The sounds of plasma beams firing in the distance not to far away from Essensu Japan Academy could be heard clearly for miles around.
Within the corridors of the academy, both Uli and Bethany were rushing to the infirmary to collect Aiko, the medical staff were so caught in evacuating all patients and personnel that they hadn't checked the rooms properly.
It was only when Uli asked about Aiko's whereabouts that they had realised she was missing from the group.
Before the Armiger guards stationed at the academy could stop them the duo rushed off in haste towards the infirmary.
Their breathing was quick and short as they continued running, "I hope nothing has happened to Aiko!" Bethany shouted out.
"You and me both!" Uli responded, without pause, the two darted right around a corner.
Above them, in the distance, they could see a sign pointing left down another corridor. Written upon the sign was Infirmary, with new-found energy the two of them ran faster down the corridor, the two of them were hoping that Aiko was safe.
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The fighting continued outside the academy near the forest, Sachika used her supernaturally enhanced speed as she charged a trio of Nebula Pincer ahead of herself.
Crystallized shards swooped in from above as multiple second and third-year Coordinator fired a barrage of Essence Shards towards the rear echelon of the enemy.
One of the Nebula Pincer launched its multiple tendrils from its carapace towards Sachika, she, in turn, performed a side twist crossing her bladed gauntlets across her chest using the extended blades running up her forearms to slice the many tendrils coming towards her.
With her left hand, she grabbed hold of one of the Nebula Pincers claws attached to its carapace.
The Nebula Pincer frantically tried to shake her off as it hissed and screeched in response to Sachika's actions.
Sachika pulled back her right arm then sent a strong jab attacking using the small blade extended over her fists to impale and destroy the creatures core.
"One down!" Sachika shouted.
"Okay!..." Hibiki replied with a big smile on her face "...I'll take out the second one!" she used Essence Cloak to a means to bait her enemy into making a move then ultimately leaving themselves open to an attack.
When the Nebula Pincer fell for it, Hibiki immediately used her ability to strike from its right side leaving her opponent confused and dazed at their sudden predicament.
With incredible force, Hibiki swung her club like a polearm, the jagged ends impacted against the side of, the Nebula Pincers outer shell couldn't withstand the impact and therefore its core incaved itself upon Hibiki's strike.
Chi-Sun with her daggers ready charged the third Nebula Pincer.
As the creature attacked with its tendrils, Chi-Sun dodged them easily, she then used her incredible strength in her legs to launch herself into the air.
As she came down she threw four daggers impaling them into the creature, it wasn't long before they exploded severing the outer shell and killing the Nebula Pincer.
Beforehand, Chi-Sun had a Coordinator infuse her daggers with explosive shard skin.
Once they were impaled into an enemy all she would have to do is wait for the Coordinator to trigger the explosive material.
Thankfully for the Familiars and Coordinators that were fighting the Nebula, the battle was going in their favour. However, that didn't mean there weren't any injured nor casualties on their side.
Sachika looked to her left seeing a medic tending to one of the injured Familiars.
The latter's forearms were a mess one of them had been torn off leaving a sharp shard of bone sticking out, along with torn flesh as if some rabid dog tried ripping her arm off.
The other was fractured, Sachika could see the bone protruding out of the skin, she watched as the girl screamed out in pain while the medic tended to her injuries.
Around Sachika various Familiars and Coordinators were finishing off the last scraps of the enemy.
Little did they know that the Nebula had an ulterior motive for this unusual tactic they used against the girls.
Behind them, one of the Nebula Pincer was fidgeting on the floor.
Chi-Sun noticed it, pointing it out to her surrounding comrades. They readied themselves for what will happen, the creature continued to fidget until suddenly stopped. Without warning the carapace bursts to open spurting out the liquid gel and a human girl.
It was only until the gel started to slide off the body that the Familiars and Coordinators nearest to the girl noticed she was completely naked, except there was a diamond shaped crystal pulsating on the girl's chest between her breasts.
As the faint orange hue of light continued pulsing, vein-like tendrils expanded across the girl's chest and breasts until they dug deep under her skin.
Opening her eyes, the girl slowly stood up unfazed that she was stark naked in front of a crowd. As Sachika looked into this girls eyes she noticed a lack of humanity in her, as if the girl was stripped of such things.
"W-Wait a minute..." Chi-Sun stammered quietly to herself, "...s-she's a student from the South Korean Branch"
Hibiki glanced towards her friend, "Are you sure? How can you be certain?"
"I saw her around the campus a few times" Chi-Sun replied her eyes widened from the realization.
Suddenly the girl before started to change, the outer shell of digitized armour started to form over the girl.
Whereas Familiars were only able to create armour over their legs and forearms, this new development startled them. Sachika darting her head around noticed many other girls like the one before her.
It wasn't long before the transformation had finished, the girl had digitized metal armour that was separated by orange energy currents, the helmet had two orange jagged markings for where the eyes would be, and two tendrils hung down the girls back.
