Lumina Crusade

by ColinHayworth

In the 42nd Millennium, there is only war. In the Hive World of Twilight where the promise of technology and understanding still remains but the corrupted and rotten bureaucracy in its place is threatening to destroy all of it slowly but surely. And when the threshold has finally been broken, it will take only a spark to burn all of it down. And there will be retribution...

5. Blood and Iron

Warning: This story doesn't exactly follow the suit of grimdark because of the way the story may develop. If you still enjoy what you are reading then go ahead.

---

"._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._."

Chapter 4
Blood and Iron

"._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._."

---

Underhive, Vespera, Twilight

After that fateful and fierce encounter, the Luminary now follows the remnants of the retinue of an Inquisitor that they don't know who they are. But considering just how fractured the composition of the retinue is, they have a rough feeling that it will not end amicably. There's also a chance that said Inquisitor is dead along with the retinue that was made to protect them.

"By the way, I marked the train's location on our mental map so that we won't lose it". Alphric muttered psykically to the rest of the team.

"As if anyone would steal that pile of scrap that you call a train. Everything about it is nearly falling apart with no immediate power source except for the power of Lights. And the path ahead is just plunge to the abyss if you would call that a proper trip". Kang said in the same way just like Alphric before.

Mika had a small smile on her face as she hears their mental conversation. This sort of thing is better off not being spoken to the PDF soldiers directly but the banter only between them makes her glad that they are still as cohesive as ever.

"We got back to where we were separated!" The PDF soldier that was selected as defacto leader spoke to the rest of the surviving retinue.

Not everyone carries a smile on their face, not after that being so close to being wiped out by those flesh mechanical monstrosity that preys upon them. All they could do is solemnly move forward and hope that they catch up to the rest assuming they are still alive.

"Hey, mind telling me why are all of you hired for this job? I mean the Underhive is no laughing matter for its danger and potential threats that lurk beneath this depth". Kang said as he tries to strike a banter.

"Don't know why at all... We were just told that we are going to be hired by someone holding much political power and we are now under his command no matter what. Then before we even get to know what we are supposed to do, we are now here deep in this dark and murky underground". One of the PDF soldiers said in a distressed tone.

"And how much supply do you have right now? Because looking at what you have on yours, it doesn't seem that you will last for a day before that exhausts". Kang said as he uses his experience as a Ganger once to inquire.

"It's because we only made our way down here today. And it didn't take long for something to go south. Worst case scenario if that man is dead, we are most likely stuck down here and just perish to whatever had our fate in its palms". Another PDF raised their voice and just complain all their frustration to Kang.

"Something to confirm, just what are all of you fighting? Since all of this equipment being carried right now tells that it is not a Gang or things that demand attention". Alphric said as he could estimate the equipment that some of the PDF soldiers are carrying exceeds the necessity compare to human opponents.

Grenade launchers, rocket launchers, anti-tank mines, stuff that destroy armored transport with one well-placed shot. All of this equipment is overkill for any human combatant save for the personnel stuff that they have. It seems that since the ambush done by the Servitor, the rest ended up having to carry more weights of the fallen. Both literally and metaphorically.

"That man said it was for Jean-stealer or something? I don't even know what it is since the Inquisitor refuses to elaborate more on the matter and deems it as most secrecy. Just that all of this heavy-duty equipment is for that very purpose in mind." One of the PDF soldiers carrying rockets for the launcher in his backpack.

This doesn't bode too well for the Luminary because something that demands such firepower probably exceeds in threat more than the Scrap Knight they fought. Maybe not individually, but that is one certain cohesive threat that can't be ignored if deemed such.

Then suddenly, everyone froze in their track. A mechanical click in the distance was heard and the entirety of the remaining PDF soldiers shut tight as if that past trauma and its close call is playing vividly in their minds. Some stood in emptiness, some shook in certain fear and Mika could swear that one of them cry beneath that mask and visor that is protecting them from the hazardous environment of the Underhive.

Seeing that they are reaching their breaking point, a consensus between the Luminary has been made in a little moment.

"Don't worry, we will scout ahead and make sure that none of them will approach any of you. That is the least we could do right now". Kang said as he tries to reassure the retinue to calm them down.

"What? Are you insane!? There's no possible way that you could beat them without suffering heavy casualties! Looks at us! There were over 20 of us and we got demolished by the same amount and quantities of them! What gives you the confidence that you could make such a promise and keep it?!" The PDF soldiers said in surprise and exclaimed as the Luminary assembled, standing side by side.

"We don't... There is no such promise to be made and broken. We are doing this because it is the only right thing left to do. Because otherwise, that selfish way is the same as the trillions around us all". Alphric said as he tries to fulfill his duty as a chosen leader of the Luminary.

The PDF soldiers look at them for a little while seeing the bravery they prostrate and exude. Seeing such will to step forward and yet here they are cowards. For the right reason minding here but they all agree that they just don't have what makes the Luminary them at all.

Few soldiers step forwarded and hand them some of the gears that they carried. Such as bundles of Frag Grenades, a Power Maul, and a pair of Combat Knives. But what another gives is something that Mika truly needed.

Grenades while powerful only have a single use. This thing however may be truly what is needed to make a real dent in those mechanical monstrosities.

A magnum pistol, stainless steel, and a gas-operated mechanism. This weapon of its kind was used by the most feared of the Arbites and for a good reason. To make an example of the lawbreakers and to show why they should never show opposition against them.

Chambered in 12.7x33mm, it was practically a wrist breaker for the untrained and to make it worse. It is also made to fire full-auto with an additional semi-firing mode for precision. An extended mag of 15 and they could make sure that a good number of its oppositions will rest in pieces.

The all-feared Judge's Automagnum. And few could handle the might it carries.

"Uhm, thanks... But where did you get this thing from?" Mika asked as she tries to get accustomed quickly to the Automagnum.

"The Inquisitor gave us the fund and permission needed to purchase this much equipment and apparently someone uses the spare money left to purchase this from the Arbite. Just like you know what happened, didn't even get a chance at all". One of the PDF soldiers said before handing her the spare magazine for it.

As Mika unloads the magazine of Automagnum to check its ammo. Alphric realized that he is also short of a suitable weapon. The Autogun of his was long obsolete against the increasingly demanding arm races and thus also demand a weapon like her.

"Hey, could some of you give me a weapon to surpass them too? Heavy weaponry that isn't in use would just collect dust and fail to make meaningful change, you know?" Alphric said as he tries to convince some of the PDFs to give a leg up for him.

After much negotiation and convincing, they decided to give him a grenade launcher. Not even a revolver one but just a single-shot break-action version of it. Alphric sighed but having the means to fight offensively is better than none. With some grenade rounds stocked up, the three of them grouped for a final revision of their tactics.

"Okay, those unholy machines of flesh and iron. What should we call them since saying what was before is way too mouthful every time". Alphric said as he looked toward Kang for an answer.

Kang doesn't look any surprised outside but inside, he is sweating bullets because he is hiding the fact that those things are what exactly are on the tin of those he hated the most. The idea is that death doesn't even end your suffering as malicious people could just lobotomize you and turn you into a slave for eternity and you will endure it. While not a second did pass outside, the tempest in his mind made that simple question stretch to the lifetime of a Servitor itself.

"Servitor..." Kang muttered by his instinct without realizing what he just said.

"Those things that automate all kinds of stuff at the manufactorum, huh? That sounds like a fitting enough name for what we are going to fight". Mika said as she shares her thought with the group.

Kang was about to curse himself and retract that name but he decided to not say anything further to avoid raising more suspicion than it should have.

"It's time then..." Alphric said as he led forward. For a battle that determines the livelihood of those pledged for their help. For without them, there will be no help if an Inquisitor sets their eyes on them for leading the remnants of the retinue to their demise.

---

"._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._."

Intense Pursuit

"._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._."

---

Upper-Lower Hive, Vespera, Twilight

As the truck floored through the run-down road of Lower Hive, followed behind are a bunch of Gangers on their makeshift vehicles. If anything, it was only natural that something like this happened since the lower you go into the Hive, the more rampant the criminal activities since the ruling class adamantly refuses to improve people's living conditions.

A hard turn saw ahead which would lead them to jump off a 20-meter dive into the lower level if they still throttle at it. Michele in this instant quickly drifts her truck by pressing her brake to transfer its weight to the front and then flicking the steering. And then she quickly maintains the suitable drift angle by either releasing or pushing the throttle to make sure that she and her companions will not fly off the rail.

As she spun her steering wheel to the left, Anastasia took this moment and aimed her Krak Spear outside the passenger window toward them as the truck was still in transiting phase. With a single purpose in mind, she pressed the trigger as it fires a Krak Harpoon true with no erring. A near-instant moment later, the closest Ganger's vehicle went up in fire as its entire frame and engine blew in volatility. The smoldering wreckage then hits the others behind it as it causing an unstoppable chain reaction later down the line.

The moment the truck finished its drift, Michele slams the throttle to the maximum as the truck then rushes forward with no danger in sight. The Ganger crew that pursued behind them however no longer has that luxury as they head-first rush through the curve and fall to their demise. Perhaps also killed a few more people through collateral.

Michele lets out a sigh of relief as she continues to handle the truck with utmost care. Anastasia is now focusing all her best just to reload the damn spear again and it seems that the might she puts just to reload could bore a hole into a normal person's head. Meanwhile, Elise is shaken by all of the violence around her that is beyond all her comprehension.

"The last thing I wanted to have is another group of pursuers that seeks our death. I honestly don't know if they are seeking for what's in the truck or you of all things since your stick out like a sore thumb that demands to be nailed down." Michele said as she grips her steering wheel tight to the point that it could possibly crack against her unstable rage.

"Oh, please... You know that without my help, we would have a massive chase down the way long until now, right?" Anastasia said as she finally managed to pull the lever up.

"Anna... I'm scared". Elise said as she tries to speak through her gas mask but fear is evident on her face.

"Don't worry, I will protect you from all danger no matter what". Anastasia said as she pats her younger sister's head.

Michele felt her mood isn't swinging like a pendulum, it is more of a bloody oscillator in an Administratum cogitator that the clerks back at the guild are using. She wanted to be glad, she wanted to rage, she wanted to just brood. Everything in her mind is bouncing all in between like a ball kicked by a toddler struck into someone's home and it doesn't even stop there.

She wonders if this is all penance that she must pay for the first uneventful day back early of this trip. And now the price is just crashing upon her with this one day full of chaos where everything she has ever known is waging war upon her existence.

