The eyes of the massive Huechromixix loomed over them, the other team with Axel, although they had never encountered such a creature before, the sight of their spearhead team leader standing at attention, without making any sudden movements, made it clear that this being could easily wipe them out. All the present here men were no fools, they avoided acting rashly and waited for the situation to unfold. In the meantime, they secured the perimeter and assumed a defensive stance, ready to engage if the creature became aggressive.
"My name is Xitatila. What brings you to this place, young ones?" The being regarded them with a gaze that seemed to hold untold secrets.
The men exchanged looks of horror as its voice resonated in their minds instead of reaching their ears as sound. Cold sweat trickled down their backs, such capabilities were beyond human comprehension, especially since all of them recently joined the cause for humanity.
"We are here to rescue our fellow man. I don't know why you are in such a state, but we must go," Axel met its gaze, sensing that this being bore no immediate intent to harm them.
"A few minutes of your time is all I seek," it replied, relishing their presence. "Young one, there is no need to rush."
The men, upon hearing this, tensed up, gripping their weapons tightly. With bloodshot eyes, they glared fiercely at the looming creature. If this being intended to keep them here, they would fight him to the death. This thought raced through the minds of all the men present, including Axel. However, he stared coldly at the figure, trying to assess its intentions. After some contemplation, he decided to hear it out.
"Speak. We are in a hurry, so please keep it simple," Axel said to the being.
The huge creature, as if laughing, made the ground tremble. The men could clearly sense that it was in a jovial mood, though they weren't sure why it was happy. As military men, they understood that a happy enemy might mean the creature had confidence in whatever it was planning. Axel sensed his men about to engage, however the Huechromixix then began to tell its story.
"I am but a wanderer among the sea of stars. You could say I once held the status of a nobleman among my kind. I despised war, so instead of participating in the bloodshed, I journeyed through the cosmos in search of adventure. Over time, I found peace in this place, about ten thousand years ago. The children you saw up there just now all have human blood, and I adopted them rather than allowing those innocent souls to be devoured by insects or my own kind."
The revelation stunned the men. While they may not have been well-versed in the matters of these creatures, they understood enough to grasp the implications that there were factions even among the lizardmen, which meant some of them could be reasoned with. They also didn't know what would happen to those half-humans once this was all over, so they chose to report this to mission control when the situation stabilized. These men were not rigid in their thinking, they were chosen because they could make sound judgments in complex situations, as evaluated by the system. Initially filled with rage and hatred, their expressions shifted to contemplation as they pondered the significance of the lizardman's words.
"I was despised by my kind due to my pacifism. They tried to recruit me to their cause, knowing full well that I could bring humanity down with a whim if I wished to do so. However, as someone who emerged from the same primordial ooze, I couldn't help but think that this war between our species is pointless. I am a researcher of knowledge and a decipherer of the universe, such pointless conflict is meaningless to me." He paused, and as his hand moved, the men tensed at his action. However, Axel gestured for the men to stand down. The lizardman then pointed his hand toward the machine.
"My own kind is draining me for their own use. I may loathe war, but if my kind stabs me in the back in such a way, then I'll put them to the ground."
The lizardman on the vat suddenly lit up, prompting the men to ready themselves for engagement. However, they halted abruptly due to an unexpected system notification.
[System: The usage of third-party add-on is allowed at this time.]
[System: The system has verified the add-on HUE-04 has been temporarily added.]
[System: Full Capabilities of the Space Inventory is Unlocked.]
[System: Spacetime Continuum travel Unlocked.]
[Advisory: All your weapons capability can be temporarily used in this mission.]
[Add-on Duration: 01:29:58]
The men were taken aback by the system notification, unaware that such things existed. Yet, as the system appeared to function normally, they glanced at the lizardman with mixed emotions. These were, after all, among the foes of mankind, but deep within, they resolved to keep their minds open to future possibilities.
"That Add-On is the last in my person. It should grant you an hour at most to utilize its capabilities. In exchange, grant me a swift death, collect my DNA, and drain me. I do not wish to live. These ingrates dare to treat me this way. I only hope that this war, which has lasted over a million generations, ends with you." The Huechromixix said in a somber tone.
