Chapter 7: Is This Heaven or What?

The massive blast door sealed behind them with a resonant thud.

The howls of the Crawlers faded to a distant, muffled scratching—still present.

With the VX-07 Pulse-Lance still in her hands, Sera stood standing close to the sealed door, seemingly expecting the Crawlers to somehow get through the sturdy steel. Her amber eyes searched the room for any possible dangers. She only let herself loosen up a little when she was sure they were really safe.

Kael collapsed against the wall, his back sliding down the smooth metal surface until he hit the floor with a soft thump.

The pipe—his faithful companion through so many desperate battles, crumbled beyond recognition.

Kael (half-laughing, breathless):

"Asha… my quest is complete, huh?"

His HUD flickered as if in response.

Certainly! Here is the Completed Quest Log entry for Kael after the events of Chapter 6, just as he slumps to the floor in exhaustion inside the sealed Command Wing:

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[QUEST COMPLETED – STALKER IN THE DARK]

Classification: Reactive Encounter | Status: ✔ Complete

Initiation Trigger: Passive PER Check while navigating Sector C-3

Objectives Completed:

☑️ Investigate claw markings in Sector C-3

☑️ Analyze threat signature with Asha

☑️ Evade direct detection

☑️ Survive hostile Crawler encounter

☑️ Ensure group reached Command Wing safely

Quest Recap:

Kael and the newly awakened girls came across evidence of a nightmare made flesh in the Cryo-Vault Terminus power-deficient sublevels. They encountered a Crawler Variant, an apex predator twisted by the Crawler Plague and the radiation-soaked aftermath of the Sunflare Scorch, after following the trail of enormous claw marks and disrupted bio-signatures.

Kael used instinct and desperation to ward off the beast long enough to make it to the Command Wing, one of the few places where structural decay has not yet occurred, despite his lack of stamina, wounds, and minimal equipment. They managed to avoid death once more with the help of Asha, perseverance, and teamwork.

Rewards Earned:

+250 EXP (Survival)

+300 EXP (Kill Bonus)

Level Up! → Level 6 Unlocked

Stat Increases Applied:

STR (Strength): 19.77 → 24.77

DEX (Dexterity): 4.22 → 6.22

AGI (Agility): 10.50 → 15.50

END (Endurance): 12.00 → 14.00

RES (Resilience): 11.80 → 13.80

PER (Perception): 12.60 → 17.60

New Passive Skill Unlocked:

[Predator Instinct – Lv. 1]

You sense unnatural tension, movement in blind angles, and ambient hostility. Gain a mild reaction boost and enhanced awareness in stealth-related encounters. Enables limited directional threat sense while standing still.

New Lore Unlocked:

[Crawler Variants – Origin Class]

The Crawler encountered is a product of VHNDS mutation over a century of environmental pressure and exposure to exotic solar radiation. These apex forms retain limited neural cohesion, allowing them to set ambushes, mimic predator behavior, and operate on alpha-pack logic. Classified as "Territorial Reapers," they are rarely seen alone.

Affinities:

Sera Valerius: +5% (→ 54%)

Clara Vance: +5% (→ 64%)

Rosalie Thorne: +5% (→ 52%)

Failure Conditions Avoided:

🚫 No fatalities

🚫 No morale collapse (Current: 92%)

🚫 No entity awareness triggered

Command Wing Secure:

[System Notification: ZONE STATUS UPDATED → SECTOR C-1 (COMMAND WING) – GREEN (STABLE)]

Environmental hazard risk: 0%

Crawler pheromone signature: null

Medical & survival facilities online

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Kael: "And look at my stats... they're insanely high now right? I'm way stronger than I was when we first fought those… Shamblers." He sits up slowly, groaning. "Asha… if I meet another Shambler now… will I be able to take it down easily?"

Asha (tone dry, clinical):

"Statistically speaking? No."

Kael blinked.

Kael: "...Huh?"

Asha: "Your current stats have indeed seen substantial growth. However—" A momentary pause as graphs and combat logs flicker across Kael's inner HUD "—even a mid-tier Crawler possesses an attribute set exceeding base-level 100 in strength and speed. Shamblers operate with reduced cognitive function, but their raw numbers rival those of your current state threefold."

Kael (deflating): "...So I'm still weak?"

Asha: "You're… biologically impressive for a recently thawed civilian. Your survival rate during the last engagement was precisely 2.14% before you activated your Instinct Surge and struck the critical spinal segment."

Kael (groaning): "Can we skip the part where I almost died?"

Asha: "I do not possess a skip function, Kael."

He sighed, rubbing his eyes.

Kael: "Alright… I-I want to survive and to protect them."

