— Kay? What the hell is this? — Yumi exclaimed, now serious, as she watched the tentacles in action.

Kay removed her mask, letting the wind blow on her face as she answered:

— It's the final form of the suit.

The tentacles continued to move them, almost as if they were part of it, climbing quickly up the wall.

— There's still a lot to explain... — Yumi said, visibly impressed.

Kay put her mask back on and continued:

— In a nutshell: ghouls regain strength by feeding on other ghouls. That's why Slayer, Dan and Mira touched the dead bodies. The suits have a daily limit of how much they can absorb, it's the same purpose but done differently than the repairs made at the Institute.

— I kind of understand, but I'm still confused... — Yumi said.

Finally, they reached the top of the wall. Kay stopped for a moment, observing the terrain below.

— The Institute is still researching. It'll be easier to let the experts explain.

"Teach me how to do it!" Yumi asked with determination.

"You're going to be busy. And maybe the Institute will have already announced it before we have time to teach it."

"Can all the recruits do it?" Yumi insisted. "You mentioned Takemichi and a squad leader. Can they do it too?"

"Yes. But theirs are different. Not tentacles... They have wings."

"Wings? Wait, are you saying they can fly?"

"Yes, and tomorrow maybe I can too."

"This is too much to process..." Yumi said, still in awe.

Kay laughed softly before holding up her gun.

"Let's deal with the ghouls downstairs first. Then I'll teach you everything."

"Okay!" Yumi said, grabbing her own gun.

Kay held Yumi tightly with one hand and her gun with the other.

"Unlock it for me."

"Okay!" — Yumi said, unlatching the gun.

“Be careful not to bite your tongue!” — Kay joked before jumping off the wall with Yumi in her arms.

The wind roared in their ears as Kay and Yumi plummeted in free fall towards the entrance of the wall. The ghouls, already aware of the movement, raised their tentacles towards them, preparing to attack.

Kay steadied her stance in the air, adjusting her aim with precision.

“Showtime!” she muttered, pulling the trigger of her gun.

The first shots cut through the air with speed, hitting the ghouls directly. Two fell instantly, their twisted bodies hitting the ground with a dull thud. Kay kept shooting, each shot taking down another enemy.

“Amazing!” thought Yumi, watching the controlled chaos that Kay was creating.

When there were about ten ghouls left, they quickly changed strategy, raising their tentacles like shields to protect themselves from the gunfire.

“They’re getting smart…” Kay muttered, narrowing her eyes.

Before they could hit the ground, the tentacles of Kay’s suit extended like living blades, grabbing onto the wall and stopping their fall abruptly.

“Let’s kill the rest, there are more coming!” Kay said, her tone full of determination.

“Right!” Yumi replied, holding her halberd tightly as Kay’s tentacles released from the wall.

With a swift leap, they landed on the ground, both in a fighting stance. Kay holstered her weapon and drew her sword, the blade gleaming in the pale light. Yumi spun her halberd, preparing for confrontation.

The ghouls, who had previously been on the defensive, advanced ferociously, their tentacles whipping through the air like serpents ready to strike.

“I don’t know your style yet, but fight like always, and I’ll follow!” Kay said, positioning herself beside her.

Yumi let out a light giggle, her eyes shining with excitement.

“Just attack. I can handle myself!” she replied, with a confident smile.

Kay smiled back, adjusting her stance.

“Then let’s see what you’re capable of.”

Without another word, the two advanced.

Kay was the first to move, a burst of speed that put him directly in the middle of the ghouls. Her sword slashed in precise arcs, ripping off tentacles and piercing the grotesque flesh of her enemies. One of the ghouls tried to attack from the side, but the tentacles of Kay's suit reacted like an extension of her body, blocking the blow and pushing the monster back.

"You're taking it easy, Kay!" Yumi shouted, swinging her halberd in a sweeping motion.

Yumi was a storm in motion. Her halberd swung in circular strikes that kept the ghouls at bay while delivering devastating attacks. A ghoul tried to surround her from behind, but she leapt, spinning in the air, and came down with a sure blow that pierced the creature's head.

"Easy? I'm just warming up!" Kay replied, dodging a blow and swiping her blade upward, slicing through the torso of another ghoul.

Two ghouls simultaneously advanced on Kay, their tentacles lashing out in coordinated attacks. Kay ducked, dodging, and her own tentacles reacted, grabbing one of the monsters and throwing it at the other. Before they could recover, he finished them both off with quick, accurate strikes.

Meanwhile, Yumi faced three ghouls who were trying to surround her.

“It seems they like me!” she said with a provocative smile.

She crouched down, swinging her halberd in a low arc that cut through the tentacles of the three enemies. Taking advantage of the opening, she advanced with a powerful thrust, plunging the blade of the halberd into the chest of one of the ghouls and using the handle to push the other two back.

