In the opulent chamber, a man draped in a resplendent crimson robe reclines upon a magnificent throne. Before him stretches an expansive table adorned with an array of culinary delights, each representing a different culture's gastronomic masterpiece. The man's right hand cradles a gilded chalice brimming with a deep crimson liquid, its aroma wafting through the air, redolent of cherry wine. Despite the earthly indulgence surrounding him, his hands betray a trembling unease.

Emerging from the shadows that cling to one of the room's corners, a butler appears and steps forward with a measured cadence...

Zeta "Is this truly necessary, Sire? Consuming this many excess calories... I truly fear for your health. May the goddess give you further guidance."

John "What? How can you claim to know the desires of our Goddess?! I believe she'd approve of our celebration after vanquishing our foe."

Zeta "Then why, if I may inquire, are your hands trembling? My Lord?"

John "Damn it! I can't explain it! Perhaps it's this tacky goblet! It reeks of sin!!"

In a fit of frustration, John hurls the chalice across the table, drenching the diverse dishes in a dark crimson hue.

Zeta "How unfortunate... The food is tarnished."

Zeta advances towards the table, his steps carrying him past the meticulously arranged feast. He gingerly retrieves the offending object, and upon closer examination, a wave of shock washes over him. This is no ordinary cup— it is a gift, one that had once brought immeasurable joy to the leader.

Zeta "Sire, this gift. Isn't this the chalice bestowed upon us by The Goddess herself? How could you have done this?!"

John "What?! I didn't mean to- Ah, fuck! Is it damaged? Have I committed blasphemy?"

Zeta "Fortunately, no. But your actions were impulsive and lacked proper reasoning. Are 'they' acting up again?"

John "No... my kinglings remain calm at present. Unlike me, I'm plagued by this strange... could it be... fear? No, that can't be!"

Zeta "You're still haunted that they may be alive-

John "Of course, Zeta! Consider our history, our relentless pursuit of our cause! Has there ever been an adversary that posed such a tough challenge?!!"

Zeta "None... Earth's military poses no real threat. Your hundred puppets alone could easily subdue them. That's why we've had the luxury of focusing on nurturing the other 24 majors."

John "And they've all been eradicated! Now I understand why I'm gripped by this dread! It is fear! It's unfamiliar and unsettling! I DO NOT LIKE IT! Zeta, I'm recalling all of them. Prepare for a complete lockdown!"

Zeta "Is that necessary? I was very thorough with the survey."

John "It's a precaution. We'll remain here, secluded, for a full ten days."

Zeta "What if, against all odds, they're still alive? What's our contingency plan?"

John "Well, I can't simply flee as it would betray our principles. We'll fight to the last. If there's even the faintest glimmer of hope, we'll lay them to rest right here in this very museum."

Zeta "Such a fitting place. I sense that there is more to your plan, Sire."

John "Indeed, Zeta. Personally, I yearn to witness all 100 puppets operating together, a harmonious symphony of arsenals. A poetic dance of blades, shields, projectiles, power, perception, and... No, poison won't be necessary."

Zeta "They also possess remarkable regenerative capabilities and the ability to morph their forms."

John "I know that look, Zeta. You're concocting another brilliant plan, I presume. I'm glad, for I too have a grand design."

A sinister grin plays upon John's face.

Zeta "Something tells me that it is another reckless plan."

John "Reckless, indeed. However, I hope that I can achieve Unification."

Zeta "What?! No, Sire! The risks are too great! The doctor said-

John "Hush now, my dear Zeta. The doctor assured me of a procedure that is foolproof. Have a little faith."

Zeta "... Hmph. Very well. Now, what shall we do with all this food? Should I dispose of it?"

John "What? No! It's perfectly good food. Why would you do that?"

Zeta's eyes roll over and he takes out a napkin from his shirt pocket. The butler cleans up the stain on the table as the sound of munching echoes through the room. Dawn passes over the Rijksmuseum and the people of Amsterdam report sightings of red shadowy scuttering about the area. A sense of paranoia begins to spread across the state...

