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Chapter 13: Into the Depths
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The dawn broke over the city in pale, gray light, casting long shadows over the quiet streets. Kaito and his team gathered their supplies, each of them double-checking their gear and weapons. They knew the mission before them was a dangerous one—the Conduit was no ordinary target. It was the center of the infected's coordination, an entity capable of rallying the infected into coordinated attacks, controlling them like pieces on a chessboard.
Ayumi finished strapping her gear, her gaze intense. "If we're really going after the Conduit, we need to be prepared for anything. We're walking into the heart of their territory."
Kaito nodded. "I know. That's why we're taking every advantage we have." He opened his Status screen to review his stats and abilities.
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[STATUS: Kaito]
Level: 11
Strength: 22
Agility: 25
Perception: 27
Endurance: 21
Intelligence: 20
Luck: 18
Titles: First Slayer, Infiltrator, Pathfinder
Skills: Tracker's Instinct, Basic Combat Proficiency, Leadership I
[TITLE: Infiltrator]
Effect: Stealth efficiency increased by 15%, reduces the chance of detection by hostile entities in scouting missions.
[TITLE: Pathfinder]
Effect: Shared Growth – Allies within the Pathfinder's party gain experience at a matching rate, allowing them to level up alongside him. For each level Kaito achieves, his comrades receive a percentage boost in experience points, skill acquisition speed, and minor stat growth.
[SKILL: Tracker's Instinct]
Effect: Enhances ability to sense hostile entities nearby, improving evasion and revealing paths to avoid confrontation.
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Kaito also checked his newest quest:
[SPECIAL QUEST: Eliminate the Conduit]
Mission: Locate and destroy the Conduit responsible for coordinating infected entities.
Reward: 5,000 Experience Points, Title: Hunter of the Hivemind, Skill Unlock: Conduit's Insight
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He closed his menu and looked at his team. They were ready to face whatever awaited them, even if none of them knew the full extent of what they were up against.
"Alright, everyone. We've been watching the Watchers and the infected for a while now. We know they're growing more coordinated, and if we don't take this Conduit down, we'll be fighting them with no end in sight," Kaito said. "Stick together, follow the plan, and remember: our goal is to reach the heart of their territory. Once we're close, we'll improvise if we have to."
Ryo grinned, tapping the handle of his makeshift hammer. "Just point me in the direction of this Conduit, and I'll do the rest."
Ayumi smirked but remained focused. "Let's not get too cocky, Ryo. We've got a lot riding on this, and we can't afford mistakes."
Hana nodded in agreement. "The infected have never been this organized before. This Conduit could be smarter than anything we've faced."
Kaito took a deep breath. He could feel the weight of leadership bearing down on him, but he was determined. His team's lives—and possibly the survival of every other human in the city—depended on the success of this mission.
"Let's move out," he said, turning toward the door.
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Into Enemy Territory
The team moved swiftly through the desolate streets, each of them taking cover when necessary, listening for any signs of approaching infected. Kaito's Tracker's Instinct skill was in full effect, enhancing his senses and giving him an almost uncanny awareness of their surroundings. Every faint shuffle, every distant growl—it all registered with crystal clarity.
Their path took them south, into an area of the city none of them had explored before. This part of town had once been bustling with shops, restaurants, and towering apartment complexes, but now it was silent, overgrown with weeds and vines that twisted around broken windows and rusted street signs.
After an hour of navigating through the abandoned cityscape, Kaito raised his hand, signaling everyone to stop. His enhanced senses were picking up something—a faint but distinct pulsing sound, like a heartbeat reverberating through the air.
"Do you hear that?" he whispered, glancing back at his team.
Ayumi nodded, her eyes narrowing. "It's coming from over there." She pointed to a tall, crumbling office building up ahead. Its windows were dark, and the building looked abandoned, but something about it seemed… off.
"Stay low," Kaito whispered, and they crept forward.
As they got closer, Kaito's Perception alerted him to the fact that the building wasn't as empty as it seemed. Shadows moved within, occasionally passing by the broken windows. The infected were waiting inside, possibly guarding the Conduit's lair.