"Michele, sorry for being too loud and crass with you just now. It's just that things haven't yet calmed down ever since the beginning of this new day" Anastasia said as she tries to calm the atmosphere down.

"Oh, you know how much fun I have? A lot of it, such as giving people "intuitive solutions" to the issue of life!" Michele said as her composure started to crack and deranged emotions start to visibly taint the kind words she once spoke.

Deciding that she shouldn't try to trigger her colleague, Anastasia quickly stops talking and just lets things calm down on their own and hopes that all things will pass eventually. Unfortunately, it didn't take long for external circumstances to shatter what's left of her self-control to what's essentially a Krak charge that only has a second left to its fuse.

Michele noticed something was chasing them using the rearview mirrors. And then Michele's expression furrowed into intense hate, filled with so much vitriolic resentment that a dip of it if manifested into realspace would probably corrode everything in its touch into nothing. Had it been a normal vehicle, she wouldn't have given a damn but the amount of armor and equipment on it makes her know that it is not as simple as she sees it.

The armored vehicle behind them started to speed up which confirms Michele's suspicion. And when it was about to ram the back of their truck, she instantly swerved the steering wheels just in time before it could strike her. And with that, Michele caught glimpse of their pursuer's true scale and it both frightens and makes her question what it is trying to do with them.

It was a modified oil tanker with everything about the oil tanker completely removed and replaced with only military purposes. It was armored and plated across every of its body and its size was as large as a container truck that carries a massive amount of supplies in comparison to them. Armed to the teeth with all of its equipment that could be loaded on without hampering its ability. Heavy Stubbers arrayed to the point of one-sided destruction and overkill. The frontal bumper is of something that belonged more to voidships of the same design that could cleave vehicles of the same size in half. Its frontal armor is spiked with windows protected by repeated sheets of plasteel along with additional Heavy Stubbers.

On top of the tanker, was a sentry Autocannons and Missile Launchers placed for the anti-vehicle purpose. Even the tanker itself was revealed to contain multiple Heavy Stubbers with protection plating for its operators. And at the furthest back is a literal tank turret with its cannon primed and ready to fire.

Whoever was sent to men that thing to kill them, really wanted them dead no matter what.

"I fucking wish that I ascended the political compasses so that I can have authority over life and death itself". Anastasia muttered to herself as she sees just how overwhelming their current opponent is.

Michele was in too much fury to give a fuck about who she is fighting. As if her job as a merchant already isn't miserable enough, there just has to be someone who comes to make matter worse for her. And there is no fury greater than the deskwork clerk who was denied the peace of their work.

"Anastasia, you take the damn wheel. I'm going to show them who they are messing with". Michele said in an acrimonious tone that shivers one's spine in cold.

While the tanker is still trying to prepare itself to destroy those who were told. Michele opens the truck's door and she quickly climbs onto it to reach the roof. Anastasia has already taken the wheel and thanks herself that she learned how to drive from Alphric before his untimely demise. As Michele managed to reach the roof, the tanker then unleashed its barrage of 12.7mm upon Anastasia and only her alone. It seems that her fear that those who wished her house demise never have stopped at all and only waited their chance when she was most vulnerable.

Fortunately for her though, there was a reason why she used a spear despite the copious amount of guns of heavy calibers circulated in Vespera.

She slammed the door right before the bullets reached her and in the closest instant, she gripped her hand tightly upon the pendants that are worn on her neck. The one thing that she seems to hide for so long but only wears recently. With each day, she has a premonition of whether or not horrible things will happen to her and this pendant was her and her sister's only means of assured survival.

This truck no matter how armored or resilient it is will never be able to withstand having literal thousands of 12.7mm stub rounds punching into it repeatedly. And this was the only defense left against such fierce opponents. The Silver Wing is what she called it based on its angelic design.

In the Upper Hive, backstab and political conflicts are often rife and almost certain and it is even worse when it is between the Noble Houses. Personal protections come in many forms and this heirloom that she wore is one of them. Works based on the same technology that functions for Ecclesiarchy's Rosarius and Space Marines' Iron Halo, its protection that is granted is virtually impossible to imagine. What could easily destroy behemoth war machines is stopped by this very thing like a child's play.

And now, this technology across Imperium is mostly poor-understood and limited to only the most prestigious members of Imperium's hierarchy. Only in Twilight where such a thing is mass-produced like no one's business at all and exported across Imperium's vast border.

Anastasia's survival up to this point is only thanks to the fact that none of the hired guns sent to kill her survived to tell the truth of this very protection and such cycles of vicious deaths keep going until now.

Michele quickly runs up the roof of the truck to reach the cargo door of it, they are carrying Twilight Las weapons and they will be damned if they die before completing this transport duty thus she will not take responsibility if they got damaged by her uses. As she was about to climb down the door, the tank turret of the opponent tanker start to aim toward the truck in general.

Quickly taking notice of that, Michele reaches for the miniature vox-caster that she wore on her ears at all times to command what Anastasia should do right now, assuming that she is wearing it like Michele.

"Floor it!" Michele yelled as loud and shortly as she could into the vox before the tank turret got their clear shot.

Whether by some stroke of luck or destined fortune, Anastasia upon hearing it also stomped the gas pedal to the limit as fast as she could. The truck picked up speed in a completely unexpected manner as none of them expected the truck to be built for this. In hindsight, it was clear that it must be built this way due to so many dangers that seek what is carried on this very truck. If they can't outpower, they may at least outrun it.

And a mere moment later, the tank cannon fired at where they were before Anastasia floored the gas. The tank shell missed by the slightest margin with the truck and even Michele could feel the briskest moment of what happened if it landed. And as the shell struck the closeby civilian houses nearby causing dozens of dead from collateral damage alone.

She swore that had Yuria been on this mission, she would have had a massive brain aneurysm seeing the wanton destruction upon the people before jumping on that tanker and dismantling it by force. And she will succeed at that even.

And by this point, there would have been hundreds or even thousands of death by collateral alone. And does the Arbites care? Fuck no. Death by billions didn't faze the ruler class and it never will. And all said death will be replaced mere hours later. Humanity may survive but individuality will definitely not.

With composure and precision, she quickly climbs down the cargo door and unlocks it. As she quickly steps inside and felt in safe care once more, she wonders if any of them realized that Anastasia has an extremely powerful protection device or that they think the truck was just built differently. But she has run out of care long ago and thus she reaches out for what she thinks is the only solution to this madness.

"Bitches love big guns" Michele muttered, not believing that she actually said it for herself.

The cargo doors are then kicked wide open and she is wielding what looks like a large direct-energy weapon over her shoulder and aiming it at the tank turret. Twilight Lascannon and it won't disappoint in the slightest.

With a single trigger pull, a continuous beam of laser is fired and it strikes the tank turret with such ferocity that not a lot will ever see in their lifetime. The melting point is easily reached and the entire tank turret is reduced to nothing but molten slag. And just like that, the Lascannon ran out of power and she has no easily replaceable battery charge. With that in mind, she dropped the Lascannon on the floor, carefully since it is still their transport item.

Not that she needs that though, with their biggest concerns out of the picture and thus Michele instantly proceeds to the next part of the plan.

"Anastasia, drive me closer! I want to hit them with my sword!" Michele said as she took up a Laspistol and then hung onto one of the cargo doors to bridge the gap between them.

Anastasia took her words and steer as close as she could without getting too visibly open for attacks. That's what she intended to do until...

The Missile Launcher tubes activated and fired one of its payloads unto the truck. Anastasia could barely and narrowly avoid getting hit by it face-on and thus it struck the cargo container of the truck. Fortunately, though it was more of a Frag Missile than a Krak Missile since they are dealing with a truck, not a tank. It left an unsightly hole on it but compare to the alternatives, it was much more preferable.

Michele determined that the timing is right and thus she makes her daredevil jump at it while the rest of its firing power lay solely upon Anastasia. The fact that the truck's hull hasn't fallen apart by now is a testament to just how ridiculously powerful such technology she is wielding. Michele felt a bit jealous but she knew better to rely on herself than something she will never have the fortune of getting her hands on.

After all, the fewer steps and parts to something. The less there is for it to fail.

Words of Emperor: For this part, play The Only Thing I Know For Real - Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

She managed to cling onto the armored tanker's side and none of the operators seem to notice that she is nearby right now. As she desperately climbs up the tanker, someone noticed her attempts to board and thus tried to fire at Michele with their Autogun. Seeing that she got busted, Michele took the holstered Laspistol and quick draw it at the first responder.

Some folks will be surprised to learn how skills can translate to different kinds of it seamlessly. Her ability to quickly draw with a sword ended up translating far better than it should as she headshot that man with a Laspistol in a blink of an eye while still holding onto the edge one-handed. Chaos soon erupted as the rest of the crew on the armored truck quickly tried to respond to take her down.

Using the rest of her strength, she pulled herself up to the platform and was greeted at gunpoint by those savage gunmen. Michele can only let out a wry laugh because she has already known just how familiar this is.

They don't even realize that they are going to meet their end at her blade and not around.

Deflecting bullets is a feat that only the most prestigious in skills and ability could perform. But in reality, what one should do to deflect bullets isn't to read the bullets' flight location and direction. It is to read the enemy's aim if possible for there exist flaws in all of them.

The first one tried to fire first at her only to find the entire mag they dumped at her is blocked by her sword. 7.62mm is a cartridge that could incapacitate people easily that is used by individual personnel and yet despite being blocked by her sword, there exist no bullet marks left behind on it. It remained as stainless as it could be. Before even the rest of them could intercept and recognize her, Michele introduced her blade to her first victim of the day.

With unrestrained brutality, she slashed, slashed repeatedly in the fastest blink of an eye that any human tried to perform.

When she is finally done, that is her first hundredth victim of the day. And despite the most common senses that any trained gunman is supposed to have, they rolled maximum degrees of failure on their morale checks, and thus they just stood there completely open and vulnerable to her instead of just gunning her down on sight.

To say that it was a slab of whetted metal is not a lie. It's just that no one really has any idea how unbelievably tough Michele's sword is. Some folks in the Guild back in the day tried to see the extent of her sword's durability and resistance and they stopped trying to go any further when they fired a Lascannon at the blade and it just remains unfazed as if the sun was a little hotter than usual.

There's literally nothing that goes into the blade at all: no hidden mechanism, no magic power that is unseen. A slab of whetted metal is the only appropriate calling for it and it is just unreasonably durable. No matter how strong and resistant a sword is, it is only as powerful as its user, and fortunately for her and unfortunately for them. She is a monster when pushed beyond reasoning.

