The Tomb Riders who survived the furious wrath of the Rank-S++ Ghoul, Zexx, alighted their motors at the very bottom of the abyss. Glowing emerald crystals which protruded the earth highlighted their exhausted countenance.

“Armoured Hero, how are we looking?” Asked a solicitous Tomb Rider.

“Many lives were lost against that formidable Ghoul.” Armoured Hero took stock of the injured coupled with the deceased Tomb Riders who were sprawled about the abyss. Most of their remains were vaporized. “We suffered some heavy casualties.”

“No shit!” Meliodas came along speaking angrily. “More than a quarter of my crew got decimated by that bloated tentacle asshole! Had I known it was laying dormant inside that monumental ditch, I would have never ridden there with my crew. Never in my years of Ghoul Graveyard expedition have I come across a monster that frigging vicious. Have you?”

Armoured Hero took a while before giving his reply. “This has never happened to me either. It is almost as if…”

“Almost as if what…?” Meliodas was eager to learn of Armoured Hero’s reply.

“…It is almost as if the Ghouls are evolving beyond perception...” This thought itself frightened Armoured Hero as well as Meliodas.

“They are evolving beyond perception…?” As Meliodas contemplated about what Armoured Hero said, he watched him went forwards to address the dishevelled Tomb Riders.

“Alright, listen up everyone! We are going to recuperate down here as it seems that there is currently no Ghouls lurking around. However, be vigilant just in case my assumptions are incorrect. For those of you who aren’t that badly injured, help out in offering the others some medical care. When you’re finished, go straight ahead in repairing your damaged Motors Cube. I have some spear Gear Cube here if needed.” Armoured Hero tossed a few Gear Cubes to some people nearby.

“Thank you, thank you, Armoured Hero.”

“We are grateful for the assistance.”

“Oh shit!” Somewhere else inside the abyss, Unruly Ban was carrying Angelina's unconscious body out of his Press Roller. “Damn this slutty bitch is heavy!”

“I think that it is you who is too weak.” Hearing this presumptuous voice sounding behind him prompted an outburst from Unruly Ban’s lips.

“Huh, who said that?” He quickly identified the culprit after taking a few glances around. “You’re that Fluffy chick?”

“Let me help you carry her.” Fluffy Tanya offered to help lift Angelina’s unconscious body.

Unruly Ban obviously refused. “Piss off! I can handle her myself! Who the hell do you take me for, some weakling?”

“You’re the one assuming that. Besides, you’re obviously struggling with her.” Fluffy Tanya ignored Unruly Ban’s crazy death glare and helped carried Angelina towards a Medic Cube that had recently been set up inside the abyss. “Gently set her down over here.”

Unruly Ban ignored Fluffy Tanya’s advice. He tossed Angelina’s body onto the ground like it was a dead horse then stormed out of the Medic Cube unscathed. “I’m done handling that unconscious slut. She’s all yours.”

“Geez, that guy always act as if he has a stick shoved deep up his ass?” Fluffy Tanya was annoyed by how disrespectful Unruly Ban acted all the time.

“Hey Tanya, how’s she doing?” Another concern Tomb Rider who was rescued by Angelina’s daring might entered the Medic Cube to check up on her condition.

Fluffy Tanya responded: “At a glance, she seems only to be resting, but I will do a thorough check-up just to make sure she’s ok.”

“Great, let me assist you.”

“Thanks.”

While Angelina’s consciousness was being revived inside the Medic Cube, Armoured Hero, Meliodas along with some other curious Tomb Riders were taking a look around the abyss. They eventually ventured closer towards a glowing emerald crystal which protruded the earth.

“What do you think these things are, Armoured Hero?”

“No clue. Let someone from the Research Division take a look.”

If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

“I’m here. Let me through.” A pro-female Tomb Rider who also happened to be a Ghoul Graveyard researcher forced her way to the forefront of the bewildered crowd. Her stout and astute demeanour accentuated her voluptuousness. “This is indeed a peculiar rock.” She dipped into her Ghoul Storage Crystal; took out a portable laser scanner then swiped it across the strange rock.

“Fascinating. Its edges seemed solid at a glance, but whenever you poke it, its squishiness is revealed. My DXT-Scanner can’t identify any traces of this rock’s origin material from the exterior. Their component is completely unknown. Can you hold this for me? I need to get a sample.”

“No problem. Pass it here, Trisha.”

Trisha gave her DXT-Scanner to a colleague to hold. She then withdrew a small laser cutter from her pouch. “If I could bring back a sample for analysis then the lab experts might be able to find something with their advance equipment.” She began cutting it.

“Hey, be careful. We don’t know what that thing might do.” Armoured Hero warned Trisha to be less enthusiastic and more cautious.

