32. The Anomaly Recovery Unit

“Anomaly. Unknown resonance detected. Coordinates will be sent out to the nearest Conduit. If they’re still alive. Requesting ARU from Site K-E4.”

A series of heavy steps echoed in the darkness of the cavern.

The stench of death pervaded every corner as pale orbs of light penetrated ahead. The light was a simple [Flare] spell. It was not a Skill that could simply be used on demand. [Flare] required an elaborate chant and immense concentration for it to remain active.

Despite this, the concept behind it was simple. If one understood it well then it could be conjured even without a chant. These minds usually belonged to gifted individuals. However, in ImpulseWorks and Atelier Personnel in general – like those who investigated these caverns – it was one of the few magics they knew, so naturally they would have immense control over it.

The orb hovered over the corpse of a giant preying mantis. One by one, the figures entered the light and began carefully investigating its severely mangled body. Each of them donned gas masks with a bright-green visor. Within that visor was a CognitO Filter that allowed one to filter out hazardous material to the mind.

Green, unreflective body suits carrying the discrete insignia of a heart with a bolt of electricity sat on the left side of their chests. Matte black armor pieces lined their bodies like scales, and on their shoulders were suits that were worn like capes. Around their necks were green business ties – a staple of nearly all Atelier personnel.

These beings: the mix of humans and Demi-humans, were ImpulseWorks’ Anomaly Recovery Units. The armbands they wore carried the letter M, meaning they were amongst the weakest.

They were only present because they were already nearby when the train accident occurred.

“Operator. Take a look. The wounds of this one have bitemarks. That narrows it down quite a bit. It can’t be one of the humanoid Corrupted ImpulseWorks lost.” A woman spoke, sloshing a gloved hand into the wound of the mantis. “Which narrows it down… by not that much, huh.”

“All Corrupted tend to prey on the living in one way or another. It is odd, though. The mantis has too many bitemarks. It would have perished long before.” The Operator – who was the leader of a given ARU task force – uttered with gravitas as he knelt over the body, fiddling with the side of his gasmask. “… Complete silence.”

“So it ate them for… nutrition?” Another asked.

“If so, then that can further narrow it down to several possibilities.” The Operator answered. “M-T-F-451-02: ‘The Scared Crow’, O-Re-F-340-04: ‘Twice Upon a Time’, just to name a few. Both have been known to feed on the living. Nutrition wise? Unknown. Corrupted do not require sustenance in the first place.”

With that said, they trampled on the corpse, their boots sinking effortlessly through its thick carapace. They set their sights to the depths of the cavern where the offending Corrupted likely lurked.

Signs of combat and death were prevalent. They could only hope that the Corrupted in question was no stronger than themselves. Folded weapons were drawn from their backs and waists.

They were blades and daggers that emitted either a faint, burning light or electricity. Were they sent directly from a Site, then they would be far more heavily armed.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

“All for the sake of power generation. Makes you wonder what the Atelier would do to people in bulk if the Corrupted didn’t exist~” One hummed, delighted by the thought. “Instead of Workers, you get a slurry of people. Or what used to be.”

“Enough. If you have time to blabber nonsense, then hone your senses further. There is something strange about this place.”

It became hotter the deeper they ventured. The clopping of their footsteps gradually became sloppy squeaks, as if they were treading on glue. Thin, transparent slime stuck to the bottom of their boots as they left shallow imprints into the ground.

Upon further inspection, they came to a shocking realization.

“This might be a Corrupted Zone…”

“Operator. Do we continue? That is at least of the Eternal Night –!”

“We proceed. If not us, then another team will follow blindly behind us. Continue sending messages through the CognitO Transmitter.” There was not an ounce of fear in his eyes as he pushed through, whilst his team members froze with reluctance.

They eventually followed. Ignoring the orders of the Operator was akin to desertion. One would be punished either through immediate termination, be sent as a Worker to a Site, or if they were lucky, undergo reeducation.

There were no signs of life from this point on. Pools of cooling magma were about the only interesting thing present. Deeper yet revealed fleshy pillars and archways made from ribs. Thanks to their CognitO Filter, they had passed a critical section that would have rendered them dead.

It was the tunnel lined with the obsidian Looking Glass.

“Do not stare into the glass. The Filters will not be able to withstand extended exposure. Close your eyes if you must. Otherwise, scream. We will briefly thank you for your service before we send you to the next life. Personal belongings will return to your loved ones. I hope you have a next of kin ready to take your place.”

The Operator promised them a swift death in the event that they were enraptured by the Looking Glass. It was an object that could mentally destroy a person’s sense of self. CogitO, the supplier of the CognitO Filters, called this phenomenon Ego Death and would result in the transformation into a Shell – a catatonic husk of what was.

In other instances, it could transform the body in unpredictable ways.

Once through, the Operator congratulated them with a single clap. They proceeded without a shared word, their eyes scanning their surroundings until they came across a fleshy passage.

Within was a ruined chamber where a gaping hole sat in the ceiling.

It was as if a boulder had been plucked.

“Nothing is here after all.” He murmured, oddly disappointed.

“But that makes no sense. Rock morphed into flesh. This had been a Corrupted Zone at some point. Chances are that it’s still lurking somewhere.”

Corrupted Zones were supposed to disappear when a Corrupted was defeated. Only in rare instances did they permanently remain.

The most infamous example was Paradise Lost.

Those that remained within the ruins of Paradise were doomed to an incurable disease called the Pale Web. Paradise was the largest city in the world, and its inhabitants disappeared all in the span of a single night.

The Corrupted responsible was a twelve-winged humanoid bird – PL-Ri-T-012-00 – ‘The Icon of Judgement’.

Unfortunately, there was little else known about this world-altering Corrupted other than its mysterious defeat.

And something similar unfolded before their very eyes. With no Corrupted in sight and with the world altered, they turned their attention to a second gaping hole in the ceiling and stared into an abyss.

Something with enormous power had punched a kilometer-long tunnel through layers of stone. The inner walls were far too smooth to have been done by a natural force.

“… How are we going to explain this to ImpulseWorks…?” One asked the Operator with bated breath.

“We can only relay what we have found and our suspicions. There are signs of conflict here. I am frankly bewildered.” He pointed at the various meter-wide holes that punctured the stone platform they stood on, then back to the gaping hole. “There are markings of a blade as well. What on Elysia happened here…?”

“Should we send out a notice for reinforcements?”

“They can decide for themselves. Scarlet Logic has also been dabbling in these parts, so this may be their doing. Indeed… A Blood Moon or a Red Giant could have easily bored such a hole.”

He dwelled on the thought. Afterwards, he tapped on the side of his head again, as if to reach an itch behind his mask.

“In any case – We must set up a perimeter around these woodlands. Let the others know at once. Inform Scarlet Logic’s Dawn Teams Immediately. We will require their help.”