Have you ever cleaved something so fast that it is smoking from sheer friction? That was what Michele did, with blood-red tint rage in her eyes, her swing of the sword cleanly cut through their waists in half as blood spewed and splattered across the tanker like paint. Folks in Hive City are fueled with endless stim to fight to the point their body biologically collapses but Michele is fueled by violence itself.

Three more armed men quickly try to take down Michele at a distance that they could muster on this armored tanker. Unfortunately, this is what Michele would have probably said as a fight sarcastically because, in reality, it is more like a fucking euthanasia.

With blistering speed, a knife lodged in the head of the one between them, and the rest turned to see what strike them from distance. But they should have just kept their eyes on her for their heads are now socially distanced from their necks by her blade in a no-less amount of time.

One of the hidden remaining gunmen tried to use the Missile Launcher system to aim at Anastasia for real this time but before they even pulled the trigger, Michele with one single slash of her sword cleaved the Missile Launcher system and what came out is an in-the-face explosion as it sends that gunman crash straight into the floor while Michele stood unfazed. Seeing that he is cornered with essentially a beast that slain all of his co-conspirators.

The gunman collapsed onto the floor and tried to pull himself away from her. She knows that someone paid these dipshits to kill Anastasia and her sister along with Michele herself and they even supplied the gear and gave the permission for this carnage. But they have vehemently refused to see that they are ruining many more lives in the process. Because of that, they have decreed the safety and livelihood of her and Anastasia optional, and so too is Michele's mercy for folks like them.

Seeing that the flank guns were completely downed, the armored tanker's driver decided that they must fulfill this contract no matter what because they have unfortunately signed the deal with the devil. Failure to do what they were told is awaiting a fate worse than death. With that in mind, the driver decided to collide the armored tanker with Anastasia, thinking that at worst, it will end in mutual destruction.

Whether or not Elise actually has premonitions like her sister but she seems to be more receptive to people's thoughts and sudden changes. And right when that tanker's driver have that line of thought crossed, Elise instantly felt danger inexplicably rushing toward her.

"Sis! Faster!" Elise yelled out loud that Anastasia didn't even realize why it is that way. But she just heeds it without hesitation or questioning why.

Flooring the pedal once more, the truck quickly overtake the armored tanker as it was about to steer toward them. In reality, none of them should have been able to tell before the tanker even steered. Something was going on in their ability and underestimating was the worst thing to do when it comes to them.

With the truck ahead of the tanker, the opposing driver thought it was their only chance to make it even as they still have Heavy Stubbers built into the frontal hull of the tanker and the trigger for them is on the steering wheel itself. So focused on what's in front that everything else around doesn't matter.

A blade stained with molten metal pierced through the ceiling and thrust into the driver's head. Above the hull is Michele stabbing the driver's head with her sword through the roof itself with the other hand still holding onto a smoking Laspistol. There would have been saying that she couldn't possibly land that on the first attempt, but just remember that she spent over a day worth of time on a driver's seat and the majority of the transport vehicles in Vespera follows the same design principle thus any hull is about the same. It would be more correct to say that Michele literally couldn't miss it even if she tried.

With the driver dead, the tanker starts to lose its control on the road as its movement is about to become erratic. Michele knew that she must get off the accursed thing or she'll be another name on the long list of vehicular manslaughter in Vespera. Thankfully, before she needs to use the vox-caster, Anastasia quickly slows down a bit so that Michele could jump off.

With one leap of faith, Michele made her jump right before the tanker completely turn overside. Despite being so close to death so many times, she has never made herself comfortable with it because what would she become if she really has no concept of fear?

As she clings to the transport truck that belonged to her and Anastasia, leaving behind the smoldering wreckage that is the armored tanker dragging on the ground. The three of them knew already that things can only get worse. To callously sow destruction for one's goal alone is something that only psychopaths can commit fully.

For there is no more reasoning behind it than just its sake.

Michele slowly climbs back on and made it back to the front cabin, with some skills and effort that she managed to get herself back into the passenger's seat and with her blood-soaked clothing, driving is the last thing she ever wanted to do right now.

"Do you want to take back the wheel?" Anastasia asked even if she already knew the answer she is going to be given is "no" or worse.

"Anastasia, I swear on the Emperor that I will fucking replace the engine with you if you dare to make such a statement right now". Michele said with residual rage before going completely limp and silent.

With her eyes shut, Anastasia sighed knowing that at some point, she would have to be prepared to make such sacrifices as the gambits pile up. And all she wishes for is that it will not be in front of her own sister.

---

"._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._."

Unrepenting Defiance

"._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._."

---

The Luminary stood, preparing to initiate combat. They have assessed this current wave of enemy, weapons fully loaded with ammunition, and most important of all, elements of surprise. For battles like this, the first shot dictates all.

15 Combat Servitors. Some are armed with Autohammer, and some only have mechadendrites to swing around. The danger still presents even with the blessing of Lights that was given.

"Now!" Alphric yelled as Kang fired first with his Autohammer with the first shot loaded with flashbang round.

A loud flash unleashed temporarily overloaded the Servitors' auspex and the three of them quickly jumped into combat. Those that are armed are quickly taken down as fast as they can. Such as when Kang unleashes the might of a full-auto shotgun that the received end couldn't withstand as they were torn apart. Some are taken down in a ridiculously precisive manner by Mika's Automagnum, such as a shot through the auspex or just point-blank headshots. Some mistakes were here and there but they were dealt with fast before they could exacerbate.

Finally, the real victim of being last in the arms race is Alphric for his grenade launcher is literally a one-shot Krieg pony. The moment it is out, his helpfulness dropped out at breakneck speed. The Autogun on his hand literally couldn't perform much better than what it was made to as the 7.62mm cartridges bounced nearly harmlessly off the Servitor's important parts. Who even cares about it lost a limb? Unless its head and body are pulverized, it will continue to fight until then. And thus making him today's biggest loser

The only reason that Alphric even has a real contribution to this fight is his momentum and combat guidance thus he still has merit to be in the front instead of setting behind to establish his 12.7mm Heavy Stubber.

"All armed Servitors down! Clean up the remaining one!" Kang yelled as he kill-confirms one of the Servitors on the ground by shooting it in the head again until it is just a mush of scrap and brain matter.

3 of those remnant Servitors against the 3 members of the Luminary. While it may appear as a completely rigged battle in favor of Luminary, this is however because their Emotion Levels peaked before and now... they are now starting empty-handed in terms of psykic power. And even if they are on the level of healthy humans, it's ultimately going to show that it is simply not enough now.

Mika fired her Automagnum towards them thinking that it would instantly take them down. But unfortunately, they have adapted to their fighting style and one of them just bashed that bullet out of trajectory away. Kang did the same but the mechadendrites that attached to it in places it shouldn't be blocked the majority of it and the rest did too minuscule damage for the merit used.

Mika wished she have the time to properly reload the Automagnum because having only 2 rounds left in a mag if she didn't count wrong is a very bad thing. Kang is having the same problem as Mika for he has exactly 1 left in the box. While that may sound like enough for this engagement, knowing the way luck has with them, they will somehow miss all of it.

"Take up your melee arms, use your guns if the chance presents itself," Alphric said as he raises his combat stance knowing that it may only be ineffective at best.

Mika decided to also take out her combat knife on her other hand and uses it in tandem with the Automagnum. Kang doesn't have anything besides the Autohammer itself and thus he wields it as if he is about to bash someone's head in with it. This entire way of fighting is wholly lopsided and they are not even sure how they devolved back into fighting hand-to-hand.

A tense moment stood between the three of them as if the Servitors are trying to analyze what the Luminaries are doing. Then, Alphric rolls maximum on initiative and strikes first. They prepared for everything but not such a barbaric decision that Alphric chose, a punch squarely on the face that was hard enough that it cracked one of the Servitors' visions auspex.

The rest then took their initiative and tried to swing their mechadendrites at him only to be stopped by Kang and Mika in the nick of time that remained. A direct stab into the vision auspex followed by a swift cut through the cable that connects to the brain that Mika can't tell what it does but knows that it must be doing something. Meanwhile, Kang is just beating the ever-living fuck out of the Servitor with the stock of Autohammer. Nothing beats sheer violence and that will remain true until this filthy world burns out.

To say that the Servitors aren't trying is far from correct but against such fierce resistance by exploiting the nature of the Servitors itself. That they can't diverge too far from their directive thus even their adaptability still has its limit.

The Servitor that got their cables slashed started to spasm and twitch as if it has a seizure, their limbs went spastic and their attacks just when completely random and sort with no directive. Mika took advantage of it and point-blank the damn thing with her Automagnum.

The one that Alphric is fighting with lost its vision and now can only fight based on its auditory auspex. But with how much noise and violence going on, it barely could tell what it is fighting about and instead only approaches the closest sound while wildly swinging its mechadendrites. Alphric exploits the first blow he landed and immediately slashed all the cables that connect to its head from the rest of the spinal location.

While Athletic doesn't sound like much, based on the lost standard that is used by the old Federation. Athlete-level strength is 2x the body weight and the swing force of roughly equivalent to lifting 150kg using the standard Terra scale is going to cause mayhem, especially in a world where might matters.

With the disconnection inflicted, the Servitor just dropped onto the ground and tried as it may, the rest of the body for some refuse to budge. It seems that whoever designed these Servitors only thinks of such for sadism instead of form. Because in reality, they would not go any well with such feeble strength right now. Alphric then grabbed the mechadendrites with both his hands and then stomped on the back of the Servitor. With all the might he could muster, he ripped the mechadendrites forcefully from its back as chunks of flesh still stick to it.

He swore that it could scream in agony, it would have but he didn't follow that line of thought long before he completely snuffed it out by firing his Autogun at the exposed neck and completely cutting it in half. What could a head do? Bite him? Not that long after receiving such damage anyway.

Kang meanwhile just completely pinned it down and is slamming his Autohammer repeatedly into its head. The mechadendrites on its back are lashing out at him constantly and some looks like it could have broken some ribs or bones. But being so deep in his combat fumes that he just brushed them aside like nothing while he keeps repeating that act until the metal-covered head is bent and broken.

Athlete-level endurance much like strength is wholly underestimated since no one in Vespera is capable of such while starvation and disease ran rampant either way. Because of it, it is wholly elevated much like myth itself because there are reasonable bases in myths after all. Such as what Kang is doing. Unfettered performance despite the sustained injury.

