As Mechanic Joe worked on Rosaline, Genji casually found a place to sit, ignoring the hostile robots gathering outside the building. Bennet couldn't comprehend how he was so casual in this situation, but Bennet was pacing back and forth without pause.
"Aren't you worried about them?" He asked Genji after some time.
"Isn't it just some robots? What's there to be scared of?"
"What do you mean, just some robots? It's like an entire army out there! How are we ever going to get out of here?"
"Relax, I've faced armies much larger than that and came out alive."
Bennet looked at Genji as if he'd grown a second head. "Now's not the time for jokes. We need to figure out how to escape after that guy comes out with Rosaline!"
"Do I look like I'm joking?"
This caused Bennet to pause and observe Genji's eyes. They were dead serious and devoid of emotions. For a brief moment, Bennet swore he saw a red glint flash through them, conjuring a mountain of bodies that overwhelmed his senses with an irresistible smell of blood.
The iron smell was so strong that it clung to his throat, almost suffocating him. The next moment, the scene disappeared and Bennet collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air.
'What was that?' He wondered to himself, his body still trembling from the experience.
"That's my killing intent," Genji explained as if having read Bennet's mind. "I've been accumulating it since my first kill."
"Y-you, how are you not insane yet?"
Genji cracked a wide smile and burst out laughing. "That's the neat part. Who says you're talking to a sane person?"
Bennet subconsciously took a small step back. Everything was starting to make sense to him: why Genji dared provoke the robots, why he didn't care about the group outside, and why he could make so many "friends".
He wasn't treating everything as a danger but as a game, mere entertainment to relieve his passing boredom. That was why Genji dared to do what he did. Bennet was sure of this.
At this moment, Joe came out with a newly repaired Rosaline, his arm wrapped around her neck in a threatening way. Joe was not happy about being threatened and he wanted payback.
Seeing this rough treatment, Bennet sensed trouble brewing. That was the risk in dealing with a wolf and Joe was no ordinary wolf. As a mechanic for a terrorist group, it was clear that Joe wasn't a friendly robot.
However, Genji pretended not to notice and approached Joe with a broad smile. "My friend, it looks like you succeeded. Congratulations. How—"
"Stop right there," Joe interrupted, not in the mood for Genji's games. "One more step, and I'll fry her circuits."
"Don't be that way, my friend. You've worked hard to repair her. Isn't it a shame to destroy your hard work like that?"
"I don't give a damn. Think I'm easy to bully? Think again. Now that she's repaired, you have more to lose if this place blows up. Let's see which of us can't bear it first."
"Fine, you got me. So what do you want?"
"I want compensation. Didn't you say you'd pay for the damages? Pay up."
"Sure, what do you have in mind? I'll let you know I don't have any money," Genji said in the same relaxed tone as before.
"Give me your weapon," Joe demanded, pointing at Genji's metal stick.
"You know I can't do that. This is my only weapon, and I need something to defend myself. Unless you can give me one of yours, it would be foolish for me to disarm myself like this."
Genji's response surprised Joe. To Joe, this metal stick was a potent and advanced weapon, surpassing anything in the organization. If he could study it, he might be able to replicate it and finally overthrow Deep Blue.
The notion tempted Joe enough that he was ready to do whatever it took to secure it. That was why he never expected Genji to agree so readily. After all, who would casually give away such a powerful weapon? Joe certainly wouldn't, which left him momentarily speechless.
"You're serious?"
"Of course. As long as you give me another weapon, I don't mind giving you this one. They're all weapons to me. It doesn't matter which one I use."
"Then wait here. I'll fetch your replacement." Joe turned, pulling Rosaline into his workshop. Moments later, he emerged with a rifle and some familiar energy cells.
"Take it," Joe said, tossing the items. "It's an EMP rifle."
Genji crouched to inspect the items, ensuring nothing had been tampered with. "Looks good, but are you sure about this? I can't help but feel you're at a loss."
"Quit stalling and hand it over!" The more Genji delayed, the more Joe was certain of its value. It was the expected reaction when losing a prized weapon.
"You said it, not me. Just don't regret it later," Genji shrugged and tossed his weapon aside, away from both of them.
"Don't worry. That'll be my problem." Joe released Rosaline and slowly approached the discarded weapon.
"Good to see you back up," Genji greeted Rosaline as she ran over. "Now, how about we get out of here?"
