Chapter 25: The Deep Silence of Neu-Berlin
The Ruhr Valley was a graveyard of twisted rebar and black, stagnant water. Beneath the surface lay the entrance to Neu-Berlin, a city built not for men, but for the Hive-Link. The Howling Commandos sat in a salvaged Hydra submersible, the rhythmic ping of the sonar echoing like a heartbeat in the cramped cabin.
The Submerged Descent
Arthur stood at the observation port, his [Archivist Combat Shroud] glowing with a soft, pulsing light that illuminated the dark silt outside. His [Digital Trace] was active, following the glowing threads of Zola's fractured code that led straight into the abyss.
"Pressure's holding at five hundred feet," Gabe Jones reported, his hands steady on the controls. "But Arthur, the sonar is picking up... movement. Not fish. Something bigger, and it's metallic."
"The 'Exorcists,'" Arthur whispered, his S+ Intelligence already identifying the patterns in the water. "Thorne's legacy wasn't just digital. He built guardians to purge anything that tries to follow the thread."
[ SYSTEM ALERT ]
Environmental Status: High-Pressure Submergence.
Enemy Detected: Hydra 'Exorcist' Class Sentinels (Aquatic Type).
Warning: Your spatial abilities are hindered by the density of the surrounding water.
The Exorcist's Strike
A massive shadow detached itself from a ruined factory chimney. It was a sleek, serpentine machine, its body covered in glowing orange sensors that cut through the murk. It didn't fire bullets; it unleashed a focused sonic pulse designed to shatter the submarine's hull and purge Arthur's [Logic Plague] from the local grid.
CRACK.
The submersible groaned as the first wave hit. "Hull integrity at eighty percent!" Steve shouted, bracing himself against the bulkhead. "Arthur, we can't fight that thing in here!"
"Then I'm going out," Arthur said, gripping [The Archive's Edge].
The Void in the Deep
Arthur didn't wait for permission. He used a localized [Spatial Anchor] to create a pocket of air around the airlock, then stepped out into the crushing pressure of the deep.
Because of his [The Unanchored Record] title, the weight of the water didn't crush him; it felt like a thick, supportive gel. He raised his staff, the Tesseract shard flaring with a brilliant, bioluminescent blue that momentarily blinded the Exorcist's sensors.
[ SKILL ACTIVE: SPATIAL FOLD — VACUUM BUBBLE ]
Arthur didn't try to swim. He folded the space in front of him, "falling" toward the sentinel with terrifying speed. As he closed the distance, he funneled the [Logic Plague] directly into the sentinel's acoustic emitters.
"You're trying to purge me?" Arthur's voice vibrated through the water, amplified by the Tesseract's resonance. "I am the Archive. You don't delete me. I overwrite you."
[ BATTLE LOG ]
Arthur utilizes [Logic Plague]!
Exorcist Sentinel status: Critical Error — IFF (Identify Friend or Foe) Corrupted.
Result: The sentinel turns its sonic weapons on the hidden entrance to Neu-Berlin.
The Gate Crasher
The sentinel, now a thrall to Arthur's virus, unleashed a devastating sonic blast against the massive, circular blast doors of the sunken fortress. The reinforced steel buckled and tore, revealing a pressurized air-lock that led into the heart of the Hive.
"Gabe! Now!" Arthur signaled.
The submersible shot forward, following the wake of the rogue sentinel into the dry, oxygenated halls of the fortress. As Arthur landed on the wet metal floor of the docking bay, his shroud shed the water instantly.
[ QUEST PROGRESS ]
Objective: Locate entrance to Neu-Berlin (COMPLETE).
Next Goal: Infiltrate the 'Hive-Brain' and sever the link.
"Welcome to the end of the world," Arthur muttered, looking up at a city of glass and glowing circuitry that stretched for miles beneath the earth.
Current Status:
DP Balance: 8,200 (Bonus for Aquatic Takedown).
Sync Level: 48%.
Condition: High Adrenaline (Buff: Combat Flow).