Back to the research facility.

Blake, Castiel, and Brian were still on the run to the teleportation array at the center of the floor, but that was when lights from the walls began scanning the corridors.

​​

[Intruders detected in the beast floor. Deploying SPI-X and PAC-X bots.]

"Shit!" The trio cursed as they kept on running.

Immediately the core raised the alarm, holes began opening on the walls as metal oval balls began dropping from them.

Before they touched the floor, the metal balls had unfolded into mechanical spiders that had a red glowing eye.

The walls close to them began opening up as more SPI-X bots jumped onto them, but they were met by invisible barriers and water whips.

At the same time, 5 PAC-X bots began appearing at the teleportation array, and just like those that were already patrolling, they all headed in Blake's direction.

The SPI-X bots had 2 functions. One was to keep an eye on the intruder's every move because the research facility didn't possess cameras.

The 2nd function was stalling or trapping the intruders while the big guns arrived.

Their cores were able to shoot out compressed fire in the form of lasers and their 8 limbs were razor sharp and able to interlink with the other bots to form an electric cage.

The cage would constantly release large amounts of electricity that would stun and render the intruder useless.

"What the fuck man!" Brian cursed as he saw spider bots on the walls, ground, and even ceiling, chasing after them.

As they ran, the metallic noise coming from their limbs made them feel like they were in a horror movie where the world had been taken over by machines.

The problem was that blocking the spider bots while running was quite difficult and in doing so, their speed was greatly reduced.

If things continued this way, they would be surrounded by PAC-X bots before they got to the teleportation array.

To ease the pressure coming from behind them, Brian made an earth wall erupt from beneath, blocking the entire corridor.

'That was easier than I thought…' Brian couldn't help but think when he no longer heard the clicking sounds of their limbs, but immediately he thought of it an explosion was heard behind them.

It turned out that SPI-X bots had actually stopped, but only to concentrate their laser beams.

Their actions formed a hole large many of them to pass through, rather than making multiple holes which would have made the process longer.

"Holy fuck!" The trio was shocked by the level of intelligence shown by the hive mind.

[From what I am seeing, if you guys were to meet another PAC-X bot, the fight wouldn't be as easy as before.] The system said.

The system was correct, not only had their processing and reaction speed increased but due to the fact that they were connected directly to the core, the safe pass granted by the journal would no longer be effective.

The core knew almost everything about Zultra. From his physical appearance to even his catchphrase and although the codex (journal) prevented the PAC-X bots from attacking them, it was able to override it.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Out of nowhere, the entire facility began quaking.

'What the hell now?!' At this point, the trio felt like they were being toiled with by a God who got pleasure from seeing them suffer.

[Intruder detected attacking facility's barrier. Deploying all PAC-X bots.] The voice of the core rang all over the facility.

Just as the core was done with the announcement, the PAC-X bot that had arrived in front of them turned back and speed to the teleportation array.

Seeing this, calmed down the hearts of the trio as they thanked whoever was causing the commotion.

'Could that be help?' The trio couldn't help but think that help had arrived, but all these didn't cause them to stop because the spider bots were still hot on their tail.

They were getting close to an intersection but there was no need to make a turn because their route was straight. The problem was that more spider bots were swarming from the other corridors.

'What do we do now?' Seeing the number of spider bots coming from the front and behind, Castiel knew they couldn't run their way through this.

'For a file and follow me.' Blake said as he threw a void dagger far into the corridor.

Void Shift!

Blake opened a spatial corridor and ran into it, but this time it didn't close after he went through.

He had left open the spatial corridor long enough for 3 people to get through, but it cost 3 times more mana.

Immediately they had all appeared at the other side of the corridor, Brian cast 2 earth walls to buy them more time as they continued the race.

…

At the surface.

Zirrack had thrown out only 10 punches but he was now standing in a 50-meter deep crater which had a width of over 70-meters.

With each punch he threw out, the more the temperature rose and the deeper he went.

The area around him was already on fire and the vegetation within 100 meters of him had already been burnt to ashes.

He kept on throwing punch after punch, but he began noticing the ground was getting stronger, meaning he was getting closer to the facility's surface.

After 5 minutes he was already 200 meters into the earth. He was currently standing in a pool of molten larva which was now knee length.

It wasn't because he had reach the core of the planet but because the intense heat he produced had made the ground met.

He was about to release another charged punch, but that was when golden-brown mechanical golems began appearing.

Due to the large space created from the explosions of each punch, the crater was more than enough to fit 20 PAC-X bots.

"Whatvtook you guys so long..." Zirrack halted his punches as he faced his new visitors.

It was common sense that every hidden facility like this would posses some sort of defense system, so he knew it was only a matter of time till they came for him.

His only hope right now, was that they were worth his time.