When Genji returned to the city, he felt that the atmosphere was a little strange. It was as if everyone was on edge about something. He even noticed a few people who shut the windows when they saw his shady getup.
"What exactly happened in these 3 days that I was gone?"
Genji walked into the main building for CEC and realized it was not just the people who were different. Everyone he saw inside the building seemed down. He looked around in confusion until he found Amon.
"Amon, why is everyone so grim?"
Amon turned to him and gave him a weird look.
"You don't know? It was all over the news."
Genji shrugged in response.
"Wait, were you even in the city? I couldn't find you anywhere, and you never answered any of my calls."
"Nope. I was too busy exploring Cavean Town these past few days."
"YOU WHAT? CAVEAN TOWN? YOU'RE INSANE!"
"No need to blow out my ears. So what happened?"
"Let me get this straight. You entered that Cavean Town?"
"There shouldn't be any other town by that name, right?"
"You're kidding, right?"
"No? What's the big deal?"
"What's the big deal?! That's a forbidden place overrun with corruptors!"
"Yeah, and?"
"I knew you were strange, but this exceeds any expectations. Not many dare to enter that place after multiple teams were annihilated there."
"It was tough, but aren't I still alive?"
"We need to report that to the sergeant. This is big news."
Amon led him to the sergeant's office and knocked on the door.
"Who is it?"
"Amon, sir!"
"Come in."
Amon opened the door and walked in with Genji. He saluted the sergeant before speaking.
"Big news, sir! Agent Enigma just came back from an excavation in Cavean Town."
"Oh?"
The sergeant looked up at Genji, intrigued by the news.
"I knew you were strong, but I didn't think you would go there."
"When I heard about the place, my interest was piqued."
"So how far did you explore?"
"All of it."
"Excuse me?"
"Exactly what I said."
"I understand what you said, but not what you meant. Can you elaborate on what you mean by 'All of it?'"
"Literally what it means. All the high-ranked corruptors in the area and the source of the disaster."
"Really? Then can you give us a report about their abilities and features? It would be immensely helpful for future raids on the place."
"I could, but I feel that it's unnecessary."
Both the sergeant and Amon were confused. Why wouldn't be necessary? It's such a dangerous place where every bit of information can improve the chances of survival. If they have enough information, they can make preparations to eliminate this menace once and for all.
"Can I ask why?" The sergeant voiced his confusion.
"Because they're all dead."
"Huh?" x2
The sergeant stuck his pinkie into his ear and removed some earwax. After confirming his ear is working fine, he turned to Genji again.
"I'm sorry, agent. I think I misheard you. Can you repeat that?"
"They're all dead."
"I don't mean to be dumb, but who's all dead?"
"The corruptors. Every last one of them. I made sure of that before I left."
The sergeant jumped to his feet in disbelief.
"But how? There were reports of two rank 6 corruptors in the area! And the swarm of corruptors. How did you deal with all of that?"
"For your information, there were 3 of them. And that's not the strongest in the area. There was what I suspected to be a rank 7 corruptor in the middle of town."
"RANK 7!"
"Well, strength-wise, it matches the levels. As for intellect, that's a different story."
"That doesn't change how you dealt with all of that. How could you have possibly killed all of them, even if it's true?"
"Wasn't that hard. I simply lured them outside of town and gunned them down."
The corner of their eyes twitched. Wasn't that hard, he says. Like hell, they would believe that. This agent must be showing off. There's no way he did all that alone. Yes, that must be the case. Ha ha, what a funny joke.
"That aside, what rank can I achieve with my accomplishments?" Genji asked the two.
"First, we would need to send a team to verify everything. But if everything you said is true, then you would get rank 6 at the minimum."
Genji shrugged again. Honestly, he's indifferent to the promotion, but he asked anyways because he gets more conveniences as he moves up the ranks. Just take his customized fuhai-boshi. It took a few days, but didn't they get it done?
"Okay. So can you tell me why everyone is so tense now?"
The sergeant gave Amon a look, to which Amon shook his head.
"I brought agent Enigma over as soon as I heard about this. He just returned, so he hasn't received the news yet."
"I see. Well, long story short, we were attacked by the Dark Forces."
"The Dark Forces?"
