Hydranomaly

Chapter 18: Mutated Madness

Sitting on the train, Ryujin slouched in his seat with Catt perched on his lap, the sleek, mechanical feline vibrating gently with low, mechanical hums as he ran his fingers along her polished frame. The rhythmic sound soothed him, though the few other passengers on board weren't nearly as relaxed. They kept their distance, grimacing at the green haze of filth radiating off him. A fly even buzzed lazily around his head, attracted to the pungent stench clinging to his tattered, stained clothing. It had completely cloaked the fact of him having bathed earlier.

Even without the rancid aura, Ryujin's odd appearance would've made him stand out. His unkempt hair, jagged scars, and his uniform worn like a cape secured by his neck tie, clearly an eye-catching appearance that stood from the crowd. The axe slung across his back only added to the spectacle, but the robotic cat-clearly a piece of advanced tech-was the true conversation starter for those brave enough to glance his way. Not that he cared.

The train shot forward with a smooth jolt, speeding through Plithos' surprisingly lush yet industrial landscape, its stops punctuated by the hiss of doors opening and closing. Ryujin barely registered the bustling commuters stepping on and off. He stared blankly out the window, the endless blur of city lights and the trees outside doing little to pull him from his heavy thoughts. Typically, a ride this fast would've had him gawking like a wide-eyed child, but the events of the last few days had drained even his usually boundless curiosity.

A sharp voice crackled in his ear, pulling him from his daze. "I'd keep those eyes open if I were you," Akari's no-nonsense tone filtered through his earpiece. "You're not too far away from the drop zone. Etsuko isn't going to be a cakewalk."

Ryujin perked up slightly, his brow furrowing. "Cakewalk? I don't think I've ever walked on a cake before..." He scratched his head, genuinely puzzled. "Wouldn't that just ruin some perfectly delicious cake?"

Akari let out a long, exasperated sigh. "No, Ryujin. It means it won't be easy."

"Oh," he muttered, somewhat sheepishly.

"Honestly..." Akari muttered under her breath. Then, after a pause, she asked, "You've heard of Danger Levels, right? Please tell me somebody explained this to you by now."

Ryujin leaned back, his hand pausing mid-stroke on Catt's back. The feline emitted a sharp chirp of protest, her eyes narrowing as she shot him a pointed, mechanical glare. Ryujin ignored her as he racked his brain. "Uhh... Max mentioned something about them. There's, like... four? Or maybe seven?" He held up a mismatched number of fingers, glancing at his hand as if it might help jog his memory. "No... wait. Three?"

On the other end of the line, Akari pinched the bridge of her nose. "Figures," she muttered. Clearing her throat, she continued, her tone shifting into something more patient-like a teacher lecturing a slow student. "Okay, listen carefully. Every anomaly is assigned a Danger Level. It's a way to categorize how much of a threat it poses-not just in terms of brute force, but also its abilities, adaptability, and potential for collateral damage."

Ryujin nodded, though his expression remained blank-Completely unaware Akari could not see his physical response.

"Let's break it down," she pressed on. "Remember that Spider King anomaly you faced? The big skeleton one with all the webs and spiderlings?"

"Ugh, how could I forget? Tough bastard," Ryujin muttered. "Those tiny ass spiderling fucks were a pain, too. And those web thingies... ugh." He shuddered, recounting the details. "Hits like a truck, heals faster than anything I've faced... No easy battle, can tell ya that."

"Exactly," Akari said, her tone sharpening. "Now, think about the Octopus anomaly. Equally destructive? Sure. But it didn't have anywhere near the versatility or resilience of the Spider King. That's why the Spider King is ranked higher on the Danger Level scale, despite capable of about the same amount of overall property damage."