Oldest Brother: "Terra... is this place dangerous?"
Old Four: "Dangerous is an understatement... The natives here are all superhumans. Catastrophes can strike the land at any moment, the planet is crawling with world-ending threats, and there are lumberjacks eyeing us from space!"
Second Brother: "...Lumberjacks? Are there any dumb bears?"
Old Four: "Not that kind of lumberjack!"
Third Brother: "What do we do? Can we go back?"
Third Brother's question plunged them into silence.
Yes, could they go back?
Old Four tried to encourage them, "There's a chance. Since we got here, there must be a way back.
In this game's storyline, there are many crossovers—those characters were all transmigrated!
If we find the method, we can definitely return!"
Old Four didn't mention their current forms, and the others tacitly avoided the topic as well.
Second Brother: "For now, let's figure out where we are. Old Four, do you know?"
Old Four: "Yeah. Oldest Brother's location—that symbol is definitely Rhine Lab... so Oldest must be in Columbia."
"Third Brother... a snowfield could be Ursus, Sami, or Kjerag."
"Third Brother, do you see any snowy mountains? Is there a lot of forest?"
Third Brother: "No! Just snowfields, not much forest either! And now a blizzard is starting!"
Old Four: "Tsk! Then it's Ursus..."
"What about you, Second Brother? Any distinctive features there?"
Second Brother: "This looks like a battlefield. There's ash floating everywhere in the air."
Old Four: "A battlefield... look at those corpses. Are their horns all twisted?"
Second Brother: "Yes! Their tails too!"
Old Four: "Damn! You're in the most danger! That's Kazdel—they're always at war!"
Second Brother: "What do you mean? Why am I in the most danger?"
"Stay calm, Second Brother." Oldest Brother forcibly suppressed his panic and took the lead in reassurance.
"First, ensure your own safety. Are there any living people around you? Or anything moving?"
Second Brother fell silent for a few seconds, likely cautiously surveying his surroundings.
"Not for now... just a lot of corpses, recently dead." His voice grew slightly steadier.
"Wait, the corpses... can I revive them?"
"Necromancer skills?" Oldest Brother immediately caught on.
"Don't test it yet! We don't know if the revived creatures can be controlled!"
"Understood." Second Brother took a deep breath, rebuilding his aloof demeanor under the pressure of survival.
"I need to find a place to hide. This body... I'm still not used to it."
Third Brother's tearful voice cut in, "T-The blizzard is getting worse here! And... I think I hear wolves howling!"
"Ursus' frozen tundra..." Old Four's voice grew serious. "Third Brother, can you summon anything?"
"I-I'll try..." Sounds of fumbling came from Third Brother's end, followed by a piercing howl.
Moments later, Third Brother cried out in panic, "A deer-headed monster! And it can fly! It's shielding me—the wind and snow have eased up!"
"Don't panic, that's your skill. Did you forget about your skin?" Oldest Brother reassured him.
"Have your summon protect you. Look for shelter or a village."
Old Four: "That won't work, Oldest. Ursus people are very hostile toward the Infected."
"Given our skins, we'll definitely be seen as Sarkaz. In this world, Sarkaz are almost synonymous with the Infected."
Oldest Brother: "...Then let's survive the blizzard first."
"What about you, Old Four? What's Iberia like?"
"Me? Handsome guys always have good luck!" Old Four's voice regained its irritating smugness.
"I'm by the sea! The scenery's nice... though the water looks a bit off, gray and murky. There are schools of fish in the distance..."
"Wait... these fish seem strange."
"Holy shit! Sea Terrors!!" Old Four exclaimed first.
"A specialty of Aegir! It seems I'm not safe either!"
The situation summary painted a grim picture.
Oldest Brother: In the ruins of a Columbia research facility, identity unknown, drawing attention.
Second Brother: In a battlefield corpse pile in Kazdel, surrounded by danger and formidable enemies.
Third Brother: In the freezing tundra of Ursus, facing natural disasters and wild beasts, struggling to survive.
Old Four: On the dangerous coast of Iberia, threatened by Sea Terrors.
"Brothers," Oldest Brother's voice resounded again, carrying an unyielding resolve,
"Survive first. At all costs, survive first."
"Familiarize yourselves with your new bodies and powers. Skills, weapons, traits from skins—these are our survival assets."
