Ashlem, Tony, and Singla watched the bodies of the fallen soldiers before them. Singla raised the rifle, now burning from so much use, and scanned the surroundings. The rhythmic and menacing sound of drones filled the air.
Ashlem walked to the center of the room, his green eyes still glowing with the Viko. He noticed movement above.
"Careful," he murmured.
Tony furrowed his brow, gripping the sword tightly.
"Are they coming from above?"
Before anyone could answer, a swarm of drones descended like a cloud of pests. Their lights blinked like devilish eyes, and a sharp sound accompanied every movement. They were fast, invisible in their trajectories, firing lasers in cross beams that left marks on the ground.
Ashlem was the first to react. He spun, crouched, and fired. Each shot was precise, destroying the drones in a shower of metal and sparks. But the number seemed endless.
"Someone count how many there are!" Tony shouted, raising his sword and leaping to cut one that was approaching Singla. The blade passed in a perfect arc, splitting the drone in two halves that fell to the ground in silent explosions.
"We don't need to count, we need to survive!" Singla responded, retreating while firing with the rifle.
Singla’s shots pierced through several drones at once, leaving a trail of destruction in the air.
However, the drones changed their strategy. They began circling the group, creating a ring of flashing lights. The whole room seemed to tremble with the energy being accumulated.
"They're preparing to attack all at once!" Ashlem shouted. He closed his eyes for a second, and the Viko projected the enemies' movements in his mind. He felt where the drones would strike.
"Singla, aim at the ones on the right! Tony, cover the left!" he ordered, his voice cutting through the chaos like a sharp blade.
Without question, Singla turned to the right group, firing rapid bursts that destroyed the drones before they could release their lasers. Tony ran to the left, his sword cutting through the air in precise strikes that disabled the machines’ mechanisms before they could react.
Ashlem remained in the center, moving like a god among the beams of light that nearly hit him. He fired without hesitation, his green eyes glowing with intensity. Every movement was calculated, as if he were dancing between life and death.
The last drone fell to pieces, and the momentary silence was filled only by the heavy breathing of the trio.
"That was... intense," Singla said, wiping the sweat from her forehead.
Tony kicked the remains of a drone.
"And those were just the drones. I can only imagine what else Nero has prepared for us."
Ashlem looked at the corridor ahead. The metal walls were covered in battle marks, as if hundreds of fights had taken place there before.
"Let's go. We can't give them time to regroup."
They moved forward, their footsteps echoing down the empty corridor. However, the calm didn’t last long. As soon as they entered another room, the floor began to tremble. The lights flashed frantically, and from side gates emerged enormous soldiers wearing heavy exoskeletons that amplified their strength.
The soldiers marched in formation, holding weapons that looked like plasma cannons. Their helmets reflected the red lights of the room, giving them a demonic appearance.
"These seem harder to take down," Tony remarked, adjusting his grip on the sword.
"They're slow, but the armor..." Singla began, but was interrupted by a shot that grazed her, leaving a mark on the floor.
Ashlem acted immediately. He ran to the side, shooting at the vulnerable points the Viko highlighted. But the bullets ricocheted off the soldiers' armor, only scratching the surface.
"We need a different approach!" he shouted.
Tony advanced, dodging another shot. He slid across the floor and struck one of the soldiers' legs with his sword. The blade pierced the joint of the exoskeleton, and the soldier fell to his knees before being finished off with a slash to the neck.
"Aim for the joints!" Tony shouted to the others.
Singla adjusted her position and shot at the soldiers' knees. Her shots disabled the movement of two, who fell heavily to the ground.
Ashlem, seizing the opening, ran to the center of the enemy group. He used his knife to open gaps in the armor, allowing his shots to hit the right targets.
One of the soldiers tried to grab him, but Ashlem was faster. He jumped over the enemy’s arm, shooting at the shoulder joint. The mechanical arm fell, releasing sparks, while Ashlem finished with a blow to the base of the neck.
Meanwhile, Singla faced two soldiers at once. She moved with agility, dodging their attacks and shooting at the weak points she could identify. However, a shot grazed her arm, causing a cry of pain.