“Don’t sweat your pants off, babe. I got this.” Trisha reassured Armoured Hero with a coquettish wink before going ahead with cutting the mysterious rock. “Here we go.”

“What’s this?” The moment Trisha sliced off a small portion of the rock, a multi-coloured layer was revealed underneath. “This portion is giving off strange steam… Cough! Cough!” A small amount of stray vapour entered Trisha’s nostrils. Just one whiff of the bizarre smoke caused her fear to skyrocket. “Everyone cover your nose and don’t breathe in this vapour!”

“Why? What did you find out, lady?”

“Save it for later! Quickly! Somebody hand me a containment Soul Insignia!” By the frightened demeanour of the researcher, someone who was close by quickly tossed Trisha his last Emerald Soul Insignia. She swiftly grabbed hold of it after stashing away the broken crystal then activated the Emerald Soul Insignia to contain the spread of the virulent vapours.

“What the hell was that about Trisha? You’ve just wasted a valuable Soul Insignia on that blasted rock!” Meliodas was peeved at Trisha for squandering the team’s limited resources. He wanted to strip her panties and spank her round tush.

“Shut up. You know nothing ruffian. If I hadn’t done what I did then all of us would have turned fool and killed each other.”

“What are you trying to say, woman?” Meliodas was pissed that Trisha tried to silence him. “I’m getting sick of your lip dancing. Hurry and explain to all of us what just took place!”

“Who do you think you’re bossing around with that disrespectful attitude? Do I look like one of your stupid groupies?”

“What did you just say to me…?”

Armoured Hero had to intervene to placate the brewing tiff. “Calm down you two. Now is neither the time nor place.” He gave Trisha a concerned look. “Tell us about what you’ve discovered, please.”

“Fhm, at least someone here knows how to speak politely.” Trisha cut eyes at Meliodas who was glaring at her furiously then said to Armoured Hero: “Before I begin explaining, notify the others not to interact with any of the glowing crystals down here.”

“Alright. Everyone…” Finished issuing a warning to all Tomb Riders inside the abyss, Armoured Hero gave his eyes and ears back to Trisha’s dancing lips.

“I can’t say for sure that I’m familiar with this rock’s mysterious properties. However, the vapours which it just exuded is without a doubt a similar substance to what we’ve discovered whenever we cut apart Ghouls’ anatomy.”

“What???” Everyone listening was puzzled by Trisha’s explanation.

“Let me elucidate. Each Ghoul that the Nox Ghoul Graveyard have experimented on thus far shares a distinctive gaseous component within their unique amnion. This amnion is not like your generic property found in mammals. It is more of an incomparable entity. With each round-about way of endocrinetic movement, a mysterious process takes place which ejaculates virulent fumes. This fume is no way harmful to the Ghouls themselves. However, when in contact with humans that is a different matter. If inhaled by either of us, our respiratory system along with our main nervous system would have been corrupted. No longer would we be capable of rational cognitive process. Only our bloodthirsty nature would remain. I first witnessed this phenomenon while observing one of my close colleagues. She was accidentally exposed to the virulent amnion properties which caused her to go insane. I was also briefly exposed to it. Luckily, it wasn’t that long, otherwise, I wouldn’t be standing here right now. Do you guys now understand how dangerous the situation could have turned out had I not acted swiftly to contain this spread?” Trisha gave each Tomb Riders who were close by an austere glance, especially that unruly Meliodas.

“Tsk, don’t act all smug as if you saved our skins. You were the stupid bitch who caused this rock to respond negatively in the first place.” Meliodas wouldn’t let Trisha have the last talk. After he spoke words of discontent, he withdrew to a corner with his injured crew to recuperate. “Come on gang.”

Watching Meliodas’s rude figure escaping her gaze, Trisha couldn’t help but respond: “That guy is so infuriating!” She bit her lower lip roughly until drops of blood spewed out. “Ouch!”

Armoured Hero went on to address the crowd again. “Alright, due to Ms Trisha’s analysis we’ve come to realize the severity of carelessly interacting with these emerald crystals. The Soul Insignia which is currently keeping the poisonous vapour contain won’t last for long. 2 hours at most. So hurry up and tend to your injuries. We need to vacate this deep hole before that time comes.”

“Ahm… excuse me, Armoured Hero…” A concerned individual raised her hand. “Can’t we buy ourselves a little bit more recuperative time by covering that rock with another Emerald Soul Insignia?”

“That is a good idea, one that’s I’ve already considered. However, we are short on Soul Insignias. Hence we can’t afford to carelessly waste them. Once we’ve escaped this place then we can seek shelter somewhere on the surface where there aren’t any Ghouls lurking around. Hopefully, we can properly recuperate then.”

“Okay, we understand, Armoured Hero.” The gathered group dispersed to tend to their injuries along with their wrecked Motors Cube.