Outdoor Running Track
Carthaki Radiation Zone
Now...
Hundreds of Corrupted pursued the two of you relentlessly, their deafening shrieks echoing all around.
A collapsed smokestack has fractured the road into winding paths as waves of enemies surge from every direction. Nirvatia and you fight fiercely as you navigate through the chaos.
You roll to dodge an attack, then open fire to take out the enemy in front of you before glancing at Nirvatia, who is equally surrounded.
All thanks to that "explosion"—!
She swings her massive scythe, its deadly edge erupting with force, carving a path through a sea of steel and sending dust billowing into the air.
Rargh—!
Under cover of the clanging noise, a Corrupted that has been lurking in your blind spot suddenly lunges toward your back.
Who gave you permission to touch my little raven?
The scythe strikes from within the dust, its ghostlike form hooking the Corrupted's body and dragging it to Nirvatia's feet.
She brings her right foot down, crushing the Corrupted's head into a metal pulp.
Don't worry, little raven. I'll watch your back.
And yours matches my impression of a "Gray Raven", little raven. Well done.
Having temporarily cleared the threats ahead, Nirvatia takes out a vial of serum and presses it against the device on her chest, beginning the injection.
...
She lets out an almost inaudible grunt of pain before continuing forward to catch up with you.
When my subordinates face situations like this, I usually advise them: if you can't outrun them, kill them all.
Not now, little raven. You're a precious mission objective, and I won't risk your safety.
Keep running. See that factory up ahead?
Following Nirvatia's gaze, you can make out a massive assembly plant rising from the hazy horizon, like a dormant beast slowly revealing itself from the Red Mist.
But it also saves us the trouble of hunting them down one by one.
That's a Carthaki rocket factory. During the Golden Age, it helped humanity conquer the galaxy. Perhaps it will also help us if we get a bit more creative.
Little raven, have you ever seen a firework display?
She glances at you with a mysterious smile.
This time, we can be in the front row.
Metal hooves pound against steel plates, echoing throughout the factory like thousands of blades scraping and grinding against each other.
Countless Corrupted are scaling the walls like ants toward the light at the end of the narrow corridor.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome.
The sharp click of her heels against iron plates echoes as her tall figure stands bathed in light.
This is Carthaki, cradle of the Eternal Engine and one of the pillars that carried Akdilek to the stars.
Amid the thundering noise, Nirvatia announces in a commanding, unruffled voice. The monsters lurking in the dark seem enticed by her words, letting out roars of fury as they surge toward her.
People believed the achievements forged by their hammers would stand eternal... yet a sudden catastrophe shattered the grandeur they had pridefully built over decades in a single night.
—!!!
Countless shrieks answer from the darkness, the Corrupted wailing like a hurricane tearing through mountain ranges, growing ever more ferocious.
How many souls lie buried here, forced to witness you defiling their homeland...
Now it's your turn to taste the wrath of these spirits.
Her cane strikes the floor, and dozens of massive floodlights suddenly come to life, slicing through the oppressive darkness and illuminating the entire factory.
On the eastern side of the corridor stands an imposing row of massive rocket engines.
Little raven!
She calls out loudly, looking up toward the control room.
You stand there, your right hand hovering over the dust-covered glass safety panel.
Whirrrr—
The moment you press the button, a deep humming rises from beneath your feet like distant thunder heralding an approaching storm.
Then, in a blink of an eye, that sound pierces through the silence, transforming into an ear-shattering roar that shakes heaven and earth.
In the trembling space beneath, dark red tongues of flame coalesce into a white torrent of plasma. The massive nozzles transform into great axes forged from raging fire, cleaving through the enemies just feet away.
—FZZZSSSHHH!!!!!
Under the colossal force of the flame, thousands of Corrupted are incinerated in an instant as they burst into brilliant white light before melting away into nothingness.
Moments later, the liquid oxygen and kerosene that has lain dormant for years is almost spent. The plasma subsides, leaving behind pale gray smoke and a trail of scorching debris stretching hundreds of meters down the tunnel.
You race down the long staircase, waving away the intense smoke in front of you as you search for any sign of your companion.
Cough, cough...
Covering her nose and mouth, Nirvatia leans on her scythe for support as she slowly emerges from the edge of the smoky veil.
...Just a bit... unwell.
Nirvatia staggers, her right shoulder crashing into you as her scythe slips from her grasp and clatters to the ground.
Her skin is burning hot.
I'm a Construct... I already ran a self-diagnostic. I'm fine.
Shaking her head, she whispers.
I'm fine... It's okay...
