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✱ CHAPTER 15 : RAPTOR
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At the center loomed the cocoon, pulsing with veins of muscle and plant matter, grotesque yet mesmerizing its twitching flesh sprouting flowers. The cocoon tore apart. Crimson Red Butterfly-like wings burst forth.
"さて,何だろう?" (Well, what can it be?)
A strange new voice, one Levi had never heard before, spoke from beside him. Standing there was a Japanese man in a white suit, his lips painted black. A chill ran down Orion's spine as Levi used his skill to track the life source. He saw thick red veins of energy spreading throughout the space, glowing like liquid fire. Brooks, bound and struggling, broke free and threw a heavy straight punch, but he couldn't land a hit.
The cocoon burst open, releasing eerie Japanese performers and musicians who began to sing and dance. The sight felt like a hallucination, surreal and abnormal. In the background, 'Kaiju' by sakanaction played by the performers, heightening the tension.
"Ah, what's the hurry, Americans?" the man sneered, switching to English. With a casual flick, he sent Brooks flying as though struck by a tsunami. Brooks slammed into a sharp wall corner, the impact cracking his spine as the water doubled the effect.
Orion, enraged, broke free and drew his bio great sword. As he struck, he was cut down by a katana wielded by a young man in Japanese red samurai warrior attire, his eyes hidden beneath red bandages, standing like a rock, deflecting Orion's huge sword with ease. Levi, desperate to escape the chaos, broke his bindings, pulled his gun and fired. The bullets hit his body instead. He collapsed, devastated and exhausted by the earlier fights, but it didn't matter. Nakamoto said,
"Oh, you really thought you could...!"
[40% Nakamoto Complete Contamination! Buff: 200%]
Fluhhss! The man's feet exploded apart, throwing him off balance. Levi launched a heavy uppercut, smashing into his face. Instead of pain, the man laughed in ecstatic delight, as if he had craved it all along. His deranged thoughts echoed through the chamber like narration.
Levi tried to fight, but strangely, no one else attacked. Frozen, he stared at the blindfolded swordsman and a girl in glasses, both trembling as they looked past him, toward Nakamoto.
Slowly, Nakamoto raised his head. His face peeled apart, revealing wrinkled skin carved with deep scratch by Levi's. His black lips stretched into a wide, grotesque smile.
"You got me, Levi!" Levi's eyes welled with black tears. He collapsed, twitching, unable to remain conscious.
"Turn, my child. You have faced enough. Let me take care of you. Hana, why don't you escort these men to their proper rooms?" "With pleasure, Otōsan."
In an instant, Hana teleported them: Levi into a foggy, endless forest; Orion into the ruins of a broken London; and Brooks into a pitch-dark snowy underground tunnel. As they fall they hear a female calm but assertive voice, "Let me take care of you" as black tentacles soak their heads.
"...Ahhh!" Suki gasped for air. She awoke, looking around the place in confusion. Hana appeared before her and said, "Hey, Suki, now it's your turn…"
Just as Hana prepared to teleport her, a bright purple orb flashes dropped from above, exploding into a massive burst. As the water settled, Nakamoto emerged, shielding Hana from the impact. Hana stared in surprise while Nakamoto addressed the blindfolded man approaching after the chaos.
The blindfolded man bowed respectfully, awaiting his task. (In Japanese) "Son, make me proud. This one is fast!" "..." He nodded silently. With that, he vanished, while the eerie Japanese performers continued their song in the background.
Floor 19: Emergency Vault, light out… Everyone had backup light lamps powered by mechanical energy, which they lit on their desks while playing cards. "Here I'm out!" she said, tossing her card.
Tim was surprised to see her win again. Zoey went next and won as well. Now it was Tim, Ryan and Mike. It was Mike's last chance. He drew a card, confident that Tim would call and win next, but as he revealed his hand… Ryan won instead.
That marked Mike's fourth loss in a row. "Well... fifth time's the charm, right?" he muttered, as the others gave him pitiful looks. They began shuffling the cards for the next match.
