The air was thick with dread as the team ventured deeper into the tunnel, 2.5 kilometers past the point where they'd defeated the wolves. No signs of life, no threats—just an endless stretch of darkness swallowing them whole. Their high-tech headlights cast faint beams, barely enough to pierce the oppressive gloom.
Step… step… Their boots echoed softly against the cold stone floor.
Suddenly, Evan's voice shattered the silence. "Hey, everyone, stop! Look over here!" His shout was sharp, urgent. "There are three skeletons right here!"
The team rushed to his side, their lights flickering over the grim scene. The skeletons were unsettling, but what chilled Ryan to the core wasn't their hollow skulls—it was the blood-red writing scrawled on the wall in front of them.
"Danger ahead. You won't survive. Newcomers, flee. Don't go forward."
The words seemed to pulse with malice, and a shadow of fear crept over the team. Ryan's heart thudded in his chest. What kind of nightmare lies ahead? he wondered.
Grace's voice trembled as she spoke. "After a warning like that, should we really keep going?"
"There's no choice, Grace," Jackson replied, his tone resolute. "We're bound to our mission—to find out what's at the end of this."
Their scientist, after examining the skeletons, dropped a bombshell. "These are from 1925, Soviet Union era. Soldiers, based on their uniforms."
Ryan leaned in, curiosity overriding his unease. "Any idea how they died?"
She nodded grimly. "I ran a DNA test. They were poisoned—likely bitten by something. They fled this far, but the venom spread, and they perished here."
"Damn, that's rough," Kaito muttered, shaking his head.
Then Daniel, their so-called captain, scoffed. "Come on, let's move. No point crying over these losers."
His callousness sparked a flicker of anger in the team, but no one dared challenge him. He was the captain, after all. Grace, though, wasn't so silent. Under her breath, she muttered, "How does a brainless jerk like him end up leading a special forces team?"
As they pressed forward, a voice called out from behind. "Ryan!"
Ryan turned to see a girl with bright eyes and an eager grin. "Hi, I'm Ayaka!"
"Hey," he replied, unsure where this was going.
"I'm totally your fan now!" she exclaimed. "The way you fought with that speed? Just… wow!"
Ryan scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed. "It's not that big a deal."
"No way! Your movement speed, your sword techniques—they're amazing!" Her enthusiasm was almost blinding.
"So, what's your ability?" Ryan asked, steering the conversation.
"Nothing too special," she said with a shrug. "I use poisoned daggers in a fight and know some martial arts techniques."
"That's pretty cool," he admitted.
Then, out of nowhere, she grabbed his hand, her eyes sparkling. "Ryan, you're so powerful! Will you be my master and train me?"
Thump. Ryan's heart skipped a beat. Her intensity caught him off guard, and he felt his face heat up. "Uh… I…"
Before he could respond, Grace stormed over, her eyes blazing. She yanked Ayaka's hand off his. "Who are you, huh? Why are you making Ryan uncomfortable?"
Ayaka blinked, unfazed. "What did I do? I was just asking my master about training. By the way, I'm Ayaka. And you are?"
"I'm Grace," she snapped. "Why are you calling Ryan 'master'?"
"I want to learn martial arts techniques from him," Ayaka said, tilting her head. "Why do you care so much? Are you his girlfriend or something?"
Grace's face turned crimson. "N-no! I'm not his girlfriend, but I'm his close friend!"
Ayaka smirked, turning to Ryan. "Master, is she telling the truth?"
"Nope," Ryan said, unable to resist a grin.
Heh. Ayaka burst out laughing, and Kaito, standing nearby, joined in. Ryan's blunt answer left Grace with a sulky pout as she stormed off ahead.
They continued, chuckling and teasing, until—
Skrrch. Their footsteps halted.
Before them stretched a long path, splitting into two routes. One was dry, but the other was flooded with murky water, clearly flowing from the left path. They decided to take the waterlogged route to reach the dry one beyond.
But there was a problem. Hanging above them, upside-down and eerily still, were massive bats, each the size of a human. Their leathery wings twitched faintly in their sleep.