With your support, Nirvatia slowly sits down at the table. You turn back to pick up her weapon from the floor.
Ugh...!
You hear a trembling groan behind you, followed by a series of sharp clattering noises.
Nirvatia has collapsed onto the table, her medical vials scattered across the floor.
Her legs are curled up, her slender fingers almost completely drained of color as she shivers slightly with each labored breath.
You move closer to quickly examine her trembling, exhausted frame, but you find no obvious external injuries.
In an instant, an endless hum surrounds you like raging waves.
Rgh—Aargh...
The moment you connect with Nirvatia's M.I.N.D., you immediately sense something "wrong" within.
There are no signs of Punishing Virus infection, which means your Mind Beacon is useless here.
Cold and desolate, the complete stillness sends chills down your spine.
A massive vortex hangs at the center of this unnatural calm, its twisting and expanding boundaries devouring any thoughts or intentions that dare to approach.
At the edge of the vortex, you glimpse fragments of Nirvatia's memories...
Little raven...
A weak murmur pulls you back to reality.
Her gaze is unfocused, her eyelashes fluttering like dying butterflies as her weary eyes settle on you.
...My prescription.
She points to the vials at her feet.
...
She weakly opens her arms, glancing down at the blue device on her chest before looking back up at you.
You remove the plastic cover from the needle and gently sit down beside her.
The translucent liquid gleams in the glass vial. Injecting medication into a Construct is a rare occurrence in your military career.
Nirvatia seems to notice your hesitation. Her lips part slightly, her eyes misty and flickering, as if giving you silent permission.
...Here.
Nirvatia reaches out and grasps your wrist.
She gently pulls you closer as she leans forward, bringing you near to her frame.
The cold sensation guides your arm as the needle slowly pierces her delicate skin.
Hold steady...
She places her other hand over your fingers and applies gentle pressure to help push the plunger as the needle slowly delivers the medication into her body.
Aargh...!
She grits her teeth, but a sharp, anguished cry still escapes.
Nirvatia's fingernails puncture your tactical gloves, digging deep into your skin.
The two of you remain frozen in this position for several long seconds.
Whew...
She suddenly releases her grip and slumps backward like a deflated balloon before letting out a sigh of relief.
Thank you, little raven.
She wipes away the condensation at her temple and looks at you as you sigh in relief as well.
And you found a mess that rendered even your Mind Beacon useless, right?
...The Council's brilliant minds often say that Construct Tech is humanity's greatest invention this century. It has eliminated physical suffering and freed us from the fear of time and old age.
But there are those in this world whose physical wounds inflict merely a fraction of the agony their minds do.
No matter how brilliant this "greatest invention" is, it cannot shed light on the vortex within their hearts.
I am one of those people: an impenetrable shell, housing a terminal case of
She slowly pulls herself up, speaking with an unsettling casualness.
Sometimes it's triggered by a violent explosion, other times by an ordinary argument... Any trivial aspect of daily life can set it off. To keep it from interfering with my work, I need tranquilizers to suppress it.
Always. It's been over 20 years now.
She picks up her weapon from the ground and carefully stretches her body. Her tone remains calm, as if she is long accustomed to these episodes recurring throughout her life.
Imagining how this agony has ravaged her body and mind thousands upon thousands of times before, you cannot help but admire her resilience.
Beep beep—you hear a notification from the comms at your waist.
However, the "Signal Lost" displayed on your terminal quickly dispels your assumption.
Perhaps the rocket's impact earlier disrupted the Red Mist somehow.
Nirvatia leans in close, reading the message from the military alongside you.
No. They don't know what's happening inside the radiation zone. Nobody knows what disaster might unfold if we allow that golden tree to keep growing.
Pulia Forest Park... That place should mean more to you than it does to me.
Chilling memories flood back into your mind.
You glance at Nirvatia, meeting her weary gaze.
Slap! Your words are cut short as Nirvatia suddenly flicks your forehead.
First off, little raven, I'm perfectly fine right now.
You don't need to worry about my condition. Not now, not ever. I can take care of myself, so don't let it distract you.
Carthaki was the frontier of M.I.N.D. research during the Golden Age, and Asimov sent me here to recover the lost data. Just like you, I also have a duty to fulfill.
But I also have a more personal reason to be here. I need to uncover the true cause of the Great Akdilek Explosion and find out exactly what destroyed my homeland.
She stares at you, her eyes gleaming with unwavering determination.
I've waited too long for this. Whether for duty or personal reasons, I won't let you venture in there alone.
She moves closer, reaching out to gently brush the dust from your cheek.
