2024-10-10 00:55:27"Once again, damn you, Reaper!!," Neo said out loud, venting his frustrations.
"Excuse me, who is Reaper?" Scholar asked, raising his eyebrow. "Uhh, it's... it's nothing. So, this door is our escape route, right?" Neo stuttered, quickly finding a way to change the topic. "Well, not really. You know, this place has been sealed shut by thick, reinforced metal alloy, and food is being dropped from that hatch in the roof right there. So, since we can't climb up there, I found a vulnerable spot in this room. No need for exuberant explanations, you will understand the big plan soon," Scholar explained, then continued. "Uhh... you might want to step back a bit." Neo furrowed his brow as he quickly found a place to hide himself. Beauty was also hiding herself perfectly under Shitface's makeshift bed. While Shitface went to the fireplace and scooped some soot to mark a spot in the wall, which Neo suspected to be the vulnerable spot. "Ready?" Scholar asked Shitface, with a grim expression on his face. "Ready," Shitface replied, as his gaze darkened. Suddenly, the sounds of metallic clang rang across the silent room, followed by the grinding sound of scraping metal. The alloy door finally flung open. Scholar quickly hid behind the door, leaving only Shitface in sight of whatever monstrosity was dwelling in the confinement. The first thing Neo saw inside were chains, lots of them. Before Neo could make out the shape of what was inside, a bestial roar echoed throughout the room. Almost immediately, a blurry figure dashed out of the door. The chains that were supposed to hold it in place, or probably slow down its speed, snapped like threads. Shitface broke out in cold sweat, as he ran towards the marked spot in the wall. Before he knew it, the creature was upon him. Neo couldn't see much of the creature's movements, but he saw the moment when the creature opened its maw wide to harvest Shitface's head off his body. But Shitface was a second faster as he dove out of the way in a desperate attempt for survival. The creature snapped its maw, taking a chunk off the alloy wall as it ran through it like an armored vehicle, sowing carnage and destruction as it advanced through the hallway. The whole room shook, throwing Neo's weak body off the ground. A while after, everyone came out of their hidden places, still gobsmacked by what happened, Scholar was the first to speak. "What can make a mutated monster that strong?" "I guess starving it for a week could," Beauty replied, staring at the breach in the wall with a complicated emotion. Neo felt a sense of familiarity to the word "mutated monster", but his thoughts were too messy to think about it. Shitface stood up from the floor, breathing heavily. He ran his hand through his hair as some cold sweat dripped from his face. He was feeling quite ecstatic that his head was intact. "Let's move," Shitface commanded, leading the group towards the breach. Neo glanced through the breach, and the scene of carnage and murder made his legs grow weak. There was dried black blood painted all over the metallic floor, with fresh, thick black blood flowing all over it, creating a fiasco of gore and carnage. There were rotten body parts all over the floor, displaying the ferocity with which the mutated monster plowed through the hallway. "Damn!!" Neo cursed, trying hard to hold back the contents of his stomach. Beauty stared with a scowl plastered on her face, while Shitface had an indifferent expression. He seemed to be used to such a scene, or probably he had watched too many horror movies. Neo couldn't really tell which, not that he cared anyway. Scholar, however, was faring far worse. He was on his knees, sobbing. "How did the DCC (disease control centre) fall in a week, how? We were the first to contact the ARV, but we survived. Why didn't they have the same grace? Why?" Scholar kept pouring out his heart. His sorrowful voice exacerbated the already gloomy atmosphere. Neo couldn't blame him, though. He had been present when the DCC had seen better days, only to witness all his colleagues brutally reduced to mangled corpses within a week. Shitface walked up to Scholar and grabbed him by the shoulder, helping him up. "No amount of tears can revive your dead friends, nerdy. Let's get moving," Shitface said, staring at the other end of the hallway. Even though Neo knew the allegiance trial was an illusion, he still held a hint of sympathy for the unassuming Scholar, which was very much unlike him. "Come on, let's go," Neo said, wiping Scholar's tears with his clothes, as the cohort summoned their courage and walked in the mutated monster's wake of destruction. Unnoticed by all, Neo surreptitiously picked a sharp piece of bone off a mangled remains of an arm and stuck it in his pants.
