Fortune Cookie (15)

We raced down the underground corridor, flashlight beams cutting through the darkness after we'd dealt with the ghouls pressed against the walls.

Although those creatures could only scream and weren't capable of much else, I still felt like I should put them out of their misery. I was conflicted about my reasons.

"......"

"......"

There was no conversation between us. Only the distant echoes of the desperate struggle raging above occasionally scratched at our eardrums.

It was a foul feeling, but not the sort that would help us with what was coming. I tried to shake it off. The flashlight beam stretched forward, pushing away the darkness that had filled the space below.

The area containing the barrier generator was supposed to be strictly controlled, leaving no trace of outside intrusion. At least, there shouldn't have been. But where our light pushed back the darkness, a grotesque spread of living tissue tinged with bluish light had taken over the floor. Disgustingly so.

Maybe the underground was dirtied as a result of the central tower's collapse reaching even here. At least, I told myself it could have been worse—the pureblood supremacists didn't seem to have reached this spot.

The only things visible were not bullet marks from firearms, but persistent blue flickers in my vision, the melted tissue from corpses, and long scratch marks—claw marks from ghouls, whose claws were as strong as metal—carved into the walls.

Almost as if they'd dragged their hands along the surface, leaving proof they'd been here.

We didn't just keep going straight. That was impossible anyway; the central tower's underground zone was a tangled labyrinth. Countless forks blocked our way, but we never stopped. That was thanks to Licorice, who had sent us the updated underground map data before we set out.

"Hyun-woo, are you sure we're on the right track?!"

"We are!"

"How can you be so sure?!"

"Because the data is tailored to my level!"

Since the living tissue that had absorbed raw blue crystals was proliferating underground as well, it was impossible to accurately pinpoint our position in real time. Still, it wasn't hard to determine where we were, or how much farther we needed to go.

Licorice had simplified the map data, in case she couldn't guide us in person.

【Underground sector data: So easy even a child could use it.】

"It's... really straightforward! I see that!"

Nadia looked from the file I'd sent to the floating hologram displaying my name, glancing back and forth.

We pounded down blood-spattered corridors, following the map, and had nearly reached our destination when we stumbled to a halt in front of the door.

'... The door's open?'

That was strange. The room with the barrier generator should have been on emergency lockdown, isolated per strict security protocol. The door was strong enough that even a ghoul couldn't easily breach it. If someone had blown it open, there'd be blackened scorch marks everywhere.

But there was no soot, no claw marks. Only living tissue that had wormed its way into every crack and crevice.

'Did that stuff on the floor disable the lock?'

We glanced at Carry as we gasped for breath, but there was no way Carry would know something we didn't. With time running out, Carry flashed an arrow at us as if to ask, "Are you really going to stand here doing nothing?"

Knowing that hesitation would only worsen things, Nadia and I exchanged a glance and pushed ahead again. Even if there was an unwanted visitor in the underground, it no longer mattered.

I had resolved to face whatever appeared as decisively as I had the two ghouls before—but inside, upon bursting in with all our strength, there was no particular threat waiting.

The barrier generator had simply been powered down and abandoned. The cylindrical machine stood alone in the darkness. As the central control unit receiving the resonance of the smaller devices scattered throughout the satellite spires, the generator was bigger than I'd expected.

The underground chamber was completely dark, no trace of even a weak pulse from the system—it had shut down completely. My understanding was that, under normal circumstances, a faint aurora should have hovered around. That was the signature of the barrier.

'The mutant...'

Nothing. Not in sight for now. The floor was thickly slicked with living tissue and the stench of rusted iron was so overpowering I couldn't tell which direction it was coming from. The disgusting smell seemed to vibrate from all sides.

I let out a soft sigh of relief, loosening my grip on the tools in my hands. But that relief was premature. I was about to be glad that there wasn't a monster hiding here—until Nadia, with a shaky voice, spoke up.

"... The cube is gone!"

"What?"

"The cube's not here! Someone took it!"

"...!"

I hurried around to check, and sure enough, behind the generator, hidden from view, were telltale marks where something with brute strength had ripped it open. Bits of metal from the smashed machinery were scattered across the floor. Like the trail of cookie crumbs left by children lost in the woods, the splintered fragments formed a path pointing in a certain direction.

But the path abruptly broke off. I scrambled to see if I could find any additional clues. I managed to learn only two things.

"... It wasn't long ago."

The generator had been smashed by a ghoul, and it had happened just a few minutes ago. Carry, scanning the area, looked as if he agreed with me.

– This is... Hyun-woo! Get out now! We're about to be overrun...!

Miraculously, Licorice's transmission came through. I clung desperately to her voice.

"Licorice! That's not what's important right now!"

– Your life and Woof-woof's are on the line—how is that not important!?

"The cube is missing!"

– Damn it...!

"No swearing! Just give us an alternative!"