As Security Director, perhaps my judgment carries more weight when it comes to "safety" issues. Wouldn't you agree, little raven?
With her mind made up, all you can do is cooperate and move forward with her, until the truth behind the radiation zone's expansion is uncovered.
That's not necessary. We've wasted enough time dealing with the Corrupted.
As you said, matters regarding the Punishing Virus can't be delayed. No one knows what other surprises the radiation zone and that tree might have in store for us.
Nirvatia rises to her feet with the help of her scythe and extends her hand to you.
Protecting humanity from future threats... that's a duty we both share.
Let's move out now.
Outskirts of the Carthaki Radiation Zone
Meanwhile
—Aaaah!!!
The metallic ring of clashing blades reverberates in the air, followed by blood-curdling screams that echo through the dense forest.
D-don't worry, get behind me...!
Two Corrupted stalk closer through the lingering mist like specters lurking in the night, their metal skulls emanating a dark red glow.
Stay calm, stay calm...
Seeing his destroyed sidearm at the base of a tree, the human draws a combat knife from his waist while stealing a glance at the refugee retreating behind him.
Raaargh!!!
A red glow flares, and a cold metallic shimmer cuts through the fog, lunging toward the man with deadly speed.
Stay calm—AAAAAH I'LL TAKE YOU DOWN WITH ME!!!
Get back!
A commanding voice rings out from above.
With a silver flash, a metal chain whips down from the treetops, wrapping around the Corrupted's skull as it advances.
—!!!
An agile figure descends while gripping the other end of the chain, using momentum to hoist the Corrupted off the ground in an instant, snapping its neck with a loud crack.
Don't just stand there—get back!
Y-yes!
RAAAARGH!!!
The Corrupted shrieks, lunging forward at lightning speed.
Well, aren't you eager?
Don't worry, I've got enough for all you pieces of trash—
Time seems to slow. Dust particles hang suspended in the air as she faces the deadly blade mere inches away. She raises her weapon and, in a split second, has the creature's head locked in her crosshairs.
Open wide—time for a bullet feast!
She pulls the trigger, and the gunpowder ignites with a roar. The bullet howls through the air, piercing the Corrupted's forehead.
As the rigid metal corpse falls forward, the female soldier steps slightly aside, letting it drop to the ground.
Smoke drifts from the barrel while she smoothly rises to her feet, brushing her forehead and tucking away stray locks of hair.
Take the refugees and get out of here quickly. This area isn't safe.
That eyepatch... Y-you're...!
Just as the woman is about to turn and leave, the soldier behind her calls out.
What? Is losing an eye a big deal these days?
B-Boss...?
The soldier's eyes widen as his combat knife falls from his hand.
Jagienka!!!
...!
Upon getting a closer look at the soldier's face, Jagienka's expression also turns to surprise.
...Zhang?
Hahaha, it's me, Boss!
Zhang rolls up his sleeve, revealing an old childhood scar.
Sigh, when did you get so old?
...Ouch. I see your sharp tongue hasn't dulled one bit, Boss.
Zhang hangs his head in resignation.
But why are you back in Carthaki? Weren't you...
It's a long story.
She glances at the mist spreading around them. This isn't the time for reminiscing.
Why did the Red Mist suddenly spread? What's the situation in the satellite city?
I'm not sure... The Red Mist suddenly spread from across the river last night. The Corrupted are everywhere, and we've lost contact with Babylonia.
The Corrupted were hiding in the fog and attacking aggressively. Some government units were scattered and are now mixed with refugees nearby, so I'm here to escort them back.
So Carthaki is now isolated by the Punishing Virus.
Jagienka furrows her brow.
There are probably several thousand people in the satellite city now, including the refugees and scattered troops. Our forces can barely defend ourselves, let alone break through with all these people.
The good news is that the Red Mist on this side of the river is quite thin, so it's not lethal yet, at least.
Who knows what's going to happen next. Carthaki is too dangerous now. Are you... still planning to go back?
Hearing her question, Zhang pauses briefly before smiling with resignation.
Boss, I'm a Carthakian through and through.
Does the satellite city have high-caliber sniper rounds and serum? There are more enemies than I expected, and I need to restock my supplies.
We do have those, but...
I'm coming back with you, then.
Before Zhang can finish, Jagienka is already on the move.
...Boss, are you on some kind of mission? What exactly are you trying to do?
Jagienka holds up the letter signed "Nirvatia".
I've received information about the truth behind the "Great Akdilek Explosion", and I've heard that...
Years of bottled-up emotions slowly surface as she lowers her gaze and falls silent for a moment, before she carefully utters a name—
...Margaret, she's still alive.