"A terrorist group formed of only mutants. They are a tricky group that has been on our radar for years, but we were never able to catch them. For the few agents that do encounter them, their funerals were tragic. There were even times when the casket is empty."
"I see. Sounds like an interesting group. I wish I could get the chance to meet them."
What Genji didn't realize was his wish would be granted earlier than he expected. The very next day, the sergeant received an order to transfer some powerful agents for a raid. They had finally found the base of the Dark Forces, and they were going to remove this tumor.
When the sergeant got this news, he immediately gathered some people and gave them the rundown.
"That's the situation. If you want to go, here's your chance. I would also like to remind you that this is completely voluntary as there is a high chance of death. For those of you who are interested, we set off in 2 hours. We will gather with the other agents tomorrow and raid the base at night."
Many agents hesitated when they heard this. Most of them were deterred by the horrible reputation of the Dark Forces, but Genji was not like most people. He's someone who has fallen into madness and dares to do things others don't even consider. Many had called him crazy, but he accepted all of that with a deranged smile and a cool heart.
"Is that even a question? Count me in," Genji instantly replied.
"It's going to be a perilous operation."
"I wouldn't have it any other way."
Genji got out of the truck and looked around, spotting a few people walking around a giant warehouse in the distance.
"That's where we are meeting?"
"Yes. We would like to keep this operation a secret, so we will be waiting out here until it starts," the sergeant answered.
"If you have nothing to do, you can get to know your comrades."
"I'll consider it."
Genji walked in and found a corner to meditate in. He could get to know some people, but he finds that adjusting his energy is a better use of his time. Most people are playing board games anyway, so he finds it pointless to socialize. If he has that time, he might as well think about how to better utilize his energy.
At this moment, his maximum energy has reached a whopping 127 points. For comparison, when he entered this world, he had 70 points of energy, almost twice as much. As a result, he can be more liberal with his energy usage now. Despite his stats having barely changed since the start, Genji feels that his strength has increased significantly.
Most of this increase can be attributed to his energy, which has made him realize the potential this ability holds. Now he's determined to see how far he can develop this talent of his. Who knows, it might become the core of his combat system in the future.
Hours passed until multiple SUVs drove into the large warehouse.
"Everyone should be here. Let me introduce myself. I am Hagano, the commander of this operation. As you all know, we have gathered the best agents from across the country for tonight where we will strike the Dark Forces. We will surround the base and attack with everything we have. Kill everyone. These people deserve no mercy! I repeat, show no mercy! Now get into these SUVs and prepare for combat."
After that motivating speech, everyone crowded around the vehicles to squeeze themselves in. Genji opened his eyes and stood back. There's no rush to pack himself like sardines right now. It would be more convenient to be the last person to board, as he can then jump out faster. Unlike some people, he prefers his personal space.
Kazuya was taken to an underground building after they left the city. It was quite surprising when the hooded man revealed that this single building served as the entrance to their entire underground base. As for how they constructed the place, Kazuya decided not to ask. The man then gave Kazuya a tour of the facility and briefed him on the organization's basics.
The leader of the forces was a man known as Sirius. He was a very mysterious mutant, a name Kazuya had only heard before. Apparently, Sirius was one of the few mutants who could rival a rank 7 corruptor. Kazuya, however, couldn't quite grasp why that was such a significant accomplishment. When he inquired about it, the person provided a simple explanation.
"Rank 7 is the strongest type of corruptor we can find. Across the country, only a few possess the combat power to match such a creature. As for rank 8, there's only been one recorded instance."
This explanation made Kazuya realize that this represented the pinnacle of power. He clenched his fists, wondering if there would ever come a day when he could attain such heights.
As he received the tour, he noticed a person who stood out, not due to any distinctive features, but because the person seemed bitter about their role.
"What's wrong with him?"
The man looked over.
"Oh, him? That's Guther. He's a recruit who doesn't have much talent, so he's a janitor."
"Talent?"
"Yes."
"Wait, is that why you wanted me to join?"
"Yes. You have a lot of potential. Very few can reach rank 5 so quickly."
Kazuya became accustomed to his life in this new environment and began nurturing his body. He realized that the power of mutants is influenced by their diet. The more active the parasites within him are, the stronger the boost he receives.