Licorice, rendered speechless by my outburst, muttered another curse under her breath, then shouted through the static:– Track it! Vital parts like the...*skzzzt*...!

The signal cut off before she could finish, but I understood what she meant. A vital component like the cube—with its advanced tech—would have a built-in tracker to prevent theft. If the tracker wasn't destroyed, I could activate it by sending out a coded signal.

I berated myself for not having thought of it sooner and quickly input the command on my bracelet. If the cube had already been taken out of the central tower, I'd have to give up immediately. If I wasted any more time, we wouldn't be able to escape at all. Even if we recovered the core part, it would mean nothing if we couldn't bring it back to town.

I'd told Licorice it wasn't important, but our survival was everything.

'The location...!'

Come on. Please show up. Please don't be destroyed. Muttering inwardly, I watched as the tracker location flashed on my hologram display and my eyes widened instantly in shock. My jaw dropped, unable even to curse.

"... Right above us! Nadia—careful!"

The moment I shouted, the ceiling cracked open with a shudder. We leaped back in alarm as the ceiling above us split ominously.

"Eek...!"

【џ(ºДºџ)】

Total panic. As soon as we jumped back, debris rained down with a tremendous crash. It roiled up a dense cloud of earth as if it would bury the entire basement.

Our breathing masks protected us from inhaling dust, but our visibility was ruined. No matter how wildly I waved my hand, the thick dust refused to settle.

Gradually, very gradually, a black shape emerged through the thinning haze.

A shape so massive, it could no longer be called human. The rumble of stones being pushed aside, and a sticky noise seemed to clamp over my ears. And then—black spikes protruding from its body like horns.

I recognized our visitor and muttered despairingly.

"... Ted."

【Grkk— grrkkrrk...】

Ted—now a ghoul—had mutated even further since the first time we'd seen him. Nadia spotted the black spike embedded in the thing's chest and, realizing its true identity, sucked in her breath. The tip of her tail trembled.

'No wonder I hadn't seen him for a while.'

I'd thought he'd been killed in the collapse—but no, he'd gotten here before us. Why, or what he was thinking—whether it was pure coincidence or design—I couldn't know right now.

One thing was certain: the ghoul that was once Ted was the one we had to kill with our own hands. That was the same ghoul that had taken the cube, the core part of the barrier generator.

【Grrr...】

A boiling groan rumbled low. Amidst the dispersing dust, the characteristic chill blue glow of Blue Crystal flickered. The ghoul's form, black spike jutting from his chest as if worn for decoration, wavered in and out of focus—as if being reshaped in real time.

I felt utterly wretched. I stared down the ghoul before me. Though it crashed through the ceiling and must have recognized us, neither of us moved—even as we eyed each other warily.

Tension could explain our hesitation, but why didn't the ghoul move? These creatures, by nature, never felt tense.

'Is it in the middle of mutating?'

The mutation seemed to be starting from the cube inside the ghoul. Foaming, bubbling flesh started there and rapidly spread across its whole form.

Thunk—a tumor-like hunk of flesh dropped to the ground from its outstretched arm, collapsing into a shriveled, spasming mass on the floor as if screaming.

I resolved to end the standoff. Time was not on our side.

No words were needed—a glance was all it took for Nadia and Carry to sense my movement and attack in unison.

【( `Д´)o:【】:::::::〉】

Each of us unleashed our strongest attacks, almost simultaneously. Two blades of blue plasma and a single red heat ray streaked through the dust, leaving afterimages in the air.

It wasn't as powerful as the laser emitter I'd used in the waste disposal site, but I knew the ghoul wouldn't just stand there and take it.

My tools, now upgraded, packed a punch far beyond a simple targeted blow. Ted, mutated or not, still had eyes; if it looked dangerous to me, surely it would look dangerous to him, too.

He could dodge, or he could stand his ground and let himself be hit—either way, I'd only need a split second's opening.

My plasma cutter's blue blade had never betrayed my expectations before. I believed it would be the same this time, readying my next strike—but what happened next made my eyes widen in shock. I couldn't help it.

Tututunk-!

Instead of burning through flesh and shattering bone, the searing plasma beam struck an invisible wall—like a brush forced down mid-stroke.

"A barrier?!"

Faintly, an aurora shimmered across the space. The appearance of an aurora meant the barrier was functioning. Our attacks—mine, Nadia's, and even Carry's—were all blocked by the rippling aurora, unable to get through.

The cube glowed with power, enveloping the ghoul in an energy field. The core component of the barrier generator—undoubtedly an incredibly vital piece of tech—but to run it without supplementary systems would require a monstrous amount of energy.

And that energy was coming from—

'... Ah.'

I'd been stupid. Energy wouldn't be a problem. The ghoul was a blue-crystal-infused monster. Blue light surged from its body, distinct from a typical ghoul.

