The searing heat pursued him relentlessly, hungering for his demise in the most savage manner possible - to consume him in an inferno of flames. Yet, Einsamer refused to yield, even as he lagged behind his companions. He applied every ounce of his dwindling stamina, channeling it into his legs and focusing intently on each heavy step up the stairs.
Meanwhile, Shan tore his attention away from the looming entrance ahead, diverting it towards Einsamer's struggle to keep pace.
Closing in on their heels, a blazing crimson fire surged forth with astonishing velocity. Shan's voice rang out in desperation, urging Einsamer to muster every ounce of strength, "Come on, Einsamer!"
Rivulets of sweat cascaded down Einsamer's brow and drenched his entire body, the scorching temperature enveloping him like a boiling cauldron.
Gritting his teeth against the searing agony coursing through his muscles, Einsamer pressed on with unwavering determination, the relentless flames inching closer to scorch his back and devour his jacket.
The explosion had left a trail of destruction in its wake, with cracks spiderwebbing across the ceiling and walls, ominously signaling the imminent collapse of the passage.
With time running out, they faced the grim possibility of being entombed alive, their bodies might reduced to nothing but smoldering ashes.
Yet, as the entrance loomed close, Einsamer summoned every ounce of strength, propelling his friends forward. Their bodies hurtled through the air, their violent descent halted only by a table upon landing.
Meanwhile, Einsamer narrowly evaded the clutches of death, rolling uncontrollably across the floor as he finally emerged through the entrance. at the same time, the passage leading to the basement lay in ruins, debris scattered haphazardly across the floor and obstructing the once-accessible entrance.
Debris from the ceiling fell near him but none of it landed on him, now he felt like luck was finally on his side despite this abnormal circumstance where surviving was at the slimmest chance.
Regaining his footing, Einsamer surveyed the aftermath, his jacket marred by scorched holes and singed patches. He brushed off the dirt clinging to his body, his gaze fixated on the devastation before him - walls reduced to rubble, fibers and steel protruding menacingly from the wreckage.
Smoke billowed in the area they had arrived, forcing Einsamer to cover his mouth and nose. Despite the pain and temporary freeze of his mind upon witnessing the destruction, he took a moment to clear his thoughts and hastily scanned the area for his friends.
However, the scattered debris and thick smoke obstructed his view. The student hall, once a place for students to communicate and enjoy a panoramic view of the city, now lay in ruins. Dirt, shattered windows, and crumbling walls filled the hall, shrouded in darkness, with only the dim flicker of burning fires providing minimal illumination.
Gazing through a small shattered window not so far away from him, Einsamer noticed that the docking bay of the school had vanished, a proof to its destruction. Yet, the five cruisers still hovered in the sky.
Coughing violently, he called out for Shan and Setsuna, his voice echoing back at him amidst the sound of crackling flames. Suddenly, images flashed through his mind, visions of his friends buried under debris.
Shaking his head to dispel the thought, he clung to hope, believing that they must be alive. After all, they were together, and if Stella's words held true, they would survive.
Moving through the wreckage in search of his friends, ashes and dust fell upon him from the ceiling. He continued to shout their names until he heard a sound from his left.
Glancing towards the source, he saw two masked men emerging from behind the debris, armed with a sword and a hammer.
"Shit," Einsamer murmured under his breath.
Knowing that he stood no chance in a direct confrontation against their weapons, he made the decision to run as fast as he could. However, the two masked men swiftly closed in on him, with one aiming the sharp sword at his neck.
Reacting quickly, Einsamer lowered his body and knee, allowing the sword to pass harmlessly above his head.
Rolling forward, he dodged the next attack from the hammer, narrowly evading its strike.
It slammed into the ground, causing a large crack. Einsamer realized that these masked men possessed extraordinary strength and needed to catch them off guard.
Continuing to flee, the masked men hot on his heels, Einsamer searched for a suitable spot to temporarily hide. Yet, none presented itself, as his pursuers closed the distance with incredible speed.
Frustration welled up within him. He had survived numerous unfortunate events, only to find himself in yet another.
It dawned on him that this struggle may indeed be hopeless. Nevertheless, he had no choice but to confront these masked men head-on.
Halting and assuming a battle stance, Einsamer raised his voice to address them. "Why are you doing this?" he demanded.