Rosaline had some harsh words she wanted to say but held them back, understanding that it wasn't the right time. Bennet trailed behind and they soon came face to face with a crowd of glaring robots. It was an intimidating sight that stopped Bennet and Rosaline in their tracks.
Genji, on the other hand, kept moving, unbothered by their presence. He summoned [Curse Bearer] and fired two warning shots into the air. The loud blasts seized everyone's attention, drawing their gazes toward him.
"As much as I appreciate the attention, I'd prefer my personal space. Will you kindly move out of the way, or will I need to use this?" Genji gestured with his newly acquired rifle.
At the sight of the weapon, the group dispersed in a hurry. They were well aware of the terror of that EMP rifle and had no desire to experience it firsthand.
"You said you only had one weapon," Bennet remarked after the group had scattered.
"I lied."
"..."
"..."
"Was that really necessary?"
"You never knows when it might come in handy."
Bennet was at a loss for words, but he acknowledged that Genji had spared him considerable trouble. He wouldn't have had a clue how to start with repairing Rosaline. It seemed more likely that he would have to follow her suggestions and leave her behind.
"Thank you," Bennet finally expressed his gratitude.
Genji merely hummed in response before turning to Rosaline. "What did you learn?"
"That I should've listened to you?"
"No. That's not the point."
"Why not?" Rosaline asked, puzzled by his immediate rejection.
"Because regardless of what you did, that outcome was inevitable. There was no avoiding it."
"Then why ask?"
"Because there was one thing you could have done differently. You should have acted more decisively. If you had eliminated them all before they drew their EMP gun, you wouldn't have sustained damage. Then everything afterward could have been avoided."
Rosaline bit her lip, understanding Genji's point. They had taken significant risks to repair her. While things had worked out, it was because Genji had stood firm against such a dangerous group.
"I'm sorry about your weapon," she apologized, acknowledging the cost he paid to ensure their escape.
"Don't be."
"Why not? It was a powerful energy weapon. Aren't you upset to lose it because of my mistake?"
"No, and do you know why?"
"Why?"
"Because it's not the weapon that fires those beams of light." Genji crouched beside a pile of scrap and drew a sharpened metal rod the size of a dagger – his backup weapon if Joe didn't comply after acquiring the first one.
"What do you mean?" Rosaline asked, more confused.
Genji ignored her and sifted through the scraps. After a few moments, he extracted a longer piece of metal, which he whittled down with his dagger. Soon, a metallic sword resembling his previous weapon appeared. Genji stood up and infused it with his cutting intent, brandishing it multiple times before nodding in satisfaction.
"Wait, that wasn't an energy weapon?" Both Bennet and Rosaline asked, wide-eyed and disbelieving.
"Nope. Just a regular chunk of metal I found on the road. This one isn't any different."
Bennet exchanged a glance with Rosaline, both silently asking 'You thinking what I'm thinking?'
'That guy got scammed.'
"Alright, stop ogling at each other like that. I didn't scam him, I gave him what he wanted. I even double-checked with him and you heard how impatient he sounded. I had no choice but to give him the item. If we have to point fingers, I'm the victim here."
Bennet found it hard to believe Genji's statement. He'd witnessed the entire process and felt like Genji had orchestrated the entire encounter.
There was no way he didn't expect such an outcome when the first thing he did was blow up one of the walls to demonstrate his powers. From there, he slowly guided Joe into demanding the weapon as payment, not forgetting to exchange a powerful EMP rifle in the process.
"You planned everything from the start?" Rosaline asked for clarification.
Genji merely smiled and replied, "He should be realizing that right about now."
That was the cue. Without wasting a moment, they broke out sprinting, rushing to leave before they encountered more trouble. Genji chuckled to himself and followed them, blending into the shadows somewhere along the way.
After some running, Rosaline took the lead again and guided them toward their destination. By now, they had left all vestiges of metal behind them and entered a highway of dirt. They kicked up a dust cloud with each step, imprinting their steps into the ground.
Bennet noticed Genji's footprints, lighter than theirs, consisting of a faint outline of the foot's tip. He couldn't fathom how Genji made these marks but concluded it was 'Genji doing his thing.'
By now, Bennet was convinced Genji came from a different world, having displayed abilities beyond any modern person living in their urban world.
As dusk approached, they stumbled upon an old but expansive building. Multiple turrets adorned the walls, all pointed downward, unmanned. Barbed wires snaked around the top, adding to the desolate ambiance of the structure.