And much to the point that the head is barely recognizable and the mechadendrites barely could move due to the signal received practically dying. With that, Kang puts the final coup de grace as he blasts its head apart with the last shell in the Autohammer.

All that much effort just to take down 3 adapted Servitors. If they struggle with that much then will most likely not gonna survive the next encounter with a much bigger force. And they didn't even come out of combat unharmed either and their combat performance will continuously degrade until it is nothing but an exercise in futility.

With heavy breathing and tired sighs, the three collapsed onto the nearest comfortable sitting place that they could see since everything around them is broken concrete and scrap metal. Alphric checked the holo-watch which he was pretty sure that everyone in the Hive would have called a Chrono. But he calls it a watch since he just watches the damn thing constantly for anything change or current situation statistics.

Emotion Level: 0.78

All that pain and agony for not even a level-up in the emotion level. Alphric is pretty sure that he was on the verge of crying long ago but he was disappointed no less and felt that he is going to see this many times more in this crusade that he called for itself. Mika is clinging onto her arm as she didn't exactly get out of that quarrel without injury and Kang while putting on a brave face is definitely in no better condition to fight than both of them.

"This was a bad idea and how the PDF were able to fight them honestly sounds more like a miracle right now". Alphric said as he reflects upon their current situation.

Both Kang and Mika wanted to add something but something interrupted their conversations. The ground trembles with a force that they knew can't be done by a group of tens alone. No, it was even worse than that for their premonition screams that this is like the Scrap Knight that they fought with all their best and barely mustered a victory out of it.

And this time... they are without the boon of Psykic Passive that has brought them this far to begin with.

"Of the 48 strategies that brought decisive victories to the Imperium, running away from an insurmountable enemy is always the best strategy!" Kang yelled out loud as his legs are already in motion from mere instinct alone before his thought.

Apparently, somebody learned from Ciaphas Cain or something.

If Kang is afraid of something then they legitimately have reasons to believe so. If not even Kang's 'infinite wisdom' that he could handle whatever comes for them then running away is always the best idea.

Both Alphric and Mika barely have a moment to even realized what is approaching them for the sense of dread and self-preservation took complete priority. It was massive and imposing, those features are the only thing they could even get before survival completely takes matter.

Relentless gunfires were unleashed upon them and they could barely save themselves from that barrage by making a hard turn just in time. The ground still trembles and gets worse as it gets closer. Their hearts are practically racing and felt that a breaking point would eventually reach if they keep it this way.

Alphric however decided that he must get a good looking at it to determine how to fight back properly. An enemy unknown is worse than an insurmountable foe for the danger presented in mind is far worse than the reality it is in. While Alphric hoped that it isn't the case, he soon find that image of it burns into his mind deeply against his consent.

While fear is far from a response that is triggered by him, the more accurate term for it is... prudent thoughts about very real and imminent danger.

It is a large, bipedal combat walker with what looks like a completely lobotomized human attached to the forefront with cables running from the head attached to the machine while the posture is in crucifixion. But instead of armoring the lobotomized body, it just fucking left them exposed on the front and vulnerable to damage. If anything, it was made with torture and suffering in mind more than actual combat. Not that it is any less dangerous thanks to its Autocannon-wielding arm that has a massive buzzsaw attached to its side.

The thing quickly noticed him and Alphric instantly floors it for his life. Quickly grabbing Mika by her hand, the two of them quickly runs as fast as they could before that thing is going to make them eternally suffer.

Kang waves his hand at a distance away from them to signal his whereabouts. And that mechanical walker also burst forth to hunt them down now that it perceived prime subjects to do whatever heinous things beyond humans' imagination.

Autocannon uses 14.5mm cartridges or 20mm cartridges depending on variants. But whatever that thing is using doesn't matter because one shot and they will be cut in half or just straight up turn into a bloody mist from its sheer firepower alone. Fortunately, Alphric has the one thing that will delay or even avert that horrible fate.

He fires his grenade launcher straight into the Autocannon. No matter how sturdy a gun is, it is still a fickle piece of machinery that can break down with enough force applied. And while the grenade impacted doesn't seem to do much, when the walker tried to use it, a misfire occurs and blew up the receiver of the Autocannon.

With the ranged option removed, the walker suddenly picked up in speed and quickly approaches them. Alphric muttered a self-curse as he essentially just digs his own grave deeper. What seems to be inevitable death was suddenly averted as something impacted and exploded upon the walker and made it falls backward. The Servitor attached to it was practically reduced to burnt and char yet for some reason, Mika feels as if it is still alive.

The two turned forward and saw a PDF soldier atop a mountain of scrap wielding a Missile Launcher on his shoulder with its tube breech still smoking. That man waves his hand before making his retreat. It seems that helping them has led them to save their lives in return. Taking advantage of the situation, both Alphric and Mika quickly get away from it as far as they could.

They managed to rendezvous with Kang who is waiting for them right at the turn. However, even Kang doesn't know how to proceed from here on out.

"What now? We can't possibly fight that thing like this. Not without our emotion power". Mika said as she tries to control her increasingly-erratic heartbeats.

Alphric quickly tries to scan and survey the surrounding area. The ground shakes once more and doesn't bode well for any of them but during that moment of omen, he found their only chance.

A very weakly picked-up Light signal from a distance away signifies a Light beacon. 500 meters away assuming a straight path. Based on their current physical prowess, they will make it there in a minute if they successfully keep up their pace with no hindrance which is no such luck at all in Underhive. But in comparison to any other choice, this is the only surefire way left.

"Follow me!" Alphric yelled as he picks up his pace as fast as he humanly can,

His friends immediately pursued him out of his order and just right in time as that walker made their turn and began to rush down toward them thus beginning the deadliest 500m sprint in known history. Where the consequence of failure is made known and grievous.

Their first obstacles are literal trash on their way. Combine with the uneven ground that they made their run turn it into something significantly more dangerous than otherwise stated. Probabilities of injury skyrocketed and even one mistake has a very lopsided cost accompanied. And even when they managed to get over them in quick succession, the walker just simply bulldoze through them as if they were nothing at all.

10 seconds passed. 430m remains.

The walker rushes in a burst of speed as it swings its buzzsaw arm at Kang. He honestly thought to himself that had he allowed himself to get hit by it after surviving this long, he pretty much deserved it as he makes a decisive swerve and narrowly avoided the walker's buzzsaw. And exploiting the momentum that it propelled itself upon to strike him, Kang immediately toss a spare breaching charge from the raid before right at its back and detonated it. While far from enough to make real damage, the force of it was enough to send the thing face first into the ground and buy them some precious downtime.

Emotion Level: 0.83

25 seconds passed. 282m remains.

A second felt horrifically long when one's life practically could be seen in front of their eyes. And many times that life and death were separated by a very blurry line that may well disappear without notice. Mika desperately tries to keep her pace up as her breathing becomes more unstable as she tries to keep up. So focused on what is far ahead that she is about to do a mistake that very well could have taken her life hadn't she averted such disaster right at the gate.

She missteps her footing during her run on something and she starts to fall over. With that Servitor walker that is hounding them, a moment of lapse will be paid with an eternity of regret. And yet, she has seen it in the face and decided that... she won't fall now.

The walker once more sprints toward as it saw a moment of weakness. Instead of the easy prey that it expected, Mika by all of her prowess that she could summon used said momentum and squandered none of it. As she immediately rolls by her side and instantly flips as she gracefully recovered from that fall as if that blunder from before didn't even matter.

All of that momentum from her fall must go somewhere so instead of just falling to the ground, she used them to recover and keep herself going forward. If there's anything else to say, Mika rolled maximum degree of success on the acrobatic check. So much that when the walker attacked with its whirling buzzsaw, it overstepped its balance and thus immediately falls over when Mika barely evaded that deathblow. And unlike Mika, it can't recover from its fall so easily.

Emotion Level: 0.89

40 seconds passed. 124m remains.

They could practically feel the Light beacon's presence in the distance, especially now that their stamina is practically running on fume itself. It was by sheer momentum that they have at first carry them this far and even that is about to fail right now.

And in front of them is a large drop ahead. Not too much to be fatal but certainly high enough that a safe landing is near-unguaranteed. With no possible alternative path in sight, their only option is to jump ahead and pray that they won't be too hurt by it.

That's what Kang and Mika saw in their mind. But Alphric however knew that is a death wish no matter how one tries to elaborate on it. So instead of following through with it, he used the benign psykic link which thankfully still works even without Emotion Level. With a simple nod from all of them, right before they make such a jump, they stopped right at the edge and Alphric pulls out the grenade launcher that he managed to reload sometime during this mad race.

The walker seeing them stopped thought that it is its prime chance to slay them quickly and try to swing the buzzsaw arm with no hesitation. Servitors follow a guideline that it is allowed to go through and permit and this walker was no different. In fact, Alphric noticed that a lot of its swings follow the same general pattern and that the start-up stance is almost the same.

Because of that, Alphric fired the grenade launcher right at where the 'elbow' of the walker is and ruined its servo thus losing its control and cohesion. The buzzsaw overswung its path and missed the Luminaries narrowly before it struck itself in the side with said thing. Sparks and smithereens flew out as the buzzsaw rends into itself before the walker completely lost its balance and fell over the drop.

The drop only damages it negligibly but that has bridged the height necessary so that it might be a considerable drop instead of a crippling fall. And like that, all three of them dropped on the walker and get off it as soon as they could. By the time the walker could try to pull itself up, the Luminaries have already made a considerable distance.

Emotion Level: 0.95

58 seconds passed. 5m remains.

The final stretch is inbound. At this point, all of the Luminaries are gasping for any air they could. They felt like they have pushed that limit they have long ago and now they are feeling its repercussion paid in full. But even then, they must keep going forward. Not after so much effort has been put into this endeavor already.

Following behind them is more destruction and chaos as that walker now swinging its broken buzzsaw arm around like a flail as each swing cleaves through anything that stood in its way.

4m remains.

Emotion Level: 0.96

A deep-seated worry spreads through them but Alphric is the one who felt it the most. With him being the leader of the whole team, he felt like he has to do something about this. But all he could do is running, urging everyone to keep their pace as that machine is bearing down upon them at breakneck speed.

3m remains.