As for how to make the parasites more active, it all comes down to energy, specifically how much he eats. The more he eats, the more active the parasites become. With greater stored energy, he becomes stronger in battles.
So, he ate a lot. He hunted animals and ate nonstop, accumulating energy as if his life depended on it. He paid no heed to the feeling of sickness from overeating or the expanding waistline. In a way, he had become the embodiment of gluttony.
Days later, something significant occurred. Numerous armored vehicles encircled the building. People clad in protective combat gear poured out and forcefully entered, breaking down doors. They wielded riot shields and systematically searched the building. The mutants received notification through security cameras and alarms sounded, accompanied by flashing red lights.
"Code red. Prepare for combat. I repeat, code red. Prepare for combat. We have intruders. Assemble at point 65."
Kazuya paused his training, wiped himself down, and then stepped out, readying himself for the attack.
Genji unlocked the door and leaped out. Seeing that the operation had already commenced, he retrieved his guns and waited his turn. Currently, they were raiding a cramped building; squeezing too many people in there was just inviting disaster.
*BOOOOOM*
As if to prove him right, the building exploded in a ball of flames. Genji moved his suitcase in front of his face and shielded himself from the aftermath.
*Clunk clunk*
A few rocks struck his face shield as the explosion subsided.
"Bastards! How dare they use explosives? Do they not care about their people?" Hagano yelled in fury.
"Get in there. I want every last one of these bastards killed! Gun them down. Do you hear me?"
"Sir!"
Genji couldn't help but shake his head. What kind of commander was this? There seemed to be no strategy, just a rush-in-and-shoot approach. What a disappointment.
"Sir, we found a secret entrance. We suspect they might have an underground base."
"What are you waiting for then? Secure an entrance and flood them."
More agents rushed down to clear the area of mutants so the rest of the group could join the battle. It was a bloody conflict, but they eventually forced the defenders to retreat. Genji followed the agents and came upon a guard line.
"Form groups and search this place. Kill anyone in sight. I refuse to believe they can escape this."
Genji didn't bother with the groups and slipped away on his own. After some time of sneaking around, a shout came from a distance.
"Hey, stop right there."
Genji looked over and saw someone pointing at him.
"What's up?"
"Who are you? How come I've never seen you before?"
"I'm new to this place. Of course, you haven't seen me before."
"Really? Then how come you're running in the wrong direction?"
"As I said, I'm new. I don't know where the location we're gathering is," Genji casually made up a vague lie about his situation, convincing the mutant of his newly forged identity.
"Then keep up. We're going to make these invaders pay the price."
Genji approached the person as they began running in another direction. However, the mutant didn't anticipate that as soon as Genji got close, he would draw his sword and decapitate the mutant. In one fluid motion, he sheathed his sword and jumped into the shadows.
"Look. What happened there?"
A few seconds later, a group of three approached the body. One person crouched down to examine the scene.
"It's fresh. The body's still warm. It happened in the last minute."
"Damn. Those invaders sure are audacious, to dare kill this deep within our territory."
At that moment, Genji jumped out and swung [Muramasa] through the neck of the person on the left. He pivoted on his foot to dispatch the other standing mutant before delivering a kick to the crouched one. Advancing, he brought down his sword on the croucher's back. Genji surveyed the scene and decided to shift his hunting ground. One body might not raise suspicion, but four would certainly do so.
Kazuya was running through the underground city when he took another wrong turn. Navigating this place was incredibly challenging. Who thought an underground base was a good idea? The rocky terrain was difficult to maneuver, and there was no map— at least, Kazuya hadn't seen one.
The dim lighting didn't help either; being underground meant there was very little light. At most, there were some candles and makeshift torches crafted from the fat of their hunted prey.
Kazuya unleashed a torrent of complaints. His patience with this place was wearing thin. It had been 20 minutes since the alarm sounded, and he was still trying to find the gathering point. As for facing the invaders alone, he hadn't even considered it. Could he hear the gunfire? The invaders had guns! Sure, he could block everything with his tails and regenerate the damage, but that was not a wise use of his stamina.
Unless he wanted to risk stumbling upon a group of invaders, he better join forces with the other mutants. That's why he was still searching when the main group of mutants had likely already moved out. Right now, his best hope was to encounter a group and join their ranks, giving him a better chance at survival.
