Mechamaru stood still for a moment, his gaze fixed on the scene ahead, before moving forward.
The two boys walked slowly through the aisles of the abandoned factory. Eventually, they emerged onto a wide platform where an old metal tank stood like a forgotten relic. Its rusted surface and faded markings hinted that it hadn't been used in decades.
Mechamaru came to a halt, tilting his head slightly. "This the place?" he asked in a neutral tone.
Ryosuke stopped as well, his eyes scanning the massive structure with a sly grin. "What, don't trust me?" He turned slightly toward Mechamaru, a mischievous glint in his eye. "This place feels almost… too quiet, doesn't it? No cursed energy, no signs of battle... It's odd, don't you think?"
Mechamaru didn't respond, his gaze locked on his companion, waiting for a straight answer. The silence made Ryosuke sigh and shrug.
"Yeah, this is it," he finally said. He strolled casually toward the tank, reaching out a hand. As his palm touched the cold metal, an invisible ripple pulsed through the air.
The world itself seemed to shudder. The surroundings warped, like a painting dunked in water. The crumbling walls vanished, replaced by a strange, surreal landscape. The tank twisted and grew, transforming into… a giant egg.
The new environment was unnervingly vivid. The ground was smooth, the ruins of the factory completely gone. Any signs of battle, scars on the walls, or lingering cursed energy had been erased as if by magic.
"A pseudo-domain," Mechamaru said in a low, measured voice.
Ryosuke nodded, a satisfied smile spreading across his face. "Not bad, huh? The perfect disguise to hide… its mutation phase."
Mechamaru crossed his arms, his sharp gaze fixed on the egg. "A cursed fetus, then?"
"Exactly," Ryosuke replied casually, stepping back slightly to examine the imposing structure. "My aunt told me about these once. Rare, but they always bring trouble."
Mechamaru moved cautiously forward. "If it really is a cursed fetus…"
Ryosuke interrupted, flashing a playful grin. "Then when it hatches, we'll be dealing with an S-class curse."
The silence that followed was heavy with tension. Mechamaru averted his gaze, thinking quickly. Ryosuke, meanwhile, stepped closer to the egg, letting his hand hover over its surface again.
"The real question is…" he murmured, his grin widening. "Do we let it hatch?"
Mechamaru stood frozen, his eyes fixed on the egg. The atmosphere thickened, each second stretching in the oppressive quiet. Finally, he took a step back, crossing his metallic arms.
"We should fall back," he said firmly.
Ryosuke blinked, caught off guard by the suggestion.
"Fall back?" he repeated, raising an eyebrow. A mocking smile spread across his face. "You serious? I figured you'd be the type to want to blow this thing to bits right now."
Mechamaru stared at him, his mechanical eyes glinting with a cold light. "Believe me, I've thought about it. But without knowing the egg's stage of evolution, acting rashly could trigger a disaster. If it's close to hatching, we might end up accelerating the process instead of stopping it."
Ryosuke listened intently, his sly grin stretching wider as he ran a hand through his hair, laughing softly. "Works for me. At least I don't have to talk you out of it."
"And what are you planning to do?"
Without answering, Ryosuke sauntered over to the egg, his movements casual, almost lazy. Reaching out, his fingers brushed against its smooth, cold surface. As soon as he made contact, a dark wave of cursed energy surged from his hand, enveloping the egg in a shimmering black aura.
"Just... experimenting a little," he said lightly.
"What the hell are you doing?!" Mechamaru shouted, his voice echoing through the empty expanse.
Ryosuke half-turned toward him, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. "Relax. I've got this."
A deep, ominous crack suddenly echoed through the space. The egg's surface began to fracture, glowing fissures spreading like veins across its shell.
Mechamaru instinctively stepped back. "You're insane, Ryosuke! Do you even understand what you're doing? If that thing hatches, we'll have an S-class curse on our hands! These creatures aren't something to mess with!"
Ryosuke shrugged nonchalantly. "Chill, Mechamaru. This thing was already close to hatching. I'm just giving it a little push. Besides…" He tapped the egg lightly, his tone turning almost playful. "I think it can hear us."
Mechamaru opened his mouth to retort, but a deep rumble beneath their feet silenced him. The ground cracked, and from the shadows, grotesque shapes began to emerge.
Dark, twisted monstrosities clawed their way out of the earth, their warped bodies moving with unsettling fluidity. Their glowing red eyes burned in the darkness as a low, mournful wail filled the air.
"Interesting," Ryosuke murmured, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous light.
Mechamaru wasted no time, activating his defense systems. His metallic arms transformed into sharp, deadly blades. "Ryosuke, I really hope you know what you're doing."
Ryosuke took a step back, casually positioning himself next to Mechamaru. His grin only widened. "Relax, Mechamaru. This is about to get fun."
The creatures advanced, their claws scraping against the ground as they closed in, ready to strike.
Surrounded by the grotesque monstrosities, Mechamaru spun with precision, his blade-like arms slicing through their twisted forms. Each strike was methodical, mechanical—perfectly calculated. But for every creature he destroyed, two more seemed to crawl from the shadows. Their numbers grew relentlessly, threatening to overwhelm him.
Ryosuke, however, seemed unfazed by the chaos. He strolled toward the cracked egg, his eyes alight with excitement, dodging attacks with an almost lazy grace. As he neared the massive structure, he glanced back at Mechamaru and called out:
"You've got this under control, right?"
Mechamaru, cornered, blasted a creature with a concentrated beam of searing energy, its agonized shrieks fading as it disintegrated. Yet more took its place. Panting, he shot Ryosuke a glare.
"You think this is a game?!"
Ryosuke shrugged again, his smile unyielding. "Unfortunately… yeah, I kinda do."
Before Mechamaru could snap back, Ryosuke darted between two advancing creatures, dodging their claws with unsettling ease. He reached out, his fingers brushing against the fractured surface of the egg.
And in that moment, everything changed.
TO BE CONTINUED!
A/N: Well, I've caught up, yippee!
Next Chapter: First Mission (3)