Unexpectedly, one of the masked men, holding a hammer, responded, "No one is allowed to survive on this floor. You must ascend to the upper floors and overcome the challenges on each level."
"Why are you willingly providing me with this information?" Einsamer questioned.
The masked man replied, "It is our duty to explain the rules to you. Now, if you do not escape from us and progress to the next floor, do not mistake our actions for cruelty."
Since he hadn't encountered Setsuna and Shan yet, Einsamer had no choice but to defeat these masked men, even without knowing if they were on the current floor or the one above.
"No thanks, I will face you head-on," Einsamer declared, his voice filled with determination.
"Not a wise choice," the masked men replied.
They lunged forward, swinging their weapons at him. Einsamer managed to dodge the powerful strikes of the hammer, which could easily crush his bones.
However, the second masked man with the sword proved to be agile, launching repeated attacks at him. Eventually, Einsamer suffered a small cut on his shoulder.
But Einsamer didn't falter. He seized the arms of the masked man with the sword and delivered a forceful punch to his stomach, causing him to kneel down in pain with his head lowered.
However, the man with the hammer charged forward, attempting to slam it down on Einsamer. Narrowly evading the attack, Einsamer tripped and fell on his backside.
He tried to stand up quickly, but the man with the hammer proved faster than he anticipated.
In that moment of hopelessness, a shadowy figure emerged from the smoke. Shan and Setsuna appeared, with Setsuna leaping to catch the masked man's feet and Shan wrapping his arms around his neck, applying a tight strain.
"Setsuna, Shan!" Einsamer murmured.
Realizing he needed to assist them, Einsamer rose to his feet, tightened his fist, and reactivated his Bio-data chip. He unleashed his strongest punch, aiming for the bulky masked man's cheek, shattering his mask in the process.
As the broken pieces of the mask fell apart, the man's hollow eye and the black circle around it became visible, as if he had lost his soul. He appeared human, but Einsamer couldn't help but feel that he was merely an empty vessel, pretending to be human.
Speechless, Einsamer struggled to find words to describe what he had just witnessed. Could a human truly look so soulless? Like a puppet controlled by invisible strings.
Meanwhile, Setsuna relentlessly pummeled the bulky man with punches and kicks, while Shan continued to tighten his grip until the masked man lost consciousness.
None of them had ever taken a human life before, so they had no intention of killing them, despite the masked men showing no mercy and being willing to inflict brutal harm.
As their attention focused on the bulky man, the masked man with the sword regained his footing and swiftly approached Setsuna.
While Einsamer stood frozen in awe of the face revealed beneath the mask, his attention quickly shifted when he realized the imminent danger to Setsuna.
Utilizing his remaining strength, Einsamer leaped forward, delivering a powerful kick that caused the masked man to release his sword.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Setsuna redirected her attack from the unconscious bulky man towards the remaining masked man.
She struck him in the chest with a punch and then kicked his ball, causing him to roll on the ground in pain.
His suffering didn't end there, as Setsuna repeatedly stepped on his ball until he eventually lost consciousness.
Shan and Einsamer could feel the pain of the man whose ball had been crushed, a universal pain that resonated with them.
"You stupid men, hurting even an innocent girl like me! How does it feel to be utterly helpless?" Setsuna taunted, continuing to stumble on his groin.
Einsamer gently grabbed Setsuna's shoulder and pulled her back, saying, "He's already passed out. Let's move on."
Setsuna took a few deep breaths to calm herself down and took a step back. Now able to think clearly, she knew they needed to escape to the parking station.
"Let's get going," Shan said.
"But before that, let's remove this guy's mask," Setsuna suggested.
Agreeing with her, Einsamer and Shan watched as Setsuna approached the unconscious man lying on the floor. She reached out and removed his mask, revealing a swollen and disfigured face that resembled that of a corpse. Setsuna took a step back, disgusted by what she saw.
"Is this guy even human?" she whispered.
Einsamer and Shan wanted to comment on the matter, but they knew they didn't have much time. They heard numerous footsteps approaching their location, and even though the area was filled with thick smoke, there was no guarantee that their whereabouts wouldn't be discovered.
They moved through the hole amidst the scattered debris, entering a narrow passage. They didn't know where it would lead them, but they had to keep moving. Holes covered the ceiling, evidence of the massive explosion they had somehow survived.
