Kaizen accelerated his bike, as the engine growled under him like it knew he was about to get himself into trouble.
His fingers hovered over his phone, texting Ren.
Me (Kaizen): Where exactly are my meeting you?
He typed looking at the deserted road ahead.
A few seconds later, Ren replied.
Ren: Meet me at the old floodgate ruins. Don't be late.
Kaizen hesitated for a second tapping his helmet. "Floodgate ruins. Bro, that's the kind of place where horror movies go to audition."
He sighed putting on his helmet.
"GPS, route me there," he muttered.
GPS AI (Crackling): Warning. Location marked as Level-Red Zone. Entry prohibited under Rift Management Laws.
Kaizen smirked. "Level-Red, huh? Perfect. I'll it as 'bad decision number forty-eight' to my record. Let's roll."
The bike roared into the outskirts of the city as is tires suddenly started screaming 'broken pavement'. Finally he arrived, the crew was waiting.
Ren leaned self-satisfied against a pillar. Around him:
Yui, spinning her dagger like it owed her money.
Jin, stretching like he was prepping for a cage fight.
Mika, glued to her phone.
Daichi, kicking rocks like the ruins personally offended him.
"Finally," Ren said, "Thought you got lost in hell's alleyways or something."
Kaizen ignored him for a moment to kill his motor engine. He then stepped down, removing his helmet walking towards Ren.
"If this place kills me, I swear I'm haunting your ass forever." Kaizen said.
Ren shrug it off, waving a hand like it was nothing. "Relax. This—" he gestured at the yawning black mouth of the ruins. "—is where the first Rift ever appeared. Jackpot tonight: rare gems, materials worth millions. Everyone else is too scared. That's our opening."
"So basically, you're dragging us into a death trap for money huh" Mika said raising an eyebrow.
Jin cracked his knuckles. "I like money."
"I like danger." Yui smirked.
Kaizen groaned. "And I like living. You're rank C, D… maybe B. This screams 'instant funeral.'"
Ren smirked folding his arms. "And yet... here you are."
Inside, the tunnels stretched like a giant underground beast, four paths yawning open.
Ren started acting like 'team leader'. He pointed. "Split up, cover more ground."
Kaizen immediately slapped his forehead, like that was the last thing he wanted Ren to utter. "Oh my god, split up? Did none of you watch horror movies? That's rule number one of instantdeath."
Daichi already walked off. "Too late, rules are flexible bro."
Mika waved. "See y'all at the treasure vault."
Kaizen muttered under his breath, noticing Yui fall in step beside him. "Seriously? You're really considering sticking with me?"
Yui smirked. "Better odds surviving with the guy who lectures about survival rules than the nutjobs splitting up."
Before he could answer, an inaccurate wail echoed from the other tunnels.
"Ren! Mika!" Yui screamed.
The first attack came fast. Water slurs, twisting like angry jelly, snapped at Ren and the others in their different tunnels. Jin blocked with brute strength, muscles screaming, while Mika tripped, waving her sword-like phone holder to keep the slurs at bay. Daichi tried kicking, but the slurs split and surrounded him, laughing in babbling tones.
"Oh, this just went full nightmare." Kaizen said as his stomach twisted.
From the far end, a massive serpent flowed forward, scales glistening wet, tongue flicking venom that sizzled the stone. Kaizen's stomach dropped.
"Oh f*** me sideways."
The serpent attacked. Kaizen rolled out of the way just as its tail caught his leg, pulling him across jagged rocks. Pain exploded in his thigh as he slammed into walls. Blood trickled from his nose, his vision blurred.
"Kaizen!" Yui's voice cracked from the other tunnel.
Kaizen staggered up, adrenaline burning. The serpent hissed, more shadows rippling behind it—reinforcements.
"Yeah...nope. Screw heroics."
He bolted. Boots slipped over slick stone. He caught a glimpse of Yui fighting a water slur like it owed her rent. Jin was trading punches with a slur that shaped itself like a hammer. Mika screamed, desperately slashing her phone like a sword. Daichi was trying to outrun a slug-like water mass, slipping and sliding.
Kaizen's mind raced. Four tunnels… one snake… half the crew already screwed. He shoved himself forward, finding a smaller, almost forgotten path. The walls closed in, echoing every hiss, then as if things could not get any worse, he tripped on loose rubble.
"Sh*t—!"
He tumbled down a steep slope, stones and dust whipping around him. Pain shot through his leg. Rocks crumbled beneath him, the darkness swallowing him whole.
A wet, hissing sound echoed above.
Kaizen vanished.