章 7: Chapter 7: A Glimmer of Humanity
The group trudged forward through the grimy sewer tunnels, their nerves stretched thin from the encounter with William Birkin. The air was damp, thick with the stench of decay, and their flashlights barely pierced the oppressive darkness. Azizah's mind raced as she led the group, her enhanced reflexes and memories of the game keeping her on edge.
A faint sound echoed through the tunnels—footsteps. Human footsteps. Azizah halted abruptly, raising a hand to stop the group.
"Do you hear that?" Leon whispered, his flashlight darting around the walls.
"Yeah," Azizah replied softly. "Stay sharp."
They rounded a corner, and Azizah's breath caught at the sight before her. Standing there, her revolver drawn and aimed at them, was a young woman with shoulder-length brown hair and a red leather jacket. Next to her, clutching her hand tightly, was a little girl with blonde hair and wide, frightened eyes.
"Stop right there!" the woman demanded, her voice steady but tense.
Azizah's heart raced. Claire Redfield. And that must be Sherry Birkin—William Birkin's daughter.
"Wait!" Leon called out, stepping forward with his hands raised. "We're with RPD. We're not infected."
Claire hesitated, her eyes scanning the group. Azizah could see the wheels turning in her mind, weighing their words against her instinct for survival.
Azizah stepped forward slowly, lowering her weapon. "Claire Redfield, right?" she said gently. "We're here to help. That's Sherry with you, isn't it?"
Claire's eyes widened. "How do you know my name? And hers?"
Azizah cursed inwardly at her slip but kept her composure. "We've been tracking survivors. Your name came up on a missing persons report. Sherry … she's important. She doesn't belong down here."
Claire's grip on her revolver loosened slightly. She glanced at Sherry, who was clutching her side nervously, then back at the group. "You're really with the police?"
Leon nodded. "Rookie cop. Name's Leon Kennedy. This is Officer Azizah Lockhart, Officer Kevin Ryman, Ada Wong, and… Ben Bertolucci."
"Journalist," Ben added quickly, stepping out from behind Kevin.
Claire let out a slow breath, lowering her weapon. "Alright. Sorry for pointing the gun. You can't be too careful down here."
"No need to apologize," Azizah replied, relief washing over her. "You did what you had to."
---
The Group Expands
As they moved to a safer section of the sewer, Claire explained how she had found Sherry in the chaos of the outbreak. The young girl had been wandering alone, scared and confused, before Claire stumbled upon her in a warehouse.
"She's been through hell," Claire said, her voice heavy with concern. "She keeps talking about her parents, but I don't know what to tell her."
Azizah exchanged a glance with Ada, who raised a subtle eyebrow. They both knew the truth: Sherry's parents were Annette and William Birkin, the scientists responsible for the G-virus. And William was now the monster they had just fought.
Azizah crouched down to Sherry's level, softening her voice. "Hey, Sherry. My name's Azizah. You're really brave for coming this far."
Sherry clung to Claire's jacket but nodded timidly. "Are you here to help us?"
Azizah smiled. "That's right. We're going to keep you safe."
---
System Update
Azizah's system chimed softly in her mind, pulling her attention briefly away from the group.
---
Objective Update:
Officers Remaining: 14
Bonus Survivors Found: 5 (Kevin Ryman, Ben Bertolucci, Rita Phillips, Claire Redfield, Sherry Birkin)
Challenge Progress: 97%
Reward Unlocked: 3 Gacha Spins + 2 Bonus Spins for Additional Survivors Found
---
Azizah's heart swelled with determination. She was so close to completing the challenge. But she knew the hardest part was still ahead. The tunnels weren't safe, and there were more horrors waiting for them.
---
A New Threat
The group's brief reprieve was cut short by a distant roar that reverberated through the sewers. Everyone froze, their weapons at the ready.
"Please tell me that's not what I think it is," Kevin muttered, gripping his pistol.
"It's him," Ada said calmly, checking her weapon. "Birkin."
Claire's face paled as she instinctively pulled Sherry closer. "We need to move. Now."
Azizah nodded. "Stick together. Protect Sherry at all costs."
The group pressed forward, their pace quickening as the roars grew louder. Azizah's system provided her with real-time updates, highlighting potential escape routes and hazards. She led them with precision, her enhanced reflexes making her acutely aware of every movement around her.