Kazuya turned a corner, and his instincts kicked in. Danger! He swiftly grew one of his tails and swung it toward the source.
*Plump*
An intense pain shot through him as the sound of his tail hitting the ground reverberated.
"A clean cut? Who is this guy?"
Kazuya jumped to the side and summoned his other tails. Using some of his stored energy, he initiated the regeneration process for his severed limb.
Then another warning from his instincts surged. He ducked down to avoid losing his head and swung his tails wildly to repel the attacker.
*Plump*
Another tail was lost. Kazuya clenched his teeth and struck the ground with his remaining two tails, propelling himself backward.
"I hope this buys me enough time to identify the attacker."
Kazuya landed in a puddle and surveyed his surroundings. There was nothing—no presence in his senses. Not even a hint of killing intent. Whoever this attacker was, they were adept at concealment.
Then the intense smell of blood wafted to his nose.
"Wait, blood?"
Kazuya finally registered the puddle he had splashed into. This was no water; underground water wouldn't be warm like this. It was a massive puddle of blood. Kazuya's gaze darted around and he realized he was encircled by many bodies, all bleeding out and contributing to the pool he was in.
"What the hell happened here?"
As Kazuya attempted to process the scene, he heard a splashing sound, accompanied by ripples in the blood.
"Not good!"
Kazuya's two tails quickly moved to block the source of danger. Then, without thinking, he leaped backward, his tails narrowly escaping severance. Strips of flesh grew out from the cuts, gradually closing the deep wounds.
Ignoring the pain, Kazuya's attention was focused elsewhere. As he distanced himself, he finally caught sight of his attacker. Standing a few feet away was a man in a black cloak, hood drawn over his head. The surroundings were dim, preventing Kazuya from discerning the man's facial features. Under the flicker of torchlight, however, he glimpsed the red gleam of a katana in the man's hands.
The blade was exquisite, but the crimson hue sent shivers down Kazuya's spine. He couldn't determine if the blade was stained with blood or if it had been red from the start. Regardless, Kazuya sensed the imminent danger the wielder represented. Based on the attacks he'd endured, he had an inkling that he was up against an experienced killer.
When Genji returned to the city, he felt that the atmosphere was a little strange. It was as if everyone was on edge about something. He even noticed a few people who shut the windows when they saw his shady getup.
"What exactly happened in these 3 days that I was gone?"
Genji walked into the main building for CEC and realized it was not just the people who were different. Everyone he saw inside the building seemed down. He looked around in confusion until he found Amon.
"Amon, why is everyone so grim?"
Amon turned to him and gave him a weird look.
"You don't know? It was all over the news."
Genji shrugged in response.
"Wait, were you even in the city? I couldn't find you anywhere, and you never answered any of my calls."
"Nope. I was too busy exploring Cavean Town these past few days."
"YOU WHAT? CAVEAN TOWN? YOU'RE INSANE!"
"No need to blow out my ears. So what happened?"
"Let me get this straight. You entered that Cavean Town?"
"There shouldn't be any other town by that name, right?"
"You're kidding, right?"
"No? What's the big deal?"
"What's the big deal?! That's a forbidden place overrun with corruptors!"
"Yeah, and?"
"I knew you were strange, but this exceeds any expectations. Not many dare to enter that place after multiple teams were annihilated there."
"It was tough, but aren't I still alive?"
"We need to report that to the sergeant. This is big news."
Amon led him to the sergeant's office and knocked on the door.
"Who is it?"
"Amon, sir!"
"Come in."
Amon opened the door and walked in with Genji. He saluted the sergeant before speaking.
"Big news, sir! Agent Enigma just came back from an excavation in Cavean Town."
"Oh?"
The sergeant looked up at Genji, intrigued by the news.
"I knew you were strong, but I didn't think you would go there."
"When I heard about the place, my interest was piqued."
"So how far did you explore?"
"All of it."
"Excuse me?"
"Exactly what I said."
"I understand what you said, but not what you meant. Can you elaborate on what you mean by 'All of it?'"
"Literally what it means. All the high-ranked corruptors in the area and the source of the disaster."
"Really? Then can you give us a report about their abilities and features? It would be immensely helpful for future raids on the place."
"I could, but I feel that it's unnecessary."