"Second Brother, how effective is your weapon? Third Brother, what else can you summon? Old Four, how's your life steal? How much damage can my skills block? We need to figure these out as soon as possible."
"Quickly learn our specific locations—what factions are nearby, what dangers lurk, and what resources or people we can... utilize."
"Old Four, you know this world best. Provide intel support whenever needed."
"Third Brother, don't be afraid. We're all here. I'll find my way and meet up with you soon."
"Second Brother, you're sharp. Think carefully if we've missed anything."
The link fell silent as the others listened to Oldest Brother's instructions.
Second Brother: "There's one thing right now... Have any of you wondered how we're talking?"
Old Four: "Uh... telepathy?"
Second Brother: "Can telepathy display text?"
Old Four: "Holy shit! Could this be the legendary chat group system?"
Third Brother: "Holy shit!"
Old Four: "...I already said that, Third Brother, no need to repeat it."
Third Brother: "No! I just entered a building! The layout... it looks like the lobby from Soul Knight!"
"!!!" x3
Oldest Brother: "How did you get in?"
Third Brother: "I don't know! I just suddenly entered!"
Second Brother: "No good. I tried focusing my thoughts, but I still can't get in."
Old Four: "Can only Third Brother enter? That doesn't make sense—I'm the host."
Second Brother: "Maybe it's related to words or actions. Third Brother, did you do anything just now..."
**BOOM—!!!**
A sudden sound cut off their conversation.
Second Brother: "What was that?! Where did it come from?"
Third Brother and Old Four both denied it was from their sides.
Oldest Brother: "..."
Second Brother: "Oldest?"
Oldest Brother: "Just now, a woman jumped down from a broken rooftop. The ground shattered, but she seems completely unharmed."
Third Brother: "Huh? Is she even human?"
Old Four: "There's only one human on this entire continent, and this damn sense of familiarity... Does that woman have a pair of dragon horns, white long hair, and orange eyes?"
Oldest Brother: "Yes!"
Old Four: "Oldest, run! That's Terra's squad leader who can survive a fall from six thousand meters and still bounce around!"
"..."
"Oldest?"
"No need."
Oldest Brother looked around, crimson beams of light steadily targeting him.
"I'm already surrounded..."
Third Brother urgently interjected, "Don't give up, Oldest! I'm figuring it out right now! Hold on—I'll get it soon!"
"Intruder, state your purpose."
The steady, powerful female voice echoed through the ruins, carrying an air of unquestionable authority.
Big Boss remained silent. His magma-formed face betrayed no expression, but the hand gripping his shield was taut. It wasn't that he didn't want to answer, but rather—
He simply couldn't understand the language of this world!
[Big Boss: She's speaking! But I can't understand a word!]
[Little Four: Obviously! That's Terra's language! For Saria to personally come out, that means Rhine Lab considers you a top-level threat, Boss!]
[Little Three: Hang in there, Boss! I... I feel like I'm almost there!]
[Little Two: Language barrier, no communication... Prepare for battle, or try to break out. It's time to test your abilities.]
In reality, Saria looked at the silent, magma-like monster before her, radiating intense heat and the scent of sulfur. Seeing no response to her warning, she let out a soft sigh. A flicker of regret passed through her orange eyes, but it was overshadowed by her determination to carry out her mission.
Just moments ago, many of her colleagues had expressed intense curiosity about this creature. One director had even shouted its name outright.
"An Ifrit! This is definitely an Ifrit! Saria, you must bring it back intact!"
Being the subject of her colleagues' curiosity was never a good thing. As a researcher, Saria naturally understood the fate of becoming a test subject. Though given its status as an intruder, it was unlikely to escape unscathed anyway.
Urgent voices kept crackling through her earpiece. Saria's expression remained impassive.
The monster before her didn't seem like an opponent that could be easily subdued.
"I'll do my best..."
She crossed her fists before her. White crystalline particles, like living dust, rapidly coated her arms and upper body, emitting a disconcerting energy fluctuation—
This was her Originium Arts: Calcification.
"Final warning," her voice remained calm, yet anyone could sense the power it held, "surrender, and you can avoid unnecessary suffering."
Big Boss couldn't understand the words, but her ready-to-strike posture and the security personnel gradually forming a perimeter around them clearly conveyed one message—
Fight. Unavoidable.
Though the other side likely couldn't understand, Big Boss still gave a response.
"[Unintelligible low growl of an Ifrit]!"