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Death scape Chapter 5
5 The crew kept advancing forward in fear and trepidation. Sometimes they would meet lifeless walking bodies strolling around aimlessly. They seemed to be oblivious to their presence, but before Neo could make further investigations, Shitface would have pounced upon them and crushed their skull with a heavy metal rod that he found on the floor. But from the little he was able to glean, he learned the virus was even more potent than he thought. According to what Scholar said, they were in the quarantine room for a week, and within that time, all eight hundred members of the Disease Control Center were infected. There was even a probability of the days being lesser since they stopped receiving food supplies three days prior, which meant that the way in which the virus spread was indeed terrifying. It also seemed to make the bodies of its host rot faster, but what was truly bothering Neo was that despite the fact that they were the ones to make first contact with the virus, they were per
Death scape Chapter 6
As the crew walked back, Neo entered an introspective state for a moment. He just couldn't help but think that the scholar was intentionally stalling for time. Granted, he couldn't have known about the breach in the roof, but there was no way he wouldn't have known about the door situation. The pieces were already connecting themselves—the scholar was up to something. Beauty also seemed to have the same suspicion, even Shitface, who wasn't very much on the brain side, was throwing occasional glances at the scholar. Even he could tell that something was wrong with the unassuming scholar. But there was nothing they could all do. Dismissing or eliminating him was as good as spelling their doom. He was the only one who knew his way around the maze-like structure of the DCC anyway. So they just had to be quiet and watchful.By the time the crew got to the breach in the wall, it was already nightfall. The moon had already chased away its glamorous counterpart dominating the night sky in all
Death scape Chapter 7
7 Neo glanced around, waiting for the next command. But he was met with other tired and weary gazes. They were all too spent to even come up with a sound idea. Scholar finally broke the silence, his voice accompanied by the whistling sound of the wind."If we can make it across this beam, alight the ladder, we would hustle our way through the horde, I would override the defense HQ and activate the gate. Our salvation lies beyond the gate," Scholar said, pointing to the almost imperceptible gate in the distance. His hand trembled, either due to the cold or his fatigue. Neo couldn't really tell which. Neo's hope was suddenly ignited. The salvation Scholar spoke about was very alluring. Very pleasant to his ears. Although it was easier said than done, Neo didn't really care. He just wanted to get out of that hellish landscape. No matter how bleak their chances of escape were, it was like a beacon of light at the end of a harrowing, torturous journey through the night. He almost felt li
Death scape Chapter 8
8 Life is sometimes funny, isn't it?Few hours prior, Shitface had made his mind. Together with Beauty, or even probably Scholar, to use Neo as bait if… or when the need arises. When Neo woke up, Beauty had said that it changed nothing. If anything, they would have been happier, given the fact that they wouldn't have to carry the bait around. It's like leading a ram to the slaughter, but the ram this time was Neo. And about Neo defending or launching an attack himself, that would have been the least of their problems – actually a swing from Shitface's metallic rod would have done the job. For all he knew, his presence must have been the reason the rambunctious muscle glory was holding the metallic rod amongst other things. But eventually, he ended up being made wraith bait by his most trusted companion.Talk about the irony. Neo would have laughed out loud if he wasn't too weak. Breathing was enough stress though. But that wouldn't make him stop thinking about what just happened. Wh
Death scape Chapter 9
9 Neo entered the building, glancing around to find his way. It didn't take him long to find the light source, likely triggered by Scholar. The whole place was pitch black because there were no windows. Even the oxygen seemed thin. The security was... admirable. And best of all, it made tracing the light source much easier. Neo suddenly entered the room, making Scholar tremble. A dry smile appeared on his face as Neo walked up to the control deck to check out what Scholar was doing. What he saw made his eyes widen. There were two buttons beeping red. They seemed to be working on some kind of separate energy reserve, so the energy shutdown on the DCC didn't affect them. Beside both buttons were written: ... INITIATING NUCLEAR DECONTAMINATION ... INITIATING PERMANENT SHUTDOWN Neo's fist tightened as he stared at Scholar with murderous intent. His face demanded an explanation. Scholar's lip suddenly trembled, and he replied, "Fine… fine, now that you have found out, I gu
Death scape Chapter 10
10 "Ahah!! I see you have killed him, now we are even," Beauty said, a disturbing giggle escaping her lips. "Yes, I did. That should tell you just enough about me," Neo said placidly, attempting to play the formidable and dauntless assassin. He was already on his last legs. It would be unfortunate if she chose that moment to attack, so he had to put some contingencies in place. "You should understand that there's strength in numbers, right? So why did you kill him?" Beauty said, staring daggers at him. Neo tilted his head. Beauty's understanding of "strength in numbers" made him shiver. Her concept of strength in numbers meant wraith baits, most especially the ones that would transport themselves to the point of slaughter. "How sinister." Neo cleared his throat and replied, "He tried to kill us all, so I killed him first." He tried to maintain his elusive behavior. Beauty walked up to the corpse, confirmed its death, and with her usual sinister smile, she replied again. "Now tha