Suddenly, the tunnel ahead of them exploded in a shower of concrete and metal. William Birkin, now in his third grotesque mutation, emerged from the debris. His massive claws scraped against the walls as his glowing, infected eye fixated on the group.
"Go!" Azizah shouted, stepping in front of the group. "I'll hold him off!"
"No way!" Leon protested, raising his gun. "We're in this together."
Azizah's system chimed again.
---
Emergency Challenge: Survive William Birkin (Stage 3)
Reward: Weapon Upgrade + 50 Points
---
Azizah clenched her fists, adrenaline surging through her veins. "Fine. Then let's take him down."
The battle was chaos-a nightmarish symphony of violence and despair.Azizah stood at the forefront, her bodybattered and bruised, every punch and kick delivered with raw fury to distract Birkin. The mutated creature roared, his grotesque form surging forward with relentless hatred, eyes glowing with a malevolence that sent shivers down their spines
Leon, Kevin, and Claire fired in desperation, their bullets barely making a dent in the monstrous behemoth "He's not slowing down!" Claire yelled, her voice cracking with panic as she reloaded with shaking hands
"Just keep shooting!" Leon barked, sweat and blood mingling on his face as he unleashed a barrage of bullets aimed at Birkin's head. The rounds sparked against bone and sinew, but Birkin barely flinched, his rage focused entirely on one target: Sherry
Sherry clung tightly to Ben Bertolucci, her small frame trembling with sobs as the chaos unfolded around them. "I'm scared," she whimpered, tears streaking her pale cheeks.
Ben's face twisted into a grimace. He was no hero-he never had been. Self-preservation had always been his guiding principle, yet something deep inside twisted at the sight of Sherry's terror. Gritting his teeth, he tightened his arms around her and stepped back toward the shadows
"Ben, get her out of here!" Leon shouted, noticing Birkin's attention shift.
Ben hesitated, his instincts screaming at him to leave the girl and run. But then Sherry's wide, tear-filled eyes met his, pleading for protection. A surge of guilt and rage burned through him. "Dammit, he muttered under his breath.
As Birkin lunged forward, Ben turned and bolted with Sherry in his arms. He wasn't gentle, stumbling over debris as he shoved open a crumbling door and ducked into the hallway beyond. "Stay quiet," he hissed at her, pressing her into a dark corner. His chest heaved, sweat pouring down his face. Every fiber of his being wanted to leave her there and save himself, but his legs refused to move.
Back in the room, Ada darted from cover to cover, her movements a blur of precision. Her shots struck the glowing weak points on Birkin's body, causing bursts of sickly green ichor to spray, but the creature roared, unfazed. "We can't keep this up," she called out, her voice cold but laced with urgency
"Then we die trying!" Azizah shouted throwing herself into the fray again. Her fists and legs collided with Birkin's hide like thunderclaps, "Keep hitting the eye!" Azizah shouted, landing a powerful Spinning Bird Kick that momentarily staggered Birkin, but the toll on her body was obvious. Blood streamed from a deep gash on her arm, and her breathing was ragged.
Kevin grabbed a nearby pipe and swung it with all his might, aiming for Birkin's exposed flank. The impact made a sickening crack, but Birkin barely acknowledged it, swiping Kevin aside like a ragdoll. Kevin hit the wall with a thud, groaning as he crumpled to the floor.
Meanwhile, Leon and Claire rushed forward to pull Azizah back. "You can't keep this up!" Leon yelled, dragging her away just as Birkin's claw slammed into the ground where she had stood moments before.
Azizah glared at him. "If we don't stop him here, he'll kill her!" she spat, blood dripping from her mouth.
"Ben's got her," Claire said, though the doubt in her voice was palpable
Ben, for his part, was doing everything he could to keep Sherry hidden. He pressed his back against the door he had barricaded, gripping a rusted pipe he had picked up along the way. "If he gets through, you run," he told Sherry in a low, shaky voice. "You hear me? You run."
Sherry sniffled, her small voice trembling. "I don't want to leave you."
Ben clenched his jaw, his selfish nature warring with the strange, protective instinct he couldn't shake. "You'll live," he muttered.
The barricade shuddered as Birkin's roar echoed through the halls..
---
To Be Continued...
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