Kay jumped to her side, cutting off the path of two ghouls who were trying to attack her again.

“It seems they like us both, actually!” — he joked, taking down another one with a clean blow.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

The last three ghouls hesitated, backing away slightly. Kay and Yumi exchanged glances, a silent understanding passing between them.

“Time to end this,” Kay said, her voice calm but full of determination.

They advanced together, Kay slashing tentacles and distracting the ghouls while Yumi delivered the final blows. Within seconds, the last three monsters were on the ground, defeated.

Yumi rested her halberd on her shoulder, looking down at the fallen bodies.

“Ten against two, and not a scratch. I think we deserve a rest.”

Kay shrugged, wiping the blade of her sword.

“Rest is for later. Let’s open this passage.”

— Answer me one thing, Kay: how long have you been fighting using those tentacles? — Yumi exclaimed, as they both watched the ghouls in their defensive formation.

— In a real fight? This is the first time. — Kay replied, with a slight smile of confidence, as she adjusted her grip on her sword.

— Impressive! With something like that, so many deaths could be avoided! — Yumi said, her eyes shining with the potential of Kay's skill.

— Have you managed to warm up? — Kay teased, as her tentacles moved like snakes, ready for the next clash.

— Just with that? Are you kidding me! — Yumi replied, a defiant laugh escaping her lips.

Kay laughed softly.

— I figured! Maybe these new guests will do.

Twelve new ghouls appeared, advancing quickly. Three of them had no tentacles, while the other nine moved theirs like living weapons, their tips sharp as blades ready to attack.

— Three without tentacles? What's the point of that? — Yumi commented, masterfully spinning her halberd.

— I agree. — Kay replied, her eyes fixed on the enemies. — Let's get this over with.

The tension in the truck

Meanwhile, the recruits watched from afar, the sounds of blades and tentacles clashing echoing across the plain.

— Will they be able to do it? — Alex asked, trying to hide her concern.

— Now you're worried? — Fiona replied, raising an eyebrow.

— Don't get me wrong, we depend on them to complete this mission. That's all.

San closed his eyes for a moment, concentrating on the sounds of battle.

— I can still hear the sound of the blades. They're fighting!

Raven looked around.

— We won't be left out any time soon. We have more coming from the sides!

To the right and left, groups of ghouls were approaching.

— They must have been attracted by the noise. — Viviane concluded.

Thais took the lead, pointing to the formations.

— Vivi and I will take care of the ones on the right. The brute and Sarah will take care of the left. Fighters, stay alert and take charge if they get past us.

— I agree, even if it pains me to admit it. — Raven grumbled, adjusting her weapon.

Mira observed the heavy weapon on the truck and made a suggestion.

— If you're going to use Kratos' weapon, why don't you use this machine gun too? They both make noise, so there's no point in saving money.

— You're right. If the noise has already attracted them, we have nothing to lose. — Slayer said, preparing his weapon.

Raven nodded, quickly deciding.

— Let's follow Mira's plan. Sarah and Vivi, focus on the ones on the left. Thais and Ethan, on the right. If the situation gets out of hand, Kratos and another will fire with the heavy weapons. Understood?

Everyone nodded, taking their positions. Sarah and Viviane, the snipers, took precise aim at the ghouls on the left, while Thais and Ethan focused on the ones on the right with their automatic weapons.

“I won’t get much action. Please let me take this weapon!” Alex said, pointing to the truck’s machine gun.

“If you can shoot with it, it’s all yours,” Raven replied confidently.

The field was silent for a moment, only the sound of the recruits’ heavy breathing filling the air. Then, the front line shook with the arrival of the first ghouls. They advanced quickly, their grotesque figures approaching the group. The attack was about to begin.

“Target in sight. Ready to fire,” Viviane whispered, her hand firmly on the trigger of the sniper.

BANG! The first shot rang out. The ghoul was hit squarely in the head, his body collapsing lifelessly to the ground. Sarah, at his side, fired quickly, taking down another ghoul who was trying to advance. Each shot rang out with precision, keeping the defense line intact on the left.

But the number of enemies did not diminish. They emerged from the shadows in a continuous stream, moving towards the recruits' positions.

On the right, Thais and Ethan were more exposed, but equally prepared. With her submachine gun, Thais fired short bursts, taking down ghouls with deadly accuracy. Ethan, at her side, was not far behind, his semi-automatic shotgun firing rapid shots that picked off the monsters.

"They won't get through!" Thais shouted, taking a step back as her submachine gun cut down the line of ghouls, eliminating another.

As the ghouls approached, the terrain became more chaotic. Alex, watching from afar, was ready for action. His attention was focused on the machine gun mounted on the truck, but he knew that for now, he needed only to observe. Unless the situation worsened, his heavy fire would not be necessary.

