User:NeloAngelo/Redstuff/1-1

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Leaving the Station, I saw something up in the far end of the track. I can't discern the exact image, save for some faint light and smoke.

I closed my eyes. As my sense of vision turned off, my sensitivity with the atmosphere opens up. Within it, I can feel the flow of temperature. Its change with the direction and motion of the air. And then&mdash;heat signals, presented in my closed vision as thermographyic filters.

1 large heat signal, and 4 heat signals akin to Grotesques back in the ruins detected at far end of the track. My focus broke as my sword sprang a magic signal alerting me.


 * Red: <>
 * Nelo: Yes.
 * Red: >
 * Nelo: Kinda weird to talk through my sword.
 * Red: <>
 * Nelo: Yeah, looks like something's going down at the track.
 * Red: <>
 * Red: <>
 * Nelo: Around 4, I think.
 * Red: <>
 * Nelo: I picked up 4 heat signals similar to the ones back in the ruins.
 * Red: <<....!>>
 * Nelo: Hello?
 * Red: <>
 * Nelo: Understood.

Heading towards the crash site, I saw 4 Grotesque positioned around a large Grotesque corpse tangled with the flipped cargo unit. The 4 of them resembled the ones back in the ruin. Though their limbs may built a bit different, the structure of their head, their limbs are fundamentally the same. The Grotesques seems content on prowling around the unit, so I decided to advance further. Just as I move, I realize my eyes met with one of them. One of them has spotted me. Why did it picked up my presence only at this distance? The Grotesques here doesn't seem to have ears. If their relying on their eyes, the should've noticed me earlier.

Before I can go any further, the Grotesque has charged towards me. A flash of panic came through, and I instinctively threw a plume of fire towards it. If they look similar, surely the same attack can incapacitate it. Damn it. My fire can coat their body, but its not penetrating through their skin. Fire scatters just as they flex their movement. Guess it's like Red said, these Grotesques have mutated further.

Whatever &mdash; if rough ballistics doesn't work, then I'll take them one by one. I began pressurize the heat energy, then discharge with additional propulsion from the base of my palm. Bang. A streak of fire blaze through the air like flaming bolt, piercing dead right on one of the Grotesques' limb. I can feel my fire from the shot is disrupting their internal system. It worked.

Compressing the payload delays my rate of fire by additional 0.5 seconds. For close range, my sword's reach can cover my up to an extended arm length, but Grotesque's movement are not limited by their skeletal built. Unfortunately, my inital blast has alerted the entire pack, so I can't pick-em-off one-by-one either.

The approaching Grotesque swung its arm at me from zing-zagging motion. It's not particularly fast, but how it ignore its bone structure to attack at this direction still took a while to get used to. Since I can't predict their movement, I might as well disable them. Channeling fire into my sword, I immediately slice off the Grotesque's arm. As my sword possess a solid base, it removes the need of compressing my firepower. Though it cannot cover a long range, it can be used instantly.

Relying on my instincts, my body guided my sword into another slash followed with another. In 3 strikes, the Grotesque has its arms cut off, and slashes of a cross carved into its body. The Grotesque recoils from pain, but I'm not taking any chances, and finishes it with a lateral slash cutting it down.

3 more remains. 2 in range of my sword's optimal distance. 1 further. As the 2 in-range Grotesques began attacking as I quickly strafed around the freshly killed Grotesque to cover myself. Hiding behind the cadaver seems to have scrambled their thinking for an instant, but that was the opening I need. Charging up, I immediately fire 2 compressed shots, strong enough to shoot through the cadaver and into the 2 Grotesques. The 2 recoiled; one received a shot to the chest and one to the head. The one who got a headshot seems to have been knocked into a daze instead of a twitch. I see. Even they've mutated far beyond human recognition, Grotesque's brain is still integral in coordinating their motor function. With that in mind, I quickly jumped over the cadaver and brandish my sword. 5 slashes and 3 fired shots. 5 limbs removed in 4 strikes, 1 cut down, and 1 shot to death.

One remaining. Target the head. Immolate through the penetration and capitalize the brain damage at once and follow up with 3 more shots- All Grotesques down. To make sure all them are dead, I set the corpses on fire. Looks like once they've been incapacitated, their body resistance weakens considerably. Even a normal fire is enough.

With all the detected Grotesque out, all that remains is the cargo unit tangled Grotesque parts. I can still detect some small heat residue from it. Could it be the engine is still functioning? .... Gripping my sword, I....
 * 1) )Enter the cargo unit to check for salvageables.
 * 2) )Take no chances. Open fire at the cargo unit.