The passage was short, and they emerged into a new area with the same smoke-filled environment, littered with debris and wreckage. They glanced at each other, noticing the black ash staining their clothes and faces.
In the midst of this, they heard screams and pleas for help, gradually fading away. It was clear that innocent people were being slaughtered all around them on this floor. The direction of the voices was difficult to discern, as the thick smoke obscured their vision.
Suddenly, Einsamer noticed the shadowy figure of a man lying on the ground. The smoke made it difficult to see him clearly, but Einsamer could sense the fear of death emanating from him. The man raised his hand in a feeble attempt to shield himself from the approaching sword and nervously begged, "Please don't kill me."
Emerging from the smoke on the other side was another masked person, slowly approaching the helpless man. As he drew nearer, he repeatedly slashed his sword at the defenseless man, causing his blood to spill onto the ground. He lay dead on the floor, surrounded by a pool of his own blood.
In the next moment, multiple masked men arrived, standing beside the murderer. One of them coldly declared, "Let's kill all the remaining survivors on this floor. We no longer need to give them a warning."
Once the masked men left the scene, Setsuna was about to jump in and confront them, but Shan grabbed her hand and shook his head, disapproving of her impulsive action.
"This is horrible," Setsuna seethed.
"We can't do anything right now. It will only bring unnecessary problems and, in the worst case, death. Let's go to the parking station," Shan reasoned.
"But..." Setsuna began, but her words were interrupted by someone else.
"We need to survive to see this through to the end. Only then can we save others by first saving ourselves. Let's get going," Einsamer said, his voice carrying a determined aura.
Einsamer seemed to realize that he couldn't save everyone, so the most rational thing to do was to take care of himself and his friends. Without saying a word, Setsuna nodded and kept her head down, following Einsamer as he took the first step.
They hid behind anything that could conceal their presence, whether it was fallen debris, pillars, or scattered remains of objects large enough to hide behind. They continued to navigate their way forward until they arrived in front of their classroom.
Einsamer looked at the destroyed classroom with nostalgic eyes. Once vibrant and lively, it now lay in ruins, with chairs scattered everywhere, tables overturned, and the holographic window shattered. Through the broken window, he saw a city engulfed in black smoke and red flames. Explosions occurred everywhere, and battleships, cruisers, and spaceships fought against each other.
None of them said anything, as they knew the life they once lived was long gone. The world around them was changing dramatically, and they needed to adapt. They kept moving forward, hoping to find an escape route at the parking station.
Suddenly, they saw a group of students running away from another group of masked men in pursuit. The students screamed and begged for mercy, but the masked men showed no compassion or sympathy.
Once again, Setsuna was about to charge ahead, but Shan and Einsamer held her back. Einsamer covered her mouth and dragged her behind a large, cracked debris. Peeking his head out, Einsamer observed the masked men walking past the passage ahead and then turned to Setsuna.
"Are we going to hide like this forever? People are dying!" Setsuna exclaimed angrily, thinking her friends had lost their compassion.
Einsamer tried to remain calm despite his frustration. "You think I don't want to save them? I do, but this isn't the time for us to think about others. You have your family, and Shan does too. Think about the people who love and care for you."
"Einsamer is right," Shan added, supporting Einsamer's words.
His words struck Setsuna hard, and she stood there in a daze, realizing that there was no perfect choice for her right now. Her only choice was to survive, even though it seemed selfish to abandon these innocent people she couldn't save. But it was the right thing to do for the people who were waiting for her safe return.
The silence between them was broken only by the crackling of remaining flames and the lingering heat in the air as they made their way toward the parking station. However, as they turned into the passage that led to the station, they were met with a scene of complete destruction.
A cold breeze brushed against them, causing their hair to ruffle and sending a chill down their spines through a big crack in the entrance that no longer had a door. The view ahead revealed that the once parking station, now was filled with debris and fallen walls, a result of the entire building's collapse.
To make matters worse, two cruisers had landed on the ruined wall, and nearly a hundred masked soldiers emerged from them. Most of the vehicles were buried under the debris, leaving them with no means of escape.
As they glanced around, they noticed ongoing battles in the sky, but there was no sign of any World Government cruisers or battleships.
It dawned on them that the World Government had likely fallen. This realization left them feeling hopeless, as they had nowhere else to go.
"What are we going to do now?" Setsuna asked in a discouraged voice.