damage to his shield emitter. "Now, let's find this Serpent's Coil access before something worse shows up."

"Agreed," Glitch said, already pulling up her maps again. "The primary access node should be through that service tunnel." She pointed to a dark opening at the end of the platform.

They moved quickly, the encounter with the Data Wraith leaving an unsettling tension in the air. They were deep in uncharted territory now, facing threats that weren't part of the standard Nexus bestiary.

The service tunnel led them into a labyrinth of pipes, conduits, and humming server racks – the physical infrastructure of the 'Serpent's Coil' data smuggling network. Glitch expertly navigated the pathways, bypassing pressure sensors and infrared grids using Zero's crafted [Bypass Chips]. They encountered a few automated security turrets, which Forge disabled with targeted EMP bursts, and avoided a patrolling group of what looked like player smugglers, ducking into a ventilation shaft until they passed.

Finally, they reached a small, hidden chamber containing a single, unmarked transit pod, sleek and black, humming faintly with power drawn illicitly from the surrounding network.

"Our ride," Nyx announced. "Direct route to the Sector Zero periphery. Strap in. It's not exactly a luxury cruise."

They boarded the cramped pod. There were no seats, just handholds. As the door hissed shut, Glitch interfaced with the pod's navigation system. "Okay, routing us through the least monitored data streams… Engaging stealth protocols… Hold on!"

The pod lurched violently, then shot forward into a disorienting tunnel of swirling data, streaks of light flashing past the small viewport at impossible speeds. Zero gripped a handhold, fighting down a wave of nausea. This wasn't like the smooth, automated transports in the Hub. This felt like being shot through a firehose made of pure information.

The journey was brief but intense. After what felt like only a minute, the pod decelerated abruptly, slamming them against the front bulkhead, before settling into a hidden docking bay. The doors hissed open, revealing a stark, metallic corridor bathed in the cold, blue glow of emergency lighting. The air felt thin, sterile, carrying the faint scent of ozone and server coolant.

"Welcome to Sector Zero," Nyx said, stepping out of the pod. "Data Vault Sigma-7 is approximately three klicks north-east of here. From this point forward, assume everything is hostile."

Zero followed them out, drawing his Blackfire Pistol. He checked his interface. [DEX Override] had long since expired, but his EP was back to full (75/75). He felt a nervous energy thrumming through him. This was it. The infiltration proper was about to begin.

Glitch deployed a small, spider-like drone that scurried ahead, its optical sensors scanning the corridor. "Initial perimeter looks clear," she reported. "But I'm picking up heavy encryption layers and active counter-intrusion sweeps ahead. OmniCorp security is tight here."

"Expected," Nyx replied. "Zero, take point. Use the cooling ducts as planned. Remember the schematics. Find the archive control room, disable local surveillance, create your diversion. We'll maintain comms silence unless absolutely necessary. Move out."

Zero nodded, activating his [Thermal Regulator Unit] and [Emergency Rebreather]. He located the access grate for the secondary cooling duct network, just as shown on Glitch's schematics. Using his [Bypass Probe] (EP: 73/75), he disengaged the magnetic locks. The grate lifted silently.

A blast of frigid air washed over him. Inside, the duct was pitch black, the only sound the low hum of coolant pumps. He took a deep breath, glanced back at his temporary allies – Nyx's unreadable mask, Glitch's encouraging nod, Forge's grim determination – and slipped into the opening.

The grate closed silently behind him. He was alone again, crawling through the cold, dark veins of the enemy fortress. The true breach had begun. He activated his suit's integrated lights, casting a narrow beam ahead, and started moving towards the heart of Sigma-7, every nerve ending tingling with anticipation and dread. He had to disable surveillance and create chaos, all while navigating a hostile, potentially lethal environment. Failure wasn't an option. Not now.

The cooling duct was even colder and narrower than Zero had anticipated. The [Insulated Undersuit] helped, but a biting chill still seeped through, a constant reminder of the hazardous environment. The [Thermal Regulator Unit] hummed faintly at his belt, working to maintain his core temperature, but his interface showed a slow, steady drain on its limited power cell. The [Emergency Rebreather] hissed softly, filtering the coolant-laced air, but the faint chemical tang still lingered.