Emotion Level: 0.97

The Light beacon in front of him is a goal that felt so close yet so distant. Kang's instinct is screaming so loudly that his mind is befuddled by incessant thoughts and noises that make every second of being that he goes through feel like horror. This feeling that he endures right now is a result of a long-time survival as a Hive Ganger and it screams whenever inevitable loss comes. Never able to get rid of it at all even when he retired from that unlawful path and it serves as a reminder that life is ephemeral at best.

2m remains.

Emotion Level: 0.98

Mika desperately pray for any help that she could think of. Thinking that an astronomical chance may save them from what seemed like a cruel fate approaching them. She remembers her parents sacrificing themselves for a chance so that Mika may have a better livelihood and that lesson stick so hard that she fundamentally can't will herself to abandon anyone or herself. That fear gripped so hard that her heart felt like it was being torn in half.

And why does she have a feeling that she will have absolutely no say in that matter?

1m remains.

Emotion Level: 0.99

They were so close yet so far.

Then they truly felt it through all of them. A primal sense of dread and inevitable death. A whiff of transcendental fear that all being felt when life is but a thread hanging on the balance.

A decision must be made and it was unpleasant for all. Nobody is prepared for this. No one at all.

When their emotions get into overdrive, time ceased for what seems to be a moment. At that moment, Alphric felt that someone must take the fall or else it will be the end for all of them.

Time resumed as Alphric turned and ran back toward the walker. Both Kang and Mika can only scream in terror at what they think is going to happen. But to Alphric however, he knew that there is only one way to explain this intricate feeling he felt just now.

It has to be this way.

Emotion Level: 1.00

Psykic Passive Unleash

Whether by intents or coincidence. Alphric's life at that point persisted. The walker can only look in confusion at what just happened as its buzzsaw was halted by something. It was supposed to cut through all seamlessly and yet... Alphric stood and defy that very reasoning.

Stagnant Blood + Scar of Sorrow

Alphric opened his eyes once more and saw that he has instinctively held that very whirling buzzsaw back. The chance of counterattack is now and they only have one shot to overturn this losing board into their decisive victory.

Kang and Mika knew and they saw at the bottom of their vision that their Emotion Level has reached 1 and thus their psykic ability is back online. And before they even plan out what to do next, both of them knew deep down what they must do and synchronize with one another without flaw.

Violence + Metallic Crush

Kang took out the power maul that he has nearly forgotten that he even carried with him. With swift motions and overwhelming strength that he regained, he strikes the servo that connects the arm joints with maximum power. In which it could obliterate even an adult person's upper torso into mist now with psykic power resonated just completely smashed through its arm and disconnected it from its frame.

With the sudden turn of tide unprepared for, the walker then completely stumbles onto the ground with the Servitorized body reduced to nearly only a head covered in metal that was kept through sustaining support. Mika then used her Automagnum and with righteous fury burning inside, the muzzle of the gun heated up as if channeling said fury of her.

Ember of Hope + Burning Heart

The Automagnum unleashed all 15 incendiary rounds into the head with such fierce fire that the head that kept this walker functetely annihilated into ashes and char as the fire still lingers around in the aftermath. With the deed done, the walker is deemed slain for there's nothing left to keep it functional. Its body then collapsed into Lights as it then subsume into them.

Penitent Engine slain. +50k Lights.

The three stared into the dissipating remains of that walker with its name now displayed for them. Penitent Engine, perhaps really is a fitting name for such a cruel weapon of war.

"Penitent... Just what is there to penitent about?" Mika said as she scratches her hair as she questioned.

"Nothing. There's literally nothing penitent about all of these. It's just a barbaric and inhumane treatment done by someone with sadistic thoughts or mindsets. Or as I would say, someone who has considered life meaningless". Kang said as he rephrase what he knew and figured out.

"Anyway... We probably should restock ourselves since we just barely got decimated if it weren't for our Psykic Passive coming back online. If this is what we would be facing then we better off prepare ourselves for the upcoming battle ahead for it shall be an uphill one". Alphric said as he lets out a deep sigh that was tainted with tiredness.

"Alphric!" Mika said out loud as she realized what could have happened but it was all interrupted by her instinct before.

Mika then held him tightly as she was on the verge of crying. Seeing someone she loves dear nearly sacrifice themselves gave her the greatest scare until now and she will not allow a repeat of that to happen again. Never.

"You utter fool! What makes you do that?!" Mika yelled at him as Alphric doesn't even know how to explain this to her.

"I... I'm sorry... It's just that... it is a calculated move". Alphric tried to justify why he tried to do things that way. The only other answer he could give is instinct and he doubt that she would take that well.

"If that's the case then you are horribly bad at it! Please... don't ever do anything arbitrarily without my input please. I have enough separation and losses for multiple lifetimes already". Mika said as she barely holds herself from crying at what may have happened if Psykic Passive didn't turn back in time.

"Buddy, you got off the damn thing with a slap on the wrist. Just accept and apologize to her already because the next time you do that, it will be a slap across your face". Kang said as he tries to play relationship advisor although he knew damn well that he doesn't even understand half the shite of what he spoke.

"Fine... I'm sorry for making you distressed about my rash decision. Can we make amend now?" Alphric said as he decided to just return the hug she gave. Hopeful that it will come her down.

"Sure... I accept your apologies" Mika said as she finally let go of him.

"Welp... It goes much smoother than I thought. You two act much like a married couple that bickers about shit and I'm that misfortunate third wheel that got wedged in between." Kang said with a frown as he approaches the Light beacon and placed his hand on it.

"Oh, you... Just shut up already". Mika grumbles as she approaches the Light beacon and placed her hand on it just like Kang.

Alphric then follows suit and soon all three's consciousness turned to flux as whatever their thoughts flow like streams into the familiar yet poor-understood refuge.

---

"._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._."

Preparation For War

"._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._."

---

The three found themselves in this place again. A dim light overcasts the room and its entirety made out of cold steel that shimmer and reflects its glints upon else. The cryo pods that lie there are still inviting and welcome their presence. The doorways and the signs hung above them show them what connects this hub area. This place was the only refuge that they knew absolute safety and certainty for not even they know what is this place exactly.

Suddenly, their holo-watches flicker and they quickly checked it out. While the exact lexicon for this thing would be a Chrono, Alphric called this thing a watch because he watches the damn thing constantly whenever something important arises.

Physical Enhancement Procedure Requirement Fulfilled. Please enter the cryo pods to proceed with the procedure.

They knew... This is something they knew that they can't afford to disregard at all. They have already received such massive beatings from fighting those Servitors alone and this death chase that they endure just now is also another waking call for it. With no hesitation, all three looked at each other in the eyes before nodding unanimously. They must enhance themselves.

The three of them entered the cryo pods and soon all of their senses were in stasis. No one knows how much time has passed here but to them, it was only but a moment. But the moment they stepped out, they are quite literally changed. Not so much in external appearance but the spirit they carry and underlying might that hides beneath.

Physical Strength: Peak Human

That's it. Simple and to the point but the meaning it carries is unspeakably huge. For they are now wielding the utter limit of a human's strength. They quite literally can't go any further without resorting to extreme measures that would permanently alter them for better or worse.

And a mortal's unchained strength can surprisingly be overwhelming.

Alphric makes a roundhouse swing and ceased once he nearly hit Kang with it, with such swiftness that no one could tell the start-up or its motion at all. All of it happened in the blink of an eye and even he could tell that the receiving end of it could have been fatal. It was as if his kick's end and beginning are two separated moments with nothing to bridge between.

If he could enhance it further with martial arts then perhaps nothing but short of gene-wrighted soldiers could beat him in melee.

Kang then returns him with one swift punch that also stopped near Alphric's face much like Alphric's roundhouse kick. And without failure, it stood there right in front of him imposingly as it conveys the idea of what would have happened if it landed on him unstopped. A very much gory and bloody image was in its aftermath and even the reverberating gale that resulted is already proof enough of it.

Mika can only sigh because she already has a much better idea of putting this newfound strength in mind. She tries to remember any remotely acrobatic feats that she could try to replicate but she is drawing a blank... Until a flash of insight raced through her mind and she knew where to draw from.

"Sun and Moon..." Mika muttered beneath her voice as Kang and Alphric's mock duel starts to go on.

As Mika prepares herself, the mock battle between Kang and Alphric is so intense and close that barely connected strikes and attacks could easily be mistaken as direct hits but shrugged off like nothing. With a single deep breath, Mika moved forward and performs the stunt herself. So fascinated that Alphric lost his focus on the mock duel and just focused on her entirety which a swift punch barely stopped right at his temple. If this is an actual battle, Alphric will end up horrifically injured and out of service.

But that isn't the point right now and thus set the stage aside for Mika's display of acrobatic.

Peak human strength doesn't lie in power alone. It's the maximum threshold of the human condition. The utter limit that a baseline could get. It's the ultimate reach of finesse, reflex, durability, and endurance and all of them forged together into more than the sum of their parts.

It was reminiscent of something he doesn't even know of, Kang so too finds himself staring in awe at her performance despite the very clear impossibility yet feasibility of it together. More of something that belonged in a theater of Hive Spire than this very mundane steel room.

Does a jump of two meters in height from the ground possible? Does the very rapid spin that she performs have any feasibility at all? In reality, they have too little to draw standards and information on. And as they can only observe in awe, Mika made multiple feats of acrobatic with each being completely unique and masterfully performed.

All of these are drawn inspiration from that movie that once played in holo-cinema in a major case of mishappens. A record of a theatrical play called 'the Sun and Moon' of Upper Hive somehow finds its way into the local cinema that Mika once entered so as an attempt to see what this place even is about. The beautiful performance and apex of skills displayed are permanently engraved into the mind of audiences and such a thing is never shown again, not to the folks here. Mika herself never once forgotten about it and wish to emulate it as best as she could but woe is the life of a Middle Hiver forever to live in an eternal struggle with little room for any hobby.

And when the chance has given itself to her, she just performs from her memory to the best she could. To the utter limit of display that Mika dared to express now that she has been given the blessing of Lights itself. And even without the spectacle of the play that assisted it, the majestic beauty of her performance alone was enough for the two to have their jaws drop in astonishment.

When Mika finally stopped, it took her to tap on both of their shoulders to woke them up from the bedazzlement they brought themselves in. Understandably though.

"Sorry, can't help but feel admiration for that performance you put on. Nearly everything I have seen is just crude and bare in both appearance and essence that such beautiful display you did is like heaven's feel". Kang said as he scratched the back of his head while averting his gaze away from the more inquisitive look in Mika's eyes.