Death scape CHAPTER 11
11 A monster stood gallantly, its back turned to an open gate a few meters away. It looked like it was playing "eeny meeny miny moe" to decide which of the two humans before it would taste better. One of the humans, Neo actually, was struck by an epiphany in the middle of impending danger.-How timely- He had finally realized the reason for their weakness and lethargy. Since the vaccine's effect was waning, the virus was trying to take over their consciousness. He already had quite a similar experience during his test for allegiance trial so he was quite sure of the feeling. But it was of no use anyway; they were a few seconds away from being monster dessert. Speaking of vaccines, Neo had one of them stashed away in his pocket at the moment. At that moment, Neo suddenly had a crazy idea. What if he took it to suppress the virus, making Beauty—the most virus-infected—between them? The caution only said he might die; it didn't say it wouldn't work, so it was a fifty percent chance,
Death scape CHAPTER 12
12 "You are on your way to the afterlife." Neo grinned, as the cloud of darkness receded gradually, the faint light of dawn piercing his eyes. He was in a cave; there were crystal cones protruding from the roof and the floor. Neo knew they were called stalactites and stalagmites, but he didn't know which was which, not that it mattered anyway. His happiness had been quenched by the sight in front of him. One look was all it took for him to know that he was not in a human settlement; in fact, he was far from it. The entrance to the cave was in sight, the visage of a glowing white sun towered above the world. "Where is this place?" Neo mused, walking towards the entrance of the cave. He felt something thin press against his pale skin. Neo looked down to check what it was, before he could recover from the shock that he was stark naked; an arrow pierced through the air with insane speed and lodged itself firmly into his shoulder. The force sent him reeling to the ground. Al
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CHAPTER 45
"Crap!"Neo cursed, the word a tight knot in his throat. He ground his teeth together, channeling the last vestige of momentum from his swing, forcing himself forward. willow vine and the Bone of Contention were already plunging into the abyss below. Neo released his grip on the vine; he could summon his spectres back, but not himself from a potentially fatal fall. Spectres were expendable, but a half-insane Neo was not.The last surge of inertia flung him ten meters past below chasm's edge. Knowing the brutal impact was imminent, Neo summoned twin blades, driving them deep into the rock face. The swords bit, arresting his descent just short of a bone-shattering collision, Neo stared at the abyss below and smiled. "Not as bad as I thought ehh?"He dismissed his falling specters and began to climb, using his swords as improvised knives, hauling himself upwards inch by agonizing inch.Finally, he crested the rim of the chasm, emerging into the oppressive silence. Beads of sweat slick
CHAPTER 44
After staring at Neo for a few fleeting seconds, Blob averted its gaze back to the ice above. It seemed to wrestle with some inner turmoil. The sun was rising, its light filtering through the ice, and a cold sweat traced Neo's spine despite the chill. It wasn't fear he felt, but anxiety. He had never faced a creature of such power before. Yet, if push came to shove, he was prepared to stand his ground and go toe to toe with the creature, even if victory was uncertain. At the very least, Blob would not emerge unscathed."Blood for blood; that's the afterlife currency."Blob finally appeared to reach a decision, meandering toward the distant chasm and disappearing within. Neo finally took a breath and felt a weight lift off of him.He was still reluctant to move, though, lacking a concrete plan of action. Neo began to mentally retrace his steps, sinking into deep introspection. But something quickly disrupted his thoughts. Emerging from the chasm in droves were familiar figures, crawl
CHAPTER 43
Neo's vision and breath were momentarily stolen; the water muffled his hearing as the world spun around him. Then—Bam!!!He slammed against the floor, a jarring thud echoing in the cavern. A groan escaped his lips as he tried to roll over, but his entire body ached. To make matters worse, water continued to cascade onto his face. With considerable effort, Neo finally managed to roll out of the waterfall's path and stand, finally taking in his surroundings. The air hung heavy and still, a damp blanket pressing against his skin. An earthy scent permeated the space, a blend of wet stone and a peculiar, almost fungal, scent of antiquity. Above, a vast expanse of azure ice covered nearly everything, its light almost divine. This celestial radiance was punctuated by shadows lurking in the distance, where the light couldn't penetrate. A wide chasm, seemingly devoid of light, divided the two sections of the cavern. This was no ordinary cave; it was a subterranean chamber, a colossal cathed
CHAPTER 42