Both the sergeant and Amon were confused. Why wouldn't be necessary? It's such a dangerous place where every bit of information can improve the chances of survival. If they have enough information, they can make preparations to eliminate this menace once and for all.
"Can I ask why?" The sergeant voiced his confusion.
"Because they're all dead."
"Huh?" x2
The sergeant stuck his pinkie into his ear and removed some earwax. After confirming his ear is working fine, he turned to Genji again.
"I'm sorry, agent. I think I misheard you. Can you repeat that?"
"They're all dead."
"I don't mean to be dumb, but who's all dead?"
"The corruptors. Every last one of them. I made sure of that before I left."
The sergeant jumped to his feet in disbelief.
"But how? There were reports of two rank 6 corruptors in the area! And the swarm of corruptors. How did you deal with all of that?"
"For your information, there were 3 of them. And that's not the strongest in the area. There was what I suspected to be a rank 7 corruptor in the middle of town."
"RANK 7!"
"Well, strength-wise, it matches the levels. As for intellect, that's a different story."
"That doesn't change how you dealt with all of that. How could you have possibly killed all of them, even if it's true?"
"Wasn't that hard. I simply lured them outside of town and gunned them down."
The corner of their eyes twitched. Wasn't that hard, he says. Like hell, they would believe that. This agent must be showing off. There's no way he did all that alone. Yes, that must be the case. Ha ha, what a funny joke.
"That aside, what rank can I achieve with my accomplishments?" Genji asked the two.
"First, we would need to send a team to verify everything. But if everything you said is true, then you would get rank 6 at the minimum."
Genji shrugged again. Honestly, he's indifferent to the promotion, but he asked anyways because he gets more conveniences as he moves up the ranks. Just take his customized fuhai-boshi. It took a few days, but didn't they get it done?
"Okay. So can you tell me why everyone is so tense now?"
The sergeant gave Amon a look, to which Amon shook his head.
"I brought agent Enigma over as soon as I heard about this. He just returned, so he hasn't received the news yet."
"I see. Well, long story short, we were attacked by the Dark Forces."
"The Dark Forces?"
"A terrorist group formed of only mutants. They are a tricky group that has been on our radar for years, but we were never able to catch them. For the few agents that do encounter them, their funerals were tragic. There were even times when the casket is empty."
"I see. Sounds like an interesting group. I wish I could get the chance to meet them."
What Genji didn't realize was his wish would be granted earlier than he expected. The very next day, the sergeant received an order to transfer some powerful agents for a raid. They had finally found the base of the Dark Forces, and they were going to remove this tumor.
When the sergeant got this news, he immediately gathered some people and gave them the rundown.
"That's the situation. If you want to go, here's your chance. I would also like to remind you that this is completely voluntary as there is a high chance of death. For those of you who are interested, we set off in 2 hours. We will gather with the other agents tomorrow and raid the base at night."
Many agents hesitated when they heard this. Most of them were deterred by the horrible reputation of the Dark Forces, but Genji was not like most people. He's someone who has fallen into madness and dares to do things others don't even consider. Many had called him crazy, but he accepted all of that with a deranged smile and a cool heart.
"Is that even a question? Count me in," Genji instantly replied.
"It's going to be a perilous operation."
"I wouldn't have it any other way."
Genji got out of the truck and looked around, spotting a few people walking around a giant warehouse in the distance.
"That's where we are meeting?"
"Yes. We would like to keep this operation a secret, so we will be waiting out here until it starts," the sergeant answered.
"If you have nothing to do, you can get to know your comrades."
"I'll consider it."
Genji walked in and found a corner to meditate in. He could get to know some people, but he finds that adjusting his energy is a better use of his time. Most people are playing board games anyway, so he finds it pointless to socialize. If he has that time, he might as well think about how to better utilize his energy.
At this moment, his maximum energy has reached a whopping 127 points. For comparison, when he entered this world, he had 70 points of energy, almost twice as much. As a result, he can be more liberal with his energy usage now. Despite his stats having barely changed since the start, Genji feels that his strength has increased significantly.
Most of this increase can be attributed to his energy, which has made him realize the potential this ability holds. Now he's determined to see how far he can develop this talent of his. Who knows, it might become the core of his combat system in the future.
Hours passed until multiple SUVs drove into the large warehouse.