Years had passed since anyone had tended to this place, but it couldn't change Bennet's happy mood. They had finally arrived at the lab where everything went wrong for him.
"How do we get in?" Rosaline asked, scanning for the command ports she was accustomed to.
"There should be a gate somewhere. I just don't know if it's locked."
As he spoke, a loud snap echoed followed by the clanking of chains and weights hitting the ground. Turning to the source, they saw Genji standing over a broken, rusty lock with his sword out.
"Well, I guess that answers that question," Bennet muttered.
As they walked over, Genji pushed the gate open, unleashing an ear-jarring creaking sound that testified to the metal's age. A field of overgrown grass greeted them as they walked in, burying the cracked concrete that used to pathe this path. Bennet couldn't fathom how much time had passed since he was last here, but he hoped this wouldn't matter soon.
Genji hacked through the tough plant life obstructing their path, employing his sword like a machete through dense jungles. The others followed closely in his footsteps. Strangely, there were no signs of insects or other life forms in the area, creating an eerie silence.
The silence unsettled Bennet. It felt out of place to him. In his era, vibrant vegetation was accompanied by the chirping of insects and the flickering of fireflies. What had changed in this period for such commonplace occurrences to vanish from nature?
After a few minutes, they reached the entrance of the building, finding tightly shut moss-covered doors. Genji turned to Bennet for guidance, but the scientist shook his head.
"There's no power here. We have to figure it out ourselves."
"Alright. Step back."
Once they were out of reach, Genji infused his sword with cutting intent and thrust it through the cracks. A peculiar feedback of metal wires and thick iron reverberated through his palm. Ignoring it, Genji used his weapon as leverage, prying the sturdy doors apart.
After some effort, he withdrew the sword and made incisions along the sliding hinges at the bottom. Then, he exerted force on the doors, managing to shift them slightly. Bits of moss cascaded to the ground, but the opening remained too narrow for a person to pass through.
"Come here and lend a hand. These doors are heavy, and I can't open them alone."
Rosaline scrutinized the cuts for a moment, comprehending Genji's intent.
"Cut here, here, and here. That should loosen the hinges."
Genji followed her suggestions, and Rosaline inserted her fingers into the opening, exerting more force due to her metallic physique. After a minute of slowly pulling the door aside, Rosaline felt a dull click as the door gave way.
"The entrance is open," she declared, brushing the moss off her hands.
Activating her internal lights, she stepped into the darkness, leading the way for Bennet. Genji brought up the rear with his night vision, maintaining vigilance against potential threats lurking in the darkness. Fortunately, the building's interior was as barren as its exterior, devoid of any signs of life.
"Do you have any particular place you'd like to check?" Rosaline asked Bennet.
"I'm not sure. This place is different from what I remember, so I'm not sure if I can find anything. Let's slowly explore this place," Bennet replied.
Rosaline nodded in agreement and pushed open a door at the end of the hallway. From his vantage point, Genji observed a spacious room furnished with multiple metal tables and block stools.
"I remember this used to be a cafeteria," Bennet began.
"It's a transition room now," Genji replied.
"How can you tell?"
"There's a hallway with connecting labs to your right."
Following his directions, Rosaline led Bennet into a semi-fluorescent hallway where soft, deep purple light emanated from the corners—solar power gathered during the day. The illumination was dim, yet sufficient for Bennet to navigate without stumbling in the dark.
"You can see in the dark?" Rosaline asked, surprised.
"Always have been," Genji affirmed.
Taking the lead, Genji ventured forward, occasionally peeking into the passing rooms. Judging by the equipment within, he surmised that some were labs before the space underwent its transformation. However, what struck him was the disparity in technological levels across the rooms.
While one room resembled a workshop from the Middle Ages, another resembled a modern chemistry lab. Then, there were the rare futuristic labs equipped with robotic assistants, advanced machinery, and peculiarly shaped glass tubes. The esoteric assortment of equipment left Genji confused about the true purpose of this place.
The wide variety of items seemed intended for people of all eras, set up to accommodate participants in these experiments. But why configure the laboratory in such a manner? If they were conducting experiments here, wouldn't they all operate at the same scientific level?
Why allocate rooms to outdated equipment when they could have multiple state-of-the-art labs? Financial constraints couldn't explain it, as there was an abundance of machines to spare. Genji even found a storage room where numerous sophisticated apparatuses lay collecting dust against the walls.
'Just what did they do here?'