He moved cautiously, his [Silent Movement] skill crucial in the echoing confines of the metal duct. He relied on his [Scan] ability (EP: 70/75, 65/75...) used in short bursts, and the schematics Glitch had uploaded to his internal map overlay. The secondary ducts branched and twisted, a complex labyrinth designed solely for thermal regulation, not infiltration. He encountered several automated cleaning drones, small spider-like machines that scurried along the walls, but they ignored him, their programming likely not flagging him as debris. Laser grids, remnants of older security systems, crisscrossed some sections, forcing him to use his newly crafted [Bypass Chips] (Chip Used: 1/3) or find narrow gaps to squeeze through, his enhanced DEX (19 with [DEX Override] activated again - EP: 60/75) proving invaluable.

Twice, he had to navigate sections where damaged pipes leaked superheated steam or cryogenic coolant, forcing him to carefully time his movements or find precarious routes around the hazard zones. The [Thermal Regulator] worked overtime, its power cell depleting faster than estimated.

After nearly thirty minutes of tense crawling and careful maneuvering, his map indicated he was approaching the target area: the sub-level containing the primary archive control room. He found a ventilation grate overlooking a brightly lit, sterile white corridor. He scanned (EP: 55/75).

[Scanning Area...]

[Entity Detected: OmniCorp Security Drone (Patrol Pattern Gamma) x 2 - Level 5]

[System Detected: Internal Surveillance Camera (Networked)]

[System Detected: Archive Control Room Access Door (Mag-Locked, Security Level 3)]

Two Level 5 drones patrolling the corridor. A networked camera covering the access door. Getting past them wouldn't be easy. He needed to create that diversion and disable the camera before attempting the door.

He scanned the immediate vicinity through the grate again, focusing on environmental elements. His [Weak Point Analysis] highlighted a large power conduit running along the ceiling of the corridor directly below him, feeding into the control room's systems. '[Power Conduit Junction (High Load): Vulnerable to Energy Surge]' the overlay suggested.

An energy surge. That could work. A localized EMP or power spike might disable the camera, stun the drones, and potentially cause enough system chaos to mask Glitch's intrusion. He checked his toolkit interface. The [Data Spike] wasn't designed for remote energy manipulation, but maybe… maybe he could overload the junction directly. Risky. Very risky. If he miscalculated, he could trigger a full facility lockdown or even fry his own systems.

He needed more information. He carefully pried the grate open a few centimeters, just enough to get a direct line of sight. The drones patrolled in a predictable pattern, passing beneath his position every ninety seconds. The camera swept back and forth, its optical sensor glowing red. The control room door looked solid, reinforced.

He scanned the power junction again (EP: 50/75), focusing his INT (25), trying to analyze its energy flow, its regulation protocols. He detected a feedback loop, a minor instability probably caused by the general system corruption Nyx had mentioned. If he could introduce a precisely timed surge through his [Data Spike], channeled through the metal grate itself…

He waited, watching the drones complete another patrol cycle. As they moved away down the corridor, he quickly interfaced his [Data Spike] with the metal grate, using it as a crude conductor. He focused his intent, pouring a controlled burst of raw energy – his own EP – directly into the conduit junction below, targeting the unstable feedback loop he'd identified.

[Attempting System Manipulation: Power Surge Injection...]

[INT Check Required: Difficulty 16] (High due to Indirect Interface & System Instability)

[Rolling... User INT (25) vs Difficulty (16)... Success!]

[EP Drain: 15 EP]

[EP: 35/75]

For a second, nothing happened. Then, with a loud CRACKLE and a shower of blue sparks, the power junction below overloaded spectacularly. Lights in the corridor flickered violently, some going out completely. The surveillance camera went dark, its red eye extinguishing. The two patrolling drones froze mid-patrol, their systems momentarily shorted out by the EMP effect of the surge.

[System Notification: Local Power Grid Disruption Detected!]

[System Notification: Surveillance Unit Offline!]

[System Notification: Security Drones Temporarily Disabled (EMP Effect)! Duration: 10 seconds]

Ten seconds. That was his window.

