Azurlane: Omniversal System

Unexpected Surprise[Reworked]

Aluna found herself inside a labyrinth of dark and dusty ventilation shafts. The air was musty, and the sound of her breathing echoed through the narrow passages. She crawled on her hands and knees, navigating the intricate maze of interconnected ducts, fueled by her determination to push forward. Only guided by a hologram map whose light source lights the way forward for her.

'what a deal heh, 2 for 1' Aluna smirked to herself

However due to her 'peaceful' infiltration just now, her muscles ached and protested with every movement, but her unwavering determination pushed her forward. Ignoring the discomfort, she pressed on, her heart pounding against her chest in anticipation as she crawl nearer and nearer to her death, after all, it always takes 1 to save millions.

As Aluna crawled deeper into the maze of vents, the cramped space seemed to close in on her. Her muscles throbbed with every twist and turn, each movement a reminder of her body's exhaustion. However, the cramped space only indicated that she was near, near the Mother, despite the narrow and cramped space this proved of no challenge to Aluna as her slim figure allowed her to easily traverse the labyrinth of vents despite the narrowing walls.

With each labored breath, Aluna willed herself to continue, her muscles protesting but her spirit undeterred. Her focus sharpened as she maneuvered through the complex system of vents, overcoming obstacles that blocked her path. She was a force of resilience and determination, refusing to let her physical discomfort hinder her progress, for the stake was already too high for her to give up here.

Hours passed, and just when Aluna thought she just might have taken a wrong turn and failed her mission, a 'ding' resounded throughout her mind like a beacon of hope the sound rejuvenated her weary body, infusing her with a newfound surge of energy. Pushing through the pain, she crawled faster her determination growing before spotting a faint glimmer of light ahead and with one last push, Aluna emerged from the ventilation system, her body covered in grime and her muscles trembling with exhaustion. She found herself in a dimly lit room, filled with dusty artifacts and forgotten remnants of the past, however not just any artifacts but artifacts relics of the past, weapons of the kings and slayer of the gods. The room held an air of mystery, its secrets waiting to be unraveled and yet forgotten by many but a few.

'if only, if only' Aluna sighed as her face grimaced at the thought of her mission and at the wasted opportunity. Fortunately, that did not mean she did not have time to swipe one of the artifacts. looking around, none of the artifacts seems to pique her interest however from the corner of her eyes something shiny caught her eyes. Turning her head. a pocket watch tucked away in the pile of artifacts with only the top of the pocket watch poking out, walking toward the pile of artifacts she could feel a faint connection toward the pile of artifact, no the pocket watch grasping the chain of the pocket watch, she yanked it out with considerable force expecting it to break, however defying all expectation the packet watch phased through the pile of artifact and flew right into her hand.

This sudden and unexpected action by the pocket watch caused Aluna to throw the pocket watch into the ground, the watch however became indented into the ground causing Aluna a great amount of confusion and surprise. Plucking the pocket watch out of the ground, Aluna lifted the pocket watch up by its chain to be illuminated by the light of her hologram map. The watch was bronze in color, and its surface was smooth yet provided grip, opening the pocket watching she was met with the usual appearance of a clock however every tick the clock tocked seemed to tick ominously and with power, every tock seemed to ring out clear yet softly, an artifact that was not meant to be. 

However enough fooling around, Aluna remembered still having a Mother to kill quickly stuffing the pocket watch into a pocket of her jacket and securing it. She kneeled down and took out a circular drone that seemed to hover in the air, the Mark IV stealth drone was only 1 quarter as big as a frisbee yet able to move fast enough to catch up and overtake F1 cars if ever needed. Controlling it with her mind, she mentally willed it to explore the hallway. The stealth drone changed color to match with its surrounding before Aluna opened the door for the drone as it zoomed past and into the hallway scanning and seeking. a few moments passed before the drone came flying back providing information and intel to her. With the way clear, Aluna marched forward Rykuno sheathed ready to fend off any attacks from its master. with a slow and steady pace, aluna progressed through the complex hallway looking at her map from time to time to make sure she was on the right path.

Finally, Aluna stumbled upon an inconspicuous door nestled between two towering hyper-realistic towering siren statues whose eyes seemed to glow bright yellow as they stare right into Aluna's soul causing her to suddenly feel a sense of danger causing her danger sense to ring out .with the door excluding a mysterious aura, Aluna knew she was at the right place as the agent who transcribed her findings to the rest of us on a simple note which said

 'You will know it when you find it' when she first got the note she was livid as the findings was to vague and that the agent failed as a spy however know she thought different. 

As she cautiously opened the door, a rush of cool air enveloped her, and she found herself standing at the threshold of a narrow hallway illuminated by pulsating red meaty veins that seemed to branch out from the deep abyss of the hallway.

Aluna stepped into the hallway, stepping on one of the thicker veins which resulted in her feeling the beat of a heart that went thump.. thump thump... A hypnotizing rhythm that seems to put one at ease, just as Aluna's eyes glazed over, a 'ding' from her personal ai immediately woke her up causing her to fall over with panted breaths.

'too dangerous! too dangerous!' Aluna thought to herself as she muttered a few thanks to her personal ai.

This time with extra precaution she walked foward making sure to not step on any of the pulsating thick veins, As she got nearer and nearer to Mother the walls of the hallway slowly became more and more meaty. The walls now constantly  pulsated and oozed, a grotesque display of fleshy textures and glistening sinew. The air was thick with an unfamiliar scent, a sickening blend of iron and decay.

Mentally willing herself, Aluna ventured further, her fingertips brushing against the grotesque surface of the walls. The texture was slimy and unsettling, making her stomach churn. The throbbing walls seemed to react to her touch, undulating and shifting as if alive.

Navigating through the meat corridor proved to be an arduous task. Each step brought a nauseating squelching sound, accompanied by the release of an unpleasant odor. Aluna's muscles protested with every movement, her aches now intensified by the surreal environment she found herself in.

But Aluna pressed on, determined to kill the Mother that lay at the end of this bizarre passage and end it once and for all. Her body, though fatigued and wracked with discomfort, would not deter her from her insatiable thirst for vengeance.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Aluna reached the end of the meat hallway. Before her stood a towering door, constructed from bone and sinew(body tissues), an ominous barrier separating her from the unknown. With a firm and calloused hand, she pushed it open, revealing a chamber bathed in an eerie, otherworldly light.

The room contained a sight that both astounded and horrified her—a colossal creature, a fusion of organic and mechanical components, suspended in a tank filled with a glowing liquid. Tubes and wires snaked in and out of its body, connecting it to a myriad of incomprehensible machinery. She was now truly going into uncharted territory, for she was the first and will be the last one to chart here after all. and despite the ginormous proportions of the creature a bright glowing spot that beat constantly and every thump of the heart caused the room to tremor

Aluna's breath caught in her throat as she realized the magnitude of her discovery. She had stumbled upon a Mother no not any Mother but a MOTHER. The true core of every Mother out there is the brain of the entire hive mind.

'hehe maybe I just might collapse a civilization today' A grin started to slowly form on her face just at the thought of truly ending it all.

However made one mistake, and that mistake was to let her guard down at that moment Aluna was suddenly enveloped by an energy net causing her to become trapped. From the deep abyss of the hallway, a silhouette slowly walked out.

---------

word count:1530