All three of them pondered this question as they continued exploring the hallway. Genji eventually discovered a generator room. Upon closer inspection of the equipment, they agreed to enter.
If they could figure out a way to activate the power, they would have more light to work with instead of relying on Genji to describe the rooms to determine if they should explore further.
As Rosaline fumbled with the circuitry, Genji examined the machines in the room. Once again, there were items from multiple eras gathered here, spanning from steam generators to unknown energy sources. The most advanced ones were no larger than the size of a palm, and Genji suspected that these models could easily outperform the others in output.
The issue persisted—why would this lab retain these old, outdated models when superior versions were available? It simply didn't make sense.
Setting these questions aside, Genji stumbled upon an item that sparked a vague sense of familiarity. Confusion enveloped him; he had seen a similar item before, but it hadn't left a lasting impression. It was akin to deja vu. He knew he had encountered something similar, yet he couldn't pinpoint where.
After some deliberation, it finally dawned on him. It was during his time in the Spatial Battlefield, particularly during a ruin exploration.
'Is that a Hyper Core?'
He pondered silently, recalling the numerous expeditions his group had embarked on after discovering this peculiar item. From battles against the sentinels to encounters with a reaper, and even assaulting a Zerg nest, all of those events stemmed from this one item. It was that pivotal.
Genji approached the spherical object and attempted to lift it, but its sheer density surpassed his strength.
'No doubt about it. No one could mistake such a heavy object. But why would something like this be here?'
"Hey, Bennet. Do you really have no idea what happened here?"
"No. If I did, I would already have returned to my time."
"I see." Genji knew he wouldn't get any answers from Bennet and kept the questions in the back of his mind. For now, they would resolve Bennet's issue before exploring these mysteries further.
Suddenly, the crackling of electricity filled the air, followed by the whirring of a loud fan. Then, a clinking noise resonated from the ceilings before the buzz of fluorescent lights replaced the previous silence.
"Success," Rosaline cheered, standing up from the ground.
"How long will this last?" Genji asked.
"It'll cover us for the night. These electrical generators are old and won't run for long."
"That should be enough. We'll have another day before we return to darkness. Let's make the most use of this time," Genji said.
"Yes. Let's start looking."
As Mechanic Joe worked on Rosaline, Genji casually found a place to sit, ignoring the hostile robots gathering outside the building. Bennet couldn't comprehend how he was so casual in this situation, but Bennet was pacing back and forth without pause.
"Aren't you worried about them?" He asked Genji after some time.
"Isn't it just some robots? What's there to be scared of?"
"What do you mean, just some robots? It's like an entire army out there! How are we ever going to get out of here?"
"Relax, I've faced armies much larger than that and came out alive."
Bennet looked at Genji as if he'd grown a second head. "Now's not the time for jokes. We need to figure out how to escape after that guy comes out with Rosaline!"
"Do I look like I'm joking?"
This caused Bennet to pause and observe Genji's eyes. They were dead serious and devoid of emotions. For a brief moment, Bennet swore he saw a red glint flash through them, conjuring a mountain of bodies that overwhelmed his senses with an irresistible smell of blood.
The iron smell was so strong that it clung to his throat, almost suffocating him. The next moment, the scene disappeared and Bennet collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air.
'What was that?' He wondered to himself, his body still trembling from the experience.
"That's my killing intent," Genji explained as if having read Bennet's mind. "I've been accumulating it since my first kill."
"Y-you, how are you not insane yet?"
Genji cracked a wide smile and burst out laughing. "That's the neat part. Who says you're talking to a sane person?"
Bennet subconsciously took a small step back. Everything was starting to make sense to him: why Genji dared provoke the robots, why he didn't care about the group outside, and why he could make so many "friends".
He wasn't treating everything as a danger but as a game, mere entertainment to relieve his passing boredom. That was why Genji dared to do what he did. Bennet was sure of this.
At this moment, Joe came out with a newly repaired Rosaline, his arm wrapped around her neck in a threatening way. Joe was not happy about being threatened and he wanted payback.
Seeing this rough treatment, Bennet sensed trouble brewing. That was the risk in dealing with a wolf and Joe was no ordinary wolf. As a mechanic for a terrorist group, it was clear that Joe wasn't a friendly robot.
However, Genji pretended not to notice and approached Joe with a broad smile. "My friend, it looks like you succeeded. Congratulations. How—"
"Stop right there," Joe interrupted, not in the mood for Genji's games. "One more step, and I'll fry her circuits."
