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Chapter 28: Into the Unknown
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The air around the abandoned research facility was thick with a strange, metallic tang, a quiet hum of energy resonating beneath the oppressive silence. Kaito crouched at the edge of the forest with Ayumi, Ryo, Akari, and Hana close behind, their eyes fixed on the rusted, hulking structure that loomed ahead. Vines and moss had taken hold of the once-pristine building, but despite its decay, there was something about it that felt… alive.
"This place gives me the creeps," Hana muttered, gripping her bow tightly. Her usually confident demeanor was replaced by a nervous energy as her eyes darted to every shadow.
"You're not the only one," Ryo added, keeping his rifle at the ready. "Looks like something out of a nightmare."
Kaito took a slow, steady breath, his hand brushing the hilt of his blade. The Slayer title and his system had carried him this far, but even they couldn't dispel the sense of foreboding that hung in the air.
"We stick together," he said firmly. "This place might hold the answers we need, but it's not going to give them up easily. Stay sharp."
Ayumi gave him a nod, her knuckles white as she gripped her weapon. Akari adjusted her glasses, her usually calm expression betraying a flicker of unease. "If this facility is tied to the origin of the infection, there's no telling what we'll find inside," she said.
Kaito's jaw tightened. "That's exactly why we're here."
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The Approach
They moved carefully toward the facility, sticking to the shadows as they approached the crumbling entrance. The doors had been torn off their hinges, leaving behind jagged metal edges that glinted in the dim light.
Kaito motioned for the group to stop, his eyes scanning the area. There was no movement, no sound beyond the faint rustle of leaves in the breeze. It was too quiet.
"Do you think the infected are inside?" Ayumi whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Probably," Kaito replied. "But I don't think they're the only ones we need to worry about."
He gestured for the others to follow, and they stepped through the gaping doorway into the dark, musty interior of the facility.
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The Facility Interior
The first thing that hit them was the smell—a pungent mix of decay and chemicals that made Hana gag. The hallways were dimly lit by flickering emergency lights, casting eerie shadows that danced across the walls.
"Stay close," Kaito said, his voice low but steady.
As they moved deeper into the facility, the signs of the infection became more evident. Blackened, organic growths clung to the walls, pulsing faintly as if alive. The floor was slick with some kind of viscous fluid that made every step feel precarious.
"This place… it's like it's been consumed by the infection," Akari murmured, her eyes wide as she took in the grotesque sights around them.
Ryo snorted. "Makes you wonder what they were doing here in the first place. If this is where it all started, then someone's got a lot to answer for."
Kaito didn't respond, his focus entirely on the path ahead. The system buzzed faintly in the back of his mind, as if it, too, was on high alert.
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A Chilling Discovery
They reached what appeared to be a central laboratory, the large room filled with shattered equipment and overturned tables. Faded monitors flickered with static, and papers littered the floor, many of them smeared with dark, dried stains.
"What is this?" Ayumi asked, picking up one of the papers. Her eyes scanned the faded text, her brow furrowing. "It's a research log. They were studying the infected… trying to understand how it spreads."
Akari knelt beside one of the monitors, tapping a few keys. The screen flickered, and a grainy video feed began to play. The image showed a man in a lab coat, his face gaunt and weary.
"This is Dr. Saito, lead researcher of Project Genesis," the man said, his voice trembling. "If you're watching this, then we failed. The infection—it's not natural. It was never meant to spread like this. Someone… someone sabotaged the project, turned it into a weapon."
The video cut off abruptly, leaving the group in stunned silence.
"A weapon?" Ryo said, his voice laced with anger. "Are you telling me someone did this on purpose?"
"It sounds like it," Ayumi replied, her expression grim. "And if that's true, then whoever's behind it might still be out there."
Kaito clenched his fists, his mind racing. The infection, the Watchers, the chaos—it was all part of someone's plan. But why? And who could have the power to do something like this?
"We need to find more," he said, his voice firm. "If there's more information here, we have to uncover it. This might be the only chance we have to stop this."
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A Sudden Attack
The sound of something skittering in the shadows made them all freeze. Kaito's hand went to his blade as his eyes darted to the far end of the room, where the darkness seemed to ripple and shift.
"Stay together," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
The first infected came lunging out of the shadows, its distorted form illuminated by the flickering lights. Kaito moved on instinct, his blade slicing through the air as he took it down in a single motion.
But it wasn't alone.
More infected poured into the room, their guttural growls filling the air. The group formed a tight circle, fighting back with everything they had. Hana's arrows flew true, piercing through the infected with deadly precision. Ryo's rifle barked with sharp reports, each shot echoing through the room. Ayumi fought with a brutal efficiency, her weapon striking with a force born of desperation.
"Don't let them surround us!" Kaito shouted, his blade flashing as he cut through another infected.
The battle was chaotic, the infected seemingly endless. But finally, after what felt like an eternity, the room fell silent once more, the only sound their ragged breathing.
"We need to keep moving," Kaito said, his voice hoarse. "This place isn't safe."
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The Next Step
They regrouped and pressed on, the weight of what they had learned bearing down on them. The infection wasn't just a random disaster—it was deliberate, orchestrated by someone with a dark agenda.
As they moved deeper into the facility, Kaito's mind raced with questions. Who was behind the infection? What was their goal? And how could they possibly stop them?
The answers were out there, waiting to be uncovered. And Kaito was determined to find them, no matter the cost.
For now, though, all they could do was keep moving forward, one step at a time.
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