Gojo and Launch made their way through the narrow, dusty roads that led to the outskirts of the town. The sky was starting to darken, casting an ominous hue over the horizon. The streets were nearly empty now, the earlier chaos of the bandits replaced by an eerie quiet. Only a few figures dared to venture outside, their eyes filled with fear as they glanced toward the looming factory in the distance.
"I don't like this," Launch muttered, her voice carrying a tone of unease. Her usual fiery demeanor was subdued, as if the strange aura around the factory was affecting her too.
Gojo kept his hands in his pockets, his blindfold adjusted snugly around his eyes. "It feels off, right?" he asked. "Like something is watching us."
Launch glanced up at him, sensing the tension in his voice. "That's what I've been feeling too. Let's just get this over with, okay?"
As they approached the factory, the walls grew taller, casting long shadows that seemed to stretch into the night. The factory had been abandoned for years, its once gleaming surface now covered in rust and decay. Yet, despite the disrepair, there was an undeniable presence to the place. A low hum of energy reverberated through the ground, almost like the factory itself was alive.
"Stay close," Gojo said, his tone suddenly serious. "We don't know what kind of opposition we'll face inside. This place is too quiet, and I have a feeling it's not just a bunch of thugs running the show."
Launch's eyes narrowed as she took in the scene. "I'm ready for whatever comes at us."
They made their way to the entrance, where a large steel door stood slightly ajar, creaking in the wind. Without a word, Gojo pushed it open with ease, revealing a dimly lit corridor beyond. The air was thick, heavy with the scent of oil and rust. The factory had clearly been repurposed, though for what purpose, they still had no idea.
Gojo's steps were light, almost silent, as he moved deeper into the factory. Launch followed, her movements quicker and more fluid. They were a contrast in style, Gojo the calm, collected powerhouse, and Launch the volatile, dangerous force of nature, ready to strike at any moment.
As they navigated the maze of hallways, the sound of mechanical machinery echoed faintly in the distance. It was then that Gojo paused, sensing something—or rather, someone—approaching. He raised a hand, signaling for Launch to stop.
"Stay quiet," he whispered, his voice barely audible.
Launch's senses sharpened, and she instinctively crouched down, waiting for whatever was coming their way. Moments later, a group of men dressed in black combat gear emerged from the shadows. They moved in formation, each of them holding an advanced energy rifle, scanning the area with sharp eyes.
Gojo grinned behind his blindfold. "So it's a welcome party, huh?"
Without hesitation, he lifted his hand, activating his Cursed Technique: Blue. The surrounding area distorted as the energy vortex he created sucked in everything around them. The men were caught in the pull, their rifles torn from their hands as they were dragged toward Gojo's vortex, helpless against his overwhelming power.
Launch, not one to be left out of the fun, charged forward. She was a blur of motion, moving with blinding speed as she dashed past Gojo and slammed into the first man she could reach. The impact sent him flying into the nearby wall, the force of the blow enough to knock him unconscious instantly.
Gojo didn't even break a sweat as he effortlessly neutralized the remaining enemies with a single flick of his wrist. The men were tossed aside, their bodies crumpled on the cold factory floor.
"That was easy," Launch said, wiping her hands off on her pants as she looked around. "Is this really all they have?"
Gojo looked at her with a smirk, his hands casually back in his pockets. "Seems like it. But we haven't even scratched the surface yet."
They continued deeper into the factory, following the faint hum of machinery that seemed to guide them. The further they went, the more unnerving the place became. The factory was filled with strange, almost alien technology, unlike anything Gojo had seen before. Giant vats of some unknown liquid bubbled in the corners, and strange, cylindrical tubes.
The sun had long set, and the factory loomed like a giant against the darkened sky. Gojo and Launch stood just outside its gates, the low hum of machinery echoing in the distance. The unsettling stillness of the place hung over them, like a storm waiting to break. They had crossed into the heart of danger, but neither seemed concerned. For Gojo, this was just another puzzle to solve, and for Launch, well, she'd been in worse situations.
"Ready?" Gojo asked, adjusting his blindfold as he glanced toward the factory.
Launch shot him a sidelong look, her hair fluttering in the breeze as she cracked her knuckles. "Born ready."
They approached the large steel door, the faint squeak of its hinges signaling their entry. The door creaked open slowly, revealing a darkened hallway that stretched deeper into the bowels of the factory. The faint scent of rust and oil filled the air, and the mechanical sounds from deeper within grew louder with each step they took.
Gojo moved with his usual nonchalance, his hands casually tucked into his pockets as he took in the surroundings. His senses were constantly active, constantly scanning the environment for any hidden dangers. Launch, on the other hand, was the complete opposite—her eyes darting around, every muscle tensed, waiting for something to jump out at her. She was ready to strike at a moment's notice.
The deeper they ventured into the factory, the stranger the surroundings became. Massive tubes filled with a glowing green liquid lined the walls, their contents moving in a way that didn't seem entirely natural. The temperature in the factory was slightly colder than usual, and the faint vibrations in the floor made it seem like the place was alive.
"What is this place?" Launch muttered, her voice low as she eyed the strange tubes. "Some kind of lab?"
"Definitely not your typical criminal hideout," Gojo replied, his voice steady. "Something's off about this whole operation. I've got a bad feeling about it."
They rounded a corner and came upon a large steel door at the end of the hall. The door, unlike the others, seemed freshly reinforced. Without saying a word, Gojo placed a hand on the door, pushing it open. The room beyond was massive, with towering machines and monitors flickering to life as they entered. The air was thick with the smell of ozone, and the hum of machinery resonated through the space.