Neo sat in a meditative pose within a cave, positioned several meters above the lake on the far side of the valley. The lake's waters silently lapped at the mountain's base as Neo stared blankly into the distance, seemingly indifferent to the leviathans battling far below. In truth, he couldn't see them at all; his consciousness resided in a different realm entirely.Neo’s feet dragged along the dark, charred sand. The silent breeze of his soul nipped at his skin. Around him stretched an expanse of the same strange, silent sea of dark sand, with a thick mist billowing in the distance. The only source of light was a pristine orb looming above. Though obscured by the heavy veil of mist, Neo could still discern its form.He had been mistaken all these years. The pristine orb was the soul core, the light that illuminated his inner being. He himself was within his own soul. The meaning of the billowing cloud of mist, however, remained a mystery.In the center of the dark desert lay an oasi
CHAPTER 41
A sharp, rhythmic, metallic clang dominated the valley of endless battles, a sound interwoven with the distant echoes of death and destruction from the ongoing bloodshed.A young man relentlessly hammered a large, crystalline-looking mallet against a jagged ledge below his feet. Its head, twice the size of his own, moved with surprising ease as he struck at the base of a jagged ledge near the ground. He stood upon this very ledge, working to separate it from the mountainside. Each powerful blow sent tremors through the stone beneath his feet, sparks erupting as the mallet connected, sending shards of rock flying. This was Neo, and he was far different from what he used to beNeo’s body, once frail, was now honed and athletic. Sweat glistened on his bare chest, the muscles coiling around his chiseled form. His upper body was exposed and dirt-streaked, while below, his lower body was covered by Azure, a material that had folded itself into makeshift shorts for him.With a final, resoun
CHAPTER 40
Neo gritted his teeth, fighting to anchor his teetering consciousness. This was, invariably, the moment he loathed most: the agonizing wait, eyes closed, as the mental assault from the stronger killing intents ebbed away. Yet, on this day, he forced his eyelids open, compelled by a suspicion that had gnawed at him since he first discovered the ice barrier. With strained eyes and sheer willpower, Neo managed to pry his vision open, just as the lake's water level began to plummet drastically. Then, a grotesque, blob-like mass began to swell from within, its size expanding exponentially. Simultaneously, another massive creature, eerily reminiscent of a lion save for its deep obsidian skin and tenebrous steel wire-like veins coiling throughout its body, descended. Its enormous wingspan towered over the battlefield, an omen of death. Its mane was a thick cloud of dark mist, obscuring the evil that lurked in the depths of its eyes, and where a tail should have been, an enormous stinger, wi
CHAPTER 39
Neo's silver longsword danced through the hordes of creatures, a playful smile gracing his lips. He was resolute in his intent to "try harder," not from spite or madness, but rather as a meticulously planned strategy. What better way to comprehend the intricacies of a system than to become an active participant within it? Though a veil of depression and hollowness might shroud his inner self, a mask of feigned madness concealed a cold, calculating spirit.He battled relentlessly, consuming what sustenance he could find amidst the carnage. The cycle of fighting, eating, bleeding, and fighting again persisted until the blood moon finally dominated the horizon.Gazing at the crimson orb, a wave of nostalgia washed over him, causing him to grimace. The other creatures seemed to share in this awareness, displaying a primal fear of the night's terrors, much as he once had.Neo had long transcended the paralyzing fear of the night's beasts. While his body might still instinctively tremble at
CHAPTER 38
Neo dragged the creature aside for the Harknidae to suck dry. He then started to summon willow's vine massively, without the least care for his essence depleting. Although the Harknidae are pesky and annoying, they are the reason the whole valley is not unbearably disgusting and stinking. The sheer amount of blood spilled in the valley each day—and night—is staggering. But the Harknidae are up to the task of cleaning up the mess; they are like the valley's vacuum cleaners. Neo's essence finally ran out after a few minutes, and the cave's compartment was filled with an endless brown rope running around the place. Usually, Neo would wait for his essence to replenish before plunging into battle again, using the willow's vine as an extra reservoir of essence to sustain Asunder for a longer duration. And that was exactly what he was trying to do, until his stomach started to hurt as if he was being shredded from within. Black blood began to drip from the corner of his lips. Neo was no s
CHAPTER 37
Neo suddenly felt a constraint, and before he could react, a putrid smell assaulted his nose. By the time Neo realized what was happening, he'd already lost a few liters of body fluid to the embrace of a blue, cloth-like creature. Its presence had been utterly obfuscated by the large expanse of the blue lake. The creature, which strikingly resembled a piece of clothing, fed on the water within creatures, a method similar to the Harknidae, but far more devious. Neo immediately plunged his hand into the soul realm, crushing the creature's soul. Cracks spread across it with some resistance, but it eventually crumbled into countless particles adrift in the unknown universe once more.The announcement rang in Neo's mind, revealing that the unassuming creature was a mutant behemoth! Neo was certain he wouldn't have been able to slay that attack without a similarly devious trump card. Nevertheless, without Soul Stinger, he could have stunned the creature with his Crimson Nebulae and escaped
