Ash Calder moved like a shadow through the crumbling corridors of Sector 9B. The air was thick with dust and the metallic tang of decay, a constant reminder that this place had been abandoned long before the system's collapse accelerated humanity's downfall. Broken neon signs flickered overhead, barely illuminating the debris-strewn floor.
Every step I took was calculated; every sound cataloged. I didn't walk; I scanned.
My HUD flared briefly, mapping the environment in wireframe overlays.
Heat signatures flickered on the periphery one too many for comfort. My eyes adjusted instinctively, scanning for movement, structural weaknesses, and anomalies.
"Renders ahead. Three, maybe four,"
I muttered, my voice low, almost a reflex.
The monsters system-generated aberrations were everywhere in this sector, the result of incomplete deletion protocols. The Renders were the weakest of them, but dangerous if underestimated. I crouched behind a toppled concrete barrier, crouch-low and silent, and observed.
One Render moved with an awkward, jerky gait, its humanoid frame flickering unnaturally, as if the system couldn't fully stabilize it. Its face was blank, featureless, the pale flesh stretched over malformed bones. Its companions were less humanoid: one resembled a hybrid canine, its movements jerky but precise, muscles twitching in unpredictable patterns.
I reached for my combat blade, a custom tool forged for silent takedowns and efficiency. It hummed as it activated, an energy field along the edge glowing faint blue. Perfect for cutting through soft tissue or glitching constructs.
I exhaled slowly. One Render was near the debris of what had once been a convenience store. The other two patrolled the corridor junction ahead.
Timing was everything. I had survived in Sector 9B long enough to know that hesitation could mean death.
I darted from cover with the speed of a predator. The first Render barely reacted before his blade sliced through its neck. Sparks of system corruption pulsed through its body as it convulsed, then collapsed in a heap of twitching limbs.
The two remaining Renders froze, their HUD-mimicked "awareness" glitching for a second. Ash used that split second. I rolled into the corridor junction, energy blade slicing the second Render mid-lunge. It emitted a high-pitched feedback shriek, collapsing into the wall with a thud.
The hybrid canine snarled, teeth snapping, and lunged at me. I pivoted, letting the creature's momentum carry it past me before swinging the blade in a low arc, severing its spine in a clean sweep. Its glitching body twitched once, twice, then went still.
I exhaled slowly, scanning the area.
Nothing moved. No heat signatures.
Not yet.
The Render carcasses provided nothing useful. Weapons and ammo were scarce, and he couldn't risk overextending. The system would mark me as an anomaly if I lingered too long in one location. He moved toward what remained of the convenience store. Broken shelves lined the walls, littered with dust-covered cans and containers, some still sealed, others exploded from years of neglect.
My HUD highlighted potential consumables: water packets, preserved rations, and luckily one functioning medkit. I picked it up, scanning for contamination. The chemical analysis confirmed it was safe, at least by my standards.
While scavenging, I noticed something else: faint scorch marks near the back exit. Heat residuals. Not recent, but not old. Someone or something had passed through here recently.
I paused, listening. The sector was silent now, but silence in Sector 9B was never a good sign. The walls seemed to close in, wires dangling from the ceiling, sparking faintly. My boots echoed on cracked tile as I moved cautiously, scanning the shadowed corners.
A sudden movement. Fast. Too fast. I pivoted just in time to block a strike from a humanoid figure another survivor. But this one wasn't friendly.
A woman, mid-20s, black combat suit fused with partial system augmentations. K eyes glowed faint red from HUD overlays. She swung a melee weapon, the blade humming like his own, but faster, sharper, erratic.
I dodged, barely avoiding a laceration across my shoulder. Sparks flew as metal clashed. I recognized immediately: system-aligned. Likely hunting resources or me.
"You shouldn't be here," she said, voice cold, detached.
"I could say the same," I replied evenly, sidestepping and slicing a panel from the wall to use as cover.
The fight was quick, tactical. I relied on Adaptive Combat to mimic her movements, anticipate the rhythm.
The woman cursed under her breath, realizing he wasn't a typical survivor.
They traded strikes, neither yielding ground.
A misstep from her allowed me to push a shelf, creating a small avalanche of debris. She stumbled, and I exploited the moment with Glitch Phase, phasing his arm through her defense, disarming her and pinning her against the wall.
"Drop it. Now," I said.
She hesitated. Then, with a flicker in her HUD, she disengaged and backed off. I watched her leave, noting her route in his HUD. Not an enemy I could ignore but not one I could fight right now.
I moved deeper into Sector 9B, navigating collapsed corridors and collapsed ventilation shafts. I scanned for resources, system data caches, and if I was lucky weapon upgrades.
The sector had a layered structure: surface ruins leading to underground bunkers, some still active, some completely abandoned. Most were too dangerous, either collapsed or crawling with Renders and other anomalies. I preferred the middle zones, where scavenging yielded usable tech without constant ambush.
My HUD picked up a resource node an old power generator with residual energy. I approached cautiously. The system flagged it as partially corrupted. Overloading it could give him energy, but could also alert nearby anomalies.
I activated the generator slowly, monitoring the system feedback.
Sparks arced across the casing. A sudden pulse of energy surged into my HUD, refreshing my vision overlays and system maps for the sector. The pulse also triggered a faint whine an alert signal in the sector.
Renders approaching. Multiple.
Second Wave
I readied my blade and movement enhancements. The system allowed me to track positions in real-time. Two Renders and one Chimera Hound were closing fast. They were faster now, adapting slightly to his previous movements an early example of the system's learning algorithm.
I crouched behind a barricade, calculating the kill order. Chimera Hound first least predictable. Then the Renders. Timing and precision would be everything.
As the Chimera lunged, I executed Execution Protocol. Time slowed for me, every movement precise, every angle calculated. I struck the Hound with perfect timing, energy blade slicing through its torso. Sparks of system corruption flickered across its body as it convulsed, then went still.
The Renders hesitated, seemingly aware of the Protocol. I pivoted, striking one down with a clean sweep, then immediately turned to dispatch the last. Silence fell again.
Among the debris, I salvaged a compact energy cell, two medkits, and a small amount of ammo. Enough to survive another day, at least.
Deeper Threats
I paused at a corridor junction leading to an underground access point. The walls were scorched, structural supports bent. My HUD highlighted faint residual heat signatures far below a reminder that Sector 9B was layered with dangers, some not even human, some not even alive in the traditional sense.
I descended carefully, using System Sync to detect anomalies and structural weaknesses. The air grew colder, the faint hum of failing power systems echoing through the tunnel. Here, in the underground bunkers, old survivors sometimes hid or trapped their enemies. Every corner could conceal a threat, every shadow could be death.
I paused at the base of the underground stairs, looking into the darkness below. The faint glow of system corruption flickered on the walls, reflecting off the metal grates.
I could feel the weight of the sector pressing down, as if the world itself were watching.
For now, I was alone, armed, and ready.
But Sector 9B never stayed quiet for long.
My eyes narrowed. A small smirk flickered across my face. Survival wasn't guaranteed but neither was death.
Not yet.
I descended into the shadows.