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"Wait a minute..." Chi-Sun tone had gotten shakier at this point "...this could be the Essence Form that I heard about which under development and research!"
The others didn't respond, or to be precise they were too focused on the girl before them.
Suddenly she started to produce two blades both of them protruding from her forearms looking very similar in design to the Familiar's Essence Weapons.
Before they could react the girl lunged at them with the intent of killing them without mercy.
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How the hell could they know about such a thing, she thought to herself she furrowed her brain for an answer her expression changed to that of disbelief, could it be? No that's impossible.
"Ma'am a pack has separated from the main group heading deeper into the campus!" One of the female operators called out.
"Show it to me!" Mistress Daiki sternly replied.
Upon the screen, she could see a group of four girls in Essence Form using Tachyon to move further into the academy. Mistress Daiki could only think of one reason they were coming deeper into the grounds.
"Send Ashina and her team down to Sub Level Three!..." the Mistress shouted, "...spare anyone you can to intercept that group!"
The team of female operators nodded giving out the Mistress' orders to the appropriate teams.
As for the Mistress, she stood there biting on the end of her thumbnail anxiously. So they're finally coming after the real prize? How quaint, she mused to herself.
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Sachika only had a moment of respite to get her breath back, she along with her friends thought these new enemies wouldn't be much harder than the Nebula Pincer.
They soon realised that wasn't the case, Sachika to her right on the floor laid a girl, a Familiar to be precise. She was still breathing however very faintly, Sachika noticed the deep gash on the girls' right side of her chest along with the shards of bone sticking out of the wound where the blade was embedded into the girl's rib cage.
With new-found determination, Sachika wanted to kill her enemy, but before she could an open broadcast came over her headpiece.
"All units, a pack have splintered off from the main enemy force heading deeper into the academy any available units are ordered to engage them immediately!"
Hibiki shouted out towards Sachika, "Sachi let's go!"
Glancing at her friend Sachika responded, "We can't leave!", she turned to notice one of the enemy girls charging her.
Before she responded Chi-Sun jumped in front of her launching several daggers at the enemy, in turn, causing her opponent to use her enhanced speed to dodge her attack.
"Just go!" Chi-Sun grunted in annoyance at Sachika's reluctance "You're the fastest Familiar here, and Hibiki has the most effective Essence Cloak ability here..." she charges into battle "...so just go!"
Sachika bit her lip feeling annoyed that she had to abandon her comrades, finding her resolve she looked to Chi-Sun calling out to her, "You better not die!"
Chi-Sun laughs, "Please! If I was at my best I'd be showing up right now!"
Smiling Sachika turned towards the academy both she and Hibiki rushed towards the enemy splinter group using their respective abilities to get there faster.
Both Sachika and Hibiki were running down to one of the academy's corridors getting regular updates on the splinter groups position from the command centre. From the reports, it seems that they started to catch up.
"This is Mistress Daiki, girls by any means necessary you must stop that splinter group they can not be allowed to get to Sub Level Three"
Sachika glanced at Hibiki upon hearing the last few words, "Sub Level Three?"
"I don't have time to explain just make sure you stop that group, I'll try and get any support I can to you!"
And with that the connection was cut between the girls and the command centre, Hibiki looked to her friend as the continued running down the corridor, "Did you know that there were levels going underground?"
"No, I hadn't a clue that there were multiple levels underground at this academy" Sachika replied, as far as the two girls were concerned all they knew was the campus and academy along with the facilities they supplied. It was only until now that the duo finds out about the underground levels in the academy.
In the distance the two of them could see one of the figures from the splinter group, however, they weren't heading to the centre of the grounds like they originally they thought this one was headed towards the infirmary. With a burst of energy, Sachika started sprinting as she turned around calling out to Hibiki, "Hurry we got to catch up to them!"
Sachika came to a T-Junction in the corridor, before she knew there was a strong tug on her collar and Hibiki screaming her name.
She was suddenly thrown back quickly followed by a blinding orange light that Sachika instantly covered her eyes from, along with the sound of dozens of lasers shrieking through the air.
Slightly winded, Sachika came to seeing the heated ionized hole in the wall where bits of metal and plaster drip off the wall into a gloopy texture.
She looked in front of her only to be met by a horrific sight, Sachika could feel a scream trying to escape her mouth.
Before she stood Hibiki, as vapour vented from the left side of her body. It wasn't long before her and left arm and a part of her side torso started to fall off, the sound of sticky melted flesh tearing could be heard as a part of Hibiki's body flopped to the floor with a loud thud. There were only a few seconds of squirting blood before the superheated temperature closed off the exits to the veins and arteries.
Hibiki smirking coughed up blood that splashed on the floor, she turned around looking to Sachika as blood dripped from the corners of her mouth. "You...owe...me...one...now...Sachi" as soon as she finished she dropped to the floor upon impact blood spurted out from her injury.
Sachika could only sit there tears welling up in the corners of her eyes, she didn't want to believe what just happened.