With an annoyed roll of his eyes, Zeta takes a napkin from his shirt pocket. The butler proceeds to tidy the stained table as the faint sound of munching resonates throughout the chamber. As the sun ascends over the Rijksmuseum, reports from the citizens of Amsterdam begin to flood in, describing sightings of crimson shadows darting about the vicinity. A creeping paranoia takes hold, spreading across the entire state...

___________________________________________________________________________

The Aspect of Energy awakens with a warm sweat trickling down his brow. As he scans the room from left to right, his gaze falls upon his peers, all of them lying unconscious on an old but oddly familiar king-sized mattress. With a sudden burst of energy, he extends his leg in a mighty kick, causing the space-themed blanket to fold over, revealing Gwen and Claire nestled against the side of his torso. A subtle smile graces his face as he carefully extricates himself from their embrace. Kanji then stands up and gazes down upon the mattress, memories flooding his mind.

A core memory ignites.

Kanji "Oh. Oh no. Not this mattress. Gosh, I remember Mom telling me it was fit for a king, and I used to pretend to be a prince around the house, wrapped up in that stupid blanket. Pretending to be royalty... How pathetic. I'm anything but that."

With a snap of his fingers, Tally and its square-shaped body, materializes out of nowhere, eagerly hugging his leg. Kanji affectionately pats the robot as it conjures a portal to the outside world. Stepping through, he's immediately greeted by the strong scent of the sea. The world outside appears calm, with gentle waves lapping against the vessel's deck.

Kanji "That's better. Now, let's check on our progress... Just four more hours left until we reach the docks of Amsterdam. Might as well wake the others."

He retreats into the portal and finds that everyone else is already on their feet, except for Noah, who is being carried by Sarah. Kanji's attention shifts to Claire, who is skillfully juggling a set of 13 bandages and 12 syringes. Gwen sternly taps her friend to halt her antics which she responds with a playful taunt

Gwen "Your silly antics are rather amusing. However, This is serious, we have two people in need of medical attention."

Claire "Oh, come on. I'm getting pretty good at this. Alright, two syringes coming right up."

Gwen effortlessly catches the syringes mid-air and approaches Diana and Noah.

Noah "Thanks a lot. Having no feet feels kinda weird."

Sarah "Ha! It reminds me of one of my creations. The feetless god."

Noah "Wait, really?"

Sarah "Nah! That would be a stupid name for an outer god. Anyway, are you actually feeling okay?"

Gwen "Do you feel any side effects from having your capacity for emotions removed?"

Noah "When I woke up, I felt a bit hollow inside but then it quickly vanished- Woah!"

He suddenly feels his flesh convulsing and bones stretching, reshaping his feet.

Noah "Nice! That reminds me, didn't Azan also get his feet removed? How can he walk?"

Gwen "If I have a guess, it would be the work of yours truly. He has been modified by Gwentech, you know."

Sarah "Bruh, I nearly forgot about that. Kinda cool not gonna lie."

Gwen "Anyway, it's your turn, Miss Zakovov. Time to say your goodbyes to that arm."

Diana "Man. Good bye sweet tentacle arm. You will be missed. Hey, can I at least do one bicep curl with it?"

Gwen "Sure, if it helps you find closure."

Diana "Hey, Tally! Give me something heavy!"

The tiny robot appears once more and conjures a massive pile of conjoined iron, weighing over a thousand tons.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Diana "Aw yeah!"

Kanji "Hold on! How did you-

Diana's tentacle hand effortlessly wraps around the massive object and she lifts it with ease, causing the entire subspace to shake as it lands.

Diana "That was awesome! Anyway, Boss, what were you saying?"

Kanji "How did you guys call for Tally>"

Amelia "That would be the work of dear Azan here."

Mina "Yeah, his words can really be convincing when it comes to making friends with anyone. Even robots!"