Without hesitation, Axel fired his Winston, delivering a precise shot that ended the creature's life. The men said nothing, but the weight of the lizardman's words lingered in their minds.
"Load your weapons. We're going in hot." Axel shouted with authority.
"Affirmative." The response came in unison as the men readied themselves and made their way back to the massive stairway leading underground.
The six squads took up a battle position as they approached the imposing stone door.
"Wong, get the Pision ready, if there's an army behind that door, we'll need it!" Axel commanded, his voice steady and urgent. As the men prepared, they blasted a hole through the door with their Winston, the deafening sound echoing in the air.
Peering through the breach, they were met with a chilling sight. Hundreds of guards stood ready to engage, their weapons raised and poised. Axel quickly scanned the vicinity and noticed the Arcanist being held captive by the lizardmen, tied to a cross as makeshift meat shields. Rage surged through him, but he held back the fire in his heart. The men looked to him, waiting for a signal, their fingers itching on their triggers.
"Wong blast this door wide open with the Pision! Men, load your practice bullets. Ready at my signal!"
Axel's voice cut through the tension like a knife. Nods of agreement rippled through the men as they trusted his judgement to never issue commands lightly. Once their chambers were loaded with the ordinary alloy rounds, a sense of grim purpose settled over them. For the lizardmen, these would rain down like a tempest of death.
Time seemed to slow down in Axel's mind. As an engineer, he quickly assessed the situation. Peering through the initial hole, he calculated the distance to the lizardmen, they were at least thirty meters from the door. The Pision, he recalled, had a damage radius capable of disintegrating anything within twenty meters. This meant he could target the stone wall without the risk of debris hitting the hostages or his men. He planned to have the men with sniping skills to hit at least one target who's holding the hostages.
While the Huechromixix operatives scrambled to ask the Arcanist what the commands were, Axel loaded his gun, steeling himself for the chaos to come. He carefully re-evaluated the initial targets at the front, in the middle and at the back, noting the positions of the hostages. Ensuring that the crosses would topple at an angle that would spare the tied-up Arcanist, he mentally mapped out his next moves. With each passing second, the urgency mounted as he prepared to unleash hell on opposing operatives.
He relayed his plan to the other squad leaders as nine men stepped up to take on the sniping task. He communicated the initial positions of the hostages, with some hidden in the crowd and most prominently in the front. He instructed four squad members to elevate their comrades by standing on their shoulders while leaning against the wall. This tactical maneuver would grant them a crucial high vantage point. The other squad leaders exchanged surprised glances at such an unorthodox command. However, given the almost negligible recoil of the Winston submachine guns and their atomic accuracy, the plan seemed feasible. They understood that time was of the essence and this was the only way to gain the advantage.
"Ready at my signal. Comet 07(Wong), engage the center of the door on my first command. On my second command, snipers, take out the individuals holding the hostages in the middle and at the back. By my third signal, open fire. Aim for precise headshots." Axel said, barking his command toward the operatives.
"Steady! On my command, Comet 07(Wong). Aim… Fire in the hole! Prepare for impact!"
At the moment the signal was given, the door began to melt away as if engulfed in a furnace. In the blink of an eye, a smoking and sizzling hole of twenty meters opened wide. Immediately, Axel issued the next command.
"Snipers, fire!"
As soon as the order was executed, the snipers unleashed their wrath. They targeted the Huechromixix operatives hidden within the crowd who held the crosses. Axel and his team focused their fire on the hostage-takers at the front. In mere moments, they toppled a total of forty-four targets. The chaotic sequence unfolded so rapidly that the lizardmen were caught completely off guard. They had anticipated a melee or explosive rounds and not this sudden barrage from above.
"Open fire!"
The air erupted with the melodic clicks of the silent gunfire. Each shot was punctuated by the sharp sound of casings clattering to the ground. This created an ominous rhythm that heralded death for the unsuspecting lizardmen. Many of them still charged towards the men, however, they were annihilated by a relentless hail of steel. Bullets tore through their ranks and chaos surged in every direction. The lizardmen, taken entirely by surprise, fell like wheat before the scythe. Their massacre was swift and merciless.
[Mission Duration: 01:50:49 – Currently Ongoing]