"I think you should be having a round of applause for that performance. That thing most likely would take near absolute devotion in skills and training just to perform those moves if it weren't for the blessing of Lights sidestepped that issue. And even then, it doesn't make such thing any less worthy in the eyes of audiences". Alphric said as he pats Mika on her head. She would have taken offense about it but since they are rather close to each other by now, she decided to just let it happen.

The group banters for a bit before they returned their focus to what they are supposed to do.

"By the way, we came here for a massive overhaul of our combat capability, right? Alphric, you wanted to check about the Archive in which you explained it to be the next step in our general combat. Mika, you check that new door over there which said the Barrack. That I have a feeling we will need some desperately new manpower soon. And I will check the Manufactorum which recently unlocked thanks to the destruction of the Penitent Engine. If I could roll out some heavy-duty shit, we will not be trampled all over like before. You heard me, right? Let us proceed". Kang said as he quickly sorts out the plan to go forward for the team.

Alphric is the centerpiece, the spiritual leader that binds everything that matters together. Kang is no doubt the locomotive that pushes things forward even if there's no clear path ahead. Mika is no doubt the team spirit and her amicable nature enables everyone to join together as a squad like a heretic on fire.

The team split up and they go their own path

...

Meanwhile in the Archive

Alphric disappeared into the Archive and the first thing that greeted him is a massive array of bookshelves that line up carefully with one another. The vast expanse of books mounts and stacks on top of one another as they form a stairway to the apex itself.

The centerpiece of the Archive is this ornate wood roundtable. This thing would cost more than some Nobles' entirety worth except for the utter top because wood is a resource so rare across Imperium that it only exists in Agri Worlds or Paradise Worlds and the like. But to Alphric's purpose, it is a table and he has long uncared about its worth or value, it felt much better than that cold steel desk back in the time at the Guild and he would rather not trade it for nonsensical material wealth.

However, he has a really bad feeling that data-sifting this ludicrous amount of information will take absolute hell on its own. A person's entire life scribed into books and omitting unnecessary or repeating details and died young ended up still as large as an encyclopedia. This is of an Underhive Ganger that he doesn't even know who it is and many of them are just slight variations based on the first page alone. He'll probably be able to sort it out on his own but there has to be a better way than this.

Then something steps and comes about toward him. Dressed in red robes completely covered his body but Alphric could easily tell the copious amount of cybernetics beneath. It felt reminiscent of a Tech-Priest but doesn't feel the same that way. It doesn't speak or communicate but it looks intently at the wad of brick-thick books he placed on the table.

"Uh... would you like to read?" Alphric asked somewhat nervously for the right reason.

The thing then takes a book out of the stack he brought then instantly flips through all of the pages while a green scanline emits from the eye-augments. Thousands of pages are instantly read over in a blink of an eye before Alphric could register what it is doing. Then when it is done with one then carefully placed the book on the table and then move over to the next one. Rinse and repeat until that stack that he brought is promptly analyzed.

Alphric has no idea of what he is supposed to do after that. How does he even access all of the necessary information now? That is until said red-robed somebody takes out what looks like a data slate but is somewhat considerably larger and placed it in front of him. Alphric checks it out and opened it only to reveal that it is a cogitator. A carriable personn fact.

As he checked the data that the not-Tech-Priest collected and reorganized, all of the said information that would otherwise take up a massive amount of paper files that could create a mountain was reduced to... a small collection of 30 pages. An improvement and efficiency that not even he could see himself doing in thousand years.

First, is the generalized information about Gangers and their behaviors and culture. Apparently, in Hive Worlds where populations ran rampant to complete anarchic and breaking point. So much that not even Arbites could curb and control them, the Imperium just legitimizes the many largest gangs atoder to curb the more anarchistic elements in the Imperium.

Lots of their cultures are reflected upon by the environment around them and from there on out, it would re back upon their outfits, fighting styles, and even names.

But what truly struck his notice there is that a recent trend of man-nappings was reported among many Gangs. Most just shrug it as a common occurrence due to the dangerous nature of the Underhive but some of it has more details about their encounter with said... mechanical and flesh monstrosity and blasphemy upon all common senses. Not only that but they have also seen those things taking people alive with them and said experience traumatized them so much that they refuse to budge any words about it.

It was clear that those Servitors come across have existed for some while and terrorized the area around it. If the Penitent Engine is any indication then whoever is behind is progressing at an increasingly fast pace. And it seems that it has the Servitorizing process streamlined and automated too if the numbers of them are any clear indication.

A fierce battle is about to begin and he knew that every ounce of all advantage they could have will matter.

...

Meanwhile in the Manufactorum

A dark and damp place all around, conveyor belts lie motionless, and the heart forge remains cold. Kang's first impression wasn't very surprised but he knew that everything has its start and this manufactorum is no exception. As he stumbles around in the darkness for a moment and finally managed to find the major power switch to finally turn this place on, and also the moment that he found out he could just do the same thing remotely through the holo-watch as the Manufactorum tab is also revealed to him.

The old-fashion ways are there for him to do so if he desired but the fact that it didn't even notify him that he could do it the easy way just means that he could have spent a lot more tedium just to change a basic function of the place. Better off that he had just learned about this at the beginning than keep doing so ignorant for a very long time or till the end itself.

Kang can only give him a facepalm to himself because that is something he could have seen the Tech-Priests do. A better alternative right in the face but for some reason not using it because they have been doing it this way for so long.

The power turned on and the wheel of production turning, as the forge awaits his command, he quickly checks through a list of what he could produce. Autoguns, shotguns, pistols, heavy stubbers, many of the likes but the production list is so severely limited for what they are fighting that he actually finds there little reason to use the Manufactorum until they are more diverse in armaments. That is he discovered one thing that he could use to produce on the Heavy section.

This thing was nearly their bane... nearly their doom. Until they managed to triumph over using the power of Psykic Resonance.

But ever since they defeated it, it is now among their list of constructible weaponry. It will be a huge dip in investment with their Lights reserve but Kang could already see the turnover. This isn't a matter of if but when.

With a devious grin on his face, he sets its construction to begin. The forge begins to move in motion as it intends to fulfill the demand.

"Right, about the weapon that Alphric demanded. He needed something that could hit harder than his Autogun and thought there might be something that I could figure out. Just that it will require a lot more prototyping than desired". Kang said as his expression returned to normal while exiting the Manufactorum as it churns out the weapons soon needed for the war effort.

Because after all, a larger-than-life foe requires a larger-than-life weapon.

...

Meanwhile in the Barrack

"Uhm... hello? Is anybody here?" Mika spoke as she tried to see if anyone will reply.

The room is shrouded in impenetrable twilighsome lights luminesceinesce inside the darkness. The moment she took her first step in, the light system inside turned on to reveal an array of cryopods much like the Luminary are using, and from the outside look, there are people inside each of these pods. Unlike her though, there are external interfaces that enable her to deactivate it at will.

She chose one at random and as the frigid air was released from the pod, she recognizes the person inside without failure.

The old man with a weary face opened his eyes and it seems that he doesn't find this whole thing surprising at all. Or he is just too unimpressed by his predicament to care anymore.

"What are you doing here in the afterlife? Or was all everything I lived until now a lie?" The old man said but held no contempt toward her in his voice.

"I... I'm glad that I meet you again! I thought that you were truly gone!" Mika said in true genuine compassion but she forbade herself from extending it too much to the point of over-endearing.

The old man looks around at his unfamiliar surrounding before turning toward her again.

"Mind giving me a context to what's going on?" The old man said as he returned his gaze to her.

Mika gave a few pointers and guides to the old man that she once tried to care for his wounds but failed. After that, she also deactivated all of the pods and revealed all of the PDFs that perished during their first meetings.

It seems that those who met their ends at their cares within their proximity joined by proxy. Those that considered them allies or saviors.

They were bewildered much like the old man but by her charisma and empathy, she managed to calm the gathering storm down before any real disagreement could arise. Getting over the fact that they died is not easy but at least they know that it can't get any worse than well... dying.

Mika checked over her holo-watch and read over the Barrack tab. She noticed that she could assign allies to each different Luminary's command. With a selfish wish of her, she assigned the old man over to her. Why does she do such a thing?

In reality, Mika was horribly starved of parental affection due to just how horrible the living condition of the Lower Hive is, and it is only gotten worse when her parents enlist in the Imperial Guards and departed in hope of creating a better life for her then never return. The old man reminds her of a grandparent she never had as most people don't live beyond 40 in Lower Hive due to vulnerability to danger and rampant crimes. Anyone who is visibly old in Lower Hive is often feared for the right reason.

Does she have any fuck left to give about it? Bloody no.

"So, where are we exactly?" One of the PDF soldiers asked as he took off his mask and visor.

Mika shrugged and the rest of them suddenly found themselves genuinely don't know what to even make of it anymore. When they thought they have seen enough bizarre things for lifetimes in Underhive, they continued to be proved otherwise. All they know now is that they will fight for the Luminaries' sake from now on.

"By the way, aren't you that girl who tried to treat our injury before we ultimately die from its grievousness?" Another PDF soldier took off her helmet and mask.

Mika earnestly nodded. Some thought they got themselves into something serious but at least they got an answer to a myriad amount of questions. That is already significantly better than their previous employer who refuse to even budge anything about what they are supposed to do and left them ignorant.

Ignorant is a virtue they said, they would rather blissfully step toward their own demise they said. At least have the dignity to explain what they are fighting because fear of the unknown is far more primal than death itself.

"By the way, what are all of yous' intentions? If you don't want to fight then you could just rest in the cryopods and sleep blissfully like how you should have". Mika said as she tries to gauge the PDFs' reactions and whether they still have it in them to fight.

A little brief silence lingers from that moment before someone shatters it.

"Lie down at this point? I'm sorry... But I can't pretend that I don't see shit anymore. I was basically kept from so many things and so many agendas that I felt like a puppet hung by endless unseen strings from above. But you... You are the only Emperor-damned person that actually shows any signs of empathy and doesn't discard people pragmatically when their usefulness end. Like how the rest of the retinue that swore comrade to each other and then conveniently left us injured to our fate." A PDF soldier shouted all vitriol and bitter resentment until he truly felt empty. He has repressed so many things that he wanted to say inside and now he truly felt at peace after such a long time.

Another PDF soldier raised their hand up and didn't even bother to take off their gas mask since that aforementioned PDF has already spoken about what he wanted to feel. To come back from the dead is strangely liberating as the shackle of old superstitions falls apart and a huge mental weight were lifted off the soul.

"Second to that man too. I do not know if I'm still who I know myself of, but... my vow of loyalty now goes to you too. My only instance of empathy to ever be seen in this twisted world." The PDF said as he puts what he felt into words as best as he could.

"Third too. This girl fought for us even till the bitter end and I now know for sure who I really should have made my pledge to". The woman soldier said as she placed her fist on her chest as if trying to protrude how proud she is.

Then more and more PDF soldiers agreed whole-heartedly with no discord in between. Mika can only look in surprise as she has never seen such a level of unity in a large number of people like this before.

Just how did a basic gesture of kindness lead people to willingly die for her sake?

Mika turns toward the old man as if to see his opinion about this and he simply responds with a thumbs up. A single gesture alone conveys a strangely huge amount of meaning beneath.

She now knew for sure that sincerity will carry a long way forward for her.

...

A while later at the Hub

The three Luminaries step out of the respective rooms that they assigned themselves to. Finally meeting face-to-face, they each bring good news about what they managed to do.

"Hey, I heard you complained about the lack of effective weaponry against those Servitors so. I designed this thing for you". Kang said as he throws what looks like a newly designed gun onto Alphric.

It's a bullpup rifle that is chambered to fire 12.7mm anti-material round with a 10-round single-stack magazine. The reason Kang has to design it like that is because of a compromise between strength and versatility. Too long and it would be too unwieldy to fire standing and too short then its power would be too diminished for what it is supposed to do. Thus its design as a bullpup was chosen. The barrel recoils with every shot, traveling with the bolt for a time before coming back on its own.

Kang named it "the Lyncher" or just Heavy Autorifle for those who want universality. Even have the thing tested for reliability since he can't afford such a thing to break down in the heat of combat. Scanned in the Manufactorum for mass production going so that even the Barrack's troops can use them.

"Thanks, muzzle toward the enemy like the usual, right?" Alphric asked as he could tell how to use this gun from the first look of it.

"Yup, I could hear some Tech-Priests scream tech-heresy or something but I have long run out of respect for them". Kang said as he gazes up at the ceiling wondering if they are underground or not.

In Hive Cities like Vespera, a Gang's true strength lies in its weaponry and guns are not out of question. A Ganger is only worth their salt if they can create their own weapons, especially guns and for someone who survived for a long time as a criminal like Kang in a cutthroat environment is definitely not out of question. His survival up to this point is not warranted and so too is his own craftiness in both tactic and tools.

"By the way, I have something to show for all of you". Alphric said as he slots the Heavy Autorifle at his back and then takes something out of his flak jacket.

He presented to the group a journal with a map taped onto it. Some assorted assisting tools are also linked to the hardcover of the said journal itself such as a flashlight, laser pointer, small magnifying glass, etc... Kang and Mika didn't seem to understand much thus Alphric has to explain to them since he has to either way.

"I have literally sifted through thousands of books worth of memories of all the people we killed. And from the data that I have taken and sorted thanks to that fellow not-Tech-Priest doing the majority of the heavy lifting for me. This journal here will be the entirety of every foe we fought up to this point and every piece of information that we came across. Sure, it may get out of space to write soon but we will do it when the push comes to shove.

"What about the map then?" Kang asked as he felt curious about it.

"This is the map of the fringe of this Underhive sector. You know that Vespera is split into multiple Hive Sectors and the Underhive seems to also follow that same principle. Based on the data that I sifted through and our mental map, we actually uncovered a lot more of the previously uncharted areas thanks to all the Gangers we murdered. And some of the Servitors also retained some memory thus I couldn't exactly count them out." Alphric said

Kang wasn't having a very dandy day after hearing Alphric say such a thing nonchalantly.

"So what about you, Mika?" Alphric asked as he finds her finding will be the most interesting of them all.

"I have literally nothing that could be used to describe what I felt in there. So to make this a bit shorter, just check the Barrack tab on your holo-watch and you will understand it yourself". Mika said as she checks the tab herself.

The rest of them followed suit and they were shown a list of names lining in front of them, 14 people in total. And they can assign said people to follow them as their commanders. All they need to do is literally just assign said names of people into the team slots beneath their name. Although from what is shown right now, the number of slots is... 1. They can only bring 1 ally with them into battle. They're pretty sure that they can improve this number somehow but not now for sure.

They all picked their random one. And the moment they did so, they all received a notification.

"Spiritual Resolution Enhancement Requirement reached. Head for the pod to begin procedure."

Then the three cryo pods in front of them opened as it awaits their arrival. The three looked at one another before solemnly stepping forward. With a single nod of their heads at each other, they knew that they must fulfill themselves to resolve and rectify their fatal flaws at once. Because after all, it doesn't matter if they have all the most advanced technology ever presented or have the most powerful psykic boon, as long as they still present themselves as flawed then the only path is toward self-destruction. Much like the Imperium itself.

The three then step into their respective pods and the moment they situated themselves, the pods' hatches close, and soon the procedure begins in earnest.

Enlightenment Protocol Initiated. Begins the reception of Endless Endeavor.

Enlightenment Protocol Initiated. Begins the reception of Cherished Memory.

Enlightenment Protocol Initiated. Begins the reception of Helper Servitor.

---

"._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._."

Bloodstained Philosophy

"._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._."

---

Middle Hive, Vespera, Twilight

The sun rises above the sky once more as the clock strike peak noon. Yuria has never been feeling pleasant for a long time. Or at all. As her long red ponytail slightly billows in the air as it shrouds the oversized greatsword slung behind her back. Its color was unusually pitch black as if reflecting nothing at all.

She is heading toward the transit station of the current Hive Sector that she is stuck on after being separated by the Collapse Zone. From what she has heard from the local and remembrance news, the damage while severe didn't completely destroy the Middle Hive Sector that it affected thus some level of functionality can still resume. The below level however has no such luck.

And Yuria intends to make her return to the guild by that path but she expected that it would be so literally congested that she might as well keep walking on foot and it would still be faster. However, any distance cut down is always favorable no matter what. Vespera is huge and she will not take the roundabout way.

The huge structure of Hive Sector 10's transit station soon appeared in her sight and although she has always used a transit train whenever possible, its colossal size always bewilders her no matter what. Just the sheer effort and work put into this place are tremendous and that fact would remain unchanged no matter what. The credit has to be given where it's due for otherwise would mean that all held no purpose.

Streams and tides of people flow into and out of the station like a dense river. Normally it wouldn't be this massive but ever since Collapse Point, the infrastructure of the Vespera's transit system is pushed to handle the stress and those closest to it ended up having to pick up the slack since Hive Sector 11 is utterly damaged. Fortunately, while it may have been densely packed, people are at least fast on their feet thus she made her way into it soon before her already short patience run out.

The reason she doesn't even use a truck to deliver goods is that she caused so much destruction on her way that said truck never survived her whole journey and eventually the Guild Master has to forbade her from driving for good. Thus any item she delivered is of utmost critical and carriable by a single person. Much like a courier but far more dangerous and full of peril.

If there's any guarantee in her service, it is that the goods will always make it. Just don't mind it painted red in blood.

And the inside of the station is massive with the ceiling placed above them roughly 100m or more depending on the location and this is the first floor only. Millions of people move around using this place as their means and the registration processes are thankfully fully automated with human supervision because otherwise, people will literally camp here for weeks on end just to receive their tickets and work will halt for an incalculable amount of time.

She is one among thousands as people move and flow in a tight manner like a turbulent sea in a storm, it is easy to get something stolen here as discerning anyone in this sea of people will be nothing short of an Emperor hurdle. But Yuria doesn't have to care because she has already done her job and she is simply returning to her Guild though she does have some personal belonging on her. Something that is invaluable beyond her worthless life.

Then as she moves, she felt a hand trying to rummage through her trench coat's pocket. With unseen motion, she instantly caught the perpetrator red-handed and tried to see who is it behind her. Before she could perceive it, however, her instinct also flared up as she slightly nudged her greatsword on her back as it blocks something sharp that tried to stab into her. This resulted in an audible clash heard across the station but people don't even respond to it slightly as they carry on about.

She quickly managed to discern who is it behind such an audacious plan and saw what looks like a wretch with such an ugly look that horror has little to describe it. Yuria however has no mercy for folks who resort to violence when denied their opportunity. She wouldn't have cared if they tried to steal something from her but the fact that this little shit threatens her life means she has no reservations for morons like them either. With a swift movement of her hand, she snapped that wretched's arm like twigs.

The wretch dropped their knife and ran away. Yuria has a feeling that this won't even be the end of it but she knew she could handle it soon enough. And plus, a Gang wiped out means fewer criminals harming innocent folks. Plus, she stands out among the people with that red hair and greatsword as if she is from another world entirely.

Pickpocket is rampant in stations like this and if anyone isn't careful then saying goodbye to their belongings will soon be their following acceptance. The Arbites tried to enforce this place but so many people in so little space make this job nothing short but hellish on people who are already short-tempered and trigger-happy.

After some long while, Yuria reached the registration hub after a long line of waiting but the fact that she made an example of one pickpocket made the rest of the cohorts completely deterred from messing with her. At least not alone and without coordination. Just by inputting some data and her name and then verifying with her Middle Hive ID.

Using that little time that she has, she took out her wallet and used the transit pass card to pay the fee. If there's any sensibility left in Vespera, it would be this system since they streamlined and cut down all possible time spent on this alone. As she places her card back, she took a moment to look at the picture that she placed inside.

It's a picture of her and her sister, it was the only trace left behind in that carnage that set her to this fate. Now faded by the careening of time, little is there left but her memory filling the hole of what was once there. She would have looked at that thing for a long time if the ticket machine didn't ping to notify her before the line of people would yell incessantly at her for wasting their time.

Hurrying up on her pace, she quickly made her way toward her transit line. Here lie thousands upon thousands of trains just on this floor alone with each could carry up to ten-thousands of passengers without failure. These trains however have stood in this line of business for so long that ages and tech disparity could be seen among them all. Some look like they belong to upstarting worlds and some look like they belong to the Upper Hive more than here. Some look like still running on fossil fuel or promethium and some have already been refurbished with nuclear fusion engines.

Anything to traverse around Vespera required very dedicated transportation routes and vehicles. This also includes people, goods, and the like thus each Hive Sectors always have multiple Hive Transit stations like these scattered around in coverage. Some of them can be so huge that each of them literally covered a percentage of Hive Sector's land. The serfs who work here to keep this place functioning will most likely never leave here either and the trains would forever be the only things that move from here in their entire lives. Surrounded by people yet all they see are unfamiliar faces.

Hung above the ceiling are thousands of signs with numbers written on them. It is the only way among few to even tell people where they should go. People have to move in a very orderly fashion just to efficiently reach their destination without straight up clogging their path due to collisions and pathing. Waiting for a designated time is heavily discouraged because this station doesn't need to have more people in it than it should have. Especially now that a huge chunk of this Hive Sector is fallen into the Collapse Zone.

The air here felt horribly stagnant and if it weren't for the air filter that goes all around the place then Hive Transits would be among the most hazardous places beyond even the most precarious and dangerous manufactorums in Vespera with no safety equipment. And considering people can die from sheer negligence which is not too out of possibility considering the 42nd Millennium.

Basic safety protocol is in place as all weaponry must be placed in the cargo hold as a matter of safety. This is the least they could do to ensure such a thing during the ride but not even that could guarantee as Gangers and criminals will try their damn best to do so that they can extort any helpless passenger on the way. To what extent does their villainy go may as well as dive as deep as one can into the abyss.

The people pack tightly with one another awaiting behind the safety line which was a smidge from the edge. Woe is the people who are at the front for there are no fewer incidents that happened because people were a little impatient. Thankfully that this time there is no such thing, yet. Yuria looks at the surrounding for a little while before she steps into the assigned train. People move tightly into their places and sometimes not even the seats are left despite clear assignments.

She wonders if the train was so overcrowded that it actually long ran out of place before and anymore ticket is just more duplications of the taken seats. Having literally millions of people converge here makes Hive Transit a complete nightmare yet the kind that is constantly endured because there's no alternative. Not even trucks or cars with highways could cut the time like transit lines.

She has often seen the "passengers: seats" ratio being 2:1 to 3:1 but the worst she has heard from general banter was 10 in Lower Hive and the entire passengers on that train died of asphyxiation due to extreme overcrowding. Not this time though for the first time in her life that the train she entered actually have enough seats and no one has to stand or overcrowd. But it is this precise thing that doesn't give her a good feeling. At best there would be still tightly packed people in here standing but nope. It is just enough seats for everyone onboard.

Yuria took a deep breath once before she gets into her seat. A lone one not even near the window although there's nothing remotely interesting beyond the endless tide of humans moving in patterns. If there's any macroscale representation of the human body's grim darkness then perhaps this is probably the most suitable for the Imperium's way of treating their own citizens are nothing less than abuse.

The train wheels roll and soon it rode into the massive transit tunnel where many more will enter and exit. There's nothing interesting in there other than just some trains passing by. And despite the supposed comfort the train being right now, Yuria was not anywhere near embracing it. All of these are wrong and she knew that anything out of ordinary is a premonition of the disaster that will come.

Then, some folks stood up having visibly slight mutation or odds body shape at best. While far from the body horror that the Lower Hive may present, these people are still unsightly to see proving the fact that despite the Middle Hive's civilized appearance, it is no better than a barbaric tribe ran by brutal dictatorships at worst. How they even passed the security is a question that beckons her attention but the immediate danger is showing and she must act now in time or else.

Yuria felt the trickling enmity that emanates from them. As they approach her closer and closer, she could feel the ill intentions from proximity alone. Then before she even made her intentions, her instinct flared up and she made her action right as the two arms were about to choke her from behind. As she grabbed the assailant from behind and tossed that person a few seats ahead in which she instantly recognized who it is. It was that wretch from back at the ticket booth that she made an example of.

The rest of the passengers stood up and it was clear that this whole train was nothing but a trap for her. That wretch died on impact as its neck completely snap in an impossible direction. And it seems that she has incited an entire Gang's wrath upon her. As those Gangers took their weapons out, she wonder just how sloppy the security was that they could slip contraband through like this easily and in number at that.

Even without her sword, she is a threat to be menaced at. These bastards don't even realize that they made the fatal mistake of making an enemy out of her.

The closest Ganger charged toward her as he was about to shank her only to have said arm of him broken in 3 different places that are not even at the joint. The pain registered at a blazing speed as he dropped the dagger only for Yuria to grab him by the neck and chokeslam him into the wall at such speed that the collision instantly kill him.

She dropped the corpse to the ground while the other hand of her is wielding a dark-resin-covered steel baton. The kind that is practically undetectable by x-ray scans and magnetic tracing. It is the only form of self-defense she has when in public transit and the like because having the greatsword on her is a constant alarm and threat no matter what or where she goes.

That's her basic courtesy for normal people. And when being courteous is not an option, only bloodbaths and carnages follow.

Her name is Yuria "Scarlet" Nebula. And the Guild Master calls her as...

The Red Mist

---

"._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._."

A Journey's Begin

"._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._.""._."

---

Middle Hive, Vespera, Twilight

Apparently, they are not even allowed to have any moment of rest because the little stop they have on their way ended up being the crossfire between two major gangs in the area as it seems to be. Two deadweights turn out to be much of a more serious problem than Reinhardt thought as they don't even know how to use a firearm for self-defense.

At least Sophia is willing to learn and she surprisingly did well enough in a short amount of time and emergence. Dorothy however remains as useful as a stack of gold bars. A prime target for depravity and gluttony.

A certain bulky Ganger tried to approach the truck only to promptly be cleaved in half with no resistance against Stan's power greataxe. Many other Gangers armed with ranged weapons tried to fire their guns at him only to find most of them deflected harmlessly like nothing. Lasbolts diffused upon, ballistics bounced off. Even with that color-faded and old armor of his, it stood up against any adversary no matter what which is a testament to its functionality and purpose.

Carapace Armor. Twilight pattern. If standard Carapace Armor across the Imperium is already considered durable and resistant in comparison to other baseline armories then Twilight pushes it to a new boundary. Despite the bulky and encumbering looks that it has, its weight is actually lighter in comparison to other existing patterns. Not only that, it also has a miniaturized repulsion field aura that minimizes damage from energy weapons. Not so much with ballistic though but it has already had that department handled other ways.

The old veteran then charges forward the enemy line as the power greataxe crackles with electricity and matter-disrupting energy enveloping it. No matter how much the Gangers tried to fight against him with all they have, Stan simply charges forward as he penetrates into their lines and wreaks havoc and destruction upon them.

Meanwhile, Sophia is quickly jotting down the fight into her blackened notebook pages as each word is so seemingly small that they mesh together into a black embroidery than actual words. If anyone could read it, it would only be her. She is taking this moment in time to savor and write down the details and she would rather not have the tide suddenly turned upon her. To learn about the world around her is her passion, not so much with killing although she doesn't deny that there's something wise in the killing itself.

A rifle bullet nearly grazed her head as she narrowly evaded it as she ducked into the truck. At a glimpse distance away, a Ganger sniper is pulling the bolt back of his sniper rifle to prepare for another shot. That's what he would have done if he didn't decide to continue in one stationary place to snipe thus Reinhardt counter-sniped him with his stub rifle. 500m distance, dense urban area. That's a challenge and a feat in itself that Reinhardt doesn't even pride himself over.

The Gangers whose formation was demolished by Stan's onslaught quickly tried to disengage and retreat toward a more tactical position. While navigating through the dense urban structures and complexes, they found out the hard way that this whole battle has already been played toward their loss as their previous defensive emplacement they intend to use for themselves is now in use by Leonhardt. 12.7mm Heavy Stubber, they simply destroy with no mercy.

A pincer attack was done by the two of them. And soon not even the remnants of the Gang that attacked them were left alive. Stuck in between the rock and a hard place, literally.

Reinhardt drove his motorcycle nearby the truck after he confirmed the battle has ended. He seriously needs to rethink their route and strategy as driving through the alleyway and backstreets is only effective when he is on a solo mission. Not so much when a truck tried to navigate these twisting routes that are called the home of the majority. While he certainly doesn't like the main streets because of how much the Arbites love to road tax their people but at least they assure a degree of safety in mind and transport. Pray that the client also paid for the highway tax then.

"We're going for the highway... There's no possible way that we could keep up like this". Reinhardt said as he furrows and looks down on the torn asphalt again.

The truck that is used to transport barely could hold 4 people. Another and it will be hell to keep up or endure. A journey even across a Hive Sector could take one full day on the highway to travel. That's just a basic gist of how huge Vespera really is. Imagine cramming 5 people into the limited seatings of a truck and it is not hard to see just what hell will be unleashed from the sheer repressed atmosphere alone in a few minutes, let alone one full day. Thankfully, traveling to the Upper Hive will be less agonizing than traveling to other Hive Sectors.

And with that decision made, Sophia pulled a certain lever in the truck as a ramp revealed from the cargo hold and rolled down so that Reinhardt could pull his motorcycle into it. Good luck trying to keep up the speed on a motorcycle alone on the highway where trucks and similar easily exceed 200km/h in the blink of an eye.

Inside the cargo hold is a large wooden crate that seems to contain something. It was already there by the time they even first check the inside and depart from the Guild. However, it has no labels to exactly tell what it is inside, not even a warning for fragile or similar nor anything for hazardous. The fact that the Guild Master was paid a huge sum of credits just for transporting this... ordinary wooden crate is alarming to Reinhardt nonetheless. If anything appears too ordinary, the real truth behind is often far worse than unordinary itself.

But he has accepted this job and now he must bear full responsibility for it. All he could hope for is that he will manage to complete this job without any further complications other than some Gang violence here and there. And yet, something deep inside forewarns him that none of these will end on good notes.

Reinhardt brushes those thoughts away as he halts them from making any more ominous omen about an uncertain future. Nothing is set in stone, success or failure is all in his actions. He simply drives the motorcycle up into the cargo hold and decided to stay in there. If anything demands his attention then his companions will at least wake him up in time.

"Hey, can I trust all of you to drive toward the highway?" Reinhardt asks as he wants to fully place his faith in them.

"Believe me, kid. If I don't know where I am during my time in the Imperial Guards, I would have perished long ago". The old man in color-faded armor said to Reinhardt in assurance.

The cargo door closes and soon Reinhardt only has the darkness to confide himself to. Not meant to sound like he was brooding but he has never once actually fought as a team before and this first-time experience demands that he must be flawless or otherwise, death will not answer his own humiliation. This darkness is the only solace and comfort from the harsh responsibility that may come afterward.

He didn't even know how tired he himself really is. One moment of letting go of his guard and he instantly falls into his slumber.