He shoved the grate open, dropped silently to the corridor floor (HP: 140/145 from the minor drop), and sprinted towards the archive control room door. He slammed a [Bypass Chip] (Chip Used: 2/3) onto the mag-lock panel.

[Bypassing Security Lock (Level 3)... Bypass Chip Consumed... Success!]

The heavy door hissed open. He slipped inside just as the lights in the corridor stabilized and the disabled drones began to power back up, their optical sensors sweeping the area, searching for the cause of the disruption. He sealed the door behind him.

He found himself in a small, circular room, dominated by a central console surrounded by holographic displays showing data streams, archive indexes, and security feeds (most of which were now displaying static). This was it. The nerve center for this section of the vault.

Okay, Zero. Phase one complete. Disable internal surveillance, create diversion.

He quickly accessed the main control console, his fingers flying across the interface, his high INT allowing him to navigate the OmniCorp security protocols with surprising speed. He found the local surveillance network controls first. Disabling them entirely would be too obvious, likely triggering a higher-level alert. Instead, he opted for misdirection. He looped the camera feeds from the last five minutes, creating a seamless illusion of normality for any external monitors, while simultaneously disabling the recording function for the next ten minutes. It wouldn't fool a dedicated security admin for long, but it bought Glitch valuable time.

[System Manipulation: Surveillance Loop Activated (10 minutes)]

[System Manipulation: Local Recording Disabled (10 minutes)]

[INT Check Required: Difficulty 14... Success!]

[EP Cost: 5 EP]

[EP: 30/75]

Next, the diversion. Overloading another power relay seemed too risky now that he was inside the control room. Releasing data sprites? He scanned the console menus, searching for environmental controls or entity management systems. There. A sub-menu labelled 'Pest Control Protocols'. It seemed OmniCorp used automated systems to manage low-level corrupted entities like the sprites he'd encountered earlier, occasionally flushing them into designated 'incineration zones'. The protocols were currently inactive in this sector. But the spawning parameters… they were accessible, albeit protected by a Level 4 encryption.

He grinned. This was exactly what Glitch had hoped for. He focused, activating his [Data Spike] again, targeting the encryption.

[Attempting Security Bypass (Level 4 Encryption)...]

[INT Check Required: Difficulty 17]

[Rolling... User INT (25) vs Difficulty (17)... Success!]

[EP Cost: 8 EP]

[EP: 22/75]

He was in. He quickly accessed the spawning parameters, overriding the safety protocols. Instead of spawning a small number in a controlled zone, he cranked the spawn rate to maximum and directed the output locus to… the main security barracks on the level above. A swarm of angry, glitching [Corrupted Data Sprites] appearing in the middle of the off-duty security troopers should cause a significant distraction. He initiated the sequence.

[System Manipulation: Entity Spawning Protocol Override Initiated!]

[WARNING: Unauthorized System Access! Security Alert Triggered (Delayed - 60 seconds)!]

A delayed alert. Sixty seconds until this room lit up like a Christmas tree on OmniCorp's security grid. He quickly transmitted the confirmation to his team via the encrypted channel Forge had set up.

Zero to Team: Surveillance looped, recording disabled. Diversion initiated – sprite swarm inbound on security barracks, level above. Sixty second delay on local alert. Glitch, your window is open.

Almost immediately, Glitch's reply came back, calm and focused despite the pressure. Glitch: Copy that, Zero. Engaging outer ICE now. Wish me luck.

Forge: Comms link stable. Monitoring Glitch's intrusion vector. Be ready for countermeasures.

Nyx: Overwatch established. Multiple patrols converging on security barracks. Diversion is effective. Zero, hold your position and stay alert. Exfil protocols on my mark.

Zero leaned back against the console, his heart pounding. He'd done his part. Now it was up to Glitch. He watched the holographic displays, monitoring the (looped) security feeds, keeping an eye on the countdown timer for the local alert. Fifty seconds… forty-five…

While he waited, his hacker instincts kicked in. He was inside an OmniCorp archive control room. There had to be something interesting here, something beyond the main data core Glitch was targeting. He started browsing the local directories accessible from this console, careful not to trigger any further alarms. Most were mundane – climate control logs, power usage statistics, janitorial schedules. But then he found a restricted sub-directory labelled 'Project Chimera - Archived Fragments (Sigma-7)'.