"Singla!" Tony shouted, running toward her to protect her. He blocked a blow that would have hit her, using his sword to deflect the attack.
Ashlem finished bringing down the last soldier on his side and ran to help the two. He jumped over the soldier facing Tony, driving his knife into the armor joint and twisting until the enemy fell.
Silence returned to the room. The three of them were covered in dust and blood, but still standing.
"That was... too much," Singla said, pressing on her wounded arm.
"And we're only halfway," Ashlem replied, looking at the next door slowly opening.
The red light from the next corridor seemed more intense, suffocating. But despite the exhaustion, they moved forward, determined to face whatever Nero threw at them next.
The metal door opened with a deafening screech, revealing the next threat. In the center of the room, illuminated by flashing red lights, a colossal creature emerged from the shadows. The sound of its heavy breathing was like muffled thunder. It was an Animpire, a grotesque fusion of a gorilla and a vampire, with bulging muscles, giant teeth, and red eyes glowing with hunger and fury.
The monster struck the ground with its enormous fists, cracking the concrete as if it were glass. Its roar reverberated through the room, and even the air seemed to tremble.
"Is this for real?!" Tony shouted, adjusting his combat stance.
"Don't get too close! It's fast!" Singla warned, aiming her rifle at the creature.
Before they could react, the Animpire lunged forward with surprising agility for its size. It hit Tony with one of its hands, throwing him against the wall. The force of the impact knocked the air out of Tony's lungs in a single gasp.
Ashlem advanced, dodging the creature's heavy strikes. He fired at the Animpire, but the bullets seemed like mere scratches against its stone-like skin.
"The bullets don't work, damn it! We need another plan!" Ashlem shouted.
Singla tried to flank the monster, but it noticed the movement. It spun, swinging its massive arm, and hit Singla, throwing her aside. Her rifle slid far away as she struggled to catch her breath.
"Ashlem! Do something!" Tony shouted, stumbling as he stood up.
Ashlem narrowed his green eyes, now glowing brighter. He activated the SURNATOY, the ability that channeled all his energy into a devastating blow. His fists began to glow a golden hue, radiating heat and power.
"Keep it distracted for a few seconds!" Ashlem ordered.
Tony and Singla, even wounded, followed the command. Tony attacked with his sword, delivering cuts that drew the monster’s attention. Singla found a pistol among the debris and fired precise shots at the Animpire's eyes, making it roar in pain and rage.
With the monster temporarily distracted, Ashlem positioned himself. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and concentrated all his strength in his right fist. When he opened his eyes again, they shone in green color, and his presence doubled in intensity.
The Animpire, sensing the imminent threat, charged toward Ashlem, its fangs gleaming in the red light. But it was too late.
"SUR... SURNATOY!" Ashlem shouted, advancing toward the creature.
His golden fist struck the Animpire's chest with an impact that made the floor tremble and the walls crack. The blow pierced the creature's carapace, and it let out an agonizing scream before falling to its knees. A wave of energy radiated from the impact, knocking everything around.
When the dust settled, the Animpire lay still, its giant body slowly shrinking until it turned to ash.
"That was... incredible," Singla murmured, looking at Ashlem, who was tired but still standing.
Tony approached, wiping blood from a cut on his forehead.
"Remind me never to pick a fight with you."
Ashlem relaxed his fist, which was now covered in golden marks that quickly faded. He took a step forward, still staring at the remains of the Animpire.
"We don't have time to rest. If Nero sent this, the next challenge will be even worse," he said, not giving Tony's joke time to sink in.
They exchanged quick glances and, despite their exhaustion, moved toward the next door.
"Wait, we need to rest," Singla said, panting.
"That's true, I think when that door opens, we won't have time to rest. We need to recharge to reach our goal."
"Alright, but we can't take too long," Ashlem said.
The three of them stayed behind, tending to Singla’s and Tony’s wounds as they prepared to advance, checking if they still had enough ammunition and weapons to move forward. At least they still had food supplies to endure.