"Don't be that way, my friend. You've worked hard to repair her. Isn't it a shame to destroy your hard work like that?"
"I don't give a damn. Think I'm easy to bully? Think again. Now that she's repaired, you have more to lose if this place blows up. Let's see which of us can't bear it first."
"Fine, you got me. So what do you want?"
"I want compensation. Didn't you say you'd pay for the damages? Pay up."
"Sure, what do you have in mind? I'll let you know I don't have any money," Genji said in the same relaxed tone as before.
"Give me your weapon," Joe demanded, pointing at Genji's metal stick.
"You know I can't do that. This is my only weapon, and I need something to defend myself. Unless you can give me one of yours, it would be foolish for me to disarm myself like this."
Genji's response surprised Joe. To Joe, this metal stick was a potent and advanced weapon, surpassing anything in the organization. If he could study it, he might be able to replicate it and finally overthrow Deep Blue.
The notion tempted Joe enough that he was ready to do whatever it took to secure it. That was why he never expected Genji to agree so readily. After all, who would casually give away such a powerful weapon? Joe certainly wouldn't, which left him momentarily speechless.
"You're serious?"
"Of course. As long as you give me another weapon, I don't mind giving you this one. They're all weapons to me. It doesn't matter which one I use."
"Then wait here. I'll fetch your replacement." Joe turned, pulling Rosaline into his workshop. Moments later, he emerged with a rifle and some familiar energy cells.
"Take it," Joe said, tossing the items. "It's an EMP rifle."
Genji crouched to inspect the items, ensuring nothing had been tampered with. "Looks good, but are you sure about this? I can't help but feel you're at a loss."
"Quit stalling and hand it over!" The more Genji delayed, the more Joe was certain of its value. It was the expected reaction when losing a prized weapon.
"You said it, not me. Just don't regret it later," Genji shrugged and tossed his weapon aside, away from both of them.
"Don't worry. That'll be my problem." Joe released Rosaline and slowly approached the discarded weapon.
"Good to see you back up," Genji greeted Rosaline as she ran over. "Now, how about we get out of here?"
Rosaline had some harsh words she wanted to say but held them back, understanding that it wasn't the right time. Bennet trailed behind and they soon came face to face with a crowd of glaring robots. It was an intimidating sight that stopped Bennet and Rosaline in their tracks.
Genji, on the other hand, kept moving, unbothered by their presence. He summoned [Curse Bearer] and fired two warning shots into the air. The loud blasts seized everyone's attention, drawing their gazes toward him.
"As much as I appreciate the attention, I'd prefer my personal space. Will you kindly move out of the way, or will I need to use this?" Genji gestured with his newly acquired rifle.
At the sight of the weapon, the group dispersed in a hurry. They were well aware of the terror of that EMP rifle and had no desire to experience it firsthand.
"You said you only had one weapon," Bennet remarked after the group had scattered.
"I lied."
"..."
"..."
"Was that really necessary?"
"You never knows when it might come in handy."
Bennet was at a loss for words, but he acknowledged that Genji had spared him considerable trouble. He wouldn't have had a clue how to start with repairing Rosaline. It seemed more likely that he would have to follow her suggestions and leave her behind.
"Thank you," Bennet finally expressed his gratitude.
Genji merely hummed in response before turning to Rosaline. "What did you learn?"
"That I should've listened to you?"
"No. That's not the point."
"Why not?" Rosaline asked, puzzled by his immediate rejection.
"Because regardless of what you did, that outcome was inevitable. There was no avoiding it."
"Then why ask?"
"Because there was one thing you could have done differently. You should have acted more decisively. If you had eliminated them all before they drew their EMP gun, you wouldn't have sustained damage. Then everything afterward could have been avoided."
Rosaline bit her lip, understanding Genji's point. They had taken significant risks to repair her. While things had worked out, it was because Genji had stood firm against such a dangerous group.
"I'm sorry about your weapon," she apologized, acknowledging the cost he paid to ensure their escape.
"Don't be."
"Why not? It was a powerful energy weapon. Aren't you upset to lose it because of my mistake?"
"No, and do you know why?"
"Why?"
"Because it's not the weapon that fires those beams of light." Genji crouched beside a pile of scrap and drew a sharpened metal rod the size of a dagger – his backup weapon if Joe didn't comply after acquiring the first one.