Sensing something amiss as an energy surge welled up from below, I instinctively crossed my arms and retreated just as—

【KIAAAAAAA!】

A monstrous scream shook the entire underground zone, leaving my vision blurry. The wave of sound crashed in pulse after pulse, threatening to collapse the chamber. We weren't spared—we felt as if our insides would turn over and spill out.

Suppressing the urge to vomit, I caught Nadia as she toppled back, helping her to her feet with the tool as a crutch. Stones clattered down from what was left of the ceiling.

【AAAAAA!】【KIIII!】

From the widened hole above, the metallic screech and inhuman howls of ghouls echoed even louder. Another explosion, trailing dust, shook us to the core.

Whether from the aftershock of its own scream or something else, the ghoul's body had collapsed further than before. It looked self-destructive, but I realized that wasn't it—the rate of regeneration was now outpacing its own destruction.

If things stayed like this, we were doomed. The only answer left was action.

Moving with no hesitation, I pulled out another tool from my bag. I muttered quietly.

"Nadia, hold its attention just for a moment. While I move around behind it. That's all I need—just a bit."

Nadia's eyes wavered. I was basically asking her to be the bait, but after a moment's hesitation, she nodded grimly. What I saw in her green eyes was trust in me.

The chamber wasn't exactly small, but with the collapsed ceiling in the center and the ghoul's bulk dominating the space, it wasn't ideal for Carry to fly—yet Carry took to the air regardless.

The next instant, Nadia and Carry darted forward and began drawing the ghoul's focus. They moved with smooth, evasive maneuvers rather than attacking. Annoyed, the ghoul laboriously raised its arm.

KWAANG...!

A crushing blow decimated the floor, flattening several metal devices beneath into featureless lumps. Tissue from the ghoul's arm splattered in all directions, sticking to the floor, walls, and ceiling with wet, slapping sounds.

Their attacks and Ted's counterblows dealt deadly force to each other. According to Carrot's previous data, you'd need at least powered-loader-grade armor for your attacks to matter—assuming you could land a hit.

No matter how strong the attack, it's irrelevant if you miss. I ducked behind the flying debris and darted forward, right at the ghoul's gradually solidifying shape. I had to finish it before its mutation completed. This cramped space and limited equipment—this was our only chance.

I watched the aurora in front of me intently. The barrier wasn't meant to block everything, only hostile or harmful things—otherwise, we couldn't even breathe in here.

That principle still applied. The barrier blocked fragments, but not everything else. And it didn't even catch all the debris; the aurora was still incomplete and had gaps.

A hastily powered-up cube had its limits. Nadia and Carry tumbled and hurled themselves around, seeking those gaps—until finally, their persistence paid off.

Ironically, the one spot where the aurora hadn't formed was right above the ghoul's head. A definite weak point, but a difficult place to attack.

"Carry, now!"

Nadia shouted, and Carry zipped quickly to my side. It tilted its body, inviting me to step onto him.

I immediately leaped off Carry's back. My vantage point soared upward in an instant. With one bound, I was above the ghoul; two plasma-jetting tools traced an arc like the Milky Way in the night sky.

【KIIIEEEE!】

I met the ghoul's eyes as I came down—the eyes filled with pain, murderous intent, hatred, and rage. My own reflection wasn't even visible in those muddy orbs.

Pouring energy into the cube, the ghoul was even attempting to absorb the black spike in its chest. I'd sworn off cheap sentiments, but seeing that black spike made me grit my teeth.

'Ted.'

Our time together had been short, yet his death still left a strong impression. I couldn't say why.

'I remember your goodwill.'

I swung my plasma cutters at max output—the tools were already melting as the cooling system lagged behind. The conjoined blue blades slashed through the slowly forming aurora in a single stroke.

A sudden blue spark leapt; the enchanting blue light shattered to pieces. Blow after blow, all in a single breath. Of course, nobody would just sit and watch as their own neck was chopped, so I took blows myself.

I had to fend off tendrils lashing at my abdomen, dodge sticky mucus jets aimed at immobilizing my shoulders, and resist the exoskeleton, instantly forming through rapid hardening, trying to throw me off.

No time to think about anything else; no time to catch my breath. All I could do was trust Nadia and Carry, swinging my weapons again, and again, and again.

Attacks from this angle lacked power. What I needed was rotational momentum. I took a deep breath and used the monster's shoulder as a foothold, spinning my body with all my might.

Slash—!

A clean arc sliced through the air. The stubbornly attached head flew skyward, severed at last.

Before the mutation finished, I managed to end Ted. His death, for all the terrifying force he'd shown, was hollow and brief—much as it had been when he died as a human.

When I came to my senses, there was a bracelet in my hand—Ted's bracelet.

I carefully wiped off the bodily fluids and bits of flesh stuck to it and put it in my belt pouch. Although I was filled with countless emotions, none could be put into words.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=The encounter with Ted is quite bittersweet.A former ally now a mutated enemy.【｡° ૮₍°´ᯅ`°₎ა °｡】

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