"Amazing..." Isabella could not close her mouth after she saw the underground structure.
Enormous pillars holding the ceiling, tens of rooms and facilities, including offices and laboratories; and living conditions worthy of the highest-grade hotel in the city.
"God… How can something like this exist below the city without anyone being aware of it?" Isabella was astounded.
She was not the only one. Bloed, Aya, and the members of Isabella's club were just as shocked.
This underground structure was so big that it rivaled the biggest buildings in the city.
They could not help but wonder how it was built without alerting the people of the city.
"As expected, magic can't be underestimated," Bloed said to himself.
Even although he believed that the technology that he inherited from his mother was vastly superior to this world's magic, he could not deny that magic had a few strong points as well.
The ability to create this kind of underground structure without alerting anyone was an example.
"Why was this structure build, Bloed?" Aya asked at that moment.
"This should be a laboratory," Bloed said and pointed to several empty glass tubes filled with a strange liquid. He then looked at the several traces of recent human activity, including blood, in the structure. "Moreover, it looks like it was abandoned recently. Perhaps just before we arrived."
"Laboratory? What were they experimenting on?" One of the club members asked.
"Is it not obvious?" A sneer appeared on Isabella's face. "The things that attacked us in the tunnels were made here."
Bloed nodded in agreement and put on a grave expression.
After arriving here, he saw a total of twelve empty glass tubes. However, they had encountered only seven creatures in the tunnels including the ones that Isabella killed.
In other words, there were another five unknown creatures in the tunnels that they had not met yet.
Suddenly, Bloed felt Aya pulling his shirt.
"… Bloed, something is wrong."
Bloed was startled. He looked at Aya only to see that she was moving her gaze around with an extremely wary expression.
It was as though something extremely frightening was observing her from someplace inside the laboratory. The cat girl seemed like she was facing a dangerous predator.
Seeing that, Bloed turned serious immediately.
"Guys, something is wrong. We should leave."
"Huh? Why? Did something happen?"
"Y-Yes, this looks like a good place to rest."
Isabella and her club members were confused.
However, Bloed shook his head.
"Think about it. The people that built this laboratory most likely abandoned it when they learned that we entered the tunnels. And if I'm not wrong, they released the creatures when they realized they could not take them away. Then, what do you think is the place with the highest likelihood of meeting one of these creatures."
Isabella was startled. But immediately, her expression turned grave.
"… Do you think that there is a creature here?"
"Aya felt something, and I trust her."
"... I understand. Guys, we are leaving."
But just when Isabella spoke up, something suddenly moved in the darkness.
Aya's fur stood up instantly. Her body tensed up, and her eyes shrank.
"… Bloed. It's here."
"Dammit. Isabella!"
"I know. Guys, stay back and protect Eluna."
In an instant, Bleod, Aya, and Isabella formed a circle with their backs against each other and Isabella's three club members in the center.
Then, the three of them focused their gazes in the laboratory, trying to find whatever it was that moved just before.
Nothing happened for several seconds, making Bloed think that perhaps it was his imagination. But then, he felt the ground trembling slightly.
'It can't be…'
Bloed's face turned pale. He hurriedly looked down at the ground. At the same time, he activated the different kinds of vision that his eyes could use.
Immediately, his thermal vision showed something moving below the ground, advancing towards them quickly.
"Jump away!" He shouted.
Aya and Isabella reacted immediately. They kicked the ground and jumped away.
However, Isabella's club members were carrying the unconscious girl, so they were slower.
And before they could jump away–
*Swish!*
Several tentacle-like things broke out of the ground, piercing towards them at great speed.
"Dammit! [Barrier]!" Isabella shouted, creating a barrier to protect the three club members, however, it was easily penetrated by the tentacles.
Moreover, the tentacles absorbed the mana she used in the spell!
"This one can absorb mana too!?" Isabella's face turned ugly. Nevertheless, her reaction was fast.
Several magic circles appeared behind her, shooting air bullet after air bullet towards the tentacles.
However, the air bullets were unable to destroy the tentacles. They only stopped them briefly.
Making use of that opportunity, Bloed rushed forward and brandished his saber.
*Slash!*
*Screeeech!!!*
A terrifying wail resounded from the depths of the laboratory as blood spurted out of the tentacles. Then, what remained of the tentacles retreated back in the ground in fear.
But before Bloed and the others could sigh in relief, several more tentacles appeared all of sudden.
From the walls, from the ground, and from the ceiling. Tens of tentacles appeared one after another, creating a terrifying and disgusting scene that frightened the group.
Bloed and the others turned pale.
"Oh my god…"
"B-Bloed…"
Isabella and Aya's faces were ashen white. As for the two conscious club members, they could not help but shiver.
Bloed was not much better, and his expression turned worse when he saw what seemed like several of the creatures that they fought in the tunnels wrapped by several of the tentacles as they pierced the creatures' bodies and sucked the flesh and blood inside.
"H-Hey, do you have any idea?" Isabella asked frightened.
Bloed's expression was grave. However, he nodded.
"I guess it came to this, huh."
With a thought, he took out what remained of Leto from his storage device. He put it there when he realized that Leto would not be useful against the Devourers, but now, he needed it again.
"Aya, protect me after this." Bloed suddenly said.
The cat girl was surprised, but when she saw Bloed's serious expression, she nodded firmly.
"Don't worry. I'll protect you with my life."
"I'm relieved then."
Just at that moment, the countless tentacles attacked them!
But at the same time, Bloed closed his eyes.
His psychic energy was almost used up, and only a third of his calculation zone could be used, but it was enough.
In the next instant, Bloed opened his eyes as his blue biomechanical pupils glowed with intimidating electric arcs.
Then, one word let out his mouth.
"[Overdrive]."
And his psychic energy flooded out.