"What do you mean?" Rosaline asked, more confused.
Genji ignored her and sifted through the scraps. After a few moments, he extracted a longer piece of metal, which he whittled down with his dagger. Soon, a metallic sword resembling his previous weapon appeared. Genji stood up and infused it with his cutting intent, brandishing it multiple times before nodding in satisfaction.
"Wait, that wasn't an energy weapon?" Both Bennet and Rosaline asked, wide-eyed and disbelieving.
"Nope. Just a regular chunk of metal I found on the road. This one isn't any different."
Bennet exchanged a glance with Rosaline, both silently asking 'You thinking what I'm thinking?'
'That guy got scammed.'
"Alright, stop ogling at each other like that. I didn't scam him, I gave him what he wanted. I even double-checked with him and you heard how impatient he sounded. I had no choice but to give him the item. If we have to point fingers, I'm the victim here."
Bennet found it hard to believe Genji's statement. He'd witnessed the entire process and felt like Genji had orchestrated the entire encounter.
There was no way he didn't expect such an outcome when the first thing he did was blow up one of the walls to demonstrate his powers. From there, he slowly guided Joe into demanding the weapon as payment, not forgetting to exchange a powerful EMP rifle in the process.
"You planned everything from the start?" Rosaline asked for clarification.
Genji merely smiled and replied, "He should be realizing that right about now."
That was the cue. Without wasting a moment, they broke out sprinting, rushing to leave before they encountered more trouble. Genji chuckled to himself and followed them, blending into the shadows somewhere along the way.
After some running, Rosaline took the lead again and guided them toward their destination. By now, they had left all vestiges of metal behind them and entered a highway of dirt. They kicked up a dust cloud with each step, imprinting their steps into the ground.
Bennet noticed Genji's footprints, lighter than theirs, consisting of a faint outline of the foot's tip. He couldn't fathom how Genji made these marks but concluded it was 'Genji doing his thing.'
By now, Bennet was convinced Genji came from a different world, having displayed abilities beyond any modern person living in their urban world.
As dusk approached, they stumbled upon an old but expansive building. Multiple turrets adorned the walls, all pointed downward, unmanned. Barbed wires snaked around the top, adding to the desolate ambiance of the structure.
Years had passed since anyone had tended to this place, but it couldn't change Bennet's happy mood. They had finally arrived at the lab where everything went wrong for him.
"How do we get in?" Rosaline asked, scanning for the command ports she was accustomed to.
"There should be a gate somewhere. I just don't know if it's locked."
As he spoke, a loud snap echoed followed by the clanking of chains and weights hitting the ground. Turning to the source, they saw Genji standing over a broken, rusty lock with his sword out.
"Well, I guess that answers that question," Bennet muttered.
As they walked over, Genji pushed the gate open, unleashing an ear-jarring creaking sound that testified to the metal's age. A field of overgrown grass greeted them as they walked in, burying the cracked concrete that used to pathe this path. Bennet couldn't fathom how much time had passed since he was last here, but he hoped this wouldn't matter soon.
Genji hacked through the tough plant life obstructing their path, employing his sword like a machete through dense jungles. The others followed closely in his footsteps. Strangely, there were no signs of insects or other life forms in the area, creating an eerie silence.
The silence unsettled Bennet. It felt out of place to him. In his era, vibrant vegetation was accompanied by the chirping of insects and the flickering of fireflies. What had changed in this period for such commonplace occurrences to vanish from nature?
After a few minutes, they reached the entrance of the building, finding tightly shut moss-covered doors. Genji turned to Bennet for guidance, but the scientist shook his head.
"There's no power here. We have to figure it out ourselves."
"Alright. Step back."
Once they were out of reach, Genji infused his sword with cutting intent and thrust it through the cracks. A peculiar feedback of metal wires and thick iron reverberated through his palm. Ignoring it, Genji used his weapon as leverage, prying the sturdy doors apart.
After some effort, he withdrew the sword and made incisions along the sliding hinges at the bottom. Then, he exerted force on the doors, managing to shift them slightly. Bits of moss cascaded to the ground, but the opening remained too narrow for a person to pass through.
"Come here and lend a hand. These doors are heavy, and I can't open them alone."
Rosaline scrutinized the cuts for a moment, comprehending Genji's intent.
"Cut here, here, and here. That should loosen the hinges."
