[...te! W...p! Da...!]
The voice sounded weak and distant, barely penetrating the layers of darkness shrouding his consciousness. As unfamiliar as it was, the urgency in its tone beckoned him to focus on it. And so he did. He focused on the voice, followed it, and tried to move in its direction. As he got ever so close, a spark ignited, and the darkness vanished.
Tearing his eyes open, Dante drew in a sharp gasp of air. His mind was a chaotic mess as he whipped his head left and right, not understanding where he was or how he got there. The room was enveloped in darkness, almost entirely. A few meters to the left, a small square hung in the eyes, fluorescent flashing beyond it.
[Dante, are you awake?]
The voice spoke again, serving as an anchor around which his thoughts settled. In just a few seconds, Dante was able to banish the chaos from his mind and put himself on a path toward regaining his calmness.
He tried to move his body around and discovered that he was tied to a chair, with zip ties, from the looks of it. It didn’t feel like he was hurting anywhere, but there was this slight discomfort all over his body, as if he had been on one too many roller coasters in quick succession.
’Volcan...’ Taking another deep breath, he surveyed his surroundings once more, this time with a less panicked mind. ’What happened?’
[You were hit with a powerful sound attack.] The AI replied. [It doesn’t seem to have dealt any significant physical damage, but it was still enough to render you unconscious.]
’A... a sound attack?’
Dante strained his mind and tried to recall the last thing he saw before getting knocked out. A van stopped right behind him, then the door on its side slid open. Inside was a strange device that looked like the stripped cone of a speaker. He could have sworn that he saw it vibrate slightly, and an instant later, his entire body was struck by an invisible force.
’That’s... messed up...’
The only time he ever heard about something resembling a sound weapon was the anti-riot cannons that have been in use in recent times. Being hit with one of those was said to be far from pleasant, and having experienced it himself, Dante could attest to it.
’How long... how long was I out of it?’
’An... hour and a half...’
Dante pressed his lips shut and closed his eyes.
’Do you know where we are?’
[I am afraid I do not.] The AI answered, sounding apologetic. [The vehicle used to move you was entirely insulated. I have been unable to connect to anything since your capture.]
’That’s... not good...’
Dante considered how that would affect what he had to do next, then moved on to a more important question. ’The Eisenberg girl?’
[She has been taken somewhere else.]
The girl being taken away wasn’t exactly bad news—he had been looking for a way to get her off of his back for some time now. The only negative would be that he had lost the powerful bodyguard he had planned on hiding behind if things got tough.
[Dante, I have performed some threat evaluations while you were being transported into this room. The highest I came across was a Level 3 Ascended cyborg equipped for durability. There have been several Level 2s as well, and no shortage of Level 1s. Additionally, there are enough weapons in this place to raise the threat of each by at least one level. As indicated by the heavy security, I believe this place holds great significance to the enemy.]
’Huh... I didn’t really expect that...’
One would think that captives like him would be taken into some isolated warehouse or garage for interrogation, not a base full of Enhanced Individuals.
[I would recommend using Type 6-5 to escape this place, but...]
’I can’t use it for more than a minute, huh?’
[Twenty-two seconds, to be exact.]
’Okay, let me think this through...’
In this situation, the first thing he needed to do was reorganize his priorities so he could decide on his next move. Right now, ensuring his safety is at the top of the list, which means escaping this dungeon should be his main goal.
Looking for Catalyst, on the other hand, dropped to the bottom of the list. The miracle drug was of no use to him if he were to die.
Then there was the Eisenberg girl.
A clang disrupted Dante’s thoughts. He turned to the floating square of light just as it warped, moving to the side as a long white line slowly widened. It was only then that he realized it was a door.
Standing behind it was a man painted black by the light cast from behind him. He stood there in eerie silence, not moving an inch. After what felt like a minute passed, he slowly raised his right hand and flipped a switch that was likely there from the star, causing light to erupt inside the room.
Dante closed his eyes on reflex then slowly forced them open, rushing to get a look at his capture. The man was tall and far too thin, a quality made more prominent by the tight clothes he was wearing. He didn’t have a single strand of hair on his head, and with how pale he was, one couldn’t be wronged for mistaking him for a corpse.
Judging by the lines that appeared to be carved into his scalp and face, as well as the faint glow in his eyes, Dante assumed that he had undergone some enhancements in those areas.
[Threat Evaluation: Level 2 Advanced cyborg.]
A frown took over Dante’s face as he stared back at the man. Their silent contest went on until the man turned away and opened his mouth.
The words echoed several times before fading, replaced by the sound of footsteps approaching the chamber. The thin man moved aside to make way for the new arrivals—a massive behemoth whose frame filled the entrance, and a much shorter guy dressed in what appears to be a hooded cloak.