Asha (softening slightly): "You need to practice. Your body has responded well to hardships, but you won't develop if you don't adjust to your newfound strength." She Paused "Start with strength exercises. Combat drills. Breathing regulation. Daily repetition. Eat more. Hydrate. Sleep properly. I will compile a physical regimen optimized for stat progression."

Kael (smiling faintly):

"You're turning into my gym coach now?"

He chuckled again, and leaned his head back against the wall. The pain in his joints pulsed, but he ignored it.

Asha (tone flat but direct):

"If you die, I die. That would be… inefficient."

She let the silence stretch a moment before continuing.

Asha: "Project Phoenix Prime Subject 01—Kael. As you know Ninety-five percent of humanity is statistically extinct. You are their last beacon."

Kael's eyes widened slightly, his brow furrowing.

Asha (quietly): "The remaining eleven girls…that are in cryo-sleep. Their systems depend on Vault power stability and environmental integrity. If you die here before all sectors are secured, they will follow. System projections suggest a 94% failure rate in cryo-stasis survival without Subject 01 oversight."

Kael's mouth went dry. Suddenly feeling the gravity settle into his chest.

But Asha's voice returned

Asha: "And there is something else, Kael."

Kael: "What's that?" Kael looked up, brow tight with unease

Asha: "During your most recent engagements, I ran predictive movement models. Your footwork, grip, and evasion routes all point to previous proficiency in a highly specialized sword discipline unconsciously. You move like a practitioner who has been trained since their childhood.

Kael's brows furrowed.

Kael (murmuring): "I… I don't remember any of that."

Asha: "Amnesia is common in cryo-recovery under neural strain. And if properly trained… it can be your greatest weapon."

Kael closed his eyes for a moment, then slowly opened them. The weight of Asha's words pressed against something in his chest.

He slowly clenched his fist.

Kael: "Then I'll remember, I'll train harder and stronger."

His gaze drifted to Clara, Rosa, and Sera, huddled near the still-glowing control panels.

Kael (murmuring):

"I have to."

Asha said nothing. But the green glow of Kael's HUD dimmed softly, pulsing like a heartbeat.

But Kael had forgotten one small detail.

He was speaking out loud again.

A quiet beat passed.

Rosa (squinting over her shoulder): "Uhh… Kael? Sweetie? Who exactly are you talking to right now?"

Kael blinked. His mouth froze half-open as his brain tried to rewind the last ten seconds he was talking to Asha.

Kael:

"I—I was just, uh… monologuing... For morale?"

Sera (arms crossed, brow twitching):

"Morale? You looked like you were trying to propose to a wall panel."

Rosa (mock-gasping): "Wait—was that Asha? Are you whispering sweet words to your AI waifu again?"

Kael (panicking): "No! I mean—yes! I mean—not like that! I-I forgot to switch to my neural feed!"

Clara (softly giggling behind her sleeve): "Y-you were really passionate, though… like a knight in a storybook."

Kael (groaning, covering his face):

"Please just let the Crawlers eat me next time…"

After the near-death experience, they laugh wholeheartedly. Sera turned away to conceal the tiniest smile, and even her piercing eyes softened, the edge in her voice fading.

Then Kael stood up straight and turned back to face them.

Kael: "We... we made it," he managed to gulp off the clean air. "Is everyone okay?"

Clara slumped against the nearest console as she pressed both hands to her face. Her shoulders shook with the aftershocks of terror and relief combined.

Clara: "I-I think so... my legs feel like jelly... I-I can't stop shaking."

Sera: "Hmph," she said, tossing her silver hair with arrogance. "If it weren't for my quick thinking and superior marksmanship, we wouldn't have survived." But despite her haughty words, there was a subtle warmth in her tone.

Rosa managed a weak grin despite her exhaustion, though her usual vibrant energy was notably dimmed.

Rosa: "Speak for yourself, Sera. I'm just glad my face is still pretty, damn those claws came way too close. Another inch and I'd have been scarred for life!"

Asha: "Biometric readings indicate all subjects are within acceptable parameters. Elevated stress hormones are normalizing. Recommend immediate assessment of available resources and establishment of security protocols."

But Kael wasn't listening to Asha's clinical analysis. He was staring at the Command Wing.

The room was a stark contrast to the nightmare they'd just escaped, it was preserved in pristine condition. Ambient lighting pulsed gently from overhead panels, illuminating the room in a golden hue. The air was dry and clean, filtered through systems that were somehow still running. A faint scent lingered in the air, like lavender soap.

The floor was polished composite steel, patterned with old Vault insignias that hadn't faded. No claw marks. No blood. Just clean.

To the left, military-grade lockers and supply racks stood untouched. Each labeled with etched plates:

[ISSUED GEAR - FEMALE PERSONNEL / CRYO BATCH 004], [MEDICAL EMERGENCY STOCK], [TACTICAL EQUIPMENT LOCKERS - LEVEL 1]