Azan "A good first impression is important for any partnership."

Claire "Thanks to him. We found where the subportals were. I also gathered everyone's healing supply."

Dave "Bro, why? Don't tell me you have turned into a loot goblin just like in that one campaign."

Adrian "You're talking about that time where she tried to steal from us but failed 20 sleight of hands checks in a row. It was quite an embarrassing attempt."

Claire "Okay, I am somewhat still upset from that but this is different! I sweat! I'm doing this to decide on distribution. Is that right, bestie?"

Gwen "Right on target."

Izzy shows her support by changing her screen into a thumbs-up emoji.

Diana "Yo, Boss, what should we do next?"

Kanji "Let's take this one step at a time. I've decided that everyone should have a bandage and syringe, except for me."

Claire "Oh not again, Mr. Confidence! Didn't you get knocked out?"

Kanji "It was a strategic sacrifice. Plus, I haven't finished my claim. The remaining bandage would be for me. Will that lessen your worries, Claire?"

Claire "Now that sounds way better! Here, guys!"

They each take the healing supplies and stow them away in their inventories. Kanji then decides to check his skill panel for changes, noticing that his information is now organized alongside the symbol of an electric crown. Glancing around, he sees that his friends are also witnessing the changes. As he looks back at his panel, an alert symbol catches his attention, prompting him to press it—

[Advanced technology detected! Would you like to integrate it into the system?]

Kanji "This image... Isn't this my tablet? How did this happen? What triggered it?"

Gwen "I have noticed this behavior too. It's as if the system is sentient, or at the very least, it seems to act to our benefit. I see no reason not to integrate it."

Kanji "What does everyone else think?"

Diana "I mean we don't have to worry about carrying that iPad-looking thing around anymore."

Sarah "Yeah, it will be like actually having an RPG system in videogame!"

Noah "Sadly, we won't be able to level up like an RPG."

Mina "Hey, it would still be cool!"

Claire "I vote we shove the device into the system!"

Adrian "Guys. Didn't Kanji work hard on that? It would be really disrespectful."

Azan "Think of it as merging a business. The functions will remain intact, so I have no issue with it."

Dave "Dudes, we should drop like it's hot."

Amelia "Ha. I would feel most comfortable with you deciding. After all, You have the bloody ownership."

Gwen "Looks like they are dead set on sacrificing your work."

Kanji "It figures. I'll accept since it will help us in the long run."

Kanji grabs the system window and places it on the floor before forcefully slamming his tablet into it like dunking a basketball.

[Subspace device detected! Initiating implementation.... 100%. The system now has these six options available to all wielders: [Input] [Output] [Hide+] [Convert] [Compress] [Storage]. Subspace storage has increased to INFINITY. Wielder can bring in any items as long as it is not classified as a "Structure". You can now transfer items between users at will or draw from them with permission.]

Dave "Sheeez! Infinity storage! That's crazy, bro! Major upgrade!"

Claire "Umm? What's with this cute plus sign next to the Hide button?"

Kanji "It says that it automatically hides our altered body parts while out of combat. Thank god, that was starting to get annoying. Now that the prompt is out of the way, what do you guys think about continuing this voyage?"

All "Aye Aye Captain!"

The RV glides gracefully across the boundless expanse of the open blue, a voyage that stretches on for a couple of hours until it finally reaches the weathered wooden docks. As it comes into view, the eyes of several sailors fixate upon this peculiar vessel, for it is the oddest sight they've beheld all day. The wielders step forth onto the creaking boards that comprise the dock, their arrival not escaping the keen gaze of a senior local sailor. This seasoned mariner regards them with interest, for in all his fifty years of tending to this place, he has never encountered a more strange group. A faint smile forms on his lips, poised to greet them, when, in an instant, a brilliant flash of light envelops the RV, and just as swiftly, it vanishes from sight. The sailors are left in a state of shock, bewildered by the phenomenon they have just witnessed. The old sailor remains firmly rooted in his seat, utterly convinced that he has borne witness to a group of aliens.

