"Arihara, wake up," Saori said as she shook me gently. "Good morning," she greeted with a grin.
I opened my eyes, still feeling a bit groggy. "Good morning." I sat up and let out a small yawn. "How was the night?"
"Clear... well, almost clear. The demons were heading west," Saori replied.
"West, huh..." I stepped out of the tent and looked up at the sky. "It's 4 in the morning, isn't it?" I turned to Saori, seeking confirmation.
"Yes, we're leaving once everyone is awake."
"I see... How many food rations do we have?"
"Hmm, about four days' worth."
"Then we have to finish this expedition ASAP." I walked over to Shin's tent and unzipped it. "Shin." I entered the tent and shook him gently. "Wake up."
Shin opens his eyes whose also groggy. "Shit... I sleep like a rock." Shin sits up and looks at me. "We leaving?"
I nodded and stepped out of the tent, taking out my drone from my inventory and holding it in my hand. Activating it with my system, I commanded the drone to start scanning the surroundings.
"Good morning," Alice greeted me as she walked towards me.
"Morning," I replied, glancing at her briefly before focusing on controlling the drone's movements.
"Scanning?" Alice stretched her arms.
"Yeah, just checking the perimeter before we head out."
"Mmm, it's good to have a drone skill like you, Arihara."
"Thanks. Do you mind waking up the others?"
She nodded and playfully saluted. "Roger." Alice then walked over to the other tents, waking everyone up one by one.
"Hm? It seems that Saori and Atsuko did a good job on night watch," I remarked, observing the peaceful surroundings.
A few hours later, we gathered around the campfire that was extinguished the previous night.
"Looks like everyone's here," I said, turning to each of them and nodding. "Remember the plan?"
They all nodded in agreement.
"Good. Let's proceed with caution."
All of us exited the camp we had set up, using the scattered debris as cover as we made our way toward the deeper zone. Moving stealthily, we remained cautious and alert for any signs of danger.
"Arihara," Shin whispered to me, pointing toward a group of demons gathered in the middle of the street.
I shook my head and gestured for us to move forward, signaling that we should proceed cautiously.
As we ventured deeper into Zone E, I noticed that the mist was gradually thickening. Alice glanced at me and remarked, "We're entering the deeper zone now."
"I'm aware."
Shin pointed his gun toward the mist and asked, "What's the plan?"
"We keep moving."
Alice pondered for a moment before asking, "By the way, why did Director Hoshino send you on this expedition?"
"We were tasked with investigating the underground subway, where the demons have been multiplying."
"It certainly carries risks, but it's primarily an investigative mission."
"Hmm, well, if that's the case, let's wipe them all out."
As Sora and Yuki alerted us to the approaching demons, I quickly assessed the situation. "Arihara, they've noticed us."
"Alright, we have no choice but to fight back while on the move," I declared. "Everyone, run! Gunners, keep shooting as you run. Attackers and all-rounders, cover the sides and front."
The team acknowledged the plan. "Roger!" they responded in unison, and we all began running, engaging the demons while maintaining our forward momentum.
As the team ran, the gunners unleashed a barrage of bullets, skillfully aiming at the oncoming demons while keeping up with the pace. Their precise shots took down several demons, creating gaps in the horde and reducing the immediate threat.
The attackers and all-rounders positioned themselves strategically, swiftly moving to the sides and front to intercept any demons that managed to get too close. With their specialized combat skills and coordinated attacks, they neutralized the immediate threats, providing a protective shield for the rest of the squad.
Meanwhile, I used my drone to provide additional support, scanning the surroundings for any potential dangers and relaying vital information to the team. The drone's advanced capabilities helped us stay one step ahead of the demons and avoid potential ambushes.
I tapped into my drone's advanced capabilities and activated a skill: "Temporal Disruption!" The drone emanated a radiant purple light as temporal energy fields enveloped the area. Within the affected zone, time seemed to slow down, causing the movements and reaction speed of the surrounding enemies to become sluggish and hindered.
The impact of the skill was immediate. The demons caught within the time-dilated zone struggled to coordinate their attacks and move with their usual agility.
"Nice support, Arihara!" Shin exclaimed, giving me a thumbs up as we continued running.
"Demon ahead!" Hoshiko alerted us.
"Crap, we're completely surrounded!" Shin exclaimed, unleashing a barrage of bullets from his assault rifle, trying to fend off the encroaching demons.
As the situation grew more dire, I quickly assessed our predicament. It was clear that we were outnumbered and needed a decisive move to break free from the encirclement. I activated my drone's offensive skill, "Quantum Shackles," which utilized quantum entanglement principles to immobilize enemies and create openings for our squad.
With a swift motion, I directed the drone to unleash a burst of energy, entangling the nearest demons and rendering them temporarily immobile. This created a brief respite for us to push through the surrounding horde and make a dash for freedom.
"Go! Break through their lines!" I shouted, urging the team to seize the opportunity.
Sora and Yuki, the agile and synchronized twins, utilized their Shadowblade Style to swiftly dispatch the immobilized demons, striking with deadly precision and efficiency. Their blades danced through the air, leaving a trail of defeated enemies in their wake.
Meanwhile, Saori tapped into her inner strength and utilized the skill "Samurai's Calling!" With unwavering focus, she channeled her warrior spirit, she unsheathed her katana in a swift motion and then uses her katana skill "Twin Style: Aerial Arcana!" She unleashes razor-sharp projectile slashes with each swing of their blades.
The demons on the front were obliterated, creating an opening for us to escape. I quickly spotted the gap and pointed towards it. "There! Go, go, go!"
We sprinted through the swarm, making our way to the alleyway. As we entered the narrow passage, my attention was drawn to a fire escape on the side of a nearby building. "Climb that!"
Everyone nodded in agreement. "Arihara, you go in first!"
"I can't! You guys have to go ahead!"
"That's not the point! Hurry up!"
Determined, I clenched my teeth and swiftly climbed up the ladder of the fire escape. Once I reached the top, I opened the window of the building and extended my hands toward my teammates. "Hurry!"
Shin shouted urgently, "They're coming through! Hurry up!"
One by one, my teammates climbed up the fire escape, with Shin being the last one to make it inside. We quickly closed the window behind us, cutting off the horde of demons that had been in pursuit.
Breathing heavily, we took a moment to catch our breath and assess our surroundings. We found ourselves in a dimly lit hallway of what appeared to be an abandoned building.
"We made it," Saori exclaimed, wiping the sweat off her forehead.
"Yeah, but we can't let our guard down," I replied, scanning the hallway for any signs of danger. "At the moment, our priority is survival."
I opened my system map and checked our location. "We're 500 meters away from the subway..."
"Shit, bad news," Shin says as he peered out the window.
"What's wrong?" I turned to him.
"There's a specialized demon outside... He's wearing samurai armor and... holding a katana."
My eyes widened, "That's... Ryujin."
Alice interjected, her voice filled with caution. "It's a B+ Demon, the Aegis call it... 'Ryujin.' Known for its formidable skills and relentless pursuit."
We exchanged glances, understanding the gravity of the situation. Ryujin was a formidable opponent, and encountering it meant we needed to be prepared for a fierce battle.
"We can't avoid it if we want to reach the subway, We're going to have to face Ryujin head-on. But for now, let's take a moment to rest and regroup. I'll use my drone to scout the area."
Silence fell over the group as we settled down on the floor, finding a brief respite from the impending battle. Atsuko and the twins, Sora and Yuki, took it upon themselves to explore the surroundings.
Tomorrow is going to be a big battle.