"We've got hostiles," Kaito whispered to the others. "Keep it quiet until we're inside."
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The Silent Approach
They slipped into the building through a broken side entrance, keeping to the shadows as they moved down the empty hallway. Every few steps, Kaito would freeze, listening for any sign of movement. His Tracker's Instinct guided him, helping them avoid close encounters as they navigated through the lower floors.
Finally, they reached a stairwell that led deeper into the building. The pulsing sound was louder now, vibrating through the walls as if calling to them.
As they descended, Ayumi whispered, "Do you think it's some kind of central nerve? Like a brain for the infected?"
"Possibly," Kaito replied. "The infected are drawn to it, that's for sure. Whatever it is, we'll take it out."
They reached a large room on the bottom floor, and Kaito felt his heart skip a beat. At the center of the room, bathed in an eerie, pulsating glow, was the Conduit.
It was a grotesque, mutated mass, pulsating with a dark energy. Tangled wires and veins snaked out from it, attaching to the infected who gathered around it like worshippers. It was larger than anything they'd encountered before—twice the size of a normal infected and more monstrous, with fleshy, web-like growths connecting it to the surrounding area.
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The Battle Begins
The Conduit sensed their presence the moment they entered, letting out a low, vibrating growl that shook the floor. Instantly, the infected around it turned, their eyes fixating on Kaito and his team with a terrifying hunger.
Kaito tightened his grip on his weapon. "Get ready. This is going to be rough."
Ryo charged forward with a battle cry, swinging his hammer down on the closest infected, crushing it with a single blow. Hana followed, her spear jabbing with deadly precision as she took down two infected in quick succession.
Ayumi moved like a shadow, her knife flashing as she cut down infected with swift, silent strikes. Meanwhile, Kaito focused on the Conduit itself, weaving through the chaos to get close enough to strike.
As he approached, a notification appeared in his vision:
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[SYSTEM NOTICE: CONDUIT BOSS ENCOUNTER]
Conduit - Infected Intelligence Core
Health: 3000
Abilities: Summon Minions, Regenerative Core, Hive Coordination Boost
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Kaito grit his teeth. This was no ordinary infected—it was far stronger, and it had the ability to summon reinforcements.
"Everyone, focus on the Conduit! Don't let it summon too many minions!" Kaito shouted.
They fought furiously, each of them taking down infected as they moved closer to the Conduit. Every few seconds, the Conduit would emit a powerful pulse, causing the infected to surge forward with renewed energy.
Kaito lunged forward, striking at the Conduit with his weapon. His blade sank into its pulsing mass, but the creature's regenerative ability began to heal the wound almost immediately.
"It's regenerating too fast!" Ayumi yelled, her voice strained as she fended off a group of infected.
Kaito thought fast, his mind racing. There had to be a way to weaken its regeneration. Then he remembered the device they'd destroyed during the Watcher ritual—it had been a conduit for their energy. Maybe the Conduit relied on a similar connection.
"Find anything that looks like a power source or connecting node!" Kaito shouted. "If we can cut it off, we might be able to weaken its regeneration!"
They spread out, frantically searching the area as they fought. Hana spotted a thick, vein-like cable extending from the Conduit into the floor.
"Over here!" she called, stabbing her spear into the cable. A jolt of energy sparked from it, and the Conduit let out a pained roar, its regeneration slowing.
"That's it!" Kaito shouted. "Sever those cables!"
Ryo and Ayumi moved quickly, targeting the remaining cables. With each severed connection, the Conduit weakened, its regeneration faltering until it was unable to keep up with the damage.
Kaito saw his chance and lunged forward, driving his weapon deep into the Conduit's core. The creature let out a final, deafening shriek before collapsing, its pulsing energy dissipating into the air like a dying ember.
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Victory and New Power
A notification flashed before Kaito's eyes:
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[SYSTEM NOTICE: BOSS DEFEATED]
Mission: Eliminate the Conduit - Completed
Reward: 5,000 Experience Points, **Title: