Chapter 4: Let’s Get This Party Started

Screaming filled the ship as Kev ran down a corridor, adjusting his armor as he ran down the hall with his squad of two other knights. He was armed with a Magatech rifle, a gun that shoots out concentrated mana loaded in batteries. A very expensive tool that, given the circumstances, he was glad he was holding. A monster had infiltrated their ranks, and after being discovered by two of their highest ranked members started slowly slaughtering everyone on board the ship and damaging its systems.

However, something had changed. The monster was picking up its pace ever since the captain authorized the use of Magatech, or weapons that used stored mana to deal out damage. While he was equipped with a rifle, his other two squad mates were equipped with Magatech swords.

The squad approached a corner, stopping at its edge as they heard screaming nearby “Hold here.” One of the knights said, the other nodding while Kev took up position in the back, keeping his rifle at the ready. A few moments passed and the screaming stopped, leaving them in silence. Kev tried his coms but cursed, still down.

“We should hold here, fight was close.” The knight said, standing up and motioning the other knight to take his place who quickly did so and moved to watch the corner. “If they head down here we can cut them off and deal a blow with that rifle.” He said, motioning to Kev who remained at the ready.

Kev sighed “Day started out so good too. Found a dungeon, cleared it, had a party and got drunk off our asses…”

“Yeah well turns out it was a bad day.” The squad leader said.

The knight crouched by the corner snorted “just be glad you are the one with the rifle, lucky bastard.”

“If you got trained in one, you could use it too.”

“Yeah? Don’t even, you know as well as I do, they only have around 3 of those expensive things.”

Kev nodded, he was right. This whole organization was stingy as hell with Magatech, while the weapons were powerful the more complex, they got the same remained true for their price and upkeep. The rifle in his hands right now could very well slay an A-rank in a few shots, each shot was worth more then his yearly salary.

“Focus you two, its been quite for far too long.” The squad leader said.

The knight at the corner nodded, ““Aye aye sir”” They both said and continued to stand at the ready, the silence continuing, and continuing, and continuing. Kev was sweating, nervous. While the monster didn’t have to go this way and he prayed it didn’t, there should have been something, anything, from a different nearby squad.

After another five minutes of silence, kev dropped his shoulders “nothings coming, we should-“ He got cut off by a loud scream echoing down the hallway, prompting Kev to get back at attention. “Sir! Someone’s running down the hallway!” The knight looked over to his leader “Male knight, lost an arm.”

The leader nodded, running out and sword drawn, pointed at the injured knight “Status!” He yelled down the hall at the injured knight who kept running towards him, tears and snot running down his face “I-its behind me!” He yelled “It ripped my squad apart!”

The leader looked towards the rest of his squad, giving them a nod before waving the injured knight over. The knight reached them, hand on his bleeding stump “T-thank you.” He said, panting heavily, blood dripping to the floor. “don’t thank us yet, get behind us and hope we can stop it here.” The leader waved him off and as the injured knight started to go the leader gave him a hard pat on the back.

Kev smirked “lucky bastard” he said as the knight passed him then went back to attention “least we know its coming.”

The leader puffed out his chest “Yes, now.” The leader lifted up his sword into the air “when it comes down this hallway let’s give it hel-“ It happened in a split moment. Kev watched, as time seemingly slowed down, red spikes extending from the floor and piercing into the squad leader, some spikes getting deflected off the armor, but most finding small gaps and piercing into them “What…” the Leader coughed,

“Leader!” the knight that was watching the hallway got up, but as he was running over more red spikes extended from the floor and piercing the knight.

‘What the fuck is going on…” Kev looked down towards the floor, looking at the spikes, then noticing the blood trail the spikes followed “The blood!” He yelled, jumping to the side just intime to avoid the spikes jutting from the blood at his feet.

“Fucking bas-huh?” he turned around, facing who he thought was the culprit only to see them, further down the hallway where they met the same fate, pierced by needles jutting out from the floor “The hell?!” He stood up, glancing back at his now dead comrades before moving towards the one-armed deceased knight. “Infection? Some sort of skill?” He raised an eyebrow.

‘Just to be safe’ He thought, aiming at the knight’s head before shooting. The rifle shot out a pure blue beam that flew in the air towards the knight’s head, which twisted and stretched unnaturally to avoid the shot “The SHIT?!” Kev’s eyes widened, hearing a female’s voice from the deformed head, “Do you have no respect for the fucking dead or something you little shit!” The head snapped back into place, then snapped back 180 degrees to face him. “Well?! Do ya?!”

Kev blinked, then yelled and began firing off more rounds. The monster melted, becoming a pure red blob as it twisted, squished, and shifted to avoid the shots. After firing off rounds Kev cursed ‘The body is too flexible…’ He thought, even if he aimed at the thicker parts it just opened a gap in its body to avoid let it pass. He needed something more direct, or more people to shoot at it.

Then, the worse happened for Kev, his rifle clicked and spewed out steam. His eyes went wide, looking down at this empty rifle. “Oh no, is someone out of shots?” Kev looked up, feeling sweat roll down his brow as he watched the blob shook and reformed itself into the body of Catherine, the ships best scout. Kev gulped “So what now buddy? I have about 5 ways to kill you, which one you want?” She grinned.

Kev backed up, then, in an act of desperation he ran back and ripped the sword out of his deceased comrade’s hands drawing them both and pointing one at her “Fuck you.” He simply said, but was taken aback when she started laughing “What’s so funny you monster? I know you can’t to-” He stopped when the girl rose a single finger in the air.

“You picked option one.”

Kev blinked “wha-“ He didn’t get to finish as the blood on the floor near his comrades body grew spikes, piercing into his body “the blood?!” Kev coughed, spitting out blood that flew down the hall.

“Seriously, for people that fight in space you are all horrible at remembering the gravity is off.” Catherine snickered. The spikes withdrawing from the bodies, then slithering over to her to be reabsorbed into herself. “The disadvantages of technology, eh?” she bent over and flicked the deceased Kev’s boots, causing the limp body to slowly start to spin in the air.

Catherine looked over the mess she made, put her hands on her hips, and let out a satisfying huff. She basked in the feeling for a few moments before turning down the hall, stopping as she passed the empty rifle. “…” she stared at it for a sec before grabbing it and ripping out the battery. Taking a closer look at the oval object she giggled “These rifles are so stupid.” She said, stuffing the battery in her mouth and swallowing.

She patted her belly, which was now sizzling and bubbling as it dissolved the object “Fired about 50 shots, then says its out when it still has a charge left.” She shrugged, if she had to guess the remaining charge could have been used for a few more shots, not that it would of changed anything. “but when every shot matters…” she pondered as she walked down the empty hall.

Catherine walked down the hall, taking a moment to gather her progress. “Been 5 hours, gravity is down which I find it hilarious most of the groups can’t remember.” She stopped to chuckle before continuing “especially that Jiji girl…” Catherine shrugged “Most of the misc crew are dead, remaining fighting force is also gone.

“Contact!” Catherine stopped, looking ahead at another group of 3 knights turning a corner, two swords, one rifle. “Oh fuck that.” She snapped her fingers, 2 of the knights going limp, one of the knights with a sword remaining unaffected.

The knight turned towards his comrades after hearing their pained moans “Fellas?! What happened?!” he asked, going over to shake one but his only answer was a pained scream. He grabbed the rifle off his buddy and pointed it towards her. “What did you do!”

She groaned in response “fucking party pooper… and had to be one of the squads with a rifle” Catherine shrugged ‘makes sense, I am near the command center’ she thought.

“Answer me you bitch!” Catherine locked eyes with him, glaring “Do you even know how to use that?” she asked.

“I… I know enough to make you pay!” He said, finding the trigger and firing. Catherine didn’t even bother evading as the shot whizzed passed her, she smirked her fist inflating into a spiked ball which slammed into the floor. “Oh, better question, do you know how to use that in zero G?” The man’s response was to fire again, which had the same result as the last time.

Her grin widened, as the rest of her arm turned into a chain that she started spinning. “hey hey~ come on man~ I believe in you~” She taunted, still not bothering to dodge as the man fired recklessly.

“FUCK YOU!” The man screamed. Catherine’s grin stretched unnaturally now, splitting her face in half “Oooo~ testy, oh hey, final question. How many rounds does that have?” and to answer her question, the gun clicked, letting out steam. The knight blinked, looking down and shaking the gun “w-what going on? This is supposed to be able to take out A-ranks! What the hell is going on?! Why won’t you d-*thunk*” A dull sound echoed, the spiked ball landing on the knight’s head, pushing his head down into his body.

“never gets old.” Catherine laughed, her face returning to normal as she walked over. The muffled screams of the two crippled knights growing louder and more desperate as she neared “Yeah yeah, been over this like a hundred times today” She said, two needles stretching out from her body and piercing the two in the skull. She then picked up the rifle, took out the battery, and ate it like the other. “now then…” She continued down the hall, turning the corner and coming face to face to the door to the command center.

“time for the main event.”

Inside the Command center Rose, Dolan, A few dozen noncombative workers, and the captain remained. The captain pacing around the room ‘Running out of options here...’ he thought. He had just sent out his last team in hopes to restore communications but had no clue if they would even make it that far. “utter failure” he mumbled to himself “That’s all this has been.” He shook, he was beyond stressed.

His best team had been cut in half, all the people who could actually use combat level magic dead, minus Rose, Jiji was a huge lose. ‘If only she reported in instead of running off’ He clicked his tongue, he wouldn’t let his last remaining witch die by going off by herself, and Rose was smart enough not to. “Fuck!” He slammed his fist into the console, by now just a broken mess.

“At this rate I wouldn’t be surprised if everyone not in this room is dead…the screaming stopped awhile ago.” Rose said, adjusting the rifle in her hands.

Dolan Nodded, drawing two swords “last screams were close too.” He said, cracking his neck “Sure we should of sent them out? And not just hold off in here?”

Rose shook her head “We needed to get comms back online, could of got back up or at least made a report.” She glanced over to the captain, who really was not of much use now.

They all perked up, hearing the beeping of someone entering in the door code. Rose pointed her gun at the door as it opened slowly, revealing one of the knights that they just sent out awhile ago, looking wounded “repo-“ Rose interrupted him, firing a shot aimed directly at the soldiers chest. A gap formed in the chest, allowing the shot to pass threw harmlessly. The knight’s face shifted, taking the form of a very unamused Catherine “You are no fun.” She said, the rest of her body following suit.

“And you are a murderous monster.” Rose aimed, trying to get a clean shot.

Catherine shrugged “True.” She looked towards Dolan and smiled, giving him a little wave “Sup big guy.”

“Sod off.” He spat.

“Ouch my feelings.” She then faced the captain “Sup asswipe, I am here for a bit of payback” she said, reaching behind her and pulling out an arrow from within her body “Imma shove this right up your ass.”

The captain gulped, standing up straight “W-wait, There is no need for that.”

“Oh but there is, you slapped me preeeeetty hard back there, and pulling on my ears was not very nice” Catherine said, shaking the arrow back and forth. “plus, I am almost done here, and would really like to clean this up soon. Plans and all.” She chuckled.

“Please! I insist there is surely a way for the rest of us to make it out of here alive, perhaps a deal?”

Catherine raised an eyebrow, thinking for a moment “Lets see, What could you possible offer me that I wouldn’t automatically own after I kill everyone in this room?” She snorted.

Rose was about to fire another shot to try and wipe that look off her face but stopped once the captain extended his arm out to stop her. “I will admit you made a bit of a mess here…”

“A big mess” Catherine corrected.

“Right… a big mess” He coughed “And I am sure you are aware we made a report to HQ before you had your lit-big rampage.”

Catherine shrugged “And? What of it? I know a ship is on its way, but that’s in a week.”

Rose scoffed “Its not just any ship, it’s a capitol ship, a dungeon processor.”

Catherine raised her eyebrow, searching her memories she had gathered from the people she killed. Finding information on it revealed that, while this ship was a scout and not that big, about 366m in length. The capitol ship they were referring to was massive in comparison, it was like a moving city.

Catherine once again shrugged “I can take it.”

The captains jaw dropped “Y-you don’t understand, it will destroy you if they arrive to see us missing. That would move your rank all the way up to the start of S-rank, a threat deemed not even worth the risk of engaging by that ship! They will just erase your dungeon on the spot.”

She groaned “For someone who just cleaned up your ship you sure do love underestimating me.”

He shook his head “I’m trying to get out of here with my life you bitch!”

Catherine raised her hand, which quickly sharpened into a spear “You sure don’t sound like it.”

The captain took a step back, calming himself before he spoke “I… apologize, Look, what I offer you is a way to live, while I also manage to keep my life and the remaining crew.” He looked at her, trying to gauge her reaction, not seeing any interest he gulped but continued.

“What I offer you is my personal recommendation to become a member of the dungeon alliance.”