His breath hitched. This was it. The reason they were here. Glitch was hitting the main core, but maybe these were local backups, less protected? He tried to access the directory.

[Access Denied. Security Clearance Level 5 Required. Biometric Authentication Pending...]

Level 5 clearance. Way beyond his current capabilities to bypass directly. But maybe… He scanned the directory structure, looking for logs, access records, anything that might hint at who had accessed this data recently, or what kind of data it contained. He found a fragmented access log, heavily redacted, showing multiple entries from a user designated only as 'OVERSEER'. The timestamps were recent, some just days ago. And the file types accessed… '.con_transfer', '.neural_imprint', '.subject_archive'. Consciousness transfer? Neural imprints? Subject archives? This sounded chillingly close to the rumors Nyx had mentioned.

He tried to pull up one of the '.subject_archive' filenames, hoping for a clue. Most were just alphanumeric strings, but one caught his eye: 'Subject_734_KaitoStack.archive'.

Unit 734, Kaito Residential Stack. His apartment block. His unit number.

A cold dread washed over him. Was he a subject? Was his entry into the Nexus, his 'second chance' from the Oracle, part of this 'Project Chimera'? Was his entire existence, his past failure, his current struggle, just data in an archive?

Before he could spiral further into paranoia, Glitch's voice crackled over the comms, laced with triumph and strain. Glitch: Outer ICE breached! I'm in the main core! Data retrieval initiated… Target acquired: Pre-Nexus infrastructure logs, Delta-9 cross-references… Got it! But Zero… there's more. A lot more. Encrypted personnel files, cross-linked with Chimera protocols… And… oh gods… real-world bio-signatures. They're not just archiving data, they're archiving people.

Archiving people. Just like the subject file with his address.

Forge: Glitch, multiple Black ICE countermeasures deploying! Heavy encryption spikes! I can't hold them off for long!

Nyx: Zero, local alert triggered! Security teams en route to control room! Time to go! Rendezvous Point Epsilon – emergency teleport matrix! Move, now!

The console in front of Zero flashed red, klaxons starting to blare within the control room itself. The looped surveillance feeds vanished, replaced by live feeds showing armored troopers storming down the corridor outside.

Glitch: Nyx, I can pull the personnel files too! The Chimera subject list! But it'll take another thirty seconds… Risk is high! Call it!

Take the extra data? Expose OmniCorp's horrific secret, but risk capture? Or stick to the plan, grab the target data, and escape? The moral dilemma hit Zero like a physical blow. His own file might be in there. Answers. Vindication. But getting caught meant 'deletion'.

Zero: Take it, Glitch! Take it all! The words were out before he consciously decided. The chance, however slim, to find answers, to expose OmniCorp, outweighed the risk.

Glitch: Copy! Downloading now! Twenty seconds!

Forge: Black ICE overwhelming countermeasures! System integrity failing!

Nyx: Zero, exfil now! I'll meet you at Epsilon!

The control room door behind Zero buckled inwards under the impact of a heavy breaching charge. Armored troopers began pouring in, weapons raised.

Zero didn't hesitate. He spun, firing his Blackfire Pistol, orange bolts searing through the first two troopers, their avatars glitching and dissolving. He activated his [DEX Override] again (EP: 15/75), the world slowing fractionally as he dodged behind the central console, returning fire, using the brief moments of cover to check his map for the route to Rendezvous Point Epsilon. It was several levels down, through hazardous server maintenance sectors.

Glitch: Got it! Got it all! Purging access logs! Routing to matrix!

Forge: Comms breaking up! Good luck, team! Forge's channel went dead.

Zero fired another burst, taking down a third trooper, before vaulting over the console and sprinting towards the designated exit – a service panel leading to a network of data conduits. He slammed his last [Bypass Chip] (Chip Used: 3/3) onto the panel lock just as an energy bolt scorched the wall beside his head. The panel slid open. He dove through, the darkness of the data conduits swallowing him whole as the sounds of the firefight erupted behind him. The race to the unstable teleportation matrix had begun, with OmniCorp's hunters hot on his heels and a payload of potentially world-shattering data secured… for now.