บท 13: The Transcendence Room
As Asher cautiously stepped onto the 33rd floor, an overwhelming sense of foreboding enveloped him. The atmosphere shifted, heavy and unsettling. The dimly lit corridor stretched out before him, its flickering fluorescent lights casting eerie shadows on the cracked walls. The air was thick with the acrid scent of chemicals and blood.
Every step Asher took echoed ominously, reverberating through the desolate corridor. He proceeded with utmost caution, aware that danger could be lurking around any corner. Unlike on the 34th floor where he moved swiftly, here his movements were slow and calculated.
His mission on this floor was to find the ID card to awaken BOI-TEK. With each step he took through the eerie silence, Asher's heart pounded in his chest. The weight of the task ahead weighed heavily on him.
As he continued down the corridor, Asher entered the first room he encountered. Suddenly, from the shadows, a zombie emerged, coming face-to-face with Asher. Its pale, decaying flesh hung loosely from its bones, and its milky eyes fixed on Asher with a hunger that sent a chill down his spine.
Without hesitation, the undead lunged toward Asher with outstretched arms. Reacting swiftly, Asher swung his baton with precision, aiming for the approaching monster's head.
Crack!
The weapon connected with a sickening thud, sending shards of bone and rotting flesh flying through the air. The creature stumbled backward, momentarily stunned by the blow.
However, the undead quickly regained its composure, its gnarled hands reaching out to grab Asher. With a quick sidestep, Asher evaded the monster's grasp, his heart pounding in his chest. He knew that one misstep could cost him his life.
Summoning all his strength, Asher delivered another powerful strike, targeting the zombie's torso. The impact reverberated through his arms as the baton collided with the creature's ribcage, cracking bones and causing it to double over in agony.
Seizing the opportunity, Asher swiftly delivered a final blow. With an upward motion, he brought his baton crashing down on the creature's skull, shattering it with bone-crushing force. The zombie collapsed to the ground, its lifeless body twitching in its final moments.
"Phew, that was close..." Asher breathed heavily, wiping the sweat from his brow. His eyes scanned the room for any sign of the elusive ID card but found nothing. Disappointed, he moved on to the next room.
Alone and determined, Asher ventured further into the floor, facing more monsters. The first few undead were dispatched with practiced efficiency. Each swing of his baton was accompanied by a sickening thud, the metallic sound of impact echoing through the corridors. However, despite his efforts, none of the fallen creatures possessed the coveted ID card he desperately sought.
After eliminating three more zombies, Asher's frustration grew. He had searched their decaying bodies in vain and scanned four rooms, finding no trace of the ID card.
Then, a particular door caught his attention. It stood at the end of the hallway, distinct from the others. Its worn surface bore a faded inscription: "Transcendence Room."
A shiver ran down Asher's spine as he read those words. The name seemed eerily familiar, causing a complicated expression to cross his face as he gazed at the door.
Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Asher saw a figure identical to himself standing beside him. It was Shadow, finally deciding to show himself. Asher turned to him and asked, "Shadow, do you know what this room is?"
"Yes, you don't need to know. You should stay away from it," Shadow replied, looking at the room with a complicated expression.
"What!? Why? What if the ID card is inside that room?" Asher protested.
"Alright, we will leave it for last. If we can't find the ID card anywhere else, then we can enter it," Shadow conceded.
"No, I will enter it. I need to understand what happened to me in this place," Asher said firmly, summoning his resolve. He approached the chamber, determined to uncover the truth.
Sighing in annoyance, Shadow gave up trying to convince Asher and followed him cautiously.
As Asher pushed the door, it creaked open with eerie reluctance, revealing a room shrouded in darkness. The dim light from the corridor cast distorted shadows that danced ominously within the confines of the chamber.
With each step he took, the air grew heavier, and the sense of dread intensified. As Asher entered the room, his breath caught in his throat. The sight that met his eyes was a macabre tableau of horror.
The chamber was filled with remnants of grotesque experiments. Glass tanks filled with murky liquid housed misshapen animals, their contorted forms a grotesque mockery of life. The stench of decay and chemical preservatives filled the air, assaulting Asher's senses and threatening to overwhelm him.
Research papers were strewn across the floor, revealing horrifying details of the experiments conducted on this floor. Inhuman trials, genetic manipulations, and psychological tortures were just a glimpse into the depravity that took place within these walls.
"Who could do such a thing..." Asher whispered, his grip tightening on the multiple research papers he had picked up. A sinking feeling settled within his gut as he realized the true nature of this room. "Shadow, is this what happened to us in here?"
"..." Once again, Shadow remained silent, choosing not to answer Asher's questions.
Asher's heart pounded in his chest as he struggled to comprehend the extent of the horrors that had taken place. Suddenly, a chilling feeling brushed against his senses, accompanied by an otherworldly wail. He turned toward a certain direction, his eyes widening in horror at the scene before him.
His heart sank as his eyes fell upon a table in the center of the room. Strapped to it was a figure, their features distorted beyond recognition. Wires and tubes snaked from their body, connecting to blinking monitors and humming machines.
"He's alive!?" Asher exclaimed in horror, his gaze locked onto the figure's eyes. Though filled with a hollow emptiness, a glimmer of light deep within them seemed to plead for release, silently begging for an end to the torment.
A profound sense of grief and anger welled up within Asher, a visceral reaction to the unimaginable suffering that had taken place here. The weight of the atrocities committed in the name of science threatened to crush him, but he refused to succumb.
"Leave him, don't touch him," Shadow commanded, understanding what Asher was thinking.
"I... I can't leave him like this," Asher murmured, his eyes distant.
"No, it's too dangerous. Don't approach him," Shadow warned.
"I will be careful. If I sense danger, I will end his suffering," Asher said, gripping a knife tightly in his hand. Determined, he stepped forward, ready to confront the unknown.
Shadow sighed for the third time, realizing he couldn't stop Asher. He followed closely, his expression serious, prepared to intervene if necessary.
With a trembling hand, Asher reached out to end the poor soul's torment. But as his fingers brushed against the restraints, a sudden jolt of electricity coursed through his body, causing him to recoil in pain. The machines surrounding the table sprang to life, their shrill beeps and alarms cutting through the eerie silence.
Asher stumbled backward, his heart racing as he realized he had unwittingly awakened something within this forsaken place. The machines launched thick beams of electricity directly toward the figure's body, causing it to roar in a low, tortured voice.
"ROAR!!!"
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