Mina "Umm, guys. The sailors are acting rather odd, don't you think?"

Gwen "Perhaps the influence of the cultists runs deeper than we initially surmised."

Kanji "Yeah, they froze up just at the sight of the supernatural. As if they were once tormented."

Sarah "You two are reading too much into it. Maybe. Just maybe they are just scared shitless and having normal reactions."

Noah "To be honest, we do look like a group of weirdos."

Diana "Hey! We're a group of justice weirdos!"

Dave "That sounds like an album that my parents would make lol."

As they navigate the bustling streets of Amsterdam, they notice throngs of people congregating and murmuring in hushed tones, though their collective attention is clearly fixed on something other than the group. A sudden gust of wind sweeps a newspaper scrap into Kanji's grasp. Unfurling the parchment, the group huddles around, their curiosity piqued. The headlines speak of eerie sightings, shadowy figures dashing about the area. Most reports center on a concentration of these ominous entities around the famous Rijksmuseum, sparking fear that the revered institution is under siege by a group of terrorists.

Azan "What? I swore no one caught us when we escaped as clean as possible. Why are they preparing like this?"

Kanji "Simple paranoia. I bet that bastard is acting on his guts alone. An excellent choice for them and an inconvenience for us. Let's go see the situation ourselves."

Upon arriving at their destination, they find a formidable ring of people encircling the museum. Their path is obstructed by a group of stern-faced policemen, who aggressively urge the crowd to remain calm. The wielders collectively decide to disperse, each seeking to find a situation entrance point. The museum is fortified from all sides, and Dave makes a startling observation— the officers are armed with firearms. The girls also spot additional policemen positioned atop a nearby building, their rifles trained on the museum below.

They reunite and ponder their next move.

Dave "Dem police have guns, bro. Big fucking guns. Real fucking heat right there."

Claire "Yeah, they even have people up there with rifles. Seems like is a bit of an overreaction."

Kanji "Looks like we have to get in the old fashion way."

Amelia "Pardon... you mean... Ugh, fine. The sewers it will be."

Guided by Kanji, they locate a sewer drain that he believes will lead them into the museum. However, when he attempts to lift the grate, it refuses to budge, as if it is sealed shut from within. Kanji whips out his chain and with a swift, powerful swing, cleaves the obstinate obstacle in two, revealing that it had been stitched with an unfamiliar adhesive.

Gwen "This substance feels warm to the touch, and its stickiness is on the brink of solidifying. It's a best guess to say that those cultists used this passage to enter the museum about half an hour prior."

Kanji "Yes, and according to the life sensor, there are no signals nearby. However, the museum is far more crowded than it should be, numbering more than a few hundreds. Did they gather all their Minor Cultists as well?"

Sarah "Oh shit! Maybe it is Kroma and the others!"

Diana "Wait. Seriously. They got in there without getting caught! That's amazing!"

Sarah "We need to be sure. I'm calling her right now."

The group leaps into the sewers, slowly navigating their way in the direction of the museum.

Sarah "Hey, Kroma. How's everything going... Oh. You guys didn't get caught, did you?... Great! I knew that would come in handy!... Wait, you even have a map for us?! That is sick!"

Claire "So, are they alright?"

Sarah "Yes! Obviously! Their teleporting powers really helped. Anyway, here's a map."

Azan "This has to be the worst drawing I have ever seen."

Claire "Well, with a bit of practice, maybe it could be better."

Sarah "Hey! Remember, she's just a kid!"

Following the map's directions, they arrive at a set of ten ladders, each leading to hatches secured with combination locks. They step aside, giving Diana the room to wind up a powerful punch, causing the hatches to burst open. Noah's body ignites a yellow glow and quickly catches one of the hatches before it crashes to the floor.

Noah "Phew. That was close."