"Everyone should be here. Let me introduce myself. I am Hagano, the commander of this operation. As you all know, we have gathered the best agents from across the country for tonight where we will strike the Dark Forces. We will surround the base and attack with everything we have. Kill everyone. These people deserve no mercy! I repeat, show no mercy! Now get into these SUVs and prepare for combat."
After that motivating speech, everyone crowded around the vehicles to squeeze themselves in. Genji opened his eyes and stood back. There's no rush to pack himself like sardines right now. It would be more convenient to be the last person to board, as he can then jump out faster. Unlike some people, he prefers his personal space.
Kazuya was taken to an underground building after they left the city. It was quite surprising when the hooded man revealed that this single building served as the entrance to their entire underground base. As for how they constructed the place, Kazuya decided not to ask. The man then gave Kazuya a tour of the facility and briefed him on the organization's basics.
The leader of the forces was a man known as Sirius. He was a very mysterious mutant, a name Kazuya had only heard before. Apparently, Sirius was one of the few mutants who could rival a rank 7 corruptor. Kazuya, however, couldn't quite grasp why that was such a significant accomplishment. When he inquired about it, the person provided a simple explanation.
"Rank 7 is the strongest type of corruptor we can find. Across the country, only a few possess the combat power to match such a creature. As for rank 8, there's only been one recorded instance."
This explanation made Kazuya realize that this represented the pinnacle of power. He clenched his fists, wondering if there would ever come a day when he could attain such heights.
As he received the tour, he noticed a person who stood out, not due to any distinctive features, but because the person seemed bitter about their role.
"What's wrong with him?"
The man looked over.
"Oh, him? That's Guther. He's a recruit who doesn't have much talent, so he's a janitor."
"Talent?"
"Yes."
"Wait, is that why you wanted me to join?"
"Yes. You have a lot of potential. Very few can reach rank 5 so quickly."
Kazuya became accustomed to his life in this new environment and began nurturing his body. He realized that the power of mutants is influenced by their diet. The more active the parasites within him are, the stronger the boost he receives.
As for how to make the parasites more active, it all comes down to energy, specifically how much he eats. The more he eats, the more active the parasites become. With greater stored energy, he becomes stronger in battles.
So, he ate a lot. He hunted animals and ate nonstop, accumulating energy as if his life depended on it. He paid no heed to the feeling of sickness from overeating or the expanding waistline. In a way, he had become the embodiment of gluttony.
Days later, something significant occurred. Numerous armored vehicles encircled the building. People clad in protective combat gear poured out and forcefully entered, breaking down doors. They wielded riot shields and systematically searched the building. The mutants received notification through security cameras and alarms sounded, accompanied by flashing red lights.
"Code red. Prepare for combat. I repeat, code red. Prepare for combat. We have intruders. Assemble at point 65."
Kazuya paused his training, wiped himself down, and then stepped out, readying himself for the attack.
Genji unlocked the door and leaped out. Seeing that the operation had already commenced, he retrieved his guns and waited his turn. Currently, they were raiding a cramped building; squeezing too many people in there was just inviting disaster.
*BOOOOOM*
As if to prove him right, the building exploded in a ball of flames. Genji moved his suitcase in front of his face and shielded himself from the aftermath.
*Clunk clunk*
A few rocks struck his face shield as the explosion subsided.
"Bastards! How dare they use explosives? Do they not care about their people?" Hagano yelled in fury.
"Get in there. I want every last one of these bastards killed! Gun them down. Do you hear me?"
"Sir!"
Genji couldn't help but shake his head. What kind of commander was this? There seemed to be no strategy, just a rush-in-and-shoot approach. What a disappointment.
"Sir, we found a secret entrance. We suspect they might have an underground base."
"What are you waiting for then? Secure an entrance and flood them."
More agents rushed down to clear the area of mutants so the rest of the group could join the battle. It was a bloody conflict, but they eventually forced the defenders to retreat. Genji followed the agents and came upon a guard line.
"Form groups and search this place. Kill anyone in sight. I refuse to believe they can escape this."
Genji didn't bother with the groups and slipped away on his own. After some time of sneaking around, a shout came from a distance.
"Hey, stop right there."
Genji looked over and saw someone pointing at him.