A figure stood at the center of the room, a tall man in a white lab coat, his back turned toward them. He didn't seem surprised by their arrival, as if he had been expecting them all along.
"Ah, I see we have some visitors," the man said, his voice cool and detached. He slowly turned to face them, revealing his sharp features and the cold, calculating gleam in his eyes. His glasses glinted in the dim light, and his hands were clasped behind his back. "I was wondering when you two would show up."
Gojo tilted his head slightly, his expression amused. "You must be the one in charge around here. I don't suppose you'd care to explain what's going on in this factory?"
The man gave a slight smile. "Of course. My name is Dr. Kreel, and this facility is the culmination of years of research. What you see around you is the product of my work. I've created something… revolutionary. Something that will change the very fabric of this world."
Launch's eyes narrowed, her hand resting on the hilt of a knife at her side. "Change the world, huh? What's that supposed to mean?"
Dr. Kreel's smile widened as he gestured to the room around them. "You'll see soon enough. But first, I suggest you meet my creations. They've been waiting for someone like you."
Before either Gojo or Launch could react, the factory seemed to come alive. The hum of the machines grew louder, and the green liquid inside the tubes began to bubble and churn. The once peaceful silence of the lab was shattered by the metallic scraping of machinery as several of the tubes began to crack open.
A colleague of Dr. Gero no doubt.
Gojo's blindfold fluttered slightly as he shifted his weight, a look of mild interest crossing his face. "So, you've been playing God, huh? This is going to be fun."
With a loud crash, the first of Dr. Kreel's creations emerged from the shattered tube. It was a massive humanoid creature, its skin a strange mix of metal and flesh. Its eyes glowed with an eerie green light, and its body was covered in jagged armor-like plating. The creature let out a guttural roar, its claws scraping against the floor as it advanced toward Gojo and Launch.
Launch, never one to back down from a fight, was already in motion. In the blink of an eye, she rushed forward, her fists flying. She struck the creature with a series of quick, powerful punches, each one sending shockwaves through the air. Her speed was nearly blinding, her strikes landing with precision as she dodged the creature's erratic counterattacks.
But the creature was no ordinary opponent. With a sudden twist, it swung one of its massive arms, sending Launch crashing into the side of a nearby machine. She skidded to a stop, the impact leaving a crack in the floor beneath her. She quickly regained her footing, her eyes blazing with fury.
"Is that the best you've got?" she shouted, cracking her knuckles.
Gojo, for his part, remained calm. His eyes were hidden behind his blindfold, but the aura around him shifted, becoming more intense. He raised a hand and a small sphere of blue energy began to form in the air before him. The energy swirled violently, pulling everything nearby into its gravitational pull. With a flick of his wrist, the sphere expanded, creating a powerful vacuum that sucked the creature toward him.
The creature struggled against the pull, but it was no match for Gojo's overwhelming power. Within seconds, it was yanked into the air and sent crashing into a nearby wall, its body slamming into the concrete with bone-shattering force.
Launch, who had already recovered from her earlier fall, watched the scene with a mixture of amusement and admiration. "Nice work. Guess I'll handle the next one."
As if on cue, several more of Dr. Kreel's creations emerged from the shattered tubes. These were smaller than the first, but they were no less dangerous. Their bodies were covered in thick armor, and they moved with a terrifying fluidity. The room seemed to fill with the sound of their growls as they advanced toward Gojo and Launch, their eyes locked onto the intruders.
"Time to put this to an end," Gojo muttered, his expression impassive.
He raised his hand again, and the energy around him grew more concentrated. A brilliant burst of light erupted from his palm, disintegrating the creatures in a wave of sheer power. The force of the blast sent shockwaves throughout the factory, rattling the walls and knocking over several machines. The creatures crumpled into dust, their bodies disintegrating before they even hit the ground.
Launch didn't waste a second. With Gojo handling the heavy lifting, she darted forward, moving with blinding speed to take out the remaining few. Her fists connected with bone-crushing force, each blow sending her enemies flying across the room. It wasn't long before the last of Dr. Kreel's creations were reduced to piles of rubble.
Dr. Kreel, standing at the back of the room, watched in stunned silence. His creations had been obliterated in a matter of moments, his so-called perfect weapons falling to the overwhelming power of Gojo and Launch.
"You…" Kreel's voice wavered, but there was no fear in his eyes, only an eerie calm. "You have no idea what you've done."
Gojo's grin returned. "Oh, I think I've got a pretty good idea. You've been making monsters in this place, haven't you? But they were no match for us."
Dr. Kreel stepped forward, his expression darkening. "You may have destroyed my creations, but that's not all I've been working on. There's one more thing. One more piece of my work that you won't be able to stop."
Before Gojo or Launch could respond, a loud mechanical sound filled the room. A massive door at the back of the factory slid open, revealing a gigantic figure—taller than anything they had faced so far. It was a towering monstrosity, a fusion of machine and living flesh. Its eyes glowed with an unnatural green light, and its mechanical limbs whirred as it slowly began to advance toward them.
Gojo raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "Well, this looks interesting."
Launch cracked her knuckles, her eyes locked on the new threat. "Bring it on."
The stage was set for an all-out battle. The factory was about to become the stage for the ultimate showdown.
In the next instance, Launch ended up outside of the factory. She could hear loud explosions from the entrance.
"Well that takes care of that."
Launch heard Gojo say from behind her.