Chapter 9+1 & 9-1
Alice gently sat down in the Y-shaped chair of the observation room… her hair gradually shifted to a pure white—no longer the ashy white from before, but completely silk-white now. Her soft hands rested on the microphone, while around her dozens of scientists and supervising staff monitored everything via cameras… she was one of the scientists sent by the organization specifically to oversee the portal's activation.
Far ahead, the circular frame of the portal, interlaced with white and red electrical circuits, began to spin rapidly… A blinding light erupted before the staff could even react, scorching the eyes of anyone not wearing protective glasses. Inside the observation room, visibility was nearly zero as the portal glowed like a blazing lamp. The temperature around the portal soared—5,000°C… 7,000°C… causing wooden and steel equipment to begin melting. The extreme heat warped the surrounding air, while the spinning portal's light intensified even further. Suddenly, a rotating explosion shattered all the glass in the area, while the portal's interior temperature spiked to 120,000°C. In mere seconds, the heat destroyed all cameras, leaving only repeated "ERROR" messages. Seconds later, a second rupture tore through part of the base structure, as the portal's core reached 600,000°C, producing ghastly sounds of cracking and collapse. Then, in an almost unnatural instant, the portal's temperature plummeted to -5°C, stabilizing its spin. Alice and the scientists around her breathed a collective sigh of relief; some even stood to celebrate, thinking the operation had succeeded—or at least, they hoped it had. Smoke, gray and faint, began drifting into the base like frozen winds… On the other side, the faint silhouette of a terrestrial world glowed crimson, though it was too blurry for the scientists to make out any details.
Alice's voice rang out over the Site 13 speakers, sweet yet serious, like a cunning fox.
Alice
> Good morning, all EASRS Foundation personnel… I am Alice, Sinner 17, commander of Alpha 0 Zero Gen… Hehe. The mission begins immediately… activation is underway… we are about to enter the Anti-World…
Meanwhile, the military did not rest. Dormitory doors opened swiftly, and rows of soldiers moved together, dense as the Mongol horde. They rushed into locker rooms: some strapping on bulletproof vests, others prepping firearms. M4 rifles were loaded, equipped with attachments and lasers. Armor compartments were filled, and personnel donned gloves and gas masks. Once ready, soldiers climbed armored vehicles, while exterior teams inspected tracks and tires, engines roaring like wild beasts poised for a mission. Alice calmly stepped into the officer's armored vehicle, taking her seat with composed authority. Simultaneously, the convoy accelerated forward, cutting through fog toward the Anti-World.
Back in the Anti-World, Elena, Sora, and Light moved along the castle corridor. Lucas's bleeding had slowed, but he was still pale and weak. Sora carried him carefully, her eyes scanning him constantly. Though she often feigned rivalry or annoyance toward him, in her heart Lucas was like a brother—someone she would never allow to be harmed. Behind her, Light carried the unconscious Ayumi. His face remained serious, yet there was a subtle warmth in his gaze toward Lucas. Elena walked ahead, feeling guilty for Lucas's injuries, her hands clasped in a nervous tangle. The three children followed silently; Qu still slept, Mei trudged along with Qu in tow, her expression weary but not exhausted, and Hoshino silently bore the group's weaponry.
The corridor walls were lined with ominous paintings and portraits from the 15th–17th centuries. Eyes in the portraits seemed to watch them, and even scenic paintings carried a hidden gloom, as if something lurked behind. Black, strange shapes loomed above in the ceiling, like giant spiders crawling across the hall. Outside, lightning flashed in the red-and-black sky, illuminating trees made of human corpses—flesh, bones, and organs intertwined, eyes and noses staring at them. Suddenly, their footsteps froze.
Light hurled Ayumi to Elena and lunged forward, grasping something ahead. A crack echoed—Light's hand was smashed, bones falling to the ground, blood and flesh splattering across walls and paintings. A second blow struck his abdomen, dislodging organs, leaving him in excruciating pain. Yet he clenched something behind him and spoke through gritted teeth.
Light
> Move fast, you dogs…
A bullet tore through his right lung, blasting through his torso, while Mei fired her M84. Though her eyes were sharp, there was guilt in her gaze—the shot hit Light but not the target behind him. The sound of something being pierced followed; Light fell to the side, Ayumi screaming in agony as she was shot fatally, her body collapsing. Blood splattered everywhere. Light bit through his mangled hand, discarded it, and returned to reassure Elena and Sora. His harsh voice rang out, dripping with authority and care.
Light
> This one… you have the potential to become a Sinner, just need a little more effort…
---
Overhead, the creatures of the Anti-World observed. Across fields of corpses, a convoy of black armored vehicles rumbled hundreds of kilometers away. Engines roared, crushing the crimson ground, vehicles plowing through obstacles. Inside the officer's vehicle, two people sat beneath a yellow light: a supervisor and Alice, exuding calm authority.
Supervisor
> According to reports from the lead vehicle, 40 meters ahead, oxygen levels drop sharply—prepare to transfer two weapons…
Alice, lounging lazily, responded with a fox-like drawl, still clad in her black raincoat.
Alice
> Alright… defenses ready…
Suddenly, thousands of bullets tore forward, shaking the convoy violently. Golden streaks illuminated the night, piercing Anti-World creatures hiding in darkness. Vehicles split to form pincers, machine guns firing relentlessly as anguished screams echoed through the fog. When the gunfire ceased, only pools of blood remained, unrecognizable as to whose.
Geological scanners detected sudden movement: a sandworm surged forward, only to be shredded by the machine guns. But danger was everywhere—thousands of threats converged, relentless and dense, as if hungry to devour them alive.
---
In another valley, tanks filled with LCL (Life Component Liquid) poured endlessly down jagged cliffs. Rivers of LCL ran through dark ruins, thousands of Ayu's minions created from LCL sprawled across the rocks, naked and exposed. Slowly, one stirred, opening its eyes, vomiting a mass of LCL, cursing in agony as it struggled to rise, its body severely wounded.
Ayu
> Damn beasts… sooner or later, I will have my revenge…
---
Elsewhere in the Anti-World, under a sky blood-red yet clear, carnivorous trees towered 5–10 meters tall, clustered together. Their strong green trunks exuded scents that lured prey to their traps. In some mouths, soldiers—lured and captured—struggled helplessly. On the parched ground, two EASRS soldiers dragged themselves forward, exhausted and dehydrated, rifles in hand.
Soldier 1
> How much longer until the organization rescues us? Can you even make it…?
Soldier 2
> Don't expect that. Most likely… we've been abandoned.
Despair clouded Soldier 1's face as he looked at his companion, fists trembling.
Soldier 1
> Don't joke like that… I have a wife and kids. If I die here, who'll take care of them?
Soldier 2 pressed on in silence, knowing the likelihood of survival was slim. Ahead loomed a massive black tree, its branches covered with hundreds of corpses, some still alive, draining blood endlessly…
[To be continued] I I
Secret revealed by the author: the author is an Evangelion fan