"What's up?"
"Who are you? How come I've never seen you before?"
"I'm new to this place. Of course, you haven't seen me before."
"Really? Then how come you're running in the wrong direction?"
"As I said, I'm new. I don't know where the location we're gathering is," Genji casually made up a vague lie about his situation, convincing the mutant of his newly forged identity.
"Then keep up. We're going to make these invaders pay the price."
Genji approached the person as they began running in another direction. However, the mutant didn't anticipate that as soon as Genji got close, he would draw his sword and decapitate the mutant. In one fluid motion, he sheathed his sword and jumped into the shadows.
"Look. What happened there?"
A few seconds later, a group of three approached the body. One person crouched down to examine the scene.
"It's fresh. The body's still warm. It happened in the last minute."
"Damn. Those invaders sure are audacious, to dare kill this deep within our territory."
At that moment, Genji jumped out and swung [Muramasa] through the neck of the person on the left. He pivoted on his foot to dispatch the other standing mutant before delivering a kick to the crouched one. Advancing, he brought down his sword on the croucher's back. Genji surveyed the scene and decided to shift his hunting ground. One body might not raise suspicion, but four would certainly do so.
Kazuya was running through the underground city when he took another wrong turn. Navigating this place was incredibly challenging. Who thought an underground base was a good idea? The rocky terrain was difficult to maneuver, and there was no map— at least, Kazuya hadn't seen one.
The dim lighting didn't help either; being underground meant there was very little light. At most, there were some candles and makeshift torches crafted from the fat of their hunted prey.
Kazuya unleashed a torrent of complaints. His patience with this place was wearing thin. It had been 20 minutes since the alarm sounded, and he was still trying to find the gathering point. As for facing the invaders alone, he hadn't even considered it. Could he hear the gunfire? The invaders had guns! Sure, he could block everything with his tails and regenerate the damage, but that was not a wise use of his stamina.
Unless he wanted to risk stumbling upon a group of invaders, he better join forces with the other mutants. That's why he was still searching when the main group of mutants had likely already moved out. Right now, his best hope was to encounter a group and join their ranks, giving him a better chance at survival.
Kazuya turned a corner, and his instincts kicked in. Danger! He swiftly grew one of his tails and swung it toward the source.
*Plump*
An intense pain shot through him as the sound of his tail hitting the ground reverberated.
"A clean cut? Who is this guy?"
Kazuya jumped to the side and summoned his other tails. Using some of his stored energy, he initiated the regeneration process for his severed limb.
Then another warning from his instincts surged. He ducked down to avoid losing his head and swung his tails wildly to repel the attacker.
*Plump*
Another tail was lost. Kazuya clenched his teeth and struck the ground with his remaining two tails, propelling himself backward.
"I hope this buys me enough time to identify the attacker."
Kazuya landed in a puddle and surveyed his surroundings. There was nothing—no presence in his senses. Not even a hint of killing intent. Whoever this attacker was, they were adept at concealment.
Then the intense smell of blood wafted to his nose.
"Wait, blood?"
Kazuya finally registered the puddle he had splashed into. This was no water; underground water wouldn't be warm like this. It was a massive puddle of blood. Kazuya's gaze darted around and he realized he was encircled by many bodies, all bleeding out and contributing to the pool he was in.
"What the hell happened here?"
As Kazuya attempted to process the scene, he heard a splashing sound, accompanied by ripples in the blood.
"Not good!"
Kazuya's two tails quickly moved to block the source of danger. Then, without thinking, he leaped backward, his tails narrowly escaping severance. Strips of flesh grew out from the cuts, gradually closing the deep wounds.
Ignoring the pain, Kazuya's attention was focused elsewhere. As he distanced himself, he finally caught sight of his attacker. Standing a few feet away was a man in a black cloak, hood drawn over his head. The surroundings were dim, preventing Kazuya from discerning the man's facial features. Under the flicker of torchlight, however, he glimpsed the red gleam of a katana in the man's hands.
The blade was exquisite, but the crimson hue sent shivers down Kazuya's spine. He couldn't determine if the blade was stained with blood or if it had been red from the start. Regardless, Kazuya sensed the imminent danger the wielder represented. Based on the attacks he'd endured, he had an inkling that he was up against an experienced killer.