Gulp. The sight sent a shiver down Ryan's spine.
Daniel, ever the hothead, spoke up. "They're asleep. We should attack now!"
"No," Ryan countered. "There are too many. It's too risky. We'll move slowly and quietly."
Daniel whirled on him, eyes flashing. "Who the hell are you to give orders? You're not the captain!"
Ryan kept his voice calm, but his eyes told a different story. A blue aura flickered around him, cold and intense. "I said we move slowly."
Gasp. Daniel froze, his bravado crumbling. Ryan could tell what he was thinking: This guy… is he even human? Those eyes… it's like he's already sliced my head off with that sword.
They waded through the murky water, the bats looming above them. Splash… splash… Every step felt like tempting fate.
Then it happened.
Plop. A drop of bat saliva landed on Daniel's head. His face twisted in rage, and before anyone could stop him—
Bang! Bang!
He fired at the bat.
SCREEEEE! The gunshot echoed, and the bats woke in a frenzy, their wings beating wildly as they swarmed the team.
"Daniel, what the hell?!" Jackson roared.
The special forces team opened fire, bullets ripping through the air. Rat-tat-tat! Ryan leapt into action, his sword flashing as he slashed through the chaos. Ayaka stayed close, mimicking his moves, her eyes wide with awe.
Slash! Slash! Two bats fell, their bodies hitting the water with a splat.
Then, four massive bats—giants compared to the others—landed in front of them. Thud!
"Ayaka, can you handle the one in the back?" Ryan called.
"Yes, Master, obviously!" she replied, her voice brimming with confidence. With a flick of her wrist, she hurled a poisoned dagger straight into the bat's eye. Shing! The creature screeched and stumbled back.
"Nice!" Ryan shouted. Three giants remained, glaring at him with glowing red eyes. He couldn't let them overwhelm the team. He had to end this in one strike.
They lunged, claws slashing through the air. Whoosh!
"Blood Moon Slash!"
SHIIIIING! His blade glowed crimson, slicing through all three in a single arc. Their bodies collapsed, lifeless, into the water. Splash!
Ayaka's jaw dropped. "Master, what was that attack?!"
"My most powerful technique," Ryan said, catching his breath.
"Master, you're so cool!" she gushed.
"Focus on the fight, not flattery," he said, though he couldn't help but smirk.
The battle raged on. Kaito and Nora were up ahead, their combined attacks tearing through the swarm. Boom! Slash! The situation was under control—for now.
Ryan glanced back. Jackson and Albert were dominating their side of the fight, their movements precise and brutal. But Grace… she was off. Her attacks were sloppy, her focus elsewhere. What's wrong with her? he thought.
He imagined he could almost hear her thoughts: Am I that unattractive? Am I that boring that Ryan doesn't even consider me a friend?
SCREEEE! A bat swooped down from behind her, claws outstretched.
"Grace!" Ryan shouted, hurling a throwing sword. Swish! It struck the bat's face, and it dropped dead with a thud.
"Why are you fighting so carelessly?" he snapped. "You could've been killed!"
She turned, her eyes glistening with hurt. "Why did you save me? You don't even think of me as a friend."
Ryan sighed inwardly. This girl… still hung up on that? She doesn't even get when I'm joking. "Grace, I was just messing around earlier. You're taking it too seriously."
Her face lit up. "So… you're saying I am your close friend?"
He didn't have the heart to dodge this one. "Yeah, you're really close to me."
Sparkle. A radiant smile spread across her face, like the sun breaking through clouds.
But the moment was cut short. Ayaka ran toward them, shouting, "Master! I used your techniques and took down five giant bats!"
Flap! Flap! Before Ryan could respond, a shadow loomed behind her. Another bat, silent and swift, was closing in.
"Ayaka, duck!" he yelled.
SCREEEEE! Too late. The bat's claws clamped around her, and with a powerful beat of its wings, it yanked her into the air.
"Ayaka!" Ryan roared, his heart pounding as she vanished into the darkness above.
To be continued.