Genji followed her suggestions, and Rosaline inserted her fingers into the opening, exerting more force due to her metallic physique. After a minute of slowly pulling the door aside, Rosaline felt a dull click as the door gave way.
"The entrance is open," she declared, brushing the moss off her hands.
Activating her internal lights, she stepped into the darkness, leading the way for Bennet. Genji brought up the rear with his night vision, maintaining vigilance against potential threats lurking in the darkness. Fortunately, the building's interior was as barren as its exterior, devoid of any signs of life.
"Do you have any particular place you'd like to check?" Rosaline asked Bennet.
"I'm not sure. This place is different from what I remember, so I'm not sure if I can find anything. Let's slowly explore this place," Bennet replied.
Rosaline nodded in agreement and pushed open a door at the end of the hallway. From his vantage point, Genji observed a spacious room furnished with multiple metal tables and block stools.
"I remember this used to be a cafeteria," Bennet began.
"It's a transition room now," Genji replied.
"How can you tell?"
"There's a hallway with connecting labs to your right."
Following his directions, Rosaline led Bennet into a semi-fluorescent hallway where soft, deep purple light emanated from the corners—solar power gathered during the day. The illumination was dim, yet sufficient for Bennet to navigate without stumbling in the dark.
"You can see in the dark?" Rosaline asked, surprised.
"Always have been," Genji affirmed.
Taking the lead, Genji ventured forward, occasionally peeking into the passing rooms. Judging by the equipment within, he surmised that some were labs before the space underwent its transformation. However, what struck him was the disparity in technological levels across the rooms.
While one room resembled a workshop from the Middle Ages, another resembled a modern chemistry lab. Then, there were the rare futuristic labs equipped with robotic assistants, advanced machinery, and peculiarly shaped glass tubes. The esoteric assortment of equipment left Genji confused about the true purpose of this place.
The wide variety of items seemed intended for people of all eras, set up to accommodate participants in these experiments. But why configure the laboratory in such a manner? If they were conducting experiments here, wouldn't they all operate at the same scientific level?
Why allocate rooms to outdated equipment when they could have multiple state-of-the-art labs? Financial constraints couldn't explain it, as there was an abundance of machines to spare. Genji even found a storage room where numerous sophisticated apparatuses lay collecting dust against the walls.
'Just what did they do here?'
All three of them pondered this question as they continued exploring the hallway. Genji eventually discovered a generator room. Upon closer inspection of the equipment, they agreed to enter.
If they could figure out a way to activate the power, they would have more light to work with instead of relying on Genji to describe the rooms to determine if they should explore further.
As Rosaline fumbled with the circuitry, Genji examined the machines in the room. Once again, there were items from multiple eras gathered here, spanning from steam generators to unknown energy sources. The most advanced ones were no larger than the size of a palm, and Genji suspected that these models could easily outperform the others in output.
The issue persisted—why would this lab retain these old, outdated models when superior versions were available? It simply didn't make sense.
Setting these questions aside, Genji stumbled upon an item that sparked a vague sense of familiarity. Confusion enveloped him; he had seen a similar item before, but it hadn't left a lasting impression. It was akin to deja vu. He knew he had encountered something similar, yet he couldn't pinpoint where.
After some deliberation, it finally dawned on him. It was during his time in the Spatial Battlefield, particularly during a ruin exploration.
'Is that a Hyper Core?'
He pondered silently, recalling the numerous expeditions his group had embarked on after discovering this peculiar item. From battles against the sentinels to encounters with a reaper, and even assaulting a Zerg nest, all of those events stemmed from this one item. It was that pivotal.
Genji approached the spherical object and attempted to lift it, but its sheer density surpassed his strength.
'No doubt about it. No one could mistake such a heavy object. But why would something like this be here?'
"Hey, Bennet. Do you really have no idea what happened here?"
"No. If I did, I would already have returned to my time."
"I see." Genji knew he wouldn't get any answers from Bennet and kept the questions in the back of his mind. For now, they would resolve Bennet's issue before exploring these mysteries further.
Suddenly, the crackling of electricity filled the air, followed by the whirring of a loud fan. Then, a clinking noise resonated from the ceilings before the buzz of fluorescent lights replaced the previous silence.
"Success," Rosaline cheered, standing up from the ground.
"How long will this last?" Genji asked.
"It'll cover us for the night. These electrical generators are old and won't run for long."
"That should be enough. We'll have another day before we return to darkness. Let's make the most use of this time," Genji said.
"Yes. Let's start looking."