Diana "I knew you would that, buddy."

Noah "Yeah, like you ever think ahead. By the way, what is this place?"

The room is a bizarre and silent chamber, permeated by noxious and acrid odors that cling to the air. Kanji, Dave, and Diana don their night-vision goggles, revealing the vastness of the chamber, filled with mounds of an unsettling cold substance. Kanji points out the positions of these mounds as they navigate further into the room. Out of curiosity, Gwen reaches out and takes a sample of the peculiar masses.

Gwen "These are corpses. Insect corpses, to be precise. Is this how they've modified themselves?! How inefficient! Their carelessness is unbelievable! Keeping live specimens would have been more effective! I didn't expect our enemies to be such lazy slobs!"

Sarah "Chill out, Gwen. I've never seen you this mad. Also, why in THE FUCK would you give them any ideas?"

Claire "Bestie, are you okay? Do you need a Caprisun?"

Gwen "As delicious as they are, I'll manage without them. I apologize for my unwarranted outburst."

Azan "I find it very endearing how much you care about your profession. It explains your record of success-

Mina "Guys! I think I found the exit!"

Kanji "Wait, how? There doesn't appear to be one."

Adrian "Sometimes, I think you guys don't think I exist. I used my powers on this room then Mina found where it is exactly."

Dave "Bro, what?! You can use that on rooms! Hold on Hold the fuck on! Can you use it to tell if something is a room?"

Adrian "Oh, I see what your aim is. I can understand that what can be identified as a room is quite broad."

Mina "The exit is on the ceiling btw."

Azan "How could you see that in the dark?"

Mina "Well... Let's just say I have a bit of experience."

Adrian "She said it was from constant camping."

Kanji " Nice. Excellent work you two. Shall we ascend?"

As one, the group unfurls their wings, soaring upwards towards another hatch embedded in the ceiling. This one appears unlocked, and with minimal effort, they pry it open to reveal a tunnel that extends diagonally before straightening out, growing in size. Eventually, the tunnel boasts ample space, dotted with a network of vents for the circulation of air, creating an artificial current. While traversing this tunnel, they notice it branching off into various paths— some straight, some curving, and others looping back to the main passage.

Undeterred, they press forward, eventually stumbling upon a heavily fortified door constructed from a thick sheet of tinodium. The door bears an exquisite, spiraling pattern that suggests it was conjured through supernatural means. The group readies themselves, preparing to assail this formidable barrier.

Kanji's chain crackles with electricity, forming a blade at its tip. With a fierce swing, he creates a grid pattern on the door. Sarah follows suit, her daggers deepening the grid, culminating in a massive cleave down the center of the door with her Zweihander. Azan's suitcase transforms into a saber, slicing in an X-shaped pattern before Amelia quickly steps in, knife in hand, to form a cross.

Meanwhile, Mina scooches over on the side and begins to rust the door. Claire fires her bolts to strike at each intersection of the slashes. Gwen adds her firepower, launching torpedoes atop them. Observing the impending explosion, Mina dashes away, narrowly evading the blast.

Noah's axe ignites with a crimson fury, Dave's bat expands into a bulky form, and Adrian readies his shield. Following Diana's charge, they rush past Mina, who barely sidesteps out of their way.

With a deafening crash, the door yields to their combined assault, sending remnants of it scattering across the enormous chamber.

Mina "Guys! Maybe a little bit of a heads-up start would be- Holy shit!"

Exiting the tunnel, they find that the entrance is several meters above the ground before scanning their surroundings. A complicated network of tunnels stretches out before them, all of which are also elevated several meters above the ground. Beneath each of these openings lies a collection of the museum's attractions— priceless artwork, statues, and more, all arrayed along the walls.

In the center of the chamber, a masked figure turns to face them. He points with a condescending air.

John "What a rude entrance that was. But then again, I shouldn't have expected anything less from an inferior species. This is as far as you shall go."

(To be continued)