Beep... Beep... Beep... (looping) "What's going on?" Zoey asked. Sergeant Johnson moved toward the door with his team as the others rushed over to see the commotion. Beeping meant someone was signaling from outside. Normally, this was a trigger for rescuers to request the vault doors be opened, but they could only be unlocked from the inside unless the operatives used a bypass card. Sergeant Spike turned to Johnson.
"Should we open the vault?" Another soldier interjected, "But it could be the imposter. We can't verify."
"Well, it might be the operatives calling it out. With or without the bypass, at least we can look through the glass to see who's there. Hurry, get me a book and some sketches."
Spike retrieved a notebook and black sketch pad from one of the desks and handed them to Johnson. A female scientist stepped forward nervously. "Are you sure about this?"
Johnson gave a firm nod before approaching the codepad. He entered a sequence to activate the Close-Door mechanism, a system that allowed them a slight view through the other side, though with very limited visibility.
The sergeant leaned closer to the door. Beyond it, water shimmered faintly, and an employee in a soldier's outfit stood there, plasma gun in hand. The figure noticed the close-door mechanism activate, betrayed by a faint glitch in the light. Calmly, he pulled out a tablet and displayed something he had written beforehand, evidence that he had been in this exact situation before.
"Altman Ranger, Lead RAA of the Medicus Sector." He showed his ID as it activated, then added, "The place inside is going to blow up due to an abnormality."
"What did he say?" one of the scientists asked curiously. The sergeant told everyone to calm down and ordered another soldier to check the pressure inside immediately. The power levels couldn't be measured easily, they had to check by cracking open a ceiling panel embedded inside.
"This place is submerged in breathing water. It's safe to breathe here, but you need to get out ASAP."
When the trooper checked the meter was over 90 percent, the structure was about to collapse. He rushed to the main room as the place began to shake, waves of water flooding inside. A strange sensation of imbalance overcame them. The sergeant said, "Everyone, it's time to leave this place, now!"
The others quickly gathered, taking as much food as they could carry. Some scientists hesitated, fearing suffocation, or worse, infection. But Altman gave a final warning: "Get out, or you'll be crushed alive!"
So he opened the door. Trust was thin, but the sheer tension of the situation made the warning impossible to ignore. Standing firm, Altman signaled them to stay on high alert. Water surged in, forcing some people back. Tim held her hand as she held Zoey's hand tightly, while others clung to the walls.
The sound of cracking metal echoed around the vault. "What's happening?" the lead scientist shouted. "The place is going to collapse, get out now!" Spike yelled so everyone could hear.
The vault began filling with water, leaving them no choice but to swim. Out of reflex, they took a deep breath and plunged in. Altman, soaked but steady in his mask and gear, reached the Sergeant as chaos spread. Spike guided the last person out as the structure trembled violently.
As they struggled to hold their breath, Altman called out, "You can breathe in here. This isn't ordinary water, sound passes through it like air."
Cautiously, the others tried, and though it was difficult at first, they realized they could breathe. Many struggled, but soon all managed to adapt. Once Sargent adjusted to the strange air, he spoke with Altman about the situation.
As the two conversed, the others began to explore, confused and curious about their surroundings.
"What about back-up?" "The most confidential squad has been assigned. But the situation is still Code-Red. Protocol Nightmare has been issued."
"And how do we get out of here?" "That... is actually not possible, unless…"
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Meanwhile, back with Annie and Martin on Floor 13, they reached the emergency exit. But on the other side of the vault door, the corner revealed a strange, permeable jelly-like wall. The view outside was blurry, yet they could make out several figures waiting.
Their silhouettes were motionless but menacing, ready to fight, ready to kill. Then Martin realized who they were.
Syveron. Once a military corporation, it had become a trillion-dollar industrial giant. With its rapid growth, it was commissioned to train the most advanced soldiers possible. Their influence created one of the strongest combat units a nation could ever turn into assets. Officially, Syveron's highest domain was represented by Energon. But in truth, its most profitable and secretive asset was Aegis, which accounted for nearly 68% of the company's total income.
Martin and Annie were staring at the second-best squad the world had to offer—the infamous Raptor Squad. They were Syveron's elite enforcers, ruthless soldiers handpicked for their obedience and skill, rewarded with top-tier luxuries and privileges for their loyalty.
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