However, the ghouls did not stop advancing. And while Viviane and Sarah held the line on the left, the pressure increased on the right. The monsters were arriving in greater numbers, and Thais and Ethan were beginning to be forced to retreat slowly.

"We need support!" Thais shouted, her voice cutting through the sound of the bullets.

Kratos, with a fierce smile on his face, was impatient, his hand gripping the heavy machine gun tightly. The battle was getting more and more fierce, but he knew that it was the right time to unleash the destructive power of his weapon.

"It's time to unleash the beast!" he shouted, a gleam of adrenaline in his eyes. He pulled the trigger, a torrent of bullets ripping through the air. The explosions from each shot were like thunder, disintegrating the ghouls approaching from the right in a relentless massacre.

Kratos's weapon unleashed a veritable inferno, cutting down anything that moved. Every bullet that touched a ghoul was a fatal blow, and the monsters' bodies fell like dominoes, dragged by the force of the heavy fire. There was no escape for them.

Alex, his eyes focused and his breathing controlled, took position next to Kratos. His machine gun also sprang into action, unleashing relentless bursts to the left. The sound of the bullets was deafening, but effective. The front line stabilized as the ghouls fell under the hail of gunfire. Each bullet hit its target with precision, cutting them down in large numbers.

The pressure was beginning to ease, but Slayer, observing the situation closely, realized the risk of drawing more attention than necessary.

"Enough!" he exclaimed, his voice full of authority. "Firing more will only attract more ghouls unnecessarily!"

Kratos and Alex, already aware that they were overloading the field, finally stopped their fire. The machine guns fell silent, and the roar of weapons gave way to the sound of the dying battle.

"He's right, we'll take care of the rest!" Raven said with renewed confidence, already drawing her sword, ready for the final offensive.

The combatants began to advance once more.

The pace of the battle changed. The heavy fire had cleared the way, now it was the turn of skill and speed. They advanced without hesitation, facing the remaining ghouls relentlessly.

The field was filled with battle cries, steel against flesh, as the last resistance of the monsters crumbled under the attacks of the warriors. There was no room for error, every strike was precise, every movement synchronized. The ghouls, now without the strength to resist, began to retreat, but it was too late.

The battlefield was quickly cleared, victory was within reach. The ghouls had been defeated, and silence took over the place, interrupted only by the heavy breathing of the survivors.

Mira, observing the field, looked at Kratos and Alex, with a joyful smile.

— When the beast speaks, the monsters fall. — Kratos said, wiping the sweat from his forehead and reloading his weapon.

Raven, with an ironic smile, looked at him.

— It's good to have a beast on our side, isn't it? Now, let's get ready for what's coming.

— Looks like you had fun! — Kay said on the radio, her voice filled with a satisfied laugh.

— It's a mess here, but the ghouls have been eliminated! Are they finished in there yet? — Raven exclaimed on the radio.

— The entrance is being opened! The rest who haven't touched the bodies yet, enjoy it now! Kay said.

Raven, still keeping a watchful eye on the field, said:

— Understood! — There are many corpses, but they are far away. Don't let your guard down and return quickly when you're done!

The recruits began to touch the fallen ghouls, while the sound of machinery and effort could be heard as the entrance finally began to open. The passage, which had been obstructed until then, released a wave of dust that seemed to have been there for centuries, frozen by time.

Yumi, with a hint of frustration, commented:

— It’s getting stuck, they’re going to need a lot of maintenance on this system!

Kay, always questioning, asked:

— But will it open completely?

Yumi gave a confident smile:

— Yes! Thank goodness the system stores solar energy, otherwise it would be impossible to open this passage!

Kay couldn’t contain her enthusiasm

— Whoever created these walls was a genius!

Yumi, with a tone of reverence, continued:

— Who? You didn't know? These walls are the result of a union of humanity, centuries of construction. They had to give up the world to ensure the safety of the survivors, a protection for the rest of humanity!

Kay reflected for a moment, impressed by the grandeur of human effort.

— Centuries... if it weren't for their efforts, humanity would have already been exterminated. We have to be grateful, and to show our gratitude, we will recover what they built!

Yumi agreed with a firm smile:

— I support!

Suddenly, Kay picked up the radio and, with urgency in her voice, gave the order:

— All vehicles, enter immediately. More ghouls are approaching from outside, it's an amount that you won't be able to handle!

The drivers, already aware of the situation, responded quickly:

— Understood!

Kay, with the command on the tip of her tongue, continued:

— As soon as they pass, close the entrance again!

Yumi, with her eyes wide open, couldn't help but ask:

— Are there that many?

Kay, with her voice full of intensity, answered:

— A wave!