The Path Unknown

23. Corruption's Cleansing

Kage and Michiko moved swiftly just beyond an odd, deformed tree line. Sprinting without sign of fatigue, they looked for a possible entrance; as there was a hidden barrier right as they touched the first tree. This was supposed to be hidden and, because it held it's place between floors, somewhat virtually inaccessible. With the aid of both Buro and Yui, though, they made it without a problem. It was a simple "open the door and walk in" scenario that they haven't had in a while. Nothing about this game was simple, but this is where the challenge began. There was rumored to be one hole in the barrier around 200 meters from the entrance to the mid-level, which was closing in fast.

Reaching 100 meters from "The Gap", as Buro called it, they took an inventory check before crossing the barrier. All communications and ways of escaping would be blocked, no way out if this was a failure. The only way out would be for the AI they were rescuing to open the doors out.

"You think we can actually do this? I mean, otherwise we'll be stuck here till the game ends." Kage asked.

"Well, the good news is that we would have each other."

"Whats the bad news?"

"That we'll have each other that long." She stuck her tongue at him. He snickered and picked up his speed.

They got to the gap, which emitted a light and sounds of computer programs. The noises seemed like virtual chimes going hastily about in some sort of duty or oath they had to fill. Life-like with feeling and emotion in their mysterious noises, they made the scene all more eerie. Entering the rip in the barrier, they entered a room full of black walls and blue binary code that covered every inch of it. It was beautiful, if not for its purpose. The room was void and black, but there were walls. They gazed at the coding running from the top to bottom

In amazement. Suddenly, red lights flashed, they set off an alarm. Simultaneously, they drew their swords.

Mobs flooded from the black void, unlike anything they've seen. Deformed versions of the overworld monsters appeared. They were fungi-filled and fragile as they seemed to be infected with a virus; though they wielded unmatchable strength. Their claws made for their weapons, dense enough to clash with the metal from the blades without breaking. Sparks flew as the first of the strikes were blocked, the fight was on. Kage and Michiko fought them back, gaining space on the floor to maneuver.

The onslaught stopped for a moment, the beasts frozen in their places. The couple looked around and counted 24 enemies in total. 17 with large claws, 5 with smaller ones, and 2 with actual weapons guarding a door. Those had to be sentry-class mobs, though as deformed as they were. The monsters quickly restarted their attack while the two reacted faster than previously.

Kage hit one in where an abdomen would be, shattering it instantly. Michiko saw and took the information as she swung against the mob in front of her. Aiming for the stomach, she charged a skill that penetrated its claw; reaching its abdomen and destroying the creature. 2 down, 22 to clear. Kage was moving on his toes, not stopping in his momentum. He would use it to his advantage if he was going to win this. Charging a skill, he charged to a group of three with smaller claws. He extended his sword for the hit but was hit by another on his right. Kage flew to the left and hit the wall, losing 2,500 of his 12,000 life points.

Michiko, on the other hand, succeeded at her attempt - killing 5 more with one circular motion from her double blades. 5 more down, 17 to go. She thought as she saw Kage fly through the air. She stealthily drew back from the fight, using Kage as bait. The 15 remaining offensive mobs turned toward Kage to deal their final blows, each of their claws in the air. Like a flash of light, Michiko mowed through the horde, hitting each in their weak spot. 15 dead creatures shatter as the sentries drew their staves. They wielded the "Dual-Bladed Guardian staff", which did not require the use of a skill to have an enormous amount of power transfer to the blades. They took their positions. A flash appeared and disappeared; Kage and Michiko now were behind the sentries. Red marks indicated that they were hit. They fell and exploded into virtual dust-like particles, different from normal entities. Kage picked up their weapons and stored them.